This video is a hotel crawl and I’m HERE for it. Here AKA my office. But mentally, I’m hotel crawling.

I think the Poly will always be my number one. More than the food, more than the location, it just has the best vibes. Being there makes me so happy.

I'm going to standup for Caribbean Beach resort. We stayed there in February of 2023 and we loved the resort, in fact we all agreed it helped to make our holiday so amazing. Yes it's spread out compared to other Disney resorts, but a 15 minutes walk to the main pool is a bit of a push. The food at the pool bar was excellent. With the pool in mind we never felt safer in a pool than at the main pool in the resort, the life Gard's were amazing and extremely fair with people. The skyliner was amazing, It was not too bad in the morning, I personally found skyliner at Epcot and Hollywood studios busier at night when leaving them. We never found the bus loop to be bad. The only problem we had with the busses was there didn't seem to be enough going from Magic Kingdom or animals kingdom to Caribbean Beach resort.

I love these videos, but I think it would be great to include a visual of where each hotel is located on a map of WDW. I keep finding myself pausing the video to go and take a look at the map 🗺️ 😂

I know the Swan and Dolphin aren’t “technically” Disney World Resort hotels; however, you get all the perks of a Disney World resort with wonderful restaurants and a luxurious atmosphere. If you’re wanting peace and quiet with less children…I LOVE this place. I’ve never had a bad experience there. And when you research vacation packages, you often get an awesome deal for this hotel too. It’s right on the Boardwalk, you get boat and bus access to the parks, and you get other perks like extended park hours too. The only downside is lack of Disney theming, but personally I don’t mind bc some days you just need a break from it

I felt like this video lists transportation as a con pretty nonchalantly. For me, transportation as a con is a HUGE deal. We have 3 small kids so being able to walk to Magic Kingdom with my stroller all packed and ready to go from the Contemporary will always have it as my #1. And this video really only saying that the theming and monorail noise are the negatives, confirms that for me! Got a huge deal on a theme park/fireworks view room this year. Love the splash pad and Bay Lake Tower pool. Fantastic dining. My son is obsessed with watching the monorail come and go. Contemporary all the way!

I'm honestly surprised Caribbean Beach is at the bottom. The Skyliner makes it better than a ton of other options *hands down*. Granted if you are not planning on going to HS or Epcot, it may not be the boon that you want, but it's *such* a better means of travel compared to bus or boat or any other option. My fiance and I love HS more than any other park, so this is by far our favorite place to go.

Stayed at Saratoga Springs last spring and it was phenomenal. Very awesome atmosphere. It also had a great kid area in the pool space that was less intense than some of the other commons areas. And walking to Disney Springs is a game changer. It guarantees you have access to shopping, entertainment, and tons of food all within proximity to where you do not have to get on another bus.

I'm staying at the Port Orleans French Quarter at the end of March, 2024. The reservation desk warned me about the pool closure, which was very thorough of them. I've stayed here before so I know that the Riverside pool is quite a distance to walk, so your viewers may wish to know: I was told there would be transportation back and forth between the pools. A nice touch!

Part of the reason I love Sarotoga is because it feels like home- i love that apartment vibe

We stayed at All Star Movies and loved it. In two weeks we never waited more than 5 minutes for a bus. My 6 year old loved it so much he refused to leave on the first day when we wanted to go to magic kingdom. I didn’t want to stay in a more expensive hotel, we were going to the parks when it opens and leave when they closed so a more expensive hotel would have been a waste. Great video. Take care.

I got to stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge when I was younger, and it was the most magical experience ever. I was obsessed with animals as a kid so getting to see them from my hotel room was so exciting. I swear I loved it even more than the theme parks lol and I remember loving the food too.

