Choosing the perfect resort room category at Walt Disney World is trickier than you might think! With so many resorts to choose from, Walt Disney World offers something for everyone. Not all resorts rooms are the same! Here are our top tips for choosing a resort room category at Walt Disney World.

Let’s start with the Value Resorts! We’ve already coached you on choosing a value resort for your vacation. Now let’s get down to the nitty gritty of choosing your resort room category!

You may be wondering, “What difference does it make? Aren’t the rooms the same?” Yes… and no. While at some resorts the rooms may be exactly the same layout with the only difference being what you see when you look out the window. But for other resorts, it can be the difference between sleeping more than four people, how close you are to the food court, and so much more!

For me, I like to spend time relaxing at my resort. So it matters to me where the room is located, how quiet it is, and how quickly I can access my favorite foods! Your priorities may be different. The trick is to find the right resort room category for you!

The Value Resorts rooms sleep four people, with the exception of the Family Suites.

Let’s get into it…

Choosing the Perfect Value Resort Room Category at Walt Disney World

Disney’s Pop Century Resort

Disney’s Pop Century Resort has four resort room categories. Pop Century is a massive resort with 2880 rooms. All rooms share the same square footage and layout, the primary difference is where the room is located in the resort, and what you see when you look out the window!

Standard – The standard rooms at Pop Century can be found in all of the buildings. These rooms will be the furthest from the pool, food court, etc. They will have views of parking lots, or air conditioning units, or of greenery.

Standard Pool View – The Standard Pool View rooms face either the Bowling Pool, or the Computer Pool.

Preferred – The Preferred Rooms are the same layout and view as the Standard rooms but are closest to the lobby, and food court.

Preferred Pool View – The Preferred Pool View Rooms can only be found in Building 4 or 5, are close to the lobby and food court, and have a view of the Hippy Dippy Pool.

Which is our choice? The Preferred Rooms! We find the Standard rooms to be too far from the action. At the end of a long park day, the walk to a standard room can be 10 minutes from the bus! And the Pool View rooms can be a bit on the noisy side, especially the Preferred Pool View. Preferred Rooms give you the best of both worlds – close to the action and as quiet as a Value Resort gets.

The updated rooms at Disney’s Pop Century Resort. Photo Courtesy of Disney

Disney’s All Star Resorts

The All Star Resorts at Walt Disney World consist of All Star Music, All Star Sports, and All Star Movies. All Star Movies and All Star Sports have Standard and Preferred rooms, but All Star Music also offers Family Suites!

Standard – The standard rooms at the All Star Resorts can be found in all of the buildings. These rooms will be the furthest from the pool, food court, etc. They will have views of parking lots, air conditioning units, or of greenery.

Preferred – The Preferred Rooms are the same layout and view as the Standard rooms but are closest to the lobby, and food court.

Family Suites (only at All Star Music) – The Family Suites at All Star Music feature a queen bed in the bedroom, plus a pull-out sleeper, chair bed, and ottoman bed in the living room. There is a kitchenette with a mini-fridge, microwave, and coffee maker. There are two bathrooms. They are located in the Jazz and Calypso buildings.

Which is our choice? We’re sticking with the Preferred Rooms! Why not the Family Suites? If we want a Family Suite, we would choose our next resort…

 

Photo Courtesy of Disney

Disney’s Art of Animation Resort

The newest of the Walt Disney World Value Resorts, Disney’s Art of Animation is located right next to Pop Century. It offers both Standard Rooms and Family Suites. (No Preferred Rooms!)

Little Mermaid Standard Rooms – The Little Mermaid Standard Rooms at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort sleep four people. They are slightly larger than the Standard rooms at Pop Century and the All Star Resorts. They are located the furthest from the lobby and food court. (Fun fact – the Little Mermaid rooms were originally built as part of the planned-and-scrapped Phase 2 of Disney’s Pop Century Resort.)

Family Suites – Family Suites make up the majority of rooms at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. Similar to the Family Suites at All Star Music, the Suites have a bedroom with full bath and queen bed. Then in the living room there is a full-sized sleeper sofa and a table that converts to a bed. The Suites sleep up to six guests.

The Family Suites are available in three themes – Finding Nemo, Lion King, and Cars. The Finding Nemo Suites are the closest to the pool and food court.

Which is our choice? The Finding Nemo Family Suites! Located close to the Big Blue Pool and one of our favorite food courts in all of Walt Disney World, Landscape of Flavors, the Finding Nemo Suites are the way to go!

Photo Courtesy of Disney

Our Overall Favorite Value Resort Room Category at Walt Disney World?

So which is our go-to Value resort room category at Walt Disney World? The Preferred Rooms at Disney’s Pop Century Resort! These rooms are located within walking distance of not only Pop Century’s pool and food court, but also Landscape of Flavors at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort! (The resorts are connected by a bridge.) It is also close to the Skyliner, our favorite way to get to Epcot and Hollywood Studios!

Coming up next – Choosing the Perfect Moderate Resort Room Category at Walt Disney World! 

 

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