Not all Disney World hotels are created equal, and there are some that we just won’t book.
“Here come the Mighty Ducks, burnin’ up the ice…”
With over 25 resorts at Disney World, there’s something for every budget and travel style. But let’s be real, everyone is going to have their favorites — and their, well, not-so-favorites. Whether it’s an inconvenient location, an overwhelming layout, or just not the best bang for your buck, we’re listing a few resorts here that some folks consistently skip. Let’s dive into three Disney World hotels some people refuse to book, and why you might want to avoid them, too.
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
On paper, Caribbean Beach sounds great. A moderate resort with colorful, island-inspired theming, a fun pool, and access to the Skyliner (and that pineapple coconut bread pudding at Banana Cabana)? Sign me up! But here’s the problem: This resort is MASSIVE.
Caribbean Beach Resort
Caribbean Beach is so spread out that getting from one side of the resort to the other can feel like a full-on expedition. If your room isn’t near the main lobby, you’re in for a long walk just to grab a snack, refill your resort mug, or check in with the front desk. And don’t even get me started on the internal bus system. Since the resort is so big, buses make multiple stops before even leaving the property, meaning you’ll be spending more time commuting and less time in the parks.
Caribbean Beach bus stop
Sure, it’s got the Skyliner, which is admittedly pretty sweet. But when we’re paying moderate resort prices, we expect to be able to grab a quick breakfast without needing to plan an expedition.
If you’re looking for an alternative, perhaps consider Coronado Springs? Granted, it’s not on the Skyliner route, but it offers Moderate prices and amenities in a much more convenient layout to maneuver.
Coronado Springs
Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
Look, I love a good value resort. But if I’m choosing one, All-Star Sports is probably NOT it.
All-Star Sports Resort
First of all, theming matters, and if you’re not a huge sports fan, this resort doesn’t offer much appeal. Plus, All-Star Sports is often packed with large groups, including cheerleading squads and sports teams, which means noise levels can be a bit of an issue.
Crowds
But the biggest reason I avoid All-Star Sports (and honestly, the All-Star Resorts in general) is because of one thing: the Skyliner. The slight price difference between staying at Pop Century versus an All-Star resort is more than worth it for the convenience of having Skyliner access.
Skyliner Station at Disney’s Pop Century and Art of Animation Resorts
Instead of relying solely on buses, which can be slow and crowded, you get a quick and scenic ride to both EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. I’ll take that over waiting for a packed bus at the end of a long park day any time.
In addition to the Skyliner, Pop Century also arguably offers a more universal theme, with cultural icons and touchstones that are likely to appeal to those who aren’t fans of specific sports or films.
Disney’s Pop Century Resort
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Yes, the Grand Floridian is gorgeous. Yes, it’s fancy. And yes, it’s way out of my budget.
Grand Floridian
Disney’s flagship resort is known for its Victorian elegance, prime location near Magic Kingdom, and upscale dining options. But unless you’re rolling in Disney dollars, it’s hard to justify the price tag. Rooms here can cost well over $700 per night, and while the theming is stunning, I don’t necessarily need to feel like I’m staying in a fancy country club when I’m just there to crash after a long park day.
Grand Floridian Resort
For less money, you can stay at Disney’s Polynesian or Contemporary Resort and still have that coveted monorail access.
Monorail at the Contemporary Resort
Or, if you’re really looking to save, you could book a Skyliner resort like Riviera Resort and use the extra cash for more dining, souvenirs, or even an extra park day.
Disney’s Riviera Resort
The Bottom Line
Look, we get it. Choosing a Disney World hotel is hard enough without us coming in and potentially crushing your dreams. But we’d rather be honest than have you waste your hard-earned vacation budget on hotels that might disappoint. Whether it’s the marathon-length walks at Caribbean Beach, the lack of Skyliner access at the All-Stars, or the budget-busting rates at the Grand Floridian, these are the hotels some people choose to skip. So, would you skip these hotels too, or do you swear by them? Let us know what you think! Until then, stay tuned to DFB for all the latest news!