I feel I need to stick up for Old Key West. While it doesn’t have splashy theming or the most in demand dining, the vibes there are so relaxing and calm which is just what I want on vacation. There’s nothing like leaving the hustle and bustle of the parks and coming back to the quiet and peaceful Old Key West resort

A number of comments asking about price. We are looking at going to WDW in September 2024 and this is the cheapest room in each hotel for two adults. Price per night: Fort Wilderness Campground - RV Spot - $109 All-Star Sports Resort - $116 All-Star Music Resort - $116 Pop Century Resort - $161 All-Star Movies Resort - $165 Art of Animation Resort - $183 Coronado Springs Resort - $221 Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter - $235 Port Orleans Resort - Riverside - $239 Caribbean Beach Resort - $250 Saratoga Springs Resort - $313 Animal Kingdom Lodge - $335 Wilderness Lodge - $360 Fort Wilderness Campground - Cabins - $367 Contemporary Resort - $395 Beach Club Resort - $403 Yacht Club Resort - $410 BoardWalk Inn - $438 Old Key West - $440 Riviera Resort - $518 Grand Floridian Resort & Spa - $551 Polynesian Village Resort - $572

I've stayed at several locations, but the Poly was hands down the winner for me. Beautiful. Still disney themed. I actually want to spend time there, not just at the parks. And although no skyliner, which i adore, the monorail and boat services are spectacular and get you to other hotels, magic Kingdom, and epcot so conveniently. But like y'all said, different trips have different needs, and AOA was perfect for a last minute girls trip i was part of.

I love Pop Century! It's also my favorite hotel scent hahah. The photos always make it look like a dingy motel but when you stay there it's pretty awesome. 10/10 do recommend.

AKL for the win. The kids love seeing the animals when they wake up! It's old school peak Disney theming before Chapek, so the details are exquisite. I rue the day they update this resort, it'll end up looking like the typical Motel 8 redesign.

Caribbean Beach last is WILD, but Poly def deserves numba 1s

I agree, AJ…every resort has its ups and downs! Your stay also should reflect your family. When my girls were young- we did the All Star Movies and Music. Preteen- we loved Pop, once we were DVC members, we have loved stays at AKL, Saratoga, Poly, and with extended family, the Tree House Villas. Never a bad stay at any…great memories. We would go back to any of them!😊🥰

I didn’t hear Bay Lake Tower mentioned at all. Maybe I missed it? We loved it there. The view is amazing, it’s quiet, and so close to MK. You still have close access to all that the Contemporary has to offer without the noise and crowds. The view of Bay Lake from the back is serene after along day at the parks and you can watch the Electrical Water Pageant from your lanai every evening.

I will never understand why people don't think Boardwalk is the best hotel. It's within walking distance of two parks, it's themeing is peak vacation, it feels very Disney without it becoming tacky, it feels classy, lots of places to eat and get a drink, and the lagoon view rooms have an absolutely amazing view

Beach Club is my no.1! Best location at WDW, I love the vibes. The resort smell is amazing. I love everything about it!

My wife and I stayed at Pop for our honeymoon and fell in love with it and the access to the Skyliner ❤️ but we are staying at Wilderness Lodge for our next trip and we are so excited!!

I absolutely agree with Grand Floridian being number one, it ain’t the flagship for nothing! And Animal Kingdom Lodge at #2 is spot on! And these two resorts’ main lobbies look the most beautiful during Christmas 😍

If you are planning to stay at Caribbean Beach, stay in the preferred rooms in the Martinique area. This is the FIRST stop for buses and you will have no issue getting on! It is also close to the main lobby/pool. The only con is the walk to the skyline.

We just stayed at Seratoga Springs and I absolutely loved it. Very quaint and felt like I was staying in a cottage. Yea, it’s definitely spread apart but if you don’t mind the walk, I find it’s fine, and it also allows you to enjoy the nice area the resort is in.

DFB is always informative and one of my top go to experts for DisneyWorld advice but Pop Century over Polynesian 😳

We (family of 5) just stayed at CB the week before this last Christmas and we loved it!. We asked for one of the new Little Mermaid rooms in Trinidad and it was a quick walk across the bridge in the morning to the skyliner and it was never more than a two or three minute wait to get on. We also loved that there is a coffee/donut stand at the skyliner station so we were able to grab coffee and a donut for the kids before getting on. The new rooms worked out well. My oldest is a little messy so that made the room seem small at times but the reno was nice. My husband who is a runner loved running the paved path along the water in the morning. I think for the price it had everything we needed for a clean and convenient place to rest and get ready for a new park each day.

