The 13 best Disney park hotels, according to travelers

Disney's wilderness lodge resort
Disney's Wilderness Lodge Resort is inspired by turn-of-the-century national park lodges. Walt Disney World Resort Hotels
  • Disney hotels come in all shapes and sizes, from swanky high rises to wilderness-inspired enclaves.
  • We've rounded up the most highly-ranked Disney park hotels according to TripAdvisor, all of which garnered at least a 4.5-star rating.
  • Despite looking at 46 Disney resorts and vacation clubs worldwide, the winners were all located in the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.
  • Hotels like the famed and luxurious Grand Floridian Resort made the list.
  • Visit INSIDER's homepage for more stories.
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Ask a travel agent specializing in Disney vacations — or anyone who loves Disney — and they will likely tell you there's no such thing as a "worst" hotel to stay in at a Disney park. Each simply offers a different experience, depending on what a guest is looking for and their price range. And while most Disney hotels are very highly rated on TripAdvisor, some do have a slight edge over others.

INSIDER used Disney's list of its 46 worldwide resorts and vacation clubs and combed through their ratings on TripAdvisor. Hotels were rated from dozens to thousands of times on criteria including location, cleanliness, service, and value. 

From the Africa-inspired Animal Kingdom Lodge to the luxurious Grand Floridian Resort, here are the 13 most highly-rated Disney park hotels — all located in the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida — according to TripAdvisor.

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Bay Lake Tower is one of Walt Disney World Resort's most luxurious hotels and is walking distance from the Magic Kingdom.

Disney's Bay Lake Tower
Disney's Bay Lake Tower. Courtesy of Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

The Bay Lake Tower was rated 4.5 out of 5 stars on TripAdvisor. The lake-side, luxury hotel sits by "white-sand beaches," according to TripAdvisor. Its pool features a 20-foot-tall waterslide surrounded by glass blocks and various dining options that offer classic American fare. Rooms start at $497 per night, according to the hotel's website, and options range from studios to multi-room villas.

Described as "close to everything Disney" by one TripAdvisor reviewer, some of the hotel's rooms boast a view straight to Cinderella's Castle. 

 

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Disney's Wilderness Lodge is inspired by turn-of-the-century national park lodges.

Disney's wilderness lodge resort
Disney's Wilderness Lodge Resort. Courtesy of Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

According to its website, the 4.5-star rated Wilderness Lodge "celebrates American craftsmanship and honors the beauty of the untamed wilderness." The hotel features trails through pine forests, "a murmuring creek," and a stone hearth and fireplace. 

Rooms at the Wilderness Lodge start at $339 per night.

 

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The Wilderness Lodge includes two deluxe types of villas: the Copper Creek Villas and the Boulder Ridge Villas.

Disney's wilderness lodge resort hall
Disney's Wilderness Lodge Resort. Courtesy of Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

The Cropper Creek Villas and Cabins (not pictured) were rated 4.5 stars on TripAdvisor. Amenities include up to three bedrooms along with a full kitchen, a living room, and dining areas.

Copper Creek Villas start at $446 per night and are close to Disney World's Magic Kingdom.

The Wilderness Lodge's Boulder Ridge Villas (not pictured) were also given a 4.5-star rating, with a starting price of $426 per night. 

The one-to-two bedroom villas include a full kitchen, spacious living and dining areas, and a washer and dryer. Guests can walk through trails in "lush meadows," lounge by the pool, or and take a boat to the Magic Kingdom.

 

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Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge features views of savannas with 30 species of African wildlife, from zebras to giraffes.

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. Courtesy of Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

The Animal Kingdom Lodge is situated in the Disney World Resort by Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park. According to TripAdvisor, where it was rated 4.5 stars, the hotel's "horseshoe-curved" design was inspired by an African kraal, an enclosure for cattle. 

The lodge features an African art collection, a spa, and a fitness center, and offers dining experiences with "up-close animal encounters."

Stays at the Animal Kingdom Lodge start at $353 per night.

