Walt Disney World Resort Reviews: Best Values

LAST UPDATE: 6/15/24

This page provides Disney World resort reviews, including a general overview and comparisons of the various Walt Disney World hotels, and offers our personal opinions about the best values and locations you can choose for your money at the Disney resorts.

For complete details on Disney’s resort hotels, such as room descriptions and lists of every amenity at each resort, the best resource is the Resorts section of the official Walt Disney World website.

Disney offers various categories of accommodation at Walt Disney World:

The following privileges apply when staying at any of the Disney resorts (Value, Moderate, Deluxe, Disney Vacation Club and Fort Wilderness cabins & campsites):

The following privileges apply when staying the Deluxe or Deluxe Villa Disney resorts:

Value Resorts

The regular Value resorts are All-Star Movies, All-Star Music, All-Star Sports and Pop Century. (Art of Animation, a “Value Plus” resort, is described below.) All of the Value resorts feature huge themed icons, such as the 35-foot-tall Buzz Lightyear at All Star Movies. Pop Century has 2880 rooms and the three All-Star resorts each have 1920 rooms.

The Value resort buildings are big, brightly-painted concrete rectangles with some whimsical theming overlays. All four resorts have motel-style exterior corridors, meaning the door and window of your room face outward onto an open walkway. These resorts frequently host large youth groups. Some rooms face into courtyards that contain pools. Due to these factors, noise can be a significant issue at the Value resorts.

The Value resorts have basic amenities such as a food court, pool bar, video game room and gift shop. They do not offer table-service dining, an indoor bar/lounge, room service (except pizza delivery), on-site recreation such as boating, health club or valet parking. That said, Pop Century and Art of Animation have easy access to many restaurants and lounges at the Epcot resort area, Riviera and Caribbean Beach via the Skyliner.

The pools are somewhat themed but do not have water slides. The All-Star resorts have two pools each. Pop Century has three pools. However, the guest-to-pool ratio is similar at all of the resorts because there are more and/or larger pools at the larger resorts.

The Value resorts are pretty spread out, so there can be a lot of walking, particularly if you don’t have a car. Wait times for the buses can be long. Also, it’s not at all convenient to eat at another resort, go to Disney Springs, or attend special meals such as the Polynesian Luau or Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue unless you have a car.

Transportation from the Value resorts to all other areas of Walt Disney World is primarily by bus. The Disney Skyliner cable-car system is an option for transportation from Pop Century and Art of Animation to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot.

The Value resorts offer complimentary wireless Internet (Wi-Fi) access in the rooms and select public areas. All rooms have mini-fridges.

The Value resorts are roughly equivalent to a well-kept motel with some theming laid on top. If you’re going to spend all of your time in the parks and just want a clean place to rest your head, a pool to splash in, and some fast food, you may find the Value resorts satisfy your needs. Basically, the only reason to choose these resorts is cost. If you can afford a little more, we feel the Moderates offer a lot more for your money.

Room Types

Most standard rooms at the Value resorts are 260 square feet and include two queen beds (usually one standard and one pull-down) or one king bed, for a maximum occupancy of 4 people (plus one baby under age 3 in a crib). Rooms at All-Star Sports have two double-sized beds instead of queens. The room décor features bright primary colors, except Pop Century, which uses a slightly more subdued palette. The rooms are small and basic; for instance, there is no closet, only an open area with a clothes rod and shelf in the bathroom. 

The Jazz and Calypso buildings at the All-Star Music Resort have 192 family suites that have a maximum occupancy of 6 people (plus one baby under age 3 in a crib). Read more about the room layout of the All-Star Music family suites.

Room Rates

Best Value Choices

Pop Century is our Best Value choice in the regular Value category. It has several advantages compared with the All-Star resorts. The décor of the public areas at Pop Century is a bit more up-to-date and the room décor is less glaring. Pop Century has fountain play areas for kids. (All Star Movies also has a fountain play area – as far as we know, the other Value resorts don’t.) Pop Century also usually has its own separate bus service (buses don’t stop at another resort on the way to/from the parks).

Although the basic room rate is identical at all the regular Value resorts, the hotel tax rate at the All-Stars is 13%, while the hotel tax rate at Pop Century is 12.5%.

There is really no significant difference between the three All-Star Resorts as far as accommodations, other than the family suites available at All-Star Music and the slightly smaller beds at All-Star Sports. Just pick whichever one offers the theme that appeals most to you. If you will be using the Disney bus transportation, be aware that in the off-season, the three All-Star resorts share a single bus line, which departs from and arrives at the resorts in this order: Sports, Music, Movies. For that reason, if you’re staying at Sports during a slower time of year, you’re more likely to get a seat on the way to the theme parks, and your resort will be the first drop-off when returning from the parks. However, during busy times, buses are sent directly to the individual All-Star Resorts, or Sports and Music will share a bus and Movies will have its own bus.

