Disney fans are letting these Disney World hotels HEAR IT!!!
We LOVE to check out your Disney World reviews for rides, restaurants, and — of course — HOTELS! While we hope to see nothing but 10-star reviews and tons of recommendations, unfortunately, that’s just not realistic. With that in mind, we often come across some reviews that go scorched earth on some hotel stays…
Value Resorts at Disney World will save you a pretty penny, but at a different kind of cost. That’s what this first anonymous 1-star review alluded to with their recent review of Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort.
The review read:
“I stayed at All Stars Movies for 2 weeks and was very disappointed. The soundproofing is terrible. I had to go to sleep with the TV on every night and sometimes with my hands covering my ears. If you expect to take a nap in the afternoon, forget it. Housekeeping does not come until 4:00 or later. I left a message for the manager to return my call regarding my complaint, but he did not return my call. I went to the lobby to complain and he was too busy to talk to me. I cannot go without a nap when the temperature is at least 90 degrees or more, so I elected to go without housekeeping for 5 days. Movies is supposed to be the best of the three All-Star resorts. However, the bus system for Movies is terrible. I am 80 and rented an ECV. One bus driver refused to let me on the bus and another bus driver refused to help me get on the bus. Sometimes cheap is not the best way to do things. I was glad to leave the resort this morning. I stayed at Pop Century twice and would highly recommend it.”
Ouch.
Our team typically chooses to avoid the All-Star Resorts for a few reasons. We can CONFIRM these hotels have lots of noise because they tend to appeal to families with younger children. Think lots of screams and giggles early in the morning. Totally cute and lovable, but maybe not when you are still sleeping. They also bring in athletes who are competing at ESPN Wide World of Sports.
They are also pretty spread out. If you aren’t lucky, you may find yourself taking a hike just to pick up food or make it to the bus stop. We will say, if you are a person who doesn’t spend a lot of time at your hotel, we love the value resorts. The accommodations are nice. There’s everything you need. And they are priced pretty reasonably.
Also, if you have littles, these might be perfect for you as well. They are some of the most Disney-forward rooms and hotels on property, so there’s LOTS to look at, and the vibes feel much more kid-friendly than some other Disney hotels. These rooms also have bathtubs, which many other Disney hotel rooms have started to remove.
So, really it all depends on what kind of stay you are looking for!
Disney's All-Star Movies Resort
All Star Movies Resort Highlights: What is All Star Movies? All Star Movies is the third and fin...Value Resort Bus
The next review pertains to Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, a Deluxe Resort.
One 1-star review wrote:
“Had room on the third floor facing the courtyard where a movie screen was set up. It was a handicapped room that I did not request but had a king bed which I wanted. The room was noisy late into the night with people screaming on the lawn and movies playing. We did not have facecloths in the bath and the shower was awful. The faucets were difficult to work with. The room did not feel fresh and clean. We had refillable mugs that were useless and inconvenient. There were people yelling in the hallway all night. This resort totally ruined my vacation, and I will never stay in this Motel6 again.“
Paying top dollar and getting a second-rate experience is the ABSOLUTE worst.
Fortunately, we’ve had fairly pleasant stays here. We like that it’s in a great location in the EPCOT resort area, and we definitely dig the dining options!
We also acknowledge that it’s on the pricier end, but if you take advantage of all the perks this hotel has to offer, you can get your money’s worth.
Disney's BoardWalk Inn
Boardwalk Inn Highlights: The BoardWalk Inn is modeled after a turn-of the-century Atlantic City ...Deluxe Resort 2 - 6 Person Capacity Bus Boat
Shades of Green is an Armed Forces Recreation Center owned by the Department of Defense and a hotspot for military families traveling to Disney World.
One 3-star review wrote:
“Loved the swimming area for the kids and grandkids. We had connecting rooms, [and] stayed 6 days. Last day I noticed red welts on my arms and legs thinking mosquito bites at first. Got home and did research and discovered they are bed bugs. Called SOG and they checked our room, yes bed bug issue. Only comped one night as per “policy”. Not happy since I’m covered in bites. Room also needs to be updated with paint and the bathroom lights didn’t work.”
