Which All-Star Hotel Do You Recommend?

[Mamarilu]

It's my first trip to Disney World and I'm only staying for 2-night with my boyfriend. Being a new graduate, I don't have the funds to afford anything more than the All-Star Resorts just yet. So my question is, which is the best out of the 3? I heard Sports would be best when it comes to shuttles since they are the first to be picked up. Is this true? Thanks everyone!

PS. We had reservations outside of Disney World but the pros of staying at An All-Star outweighed the cons.

 

[lovesdumbo]

I like the layout of ASSports the best. ASMusic goes more straight back from the lobby so you could get a room that is a bit of a hike from the food court/bus stop there. ASMovies has far more rooms that are considered preferred so for a standard room I would book sports. I would request a room in the Touchdown section and then you'd be nice & close to the food court and bus stops.

The All Star resorts are fun. I'm sure you'll have a great trip!

 

[Stinky_Pete]

In my (and many other people's) experience, the "All Stars share buses" concern is blown way out of proportion here on the resort board. They generally only share mid-day when the buses aren't crowded anyway.

I stayed at ASMo in the ducks section. I really liked it. It was quiet. It was also very close to the ASMu main building and bus stops, so that's where I usually went. But ASMo is sometimes a few dollars more than the other two.

I picked ASMu this next time because it offered "free dining" and I've heard it tends to be quieter than ASSp.

 

[goofyintoronto]

I like both AS Sports and AS Movies. Both great resorts. Its true that Sports is the first resort picked up and dropped off, a nice little bonus. But the 3 resorts dont always share buses...so I wouldnt worry about that too much. Go with whichever theme you like best. For me it would be a toss up between sports and movies. Its a tough one! I'd probably go with whichever was cheaper. Sports is usually a bit cheaper.

 

[joannjoe]

AS Sports

 

[samsteele]

I've stayed at AS Music & found the grounds/outside theming beautiful particularly at night when it is lit up. I would strongly recommend the Jazz Bldg as it is somewhat closer to the main bldg and bus stops if you are booking a standard room. But, for my money, for a few dollars more, I'd go with Pop Century because I've found the bus system superior/faster and the grounds layout is friendlier. Most rooms are slightly less of a walk from the main bldg. For my online registration, I usually request 50s Bldg, top floor, lake view for a quiet room. Sometimes I can see partial fireworks from my window. Also great to be able to walk over the bridge to AoA's newer cafeteria or use their bus for return from the parks if POP's bus line is huge.

 

[ChimCher-ee]

I've stayed at AS Music & found the grounds/outside theming beautiful particularly at night when it is lit up. I would strongly recommend the Jazz Bldg as it is somewhat closer to the main bldg and bus stops if you are booking a standard room.

We've stayed at Music and Movies, and Jazz is exactly where we like best. In fact, we asked for a parking lot view so we would be away from any potential pool noise, and it's landscaped very nicely--we didn't even see the lot. Plus, we like Music's main pool better than the one at Movies. We stayed at Art of Animation and I found their buses more frustrating than All Star, even though AoA has dedicated buses.

Have a happy, happy trip!

 

[MarieLightning]

We've stayed at all three of them.

We stayed at Music for 11 nights in October 2013, Sports for 8 nights in May 2014 and Movies for 2 nights in September 2014.

Our favorite (and we are returning to it for 7 nights this November) is the Sports. The layout is great, so that even if you're not in a preferred location, you can easily get to your room at the end of the night with a short walk over. Our location was the Hoops Hotel section, in one of the further buildings, located on the third floor, and we were always back to our room in less than 5 minutes. By comparison, when we stayed at the Music, we were in the Broadway section, and it was easily closer to 10 minutes to get to our room although we had ground floor. The Rock Inn is just as far, and the Country Fair section is even further away, so unless you're paying for preferred/family suite at the Music, or are lucky enough to be upgraded, it'll be a long walk at the end of the night.

The Movies does have a layout that is more similar to the Sports, so that is an advantage for it. It is, however, typically a favorite among people who look for the best theming (if they're hoping for the Toy Story or Fantasia section especially, or even 101 Dalmatians - which are all preferred sections to start with) so it's generally gonna be quite a bit busier. The wait at the food court was always pretty ridiculous, even outside of what you'd consider typical busy eating times at a resort.

Another benefit to the Sports is that in the rare occasions when it does share a bus with the other resorts (like it's been mentioned, it happens a lot less frequently than people like to pretend it does - midday when they're nearly empty anyway, and maybe a bit more frequently for Animal Kingdom because it is the closest park so the bus route is shorter and as such they come back around more often) it is the first at which you'll get picked up, and the first at which you'll be dropped off.

And the theming is actually really neat. I am not a sports gal at all, nor is my wife, and there's just really cute elements everywhere.

 

[Pkltm]

Another vote for sports!!

 

[Disnsyncey]

We like sports a lot! Last September, and this one too! We had a preferred room last year, in the backside of Surf's Up, so close to everything....but I couldn't pass up a $74 rate, so we are going standard and hope for a close location! I do know that Sports seems smaller to me than Pop Century, the other one we stay at frequently....

