Let’s get one thing out of the way first: Staying at a Disney World hotel is usually awesome.
You’re in the bubble, the theming is next level, and there’s something magical about hopping on a Skyliner, Monorail, or boat like it’s your own personal limo. But “usually awesome” doesn’t mean always awesome. To that point, we thought we’d reach out to you and get your takes on if you’ve ever regretted staying at Disney World hotel.
We reached out to our followers on Facebook and Instagram to ask: “Have you ever regretted staying in a Disney World hotel?” We had quite a few people leave their opinions in the comments!
Now, let’s go over some of your top responses!
“A Lovely View of the Air Conditioning Units”
First up, we’ve got Lisa who shared, “Yes! Paid a fortune for a family room at Animal Kingdom Lodge only to stay in a postage stamp size room with a queen bed and bunk beds. Had a lovely view of the air conditioning units outside the window too.”
Animal Kingdom Lodge is known for its immersive theming and breathtaking savanna views — but unfortunately, not every room gets the picture-perfect scenery of giraffes strolling by. Lisa’s experience proves that even in one of Disney’s most beautiful hotels, your luck of the draw with room location can make a huge difference.
“Never Stayed at Pop Again”
Next, Linda shared, “Only once. At Pop Century the first year it was open. Arrived at 7:00 pm. Upon check-in they were trying to force my friend and I to take a room sharing a king bed. Kept claiming there were no doubles available because they were full because of cheerleaders’ last day there. Manager was so rude. Said he could send us to another hotel but we had to pay the difference in room cost. Finally after asking for his name and his boss’s name he suddenly found a room but we had to wait for it to be cleaned. Have never had a bad experience like that again. Only helpful cast members at check-in. Never stayed at Pop again.”
Disney’s Pop Century Resort is a popular Value Resort, but Linda’s experience with check-in definitely left a lasting negative impression. While Disney Cast Members are usually known for top-tier service, every now and then, you might run into a frustrating situation like this one.
“The Same Carrie Underwood Song — Every. Time.”
Next, Lorie shared, “Sorta. We got stuck in the back of All-Star Music in the Country section. Had to walk a mile to our rooms after a very long day in the parks, and it was always the same Carrie Underwood song playing when we stepped out! The pros were the rooms were fantastic and young kids’ parents paid extra to live near the pool, so it was relatively quiet.”
All-Star Music Resort is a budget-friendly option, but Lorie’s experience highlights one of the downsides — location matters. If you end up in one of the farthest buildings, that “short walk” to your room can feel like a marathon after a full day in the parks. And if the background music gets stuck in your head? Well, that could be even worse.
“A Tent for Dining”
Next up, Janel shared, “We stayed at Caribbean Beach Resort when they were renovating the main hall. They had a tent setup for limited dining options and it felt like a mile walk from our room. We just didn’t like how spread out CBR was and it was a one and done for us. This was also when they were building the Skyliner, so the whole resort was under construction and messy.”
Timing can be everything when booking a Disney hotel. While Caribbean Beach Resort has some great amenities (hello, Skyliner access!), staying there during heavy construction was clearly not the magical experience Janel had hoped for.
“Loud Buses, Trash Trucks, and No Sleep”
Next, Mark shared, “Just once… we booked one night at Old Key West before heading to the coast for a Disney Cruise. It was a bed for one night and we booked it with DVC points. We checked in late and got a room right along the roadway and heard buses, trash trucks, and service vehicles passing well before sunrise… good thing we had a cruise to catch up on our rest.”
Old Key West is known for its laid-back vibes and spacious rooms, but not every location within the resort offers a peaceful retreat. If you’re a light sleeper, Mark’s experience is a good reminder to request a quieter room location.
“Broken Hot Tub, Broken Ice Maker, and a Snake?!”
Next, Elizabeth shared, “Cooper Creek Cabin at Wilderness Lodge. The hot tub was broken, the ice maker was broken, and we found a snake in the primary bedroom. At the rate for these cabins they should be flawless. We loved a stay a few years ago but last year was a disappointment.”
Wilderness Lodge’s Cooper Creek Cabins are some of the most luxurious accommodations at Disney World, but even high-end stays can have unexpected issues. A broken hot tub? Disappointing. A snake in the bedroom? Absolutely nightmare fuel.
“No Kid-Friendly Food and a Too-Lively Boardwalk”
Next, Alexander shared, “We didn’t really care for Boardwalk. At the time we had a young child (5yo) and there weren’t any food options that he would have liked. We also had what I am sure is an awesome room with a balcony that overlooked the boardwalk… that kept us up at night with all the guests enjoying themselves. We also didn’t expect the horn for the boats to be quite so loud that it woke us up in the morning. We are actually contemplating staying there again now that our son is older (16) and see what the experience is like.”
Disney’s BoardWalk Inn has a lively atmosphere, which can be fantastic—or frustrating, depending on your situation. Alexander’s story is a great reminder that a hotel’s vibe might not match your needs at different stages of life.
“Regret? Only When the Bill Arrives!”
Lastly, we’ve got Shawn who shared, “I’m not sure I ever regretted staying in one except when the bill comes in.”
Honestly, Shawn? Same. Disney hotels offer incredible theming, convenience, and perks—but at a cost. Whether it’s a Value Resort or a Deluxe Villa, those nightly rates can be a shock when reality (and your credit card statement) sets in.
Well, those were just some of your thoughts on the times you’ve regretted staying at a Disney World hotel, and now we want to hear even more from you! In the meantime, stay tuned to AllEars for all the latest Disney news!
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Have you ever regretted staying in a Disney World hotel? Tell us all about it down in the comments!
I had a bad experience at Yacht Club. Our view was the rooftop HVAC unit… terrible. One of the tiles in the bathroom shower was cracked – we told front desk and they didn’t do anything about it. And one evening there was baby crib in our way sitting in front of our beds – we don’t have a baby – housekeeping delivered it to the wrong room and we didn’t get an apology. 🙁 The staff at Yacht was the worst I’ve ever encountered at a Disney hotel and I paid around $700 a night to stay there.
Coronado Springs. Service was disappointing.
We had requested a room with disability access in the tub (walk-in, or at least hand-rails) for one of our party with mobility issues, and did not get not get one. We requested a change and were given one, but the new room also did not have the needed tub. Our room phone received calls, but we could not call out to contact the front desk, bell services, or anyone else. I had to call the resort’s overall Guest Service number on my own phone and ask them to contact bell services to bring our luggage. We put in a request for a working phone, were told it would be replaced; it never was. Housekeeping did not come to empty trash/replace towels on our second day, and since they didn’t fix the phone, I had to walk to the Tower to request towels after a day in the parks. Our safe glitched on the last morning and wouldn’t accept our code, so I had to (again) walk to the Tower to get help for that, since 48 hours later, the phone was still not fixed.
First stay at Yacht and Beach was an absolute dream. Second stay, same room category, was a nightmare. They were refurbishing the roof. We had workers on the roof directly outside our window all day. We had to keep our curtains closed all day so we weren’t directly staring at them or they weren’t watching us in our room. That room should never have been rented out while that was going on.