So you’ve decided to stay at a Disney property…. It’s a fantastic idea! Staying onsite offers great advantages like transportation to and from the Orlando airport, extra time at the parks, and purchases delivered straight to your room.
But…where to stay??? Disney World offers a huge selection of hotels and which is the ‘best’ can be a matter of personal preference.
Conveniently, Disney groups their hotels into separate categories, which offer different levels of amenities. You can use these groups to help narrow down your choices and find the perfect hotel to fit your needs.
Value Resorts
These are the most economical options of the Disney hotels. The rooms tend to be on the smaller side and the hotels farther away from the parks. Transportation to the parks is offered via bus, with some hotels sharing buses. (Art of Animation and Pop Century also have access to the new Skyliner gondola!) Dining options are provided in the form of a food court. Entertainment includes swimming pools, game rooms, and nighttime movies. Theming tends to be more on the general side.
Value resorts include: Pop Century, All Star Music, All Star Sports, All Star Movies, and Art of Animation.
Moderate Resorts
Moderate resorts offer slightly larger rooms and additional theming. Transportation to the parks is still mostly offered via bus, though most hotels have dedicated buses. Skyliner and boat transportation options are available at some moderate resorts as well. Dining choices include food courts as well as at least one restaurant and at least one indoor bar. Entertainment includes swimming pools (including ‘quiet’ pools), game rooms, and nighttime movies. Some moderate resorts offer additional amenities such as fitness centers and water sports.
Moderate resorts include: Caribbean Beach, Port Orleans, Coronado Springs, and the Cabins at Fort Wilderness.
Deluxe Resorts
Deluxe resorts are the most intensely themed and designed of the Disney resorts. They offer multiple options for transportation to the parks including buses, boats, monorail…and some are even within walking distance of certain parks! Dining choices include food courts as well as multiple restaurants and indoor bars. Some deluxe resorts also offer on-site character meals. Entertainment includes swimming pools (including water slides and ‘quiet’ pools), game rooms, nighttime movies, and fitness centers. Some deluxe resorts offer additional amenities such as spas, water sports, and wildlife viewing.
Deluxe resorts include: Animal Kingdom Lodge, Polynesian Village, Grand Floridian, Wilderness Lodge, Beach Club, Contemporary, Yacht Club, and BoardWalk Inn.
Villa Resorts
Villa resorts give guests a bit more independence and privacy by offering kitchenettes and enclosed bedrooms. There are dedicated hotels that only have villa style rooms…as well as some deluxe resorts offer villa style accommodation.
Villa resorts include: Saratoga Springs, Old Key West, Riviera, Polynesian Village, Contemporary, Grand Floridian, Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, BoardWalk Inn, and Beach Club.
