Resort Fees in Orlando: What They Are and How to Budget for Them

10 min read · By TATS Man

First: the US hotel-pricing rule changed

Old Orlando advice often tells you to expect a mandatory resort fee to appear only at the final checkout screen. That is now incomplete. Since 12 May 2025, the US Federal Trade Commission's Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees requires short-term lodging sellers that advertise a price to display the total price including mandatory fees up front. Government taxes and genuinely optional extras can still be shown separately later, but a mandatory nightly resort fee is not supposed to hide behind a cheaper headline rate.

That does not make hotel comparison automatic. Taxes, parking, valet, pets, optional upgrades and property-specific extras can still change the final bill. My rule is simply better now: compare the displayed total price first, then inspect what is not included.

What a resort fee actually is

A resort or amenity fee is a mandatory property charge attached to a stay, often described as covering a bundle such as recreation, Wi-Fi, fitness access, pool activities or other facilities. The problem is not that the charge exists; it is that two hotels with the same room rate can have very different mandatory-fee structures and very different included benefits.

Do not assume every Orlando resort charges one, and do not assume the fee covers parking. One current example is Holiday Inn Resort Orlando Suites – Waterpark, whose own site lists a $65 plus tax nightly resort fee for its waterpark and resort-activity bundle while also listing on-site parking separately. That is exactly why I want the full cost breakdown, not a generic “resort fee includes amenities” sentence.

Disney Resort hotels: do not invent a resort fee

Disney's current official parking guidance says registered guests at Disney Resort hotels receive complimentary overnight self-parking, and registered Disney Resort guests also receive complimentary standard parking at the four Disney theme parks during the stay. Valet at eligible Disney Deluxe/Deluxe Villa resorts is a separate optional charge.

The useful lesson is broader than parking: check Disney's own booking total and benefit page for your exact resort rather than applying an off-site Orlando fee template to Disney properties. Disney's 2026 hotel benefits also vary by stay date — for example, the summer 2026 check-in-day water-park benefit was limited to eligible check-ins from 26 May through 8 September.

Off-site resorts: the fee can buy something real

Some off-site resort fees fund amenities that can genuinely replace another paid activity. At Holiday Inn Resort Orlando Suites – Waterpark, the current resort-fee package includes access to its Surf & Splash waterpark plus resort activities such as mini golf and entertainment. If your children will use the waterpark on a non-park day, that may be valuable. If you will leave before breakfast and return after dark every day, the same bundle may be almost worthless to you.

That is why I would never label a resort fee “good” or “bad” in isolation. Ask what the fee buys your itinerary.

Parking, pets and other charges deserve their own line

Even when mandatory lodging fees are included in the displayed total, optional or usage-dependent charges still matter. For a rental-car trip, check overnight parking. For a no-car trip, check whether the hotel shuttle actually covers the parks and times you need. If you are travelling with a dog, check the pet fee. If you need valet, do not mentally replace valet with the self-parking price.

Disney currently lists complimentary self-parking for its own registered hotel guests, while the Holiday Inn waterpark resort currently lists paid on-site parking. Different hotel systems, different cost models.

“Resort” does not mean Caribbean-style all-inclusive

Most Orlando resorts are not all-inclusive in the meals-and-drinks sense. A hotel may include water recreation, shuttles or activities while meals remain separate. If a package uses “all-inclusive” language, read the inclusions line by line: meals, alcohol, parking, transportation and theme-park tickets are separate questions.

I would rather book a clearly priced room with the two benefits I need than pay extra for a giant amenity list I will barely touch.

My five-line hotel comparison

1. Compare the displayed total accommodation price for the same dates and room occupancy.
2. Add government taxes shown before payment.
3. Add parking or transport costs that your itinerary actually creates.
4. Value included perks only if you will genuinely use them.
5. Read cancellation terms before letting a small nightly saving make the decision.

If two properties end up within a small amount of each other, location, sleep setup and transport friction usually matter more than which one has the longer amenities list.

Sources checked 7 September 2026

I checked the FTC's current short-term-lodging fee guidance, Walt Disney World's current Resort parking and hotel-benefit pages, and Holiday Inn Resort Orlando Suites – Waterpark's current amenity, parking and resort-fee information. Fees can change, so the property's own checkout remains the final source for your dates.

Cheers, Carpe Diem & check the total! 🍻⏳💳
TATS Man
The fine-print fee cyborg.

Do Orlando hotels still charge resort fees?

Some do and some do not. Since May 2025, mandatory short-term-lodging fees must be included in the displayed total price under the FTC rule, but taxes and optional extras can still be separate.

Do Disney Resort hotels charge for overnight self-parking?

Disney's current official guidance says overnight self-parking is complimentary for registered Disney Resort hotel guests.

Does a resort fee include parking?

Not necessarily. Check parking separately; some properties charge it in addition to a resort or amenity fee.

Are Orlando resorts all-inclusive?

Usually not in the meals-and-drinks sense. Read the exact package inclusions rather than assuming “resort” means food, drinks and transport are bundled.