You have a LOT of options when it comes to choosing your Disney World Resort hotel.
All Star Movies Resort
We know how daunting the decision of accommodations can be when you’re planning your Disney trip. It’s a SUPER expensive part of your trip, and you want to get it right!
So, we’re breaking down a few of the options for you! Trying to decide between a deluxe, moderate, or value resort? Here’s why you should DEFINITELY consider a Disney World value resort.
Disney World has more than two dozen resorts, five of which are considered the value resorts (not counting The Campsites at Fort Wilderness). Today, we’re talking about Disney’s All-Star Resorts — Sports, Music, and Movies — Disney’s Pop Century Resort, and Disney’s Art of Animation Resort.
They’re called “value” for a reason.
First off, they’re called “value” for a reason. If you’re headed to Disney, odds are you’re already dishing out a lot of cash on park tickets and travel. Your Disney World resort hotel can be a great way to cut down on costs.
All-Star Sports
Most value resorts will have room rates of $100 to $200 per night. On the other hand, moderate resorts see prices of $200 and up, and the deluxe resorts get even MORE (like, a LOT more) expensive. So staying at a value resort can: Save. You. Money. Plain and simple.
Click here to learn more ways to save money in Disney World!
But there’s more to consider than just the obvious.
You might be in your hotel room a lot less than you think you’ll be.
It can be tempting to splurge on that gorgeous pricey deluxe hotel room with the nuanced theming and tons of amenities, but the reality is that you might be in your room a whole lot less than you think you’ll be! For many guests, their goal in Disney World isn’t to have luxurious sleep-in sessions or the best room service ever — it’s to GO TO DISNEY WORLD and spend time at the theme parks. If that’s you, then your room becomes a space that’s really only for resting and getting ready to GO GO GO.
Pop Century Resort
If you think you’ll tend to spend most of the time in the parks when you go, then spending extra money on a hotel may not be a good decision for you! The value resorts will do just fine 😉.
Want to know how you can be one of the FIRST in a Disney park in the morning? Click here!
You’re getting a lot of the same perks for way less!
Plus, while paying less, it’s not like you’re passing up on all the great Disiney hotel perks! Sure, you might not be steps away from a signature restaurant, and getting around on Disney transportation might be a little bit longer of a trip depending on which resort you choose, BUT some of the best Disney hotel perks are still available to you.
Art of Animation Skyliner
Staying at a value resort will still net you access to Extra Magic Hours (extra hours in the park JUST for resort guests) during your trip, access to Disney transportation (including the SKYLINER at some resorts. More on that soon!), and the ability to book 60 days out on your Fastpass+ reservations window as opposed to the standard 30 days out for non-resort guests. That means you have the exact same access to booking the most popular rides as those folks dropping $500 a night at the deluxe resorts!
To learn how to make the MOST out of your Extra Magic Hours, click here!
The food courts are pretty awesome.
Ok, so there aren’t any crazy table-service restaurants in the value resorts, but the food courts are actually pretty awesome. Disney’s All-Star Sports features End Zone Food Court, Disney’s All-Star Music features Intermission Food Court, Disney’s All-Star Movies has World Premiere Food Court, Disney’s Pop Century features Everything POP Shopping & Dining, and Disney’s Art of Animation has Landscape of Flavors!
Sorcerer Mickey Cupcake
These locations offer a lot of variety and family-friendly options. They also happen to be the home to some of the best hidden gem snacks in Disney World depending on when you go! We ALWAYS make sure to check out the All-Stars for any new cupcakes (because they have had some COOL ones) and you can even get SELF-SERVE DOLE WHIP in World Premiere Food Court sometimes!
Click here to see the latest All-Star cupcake!
They’ve got great options for large families or groups.
We actually love the value resorts for large families or groups. If you want to opt for a few rooms, these resorts will offer the cheapest options. Plus, several of them offer family suites that are perfect for those bigger groups.
Art of Animation has family suites in the Finding Nemo, Cars, and Lion King sections of the resort that include two bathrooms, a common space, and a separate bedroom. Plus, they sleep up to six people!
Finding Nemo Suite at Art of Animation
All-Star Music has deluxe family suites as well. These rooms are going to be a little bit pricier than a regular value room but they tend to be LEAPS and BOUNDS cheaper than staying in the other suites on property.
For more info on where to stay with a large family, click here!
They’re a lot of fun!
This one might not be something you’d usually think about when you’re deciding on a place to stay, but it can make a big difference. The value resorts in Disney are a LOT of fun, TBH. These resorts have really unique energy because they have a lot more guests. With more kids and families, the resorts really feel alive — even at slower times of the year. Plus, these resorts just tend to be more colorful and fun to look at!
