Disney World’s Most Misunderstood Hotels

Disney World can be confusing even for the most seasoned visitors.

Walt Disney World

One thing that a lot of people can struggle with is the seemingly endless array of options when it comes to Disney World hotels. There are so many to pick from, each with different themes, different price points, and different perks. You might have certain perceptions about some of the hotels based on what you’ve seen or what friends have said. But, some Disney World hotels can be totally misunderstood, making the whole picking-the-right-hotel process even MORE complicated. But today we’re here to break down a few hotel misconceptions. 

Taking these misconceptions into consideration — and acknowledging that they’re misconceptions — can aid in your decision on where to stay during your next Disney World vacation. It might also inspire you to go outside of your usual Disney routine and try something new!

Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground is more than just a place to put a tent.

Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground is often VERY misunderstood in the sense that many people forget that there IS more than just a campground here!

Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground

Sure, you can go camping here and pitch that tent. You can also bring your RV or stay in a cabin. And yes, you can roast some marshmallows too.

BUT did you know that you can also explore various unique dining options here — including a much-beloved dinner show with some EPIC fried chicken (Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue)…

Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue Dinner Show

…and a Quick Service location that just got a menu OVERAUL?!

NEW EATS at Trail’s End!

PLUS, there are some incredibly unique activities you can participate in here like horseback riding, archery, and even mining for gemstones?!

Archery

There are lots of recreation options here too. You can bike, you can fish, you can rent a boat, you can rent a canoe, and there are spaces to play everything from tennis to basketball!

And if you want something REALLY unique — Fort Wilderness is one of the few hotel locations where you can guarantee a character sighting for FREE. Just stop by Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Campfire Sing-A-Long, where you can see the famous characters, sing some songs, roast marshmallows, and then even enjoy a movie under the stars.

Campfire Sing-A-Long

Fort Wilderness is also a great place to stay if you’re hoping to stay a bit further away from the parks. It can give you more of a feeling of “escape” than the other hotels can. But note that this comes with its own complications. Because things are spread out a lot here, it means it can take a while to get places.

Another thing to keep in mind is that camping isn’t the only way to stay here. There are cabins available and some NEW cabins are on the way with upgraded features you might really enjoy.

Fort Wilderness Cabin Concept Art ©Disney

So, don’t discount Fort Wilderness as that “camping” resort. It’s SO much more than that. And even if you don’t stay here, stopping by might be well worth the effort, even if it’s just for a dinner show reservation or a round of archery.

Click here to learn more about Fort Wilderness

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is a moderate resort that can feel more like a deluxe resort.

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is listed as a moderate resort and features a few different room options — some in Gran Destino Tower (the main building, where the lobby is) or in the separate buildings that surround the tower.

Coronado Springs

While several of the rooms here could be great options, a popular opinion is that the rooms in Gran Destino Tower have more of a deluxe feel to them. Plus, you’ll find a fitness center within this hotel, which is a unique offering at a moderate resort in Disney World.

Queen Beds with Platform

Plus, the hotel has some SHOCKINGLY good food, making it a great option if you’re looking for some delicious eats.

Sangria Flight

Of course, Coronado Springs comes with its own downsides. While Gran Destino Tower feels like it’s at the center of it all, the other rooms that are spread out throughout the rest of the hotel can be quite far from everything. In fact, it is one of the few Disney World hotels with an internal bus loop — so that gives you an idea of just how spread out things are.

So, if you want a luxury feel at a moderate level, Gran Destino Tower itself might be what you might want to focus on when booking your stay. Or at least, go in knowing that you’ll have a bit of a hike from the other rooms to enjoy some of those nicer amenities at the Tower.

Disney’s Port Orleans Resort is technically 2 different resorts.

Something people might not realize is that Disney’s Port Orleans Resort is actually made up of 2 different resorts — Port Orleans — French Quarter and Port Orleans — Riverside. But the resorts are so close you can literally walk along the river to access one from the other.

Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter Resort

Port Orleans — French Quarter has a bit more of an upscale feel, despite being a moderate resort. The theming here is more like a posh hotel located in the heart of New Orleans. It’s also quite small, giving it a quieter and more intimate (less busy) feel.

Port Orleans — Riverside, on the other hand, has a more countryside feel to it — like you’re staying in a hotel on the bayou. This side is a bit more spread out though and there is an internal bus loop to help you connect to ALL of the parts of the Riverside resort.

Riverside

Both are good options with decent price points, but many do prefer French Quarter because of its smaller size, beignets (THEY ARE DELICIOUS), and more upscale feel. But if you stay at one, you’re close enough to enjoy some things at both.

For example, you could stay at French Quarter and just take a quick walk over to Riverside to dine at Boatwright’s Dining Hall (a Table Service restaurant, something French Quarter lacks). Or you could stay at Riverside and walk over to French Quarter for those EPIC beignets.

Champagne Beignet from Scat Cat’s Club

Plus, both offer access via boat to Disney Springs, making it a convenient place to stay if you plan to visit Disney Springs often.

Click here to go INSIDE a Port Orleans Standard Hotel Room

Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts are NOT the same.

Disney’s Yacht Club Resort and Disney’s Beach Club Resort are both deluxe resorts that are located in (more or less) the same location and even share a pool — Stormalong Bay. They’re often referred to as “Yacht and Beach Club” by both Cast Members and guests, which only adds to the misconception that they’re the same resort. But these are technically 2 separate spots.

