A considerable part of any Disney vacation is the hotel Guests choose to stay in. Of course, you need to consider the Walt Disney World Resort hotel that best suits your budget, but you also need to select the one that will serve your needs and add to your Disney experience.
With twenty-two Disney hotels to choose from, choosing between them can be overwhelming. Once you narrow down contenders for your final choice, how do you select the right one on Disney property? Having stayed in most Disney Resort hotels, we can help with your decision. Here is the Walt Disney World Resort hotel that are classed as a Value Resort that we recommend skipping and the alternatives to stay at.
Value Resorts
There are three classifications of Disney hotels. A Deluxe Resort is the most expensive and exclusive accommodation, including Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, Disney’s Yacht Club, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. A Value Resort is the cheapest accommodation. A Moderate Resort, such as Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, is the classification that fits in between Deluxe and Value Resorts.
Disney Value Resorts are ideal for smaller vacation budgets. They also suit Guests whose priority is spending time in one or more Disney Park daily. Value Resorts have basic amenities compared to the other tiers of Disney hotels but are still comfortable and enjoyable. Facilities for Guests to enjoy in a Value Resort include pool areas, a quick-service restaurant, a gift store, an arcade, a playground, access to Disney transport, and laundry. Disney Value Resort Guests can enjoy movies under the stars, poolside entertainment, nightly campfire, and other Resort activities specific to the hotel. Every Guest of the Walt Disney World Resort, regardless of the hotel classification they are staying in, is eligible for extra magic hours in the form of Early Theme Park Entry every morning.
There are five Disney Value Resorts to choose from when visiting Walt Disney World:
- Art of Animation Resort
- Pop Century Resort
- All Stars Resort – consisting of All Star Music, All Star Movies and All Star Sports Resorts
Skip: Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort beautifully celebrates four beloved Disney movies. Each section of the Resort is themed after one of the following movies:
- The Little Mermaid (1989)
- Finding Nemo (2003)
- The Lion King (1994)
- Cars (2006)
We love to explore this Disney hotel to see the larger-than-life Disney characters and to learn incredible facts about the world of Disney animation. We also love the ease of access to EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios from this Disney hotel, by its access to the Disney Skyliner. However, it’s not our first choice of Value Resort to stay in. Here’s why:
- Cost – Disney’s Art of Animation Resort is the most expensive of the Value Resorts to stay in. Part of the reason for this is the Family Suites that are located throughout the hotel. The opportunity to stay in a Guest room that offers more than a standard room is excellent, but the cost may not suit all budgets. Some Guests may prefer to spend a little more to stay in a Disney hotel that is more than a Value Resort but has a standard Guest room.
- Access within the Resort – while the blocks containing Family Suites are located close to the Animation Hall and the hotel’s main facilities, The Little Mermaid section is located a fair distance away. As such, you can expect a long walk from your Guest room to access anything besides the pool area.
- Family Resort – the theming of Disney’s Art of Animation Resort makes it the perfect Resort to stay in if you have little ones in your party. However, you can expect many families to stay in the Disney hotel. So if this isn’t your thing, we recommend skipping staying here.
Stay (option 1): Disney’s Pop Century Resort
So, if you’re considering a Disney Value Resort offering great location and theming like Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, we recommend staying in Disney’s Pop Century Resort. This hotel is just across Hourglass Lake from Disney’s Art of Animation. All Guest rooms are standard but close to the Classic Hall and the Resort’s main facilities.
Another reason we love Disney’s Pop Century Resort is its access to the Disney Skyliner. It’s also a more affordable Resort than Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. It’s essential to make a reservation quickly with Disney’s Pop Century Resort, though; don’t be surprised to see this Resort unavailable as it’s a popular hotel amongst Disney Guests.
Stay (option 2): Disney’s All Star Music Resort
If you want to stay in a Family Suite, why not consider Disney’s All Star Music Resort? This Value Resort was the first Disney hotel to offer Family Suites. Amenities and services in the Disney Value Resorts are standard, so there are a lot of similarities between staying here and staying in Disney’s Art of Animation Resort.
The most significant difference is Disney transportation. Disney’s All Star Music Resort Guests have access to only one mode of Disney transport – the Disney buses. However, this won’t affect your vacation too much if you allow plenty of travel time. In terms of travel, Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park is the closest Disney Park to Disney’s All-Star Music Resort. Similarly, Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios are around ten minutes away. You can expect the longest bus ride to access Disney Springs. The savings you can make by staying here will also help in other areas of your Disney vacation.
Which Disney Value Resort will you stay at during your next Disney vacation? Do you have a favorite Resort from these Disney hotels? Is there one you have stayed at once and don’t plan to stay at again?
