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Disney World Resort Discounts on Room Rates

LAST UPDATE: 1/9/12 - MOST RECENT ADDITIONS ARE IN RED

CLICK HERE TO GO STRAIGHT TO THE DISCOUNTS!

On this page you'll find every known "room only" discount and deal on Disney's resorts at Walt Disney World. I list Disney hotel promo codes that can save you a bundle, as well as other strategies that can help you get the best rates at Disney World hotels.

If you would prefer to book a vacation package that includes your hotel room plus tickets, click here. If you're not sure whether you want a package, click here to read about the pros and cons of vacation packages vs. booking "room only."

Discount codes must be thought of as a "clearance sale" -- if you want the discount, you have to be willing to take what's left over! It's important to be flexible with both dates and hotels, and to be persistent in calling back periodically to see if anything has opened up.

Not sure which Disney resort to pick for your vacation?

Read about the various resort types and my recommendations for the best values in each resort category.

 

All of the discounted hotel rates listed below are subject to availability and are per night, usually for double occupancy, unless otherwise noted. An extra charge may apply for additional adults in the room. Kids under 18 years of age are free of charge on a "room only" reservation.

Rates listed on this page do not include tax, which is 12.5% for most resorts, 13% for the All Star Resorts.

Want to know what the room rates would be without any discounts?

Check the full price "rack rates" at the Disney World resort hotels for 2012.

 

Jump to:

"Room Only" Reservations vs. Packages
Off-Season Rates
Disney Resort Discount Codes & Deals for the General Public
Resort Discounts for Disney Rewards Visa Cardholders
Discounts for Annual & Seasonal Passholders
Florida Resident Resort Hotel Discount Codes
UK/Ireland Resident Resort Hotel Discounts
Canadian Resident Resort Hotel Discount Codes
AAA Discounts
Military & Veteran Discounts
Airline Employee Discounts
Historical Information on Discounts for Walt Disney World Resorts
Room Upgrades
Concierge Level - Is It Worth the Money?
Disney Vacation Club

"Room Only" Reservations vs. Packages

Looking for the best deal for your stay at a Disney resort hotel? Often your most economical option is to book a "room only" reservation at the resort of your choice (ideally with one of the discounts listed on this page) and buy the other components of your vacation (i.e. tickets and meals) separately.

Buying a vacation package means you must purchase both your hotel room AND tickets for each person in the party directly from Disney, with those components (and optionally, a dining plan) priced and sold together as a "package." Normal vacation packages are NOT discounted; prices are consistent with paying full price for the separate components. However, various special offers such as "free dining" apply only to vacation packages. Click here to see any current package offers, but read the information below first so that you understand the rules that apply to packages.

To complicate matters, you can convert some (perhaps most) room-only discount code deals into a package by purchasing tickets and optionally a dining plan. However, once your booking is converted to a package, it is subject to the package rules. The room-only rules are much better than the package rules. Additionally, for most people it is not worthwhile to make a room-only offer into a package because you're adding full-price tickets, when you could purchase them cheaper through an outside company such as Undercover Tourist. Also, for the average family the Dining Plans are not a particularly good deal.

Jump to:
Rules for "Room Only" Reservations
Rules for Vacation Packages
Tips for Dealing with the Disney Reservations Center

Rules for "Room Only" Reservations

"Room only" reservations offer better terms for cancellation and payment dates than vacation packages booked through the Walt Disney Travel Company (WDTC). When booking a "room only" reservation, you are subject to very few restrictions:

  • You must pay one night's room rate as a deposit within 7 days of reserving your room. (Except when booking online at DisneyWorld.com, in which case the deposit is required at time of booking.)

  • Final payment of the remainder is due at check-in. (Except when booking online at DisneyWorld.com, in which case full payment is required if reserving within 45 days of arrival.)

  • You can change or cancel your reservation without penalty up until 5 days prior to check-in. (6 days for online bookings.)

