When planning a trip to the Walt Disney World Resort, there are so many options for you to choose from. Today, we’re breaking down the differences in Walt Disney World Resort Hotel categories to help you make an informed decision on the perfect Resort for your family.
If you’ve never visited Walt Disney World before, you’re probably feeling a tad overwhelmed with all your choices. There are over 30,000 rooms amongst more than twenty-five resorts on Property which include resorts, campsites, cabins, and Disney Vacation Club properties and STILL these vacations are booked up well in advance! The Walt Disney World Resort Hotels are broken down into categories: Value, Moderate, Deluxe and Deluxe Villa which range in price from $99.00 per night to around my monthly income 😉
So, how do you pick the right room for you?
Well…I like to keep things simple. As travelers, we all have different preferences so the question you must ask yourself is what do you value most? In the simplest way, Is it affordability or amenities? It also depends a lot on which park you will be spending most of your time at because you will want to pick a resort that is in close proximity.
Now, let’s jump right into the 4 main differences
Accommodation
If you’re a family of 5 like mine, most of the Value Resorts can’t accommodate your family size with the exception of the family suites at Disney’s All-Star Music Resort and Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. Of course, you can always request connecting rooms.
The standard rooms in Value Resorts have double beds where the other resort categories have queen beds. Each resort category also has a King option.
Now some things you may want to consider are what features in your room are important to you. For example, the value and Moderate Resort rooms don’t offer an outside space such as a balcony or patio. You’ll find those options at Deluxe or Deluxe Villa resorts. Another important thing to mention here is that the Value Resorts don’t have coffee makers in the rooms, with the exception of the family suites and the newly refurbished POP Century Resort Rooms, which may be a deal-breaker for you!
The Properties
Disney properties are beautiful and there is no denying that the experience you have when staying on property is like no other. The resorts are completely immersive, and you can find these experiences in any one of the Disney resort hotels. A couple of my favorites are Disney’s Art of Animation where you walk through larger than life movie scenes featuring the Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Finding Nemo, and Cars. My absolute favorite is Disney’s Polynesian Resort where you feel like you are on a tropical island with the smells and the music. You will often find me working in my office with music from the Polynesian Resort playing in the background.
Dining
If you’re anything like me, you enjoy having a variety of options that are close by. Walt Disney World is huge, and it is definitely nice to have close options so that you don’t have to hop on a bus just to eat (unless of course, you want to).
At the Value Resorts, your options are food court & pizza delivery. At the Moderate Resorts, your option is food court, pizza delivery, and a table service restaurant, except for the French Quarter. At your Deluxe Resorts, you will find quick service, table service, some have character dining and full room service.
Transportation
When staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, you will have access to free transportation to and from the parks and Disney Springs. This is a great convenience, however, not all resorts have the same transportation options. At value resorts, your option is the bus and some Value Resorts will have access to Disney’s new Skyliner gondola. Something to note here is that All 3 All-Star Resorts share buses during slower times of the year and the bus stops are often crowded which can be frustrating.
At Moderate Resorts, your option is also the bus and some Moderate Resorts have water transportation. In addition, some will have access to the new gondola. Now at the Deluxe and Deluxe Villa resorts, you will also find bus and water transportation, a few will have monorail transportation, and some are within walking distance to parks!
As you can see, there are plenty of different resort options with amenities to cater to any family’s preferences. Do you have a favorite resort? Let me know in the comments below.
Check out our video below where we talk about the differences in Resort categories at Walt Disney World!
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See you in the parks,
Alma