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4. Extra magic on your MagicBands

Disney MagicBands

Disney MagicBands
Image: Andrew Balsden, Flickr (license)

If you’re staying at a Disney resort, you’ll receive free MagicBands for your stay. This is quite the perk since MagicBands retail at almost $15 otherwise. For a party of four, that would add another $60 to your vacation, which could surely be better spent elsewhere. Your MagicBands will unlock the door to your hotel room, act as your park ticket at the entrance, let you check in for your FastPass+ reservations, collect ride photos, and connect to Disney PhotoPass pictures. You can also connect your MagicBand to your credit card and use it in place of a charge card to make purchases throughout the resort.

Resort guests receive their MagicBands in the mail prior to arrival. You’re advised to keep them accessible as you travel, since you’ll even use them to check in to Disney’s Magical Express transportation from the airport.

5. Free transportation

Monorail

Disney’s Magical Express will pick you up at Orlando International airport and transport you to your hotel. From your hotel, you have easy access to any point on Disney property via the busses, boats, and monorail system. These usually drop you off much closer to your destination than you’ll get in a car, bypassing the hassle of the parking lot trams.

Simplified shopping

Shopping at Disney

Are you itching to swipe that MagicBand and take home some new Disney merch, but hesitant to cart the bags around all day? If you’re staying at a Disney resort, you can have all of your purchases sent directly to your resort at the end of the day. This complimentary perk means you can shop to your heart’s content without ever having to cart your purchases around with you.

Improved dining options

Disney Dining

As a Walt Disney World Resort guest, you can take advantage of Disney’s dining plan. The dining plan is a money-saving option that lets you include meals in your vacation package. You can choose from over 100 locations, and customize your dining plan to include the type of experience that best suits your needs. Whether you’re interested in quick on-the-go meals or you want to include elegant table service options in your stay, there’s a plan that fits your needs and helps you dine more affordably.

As a resort guest, you can also make your dining reservations 10 days sooner than other guests. While regular guests can only make dining reservations 180 days in advance, you can book as far as 190 days out if you’re staying at a Disney resort. This gives you a jump on others and may help you snag a coveted table at top dining spots.

More chances to play

FastPass+ Check-in

Resort guests have access to special perks that make it easier for them to squeeze every last drop of fun out of their visit. Extra Magic Hours allow access to the parks earlier or later than other guests. Different parks have different Extra Magic Hours each day, so make sure you grab a schedule when you arrive so you can plan accordingly.

As a resort guest, you can also make your FastPass+ reservations 60 days in advance, while other guests can only do so 30 days before their visit. This gives you a head start securing a coveted spot for the most popular rides, so you’ll never miss out on your top picks.

If you’re staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, make sure you’re taking advantage of all the benefits that are available to you. At these locations, you can add extra pixie dust to nearly every part of your stay.

 
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Comments

If you update this article, you ought to correct the now-outdated statement that WDW resort hotels offer free parking. Alas, no longer (as I'm sure you know): Disney has found another way to gouge its guests—and ensure that the Magical Prison-on-Wheels (AKA Express) prevents them from leaving property to spend a penny anywhere else in Florida. Also inaccurate (from our experience) is the statement that merchandise can be shipped directly to one's WDW resort hotel room. In our experience, it was delivered to the resort's gift shop... and could make up to 2 days to arrive, meaning that the perk isn't reliable in the last two days of a WDW vacation... when one might be doing more shopping.

Thanks Christian for the information regarding parking and merchandise delivery. It now looks like it can be delivered to your Resort hotel rather than your room. I have now updated this article.

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