If you don’t mind paying a little bit more, consider Art of Animation, a “Value Plus” resort with a few extra amenities.

“Value Plus” Resort

Art of Animation, offers 1120 family suites and 864 standard rooms. Art of Animation is considered a “Value Plus” resort because it is primarily composed of family suites, offers interior corridors and has a bigger, better food court. Standard rooms at Art of Animation (in the Little Mermaid building) are about $5-$10/night more than the rooms at the other Value resorts, and almost never participate in Disney’s hotel discounts. Family suites at Art of Animation are about $50/night more than the similar (but not identical) suites at All-Star Music Resort.

Like the regular Value resorts, the Art of Animation buildings are big, brightly-painted concrete rectangles with some whimsical theming overlays and enormous icons. Unlike the other Value resorts, Art of Animation has carpeted interior corridors, which should help to reduce noise from the exterior. One side effect of the architecture, however, is that you can’t really park right by your room. If you have a lot of luggage, we recommend using Bell Services to take it all to your room — it’s worth it for the price of a tip.

Art of Animation offers the most elaborate and unusual of all Disney’s resort food courts, called Landscape of Flavors. The food court includes a tandoor oven producing items like naan, tandoori chicken and shrimp; a Mongolian grill; gelato; coffee/espresso drinks; and a variety of “better for you” foods such as multigrain rice, buckwheat pasta and waffles, egg white frittatas, make-your-own yogurt parfaits and low-fat smoothies. The usual burgers, fries and Mickey waffles are also available. If you want even more options, you can walk over to Pop Century and visit the food court there.

The three pools at Art of Animation are themed, but do not have water slides. The largest pool, The Big Blue Pool in the Finding Nemo courtyard, is over 12,000 square feet with zero entry (you can walk in gradually) and an underwater sound system, and has a pool bar, The Drop Off, nearby. There is a water play area, a playground, a video game room and gift shop.

There are two smaller pools, located in the Cars and The Little Mermaid courtyards. The Lion King wing has an additional play area.

The resort does not offer table-service dining, an indoor bar/lounge, room service (except pizza delivery), on-site recreation such as boating, health club or valet parking.

Transportation from Art of Animation to all other areas of Walt Disney World is primarily by bus. This resort usually has its own separate bus service (buses don’t stop at another resort on the way to/from the parks). The resort is very spread out and there is only one bus stop, in front of Animation Hall, so there can be a lot of walking. It’s not at all convenient to eat at another resort, go to Disney Springs, or attend special meals such as the Polynesian Luau or Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue unless you have a car. The Disney Skyliner cable-car system is an option for transportation to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot.

Art of Animation offers complimentary wireless Internet (Wi-Fi) access in the rooms and select public areas. All rooms have mini-fridges and the family suites have a small microwave as well.

Room Types

The standard rooms are 277 square feet and include two queen beds or one king bed, for a maximum occupancy of 4 people (plus one baby under age 3 in a crib). The room décor is Little Mermaid-themed. The rooms are small and basic; for instance, there is no closet, only an open area with a clothes rod and shelf in the bathroom.

The family suites are 565 square feet and sleep 6 (plus one baby under age 3 in a crib). The floor plan of these suites is different from the suites at All-Star Music and they are very slightly larger. There is a queen bed in the master bedroom, which has its own private bathroom. The living room includes a double pullout sofa and a double pull-down bed that converts from the dining table. There is a small secondary bathroom off the living room. The “kitchen” is an area within the living room that has a small sink, mini-fridge and small microwave. The family suites’ décor is themed to Finding Nemo, Cars or The Lion King.

Room Rates

Value Evaluation

Art of Animation does not offer a huge number of amenities compared with the higher-level resorts, but it offers a bit more than the older Value resorts. If you’re going to spend all of your time in the parks and just want a clean place to rest your head, a pool to splash in, and some decent counter-service food, you may find it will satisfy your needs. It also offers a new alternative for those seeking Disney resort accommodations for a family of 5 or 6.

Moderate Resorts

The Moderate resorts are Caribbean Beach, Coronado Springs, Port Orleans – French Quarter and Port Orleans – Riverside. (The Fort Wilderness Cabins are also categorized by Disney as “Moderate” but they’re really a completely different type of accommodation, and we cover them separately.) All four resorts feature feature extensive, tasteful theming. Caribbean Beach has 2112 rooms, Port Orleans – Riverside has 2048 rooms, Coronado Springs has 2466 rooms (which includes the rooms in Gran Destino Tower) and Port Orleans – French Quarter has 1008 rooms.

