This page contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
The Short Answer
On November 10, Disney World released a winter prepay offer: special nonrefundable rates at four resorts, starting at $99 a night plus tax at All-Star Sports. Here's exactly what Disney's offer page says (I read it November 11):
| Resort | Room type | Nightly rate (plus tax) |
|---|---|---|
| Disney's All-Star Sports Resort | Standard Room | $99 to $139 |
| Disney's Port Orleans Resort – Riverside | Standard Location 5th Sleeper Room | $199 to $249 |
| Disney's Art of Animation Resort | Cars Family Suite | $299 to $349 |
| Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge | Savanna View Room | $449 to $499 |
Dates: most nights December 13 to 24, 2026, and most Sunday-to-Thursday nights January 3 to February 25, 2027. Two-night minimum, 14-night maximum, consecutive nights.
The catch, in Disney's words: "Guests cannot cancel or change the reservation." The total is charged immediately, and anything you add to the reservation (tickets, a dining plan) becomes nonrefundable too. "No refunds or credit will be provided for any reason."
My take: this is a great rate for a family whose dates are locked, especially the All-Star Sports and Port Orleans rooms, which DVC can't match because DVC has no Value or Moderate resorts. For a Deluxe stay, the Animal Kingdom Lodge rate is the one to run against a DVC rental, and the math below shows where the break-even sits.
The Five Rules That Matter
- Pay in full today. Disney charges the total immediately and confirms the reservation only once payment is received.
- No cancellations, no changes, no credit. Not for illness, not for weather, not for anything.
- Everything attached is locked too. Add tickets or a dining plan to this reservation and those become nonrefundable as well. Buy tickets separately if you want any flexibility on them.
- Limited rooms. Disney says the number of rooms "allocated for this offer is limited." It doesn't list a booking deadline.
- It doesn't stack. It can't be combined with other discounts, except the 2026 Kids Dining Plan offer on 2026 stays. Also: additional charges may apply for more than two adults in a room.
Tickets aren't included. You still need park admission (and a park reservation if your ticket type requires one).
Who This Offer Is Perfect For
- Families whose dates can't move. A school break you already have on the calendar, a trip built around a party night you've already bought (see which holiday event to book), or a January trip that's set.
- Budget trips. $99 to $139 at All-Star Sports is about as low as an on-property room gets. DVC has nothing at that level.
- Families of five who want one room. The Port Orleans Riverside 5th Sleeper Room sleeps five in a Moderate resort for $199 to $249. That's a real alternative to a DVC studio that sleeps 5.
- Families of six. The Art of Animation Cars Family Suite is built for that size, at $299 to $349.
Who Should Skip It
- Anyone who might need to change dates. Sick kid, work trip, flight cancellation. With this offer, the money is gone.
- Anyone traveling December 25 to January 2. The offer doesn't cover Christmas through New Year's at all.
- Weekend travelers in January and February. The 2027 nights are mostly Sunday to Thursday. A Friday or Saturday night won't be in the offer.
The Math: Disney's Rate vs. Renting DVC Points
I'm not going to invent a point count for your nights. Points depend on the resort, room, view, season and day of the week. What I can give you is the break-even: how many points per night a rental can cost before Disney's rate is cheaper.
Rental rates, read on David's published cost calculator on November 11, 2026: $22 a point (Advantage: Saratoga Springs, Old Key West), $24 (Regular: Bay Lake Tower, Boulder Ridge, Copper Creek, Animal Kingdom Villas, Riviera; also the Premium resorts booked 0 to 7 months out), $26 (Premium) and $29 (Platinum). Every one of these dates is under 7 months away, so the Regular rate is the one most families will see. DVC Rental Store doesn't publish a flat rate; you request a quote.
| Disney's offer room | Disney's rate | Break-even at $22/pt | Break-even at $24/pt | Closest DVC comparison |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All-Star Sports Standard | $99–$139 | 4.5–6.3 pts/night | 4.1–5.8 pts/night | None. No DVC villa rents this low; take Disney's deal if your dates are firm |
| Port Orleans Riverside 5th Sleeper | $199–$249 | 9.0–11.3 | 8.3–10.4 | A deluxe studio that sleeps 5 |
| Art of Animation Cars Family Suite | $299–$349 | 13.6–15.9 | 12.5–14.5 | A one-bedroom villa |
| Animal Kingdom Lodge Savanna View | $449–$499 | 20.4–22.7 | 18.7–20.8 | A studio at Jambo House or Kidani Village |
How to read it: if the rental needs fewer points per night than the break-even, the rental is cheaper on the nightly price. If it needs more, Disney's offer is cheaper. Disney's rates are plus tax, so ask the rental quote what's included and compare final totals, not nightly headlines.
