Disney All Star Resorts at Walt Disney World

Disney All Star Resorts at Walt Disney World

If you’ve been reading this blog for any amount of time, you’ll know when we first started going to Disney, we were very much on a budget. The first time we went to Walt Disney World, we went for just 5 days, with the free Dining Plan and we stayed at the All-Stars Music Resort.  We didn’t really know what we were doing. And didn’t care about where we stayed. We just needed something affordable. And you know what, even at the cheapest resort, less than 100 bucks a night, we loved it! Since then, we’ve stayed at almost all of the resorts and Disneyworld and we still sometimes come back to the All Stars Resorts when we need something cheap. Here’s our review of the Disney All-Star Resort experience.

Disney All-Star Resorts

Here we’ll share a bit about each resort in this collection of All-Star Resorts. And then dive into rooms, transportation, grounds, food, and more. Each features a unique theme and is priced similarly, so you may as well pick the one that speaks most to you. 

What are the Disney All-Star Resorts?

Walt Disney World has resorts in all shapes and sizes and the Disney All Stars Resorts is one of them. To help level set you on the Disney Resort setup, there are three tiers of Disney Resort Categories at Walt Disney World; Value Resorts ( Value Plus Resorts), Moderate Resorts, and Deluxe Resorts. The Disney All-Stars Resorts are Disney Value Resorts. A Disney Value Resort is by far the cheapest resort on the property, but still pretty great, so don’t let the price deter you. 

Which Resorts are Included in the Disney All-Star Resorts?

Just as their names suggest the resort is themed to a category. All of the Value Resorts have been undergoing refurbishment so you can count on nice rooms, and refreshed commissary spaces. We also love that you can actually walk to ALL these resorts because they are connected by a runDisney pathway. So you can see them all and resort hop, even if you’re only staying at one. 

  • All-Star Music: The first resort we ever stayed at! You can count on loads of music and a little chaos. 
  • All-Star Sports: If you’ve got kids excited about sports, bring them here! Cute theming and a casual atmosphere is everywhere here. 
  • All-Star Movies: All-Star Movies is considered the “more upscale” of the three all-star resorts. It does feel a little quieter.

Rock Section at All Star Music Resort

All-Star Music Resort

Disney’s All-Stars Music Resort honors all things musical. From Disney music classics to Michael Jackson and Taylor Swift, you can find loads of Music history at this resort. The resort is separated into several areas, honoring different Music eras. The Rock Inn features a giant jukebox. While the Calypso sections come complete with larger-than-life maracas. The Jazz Inn area shows off trombones, trumpets, and drum sets. The Country Fair section is all about Country music and features gigantic cowboy boots, perfect for photo ops. And the Broadway Hotel area of this resort displays a Broadway sign on the buildings complete with Broadway posters.

As you may note from these descriptions, the Disney All-Star Music Resort isn’t very “Disney.” In fact, the most you get from this resort in terms of feeling like you’re at Disney World comes from being in the food commissary with Disney graphics on the walls, and inside your resort room, with just a little bit of Mickey and Friends added to your room decor. 

All Star Music Resort Map

All Star Sports Pools

All-Star Sports Resort

Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort is themed to the sports of Basketball, Surfing, Football, Baseball and Tennis. Much like All-Star Music, there is minimal Disney theming in the sports areas outside. A large basketball hoop, Football-shaped stairwell, and Tennis Racket elements are all part of the decorations at this resort. Inside the food commissary, you can see Mickey and Friends illustrated playing sports on the walls, and in your room, there is some Disney theming with artwork and decoration. 

All Star Sports Resort Map Disney World

Disney All Stars Movies Value Resort at Walt Disney World, Fantasia Section

All-Star Movies Resort

By far the most sought-after Disney All-Star Resort, Disney All-Star Movies Resort has a plethora of Disney theming outside the resort buildings. A Herbie building, 101 Dalamations, a Toy Story area, Mighty Ducks, and a Fantasia section are all part of the resort theme. If you’re staying with kids who are crazy about Disney, and really looking for that Disney resort experience, but don’t want to break the bank for Art of Animation, then this is the resort for you. 

