Not long ago, we spent some time at another one of Disney's value hotels here are the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. This time we were at Disney's All-Star Music Resort. This hotel is part of a group of three “All-Star” resorts situated next to one another. They're called All-Star Music, All-Star Movies, and All-Star Sports. We posted about Disney's All-Star Movies earlier, and you can read about it here.
Melody Hall and Calypso rooms
When you first arrive at Disney's All-star Music Resort, you'll enter the Melody Hall, which is the main lobby. There's also a gift store, video arcade, and food court located in this building. Behind Melody Hall is the main swimming pool, the Calypso Pool, along with the one childrens' pool, called simply, Kiddie Pool, and the Calypso Rooms.
Here's the front entrance to All-Star Music and the bus stops. Photo by Donald Fink.
Intermission Food court is a quick, easy place to grab your meal. The food courts in all the Disney Value resorts are similar. There are some variations in the meals based on the hotel's theme, but for the most part, they offer a reliable and generally good selection of food. Portions are often big enough to share, especially at breakfast. Photo by Bonnie Fink.
You can order a pizza at Intermission Food Court. Photo by Donald Fink.
There are microwaves and toasters at Intermission Food Court if you want to bring your own food. It's common at Disney Value resorts to provide these appliances in the food courts. It can help budget minded families control their costs. It's also handy for folks who just want to do their own in terms of food. Photo by Donald Fink.
A sampling of some of the choices for breakfast includes the famous bounty platter and some extras. The bounty platter is available at all value resorts. You can also get Mickey waffles, which are not depicted here, but certainly worth mentioning. Photo by Donald Fink.
Maestro Mickey's is the main merchandise store where you can find much of the same stuff you'd expect to see in the parks, and some items that are more music-related than others. Photo by Bonnie Fink.
If you bought too much to take home, you can get another suitcase in Maestro Mickey's. Photo by Bonnie Fink.
The Ardy Arch has graced the Radio Disney Music awards since 2014. It represents the Ardy, awarded to artists by fan vote every year. Photo by Bonnie Fink.
Disney hotels usually have artifacts, pieces of art, or interesting items. In the Yacht Club Resort, for example, you can find a map that was drawn by a Dutch cartographer in the 1600s, and it's not a replica.
Here at Disney's All-Star Music, you can find the Ardy Arch in the lobby. It represents the ARDY, which is awarded to artists each year at the Radio Disney Music Awards. The recipients are selected by popular vote from fans. Artists who have walked under this arch include Gwen Stefani, Fifth Harmony, and Nick Jonas. When the arch is not at the RDMA red carpet, it's often in this lobby for selfies. Of course, it does move around Walt Disney World a bit. Not long ago it was in Disney Springs near the Orange Garage.
If you or your kids enjoy video games, make sure to stop by the Note'able Games Arcade. Photo by Donald Fink.
There are two Calypso Buildings, and as you would imagine they are playing Calypso Music. The Calypso buildings are closest to the lobby, food court and Calypso Pool. Photo by Bonnie Fink.
A very large bongo drum is found at the Calypso buildings. Photo by Donald Fink.
The Rooms
Disney handed us a treat when we checked into our room at Disney's All-Star Music. We hadn't asked for it, but they upgraded us to a family suite. We knew that the value resorts have family suites, which can add to the value of large families staying on property, but we had never been in one. Paying for a family suite didn't make sense for just two of us, but this time Disney put us in one anyway.
Based on our family suite, these rooms consist of two hotel rooms put together. There's a front room with a couch, love seat, and large ottoman that all make out into beds, followed by a master bedroom that has one queen sized bed. There is a small kitchen area with a refrigerator, microwave, and coffee maker, and two separate full bathrooms.
The family suites include a private bedroom with a queen bed. There's a separate bathroom adjacent to this room, but not exclusive to it. Photo by Donald Fink.
The living room in a Family Suite serves as the main living quarters as well as a second sleeping room. The two couches and the ottoman make down into beds. There's a second bathroom adjacent to this room. Photo by Donald Fink.
The kitchenette has a microwave, refrigerator, coffee maker, and sink. Plastic spoons, forks, and knives, as well as paper plates and bowls, and paper towels are provided. Photo by Donald Fink.
The Pools
The main swimming pool is in the shape of a guitar. It's located behind Melody Hall between the Calypso Buildings. At the top of the guitar is a small wading pool called the Kiddie Pool, allowing younger children to play in the shallower water.
A view of the Calypso Pool from the third floor of Calypso building number 10. The pool is shaped like a guitar. Photo by Donald Fink.
The Three Caballeros, Donald Duck, Jose Carioca, and Panchito are having fun in the middle of the Calypso Pool. Photo by Donald Fink.
The Kiddie Pool is located next to the Calypso Pool. The Calypso Pool is in the shape of a guitar. If you follow the guitar neck up the tuning pegs, you'll find the Kiddie Pool. Another way to find it is to look for the silhouette of the saxophone player. Photo by Bonnie Fink.
Life jackets are provided at both pools, Photo by Bonnie Fink.
Piano Pool, Jazz Inn, Rock Inn, Country Fair, and Broadway Inn
Behind the Calypso Pool is the second major pool called the Piano Pool. It's surrounded by the remaining themed areas of Disney's All-Star Music Resort. These areas are called Jazz Inn, Broadway Inn, Rock Inn, and Country Fair. Each area is themed as you would expect for the kind of music they represent. Take a look:
The Piano Pool is close to the Rock Inn, the Country Fair, and Broadway buildings. There is also a guest laundry to the left of the pool. Photo by Bonnie Fink.
Ariel, Sebastian, and Flounder can be found at the Piano Pool. Photo by Bonnie Fink.
Jazz Inn has two buildings, and is relatively close to the lobby, food court, and Calypso Pool. Photo by Bonnie Fink.
There are two Rock Inn buildings located behind the Piano Pool that are among the farthest from the main lobby and food court. Still, it's only a couple of minutes' walk to the lobby. Photo by Bonnie Fink.
A large guitar is featured on the Rock Inn buildings. Photo by Bonnie Fink.
The Country Fair buildings have a country music theme. Photo by Bonnie Fink.
You will find a large fiddle on the Country Fair buildings. Photo by Donald Fink.
The entrance to the Broadway Hotel features playbills from Disney Broadway hits. Here you can see images from Disney's “Beauty and the Beast,” “Aladdin,” and “Newsies,” among others. Photo by Bonnie Fink.
You just never know who you might run into at Walt Disney World. Photo by Bonnie Fink.
Disney's All-Star Music was a good experience. Clearly, we prefer to stay in the more lavish resorts, but when the price is right, or when we just need a few days on Disney Property and don't feel like breaking the bank, a Value resort like All-Star Movies is just about right.
We were fortunate this time to be able to see a family suite, and grab some images so folks could see the extra value it brings to the resort. This resort has great potential to make a stay on Disney property a fun and more economical experience, especially for large families who want to maximize their budget by using a family suite.
This walk-through video of Disney's All Star Music Resort gives a feel for what this Value hotel has to offer. Photos and Video by Donald and Bonnie Fink.
