It’s easy to get overwhelmed when choosing a Disney World hotel for your family’s vacation. You might be wondering if it’s worth it to go all out on a Deluxe resort, or if you can save a few bucks and still experience the full Disney magic at a Value property.
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Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is our top pick for families as it checks all the boxes of what a family wants from roomy accommodations to top-notch dining options. Plus, your kids will go wild when they can spot a giraffe from their balcony!
We dug through all the Disney details and have narrowed down the top choices whether you are traveling with teens or toddlers. Our list even includes a few properties that are perfect for a multi-generational family vacation.
Top 11 Best Disney World Hotels for Families
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (Best Overall)
- Disney’s Art of Animation Resort (Best Value)
- Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort (Best Theme)
- Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts (Best Waterpark)
- Disney’s Contemporary Resort (Best Transportation)
- Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (Best Chill Vibe)
- Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort (Best Luxury Resort)
- Disney’s Port Orleans Resort (Best for Disney Adults)
- Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort (Best Camping)
- Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort (Best for Large Groups)
- Disney’s Riviera Resort (Best New Property)
Best Disney World Hotels for Families
1. Best Overall – Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
You’ll be impressed by the over-the-top theming of this Disney-owned property from the moment you enter its opulent lobby. Book one of the savanna-facing rooms and you’ll feel like you are on safari with giraffes nibbling on trees nearby.
Animal Kingdom Lodge has one of the largest pools of the Disney World resort properties and it includes a zero-entry area and a waterslide. Uwanja Camp is the property’s interactive water playground with rope bridges, water canons, and waterslides. You’ll have a hard time tearing the kids away, especially on a hot day.
Boma – Flavors of Africa is regularly listed as one of the best buffets of the Disney World hotels, offering both African and American fare at a reasonable price.
2. Best Value – Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
Families love this budget-friendly Disney World hotel for its larger rooms that sleep up to six guests with themes like Cars, Finding Nemo, The Little Mermaid, and The Lion King. It’s also where you’ll find the largest pool area of the Disney World hotels, featuring scenes from Finding Nemo, along with two other pools and a splash pad.
You’ll love being able to board the Disney Skyliner to get from the property to EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. These gondolas fit up to ten people and you can easily bring strollers inside, making it especially easy when juggling multiple kids.
3. Best Theme – Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
Travel to the South Pacific when you stay at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. This property right on the monorail has easy access to Magic Kingdom and is a great place to stay if you want to see the Magic Kingdom fireworks from the comfort of your resort.
The pools are quite impressive with a massive volcano towering over the lava pool that also includes a zero-entry beach and a waterslide that kids love. This resort is also one of the few locations where you can enjoy a Dole Whip outside the parks.
Large families often choose this resort as the majority of the rooms sleep five or more people. Many of them also have kitchenettes which is super convenient when traveling with kids. There are plentiful dining options at this property with the Lilo & Stitch character breakfast at ‘Ohana getting top marks from the kids.
4. Best Waterpark – Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts
The side-by-side Disney’s Yacht Club Resort and Disney’s Beach Club Resort share one of the best waterparks you’ve likely seen—the 3-acre Stormalong Bay which includes a life-sized shipwreck, lagoons, lazy river, and more. Climb the mast to access one of the tallest waterslides at Walt Disney World Resort.
These resorts have easy walking access to EPCOT or you can hop aboard the Disney Skyliner to get there via gondola.
For the teens in your group, you can rent bicycles from these properties to explore the surrounding area. There is also a Fantasyland-inspired mini golf course nearby, sand volleyball courts, pickleball courts, and an arcade.
- Book Now on KAYAK (Yacht Club | Beach Club)
5. Best Transportation – Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Guests of this property are blown away by its futuristic architecture with the monorail running through it. You can hop aboard to ride to Magic Kingdom or walk if you want to get in even more steps. At night, the Magic Kingdom fireworks are viewable from many locations in this resort—a selling feature for families with younger kids.
This property was one of the originals that Walt Disney designed in the 1970s and it retains much of the nostalgia of those early Disney years. Recent renovations have added Incredibles theming to many of the rooms in addition to other upgrades.
