Disney's All-Star Movies Resort review: big Disney fun on a budget

A giant Perdita from 101 Dalmatians watches over the guests

Our verdict

Go big or go home seems to be the mantra of Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort. Everything in the hotel is big, bold and bright, from the shiny oversized lobby decorated with giant stars, to the larger-than-life figures of Disney film faves that guard the accommodation blocks.

There was always a fun, playful vibe around the resort. We felt surrounded by Disney magic from the word go, with friendly staff greeting us with bubbles, enthusiastic dancing and high-fives while wearing giant Mickey Mouse gloves.

The kids loved going for an evening dip in the two swimming pools, which, like the rest of the resort, were spotlessly clean and well-maintained, while the silent disco and marshmallow toasting were also a big hit. Our room was a little on the small side, but it was comfy, clean and the “Hey Disney” voice assistant provided some extra entertainment.

There is definitely room for improvement as far as the food is concerned, but apart from that, Disney All-Star Movies is a fab budget option for families looking to make some wonderful memories at the Happiest Place on Earth.

How we tested

I spent 14 nights at Disney All-Star Movies Resort in Orlando, Florida, in August 2026 with my husband and our two kids, aged seven and nine. It was our first visit to Walt Disney World in Florida.

What are the rooms like?

Giant hockey paraphernalia on the Mighty Ducks block

The rooms at All-Star Movies are spread across ten accommodation blocks, divided into five sections themed around classic Disney films, including Toy Story, 101 Dalmatians, Love Bug and Fantasia. Each block features towering statues of popular characters like Woody, Pongo and Perdita, and is decorated with associated props. We stayed in Mighty Ducks (think giant hockey sticks, pucks, skates and nets), entering our block via a giant duck-shaped hockey mask.

We entered our accommodation block via a giant hockey mask

While Disney goes big on theming outside the rooms, inside the theming is much more subtle, with a nod to Disney’s three All-Star resorts (the others being All-Star Music and All-Star Sports) in the form of a giant mural of Huey, Dewey, and Louie dreaming of stardom on the stage, screen and sports field. This low-key interior theming was quite a surprise when compared with somewhere like Hotel Cheyenne in Disneyland Paris, which is also at the budget end of Disney hotels, yet goes all-in with its Wild West theming, with images of Woody and Jessie everywhere you turn.

The room was pretty no-frills, but spotlessly clean. The beds were comfortable, and the powerful AC provided some much-needed respite from the Florida heat. Once the kids' double bed had been folded down from the wall, there was not an awful lot of space, but as we didn’t really spend much time in the room during the day, it wasn’t an issue for us.

The room with the kids’ pull-down bed out

We really appreciated the decent-sized fridge for keeping drinks and snacks cool, and there were tea and coffee-making facilities too, which is always a winner with me.

The kids loved the “Hey Disney” voice assistant (think Alexa with Mickey Mouse ears), which kept them entertained with quizzes, jokes and stories. It can also answer questions about the parks, contact guest services, and order extra supplies for the room. Although Hey Disney is a feature in every guest room, the device can be muted or removed if preferred.

The kids test their Disney knowledge on the Hey Disney quiz

Refurbishment work is planned for the guest rooms in January 2027. Work had already begun sprucing up the exterior of the accommodation blocks, with Fantasia and 101 Dalmatians receiving a fresh lick of paint during our stay.

What activities are on offer?

All-Star Movies has two really good swimming pools - the Fantasia Pool, located right outside the main building, and the smaller Duck Pond Pool, outside the Mighty Ducks accommodation. The water was beautifully warm, deep enough to do some proper swimming, with a large shallow end to keep the little ones happy. Life jackets are available for free for weak swimmers, plus there is a splash pad for small children.

The pools close at 11pm, and we loved going for a late-night dip to cool off and wind down after a hectic day at the parks.

The Fantasia Pool, complete with Sorcerer Mickey fountain

One thing to note: outdoor pools (and Disney waterparks) close if there are any lightning strikes within a six-mile radius to keep swimmers safe. During Florida’s storm season, this means the pools may close frequently, with little notice. In the second week of our two-week break, pool closures happened on a daily basis. If you are planning a pool day, keep an eye on the weather forecast and have a plan B just in case things take a turn for the worse.

But there are plenty of other fun activities for kids to enjoy, including a silent disco, poolside disco and various arts and crafts, which may set you back a few dollars. My kids loved toasting marshmallows on the Sorcerer's Campfire, which was a fun, free activity, although if we wanted to upgrade with a s’mores kit, it would have set us back $7 (which works out at around £5 for what is surely just a handful of biscuits?!).

