Walt Disney World Resort Discounts

Quick link to the discounts section

On this page you’ll find every known “room only” hotel discount at Disney’s resorts at Walt Disney World. We list Disney hotel promotions and codes that can save you a bundle, as well as other strategies that can help you get the best room rates at Disney World resort hotels.

Disney World resort discounts 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.

All of the discounted Disney World 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.

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Off-Season Rates

Disney has multiple “seasons” each year. Value Season is the least expensive and least crowded time, followed by Fall Season, Regular Season, Summer Season, Peak Season and Holiday Season. The various national holidays and the Walt Disney World Marathon weekend in January also have their own mini-seasons of 3-10 days, which will usually be somewhat more expensive than the surrounding dates. So the most basic way to save money on Disney’s resort hotels is simply to book in the off-season. There will typically be larger room discounts with more availability in the off seasons as well, which increases the savings considerably.

Our 2020 Disney World room rates and 2021 Disney World room rates pages also include the dates of the various rate seasons.

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.

Disney Resort Discounts For Everyone

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Room-Only Disney World Resort Discounts

Disney periodically offers room-only discounts that anyone can use, including international guests. They typically become available 2-6 months in advance and are most often offered during the off-season, with major holidays, mid-summer and holiday weekends “blacked out” (excluded) from the offer. When such offers are released, we list them below.

Magic Is Here Local States Room Discount

Residents of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia only, can get up to 30% off room rates at select official Walt Disney World resorts for most dates September 4 through December 25, 2020. There is no minimum stay length.

Sample discounts off normal 2020 Disney World room rates:

Up to 15% off Fort Wilderness campsites (discounts vary by campsite type)

Up to 20% off Value resort rooms (discounts vary by resort and room type)

Up to 25% off Moderate resort rooms (discounts vary by resort and room type)

Up to 30% off Deluxe & Deluxe Villa resort rooms (discounts vary by resort and room type)

This is a room-only offer but it can also be booked as a package by adding tickets and/or a dining plan, which would make it subject to package rules.

Offer excludes almost all Deluxe resorts (only Contemporary, Grand Floridian and Yacht Club are included), but includes most Deluxe Villa resorts except for Villas at Grand Floridian, Bungalows at Polynesian Bungalows & Villas and Cabins at Copper Creek Villas & Cabins. Also excludes Port Orleans – Riverside, Port Orleans – French Quarter, the All-Star Resorts and 3-bedroom villas. As with all Disney promotional discounts, some resorts, room types and date combinations will not be available. It’s important to be flexible if you want to book a discounted room.

Book by 12/25/20.

To reserve a room with the Magic Is Here Local States Offer, first check Undercover Tourist and the Online Travel Agencies to see if there are extra discounts that can be stacked on top of the Disney discount. For a full-service experience with personalized help, we recommend contacting a full-service travel agent who specializes in Disney travel.

Hotwire Hot Rates & Priceline Express Deals

Hotwire has a program called “Hot Rate” hotels and Priceline has a similar program called “Express Deals.” They offer extra-low rates (most of the time), but they don’t tell you the name of the hotel in advance. They just tell you the general area the hotel is in, and some (but not necessarily all) of the hotel’s amenities. From time to time, official Disney resorts will show up as a Hotwire Hot Rate or Priceline Express Deal hotel, usually for fairly short term reservations (we’ve seen them appear primarily for bookings less than 60 days out).

You have to actually commit to the booking to find out which hotel you booked. There are no refunds and no changes, so there’s a bit of risk involved. You’ll definitely get a booking at a hotel in the area, but there’s a small chance you’ll end up at a non-Disney hotel, so keep that in mind. They sometimes throw in hotels at only a few dollars off their normal rate, so don’t book just because it’s listed as a “Hot Rate” or “Express Deal” hotel. Always compare against the regular price of the hotel you think it is, including all taxes and fees!