If you need some extra room for extended family or friends to stay with you, this property has villas available in its Bay Lake Tower and they sleep up to 12 guests.
6. Best Chill Vibe – Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
If you need a break from Mickey and all the Disney characters when you go back to your resort, you’ll love staying at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. It feels more like you’re staying at a national park lodge with waterfalls, a roaring fireplace, and rocking chairs overlooking a creek.
One of the biggest draws for families is the Story Book Dining with appearances from Snow White and her seven dwarfs. Another family favorite at this property is the Old West-themed Whispering Canyon Cafe which offers all-you-can-eat dining with cast members serving up a bit of sass with your meal.
Lots of activities are offered on-property from campfire s’mores to movies under the stars. Wrap up your night by viewing the Electrical Water Pagent along the shoreline near the resort.
7. Best Luxury Resort – Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
If you are looking for top-notch service, foodie-approved dining, and a prime location near Magic Kingdom, consider staying at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort. Ride the monorail or walk along the walking path to Magic Kingdom and then easily head back to your room for afternoon naps.
Victoria & Albert’s fine dining experience is so well-known that guests from other properties often come to the Grand Floridian just to experience its chef’s tasting menu. If you’re looking for something a bit more kid-friendly, Narcoossee’s offers seafood and steakhouse fare, along with an excellent view of the Magic Kingdom fireworks if you time your visit correctly.
8. Best for Disney Adults – Disney’s Port Orleans Resort
While all the resorts at Walt Disney World are kid-friendly, we especially like the French Quarter section of Disney’s Port Orleans Resort for guests who consider themselves “Disney adults.” You’ll feel like you are in historic New Orleans where the sounds of jazz and Mardi Gras vibes surround you.
King Neptune rules at the Mardi Gras-themed swimming pool and you can find horse-drawn carriage rides and surry bike rentals for getting out and exploring the nearby area. When the kids have gone to bed, the Scat Cat Club is a great place to enjoy a hurricane and live jazz performances.
9. Best Camping – Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort
While most people don’t think of camping when they come to Walt Disney World, Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort knows how to do camping right, especially when you’re visiting Disney with kids.
While tent and RV campsites are available for those who want to be one with nature, the property’s cabins offer all the comforts of home including a kitchen with a dishwasher.
Rent a golf cart to cruise around the property to the pools, archery area, ranch, arcades, playgrounds, and basketball courts. Be sure you plan a night to enjoy the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Review, a spirited dinner show the whole family will love.
10. Best for Large Groups – Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort
We give this property top marks for those traveling with larger families or multi-generational groups as it has rooms that sleep up to 12 guests. Full kitchens mean you can save a bundle on eating out and you can easily prepare meals for picky toddlers.
Separate bedrooms are great for toddlers and babies who are still napping, and they mean other family members can hang out on the private deck or living room area without disturbing them. An in-room washer/dryer goes a long way when traveling with kids who instantly spill a Dole Whip on themselves the moment they enter the theme park.
Lake Buena Vista Golf Course is located at this resort, offering guests the opportunity to golf at this gorgeous property that’s also been deemed a wildlife sanctuary.
11. Best New Property – Disney’s Riviera Resort
This Disney Vacation Club property opened in late 2019 and it is the newest on-site property at Disney World Resort. Families love the refined European vibes and the easy access to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios via the Skyliner gondola. All non-studio rooms at this deluxe resort have their own washer/dryer, a convenience that isn’t lost on parents.
Start your day off with Mickey and friends at the character breakfast “Breakfast a la Art” at Topolino’s Terrace, the rooftop restaurant at Disney’s Riviera Resort. You can also come back for dinner to view the fireworks display from EPCOT or Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Best Disney World Hotels for Families Guide
It’s a huge financial investment to book a Walt Disney World vacation, so you’ll definitely want to do your homework when considering where you should stay.
While we are pretty sure your kids will love staying at any of the Disney-owned properties, some have extras that will make your visit even more memorable. Here are the top considerations for families booking Walt Disney World properties:
Proximity to Parks
Do you plan to spend the majority of your time at the Magic Kingdom? There’s a lot to be said for booking a property that’s within walking distance like Disney’s Contemporary Resort. This makes it easy for you to return to your room in the afternoon for naps and then head back to the park for dinner and fireworks.
