Disney’s All Star Sports Resort Review

All Star Sports is a Value Resort at Walt Disney World that’s one of three cheapest hotels in the lineup. This review shares photos of the refreshed rooms here, thoughts on whether it’s is worth booking, with pros & cons, info about amenities and more.

One thing you might notice if browsing our Rankings of ALL Walt Disney World Hotels from Worst to Best, All Star Sports is not at the top of the list. To the contrary, it’s near the bottom. This says more about the strengthes of the other hotels than it does the weaknesses of All Star Sports.

In fact, we are actually big fans of the All Star Resorts. If you also read Are Walt Disney World’s Cheapest Hotels Actually Good?, you’ll see that the answer is an emphatic yes. Or you could check out My Favorite Hotel for Cheap Disney World Weekend Getaways, which is specifically about All Star Sports.

It’s true that All Star Sports is not for everyone. And it’s true that, as it turns out, the cheapest hotels at Walt Disney World are not the nicest hotels at Walt Disney World. Who would’ve guessed?! But it’s also accurate to say that All Star Sports is great for some guests or trip types, and that there’s truly no such thing as a bad Disney resort.

So if you came to this review because you’ve already booked All Star Sports or would like to book it, but are apprehensive about negative reviews or its ranking relative to other resorts, hopefully that puts your mind at ease. We would not hesitate to stay at All Star Sports–and in fact, we’ve stayed there a lot. 

In terms of the general pros and cons of Value Resorts, if you’ve read our All Star Music Review or All Star Movies Review, there probably isn’t much new here for you to learn. Like I mentioned in both of those reviews, there is a love-hate relationship with Value Resorts among the Disney fan community.

Some people think they are dated, offering worse accommodations than a with poorly-made rooms, some people think they offer a cheap alternative to Deluxe resorts while still allowing Guests to take full advantage of on-property benefits. Although the Value Resorts are far from our favorite resorts, Sarah and I come down on the side of liking the Value Resorts for what they are.

Whether the Value Resorts are right for you comes down to the nature of your visit. If you’re taking a “the room is only for sleeping” type trip during which you want to be in the parks as much as possible, the Value Resorts are great because they’re often under $150 night after discount.

Equally as importantly, they offers access to on-site perks such as free Disney transportation, Early Entry, advance Lightning Lane booking windows, priority Advance Dining Reservation booking windows, and other advantages that are only available to on-site guests.

If you plan on spending a lot of time at your resort, and would like to be able to use a nice pool, eat at nicer restaurants, and enjoy other nice amenities, the Value Resorts may not be the best fit for your touring style. This goes for all of the Value Resorts.

All Star Sports will always hold a special place in my heart because it’s the resort at which Sarah and I stayed when we first went to Walt Disney World together, but the theme is not quite as good as the other Value Resorts, at least as for us. If you have kids who love to toss around a football, things like the football field or baseball diamond pool at All Star Sports make it a great choice.

Another thing to keep in mind when booking, is that if there are youth athletic tournaments at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, chances are that the participants are staying at All Star Sports. This can mean loud and rowdy groups at All Star Sports.

For this reason alone, we would strongly recommend consulting the ESPN Wide World of Sports Calendar before booking a stay at All Star Sports. Especially on weekends in the winter and spring, there are often youth cheer, dance, softball, and volleyball competitions. Be sure to avoid All Star Sports–or any of the All Stars, for that matter–if there’s an event at ESPN WWoS.

On the flip side, a big consideration that can make All Star Sports more appealing is that it’s the first stop on the bus loop when the All Star Resorts combine buses. This usually happens in the slower seasons of the year; if you’re visiting during one of these times of year, this is a really big deal, especially during early morning hours.

All Star Sports can completely fill up buses heading to the Magic Kingdom or Epcot, making All Star Movies and Music Guests waiting and waiting on buses. We’ve never stayed when the bus systems have been combined, but I have heard it’s not always pleasant for Guests of All Star Movies and Music. Just something to keep in mind.

All Star Sports, like the rest of the All Star Resorts, has a lot of larger-than-life set pieces. Attached to the buildings, there are huge football helmets, tennis rackets, and baseball bats. Giant cones, Coke cups, and other things enclose stairwells. In courtyards between buildings, Disney characters engage in sporting activities. As mentioned above, there’s a very cool football field, complete with turf (no cleats, please!).

Despite the cool set pieces, All Star Sports has a decidedly early-90s feel. Photos of athletes in the lobby are heavily faded, and advertisements in the elevator are decidedly dated by the attire Cast Members are wearing in the ads. Why Disney doesn’t make the insignificant effort to update these telltale signs of aging is beyond me. It wouldn’t be costly.

