Cheap Hotels Near Disney World

The Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida is one of the most magical places on Earth. Statistically, it’s also one of the most visited tourist attractions on the planet, with the four theme parks and surrounding resort area attracting tens of millions of visitors from all around the globe each and every year. People of all ages flock to Disney World to enjoy the incredible rides, fun live shows, delicious food and more, as well as meeting dozens of beloved characters from the past and present like Mickey Mouse and Queen Elsa. CDC information for travelers. Hours/availability may have changed.

Cheap Hotels Near Disney World

• Overview, Photo: Klaus Nowottnick/stock.adobe.com
• Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek, Photo: Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek
• Disney's Coronado Springs Resort, Photo: Disney's Coronado Springs Resort
• Disney's All-Star Sports Resort, Photo: Disney's All-Star Sports Resort
• Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista, Photo: Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista
• Rodeway Inn Maingate, Photo: Rodeway Inn Maingate
• Cover Photo: Courtesy of Janice Barchat - Fotolia.com

More Ideas: Quick Start Guide to Walt Disney World

It’s not every day that people get to go to Walt Disney World, so it’s best if everyone gets to make the most of their experience the first time around. The solution to this, of course, is to be prepared. Knowing what’s in store for you the moment you enter this exciting place will help you have fun throughout your visit.

Here are a couple of things you should know before you go there and start having fun. These tips come from people who have been there more than once, so they’re pretty much the closest thing you’ll get to a reliable source. They might also prove to be helpful to those who aren’t first timers.

1. Don’t Underestimate the Size of the Place

Everybody knows that Walt Disney World is big, but even that word is an understatement. This is why Walt Disney World is also called the “big place” in Florida as opposed to the “little place” in California.

The sheer size of the park can’t be stressed enough. We’re talking about 25,000 acres huge, and inside this massive landscape are 24 hotels, two water parks, four theme parks, and a whole lot of spots in between. The obvious upside to having so many attractions is that you’re probably never going to run out of things to do as a first timer (maybe even a second or third timer). You could come here for two weeks and you’re not going to cover even half of it.

Whether you try to cover the place on foot (read: not recommended) or take transportation to go around, chances are, you’ll only be able to visit one park per day – so try to revolve your plans around that idea. But if you want to go park hopping, know that you’ll have to spend hours commuting. Some parks take longer to get to than others, but the idea is that a huge chunk of your day will be spent moving from one place to another if you don’t stick to a single park.

Yes. It’s THAT huge.

2. If You Can, Make Reservations

You’re eventually going to have dinner at some point, not only because it’s part of the experience, but simply because going around will build up an appetite! And when that happens, you don’t want to find yourself without a place to eat.

Fortunately, Walt Disney World restaurants offer Advance Dining Reservations (ADRs) for up to 180 days before your trip. You definitely need to take advantage of this, because you can count on popular restaurants like Chef Mickey’s, Cinderella’s Royal Table, Le Cellier, and Be Our Guest Restaurant to be fully booked months in advance.

With that said, try not to rely on the Free Dining promotions too much. They’re great, but what guarantees you a spot are the ADRs. More importantly, make sure you take advantage of ADRs months in advance. Some people make reservations as early as 170 days before and they still can’t the place they were hoping to get!

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3. Know Your Transportation

How are you going to get around? Most people use the complimentary Disney’s Magical Express, which takes passengers from Orlando International Airport to the hotels owned by Disney. Of course, these transportation services can only take you so far before you realize you need to have your own car to really get around.

The problem is that most car rental services at the airport are pretty expensive. Some travelers have sworn that they would spend more on renting a car alone than simply travelling to other places. There are, however, some companies that offer competitively lower rates, but they’re known for being very pushy with add-ons like insurance, which is how they make up for the lower rates.

In any case, a good way to rent a car while saving on the exorbitant fees is to wait until you leave the airport to rent a car. Most off-airport locations offer car rental services at rates that are significantly lower than those travelers encounter at the airport.

4. Make Sure You’re Well Rested

It’s no joke: going around Walt Disney World will be physically exhausting. As if walking around one park isn’t tiring enough, imagine if you had planned to go park hopping for a day. This means that you need to be fully rested before your trip if you want to be able to make the most of your visit.

Meanwhile, you’ll also want to make sure that you’re comfortable for the experience. Small things like dressing comfortably, staying dehydrated, and having a full meal prior to visiting the parks can make a lot of difference throughout the day. Resting in between destinations also seems like a good idea for the long haul.

If you can, sparing an extra day or two can be good. This gives you time to breathe between activities, which makes for a more comfortable vacation since you won’t feel like you’re pressed for time.

5. Don’t Expect Everything to Run on Time

If you’re in Walt Disney World, you’re obviously on vacation, so why not take things a bit more slowly? Don’t insist on a tight schedule because that’s never going to work. You’ll want to make room for lots of delays and unexpected events, because you never really know what’s going to happen when you get there.

To get a good idea of how much time you should allot, try this: Make a list of all the things you want to do in one day. Once you’re done, cross off half of the things there. It might sound ridiculous, but many people who have gone to Walt Disney World say that they never had the time to do literally half of the things on their itinerary. Also, make sure you account for travel time as well, taking into consideration the transportation you’re planning to take.

In short, have a loose itinerary. Even assuming that you can cover everything you have on your list, you’d probably end up not being able to cherish moments because you’re just pressed for time. You might also miss out on some entertainment you might accidentally stumble across along the way. This is a vacation, not a marathon, so build a schedule that lets you take it slow and enjoy every moment.