As a solo traveler I highly recommend Port Orleans French quarter for adult only trips. The vibe is beautiful but it's also smaller and quieter than the other hotels.

I’m all about Coronado Gran Destino - combination of room quality, pools, dining and value for money cant be beat . We used some of the savings not going deluxe to pay for rideshare , mitigating the transportation issue

Port Orleans Riverside is the most cost efficient luxurious stay. We adore it!!!

Hard disagree on Caribbean Beach, definitely the most convenient if you’re looking at all four parks along with Coronado Springs

Thank you for the amazing video DFB! I find the resort videos very interesting and informative! I’m staying at The Contemporary in March for my birthday trip. I hope you all have an amazing day, thanks for the hard work in the videos. Stood at Pop Century back in Dec and loved it. One of my favs in all of Disney World.

Animal Kingdom Lodge will always be my #1. An absolute stunner

I wish there was a ranking based on budget and another one on just the hotel without taking price into consideration. Riviera is my favorite because my priorities are quality of the room, accessibility and food and if you book a studio or above you got all three. It’s nice to walk from GF to the parks but it’s 1 park usually people try to do all 4. The skyliner resorts give you special transportation to 2 parks.

Your reviews are simply the best. We aren't going to Disney this year (Had a blast there last year) but I love to "go virtually" though DFB!

My dad is a DVC member, and Kidani Village at Animal Kingdom Lodge is our home. It is fantastic and we love it so much.

just visited and the literal 5 minute walk from some parts of beach club to the epcot international gateway is incredible

My favorite, Polynesian Village. Thank you, AJ as usual for great tour.

Over from Australia for two weeks and we are currently staying at the Swan/Dolphin....Great service and so easy to get everywhere with access to water taxi, busses and an uber only ever 2 minutes away. The ability to use both hotels amentities is fantastic.

Animal Kingdom Lodge is my dream resort. I’m mesmerized by its beauty. Bucket list stay for sure.

We are going to the Polynesian in September. It is our favorite deluxe resort. We only stay at the deluxe resorts because I got spoiled when we took the kids in 2000 and stayed at the Contemporary and were upgraded to a concierge tower suite when our room had a major issue. Yes, they are expensive but I feel the benefits at the deluxe resorts are worth it for me and my family. We go every other year instead of yearly because of the cost of the rooms. The only deluxe resort we haven’t stayed at is the Grand Floridian. We almost booked it this year, but we may do it next year.

What made Art of Animation so worth it in my opinion is that you get updated rooms (Cars FTW) and every pro from the Riviera resort. I unfortunately got sick in the middle of my FIRST trip to Disney World (food poisoning), and we were staying at Art of Animation. When I needed food but couldn’t handle AOA’s greasy food court, my boyfriend at the time walked me to the Skyliner, we went to Riviera, and I had the best tomato soup of my life. It revitalized me and I was able to enjoy the rest of my trip. The last day, I went to get some more 😂

AJ, when was the last time you stayed at CBR? It’s amazing! I feel like you need to go back and stay there in 2024. Busses are no issue. In the morning, there are two busses sent. Jamaica-Aruba and Martinique-OPR-Barbados-Trinidad. Jamaica 45 or Aruba 51 is amazing for a 5 minute walk across the island to the main pool and dining. Caribbean beach doesn’t have a 3rd floor. It’s only 2 stories. Also there are 5th sleepers located in every village of the resort, not just the ‘new’ rooms in Trinidad. (A few reasons why I feel like you haven’t actually stayed there in quite awhile). Reminder too that Port Orleans has some areas without elevators either.

My ranking (for the ones I've been to): 1. Caribbean Beach 2. Grand Floridian 3. Contemporary 4. Port Orleans - French Quarter 5. Polynesian 6. Coronado Springs 7. Polynesian 8. Port Orleans - Riverside 9. Art of Animation

I'm staying in a DVC room at AK in April. Can't wait. I stayed at the Caribbean Beach resort in September and loved.

Glad to see Coronado Springs getting some love. So many people sleep on this resort but it's one of our favorites.

