Disney World Resort Comparison: Which Resort Fits Your Family?

By Alyssa Howard

“Which Disney World resort should we stay at?” is the question I get asked more than any other. And honestly, the answer always depends on the family asking. A family of five with a toddler needs something very different than a family with two teenagers, and a trip focused on Magic Kingdom calls for a different home base than one centered on EPCOT and Hollywood Studios.

That is exactly why I put together this Disney World resort comparison. Rather than walking through the general factors to consider (my guide on how to choose a Disney World Resort hotel covers all of that), this post gets specific. You will find every resort sorted by theme, area, and transportation, along with my picks for families who need room for five, want the best pools, are traveling with little ones or teens, or want to keep walking to a minimum.

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Planning a Walt Disney World vacation? Be sure to check out my guides to Walt Disney World in 2026 and Walt Disney World in 2027!

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Disney World Resort Comparison at a Glance

Before we get into the details, here is a quick side-by-side look at every Disney-owned resort, including its tier, the resort area it sits in, and any transportation it offers beyond the complimentary buses that serve every resort.

For a deeper look at each tier, visit my guides to Value Resorts, Moderate Resorts, Deluxe Resorts, and Deluxe Villas.

A Quick Look at Every Disney World Resort’s Theme

Theming is one of my favorite parts of staying on property. Every Disney resort tells a story, and picking one whose story excites your family makes coming “home” at the end of a long park day feel like part of the vacation.

Value Resorts

• All-Star Movies: Oversized icons from classic Disney films like Toy Story, 101 Dalmatians, and Fantasia.
• All-Star Music: Giant guitars, jukeboxes, and a guitar-shaped pool, with sections themed to calypso, jazz, rock, country, and Broadway.
• All-Star Sports: Larger-than-life football, baseball, basketball, tennis, and surfing icons.
• Pop Century: A trip through the 1950s to the 1990s with a giant Rubik’s Cube, bowling pins, and a Big Wheel. Parents love the nostalgia as much as kids love the colors.
• Art of Animation: The most immersive Value resort, with Little Mermaid standard rooms and Cars, Finding Nemo, and Lion King family suites.

Moderate Resorts

• Caribbean Beach: Colorful island villages, sandy beaches, and hammocks around a large lake. It is also the main Skyliner hub.
• Coronado Springs: Spanish, Mexican, and American Southwest influences, a Mayan-style pyramid at the main pool, and the modern Gran Destino Tower.
• Port Orleans French Quarter: New Orleans charm with wrought-iron balconies, Mardi Gras touches, and beignets. The smallest and coziest Moderate.
• Port Orleans Riverside: The Mississippi River and Louisiana bayou, with stately mansions and rustic lodges.

Deluxe Resorts

• Contemporary: The iconic A-frame the monorail runs through, with a sleek modern style and Incredibles-inspired rooms.
• Grand Floridian: Disney’s flagship resort, full of Victorian elegance, with subtle Mary Poppins touches in the rooms.
• Polynesian Village: South Pacific lushness, Moana-inspired rooms, and a white sand beach facing Cinderella Castle.
• Wilderness Lodge: A Pacific Northwest national park lodge with a soaring lobby, totem poles, and its own geyser.
• Yacht Club: A polished, nautical New England yacht club.
• Beach Club: A breezy Victorian seaside cottage feel with classic character touches.
• BoardWalk Inn: An early 1900s Atlantic seaboard boardwalk with carnival games, surrey bikes, and street performers.
• Animal Kingdom Lodge: An African safari lodge with savannas full of giraffes, zebras, and more right outside.

