Best and Worst Disney World Resorts

My friends know I quietly judge them over their Disney choices.

When they ask me for advice, I later read their trip reports to figure out when they listened to me or ignored me.

One of the subjects where I feel strongest is where to stay.

For starters, anyone staying off site is making a huge mistake, and I tell them as much.

Any fractional amount of money you’ll save isn’t worth the massive opportunity cost lost in precious theme park time.

Of course, even when you stay on site, some options are superior to others.

Today, let’s discuss the best and worst Walt Disney World resorts in all three hotel tiers.

Value Tier

Value Tier resorts often get a bad rap at Walt Disney World.

They deliver on a promise of world class Disney amenities.

Most importantly, you gain Early Theme Park Entry, which allows you to enter Disney parks 30 minutes before they open to other guests.

Savvy Disney fans can weaponize this benefit to maximum advantage.

The primary complaint about Value Tier resorts is that they’re primarily cookie cutter in design, causing them to look eerily similar.

I consider that to be a marginal complaint in that Disney theming elevates every hotel.

If you can’t find joy in a Value Tier resort, you might as well stop watching Disney movies.

In terms of best versus worst, you should understand this is just one person’s opinion.

If you love a hotel that’s not listed or one I’m about to criticize, that’s entirely okay.

I’m sure that you don’t love some of my favorite things as much as I do.

My taste is automatically in question, as I’m a lifelong Atlanta Braves fan.

Keeping that in mind…

Worst – Disney’s All-Star Music Resort

All four All-Star resorts are roughly the same in terms of amenities.

I would argue that Disney’s All-Star Movie Resort hosts the best restaurant, World Premiere Food Court.

Meanwhile, All-Star Sports probably has the best pool, Surfboard Bay.

By process of elimination, that leaves Disney’s All-Star Music as the “worst” of the three.

Realistically, the best answer is that the worst one is whichever one costs the most on a given night.

Since the three are so similar, pricing should determine the pecking order.

Best – Disney’s Pop Century Resort

Before I gush with praise, I should alert you to the fact that Disney’s Art of Animation Resort and Disney’s Pop Century Resort cost significantly more than the All-Star locations.

So, while you get what you pay for, it may not be worth the extra cash.

When you choose a Value Tier resort, you’re generally more cost-conscious, so a more expensive hotel might not fit your budget.

I’m focused on what’s best today, though, not which one provides the best value.

I’m somewhat of an evangelist for Pop Century Resort, which is one of my favorite places to hang out while resort hopping.

In 2019, the Disney Skyliner opened and vastly improved the logistics at this property and Art of Animation.

The gondola connects you directly to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT.

Then, you can take a monorail from EPCOT to Magic Kingdom.

Also, the Pop Century lobby displays several generations of toys and knick knacks.

It’s enough to delight guests of all ages.

I have a lot of fun when I stay here, and I believe you will, too.

Moderate Tier Resorts

You’ll pay slightly more for these resorts, but even that statement is potentially misleading.

Some Moderate Tier resorts cost less than the family suites in the Value Tier.

In my experience, the Moderate Tier often delivers the best bang for your buck if that’s your priority.

I highly recommend three resorts in this tier, but there’s one that has never done much for me.

Worst – Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

I used to feel much stronger about this, but I’ll happily admit that Gran Destino Tower has dramatically improved this property.

One of my primary complaints about Coronado Springs is how spread out and convoluted it is.

Gran Destino Tower provides a centralized location and some amenities that would seem right at home in Disney World’s Deluxe Tier.

As proof, consider that Disney hosted iconic basketball players like LeBron James at Gran Destino Tower during the NBA bubble season.

You can imagine how I must have felt about Coronado Springs before Gran Destino Tower if I’m still ranking it last among the five properties.

The scale of this hotel and its mediocre logistics make it the worst in the Moderate Tier for me… but I swear it’s a lot better than it once was.

Best – Disney’s Port Orleans – French Quarter

This won’t surprise you in the least if you’ve been reading my writing over the years.

As a Disney Vacation Club member, I’m most likely to stay in Deluxe Tier resorts, as they come standard with the program.

Despite this fact, you’ll sometimes find me at Port Orleans – French Quarter because I love it so much.

I consider this place the most intimate of all Walt Disney World hotels.

The modest two-story buildings in the French Quarter style create a smaller, more inviting ambiance.

When I stay here, I know I’m only five minutes from EPCOT, yet I feel secluded during my vacation.

That’s a potent combination since the parks can sometimes grow a bit overwhelming, especially on particularly crowded days.

I’ll add that the amenities here are terrific, and it doesn’t hurt that this is the go-to place for beignets.

Deluxe Tier Resorts

The first thing to know about Deluxe Tier resorts is that while they cost a lot of money, they also feature Diensy’s finest amenities.

I don’t know your travel budget, so it’s impossible for me to determine whether this is the best use of your Disney dollars, but as I mentioned, you’ll usually find me at one of these resorts.

I carefully consider logistics when deciding where to stay.

As a rule, the Deluxe Tier resorts offer the best logistics.

Worst – Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa

My criticisms of Coronado Springs spill over to Saratoga Springs as well.

Formerly the home of the Disney Institute, this place features a sprawling campus where you can’t help but get lost sometimes.

In 2022, we stayed here at the same time as friends.

They stayed just two buildings over, but we were stunned whenever we bumped into them because it felt like they were hundreds of miles away.

The benefit of staying at Saratoga Springs is that you’re either a short boat ride or walk away from Disney Springs.

While there is tremendous value in that, Disney’s Old Key West Resort provides a similar amenity and is a much more attractive campus.

The only people who are sure to love Saratoga Springs are horse racing fans.

Best – Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

I’m the breathing definition of basic.

When I like something, I happily repeat it over and over again.

I have no need to ever stay at any other resort than the Polynesian. It’s where I’m happy.

The Polynesian offers a comfortable island setting and spectacular amenities, like the legendary ‘Ohana restaurant.

It’s also the home to my favorite Disney store, Boutiki.

Plus, you can get a Dole Whip at a spot right outside the Great Ceremonial House, aka the hotel lobby, making it the only Disney World hotel that sells Disney’s most delicious treat.

While I fully understand that many fans prefer other monorail resorts for their opulence and theming, the Polynesian is my home away from home.

I felt this way before the grand opening of the magnificent Island Tower, which has only cemented my opinion.

When you truly want to vacation at Disney, choose the Polynesian.

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Feature Photo:  Disney