A Complete Guide How Many Resorts Does Disney World Have
A Complete Guide to How Many Resorts Disney World Have: Planning a trip to Disney World involves considering where to stay, and luckily there are plenty of options available. So, how many resorts does Disney World have? Disney World is home to a total of 31 resorts, each offering a unique and immersive experience for guests. These resorts cater to a range of themes and budgets, ensuring that there is something for everyone.
From the luxurious deluxe resorts like the iconic Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and the Polynesian Village Resort, to the moderate resorts such as the Caribbean Beach Resort and the Port Orleans Resort, and even the value resorts like the All-Star Movies Resort and the Pop Century Resort, Disney World has it all. Each resort boasts its own distinct style, amenities, and dining options, providing guests with a truly memorable and magical stay. Whether you are seeking a relaxing retreat or a fun-filled family adventure, the resorts at Disney World are sure to exceed your expectations.
Disney World in Orlando, Florida is home to an impressive number of resort hotels. With over 30 resorts across 4 theme parks – Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom – Disney World offers a wide variety of accommodations and amenities for visitors. But just how many resorts are there at Disney World? Let’s take a closer look.
What is Disney World?
Disney World is a massive entertainment and theme park complex covering over 25,000 acres near Orlando, Florida. Opened in 1971, it is the most visited vacation resort in the world, welcoming over 58 million visitors in 2021. Disney World is comprised of 4 separate theme parks:
- Magic Kingdom – The original Disney theme park with classic attractions like Cinderella’s Castle and Space Mountain.
- Epcot – Focused on science, technology, and world cultures with pavilions themed by country.
- Hollywood Studios – Movie-based rides and shows, including Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
- Animal Kingdom – A zoological theme park with zoo-like exhibits and thrill rides based on animals.
In addition to the parks, Disney World contains two water parks, dozens of hotels and resorts, golf courses, shopping areas, and entertainment venues. Guests can purchase packages and tickets to stay at Disney hotels while visiting the parks.
How Many Resorts does Disney World?
In total, there are 36 hotels and resorts located at the Walt Disney World complex in Florida. This includes:
- 24 Official Disney Resorts
- 7 Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts
- 5 Other Official Hotels
Let’s look at each category:
Disney Official Resorts
There are 24 official Disney-owned and -operated resorts at Disney World ranging from value hotels to luxurious villas. Each offers convenient transportation to the theme parks and attractions.
Some of the most popular Disney resorts include:
- Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa – A luxurious Victorian-style resort with fine dining and monorail access.
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge – African-themed resort with savanna wildlife views.
- Disney’s Contemporary Resort – Futuristic resort with monorail access and iconic A-frame design.
- Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort – South Pacific-themed resort featuring over-the-water bungalows.
- Disney’s Art of Animation Resort – Colorful, animated film-inspired hotel with Little Mermaid and Cars-themed suites.
- Disney’s All-Star Resorts – Budget hotels including All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports with giant icons as themes.
Disney has a resort for every taste and budget, from value hotels under $200/night to deluxe resorts over $600/night during peak seasons.
Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts
In addition to the standard hotel-style resorts, Disney World is home to 7 luxury Disney Vacation Club villa resorts. These include condo-style accommodations with multiple bedrooms, full kitchens, and amenities like pools, restaurants, and recreation areas.
The Deluxe Villa resorts include:
- Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas
- Disney’s Beach Club Villas
- Disney’s BoardWalk Villas
- Disney’s Old Key West Resort
- Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows
- Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
These spacious villas allow extended families and groups to stay together in condo-style units with home-like amenities. The resorts feature 1-3 bedroom villas that sleep 4-12 people comfortably. They provide luxury amenities alongside Disney theming and transportation.
Other Official Hotels
In addition to the Disney-owned resorts, there are 5 other official hotels located inside the Walt Disney World complex:
- Walt Disney World Resort’s Four Seasons Resort Orlando
- Walt Disney World Dolphin
- Walt Disney World Swan
- Shades of Green (for U.S. military)
- Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Surfside Inn (small hotel for water park)
These resorts are located on Disney property and provide theme park transportation and packages. However, they are owned and operated by outside companies like Marriott and Hilton.
What’s Included at Disney Resorts?
