Note: This post is part of our new “Mouse Hacking Musings” series. These are short, informal posts about whatever topic floats my boat the morning I decide to write it. The musings originally appear in our weekly(ish) newsletter, which also highlights recent news, updates from the blog, and discounts/deals I’ve got my eyes on.
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To anyone who hasn’t qualified for the Forbes billionaire list, the prices at Disney World’s deluxe resorts are a bit intimidating. Most people are planning to spend the bulk of their trips in the parks, and even those who will set aside a day for leisure might feel that $500 per night over the course of a five night trip just to enjoy a nice poolside afternoon isn’t quite a sensible tradeoff. I’ve got a few rules of thumb for when and why I consider a deluxe resort.
Short trips. This is the most obvious one, but if you’re taking multiple trips a year then it’s going to be kinder on your wallet if your most expensive hotels are on your shorter trips. We specifically use deluxe resorts as part of our trips for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. We like to be close to Magic Kingdom so Zoe doesn’t have a long transit back to the hotel. If we do these as a weekend trip, it’s just a couple nights at deluxe prices. This also brings us to…
Location, location, location. Planning three visits to Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival? Beach Club is worth considering. Kid wants to ride ever ride and meet every character at Magic Kingdom, but still needs a short nap? Grand Floridian is calling your name. My “ideal” trip is to go to each park for one full day, but it just never works out that way, in part because I’m always trying to make the most out of my hotel location. And on longer trips, I do this with…
Split stays. Our typical split stay is a five or six-night trip where we spend three days at one hotel and the remainder at another. My go-to pairing is a few nights at a Magic Kingdom resort (for the days we’ll be at Magic Kingdom), and a few nights at a value resort on the Skyliner (so we can easily get to Hollywood Studios and Epcot). Since buses are the only way to/from Animal Kingdom, we’ll usually do that park on the day we’re changing hotels.
All Your Other Disney World Planning Questions Answered
Don't be overwhelmed by Disney World planning! Take a second to check out our most important content and you'll not only be an expert, but you'll save big $$$ along the way.
Just starting out? Check out our Walt Disney World planning guide! If you're still picking dates, we've got everything you need to know about Disney World crowd calendars. For picking your hotel, check out our Walt Disney World hotels guide.
When it comes time to book we’ll help you find discount Disney World tickets. Decide whether you need a dining plan in our Complete Guide to Disney World Dining Plans! And don't forget to book those Disney World Advance Dining Reservations!
Don't forget to master your Disney World Lightning Lane Guide and Strategy a few months in advance. We'll keep you out of long lines so you can maximize the magical time in the parks! We've got park-specific guides as well: Magic Kingdom Lightning Lane Strategy, Epcot Lightning Lane Strategy, Animal Kingdom Lightning Lane Strategy, and Hollywood Studios Lightning Lane Strategy.
Know what to ride with our guides to: Magic Kingdom rides, Hollywood Studios rides, Epcot rides, and Animal Kingdom rides! Plus learn about the water parks with our guide to Blizzard Beach and our guide to Typhoon Lagoon! And for some some fun prep, check out our Ranking of Every Ride at Walt Disney World.
Finally, before you head out, be sure to check out our to-the-point packing list, 10 essentials you forget to pack for every Disney trip. And if you're interested in saving, there's no better list than our 53 Ways to Save on your Disney trip from start to finish.