Deluxe Villa Resorts

Many villas share a campus with a Deluxe resort and carry the same theme, including Bay Lake Tower, The Villas at the Grand Floridian, the Polynesian Villas and Bungalows and Island Tower, Boulder Ridge and Copper Creek, the BoardWalk Villas, the Beach Club Villas, and the Animal Kingdom Villas. These stand on their own:

• Riviera: Elegant European style inspired by the French and Italian Riviera.
• Old Key West: The original Disney Vacation Club resort, with a relaxed Key West feel and some of the largest villas on property.
• Saratoga Springs: Late 1800s upstate New York horse racing and natural springs, plus the Treehouse Villas.
• The Cabins at Fort Wilderness: Cozy Disney Vacation Club cabins tucked into the pines.

Campground

• Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground: Wooded campsites along Bay Lake with campfire activities, horseback riding, and the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue.

Disney World Resorts by Area

Staying in the area closest to the parks you plan to visit most can save you a lot of time.

• Magic Kingdom Area: Contemporary, Bay Lake Tower, Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Wilderness Lodge, and Fort Wilderness. Best for Magic Kingdom-focused trips and easy midday breaks.
• EPCOT Area: BoardWalk, Yacht Club, Beach Club, Riviera, and Caribbean Beach. Best for trips focused on EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. (The non-Disney Swan, Dolphin, and Swan Reserve are here too and offer many of the same on-property perks.)
• Animal Kingdom Area: Animal Kingdom Lodge, Coronado Springs, and the All-Star Resorts. Close to Animal Kingdom, with buses to every park.
• Disney Springs Area: Port Orleans French Quarter, Port Orleans Riverside, Old Key West, and Saratoga Springs. Great if you plan evenings at Disney Springs.
• ESPN Wide World of Sports Area: Pop Century and Art of Animation. The name does not sound park-adjacent, but the Skyliner makes EPCOT and Hollywood Studios easy to reach.

Disney World Resorts on the Monorail

• Contemporary and Bay Lake Tower
• Grand Floridian and The Villas at the Grand Floridian
• Polynesian Village, Polynesian Villas and Bungalows, and Island Tower

The resort monorail goes straight to Magic Kingdom, which makes midday naps and pool breaks so much easier. To reach EPCOT, you will transfer to the EPCOT monorail at the Transportation and Ticket Center, a short walk from the Polynesian.

My favorite tip: the Contemporary is close enough to walk to Magic Kingdom, which is often faster than waiting for the monorail at the end of the night.

Disney World Resorts on the Skyliner

• Value: Pop Century and Art of Animation (shared station)
• Moderate: Caribbean Beach (the main hub)
• Deluxe Villa: Riviera

The Skyliner connects these resorts to EPCOT’s International Gateway and to Hollywood Studios. Depending on where you are staying, you may change gondolas at the Caribbean Beach hub, but it is quick and easy. I love the Skyliner because the ride itself feels like an attraction. It’s also great if you have a stroller, as most strollers don’t have to be folded to ride.

The BoardWalk, Yacht Club, and Beach Club do not have their own station, but they are within walking distance of the International Gateway station.

Keep in mind that the Skyliner pauses for lightning and high winds, which are common on Florida summer afternoons. Buses still run when it does.

Disney World Resorts Within Walking Distance of a Park or With Boat Service

Walk to a Park

• Contemporary and Bay Lake Tower: About a 10 to 15 minute walk to Magic Kingdom.
• BoardWalk, Yacht Club, and Beach Club: A short walk to EPCOT’s International Gateway (Beach Club is closest) and a longer walking path to Hollywood Studios.
• Saratoga Springs: A walk across the bridge to Disney Springs.

Boat Service

• To Magic Kingdom: Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Wilderness Lodge, and Fort Wilderness
• To EPCOT and Hollywood Studios: BoardWalk, Yacht Club, and Beach Club
• To Disney Springs: Port Orleans French Quarter, Port Orleans Riverside, Old Key West, and Saratoga Springs

Disney World Resorts That Sleep 5

Families of five ask me about this more than almost anything else, because most standard rooms at Disney World only sleep four.

