Value Resorts

A Disney vacation doesn’t come cheap, but there are ways to save some serious moolah when traveling to the World’s number one vacation destination, Disney World! If you are planning on staying On Property (OP), your biggest cost is likely to be your resort stay. So one of the first places to look when you want to save some dough, is in choosing your resort. Disney offers a number of what they call “Value Resorts” to choose from and these will be your most cost efficient options. Also on the less expensive side of things are The Campgrounds at Fort Wilderness. Click the preceding link to read more about camping at Disney. Another great thing (besides the lower cost) about these resorts is their colorful and fun themes! There are plenty of recognizable icons to see (Over 2,500 at the Art of Animation alone!) and it’s so cool when they light things up at night.

Rooms

Of course, because of the lower price range, the rooms are on the small side. Most of the rooms come with two double beds, a dresser/TV stand, two chairs around a small table, a vanity/sink area (with a privacy curtain) and a separate toilet and shower. Some resorts also have suites which will sleep up to five guests. Aside from the Art of Animation sections with the Family Suites which offers interior hallways, the rest of the resorts feature exterior hallways. And most of the value resorts do not have ceiling fans, so if you’re looking for a place with ceiling fans, you’ll want to check out the next level up, the Moderate Resorts.

Dining

Each resort has its own Quick Service (QS) food court. Here you’ll be able to find something for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They typically serve fast food type meals, though it is Disney so the quality of taste is higher than most fast food places.

Pools

The value resorts also have their own main, themed pool and then several smaller “quiet pools.” The quiet pools are places that are usually less busy than the main pool. They typically offer movie nights and other hourly activities at the main pools as well, so be sure to take advantage of those!

Preferred Rooms

This is Disney speak for “close to the main building/pool/bus area.” The value resorts are a bit spread out, so if you don’t specifically request a preferred room, you may have a bit of a hike each time you’re going to get food, catch a bus, hit the pool, or return to your room from any of those places.

All Star Resorts

There are three All Star Resorts and they are all located next to one another; All Star Music, All Star Movies and All Star Sports. These resorts typically share buses and often host large, boisterous (a.k.a. noisy) groups of young people like high school bands or cheerleading groups for national competitions. They also all share a bus line so the wait for buses to and from the park can be notoriously long. All Star Movies Resort: It is the last in line for bus pick-up so be prepared to wait, and for the buses to be crowded when they do arrive. But it’s (relatively) close to the other All Star Resorts so you can walk to them for different food options. The themes are pretty great too. It also has a secret, but you’ll have to join our Insider’s Club to get the scoop on that! All Star Music Resort: It’s in the middle of the other two All Star Resorts which makes for an easy stroll for dining options. It also isn’t the last for pick up when it comes time to take the buses. And this resort offers both suites and standard rooms. All Star Sports Resort: This is the first resort in the row of All Star Resorts which means the buses stop here first. However, this is usually where the large groups stay when they stay at Disney so it can be a bit more chaotic than the other two.

Art of Animation

We included this one on the list even though it’s considered a “value plus” resort. This just means it costs a bit more than the other value resorts. But what they charge in price, they make up for in their amenities. These rooms all have great themes, but are mostly suites which cost even more than standard rooms but they do offer some standard rooms as well. The mermaid section has the only standard rooms available but keep in mind that they’re located far, far away from the bus stops and main buildings. Also, we have yet to see them as part of any promotion, thus making them less cost effective than the other resorts with one of Disney’s special promotions. This Resort does however, boast the Big Blue Pool, the largest, non-waterpark pool in all of Walt Disney World! Click the following link to learn more about why this is one of the Best Pools at any of the Disney resorts and what other pools made the list. They also have Landscape of Flavors which is their QS restaurant and it is one of the best QS places out of all the resorts, so be sure to check it out if you choose to stay here!

Pop Century

It’s close to Art of Animation so you can walk back and forth for more food options, yet it doesn’t share buses with its neighbor so you can get to the parks quicker than at the All Star Resorts. It also typically has the lowest prices of the value resorts.

Price

The rates will vary according to the time of year. High peak times will cost you more than lesser crowded times. Prices typically range from just shy of $100/night during the “value season” on up to nearly $200/night during peak times. And this is for standard rooms (not including Art of Animation which charges a little more, even for standard rooms). Suites will cost you around $300/night for value season and over $500/night for peak times. There are certain times of year that Disney will offer special promotions in connection with the value resorts. To take advantage of these you will have to check their website throughout the year, or you can contact a Certified Disney Vacation Planner to help you. These vacation planners are free to you, so they really are a great way to help save some money on your trip. They often know how to get you the best deals! You can check out our overviews of Moderate Resorts and Deluxe Resorts before making your final decision about where to stay. And if you would like help with planning your trip and/or choosing your resort, please click HERE for a free, no obligation quote and to get connected with a certified Disney Travel Planner. Their services are free to use!

Value Resorts at Disney World