The Moderate resort buildings have exterior corridors (except the Gran Destino Tower rooms at Coronado Springs), meaning the door and window of your room face outward onto an open walkway, but unlike the Value resorts, the buildings don’t scream “motel.” The theming of the Moderate hotel buildings is exceptionally detailed and integrates the exterior corridors with the overall architecture very effectively.

Moderate rooms have pleasant decoration that is in keeping with the theme of each resort, but the accommodations are still small and pretty basic; for instance, there is no closet, only an open area with a clothes rod and shelf in the bathroom. In fact, there is a significant disparity in the quality of the Moderate guest rooms vs. the public areas. The rooms are just so-so; we would compare them with a themed Holiday Inn or Best Western room. However, the public areas are really outstanding and unlike anything you’d ever see outside of Disney at this price point.

The Moderate resorts have far more amenities than the Value resorts. They each offer a food court, a moderately-priced table-service restaurant (except for Port Orleans – French Quarter, which only has a food court), a lounge bar and a pool bar (except Caribbean Beach, which only has a pool bar), video game room, gift shop and on-site recreation such as boating.

The main “feature” pools are elaborately themed and include water slides and hot tubs/spas; additionally, all of the Moderate resorts (except Port Orleans – French Quarter) have unthemed “quiet pools” scattered around the property.

The Moderate resorts do not offer upscale fine dining or valet parking, with the exception of Coronado Springs, which has valet parking and a fine-dining tapas and steak restaurant in the Gran Destino tower. Caribbean Beach, Port Orleans – French Quarter and Port Orleans – Riverside do not offer room service, but do have pizza delivery. Coronado Springs offers room service.

Transportation from the Moderate resorts to the theme parks and water parks is primarily by bus, but Port Orleans – French Quarter and Port Orleans – Riverside do offer boat transportation to Disney Springs, and the Disney Skyliner cable-car system is an option for transportation from Caribbean Beach to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot.

The Moderate resorts have mini-fridges in the rooms and complimentary wireless Internet (Wi-Fi) access in the rooms and select public areas.

If you don’t plan to spend a lot of time in your room but you do want to enjoy resort amenities such as a terrific pool area, recreation and decent sit-down meals, the Moderates may be right up your alley. Be aware that the Moderates are very spread out, so there can be a lot of walking, particularly if you don’t have a car. (Port Orleans – French Quarter is the most compact, with the least walking required.) Also, unless you have a car it’s not at all convenient to eat at another resort, go to Disney Springs (except from Port Orleans, which has a boat that goes there), or attend special meals such as the Polynesian Luau or Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue.

The Moderate resorts have FREE self-parking. Coronado Springs charges $33/night (tax included, but not tip) for valet parking.

Room Types

Rooms at the Moderate resorts are 314 square feet except at Caribbean Beach and Tower rooms at Coronado Springs, which have larger rooms (340 square feet for Caribbean Beach and 375 square feet for Coronado Tower).

Coronado Springs offers one building with Business Club Level rooms. This room type incurs an extra charge per night and includes personalized Front Desk and Guest Services, turndown service and a lounge with continental breakfast, midday snacks and evening wine (additional fee) and cheese. All Business Club Level rooms have two queen beds or one king bed. Extra amenities include a DVD player and robes. The Business Club Level rooms offer views of the lake, courtyard or parking lot. Thanks to Mario for information.

Coronado Springs offers suites, including Junior Suites, 1-bedroom suites and 2-bedroom suites. The price of a Junior Suite is more than double the cost of a standard room, however, and the other suites are much more expensive. Read more about the 3 types of Coronado Springs suites.

Port Orleans – Riverside has 512 Royal Guest Rooms (about 1/4 of the resort) in the Oak Manor and Parterre Place buildings (buildings 90 and 95) of Magnolia Bend. These rooms include ornate beds that feature headboards with fiber-optic special effects, and gold and crystal accents. Guests also can enjoy artwork and special mementos left by Tiana’s royal friends. Read more about the Royal Guest Rooms.

Room Rates

Best Value Choices

Coronado Springs is our Best Value choice in the Moderate category. It has several advantages compared with the other Moderate resorts. It is a convention hotel, so it has a few extra amenities not offered at the other Moderates, including a salon, a health club, room service, four table-service restaurants, four lounges (each with food service) and a more upscale food court.

The theming is radically different in the four areas of Coronado Springs. You can request a specific area when booking but there is no guarantee you’ll get your request (except for Tower rooms, which are a separate booking category).

