Want Disney’s perks without paying Disney’s room rates? You don’t need a Disney hotel. Fifteen hotels Disney doesn’t own still give their guests 30 minutes’ early entry to any theme park, every day. The three around EPCOT’s back gate go further, with Extended Evening Hours and Lightning Lane booking a week out, and they’re the ones I’d book. At the Disney Springs, Bonnet Creek and Golden Oak hotels, your ride to the parks is the hotel’s own shuttle, so check its timetable before you plan a rope drop.
Quick answer: Book Walt Disney World Swan. Its guests get Extended Evening Hours and can buy Lightning Lane seven days before they arrive, and it’s a shorter walk to EPCOT than the Walt Disney World Dolphin or the Walt Disney World Swan Reserve.
At a glance, per night from
Table of Contents
Non-Disney Hotels with Disney Perks
Third-Floor Pool Deck
1. Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: 18-minute walk to EPCOT International Gateway, EPCOT Resort Area
Highlights: Amare Mediterranean restaurant, wine flights, Tangerine poolside bar, Grounds coffee bar, EPCOT-view rooms, health club
Best Room: Junior, Suite, 1 King, Sofa bed
Good to Know: Its own pool has no slide; the Grotto Pool’s waterslide is a short walk.
From USD $395 – $795 per night
Evening Kickback Food and Drinks
2. Drury Plaza Hotel Orlando – Disney Springs Area
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: 17-minute walk to Disney Springs, Disney Springs Resort Area
Highlights: hot breakfast buffet, saltwater pool with splash pad, hot tub, fireworks-view suites, Lakeside Bar & Grill, Market Place with Starbucks drinks
Best Room: King Suite with Sofa Bed – Nightly views of area fireworks
Good to Know: Fireworks views face one side only; book the named fireworks-view suite to get one.
From USD $165 – $320 per night
Disney Planning Center in the Lobby
3. Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: 11-minute drive to Magic Kingdom, Golden Oak
Highlights: Capa rooftop steakhouse with fireworks views, Park View terraces, motor coach to four Disney parks, Goofy character breakfast at Ravello
Best Room: Park View Suite
Good to Know: Golden Oak View suites face the forest; book Park View for the fireworks.
From USD $1,590 – $2,595 per night
47-Foot Swan Statues on the Roof
4. Walt Disney World Swan
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: 15-minute walk to EPCOT International Gateway, EPCOT Resort Area
Highlights: Kimonos sushi bar with late-night karaoke, Il Mulino trattoria, Java coffee bar, Stir lobby lounge, white-oak tile floors, under-bed luggage storage
Best Room: Deluxe Alcove King, Suite, 1 King, Sofa bed, Resort view
Good to Know: Self-parking sits far from the entrances; drop your bags at the door first.
From USD $340 – $430 per night
Todd English’s bluezoo
5. Walt Disney World Dolphin
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: 17-minute walk to EPCOT International Gateway, EPCOT Resort Area
Highlights: Bourbon Steak tableside Old Fashioneds, Rosa Mexicano tableside guacamole, Mandara Spa Meditation Garden, Phins lobby lounge, Cabana Bar by the lap pool
Best Room: Deluxe Alcove King, Junior Suite, 1 King, Sofa bed
Good to Know: Magic Kingdom buses drop at the Ticket and Transportation Center, so leave earlier.
From USD $315 – $535 per night
18-Hole Rees Jones Golf Course
6. Waldorf Astoria Orlando
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: 9-minute drive to Disney Springs, Bonnet Creek
Highlights: Bull & Bear steakhouse, Peacock Alley lobby bar, Waldorf Astoria Spa with Himalayan salt room, zero-entry pool, private cabanas, kids club
Best Room: Deluxe King Suite with Balcony
Good to Know: Park shuttles run on a fixed timetable; check the Bonnet Creek schedule before early entry.
