Are you already planning a Disney World trip for 2027 and are wondering if you should stay on Disney World property? We totally understand what a big decision that can be!
Wilderness Lodge Hotel
Staying at a hotel on Disney World property can be so incredibly magical and can sometimes make your trip easier. You’ve got free transportation to and from your hotel and the parks and Disney Springs, you’re surrounded by Disney magic constantly throughout your trip, and many guests feel that, by staying on property, they fully step away from the stress of the world for a few days. However, it’s EXPENSIVE, even if you’re staying at one of the Value Resorts, and you may be weighing whether the perks of staying on property are worth the cost. To help you decide, here’s a rundown of ALL the hotel perks we know you can get in 2027!
Early Entry
One of the most well-known and most-used perks when staying at a Disney World hotel is Early Entry. This allows you to get into a Disney World park 30 minutes early, no matter what day of the week it is. Every Disney World hotel offers this perk, and it’s active at all four parks each day.
Early Entry crowds at Animal Kingdom
Not every attraction in the parks runs during Early Entry, but many of the resort’s most popular ones do, and it’s a fantastic time to knock out some of your top attractions with very low wait times! A 30-minute wait for a ride that’s usually 75 minutes or more? Yeah, you’ll start your day feeling very accomplished!
Extended Evening Hours
For those who aren’t morning people, or who want every single possible hour of park time, you may want to splurge on staying at a Deluxe Resort or Deluxe Villa to get access to Extended Evening Hours.
Animal Kingdom During Extended Evening Hours
This isn’t offered every day, and it isn’t always at each park, so you’ll want to check the My Disney Experience App to see when Extended Evening Hours will be offered during your trip. You’ll likely get about 1-2 hours of additional access to the parks once other crowds are gone, and again, you’ll find that wait times drop immensely, allowing you to ride more of your favorites!
Complimentary Transportation
As we mentioned before, if you stay at a Disney World hotel, you can take the free transportation to and from your hotel and other locations on property. That includes Disney buses, Monorails, Ferries, and the Skyliner, though not every hotel has direct access to each one.
Disney bus to Magic Kingdom
For example, the hotels on the Magic Kingdom Monorail loop have direct access to buses and the Monorail (and some have ferries as well), but not the Skyliner, and Art of Animation and Pop Century have access to buses and the Skyliner, but no boats or the Monorail. However, if you do choose to drive your own car to the parks, you also get free parking for the entire duration of your stay!
Free Water Park Entry
After patiently waiting, Disney has finally confirmed the Free Water Park Entry perk will return in 2027! Everybody, grab those goggles!
Typhoon Lagoon
On their website, Disney shared, “This benefit will also be available for Guests staying at an eligible Resort hotel in summer 2027, excluding the Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort. Stay tuned for more information and dates.” In 2026, the perk is only available from May 26th to September 8th, 2026, so we’re eager to see if that stays the same for next year.
Advance Booking For Dining and Lightning Lanes
Yes, everyone can make dining reservations 60 days in advance of their trip, but resort guests? You can book your entire trip (up to 10 days) once you hit that 60-day mark, and THAT is where it becomes a huge game-changer. For many people, that’s the difference between snagging that Chef Mickey’s breakfast reservation on the day you wanted and having to check back multiple times every single day for the next two months until your trip starts to try and grab it.
Chef Mickey at Chef Mickey’s!
When it comes to Lightning Lanes, staying at a Disney World resort gets you access to purchase and select Lightning Lanes seven days before your trip starts, whereas other guests can only book three days in advance. That head start can make the difference between waiting in line for two hours or breezing past everyone else.
Is It Worth It?
At the end of the day, it’s entirely up to you if staying at a Disney World hotel with these perks is worth it. For some people, it absolutely will be, but for others, it’ll be a no-go, and that’s okay! That’s what makes Disney trips so wonderful — no two are alike. If you need a bit more planning help, we recommend reaching out to our friends at Small World Vacations! Their services are completely free, and they’ll help you plan the absolute best vacation!
We’re here to help bring you all the latest news and information to help you plan the best Disney World trip for you and your group, so stay tuned to DFB!
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Can we ask for free Theme Park delivery from the shops back to the hotels too?
Really miss that perk!!
No. $2000 per day per adult family of 4 is easy to reach. It is just getting too expensive.