Time and Money

Arguably the two most valuable resources are time and money. We’ve all heard that time IS money. Sometimes money can buy you time. Frankly, it’s all rather confusing, but I think we can all agree, we all wish that we had more of each.

Continuing my general topic of saving time, as I have written about in the past few blogs. I now want to add money into the mix because I think often times people can get tunnel vision for either one when planning their vacations.

One of the biggest decisions you will have to make when traveling to Disney World or Universal Orlando is whether to stay at a hotel “on property” or nearby. Now of course there are pros and cons to each, so let’s begin by diving into those first.

Pros of staying on property at either Disney or Universal. You are close, which means you will save time. Perhaps this also translates into being able to sleep in a bit longer or walk a bit less. Depending on which hotel you choose, it can mean you still have to rely on some form of transportation to get to the theme parks, but you should be saving on not having to pay a parking fee. When parking at the theme parks, there is often a decent walking distance associated with them, which will take you time. By staying on property, and using their shuttle or bus system, you will be dropped off much close to the main entrance, saving you the walk and most likely time.

Another pro of staying on property is having the consistency in quality of service and amenities. Generally speaking, by staying at a Disney or Universal hotel, they are staffed by Disney or Universal employees. This means they are knowledgeable about the parks and other amenities of the resorts, and they should provide you with the quality customer service that you have come to expect from both these reputable companies.

This consistency also spills into the aesthetic of the hotel. Usually the theming of these hotels are fun and the architecture and landscaping are beautiful.

Discounts can also be a perk of staying on property and purchasing tickets to them parks as a package deal. Now this is not always the case but can happen. Likewise, those who purchase an annual pass for these parks usually receive a discount by staying on property.

Lastly, some of the on property hotels can host character events or dining options. Now often you do not have to be a guest at the hotel to take advantage of these, however, it’s obvious that if you are a guest staying there, it will be that much easier for you to attend and once you’re finished, you have the option to walking back to your room, rather than having to get in a car and driving back to another hotel.

Now for the cons of staying on property. First and by far the biggest complaint is the cost. Staying on property can get very expensive. Depending on the time of year and length of stay, you can easily pay $600+ per night at some of these hotels. Now you do get all of the pros we just spoke about, in addition to other amenities that you may enjoy, although are not exclusive to on property hotels, such as spas, golf courses, dining and drink options etc. But $600+ is no joke. By staying off property at a nearby hotel or motel, you can bring that down to $125 per night and pocket that extra cash savings.

Another con for staying on property is that you may not have an opportunity or it’s more difficult, to explore the surrounding area. By staying off property and renting or having a car, it affords you the opportunity to drive around or go visit nearby sites.

Having a disconnect. This one may not be for everyone, but another con could be by staying on property, you are experiencing Disney or Universal 24/7. Staying off property provides you a break from that and almost a feeling of normalcy which could help reset you and allow you to wake up refreshed the next morning.

Now switching gears just a bit, are there situations where paying more can be worth it?

In my opinion, yes.

Sometimes I would gladly pay the additional cost of staying on property to save myself a walk or avoid having to take certain modes of transportation or driving myself. Depending on the circumstances, all of those things can add quite a bit of stress and logistics to your trip.

One example is at Magic Kingdom resort at Disney World. We had the opportunity to stay at the Contemporary hotel in 2021. It was great and we were not even in the main building, but an adjacent wing. It was so nice to be able to park a few hundred feet from out hotel room and then be able to walk or take the monorail to Magic Kingdom or Epcot, or visit the neighboring hotels. All of these things, added up to value to me and paying a little more to stay there was well worth it for me.

Often finding the balance of time and money is the challenge for every day life, never mind a vacation. For me personally, I am happy to spend money on staying on property or service, so long as I feel I am gaining something from it. I realize that may sound very elementary, but I often see people choosing to save $20 or $50 on something, but lose out on what I feel is something more impactful. I gave the example of staying off property as a way to disconnect, however, I also feel strongly about the opposite of that. Staying on property and having Disney characters around, or theming, can add so much more to your trip that it could be worth paying the premium of staying there.

Everyone is going to have their own ideas of value. The purpose of this blog, all of the blogs, are to give you something to think about. I hope that it helps you in planning your ultimate vacation, regardless where you travel to around the globe.