• Value: Standard Value rooms only sleep four. Your best Value option for five is a family suite at Art of Animation or All-Star Music, which sleeps up to six.
• Moderate (child-size fifth sleeper): Caribbean Beach and select rooms in the Alligator Bayou section of Port Orleans Riverside have two queen beds plus a child-size pull-down bed. These rooms sleep four adults and one small child, and the bed works best for preschool and elementary-age kids. For a family with one younger child, these are one of the best values on property.
• Deluxe: Most standard rooms at the Contemporary, Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Yacht Club, Beach Club, and BoardWalk Inn sleep five with a daybed or fold-down sleeper that can often fit an older child or adult. Standard rooms at Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom Lodge generally sleep only four.
• Deluxe Villas: Many studios sleep five with a queen bed, sleeper sofa, and single pull-down bed, including studios at the Riviera, Polynesian, and Grand Floridian. The Riviera’s Tower Studios only sleep two.

Always double-check the occupancy for your specific room category before booking, since it can vary within the same resort.

Best Disney World Resorts for Large Families

• Value – Family Suites at Art of Animation and All-Star Music: These sleep up to six with a separate bedroom, two full bathrooms, and a kitchenette. When we traveled with my parents as a family of six, we stayed in a family suite at Art of Animation, and it was the perfect fit. The grandparents had their own bedroom and bathroom, and the rest of us had plenty of room to spread out.
• Value or Moderate – Connecting Rooms: Two connecting rooms can sometimes cost less than a suite. They must be requested and are not guaranteed, so I recommend calling Disney after booking to note the request.
• Moderate – Coronado Springs Suites: Coronado Springs offers a limited number of suites that can accommodate larger groups at a lower price than most Deluxe options.
• Deluxe Villas: One-bedroom villas typically sleep four or five, two-bedroom villas sleep eight or nine, and grand villas sleep up to twelve. The Cabins at Fort Wilderness sleep six, and the Polynesian Bungalows, Copper Creek Cabins, and Saratoga Springs Treehouse Villas are wonderful for big groups.

Disney World Resorts With the Best Pools

• Value – The Big Blue Pool at Art of Animation: One of the largest hotel pools at Disney World, with Finding Nemo theming and underwater speakers.
• Moderate – The Lost City of Cibola at Coronado Springs: A Mayan-style pyramid with a waterfall and a water slide. (This was one of our personal favorites!)
• Moderate – Fuentes del Morro at Caribbean Beach: A Spanish fort with water slides and water cannons that kids love.
• Moderate – Doubloon Lagoon at Port Orleans French Quarter: A fun Mardi Gras pool with a sea serpent water slide.
• Deluxe – Stormalong Bay at the Yacht Club and Beach Club: The best pool at Disney World, hands down. Three acres with a sand-bottom pool, lazy river, and shipwreck slide, open only to Yacht Club, Beach Club, and Beach Club Villas guests.
• Deluxe – The Lava Pool at the Polynesian: A volcano-themed pool with a water slide and lagoon views.
• Deluxe – Uzima Springs at Animal Kingdom Lodge: A long water slide and a chance to spot animals on the nearby savanna.

Best Disney World Resorts for Little Ones

With toddlers and preschoolers, I look for easy midday breaks and theming that adds to the magic.

• Value – Art of Animation: Larger-than-life characters everywhere, the Big Blue Pool, and Skyliner access. Honestly, we had a blast when my girls were younger, just walking around and taking pictures!
• Value – All-Star Movies: Little ones love the giant Toy Story and 101 Dalmatians icons, and it is one of the most affordable options on property.
• Moderate – Caribbean Beach: Sandy beaches, a pirate-worthy fort pool, and the Skyliner make this a great fit.
• Deluxe – The Polynesian: Quick monorail and boat access to Magic Kingdom makes nap breaks easy, and the beach is perfect for playing in the sand during the fireworks.
• Deluxe – The Contemporary: Walking to Magic Kingdom is a big help with a stroller, and Chef Mickey’s is right in the building.
• Deluxe – Animal Kingdom Lodge: Giraffes and zebras outside your window never get old, though buses are the only transportation.

