Walt Disney World Resorts
Walt Disney World is home to a wide variety of resort hotels, making it easy for guests to find one that suits them and their family’s vacation style. A few things to know when choosing a resort hotel – there are five different hotel categories to choose from and many benefits to staying right on Disney property!
Choose from Deluxe Villas, Deluxe, Moderate, Value, and Campground – scroll below for a description of each category, plus photos of each hotel.
Guests staying on property will get to take advantage of several perks, including Disney’s Magical Express, Extra Magic Hours, early access to FastPass+ reservations, frequently departing transportation to the theme parks, room charging privileges, package delivery, and the Disney Dining Plan. All official Disney hotels get these same benefits, so all that’s left is to choose which resort best fits your family!
Deluxe Resorts – Deluxe resorts are considered to be the cream of the crop of the Disney hotel family. They are the resorts located closest to the theme parks, the rooms have the most square footage, and most offer a signature restaurant, in addition to table service and quick service locations. Pools generally have water features and slides available for entertainment. The first four are considered Magic Kingdom Resorts:
There are several hotels that are adjacent to Epcot, and surround what is known as Crescent Lake. They are also within walking distance to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom has a hotel that is nearby and falls much of the same themes of the resort. This is Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge:
Moderate Resorts -Moderate resorts are the middle ground of the available choices. These resorts are generally large and spread out, and often utilize an internal bus system to get around the resort. Rooms are generously sized, though slightly smaller than the rooms at the deluxe resorts. They offer nice pool areas to include slides and play elements. Both table service and quick service restaurants are available at each. Here are those resorts:
Value Resorts – As their name implies, these are the cheapest of the Disney resorts. The value resorts have much simpler amenities than the Moderates and Deluxes, but for families who will spend most of their time in the parks, these resorts can be just the right way to go. The grounds are more overtly Disney, with large cartoon characters or other icons in front of each building and bright colors found throughout. All have pools, and even thematic elements, but no slides. There is no sit-down restaurant located here; instead, guests can select food from a large food court. Here are those resorts:
Deluxe Villas – The Deluxe Villas are all part of the Disney Vacation Club and are located at the deluxe resorts. When not being rented out by DVC owners, these rooms are available for rent by the general public. Guests will be able to choose from a variety of room and villa sizes to accommodate any family. Accommodations will include a kitchen or kitchenette to give guests the option of cooking meals in the room.
Disney’s Grand Floridian & Spa, Disney’s Polynesian, Disney’s Contemporary, Disney’s Wilderness, Disney’s Beach Club, Disney’s Boardwalk, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge all have a DVC component that offers Deluxe Villas. In addition, there are dedicated DVC properties such as the following:
Campgrounds – Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground is located across Bay Lake from the Magic Kingdom. Guests can bring their own tent or RV to use at one of the campsites, or rent one of the on-site cabins. Many guests bring or rent golf carts to more easily make their way around the expansive grounds. Fort Wilderness offers a small store, a restaurant, two pools, archery, horseback riding, and canoeing. The popular Hoop de Doo Revue dinner show can be found here. And Fort Wilderness is home to the “happiest horses on earth”.
Non-Disney Hotels on Walt Disney World Property
Beyond Disney’s own proper hotels, there are a number of hotels on Disney property that are owned and managed by others. Some are fairly well known, and others are much lesser known. All, however, can be booked on Disney’s own website, all offer some transportation means to and from the resorts, and all offer benefits you can only get at Walt Disney World. Here are a few of them:
Beyond this there are several other pockets of hotels:
Buena Vista Hotels–The majority of these hotels are in the vicinity–even walking distance–of Disney Springs. They include Best Western Lake Buena Vista, B Resort & Spa Lake Buena Vista, DoubleTree Suites, Wyndham Lake Buena Vista, Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista, and Holiday Inn Orlando.
Bonnet Creek Hotels–There is an area known as Bonnet Creek, and sites fairly close to Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney Springs. The Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort, Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, and the Waldorf Astoria Orlando hotels are all here. These resorts are not technically on Walt Disney World property, but they sit in a physical space more proximate that some Walt Disney World owned and managed hotels.
Flamingo Crossings–Two resorts stand quietly at the far western entrance to the resort. This includes TownePlace Suites Orlando, and SpringHill Suites Orlando.
