The Value Resorts at Walt Disney World often get a bad rap. Yes, they’re kind of like glorified motels. But if you’re looking for a cheap place to stay on property and don’t plan to spend much time in your room, the Value resorts, for us at least, are good enough. And though they’re generally all pretty similar, we thought it would be fun to rank them from worst to best. Read on to see how they stack up to each other!
Value Resorts at Walt Disney World: Ranking Best to Worst
To be clear, we actually enjoy all of the Value Resorts at Disneyworld just fine. They aren’t anything fancy. But they’re still fun and make getting to the Parks convenient. One important thing to note is that for the mostpart, the rooms are all going to be the same. With the exception of Art of Animation, the All Stars Resorts and Pop Century all typically have a similar set up for the room.
And in terms of amenities and transportation, it’s important to note that the All Star resorts all generally offer the same things.
#5 Worst: All Star Sports
All Star Sports recently just had its refurb finished and for that, we are grateful. The rooms there were beginning to look quite dated in comparison to other All Star resorts. And didn’t have the price tag to justify it. Now that the rooms have been redone, I feel like we can even the playing field and judge these resorts accordingly.
All Star Sports makes the bottom of the list for us. While we still enjoy it, the theming just feels a little generic at times. And All Star Sports tends to be the resort with the most large groups traveling here. Think school groups, dance groups, cheerleaders. Which can often lead to a more chaotic atmosphere. Now, keeping in mind that none of the All Stars have a calm or zen vibe, this might not mean much to you. But for us, this is the last on our list when choosing a resort on Disney property.
#4 All Star Movies
All Star Movies generally tends to be the most popular of the All Star resorts, selling out faster than the other two and often at a slightly higher price as well. What makes this resort just a little more popular than the other two All Star is the theming. It just feels like you’re at Disney. With Disney movies represented throughout the resort, this is one that just feels nostalgic for many.
With a Sorcerer Mickey Pool as the main pool, the fun theming here definitely makes you feel inside the Disney bubble more so than the other All Star resorts. The reason this one doesn’t rank higher in the lineup is mostly because the theming here can be a bit dated. Yes, there is the super fun Toy Story and Fantasia Sections. But, as a resort that’s aimed at appealing to kids, some of the movie choices represented here are a bit questionable. Mighty Ducks and Herbie the Love Bug are cool if you were around when they were popular. But they’re not really Disney classics, if you will, and they are probably lost on many modern day kids.
#3 All Star Music
All Star Music is home to larger-than-life music icons. The theming here is, well, music obviously. And guests can enjoy a fun three caballeros themed main pool. What sets this resort apart from the other All Stars resorts is that it has family suites. These are the cheapest family suites at Walt Disney World. And the Intermission food court has recently been renovated. Which is always a welcome change. We prefer this food court to the other two All Star Resorts, which also gives it a slight edge as well.
And due to its musical theme, All Star Music always has fun music to match the area you’re staying in, giving an extra little something to the atmosphere there.
#2 Art of Animation
Art of Animation is a super fun resort. The theming, the colors, it’s all so very “Disney”. If you’re traveling with younger kids, they will absolutely love this resort. Being on the Skyliner route automatically pushes it to the top for us. But it doesn’t quite snag the #1 spot for a variety of reasons. Most of the rooms here are family suites, which is great for larger families. But also means that prices don’t tend to fall into traditional “value” ranges. The Little Mermaid Rooms are the only standard rooms here, and even though they are smaller than rooms found at the other Value Resorts, they are also more expensive as well.
The food court at Art of Animation, Landscape of Flavors, is excellent. The main pool is the largest on property and both it and the splash pad are perfectly themed. And they have some of the best quiet pool areas of any resort at Walt Disney World. The theming here just cannot be beat. And if it were not for smaller than average standard rooms and mostly suites otherwise resulting in higher prices, this resort would be ranked #1 for us.
#1 Best Value Resort Disney: Pop Century
It should come as no surprise that Pop Century takes the number one spot for us in the Value Resort showdown. We love this resort. And tend to stay here quite often! Pop Century’s theming is fun and charming. And the easy access to the Skyliner can’t be beat. It takes the cake over Art of Animation due to pricing. And being in walking distance to Art of Animation is a huge plus, because you can easily visit without having to stay there. Now, you obviously can’t use their pools, but you can enjoy everything else Art of Animation has to offer like their food court and fun gift shop, Ink and Paint. So it’s almost like getting two resorts for the price of one. For us, Pop Century is the best Value resort at Disney.
So there you have it, our ranking of the best Disney Value Resorts! Do you agree with us? Let us know! We’d love to see how the value resorts at Disney rank for you.
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 .
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