Essential Guide to the Disney World Hotels

How to find your perfect Disney World hotel

Choosing where to stay is one of the biggest decisions for any vacation. With about two dozen on-site Disney World hotel options, guests face a huge host of choices. This post gives you the information you need to decide where to stay, how to save money on your Disney World hotel, and how to make the most of your Orlando vacation.

First we’ll discuss why you should choose a Disney World hotel, and how to sift through the choices. Then I share some advice for booking your vacation. And finally a complete listing of every Disney World resort with a quick guide to what makes each property special. Be sure to bookmark this article for future reference.

Why you should stay in a Disney World hotel

Hear me discuss the basics about Disney World’s hotels on Go Informed Podcast episode 59. You can listen right here or on your favorite podcast app.

The Disney Bubble

There are a lot of choices for accommodations in Orlando, so why should you choose to stay on-site at a Disney World hotel? One of the top reasons is the “Disney Bubble”. The Disney Bubble is the concept that once you enter the Manhattan-sized Disney World property you are leaving the real world behind.

By staying in a Disney hotel, you don’t have to leave the bubble even when you leave a park. All of the Disney resorts exude the same service, attention to detail, and touch of fantasy that you’ll find in the theme parks. Disney provides free transportation to all the theme parks, including some very unusual modes, so you don’t even have to drive. All of this adds up to a complete vacation experience that keeps the real world out for awhile.

Convenience

The on-property hotels are the most convenient to the Disney theme parks, both in terms of physical location and transportation. Some are just a monorail, boat, or Skyliner ride away from the park entrance. A few are even within walking distance.

If you choose to book your hotel in a Disney vacation package, you’ll have the convenience of making payments instead of purchasing your park tickets up front. And you’ll have one number to call if you need to make a change or have a question.

Staying on-site can also make your mornings a little easier. From room service to character wake-up calls, the Disney hotels offer tactics to get your family up and moving with less drama. Check out 7 simple ways you can improve your Disney morning here.

Perks at the parks

Disney offers lots of extra benefits for guests staying in their hotels, including:

• Priority for park reservations
• Convenient free transportation from the hotels to the Disney parks and Disney Springs
• Exclusive 30-minutes early theme park entry to every park every day
• An hour or two morning head-start on booking Individual Lightning Lane selections
• Extended evening hours for guests staying in Deluxe resorts, and the Swan, Swan Reserve, and Dolphin hotels
• Charge your purchases in the parks and Disney Springs to your room. Pre-order a Magic Band and you’ll just tap to pay.

Did you know you can leverage Disney’s early admission to beat the crowds twice in the same morning? Find out how to double-up your rope drop here.

The Disney World hotels are true vacation destinations

Every one of the Disney hotels is a true resort property, much more than just a bed for the night. From the most luxurious to the budget-friendly options, every property has unique theming, postcard-worthy swimming pools, meticulously landscaped grounds, and tempting dining options.

Anywhere else, these resorts would be destinations on their own. The sort of hotel where you could spend a long weekend just hanging out on the property. Make some time in your Disney vacation to explore and enjoy your resort.

How to decide which Disney World hotel is right for you

The Disney World resort categories

Disney splits their lodging options into several categories: Deluxe, Moderate, Value, and DVC Villas. While there are some distinct differences between the types, guests will enjoy the convenience, resort experience, and “Disney Bubble” at any Disney World property.

Deluxe

The Disney World deluxe resorts are high-end luxury properties with the pricing and amenities you’d expect at any five-star hotel. All of the deluxe resorts feature multiple dining options, including fine dining and often character meals.

At the Disney deluxe hotels you’ll find spectacular lobbies and the largest rooms on property. The only hotels within walking distance to a theme park* are deluxe resorts. These resorts also have on-site amenities like fitness centers and spas, which are not found in the other categories.

Disney World’s Deluxe resorts also include a very special perk: extended evening park hours at Magic Kingdom and Epcot. This benefit is only open to guests staying in the Disney Deluxe hotels.

*The Swan, Swan Reserve, and Dolphin, which I categorize as moderate, are the exception to this rule. And one more exception – the moderate Coronado Springs has a fitness center. You can get all these details in the hotel listings later in this post.

Moderate

Disney World’s moderate hotels provide lots of on-site amenities with a more casual design. Rooms here are smaller than at the deluxe resorts, soft goods like towels and sheets are a bit more pedestrian and the dining options are mostly less formal. Many of the moderate hotels are on sprawling grounds with lots of activities, like fishing, jogging trails, and bike rentals.

Most of the moderate hotels feature multi-story buildings with outdoor corridors. Don’t let this “motel” appearance fool you. Sited on park-like acreage, your room is more likely to look out on greenery than a parking lot.

