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Credit: TripAdvisorDisney Resort Hotels have a reputation for being expensive. Really expensive. Like, is-it-even-worth-it expensive.
Recently, there’s been a lot of buzz about whether the price of staying on property for your Disney vacation is worth the experience. Sure, the Resorts are beautifully themed and decorated, have additional dining and recreation options, and complimentary transportation directly to the Parks. However, with Disney taking away things like Extra Magic Hours, overcharging for rooms, and an alleged decline in experience, many Guests have begun to look elsewhere for their accommodations.
For those looking to stay at a Disney Resort without breaking the bank, Disney Resorts offer different pricing, including Value Resorts. These Resorts, which include the Pop Century Resort, the Art of Animation Resort, and the All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resorts, don’t offer as luxurious of an experience as some of the more expensive Resorts but do have all the basic amenities, fun theming, and benefits of staying on property.
The Value Resorts can generally be reserved for around $130-$400 a night, depending on the season. Interestingly enough, the higher end of Value Resort prices can actually be MORE expensive than the Moderate Resorts, which include nicer accommodations like Disney’s Port Orleans and Caribbean Beach Resorts. Specifically, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort tends to be higher in price due to it being one of the newer Resorts and being connected to the Skyliner. In fact, it’s pretty consistently priced the same as a Moderate Resort, ranging from $400/night to a whopping $650/night. But is it worth it? Or are you better off staying in an actual Moderate Resort for that price?
Families with young children tend to love the Art of Animation for its over-the-top theming, but many older Guests who want a slightly more refined experience find the decor tacky. Instead of subtle Disney theming like most of the Resorts give, Art of Animation is an explosion of Disney characters and landscapes. The Finding Nemo-themed Big Blue Pool is a big plus, and the Landscape of Flavors food court is one of the more inspired quick service options at the Resorts. Of course, the connection to the Skyliner is a huge plus, which provides quick and easy transportation between the Resort, EPCOT, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
However, the Art of Animation has some downfalls. The Skyliner is convenient when it’s running, but when it goes down due to maintenance or inclement weather, getting to the Parks can be significantly more difficult. With the pricing of the standard rooms vs. the suites, two standard rooms combined will cost less than a single-family suite. This Resort can also get very busy, meaning it can be very loud and overstimulating.
Finally, besides the addition of the Skyliner (and the inclusion of Disney properties if that’s important to you), you are getting an extremely similar experience at Art of Animation that you would get at Pop Century or the All-Stars, and you’re paying a LOT more for it – in fact, you could be paying less to stay somewhere nicer. So is paying that money to have Flounder on your shower curtain worth it?
What do you think? Let us know in the comments!