ESPN Wide World of Sports Area Resorts (Best Value Disney World Hotels)

2 May 2026 by Steve Bell Leave a Comment

The best place to stay for budget-friendly Disney trips—with a big transportation upgrade.

If you’re looking for the most affordable way to stay on Walt Disney World property, the ESPN Wide World of Sports Resort Area is one of the best places to start.

Disney’s Pop Century Resort

This area is home to some of Disney’s Value Resorts, offering lower prices, fun theming, and a surprisingly strong transportation advantage thanks to the Disney Skyliner.

But like every resort area at Disney, there are tradeoffs—especially when it comes to crowds, atmosphere, and location.

Let’s break down what this area offers and whether it’s the right fit for your trip.

Quick Facts About the ESPN Wide World of Sports Resort Area

• Location: Southern portion of Walt Disney World near ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
• Resorts: Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
• Resort Category: Value (with Family Suite options at Art of Animation)
• Transportation: Skyliner and buses
• Best For: Budget-friendly trips, families, Skyliner access
• Eligible for Military Discounts: Yes (availability varies)

Location Overview

The ESPN Wide World of Sports Resort Area is located in the southern part of Walt Disney World property, near the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

While it is not close to any theme park in terms of walking distance, it offers something extremely valuable: direct access to the Disney Skyliner.

This gives these Value Resorts a major advantage over the All-Star Resorts, which rely entirely on buses.

Transportation: The Skyliner Advantage

The biggest reason to consider this area is the Disney Skyliner.

Pop Century / Art of Animation Skyliner station

Both Pop Century and Art of Animation share a Skyliner station, which connects you to:

• EPCOT: Via the International Gateway entrance
• Hollywood Studios: Direct Skyliner route

This makes getting to two of the most popular parks faster and more enjoyable than taking a bus.

There is one important detail to understand:

• You will need to transfer at Caribbean Beach Resort to continue to EPCOT or Hollywood Studios

Even with the transfer, many guests find the Skyliner to be faster and far more pleasant than buses.

For Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Disney Springs, you’ll still rely on buses.

The Resorts in the ESPN Wide World of Sports Area

Disney’s Pop Century Resort

Disney’s Pop Century Resort

Pop Century is one of the best-value resorts on Disney property, especially because of its Skyliner access.

The resort is themed around decades from the 1950s through the 1990s, with bold colors and fun, oversized icons throughout.

For many military families, Pop Century represents the sweet spot between price and convenience.

Best for: Budget-conscious guests who still want strong transportation options

Disney’s Art of Animation Resort

Disneys- Art of Animation Resort

Art of Animation takes Value resort theming to another level, with immersive areas based on Disney and Pixar films like Cars, Finding Nemo, and The Lion King.

It shares the same Skyliner access as Pop Century but offers something extra: Family Suites that can sleep up to six guests.

This makes it one of the best options on property for larger families who still want to stay in the Value category.

Best for: Families needing more space and immersive theming

What About the All-Star Resorts?

You may notice that the All-Star Resorts are not included in this area.

While they are also Value Resorts and located nearby, they are typically grouped with the Animal Kingdom Resort Area because they rely entirely on bus transportation.

This distinction matters when choosing where to stay, because Skyliner access is a major upgrade over bus-only transportation.

Who Should Stay in the ESPN Wide World of Sports Area?

This area is a great fit for many families—especially those focused on value.

You should strongly consider staying here if:

• You want the lowest-cost Disney resorts with strong transportation
• You plan to spend time at EPCOT and Hollywood Studios
• You want Skyliner access without paying Moderate or Deluxe prices
• You are traveling with kids who will enjoy the theming

You may want to consider another area if:

• You want the closest possible access to Magic Kingdom
• You prefer quieter, less busy resort environments
• You want more amenities or dining options at your resort

Military Discount Considerations

Both Pop Century and Art of Animation are eligible for the Disney Armed Forces Salute Room Discount, though availability can vary.

For military families, this area often provides some of the best overall value on Disney property.

• Pop Century: Frequently one of the best discounted Value options
• Art of Animation: Family Suites can be a great alternative to booking multiple rooms

Because of the combination of lower pricing and Skyliner access, this area is often one of the smartest choices for maximizing both budget and convenience.

If you want help comparing options, we recommend working with a military-focused Disney travel specialist:

The Mouse Experts Military Disney Vacation Specialists

Final Thoughts

The ESPN Wide World of Sports Resort Area offers one of the best value propositions at Walt Disney World.

While it may not have the prestige of Deluxe resorts or the proximity of the Monorail loop, it makes up for it with affordability, fun theming, and one of the best transportation systems on property.

For many military families, this area strikes the perfect balance between cost and convenience.

Have you stayed at Pop Century or Art of Animation? Which one is your favorite? Let me know in the comments!

Read about all the Disney Resort Areas:

• Magic Kingdom Resort Area Hotels
• EPCOT Resort Area Hotels
• Animal Kingdom Resort Area Hotels
• Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels
• BoardWalk Area Resorts
• Disney World Monorail Resorts
• Disney World Skyliner Resorts

• Walt Disney World Resort Hotels
  • Disney World Value Resorts
  • Disney World Moderate Resorts
  • Disney World Deluxe Resorts
• Do WDW Room View Categories Matter?
• MDT Tested & Approved Resorts
• Walt Disney World Resort Guest Benefits
• Walt Disney World Resort Theming

• Back to Basics Posts - A great place to start, offering basic topics!
• Disney Veteran & Military Discount Eligibility Guide
• The Military Family’s Walt Disney World Comprehensive Vacation Planning and Preparation Guide 
• Military Disney Tips Disney Packing Checklist 
• Disney Military Tickets – Your Start-to-Finish Guide

• Resorts/Hotel Overview Page
• Dining Overview Page
• Transportation Overview Page
• Technology Overview Page
• Shades of Green, WDW’s Military-Only Resort

The Mouse Experts is a travel booking company specializing in Disney vacations. Military family owned and operated! They know all the ins and outs of Disney military discounts!