Personally, I’d love if Imagineering played it tongue-in-cheek with an update to All Star Sports. Instead of paying tribute to current greats, honor true American heroes like John Kruk. Heck, maybe have a “GOAT Mullets of Sports” gallery. They could even invite Jose Canseco and his Iron Man tortoise to the dedication for some nice synergy! 😉

The resort has a decidedly mid-90s vibe to it, particularly in the lobby and other common areas, which have not received the kind of attention as some other areas of the resort over the years. Additionally, there are far fewer amenities than any Moderate or Deluxe Resort, and is fairly far away from the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Here’s a look at the remodeled rooms, which are the same across all three of the All Star Resorts:

Notably, All Star Sports was the last to be finished with the room overhaul. This means the rooms at Sports are 3-4 years newer than those at Movies (first to finish) and Music (second).

These reimagined guest rooms are a huge upgrade from the previous design, which was more minor leagues than all-star caliber. The functional improvements are tremendous, with a variety of space-saving upgrades that make the rooms feel larger.

They also look bright and airy, which is a sharp contrast to the old style. There’s more space for storage, one of the beds converts into a table, and much more. Some fans have complained about the new rooms, calling them sterile and hospital-like.

Respectfully, we think that’s mostly the rose-colored glasses of nostalgia. The design could be more interesting, but these are budget hotels at the end of the day–and they’re still a marked improvement over the old look, which was stuck in the 1990s.

While I may not want to cram a family of 4 in here for a weeklong stay with a lot of resort time, they’re fine and functional for shorter stays. Especially if you won’t be spending a lot of time in your room because you’re focused on Walt Disney World’s theme parks. In which case, why overspend on a higher-tier hotel?!

Some parties will actually prefer the fold-down bed that converts into a table (as opposed to two queens) because it serves a dual purpose and frees up room space. We’re big fans of this style; it makes the room feel more spacious!

As with other Value Resorts, the pools are also generally fairly large and spacious. This is partly offset by the fact that a lot of people use them, but kids seems to love these pools.

Another upside is that the End Zone Food Court has improved a lot in the last few years. The food courts at Walt Disney World’s Value Resorts used to be awful. They’re still not the pinnacle of fine dining, but they’re much better.

Another positive is that All Star Sports is generally really cheap, particularly if you are visiting at a time when there’s not an event at the ESPN Wide World of Sports. In that case, PIN codes (read more about Walt Disney World’s Unique Offer Codes–and how to get them–here) and other discounts are routinely offered that bring the price of All Star Sports to around $100/night.

That might not seem particularly cheap for a basic motel, but when you factor in its on-site location, plus Disney bus transportation (meaning no rental car!), plus Early Entry and priority Lightning Lane booking, there are a lot of perks that come bundled in with that room price.

In combing through my costs for the last few years, the lowest amount I’ve paid for All Star Sports is $88 per night and the highest is around $149 per night (both after Annual Pass discounts). If you’re going by general public discounts, expect to pay $100 to $175 per night.

There are cheaper hotels in Central Florida. Doing a quick search, I see options for around $50 per night. After eliminating the shady options where I wouldn’t be comfortable staying, there are $70 to $90 hotels. If I wanted to stay at Flamingo Crossing or the Disney Springs Resort Area, I’d actually be paying about the same cost as the All Stars–in many cases, more!

Regardless, the problem is that none of these are apples to apples comparisons. These are not the “all in” costs of something comparable to the All Stars. You’re going to pay for some combination of parking and transportation (potentially both), and then there’s the value of Early Entry–and what an alternative to that will cost you.

The bottom line is that the off-site alternatives are not as efficient and often end up costing more once you account for everything. If you’re concerned with saving money or even time, it’s difficult to beat the All Star Resorts at Walt Disney World.

Overall, All Star Sports Resort features a fun design that kids will love, especially those who love sports. The Value Resorts are for everyone, as they certainly aren’t the “best” resorts at Walt Disney World.

However, if you’re looking for a cheap place to stay while you’re at Walt Disney World, and you don’t want to rent a car or you do want to take advantage of Extra Magic Hours, All Star Sports is a solid choice. For the price and perks, you really can’t go wrong with All Star Sports if you primarily want to spend time in the parks.

Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!

Your Thoughts…

Are you a fan of All Star Sports, or is it too basic for you? Have you stayed at All Star Sports during Pop Warner or another event at ESPN Wide World of Sports? Any other tips to share concerning All Star Sports? Where does it rank for you in terms of hotels at Walt Disney World? Do you prefer staying off-site? Hearing from readers is half the fun, so please share your thoughts in the comments!