Disney on a Budget: When You Wish Upon an All-Star

News flash: the economy sucks. But the nice thing about WDW is that apart from the entrance fees to get in (plus whatever airfare it takes to get you there), the resort as a whole caters very nicely to all different price points. And since not everyone (and certainly not us) can afford to be staying and dining at Victoria and Albert's every night, I'll be featuring some tried and true ways over the next few weeks on how to save money at WDW without sacrificing any magic.

Disney Budget Tip #23: Stay at one of the All-Star Resorts.

Duh, you say. But you would be surprised how many guests visit WDW and stay at an off-property hotel or in nearby Kissimee. I know, because that's what we used to do. But the All-Stars cost just as much as those other budget hotels, and you get the added benefit of staying on property. When you factor in how much money you're spending on gas (not to mention the trouble of driving yourself to/from) getting around the parks each day, staying at an All-Star resort is a much easier, yet still affordable option.

And please, an All-Star resort is way more fun than staying in some other budget hotel chain. They're bright, colorful, and themed right down to the tiniest details. The rooms aren't huge, but it's not like you're really staying in them much. And the on-site restaurants offer a nice selection of basic kid-approved food (mac and cheese, pizza, etc), which makes mealtime a breeze. And while the food isn't exactly cheap (they charge per slice of toast), it's definitely cheaper than eating in the parks - a budget tip within a budget tip!

There are downsides, of course. The All-Star Resorts are extremely popular, especially with families. It's hardly a relaxing experience (but when you're staying in a Toy Story themed hotel, what else would you expect?). And the resorts themselves are large, so you have to choose between staying in a unit close to the pool/restaurant/lobby and dealing with the noise/hubbub, or staying in one of the units on the outskirts of the resort and having a 10 minute walk to and from the bus stop. And speaking of buses, they're crowded. When we first stayed at an All-Star (Music), there was only one bus to service for all the All-Star Resorts. Oftentimes we had to wait for 2 or more buses to pass before we could even fit into one. Nowadays, each resort has its own buses, but prepare to line up early to catch them, especially in the mornings.

Rates vary depending on the season, but rooms can be found for as low as $79.00 a night.