  • Beware - Disney's phone agents may try to sell you a "basic package" when you want to book a "room only" reservation. A "basic package" is just a room and some trinkets (a few coupons and a luggage tag per person). It is subject to the more stringent vacation package rules (see below).

Rules for Vacation Packages

When booking a vacation package through WDTC, you will be subject to the following rules:

  • You must pay a $200 deposit within 7 days of reserving your package. (Except when booking online at DisneyWorld.com, in which case the deposit is required at time of booking.)

  • Final payment of the entire remainder is due 45 days prior to check-in. You have to pay in full right away if you are booking less than 45 days in advance.

  • You can change or cancel your reservation without penalty up until 45 days in advance. If you cancel 44 days or less in advance, there is a cancellation fee of $200. You'll also lose any nonrefundable elements, such as travel insurance and airfare -- see below. No refunds are given for cancellation of a Grand Gathering experience made 6 days or less prior to the experience date. No refunds will be given to no-shows.

  • Any changes that result in a lower rate, such as applying a discount code, reducing number of days and/or changing to a lower-priced resort, made 45 days or less prior to arrival, are subject to a $50 fee.

  • Beware - WDTC usually adds nonrefundable travel insurance to your package by default. If you don't want it, tell them while you are making the reservation. Once you hang up, it's too late. You can add the insurance later if you wish, up until your final payment is due. You can also buy travel insurance directly and usually save some money that way.

  • Airfare added to your reservation is also nonrefundable. It's hardly ever a good deal, either. I strongly advise booking airfare separately. Visit the Airfares page for hints on how to save on airfare!

To reserve a "room only" reservation,
call the Disney Reservations Center at (407) W-DISNEY
or contact a travel agent who specializes in Disney travel.

To reserve a vacation package,
I strongly recommend using a travel agent who specializes in Disney travel.

 

Tips for Dealing with the Disney Reservations Center

Be polite but persistent when calling the Disney Reservations Center. Some of the agents answering the phone know more than others, and some will try harder than others to get you the best deal. If the first agent you speak with isn't helpful, say thanks, end the call and try again. With hundreds of agents at the call center, it's unlikely you'll get the same agent twice in a row.

Keep calling back periodically if your dates are not immediately available at the discounted rate, because people change and cancel reservations all the time. Something is quite likely to open up eventually.

If you work with an agent at the reservations center who is especially helpful or friendly, get his or her name and take two minutes to send an email complimenting the agent's work (if the link doesn't work, go to disneyworld.com and click on "contact us" at the bottom of the page).

Planning your Walt Disney World vacation should not leave you stressed out. However, that can easily happen, particularly for first-timers. If you do all of your own planning and booking, be aware that there is a huge amount of information to gather. If you are becoming frustrated (or you're just not a planner), consider using a Disney Specialist travel agent. It costs you absolutely nothing and saves you tons of time and effort!
 

Off-Season Rates

Disney has four "seasons" each year. Value Season is the least expensive and least crowded time, followed by Regular Season, Summer Season, Fall Season, Peak Season and Holiday Season. So the most basic way to save money on Disney's resort hotels is simply to book in the off-season.

View the dates of the seasons at Disney's resorts for 2012.

 

Each night of your stay will be priced separately, and you will be charged the applicable rate for that night. So for example, if the last date of Value Season is December 18 and you check in on that date, only that one night will be at the Value Season rates. December 19 and later will be charged at the higher Holiday Season rates. Plus, if some nights of your stay are weekend nights or part of a pre-designated holiday period, you'll be charged the higher rate for those.

Dates to Avoid

Certain periods during the year are priced at premium rates. Another good reason to avoid these time periods is that they are also the most crowded times of the year!

