Travel Expert Passionately Defends Disney’s Value Resorts

If you ask a Walt Disney World Resort guest (especially a repeat guest) about their favorite Disney resorts, you’re likely to receive a wide variety of responses.

Some luxury-loving Disney Fanatics will sing the praises of luxe options like the Grand Floridian or rustic-yet-glamorous options like the Animal Kingdom Lodge; others will insist that something with a tropical vibe, like the Polynesian Village Resort, is the only way to go.

The Underappreciated “Value” of These Resorts

However, Amanda Krause, a lifestyle reporter for Insider.com, has a different take on Disney vacations. In a new article for the website, Krause declares that Disney’s cheapest resorts are actually the stars of the show!

There are almost 30 Disney World resorts to choose from, but Krause insists that “when [she visits], the only spot [she’ll] book is the cheapest.”

“Disney’s All-Star Resort, one of the theme park’s ‘value hotels’, has been my family’s go-to vacation spot for over two decades,” the Disney World fan shared. “We’re never picky about which of its three sections we stay in — there are music, movie, and sports-themed areas.”

Disney’s All-Star Resort is one of Disney World’s value resorts, which are theoretically lower in both price and quality than their moderate and deluxe counterparts.

To Theme or Not to Theme? That Is the Question

Krause describes these value resorts as being “similar to standard chain hotels across the country — but with Disney theming.”

However, those Disney themes and Disney aesthetics are apparently enough to make the booking worthwhile, especially since Krause and her family “try to spend as little time there as possible” as they enjoy the Disney theme parks!

If Disney theming is important to you as a Disney Fanatic (or dare we say it, a Disney Adult), then moderate resorts might actually feel disappointing for you!

Moderate resorts, such as Coronado Springs, don’t embrace Disney decor in the way that the value resorts do — and deluxe resorts are all about non-Disney five-star hotels’ amenities like spas instead of Disney movie references.

“No matter how old I get, I love visiting the hotel and feeling completely immersed in the Disney universe,” the frequent Disney visitor declared.

If the Price Is Right…

If rising prices are a bigger issue for you than whether or not there’s a Mickey Mouse-themed clock in your resort suite, then the value resorts can also be a great choice!

The Animal Kingdom Lodge can cost more than $500 per night, but Krause has “stayed at the All-Star Resort with [the] same perks for prices closer to $150 per night.”

The Disney resort expert did add that “you get what you pay for, and the differences between Disney’s value, moderate, and deluxe spots are clear.”

A value resort food court doesn’t feel nearly as “luxurious” as a restaurant, after all, and Disney’s deluxe resorts tend to be closer to Disney theme parks than value resorts.

However, she still maintained that Disney’s All-Star Resort “provides everything we could possibly need on vacation, and in some ways, it even feels luxurious.

“I’m definitely open to staying at Disney’s more extravagant resorts in the future,” the lifestyle reporter admitted, citing the Animal Kingdom Lodge and Wilderness Lodge as two of her dream options. But when I help friends plan Disney vacations and consider taking one myself, I always turn to Disney’s All-Star Resort for a place to stay.”

Do you agree that Disney’s All-Star Resorts are “the best bang for your buck at the famously expensive vacation spot”? What are your biggest priorities when you and your family are embarking on a vacation to Walt Disney World Resort in Florida?