If you want to dine around the world at EPCOT, Disney’s Beach and Yacht Club Resorts are an excellent choice as both are within walking distance of EPCOT and also offer boat transportation to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios.
The Disney Springs resort area is farthest from the parks so you’ll have to allow extra time to get to and from the parks each day. Hotels in this area like Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort tend to have a more calm vibe, a nice break from all the action at the parks especially for over-stimulated kids.
Room Configurations
There are different schools of thought when looking at what room size your family might need at Disney World Resort. Do you want the smallest room you can find as you plan to only go to your room for sleeping, or do you want a little more space to spread out with a balcony and separate rooms for the kids?
The great thing about Disney World hotels is they typically have lots of space-saving features like Murphy beds that can be stored away during the day to make more room in the living spaces.
Features that families particularly enjoy are rooms with kitchens and a washer/dryer. There’s something to be said about being able to minimize your packing when you know you can do a load of laundry during your stay. And a kitchen can significantly reduce your eating-out budget, especially if you have picky kids in your crew.
Villas are a great option for larger families or those multi-generational vacations when Grandma and Grandpa come along. A number of properties like Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Resort offer villas that sleep up to 12 people.
Cost
An easy way to narrow down your lodging options at Disney World Resort is to consider what you are willing to spend. Disney offers three different resort tiers: Value, Moderate, and Deluxe. Value resorts are the least expensive option, followed by Moderate, and then Deluxe.
Value properties tend to have rooms that look like standard hotel rooms, though they do offer family suites as well. Rooms tend to be on the smaller size but these properties still offer quite a few on-site activities, along with amenities like pools and plentiful dining options.
Moderate resorts offer larger rooms with higher-end amenities. These properties have more room types with many of them sleeping 5 guests or more. Larger families often choose this resort level for the additional space. The Fort Wilderness also falls into this rate category but it is quite a different style property with cabins and tent/RV campsites.
Deluxe resorts have the most bells and whistles. They offer multi-bedroom suites and villas for larger groups and even have club-level options for those who want an upgraded level of service with a dedicated concierge. The Disney theming is over the top at these resorts with massive swimming pools with features like a volcano or a sandy bottom.
Restaurants at the deluxe resorts offer a higher level of service and you can also find character dining opportunities at these properties. Many of the deluxe properties have an on-site spa for those who want a little relaxation with their vacation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What parks are there at Walt Disney World?
Disney World is made up of four theme parks and two water parks:
- Magic Kingdom
- EPCOT
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park
- Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park
What are the benefits of staying at a Disney World hotel?
You can truly immerse yourself in the magic of Disney when you stay at an on-property hotel. Themed rooms, nightly fireworks, character breakfasts, and so much more are available when you stay at one of the Disney-owned properties.
One of the biggest benefits is that guests of the Disney-owned properties get a 30-minute head start from other park visitors through early theme park entry. This is perfect for families with little kids who tend to rise before the sun as it gives you first access to rides that tend to have long lines later in the day.
Select nights have extended hours for resort guests offering you access to attractions, dining, and shops after the park has closed to other guests.
Proximity to the parks is a huge perk of staying at a Disney World Resort property. You don’t have to plan extra time for traveling to the parks as you are so close by. These properties all have transportation to the parks and other properties via bus, monorail, Disney Skyliner, or boat, which lets you avoid parking fees. Plus, it’s a pretty fun way to start your day!
Can you stay at a Disney Vacation Club property without being an owner?
There are a lot of benefits to staying at a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) property from full kitchens to an in-unit washer/dryer. These units offer more space and dedicated bedrooms instead of traditional single-room hotel accommodations.
Disney Vacation Club is a timeshare program where members purchase points to stay at Disney properties. You do not have to be a DVC member to book a room at a DVC property. These rooms fall into the Deluxe Villas category and can be booked just like other rooms.
Conclusion
There’s so much that goes into planning a family vacation at Walt Disney World and staying at a Disney World hotel is one choice that will definitely make things easier for your family.
Our top pick for families is Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge as we know the kids will go wild for all of the giraffes, flamingos, zebra, and gazelles that wander the surrounding savanna.