The periods to avoid in 2012 are listed below:

  • New Year - January 1
  • Marathon weekend - January 5-7
  • Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend - January 13-15
  • Peak Season/Presidents Day weekend - February 16-25
  • Peak Season March 9-31 (especially weekends)
  • Easter - April 1-14
  • Summer at the Value and Moderate resorts - June 1 - August 4 (especially weekends)
  • Fall weekends - September 28 - December 20 (especially Columbus Day Weekend, October 5-7 and Thanksgiving weekend, November 19-22)
  • Holiday Season - December 21-31

Jump to:

Disney Resort Discount Codes & Deals for the General Public
Resort Discounts for Disney Rewards Visa Cardholders
Discounts for Annual & Seasonal Passholders
Florida Resident Resort Hotel Discount Codes
UK/Ireland Resident Resort Hotel Discounts
Canadian Resident Resort Hotel Discount Codes
AAA Discounts
Military & Veteran Discounts
Airline Employee Discounts
Historical Information on Discounts for Walt Disney World Resorts
Room Upgrades
Concierge Level - Is It Worth the Money?
Disney Vacation Club

Disney Resort Hotel Discounts, Codes & Deals for the General Public

Jump to:

Room-Only Discount Codes
Booking Through Expedia
Booking Through Travelocity
Booking Through Orbitz
Postcard and Email Codes
Bounceback Offers

Room-Only Discount Codes

Spring Savings Offer

Save at select Disney resorts for stays most nights 4/13/12-6/14/12.

For stays 4/13/12-5/24/12 and 5/28/12-6/14/12:

  • 20% off All Star Sports, All Star Music, Pop Century, Fort Wilderness Cabins, Port Orleans Resort - Riverside, Polynesian, Grand Floridian and Standard view rooms at Animal Kingdom Lodge
  • 25% off Coronado Springs and Caribbean Beach
  • 30% off Yacht and Beach Club, BoardWalk Inn, Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Villas, Boardwalk Villas, Saratoga Springs or Old Key West
  • 5% off most other resorts, including suites at the Deluxe resorts

For stays 5/25/12-5/27/12:

  • 15% off All Star Sports, All Star Music, Pop Century, Fort Wilderness Cabins, Port Orleans Resort - Riverside, Polynesian, Grand Floridian and Standard view rooms at Animal Kingdom Lodge
  • 20% off Coronado Springs and Caribbean Beach
  • 25% off Yacht and Beach Club, BoardWalk Inn, Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Villas and Boardwalk Villas
  • 30% off Saratoga Springs or Old Key West
  • 5% off most other resorts, including suites at the Deluxe resorts

This is a room-only offer. Tickets and dining plans can be added to your room-only booking, but that will turn it into a vacation package, and vacation package rules will apply.

Book by 2/28/12.

Thanks to Small World Vacations for info.

To reserve a room with the Spring Savings Offer, call the Disney Reservations Center at (407) W-DISNEY or contact a travel agent who specializes in Disney travel, and request code H6C.

 

Booking Through Expedia

When discounted room-only rates are offered to the general public, the same rates that are offered through other travel agencies (and directly by Disney) are usually also available online through Expedia. The discounted rates are listed as "promotional rates" or are given special names such as "Magical Fall Rates."

Generally speaking you're better off to book through a Disney Specialist travel agent, because Expedia seldom offers a deal that other travel agencies can't duplicate, and has rules and requirements that can be confusing. Be sure to read ALL the small print as you make your reservation (which may require you to click on a link that says "terms and conditions" or something similar) so that you are clear on any cancellation and change fees.

Booking Through Travelocity

When discounted room-only rates are offered to the general public, the same rates that are offered through other travel agencies (and directly by Disney) are usually also available online through Travelocity. The discounted rates are listed as "promotional rates" or are given special names such as "Magical Fall Rates."

Generally speaking you're better off to book through a Disney Specialist travel agent, because Travelocity seldom offers a deal that other travel agencies can't duplicate, and has rules and requirements that can be confusing. Be sure to read ALL the small print as you make your reservation (which may require you to click on a link that says "terms and conditions" or something similar) so that you are clear on any cancellation and change fees.

Booking Through Orbitz

When discounted room-only rates are offered to the general public, the same rates that are offered through other travel agencies (and directly by Disney) are usually also available online through Orbitz. The discounted rates are listed as "promotional rates" or are given special names such as "Magical Fall Rates."