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The Animal Kingdom's deluxe villas, the Jambo House and Kidani Village, are also rated 4.5 stars on TripAdvisor.

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge Animals
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. Courtesy of Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

The villas include a full kitchen, spacious living room and dining areas, separate bedrooms, and a washer and dryer. 

Jambo house rooms start at $352 per night and Kidani Village rooms start at $405 per night.

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Disney World's Art of Animation Resort lets guests live inside the worlds of "Finding Nemo," "Cars," "The Lion King," and "The Little Mermaid."

Disney's Art of Animation Resort
Disney's Art of Animation "Cars" hotel suite. Courtesy of Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

Rated 4.5 stars on TripAdvisor, this hotel's suites and three pools are all themed after the aforementioned movies. Rooms at the hotel start at $157 per night, and pets are welcome.

 

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With Disney's forthcoming release of "The Lion King," the Art of Animation Resort's "Lion King" room is especially relevant.

Art of Animation Resort Lion King room
Art of Animation Resort's "Lion King" room. Courtesy of Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

"We love the Art of Animation!" said one TripAdvisor user. "This is our third time staying at this resort. We previously stayed in 'The Lion King' section, then [two times] at the 'Cars' section." 

Read more: 'The Lion King' is a fantastic reimagining of the classic and Disney's best animated remake

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Disney World's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa is situated on the shores of the Seven Seas Lagoon.

Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa
The entrance to Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa villas. Courtesy of Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

Walk into this 4.5-star-rated hotel and find a live orchestra in the lobby, which adds to the feeling of being in "Palm Beach's golden era," which the hotel is designed to evoke.

The Grand Floridian includes a spa, two pools, man-made white sand beaches, a marina, and a view of the nighttime fireworks over Cinderella Castle, and is one stop away from the Magic Kingdom on the resort's monorail.

"It's probably considered the most luxurious resort on Disney property for its sheer elegance," said chief brand officer of MickeyTravels Greg Antonelle about the Grand Floridian.

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The Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa can host five to 12 guests.

Villas at Disney's Floridian Resort
A villa at Disney's ornate Floridian Resort. Courtesy of Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

The Victorian-style villas were also ranked 4.5 stars on TripAdvisor, and feature multiple bedrooms, a media room, and a home theater. The master bathroom also has a "Victorian-style tub with air-bubble jets," according to the hotel's website.

Rooms at the villas start at $582 per night.

 

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The BoardWalk Inn's aesthetic is based on turn-of-the-century Atlantic City and is rated 4.5 stars on TripAdvisor.

Disneys BoardWalk Inn Resort
Disney's BoardWalk Inn Resort. Courtesy of Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

The hotel is walking distance from both Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios. Situated along the Walt Disney World Resort's Crescent Lake, it offers carnival games and a Coney Island-style boardwalk.

The cost of staying at the BoardWalk Inn starts at $450 per night. 

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Disney's Beach Club Resort evokes New England charm.

Disney's Beach Club Resort
Disney's Beach Club Resort. Courtesy of Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

Disney's Beach Club Resort, ranked 4.5 stars on TripAdvisor, is walking distance from Epcot Center and a short boat ride to Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Parents and kids alike will love this hotel: it features the highest hotel waterslides at the Walt Disney World Resort, breakfast that features Disney characters, and in-room babysitting for parents in need of a little break. There are also multiple dining options, including a cafe, steakhouse, and the Beaches & Cream Soda Shop.

 

 

 

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Disney's Yacht Club Resort is a lakeside hotel modeled after New England yacht clubs.

Disney's Yacht Club Resort
Disney's Yacht Club Resort. AngryJulieMonday/Flickr

Disney's Yacht Club Resort is rated 4.5 stars on TripAdvisor, is walking distance from Epcot, and a boat ride away from Disney's Hollywood Studios. It also shares a 3-acre pool complex (including a life-size shipwreck) with Disney's Beach Club Resort called Stormalong Bay.

