Hotels are a big part of your Disney World vacation budget. Fortunately, there are plenty of hotels that cater to every taste and budget. Here are my favorite value, moderate and deluxe hotels on Disney property.
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Budget/Value Hotels
I’m always looking for every excuse to go to a Disney park. Since I can fly free on Southwest and know all the great ways to save money at Disney, hotels are often my biggest expense. So I often find myself booking budget hotels on Disney World property. Disney’s on-property budget hotels are called “value resorts.” There are also a lot of Disney Good Neighbor hotels located in Disney Springs.
You can book super cheap hotels in Orlando. But there are a few things you need to prioritize when visiting a Disney park. These priorities include early access to the parks. You can get into each of Disney World’s four theme parks 30 minutes early each day. You also have the ability to purchase skip-the-line Individual Lightening Lanes at 7 a.m. If you are staying at a Disney owned hotel, you also have the ability to book your advanced dining reservations for popular restaurants 10 days earlier than other guests. You also get free parking at the theme parks if you have a car.
For me, the most valuable of these perks is early entry 30 minutes before general park opening. This can save you up to two hours in line later in the day. So for me it’s worth booking a hotel with this benefit.
Drury Plaza Orlando-Disney Springs Area
The Drury Plaza Orlando – Disney Springs Area is a brand new hotel located in Disney’s shopping and dining complex. This hotel has a lot to like. It has free breakfast, a free happy hour with three included drinks, a Starbucks, a Pizza Hut, an arcade, and a lakeside pool and splashpad. Each room also has a microwave and refrigerator. And you can book rooms with two queen beds plus a sofa sleeper – perfect for families! It is about a 15 minute walk to all of the shops and restaurants in Disney Springs, and there are complimentary shuttle busses that take you to the theme parks. Some rooms even feature a fireworks view!
This is not a Disney-owned hotel, so the biggest perks you get are early entry and ability to book an Individual Lightening Lane at 7 a.m. Still, for the relatively low price point and all of the inclusions, it’s a great hotel to consider.
One caveat – shuttles from the Disney Springs hotels aren’t usually as reliable as those from the Disney-owned hotels. Plan to spring for a few Uber or Lyft rides during your trip. But you can afford it, given how much you are saving on accommodations!
Room Rates
Room rates depend on the season you are traveling and can vary widely. Generally, you can expect to pay $150-275 for a room at the Drury Plaza Orlando. If you have a car, self-parking costs an additional $25+ tax per night. If you can get a room at the Drury for $175 a night or less, book it!
Pop Century
My favorite of the Disney World value hotels is Pop Century Resort. The main reason for this is that it is the only Disney value hotel that has access to the Skyliner. The Skyliner is a gondola system linking several Disney hotels to two theme parks, EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. It makes getting to and from these parks ridiculously easy and super fun. Buses are available for the other two parks, Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom.
This hotel is themed to the decades between the 1950s to 1990s. Each section of the hotel has gigantic icons and Disney characters from the various decades. There are three pools in the complex. The rooms are small at 260 square feet, but they are incredibly efficient with one queen bed and one queen-size Murphy bed that converts into a table. Max capacity is four plus a child under age 3. Each room has a small refrigerator but not a microwave. There is a highly rated food court onsight, but no food is included in your stay. Parking is free.
Room Rates
Room rates depend on the season you are traveling and can vary widely. Generally, you can expect to pay $175-300 for a room at Pop Century. However, discounts are often available. If you can get a room at Pop Century for $175 a night or less, it’s a good deal.
Moderate Hotels
If you don’t mind spending a bit more money, Disney World moderate hotels are a great option. They are usually more convenient to the parks and have a few more amenities. The following hotels all share the perks of staying in an on-property hotel, including getting into each of Disney World’s four theme parks 30 minutes early each day and the ability to purchase skip-the-line Individual Lightening Lanes at 7 a.m.
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Caribbean Beach
My choice for moderate Disney World hotels is Caribbean Beach. This is for the same reason I choose Pop Century – the Skyliner! And Caribbean Beach is the Skyliner’s hub, so you simply get on one gondola and it takes you all the way to the place you want to go rather than having to transfer like you would from Pop Century. The Skyliner takes you from Caribbean Beach to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, and buses service the other two parks.
