EPCOT has easily become a favorite park of many Disney World visitors due to the wide variety of food, drinks, rides and attractions, and overall atmosphere. EPCOT in particular strongly caters to adults as they can very easily try different alcoholic drinks and a wide array of food inspired by countries around the world. Additionally, EPCOT is famous for their festivals that take place throughout the year, including the International Festival of the Arts, Internal Flower and Garden Festival, International Food and Wine Festival, and the International Festival of the Holidays. This is why all the EPCOT hotels in the area can be so popular.
Not only is EPCOT worth visiting during your Disney World vacation, but there are also many Disney World hotels that are close to EPCOT. Staying at one of these hotels can be very convenient if you plan on visiting EPCOT at least once. Additionally, EPCOT is located very close to Hollywood Studios, making these hotels close to two different incredible Disney World parks.
In this article I will discuss all of the best Disney World hotels for EPCOT visits. These resorts are either located within walking distance to EPCOT or are easily accessible via various modes of Disney transportation including the Skyliner, Friendship boats, and buses. Having these various modes of transportation and being located so closely to EPCOT makes it very easy to rope drop and travel to the park very quickly.
I am a Disney World annual passholder, Disney Vacation Club (DVC) member, and have personally stayed in and enjoyed all of the hotels located near EPCOT. Disney World resorts are categorized into value, moderate, and deluxe levels which correlates to their price points. In this article I will discuss the best value, moderate, and deluxe level resorts for EPCOT visits. Some of these resorts are even within a short walking distance to EPCOT!
In this article:
Best Value Hotels for EPCOT Visits
Two of my favorite hotels are located on the Skyliner transportation system which takes guests to EPCOT on a gondola-style vehicle. Guests also have the option to take a bus to EPCOT, however the Skyliner will likely be faster and more fun!
These resorts are both considered value resorts, which means they are the cheapest of all Disney World resorts. Despite being the least expensive, these resorts have a lot to offer including themes, amenities, and comfortable rooms. The two value resorts I recommend for EPCOT visits are Disney's Art of Animation Resort and Disney's Pop Century Resort.
Disney's Art of Animation Resort
Theme: Disney's Art of Animation Resort's overall theme pays tribute to various classic Disney animated films including The Lion King, Cars, The Little Mermaid, and Finding Nemo. Each of these sections is uniquely designed to make you feel as if you've stepped into the world of these animated classics.
Pools: Art of Animation has three pools including the Big Blue Pool, which is located in the Finding Nemo section and is the largest resort pool in Disney World. There are also two additional pools, the Cozy Cone Pool in the Cars area and Flippin' Fins Pool in the Little Mermaid area. The Drop Off Pool Bar is also available near the Big Blue Pool offering snacks and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
Family Suites: Aside from All Star Movies Resort, Art of Animation is the only other value level resort that offers family suites. These suites can sleep up to six guests and also includes a small kitchenette to cook and store more food than a normal sized room. This is a great perk for larger groups wanting to stay in a value level resort with easy access to EPCOT.
Pet Friendly: Art of Animation is also one of several Disney World resorts that is pet friendly. Guests can bring up to two dogs per room with certain restrictions. Read about Disney World's pet policy at Art of Animation here.
Disney's Pop Century Resort
Theme: Disney's Pop Century Resort takes guests back in time to the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s with their various sections inspired by decades past.
Pools: Pop Century offers three pools including the 1960's inspired Hippy Dippy Pool located just outside the main check-in area. This pool features flower-shapes water jets and a kiddie pool area with a pop-jet water fountain. Pop Century has two additional smaller pools including the 1950's inspired Bowling Pool and 1990's inspired Computer Pool. There is also a walk up pool bar, Petals Pool Bar, near the Hippy Dippy Pool offering snacks and alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
Restaurant: Pop Century has arguably the best quick-service restaurant, especially out of all the value resorts, with seven different food stations for all meals and snacks. One of our favorite resort desserts, the tie-dye cheesecake, is also found at Pop Century.
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Best Moderate Resort for EPCOT Visits
There are only four moderate hotels at Disney World, and only one that is within a very short distance to EPCOT. Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort is a beautifully themed resort that is located along the Skyliner transportation system, making it a very easy commute to both EPCOT and Hollywood Studios.
Theme: Caribbean Beach Resort is inspired by the beautiful islands of Barbados, Jamaica, Martinique, Trinidad, and Aruba. The resort also offers colonial forts, lively markets, pristine beaches, and hammocks throughout the resort property.
Restaurants: Caribbean Beach is home to one of the best resort restaurants, Sebastian's Bistro. This table-service restaurant open for dinner daily offers tropical, Caribbean-style foods such as citrus chicken, mojo pork, and flank steak. Before the meal, guests are served house-baked pull-apart rolls with guava butter and caramelized onion jam which is worth the trip alone. Even if you plan to stay at Caribbean Beach resort, we recommend booking a dining reservation in advance due to the popularity of this restaurant.
