Which Walt Disney World Resort Hotel is Right For You?

Written by Amy - Social Media and Influencer Lead
Walt Disney World Tickets , Orlando
Guests at Disney's Polynesian Villas & Bungalows
Twenty-six official hotels, four price categories, one big decision - here's everything you need to choose the right Walt Disney World Resort hotel for your stay.
This guide breaks down every official Walt Disney World Resort hotel by price category, location and the kind of holiday you're after, covering monorail and Disney Skyliner access, proximity to Magic Kingdom Park, and the best picks for families, couples, animal lovers and more.

Walt Disney World Resort Hotels are split into four price categories - Value, Moderate, Deluxe and Deluxe Villa - with more than two dozen properties to choose between in total, all set within Walt Disney World Resort in Florida itself. Staying onsite means you're never far from the magic, with theming that runs from giant pop-culture icons to an African savannah right outside your window.

Some visitors care most about being steps from Magic Kingdom Park. Others want space for the whole family, or a pool worth spending a day beside. Read on for a category-by-category breakdown, plus a pick of the right Resort hotel for every kind of trip.

 

What's included for every Walt Disney World Resort hotel guest?

No matter which category you book, every Walt Disney World Resort hotel guest gets access to the same set of onsite perks:

  • Complimentary transport between your hotel, the Theme Parks, Water Parks and Disney Springs, by bus, boat, monorail or Disney Skyliner depending on where you're staying
  • Early Theme Park Entry, giving you access to a chosen park 30 minutes before regular opening every day (valid park admission required)
  • The option to purchase Lightning Lane Single Pass and Lightning Lane Multi Pass selections, alongside earlier My Disney Experience planning windows
  • Advance dining reservations up to 60 days before arrival, covering up to 10 days of your trip in a single booking
  • Extended Evening Theme Park Hours on select nights for guests staying at Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts, with valid park admission
  • Character encounters, themed pools and the same standard of Disney service, whichever category you book

Curious why so many guests choose to stay onsite at all? We have a full rundown in our 12 reasons to stay at a Disney Resort hotel guide.

 

What does it cost to stay at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel?

Rates shift constantly depending on the season, the room type and how early you book, but the category you choose has the biggest impact on the price you'll pay. As a rough guide:

  • Value - the most budget-friendly category, with the same Disney transport and benefits as every other tier
  • Moderate - larger rooms and more refined theming, plus at least one table-service restaurant
  • Deluxe - the highest level of theming, dining and convenience, with several hotels directly connected to the parks
  • Deluxe Villa - studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom villas with kitchens, suited to longer stays or larger families

 

Royal Guest Room at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside

 

Walt Disney World Resort hotels at a glance

 

Hotel

Category

Resort Area

Key Features

Disney's All-Star Movies Resort

Value

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Resort Area

  • Giant movie-themed icons
  • Food court
  • Bus transport only

Disney's All-Star Music Resort

Value

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Resort Area

  • Music-themed buildings
  • Family suites with kitchenette
  • Food court

Disney's All-Star Sports Resort

Value

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Resort Area

  • Sports-themed icons
  • Food court
  • Among the most affordable onsite stays

Disney's Pop Century Resort

Value

Disney’s Hollywood Studios Resort Area

  • Decades-themed pop culture
  • Disney Skyliner to EPCOT and Disney's Hollywood Studios

Disney's Art of Animation Resort

Value

Disney’s Hollywood Studios Resort Area

  • Family Suites themed to Finding Nemo, The Lion King, Cars and The Little Mermaid
  • Disney Skyliner
  • Dog-friendly rooms available

Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort

Moderate

EPCOT Resort Area

  • Caribbean island theming
  • Disney Skyliner to EPCOT and Disney's Hollywood Studios

Disney's Coronado Springs Resort

Moderate

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Resort Area

  • Spanish and Mexican-inspired theming
  • Gran Destino Tower rooms
  • Dig Site pool with a Mayan pyramid slide