The one that's close: Animal Kingdom Lodge. Disney's Savanna View room vs. a studio at Animal Kingdom Villas (same lodge, more space, a kitchenette). Put your exact nights into the DVC rental calculator, multiply the points by $24, and compare it to $449 to $499 a night plus tax. If you're deciding between the two DVC buildings, my Jambo House vs. Kidani Village guide covers the difference.
The Flexibility Gap (This Is Where the Decision Really Is)
The nightly price is only half of it. Here's how the two compare when plans change:
| Disney winter prepay | DVC Rental Store standard booking | |
|---|---|---|
| When you pay | Everything, immediately | Deposit, then the balance by 75 days before arrival. Inside 75 days, you pay in full up front (from its How It Works page) |
| If you cancel | No refund, no credit | A credit toward a future rental, not cash. Details in credit vs. cash |
| If you need to change dates | Not allowed | Ask; it depends on the reservation |
Two honest notes on the rental side. First, every December date in this offer, and any January stay before January 25, 2027, is already inside DVC Rental Store's 75-day window, so a rental for those nights would be paid in full now too. Second, DVC Rental Store's Cashback Protection (a refund to your card instead of credit) has to be added by 121 days before check-in, per its September email. For these near-term dates that point has passed, so assume standard credit terms and ask when you request the quote.
For last-minute nights, the best place to look is DVC Rental Store's confirmed reservations, which are already booked and ready to transfer: browse confirmed reservations →. For February, request a quote for your dates →.
(Affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.)
If You Book Disney's Offer, Protect the Money
A nonrefundable, prepaid hotel is exactly the kind of cost travel insurance is designed around. Whether a policy covers it, and for which reasons, depends on the policy, so read the plan document before you buy, not after.
Three questions to ask any policy:
- Does it cover prepaid, nonrefundable hotel costs, and for which cancellation reasons?
- Is there a deadline after your first payment to buy it for the broadest coverage?
- What does it say about weather and about illness in the family?
I use Insure My Trip to compare plans side by side; it's a comparison site, and it offers help from a licensed U.S. agent. (Affiliate link. Quotes and coverage come from the insurer, not from me. This isn't insurance advice.)
My Recommendation by Family
- Dates locked, budget first: book All-Star Sports or Port Orleans Riverside on Disney's offer and buy your tickets separately.
- Family of five or six, dates locked: price Port Orleans Riverside (5) or the Art of Animation suite (6) on the offer, then get one DVC quote for a studio or one-bedroom. Pick the lower total.
- Deluxe with a kitchen, dates might move: rent DVC points. You'll pay a similar nightly price at Animal Kingdom Villas, and a credit beats losing everything.
- Christmas week or a January weekend: the offer doesn't apply. Go straight to a DVC quote or Disney's regular rates.
If the trip is booked and you want the day-by-day sorted (Lightning Lane, rope drop, the 4 p.m. meltdown), that's what the Disney Plan is for.
Bringing little ones? A stroller delivered to your resort saves you hauling one through the airport. (Affiliate link.)
More DVC math: Disney's 2027 spring offers vs. renting DVC points, Disney's holiday room offers vs. renting DVC points, renting DVC points for 2027 and what DVC renters don't get.
FAQ
What is Disney World's winter prepay offer?
Special nonrefundable rates at four Disney resorts for stays of two nights or more, most nights December 13 to 24, 2026, and most Sunday-to-Thursday nights January 3 to February 25, 2027. Rates run from $99 to $499 a night plus tax depending on the resort.
Can I cancel Disney's prepay reservation?
No. Disney says guests can't cancel or change it, and no refunds or credit are given for any reason.
Which resorts are in the $99 offer?
All-Star Sports (Standard Room, $99 to $139), Port Orleans Riverside (5th Sleeper Room, $199 to $249), Art of Animation (Cars Family Suite, $299 to $349) and Animal Kingdom Lodge (Savanna View, $449 to $499), all plus tax.
Does the offer include park tickets?
No. Tickets are separate. If you add them to this reservation they become nonrefundable too.
Is renting DVC points cheaper than Disney's winter offer?
Only against the Deluxe and family-size rooms, and only if the rental needs fewer points per night than the break-even (about 19 to 21 points a night at $24 a point for the Animal Kingdom Lodge rate). Against the $99 All-Star room, no.
Does the offer cover Christmas?
No. The December window ends December 24.
Sources and Disclosures
Walt Disney World, "Prepay and Save on Your Winter Stay with Nonrefundable Rates" offer page (read Nov 11, 2026); David's Vacation Club Rentals cost calculator (read Nov 11, 2026); DVC Rental Store How It Works and cancellation pages; Insure My Trip homepage (read Nov 11, 2026).
This page contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Not affiliated with The Walt Disney Company, Disney Vacation Club, David's or DVC Rental Store.
Last updated: November 12, 2026. Disney says rooms are limited; check the offer page before you book.