Disney’s All-Star Music Resort Review
This review of Disney’s All-Star Music Resort covers what you can expect during your stay, from accommodations and dining to pools and recreation. Located in the Animal Kingdom Resorts area, this value category resort at Walt Disney World offers a family-friendly atmosphere with a music theme and easy access to the parks.
Now I know what you might be thinking. Is this one of the resorts that hosts large school groups? The answer is yes, but I really don’t think it matters that much. The first time we stayed at Disney’s All-Star Music, many years ago now, was due to a lack of availability for a last-minute trip. We visited during Spring break, which is also peak band season, and the resort was packed with teenagers. Surprisingly, they were well-behaved and heavily chaperoned. Instead of leaving and complaining about a bunch of unruly kids, I left impressed. Sure, it was crowded, but it was that way everywhere we went! It was Spring break!
Since then, we’ve enjoyed many a stay at the All-Star Music, band kids and all. For us, it’s never even been an issue. But I see so many others mentioning it that I wanted to address it upfront with a reminder. Unless you’re lucky enough to visit off-season, whenever that is, it will probably be crowded. If you’re staying at any of the All-Star Resorts, you’re also likely to run into band kids, cheerleaders, dance squads, sports teams, and the like.
Since that last stay, we’ve enjoyed vacations at Disney’s All-Star Music quite a few times. It’s one of my go-to hotels when I need a cheaper rate. The resort is one of three All-Star Resorts that all sit on the same property. The other two resorts are Movies and Sports, each themed after its name. The five themed sections of Music are:
- Calypso
- Jazz Inn
- Rock Inn
- Country Fair
- Broadway Hotel
Each section of the resort is appropriately themed to the type of music it represents. For example, Broadway Hotel is themed to famous Broadway musicals like Mary Poppins, Frozen, and The Lion King.
Of course, they are all famous Disney musicals.
Each railing has a Fred Astaire-like tuxedo, cane, glove, bowtie, and top hat.
For this stay, our room assignment was in the Country Fair section toward the back of the resort. Giant cowboy boots outside our room gave the area a Western feel. Look closely for our favorite pal.
There were a couple of Adirondack chairs and picnic tables in the outdoor areas near the room.
Guitars, banjos, and stars decorate the railings. All the buildings at All-Star Music are similar to this layout. Each building has three floors with exterior room access. An elevator is available in the center of each building.
Rock Inn is the next section of the resort. This area represents rock n’ roll.
It has a ’60s look with purples, yellows, pinks, and turquoise.
A vintage Chevrolet sits between the buildings.
Electric guitars, records, and microphones line the railings.
Jazz Inn is home to both standard and preferred rooms.
Railings feature saxophones, trumpets, and trombones.
An All-Star Jazz Band faces the courtyard.
Calypso is the brightest section. It is situated toward the front of the resort, near Melody Hall, the resort’s lobby. A portion of the rooms in Calypso are preferred, which is an upgrade.
Family suites are located in both Calypso and Jazz Inn. Music is the only All-Stars Resort that offers family suites.
Rooms
A few years ago, All-Star Music underwent an entire resort refurbishment that included entirely new guest rooms. Queen-size beds replaced full-size beds. Music’s new rooms are nearly identical to the ones that debuted at Pop Century some time ago. The resort has three room types: standard, preferred, and family suites. Standard and preferred rooms sleep up to four adults. Family suites have an extra bedroom and sleep up to six adults.
Unless you upgrade to a family suite at Music, all of the resort rooms (even at Sports and Movies) are identical. We have a separate tour of our room at Disney’s All-Star Music that offers even more photos and videos than what we’ve provided below.
We were beyond impressed with the room and felt it was an incredible value at less than $100.00 per night. However, rates are often higher and based on seasonality, so prices will vary.
The bathrooms feature a vanity with one sink. A separate water closet houses the toilet and shower/tub combination, allowing multiple guests to get ready simultaneously. A sliding door closes to separate the entire bath from the bedroom area. So, if you’re up early to get ready, others can continue to sleep without being bothered by the light from the bathroom. Also, the sliding door creates a better sound barrier than the previous curtain used to separate the space.
Room amenities include one sink, a hair dryer, an in-room safe, an iron, and an ironing board. Other items include an individual-cup coffee maker, a beverage cooler, and free Wi-Fi.
Here is the tub with a shower combination.
A Murphy bed appears when you pull down the table from the wall.
Those who want to be close to the lobby, bus transportation, or dining will want to consider a preferred room. The following buildings house preferred rooms:
- Calypso 1
- Calypso 10
- Jazz Inn 2
- Jazz Inn 9
You’ll have to discern whether or not it’s worth it to pay more to be closer. For some, it’s a no-brainer. But for others, it might not be worth the extra cost.
Dining
Disney’s All-Star Music is home to Intermission Food Court, the resort’s only quick-service restaurant. It is open daily between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Intermission Food Court is off Melody Hall between the resort’s gift shop and the feature pool area. It has a tremendous dining room with a variety of seating arrangements.
Similar to a food court, each section offers various items. If you prefer, you can mobile order and pick up your items at a separate window.
Rapid Fill mugs are available for purchase and can be refilled in the food court. We have a separate article that discusses rapid fill mugs at Disney’s All-Star Music Resort.
Regarding food offerings, you’ll find basics like burgers, pizza, pasta, and salad. Kids’ meal options include pizza, macaroni and cheese, pasta, burgers, and chicken strips. Several grab-and-go cases contain pastries and other desserts. Refrigerated cases contain Coca-Cola products, sports drinks, juice, milk, water, beer, and wine.
A separate window is provided for pizza and mobile orders.
