Walt Disney World Resort Hotels Guide: Value, Moderate & Deluxe Compared
- Value (from $160) if you just need a bed, Moderate to relax a bit, Deluxe for a special stay
- Resorts connect by bus, boat, Skyliner or monorail; Skyliner resorts make EPCOT and Hollywood Studios easy
- Grounds are huge, so a Preferred Room near the entrance and bus stops saves a lot of walking
Show contents (4)
In this post I’m introducing the different types of Walt Disney World resorts. With four theme parks at Walt Disney World, most travelers stay several nights at a resort on Disney property — and with 28 Disney resorts in total, you have plenty to choose from!
First, Disney resorts are divided into tiers: Value → Moderate → Deluxe → Deluxe Villas. The higher the tier, the higher the price and the closer you are to Magic Kingdom. Deluxe Villas have kitchens so you can do some cooking, but they’re expensive and are essentially villa-style rooms within the Deluxe resorts, so in this post I’ll cover everything up to Deluxe.
Resort map (white = Villas, yellow = Deluxe, green = Moderate, blue = Value)
One thing you must consider when choosing a resort is transportation. There are four ways to get between Disney resorts and the parks:
- Shuttle bus: connects to all parks
- Boat: mainly around Magic Kingdom
- Skyliner: connects to EPCOT / Hollywood Studios
- Monorail: connects to EPCOT / Magic Kingdom
And here’s something many people overlook! Disney resorts cover a huge area, so if you’re assigned a building toward the back, it’s a long walk to the check-in desk. After playing in the parks all day, walking all that way back would be exhausting, right? That’s what the Preferred Room option is for. These rooms are close to the entrance and bus stops, which makes getting around much easier. (They cost a bit more than standard rooms.)
Now let’s look at the resorts by tier!
🟦 Value Resorts
The most affordable tier, known for being popular, great value and lively! Many have strong themes and are great for photos.
🎬 All-Star Movies
- 🚍 Transportation: Bus
- 💰 Price: from $160
Scenes from movies are recreated all over this resort, and kids especially love it. The giant character sculptures make for tons of photo spots.
🎵 All-Star Music
- 🚍 Transportation: Bus
- 💰 Price: from $160
A music-themed resort featuring giant guitars, drums and other oversized objects. It also has Family Suites that sleep more than four, making it good for family trips.
🏅 All-Star Sports
- 🚍 Transportation: Bus
- 💰 Price: from $160
A resort decorated with all kinds of sports themes. The upbeat outdoor atmosphere makes it popular with kids and teens.
🎡 Pop Century
- 🚍 Transportation: Bus / Skyliner
- 💰 Price: from $210
A concept resort themed around American pop culture from the ’50s to the ’90s, packed with retro vibes. Best of all, it has Skyliner access, so getting around is easy!
🎨 Art of Animation
- 🚍 Transportation: Bus / Skyliner
- 💰 Price: from $250
The most recently built resort. It has themed rooms from Disney films like The Little Mermaid, The Lion King and Cars, so I recommend it for families with young kids. It’s also connected to the Skyliner, so access is great!
🟩 Moderate Resorts
These have a more upscale feel and larger rooms. They’re a great fit if you want to enjoy the atmosphere of the resort itself.
🌅 Caribbean Beach
- 🚍 Transportation: Bus / Skyliner
- 💰 Price: from $310
A resort full of colorful Caribbean-style buildings and palm trees. It serves as the Skyliner hub, so getting to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios is very easy.
🌆 Coronado Springs (Villas & Tower)
- 🚍 Transportation: Bus
- 💰 Price: from $290
The villas are charming with their Spanish and Mexican-style architecture, while the Tower rooms (Gran Destino Tower) are fully hotel-style with an upscale feel. Another plus is the Club Level: if you book Club Level, you can enjoy breakfast and snacks.
🧿 Port Orleans – French Quarter
- 🚍 Transportation: Bus
- 💰 Price: from $310
Known for its small, cozy size. The resort recreates the feel of New Orleans, which makes it lovely for a stroll.
🌿 Port Orleans – Riverside
- 🚍 Transportation: Bus
- 💰 Price: from $310
Larger grounds than French Quarter, with beautiful natural scenery. Its quiet, peaceful atmosphere is popular with travelers who like a slower pace.
🟨 Deluxe Resorts
The most luxurious tier! Amenities, location, room condition and views are all top-notch. With Club Level, balconies and park views, you can have a truly unique and memorable experience.
🌲 Wilderness Lodge
- 🚍 Transportation: Bus / Boat
- 💰 Price: from $540
An upscale lodge resort inspired by America’s national parks. With its log buildings and even a fire pit area to relax by, it’s a great place to unwind.
🦒 Animal Kingdom Lodge
- 🚍 Transportation: Bus
- 💰 Price: from $570
Famous for its savanna views! You can see giraffes, zebras and other animals right from your room’s balcony. It offers the most unique experience of any Disney resort.
⛵ Yacht Club
- 🚍 Transportation: Bus
- 💰 Price: from $660
A yacht-themed resort on a calm lakeside. Its indoor and outdoor pools are top-tier, and you can even walk to EPCOT.
🌅 Beach Club
- 🚍 Transportation: Bus
- 💰 Price: from $660
Right next to the Yacht Club, with a brighter, more family-friendly atmosphere. It’s especially famous for its spectacular pool, Stormalong Bay.
🎡 BoardWalk Inn
- 🚍 Transportation: Bus
- 💰 Price: from $680
A resort designed around a 1920s–30s boardwalk concept. You can walk to EPCOT, and evening strolls here are wonderful.
🚝 Contemporary
- 🚍 Transportation: Bus / Monorail / Boat
- 💰 Price: from $600
The iconic resort with the monorail running right through the building! With a park view room, you can watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks from your room.
🌺 Polynesian
- 🚍 Transportation: Bus / Monorail / Boat
- 💰 Price: from $740
A Hawaiian and Polynesian-style resort with a charming tropical atmosphere.
👑 Grand Floridian
- 🚍 Transportation: Bus / Monorail / Boat
- 💰 Price: from $770
Disney’s flagship Deluxe resort! It boasts an elegant Victorian-style lobby and the best access to Magic Kingdom. You can enjoy the special privilege of watching the fireworks from a park view balcony.
Since these resorts are run by Disney itself, all tiers — Value, Moderate and Deluxe — are well maintained, so whichever you choose, the basic condition should be satisfying.
Choose the resort that fits your travel style! If you’ll spend most of your time in the parks and just need a place to sleep, go for a Value resort. If you’d like to relax a bit and take it easy at the resort too, a Moderate resort is a good choice. And if you want a special experience and the very best surroundings even at your hotel, I recommend a Deluxe resort.
I’ve explained things with representative photos, but if you’d like to see room conditions and facilities in more detail on video, check out the YouTube playlist below!
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX7vqevqPIHfQxA13Mq2gOM3fFPKrUvdL&si=CwYMhfj-dIR71Sj4
🔗 Disney World Resort Tours, Reviews & Comparisons
That wraps up my overview of the Walt Disney World resorts in Orlando!
I hope this blog helps make your trip a little more magical 💫 If you have any questions or want to know more, feel free to reach out through the contact page. Thanks for reading ❤
Dreamer
I've loved Disney and theme parks since I was a kid. Questions? Reach out through the contact page. Contact →
