As a Walt Disney World Weekend Warrior who ceaselessly books solo “analysis journeys” on the final minute, I typically don’t care the place I keep. Which is partly out of necessity, as a result of resort occupancy has been comparatively excessive over the previous couple of years–even after pent-up demand has light.
Though we’re DVC members, that’s by no means an choice on the final minute. Nicely, until I desire a stray evening at Outdated Key West, Saratoga Springs, or some random bigger bed room villa. I don’t suppose Sarah could be too happy if I blew our annual factors allotment on that, so we have a tendency to save lots of these stays for household journeys which are deliberate additional upfront.
Normally, I’m simply selecting the best choice out of no matter is obtainable on the final minute. There are just a few occasions this has gotten me right into a jam. I realized way back that you need to e book Jersey Week and Veterans Day dates at the very least just a few months out, as I as soon as needed to stalk the reserving web site ready for a cancellation. Different dates I are likely to journey have gotten equally troublesome, together with the beginning of EPCOT Competition of the Arts.
As I’ve talked about earlier than, the 2 resorts the place I keep most ceaselessly are Coronado Springs and All Star Sports activities. I truly simply returned from a keep on the former in Gran Destino Tower (which I like), together with the Little Mermaid rooms at Artwork of Animation. I didn’t thoughts the cut up keep–it’d be some time since I’ve completed Artwork of Animation, the {discount} was inexplicably good, and I needed to check Early Entry by way of the Skyliner over peak season dates.
There’s a degree to all of this, which is that the 2 Worth and Reasonable Resorts I’ve discovered to persistently have the most effective final minute availability are Coronado Springs and All Star Sports activities. This isn’t vastly shocking, as Coronado Springs will be feast or famine relying on whether or not it’s internet hosting a big conference. In that case, there’s no availability. If not, it’s typically vast open in quite a lot of room classes.
All Star Sports activities has the same dynamic with youth sporting occasions. Unsurprisingly, it’s the preferred resort for ESPN Huge World of Sports activities individuals, and there are often massive chunks of rooms blocked off for these athletes and their households. So it’s the same story there, particularly within the late winter and early spring when these occasions are extra frequent. Now that Pop Warner is gone, the identical isn’t true in the course of the vacation season.
This ‘availability abundance’ is one thing I’ve observed for the final 2+ years, and it now appears that Walt Disney World is doing one thing to deal with it: greater reductions at each All Star Sports activities and Coronado Springs Resorts than their Worth and Reasonable Resort counterparts. At first, I believed this was one-time factor or maybe a worth mistake, however with this dynamic as soon as once more current within the newest spherical of particular affords working by October, I figured it was value shortly declaring.
In most people {discount} that’s obtainable proper now (by April 30), each All Star Sports activities and Coronado Springs Resorts have choices within the high tier providing 25% off. Against this, the opposite All Stars, Pop Century, and Caribbean Seaside solely provide 15% off. Customary rooms at Artwork of Animation are 10% off.
Relating to the ‘Keep Longer & Save Extra’ particular provide that runs by October 11, 2025, Coronado Springs peaks on the 30% off degree and All Star Sports activities is within the 25% off tier. This isn’t fairly as massive of a distinction as the sooner provide, as their counterparts are within the tiers instantly beneath. So it’s solely a 5% distinction, nevertheless it all provides up.
It’s the same story for Annual Passholders and Florida residents, with these two resorts showing in one of many high two tiers and providing financial savings of 30% or 35% off relying on the dates this spring, summer time, and early fall. The king mattress rooms at Coronado are as much as 40% off. To the most effective of my information, each single room-only {discount} launched to date in 2025 has adopted this pattern with superior financial savings at All Star Sports activities and Coronado Springs, so it’s probably that is the brand new regular going ahead.
Up till a few years in the past, I don’t recall seeing one of these dynamic. It was the case that the highest tier of reductions was for Deluxe/Deluxe Villa Resorts, the center tier was for Moderates, and the following tier was for Worth Resorts. Typically there’d be a backside tier with a hodgepodge of extra well-liked resorts, however even that wasn’t frequent.
Worth variations had been achieved by way of rack charges (e.g. Pop Century has increased base charges than the All Stars) or categorical exclusions (for the longest time, the Little Mermaid rooms had been by no means discounted). Accordingly, {discount} tiers had been extra easy.
That’s exactly why we’re calling consideration to this. For those who’re a longtime Walt Disney World fan, you’re most likely conversant in the ‘outdated days’ of {discount} tiers, and possibly nonetheless accustomed to these.
It’s additionally attainable that even first-timers have already got resorts booked on the idea of rack charges, so maybe you booked French Quarter or All Star Music not since you had a robust choice, however since you’d desire these resorts for no matter purpose, all else being equal.
Nicely, the fact is that pricing typically is not equal post-discount as of 2025. All Star Sports activities and Coronado Springs Resorts are sometimes significantly cheaper after making use of particular affords. Right here’s a pricing comparability throughout numerous dates and reductions:
Precise post-discount costs are going to range primarily based in your journey dates and room class availability. As somebody who feels strongly that Most popular Rooms are one of many Worst Wastes of Cash at Walt Disney World, I’ll seldom go for these (until I’ve no different choice).