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I stayed at All Star Music once and understood why staying at an All Star is a bad idea. They only have one bus stop at the entrance. We were staying at broadway. Broadway was tied with Country music for being far away from the bus stop. Really hated the long walking after a day of walking miles in the parks. Beds were small. My husband is 6’3″, so we slept separately in the 2 full sized beds. Food court was meh. Bus transportation is slow in values on purpose so that you will upgrade.
While I love Flight of Passage and Guardians of the Galaxy, the best thing Disney has done in the past 15 years is build the Skyliner. It is a game changer for my thoughts on best Disney resorts. I agree with you except for Caribbean Beach resort. Yes, it is huge, but the skyliner helps and Sebastian’s Bistro is great.
We love the Grand Floridian and got a great Florida resident rate for 4th of July week, better than the Poly or Contemporary!!!
😃
I feel like the Caribbean would make for a great stay-cation, where you aren’t focused on the parks all the time and are doing more non-park days exploring and enjoying the Bubble has to offer.
The Grand Floridian is a once in a lifetime experience. Give it a whirl like we did for our anniversary. However, we will always opt for the Boardwalk. So convenient to EPCOT, beautiful and comfortable.
We stayed in the All Star Sports and grandson loved it! The Poly is too crowded, the Contemporary is a lot of walking also. But the Grand Floridian is in a class all of it’s own. Absolutely beautiful!
Each hotel fits a certain guest. Enjoy your stay in Magic!
The Grand Floridian is a one stop ride to Magic Kingdom! If you have children who just want to spend all of their time in Magic Kingdom because they are very young, then it’s a good choice. It’s such a beautiful hotel. I stayed there every year for six years. Two adults and 3 kids in one room. It must have been cheaper back then. We also bought length of stay passes with Park Hopping. The good old days. We weren’t rich! Look for those Disney discounts and give it a try. I also encourage families to look at Disney Vacation Club. If you like to vacation in WDW every year, like me, it is worth the money.
We really liked Caribbean Beach because we loved the building location which was very close to the Riviera Skyliner stop. We used the Riviera quite a bit for snacks and had perfect timing one day to meet characters. The picture I got of my wife with Pluto (her favorite character) are priceless. We also really enjoyed the Banana Cabana. And on a pool day, I really enjoyed my long early morning walk around basically the entire walking path. I think we might have liked the actual rooms at Pop Century better, but we’re there pretty much just to sleep, so no big deal.
I really don’t think any resort is a bad idea , people just complain about everything.
Just be happy you woke up this morning
LOVE Carribbean beach resort! Its an incredible resort to stay at and i always recommend it!
We stayed at All Star Movies 20 years ago and agree with your assessment back then. After 14 wonderful stays at Pop, we tried All Star Sports this year because the price gap is much larger than stated above. It was so worth it! The resort was small enough to be very walkable and we didn’t have the same bus issues we had 20 years ago. The only bus we shared with the other two All Stars was for Blizzard Beach. We didn’t eat much in the food court, so that wasn’t an issue either, as was the theming. We usually visit at the end of August, so the whole resort is much less crowded. Guess where we’re starting our stay next year!
The Beach Club is our favorite. We go to EPCOT and Animal Kingdom mostly. Best pool, close to International Gateway, good places to eat near by.
The Grand Floridian is grand but for the price I don’t want to be walking to my building outside at all – especially with the rainy weather Florida can have. Same goes for the Caribbean and All Stars- give me the beautiful big lobbies with all of the rooms indoors
My wife and I stayed at GF in August with a bounce back offer. Between the discount and the time of year the price was reasonable. Around $1000 more than we normally spend at Riverside during September or February. I would do it again.
Caribbean beach is our favorite resort. Great tropical vibe Skyliner and easy access to Riviera’s quick service too
Coronado is a huge convention hotel with no Disney feel. That’s at the top of my list to never ever stay out again!!
Love love love the Riviera. Going back for the third time. Awesome resort. 👍🏼
I always stay at the All-star sports. The food court isn’t fine dining but the food is good, fast and affordable. The transportation is rarely a long wait and the rooms/beds aren’t much different from the moderate priced resorts.
Coming from the UK we don’t don’t get the hotel deals and discounts so GF is completely out of my price range. Had no problem with All Star movies or music although you are right about long walk to hotel room. Food is ok. It’s a place to crash in between visiting parks so the cheaper the better for me