By Camille P.
Imagine vacationing in one city and having the option to stay at:
*A beachfront resort with South Pacific tropical vibes and cuisine
*A hotel surrounded by cobblestone streets and beautiful tree-lined squares reminiscent of New
Orleans’s historic French Quarter
*A resort that transports you into the world of your favorite childhood classic movies with larger than life theming and details
Those are just a few of the options you’ll have to choose from when you stay at a Walt Disney World Resort!
In fact, with more than 25 Disney resort hotels at various price points to choose from, it can be hard to decide which one will be the best fit for your family. As a family with young kids that travels to Disney World almost monthly, we’ve stayed at nearly all the Disney hotels. We definitely have our favorites! Below are a few of our can’t go wrong resorts in each category and why we love them!
Value
If your family size is four or fewer, Pop Century is a resort the whole family will love without breaking the bank.
With sections of the resort themed for each decade from the 1950s to 1990s, you’ll see fun nods to movies like Lady and the Tramp and The Jungle Book. The renovated rooms have a modern, innovative design to make the most of the space, including a pull down Murphy bed that converts into a dining table. You’ll find lots of drawers, cabinets, and nooks to organize all your stuff.
At Pop you’ll have direct access to the Skyliner, Disney’s newest form of transportation. The Skyliner gondolas will fly you to Epcot, Hollywood Studios as well as other Disney resorts with great dining options like Boardwalk, and Yacht and Beach Club. Bus transportation is available to Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom.
Pop Century has three pools (our favorite is the bowling pin shaped pool in the 50s section that’s always playing great oldies!), a large food court, and a fun pool bar called Petals.
If you choose to stay at Pop, be sure to book a preferred room—it will typically only run $15-20 more per night, but will ensure you are in a building that isn’t far from the main hub of the resort with easy access to the dining, lobby, pool, and park transportation. If your family has more than four people or if you just want more space to spread out, consider staying at Pop Century’s neighboring hotel Art of Animation. It has many of the same great qualities as Pop, but features incredible family suites that sleep up to six. These suites have two full bathrooms, a separate bedroom, and a kitchenette.
Moderate
You’ll find that Disney’s Moderate options are mostly sprawling resorts with multiple internal bus stops, but there is one exception: Port Orleans French Quarter. This resort is smaller and easier to navigate than the other Moderates, which is why it’s my top pick in this category if you’re traveling with small kids and pushing a stroller. With only one bus stop, you’ll save precious time by heading directly to the parks after boarding the bus. This resort runs along the Sassagoula River and offers boat transportation to Disney Springs. The theming here is lovely and peaceful, with a quieter atmosphere than many other value and moderate resorts. Cobblestone “streets,” fountains, and gardens abound, and you might even catch a horse-drawn carriage making its way through.
The recreation area at Port Orleans French Quarter is on par with many of the deluxe resorts, boasting a large pool, hot tub, a fun water slide, and a splash pad for the kids. There’s also a playground if the kids need to burn off some energy. When it comes to dining, French Quarter has a great quick service food court called Sassagoula Floatworks, as well as a lounge adjacent to the lobby. But the most important thing you need to know is that this resort is the home of Mickey Beignets. Don’t miss out on this iconic and delicious treat if you stay here!
Deluxe
There are so many outstanding deluxe Disney resorts that I have to recommend two in this category.
Let’s start with Disney’s Polynesian Resort, which is my top pick if you have small kids.
The lush landscaping, tiki torches, and waterfront views at the Polynesian will make you feel like you might have landed in Hawaii instead of Florida. You’ll find an abundance of incredible dining options at Poly including fan favorite ‘Ohana. The Pineapple Lanai by the pool serves Dole Whip and Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto is the perfect place to grab a cocktail!
Located on the monorail line, Polynesian guests have easy access to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot, as well as the other monorail resorts and their fantastic dining options. There is also boat service offered to and from the Magic Kingdom. The guest rooms here have just undergone a renovation to feature an adorable Moana theme. The rooms are spacious with a fifth sleeper. Both pools at Poly have a zero entry area that’s perfect for little ones, but the Lava pool also features a water slide and a view of Cinderella’s castle in the distance that can’t be beat. My kids will tell you that the Polynesian has their favorite splash pad—it’s huge and has two fun slides and lots of water features. And they love playing in the sandy beach area, which is an incredible place to watch the fireworks from at night.
My other favorite Deluxe is the Yacht and Beach Club. I recommend staying here if your kids are a bit older and can take full advantage of Stormalong Bay, which is basically a small water park right at the resort featuring multiple pool areas, a lazy river, an enormous water slide, and a sand bottom pool. My kiddos have spent hours building sand castles at the sand bottom pool.
You’ll have plenty of excellent table service and quick service options just steps away when you stay at this resort. Beaches and Cream restaurant is one of our top picks for a table service dining with its fun atmosphere, excellent prices, and Instagram-worthy desserts. If you’re looking for a fine dining experience, Yachtsman Steakhouse is your place.
Arguably the biggest perk of staying at Yacht and Beach Club is the ease of access to TWO theme parks. Epcot is a mere five minute walk away, and you can walk to Hollywood Studios in about 15 minutes. The Friendship boats are also just steps away and a great way to get around when you’re feet are tired at the end of the day.
With so many options to choose from, there’s truly a Disney World resort perfect for every Disney vacation!
