Planning our very first trip, just a family of 3. My 17th year old daughter decided she wants to go for her 18th birthday in the beginning of November. Looking for the best bang for your buck resort to stay at. Don't plan on spending a whole lot of time in the room other than to sleep, shower and change. I definitely want something that is convenient with transportation to and from the parks. Something with food courts or fast-food style eating would be great too since we're not big on eating out at fancy restaurants. These two resorts seem to be in the budget friendly area and wondering if any would work well for our first trip. Any advice on other places to stay or anything else would be much appreciated.
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All Star vs Art Of The Animation
- Thread starter PearlWhiteGT
- Start date
Smiley/OCD
Well-Known Member
First off, welcome to the boards!!
We’ve stayed at All Stars and Art of Animation. AS resorts are a very good value resort. AoA was always our favorite resort. The family suites will give you 2 separate rooms along with 2 bathrooms. We LOVE AoA, but it is more expensive than AS. If I can make a suggestion, look at Pop Century. It is also a value resort, has a very good food court with many options. What’s great about Pop, is that you can use the skyliner to reach Hollywood Studios and Epcot. The dedicated buses are great to take you to MK and AK. The resort is more expensive than All Stars but cheaper than AoA.
Look at Pop…I think you will like that even better than AS.
Whichever you choose, have a GREAT TIME!!
We’ve stayed at All Stars and Art of Animation. AS resorts are a very good value resort. AoA was always our favorite resort. The family suites will give you 2 separate rooms along with 2 bathrooms. We LOVE AoA, but it is more expensive than AS. If I can make a suggestion, look at Pop Century. It is also a value resort, has a very good food court with many options. What’s great about Pop, is that you can use the skyliner to reach Hollywood Studios and Epcot. The dedicated buses are great to take you to MK and AK. The resort is more expensive than All Stars but cheaper than AoA.
Look at Pop…I think you will like that even better than AS.
Whichever you choose, have a GREAT TIME!!
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Thank you so much for the advice. We will defiantly look into Pop Century. AoA is only about $80 more than Pop and AS is about $400 less than AoA. At these price differences my main goal is getting the most for our money. Like would saving the $400 by staying at an AS resort be a better option and use that money for something else or is AoA or Pop worth the extra money for a better resort to stay at. I don't mind paying for anyone of them just trying to make our money work the best for us.
We plan on flying out there on a Saturday and fly back home the following Saturday. Would give us 6 days to visit that parks and don't want to be in a rush the whole time we're there. My thoughts are 3 days at Disney parks and 2 days at Universal with a rest day somewhere in there if needed.
We plan on flying out there on a Saturday and fly back home the following Saturday. Would give us 6 days to visit that parks and don't want to be in a rush the whole time we're there. My thoughts are 3 days at Disney parks and 2 days at Universal with a rest day somewhere in there if needed.
Smiley/OCD
Well-Known Member
There are definite price advantages to staying at AS resorts…but there are definite logistical advantages to staying at POP of AoA. The important thing is to stay where you feel you’re getting the best value. Either way, you’ll be staying on property which has its own specific advantages.
Just remember, planning CAN be a big PITA, but the more you do beforehand, the better, less stressful trip you will have…
Have a great trip!!
Just remember, planning CAN be a big PITA, but the more you do beforehand, the better, less stressful trip you will have…
Have a great trip!!
Smiley/OCD
Well-Known Member
The only other $$ measure I could add is if it’s logistically possible, I don’t know where you’re flying from, but if you are able to change your flight days, (middle of the week), you may save quite a bit of $$ on flights.
Flying from Texas and we have a good amount of points plus flight credits to help cover a good portion of the flights. Will be flying Southwest Airlines. But we do have some flexibility to change the flight days. I'm just trying to see what works best so I don't have to take that many days off from work. Leaving November 4th and returning the 11th means I'd only have to take off 4 days of work due to that Friday being a holiday for us.
Smiley/OCD
Well-Known Member
Totally understandable
POP and AoA offer the skyliner to DHS and EPCOT.
AoA offers suites and regular rooms. I wouldn't pay a price premium to stay at a little mermaid room at AoA vs a room at POP.
Smiley/OCD
Well-Known Member
Just the fact that they’re the furthest away from everything.
If you’re not staying in a suite, it pays to stay at POP or AS resorts.
Pop is the only resort we stay at.