There is no way to be absolutely sure that the hot rate hotel you’re booking is a Disney hotel, but if a Hotwire Hot Rate or Priceline Express Deal hotel meets both of the following two criteria, chances are extremely good that it’s a Disney hotel:

Located in the “Bonnet Creek” area or “Disney Springs” area

Has an airport shuttle (i.e. Disney’s Magical Express). Lately both Hotwire & Priceline have been leaving this off listing, probably because it’s such a giveaway, so if it’s not there, it’s still conceivable that it’s a Disney hotel.

The Disney hotels will also usually list the amenities listed below. Sometimes not all of a hotel’s amenities are listed in order to disguise the hotel’s identity, but the ones below usually are, as they are important to disclose in advance. These are not a definite indication of a Disney hotel, but if you don’t see matches on these, it’s most likely not a Disney hotel:

Free internet

No resort fee (check the final price on the checkout page; if there’s a line item saying “Hotel fee,” “Additional mandatory fee” or “Resort fee” it is NOT a Disney hotel).

Last we checked, there are no non-Disney hotels in the Bonnet Creek area that have an airport shuttle, so if you see “Airport Shuttle” on a hotel in that area, it’s a pretty good bet that it’s a Disney hotel. Keep in mind that Hotwire or Priceline can change how they list their amenities, or they could change the boundaries of their various neighborhood regions, or some other hotel in that area could add an airport shuttle.

To look for official Disney hotels in the Hotwire Hot Rate program, follow these steps: Open Hotwire in a new browser tab.

Search for your dates and number of guests, and location “Orlando, FL”.

Select the “Hot Rate Hotels” tab if it’s not already active.

Use the filter drop downs near the top of the list to limit the search to Area: “Walt Disney World – Bonnet Creek” and “Disney Springs” and Amenities: “Airport Shuttle”.

and and If any hotels are left, take a quick look at the full description of each hotel and check for anything that suggests that it might be another hotel. Reconfirm that it’s in the Bonnet Creek or Disney Springs area and has an airport shuttle as a listed amenity, plus no resort fee.

If no hotels meet both criteria, you might try removing the Amenities: “Airport Shuttle” filter and see if anything looks like it could be a match. Lately they’ve been less likely to show the airport shuttle on the Disney resort listings (though you do qualify for the shuttle if you get a Disney resort booking, even if it’s through Hotwire).

Disney Deluxe and Deluxe Villa hotels typically show as 4+ star hotels, Moderates as 3 or 3.5 star hotels and Values as 3 star hotels. If a bed type is listed, Disney Value resorts have Double & King beds, and Moderate and Deluxe resorts have Queen & King beds.

Note that Hotwire’s Hot Rates may not alway be a massive bargain, and Hotwire tends to add a bunch of fees at the end, so check the final checkout price against other options for booking Disney hotels. If the savings is only a few dollars, probably you’re better off using another discount strategy where you can choose the exact hotel you want and being sure of getting an official Disney hotel. To look for official Disney hotels in the Priceline Express Deals program, follow these steps: Open Priceline in a new browser tab.

Search for your dates and number of guests, and location “Orlando, FL”.

Make sure the “Express Deals” checkbox is checked on the left side of the page.

Use the filter checkboxes on the left to select Neighborhoods: “Walt Disney World – Bonnet Creek” and “Walt Disney World – Disney Springs” and Amenities: “Airport Shuttle”. (If there’s a “(0)” next to a checkbox, it means there are no hotels that fit that filter, and it won’t let you check the box.)

and and (If there’s a “(0)” next to a checkbox, it means there are no hotels that fit that filter, and it won’t let you check the box.) If any hotels are left, take a quick look at the full description of each hotel and check for anything that suggests that it might be another hotel. Reconfirm that it’s in the Bonnet Creek or Disney Springs area and has an airport shuttle as a listed amenity, plus no resort fee.

If no hotels meet both criteria, you might try removing the Amenities: “Airport Shuttle” filter and see if anything looks like it could be a match. Lately they’ve been less likely to show the airport shuttle on the Disney resort listings (though you do qualify for the shuttle if you get a Disney resort booking, even if it’s through Priceline).

