Staying at one of the many hotels on property at the Walt Disney World Resort definitely has its perks but renting a vacation home nearby can be an even better option. In this post I am sharing 10 reasons you should stay at a rental house instead of a Walt Disney World hotel.
You can save money
Houses are available in all sizes from 1 to 10 bedrooms which means you can often fit as many as 20 people comfortably in a large home. If everyone splits the cost of the home it can be a lot cheaper than even the most budget Disney World hotel.
Access to a full kitchen
When you rent a house you get access to a full kitchen which means your family/group can cook meals at home and save tons of money compared to eating out all the time.
Privacy
When you rent a home, you don’t have strangers in the rooms to the side, below or above you. You usually have your own private pool and spa. Additionally, most homes offer en suites providing you the privacy of a hotel room.
More space for kids to play
If you have kids, you know they can go CRAZY in a hotel room bouncing off the bed and walls. When you rent a house, there is more space for them to play and run around.
Access to resort amenities
Most vacation homes near Disney World are part of a resort and when you stay at one of these homes you get access to all the resort amenities. These can include but are not limited to:
A Large Pool and Spa
Lazy river
Mini Golf
Bar/Grill
Sport Courts
Arcade
Gym/Fitness Center
A place where the family can gather
One of my favorite parts about renting a vacation home, especially a large one is that the whole family can stay together. A hotel room usually isn’t big enough to get four to five families with kids together. Vacation homes usually have at least one large gathering space to get together and chat, hang out and play games. It can also allow the kids to go off safely and play while the adults can hang back and relax. These homes and resorts are great escape from craziness of the parks an excellent way to spend your non park days.
Parking close to the front door
When staying at a vacation home you can park right in the driveway and just walk inside. You don’t need to worry about hauling your luggage up and down escalators and or flights of stairs. While some may worry about the distance to the park, many of these homes are 10-20 min door to door. My experience taking the hotel shuttles, is sometimes you have to wait that long just for for the bus to arrive. With a car you control your schedule.
Don’t worry about disturbing neighbors through the walls
I don’t know what it is about hotels, but my kids are always extra loud and cry more at night. If you have a house you don’t have to worry about disturbing strangers with your baby crying in the middle of the night. Of course you still shouldn’t be throwing wild parties, but the privacy of a home is unmatched.
Pool & Spa access after a long day at the park (or anytime)
Whenever I get home from a long day at the parks my feet hurt and I just want to soak them in the warm spa. However, at a hotel it's usually too late and the pool is closed. When you are staying at a vacation house you can just walk out the door late at night and soak in the spa or take a refreshing swim.
The house is just as fun as the parks
I absolutely love Disney World and would go every day if I could. That being said it is very expensive. These vacation homes are usually full of fun themes and include tons of fun amenities like a theater, arcade, pool, and spa. This means that there are sooo many ways to have fun at the house without having to spend money and go to the parks. Plus most of these homes are situated in a resort like atmosphere, giving you access to even more amenities & fun including mini golf, fitness centers, lazy rivers, splash pads and more.