Disney divides its hotels into four tiers: Value, Moderate, Deluxe, and Deluxe Villa. The Value tier is supposed to be the budget option — the All-Star resorts, Pop Century, and Art of Animation. If you're watching your budget, you pick Value, save money, and spend more in the parks.
The problem: Art of Animation doesn't always behave like a budget resort.
The Price Gap Within the "Value" Tier
Our price data tracks all five Value resorts: Art of Animation, Pop Century, All-Star Movies, All-Star Music, and All-Star Sports. They're in the same tier, so you'd expect their prices to move roughly together.
They don't.
On 31 August 2026, here's what the Value tier looked like:
| Resort | Price per night (2 adults) |
|---|---|
| All-Star Sports | $108 |
| All-Star Music | ~$120 |
| All-Star Movies | ~$130 |
| Pop Century | ~$170 |
| Art of Animation | $382 |
Art of Animation was 3.5 times the price of the cheapest All-Star resort on the same date. That's not a small premium for a nicer room — that's a completely different price bracket.
On other dates we've tracked, Art of Animation has been 3× the All-Stars on at least 10 separate upcoming check-in dates.
Why Is Art of Animation So Different?
Two reasons.
First, the rooms are larger. Art of Animation's most popular rooms are family suites — they sleep up to six guests and have a separate sleeping area. If you have a family of four, five, or six, a family suite at Art of Animation gives you space the standard hotel rooms at the All-Stars don't. The all-suite product is genuinely different from a double room at All-Star Sports.
Second, the theming commands a premium. Art of Animation opened in 2012 with Finding Nemo, Cars, The Lion King, and The Little Mermaid themes. The pool areas and communal spaces are more elaborate than the older All-Star resorts. Disney knows the demand is there and prices it accordingly.
When Art of Animation Is More Expensive Than Moderate Hotels
The really striking data point: on 14 September 2026, Art of Animation ($453) was more expensive than both Port Orleans Riverside ($287) and Coronado Springs ($298) — two Moderate resorts that Disney positions as an upgrade from Value.
On the same date, Art of Animation was also more expensive than several Deluxe Villa properties, including Saratoga Springs ($396) and Jambo House Villas ($401).
A family choosing Art of Animation as the "budget option" on that date would have paid more than families staying at a Moderate — or in a Disney Vacation Club villa.
What This Means for Your Booking
If you're set on Art of Animation for the theming and the family suites, it can absolutely be worth the premium — especially if you have young children who will love the Nemo pool. But go in knowing you're not booking a budget resort on peak dates.
If price is the priority, the All-Star resorts offer the same basic service, the same Disney transport links, and access to the same parks, for significantly less. All-Star Sports in particular is consistently the cheapest Disney-owned hotel in our data, averaging around $179 per night.
And if you're comparing Art of Animation on a high-demand date, it's worth checking Moderate prices at the same time — you may find Port Orleans Riverside or Coronado Springs is genuinely cheaper for a larger room.
Use the Pixie Rates price tracker to compare Art of Animation against any other resort on your travel dates. The heatmap shows every resort side by side; click any date to see its full price history.
All prices shown are in USD, for 1 night, 2 adults, sourced from Walt Disney World's booking API.