Disney World has some absolutely incredible hotels — we’re not denying that — but the hotels at the Most Magical Place on Earth also have a FATAL FLAW.

No, it’s not the over-the-top Disney theming at some spots (which might not appeal to older adults) or the lack of Disney theming at other places (which might not appeal to kiddos). And it’s not even the current lack of room service at most of the hotels (though that is something to consider before booking). Nope, Disney World’s hotels have a different fatal flaw and it’s something you’ll need to know about before booking.

The fatal flaw of Disney World’s hotels is their…PRICING. That may come as no surprise to those who have stayed at Disney World’s hotels recently or have started pricing out their trips. But if you’ve only just begun your vacation planning or haven’t been to Disney in years, you might be SHOCKED to see just how much a Disney World hotel will set you back in terms of price.

Let’s take a look at some sample booking dates to demonstrate just how incredibly expensive Disney World’s hotels can be.

Let’s say you want to book a relatively quick getaway to Disney World where you’d check in on February 1st and check out on February 4th. We’ll look for a room just for 2 adults. Disney World’s hotels range in price for those dates from an average of $127.33 per night (at the Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort) to a whopping $821 at the Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (just in terms of basic starting price).

Let’s take a look at the cheapest options on Disney property:

• An average of $127.33 per night will get you a tent or pop-up campsite at Fort Wilderness
• $171.33 per night will get you a preferred room at Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort
• $172.33 per night will get you a preferred room at Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
• $175.33 per night will get you a preferred room at Disney’s All-Star Music Resort
• $201 per night will get you a standard room at Disney’s Pop Century Resort
• $220 per night will get you a standard room at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
• $273.33 per night will get you a standard view room at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — French Quarter
• Prices only go up from there as rooms at Disney’s moderate and deluxe resorts get into the $280+-$500 range
• Looking for a family suite at Disney’s Art of Animation? That’ll set you back $467.33 per night

For the most part, the prices above reflect prices for standard rooms (not suites). If you’ve never even looked at staying off-property, then these prices might seem totally typical to you. But you may also be surprised to see how much MORE space you can get for the same price (or less) if you stay at a non-Disney hotel.

For example, for these same dates, you can book a 1 king 1-bedroom suite with a sofa bed (which has a separate king bedroom and living room) at the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando in the Disney Springs Area for $237 (or even less if you have the Honors Discount).

Opt for a place like the Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista (another Disney Springs hotel) and you could book a room with 2 double beds for $127.22 per night (though keep in mind there is a resort fee to add onto that).

If you look at other websites, you can see other hotels and what those might cost. For example, the TownePlace Suites offers rooms for an average of $231 per night — lower than many of the Disney hotels — and breakfast is included (something that you will NOT find at any of the Disney World hotels unless you stay in the Club Level-service rooms, which are even more expensive).

Now, we’re NOT saying that staying in a Disney World hotel is never a good idea. It can ABSOLUTELY be the best choice for you and your family to stay in a Disney World hotel for many reasons including the free transportation they offer to the parks (some of these other hotels offer free transportation to the parks but they could be very sporadic and inconvenient), the free parking they offer for hotel guests, the Disney theming, the convenience of simply being on property, the Disney level of service offered, and more.

Plus, Disney World hotels can give you certain perks — like extra time in the parks or earlier access to making Individual Lightning Lanes — that certain other hotels can’t give you. (Note that certain non-Disney hotels do qualify for some of these benefits so you need to examine that carefully.)

The point is that oftentimes if you do a direct comparison of the Disney World hotel prices versus the prices of other hotels nearby (including just the ones in the Disney Springs area), you’ll typically find that the Disney World hotels are more expensive and you might not be getting quite as many perks as you’d think.

While other hotels might offer free breakfast or free snacks (and sometimes even multiple free MEALS), those aren’t things you’ll find at Disney World’s hotels for the most part. You may also be able to get a substantially bigger room (like a suite-style space) at a nearby hotel for less or about the same as you’d pay for a smaller room at Disney.

The important thing is to evaluate what your family wants and needs, what your budget is, and what perks are most important to you. That can help you determine whether a Disney World hotel (at its typically more expensive price) is worth the cost.

Is it more valuable to have free (more frequently offered and consistent) transportation to the parks or free breakfast? Would you rather have heavy Disney theming in a smaller room or a more spacious room with no theming at all? Is it more important to have free hotel parking or does it work out if you pay a cheaper price but then have to pay for parking/a hotel fee at a third-party hotel?

When evaluating whether a Disney World hotel is right for you, keep in mind that some perks are no longer available in Disney World’s hotels that you might have been used to in the past. Package delivery to the hotels hasn’t returned, the Magical Express has been discontinued, Extended Evening Hours are only available for those at Deluxe hotels (or deluxe villas or select other hotels), and room service is generally not available.

On the flip side, the dining at Disney World’s hotels (particularly in spots like Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge or Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort) can blow other nearby hotels WAY out of the water. And sometimes the Disney theming CANNOT be underestimated in terms of its value. You also need to consider the additional fees third-party hotels often charge (compared to Disney World hotels where things like overnight hotel parking are free). That might even out some of the costs. It all depends on what you need and want.

If a Disney World hotel is best for you but you don’t want to overspend, there are some tricks you should know about. First, ALWAYS look for available discounts. These are available several times a year and could help you save some serious cash.

And know that you do NOT have to go through the stress of trying to plan a Disney World visit on your own. Reach out to our friends at Small World Vacations to get their help! They’re constantly searching for offers that could help you save money so you’ll know that you’re getting the best deal out there.