FAQ about Extra Fees at Disney and Near-Disney Resorts

TouringPlans is pleased to welcome guest author Shannon Loehrlein.

Resort fees or facility fees are extra charges that hotels bill guests on top of the room rate. Oftentimes these fees can be an unpleasant surprise as many guests may be unaware of the fee until they receive a large bill upon checkout. Hotels charge these fees per night, and many resort fees range from $20-$50 a night.  A 7-night vacation can often result in $100-$300 in resort fees depending on the resort, and that’s on top of the cost of the room itself!

Staying at one of the 25 Disney-owned properties is one way to avoid resort fees as the Disney-owned hotels do not charge this fee. Disney’s Good Neighbor hotels are a different story as most of them do charge a resort fee.

Which Disney Good Neighbor Hotels Charge a Resort Fee?

Walt Disney World currently has approximately 60 Good Neighbor Hotels. Many of these hotels now charge a resort fee. It’s important to calculate the resort fee in your budget, because oftentimes an off-site hotel price may be similar to Disney-owned hotel price once the resort fee is calculated in the room rate. Of those Good Neighbor Hotels, 34 have a resort fee. Some resort fees are only $5 a night while others are almost $50 a night. The most popular Walt Disney World Good Neighbor Hotels that charge a resort fee are Disney’s Swan and Dolphin, Waldorf Astoria Orlando, Hilton Bonnet Creek, B Resort and Spa, and the Holiday Inn Orlando. The typical rule of thumb is if the resort offers several amenities, such as an upgraded pool, you’ll likely have a resort fee. Most of the Disney Springs hotels also charge a resort fee. Several of the hotel chains such as Marriott, Hilton, IHG, and Hyatt all charge resort fees for their premier properties.

What Is Included in a Resort Fee?

What is included in a resort fee fluctuates depending on the resort.  Some hotels include self-parking in their resort fee, but most include things you may never use or need.  Most hotels include basic Wi-Fi, bottled water, local phone calls, and fitness center access with their resort fee. Even if you do not use these services on your stay, you still have to pay the resort fee. Make sure you check with your particular resort for the specific details.

What Other Fees Can You Expect in a Hotel Stay?

The most common fee you will be charged for is parking. You cannot avoid this parking fee unless you fly and only use taxis, Uber, Lyft, etc. If you drive to Walt Disney World or rent a car you will be paying a parking fee. Even Disney-owned hotels now charge a parking fee. Disney hotels used to include free parking but that changed in 2018. Disney charges the following parking fees: $15 a night for Value Resorts, $20 a night for Moderate Resorts, $25 a night for Deluxe Resorts and Villas. The only exception for this is for Disney Vacation Club members staying on points or who have booked their stay through DVC Member Services.

The parking fee for Good Neighbor resorts varies.  Some Good Neighbor Hotels offer free parking while others include the parking fee in their resort fee.  Typically, the more expensive the hotel the more expensive the parking fee. The Waldorf Orlando for example charges a $40 Valet parking fee. Most of the luxury properties such as the Four Seasons and the Waldorf only offer valet parking.  Value hotels often include free parking and other amenities such as free breakfast.

Is There Any Way to Avoid Resort Fees?

The short answer is, in most cases, no, you cannot avoid a resort fee. A couple exceptions do occur though.  Hilton and Hyatt hotels both let you avoid paying resort fees if you are staying on award stays or points. Also having elite status with certain hotel chains can also waive your resort fee. Hyatt offers waived resort fees on all stays with Globalist status. Marriott and IHG will not waive resort fees on award stays. Marriott owns many of the Good Neighbor Hotels, so be aware of this when booking.

Here’s a list of resort fees by resort. Remember, resort fees are subject to change without notice, so make sure to check and ask about fees when booking and at check-in.

Shannon Loehrlein lives in Evansville, Indiana, and is a mom of two young daughters, ages 7 and 2.  Shannon’s day job is a school social worker and her husband is a middle school teacher. Shannon is an avid Disney parks and Universal Orlando fan.  Shannon is a Disney Vacation Club Member and Annual Passholder at both Disney and Universal. Shannon shares her love of Disney Travel with others as an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner with MickeyTravels. She provides FREE travel planning for anyone looking to book a Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise, Adventures by Disney, or Aulani Vacation.  Shannon also runs a travel blog called Mommytravel.net. You can find her on Facebook or contact her through email at Sloehrlein@mickeytravels.com.