Disney's Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter

Moderate

Disney Springs Resort Area

  • New Orleans Mardi Gras theming
  • Boat to Disney Springs
  • Compact, walkable layout

Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside

Moderate

Disney Springs Resort Area

  • Antebellum Louisiana theming
  • Royal Guest Rooms themed to Disney Princesses
  • Dog-friendly rooms available

The Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort

Moderate

Magic Kingdom Resort Area

  • Woodland cabins sleeping up to 6
  • Boat to Magic Kingdom Park
  • Dog-friendly cabins available

Disney's Contemporary Resort

Deluxe 

Magic Kingdom Resort Area

  • Monorail and walking path to Magic Kingdom Park
  • Chef Mickey's character dining

Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Deluxe

Magic Kingdom Resort Area

  • Monorail to Magic Kingdom Park
  • Full-service spa
  • Victorian-style theming

Disney's Polynesian Village Resort

Deluxe

Magic Kingdom Resort Area

  • Monorail and ferry to Magic Kingdom Park
  • South Pacific theming

Disney's Wilderness Lodge

Deluxe

Magic Kingdom Resort Area

  • National-park-lodge theming
  • Boat to Magic Kingdom Park
  • Hourly geyser eruption

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

Deluxe 

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Resort Area

  • Savannah-view rooms with roaming giraffes and zebras
  • Bus transport only

Disney's Beach Club Resort

Deluxe 

EPCOT Resort Area 

  • Walk to EPCOT
  • Shares the 3-acre Stormalong Bay pool with Yacht Club

Disney's Yacht Club Resort

Deluxe

EPCOT Resort Area 

  • Walk to EPCOT and Disney's Hollywood Studios
  • Dog-friendly rooms available

Disney's Boardwalk Inn

Deluxe 

EPCOT Resort Area

  • Walk to EPCOT
  • Lakefront boardwalk entertainment district

Disney's Riviera Resort

Deluxe 

Disney’s Hollywood Studios/EPCOT Resort Area

  • Its own Disney Skyliner station
  • European-inspired theming

Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort

Deluxe Villa

Magic Kingdom Resort Area

  • Monorail and walking path to Magic Kingdom Park
  • Rooftop observation deck

The Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Deluxe Villa

Magic Kingdom Resort Area

  • Monorail to Magic Kingdom Park
  • Villas with full kitchens

Disney's Polynesian Villas & Bungalows

Deluxe Villa 

Magic Kingdom Resort Area

  • Overwater bungalows with private plunge pools
  • Magic Kingdom Park views

Boulder Ridge Villas / Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney's Wilderness Lodge

Deluxe Villa

Magic Kingdom Resort Area

  • Boat to Magic Kingdom Park
  • Waterfront cabins with private hot tubs

Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani Village

Deluxe Villa

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Resort Area

  • Savannah-view villas with full kitchens

Disney's Beach Club Villas

Deluxe Villa

EPCOT Resort Area

  • Walk to EPCOT
  • Access to Stormalong Bay

Disney's Boardwalk Villas

Deluxe Villa

EPCOT Resort Area

  • Walk to EPCOT
  • Lakefront boardwalk location

Disney's Old Key West Resort

Deluxe Villa

Disney Springs Resort Area

  • Florida Keys theming
  • Among the largest standard villas onsite

Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa

Deluxe Villa

Disney Springs Resort Area

  • Saratoga Springs, New York-inspired theming
  • Onsite spa

Disney's Riviera Resort

Deluxe Villa

Disney's Hollywood Studios/EPCOT Resort Area

  • Also sells Deluxe Villa studios alongside its Deluxe rooms

 

Quick reference: which Walt Disney World Resort hotel suits you?

Match what matters most to you against the table below, then scroll down for the full detail on each pick.

