Treat Yo Self: Walt Disney World Massages

It’s the story of many nights at Walt Disney World. You’ve walked another 20,000+ steps in a day – perhaps pushing a stroller or carrying a kid or lugging a big backpack around the parks. You tuck the kids into bed and realize that you barely have enough energy to pull back the covers so you can crawl into bed too. Fortunately, if you are looking for a way to pamper yourself or treat your ailing body while at Walt Disney World, there are multiple ways to get a massage that will erase your aches and pains and let you leave your vacation (or begin another park day) feeling just like new.

Option 1: Senses Spa at the Grand Floridian

Senses Spa Logistics

You’ll find Senses Spa at the very southern end of the Grand Floridian resort area – across from the Wedding Pavilion and very near the new Polynesian tower. You can get to the resort by car (spa appointments allow you into the parking lot), Uber/Lyft/Minnie Van, bus from a theme park, or via the monorail from the TTC or Magic Kingdom.

Sense Spa is typically open 9 am to 6 pm every day of the week. You can book spa treatments online, but they don’t integrate well with MyDisneyExperience, so make sure you remember or create a reminder for your appointment time.

Senses Spa Massage Options

At the time of writing, the following massage options are offered at Senses Spa. No discounts (AP, DVC, etc) are currently offered.

• Grand Signature Massage – 80 minutes – $295
• Massage for Two – 80 minutes – $245 per person
• Massage for Two – 50 minutes – $180 per person
• Warm Stone Massage – 80 minutes – $275
• Warm Stone Massage – 50 minutes – $210
• Garden Custom Massage – 80 minutes – $245
• Garden Custom Massage – 50 minutes – $180
• Prenatal Massage – 80 minutes – $245
• Prenatal Massage – 50 minutes – $180
• Tired Feet Rejuvenation – 50 minutes – $160

Senses Spa Massage Experience

You’re invited to arrive at the spa 30-60 minutes before your booked appointment. When you check in at the front desk, you’ll be asked to select a stone from a tray. This stone is meant to guide your experience for the day – mostly it’ll help determine the lighting and scents used during your massage, but you’ll be offered the opportunity to switch those if you end up wanting something else.

Next, you’ll be escorted to either the men’s or women’s lounge to wait for your appointment. If you’re a new visitor, you’ll be given a small tour and be informed of the lounge rules. In the lounge, you’ll find a locker room, well-appointed bathrooms with plenty of amenities, lounge chairs (with blankets and curtains if you choose to use them), small snacks and beverages, and a wet room. If you’d like to use the wet room, you’ll need to bring along a swimsuit. In that room you’ll have access to a sauna, hot bath area, and heated tile loungers. This area was my favorite part of the entire spa!

At your appointment time, an attendant will escort you to your treatment room. You’ll be informed of any available upgrades to your purchased massage, and be given the opportunity to request changes to the lighting, music, or scents used during your appointment. Then you’ll be give privacy to get onto the massage table and under the covers. You’ll have to remove all jewelry (if you haven’t already stowed it away in a locker) and your robe.

At the end of your treatment, an attendant will escort you back to the lounge. You are welcome to use any of the rooms there, or you can change and make your way to the front desk to pay for your services.

Senses Spa Massage Pros and Cons

A massage at Senses Spa is certainly a big treat … with a price tag to match. One of the major benefits of a massage at the spa is access to the lounge area. If you choose to use the lounge, you can very effectively unwind from your busy vacation and start feeling fully relaxed before your massage even begins. And then you can ease yourself back into the real world at the end of your treatment too.

Additionally, this is an oasis on the outskirts of a busy resort that itself is on the outskirts of the busiest theme park in the country. Everything is quiet, calm, and subdued. The lighting is perfect, your room will be silent other than the music or ambient noise that you select, and you can fully disconnect, snuggle up in your luxurious robe, and fully treat yourself in this bubble of relaxation.

The two main drawbacks of a massage at Senses Spa are the cost and the location. That oasis on the outskirts of a resort can be difficult to get to if you don’t have a car with you on your Walt Disney World vacation. You can use Uber/Lyft/Minnie Van, but that’s another additional cost and thing to arrange. And using Disney transportation is even more difficult, with an inevitable transfer at a park or the TTC unless you’re staying at a Monorail Loop resort.