When staying at a Disney Resort, guests can expect a multitude of amenities and services that are included in their stay. Firstly, what’s included at Disney Resorts are comfortable accommodations that cater to various budgets and preferences. From value to deluxe options, there is a wide range of rooms and suites available, ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable stay for all guests. To further enhance the experience, Disney Resort guests are entitled to FastPass+ reservations, enabling them to skip the regular standby lines for popular attractions. With all these incredible offerings, what’s included at Disney Resorts truly caters to the needs and desires of its guests, providing a memorable and magical vacation experience.
Disney World resorts include a wide array of amenities and services for guests:
Transportation: Buses, monorails, boats, and the Skyliner gondola system provide free transportation to the Disney parks and attractions.
Dining: Table service restaurants, quick casual dining, pool bars, and lounges offer themed menus.
Recreation: Pools, playgrounds, arcades, marinas, and campfire activities give resorts a recreational side.
Park Perks: Disney resort guests get Extra Magic Hours, 60-day FastPass+ booking, and early park entry to certain parks.
Theming: Resorts feature decorative icons, landscaping, background music, and details that create unique Disney environments.
Customer Service: Cast members provide family-friendly customer service and magic that enhances the Disney experience.
Staying at a Disney World resort hotel includes everything from character wake-up calls to fireworks viewing areas providing a fully immersive Disney vacation.
The Many Benefits of Staying at a Disney World Resort
Why stay at an official Disney World resort versus a third-party hotel off Disney property? Some of the main benefits:
Convenience: Disney resorts offer easy transportation like buses, boats, and monorails to safely reach the parks and attractions.
Early/Extended Hours: Certain Disney hotel guests can access Extra Magic Hours with early opening or extended evening times for specific theme parks on different days.
Disney Genie+ Perks: Guests at Disney resort hotels get to book discounted Disney Genie+ ride times and Lightning Lane access.
Packages/Dining Plans: Booking a Disney hotel package includes options like the Disney Dining Plan for meals and snacks.
Immersive Experience: Disney resorts let you fully experience the magic with character interactions, theming, music and sights throughout the hotels.
Customer Service: Cast members enhance the experience with family-friendly service tailored to Disney guests across the resorts.
While it requires a higher budget, staying at Disney-owned resorts provides vacationers with a complete and seamless Disney World experience.
Drawbacks of Disney Resorts
However, there are some potential drawbacks to staying at Walt Disney World resort hotels compared to third-party hotels in the Orlando area:
Cost: Room rates at Disney resorts are generally higher than nearby offsite hotels. Prices range from $100 to $700+ per night depending on the dates and room type.
Availability: Disney resorts frequently book up months in advance, especially during school vacations and summer. Last minute trips can be hard to find.
Parking Fees: Self-parking at Disney resorts costs $15-25 per night, whereas offsite hotels generally include free parking.
Transportation Time: While convenient, buses and other transportation to Disney parks can average 20-60 minutes roundtrip. It may be faster to drive from offsite locations.
Food Costs: Disney resorts discourage outside food and push expensive dining options costing $20-$60 per person per meal in sit-down restaurants.
Loss of Control: Disney controls reservations, tickets, packages, transportation and more, which reduces flexibility compared to planning a vacation separately.
For budget: Focused travelers or those wanting more control, staying at offsite hotels and making separate Disney park plans can be preferential. However onsite resorts enhance the experience.
Key Takeaways
If you want to stay at “The Most Magical Place on Earth”, Disney World offers over thirty resort hotels across their Florida complex to fit your family’s tastes and budget. Key highlights include:
- 24 Official Disney Resorts from value to deluxe levels
- 7 Luxury Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts providing condo-style accommodations
- 5 Additional Official Hotels like the Swan, Dolphin, Four Seasons and more
- Complete theming, dining, transportation, recreation and customer service
- Perks like Extra Magic Hours, advance FastPasses, and Disney Genie+ discounts
- Both benefits and drawbacks to weigh when choosing Disney resorts
For the full Disney theme park experience, staying at one of their uniquely themed resorts allows you to fully immerse in the magic. But you pay for the premium experience that Disney delivers.
Conclusion
With over 30 different resorts across Walt Disney World, ranging from value hotels to deluxe villas, Disney provides endless accommodation options paired with magical theming and transportation. Families can fully immerse themselves in the Disney experience by staying at one of their onsite resorts. While the rates are higher than offsite hotels, Disney’s hotels include perks, recreation, dining and amenities that complete the Disney vacation. By understanding the number and diversity of Disney resorts, families can find the perfect fit for their vacation style, needs and budget.