Toasting marshmallows at the Sorcerer’s Campfire

Free nightly outdoor film screenings at The Reel Spot feature a roster of Disney classics, including Up, Toy Story 3 and Lilo and Stitch. There is also a small screen in the lobby which shows a continuous loop of Disney films, including Tangled, The Lion King and Hocus Pocus (Halloween kicks off in early August here!).

What facilities are available?

Donald’s Double Feature, the resort’s gift shop, has a good selection of souvenirs, including Disney pins and Minnie Mouse ears. The main building has a large arcade and the Silver Screen Spirits Pool Bar can be found next to the Fantasia pool. Like the swimming pools, the bar, shop and arcade close at 11pm.

Two 24-hour laundrettes are located by the Fantasia and Duck Pond pools, both of which got quite busy in the evenings. At the time of writing, it costs $3.25 to use a washing machine, plus an extra $1.50 for detergent from the vending machine.

What's the food like?

The World Premier Food Court at Disney All-Star Movies, despite the grand and glitzy name, is just a standard giant canteen, and the food was consistently average.

The World Premier Food Court

Hot breakfast options we tried included Mickey waffles (fun for the kids, but nothing amazing), a bacon, egg and cheese bagel with lukewarm potato barrels served in a cardboard box, and the carb-heavy Loaded Totcho Bowl. This breakfast bowl came with more potato barrels than anyone could possibly want to eat in one sitting, topped with scrambled eggs, cheddar, sausage gravy, and bacon. My youngest enjoyed the bakery options, including a Mickey cinnamon roll, a chocolate-marshmallow-hazelnut croissant, and various Danish pastries. There were some healthier options lurking in the fridge, including watermelon, grape and pineapple fruit pots, and blueberry and walnut overnight oats with chia seeds.

Overnight oats with blueberries and walnuts

Dinner and lunch options include pizza, burgers, pasta and salads. Portion sizes tend to be on the larger side, but there was the odd anomaly. For example, the sesame chicken and broccoli, one of the healthier options on the menu, was served in a tiny cardboard box, while the mojo-roasted chicken with Yukon Gold mashed potatoes and garlic green beans was spilling off the edge of the plate (although to be fair, the latter was very tasty).

All the food was served on paper plates or in small cardboard boxes, accompanied by frustratingly flimsy plastic cutlery. After a couple of days, you will probably want to venture off site for breakfast in one of the parks for a bit of variety. I would highly recommend visiting Satu'li Canteen at Animal Kingdom for great food and some proper crockery and cutlery!

I also recommend picking up a Disney Rapid Fill Refillable Mug, which allowed us unlimited refills of fountain drinks, coffee, and tea at All-Star Movies for the entire length of our stay. Although $22.99 for a mug felt a bit steep, with the number of refills we had, it quickly paid for itself.

Refilling our mugs at the beverage station in the Premier Food Court

What is there to do nearby?

All-Star Movies is just a short(ish) bus journey away from the four Disney theme parks - Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. Although there are far too many attractions to mention here, our personal family highlights were the Tron Lightcycle Run, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Avatar Flight of Passage, Toy Story Mania!, Test Track and Kilimanjaro Safaris. The Festival of the Lion King show at Animal Kingdom was a real delight and Fantasmic!, the spectacular 25-minute nighttime outdoor show at Hollywood Studios, featuring some truly mind-boggling special effects, is a must-see.

A flamboyant Captain Hook at the Festival of Fantasy Parade at Disney’s Magic Kingdom

There are also two Disney waterparks, Blizzard Beach and the excellent Typhoon Lagoon, where you can transfer to Disney Springs to eat, drink and shop till you drop.

If you fancy a bit of park-hopping, you can do so via boat, monorail or cable car, for free. However, the only way in and out of All-Star Movies is by road. As All-Star Movies is the farthest resort away from the parks, this can mean a 20-plus minute journey at the end of a busy day, which is something to factor into your planning. On the plus side, the buses are clean, air-conditioned and were rarely busy. Buses depart from the front of the All-Star Movies resort and run frequently throughout the day and well into the evening.

Splashy fun at Typhoon Lagoon

About the author

Laura Cooke is a freelance journalist and writer, based in Sussex. She has travelled extensively around Europe with her husband and later with her two children, now aged seven and nine.

Laura has written family travel content for Mumsnet, including reviews of her stays at Lalandia Billund in Denmark, Hotel Cheyenne in Disneyland Paris and on the Disney Dream ship on a cruise to Bilbao, Spain. Laura has also written travel articles for the Daily Telegraph, the Sun and Matador Network.