Best Disney World Resorts for Teens

Teens tend to care less about character theming and more about freedom, activities, and easy access to the big thrill rides. (Although to be fair, my teens still love a little Disney theming.)

• Value – Pop Century: My teens loved the retro 80s and 90s sections and had so much fun spotting things they recognized. The Skyliner is also a big win for getting to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios.
• Moderate – Caribbean Beach: As the Skyliner hub, it makes hopping between EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, home to many of the best rides for older kids, easy.
• Moderate – Coronado Springs: The Gran Destino Tower has a modern, grown-up feel teens appreciate, and the main pool is one of the best at this level.
• Campground – Fort Wilderness: Bike and golf cart rentals, archery, and boating give teens plenty to do and a little more independence.
• Deluxe – The BoardWalk: Street performers, carnival games, and surrey bikes at night, plus walking access to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios.
• Deluxe Villa – The Riviera: Skyliner access and a stylish, sophisticated feel that does not feel “too young.”

Best Disney World Resorts for Minimizing Walking

Some Disney resorts are spread out across huge properties, which can mean long walks to the bus stop or main building. If walking is a concern for anyone in your group, these are my top picks.

• Value – Pop Century (Preferred Room): Pop Century has one central bus stop by the main building, and booking a preferred room places you closest to it. The Skyliner station is also a short walk away.
• Value – All-Star Resorts (Preferred Room): Each All-Star resort has a central bus stop, and preferred rooms keep the walk short.
• Moderate – Port Orleans French Quarter: The smallest Moderate resort, with a compact layout that makes getting around much easier than at the larger Moderates.
• Deluxe – The Contemporary and Bay Lake Tower: The monorail stops inside the Contemporary, rooms are reached by elevator, and you can walk to Magic Kingdom.
• Deluxe Villa – The Riviera: A compact resort with the Skyliner station just steps from the main building.
• Deluxe – The Yacht Club and Beach Club: Relatively compact and close to EPCOT’s International Gateway.

Resorts to think twice about: Caribbean Beach, Coronado Springs, Port Orleans Riverside, Saratoga Springs, and Old Key West are large and spread out, and Animal Kingdom Lodge is known for its long hallways. Wherever you stay, you can request a room close to the main building or bus stop.

Best Disney World Resorts for Couples and Adult Trips

For trips without kids, I lean toward resorts with beautiful theming, great dining, and a quieter atmosphere.

• Value – Pop Century: Easy Skyliner access to EPCOT, which is a favorite park for many adults, at a Value price.
• Moderate – Port Orleans French Quarter: Quiet, charming, and cozy, with a romantic New Orleans feel.
• Moderate – Coronado Springs (Gran Destino Tower): A sophisticated, modern style and a rooftop restaurant with beautiful views.
• Deluxe – The Contemporary and Wilderness Lodge: My husband and I chose these two for our adult trips, and both were genuinely special.
• Deluxe – The Grand Floridian, the Riviera, and Animal Kingdom Lodge: All three offer a relaxed, elegant stay with excellent dining.

Final Thoughts on This Disney World Resort Comparison

There is truly a Disney World resort for every family, and the best choice is the one that matches how your family likes to vacation. I hope this Disney World resort comparison helps you narrow down your options and feel confident in your decision. If you are still deciding what matters most, my guide on how to choose a Disney World Resort hotel is a great place to start.

For the most up-to-date pricing, room details, and availability, be sure to visit the official Walt Disney World resort hotels page.

Planning your first Walt Disney World vacation? Be sure to visit my step-by-step planning guide to get started!

Ready to Keep Planning?

Here are some resources to help!

• How to Choose a Disney World Resort Hotel
• Disney World Value Resort Hotels Guide
• Disney World Moderate Resort Hotels Guide
• Disney World Deluxe Resort Hotels Guide
• Disney World Deluxe Villas Guide
• Perks of Staying at a Disney World Resort