Don't Hate On The Value Resorts at Disney World

Growing up going to Disney with my family, I got accustomed to the cushy lifestyle of Deluxe Villa Resorts at Disney World. The closeness to the resort and the general ambiance is super nice, but I never realized just how much you pay for all of that! My boyfriend and I have been to Disney twice, the first time staying with family in Orlando, but this year we stayed at the only hotel we could afford; Disney's All Star Movies Resort.

The Value Resorts definitely have a stigma about them. The bright colors, characters plastered everywhere and general lack of fancy amenities made me think that I was way above this place. I will shamefully admit that I was embarrassed to get in the line for the Value resorts at the Magical Express bus line at MCO. When we arrived, I was expecting the worst, but Disney proved me wrong. When the bus arrived, multiple cast members came to the bus and began unloading our bags for us, then helped us check in. The lobby was bright, clean, and much less childish looking than I expected. There was a HUGE retail store inside that carried everything from clothes to Cuban cigars (which we had to try)! I was expecting the food court to be crappy, like the one in my local mall but it was amazing. I have gluten, soy and peanut allergies and the chef was able to accommodate all of them, even making me my own personalized meals. I was not expecting this plush service at a Value Resort. The food I couldn't have looked delicious as well, and there were many options. They even had coolers of bottled drinks, including beer and wine, and snack containers of both treats and healthy options for your day at the parks. Extremely impressed.

There are two pools on the property, the main pool and then a quieter pool further back. We went to the main pool because of the pool bar and the music and activities! They made great rum and cokes and by great I mean they were mostly rum.. We needed that little buzz to handle the crowds of Spring Break. They played fun games for the kids which were fun to watch, had trivia and even played movies on a big screen every night. Our room was very clean and pretty big, considering it was just the two of us, I don't think; however, that a family of 4 would be too happy being in that space for a week.

There are only a few faults of the hotel. First, everything is very outdated. I mean VERY. For example, we stayed in the Mighty Ducks themed rooms.. I don't think anyone under the age of 20 even knows what the Mighty Ducks are. The rooms are clean and work fine, just the decorations need a revamp. Second, the rooms are very far away from the main building. We did not realize that we would be in the last building on the property and every walk to and from the food court or the pool felt like a marathon after a long day at the parks. Lastly, getting to other parks takes forever because the value resorts are at the bottom of the Disney World property, so leave early. We missed our first breakfast reservation at the Grand Floridian because we didn't realize how much time we'd spend waiting for a bus, then taking the bus to the Magic Kingdom, then getting on a monorail to the Grand.

Overall, I loved staying at All Stars Movies. It was charming and offered all the amenities we needed. Sure, it's nice to stay at a place with a spa, but who really has time to get a pedicure when you're at Disney anyways? Take my advice, save a lot of money and try a Value Resort! Staying at Disney will be magical no matter where you stay, trust me.

xoxo,

Emily

#travel #disney #value