We’re BACK with another hot Disney debate, and this time, it’s all about HOTELS!

My coworker Kayleigh and I recently found out that we do Disney World VERY differently. I live for rope drop, and she absolutely detests it. She usually drives to Disney World, but I would much rather fly and then use Disney transportation. The debate we’re tackling today is whether Disney World’s value or deluxe hotels are better! Should you really pay more for Disney’s deluxe hotels? And how MUCH more do they actually cost? What kinds of perks are offered there that you DON’T get at value hotels, and is it WORTH IT? We’re gonna get into it all!

Personally, I’m team value hotel. Those deluxe hotel prices are terrifying, and I think I can get just as much out of my vacation without paying for the fancy rooms! Kayleigh, however, said she can convince me otherwise AND prove along the way that there really are ways to stay at Disney’s fanciest hotels at much lower prices. We’ll see who comes out on top….

First, though, you need some background info. Disney World is HUGE, and on the property there are not only four theme parks and two water parks — there are also more than 20 Disney-owned hotels, along with a few “good neighbor” hotels. These are divided into three different categories: value, moderate, and deluxe.

As you might have guessed, value hotels are the cheapest (and offer the fewest perks and amenities) and deluxe hotels are the most expensive (and offer some extra perks).

Here’s a breakdown of the different hotels:

Value

• Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort
• Disney’s All-Star Music Resort
• Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
• Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
• Disney’s Pop Century Resort

Moderate

• Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
• Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
• Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
• Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside

Deluxe

• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (and the Villas at Jambo House and Kidani Village)
• Disney’s Beach Club Resort (and Beach Club Villas)
• Disney’s BoardWalk Inn (and Boardwalk Villas)
• Disney’s Contemporary Resort (and Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort)
• Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa (and the Villas)
• Disney’s Old Key West Resort
• Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort (and Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows)
• Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
• Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (and Boulder Ridge Villas and Copper Creek Villas & Cabins)
• Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
• Disney’s Riviera Resort
• The Cabins and Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort

If you saw our post about rope drop, then you know how this works! Kayleigh and I are battling it out to find out which of us is RIGHT about Disney’s hotels. So that you know who’s who in this post, I’ll (Sara) type in maroon, and Kayleigh will type in dark blue.

Let’s get into it!

Price

Sara: So we have to start with the most obvious difference between value and deluxe hotels, and that’s the price! Value hotels are usually significantly cheaper than deluxe ones, and that’s the biggest benefit to staying there. To give you a bit of context, here are some ballpark prices for the value hotels:

• All Star Resorts: Usually $180-$200 per night, getting up to around or over $300 during busy times (like the holidays)
• Pop Century: Usually $220-$260 per night, getting up to about $380 during busy times
• Art of Animation: Standard rooms are close to $250 usually, closer to $350 during busy times; Family suites get up to around $600 a night and closer to $800 during the holidays.

Kayleigh: Here are some general price points for a few of mine and my family’s favorite deluxe hotels! These are all assuming you’re traveling with two people:

• Saratoga Springs — can find deluxe studios for as low as $300ish, but typically fall at $500 – $800 per night
• Animal Kingdom Lodge — $400-$600 per night
• Grand Floridian — $800 – $1000 per night
• Swan and Dolphin — $350 – $700 depending on the time of year and deals

Sara: At a fraction of the price of the deluxe hotels, value hotels are a no-brainer in my opinion! If I stay at Pop Century, I can get 2-3 nights for the price of one night at Grand Floridian. And that’s definitely something to think about either way: Do you want a longer vacation at a value hotel or a shorter vacation at a deluxe one? If you’re willing to sacrifice a few days of your trip, you can balance out the budget pretty easily.

Personally, I would pick a longer trip at a value hotel because I don’t spend much time at the hotel when I’m in Disney World. I’m out early (for rope drop, of course) and try to close down the parks in the evening. Of course I need a rest mid-day, but I’ll often just hang out in Nomad Lounge, take a snooze in the Hall of Presidents, or book a table service reservation for a long break in the A/C.