Generally speaking you're better off to book through a Disney Specialist travel agent, because Orbitz seldom offers a deal that other travel agencies can't duplicate, and has rules and requirements that can be confusing. Be sure to read ALL the small print as you make your reservation (which may require you to click on a link that says "terms and conditions" or something similar) so that you are clear on any cancellation and change fees.

Postcard and Email Codes

For the past several years, Disney has regularly sent out masses of postcards (and more recently, emails) that offer deeply discounted Walt Disney World resort rates to the recipients. I can't publish those discounts, because Disney uses a PIN number system so that only the recipient can use the code. (When you call in with your PIN number, they match your name and address to it. You can't share the PIN with anyone else.)

How do you get on the lists for these special postcards and emails? No one knows exactly, and believe me, I've done a lot of research on it. It appears that Disney's marketing department uses a variety of lists at different times. Often a specific geographical area is targeted.

If you want to have the best possible chance of getting these mailings, it's definitely a good idea to register with Disney.com and be sure to click on the boxes that indicate you're interested in Walt Disney World. You might also want to go to DisneyWorld.com and request a vacation planning video. It also appears that they may use mailing lists from DisneyStore.com, subscribers to Disney publications and Disney Rewards Visa cardholders. In short, sign up for anything Disney (especially Disney World related) you can, and keep your fingers crossed!

Bounceback Offers

"Bounceback" offers are offers made by Disney ONLY to guests who are currently staying at one of the official Walt Disney World resorts. The idea is to encourage you to "bounce back" to Disney World by planning your next vacation right now. These offers are not always available and could end at any time.

When a bounceback offer is available, you may be able to book a discounted room-only stay on selected dates at a Walt Disney World resort. Not all dates are offered, and not all resorts and room types will be included.

To qualify, the reservation for your next vacation must be made before you check out, and there are no exceptions made. You must call the number provided (usually on a flyer in your room) and pay a one-night deposit when booking.

If you don't get a bounceback offer on a flyer in your room, the resort TV channel may be showing this offer, or you may receive an email from Disney during your stay. You can also try asking the front desk and/or Housekeeping for a flyer.

Resort Discounts for Disney Rewards Visa Cardholders

From time to time, Disney Rewards Visa cardholders are able to book room-only discounts that are exclusive to them, or more frequently, not exclusive but available to cardholders ahead of the general public. When such offers are released, I list them below.

Annual & Seasonal Passholder Resort Hotel Discounts

Savings for Annual and Seasonal Passholders can be deep (up to 45%). They are more likely to be available during Value and Regular seasons, though there are exceptions to this -- Peak season discounts are not unheard-of. Generally speaking the discounts are released 2-4 months in advance.

Annual Passholder rates are NOT guaranteed and frequently are not offered during peak holiday periods. Be aware that discounted rooms are limited in number and will not be available for all dates at all resorts. You may have to be flexible with your selections. If you can't get your first choice on the first try, call back periodically and check on availability. Frequently discounted rooms will open up as people change and cancel their reservations over time.

When available, the Annual Passholder rates are so good that in some cases it's worth investing in an Annual Pass for relatively short stays! To learn more about Disney World Annual Passes, click here.

Annual Passholder Room-Only Discounts

Stay dates: 1/2/12-3/8/12. Get a substantial discount off regular "Rack" rates. Pricing and percent off will vary by resort type and date. Use code H5L. Rates not available for all dates, room types and resorts. Minimum stay requirements and/or higher rates may apply for Friday or Saturday arrivals.

  • Value Resorts up to 30% off
  • Moderate Resorts 35% off
  • Deluxe Resorts 35% off
  • Deluxe Villa Resorts 35% off

Please note that if you would like the Dining Plan with these rates, there is a special Annual Passholders package.

Book by 3/8/12.

Stay dates: 3/9/12-6/14/12. Get a substantial discount off regular "Rack" rates. Pricing and percent off will vary by resort type and date. Use code A7D. Rates not available for all dates, room types and resorts. Minimum stay requirements and/or higher rates may apply for Friday or Saturday arrivals.

