You’ve decided you’re going to go on a vacation to Walt Disney World this year – hooray! One of the first choices you need to make in the vacation planning process is where to book your hotel accommodations. Not only will this provide you and your travel party with a place to rest your weary heads at the end of a long day in the theme parks, but it is one of the biggest (if not the biggest) variables when it comes to your vacation budget.
Hotels at Disney World can easily soar into the $600-800 per night range, but you do not have to break the bank if you want to stay on (or very close to) property! There are several more cost-effective options, many of which can dip below $200 per night on a regular basis. In addition, there are several options just off Disney World property if you don’t mind sacrificing a bit on that Disney theming. These hotels, known as the Disney Springs Area Hotels, are often the most affordable options around that keep you just as close to the magic.
Things to think about when booking your Disney World hotel.
- Cost per-night. Hotels at Walt Disney World can range from the upper $100’s per night all the way up to $800+ per night. Staying at a lower-cost hotel often gives you the ability to have a longer vacation, or the ability to book upgrades like nicer table service meals, more souvenirs, etc.
- Amenities. All Disney World hotels come with the same basic amenities. They all have pools, some dining, shopping, etc. As you move up the ladder and spend more per night, you get access to other hotel amenities like on-site table-serving dining, fitness centers, multiple pool areas, nicer rooms, etc.
- Transportation options. Every Disney World hotel offers complimentary bus transportation to and from the theme parks and Disney Springs. From there, you will notice that some hotels have other transportation options like the Monorail, Disney Skyliner, boats, and sometimes walking paths to the parks.
For the purposes of this article, I did a sample search for hotel rooms the week of June 2 through June 8, 2024. The prices that I include in this article reflect standard rooms with standard views. Prices may vary if you want something like a King room, a room with a preferred view, or a room in a preferred location. Prices do not reflect taxes.
These prices can and do fluctuate throughout the year, but in general, the following hotels are the ones that will provide the lowest price points no matter when you visit Walt Disney World. Always do your own research before determining which hotel is best for your family and budget!
Disney’s All-Star Music, Sports, and Movies Resorts
Disney World offers three tiers of resort hotels: Value, Moderate, and Deluxe. The Value category is where you will find the three All-Star Resorts, themed to either Music, Sports, or Movies. These three hotels are similar in layout and basic amenities, and they are all situated in close proximity to one another. So, there is not a huge difference between the three aside from theming.
All three of the All-Star resorts are usually offered around the same price per night throughout the year. In my sample search, they each came up at $188 per night.
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Disney’s Pop Century Resort
A long-standing Value hotel at Walt Disney World is Disney’s Pop Century Resort. Themed to different decades throughout the latter half of the 20th century, this hotel is vibrant and colorful with a fun pool area. It is often a preferred choice among families. Pop Century is also located along the Disney Skyliner route, with easy access to EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Pop Century came up at $229 per night for my sample search, but you can see prices dip below $200 depending on the time of year you book.
CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT HOW A 2024 DISNEY WORLD VACATION WILL BE DIFFERENT THAN PREVIOUS YEARS.
The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground
Do you want to add a sense of adventure to your overnight accommodations? If you and your family are the outdoorsy types, you may feel right at home at The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground. The campsites are perfect if your ideal method of travel is with a tent and sleeping bag, but they also accommodate RVs.
Camping at Disney World isn’t for everyone, but how does $112 per night sound? It was the least expensive on-property option in my sample search, and that holds true throughout the year. Fort Wilderness Resort is a great area to spend some time outside of the theme parks as well. The grounds are where you’ll find Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue, Tri-Circle-D Ranch, and a ton of recreational activities from horseback riding to fishing.
WONDERING WHICH DISNEY WORLD RESTAURANTS ARE HARDER TO GRAB RESERVATIONS FOR? CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT.
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort is the newest Value Resort at Walt Disney World. It’s themed to several classic Disney animated films like The Lion King and Finding Nemo. The hotel has the largest swimming pool on Disney World property, solid dining options, including a poolside bar, and access to the Disney Skyliner. Family suites are available at this hotel as well.
Art of Animation is usually priced at the high end of the Value resorts, at times coming in at a higher price than some of the Moderate hotels, if not by just a few dollars. For my sample search, Art of Animation was available for $281 per night.
CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT SOME OF THE BEST DISNEY WORLD HOTELS FOR FAMILIES.
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
Let’s now look at a couple of Moderate resort options that give you middle-of-the-road price points for some additional amenities you won’t find at the Value hotels. Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is a great example of bang for your buck, especially if you book a room at Gran Destino Tower. Coronado Springs has a conference center located in the resort, so the grounds have amenities typically reserved for Deluxe resorts, like a fitness center, spa, a highly-themed pool area, and even Club Level accommodations.
At $279 per night, you’ll also find multiple dining options, including one of my favorite spots among the Disney World hotels, Three Bridges Bar & Grill. Other dining options include the rooftop Dahlia Lounge, Toledo, Barcelona Lounge, and more.
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Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
Another great Moderate resort option is Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. This hotel features a sprawling layout that provides some peace and quiet. Some travelers may not like the large footprint (it does mean a longer walk to some amenities), but I love it when I don’t feel like I’m in a high-rise hotel on top of thousands of other guests.
Caribbean Beach has one of the best-themed pools on property, several great dining options, and access to the Disney Skyliner for a quick and easy ride to EPCOT or Disney’s Hollywood Studios. For the sample search, I found rooms at Caribbean Beach for $296 per night.
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Disney Springs Area Hotels
For even bigger savings, you may want to consider booking a hotel located off of Disney World property. While it’s great to stay as close to the magic as possible, that comes with an upcharge. Fortunately, there are several hotels in close proximity to Disney Springs (many right across the street, no further from the shopping and dining district than Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort. These hotels, known as the Disney Springs Area Hotels, come with a number of benefits beyond savings:
- The per-night price is often (not always) cheaper than Disney-owned hotels without being much further from the parks
- Rooms are often larger than rooms at Disney hotels and may include some perks like continental breakfast
- If you are part of a hotel rewards program, you will be able to earn and redeem points during your stay.
- Complimentary park transportation is provided, though it may be more restricted than the transportation options afforded to guests at Disney World hotels.
Here is the lineup of Disney Springs Area Hotels and their per-night rates for that sample week in June. The prices below reflect those search results unless otherwise noted:
- B Resort and Spa: Rooms from $119 per night, but the results showed $329 per night for the week selected
- DoubleTree Suites By Hilton Orlando: $167 per night
- Drury Plaza Hotel Orlando: Advance purchase for $168 per night ($163 with Drury Rewards). The standard rate is $181 per night ($175 with Drury Rewards)
- Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace: $351 per night (this hotel was fully booked for the selected week, so I had to look at June 16-22)
- Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista: $226 per night
- Holiday Inn Orlando: $140 per night ($133 Member Rate), only $10 more per night for rooms with balconies
- Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista: $115 average per night 2 Double Beds or 1 King Bed
CLICK HERE TO DETERMINE WHAT THE COST OF YOUR NEXT DISNEY WORLD VACATION WILL BE.