From USD $495 – $840 per night
Three-Acre Lazy River
7. Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: 8-minute drive to Disney Springs, Bonnet Creek
Highlights: pool waterslide, zero-entry pool, poolside cabanas, La Luce thin-crust pizza and handmade pasta, Zeta Asia sushi, Muse coffee bar
Best Room: Junior King Suite
Good to Know: The waterslide runs on a limited daily schedule; check the board at the pool entrance.
From USD $350 – $570 per night
Poolside Lanai Rooms
8. Renaissance Orlando Resort – Disney Springs Area
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: 10 to 17-minute walk to Disney Springs, Disney Springs Resort Area
Highlights: zero-entry pool, hot tub, Agave Fresco pool bar, American Kitchen Bar & Grill, The Grove Cafe & Brew, game room, kids zone
Best Room: One-Bedroom Executive King Suite – Tower Building
From USD $165 – $310 per night
Hot Tub Overlooking Lake Buena Vista
9. Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Disney Springs Resort Area
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: 8-minute walk to Disney Springs, Disney Springs Resort Area
Highlights: lap pool, zero-entry kids’ splash pool with fountains, poolside restaurant and bar, Joffrey’s Coffee, fire pit, sand volleyball court
Best Room: King Room with Disney View
Good to Know: Reserve park shuttle seats at check-in; take an app-based taxi for rope drop.
From USD $190 – $315 per night
Disney Fireworks View Rooms
10. Holiday Inn Orlando – Disney Springs Area
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: 14-minute walk to Disney Springs, Disney Springs Resort Area
Highlights: heated zero-entry pool with lap lane, outdoor whirlpool, Palm Breezes Restaurant, breakfast buffet, Disney theme park shuttle, game room
Best Room: King Room with Disney Fireworks View
Good to Know: Standard rooms face the city or pool; book a Disney Fireworks View room for fireworks.
From USD $170 – $320 per night
Warm Cookie at Check-In
11. DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando – Disney Springs Area
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: 19-minute walk to Disney Springs, Disney Springs Resort Area
Highlights: kitchenette with microwave and mini-fridge, heated pool, splash pad, whirlpool, pool bar, Evergreen Cafe, Evergreen Lounge
Best Room: One-Bedroom King Suite with Sofa Bed
Good to Know: Kids take the living room sofa bed; the king bedroom has its own doors.
From USD $250 – $360 per night
Float Lagoon Lazy River
12. Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: 5 to 13-minute walk to Disney Springs, Disney Springs Resort Area
Highlights: heated outdoor pool, kids’ splash pad, poolside cabanas, skybridge to Disney Springs, Letterpress restaurant, Citrus 28 marketplace, arcade
Best Room: One Bedroom Suite
Good to Know: The skybridge has stairs and an elevator; take the elevator with strollers.
From USD $225 – $370 per night
Which Disney Perks Come with Each Hotel
Disney hands its perks out in tiers, and the hotel you book decides your tier.
- Early Theme Park Entry: Guests of all 15 hotels on Disney’s “other select hotels” list get into any theme park 30 minutes early, every day of their stay. The list takes in the three EPCOT Resort Area hotels, Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort, Shades of Green, two Bonnet Creek hotels and the hotels on Hotel Plaza Boulevard.
- Late Nights in the Parks: Extended Evening Theme Park Hours go to Disney’s Deluxe resorts and four other hotels: Walt Disney World Swan, Walt Disney World Dolphin, Walt Disney World Swan Reserve and Shades of Green. They run on select nights at select parks, so check Disney’s calendar for your dates.
- Lightning Lane Booking a Week Out: Those same four hotels let their guests buy Lightning Lane passes seven days before their stay, for the whole trip. Guests of the other select hotels wait until three days before each park day.
I’d book one of the three EPCOT Resort Area hotels for the late nights and the earlier Lightning Lane window. If 30 minutes of early entry is all you’re after, save the money and stay on Hotel Plaza Boulevard.
