With so many places to stay in Orlando, it can be hard to know where to choose, so we thought we’d cover the benefits of two of the main options: Walt Disney Accommodation or a private villa, in the hope we can help you work out which one might work best for you.
What are the pros and cons of staying in Disney World Accommodation?
There is a lot to consider when you are considering both Walt Disney Accommodation or a private villa. Let’s start with the Pros and Cons of Disney Accommodation.
Cost: staying in a Disney Resort (especially one of the deluxe ones) is expensive, although those in the Value and Moderate range are more affordable; your travel agent will be able to share details of any deals.
Location & convenience: you won’t find a closer base and it’s fairly quick and easy to get between the hotels and the Parks, so you can dip in and out of the action as you wish. When choosing your resort, consider its proximity to the Parks and look at what transport options are offered. EPCOT resorts offer the easy access to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios.
Is transport free to use in Disney?
Free transport: once you’ve arrived onsite* (*you need to make your own way from/to the airport), you can use Disney Transport to travel between the Parks, Disney hotels, and other locations within WDW. If you have a car, you get free parking at the hotels and the Parks. If staying at a resort on the Skyliner route, double-check the dates when it will be unavailable due to annual maintenance (typically 1 week in January).
Travelling with more than one family group: another advantage of the free onsite transport is that if you are visiting with extended family and all staying in Disney resort hotels, you can agree to meet in a Park and each make your own way there, or do your own thing during the day and meet later for dinner.
But what if you want to go anywhere other than Disney? If you are travelling all the way to Orlando, chances are you will want to visit more places than just Disney. That might be anything from other theme parks, to the Kennedy Space Centre, or you might fancy a trip to the local Malls. Lyft and Uber can be good options, and Gray Line ® offers organised day trips to the Kennedy Space Centre. If you need car seats, don’t forget to factor that in. Do your research in advance and budget for any additional costs.
Ride reservation booking windows: guests staying on-site at WDW can book Lightning Lane Passes* (*paid access to shorter ride queues) up to seven days in advance and for the entire length of their stay, up-to 14 days. Off-site guests only get access three days before.
What does ADR mean at Disney World?
Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs): all visitors can make ADRs for Walt Disney World table service restaurants, including the most popular Character meals, up to 60 days in advance, but on-site guests can book ADRs for the duration of their trip (up to 10 days) from 60 days before their Resort check-in date; this means you can book all of your reservations at once, rather than returning each day to make reservations for the following day and you get early access to the most sought after reservations. For more information about ADRs and how to book from the UK and Ireland, read our blog post.
Disney Dining Plans: Disney Dining Plans are only available to guests staying in Disney-owned hotels. Disney sometimes offers great deals, including Free Dining Plans and Kids Eat Free, especially to families from the UK & Ireland, but if you’re paying for a Plan, make sure you’ll get your money’s worth!
What is early entry at Walt Disney World?
Early Theme Park entry: on-site guests get access to all four Theme Parks 30-minutes before they open to other visitors, which can give you a huge advantage, and it’s one of the biggest perks!
Staying in the Disney Bubble: many Disney hotels are elaborately themed and feel like an extension of the Theme Parks, keeping you immersed in the ‘Disney Magic’ for the whole of your stay!
Extended evening hours: guests from select hotels, including Swan Resort, Dolphin Resort, and Deluxe Resorts, get to stay in participating WDW Parks for an extra two hours twice a week after they’ve closed to regular guests.
Want to know more about hotels at Walt Disney World?
Is it worth staying outside Disney?
Staying in a Private Villa
There is a lot to consider when you are considering either Walt Disney Accommodation or a private villa. Let’s look at the Pros and Cons of a private villa.
Location: you may not be in Disney, but you can still be close, as there are plenty of villa communities in the surrounding area. You’ll need to factor in travel and parking time when heading to the Parks.
Cost: a villa will usually cost less than a WDW Resort hotel and can be especially good value if you’re travelling with a large group.
Space, space, space: there are so many villas to choose from, you should be able to find something to suit your needs. Having a separate bedroom for everyone beats a family of four sharing one Disney hotel room, where everyone is forced to share the youngest’s bedtime! You’ll also get lots of different chillout spaces, like a lounge, dining area, and kitchen, and you can even wash your laundry and take a full case of clean clothes home!
Peace and quiet: Walt Disney World can be a lot and whilst many people love that, others may find it overwhelming. It can be nice to ‘escape’ back to your villa to rest, relax and recharge your batteries for another day.
Private pool: you’re free to take a dip whenever you like without lugging all your pool gear around, and it’s lovely chilling by the pool before heading into the Parks – or after spending a hectic day there! Many villas have a pool alarm for safety and peace of mind!
Self-catering: having a villa gives you the option to cook food that your group is guaranteed to like, whilst also avoiding the (hefty) cost of eating in expensive restaurants.
A great family-owned villa company based in the UK that offers fantastic personal service is Sungrove Villas. We’d recommend taking a look at the villas on their site.
Is it worth having a car in Walt Disney World?
Pros – whilst you don’t need to hire a car, it is a good idea and gives you way more flexibility as you don’t have to wait for transport to take you to/from a hotel, and you can easily reach other places like tourist spots, supermarkets and local restaurants. Plus, if you need car seats for little ones, you can hire those along with the car.
Cons – you’ll have to pay for car hire, tolls and parking ($35 per day at WDW in 2026 when staying off-site), so factor that into your budget. Also, if a larger group of you is staying, you will all have to travel together unless you hire more than one car.
Hopefully, that’s helped you weigh up the pros and cons of each option: Walt Disney Accommodation or a private villa. Personally, we’ve always preferred staying in a villa (especially having seen other families we’ve travelled with crammed into one hotel room) and we have always had a great experience, but do what’s right for you and your family, and don’t forget to check out our Walt Disney World Planning Guides for a more in-depth lowdown on Disney, available in two versions: staying inside Disney and staying outside Disney, so ideal for wherever you choose to stay!
© Fabulous Park Days 2026