Kristy & Daniel
Kristy & Daniel
Accommodation
The first choice to make regarding accommodation is whether you would like to stay onsite or offsite.
The benefit of staying onsite is unmatched convenience as follows:
- early entry to the theme parks (~30 mins or more before offsite guests, allowing you to do the more popular rides with minimal queues- eg, queuing for Guardians of the Galaxy for 15mins, rather than 120)
- free and quick transportation around WDW (back at your resort from Magic Kingdom in 5-20mins, rather than 45mins+ if offsite)
- usually released mid-April, offers such as Free Dining
- if staying at a Deluxe Resort, extended evening hours in the Parks (2/3 hours of significantly reduced crowds)
- immersive theming (the "Disney bubble"!)
- ability to book Lightning Lanes and dining much ahead of time
The benefits of staying offsite are:
- cost (prices starting from ~£450 rather than ~£1,400 for 1 week- sorry, US friends)
- more options for multi-room accommodations
- more ability to self-cater
If you are interested in multi-room options at Disney Resorts, the best option would be to use something like David's Vacation Club Rentals (we've done this for our first week's accommodation- lmk if you want to chat about the process!)
Walt Disney World Resorts
Walt Disney World resorts are grouped into three main categories: Value, Moderate, and Deluxe. Each offers a different experience depending on your budget, preferences, and travel plans:
- Value Resorts are the most budget-friendly and are ideal for guests planning to spend most of their time in the parks
- Moderate Resorts offer a balance of comfort and price, with more space and a more relaxed atmosphere
- Deluxe Resorts provide the highest level of comfort and convenience, with the best locations and transport options
All categories benefit from Early Entry to the theme parks (~30min or more before General Admission). If you're strategic about this (I'm always more than happy to help!) you can get 2 or even 3 rides which typically have queues of 75-180mins done in this time!
Deluxe Resorts have the added benefit of Extended Evening Hours on select days (currently 9-11pm at EPCOT on a Monday; 9-11pm at Magic Kingdom on a Wednesday; occasionally for Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios).
There is an added layer if/once the free Dining Plan comes into effect, as the category of your hotel will dictate what is available to you. We experienced this on our recent trip, so very happy to chat through if of interest! You can also purchase the Dining Plan separately direct from Disney.
You can also look at the resorts by the transportation available to each (trust us, this makes a difference in terms of planning, convenience, and getting home at the end of a long day in the Parks)!
Walt Disney World Transportation Overview
Disney offers a complimentary transport network connecting resorts, parks, and Disney Springs. The type of transport available depends on where you stay:
- Buses available at all resorts, parks and Disney Springs
- Monorails connect the Contemporary, Polynesian and Grand Floridian to Magic Kingdom and EPCOT (via transfer). All Deluxe.
- Skyliner a gondola system connecting EPCOT and Hollywood Studios with Pop Century (Value), Art of Animation (Value), Caribbean Beach (Moderate) and Riviera (Deluxe).
- Boats water taxis and ferries connecting Magic Kingdom with the Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Contemporary, Wilderness Lodge; EPCOT and Hollywood Studios with BoardWalk Inn, Beach & Yacht Clubs (all Deluxe); and Disney Springs with Port Orleans (both Moderate), Saratoga Springs and Old Key West (both Deluxe Villa resorts).
The resort closest to our Wedding venues is the Grand Floridian (we will be staying here for the week of the wedding), but the Polynesian is equally accessible, and Wilderness Lodge and the Contemporary are not far.
All resorts will have bus transportation to Magic Kingdom, and the Wedding Pavilion (for the ceremony) is a short walk or bus/monorail ride from there!
We've only stayed at Coronado Springs (Moderate), and we love it (it is colloquially known as the "Deluxe Moderate"), but have visited a number of the other resorts, so are always happy to chat through anything if you have any questions!
Offsite Accommodation
There are many accommodation options available outside of Walt Disney World, including hotels, apartments, and private villas. These can offer great flexibility and are often more budget-friendly, particularly for families or groups travelling together.
When choosing offsite accommodation, there are a few key things to keep in mind:
- Distance to Walt Disney World Orlando is very spread out, so we recommend choosing accommodation within a 10–20 minute drive where possible
- Transport guests staying offsite will need to arrange transport (car hire or Uber/Lyft)
- Wedding day travel staying relatively close will make getting to and from the wedding venues much easier
Recommended Areas:
- Lake Buena Vista the closest area to Walt Disney World, with easy access to the parks and wedding venues
- Disney Springs area a great central location with plenty of hotels and restaurants. Bus transportation available from Disney Springs across WDW
- Celebration "the town that Disney built", a lovely nearby town with a relaxed and charming atmosphere
- Kissimmee (near Disney) a popular option for villas and larger group accommodation. Distance varies a lot here, so look for "North Kissimmee" or "Kissimmee near Disney"
- I-Drive lots of hotels and non-Disney restaurants and attractions. Can be 20-30mins from WDW
The usual websites (Airbnb, Booking.com, Hotels.com) provide a great resource, but we've outlined a few options as follows:
Note:
From ~£100 per night, prices would be comparable to a one-room, 2 queen-bed, Value Resort at WDW.
From ~$840/£633 per night, prices would be comparable to a two-bedroom villa booked through David's Vacation Club.
Budget-Friendly Options (£60–£120 per night)
- Lake Buena Vista (10–15 mins to Disney)
~ £50–£80 per night
- Simple, reliable, very popular
One of the cheapest options near Disney. Good for short stays.
Candlewood Suites Orlando, Lake Buena Vista
- Lake Buena Vista
~ £65–£90 per night
- Apartment-style (kitchen included)
Great for longer stays. Self-catering.
- Lake Buena Vista
~ £75–£100 per night
Spacious suites. Good for families.
Mid-Range Options (£100–£180 per night)
Holiday Inn Disney Springs Area
- Walking distance to Disney Springs
~ £120–£150 per night
Excellent location. Early Entry. Disney transport access (shuttles).
Drury Plaza Hotel Orlando, Disney Springs
- Disney Springs area
~ £130–£170 per night
- Includes breakfast + evening snacks
Value (meals included). Disney transport access (shuttles).
Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista
- Next to Disney Springs
~ £100–£140 per night (plus ~$40 resort fee)
Very close to Disney. Regular shuttles. Family-friendly amenities.
Higher-End Hotels (£180–£300+ per night)
Wyndham Grand Orlando Bonnet Creek
- Bonnet Creek (inside Disney area)
~ £170–£220 per night
A WDW Gateway Hotel. Great pools and amenities. Shuttle to the Parks.
Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek
- Very close to parks
~ £220–£300 per night
Luxury feel without Disney price tag. Great for adults.
- Near Disney Springs
~ £250–£300 per night
Huge resort with excellent facilities. Good for families.
Villas & Airbnb Options
- For families, groups, longer stays
- Kissimmee / Davenport Villas
~ £120–£300 per night (entire home)
Often includes:
- Private pool
- Multiple bedrooms
- Full kitchen
Best areas:
Universal Orlando Resort
Universal Orlando also offers a range of on-site hotels, located around Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and Epic Universe (approximately 20–30 minutes from Walt Disney World).
These hotels are also grouped into three categories:
- Value budget-friendly, modern hotels such as Endless Summer Resort
- Prime Value mid-range options including Cabana Bay and Aventura Hotel
- Premier luxury hotels such as Portofino Bay, Hard Rock Hotel, and Royal Pacific Resort
Premier hotels include complimentary Universal Express Pass, allowing guests to skip queues in the parks.