Port Orleans – Riverside is another Moderate with extra value to offer. It features probably the most lush and stunning landscaping of any of the Moderates, with many meandering walking paths. It also offers carriage rides, bike rentals, a marina with watercraft rentals, and boat service to Disney Springs. Many people consider it the most romantic of the Moderates and it is a favorite with honeymooners. There is a very nice table-service restaurant, Boatwrights, and the River Roost lounge, which hosts Yehaa Bob Jackson’s family-friendly piano singalong show 4 nights per week most of the year.

There are two sections with radically different styles at Port Orleans – Riverside; you can request a specific section when booking but there is no guarantee you’ll get your request (except if you book the Royal Guest Rooms – see below).

Caribbean Beach is the first Moderate resort Disney built, and it has larger standard rooms (340 sq ft vs 314 for most other Moderates), so if a little extra space matters to you, that’s a good thing to know. The theming is less elaborate than at the other Moderates, though it’s still perfectly pleasant. If you love the light, bright feeling of the Caribbean, you’ll probably enjoy it. 

Caribbean Beach is the only Moderate hotel with access to Disney’s Skyliner aerial tramway, which is a great transportation option to get to Epcot, Hollywood Studios and the Boardwalk resort area. It can be a longish hike from the furthest reaches of the resort to the Skyliner stations, though. If access to the Skyliner is important to you, make sure to request a room close to one of the two stations. 

Caribbean Beach is the most spread out of all the Disney resorts, so it can be inconvenient to get around. Check-in and check-out take place in a building completely separate from the rest of the resort. The food court, restaurant and main pool at Caribbean Beach are all in one central area. If you won’t have a car and/or you don’t want to spend a lot of time hiking across the huge property to get a bite to eat, consider paying the extra cost per night to guarantee a Preferred room, which will put you closer to all the important stuff.

Port Orleans – French Quarter is New Orleans/Mardi Gras themed. Some people love French Quarter for its intimate feel and compact layout. Personally it’s our least favorite of the Moderates. For one thing, it has no table service restaurant. (There is a quick-service food court only.) Imagine the Big Easy with no dining options! There is a New Orleans style restaurant at Port Orleans – Riverside, but that can be a decent walk.

This resort has only one pool, which features a Mardi Gras float-inspired dragon water slide. Kids will probably enjoy it a lot, but if you want a quiet swim, it won’t be for you. Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter has an aquatic play area next to the pool, just for kids 48 inches and under. It features water slides, water cannons and fountains. As a guest at French Quarter, you can use the Port Orleans – Riverside facilities for watercraft rentals, bike rentals and carriage rides, but it’s a fairly long walk to that neighboring resort.

The rather generic room décor is consistent throughout the French Quarter buildings, so you face no choices there. Buildings 3 and 4 are the most convenient to the food court and services; request Building 2 or 5 if you want to be close to the pool.

Deluxe Resorts

The Deluxe resorts are Animal Kingdom Lodge, Beach Club, BoardWalk Inn, Contemporary, Grand Floridian, Polynesian Village, Wilderness Lodge and Yacht Club. All eight resorts feature unique, elaborate and even breathtaking theming. Animal Kingdom Lodge has 1293 rooms, Contemporary has 1008 rooms, Grand Floridian has 867 rooms, Polynesian Village has 847 rooms, Wilderness Lodge has 727 rooms, Yacht Club has 621 rooms, Beach Club has 576 rooms and BoardWalk Inn has 372 rooms.

Without exception, the Deluxe resorts are architecturally interesting, with amazing theming. Some are quite stunning and innovative, in fact. Deluxe resorts all have interior corridors. Deluxe rooms are attractively decorated in keeping with the resort’s theme and feature (at minimum) the amenities you would expect from an upmarket chain such as Sheraton or Hilton. The public areas of the Deluxe resorts inspire words like “spectacular” — they are almost unequaled anywhere else.

The main “feature” pools are outstanding. They are dramatically themed and all include water slides and hot tubs/spas. All of the Deluxe resorts offer on-site recreation such as boating, except for Animal Kingdom Lodge, which offers educational programs and live animal exhibits instead.

All of the Deluxe resorts offer a full slate of hotel services. Dining and beverage options will include at least one moderately-priced table-service restaurant, an upscale fine dining restaurant, a counter-service food option, room service, a lounge bar and a pool bar.

All of the Deluxe resorts have very nice high-end gift shops, a health club and valet parking. Beach Club, Contemporary, Grand Floridian and Yacht Club have salons.