Getting to the Parks from the EPCOT Resort Area
Walt Disney World Swan, Walt Disney World Dolphin and Walt Disney World Swan Reserve sit between EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, with walkways to both parks.
- Two Parks on Foot: Walkways lead from the hotels to EPCOT’s International Gateway and to the Hollywood Studios entrance. Allow a few more minutes for Hollywood Studios than for EPCOT.
- Water Taxis: Water taxis leave the resort dock for EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, and they also stop at the BoardWalk. They stop running in bad weather, so keep the walkway in mind as your backup on stormy afternoons.
- Buses for Everything Else: Shuttle buses leave from each hotel’s main entrance for Animal Kingdom, Disney Springs and Magic Kingdom. For EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, walk or take the water taxi instead.
If EPCOT and Hollywood Studios fill most of your days, book in the EPCOT Resort Area and you’ll rarely wait for a bus.
Disney Springs Area Shuttles and Walks
The Disney Springs Resort Area hotels line Hotel Plaza Boulevard, within walking distance of the Marketplace end of Disney Springs.
- Hotel-Run Shuttles: Each hotel runs its own shuttle to the four theme parks and sets its own timetable. At Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace you reserve both the outbound and the return leg.
- Footbridges Over the Traffic: Pedestrian bridges carry guests from Hotel Plaza Boulevard over the road to Disney Springs. The walk from DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando – Disney Springs Area is mostly shaded and uses one of those bridges.
- Disney Springs Savings: Holiday Inn Orlando – Disney Springs Area and DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando – Disney Springs Area hand out the Disney Springs Passport to Savings, with discounts at selected restaurants and shops. Pick one up at check-in before your first evening there.
Before you book, ask the hotel when its first park shuttle leaves. If it reaches the gate after early entry starts, the perk is wasted.
Bonnet Creek Sits Next to Walt Disney World
Bonnet Creek is private land bordered on three sides by Disney land and on the fourth by Interstate 4.
- Early Entry Depends on the Hotel: Waldorf Astoria Orlando and Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek are on Disney’s early entry list. JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek and Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek are not.
- One Shuttle for Two Hotels: One motorcoach service covers both hotels, picking up at the porte-cochère for the four theme parks and Disney Springs. It runs during regular park hours.
- Shared Pools and Restaurants: Signia‘s pools are open to Waldorf Astoria Orlando guests, and Signia guests eat at the Waldorf‘s restaurants. For full water-park pools, compare the Orlando resorts with water parks.
- No Walk to the Parks: There’s no walking route from Bonnet Creek to any theme park. Without a car, the shared shuttle or an app-based taxi is how you get in.
Book Bonnet Creek if a shared shuttle to every park suits you. If you’d rather walk out for dinner, pick a Hotel Plaza Boulevard hotel instead.
Fees and Parking to Check Before You Book
Many rates around Disney leave out two costs: resort fees and park parking.
- Resort Fees by EPCOT: Walt Disney World Swan, Walt Disney World Dolphin and Walt Disney World Swan Reserve all charge a daily resort fee. At the Swan and Dolphin it covers in-room internet, fitness classes, paddleboat rentals and nightly movies on the beach.
- Bonnet Creek’s Resort Charge: Waldorf Astoria Orlando and Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek share one resort charge. It pays for the park shuttle, Wi-Fi, lazy river tubes and golf practice access.
- Hotel Plaza Boulevard Fees: Renaissance Orlando Resort – Disney Springs Area, Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Disney Springs Resort Area, Holiday Inn Orlando – Disney Springs Area, DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando – Disney Springs Area and Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace each add a daily resort fee, and at most of them it covers the park shuttle. Drury Plaza Hotel Orlando – Disney Springs Area charges no resort fee but bills self-parking by the night.
