A visit to Disney World wouldn’t be complete without including a day at Epcot. If you plan to visit Epcot and want to stay close to the Disney theme park, this guide to the Disney World Epcot hotels will help you find the perfect resort for your trip.
There are multiple Disney World Epcot hotels to choose from and some are within walking distance to the park. We have stayed at a few of them and have our favorites!
I want to start with a quick overview of Epcot and then I will get into what the Epcot hotels are like to help you decide which ones are best for you.
Epcot is one of the four theme parks at the Walt Disney World resort. The other three being Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Each of the Disney theme parks have an overall theme and if I could sum up Epcot’s theme it would be the world around us.
Epcot is divided into 4 areas World Showcase, World Nature, World Celebration, and World Discovery.
Each of these areas has a different focus. World Discovery is about space and includes Cosmic Rewind: Guardians of the Galaxy. World Celebration has the Spaceship Earth attraction. World Nature has Living with the Land and the all new Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana.
World Showcase features 11 different countries with attractions, shows, and dining options for guests. If you want to learn more about Epcot’s World Showcase read this post: What Countries Are in Epcot World Showcase Pavilions
Most people will visit Epcot in one day but two days will allow you to explore the park even more.
Half of planning a Disney World vacation is deciding where you want to stay. There are so many options for resorts that range in price and location.
Some of the best hotels at the Disney resorts are located near Epcot. Guests love them because of their short walk to the park and great amenities.
If you are planning on visiting Epcot you may want to consider staying in the Epcot Resort area at Disney World.
What Are the Disney World Epcot Hotels
- Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
- Disney’s Riviera Resort
- Disney’s Beach Club Resort and Villas
- Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
- Disney’s Boardwalk Inn & Villas
- Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
- Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
- Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
The prices widely vary for the Epcot resort hotels but expect starting prices around $314.00-$694.00 a night.
Prices can vary depending on the season you are visiting and special events. A visit during Christmas week will cost more than a visit mid-September.
Disney also posts special offers at various times of the year. It is best to start at Disney World’s website and compare prices. If you dates are flexible try different dates too.
There are ways to use points when staying at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotels and if you want to save money you can consider staying at a value resort on the Disney Skyliner. I go into more details on both of these options later in this post.
Overview of the Disney World Epcot Resorts
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is one of the moderate resorts at Walt Disney World. Guests can stay in standard rooms, some that include a 5th sleeper sofa.
Disney’s Caribbean Beach has a Caribbean beach theme with a pirate playground and swimming pool, on-site restaurant, and quick service options.
Prices start around $250.00 a night.
Caribbean Beach Resort is not within walking distance to Epcot but it is on the Disney Skyliner. The Disney Skyliner is a gondola transportation system that takes guests from certain resorts to Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
It is a short 10 minute ride from the resort to the park. Disney’s Caribbean Beach is one of the least expensive Disney World Epcot hotel options.
I go into all the details of the Disney Skyliner resorts in this post: Guide to the Disney Skyliner Transportation at Walt Disney World
Disney’s Riviera Resort
Disney’s Riviera Resort is one of the deluxe resorts in the Epcot resort area. It is one of our favorite Walt Disney World hotels.
It is also on the pricier end so might not be in the budget for everyone. It is not in our budget most visits but at times you can find special offers and deals.
Disney’s Riviera Resort is themed to the French riviera with a Fantasia themed splash area and pool. There is artwork located throughout the Disney hotel and cast members have daily activities for the kids.
They offer standard rooms as well as 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, and 3-bedroom villas. Disney’s Riviera Resort is also part of the Disney Vacation Club (DVC). This is a timeshare program guests can buy into. You do not need to be a DVC member to stay at the Riviera Resort.
During our visit we loved doing the art scavenger hunt and hanging out at the pool. The Riviera Resort also has an on-site restaurant that offers character dining.
Topolino’s Terrace character dining includes visits with Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck, and Donald Duck. It is a really cute dining experience. Reservations are a must and difficult to get.
Prices at Riviera start around $500 a night.
Disney’s Yacht Club
There are two resorts on this list that we haven’t yet stayed at and Disney’s Yacht Club is the first one.
Disney’s Yacht Club is very similar to Disney’s Beach Club. They are neighboring resorts and both offer a short walk to Epcot for guests.
Disney’s Yacht Club has a nautical theme and is nestled along Crescent Lake. If you are staying at any of the Epcot hotels you should take an evening walk around the lake. It is beautiful.
The Yacht Club offers standard rooms and club level rooms making this one of the most expensive Disney resorts.
Prices start around $700.00 a night.
The Yacht Club has on-site dining including character dining at Cape May Cafe and a breakfast buffet option (without characters) at Ale & Compass. I recommend making reservations for any table service restaurants at Disney World.
Disney’s Yacht Club and Disney’s Beach Club share the Stormalong Bay pool and Shipwreck pool that have a sand bottom and a lazy river.
Disney’s Beach Club Resort & Villas
Disney’s Beach Club resort is know for having the best pool at the Disney World resorts. Although this is debatable people do love the sand bottom and the fun water slide.
Disney’s Beach Club is the closest resort within walking distance to Epcot but it is not much further to the Yacht club since they are next door to each other.