Transportation from the Deluxe resorts to the theme parks and water parks varies:

All of the Deluxe resorts have mini-fridges in the rooms and complimentary wireless Internet (Wi-Fi) access in the rooms and select public areas.

The Deluxe resorts have FREE self-parking. Valet parking is $33, for overnight or day guests.

Room Types

Standard rooms at the Deluxe resorts vary in size from as small as 344 square feet at Animal Kingdom Lodge and Wilderness Lodge to as large as 440 square feet at Grand Floridian.

For a large upcharge, all Deluxes offer a concierge option, which gives you access to extra-special service and a private lounge that serves continental breakfast plus afternoon and evening snacks and drinks.

All of the Deluxe resorts also have a variety of very expensive suites. These vary widely in terms of size, included amenities and price. If you are interested in Deluxe suites, we recommend working with a Disney specialist travel agent who can help you sift through all the available offerings.

Room Rates

Best Value Choices

Wilderness Lodge is our Best Value choice in the Deluxe category. Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom Lodge are the two least expensive Deluxe resorts by a considerable margin. Usually the standard lodge rooms are at least $100 per night less than standard rooms at most of the other Deluxe resorts. Some people call the lodges the “Moderate Deluxes” for that reason. The two lodges provide all of the extra amenities offered by a Deluxe resort, plus outstanding theming.

However, bear in mind that standard rooms at Wilderness Lodge only sleep 4 and the rooms that can accommodate more people are very expensive, so this hotel isn’t a good budget choice for a larger family.

We think Wilderness Lodge is the best-themed of all Disney’s resorts. The lobby is stunning and the pool area is incredible. There are many romantic nooks and crannies throughout the resort where you can get away from the crowd. If the Pacific Northwest and the great lodges of the American West appeal to you, you will love this hotel.

Another major advantage of Wilderness Lodge is the boat transportation to the Magic Kingdom, which adds a layer of fun that buses just can’t match. You can also take a boat from Wilderness Lodge to Magic Kingdom or the Contemporary, then transfer by Monorail to the Polynesian Village Resort (great if you want to attend the Luau) and you can walk or take a boat to Fort Wilderness Campground (very convenient if you want to experience the Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue).

Among the Deluxe resorts, Wilderness Lodge has exceptionally good restaurants. Artist Point, the upscale fine dining restaurant at Wilderness Lodge, has always been one of our favorites, though now that it’s a character meal it doesn’t feel quite as premium as it did before. Whispering Canyon, the hotel’s moderately priced table-service restaurant, is lots of fun for the whole family: the restaurant staff puts on a wacky floor show while you enjoy down-home fare revolving around all-you-can-eat “skillets.” Whispering Canyon also serves lunch, which is nice because some of the Deluxe hotels don’t have a full-service restaurant that is open for lunch.

Contemporary’s Garden Wing rooms are also worth considering, if you want Deluxe amenities at a somewhat more reasonable price. At 394 square feet, Contemporary rooms are second only to Grand Floridian in size, and standard Contemporary rooms can sleep up to 5 (plus one baby under age 3 in a crib).

The best aspect of the Contemporary is its location. It is on the Monorail, which connects it to Magic Kingdom and (with a transfer) to Epcot. You can also take the Monorail to the Polynesian Village Resort if you want to attend the Luau and a boat to Fort Wilderness Campground if you want to do the Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue.

In addition to its convenient location, the Contemporary Resort embodies what a lot of people think of when they imagine Walt Disney World. The Monorail runs right through the tower and the décor screams Disney. It is also the home of Chef Mickey’s, which offers probably the best character meals at Walt Disney World; the upscale California Grill restaurant with its fabulous fireworks views; and the family-friendly Steakhouse 71.

Tower rooms at this hotel have fantastic views (of Bay Lake on one side and the Magic Kingdom on the other) and are a shorter walk to the Monorail, but cost a lot more. If you are easily bothered by noise and like to sleep in, be aware that Chef Mickey’s restaurant in the main tower of the Contemporary can be noisy because the happy cries of small children echo in the huge atrium space. You may want to request a room on the opposite end from Chef Mickey’s if this concerns you.

Animal Kingdom Lodge is another good value choice. Like Wilderness Lodge, the theming is amazing, there are loads of amenities, and the price for a standard room is much lower than other Deluxe resorts. However, standard rooms only sleep 4, so this isn’t an ideal choice for a larger family.

If you’ve always wanted to go on safari, this is the hotel for you. It really is like visiting another continent. It’s pretty thrilling to watch exotic animals grazing so close by that you can almost touch them. If you will be bringing kids along and they are into animals, you will score big points with this hotel. If you’re planning to spend a lot of time at your resort, there is a lot to enjoy here. You could have a very nice vacation at Animal Kingdom Lodge without ever going near the theme parks.

