Pool featuring Disney characters

Disney’s All-Star Music Resort Review

Looking for a cheap place to stay at Disney World that’s short on price but not Disney magic? Then look no further than Disney’s All-Star Music Resort. This Disney value resort neighboring the All-Star Sports and All-Star Movies resorts is the perfect medley of cost, comfort, convenience, and pixie dust-powered charm. Talk about four-part harmony! 

With larger-than-life theming and a blend of Disney All-Star Music family suites and smaller rooms featuring basic yet comfortable amenities, this Disney World hotel is perfect for families with children, as well as those who are happy to sacrifice some perks for the sake of their bank account. 

So, how does the Disney All-Star Music Resort compare to other value resorts at Disney World? Does this All-Star resort have everything you’ll need for your upcoming stay? Read on for our guide to everything you need to know about this harmonious Walt Disney World hotel. Oh, and sorry-not-sorry for all the music-related puns. What can I say? It’s the choir geek in me. (Updated September 7, 2022)

Lit up All-Star Music Hotel at night

Staying at the Disney All-Star Music Hotel 

A trip to Walt Disney World can be expensive, especially when traveling with a family in tow. Luckily, staying at The Most Magical Place on Earth doesn’t have to be out of reach. Disney World value resorts offer the convenience and magic of staying on Disney property at budget-friendly prices. Of all the Disney value resorts, the most affordable are the Disney All-Star hotels. 

Part of the Animal Kingdom Resort Area, the All-Star Resorts are close to Blizzard Beach Water Park, Winter Summerland Miniature Golf, and the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. It’s this last Disney neighbor that makes the All-Stars a popular place to stay for school groups, international tour groups, and sports teams. 

Don’t let the cheap price tag fool you – these are no barebones motels. All three of the All-Star hotels at Disney World feature bright, over-the-top designs starring giant icons pulled from pop culture. All-Star Music at Disney World is an ode to everything that gets your toes tapping, with Broadway, Rock, Jazz, Calypso, and Country all getting time in the spotlight.

Each genre is decked out with gloriously kitschy details. Over at the Broadway Hotel, marquees touting Disney On Broadway hits like The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast and lines of top hats will have you wishing you could be kicking it in the chorus line on the Great White Way. The Rock Inn, meanwhile, will have you rockin’ around the clock with its gigantic jukebox and electric guitars or going for a dip in  

Looking to jazz things up a bit? The Jazz Inn is sure to get you in the groove with its instruments on musicians on parade. The calypso section keeps things spicy with mega maracas, an extra-large xylophone, and a guitar-shaped pool starring The Three Caballeros. Or, two-step your way to the Country Fair to grab a selfie in front of a monster pair of cowboy boots (size 270, to be precise) or next to the massive banjo. 

Disney All-Star Music Rooms & Family Suites

Disney’s All-Star Music has earned a solid 4.0 on TripAdvisor. As with most of the other value resorts (Disney’s Art of Animation Resort being the main exception), it’s slim pickings when it comes to room types at All-Star Music. Clocking in at a cozy 260 square feet, standard and preferred rooms are some of the smallest rooms on property, making them ideal for couples or small families. 

In contrast, the Disney All-Star Music Resort suites – located in the calypso and jazz sections – are a more sizeable 520 square feet. That’s a bit bigger than what you’ll find at the Fort Wilderness cabins and just a tad smaller than Art of Animation’s family suites at a much more budget-friendly price. That being said, the kitchenette is pretty sparse in comparison, so you might want to give the family suites a pass if you prefer to cook a lot. 

Room with bed and murphy bed

Although the resort buildings are inspired by different styles of music, guestrooms look the same no matter which genre you’re calling home. Bright, white walls, dark woods, and modern fixtures keep rooms feeling airy and modern. While colorful accents starring Disney characters like wall art and a pull-down bed ensure the pixie dust is still palpable. 

In general, all standard and preferred rooms at All-Star Music come with the following amenities: a hairdryer, iron, ironing board, mini-refrigerator, in-room safe, telephone with voicemail, and free Wi-Fi. All Disney All-Star Music family suites, in contrast, come with all the same comforts of home listed above, as well as two bathrooms and a kitchenette stocked with a coffee maker and microwave.  

Although most guestrooms at All-Star Music come with two double beds (one that’s a pull-down Murphy bed), rooms with king and queen beds are also available. However, as these are accessible rooms, you won’t have access to a tub, only a walk-in shower. 

