Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort is one of Walt Disney World’s Value Resorts – the most affordable category of hotels owned by Disney in Orlando, Florida. Our contributor Deb vacationed in Florida at the end of January 2015 and shares her thoughts on Disney’s All Star Sports Resort below.

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Last month, I made my 5th trip to Disney World. It goes without saying it’s my family’s favourite vacation destination!

So far, I’ve stayed at the following Disney Resorts: Caribbean Beach Resort (Moderate), All Star Music (Value), and All-Star Sports (Value) plus I’ve visited at least half a dozen other Disney resort properties.

This trip we booked Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort it was one of the best stays yet particularly considering the price (rates start at $92/night). We went during low season and took advantage of Disney’s free dining offer, so it was win-win!

Rooms at Disney’s All Star Sports Resort

Our room was in the Hoops hotel section bordered by the woods that surround the resort property. It made for a peaceful stay which was perfect for us and our young kids.

At first I was worried about being so far from the Surfboard Bay pool and End Zone Food Court (newly renovated!) but it wasn’t a problem to have a longer walk since we needed to work off some extra calories – those delicious Disney treats!

Plus it meant we didn’t have to worry about noisy school groups which we have had to tolerate in the past.

The rooms at all the All-Star resorts are a bit smaller than the moderate Disney resorts and the same size as standard rooms at Disney’s Pop Century Resort (260 sq ft), it is designed well with convenient storage throughout. There’s a shelf above and around the TV unit, hooks for clothing, and a small table with two chairs.

There’s also a hair dryer, in-wall safe, iron and ironing board, mini fridge and complimentary H2O Disney soaps and shampoos.

We were able to fit our double stroller into the room without needing to collapse it. The rooms were clean and well maintained, exceeding some higher end hotel chains that I’ve stayed at around the USA.

The curtain separating the main room area from the bathroom such a practical and helpful addition, allowing us to put the kids to bed first before getting ourselves ready for bed. For families with young children, cribs and bed rails are available from housekeeping.

All rooms at Disney’s All-Star Sports can accommodate up to 4 guests and 1 infant in a pack-and-play (complimentary play yards are available on a first come first served basis). If you have more than 2 adults, Disney charges a fee of $10.00 per night per additional adult.

Dining Options at All Star Sports

I was pretty happy with the food that we ate at the End Zone Food Court. For a Value Resort, the food was quite decent with options for everyone.

There’s a grill section with burgers, hot dogs, chicken burgers and sandwiches, with an impressive number of toppings available.

They have a create-your-own-salad option, create-your-own-pasta section, and hot dinner entrees such as roast turkey, London broil, or roasted chicken depending on the night.

There are the usual pizza, chicken finger options and pasta options for the kids, similar to the food courts all across Disney World.

There’s an impressive gelato bar now too!

Breakfast options include the Mickey waffles and pancakes (chocolate chip), plus an awesome grilled ham and cheese sandwich that had a surprisingly thick stack of ham!

We would grab this sandwich ‘to-go’ from the food court and eat it while we were lining up for the bus. Of course, the beverage stations were available for you to fill up your own mug and all the typical Disney snacks (healthy and indulgent) plus a variety of drinks are available from the ‘Market’ section of the food court.

Unlike Disney Moderate and Deluxe Resorts, there is no full service restaurant at All-Star Sports.

Activities & Amenities at Disney’s All Star Sports Resort

There are two large pools at Disney’s All-Star Sports – Surfboard Bay (main pool) and Grand Slam (in front of the Home Run Hotel).

There’s plenty of life jackets for children (free of charge) and lifeguards are on duty from 10 am to 10pm. The water temperature was very warm which made swimming enjoyable even in January.

While it’s not a zero-entry pool, the depth was manageable for my 5 year old. There are recreational activities by the pool at various times throughout the day from dance competitions to Disney-themed quizzes, plus movie nights in the evenings.

For adults, there’s a poolside bar and lots of reclining chairs for relaxing.

There’s also a change room adjacent to the pool with a shower and hairdryer. This is particularly helpful if you’re going for a swim on the day of check-in, or for the day of check-out, just remember to keep your swim gear separate from your luggage.

During your stay you’ll also need to bring towels from the room when you go swimming at the pool (you can call housekeeping to replenish your supply). There’s also a Game Point Arcade in Stadium Hall, a gift shop and several souvenir coin machines.

The WDW Transportation Bus Stop is located near the front of the resort with regular bus shuttles to all the Disney theme parks and Disney Springs.

During our 4 day stay, when we went to the theme parks our bus always took us directly to the park without any stops at any other resorts. Similarly, when taking the bus back to the resort from the parks, there were no stops at any other resort.

The one time that the bus made other stops was when we took the bus to Disney Springs in the late evening. The driver made several other stops on the way there and on our way back, we experienced a very long line up and a long trip back to the hotel with stops.

Overall Impressions of Disney’s All Star Sports

The service you receive at the resort is excellent, which is one of things I have come to expect from Disney.

Regardless of where you’re staying or how much money you’re spending, I always feel like I’m receiving 5-star treatment.

From the balloons that the kids received at check-in to the attentive bellhops at the front desk, I never felt like I was being treated differently than a guest who paid 3 times more for their room at one of the Deluxe Resorts.

January is a fantastic time to enjoy a peaceful stay at a hotel which is usually very busy.

Overall, I was very impressed with the cleanliness and upkeep of the property, the 5 star service and the value of what we received at the price we paid.

More About Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort

Address: 1701 West Buena Vista Drive, Lake Buena Vista, Orlando, FL 32830-8437
Price Range: $
Hotel Class: 2.5 stars
Reviews: Over 65% of reviewers rated this hotel Very Good or Excellent
Availability: Click here for rates and availability