Value Resort Spotlight

A Disney World vacation can be expensive, but with some flexibility, you can travel to Disney World on about any budget.

Disney World has three categories of resorts: Deluxe, Moderate, and Value. The Value resorts are designed with the budget conscious in mind.

The Value resorts at Disney World are:

• All-Star Movies

• All-Star Music

• All-Star Sports

• Art of Animation

• Pop Century

Here we will break down the five Value resorts according to the characteristics that most families consider when deciding on which resort to stay at.

Rooms

The three All-Star resorts have Standard and Preferred rooms that are the same at all of the resorts. All-Star Sports has not been fully refurbished. Some rooms will be a bit different and outdated compared to the other resorts. Until all the rooms are redone, I’d recommend Movies and Music over Sports right now.

The Value resorts are large with multiple buildings. Standard rooms at the these resorts are the furthest from the main building where the lobby, dining hall, and bus stop are located. The walk to these rooms can be up to an additional 10-15 minutes. Preferred rooms are located in the buildings closest to the main building and will save you a lot of walking time. With the amount of steps you will get in touring the parks each day, I usually recommend a Preferred room at the All-Star or Pop resorts to prevent further walking.

Pop Century additionally has Standard Pool View and Preferred Pool View rooms. These rooms are the same inside as the Standard and Preferred rooms, but they are in the buildings closest to the main building and the Skyliner, but you can see a pool from your room. Personally, I think Preferred at Pop are great to cut down on your walking at the resort, but upgrading for a Pool View isn’t worth it. These rooms tend to be loud because they are so close to the pools which can be irritating for families with light sleepers or young ones who go to bed early.

The All-Star and Pop rooms have two Queen beds, but one bed can be stored in the wall like a Murphy bed (or you can request one king bed). It converts into a table when stored. This provides families space when not sleeping.

Art of Animation has two categories of rooms:

• The Little Mermaid Rooms which have your traditional two queen beds, but these rooms are the furthest from the Skyliner and the main building.

• The Family Suites which come in three themes - Lion King, Cars, and Finding Nemo. The Finding Nemo rooms are the most centrally located and have the largest pool on property. They are the most expensive of these suites. The Lion King and Cars suites are priced the same. Additionally, these suites come with a bedroom with a queen size bed, 2 bathrooms, a sofa couch, a pull down table bed, and a kitchenette. They are a great option for larger families or families that need a bit of extra space.

Transportation

The All-Star resorts only have bus transportation available to the parks with only one bus stop. These resorts are also the furthest from the parks. If you are trying to make a dining reservation or make rope drop at the parks, you’ll want to be at the bus stop early to ensure you make it on the first bus that arrives. The lines for the buses can get long, so plan accordingly by giving yourself plenty of time.

Pop Century and Art of Animation share the last stop on the Skyliner. This connects guests quickly and easily to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. For all other parks, there is one bus stop at each resort. Buses will also take the place of the Skyliner if it is down for any reason.

Having the Skyliner is a real perk to Pop and Art of Animation. When park reservations go away in 2024, you can use the Skyliner to go to EPCOT and take the Monorail to Magic Kingdom if you wanted to avoid the buses. This could take a while and will require you to walk through EPCOT, but depending on your preferences, this is another option.

Pricing

The All-Star resorts are the least expensive of the Value resorts. The Standard rooms are typically the same pricing at all three. In 2023, pricing on the least expensive days of the year is $119. The typical nightly rate you can expect at these resorts is $170 to $195. Preferred rooms will typically be an additional $15 to $20 per night.

Pop Century is the next step up for room pricing at the Values. In 2023, pricing on a Standard room on the least expensive days of the year is $174. The typical nightly rate you can expect at these resorts is $237 to $278. Preferred rooms will typically be an additional $20 per night. I find Pop to be the best value of the Value resorts based on pricing and transportation.

Art of Animation is the most expensive of the Value resorts. In 2023, the Little Mermaid rooms on the least expensive days of the year is $201. The typical nightly rate you can expect at these resorts is $264 to $324. The Family Suites are on the pricier end due to their size and how many people they can accommodate. In 2023, the least expensive days for the Cars and Lion King suites was $475 per night while the Finding Nemo suites were $502. The suites normally range from $580 to $700 per night.

Dining

All of the Value resorts have one food court and at least one pool bar at the main pool. None of the Value resorts have signature table service dining locations. If dining is a priority, the Values may not be the best option for on-site options, but the Skyliner can get you to these dining locations quickly if you were staying at Pop or Art of Animation:

• Sebastian’s Bistro (Caribbean Beach Resort)

• Topolino’s Terrace (Riviera Resort)

• Beaches and Cream (Beach Club)

• Ale and Compass (Yacht Club)

• Yachtsman Steakshouse (Yacht Club)

• Trattoria al Forno (Boardwalk)

• Flying Fish (Boardwalk)

Pools

Pop Century

All of the Values have multiple pools. There is a feature pool that is centrally located near the main building with a smaller pool (or pools depending on the resort) further away. Each pool is themed differently based on the resort and the theming of the area of the resort. The multiple pools and locations help to cut down on the crowds at each pool.

Most of the feature pools have larger than life Disney icons that children especially love. The pools at Art of Animation are a big perk for many families.

None of the Value resorts have waterslides which can be found at Moderate and Deluxe resorts.

When staying at Art of Animation, all of the themed areas have their own pool EXCEPT for the Lion King Family Suites. This area has no pool.

Conclusion

Which resort is best for you depends on your priorities and needs. You can see our pamphlet on each of the five Value resorts below that will outline these categories in more detail.

Remember, it only takes $200 to book your next Disney vacation and you can change or cancel your reservation penalty free up until 30 days before check in. Request your FREE, no obligation quote today.