Caribbean Beach rooms are 314 square feet and most feature two queen beds. Some also have a small fold-down bed suitable for a child. Max capacity is five plus a child under age 3. Each room has a small refrigerator but not a microwave. The resort feels like a tropical Caribbean paradise with lush landscaping and beaches surrounding a lake. No swimming is allowed in the lake, but there are six pools at the resort. The feature pool is themed like a colonial Spanish fortress with two waterslides, spray cannons, a whirlpool, and a shipwreck play area. Caribbean Beach features a full-service restaurant, two quick-service restaurants, a grab and go market, and a pool bar. No food is included in your stay. Parking is free.
Room Rates
Room rates depend on the season you are traveling and can vary widely. Generally, you can expect to pay $250-475 for a room at Caribbean Beach. However, discounts are often available. I think $275 a night or less is a good price to pay for a room at Caribbean Beach.
Swan/Dolphin/Swan Reserve
While I think Caribbean Beach is a great choice, I skip it and book the Walt Disney World Swan, Swan Reserve, or Dolphin hotel instead. These are a trio of adjacently located Marriott hotels on Disney World property. They are within walking distance to both EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. Buses are available for the other two parks. While I love the Skyliner, I love having control over my own destiny by being able to walk to two parks!
Better yet, these hotels are moderately priced, but they share an an amenity only offered to guests at the deluxe Disney properties, extended evening hours. Typically, two theme parks stay open two hours past regular closing time one day each week for guests of Disney deluxe hotels and those staying at the Swan/Dolphin/Swan Reserve. When one of those theme parks is Magic Kingdom, it’s a priceless perk!
The hotels are nicely appointed but lack Disney theming. Room sizes are 330-360 square feet. The biggest difference in the rooms are bed size. Dolphin has two double beds while the Swan and Swan Reserve have two queen beds. Dolphin standard rooms sleep up to five guests while Swan/Swan Reserve only sleep four. Each room has a small refrigerator but not a microwave. No matter which hotel you stay at, you have access to all three resorts’ pools and activities. There are six pools, four whirlpools, and a white sand beach to lounge on. Dining opportunities are abundant, with six signature restaurants, ten quick/casual restaurants, and six lounges. No food is included in your stay. Parking is $25 per night.
Room Rates
Room rates depend on the season you are traveling and can vary widely. I have seen prices range from $165 all the way to $2,000 per night! I think $325 a night or less is a good price to pay for a room at one of these hotels. Better yet, if you have a stash of Marriott points (or Chase Ultimate Rewards points), you can stay there for free! Just remember that there is a resort fee of $40+tax per night that is not waived with points bookings.
Deluxe
Disney World deluxe hotels are truly amazing and highly recommended for people who can afford them. I am not one of those people. I prefer to spend my money taking more trips than booking fabulous hotel rooms! Plus, you can enjoy some of these hotel amenities by just visiting the hotel and staying elsewhere. But if you truly want a unique experience, consider one of the following Disney-owned hotels. They all include all the perks mentioned above and each have a unique aspect to consider:
- Beach Club or Yacht Club – these sister hotels are within walking distance of EPCOT and Hollywood Studios and feature a shared beachside water park area featuring three acres of pools, waterslides, whirlpools, and a lazy river. Expect to pay $525-1,000 per night.
- Animal Kingdom Lodge – this unique hotel is surrounded by an African-inspired savannah that features more than 200 animals and birds. Some rooms have direct savannah views, so you can enjoy your morning coffee on your balcony and watch giraffe, zebras, and other animals start their days as well. Room rates range from $475-850 per night.
- Contemporary Resort – this iconic hotel was one of Walt Disney World’s first and features the famous Disney Monorail running right through it. The best part of this hotel are the transportation options to the park. You can take the monorail to Magic Kingdom and EPCOT. Better yet, it’s only a 10 minute walk to and from Magic Kingdom. Some rooms also feature theme park views, so you can watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks from your bed. Room rates are from $550-$1,000 per night.
What’s your favorite of the Disney World hotels?
Tell us below! And if you love theme parks and saving money on travel, check out our Theme Park Guides & Saving Money Tips!