All Star Movies Resort Mao Disney World

all star movies resort at walt disney world rooms

disney all star movie resort rooms

disney all star movie resort

Disney All-Star Resort Rooms

Just like any other Value Resort at Disney World, All-Stars Sports, All-Stars Music, and All-Stars Movies all include a queen bed and fold-down bed, that transforms into a table during the day. This is the result of the latest round of refurbishments for Disney resorts. 

The biggest complaint we hear from people about the rooms at the Value Resorts is that it is set up more like a motel, with the room door leading you directly outside rather than to a lobby. At Walt Disney World, in a warm state like Florida, this isn’t really a deal breaker for us. Most moderate resorts are also open to the outside, and unless you’re staying at a Disney deluxe resort, like Boardwalk Inn, you won’t get that fancy hallway and lobby experience.  The rooms at any Disney All-Star Resort are smaller than most, but not by much. 

They also still include a separate sink and vanity area, as well as a room for the toilet and shower/ tub. The bathroom area is typically separated by a sliding barn door or curtain and offers some privacy for families traveling together. 

Disney All Star Movies Resort

Disney All-Star Resort Grounds

One of our favorite parts about staying at a Disney All-Star Resort is that it’s VERY Disney. With giant characters in every building, lots of Disney music, and Mickey Mouse everywhere, you will feel like you are at Walt Disney World, even without going to the parks. The layout of the All-Stars is also pretty big. So, if you end up in a building far from the main building, you could find yourself walking a lot at night when returning home. If you’re worried about this, you can book a preferred room that will get you closer to the main pool, food court, and lobby.

Our best advice? Learn the resort when you get there, and pull up the resort map on your phone or grab one from the concierge. Be sure to check out the maps for Disney All-Star Resorts in this post to get a lay of the land. Remember they’re all connected by a walking pathway that runs along the road for runDisney aficionados. So you can use this throughout your stay to experience all the resorts. 

Disney All-Star Resorts Transportation Options

Transportation by Disney Bus is the main way to get to the parks from a Disney All-Star Resort unless you hire a Minnie Van or Uber. One thing we noticed about the buses at the All-Stars was that they actually seemed to come a lot more frequently than at some of the other resorts. So your wait time at both the resort and in the parks to go home is considerably less than resorts with fewer buses. In general, the wait for buses while at this resort was usually about 20 minutes or so; although this will vary with different times of year and crowd levels.

disney all star resorts walt disney world

The Disney All-Stars Resorts Food Court

The food court at the All Stars Resort is pretty standard across all three properties. They offer Mickey waffles, breakfast platters, pastries, and eggs for breakfast and the standard pizza, burgers, fries, and salads throughout the day. Something to remember is that because the All-Star Resorts are usually pretty crowded, the food court is also pretty bustling. Our best tip? If you’re headed there for breakfast go before 9 am to avoid crowds and chaos. We love stopping by the food court to refill our resort mugs in the mornings and late at night. Just know that it will be most busy during meal times. 

The All-Stars resorts are also usually a top pick for families with small children. Which could be a good or bad thing. If you’re a family with small children, you are probably used to the chaos that can sometimes ensue with little ones in tow. If you’re a single parent or a couple without children, you may not appreciate the atmosphere as much. 

all star music country section

Disney All-Star Resort Amenities and Extras

The thing a lot of people wonder about the All-Stars Resorts is if you still get all the little extras like you do at other resorts. Yes, you can. You have central access to food, transportation, a pool, laundry, and activities. You won’t have access to suites or villas. And you won’t have access to a spa or gym. All-Star Resorts still have the Movies Under the Stars at night, usually on the lawn near the pool.  And we always thought this was a nice way to end an early night. Especially with hot cocoa from the food court in hand. Plus, you can also count on games, activities, and trivia during the day which is always fun. You can find the schedule for those things within the resort.

disney

Disney All-Star Resorts Cost

Should you choose a Disney All-Star Resort for your next Disney Vacation? If you’re looking for a way to have a Cheap Disney Vacation, this is it! And it’s still quite awesome, to be honest. Disney All-Star Resort Prices range from $100-$400 depending on the time of year and when you visit. For instance at the height of Spring Break in March 2024, these resorts cost about $185 each. We had heard good and bad things about the Disney All Stars Resorts, but Disney was really the main draw for this trip, and we weren’t terribly concerned with where we stayed. Plus, we have since learned to resort-hop at Disney. So we always visit other Disney resorts on the trip even if we’re not staying there to get the full experience. If you’re thinking of staying at the Disney All-Star Resort here are a few things to know.