Disney’s Beach Club

Yacht Club has more of a New England yacht club (hence the name) kind of atmosphere, while Beach Club has more of a vintage beachy theming. Beach Club can often be the more popular choice out of the two for families with smaller children.

Disney’s Beach Club Room — A refurbished Club Level Room in June 2023

The big benefit here is that they are right next to each other, so you can enjoy the restaurants, lobbies, and stores of both easily. Plus, they are within walking distance to EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios and have easy access to the Disney Skyliner and Disney’s BoardWalk. Just keep in mind that they are technically 2 different spots!

Click here for our Yacht Club vs. BoardWalk Inn resort guide

The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin aren’t owned by Disney…but you shouldn’t ignore them

The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin hotels aren’t owned by Disney, which can confuse some people. Despite the fact that they’re right in the heart of Disney World, the hotels are actually Marriott properties.

This is unique and can be beneficial for many reasons. In terms of the downside, you won’t really find Disney theming here since they are NOT Disney hotels. BUT you can use Marriott points here, which can make them an awesome pick if you have those.

Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin

Plus, they are within walking distance to EPCOT, Disney’s BoardWalk, the Skyliner, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. They also qualify for some great perks like Early Theme Park Entry, and Extended Evening Hours (which is a more exclusive perk generally only open to Disney World Deluxe Hotel and Deluxe Villa guests — along with select other hotel guests). They are also home to a multitude of unique restaurants.

The Bed Area at Swan Reserve

So if you want to get great perks, use your Marriott points, and have access to a bunch of awesome eats, don’t ignore the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin (and their newer Swan Reserve hotel too!).

Click here to tour a room at the Swan Reserve Hotel with us

Disney Vacation Club resorts are for EVERYONE.

There are a few Disney World resorts that are Disney Vacation Club (DVC) resorts, and they consist of DVC villas. You might think these are exclusively for Disney Vacation Club members, but that’s not the case. The truth is that ANYONE can stay in these rooms/villas — DVC member or not. Knowing this can provide you with a few extra options when deciding where to stay!

Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort

The prices for the DVC rooms can be quite a bit higher because the rooms offer different amenities (and sometimes a LOT more in terms of space and perks) than a “standard” Disney World hotel room. But still, the key here is to know that these are technically an option for you! Don’t feel like that 1 Bedroom Villa at a DVC Resort is something you can’t access.

Old Key West Resort — Deluxe Studio Room.

And if you want to stay in these Disney Vacation Club hotels for LESS, there’s a secret you need to know about — you’ll want to RENT DVC points, rather than book the room directly through Disney. Renting DVC points can actually help you secure one of these rooms for WAY less than you’d pay when booking directly through Disney.

Bedroom at the Grand Floridian

We highly recommend that you reach out to our friends over David’s Vacation Club Rentals for all your DVC point renting needs. They can help you through the process and maybe even help you secure the room of your dreams for less than you expected.

Click here to learn all about how you can stay in those Disney Vacation Club rooms for LESS

Bonus: Value Resorts can be a better option than they used to be.

Many Disney World visitors might try to avoid the value resorts (a.k.a. Disney’s cheapest resorts) because of the belief that the rooms are older, aren’t as nicely done, and don’t offer good perks. And certainly, if you compare a value resort to a deluxe resort, you’ll see some BIG differences, but that doesn’t mean you should forget about value resorts entirely.

Pop Century

Yes, these value resorts can be PACKED (the cheaper prices can draw lots of families in) and noisy. And they do not offer Table Service restaurants, so that can be a tough part for foodies to deal with. BUT, they do offer free Disney World transportation to the parks (as do all Disney World hotels). And Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney’s Art of Animation Resort even have access to Disney’s Skyliner, which can be a GREAT perk (offering you easy access to EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and even other hotels).

Skyliner station

Plus, many of the value resorts have undergone recent renovations and feature some newer rooms with a more modern feel, including some Murphy beds to help save on space.

All-Star Standard Room

If you haven’t stayed in a value resort in a few years, now might be a great time to give it another go (or at least take a look at the rooms and amenities to see if they’ll fit your needs for WAY less than you’d spend elsewhere!).

Plus, there are even family suites at Disney’s All-Star Music Resort that many don’t know about! That could help you get some much-needed space for your family for cheaper than you’d pay at other hotels in Disney World.

Click here to tour a room at Disney’s Pop Century Resort

And those are just some of the ways that certain Disney World hotels are misunderstood. Has your opinion changed about any of these? Tell us in the comments!

We’ve always got your back when it comes to hotel and travel advice, so make sure to follow along for more.

Click here to learn about the BEST ROOMS in Disney World and how to get them.

Want More Details About Disney World’s Hotels?

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• 13 Critical Things You’re FORGETTING About When Booking a Disney World Hotel

• 8 Gadgets You Need for Your Disney World Hotel Room

• The Surprising Things You Won’t Find in Your Disney World Hotel Room

• The Secret Way to Stay in Disney World’s Hotels for LESS!

• What Items from Amazon Can You Have Delivered to Your Resort Hotel? We’ve Got the Details

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Have you ever stayed at any of the resorts we mentioned? Let us know in the comments!

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