Yeah, it stinks that the lights didn’t work, BUT BED BUGS? That’s near the top of the list of worst-case scenarios for a hotel stay. We can say that we have stayed here a few times and have always found the rooms to be clean and the hotel to be nice and quiet.
Shades of Green Resort
What is Shades of Green? Shades of Green (SoG) is an Armed Forces Recreation Center located on t...DVC Resort
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort has been getting a lot of criticism lately due to its location and lack of Disney-isms, and one review really summed up that sentiment.
A 2-star review reads:
“If you are looking to stay here for your Disney vacation, you should know Coronado is, among other things, a convention hotel. From the neutral room colors, and the extremely subtle Disney decor, to the lobby lounge serving multiple guests with convention lanyards, this hotel feels like a completely standard (some might say elevated) chain hotel. Honestly, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. If those feelings bring joy, excitement, and enthusiasm, this is a hotel experience you’ll love. If the absence of those feelings instead leaves you wondering, ‘Is [this] the best Disney has to offer?’, please keep looking! Would I stay here should someone offer me a free stay? Sure. Only after I’d made completely sure this was their dream hotel. Would I pay to stay here again? Absolutely not. Disney has so many fabulous hotel choices with fantastic theming, multiple transportation options, and true vacation feelings, that honestly offer joy, excitement, and enthusiasm. Before booking a stay here, genuinely look into one other hotel you’d enjoy staying at. Book that hotel instead.”
While this review doesn’t necessarily condemn Coronado Springs for its offering, it does rip on it for failing to be a great Disney World hotel.
We get it. This is a convention hotel that really caters to traveling business people. Families will be missing that famous Disney charm, despite the strong amenities, good dining options, and comfort that come with a stay. It’s just not very Disney-like. However, the next review of this hotel is even more concerning…
The 5-star review stated:
“TONS of walking. A lot of bugs in our room. Not very clean. Very good food and views. Pool and slide is nice. Overall 5/10.”
I’m sorry…WHAT ABOUT BUGS?!
I can put up with a long walk, but bugs in my room are a big NOPE. Those little creatures belong outside, and I’d really have trouble sleeping while worrying about whether they’re crawling on me at any point.
Of course, this could’ve just been an isolated incident, so we won’t hold it against Coronado Springs. We haven’t had this experience when staying there, that’s for sure! We have always found our rooms to be clean and bug-free.
But please, let us know if YOU’VE had a bug issue at a Disney World hotel!
Disney's Coronado Springs Resort
Coronado Springs Resort Highlights: What is the Coronado Springs Resort? Coronado Springs is a Di...Moderate Resort 2 - 8 Person Capacity Bus
Well, we hope your Disney World hotel stays go a lot better than what these folks experienced! Share your reviews with us and stay posted right here at AllEars for all the latest Disney World tips, tricks, updates, and more!
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What are some of your LEAST favorite Disney World hotels? Let us know in the comments!
I can concur on a subpar experience at Coronado Springs. We were staying in the Casitas, and housekeeping had taken out our dirty towels but not replaced them. Our room phone would not call out, and the only way to reach the front desk was to call the general WDW customer service number to get connected to the front desk, and then I ended up having to walk over anyway to get towels. Then, on our departure day, our room safe refused to recognize our code and again, had to walk over since we still couldn’t just call from the room.
On the other hand, Art of Animation was fantastic for a different stay. When we arrived, our room was ready yet, so we stashed our bags and went to the parks. Transportation was so slow coming back though, that we didn’t get back until after midnight. Unfortunately, since we were there for our daughter’s birthday, we missed the birthday greeting on the TV. Not the biggest of deals, but a little disappointment. I mentioned it to the front desk the next morning (and all we really wanted was “Happy Birthday, Daughter!” when we got back to the room. It was on the TV, but they also pixie dusted my daughter with a gift basket of snacks. Kudos to AoA for going way above and beyond.