Which is to say that I’ll take into account shifting up resorts versus classes. The final screenshot is an effective instance of this. If I had been confronted with a alternative of a Most popular Room at All Star Motion pictures for $125 or a typical room at Pop Century for $141, I’m completely taking the latter. The Skyliner is definitely worth the improve price.
Alternatively, if it’s Pop Century for $141 or All Star Sports activities for $98, I’m nearly actually taking the below $100 per evening room. I just like the Skyliner, however not sufficient to drop over $40 per evening on it, particularly throughout storm season (and after my current Early Entry expertise). I may put the unfold to a few Uber/Lyfts per day and nonetheless come out forward.
It’s the same state of affairs with Coronado Springs vs. Caribbean Seaside.
Caribbean Seaside is my private favourite Reasonable Resort, and I’ve come to like each the Skyliner and its slate of facilities (I additionally stroll over to Riviera lots to make use of these). Out of the Moderates, the one resort with the same (if not higher) slate is Coronado Springs because of the core resort plus Gran Destino Tower.
The difference-maker for me is thus once more the Skyliner, and the premium pricing for CBR is often an excessive amount of. French Quarter is one other resort I’d take into account as a substitute for Coronado if the costs are shut, however truthfully, CSR is only a higher match for my weekend warrior fashion journeys. That’s me, although. If the distinction is ~$10/evening, I’d most likely suggest French Quarter to the overwhelming majority of Walt Disney World company.
In fact, all of this assumes I’ve a lot of a alternative within the first place. I often don’t, as even with superior financial savings, All Star Sports activities and Coronado Springs nonetheless appear to be the desk scraps that stay with normal rooms after I’m truly going to e book final minute. (The entire above comparisons are just a few months out, therefore the higher availability.)
I’ve come to take pleasure in each All Star Sports activities and Coronado Springs Resorts for fast commando journeys to Walt Disney World.
I particularly like Sports activities when the resort is solely a spot to sleep, bathe, shave, and so forth. You’re solely within the room to crash after a protracted day, and are up early and out the door as quickly as attainable the following morning. The purpose is to cram a weeklong journey into a protracted weekend.
Coronado is a greater match (at the very least for me) throughout barely longer journeys after I may be inclined to take a noon break (avoiding a noon storm, as an illustration) and use extra of the facilities. As somebody who routinely “forgets” to eat dinner and/or enjoys a superb fourth meal, I’ve come to tremendously recognize each Dahlia Lounge and Three Bridges, each of that are underrated gems which are open till midnight most nights.
Suffice to say, I’m a giant fan of those resorts and needed to place in one other “plug” for each, however particularly All Star Sports activities for its bottom-dollar pricing because of superior financial savings on the particular provide charts. That is a part of our ongoing “initiative” to destigmatize the Worth Resorts, as we predict method too many Walt Disney World followers flip their noses up at them.
Their opinion typically isn’t grounded within the current high quality of those resorts, however in preconceived notions or stays a long time in the past. For those who ask a few of them when was the final time they stayed on the All Stars, the commonest reply will likely be “by no means.” On the threat of stating the plain, it’s unimaginable to have an knowledgeable opinion on one thing you haven’t skilled. Nonetheless, this results in many first-timers or rare guests fearing the cheaper resorts will not be “adequate” for his or her ceremony of passage holidays.
That couldn’t be farther from the reality. I wouldn’t maintain staying at All Star Sports activities if it had been terrible–I can afford the additional $50 per evening or no matter, it comes all the way down to a cost-benefit evaluation for me, and the upside of financial savings often wins out. In combing by my prices for the previous couple of years, the bottom quantity I’ve paid for All Star Sports activities is $88 per evening and the best is $139 per evening. For those who’re going by common public reductions, count on to pay $100 to $160 per evening–possibly extra throughout peak seasons. That’s nonetheless impressively low for an on-site resort.
There are actually cheaper choices in Central Florida. Doing a fast search, I see choices for round $50 per evening. After eliminating the shady choices the place I wouldn’t be comfy staying, there are $75 to $95 resorts. If I needed to remain at Flamingo Crossing or the Disney Springs Resort Space, I’d truly be paying about the identical price as All Star Sports activities. In lots of instances, extra.
Regardless, the issue is that none of those are apples to apples comparisons. These are not the “all in” prices of one thing akin to All Star Sports activities. You’re going to pay for some mixture of parking and transportation (doubtlessly each), after which there’s the worth of Early Entry–and what a substitute for that like Lightning Lane Multi-Go will price you.
The underside line is that the off-site options will not be as environment friendly and sometimes find yourself costing extra when you account for every thing. For those who’re involved with saving cash and even time, it’s troublesome to beat All Star Sports activities so far as finances choices go or Coronado Springs Resort for a mid-tier choice at Walt Disney World. Clearly, these resorts aren’t for everybody–however they shouldn’t be dismissed out of hand, both, particularly at these decrease costs because of being within the high tier of the 2025 particular affords.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Study resorts on our Walt Disney World Inns Opinions web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Opinions. To save cash on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Ideas for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets publish. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys publish takes a novel take a look at intelligent gadgets to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Journey Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the most effective place to begin is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for every thing it’s essential know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Ideas on these resorts providing superior financial savings to the counterparts of their courses? Have you ever stayed at All Star Sports activities or Coronado Springs Resorts? What did you consider the general expertise? How do you suppose these choices examine to 3rd celebration or off-site lodging? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Listening to your suggestions about your experiences is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas or questions beneath within the feedback!