(Next Best Resort Choices)

NEXT BEST CHOICES FOR WHERE TO STAY AT WALT DISNEY WORLD

This site recommends here the Polynesian for those who can afford it, and Disney’s Art of Animation Resort for those who can’t.

For those who can’t, or won’t, stay at one of these two resorts, below are the next best options, in order, by price category.

See this for details on the features of the various resort price categories (Deluxe, Moderate, Value).

SUMMARY: BEST WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT CHOICES IN ORDER

Value Resorts:

Standard 4-person rooms:

1. Art of Animation
2. Pop Century
3. All-Star Movies
4. All-Star Sports
5. All-Star-Music

Six-person “Family Suites”

1. The Family Suites at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
2. The Family Suites at All-Star Music

Moderate resorts (not recommended for first time visitors, see this for why):

1. Caribbean Beach
2. Coronado Springs
3. Port Orleans Riverside
4. Port Orleans French Quarter
5. The Cabins at Fort Wilderness Resort.

(The first four rankings are close, especially 3 and 4.)

Deluxe Resorts:

1. Polynesian
2. Wilderness Lodge
3. Animal Kingdom Lodge
4. Contemporary
5. Grand Floridian
6. Beach Club
7. Yacht Club
8. BoardWalk Inn

(These rankings are NOT close.)

Disney Vacation Club resorts (not recommended for first time visitors, see this for why):

1. The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
2. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas–Jambo House
3. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas–Kidani Village
4. Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
5. The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa
6. Disney’s Beach Club Villas
7. Disney’s Boardwalk Villas
8. Disney’s Old Key West Resort
9. Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa, main resort
10. Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort, Treehouse Villas area.

(These rankings are NOT close.)

Campgrounds: (not recommended for first time visitors, see this for why)

• The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort

WHY THESE ARE THE BEST CHOICES

The thumbnail (click to open, when open click again one or two times to enlarge) shows the basis of these recommendations: the resorts grouped by rankings of convenience and kid appeal.

See this for more on kid appeal, and this for more on convenience.

See this for details on the features of the various resort price categories (Deluxe, Moderate, Value).

REALLY GEEKY SUPPLEMENT

Also see How Many Square Feet in a Square Foot? for a review of Walt Disney World Resort room sizes compared to industry standards.

MORE ON WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD

• For where to stay, see this
  • For your next best choices, in order, see this
  • For picking your resort based on appeal to kids, see this
  • For picking your resort based on convenience, see this
  • For where not to stay, see this

• For what you get in each resort price category, see this
  • For Walt Disney World resort price seasons, see this
  • For resort reviews, see this
  • For the value resorts, see this
  • For the moderate resorts, see this
  • For the deluxe resorts, see this
  • For suites at the deluxe resorts, see this
  • For the Disney Vacation Club (“DVC”) Resorts, see this

• For a (geeky) overview of comparative room size, see this

• Large families should look at this, and also at
  • Large Families Looking for Value Pricing at Walt Disney World
  • Large Families Looking for Deluxe Accommodations at Disney World
  • Beds and Sleeping Spaces at the Walt Disney World Resorts
  • Renting Disney Vacation Club Points
  • Suites at Walt Disney World

• Military/DOD families should look at this

• Tightwads should look at this

• Families seeking the most comfortable place to stay should see this