Are Disney World’s Cheapest Hotels Still Worth the Cost to Stay?

Walt Disney World has over thirty on-site resort hotels, with the cheapest being the All-Star resort hotels. But do these cheap Disney World resorts come with a catch?

Let's break down all the perks and drawbacks of the Disney World All-Star resort hotels to determine if they offer good value despite their low price points. We have stayed at the full range of Walt Disney World Resort Hotels both on-property and off-property resorts and have our full take on these cheap hotels.

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The Three All-Star Disney World Resorts

There are three All-Star resort hotels: All-Star Movies, All-Star Music, and All-Star Sports, listed in order of popularity. Rooms at the All-Star resort hotels range from around $130 to just over $200, depending on the season and any Disney World hotel discounts.

Despite this low cost, the All-Star resort hotels receive the same perks that all on-site Disney World guests do. This includes Early Entry to the theme parks 30 minutes before opening, earlier booking windows for Lightning Lane, and dining reservations. And of course, the benefit of being in the “Disney bubble” so you can easily access the theme parks with Disney World transportation.

All-Star Resort Hotels Still Offer Great Value

All three All-Star resort hotels have recently undergone refurbishments that significantly upgraded the rooms to a much more modern and functional design. Each standard room comes with the option of one king bed or a queen bed with a queen-size table bed. Since these upgrades, the rooms at the All-Star resort hotels hold much greater value now that their quality has been improved.

Since the All-Star resort hotels don't have over-the-top lobbies (think the massive holiday display at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa), you won't see overwhelming crowds from non-resort guests. This is a nice benefit, as this can be cumbersome if you are staying at one of the deluxe resort hotels. While the value resorts do not have table service restaurants, the large food courts at the All-Star resort hotels all have a large variety of options that will meet expectations for most families.

Disney World does not have to be expensive, especially if you stay at the All-Star resort hotels. Considering their recent updates, large variety of food options, and low cost, they are an extremely strong value if you want a budget vacation.

Downsides of the All-Star Resorts

When it comes to the downsides, the biggest one is the transportation options, as the All-Star resort hotels only use Disney bus transportation. During peak hours, especially in the morning before the parks open, the lines for the buses will be long.

However, Disney World increases the quantity of its buses during these peak times, so even though lines are long, the buses will keep coming. There have been great improvements to the bus transportation at the All-Star resort hotels compared to a decade ago, and we find that we never wait long for a bus.

But the drawback of the bus transportation can be a pretty big con for many guests. If you have a bit more wiggle room in your budget, I always recommend my personal favorite Disney World resort hotel, Disney's Pop Century Resort. The cost increase for this resort hotel often just ranges from $50-$75 more per night, and you get to use the Disney Skyliner, which is my favorite Disney transportation option.

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Overall, the All-Star resort hotels are a great value for the price with minimal drawbacks, especially if you want a good budget option.

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