The decision to stay at a Disney World resort may not have been easy. With Howard Johnson and the Econo Lodge offering nightly rooms for as low as $20, it can be hard for the frugal traveler to resist. However, in order to experience the full magic of Disney, it's entirely worth it to spend the extra bucks and stay as a welcomed guest in one of the charming Disney resorts.

As a resort guest you'll receive additional benefits that other park attendees miss out on. For example, early bird visitors can enjoy the theme parks one hour before scheduled opening time! Or if you'd rather beat the heat, you can enjoy nighttime "Extra Magic Hours," staying up to three hours past the scheduled close time. To take advantage of this benefit, you'll need a special wristband from a park cast member.

Additionally, upon landing in Orlando, you can skip airport baggage claim and simply proceed to the Disney Welcome Area, where Disney's Magical Express will pick you up and transport you to your resort! Your luggage will be delivered to your hotel within three hours and your return flight boarding pass can even be given to you at the resort checkout desk. You can also avoid driving and parking by taking Disney's world-famous monorail or the soothing water taxi to any Disney World Orlando theme park.

If you're staying at a Disney World resort, then you may want to purchase the "Magic Your Way" dining card, which includes one table service meal, one quick service meal and one snack (all at 30% off normal pricing). The balance will be added to your room key (also known as a "Key to the World" card) to make your experience hassle-free!

Some of the package deals are rather excellent. To give you an idea - on a seven-day vacation, travelers can get the three meals, a regular park admission ticket and their resort room for just $79 per person per day! This makes putting together a family Disney World vacation a no-brainer!

Shoppers will love the Disney World resort "Key to the World" card benefits. This card will serve as your room key, but you can also load all sorts of information onto it as well.

You can have your purchases charged right to your room, so you won't have to carry cash, and instead of lugging bags around, have your purchases sent right to your Disney World resort room! The newest function, the Disney Dining Plan option, allows you to load three meals per day per person onto your card, so you don't have to carry cash!