So you’ve gone and done it. You’ve booked a Disney World vacation, meaning you’ve got your theme park tickets and you’ve booked your Disney World hotel.

Now, we get it. So many people don’t even think that much about the hotel because they’re so focused on the parks. But you paid for that hotel room, and you want to get the best value out of your stay in that hotel, right? Well, we’re going to tell you just how to do that.

Eating breakfast at your hotel

Your Disney World hotel will have at least one restaurant on site where you can eat breakfast before you hit the parks. Sure, you should try to eat lunch or dinner there, too, but there’s something extra special about starting your day by having breakfast at your hotel.

It’s even more special if your hotel offers a character dining experience because what’s better than starting your morning with breakfast AND a hug from your favorite Disney character? NOTHING!

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Make that request

If you want a specific room, type of room, or location at the hotel, don’t be afraid to make a room request. You can do that right in the My Disney Experience app for many requests. It never hurts to ask, and Disney is more likely to say “yes,” than “no” to reasonable requests.

For other types of requests, you could even call Disney and ask in advance. For example, if you book a standard room at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, you can call and request a partial savannah view room, and you may just end up with a room that has a view (or at least a partial view) of the animals.

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Plan a pool day

You paid good money for that hotel room, so why not use everything at the hotel and get your money’s worth? Plan a day where you’re just hanging around the hotel pool. Trust us….you’ll appreciate a day away from the parks, especially if it’s in the middle of your trip.

This will give you a chance to have some fun at the hotel without needing to go anywhere and get recharged to hit the parks again the next day.

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Checking out hotel activities

Every hotel has some kind of activities, including arts and crafts, outdoor movie nights, s’mores by a campfire, and more. You’ll even find activities just for kids, too. Most hotels will have signs up listing out all the activities, or you may even find a printed guide near the front desk. Be sure to ask a Cast Member for details.

Take advantage of some of those activities to make the most of your hotel stay. You’ll even find that some hotels have boating, fishing, biking, horseback riding, and more fun things to do.

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Explore your hotel

Take some time to walk around your hotel’s property. You might be surprised at what you find. The heavily-themed hotels will have a lot of fun decor and theming you’ll want to see, while some hotels will offer more scenic walks. At Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, you’ll even get to see some animals throughout various hotel locations.

Give yourself time to explore and really enjoy that hotel you paid good money for.

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Disney World Hotel Perks

If you’re staying at a Disney World hotel, you get certain perks that other visitors don’t get. For example, you can get Early Theme Park Entry with a stay at any Disney World hotel, getting you into the parks 30 minutes before the general public. Deluxe hotels also come with the Extended Evening Hours perk that lets you stay a few hours later in the parks on select nights. Be sure to check the Disney World calendar for nights with Extended Evening Hours.

Another perk is that you can book your Lightning Lanes earlier than other Disney World guests. You can purchase Lightning Lane passes and book your Lightning Lanes up to seven days in advance ahead of your trip. If you’re staying at a Disney World hotel, you can also book dining reservations for your entire stay 60 days in advance of the first day of your trip.

Also, you can get free tickets to the water parks  just by staying at a Disney World hotel on your arrival day. So you can just check in to your hotel, drop off your bags, and go have some fun in the water!

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Free transportation

You don’t have to worry about getting anywhere on Disney World property if you’re staying at a Disney World hotel. Be sure to take advantage of Disney’s extensive transportation options, including buses, the Monorail, boats, and the Skyliner.

This transportation will take you pretty much everywhere you need to go on Disney World property.

Characters

Did you know that you can often see characters at hotels? Now, you don’t usually know when they’re going to appear, but you’ll want to keep an eye out for them. You never know who might turn up.

Of course, if you want a guaranteed way to meet characters at your hotel, you can book a character dining experience at hotel restaurants that offer that.

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Keep this in mind during your next Disney World vacation and really use your hotel to get the most out of your entire trip! We’ll keep offering up our best Disney World tips and tricks, so stay tuned to DFB for WAY more.

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What’s one way you get the most value out of your Disney World hotel? Let us know in the comments!