Standard Room

  • Comes with 2 double beds
  • Sleeps up to 4 adults 
  • Views of the parking area, pool, or courtyard

Preferred Room

  • Comes with 2 double beds
  • Sleeps up to 4 adults 
  • Views of the parking area, pool, or courtyard
  • Near Dining, Transportation, and Shopping Outlets at Melody Hall

Family Suite

  • Comes with 1 queen bed, 1 double-sized sofa sleeper, and 1 twin-sized sleeper chair
  • Sleeps up to 6 adults 
  • Views of the parking area, pool, or courtyard

Disney All-Star Music Resort Prices

“We’re only going to be there to sleep anyway.” If this sounds a whole lot like you, then oh boy, these next paragraphs will be music to your ears. Opened way back in 1994, Disney’s All-Star Music Resort isn’t just one of the oldest value resorts at Disney World, it’s also one of the cheapest. With rates as low as $130 a night, it’s a great hotel for those trying to do Disney World on a budget. 

Keep in mind that room rates do vary based on the occupancy you need and what dates you’re planning to travel. Fortunately, you don’t pay for the view you get here, just how far you’d like to walk to the main lobby or if you’d like a family suite. Disney All-Star Music Resort room prices are subject to increase over holidays like Christmas and spring break while visiting during the low season will net you lower rates. 

Standard rooms are the most affordable option at All-Star Music, with rates starting in the low-to-mid $100s in the low season up to the high $200s over the high season. Family suites, in contrast, are the priciest room type at the resort, typically available for around the low-to-mid $300s during the slow months or the mid-$600s over the busy winter holidays.

Below are rough price ranges for what you can expect to pay at All-Star Music in 2023 (prices are slightly cheaper in 2022):

  • Standard Room: $128 to $289
  • Preferred Room: $167 to $329
  • Family Suite: $323 to $658

Disney World All-Star Music Resort Amenities

Cheap and cheerful room rates come at a price, and that is more basic resort amenities. Don’t book a room reservation here anticipating access to a full spa, a handful of dining options, and a whole slate of special activities, because you won’t find it. What you will have access to, however, is a quick-service restaurant serving up convenient eats all day long, a couple of pools to cool off in, and a shop to grab any souvenirs or forgotten essentials. 

Dining at All-Star Music Disney Hotel

Don’t expect any dinner shows or signature restaurants here. While deluxe resorts like Polynesian Village or moderate resorts like Caribbean Beach will boast a few dining outlets plus a bar or two, value resorts at Disney World typically have a dearth of options. Unfortunately, the same can be said for All-Star Music. 

The only places to eat at All-Star Music at Disney World are a food court and pool bar. On the bright side, as the resort is just a short drive away from resorts like Coronado Springs and Animal Kingdom Lodge, you can also easily resort hop to other Disney World hotels if you’d like to try their restaurants too. 

Intermission Food Court

Food court with benches

Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Intermission Food Court is a quick and easy spot for a bite to eat from morning to night. Although you will find some more unique flavors on offer during dinnertime, the menu here is all about all-American classics. 

For breakfast, chow down on AM favorites like omelets, house-made pancakes, waffles, and pastries. In the afternoon and evening, choose from a chorus of stations serving up items like burgers, chicken, pizza, pasta, plant-based items, and even dinner specialties like Seafood Fra Diavolo and Ancho Grilled Flank Steak. Whatever you do, be sure to save some space for sweets like the Toasted Marshmallow Brownie, Chocolate-Chip Cookie Dough Cup, or DOLE Whip-inspired Pineapple Whip Swirl Cupcake.

Singing Spirits Pool Bar

While you may not strike up a tune, you may strike up a conversation at the Singing Spirits Pool Bar. Next to the Calypso Pool, this open-air pool bar is an excellent spot to sip the stress of the theme park crowds away. While there aren’t any food items on offer here, there is an assortment of specialty cocktails, along with beer, wine, and some booze-free beverages. 

Disney All-Star Music Resort Pools

Summer days in Orlando can be hot, hot, hot. So, we recommend taking a timeout during the afternoon when the temperatures are at their peak. And there’s no better way to do that than by going for a swim in one of the two Disney All-Star Music Resort pools. Towels are provided right there at the pool, so don’t worry about schlepping yours from the room.