The sky liner is a major plus for convenience. No missing the bus there. Just walk and go.
We do take the buses as well just overall a good bang for your buck.
Pro Tip. Water shoes if you plan on playing with a ball in the pool, got my feet sliced open from pushing off so much. Stung.
The sky liner is a major plus for convenience. No missing the bus there. Just walk and go.
We do take the buses as well just overall a good bang for your buck.
Pro Tip. Water shoes if you plan on playing with a ball in the pool, got my feet sliced open from pushing off so much. Stung.
Thank you for all the advice. We will most likely be booking our stay at Pop.
Smiley/OCD
Well-Known Member
You will enjoy it so much more… have an awesome time!!
Glad we could help, assist and suggest!!
This.
At the end of the day the Pop and All Star rooms and resorts are so similar that the choice is do I want to spend that much money to not take a bus to 2 resorts. I’m guessing based on the original post that the answer is no.
But the Little Mermaid rooms at AoA are in my opinion demonstrably worse than the rooms at Pop and All Stars because of the lack of a folding bed, and the poor location.
DisneyWall-E
Well-Known Member
The raised price for Pop Century is worth it for use of the Skyliner.
PSUDisney77
Active Member
Long time lurker, rare poster here. This is exactly the decision our family is trying to make. Our trip is further out, May 2024. My family of 3 plus a good friend and her son so 5 people total. The two kids will be 6 and 5 at the time. We are trying to decide between All Star Music suite, AoA suite, or Pop Century separate but adjoining rooms.
Lots of good advice in here so thank you to the OP and others. Leaning a Skyliner resort but the reduced price of All Star Music is attractive. Last trip was in 2016 before my wife and I had our son, but we went with her sister and 3 kids. Stayed at All Star Movies and it was fine, but the busses can get crowded and have long wait times.
Lots of good advice in here so thank you to the OP and others. Leaning a Skyliner resort but the reduced price of All Star Music is attractive. Last trip was in 2016 before my wife and I had our son, but we went with her sister and 3 kids. Stayed at All Star Movies and it was fine, but the busses can get crowded and have long wait times.
All Star Music suites have a real refrigerator with a separate freezer. AoA has a beverage cooler. I know that doesn’t matter to everyone but to me that’s a HUGE deal.
Mireille
Premium Member
Just chiming in, the major advantage of Pop/AoA over the AS resorts is the Skyliner which, in my opinion, makes them totally worth the premium, it's like getting a ride before you get to the parks on HS and Epcot days! But if money is crucial, the AS resorts are fine places to stay, I've stayed at AS Movies 3 times and aside from the lack of Skyliner, the food and amenities are pretty much the same. Just realize it will be buses to everything, but if you plan well, it's only a couple extra minutes per day. I stayed at AoA last October with my mom because it was her first trip down there since 1986 and I wanted it to be as Disney as it could be and being surrounded by big Disney/Pixar characters felt much more Disney than bowling pins and slinkies. The problem is the regular rooms are all in the Little Mermaid buildings, which are the FARTHEST buildings from the food/shop/Skyliner and the in-room decor is nothing spectacular, so I'd probably save the money and hope for a better room location at Pop next time. Whichever you choose, you can have a wonderful time!
LittleMerman
Well-Known Member
I've stayed at AoA and LOVED it! I haven't stayed at All Stars yet (first stay is in a few days!) but they do seem to be "lowest on the totem pole." I def would have chosen AoA over All Stars if it had been available for my trip. It's so adorable and full of Disney characters. All Stars Movies looks like they have a decent amount too.
SteamboatJoe
Well-Known Member
I just booked AoA (non-suite) for late 2023 but am considering switching to Pop. The feedback here is valuable. My wife really likes the pools at AoA but I feel like all other factors swing in Pop's favor. We have a couple of non park days built in but late November isn't guaranteed swimming temperatures. I wish for pool's sake, they were considered sister resorts.
Smiley/OCD
Well-Known Member
If I’m not mistaken, the only non suite rooms at AoA are in the Little Mermaid buildings…it’s the furthest building from the entrance and all other amenities at the resort…kinda like stopping at Krispy Kreme and just getting a coffee…lol. If you’re not staying in a suite, BY ALL MEANS, switch to POP…AoA is an awesome resort, but the suites are what makes the resort…either way, I know you’ll have a great time!!