- Free Park Parking: Disney’s free theme park parking covers its own resort hotel guests and select Annual Passholders, and the hotels’ own site adds free park parking for Swan, Dolphin and Swan Reserve guests with a room key. Disney’s parking page names no other hotels, so budget for park parking if you drive from Bonnet Creek, Golden Oak or Hotel Plaza Boulevard.
Add the resort fee and the parking to every rate before you compare two hotels.
Who Owns and Runs the Hotels with Disney Perks
Disney’s name on a building doesn’t mean Disney owns or runs the hotel.
- Swan and Dolphin Ownership: Tishman and MetLife own Walt Disney World Swan, Walt Disney World Dolphin and Walt Disney World Swan Reserve, and Marriott runs them. Disney lists them among its other select hotels, not its own resort hotels.
- Hotel Plaza Boulevard: The Disney Springs Resort Area hotels stand on Walt Disney World land but fly hotel brands from Hilton and Marriott to IHG, Wyndham and Drury. Disney calls each one an Official Walt Disney World Hotel.
- Official Label at Bonnet Creek: Waldorf Astoria Orlando and Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek both carry the Official Walt Disney World Hotel label in their names. Disney lists both for Early Theme Park Entry only, with no Extended Evening Hours or seven-day Lightning Lane window.
Check Disney’s perk list before you book. The name on the building doesn’t decide what you get.
Ready to book? Per night from
FAQs
1. Is there a Skyliner station near the Swan and Dolphin?
Yes, Skyliner stations sit at EPCOT’s International Gateway and at Hollywood Studios, and walkways run from Walt Disney World Swan and Walt Disney World Dolphin to both parks. From either station the gondolas run to Disney’s Caribbean Beach, Riviera, Pop Century and Art of Animation resorts. The hotels’ own transport list leaves the Skyliner out, so treat it as a ride you pick up at the park.
2. Can you park at the Swan to walk into EPCOT?
Not unless you’re staying there or eating at one of its restaurants. Parking at Walt Disney World Swan is for overnight guests and diners, according to Disney’s own planning panel. Its advice is to park at EPCOT, or at Hollywood Studios for the International Gateway, then take the water taxi, the Skyliner or the walkway.
3. Do Disney buses run from Disney Springs to the theme parks?
No, Disney’s buses at Disney Springs run to Disney’s own resort hotels, and none of them go to the theme parks. Guests of the Hotel Plaza Boulevard hotels ride their own hotel’s shuttle to the four parks instead. Miss the last one back and an app-based taxi is the fallback, so check its time before dinner.
4. How many hotels are in the Disney Springs Resort Area?
Seven, each an Official Walt Disney World Hotel. They are DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando – Disney Springs Area, Drury Plaza Hotel Orlando – Disney Springs Area, Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace, Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista, Holiday Inn Orlando – Disney Springs Area, Renaissance Orlando Resort – Disney Springs Area and Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista. Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Disney Springs Resort Area is the tower beside the Wyndham Garden and shares its lobby and pools. Disney lists both for early entry.
5. Can Swan Reserve guests use the Swan and Dolphin pools?
Every pool at the Swan and Dolphin is open to Walt Disney World Swan Reserve guests. Disney counts five of them at the two neighbors, on top of the Swan Reserve‘s own pool. The white-sand beach is shared too, but swimming there isn’t allowed, so treat it as a spot for loungers and the evening movies.
6. Can anyone stay at Shades of Green?
Shades of Green is open only to eligible members of the military community and some civilian groups. That covers active-duty service members, retirees and their families, plus some veterans. The U.S. Army runs it as an Armed Forces Recreation Center. Its guests get Extended Evening Hours and the seven-day Lightning Lane window, the same as the Swan and Dolphin.
7. Do the Disney Springs area hotels run shuttles to the water parks?
Disney says the Disney Springs Resort Area hotels offer transportation to the four theme parks and to both water parks, Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach. Those runs are the hotels’ own, since Disney’s buses at Disney Springs serve only its resort hotels. Ask at check-in which runs go to the water parks on your dates.
