Off-Site Disney World Resorts - best options, some with onsite perks!

There are lots of reasons why people traveling to Disney World choose to stay off-site.

Lower costs and the ability to use reward points plays into the decision making for some.

Others find the frequently larger spaces available in off-site rooms to be a better fit for them.

And, of course, there are some people that are interested in doing other things outside of Disney World (gasp!), and an offsite room simply makes that easier.

Whatever the reason, we want you to get the most bang for your buck and to help, we have some information about the most popular off-site resort options near Disney World.

Off-site hotels with Disney-like benefits

Did you know that there are some off-site hotels that provide nearly all of the benefits that you’d find at an on-site Disney World resort?

The hotels located in Disney Springs plus Shades of Green, The Four Seasons, Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, Waldorf Astoria and the Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resorts all offer some of the perks you find for onsite guests.

A couple of important caveats:

None of the off-site resorts offer Disney’s Magical Express, so you’ll need to stay on-site at a Disney World Resort Hotel if that is important to your situation.
None of the off-site resorts offer MagicBands either, but you can purchase it online or at Disney World if you’d like to use one.

Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels

In order to receive the perks listed below, guests must have a hotel confirmation number and a valid theme park ticket both linked to their My Disney Experience account:

Access to Extra Magic Hours
FastPass+ reservations at 60 days (instead of the typical 30 days for off-site guests)

Other perks available (no park ticket necessary):

Purchases made on Disney property delivered to your resort
Walking distance to Disney Springs
Transportation to the parks (note: this isn’t the same transportation you’d find at the on-site resorts, but rather a shuttle service operated by the Disney Springs Area Resorts)

Best Western Lake Buena Vista- Disney Springs Area

Resort category: Moderate

WDW Prep Favorite: No

Pros: Affordable, each room has a balcony, refrigerators in every room

Cons: Little bit of a further walk to Disney Springs, some rooms in need of an update

Best Western Lake Buena Vista – Disney Springs Area room options

Scheduled refurbishments

None scheduled right now.

B Resort & Spa

Resort category: Moderate

WDW Prep Favorite: No

Pros: Full-service on-site spa available, bunk beds in some rooms, kitchenettes in some rooms, free wifi, suites available

Cons: Despite a recent refurbishment, there are lots of reports of air conditioning not fully operational in resort common areas and additional resort fees that are added to your bill may push the total cost higher than expected

B Resort & Spa room options

Scheduled refurbishments

None scheduled right now.

DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando – Disney Springs Area

Resort category: Moderate

WDW Prep Favorite: No

Pros: All-suites with at least 1 private bedroom, no resort fees

Cons: Some rooms may need an refurbishment, a ways away from Disney Springs

DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando – Disney Springs Area room options

Scheduled refurbishments

None scheduled right now.

Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace – Disney Springs Area

Resort category: Moderate

WDW Prep Favorite: No

Pros: Alamo/National Car rental desk, walking distance to Disney Springs,

Cons: Resort fees can add up

Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace – Disney Springs Area room options

Scheduled refurbishments

None scheduled right now.

Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista – Disney Springs Area

Resort category: Moderate

WDW Prep Favorite: No

Pros: Closest location to Disney Springs, suites available, Disney character breakfasts on Sundays

Cons: Resort fees can add up

Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista – Disney Springs Area room options

Scheduled refurbishments

None scheduled right now.

Holiday Inn Orlando – Disney Springs Area

Resort category: Value

WDW Prep Favorite: No

Pros: Free wifi, clean, updated, within walking distance of Disney Springs, great buffet breakfast

Cons: Resort fees are about the only negative

Holiday Inn Orlando – Disney Springs Area room options

Scheduled refurbishments

None scheduled right now.

Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista – Disney Springs Area

Resort category: Value

WDW Prep Favorite: No

Pros: Affordable, Disney Character Breakfast on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays

Cons: Resort fee is kind of high and parts of the resort are outdated

Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista – Disney Springs Resort Area room options

Scheduled refurbishments

None scheduled right now.

Other off-site options with Disney-like benefits

The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, Shades of Green, Waldorf Astoria, Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, and the Four Seasons Resort also offer some benefits that are similar to those of on-site Disney World Resorts.

A package is not required to use these benefits; however, you must have a valid ticket linked in your My Disney Experience account in order to make your FastPass+ reservations at 60 days out.

Access to Extra Magic Hours
FastPass+ reservations at 60 days (instead of the typical 30 days for off-site guests)
Advanced Dining Reservations for up to 10 days of your trip at 180 days out

Shades of Green Resort

Resort category: Moderate

WDW Prep Favorite: No

Pros: Access to Extra Magic Hours, ability to make FastPass+ reservations at 60 days out, ability to make up to 10 days worth of dining reservations at 180 days out, only Armed Forces Recreation Center in the continental U.S. and is only available to U.S. military members (and some government employees), large rooms, easy walk to the Polynesian for additional transportation options

Cons: No free theme park parking or Magical Express

Shades of Green Resort room options

Scheduled refurbishments

None scheduled right now.

Other info

Shades of Green review

Military Disney Tips Shades of Green overview

Four Seasons Resort Orlando

Resort category: Deluxe

WDW Prep Favorite: No

Pros: Lovely upscale resort, fabulous pools and dining options, immaculate facilities, rooms with park views available, access to Extra Magic Hours, ability to make FastPass+ reservations at 60 days out, ability to make up to 10 days worth of dining reservations at 180 days out

Cons: Pricey

Four Seasons Resort Orlando room options

Scheduled refurbishments

None scheduled right now.