Disney’s Beach Club offers standard rooms, 1-bedroom, 2 bedroom, and club level accommodations.
The Beach Club is a New England themed resort and much of the on-site dining options are shared with Yacht Club. It is like getting two resorts in one.
The prices of the Beach Club start at $400 a night.
Disney’s Boardwalk Inn & Villas
Disney’s Boardwalk is the second resort in the Epcot area that we haven’t stayed at. It is along the Boardwalk and overlooks Crescent Lake.
The Boardwalk Inn offers standard rooms and the Boardwalk Villas offer studio and 1-2 bedroom accommodations. They are on the same property and include the same amenities, unless you are staying at club level.
Club level offers a high end experience that includes a common area where food and beverages are provided daily.
The Boardwalk Inn and Villa is a short walk to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. It takes around 10-15 minutes. There are on-site dining options, as well as a fun carnival themed pool and daily activities.
Room rates start around $600 a night.
Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin
Although on Disney property the Walt Disney World Swan, Walt Disney World Dolphin, and the Walt Disney World Swan Reserve are Marriott run hotels.
Guests do receive the same perks as guests staying at the other Disney hotels but it does lack the Disney feel of on-site Disney resorts.
These hotels are considered deluxe hotels and include early theme park entry and extended evening hours for hotel guests.
All Disney resorts include early theme park entry. Only the deluxe resorts offer extended evening hours. Extended evening hours are not offered at all parks each night. Check the latest calendars on My Disney Experience app for most updated dates and parks.
The rooms at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin are standard rooms that you would expect at a Marriott resort. They range from standard size to larger rooms.
There is also an option to request a rollaway bed which was a huge help for our family of five. We were able to fit nicely and have a bit more space than a standard Disney resort room.
The resort is very nice with a pool and water slide, a basketball court, beach volleyball, and more daily activities. It is also walking distance to the Fantasia Mini-Golf.
The biggest negative for us is that it doesn’t have the same Disney feel as staying on-site. It has the huge perk of being able to walk to Epcot but it doesn’t feel Disney.
The hotels host many conferences and inside felt more corporate than families. If being in the Disney bubble doesn’t matter to you or you are using points to visit Disney I would recommend staying here.
Perks of Staying at a Disney World Epcot Hotel
When comparing the cost of staying at a deluxe or moderate resort compared to a value or off-site option I find it helpful to know the perks of staying at an Epcot hotel.
- Early Theme Park Entry
- Extended Evening Hours (All Deluxe Resorts)
- Can Walk to Epcot and Hollywood Studios
- On-site sit down restaurant options.
- Easy access to multiple resorts for different dining options.
- Free Parking at the Resort (Except for WDW Swan, Swan Reserve, and Dolphin)
- Daily activities led by cast members
- Complimentary transportation to and from Disney theme parks.
It is a short walk to Epcot from the Epcot hotels that are located near the International Gateway entrance along Crescent Lake.
These include Disney’s Beach Club, Disney’s Yacht Club, Disney’s Boardwalk Inn, and the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin hotels.
Guests can also walk to Disney’s Hollywood Studios from the above resorts. It is a bit of a long walk though so keep that in mind when visiting with small children or those with mobility issues.
How To Get to Disney Parks from Epcot Hotels
If you are staying at the Epcot Hotels and want to visit other places on Disney property Disney transportation has you covered.
Disney’s Epcot hotels offer bus transportation, Friendship Boats and the Disney Skyliner to get to the theme parks, Disney Springs, and the Disney water parks.
The best way to check is to ask a cast member or go on the transportation tab on My Disney Experience app.
How to Save Money on Disney World Epcot Hotels
I was surprised to learn that the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin hotels were Marriott hotels and we could use our Marriott points to book.
This made it much more accessible for us to book a stay at the Walt Disney World Swan resort. I am definitely a beginner when it comes to using points for travel but were were able to earn 5 free nights using our Marriot Bonvoy Card.
Typically there is an amount of money you need to spend to get the rewards. We used the card for our stay at Courtyard Marriott Anaheim during a Disneyland trip in the summer.
The following winter we used the 5 nights free to stay at the Walt Disney World Dolphin resort. The resort does have a daily resort and parking fees so be sure to include those in your budget.
If you do not have points but want to be close to Epcot consider staying at one of the value resorts along the Disney Skyliner.
Disney’s Pop Century and Disney’s Art of Animation resort are value resorts at Disney World. They are not within walking distance to Epcot and are not considered Epcot hotels, but because they are on the Skyliner I consider them a great alternative.
The gondola ride from the Pop Century and Art of Animation is about a 20 minute ride. You will need to get off at the Caribbean Beach station and get on the Epcot line but it is very easy.
Staying at a Disney value resort will save you money and give you easy access to the Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot.
The cost of the Disney World Epcot hotels varies so much but I wanted to share a few screen shots of prices that I checked in October of 2023. This may give you an idea of what to expect when starting your search.
As you can see you will spend a bit more to stay at an Epcot hotel during your Disney World vacation.
Want to learn more about planning your next Disney vacation? Check out these helpful posts: Best Disney World Itinerary Planning Guide for Families and Guide to the Best Disney Resorts for Kids (Updated 2023)
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