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21. Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort

 frikitiki, Flickr (license)

Image: frikitiki, Flickr (license)

But the best All-Star Resort is definitely All-Star Movies. Offering a more robust food court that’s the other All-Stars, and much more engaging theming, All-Star Movies tends to be the most expensive All-Star Resort. But for an entry-level price point, it’s hard to find a better encapsulation of the Disney Bubble than All-Star Movies.

20 Disney’s Pop Century Resort

 daryl_mitchell, Flickr (license)

Image: daryl_mitchell, Flickr (license)

Often overlooked due to its flashier neighbor across the lake, Disney’s Pop Century Resort refines the budget concept Disney first introduced in the All-Star Resorts to something a bit more broadly appealing. While the themes are a bit esoteric, the resort is more charming than its fellow value resorts and represents something much more interesting at the price point.

19. Bonnet Creek Resort

 kungaloosh, Flickr (license)

Image: kungaloosh, Flickr (license)

Technically a handful of hotels, the Wyndham Resort, the Wyndham Grand, the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, and the Waldorf-Astoria overlap in so many ways that it’s hard to separate them entirely.

While the Waldorf-Astoria is not as luxe as its namesake in New York, it still represents tremendous value for its location on Disney property. And the proximity of the resorts to each other makes them into a quasi-entertainment district within Walt Disney World that remains a hidden gem.

18. Shades of Green

 Shades of Green

Image: Shades of Green

Originally known as the Golf Resort, Disney eventually gave Shades of Green to the U.S. Department of Defense to use as lodging for its armed forces while they visit Walt Disney World on vacation. It hasn’t lost its charm over the years, and is a lovely hotel completely worthy of its important position in American military life.

17. Disney’s Art of Animation Resort

 gardener41, Flickr (license)

Image: gardener41, Flickr (license)

Though it might defy classification as either a Value, Moderate, or Deluxe property, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort reenergized the Disney hotel landscape when it opened in 2012. Now, with the addition of the Skyliner gondola system, it is poised to remain a family favorite for generations with its great location, wonderful food, and charming theming.

16. Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

 kathika, Flickr (license)

Image: kathika, Flickr (license)

Long an underrated and under appreciated masterpiece of Disney hotel design, Disney’s Coronado Springs resort is getting a facelift that will give it the attention it has long deserved. But the flashy new showpieces, like a large tower, do take away some of the resort’s classic charm — a survivable tradeoff, but a disappointing development nonetheless.

15. Four Seasons Orlando at Walt Disney World

 Four Seasons

Image: Four Seasons

If you’ve never stayed at a Four Seasons, it might seem crazy to you that a non-Disney resort that isn’t within walking distance of a park would place this high on the list. If you have stayed at a Four Seasons, it might seem crazy to you that the ultimate name in luxury would place this low on the list. Those two forces cancel out and keep this stunning hotel right in the middle.

14. Disney’s Port Orleans Resort - Riverside

 rickpilot_2000, Flickr (license)

Image: rickpilot_2000, Flickr (license)

The Sassagoula River is one of Disney’s greatest achievements in water management. The river, which goes from Disney’s Port Orleans Resort - Riverside all the way to Disney Springs, is traversed all day long by ferry boats that shuttle guests from their hotels to the shopping district in peak serenity. Riverside is a gorgeous setting unto itself, but so-so dining and a potentially niche theme keep it slightly below its Sassagoula brethren.

13. Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground

 cdharrison, Flickr (license)

Image: cdharrison, Flickr (license)

Leave it to Disney to take a concept as old as humanity itself — outdoor camping — and elevate it into something completely and utterly magical. Between the idyllic setting and the fun frontier vibe, Fort Wilderness is as unique a vacation experience as you will ever find.

12. Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort

 princessashley, Flickr (license)

Image: princessashley, Flickr (license)

When it comes to thematic excellence, it’s hard to top Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. Completely transporting, the resort closes you off from the real world in such a way that you can’t help but feel like you’re actually in the middle of the Caribbean while you stay there. With the addition of the Disney Skyliner and the renovated Centertown, this resort will be the quintessential example of what makes Walt Disney World so unique.

11. Walt Disney World Swan

 harshlight, Flickr (license)

Image: harshlight, Flickr (license)

 
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Comments

Very fun article picking the best (and lacking) attributes from each resort. Always a quality article from Dakota!

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