Disney Deluxe and Deluxe Villa hotels typically show as 4+ star hotels, Moderates as 3 or 3.5 star hotels and Values as 3 star hotels. If a bed type is listed, Disney Value resorts have Double & King beds, and Moderate and Deluxe resorts have Queen & King beds.

Priceline sometimes lists hotels in Express Deals with only a few dollars off, and they add taxes and fees at the end, so check the final checkout price against other options for booking Disney hotels. If the savings is only a few dollars, probably you’re better off using another discount strategy where you can choose the exact hotel you want and being sure of getting an official Disney hotel.

Online Travel Agency Offers

For room-only bookings, using a discount code at an online travel agency might provide a better price on a Disney resort room, but you need to be very careful. It’s definitely more work than using a full-service travel agent, but if you’re comfortable doing your own research, the savings can be worth it. Be sure to read the caveats in this section carefully, and compare the final bottom-line price for several different options before booking. Do not rely on the price shown on the hotel page or on the search comparisons page, or on the price shown on online comparison sites. The online travel agencies like Expedia and Orbitz are very cagey about tossing in additional fees on the final checkout screen, charging extra for cancellations when the hotel doesn’t charge for them and so forth.

Unlike a full-service Disney Specialist travel agent, online travel agencies don’t offer any significant service — this is a strictly do-it-yourself option. With online agencies, changes and cancellations may be a hassle and may incur extra fees. Be sure to read ALL the small print as you make your reservation (which may require you to select a link that says “terms and conditions,” “rules and restrictions” or something similar) so that you are clear on any extra fees. On the rare occasions when online agencies screw something up, it can be difficult to get the problem fixed, because you don’t have a single point of contact, as you would with a regular travel agent, and their customer service may be difficult to reach and may be handled from a call center on the other side of the world if you do actually reach someone.

Online travel agencies sometimes offer add-on tickets that may sound like a good deal but usually aren’t the best choice. Be sure to check their bottom line ticket prices, including any taxes and fees, and their terms and conditions, against Undercover Tourist.

Once you’ve bought your room through an online travel agency, you’ll need to get the correct Disney confirmation number from that agency so that you can link your reservation to your online Disney account, in order to take advantage of the new MyMagic+ features, such as FastPass+. If you want to add Disney’s free Magical Express (airport bus transfer) service to your room reservation, you’ll need that Disney confirmation number again. Then either call (866) 599-0951 or fill out this form on disneyworld.com to book it directly with Magical Express. Some agencies put a confirmation code that will work in their email confirmation that they send after you book. For others, you need to call or use their chat system to get the number you need, and sometimes that results in a frustrating interaction with someone who doesn’t know anything about Disney or their policies. If you get a clueless customer service rep, our advice is always to politely say you need to go, hang up (or end the chat), and start again. Repeat until you get someone who knows how to get you some help.

CheapTickets and Orbitz

CheapTickets and Orbitz are really the same company (and are now owned by Expedia), but they don’t always offer exactly the same deals. When seasonal discounted room-only rates are offered to the general public, the same rates are usually also available online through both sites. Note that availability may not be the same between Disney’s own booking system and CheapTickets/Orbitz. They are booking from two different groups of rooms, so one can be sold out of a discounted room type when the other still has rooms available. For this reason, don’t assume that CheapTickets/Orbitz will have the same room rate as Disney’s discounted rates; you need to check to be sure. When they run out of discounted rooms, typically they’ll just quietly switch to rack rates.

CheapTickets or Orbitz often offer special discount codes that take a percentage or a flat dollar amount off your reservation. When there are no other deals around, this can be one of the only ways to get a discount on your Disney World resort hotel room. And when there are Disney seasonal promo discounts in place, usually the discount codes can be applied on top of Disney’s promotional discount! If there are any current discount codes, we note them below.

Very Important Warnings:

Be sure to read the information above about booking with online travel agencies.

Orbitz/CheapTickets have started charging a $25 fee for changes and cancellations of bookings at many Disney resorts. Look carefully at the cancellation terms on the final checkout screen. They may use language that implies that they’re just passing on a fee from Disney, but Disney does not charge for cancellation of room-only bookings until 5 days before arrival.