Walt Disney World Swan Hotel

Resort category: Deluxe

WDW Prep Favorite: No

Pros: Access to Extra Magic Hours, ability to make FastPass+ reservations at 60 days out, ability to make up to 10 days worth of dining reservations at 180 days out, onsite location, walking distance to Epcot and Hollywood Studios

Cons: Pricey resort and parking fees

Walt Disney World Swan room options

Scheduled refurbishments

None scheduled right now.

Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel

Resort category: Deluxe

WDW Prep Favorite: No

Cons: Pricey resort and parking fees

Walt Disney World Dolphin room options

Scheduled refurbishments

None scheduled right now.

Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek

Resort category: Deluxe

WDW Prep Favorite: No

Pros: Fantastic pools and guests staying here can use the pool at the Waldorf Astoria (the resorts are connected), rooms with fireworks views available

Cons: Pricey resort fee, hosts lots of conferences

Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek room options

Scheduled refurbishments

None scheduled right now.

Waldorf Astoria Orlando

Resort category: Deluxe

WDW Prep Favorite: No

Pros: Upscale luxury resort close to all parks, located on a golf course, rooms with firework views available

Cons: Not many early or late dining options and pricey resort fees

Waldorf Astoria Orlando room options

Scheduled refurbishments

None scheduled right now.

Bonnet Creek Area

The Bonnet Creek Area is comprised of what is basically a tiny island (70-acres) of land that is surrounded on 3 sides by Disney-owned property.

As you can see by the map below, this area is very near Caribbean Beach; however, there are no walking paths between this area and any of Disney’s property.

This area is home to 4 different resorts and a golf course.

Three of the resorts are “regular” resort hotels (and 2 of them, the Waldorf Astoria and the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek offer some on-site perks), and one is a timeshare comprised of apartment-style units which are available to rent/book through their owners.

Transportation is provided by the 3 resort hotels; however, a car or using Uber/Lyft/taxi is recommended if staying here as transportation is not as regular as what you’d find if staying on-site.

And, in the case of Wyndham Bonnet Creek (the timeshare option), the transportation costs to use and must be reserved in advanced.

Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek

Resort category: Deluxe

WDW Prep Favorite: No

Pros: Fantastic pools and guests staying here can use the pool at the Waldorf Astoria (the resorts are connected), rooms with fireworks views available

Cons: Pricey resort fee, hosts lots of conferences

Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek room options

Scheduled refurbishments

None scheduled right now.

Waldorf Astoria Orlando

Resort category: Deluxe

WDW Prep Favorite: No

Pros: Upscale luxury resort close to all parks, located on a golf course, rooms with firework views available

Cons: Not many early or late dining options and pricey resort fees

Waldorf Astoria Orlando room options

Scheduled refurbishments

None scheduled right now.

Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek

Resort category: Deluxe

WDW Prep Favorite: No

Pros: Close to all of the Disney parks, lots of shade available at the pool, large rooms with bunk bed options

Cons: Parking fees and resort fees are pricey and can add up

Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek room options

Scheduled refurbishments

None scheduled right now.

Wyndham Bonnet Creek

Resort category: Moderate

WDW Prep Favorite: No

Pros: Large apartment-style accommodations with fully furnished kitchens and washers and dryers in the units, no parking fee, fantastic pools

Cons: Timeshare so no daily maid service (although you can pay to have it if you wish), transportation options are very limited so a car or using an Uber/taxi is necessary

Wyndham Bonnet Creek room options

Scheduled refurbishments

None scheduled right now.

Other info

Bonnet Creek DISboards.com thread with lots of pics and info

Other Popular Off-site Options

SpringHill Suites Orlando at Flamingo Crossings

Resort category: Value

WDW Prep Favorite: No

Pros: Affordable, located near the west entrance to Disney World, newer, no resort fees, free breakfast buffet

Cons: Limited on-site dining options and no shuttles to the parks

SpringHill Suites Orlando at Flamingo Crossings room options

Scheduled refurbishments

None scheduled right now.

TownePlace Suites by Marriott Orlando at Flamingo Crossings

Resort category: Value

WDW Prep Favorite: No

Pros: Newer hotel, several suite options, free breakfast, no resort fees

Cons: Limited on-site dining options and no shuttles to the parks

TownePlace Suites Flamingo Crossing room options

Scheduled refurbishments

None scheduled right now.

Villas of Grand Cypress

Resort category: Moderate

WDW Prep Favorite: No

Pros: Large rooms and villas, pet friendly, washer and dryer in each unit, free parking

Cons: Property is spread out and shuttle service is inconvenient, resort fee

Villas of Grand Cypress room options

Scheduled refurbishments

None scheduled right now.

Room type	Bed size	Max people per room	Floor Plan
Deluxe Room	Queen	4
Deluxe King	King	4
Preferred Deluxe Queen	Queen	5

Room type	Bed size	Max people per room	Floor Plan
Chic (some with bunk beds or 1 king)	Queen	4
Captivating (some with 1 king)	Queen	5
Stunning	Queen	5
B Enhanced Junior Suite	King	4
Master Suite	Queen	6

Room type	Bed size	Max people per room	Floor Plan
1 bedroom suite	Queen	6
2 bedroom suite	King	8

Room type	Bed size	Max people per room	Floor Plan
King	King	4
Two Queen	Queen	4
1 bedroom suite	Queen	6

Room type	Bed size	Max people per room	Floor Plan
Queen	Queen	4
King	King	2
Junior Suite	Full	6
1 Bedroom Suite	Queen	8
2 Bedroom Suite	King	8