Value Resort Showdown!

There are many places to stay when visiting Disney World.  We prefer the convenience of staying at one of Disney's resorts for the added convenience of Disney's great transportation options as well as proximity to the parks.  When you're going to Disney on a budget their Value Resorts are a great option.  But which one is right for you?  Pop Century, the All-Star Resorts, or Art of Animation?  All three are great and have something different to offer you.

Each resort offers transportation to and from the parks as well as to Disney Springs.  Each resort has it's own food court, gift shop, and pools.  The value resorts feature great Disney style theming!  From the rooms, to the walkways, all the way into the pool everything has eye catching decorations.  Let's breakdown each group.

All-Star Resorts

There are 3 different All-Star Resorts all located right next to each other.  Each one has a different theme to go along with it's name:  All-Star Sports, All-Star Music, and All-Star Movies.  All 3 resorts have been recently renovated, though Sports doesn't reopen till December and Music just reopened earlier this month.  Our focus will be on All-Star Movies from our most recent visit.

The pools are quite nice and each resort has large statues and decorations to fit along with it's theme.  Our gallery below showcases many of the decor you can find at All Star Movies.  Fantasia, Toy Story, The Mighty Ducks and Herby the Love Bug are all featured in each area of the resort.

The renovations have made the rooms really nice.  The murphy bed makes the room feel more spacious and gives you the option of a small table in the room for eating a quick meal.

​The only real downside to the All Star Resorts are that they only have buses for transportation.  Also the All Star Resorts often share the same bus line stop from the parks, which can sometimes slow your return to your resort.  With the other two All Star resorts opening back up, we will have to see if any of this changes in the future.

Here you have a side by side comparison of our room at All Star Movies and our room at Pop Century.  Since refurbishments the rooms are very similar.

All Star Music has added Family Suites recently which sleep up to 6.  The rooms are similar to the standard rooms, but have a separate bedroom and a kitchenette that features a large refrigerator and a microwave. They also have two beds that pull down out of the walls in the living area, very similar to our video above showing that setup in Pop. 

Pop Century

Pop Century has all the same amenities as All Star but with a change of decor.  The decor here is set by decades from the 1950s up to the 1990s.  The nostalgia is strong at this resort.  From Rubix cubes to giant Mickey shaped telephones, there is something from your past here somewhere.

By staying at Pop Century you also get access to the Skyliner to take you to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios. You will still have buses to Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom and Disney Springs. 

Art of Animation

Art of Animation is the resort that just screams Disney!  From the animation cell artwork in the lobby to all of the statues of classic Disney characters, AoA is the resort for any fan of Disney animated films.

If you have a larger party, Art of Animation can be a great choice.  Their family suites sleep 6 nicely and give you an additional bathroom.  The suites can be found in 3 areas: the Finding Nemo Suites, The Lion King Suites, and the Car Suites.

There are standard rooms located in the Little Mermaid area, but these rooms are a little smaller.  Even with renovations these rooms have two full sized mattresses, instead of queens like most resort rooms.

Each pool features amazing decor to go with it's theme.  We stayed in the Cars Suites and still enjoyed going over to the main pool in Finding Nemo.  The pelican statues cry out "Mine, Mine, Mine" as you pass them on your way to the pool.

You also have access to the Skyliner from AoA which is shared with Pop Century.  I personally love taking the Skyliner to the parks instead of only riding buses back and forth.

Which one is right for you?

There is no wrong choice when it comes to staying at a Disney Resort.  But some of these resorts will meet your needs better than others.  The All Star Resorts are great for those looking to spend a little less on the stay, but overall, my family prefers Pop Century for the convenience of the Skyliner.

For Larger families you'd want to stay in one of the suites but my preference would be Art of Animation for the extra bathroom.  I don't like to fight over who gets to use the restroom next...  All the Value Resorts are pretty good right now and really have that WOW factor for Disney fans.  Book with us and we'll help tailor your stay to best fit your family.  Our expertise is there to help make it the best trip ever.

When it's time to plan for Disney:  It's Mouse O'Clock!