Hiya Bles!
Welcome to planDisney! I am just like you in that the first thing I look at when planning for any trip is to weigh the cost and value. It is very hard to give prices for a stay at Walt Disney World Resort as there are so many different Resorts and many times there are
Special Offers that can be applied. There are a few Resort categories but I am going to talk to you about the basic three here:
Deluxe Resort Hotels and Deluxe Villas: These are the highest category of Resort stay in terms of luxury and cost. These Resorts tend to have larger rooms, several on-site restaurants, bars, and food court options, pools with hot tubs and water slides, and many times excellent locations relative to the Parks. Prices will vary based on the weeks you go and what Special Offer you are applying but for next week I am seeing the prices range per night from $541 to $1756.
Moderate Resort Hotels: These Resorts are considered mid-range in terms of cost. Moderate Resorts tend to have one table-service dining location, a poolside bar, and a food court. Most have some kind of water slide and kid water play area as well. The prices for next week will vary but are right now ranging per night from $296 to $1,066.
Value Resort Hotels: These Resorts are the best value and are where I usually enjoy staying with my family as the building theming tends to be over-the-top Disney which my kids love. Food service options are usually limited to the food courts and poolside bars. The pools don't have slides but are still very fun. As always, prices can vary but for next week I am seeing a price range per night of $187 to $277.
When picking your Resort make sure to check out all the offered amenities and transportation options. I know people who only stay at
Disney's Contemporary Resort for the sole reason that it's within walking distance of Magic Kingdom Park. I once stayed at
Disney's Beach Club Resort which was also a short walk to EPCOT's International Gateway entrance. However, with the creation of the
Disney Skyliner, there is now a huge travel convenience to staying at
Disney's Pop Century Resort and
Disney's Art of Animation Resort which are in the Value Resort Category.
The
perks of staying on-site at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel are why I many times stay at one during my visits. My favorite perk is
Early Theme Park Entry which lets guests staying at a Disney Resort Hotel enter the Parks 30 minutes before everyone else. In that 30 minutes, I have gotten a lot done with my family. Another perk that I love is that 60 days before I arrive I can book my Dining Reservations for my entire stay (for up to a 10-night stay) versus day-by-day for all other guests. That means I am waking up at 6:00 AM EST only once and have the advantage of getting some hard-to-get reservations.
I hope this helps in your decision-making. Please
let me know directly if you have any more questions.
Happy Planning!
-Nimmy