food IS a theme park
Let me share a little secret with you — here at DFB, there’s a non-Disney resort we like a LOT.
Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin
The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin are a group of three hotels owned and operated by Marriott — the Swan, the Dolphin, and the Swan Reserve. These hotels are located right in the heart of Disney World, and they have some pretty awesome perks. In fact, the perks are SO good that we might recommend you choose them instead of a Disney Resort!
July is one of the busiest months of the year when it comes to vacationing at Disney World.
Look at those crowds!
But with taking a vacation to Disney World can also come some major perks! So, if you are planning a vacation in July, here are EIGHT perks you need to know about!
We’ve all said it before, “I’m only going to come home with one souvenir,” and then you end up coming home with 20.
TRON Pressed Pennies
There are so many souvenirs you can find at Disney World that if I tried to name them all, you’d be reading this until the morning comes up the next day (yes, it’s really that many). So, what souvenirs are worth getting? Should you get a t-shirt with Mickey Mouse on it that you’ll only wear once, or should you get something more unique like a pin that has the hotel name of where you stayed on that trip? We’re thinking on the more unique side, so here are six souvenirs you can ONLY find at Disney World hotels.
Disney World is always changing, especially at resort hotels where constant refurbishments and updates happen. We want to make sure you’re calm and comfortable during your vacation instead of hearing jackhammers in your sleep.
Wilderness Lodge Construction
From room refurbishments to pool and restaurant closures to new dining locations, it’s important to plan around these things and avoid the unexpected. Here are 13 new changes coming to Disney World hotels this Fall!
If you’re a big fan of the holidays in the parks or are planning a trip for the holiday season this year, we’ve got some important news for you!
Grand Floridian Christmas Tree
Going to Disney around the holidays can be expensive, so when Disney dropped LOTS of discounts to help you save on travel, we dove straight in. In case you missed the hubbub, don’t worry — these are the FOUR big discounts Disney recently dropped and what you need to know about them.
When it comes to booking a vacation to Disney World, one of the biggest decisions you’ll have to make is picking the hotel you’ll be staying in.
The Entrance Sign
Resorts can get expensive depending on where you want to stay — the closer to the parks (especially Magic Kingdom), the more expensive it’ll be! But did you know there’s a hotel on property that accepts rewards? (That means possible free nights!) Let’s talk about how to save money by staying at this resort on your next Disney World vacation!
Checking into a Disney World hotel should feel like the opening scene of a vacation montage. You stroll into the lobby, someone is smiling, the air smells vaguely expensive, and suddenly your travel-day airport sweatshirt feels like resort wear.
BoardWalk Inn lobby
But here’s the less sparkly truth: check-in and checkout can also become the exact place where your vacation gets weirdly complicated. Not “lost luggage in another state” complicated. More like “why is my room not ready, why is my phone dying, and why are we all changing into swimsuits in a lobby bathroom?” complicated. So before you roll your suitcase through the doors of your Disney World hotel in 2026, here are the mistakes you want to avoid.
Choosing a date for your Disney World vacation can be challenging, but if you’re on a tight budget, we’re here to help!
All-Star Music
The fall is a time of year when it’s notoriously a little cheaper to visit Disney World or stay in a Disney Resort. We did the research, and we’re sharing the cheapest nights to stay at a Disney hotel this fall…let’s get to planning!
Disney’s BoardWalk Inn is one of those Disney World hotels that looks charming and innocent until you realize it has maze-like hallways and nanny chairs that will haunt your dreams.
Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
It is not just a hotel. It is a hotel, a waterfront entertainment district, a Crescent Lake shortcut, an EPCOT-area flex, a bakery-adjacent temptation zone, and, depending on your room location, either a breezy Deluxe Resort dream or a hallway journey that might be accompanied by calliope music.
Over the years, the perks you get for staying at a Disney World Resort have changed, but there are still some benefits that can improve your vacation.
All-Star Movies
Of course, you can get early booking for Lightning Lanes and enjoy Early Theme Park Entry every day, but a perk people often forget exists is the Airport Luggage Transfer. This service has been available for guests of Value Disney Resorts flying with Southwest Airlines, but now it’s expanding!
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