And the costs are undeniably high. The cheapest massage focuses just on your feet and will set you back $160 before tax, tip, and any upgrades. The least-expensive full-body massage is $180 before tax, tip, or upgrades. It’s certainly a splurge in the midst of what is likely an already-expensive vacation.

Option 2: In-Room Massage at Your Resort

In-Room Massage Logistics

The Ear for Each Other Facebook group was created during the pandemic to support laid-off or furloughed cast members as they sought to replace their income by offering services that were no longer offered by Disney. Some of these offerings include options like in-room makeovers, Jedi Training, and in-room massages.

Denise from Sol, A Wellness Company offers a variety of massage options, all in the comfort of your room at Walt Disney World (including resorts, hotels, and rentals like Airbnb, VRBO or condos). You can reach out to her via Facebook, email, or Instagram, and times are flexible, every day of the week between 8 am and 5 pm.

In-Room Massage Options

At the time of writing, the following massage options are offered by Sol, A Wellness Company.

• Custom Massage – 90 minutes – $180
• Custom Massage – 60 minutes – $130
• Pink Himalayan Salt Stone Massage – 90 minutes – $220

Like Senses Spa, several enhancements to your massage are also available, including warm basalt stones, an aromatherapy scalp massage, cooling leg treatment, cooling eye treatment, cupping therapy, and percussion therapy. One enhancement is included in the cost of the massage, and additional enhancements are just $25 each.

In-Room Massage Experience

The customization of your massage from Denise begins long before you even arrive in Orlando. When you book your appointment, you’ll be given access to a survey form that will let you provide plenty of details about what areas of your body you’d like to focus on, what pressure you’re comfortable with, and any other preferences you might have. This allows Denise to come to your appointment fully prepared with a plan already in place.

Denise will arrive at your resort, hotel, or home about 15 minutes before your booked appointment. You’ll need to provide a clean and clear space with enough room to set up the massage table. Denise provides the table and linens, music/ambient noise, and multiple scent options. No need to select a stone and guess what scent that might get you.

Once the area is set up, she’ll give you some privacy by heading to the bathroom or another room if it’s available while you climb onto the table and under the covers. After a few minutes, you can give feedback on things like the pressure being used or anything else. Otherwise you get to relax for a full hour

In-Room Massage Pros and Cons

Let’s get the cost out of the way, because that’s certainly where in-room massages pull far ahead. 90 minutes with Denise costs the same as 50 minutes at Senses Spa. And a 60 minute massage with Denise is 28% cheaper than 50 minutes at Senses Spa. I’m always more relaxed when I feel like I’m getting a good deal. And if you’re someone that likes to get all of the bells and whistles (or … something more relaxing than bells and whistles), enhancements are just $25 during the in-room massage and average $45-$65 at Senses Spa. Treat yo self.

The convenience also can’t be beat. No need to wake up early and haul yourself over to the Grand Floridian and then figure out how to get yourself back to your resort or to a theme park. Stay in bed until you get a text from Denise, or grab a leisurely breakfast at your resort or hotel until it’s time for your massage. You don’t have to go anywhere or do anything.

I also found the pre-appointment communication to be a big benefit to the in-room massage. When I’m already in the treatment room and feel like my “clock” is ticking on my appointment, chances are that I’m not going to bring up everything little thing that is important to me. I might mention a particularly sore spot, but that’s about it. With the pre-appointment survey, I can get as detailed as I’d like, knowing that Denise will read it all and come to my massage fully prepared. And I’ll still get my 60 minutes of relaxation.

The major drawback of an in-room massage is that it’s … an in-room massage. Denise does an excellent job of creating a relaxing environment, but your room is not and will never be a spa. How much space you have, the décor, and perhaps most importantly – the noise levels, are the same as what you experience at your resort during the rest of your stay. Other guests are not also staying quiet and calm preparing for their own massages. Unless you’re at a townhome or condo, chances are that you will have loud children running past your room at some point during your treatment. And if you’re traveling with your own children, you’ve got to be able to clear space and then find somewhere for them to go and be entertained while you keep your room a quiet environment.

Treat Yo Self

Regardless of which option you choose, a massage at Walt Disney World is an excellent way to turn a busy trip into a relaxing vacation. Melt away the aches and pains of multiple 20,000+-step days as you reflect on all of the magical memories you’ve made.

Have you gotten a massage while vacationing at Walt Disney World? Would you consider adding one to your itinerary on a future trip? Let us know in the comments!