Caribbean Beach is my favorite Resort, tied with Polynesian. This ranking is nuts.

I honestly cannot say enough about the family suites at all star music. Very few of the highest price resorts even offer two bathrooms, which, when you have a big family can be a matter of life and death. Lol. Also, they are directly up at the front of the resort, which makes getting to, and from the buses and the food court super convenient.

I too think that Caribbean Beach is getting a bad rap. Though it is spread out it really doesn’t take that long to get to the lobby/food court/pool from your room. Over this last year we have stayed there twice. Jamaica and Aruba are very close to the main Skyliner station. They are also a short walk to the food court which we rarely visited as EPCOT is only a gondola ride away. A trip to Disney is a lot of walking. This resort isn’t anywhere near as big as AJ seems to think it is. Don’t get me wrong I love AJ’s videos. But putting Caribbean Beach last is WRONG. It’s affordable. Has a laid back atmosphere and has easy access to two parks. Cane the “Grand Floridian make that claim.

We're staying at the Yacht Club this week, and the biggest issue for us is the ultra-high beds. For some of my family, it's a challenge getting in and out of bed, and the hotel doesn't have small stools available because of "safety concerns." They suggested that we shoukd have booked an accessable room, but we don't need (or like) all that this bring. We just want rooms to have beds that normal people can use! I will note that other (non-disney) hotels with high beds have always had stools available. In one case it was already in the room. I guess the lawyers have overridden guest comfort concerns.

These are so helpful! My best friend and I are going to WDW in Sept. 2024 for our 30th, and I’m binging DFBGuide videos to prep.

Helpful vid, I wish Dolphin and Swan/Reserve had been included though

Standing up for Saratoga Springs. My husband and I love it and stay there every time. You can almost always rent DVC points for it and it will cost less than a moderate resort. It is definitely for those who want a more casual stay and aren't trying to rope drop every day and enjoy a good stroll around the resort. There are also two pools which keep them not too crowded.

Down to 20days till WDW! Taking my fiancé and her 7year olds son(this will be the little ones first time!!) staying at PoP for 5 nights and a savana view room at Ak lodge for last 3 nights. I love AK LODGE! Cant wait to see the lil ones face for 8 days at all the parks!

Totally disagree with your bottom pick. Stayed at CBR recently and it’s now our #1 choice when we are out of DVC points

For my first visit to DW ever, happening this coming summer, I’ve chosen the Caribbean Beach Resort. I picked it solely for proximity/accessibility to at least two of the parks. I put in a request when I booked last month for a room near the main skyliner.

I love CBR and I think AJ is unfair to it in pretty much every resort video. I had a great stay there and intend to stay there many more times.

For Hubby and me, it's a first place tie between AKL and WL!!!! We alternate these 2 resorts every Staycation!!

I would say The Contemporary ranking is accurate. I liked our recent stay at The Contemporary but wished we had stayed closer to the other parks since we no longer have “Littles.” Don’t misunderstand it’s a nice place to stay with great room quality, the monorail and the easy walk to MK. We just found we spent more time going back and forth to the other parks and Disney Springs since our daughters are older. Side note: Staff at this location was phenomenal!

Love these ranking videos! We stayed at Coronado Springs a couple years ago and really enjoyed the club access. Was happy to see it also ranked in the top 5!

Love this overview as I’m trying Pop for the first time this year after being loyal to Sports and French Quarter for years now. I’m actually really worried about the busyness of the skyliner trying to get to Epcot. I hate super long lines for transportation and have never had to wait for multiple buses at Sports or FQ. I will say I love the bussing situation from both of those resorts. Having one stop is a really bonus over the loops at other resorts. The rooms in Sports are all so clean and in great condition! I have never had issues with busses or noise at sports. But I do not stay there solo.

The Caribbean Beach resort is fantastic. Our family has loved staying here for several years. (And we're picky!) Really doesn't feel much more spread out than the other moderates, and we really enjoy the food there. Also, it has the nicest cast members who just generally seem to enjoy working there.

Growing up as a Florida resident, we used to go to the Disney all star hotels probably about every other month for 5+ years as a kid. They used to be the same price as a best Western or a nice room at a Holiday Inn for a residence but nowadays I would just stay off property.