I have to say, though, that those prices at Saratoga Springs have me reconsidering….

Kayleigh: The argument that you’re hardly ever at your Disney World hotel and are only there to sleep is a popular one, and it’s totally fair. However, if you read our rope drop post, then you likely already know that sleep is something that I really prioritize. That said, I’m totally willing to pay extra for a space and beds that are more comfortable. Plus, deluxe resorts have a tendency to be a bit quieter. I’m able to feel much more relaxed and get better sleep. 

It does take a bit of extra planning, but if you keep an eye out for lower rates, it really does help. For shorter weekend trips when it’s just my husband and me traveling, I’ll typically wait til nearly the last minute to book our hotel stay. I monitor the hotel rates every single day and then POUNCE when some lower rates become available. 

My husband and I are Annual Passholders, and Disney sometimes drops exclusive Annual Passholder hotel discounts, so when we can score one of those, that REALLY helps make these prices a bit more manageable. This combined with monitoring the rates constantly has worked in our favor. I was able to book a Deluxe Studio at Saratoga Springs for $320 per night by doing this. I’ve paid more at moderate resorts with a Cast Member discount! It’s true! 

Sara: That’s a great tip to watch out for those seasonal discounts! Disney frequently drops several discount options at a time, including exclusive ones for Annual Passholders or Florida residents and general discounts that everyone can take advantage of. But it’s true that sometimes the Passholder ones are extra helpful for the budget!

Kayleigh: Yes! And if we travel as a group, my in-laws hunt for deals the same way I do (I learned from the best) or they rent Disney Vacation Club points. Yes, you can totally do this! David’s Vacation Club rentals is a great option to rent DVC points and make your deluxe hotel stay even CHEAPER. It’s super reliable and trustworthy. 

Sara: I’m trying out that tip for the first time soon, and I can’t wait! My mom and I have a trip later this year, and we’ve seen some REALLY good deals on Deluxe hotels with David’s Vacation Club rentals.

Kayleigh: We also love to stay at the Disney World Swan and Dolphin (but mostly the Swan) because it’s owned by Marriott Bonvoy and you can actually use your Marriott points there if you’re a member. These hotels are located in the EPCOT resort area and will get you all the same perks as a Disney-owned deluxe hotel. My husband and father-in-law both travel a LOT for work, so they’re able to rack up even more on points by staying here — or use their already existing points to make the Disney stay cheaper. 

Another trick is to consider visiting Disney World during off-peak times. It’s supply and demand, baby! We love going in early May and late August to early September for lower rates. You can also consider split-stays — staying at a deluxe resort for half your vacation and then staying at a value resort for the other half. Just don’t go from staying deluxe to staying value. Do it the other way around. Or else you might be a little bummed, HAHA. 

Location

Kayleigh: Another reason I love staying at deluxe hotels is LOCATION. As I’ve mentioned, I love to sleep in. So, if I can get to the parks sooner after I sleep in that’s always a plus. If we’re staying at the Swan or Dolphin, we can literally WALK to EPCOT or Hollywood Studios. If we stay at Saratoga Springs (which is my favorite) it’s far away from the parks, which makes it super quiet, but there are longer bus or car rides. However, I love being able to walk to Disney Springs because I can’t resist a good shopping spree. Plus, Saratoga Springs typically has an older demographic, which makes it even more quiet and relaxing for us.

Sara: Yeah, I’m going to have to concede this one. Real estate is all about location, location, location, and it doesn’t get better than being literally walking distance to Magic Kingdom or EPCOT! You can only get that at deluxe hotels. 

The best value hotels in terms of location are probably Pop Century and Art of Animation because they’re a bit closer to the parks than the All Star hotels, which means shorter bus rides.

Transportation

Sara: OK, so I know that deluxe hotels overall have the best transportation, and I won’t steal Kayleigh’s thunder there, but can we talk about the SKYLINER for a second?? It’s the newest form of transportation at Disney World, and I LOVE IT.