Look carefully at the cancellation terms on the final checkout screen. They may use language that implies that they’re just passing on a fee from Disney, but Disney does not charge for cancellation of room-only bookings until 5 days before arrival. Orbitz/CheapTickets have started adding significant fees for adding more than 2 persons to a room. You don’t see these on the initial booking page, only on the final checkout page, so pay close attention. These fees are significantly larger than Disney’s extra-guest charges, and Disney’s fees only apply to extra guests 18 and older. Orbitz/Cheaptickets are charging these fees even if the extra guests are children. As always, look at the final price after at the end of the booking, and compare it to booking direct or booking with Undercover Tourist. If you like, you can try to book with just the adult guests, then use the tip below to contact customer service and get them to add the children, but we’re not sure that’s going to work anymore.

Orbitz and Cheaptickets, like most online-only agencies, offer “room only” bookings. You cannot book Disney’s vacation packages through them, which means you cannot get the Disney dining plan (which, while popular, is not usually a good deal for most people). If you want a vacation package including tickets and/or a dining plan, check our list of current package offers.

The Disney confirmation code you’ll need for MyDisneyExperience and/or Magical Express should be on the emailed confirmation page under “Hotel confirmation number.” We have had reports that the confirmation number does not always work with MyDisneyExperience or that Orbitz/Cheaptickets is no longer including the right number (perhaps another issue caused by their merger with Expedia); if so, you’ll have to contact Orbitz/Cheaptickets customer service to get a different hotel confirmation number that will work. As with any customer service interaction, if the person you speak to doesn’t know how to get the Disney confirmation code you need, politely say you need to go, hang up and try again.

Important: For a long time, Orbitz/Cheaptickets overcharged for children because of a glitch in their booking system. Disney charges extra for most resorts for extra adults (age 18+) beyond the first two, but not for children (age 0-17), up to the full occupancy of the room. For some time after Orbitz started integrating their systems with Expedia, the glitch appeared to be fixed and we were able to book children normally without being overcharged. However, Orbitz and CheapTickets appear to have added a new, even larger fee for additional guests, even if they’re children.

If you are booking an official Disney hotel with children under 18, check if the price goes down if you remove the kids from the booking. If it does, you can try booking with just the adults listed, then call or chat with Orbitz or Cheaptickets customer service to add the kids. Tell them Disney does not charge for children under 18, and they should contact Disney Wholesale Travel to get the children added. However, make sure they’re not going to charge you for cancellation, because if they refuse to book the children without adding the fees, you will likely want to cancel and book elsewhere.

Book through CheapTickets – no current offers



CheapTickets – no current offers Book through Orbitz – no current offers



Orbitz – no current offers Orbitz Rewards: Orbitz has a rewards program that rebates back 1%-5% of your booking amount in the form of “Orbucks” that can be used for future hotel bookings. Sign up for Orbitz Rewards.

Other Online Travel Agencies

Most of the time, Expedia, Travelocity, and Priceline offer Disney World hotel rooms at the same price you can get through Disney directly, including any current “room-only” discount promotion. Since they purchase large blocks of rooms at a discount, they will sometimes have discount rooms available when Disney is sold-out for that room or category. We have also occasionally seen a special discount at one or the other of them for last-minute bookings, after any Disney discount for that time frame had already ended.

Be sure to compare the rates; all of these companies are reputable, so book with whichever one has the best rates (being careful to check the terms and conditions for cancellation fees or other caveats). Note that all of these agencies offer “room only” bookings. You cannot book Disney’s vacation packages through them. If you want a vacation package including tickets and perhaps a dining plan, check our list of current package offers.

Postcard and Email Codes

Disney sometimes sends out postcards and emails that offer deeply discounted Walt Disney World resort rates to the recipients. We can’t publish those discounts, because Disney uses a PIN (Personal Identification Number) system so that only the recipient can use the code. (When you call in with your PIN, 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 PIN-coded postcards and emails? No one knows exactly, and we have done a lot of research on it over the last 10+ years. It appears that Disney’s marketing department uses a variety of lists at different times. A specific geographical area might be targeted, or specific age groups, people with specific ages of children, etc.