6. Long Lines Don’t Always Mean the Best Attractions

Contrary to popular belief, a long line doesn’t always mean that there’s something good up front. This isn’t to say that people have bad taste, but sometimes some relatively fun attractions are preferred because they’re more accessible than most (among other factors like capacity, etc.). Conversely, there are many attractions out there that aren’t as popular but actually happen to be really good.

If your goal is to cover more ground in one area, try not to let the long lines fool you. Chances are that it’s not worth spending hours on a single line if you could have used that time to have fun elsewhere. So, unless it’s been your childhood dream to get on that one ride, try not to spend most of your days standing in lines.

7. Some Other Helpful Tips

- Off-site hotels: Checking into on-site hotels offers a better overall experience, but if you want to save your cash for something else during the trip, there are a lot of off-site hotels in Orlando that offer lower rates.

- You can bring your own food: It’s a rare thing for theme parks to allow its guests to bring their own food, but you might be able to bring a few snacks just so that you don’t have to stop to get some later. Of course, don’t worry if you run out – the prices for food on site are a lot cheaper than the overcharged snacks you have to pay for at the movies.

- Don’t spend too much on souvenirs: Unless you’re looking at something novel in the gift shop, you don’t have to spend much on bringing back something memorable from the trip. There are lots of freebies going around the park, and the tickets alone make pretty good souvenirs! But if that’s not your thing, there are a couple of shops nearby that offer discounted items. Failing that, you can get cheaper stuff online.

- Bring a good camera: Disney offers a free PhotoPass service where the staff takes photos for you. The only catch is that you’ll have to pay for the printing and Memory Maker package if you want it. The way around this is to bring your own camera, since the photographers will gladly take your photo using your own gadgets.

Ultimately, good preparation is the key to making the most of your Walt Disney World experience. Taking time to set a loose schedule, plotting out an itinerary, and making reservations will definitely make all the difference on your first-time adventure.

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More Ideas: Meet Disney World Characters

The Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, is known as 'The Happiest Place on Earth' and it's not hard to see why. With four world class theme parks to explore and enjoy, a whole host of rides and shows to experience, and more magic and excitement than almost any other location on Earth, Walt Disney World is where dreams come to life and memories are made to last a lifetime.

One of the most exciting reasons why many people, both young and old alike, love to visit Disney World is to meet the various characters and heroes of the films they love. Disney movies have had a magical effect on countless people all over the world, affecting us all as we grow up and shaping us into the people we become. Characters ranging from Mickey and Minnie Mouse to Anna and Elsa from Frozen are simply iconic, and the thrill of meeting them in real life is simply unbeatable. Things to do in Orlando

How to Meet Disney World Characters

The characters you know and love so well can be found in all four of the Disney World parks, namely Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Epcot, and Animal Kingdom. Some characters can be seen and spotted in all four parks, while others are exclusively found in just one or two of the parks. A fun thing about visiting Disney World is that you never know what you might find around the next corner, and each day is different, so you can sometimes get lucky enough to simply spot these characters walking around the park.

In general, however, the easiest and most convenient way to meet the Disney World characters is to visit one of the designated character meet-and-greet locations. Each park has specific zones where the characters will hang out and congregate, waiting to meet their many fans for photos, autographs, and hugs. Queues in this areas can get busy, especially in the summer months and at peak park times, but if you want to meet the heroes (or villains) you like the most, this is the way to do it.

Other ways to get up close and personal with the Disney World characters include the live parades and shows, which are held in each park at certain times of day. These shows will feature various characters marching around the streets or standing atop floats and waving to the park guests. Character breakfasts and other meals can also be booked, in which guests enjoy fine dining while various characters walk around from table to table to greet them and pose for some snaps.

Disney World Characters by Park

If you’re looking to meet a specific character or want to know which characters can be found in each park, check out the list below.

· Disney World Characters in Magic Kingdom

The Princess Fairytale Hall in Magic Kingdom is a great meet-and-greet spot to encounter all the popular princesses like Cinderella, Elsa, and Rapunzel. Mickey's Toontown Fair is another good spot to meet characters like Mickey himself, Pluto, Minnie, Chip, Dale, Belle, Snow White, and more. Buzz and Stitch can be spotted in Tomorrowland, while the Brer characters like Brer Rabbit and Brer Fox can be found in Frontierland. If you love Aladdin, meet him, Jasmine, and the Genie near the Magic Carpets attraction.

· Disney World Characters in Epcot

Epcot is home to many different characters, especially around the World Showcase are. Each country has characters associated with it, like Pinocchio in Italy or Mulan in China. Winnie the Pooh can be spotted in the UK, Belle and the Beast in France, Aladdin and Jasmine in Morocco, Anna and Elsa in Norway, and many more. The Epcot Character Spot is another good place to meet the classics like Goofy, Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto.

· Disney World Characters in Hollywood Studios

Hollywood Studios is one of the best spots to meet Disney World characters, including some Star Wars characters and Pixar characters like Buzz and Woody too. All the Toy Story team can be found at Toy Story Land, the Monsters Inc. guys can be found around the Studio Backlot, Star Wars heroes like BB8 and Chewbacca are located at the Animation Courtyard, while villains like Darth Vader can be found near the Star Tours ride. The huge Sorcerer Hat in this park is another good meeting spot for characters like Mickey, Chip, Dale, Goofy, Donald Duck, Tigger, Winnie the Pooh, and others.

· Disney World Characters in Animal Kingdom

For Disney World characters in Animal Kingdom, check out Discovery Island for Winnie the Pooh and Lilo and Stitch stars, the main Oasis entrance for classics like Mickey and Minnie, the Africa zone for Jungle Book stars, and Camp Minnie-Mickey for Brer Rabbit, Brer Bear, Eeyore, and more.

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