OK, so it had a rocky start (with gondola crashes and multi-hour stops 😬) but the kinks have been worked out and I have never run into a problem while riding it. The Skyliner is a “highway in the sky” that has stops at Pop Century/Art of Animation (they share the stop), Caribbean Beach, Riviera Resort, EPCOT, and Hollywood Studios.

That means that if you’re staying at any of those hotels, you get easier access to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, and you DON’T have to wait for a bus. The line for the Skyliner can get long in the mornings (around rope drop time), but if you’re there early, you’ll be on in no time. And those lines usually go pretty quickly because the Skyliner (almost) never stops moving — it just slows down enough for you to board.

Kayleigh: Riviera is also on the Skyliner (and super close to EPCOT), and you can easily access the Skyliner from Disney’s BoardWalk, the Swan and Dolphin, Beach Club, and Yacht Club.

Sara: Alright, we might have to call it a tie when it comes to the Skyliner…

Kayleigh: As far as the Monorail goes, it ONLY has stops at deluxe resorts: the Grand Floridan, Contemporary, and Polynesian. I’ve never stayed at any of these, but they’re on my bucket list for sure! 

Sara: I agree! I’d love to stay at the Polynesian, and staying at the Bora Bora Bungalows is my DREAM.

It’s true that deluxe hotels probably take the W in the category of transportation, but I have one major pet peeve when it comes to some of those hotels: internal bus loops. I despise them! 

Some hotels have multiple bus stops, which means you’re not just hopping on the bus and going straight to Magic Kingdom. Nope, you’ll have to stop to pick up more people at several other stops along the way, which means a LONG ride to the park. 

Here’s a list of hotels with internal bus loops:

• Port Orleans — Riverside (moderate) — three stops
• Saratoga Springs (deluxe) — five stops
• Old Key West (deluxe) — five stops
• Coronado Springs (moderate) — four stops
• Caribbean Beach (moderate) — eight stops (!!)

OK, so there are only a couple of deluxe hotels on that list, but do you know what there’s NONE of? Value hotels! 

Kayleigh: I also despise the internal bus loops! If I’m being completely honest, we try to avoid the bus completely by taking a car to Disney World. We live in southern Georgia, so it’s easy for us, and we understand it isn’t an option for many. BUT. If you CAN drive to Disney World, DO IT. We get free parking at the theme parks for being Annual Passholders, but you also get free parking for staying at deluxe hotels. Plus, it’s so much faster and quieter.

Sara: That’s a great strategy, to just avoid the buses altogether by bringing your own car!

Kayleigh: And I forgot to mention that you also have the option to take BOATS at certain resorts. For example, you can take a boat from Wilderness Lodge to Magic Kingdom. I’ve never done it personally, but folks on the team have and they LOVE IT.

Sara: I love a good Disney boat ride. My favorite is probably from Port Orleans to Disney Springs (those are moderate resorts, but still 😂.

Sorry, one more value hotel transportation plug: I don’t know who’s in charge of bus transportation at Pop Century, but I’ve always had an AWESOME experience at that hotel with buses coming on time, drivers and coordinators being efficient and helpful, and problems being solved quickly. So props and thank you to that awesome team.

Amenities & Food

Sara: Ah, I knew this is where I’d run into trouble in this debate. Food at the value hotels is…not awesome. Well, let me re-phrase that: Compared to the food you’ll find at some of those deluxe hotels, the options at value hotels are pretty bad.

In fact, the only food options at any of the value hotels are the food courts in the lobby buildings and the pool bars. To be fair, the food in those food courts is decent! I had some great salmon dish at the Art of Animation food court (Landscape of Flavors) and I think the tie-dye cheesecake at Everything POP! at Pop Century is a must-try, but would anyone honestly choose that over ‘Ohana noodles from the Polynesian?

Kayleigh: It’s true that all of the BEST hotel restaurants and even some of the best restaurants at Disney World as a WHOLE can be found at the deluxe hotels. From Citricos at the Grand Floridian, to Sanaa at Animal Kingdom Lodge, to Topolino’s Terrace at the Riviera, you’ll find all that delicious food at deluxe hotels. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve visited value hotels and gotten some pretty solid meal options. However, it just cannot compare. 

