When you book a vacation to Disney World, you have a lot of options for where to stay. You can stay in a Disney World hotel, stay at a non-Disney hotel that’s close to the parks, or even book a vacation home through sites like Airbnb and VRBO.
Staying at a Disney World hotel comes with some great perks like early theme park entry, plus the option to stay late in the parks on some nights if you’re staying at select Disney World hotels. Another thing you get when staying in a Disney hotel is some pretty interesting and immersive theming.
We were curious which Disney World hotel our readers thought has the best theming, so we headed over to our Facebook page to ask them (follow us there to answer future questions!). We asked: “What Disney World hotel has the BEST theming?” This is what they said!
Many of our readers agreed that when talking about theming for Disney World hotels, you needed to consider whether the hotel is going for Disney theming or non-Disney theming. For example, hotels like All-Star Movies and Art of Animation are heavy with Disney theming while hotels like Saratoga Springs Resort are not. Art of Animation was by far the most commented answer to our question — people love the Disney theming!
One of our readers commented: “When I took my Car loving boys at ages 4, 6, and 8, Art of Animation was literally like walking into the movie set for them. It was probably hands down my greatest memory with my little boys.” Walking around Art of Animation, you’ll encounter so many life-size versions of the characters from Finding Nemo, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, other cars
One of the best things about Art of Animation is the Finding Nemo-themed pool, or The Big Blue Pool. One of our readers said: “Each area is great, and the Finding Nemo pool is the best.” The Big Blue Pool is unique because it is the largest Disney World hotel swimming pool with over 308,000 gallons of water! One reader summed it up best by saying they “loved feeling immersed in my favorite Disney movies!!!”
Value Resort 4 – 6 person capacity bus skyliners
Similarly to Art of Animation, All-Star Movies is popular due to its larger-than-life set pieces. All Star Movies has five sections: FantasiaToy StoryThe Mighty Ducks101 Dalmatians other Herbie: The Love Bug.
About the hotel, one of our readers said: “Love the Fantasia pool, we enjoyed it when the kids were little.” Our readers generally agree that All-Star Movies is a great option if you’re looking to feel totally immersed in Disney, even when you’re not in the parks, and the Value resorts (the most inexpensive tier of Disney hotels) can be great for kids because they tend to be more colorful and in-your-face with the theming. Like one reader said: “The kids love the All Stars.”
Value Resort bus
Port Orleans Resorts
The Port Orleans Resorts consist of Port Orleans French Quarter and Port Orleans Riverside. Port Orleans French Quarter is themed to — just that — the New Orleans French Quarter and is one of the smaller Moderate (mid-priced) Resorts. Port Orleans Riverside is themed to be nestled on the Mississippi River bayou and is larger and more sprawling. One guest said of French Quarter: “Having been to New Orleans many times, I think they nailed it with all the wrought iron and lanterns and beignets.”
Port Orleans French Quarter is also home to the delicious Mickey-shaped beignets, so you really can’t go wrong. Our readers are also fans of Port Orleans Riverside with one reader saying: “I feel transported every time I stay there.”
Moderate resort 2-4 person capacity bus Boat
Another hotel that people had A LOT to say about was Animal Kingdom Lodge. This hotel is a Deluxe resort (meaning that it is one of the more expensive hotels to book) and allows you to see safari animals from some guest rooms and overlooks at the hotel.
One reader said: “Animal Kingdom Lodge is truly AMAZING and an immersive experience in so many ways, you truly feel like you have been transported to a resort in Africa when you stay there!”
Another reader said: “If I had to pick one, Animal Kingdom Lodge because you simply cannot top okapi and giraffes.”
One distinction many of our readers made is that they liked Animal Kingdom Lodge (and the Port Orleans Resorts, for that matter) because they are transporting. They aren’t covered in Disney characters, but instead you really feel like you could be somewhere else.
Deluxe resort 2 – 8 person capacity bus
When picking a Disney World hotel, it all comes down to what you want to get out of your vacation. If you want to always be reminded that you are in Disney, go with Art of Animation, but if you’re looking for more subtle theming (with some Disney thrown in!), then consider Port Orleans French Quarter or Animal Kingdom Lodge.
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Which Disney World hotel do you think has the best theming? Let us know in the comments!