How is Pop ahead of Polynesian?! 😮😂. Someone please explain because I don’t understand. lol

Wilderness lodge will always remain our number 1. Geyser point is phenomenal and there is no better theming in a Disney resort. Love it.

Great video! Very thorough. I love seeing Coronado Springs get the love it deserves. I feel like it is an underrated resort at times. I love all the food options, the pools, and just the beautiful grounds of the property. It feels like a deluxe resort but affordable for a budget! Also the bus system isn’t that much of an inconvenience since the resort is pretty centrally located, no bus ride takes all that long.

I can’t agree with re Caribbean Beach Resort - sorry!!! It’s not that big a resort in my opinion and it’s flat, so it’s not like you’re climbing hills or running a marathon to get to the main building or Skyliner. Bus service is good too, regardless of all the stops. We’re going next year and we can’t think of a better property to stay at!

I do appreciate your perspective. however, I have to stick up for Saratoga Springs. If you do not have children and it’s an adult only vacation or if you have older children I think it’s a great resort. You can walk to Disney Springs enjoy food, nightlife, shopping, etc. I don’t quite see how the All-Star resorts rated above it but thank you for what you have provided.

Poly at #9? OK. We have "issues" now...

Old key west has multiple quiet pools, they don’t have a closing time unlike most pools at Disney

I always stay at Caribbean beach and I love it. I’ve never had transportation problems with the bus or sykliner and I’ve stayed there between Christmas and New Years and spring break time lol this is slander!! Lmao😂

AJ, AJ, AJ - you're killing me... Saratoga Springs the second worst hotel in WDW??? Yes, it's spread out, but a lot of the negatives you bring up can easily be solved by booking a Preferred Villa. Plus, the Turf Club Bar & Grill has one of the best steaks on the property. You of all people should know that! P.S. - Keep up the good work. We love these videos!

My fav is A.K.L it looks amazing and i LOVE animals, thanks for the vid all seem amazing

I love the wilderness Lodge. If you’re in the right room you could see the fireworks from Magic Kingdom

Port Orleans French Quarter and Pop are my favorites. A lot of value in both of these!

Animal Kingdom Lodge has been my favorite resort since I was a kid- there's something about it for me that none of the other deluxe resorts have. I honestly regret not staying there with my husband when I brought him for the first time back in April- we went over there for dinner and walked around the lobby at Jambo house and out by the savannas, and he was floored by it. The next time we go, it's AKL or bust!

I enjoyed watching! CB was our first Disney stay and I fell in love with it. Now we are DVC and I prefer the monorail resorts or WL. But any of them is magical in their own way. I mean you are at Walt Disney world!

Only been to all the Moderate Disney World Resorts except the French Quarter. Enjoyed them all but if I had to pick one, I give it to Port Orleans Riverside. Its easily the most relaxing of the resorts. The atmosphere and tones are more chill and happy and its also seen in both guests and cast members. It had my favorite of the food courts. Everything tasted great, the place was spaced out, and there were no complications. What I mean by that is for example when I went to Coronado they had some odd ticketing system. None of that with Riverside. It was a little hike to the hotel but the grounds were beautiful. If I had to give it a con then it was kind of a hike to get to the bus stop but with the nice grounds and the everyone there was great to speak with it wasn't a big deal.

I know it’s nothing special but I feel the all stars movies is so special and just makes me and my family happy to just be there

Disney makes it easy to choose by pricing us out of everything except value resorts… for now. 😅

I stayed at both Pop Century and Art and Animation during June 2013 when I was a child. Definitely remember the bus lines. Glad they added a skyline.

The theming, food, monorail access & what you can do at Polynesian makes it one of my top two. We stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge for 14 days in mid January to the end of January in 2024. We requested a partial savannah view, & maybe because it was the slow season, we got a full savannah view. The food is amazing. Even the quick service is pretty good.

