Next year is coming up soon and we’re sure that some of you are already planning your 2023 Disney World trips!

There are SO many hotels at and around Disney World that it can be hard to figure out which one is the best for you. But, that’s why we’re here — to help you out with all of our knowledge on everything Disney! Some hotels are closer to the parks than others, while some have better food than others. Either way, we’re sure there’s a perfect hotel for your next trip, so let’s talk about the BEST Disney World hotels for 2023!

Hotels Near the Parks

There are a lot of different Disney World hotels near the theme parks, but some of them are better than others, and they all have different transportation options. You’ve got the buses, Skyliner, Monorail, and boats, and some of the resorts are even close enough to the parks to walk. 

Skyliner Hotels

These hotels on the skyliner route will give you quick access to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, and there are options for a bunch of different price points. You’ve got Disney’s Riviera Resort (Deluxe), Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort (Moderate), Disney’s Art of Animation Resort (Value), or Disney’s Pop Century Resort (Value).

There are also other resorts that aren’t directly connected to the Skyliner, but they’re close enough to it to use it! These include Disney’s Boardwalk Inn, and Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club. Just be aware that the Skyliner can get REALLY busy during certain times of the day. Try and get there as early as you can in the morning to avoid the lines, and know that the lines at park closing will be longer than usual.

And, while we’re talking about 2023, know that the Skyliner will be CLOSED from January 22nd to 29th, 2023 for refurbishment, so staying at these hotels won’t give you access during that time.

Good Neighbor Hotels

Disney World’s Good Neighbor Hotels, like the Walt Disney World Swan, Dolphin, and Swan Reserve, are also a good option for guests looking to be near EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, as there are walking paths, friendship boats, and access to the Skyliner if you walk over to one of the stations.

These hotels have deluxe perks without the deluxe prices, and get access to things like Extended Evening Hours! They’re also all Marriott properties, so you can use points and get rewards through Marriott if you’re a part of their Bonvoy program.

Click here to learn more about Extended Evening Hours

Monorail Hotels

If you can afford to stay at a more expensive hotel during your visit, then you can check out the Monorail resort hotels, as they’re right there by Magic Kingdom! These hotels include: Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, and Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.

These resorts give you direct access to the monorail system (which can take you to Magic Kingdom and EPCOT), and they also have shuttles, boats, and walking paths that you can use to get to the parks. Don’t forget about those awesome fireworks views, either! All of these resorts are on the Seven Seas Lagoon.

Two other resorts that aren’t on the Monorail but are still very close to Magic Kingdom include Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campgrounds. These resorts have a water taxi service to and from Magic Kingdom. So, that’s another option if you find that these hotels better suit your needs!

Hotels with Great Food

Some of the BEST food in Disney World can be found at the hotels, so it’s a good idea to keep these in mind when you’re booking your place to stay, especially if you love food as much as we do.

Port Orleans French Quarter

Port Orleans French Quarter has some great food options, as you would expect from a hotel themed after New Orleans. At Scat Cat’s Club, you can get southern-inspired cocktails and DELICIOUS beignets (as well as other small plates) all while listening to live jazz performances.

This is where Mickey Beignets live in Disney World, and the fun thing about these are that you can get normal ones, or you can take it up a notch and get the Baton Rouge Beignets  – which come with two pipettes of liquor you can inject in the center (including Bailey’s Irish Cream, Kahlúa, or RumChata).

French Quarter also has Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory, which is a cajun and creole quick service restaurant. They have things like gumbo and jambalaya, as well as more standard food court options, like burgers and sandwiches.

Wilderness Lodge

There are a bunch of delicious food options over at Wilderness Lodge! First, we have Storybook Dining at Artist Point, which is where you can meet the characters from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (including the Evil Queen!) in an Enchanted Forest. It’s a really unique character dining experience!

Next, you have Territory Lounge. This spot has some small bites including Oregon Chardonnay Fondue and the Seasonal Bisque, which switches up depending on the season and is great comfort food.

Also at this hotel is Whispering Canyon Cafe! This is a fun restaurant with silly antics from the Disney servers. Now that they’ve been re-opened for a while, they’re back to their old tricks! While you’re eating here you might see some restaurant horse races or get bombarded at your table with everyone giving you their ketchup bottles. If you want entertainment while you eat, this is the spot!

Finally, there’s Geyser Point which has tasty lunch and dinner options you can try while taking in those lakeside views. There are also some fun cocktails over here!

Animal Kingdom Lodge

Animal Kingdom Lodge has awesome food options as well, like Sanaa, which is a table service restaurant with African-inspired dishes and a view of the savanna, so you can see the animals outside!

There’s also Boma, which is an all you care to enjoy buffet that’s open for both breakfast and dinner. Get things here like Deviled Eggs with Smoked Salmon, Berbere-Chickpea Salad, or African Spiced Beef Striploin.

And, the quick service location here – The Mara – has some outstanding desserts! Some of our faves include the peanut-butter-heavy Nyala Brownie and the chocolate mousse Zebra Domes.

Polynesian Village Resort

Finally, we’re going to talk about the food over at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. You’ve probably heard us rave about ‘Ohana before, and this is where it’s located! It’s an all-you-care-to-enjoy restaurant with Hawaiian-inspired dishes, like grilled meat skillets, stir-fried veggies, and those famous ‘Ohana Noodles we love so much. They also serve breakfast here, and the characters are coming back to breakfast soon!