Located behind Melody Hall, the Calypso Pool is All-Star Music’s feature pool. Shaped like a guitar, this playful pool is lined with colorful maracas and bongos. Perched in the center is a fountain of the Three Caballeros – Donald Duck, Panchito, and Jose Carioca – which spits water at unsuspecting swimmers. There’s also a kiddie pool available nearby for the resort’s youngest guests. 

If you keep walking deeper into the resort, the Piano Pool sits at the junction between Rock Inn, Jazz Inn, Broadway Hotel, and Country Fair. While you can’t actually tickle the ivories there, this leisure pool designed to resemble a grand piano, with black and white keys painted along one side, is a relaxing place to soak up some vitamin D and beat the heat. 

Other Recreation at Walt Disney All-Star Music Resort 

Pool featuring Disney characters

While moderate and deluxe resorts at Disney World usually have a whole cast of recreational offerings to choose from, All-Star Music and Disney’s other value resorts keep things simple (and cost-effective) with just a couple of family-friendly activities. 

The whole gang will love watching an extra special, alfresco movie screening of their favorite Disney film at Movies Under the Stars near the Calypso Pool. Younger musicians staying at the resort will also enjoy playing around in the Note’able Games Arcade or on the playground over at Jazz Inn. Adults can unwind too during a one-mile stroll or sprint through the All-Star resorts. 

All-Star Music Hotel Disney Merchandise Locations

Maestro Mickey’s is the place to go if you’re searching for a spark of souvenir inspiration and needing to replace any essentials you may have left back at home. Ideally situated in Melody Hall near the Disney All-Star Music food court, this merchandise outlet is also a great place to stop if you’ve got a snack craving on the way back to your room from the resort bus stop. 

Complimentary Transportation to and from All-Star Music

Skyliner Hub surrounded by water

As part of staying at a Disney World hotel, guests have access to a number of free transportation offerings. Unfortunately, while other resorts are near the Disney Skyliner, along the Monorail, or have a boat launch, those staying at All-Star Music only have direct access to the Disney World bus system. Busses here stop outside Melody Hall, with routes running to Disney Springs along with the different Disney parks. Keep in mind that the routes do have the tendency to change, with busses occasionally stopping at each of the All-Star resorts as well as going directly to the theme parks.   

Disney All-Star Music Resort FAQs

Want to know more about Disney’s All-Star Music Resort? Read on for answers to some commonly asked questions. 

Is Disney All-Star Music refurbished? 

Yup. Before the pandemic hit, the resort’s renovation was already halfway complete. Following the closure, all rooms at All-Star Music are fully refurbished.

All-Star Music vs. All-Star Sports vs. All-Star Movies: Which is better?

Honestly, it really depends on what kind of vibe you’re looking for. By the time each of the resorts opens since closing for the pandemic, their renovations should be complete, so age is no longer an issue. Each has a comparable food court that’s similarly meh. So, when it comes down to it, it’s all about the theme that you’re most interested in. 

All-Star Music usually misses most of the sports teams and has a theme that is relatively timeless, all things considered. All-Star Movies is probably the most Disney of the bunch; however, parts of the resorts can feel a bit dated (*cough cough* Mighty Ducks *cough*). All-Star Sports, though cute, tends to be overrun by school-age athletes competing at the ESPN Wide World of Sports. 

Big football helmets sitting on the street outside of All Star Sports Resort

How far is Disney All-Star Music Resort from the theme parks?

The Disney All-Star resorts, while not next door to any theme parks, are closest to Animal Kingdom, clocking in at around a 4-minute drive. The other Disney World parks are also relatively close, usually taking around 8 to 10 minutes driving. 

Does Disney All-Star Music Resort have continental breakfast?

Not a complimentary one. There’s no such thing as a free meal at Disney World. So, while you will find an assortment of breakfast options on offer at Intermission Food Court in the morning, you will have to pay for anything you’d like to eat. 

Well budget travelers, that’s the coda to our trip around the All-Star Music Resort at Disney World. With its over-the-top exterior and cheap rooms with all the basic creature comforts and a crescendo of Disney magic, it’s an ideal stay for small families, music lovers, and those trying to do Disney World on a shoestring.  

While you’re there, make the most of your time at the resort’s two closest parks with our 1-day plans for Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. And, save even more cash by booking our discounted Walt Disney World tickets

Have you ever stayed at All-Star Music? Which of the genres is your favorite area to stay in? Are you excited about the refurbished rooms? Let us know in the comments!