Like the Value and Moderate resorts, Animal Kingdom Lodge is a bit isolated and the transportation is all by bus. Fortunately you don’t share buses with any other resorts, so transportation time to the theme parks isn’t bad at all. However, if you have a tight agenda and/or plan to do a lot of hopping around all over Walt Disney World, you will want to rent a car or budget for taxi or Lyft rides.

Dining is outstanding at Animal Kingdom Lodge, if you like to try new things. Boma, the all-you-care-to-eat buffet, and Jiko, the upscale restaurant, both serve unusual African-inspired cuisine. You can also walk or bus over to the Kidani Village section of the Animal Kingdom Villas, and eat at Sanaa, a mid-priced Indian/African restaurant. Personally we love all of these restaurants, but we are adventurous eaters. If you prefer plain American food you may not be happy at this resort. It’s not at all convenient to eat elsewhere or to attend special meals such as the Luau or Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue, unless you have a car.

Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts (aka Disney Vacation Club Resorts)

The Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts (also called the Disney Vacation Club Resorts) at Walt Disney World are Animal Kingdom Villas, Bay Lake Tower, Beach Club Villas, BoardWalk Villas, Boulder Ridge Villas at Wilderness Lodge, Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Wilderness Lodge, Villas at Grand Floridian, Old Key West, Polynesian Villas & Bungalows, Riviera Resort and Saratoga Springs. All eleven resorts are sold as timeshares through Disney Vacation Club (DVC), but you can also rent the units directly through Disney’s reservation system, just like you would a hotel room.

Riviera Resort, the newest DVC resort at Walt Disney World, is right next door to the Caribbean Beach resort. It is a 300-room tower property with a rooftop restaurant, with access to the Skyliner cable-car system to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot.

These resorts feature feature beautiful theming and a variety of “homelike” accommodations. In order of size, Saratoga Springs has 1,320 units, Old Key West has 761 units, Animal Kingdom Villas has 708 units, BoardWalk Villas has 532 units, Riviera has 489 units, Bay Lake Tower has 428 units, Polynesian Villas & Bungalows has 380 units, Beach Club Villas has 282 units, Copper Creek has 220 units, Boulder Ridge has 181 units and Villas at Grand Floridian has 147 units.

The theming of the Disney Vacation Club resorts is on a par with the Deluxe resorts. The studio units are attractively decorated in keeping with the resort’s theme and feature (at minimum) the amenities you would expect from an upmarket chain such as Sheraton or Hilton. The 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom villas are at least equivalent to vacation condos offered by the Hilton Vacation Club or a similar outfit.

The resort buildings at Animal Kingdom Villas, Bay Lake Tower, Beach Club Villas, BoardWalk Villas, Riviera Resort, Studio rooms at the Polynesian Villas, Villas at Grand Floridian, Copper Creek Villas and Boulder Ridge Villas at Wilderness Lodge all have interior corridors. Old Key West and Saratoga Springs, the Cabins at Wilderness Lodge and the Bungalows at the Polynesian have exterior corridors.

At Animal Kingdom Villas (Jambo House), Bay Lake Tower, Beach Club Villas, BoardWalk Villas, Villas at Grand Floridian, Copper Creek and Boulder Ridge Villas at Wilderness Lodge, guests share the facilities in the adjoining Deluxe hotels, such as the “feature” pools. (They also have unthemed “quiet pools” closer to the villas, except at Wilderness Lodge and Jambo House.) Guests have access to on-site recreation (such as boating), valet parking and similar services that are offered by the neighboring Deluxe resort. These Disney Vacation Club resorts do not offer any additional dining options, gift shops, bars, etc., because it’s easy to use the services located in the hotel next door.

Riviera Resort, Saratoga Springs, Old Key West and Animal Kingdom Villas (Kidani Village) are self-contained resorts with many amenities. They are similar to the Deluxe resorts, but other than the Riviera, the rest have more limited dining options due to their distance from other resorts and the theme parks:

Saratoga Springs, Old Key West, Riviera and Animal Kingdom Villas (Kidani Village) have beautifully themed “feature” pools with elaborate pool slides. Kidani Village, Saratoga and Riviera also offer kids’ water play areas. There are additional unthemed “quiet pools” at Saratoga Springs, Riviera and Old Key West. These resorts offer recreational activities, video game rooms and fitness centers, plus the full-service Spa at Saratoga Springs. Because Old Key West, Saratoga Springs and Kidani Village are more isolated than the other Disney Vacation Club resorts, we highly recommend renting a car when you stay here, and we think a car is practically mandatory if staying at Kidani Village. Old Key West and Saratoga Springs don’t offer valet parking, salons or kids’ clubs. Kidani Village does have valet parking.