For stays most nights from 3/9/12-3/31/12 and 5/25/12-5/27/12:

  • Value Resorts 25% off
  • Moderate Resorts 25%-30% off
  • Deluxe Resorts 30%-35% off
  • Deluxe Villa Resorts 35%-40% off

For stays most nights from 4/12/12-5/24/12 and 5/28/12-6/14/12:

  • Value Resorts 20% off
  • Moderate Resorts 20%-25% off
  • Deluxe Resorts 25%-35% off
  • Deluxe Villa Resorts 30%-40% off

Please note that if you would like the Dining Plan with these rates, there is a special Annual Passholders package.

Book by 2/8/12.

About Booking

For phone bookings, you pay a deposit of one night's room rate plus tax. No change or cancellation fee will be charged if you make your modification more than 5 days before arrival. You can also book online through the Annual Passholder section of DisneyWorld.com, but for online bookings the change/cancellation deadline is 6 days and you have to pay in full if you book less than 45 days in advance. In other words, there's a real incentive to book by phone!

You can book up to three rooms per adult Annual Pass. You can book with a valid Annual Pass, an exchange voucher or with the intent to purchase an Annual Pass, as long as you present a valid Annual Pass or exchange voucher upon check-in. Thanks to Small World Vacations for info.

To reserve a room with the Annual Passholder discount, call the Disney Reservations Center at (407) W-DISNEY or contact a travel agent who specializes in Disney travel, and request the specific offer code.

 

Florida Resident Resort Hotel Discount Codes

Savings for Florida residents can be deep (up to 45%). They are more likely to be available during Value and Regular seasons, though there are exceptions to this -- Peak season discounts are not unheard-of. Generally speaking the discounts are released 2-4 months in advance.

Florida resident rates are NOT guaranteed and frequently are not offered during peak holiday periods. Be aware that discounted rooms are limited in number and will not be available for all dates at all resorts. You may have to be flexible with your selections. If you can't get your first choice on the first try, call back periodically and check on availability. Frequently discounted rooms will open up as people change and cancel their reservations over time.

Florida Resident Room-Only Discounts

Stay dates: 1/2/12-3/8/12. Get a substantial discount off regular "Rack" rates. Pricing and percent off will vary by resort type and date. Use code A6M. Rates not available for all dates, room types and resorts. Minimum stay requirements and/or higher rates may apply for Friday or Saturday arrivals.

  • Value Resorts 30% off
  • Moderate Resorts 35% off
  • Deluxe Resorts 35% off
  • Deluxe Villa Resorts 35% off

Book by 3/8/12.

About Booking

For phone bookings, you pay a deposit of one night's room rate plus tax. No change or cancellation fee will be charged if you make your modification more than 5 days before arrival. You can also book online through the Florida resident section of DisneyWorld.com, but for online bookings the change/cancellation deadline is 6 days and you have to pay in full if you book less than 45 days in advance. In other words, there's a real incentive to book by phone!

You can book one room per adult Florida resident. Proof of residency required at check-in. Thanks to Small World Vacations for info.

To reserve a room with the Florida resident discount, call the Disney Reservations Center at (407) W-DISNEY or contact a travel agent who specializes in Disney travel, and request the specific offer code.

 

UK/Ireland Resident Resort Hotel Discounts

The Disney specialist travel agency I recommend, Small World Vacations, gladly works with clients around the globe. They have many clients from the UK and Ireland. Unfortunately they cannot book UK-specific offers, but sometimes the American offers are a better deal.

The best and easiest way to book any Walt Disney World holiday offers that are specific to UK visitors is to go online to the UK Walt Disney Travel Company website.

You can also check the UK Visitors page for current room-only offers that are specific to the UK.

Canadian Resident Resort Hotel Discounts

Nothing current.