 

If you want…

Consider…

Monorail access to Magic Kingdom Park

  • Disney's Contemporary Resort
  • Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
  • Disney's Polynesian Village Resort

The best hotel for families

  • Disney's Art of Animation Resort
  • Disney's Pop Century Resort

A grown-up escape

  • Disney's Coronado Springs Resort
  • Disney's Beach Club Resort

To stay out late at Magic Kingdom Park

  • Disney's Contemporary Resort

Disney Princess theming

  • Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside

To wake up among the animals

  • Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

A real beach feel

  • Disney's Beach Club Resort

The great outdoors

  • The Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort

The most affordable onsite stay

  • Disney's All-Star Music Resort
  • Disney's All-Star Sports Resort

Disney Skyliner access to EPCOT and Disney's Hollywood Studios

  • Disney's Pop Century Resort
  • Disney's Art of Animation Resort
  • Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort
  • Disney's Riviera Resort

Extra space for a longer stay or larger family

  • Disney's Old Key West Resort
  • Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa

Walking distance to EPCOT and Disney's Hollywood Studios

  • Disney's Beach Club Resort
  • Disney's Yacht Club Resort
  • Disney's Boardwalk Inn

To bring your dog

  • Disney's Yacht Club Resort
  • Disney's Art of Animation Resort
  • Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside
  • The Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort

 

Which Walt Disney World Resort hotel is right for you?

Best for monorail access

Three hotels sit directly on the Magic Kingdom Park monorail loop: Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and Disney's Polynesian Village Resort. Hop on, and you'll be inside the park within minutes, with no bus or boat transfer needed!

Want to lie in, then stay until close? Disney's Contemporary Resort has the edge here too, since it also has a walking path straight into Magic Kingdom Park. On nights with Extended Evening Theme Park Hours, the park can stay open until 1am, and being one monorail stop away makes all the difference.

 

The Resort monorail at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

 

Best for families

Looking for the most family-friendly hotel onsite? Disney's Art of Animation Resort is built around exactly that: Family Suites themed to Finding Nemo, The Lion King, Cars and The Little Mermaid sleep up to six, with a separate bedroom and kitchenette to make mornings easier.

A more relaxed, slightly lower-cost option is Disney's Pop Century Resort, where the same Disney Skyliner connects you to EPCOT and Disney's Hollywood Studios without giving up much in the way of family-friendly theming.

 

Best for a grown-up escape

Couples and adult groups tend to gravitate toward Disney's Coronado Springs Resort, especially since its Gran Destino Tower expansion brought sleek, modern rooms and a rooftop tapas restaurant into the mix.

Prefer something more coastal? Disney's Beach Club Resort sits within walking distance of EPCOT's restaurants and World Showcase, with a New England seaside feel that's noticeably quieter than the busier Value and Moderate resorts.

 

Best for animal lovers

For animal lovers, the choice is straightforward: Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, where savannah-view rooms look out over roaming giraffes, zebras and antelope from your own balcony, every day of your stay.

Not staying in a savannah-view room? There are still plenty of spots around the hotel to watch the animals, including the evening campfire where guests toast marshmallows as the sun goes down.

 

Giraffe, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

 

Best for beach lovers

Disney's Beach Club Resort recreates the seaside towns of New England, complete with a sand-bottomed pool, a lazy river and a stretch of real sand overlooking Crescent Lake.

It's also home to Stormalong Bay, the 3-acre pool complex shared with Disney's Yacht Club Resort and widely considered the best hotel pool at Walt Disney World Resort. A milkshake from Beaches & Cream Soda Shop is the perfect way to round off a pool day.

 

Best for the great outdoors

Swap hotel corridors for woodland trails at The Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort, where bike and canoe rentals, horse-drawn carriage rides and Chip 'n' Dale's Campfire Sing-A-Long fill the time between park days.

Magic Kingdom Park is still only a short boat ride away when you're ready for it, and this is one of just four onsite hotels where dogs are welcome too.

 

Guests at The Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort

 

Best for Disney Princess fans

Disney Princess fans should look no further than the Royal Guest Rooms at Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside, where details inspired by AladdinBeauty and the Beast and Princess Tiana are woven into the décor.