Transportation from the Disney Vacation Club resorts to other areas of Walt Disney World Resort varies:

All of the Disney Vacation Club resorts complimentary wireless Internet (Wi-Fi) access in the rooms and select public areas.

The Deluxe Villa resorts have FREE self-parking. Valet parking is $33, for overnight or day guests (valet parking is not available at Old Key West and Saratoga Springs).

Room Types

Studio units at the Walt Disney World Disney Vacation Club resorts are about the size of Disney’s Deluxe hotel rooms (355 to 412 square feet) and include a mini-fridge and microwave. Most Studios sleep 4 (plus one baby under age 3 in a crib) in two queen beds or a queen bed and a double or queen sofa-bed or pull-down bed. Studios at the Polynesian Villas, Riviera, Villas at Wilderness Lodge and Villas at the Grand Floridian sleep 5 (plus one baby under age 3 in a crib), though the 5th needs to be small enough to fit on a small pull-down bunk-size bed.

Tower Studio and Duo Studio units, only found at the Riviera resort and Polynesian Villas, respectively, have just a pull-down bed and an occupancy limit of 2 guests (plus one baby under age 3 in a crib). The pull-down beds have a Queen mattress and are quite comfortable.

There are also 1- and 2-bedroom villas that include a full kitchen (with all the basic cooking utensils, pots, pans and dishes supplied) and living room in addition to the bedroom(s), plus a whirlpool tub in the master bedroom and a washer/dryer in a closet.

The Treehouses at Saratoga Springs Resort have 3 bedrooms and sleep 9 (plus one baby under age 3 in a crib). There is one queen bed each of the first two bedrooms; bunk beds in the third bedroom; and a double pullout sofa and a single pullout chair in the living room.

The Bungalows at the Polynesian Village Resort have 2 bedrooms and sleep 8 (plus one baby under age 3 in a crib). There is a king bed in one bedroom, a queen bed and a pull-down bunk-size bed in the second bedroom, and a queen pullout sofa and a pull-down bunk-size bed in the living room.

The Cabins at Wilderness Lodge have 2 bedrooms and sleep 8 (plus one baby under age 3 in a crib). There is a king bed in one bedroom, a queen bed and a pull-down bunk-size bed in the second bedroom, and a queen pullout sofa and a twin-size sleeper chair in the living room.

Animal Kingdom Villas, Bay Lake Tower, BoardWalk Villas, Villas at Grand Floridian, Copper Creek Villas, Polynesian Villas, Riviera, Old Key West and Saratoga Springs also have 3-bedroom Grand Villas, for the ultimate in luxury and space — these can sleep up to 12 (plus one baby under age 3 in a crib) and offer a full kitchen, laundry facilities and more. The exact configurations vary, but generally there is a king bed in one bedroom; two queens or a queen and a queen pullout sofa or pull-down bed in each of the other two bedrooms; and a double or queen pullout sofa or pull-down bed in the living room.

Room Rates

Best Value Choices

Old Key West is our Best Value choice in the Deluxe Villa category. It was the first Disney Vacation Club to be built and the units are a bit bigger than at the other DVC resorts. Yet Old Key West offers the least expensive rates of the villa resorts on Disney property. The themed pool at Old Key West is spectacular, there are nice dining options and overall it’s an extremely attractive resort with lots of stuff to do.

However, we only recommend staying at Old Key West if you will have a car. You can take a boat to Disney Springs, but otherwise it feels a bit isolated and it’s not convenient to eat at another resort or attend special meals such as the Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue. Also, you may have to walk long distances from some of the units to the restaurant and main pool — if you have a car, you can drive over and park near these central services. You can get by with a combination of the Disney bus service and occasional taxi or Lyft rides, but you’ll spend a fair amount of time waiting for transportation.

Next best values, in our opinion, are Bay Lake Tower, BoardWalk Villas, Beach Club Villas, Riviera, Polynesian Villas & Bungalows, Villas at the Grand Floridian, Copper Creek Villas and Boulder Ridge Villas at Wilderness Lodge. While it costs more to stay at these resorts than at Old Key West, their close proximity to the Deluxe resorts and all the associated amenities make them super-convenient.

