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Walt Disney World Resort - On-site Resorts - All Star Resorts

Index
All Star Resorts
All Star Sports All Star Music All Star Movies

All Star Sports Resort

All Star Sports
Mount Mickey, All Star Sports Resort. I stayed here in December 2006.

My first introduction to All Star Sports, was when a bus driver that was supposed to be delivering us to Animal Kingdom Lodge, forgot where he was going and went into the All Star Resorts complex, and had to go to Sports before he could turn around. But I digress...

My first (and perhaps only) stay at All Star Sports occurred when I couldn't get six consecutive days at Animal Kingdom Lodge. I could get the last five days at Disneyworld booked at AKL, but not the first day I'd be down there.

My only other alternative (using an annual pass rate) was Caribbean Beach Resort, at $139. But further exploration, found a standard rack rate at All Star Sports for $89. I've stayed at CBR before, but not at AS...All Star Sports, so... Sold! It's only for one night, and it's the only night I'll be on my own. (A friend was flying down from Chicago, and would join me the next day.)

So here's how the lead up to my stay in All Star Sports went...

I leave Chicago six hours before I wanted to (after only two hours of sleep,) to avoid a major winter storm about to hit Chicago. (The storm ended up dumping 14" of snow on Chicago, and if I *hadn't* left when I did, I wouldn't have been able to leave at all. I would have been delayed at least a half-day, maybe more.) I left in sleet and snow, where you couldn't see the lane markers; and 45 minutes later I was southbound on I-65 in Indiana, south of the cold front, and in plain, ol' rain. But a mean cross-wind. But I'll take a heavy cross wind to ice, sleet and snow, any day.

I'm finally out of the front an hour out of Nashville, but still a little chilly. I turn right on I-75, and end the day in Macon, Georgia. I'm in a Comfort Inn (right next to a real smoke-house BBQ joint,) which coincidentally costs me $89 (AAA rate) same as I'm paying for All Star. Only this place has a king size bed, 'fridge and a microwave. And the barbeque pork at the place next door was *outstanding*. I'm asleep early...

And that means I'm up early. I'm on the road by 5am, and by 10:30am, I'm in Ocala getting gas before I get on the Florida Turnpike. It's 80 degrees, and I have to change into shorts and a t-shirt. In December. I have to call some people at home to let them know my dilemma. I get no sympathy. (Actually, I hate people like me.)

At noon or so, I'm heading East on I-4 toward Disneyworld, and it occurs to me that I have *no* idea where AS...All Star Sports is. Oh well, no problem, I'll just follow the signs.

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Map of Disney's All Star Sports Resort. Click on the map for a larger view... Map ©Disney
So I follow the signs, and when I find myself back on I-4, I figure I missed a sign. Try number two finds me at All Star Sports. There's a sign there that mentions Pop Warner. Oh God. I can't be that unlucky, can I? (I didn't even think to look when I reserved the room...)

Yes, I can be that unlucky. And because of that, I'm in one of the farthest rooms from the parking lot, and the lobby/food court/bus stop. (They need a bus stop in the back of these resorts, value resorts or not.) Lobby and registration is pretty plain, bright lights with contrasty colors. This isn't a lobby that wants to welcome you, this is a lobby that you want to get in and out of as soon as possible. I'm not getting a good feeling about this.

Registration
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My room is ready, and it has a nice view of a swamp. I suppose a swamp is better than a parking lot. At least this place has an elevator. As soon as I open the door, there's a Mickey towel is on the bed. Iiiiii'm baaaaack...

But the room leaves a little to be desired. It's small, the walls are almost bare, the table almost non-existent... I'd have to say this is minimalist Disney. It's like someone stole all the furniture out of the room, and this was the temporary stuff they put here until the real furniture arrives. I am reminded of the room at the Comfort Inn last night, which was much better furnished. And the pork next door. But I digress.

Frankly, this is not a room I'd want to spend a lot of time in. But then too, your typical Disneyworld guest that comes to a value resort is probably be in the parks most of the day, and probably doesn't spend a lot of time in their room...

Room Interiors
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Anyway, after downing a Diet Coke (a perk when you drive, you get to drink real Diet Coke from a can, rather than that funny tasting fountain diet coke, but I digress, again,) it's time to check out the Resort, grab something to eat and go tape Wishes in HD. (I had a new wide angle lens adapter, that let me shoot the whole show in frame. This was a test shoot, the real one would be later in the week.)

All Star Resorts, is huge. Each of the three resorts have 1920 rooms (that's 5760 rooms for the mathematically challenged) and the rooms are only 80% the size of the moderates. I wouldn't be surprised to find that all three resorts could fit into an areas the size of...Coronado Springs.

Resort Exteriors
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Would I stay at AS...All Star Sports again? Probably not, unless *nothing* else was available. The place seemed...maybe not less than Disney, but I thought the themeing fell short of the moderates and deluxes.

I have to admit, that if you're on a budget, chea...inexpensive Disney is probably better than no Disney at all. And you still get the perks of being a Disney resort guest.
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All Star Music Resort

All Star Sports
Calypso Pool, All Star Music Resort. I stayed there in December 2008.
I didn't originally plan to stay at All Star Music. I had made reservations from December 15 through 19 at Port Orleans French Quarter. I was going to join a friend who lived in Tampa for a few days of catching up and revelry. Then I found out he'd be able to make it a day earlier.

Further study told me there was going to be a RADP group meet the day before that. (RADP is rec.arts.disney.parks, a usenet group I frequent.) I'd like to meet some of the people I type to, so I figured what the heck. Let's get there two days earlier than planned.

Unfortunately, there were no annual pass rates I could get for those two days. Unwilling to cough up $200/night at a moderate, I made another one of those dumb mistakes, and booked All Star Music for two nights at $82/night.

I arrived on December 13, made the RADP meet, and checked in. My rooms was the second room from the *furthest* room from the parking lot, and the *furthest* room from the main building and bus stops. Should have coughed up the extra bucks. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Won't make that mistake again.

I think I didn't like Music, for all the reasons I didn't like Sports, down to the location of the room I got. Not even counting the fact that Pop Warner wouldn't be there.

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Map of Disney's All Star Music Resort. Click on the map for a larger view...
Map ©Disney
Registration / Melody Hall
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All-Star Music Room Interiors
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All Star Music
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All Star Music at Night
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All Star Movies Resort

All Star Sports
Fantasia Pool, All Star Movies Resort. I haven't stayed here, but the pictures are from a visit in December 2008.
I never stayed at All Star Movies, so I don't have a map. But Movies is right across the parking lot from Music, so a I took the opportunity when I was at Music to photograph Movies.

I will say that Movies is probably the best themed of the three All Star Resorts, but I'm not sure it's enough to entice me to stay there, unless I need to be a completionist, just to say I've stayed at all three.

Yes, sometimes I'm that stupid. I'll let you know.

Registration / Cinema Hall
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All Star Movies
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In conclusion, though I don't care for this particular resort, I would still stay here before going off-site. Many times you'll get deals comparative to what you'll find at the chain hotels. Also be aware that the only food option is a counter service operation. No table service exists.



Last updated 3/20/2010 - Reimaged and added to 2006 pics, updated panoramics