All About Walt Disney World Value Resorts
We welcome you to our post on everything Walt Disney World value resorts. Everybody wants to feel they get good value for the money especially when they are spending hard earned cash on a magical vacation.
Walt Disney World value resorts consist of Disney’s All-Star Sports, Disney’s All-Star Music, Disney’s All-Star Movies, Disney’s Pop Century, and Disney’s Art of Animation. Campgrounds at Fort Wilderness is considered a value resort, but we will be focusing on the “hotel” resorts rather than bringing your RV or tent for this post.
Room Design
It will come as no surprise that value resorts will be the smallest rooms on property. Value resort rooms will come in between 250 and 565 square feet. The rooms will generally sleep 4-6 people and feature 1 bathroom with a sink, toilet, and tub/shower. Some will have a second isolated sink area for hand washing. Family suites at Disney’s Art of Animation may have 2 bathrooms and a kitchenette area for quick meals in your room. For sleeping arrangement, most rooms feature 2 queen or double beds or 1 king-size bed, while family suites will often have a queen bed in an isolated master bedroom with an on-suite bathroom. There is a sofa bed, sleeper chair, and/or a murphy bed in the common area.
Resort Design
Most rooms in Walt Disney World’s value resorts will have a standard view such as a parking lot, wooded area, or swimming pool. Each resort will have a highly themed pool with no waterslides, arcade, walking/jogging trails, and a playground for kids. In addition to these features many have movie nights in outdoor common areas featuring some of our favorite Disney movies. Disney’s value resorts are “over the top” in their design cues. They feature brightly colored, huge murals and statues of our favorite Disney characters. Most kids love seeing these characters and themed designs and it really does appeal to family type trips with children. Some adults or teenagers may find this a bit too loud for their trip. Nearly all rooms are in outbuildings at value resorts. These are large resorts and can lead to some long walks between your room and common area or transportation stops.
For dining options at the resort, each of these will have a food court or quick service restaurant. Many of these locations are set up like cafeterias and feature many kid-friendly options like chicken tenders, pizza, and cheeseburgers. Some resorts also feature quick stop and grab options like premade sandwiches, cupcakes, and other treats. Please bear in mind that these are quick service meals especially if you will be taking advantage of the recently announced Disney Dining Plan. Most Walt Disney World resorts offer some type of in-room pizza delivery.
Bus transportation is the main transportation for Disney value resorts. These resorts will generally have one bus stop for accessing bus transportation. Art of Animation and Pop Century do benefit from access to the Skyliner which provides easy access to EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
PROs of Disney Value Resorts
- These are the least expensive resorts. Disney vacations can be expensive and having a less expensive option for your stay can make the magical vacation easier to come back again and again.
- Value resorts are very “Disney-Ish.” They are “in your face” with their bright colors and design cues. Many kids and some adults will love seeing a 40ft tall Pongo statue outside their room or and Little Mermaid inspired hotel room.
- Many value resorts are tailored to kids in their design, food options, and entertainment. This works very well for families with young children making some early magical memories.
CONs of Disney Value Resorts
- Value resorts are located further away from parks and higher-end dining options since they only offer quick service options which becomes more of a focus point if buying the Deluxe Disney Dining Plan. Complimentary bus transportation is the only way to get to the parks and getting to some of the higher-end, resort dining options often requires multiple bus rides or an additional walk.
- Standard rooms are small at 260 square feet versus 314 square feet in a moderate resort. The additional space in the room could be critical if you plan on spending days out of the park at the resort.
- Some guests find these resorts to be noisier than other resort options. The noise could be from the resort having exclusively exterior room entrances. These resorts are tailored mostly to families with younger children. We love children but more children mean more noise typically. They will clearly be excited and having the time of their lives.
Are Disney Value Resorts for Me?
This is a question we can help you answer. Value is a function of cost and experience. These resorts will be your cheapest options on property. In exchange for the cost savings, you will sacrifice some amenities and experiences. We recommend considering a value resort if you are spending a strong majority of your time in theme parks. They are not as convenient for midday breaks due to the transportation and proximity to the parks. We also recommend these resorts if you can take more magical vacations due to the cost savings. We do not recommend staying at a Disney value resort if the bright, over-the-top theming is not to your taste or if you are expecting luxury comforts or top-tier dining options.
Our vacation planners are always here to help you decide which resort is right for your trip. When we quote a value resort for your trip, we can also quote a moderate resort so you can weigh the differences and make the perfect choice for your Walt Disney World Vacation. Please reach out for your free Disney Vacation Quote. Contact – (themeparkvacationsplanner.com)