Value

Often at rates that compare to chain off-site options, the Disney World value hotels provide all the delights of the Disney Bubble along with some of the most heavily themed environments. Dining options are extensive food courts, and buildings are low-rise with exterior corridors.

The value resorts take up lots of land, which allows room for incredible theming elements like a life-size homage to the Cozy Cone motel and huge themed pools. Rooms are the smallest on property and the towels are not Egyptian cotton, but for theming and atmosphere these are some of Disney World’s top options.

The DVC Villas

If you’re looking for a luxury condo-style accommodation on the Disney World property, you’ll want a DVC Villa.

DVC is the Disney Vacation Club, a time-share program that rents out excess inventory through the Disney World booking system. You absolutely do not have to be a DVC owner to stay in a villa, and you don’t have to worry about getting sucked into a time-share pitch if you book a villa for your stay. If you book your villa through Disney’s system, your reservation will be just the same as if you book any other hotel room.

The villas are located at most of the deluxe resorts and at a couple of all-villa properties. These are apartment-style units that range in size from studio to three-bedrooms. All have kitchen facilities and most have in-room washers and dryers. The villas share all the amenities of their adjacent resorts, so you get all the space of a condo with the experience of staying at a Disney property.

Questions to help you choose your Disney World hotel

When choosing where to stay, don’t assume one category is automatically the right one for you. Consider a few questions first to narrow down your options, then explore the properties that fit best your needs and budget.

What’s your budget?

The farther ahead you plan, the more opportunity you’ll have to find something within your budget. The Disney resorts usually range in price from about $100 per night at the campground to over $1000 per night for a large Deluxe Villa. There are LOTS of choices in between.

For real-time pricing, be sure to scroll down to the hotel listings later in this post for links to Disney’s website.

Don’t forget to include the price of your park tickets in your budget. Keep in mind that once you get beyond a three or four day ticket, the incremental cost to add another day can be very low. Booking your hotel and tickets in a Disney vacation package can sometimes save money on the total. If you use a travel agent, they can help you figure out the most economical way to purchase your Disney vacation.

Learn more about the different Disney World park ticket options, and how they add up, in this post.

Check out my tips below for more advice about saving money on your hotel stay.

What size room do you need?

How many guests are in your party? Will you all stay in one room or spread out?

Room size is biggest at the Disney World Deluxe resorts, but some of the value hotels have economical family suites that sleep up to 6.

Even for a typical family of 3 or 4, a DVC villa may be the best choice. Villas include a kitchen, separate living space, and multiple bedrooms and bathrooms (depending on the size you choose). This means more space for your group and makes it easier to get everyone going in the morning.

What amenities do you want?

While some amenities depend on the resort category (for instance, if you’re looking for fine dining and room service, you’ll want a deluxe hotel), every Disney World hotel has something unique to offer. If on-site activities are important, check out a resort like Fort Wilderness. If you want a fitness center, look for a deluxe or stay at the moderate Coronado Springs.

Be sure to scroll down to my hotel listings below for a synopsis of each resort.

75-second Disney World Quick Guide

What’s your favorite Disney World park?

If you have a theme park where you expect to spend the most time, look for a resort nearby or with easy transportation to that park.

Disney World hotels most convenient to Magic Kingdom are:

• Grand Floridian
• Contemporary
• Polynesian Village
• Wilderness Lodge
• Fort Wilderness Cabins
• Fort Wilderness Campground

Disney World hotels most convenient to Epcot are:

• Yacht and Beach Club
• Boardwalk Inn
• Riviera
• Saratoga Springs
• Old Key West
• Caribbean Beach
• Port Orleans French Quarter
• Port Orleans Riverside
• Swan, Swan Reserve, and Dolphin
• Pop Century
• Art of Animation

Note that Epcot is the most centrally located theme park at Disney World, resorts near Epcot are therefore most equally distant between the other parks.

Disney World hotels most convenient to Hollywood Studios are:

• Yacht and Beach Club
• Boardwalk Inn
• Riviera
• Caribbean Beach
• Swan, Swan Reserve, and Dolphin
• Pop Century
• Art of Animation

Disney World hotels most convenient to Animal Kingdom are:

• Animal Kingdom Lodge
• Coronado Springs
• All-Star Movies, Music, Sports

Do you want a hotel with lots of theming?

If you want the full 24/7 Disney experience, choose a hotel with lots of theming. In many cases these are not the most expensive resorts. In fact, some of the best theming on the property is at the value Art of Animation and Pop Century resorts.

Most of the deluxe resorts have understated theming, but not all. The Wilderness Lodge is a beautiful reproduction of a Western US National Park lodge, and at Animal Kingdom Lodge you can watch zebras graze right outside your room.

For animal lovers, some of the best options are Fort Wilderness and Animal Kingdom Lodge. Be sure to read my animal lover’s guide to Disney World for more info.

I’ve noted the theming at each resort in my listings below.