If you plan to spend a lot of time at Epcot and/or Disney’s Hollywood Studios, pick BoardWalk Villas, Riviera or Beach Club Villas, because you can walk or take the Skyliner to the theme parks from these resorts. If you plan to spend a lot of time at Magic Kingdom, our first choice is Bay Lake Tower, which has an easy walk to the front gates. Second best are the Polynesian Villas & Bungalows or the Villas at Grand Floridian, which are on the Monorail, or Wilderness Lodge, which has a lovely boat ride to the theme park. In most cases you really don’t need to rent a car if you stay at one of these resorts.

The two Animal Kingdom Villas locations (Jambo House and Kidani Village) are a mixed bag. Whether you will like them or not depends heavily on your interests and plans. (Personally, we love them.) They have the unique feature of the live animals, which are visible from Savannah View rooms and from many public locations. They also offer amazing theming including beautiful displays of African art, as well as unusual and exotic food choices, educational opportunities and many African-themed activities.

1- and 2-bedroom units at Animal Kingdom Villas have a higher capacity than most other DVC resorts (5 people can sleep in the 1-Bedroom units and 9 in the 2-Bedroom units), making them a desirable option for larger families. Bay Lake Tower and Villas at the Grand Floridian share this feature, but are significantly more expensive.

However, without a car, the two Animal Kingdom Villas locations are the least convenient of all the DVC resorts, with all transportation by bus. If you have a car, the convenience problem pretty much disappears. If you do not like unusual (non-American-style) foods, do not stay at Animal Kingdom Villas, particularly the Kidani section. You won’t be happy.

If we had to pick a least favorite of the Deluxe Villa properties, it would be Saratoga Springs Resort. The location is somewhat remote and it has the smallest units of any DVC resort. The large number of villas (and their location) can mean long walks to the central area that houses the pool, food court and spa. Also, the theming at this resort, while pleasant, is fairly ordinary, in our opinion.

The major advantage of this resort (besides cost) is that you can walk to Disney Springs, which has a truly massive number of great restaurants. We recommend renting a car if you stay here. Otherwise it’s not at all convenient to eat at another resort or attend special meals such as the Polynesian Luau or Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue.

All that said, you can usually get a villa here on fairly short notice, so it’s a good choice (along with Old Key West) for those times when you need to plan a trip for just a few months ahead. We’ve stayed here many times and have enjoyed each stay. If you stay here, you may want to request a villa as close as possible to Disney Springs (if you plan to go there a lot) or to the Carriage House (the main building with the restaurants and big pool).

Fort Wilderness Cabins and Campsites

There are 409 Fort Wilderness cabins and 788 campsites set in a wooded area of more than 700 acres.

There are many interesting entertainment and recreation options within the Fort Wilderness Campground, including biking, pony rides, hay rides, campfires and more. You have access to several dining options (a food truck, take out dining for breakfast, lunch or dinner, as well as a snack bar) and the Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue dinner show. Fort Wilderness also has a marina where you can rent various types of boats. 

Another major advantage of Fort Wilderness is the boat transportation to the Magic Kingdom, which is a lot more fun than taking a bus. If you want to eat at (or just explore) the Contemporary Resort or Wilderness Lodge, you can take a boat directly to those resorts. To visit the Polynesian (perhaps to attend the Luau) or the Grand Floridian, you can take a boat to the Magic Kingdom or Contemporary and then take the Monorail to the resorts.

Accommodation Types

Campsites are designated as Tent or Pop-up (electricity and water provided, room for tent, camper van or popup trailer up to 10ft x 25ft), Full Hookup (electricity, water and sewer provided, allows tent + RV up to 10ft x 50ft), Preferred (electricity, water, sewer and cable TV hookups, room for tent + RV up to 10ft x 45ft, plus more convenient location), Premium (basically Preferred, plus room for RV up to 18ft x 60ft), or Premium Meadow (same as Premium, but closer to the facilities). Each site has a picnic table and charcoal grill. Most sites feel fairly secluded because there are stands of trees and bushes between sites. Max occupancy for all sites is 10.

The cabins are 504-square-foot, one-bedroom units that contain a queen bed and bunk beds in the bedroom and a double pull-out sofa bed in the living room, giving them a maximum occupancy of 6 (plus one baby under age 3 in a crib). This makes them a good choice for larger families. Fort Wilderness cabins have a full (small) kitchen with all the basic cooking utensils, pots, pans and dishes supplied, as well as a charcoal grill on the patio. (Note that they don’t have a full-size oven, just a combination convection/microwave oven.) Technically the Fort Wilderness Cabins are categorized by Disney as Moderate resorts, but they are priced differently and the accommodations provided by the Cabins are completely different from the other Moderates. They are much closer to the Family Suites available at Art of Animation and All-Star Music resort, but with a real kitchen, or a DVC 1-bedroom villa with an extra set of bunk beds.

Accommodation Rates