 

[TwoCortWort]

Sports! First stop for the buses, and we have stayed at preferred and standard there and the track in isn't too bad.

 

[WEDWDW]

I usually stay at Sports because it was the first Resort I ever stayed at so there is a sentimental attachment and I also love the sports theme.

Having said that,Movies is much nicer than Sports and Music- Movies was built last and they "plussed" it some-larger and nicer Lobby,larger Bus Stop area,larger and nicer Food Court(although Sports' and Movies' Food Courts have recently been rebuilt and are now pretty even with Movies),larger and nicer Pool Bar,etc.

My advice is just to go with whichever of the 3 themes appeals to you the most.

Here is the bus info I recorded from one of my trips to All-Star Sports you may find helpful.

Congratulations and have an awesome first trip!!!!



(It takes the Buses about 2 minutes to travel from Sports to Music and about 2 minutes from Music to Movies.)

I also did some Park Hopping:
Monorail from TTC to Epcot----9 minutes.
Monorail from Epcot to TTC----7 minutes.
Express Monorail----4 minutes

Friendship between Epcot and DHD----20-30 minutes(We actually did make it in 20 minutes one day!)

Saturday April 18----Sports to Epcot----8:23AM to 8:33AM----10 minutes----Direct
Epcot to Sports----4:46PM to 4:58PM----12 minutes----Share

Sunday April 19----Sports to DAK(EMH)----7:44AM to 7:52AM----8 minutes----Direct
DAK to Sports----12:51PM to 12:57PM----6 minutes----Share
Sports to DHS----5:37PM to 5:57PM----20 minutes----Share
MK to Music----10:31PM to 10:52PM----21 minutes----Direct
(Hopped on a waiting Music Bus and then walked back to Sports.)

Monday April 20----Sports to MK----6:49AM to 7:04AM----15 minutes----Direct
(BOG Breakfast!)
Epcot to Sports----12:31PM to 12:42PM----11 minutes----Share
Sports to Epcot----2:44PM to 3:04PM----20 minutes----Share
Epcot to Sports----7:00PM to 7:12PM----12 minutes----Share

Tuesday April 21----Sports to DHS----7:58AM to 8:10AM----12 minutes----Direct
DHS to Sports----11:01AM to 11:15AM----14 minutes----Direct
Sports to DTD----2:23PM to 2:50PM----27 minutes----Share
DHS to Sports----9:57PM to 10:09PM----12 minutes----Share

Wednesday April 22----Sports to DAK----7:33AM to 7:44AM(EMH)----11 minutes----Direct
DAK to Sports----12:29PM to 12:37PM----8 minutes----Share
Sports to DHS----1:30PM to 1:49PM----19 minutes----Share
MK to Music----9:25PM to 9:40PM----15 minutes----Direct

Thursday April 23----Sports to Epcot----11:10AM to 11:19AM----9 minutes----Direct
DTD to Sports----5:18PM to 5:37PM-----19 minutes----Share

Friday April 24----Sports to Epcot----8:06AM to 8:17AM-----11 minutes----Direct
Epcot to Sports----10:27AM to 10:43AM----16 minutes----Share
Sports to Epcot----12:23PM to 12:43PM----20 minutes----Share
Epcot to Sports----9:14PM to 9:30PM----16 minutes----Direct

Saturday April 25----Sports to DHS(EMH)----7:20AM to 7:30AM-----10 minutes----Direct
Epcot to Sports-----4:16PM to 4:30PM----14 minutes----Share

Sunday April 26----Sports to MK----9:15AM to 9:30AM----15 minutes----Direct
Epcot to Sports----12:20PM to 12:32PM-----12 minutes-----Share
Time to board THE SAD BUS!!!!BOOOOOOOO!!!!

 

[WEDWDW]

One more thing about the All-Star Resort just to let you know-it frequently hosts "groups"-Cheerleaders,sports teams,etc.

The groups don't bother me(I've learned to "live" with them),but many Guests don't like staying with them.

Probably the most "famous" of the groups are the South American Tour Groups.

I just got back and in this picture below,a SATG has turned the three-lane walkway in Stadium Hall at All-Star Sports into a one-lane!lol

 

[JennyDrake]

In my (and many other people's) experience, the "All Stars share buses" concern is blown way out of proportion here on the resort board. They generally only share mid-day when the buses aren't crowded anyway.

I stayed at ASMo in the ducks section. I really liked it. It was quiet. It was also very close to the ASMu main building and bus stops, so that's where I usually went. But ASMo is sometimes a few dollars more than the other two.

I picked ASMu this next time because it offered "free dining" and I've heard it tends to be quieter than ASSp.

As you can see in my signature I have MULTIPLE stays at each of the All Stars! I'll agree that the bus sharing is WAY overstate and overplayed; I see no difference in the 3 AS sharing and a deluxe or moderate with multiple stops.

_I_ like Music best as it tends to be quieter and I love the various themes.

Movies gets my award for the best, big icons and overall fun feel.

Sports seems a bit more compact than the other two and it has the most lush landscaping.

At *any* value, if you want quiet, request TOP floor, NOT facing a pool.

Last year I stayed at Movies in the ducks section and due to the location of our room, it was literally a 4 min walk to Music food court and buses.