AAA and CAA Resort Hotel Discounts

American Automobile Association (AAA) and Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) members qualify for "room only" discounts almost year-round, though there are a limited number of rooms available for each date. You can generally save about 10%-20% at the Disney resort hotels, depending on the season.

The only time AAA/CAA discounts don't usually apply is Holiday Season (around Christmas).

AAA/CAA rates for all of the following year are usually released in the summer. 2012 AAA/CAA "room only" discounts were released on 6/10/11.

You don't have to book AAA/CAA rates through the Auto Club. Room-only reservations with an AAA discount can be booked directly through the Disney Reservation Center at (407) W-DISNEY or a travel agent who specializes in Disney travel. Just ask if there is an AAA or CAA discount for your dates and resort.

To reserve a room with the AAA/CAA rates, call the Disney Reservations Center at (407) W-DISNEY or contact a travel agent who specializes in Disney travel, and request code O25.

Resort Hotel Discounts for Military and Veterans

Jump to:

Military Salute Discounts Available Through September 30, 2012
Shades of Green

Military Salute Discounts Available Through September 30, 2012

Military discounts of 30% off Value Resorts, 35% off Moderates and 40% off Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts are available for stays 10/2/11-9/30/12.*

*Some dates are not included (blocked out) for this offer and will price at full rack rate: those dates probably include 4/1/12-4/12/12.

This offer can be booked as a room only reservation. If you wish, one of the Dining Plans (Quick Service, regular or Deluxe) can be added, which will then change your booking to a package and therefore subject to the package rules. Park tickets cannot be added to special military packages because this offer is tied in with a specially priced ticket offer for military personnel and their families.

Offer valid for active or retired members of the US military, including the National Guard, Reservists and the US Coast Guard, with a valid military ID card. Dept of Defense (CIA, FBI, Secret Service) and Coalition Forces are excluded. Military ID required at check-in.

Thanks to Small World Vacations for info.

To reserve a room with the Military Salute discount, call the Disney Reservations Center at (407) W-DISNEY or contact a travel agent who specializes in Disney travel, and request booking code VV5.

 

Shades of Green

Active duty and retired military, as well as honorably discharged veterans (during limited times of year) can stay at the Shades of Green (SOG) resort. Though not operated by Disney, this is a beautiful deluxe resort on Disney property, right across the street from Disney's Polynesian Resort.

Click here for details on SOG and any current special offers.

Airline Employee Resort Hotel Discounts

Airline employees (with appropriate ID) qualify for "interline" discounts at Disney resorts. Generally the discount is 40% off. The discount seems to be offered only at certain times, but if you are an airline employee, it's certainly worth callling (407) 828-3111 to inquire about what's currently available. Disney will allow a maximum of 2 rooms to be booked at the interline rates.

You must book at least 3 days in advance and you will have to fax a copy of your employee ID badge to Disney within 48 hours of booking in order to qualify for the rate. Be sure to bring your ID to Disney World in case you need to show it at check-in. Thanks to Tom B for updated information.

Historical Information on Discounts for Walt Disney World Resorts

To assist you in planning future trips for which rates or discounts have not yet been released, check out the list of past release dates for "rack" (full price) room rates, as well as a chart of release dates for the deepest discounts (including discount codes, Annual Passholder rates and Florida resident rates).

Room Upgrades

Free upgrades are rare at the Disney resorts. They do happen occasionally, however, if higher-category rooms are available. This is entirely at the whim of the person checking you in. If you are traveling during an off-peak time of year, when there is more likelihood of rooms being open, you can always ask the Cast Member at the front desk if there is any chance of a free upgrade. Of course it helps to be friendly, polite and enthusiastic -- and don't forget to mention any special occasions you will be celebrating during your stay, such as a honeymoon, birthday or anniversary.

If you're willing to pay a little extra at the time you check into the hotel, it may be worthwhile to ask how much it would cost to upgrade. For instance:

  • MouseSavers.com reader Valeire O. reports that she asked how much it would cost to upgrade to concierge level. She was offered a rate that was $50 a night more than the extremely discounted rate she was already paying. If she had booked a concierge level room at that hotel in advance, even with a discount, it would have cost at least $150 more per night.