Art of Animation Big Blue Pool
Plus, some of the best-themed pools are at the value resorts! We LOVE Hippy Dippy Pool at Pop Century Resort and the Finding Nemo themed Big Blue Pool at Art of Animation is probs one of the best pools in all of Disney World!
To check out our favorite pools in Disney World, click here!
You might have an extra easy way to get around.
Remember earlier when we mentioned the Skyliner? This brand new transportation option runs to both Pop Century AND Art of Animation and makes getting to certain parts of Disney World a total cinch.
Skyliner Gondolas Are The Latest Form Of Disney Transportation
Just hop into a gondola and you’ll be in Hollywood Studios or Epcot within MINUTES. Forget those buses! Plus, they’re a great way to visit the other Skyliner resorts — Disney’s Riviera Resort and Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. And if you head to Epcot, Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts and Disney’s Boardwalk Inn are just a few steps away from the station!
Click here to check out the DFB Official Skyliner Pub Crawl!
You can always check out the moderate and deluxe resorts for FREE!
Plus, if you feel like you’re missing out on some of the entertainment options or vibes from the moderate and deluxe resorts, you can still pay a visit for free! Take a resort day and hop around to some of the other resorts! You could even make some Advance Dining Reservations at some of the best resort restaurants in Disney World and soak up the deluxe vibes, without paying the steep prices to stay there.
Riviera Resort Skyliner Station
Some of our favorite resort activities include taking free kitchen tours of the restaurants in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, listening to live music at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, and strolling through Disney’s Riviera Resort to see all the wonderful artwork.
For tips for YOUR resort day, click here!
So, is a value resort right for YOUR family?
So ya see? There are a lot of great reasons to spend your Disney trip in a value resort room. To conclude, let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of a value resort!
You SHOULD stay in a Disney value resort if…
- You’re looking to do Disney on a budget without sacrificing perks.
- You’re traveling with a larger family or group.
- You’re expecting to be out of the room a lot.
- You’re a total cupcake fanatic!
You SHOULDN’T stay in a Disney value resort if…
- Table-service or signature dining in your resort hotel is a priority for you.
- You want to be able to walk to a theme park.
- You’re scared of heights (and nervous about the Skyliner!).
- A primary goal of your Disney World trip is luxury and relaxation.
Take these factors into consideration and don’t forget to at least think about booking a Disney World value resort! It could be right for you’re family!
Are you really choosing the right Disney World resort? Click here to find out!
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We stayed at all star sports in March and it was a wonderful experience, fully recommend to anyone planing a Disney trip.
You can still visit the more luxurious ones, just can’t sleep in one of there beds ( or use the pool)
Keep up the good work DFB, we planned our whole trip based on your recommendations and it was one of our best trips to Disney ever
Can’t wait to return
We stayed at the Art of Animation resort in August and we will go back someday. It was not difficult to get to any park and this was just before the skyliner opened. The pools are all great and the food was amazing. The room we stayed in was fantastic. My family can’t wait to go back and we suggest it to any of our friends who are looking to go.
We always stay at All Star Sports. It’s home away from home. We spend so much time in the parks, it’s better for us to use the money on great meals! We do eat at the resort too, and the food is always good. We did splurge on AKL once and it was totally awesome!! Disney was offering a 30% discount at the time.
We always stay at value resorts whether it’s 2 or 4 of us. We only eat breakfast, sleep and shower in the resort. We spend all day in the parks so it makes sense for us. The rooms are nice, clean and spacious.
I used to complain about staying in Moderate or Value accommodations when everyone was staying in Deluxe. Now that I’ve taken (way TOO MANY) solo trips, I now understand why. Art of Animation is my top pick followed by The Campsites @ Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, All-Star Music/POP Century and All-Star Movies. Never staying in All-Star Sports, because I’m not a sports fan.
Skyliner transit is excellent while buses are usually hit-and-miss here (ex. waiting FOREVER for an EPCOT bus from All-Star Movies; finally just hopped on a bus to Hollywood and took Skyliner there instead!) Food is run of the mill, but good if you want a quick bite. I highly recommend the Tye-Dye Cheesecake over @ POP. They also have a Skyliner Resort scavenger hunt (never completed it; strangely includes resorts on Crescent Lake).
The tie-dye cheesecake at POP Century is one of my favorite snacks in all of Disney World! It reminds me so much of the scene in Hook where Peter and the Lost Boys are eating the imaginary food and that’s the reason I buy it every single time.