We frequent Coronado and would say it’s our ‘home resort’ and not once felt the transportation is a ‘nightmare’. We did Pop Century once and missed CS because of how nightmare-ish transportation was, even with skyliner. Maybe we’ve lucked out each time we’ve gone, but still, wouldn’t put that harsh a term on it lol

Thank you for this! We just went to WDW for the first time and stayed in an AirBnB. Next time I would love to stay in resort for a few days and this list of very helpful. We have a double stroller for two of our kids so knowing which is on buses is key as I avoid buses since we have to fold the stroller and I try to avoid at almost all costs.

For what it's worth - I think it is important to note the time of year you go can make a huge difference. For example, we LOVE staying at Coronado because it feels like a Deluxe without the price tag, as you said. However, you mentioned that the Bus Transportation Loop between the Tower and the Casitas can be a Con. We went in mid to late September over a fall break my daughter had at school, and we had no issues with the buses. We never waited more than 10 minutes to get on a bus and we stayed at one of the Casitas. There was also a big business conference going on while we were there, which I think helped contribute to fewer issues with going to the parks. As the business people more than likely weren't looking to go to the parks. So for our family, Coronado is definitely #1!

I love AKL but being you have to book a 2 bedroom for a family of 5 makes it way too expensive. It's too bad all Disney Resorts can't make all studio's fit 5 people.

Wilderness resort is the best family option with a kitchen in the park that doesn't cost a fortune.The main trading post has a good selection because it caters to the campers and supplies they need for cooking etc..... You can have groceries delivered to pick up at the front when you arrive and save money cooking meals in the morning and packing snacks. Going for walks at night can be a great breath of fresh air from the crowds and if you need some alone time as well. Trails end is pretty good and great for grabbing some snacks to watch fireworks at the beach nearby. I sat in a beach chair one night with a bag of fried chicken and a few beers I picked up from there and watched them it was great. Best resupply store in the park for cooking and odds and ends. Even some earplugs if it turns out someone didn't know they were a bad snorer. Pools and hot tubs stay open pretty late for a quieter swim as well. Ive talked to people that will stay a full month or more there at a time in their decked out RV and take a full week break and just relax there.

This video is just one person opinion, I understand that. Because, I just came back from vacation at WDW on July 24th 2024 for 5 nights. Family of 4, kids teenager and toddler. We were at building 43 room 4328 at CBR. We loved it so much that we just booked to go back next year in May 2025. We dine at Sebastian restaurant. Food was amazing. I think anyone going to Disney needs to plan before you go. And always remember you’re there for fun. Love love CBR

I’m soooo surprised about the GF ranking! Yes the renos are gorgeous but the customer service has lacked every time I have stayed there and the outer building rooms get bugs! Like tons of mosquitos! Sure, a convenient location, but I just never feel good here. It’s a shame

For me, there are two criteria- deluxe resort (with kitchen and villas) and location. The winner is Beach Club.

Saratoga Springs being lower then All Star is a crazy take😂😭💀

Does anyone else remember when the Swan and Dolphin both had club lounges?

One thing AJ forgot to mention about the All-star resorts: CHECK the calendar for cheerleading competitions in town before you even think about booking. Heard one too many funny stories about people driven mad by teenage girls cheering and doing backflips in the lobby...😂

Last time you did this video, I used it to convince my husband to upgrade to my personal favorite resort: Yacht/Beach Club 👍🏻⚓️

The spa at Saratoga Springs will not reopen, as it has been turned into DVC office space. The Grand Floridian is the only resort that in-room dining has returned to.

No cause I’m going in February and I’m staying at Caribbean beach 😭 however my family and I don’t mind the walk

Stayed at the All Star Music and the transportation is not bad at all! We loved it! The cast members part of the transportation let us know we that the All Start Resort is the biggest resort and has the most buses so we didn't wait more than 10 minutes which isn't bad at all! We also loved the restaurant when it was time for dinner in the parks we always ended up eating at the hotel because we enjoyed it way more than eating in the park. It was an amazing experience! I was dreading staying here because others make it sound like its not great but absolutely not would say here again ❤

My sister once stayed at one of the all star resorts and when she came back we had bed bugs. So for that reason alone the all star resorts are at the bottom of my list and the most expensive.

Fort Wilderness is #1 for our family!