Pools: The Fuentes del Morro pool is Caribbean Beach's largest pool inspired by a Spanish fortress. Guests can enjoy the pool's two waterslides, one of which is 102 feet long! Caribbean Beach also offers a 12 person hot tub which is an added perk of staying at a moderate level resort. Caribbean beach also have five different leisure pools throughout the resort property making it very easy to find a pool to relax in.
Lounge: The Banana Cabana lounge, located near the Fuentes del Morro pool, is an open-air walk-up bar offering alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and snacks.
Best Deluxe Resorts for EPCOT Visits
Last but definitely not least, there are three deluxe level hotels that are perfect for EPCOT visits: Disney's Boardwalk Inn, Disney's Beach Club Resort, and Disney's Yacht Club Resort. Each of these resorts are within a short walking distance to EPCOT, and are some of the only resorts where guests can actually walk to one of the Disney World theme parks. Not only can guests walk to EPCOT, but they are also only a short boat ride away from Hollywood Studios.
Not only can guests walk to EPCOT, but they can also walk to Disney's BoardWalk, which is a quarter mile promenade of restaurants, shopping, nightlife, and more. Check out our full guide on the BoardWalk.
Disney's BoardWalk Inn
Theme: The BoardWalk Inn is themed with the whimsy and charm of turn-of-the-century Atlantic City. They offer unique amenities including carnival games, unique dining, and the nightlife offered throughout the BoardWalk, which are mere steps away from this guest favorite resort.
Restaurants: Although there are no full-sized restaurants located inside the BoardWalk resort, there are several great restaurants located around the BoardWalk – we list them all here. This is a great perk as you are not limited to one or two restaurants.
Lounge: The Belle Vue Lounge located inside the BoardWalk Inn is a very quaint 1930s-style lounge where radios play era specific tunes. The lounge is open daily between 4 PM and 12 AM, offering various alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
Disney's Yacht & Beach Club Resorts
Disney's Yacht Club Resort and Disney's Beach Club Resort are sister resorts located next door to each other. Both share several restaurants, pool area, and amenities which are discussed below.
Theme: The theme of the Yacht & Beach Club resorts is a charming New England-style. Visiting guests have the opportunity to rent a variety of watercrafts such as a mini-powerboat to enjoy on Crescent Lake.
Restaurant: One of our favorite resort restaurants is Ale & Compass, located near the lobby of the Yacht & Beach Club resorts. Ale & Compass offers “Yankee comfort” and seafood in a cozy gastro-pub atmosphere. Ale & Compass is a table service restaurant and we highly recommend a reservation for this popular restaurant. Ale & Compass also has a nearby lounge which offers guests both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks as well as light bites.
Stormalong Bay: Yacht & Beach Club have arguably the coolest pool area, known as Stormalong Bay. This three acre mini-waterpark has one of the highest waterslides which is in the shape of a pirate ship. There is also a lazy river, three whirlpool spas, and an elevated tanning deck. For kids, there are two kiddie pools including one with a miniature waterslide.
Perks of Staying at a Disney World Resort
In addition to comfortable rooms, top tier customer service, and other unique amenities at Disney World resorts, there are several other perks included with a Disney World stay, including:
- Early Morning Magic Hours which allows resort guests to enter any Disney World theme park 30 minutes early each day.
- Extended Evening Hours which allows deluxe resort guests to enjoy extended evening park hours on select days.
- Free transportation between your resort, Disney's theme and water parks, and Disney Springs
Additionally, Disney World recently announced starting in 2025, all Disney resort guests will have free water park admission on check-in day.
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- Magic Kingdom Rope Drop and Early Entry Strategy
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- Finding Discount Walt Disney World Tickets
- Disney World Bus Guide 2024: Schedule, Routes, Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
There are two Disney World resorts within walking distance to EPCOT. Both Disney's Boardwalk Inn and Disney's Yacht & Beach Club Resorts are roughly .3 miles from the International Gateway entrance to EPCOT. This entrance is located in the World Showcase and is between the France and United Kingdom country areas. Although not Disney World-owned resorts, the Swan and Dolphin resorts are also a short 10-15 minute walk to EPCOT.
Most guests can experience the majority of EPCOT in one full day, however we recommend two days to fully experience the park. In addition to the amazing attractions, EPCOT has many restaurants, shows, and shopping areas which can take a long time to explore.
EPCOT's World Showcase is 1.2 miles in length which would take most guests an hour to walk without stopping. However, the World Showcase is filled with so many restaurants, shops, and entertainment which could easily take hours to explore. In addition to the World Showcase, EPCOT has other sections including World Celebration, World Discovery, and World Nature which has even more rides, attractions, and restaurants. Therefore, guests can easily spend one or two days to walk around EPCOT.
The Friendship Boats take guests between EPCOT's International Gateway entrance, Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park, and several nearby resorts. These resorts include Disney's Boardwalk Inn, Disney's Yacht & Beach Club resorts, and the Swan and Dolphin resorts.