Singing Spirits Pool Bar is the resort’s poolside bar. It is located outside Melody Hall, directly behind the food court. The bar is usually open between 12:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., but hours will vary based on the season.
This location serves beverages like cocktails, mocktails, and beer. If you want to enjoy a meal or snack at the pool, you’ll likely want to order from the food court.
Disney’s All-Star Music has two pools: the Calypso Pool and the Piano Pool. In the summer, they are usually open between 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m.; at other times of the year, they often close at 10:00 p.m.
The Calypso Pool is considered the primary feature pool at the resort. It has a fun water spray element in the center featuring The Three Caballeros.
It’s hard to tell from the picture, but the pool is shaped like a guitar, which is appropriate considering it’s a music-themed resort.
A separate kiddie pool sits toward the back of the Calypso Pool. Unfortunately, this pool does not feature a water slide. Slides are considered upgrades and are only available at moderate and deluxe resorts.
The Piano Pool is All-Star Music’s secondary pool. It’s on the opposite side of the resort, in front of the Country Fair.
This pool is shaped like a baby grand piano. Ariel and friends sit near the pool. We have a separate article with more details about the pools at All-Star Music.
Both pools have lifeguards on duty, complimentary towels, complimentary life jackets, and a laundry room. We always try to catch up on laundry during pool time. Maybe doing laundry is a good excuse to spend an afternoon at the pool? If you plan on doing laundry, make sure to see our overview of the laundry facilities at Disney’s All-Star Music.
All-Star Music has a playground. It is almost hidden near the parking lot between buildings nine and ten.
Note’able Arcade, the resort’s arcade, sits across from Intermission Food Court inside Melody Hall.
It’s easy to locate the arcade because you’ll pass it every time you head to or from the bus stop. Like all the arcades at Disney Resorts, you’ll find plenty of games inside.
Disney’s Movie Under the Stars program is held nightly by the pool. Each night, a different Disney movie or animated film is featured. Guests can also jog the parameters of the entire All-Star Resorts complex. It’s a decent place to run and relatively simple to stay on course. However, you’ll have to cross the street a few times.
Maestro Mickey’s, the resort gift shop, is located inside Melody Hall with a separate entrance from the bus stop. It’s a sizable shop with plenty of Disney souvenirs and sundries.
A nod to music is represented inside Melody Hall.
Transportation
Transportation is limited to Disney’s bus service at Disney’s All-Star Music Resort. These resorts aren’t near a park that offers multiple forms of transportation. The bus stop sits in front of Melody Hall. You can take a bus to the following locations:
- Magic Kingdom
- Epcot
- Hollywood Studios
- Animal Kingdom
- Disney Springs
- Typhoon Lagoon Water Park
- Blizzard Beach Water Park
We never waited more than nine minutes for a bus during this stay. Some might argue that the All-Star Resorts are far from everything or that the buses take forever because they stop at each resort. In our experience (we track the times), they are not significantly farther away than most other resorts. Also, they do not always stop at the other resorts. (Get a copy of our All-Star Music Bus Travel Times here.)
We have rarely experienced a situation where a bus stops at each resort before heading to a park. So, I talked with a bus driver to clarify the situation. She told me they only do so when radioed to share buses, which usually happens at the slower times of the day. For instance, you might share a bus with another resort between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Each resort has a bus stop at the park, so this scenario will likely only happen when traveling from the resort to the theme park.
*A separate bus stop is provided for anyone taking an airport shuttle to and from the airport. Disney does not provide those services, and they are an additional cost. If you want to explore more about how transportation works to and from the resort, our transportation guide for Disney’s All-Star Music provides a complete overview and tips for getting around.
Pros and Cons of Staying at All-Star Music
Overall, the positives far outweigh any negatives at Disney’s All-Star Music. It’s hard to complain about the rates if you find one for $150.00 or less per night. Anything over that, I might compare elsewhere. However, remember, you won’t have to pay for parking or resort fees at All-Star Music.
As far as children are concerned, they usually love the larger-than-life theming at the resort. It’s doubtful they’ll know the difference between a fancy hotel and a cheap one. Plus, the resort has two pools, a playground, and an arcade! So there’s plenty to keep them busy on a rest day at the resort.
Unfortunately, All-Star Music is limited to only having one food court. So, if you’re expecting restaurant-quality meals at the resort, you’ll be disappointed. However, the food court has plenty of items and will suffice for several meals during your stay. But I wouldn’t rely on having to eat there every day.
You’ll also want to be aware that this is an exterior motel/hotel. You will have to walk outdoors to access the buildings and your individual rooms. Note that all three resorts are within a gated entrance. So you’re not in some random area where just anyone can walk up.
That said, you’ll want to plan on how to handle inclement weather. The last thing you’ll want is to come back from a theme park in the pouring rain and have to walk to the Country Fair to return to your room. So don’t forget to pack plenty of ponchos. It rains often in Florida.
We experienced this issue once during our stay at the Country Fair. Thankfully, we almost always carry a rain jacket and umbrella, so it wasn’t a big deal. But if we had gotten caught in a downpour, we’d have been completely soaked by the time we returned to the room.
Final Thoughts
Disney’s All-Star Music Resort is an excellent option for those with small children or anyone not wanting to break the bank for a hotel stay. The resort has a fun pool, decent dining options (that often work well for picky eaters), and great room layouts.
For my family, All-Star Music has a special place in our hearts. Sure, we love to stay at the nicer resorts and splurge on lavish things like club-level. But something is humbling about a stay at the All-Stars that always reminds me of what’s most important—spending time with your loved ones.
This review is part of our collection of Disney World Hotel Reviews. You may also find it helpful to explore our guide to Disney World Resorts for an overview of all resort options. Check back with Resorts Gal soon for more reviews and updates!
In the Comments
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