If you want to have the best possible chance of getting a PIN-coded offer by mail or email, it’s definitely a good idea to request information from Disney whenever you get a chance, in order to get on its mailing lists. You might want to watch a FREE vacation planning video or request a brochure from Disney. They may get names from shopDisney.com, subscribers to Disney publications and Disney 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. Most of the time the bounceback offer is a room discount, but sometimes they’ve been known to offer Free Dining or other package offers.

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 for a room-only booking or $200 deposit for a package booking.

If you booked your current trip with a travel agent, definitely ask for your agent to be listed as the agent of record on the new booking (assuming you like your current agent). Once the booking is complete, Disney will hand off the booking to that agent for further assistance, and she will get the normal commission for the trip.

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. Even if you can’t find a flyer, you can dial x8844 from your room phone and ask if there are any current offers. You can also call (407) 939-1923 from your mobile phone, but keep in mind you must be actually checked into a Disney-owned hotel to be eligible to book a bounceback offer.

Sometimes there is a second room-only offer when the primary bounceback offer is a package offer (requiring getting tickets, room, and possibly dining at the same time). Be sure to ask, if they offer you a package discount and you’re primarily interested in a room and not a package.

Disney World Resort Discounts for Disney Visa Cardholders

From time to time, Disney 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, we list them below.

Annual Passholder Disney World Hotel Discounts

Savings for Annual Passholders 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.

Learn more about Disney World Annual Passes.

Annual Passholder Room-Only Discounts Stay dates: 7/9/20 – 12/25/20 Get discounts of up to 40% for stays July 9 – December 25, 2020. Pricing and savings will vary by resort type and date. Rates not available for all dates, room types and resorts. There is no minimum stay with this offer. Sample discounts off regular 2020 Disney World room rates: Up to 40% off most Deluxe resort rooms and Deluxe Villa resort rooms

Up to 35% off most Moderate resort rooms

Up to 30% off most Value resort rooms This is a room-only offer. If you would like to add a Dining Plan with these rates, there is a special Annual Passholders package. Offer excludes Polynesian Bungalows, Villas at Grand Floridian, Cabins at Copper Creek Villas & Cabins, 3-bedroom villas and campsites. As with all Disney promotional discounts, some resorts, room types and date combinations will not be available. It’s important to be flexible if you want to book a discounted package. Book by 12/25/20. To reserve a room with the Annual Passholder discount, we recommend contacting a travel agent who specializes in Disney travel. Ask for the Annual Passholder rates.

Florida Resident Resort Hotel Discounts

Savings for Florida residents 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: 7/9/20 – 12/25/20 Get discounts of up to 35% for stays July 9 – December 25, 2020. Pricing and savings will vary by resort type and date. Rates not available for all dates, room types and resorts. There is no minimum stay with this offer. Sample discounts off regular 2020 Disney World room rates: Up to 35% off most Deluxe resort rooms and Deluxe Villa resort rooms

Up to 30% off most Moderate resort rooms

Up to 25% off most Value resort rooms This is a room-only offer but it can also be booked as a package by adding tickets, which would make it subject to package rules. Offer excludes Polynesian Bungalows, Villas at Grand Floridian, Cabins at Copper Creek Villas & Cabins, 3-bedroom villas and campsites. As with all Disney promotional discounts, some resorts, room types and date combinations will not be available. It’s important to be flexible if you want to book a discounted room. Book by 12/25/20. To reserve a room with the Florida resident discount, we recommend contacting a travel agent who specializes in Disney travel. Ask for the Florida Resident offer.

UK/Ireland Resident Disney Resort Hotel Discounts

The Disney specialist travel agency we 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 Disney World Hotel Discounts

Canadian residents can book the US offers listed above. The Disney specialist travel agency we recommend, Small World Vacations, gladly works with clients around the globe. They have many clients from Canada.