These are the cheapest resorts at Walt Disney World. And while they don’t give you a lot of “extras”, you still get everything you would expect from a Disney Resort experience. There’s a central food commissary, arcade, gift shop with the necessities, pools and a pool bar, on-site laundry, complimentary transportation to the parks, excellent customer service, and a clean room. 

Our favorite Disney All-Star Resort is All-Star Music which has 5 different areas all themed around different music styles. But All-Star Sports and Movies are also very fun. Just a matter of preference really! And they’ve all been recently updated too! So they’re becoming very modern. They are all located next to each other and guests have access to all three resorts when staying at one of these resorts, via access to a walking path at the All-Star Resorts. 

Pros and Cons of All Star Resorts at Disneyworld

As with all things, there are pros and cons for staying at the Disney All Stars Resorts. Let’s dive in!

Pros of All Star Resorts

These are the cheapest resorts you will find at Disney. They’re cheaper than other Value Resorts at Disneyworld. And if you just need a place to sleep, these just might be for you! Transportation, though limited to bussing, tends to be some of the faster we’ve experienced. There are just so many guests going to and from the Parks at the All Star Resorts that busses tend to be jam packed, but do seem to arrive a little more often than others. 

The food courts at any of these resorts aren’t bad. They’re not going to be the most delicious meal you’ve ever had (or maybe they will be!) but they have a full menu and every resort. Which is honestly a little more than we can say about quick service offerings at resorts that are much more expensive. Like Yacht and Beach Club for example. They also each have a pool bar and gift shop, so you can still experience these things even when traveling on a budget. 

And the pools are fun, lively and often have a lot of great activities happening there. 

Cons of All Star Resorts

The All Stars are really though, barebones Disney hotels. Many people call them “Disney Motels” because they are set up like motels, with the doors facing the outside. But even moderate resorts outside of Gran Destino Tower are set up like this. So, this isn’t really a huge con for us. It’s just something to keep in mind. 

Though we stated that the bussing is usually fairly quick, it’s also worth noting, they only have busses. This is a big con to most people, and one of the bigger factors when choosing not to stay here. The All-Star Pools will be less fancy than a pool at a moderate or deluxe resort. And there are no table service restaurants on site at these resorts either.

In addition to that, the All Star resorts are often the resorts that you’ll find school groups staying at. Think cheer squads, dance teams, high school bands. Many of these groups stay at the All Stars, which unfortunately can sometimes lead to a lot of disruptive behavior. If you prefer to stay away from large amounts of teens during your stay, the All Star Resorts may not be for you. 

All Star Movies Pool at Disney Resort

Disney All-Star Resorts Review

Overall, we would recommend these resorts as a great way to get to Walt Disney World on the cheap. They are geared towards families with young children, are budget-friendly, and with almost everything you will need during your stay. However, if you’re looking for an alternative and want something slightly more upscale, try Pop Century or Art of Animation. We love them both, and overall they’re a little less chaotic. But for the most part, the All-Star Resorts are pretty great. Hopefully, this has helped you make your Disney resort decision. Let us know if you have questions!

All Star Resorts at Disney World

Co-Founder and Director at Polka Dot Pixie Co LLC | Website | + posts

Melanie Renee is a photographer, writer, designer and mom. Visiting Disney destinations since 2010, she is also an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner. When she's not creating her next coffee recipe, or designing apparel at Polka Dot Pixie Shop, she's seeking beautiful sunsets and planning her next trip .


Related Posts

6 Ways to Avoid Disney Resort Parking Fees Right Now

6 Ways to Avoid Disney Resort Parking Fees Right Now

Walt Disney World has decided to start charging for Disney Resort Parking, for all guests at Walt Disney World Resorts. If you’re looking for ways to Avoid Disney Resort Parking Fees we have a few options you may not have considered. Here’s the breakdown of […]

Delicious New Snacks at Disney World 2024

Delicious New Snacks at Disney World 2024

Walt Disney World welcomes new snacks all year long! So we are here to help you see what’s new and where you can find it. Here are all the Best Snacks at Walt Disney World you can find in the parks for 2024. From Snacks […]



Comments are closed.