How to Enjoy the Least Expensive Hotels at Walt Disney World

Basic Disney World logic tells us that the more we spend on our hotel rooms, the more amenities and “perks” we’ll get. While the Deluxe Resorts and even the Moderate Resorts have more to offer in terms of dining locations, activities, and overall atmosphere, the Value Resorts also have plenty of ways to have fun!

Today, we’re going to cover all of the ways you can enjoy the least expensive Disney World hotels — all while saving money on your vacation budget!

Dining Options

No matter which Disney World hotel you stay in, you’ll have at least some kind of dining option available. Disney’s Value Resorts each have a food court that offers a variety of options for your family and a pool bar (or a bar that’s pretty close to poolside) with limited beverage and even more limited food options. The food courts at the Values are actually a lot of fun, with the Roxy Counter at Disney’s All Star Movies Resort’s World Premiere Food Court even featuring its own secret menu! Plus, food courts mean there’s something for everyone!

As for pool bars, The Drop Off Bar at Disney’s Art of Animation and Petals Pool Bar at Disney’s Pop Century Resort are colorful and convenient.

The All-Star Resorts each have a pool-proximal bar, too: Singing Spirits at Music, Silver Screen Spirits at Movies, and Grandstand Spirits at Sports. The All-Star bars are connected to their respective food courts while the pool bars at Art of Animation and Pop are standalone structures.

Fun pools!

Speaking of pools, Disney World’s Value Resorts have some pretty awesome pools, with fun themes and decorations that kids in particular will enjoy. In fact, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort has the largest single hotel pool on property! (If we include Stormalong Bay at the Yacht and Beach Clubs, which is really a complex of pools, the Big Blue Pool comes in second in size.)

Hotel activities and recreation

There’s plenty to see and do around the resort grounds no matter where you stay, including the Value Resorts! Disney’s Value Resorts host Movies Under the Stars where you and the family can watch your favorite Disney film outdoors! (Check with the front desk or your Resort’s Recreation Activities board for details during your visit!)

There are also playgrounds for kids; jogging trails for the athletes; and fun, larger-than-life statues all around property (they make for great photo ops!).

Hop on the Skyliner

One of the great perks with staying at Disney’s Pop Century Resort or Disney’s Art of Animation Resort is that you have convenient access to the Disney Skyliner. The Skyliner takes you directly to Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, the gondola system’s hub, and on to Disney’s Riviera Resort, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and EPCOT!

You can take a spin around the Skyliner loop to get a bird’s-eye view of Disney World, or rely on it for convenient transportation to the parks!

Enjoy more space with Family Suites

Disney’s Art of Animation Resort and Disney’s All Star Music Resort both offer family suites; Animation features three sections of suites while Music only has a handful of suites. These types of accommodations can sleep up to six guests (plus a seventh under-three in a crib!), whereas a standard room sleeps up to four guests (plus a crib as applicable). By staying in a family suite, you’ll have more elbow room, not to mention not having to worry that your family of five or more will need to be split into separate rooms.

Enjoy the fact that you’re saving money!

Finally, a lower per night cost equals more time in Disney World, a bigger dining budget, or leftover money to put toward your NEXT vacation! Perhaps the best way to enjoy Disney World’s cheapest resort hotels is by simply remembering that you’re saving big bucks by choosing more affordable accommodations.

We love a good Deluxe Resort, but when we can stay at a Value Resort for several nights before we add up the cost to just a couple nights at a Deluxe, it’s hard not to enjoy the savings!

Click here for a list of the BEST and WORST hotels at each price point in Disney World!

Have you ever stayed at a Disney World Value Resort? Let us know what your favorite one is in the comments!