In the Polynesian there’s a somewhat hidden bar that is a big fan favorite – Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto! This bar is interactive, so when you order certain drinks, things will happen around the room. The bartenders here have a really fun time with it, and it’s a great place to spend an afternoon sipping on a tiki drink.

The Polynesian even has great quick service options like Capt. Cook’s, Kona Cafe, and the Oasis Bar and Grill. These spots all have tasty small bites that you can have if you don’t want to sit down for a whole meal.

Finally, we have to talk about Pineapple Lanai. If you’re a Dole Whip fan, then Pineapple Lanai is for you! They have the traditional pineapple Dole Whip flavor, but they also get new flavors pretty often, so you can see what’s new every time you visit!

Hotels that Work BEST with Your Plans

Some hotels are going to work for you better than others during your Disney World vacation – it all depends on your plans and what kind of vacation you want to have.

If you want to spend most of your time in the parks and less time in the hotel, maybe don’t stay at a super luxurious resort where you won’t get to take advantage of all of the amenities. Instead, a Value or Good Neighbor resort will be more affordable and let you use more of you budget for things in the parks.

Some of the most affordable Disney hotels are going to be the All-Stars – All-Star Sports, All-Star Movies, and All-Star Music.

If you still don’t want to splurge a ton of money on your hotel but would like somewhere a bit more fancy than the Value resorts, check out the moderate hotels. These all have a wide array of amenities and nice rooms that are more affordable than the Deluxe Resorts.

These resorts include places like Disney’s Coronado Springs, which will give you deluxe-resort vibes at a more moderate price range. Or, you can check out Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside, which also has some fancy rooms, like the Royal Guest Room with princess decor and fireworks in the headboards.

But, if you’re someone who wants to spend a lot of time enjoying your resort and what it has to offer and less time in the parks, a Deluxe hotel could be the way to go. This is the highest tier of hotel at Disney World, and includes places like Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, and more.

A lot of these hotels have views of the various fireworks shows that happen every night, so you can watch them right from your room!

The Deluxe resorts will also give you access to Extended Evening Hours so you can stay in select parks 2 hours past closing time on certain nights. Also note that the Walt Disney World Swan, Dolphin, and Swan Reserve Hotels are considered Deluxe resorts and get these same perks (at a smaller cost, usually!).

You also need to take into consideration the size of your group for vacation. If you have a lot of people, you might want to look into some of Disney’s suites, treehouses, bungalows, or studios, which can sleep a larger number of guests. But, obviously, these bigger rooms come with a bigger price tag. It might make more sense for you and your group to get a suite at a Good Neighbor Hotel (the hotels not owned by Disney but are still super close to the parks) instead.

Also keep in mind that you can stay in Disney Vacation Club rooms and suites by renting DVC owner’s vacation points at a discount.

Click here to learn more about renting DVC points

New Experiences

There are some fairly new things at some of the hotels at Disney World, too! Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and Disney’s Contemporary Resort have both had their rooms remodeled with different themes. The Polynesian has a Moana theme and the Contemporary has an Incredibles theme. So, if you want to experience some rooms with a fresh new look, these could be a great option!

Another new spot is the Swan Reserve, which is a part of the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin hotels. These hotels are owned by Marriott, not Disney, but they’re on Disney property, so they get a LOT of the same perks and benefits (like those Extended Evening Hours we mentioned!). The Swan Reserve is more modern than the Swan and Dolphin and also has some awesome views.

And, we can’t forget about one of the other new hotel options at Disney World – the Galactic Starcruiser, AKA the Star Wars Hotel. Now, this isn’t a hotel like others where you can just book a stay for however long you want. No, this is more like a cruise. You will be on a 2-night immersive experience where you will be a part of the Star Wars story. So, overall, this is more of an experience than a hotel.

Click here to learn more about the Star Wars Hotel

Hotels You’re Familiar With

There have been a lot of changes at Disney World over the past several months, so it might be best for you to stay somewhere familiar! This way, you’re more comfortable because you already know how things work and where they are at that hotel. You won’t be overwhelmed but a ton of new things all at once.

This can also help with your planning, because if you’ve already stayed at a hotel before, you know what their transportation options are and roughly how long it might take to get where you need to be.

Hotels You’ve NEVER Stayed at Before

Yeah, we know this completely goes against what we just said, but we have to mention the other side! If you go to Disney World fairly often, checking out a new hotel you’ve never stayed at could make your trip all the more fun!

Trying a completely different hotel might actually surprise you and it could end up becoming your new favorite! For example, if you’re usually over in the Fort Wilderness Cabins because you love nature, maybe you should try Port Orleans French Quarter, as you’ll still be surrounded by trees and can take boat rides like you do at Fort Wilderness.

Overall, there are SO many different options of places to stay at Disney World, but what it comes down to is what works best for you and your group – between preferences, budget, plans, etc. The good news is, there are enough options where you should be able to find a spot that works great for you. We do suggest booking where you want to stay as soon as you can though, because those hotels can get booked up quick!

For more on the Disney World planning, check out our step-by-step guide to ordering Instacart grocery delivery to Disney World, the hardest Disney World dining reservations to get in 2023, and the planning tips you need to know about before your next Disney World trip.

Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney World news and updates.

What to Do If You Can’t Get the Disney World Hotel Reservation You Wanted

Which hotel are you planning to stay at on your next Disney World trip? Tell us in the comments!