"My all-time favorite deluxe hotel is Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resort," said frequent Disney vacationer Tiffany Keffalas. "They have the best pool on Disney property — a sand-bottom pool with the perfect kiddie area for babies to play on." 

Rooms start at $411 per night.

 

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Disney's Port Orleans Resort, the French Quarter, is a year-round Mardi Gras fest.

Disney's Port Orleans Resort French Quarter
Disney's Port Orleans Resort, French Quarter. Jared/Flickr

For anyone keen to experience New Orleans without going to the city itself, this hotel may fit the bill. According to the hotel's website, "gas lamps, wrought-iron balconies, and fragrant magnolia blossoms evoke the Antebellum era, and colorful Mardi Gras characters and jazz keep things lively."

Among the hotel's amenities are the Scat's Cat Club and horse-drawn carriage rides through the grounds. A stay at the 4.5-star rated hotel starts at $219 a night.

 

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Disney's Old Key West Resort was also rated 4.5 stars on TripAdvisor.

Disney's Old Key West Resort
Disney's Old Key West Resort. Flickr mjurn/Flickr/Some rights reserved

Located in Disney's imagined community of Conch Flats, Disney's Old Key West Resort features waterways, palm trees, and manicured, golf-course-like lawns.

Located between Disney's Lake Buena Vista Golf Course and Epcot Center, the Old Key West is also a boat ride away from the Disney Springs shopping center.

"We have been Disney club members since 1993 and never looked back," said one TripAdvisor reviewer. "Our main draw was how the resort resembles a neighborhood of vacation homes with a Key West theme."

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Part of Disney's Polynesian Village resort, the Polynesian Villas and Bungalows, are a tropical paradise at the Walt Disney World Resort.

Disney's Polynesian Villas
Disney's Polynesian Villas and Bungalows. Courtesy of Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

The 4.5-star rated, tropical, South Pacific-inspired Polynesian Villas and Bungalows are part of Disney's Polynesian Village Resort (rated 4 stars on TripAdvisor).

Waterfront bungalows are minutes from Disney World's Magic Kingdom by water taxi or monorail, and activities include outdoor movies, a nighttime water parade, hula dance classes, and pool parties.

Rooms start at $515 per night.

 

 

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Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa is another of Disney World's 4.5-star rated, deluxe resorts.

Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa
Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa. Courtesy of Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

The Saratoga Springs Resort is inspired by late 1800s New York retreats, according to its website, and is situated between Disney's Lake Buena Vista Golf Course and Lake Buena Vista itself. Amenities include a full spa, gym, and multiple pools, whirlpools, and waterslides.

"Being from upstate New York and [being] very familiar with Saratoga Springs," said one TripAdvisor reviewer, "we felt right at home!"

Rooms start at $354 per night.

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The Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort evoke "the timeless beauty of the American frontier," according to the resort's website.

Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort
Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort. Courtesy of Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

This 4.5-star rated resort is located within 750 acres of forest, featuring wildlife such as deer, ducks, armadillos, and rabbits, according to the hotel's website

Cabins start at $341 per night and are a 10-minute boat ride to the Magic Kingdom.

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The fully-furnished cabins fit up to six adults.

Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort
Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort. Courtesy of Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

The Cabins feature a living room, bedroom, full bathroom, private patio, charcoal grill, and modern kitchen. Guests can order groceries to stock their cabins with during their stay, and rent golf carts or bikes to explore the entire grounds.

 

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For anyone looking to rough it at Disney World, the Fort Wilderness Resort also offers affordable campsites.

Campsite at Disney's For Wilderness Lodge
Campsite at Disney's For Wilderness Lodge. Courtesy of Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

The Campsites at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground are also rated 4.5 stars on TripAdvisor, and, starting at $56 per night, are one of the most affordable options for a stay at the Walt Disney World Resort.

There are four types of campsites that guests can choose from, according to the resort's website, which accommodate anything from small tents to 45-foot RVs. There's a maximum of 10 guests per site, and each one is equipped with a picnic table, a charcoal grill, water, cable TV, and electrical hook-ups.

 

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