Walt Disney World has released resort room-only discounts that run from October through December 2023 for Annual Passholders and offer savings of up to 35% off some dates and 40% off peak season travel. This post shares the details of these special offers, best dates to save the most money, plus sample pricing, commentary, analysis & other info.
In case you’ve forgotten, two different discounts for Annual Passholders were previously released that run between now and July 10, 2023 and from July 11 until September 28, 2023. The first of those offers savings of up to 30% off, whereas the latter is up to 35% off. The latter discount also encompasses some of the lowest rates of the entire year, making August and September the cheapest time for APs to take a trip to Walt Disney World.
Early fall is a great time to visit Walt Disney World…if you can handle the weather. For those who can’t handle the heat and humidity of August and September (or don’t want to take their chances during hurricane season), this deal is almost as good–the same or even higher percentage savings, but also slightly (or significantly) more expensive base prices!
Those aren’t the only deals available for booking right now–just the two for Annual Passholders. For everything else, see All Current Walt Disney World Discounts for 2023. That covers everything for the general public, Florida residents, military members, and everyone else. Just something worth keeping in mind as we run through Walt Disney World’s newest room-only discount for Annual Passholders during the Halloween and holiday season. Below are the official details of this new promotion courtesy of Walt Disney World…
Stay in the magic with this holiday offer—and make the most of your Annual Pass! Annual Passholders can save on rooms at select Disney Resort hotels:
- Save up to 35% on stays most Sunday through Thursday nights from October 2 to November 18, 2023, and most nights from November 19 to December 9, 2023
- Save up to 40% on stays most nights December 10 to December 25, 2023
When you stay at a Disney Resort hotel, you can enjoy the same legendary detail, storytelling and service found in the theme parks—along with an array of benefits.
Here’s the resort by resort AP savings chart provided by Walt Disney World:
Annual Passholders must present a valid Walt Disney World AP at check-in. Offer excludes the following room types: 3-bedroom villas, Bungalows at Disney’s Polynesian Villas and Bungalows and The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort.
Additional per-adult charges may apply if more than 2 adults per room at Value, Moderate and Deluxe Resorts and Studios at Deluxe Villa Resorts. Maximum length of stay under this deal is 14 nights.
Here’s what we found for best available rates for this October through Christmas 2023 discount for Annual Passholders at Walt Disney World:
This search is for the night of November 27, 2023, which is part of the “Fall” rate season at Walt Disney World. On the rack rate chart spectrum, this is the least expensive time to visit Walt Disney World in October to December 2023. Similarly-priced dates can be found most Mondays to Thursdays from October into early December 2023, and slightly higher (but still relatively reasonable) rates are available until mid-December.
Friday through Sunday nights are all going to be more expensive, and less consistent. In general, Friday and Saturday will be the most expensive days of the week, with Sunday through Thursday costing less–but still more than Monday through Wednesday nights. Holiday weeks–and dates closer to Christmas–are also more expensive. Basically, room rates are higher any time when kids are out of school.
For more on timing your trip to coincide with the lowest prices, see When’s Cheapest to Visit Walt Disney World in 2023? That covers price increases and other variables that impact the cost of a vacation beyond just room rates.
Some of these discounts are rarities, and a sharp contrast to what we were seeing last year around this time. If you’re really interested in commentary about how this discount stacks up to those released over the last three years, see our post about the general public Walt Disney World discount for October through December 2023–that offers comprehensive thoughts. Suffice to say, 2023 has by far the best discounts for October through December since 2019.
If you’re wanting advice about where to book, be sure to check out our new Rankings of ALL Resort Hotels at Walt Disney World from Worst to Best. If you’re planning a holiday season trip, see our Top 10 Walt Disney World Resorts at Christmas.
We’re really pleased with these discounts. It’s no longer even a matter of moving the goalposts due to a dearth of deals. These are fantastic relative to what was available last year at this same time, but very good even relative to historical standards.
While total rates were slightly lower during the winter off-season, these are among the best percentage savings we’ve seen directly from Walt Disney World in a while. Saving 35% during off-peak dates in November or 40% off peak-season prices in December is fantastic. The All Stars for ~$112 per night and Pop Century for $145 per night are fantastic rates for this time of year.
If you’re not an Annual Passholder or can’t find good options for your travel dates, look to third party on-site hotels. Swan & Dolphin, Bonnet Creek, Disney Springs, Grand Cypress, and Flamingo Crossing hotels are all good options.
For those who are unfamiliar with Flamingo Crossings, this is an up-and-coming area. It’s like a budget version of Disney Springs, both literally and figuratively. The retailers are not overtly Disney and there’s no Imagineering to speak of. Rather, it looks like a new suburban strip mall–and one populated by tourists and Disney Programs participants, thanks to the student housing nearby. If you’re curious about this area, read more in our Guide to Flamingo Crossings at Walt Disney World.
Frankly, you’re going to be hard-pressed to do better than the rates Walt Disney World is offering if you can find availability for your travel dates. Many of those third party hotels are about the same price point as the All Stars, which offers new rooms, perks, and transportation for a very fair price, in our view.
Of course, rooms are not as cheap as what you would’ve paid this same time in 2019, let alone 2016. Back in my day, the All Stars had off-season rates that were routinely $79 per night or less! Unfortunately, it’s impossible to book those past prices. (If you do have the means to time travel, I hope you’re using it for something better than saving an extra ~$20 on a Value Resort!) Even with that in mind, this isn’t too far from that when adjusted for inflation.
Ultimately, if you’re an Annual Passholder who is eager for a holiday getaway to Walt Disney World between Halloween and Christmas 2023, these deals are really strong. You can still do better with Disney Vacation Club Point Rentals, but the gap is starting to close (which should mean that DVC deals start getting better).
If you’re on the fence, definitely do NOT wait for something better. Availability is already limited, and it’s much more likely that rooms will sell out rather than better discounts will be released. We will be closely monitoring what’s released and will notify subscribers of our free email newsletter when any Walt Disney World discounts are released or rumored!
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think of these Fall & Holidays 2023 room only discounts for Walt Disney World Annual Passholders? If you booked this, do you think you ended up with a good price or do you feel like you’re overpaying? What was available or unavailable for your dates? Is this deal enough to convince you to book a trip, or can you not justify these prices? Do you agree or disagree with our assessments? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
