What is the Cheapest Hotel at Disney World?

Finding the Cheapest Hotel at Disney World

You might be thinking of staying at an off-property, non-Disney resort to save money. Well, it could save you money, but it’s not always the case.

Disney has three tiers of on-property resort hotels: Disney Value Resorts, Disney Moderate Resorts, and Disney Deluxe Resorts. The least expensive tier is the Disney Value Resorts.

Staying at 1 of Disney’s 5 Value Resorts will allow you to be in the heart of the park without breaking the bank. Plus, you can take advantage of the free Disney World transportation and other perks of staying at a Disney-owned hotel.

Among the Value Resorts, Disney’s All-Star Movies, Disney’s All-Star Sports, and Disney’s All-Star Sports are all tied for having the lowest nightly rates at Disney World. You don’t have to compromise on theming, amenities, or proximity to the theme parks and water parks when you stay at one of these hotels.

Let’s take a closer look at the cheapest hotels at Disney World.

The All-Star Movies Resort is tied as the cheapest hotel at Disney World.

This Disney Value Resort celebrates classic Disney films, namely 101 Dalmatians, Toy Story, Mighty Ducks, Fantasia, and The Love Bug. The hotel’s exterior portrays these films with playful, larger-than-life figurines.

This resort features a Fantasia-themed pool, World Premiere Food Court, free outdoor film screenings (Movies Under the Stars), a jogging trail, an arcade, and a playground.

The theme parks are just a short (complimentary) bus ride away.

The theming is fun, the food court has plenty of options, and all of the amenities can be found within short walking distance of the rooms. The biggest selling point is that All-Star Movies is located right inside Walt Disney World Resort and offers affordable rates.

Cons

Although bus transportation is free and runs frequently, we do hear of Guests waiting for a while before the bus shows up. There are multiple stops along the way to in from the theme parks because busses are shared between the other All-Star resorts.  We love the pool, but keep in mind that Disney Value Resorts do not offer water slides or hot tubs. There are also no table service restaurants on the property.

Disney’s All-Star Music Resort has a musical theme and celebrates the different music genres: country, rock n’ roll, calypso, and Broadway show tunes. The resort is adorned with giant musical novelty items such as drums, trumpets, and guitars.

All-Star Music Resort was Disney’s first Value Resort to offer family suites.  It features two pools (one shaped like a guitar), the Intermission Food Court, Slinging Spirits Pool Bar, Movies Under the Stars, a jogging trail, a playground, and the Note’able Games Arcade.

Pros

Family suites and standard rooms are in the same buildings so this layout may work well for groups or large families. In the middle of All-Star Movies and All-Star Sports so you’ll be able to walk to either if you wish to visit to explore the grounds or visit their food courts,

Cons

Like the other All-Star resorts, bus transportation can mean long waits and multiple stops (shared bus services to the theme parks and water parks). There aren’t any table services restaurants, water slides, or hot tubs on the property.

Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort is the perfect resort for athletes, sports fans, or those of you on a budget.  As one of the three cheapest hotels in Disney World, kids and parents will have much to love about the Disney Value Resort.

All-Star Sports is sports motifs throughout – basketball, baseball, football, tennis, and surfing. The hotel features a large pool with a surfboard motif, the End Zone Food Court, Grandstand Spirits Pool Bar, Movies Under the Stars, jogging trails, playground, and the Game Point Arcade.

Pros

All-Stars Sports is the FIRST stop on the shared bus services. That means you’ll be the first to be dropped off on your way home from the parks (before Guests staying at All-Star Movies and All-Star Music). The food court has plenty of good options for everyone in the family. And, of course, the price can’t be beaten.

Cons

Bus transportation can be slow. Like the other Disney Value Resorts, there aren’t any table service restaurants, water slides,  or hot tubs.  if there are athletic tournaments at the ESPN Wide World of Sports will occasionally host athletic tournaments and they often stay at this hotel.

• Disney hotels are typically less expensive on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays followed by Sundays and Thursdays.  Rates tend to be highest on Fridays and Saturdays.

• Rates are usually lower when Disney World is less crowded. Avoid holiday weeks, weekends, school vacation time, summer, and times when Disney is hosting special events or holiday festivals. The cheapest time to visit Disney is when kids are back to school, especially after January 1st and after Labor Day.  See our Disney Crowd Calendar, Disney World Weather,  and Best Time to Go to Disney World pages for more information.

• Speak with a Disney Travel Agent before you book your trip. They can help you locate the cheapest hotel rates at Disney World so you save as much as possible. They can also set up a Disney World payment plan so you don’t have to pay for everything at once! Contact The Vacationeer for more information.

• Disney’s Pop Century Resort showcases the most popular trends of the 1950s-1990s. It has its own dedicated bus service, great theming, a nice pool, and a food court, and it is located on the Skyliner. With nightly rates starting around $183, Pop Century is slightly more expensive than the All-Star Resorts.

• Starting at around $209 per night, Art of Animation is the most expensive Disney Value resort. It has THE biggest and one of the best pools at Disney World, a huge food court, fun theming, family suites, Skyliner service, and its own bus service.

• As for the absolute cheapest “lodging” option at Disney, the Campsites at Fort Wilderness Resort start at just $80 per night for a tenting or pop-up campsite. It’s certainly a viable option if you are on a budget and don’t mind roughing it. RV campsites with water hookups are also available at higher price points. Contact a Disney travel agent for more information.