In addition, you can visit Walt Disney World’s Canadian website and select the Special Offers tab to see any current deals specific to Canadians, but most of the time the offers are the same as those distributed in the US. Sometimes the Canadian offer will have a different discount code, but otherwise it will be identical to the US offer. If we learn of any specials for Canadians only, they are listed below.

AAA and CAA Disney Resort Hotel Discounts

There are, as of now, no AAA/CAA discounts available for stays at the official Disney World resorts.

Disney World Hotel Discounts for Military and Veterans

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Military Salute Discounts

Military Salute Discounts for stays January 1 – December 18, 2020

Military discounts of up to 30% off Value Resorts, 35% off Moderate Resorts and Fort Wilderness Cabins, and 40% off Deluxe Resorts are available for stays 1/1/20 – 12/18/20.

Some dates are not included (blocked out) for this offer and will price at full rack rate: those dates include 4/5/20 – 4/18/20. Offer excludes Little Mermaid (i.e. Standard) rooms at Art of Animation Resort, Cabins at Copper Creek Villas, Polynesian Bungalows, suites in Moderate and Deluxe Resorts, 3-bedroom villas and campsites.

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 not included. Military ID required at check-in.

Thanks to Small World Vacations & Military Disney Tips for info.

To reserve a room with the Military Salute discount running 1/1/20 – 12/18/20, call the Disney Reservations Center at (407) 939-7825 or contact a travel agent who specializes in Disney travel, and request this special offer.

Shades of Green

Active duty and retired military, eligible disabled veterans, 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.

Read more about the amenities at SOG Resort and any current special offers.

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 at Disney Hotels

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 Valerie 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.

MouseSavers.com founder Mary Waring once asked about a paid upgrade to concierge level. There were no concierge rooms available, but the front desk very kindly upgraded her from a standard room to a view room without charge!

For a stay in May 2006, MouseSavers.com founder Mary Waring wanted to book a concierge level room at the Polynesian with an Annual Pass rate, but none were available. She kept trying for months, but could not get a concierge room at the discounted rate. So she booked the next price level down (Magic Kingdom View), which was available with the discount. At check-in she asked if there was any chance she 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. She retained her 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.

Club Level – Is It Worth the Money?

In our opinion, there is really no way to justify Club Level (aka Concierge Level) in terms of “getting your money’s worth.”

By staying on Club 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 Club Level 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.

Club Level guests have access to concierge 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 Club Level guest there’s usually no line in the lounge.

Disney recently added a new Club benefit: an opportunity to purchase 3 extra FastPass+ selections per day, with no tier restrictions and 90-day advance booking, which is probably the best Club Level perk yet. But when you look at how much the extra FastPasses cost (last we checked, $50 per person per day, 3-day minimum), added to the extra cost of getting a Club Level room itself, it feels to us like you’re getting close to the cost of a VIP tour or one of the “VIP Lite” group tours. Those tours get you onto the top-tier attractions without the hassle of having to make FastPass reservations at all, and they’re available no matter where you’re staying.

MouseSavers.com founder Mary Waring went to Walt Disney World in May 2006 (Regular season) and stayed at the Polynesian. She wanted a great view and wanted to “live it up” a bit. She upgraded to a Club Level room with a view of the Castle. At that time she paid about $150 per night (including tax) more than a non-Club Level room with the same view. The price difference in 2018 was more like $240 per night, including tax.

Here’s what she found out:

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

Their room was centrally located, but not necessarily more convenient to the Great Ceremonial House (lobby).

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

They had access to the concierge staff, who would have made reservations for they. Since they had made reservations before their arrival, they never used this service.

We feel the Club Level room is not worth the extra cost. In fact, a family of four that was purchasing a vacation package could add the Dining Plan for around the same amount per night, and that would give them a table service meal, a counter service meal and two snacks per person per day. That would be a MUCH better value!

If you want to be pampered and feel like you’re “special” (and money is no object), Club Level is very pleasant. However, we 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.

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