Sara: Yeah, you’re totally right. But I do have to throw in one quick tip for value hotel food: Do NOT trust the online menus or the mobile order menu on the My Disney Experience app. Those only list SOME of the food at the food courts — if you actually go and order in person, there are a lot more options available. But yeah. Still not ‘Ohana noodles.

Kayleigh: Another thing I like about deluxe hotels is having access to gyms and spas. While I haven’t yet utilized either of those, I totally SHOULD. And I like knowing that I have the option.

Sara: Haha if you stay at a Disney World hotel that has a gym, I think you should get to count it as working out every day. Proximity, baby. 

One thing that all of the hotels — value, moderate, and deluxe — have in common is themed pools! The Big Blue Pool at Art of Animation is a fan-favorite (themed to Finding Nemo of course). I mean, it’s no Stormalong Bay (at Yacht/Beach Club) — that’s basically a miniature water park — but it’s big and there are lots of nods to the movie, which is fun.

Most of the hotels have multiple pools so that your room will be close to at least one of them.

Perks

Kayleigh: It’s time to talk perks! The biggest perks of staying at a deluxe hotel are free parking at the theme parks and Extended Evening Hours. On certain nights throughout the week, deluxe resort guests can spend a few extra hours in the parks after day guests leave to experience shorter wait times. You also get an extra shot at joining virtual queues for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and TRON Lightcycle / Run. It’s FANTASTIC.

Sara: I have definitely experienced mad jealousy of all the deluxe guests getting to stay late when I have to leave. 

Only the fancy hotels get that evening hours perk, but EVERYONE gets Early Theme Park Entry (well, everyone staying at a Disney-owned hotel). That means you can enter any of the four parks a half hour before other visitors, and unlike Extended Evening Hours, Early Entry isn’t limited to select parks or days. It applies to every park on every day.

Since it’s less exclusive, there are probably going to be more people at Early Entry than there will be at Extended Evening Hours, and you get less time (a half hour compared to two hours), but it’s still something, right?

Happy Middle?

Sara: Some people might say we should just split the difference and stay at Moderate hotels. It’s right in the middle! The price points are also generally in between value and deluxe (though sometimes you can get a great deal at those hotels that compete with the prices at Art of Animation). 

The Port Orleans hotels also have boat docks so you can take a boat ride to Disney Springs, which I love. And can we talk about the beignets at French Quarter? Those alone are worth a trip. 

You already know how much I hate internal bus loops, though, so I’m wary of Caribbean Beach with its EIGHT internal stops (though I do like the food at Centertown Market). But Port Orleans is definitely a great option and I’ve heard awesome things about Gran Destino Tower at Coronado.

Kayleigh: I’m always hesitant to stay moderate. I can often find moderate resorts at a great price that FEEL like deluxe resorts (like Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs), but then I feel robbed because I don’t have those extended evening hours anymore. Plus, I can often find rooms at deluxe resorts cheaper than moderate resorts using seasonal discounts and keeping an eye on the rates.

I do stay moderate if there’s just no way in heckin’-bob I’m finding a deluxe room rate at the price I want. Port Orleans is usually our go-to when we’re balling on a budget. However, I usually feel like staying moderate is a lot of money without a whole lot of perks. I’d rather slightly upgrade and pay $100 more per night in order to have Extended Evening Hours and a more upscale atmosphere, you know?

So what do you say? Are you value or team deluxe? You know where we stand! Once again, it all depends on what YOU prioritize — there is no wrong answer. If you’re so tired at the end of the day that you can fall asleep anywhere, and also don’t come back to your hotel room a lot, a value resort is probably the best way to go. However, if you’re planning on splitting your time between the parks and your hotel, or if you are like Kayleigh and just LOVE your sleep, it’s fair to consider a deluxe resort.

We’re at Disney World every single day, and we’re always here to bring you our BEST advice and tips based on things we’ve learned along the way. Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney vacation planning tips and updates on all the latest Disney news!

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