 

Best for Disney Skyliner access

Four hotels connect to EPCOT and Disney's Hollywood Studios by Disney Skyliner: Disney's Pop Century Resort and Disney's Art of Animation Resort share a station, while Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort and Disney's Riviera Resort each have their own. Travelling with a pushchair? There's no need to fold it before boarding, unlike on the bus.

 

Best for larger families and longer stays

Need more room than a standard hotel floor plan allows? Walt Disney World Resort's Deluxe Villa Resorts come with studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts, full kitchens and in-unit laundry.

Both Disney's Old Key West Resort and Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, in the Disney Springs Resort Area, are known for some of the most generously sized standard villas onsite - a good match for multi-generational groups!

 

Family in the living room, Disney's Old Key West Resort

 

Which Walt Disney World Resort hotel is the most affordable?

Budget-conscious? The three All-Star ResortsMusicMovies and Sports - sit at the lowest price point of any official hotel, yet guests there get exactly the same Disney transport and onsite perks as everyone staying in a Deluxe suite.

For roughly the same budget, Disney's Pop Century Resort throws in Disney Skyliner access to EPCOT and Disney's Hollywood Studios as well.

 

Which Walt Disney World Resort hotel has the best pool?

Ask any Walt Disney World Resort regular which hotel has the best pool, and most will point you to Stormalong Bay - the 3-acre, sand-bottomed complex shared between Disney's Beach Club Resort and Disney's Yacht Club Resort, complete with a lazy river, whirlpool spas and a waterslide built into a shipwreck.

Elsewhere onsite, the Dig Site pool at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort has a Mayan pyramid waterslide worth seeking out, and Disney's Art of Animation Resort's Finding Nemo-themed pool ranks among the largest in the Value category.

 

Stormalong Bay, Disney's Beach Club Resort

 

Which Walt Disney World Resort hotels are pet-friendly?

Travelling with a dog? Four official hotels at Walt Disney World Resort have designated pet-friendly rooms: The Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort, Disney's Art of Animation Resort, Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside, and Disney's Yacht Club Resort.

 

Which Walt Disney World Resort hotel is closest to Magic Kingdom Park?

Nothing onsite beats Disney's Contemporary Resort for proximity to Magic Kingdom Park - a walking path leads straight into the Park, on top of the monorail connection.

Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and Disney's Polynesian Village Resort share that same monorail loop, and a short boat ride gets you there just as easily from The Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort or Disney's Wilderness Lodge.

 

Monorail at Disney's Contemporary Resort

 

Choosing the right Walt Disney World Resort hotel for your trip

However you slice it, every official hotel gives you the same baseline: Early Theme Park Entry and complimentary Disney transport, included as standard. What separates them is proximity to the parks, the depth of onsite dining and theming, and how much room your family needs.

  • Budget matters most? Any Value Resort gets you the full onsite experience for the lowest price.
  • Need more room to spread out? Moderate and Deluxe Villa Resorts tend to suit families best.
  • Want to be steps from Magic Kingdom Park above everything else? The three monorail resorts are the only real contenders.

AttractionTickets.com can bundle your Walt Disney World Resort hotel into a complete hotel and ticket package, so every part of the trip is booked in one place!

 

Why book your Walt Disney World Resort hotel with AttractionTickets.com?

  • AttractionTickets.com is the UK's No.1 attraction and holiday ticket provider, backed by more than 20 years in the industry
  • Every booking comes with genuine, gate-ready tickets and competitive pricing
  • Combine your hotel and tickets into one transparent booking, with no hidden costs
  • Book with confidence thanks to ABTOT protection, flexible payment options and expert support 7 days a week
  • Thousands of customers rate AttractionTickets.com "Excellent" on Trustpilot and Feefo

Take a look at the full range of Walt Disney World Resort hotels, or get in touch with AttractionTickets.com's team for tailored advice.

Amy

Amy

Social Media and Influencer Lead

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