  • I once asked about a paid upgrade to concierge level. There were no concierge rooms available, but the front desk very kindly upgraded me from a standard room to a view room without charge!

  • For a stay in May 2006, I wanted to book a concierge level room at the Polynesian with an Annual Pass rate, but none were available. I kept trying for months, but could not get a concierge room at the discounted rate. So I booked the next price level down (Magic Kingdom View), which was available with the discount. At check-in I asked if there was any chance I could pay for an upgrade to concierge. The answer was yes -- and they even had a Water View Concierge room with a view of the Castle available. I retained my discounted rate and only paid the standard price difference between the two room types.

There are no guarantees you'll be offered a free or discounted upgrade. If a specific view or room type is very important to you, book it in advance.

Concierge Level - Is It Worth the Money?

In my opinion, there is really no way to justify concierge level in terms of "getting your money's worth."

By staying on concierge level, you have access to a lounge that serves continental breakfast, followed by light snacks more or less all day. During the day it's usually something like goldfish crackers, potato chips and cookies, plus cold drinks; in the evening they have hot appetizers and wine for a couple of hours; in the later evening there are mini-desserts and liqueurs.

This is all very nice, but other than breakfast, it's not intended to replace meals. (And many people will want to eat a hot breakfast or two somewhere along the line, which is not provided in the lounge.)

The concierge rooms are not a big upgrade on rooms elsewhere at the hotel. They aren't bigger or better decorated, nor do they necessarily have the best views. Sometimes they have a "premium" location (most centrally located, highest floor, etc.) -- but don't count on this.

Concierge guests have access to staff in the lounge who can make dining reservations, etc. Regular guests can have the "Lobby Concierge" do the same thing. You might have to wait in a short line in the lobby; if you are a concierge guest there's usually no line in the lounge.

We went to Walt Disney World in May 2006 (Regular season) and stayed at the Polynesian. We wanted a great view and we wanted to "live it up" a bit. We could have gotten a guaranteed Magic Kingdom View, which is regularly priced at $495 per night (plus tax). Instead we upgraded to Concierge Lagoon View, which has a view of the Castle. This room type is regularly priced at $625 per night (plus tax).

We had an Annual Pass discount on our base room rate, but we still paid the extra $130 per night (plus tax) extra to stay on concierge level. Here's what we found out:

  • Our room was not bigger or better decorated than rooms elsewhere in the resort.

  • Our view was not nicer than a Magic Kingdom View room. It may have been slightly more centered on the Castle, but the Castle was blocked by a palm tree.

  • Our room was centrally located, but not necessarily more convenient to the Great Ceremonial House (lobby) than if we had been assigned one of the buildings with Magic Kingdom views (Tahiti, Tuvalu or Aotearoa).

  • We had access to continental breakfast and snacks in the lounge. We prefer hot breakfasts, so we ate continental breakfast only once. On average we took advantage of the lounge about once per day, for a light snack.

  • We had access to the concierge staff, who would have made reservations for us. Since we had made our reservations before arrival, we never used this service.

We felt the concierge room was not worth $130 a night more. It occurred to us that a family of four that was purchasing a vacation package could add the Dining Plan for around $100 per night, and that would give them a table service meal, a counter service meal and a snack per person per day. That would be a MUCH better value for less money!

If you want to be pampered and feel like you're "special" (and money is no object) concierge level is very pleasant. However, at this point I have stayed on concierge level at many of the Disney hotels, and I have to say, it doesn't "wow" me. I don't feel the slightly better room location, slightly better services and minimal food and drink provided are usually worth the substantial extra cost.

Disney Vacation Club

Disney Vacation Club (DVC) is a timeshare program operated by Disney at Walt Disney World. Click here to learn more.

Renting Disney Vacation Club (DVC) points is a little-known way to stay in a deluxe-level Disney resort for much less. Click here to learn more.

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