5 Best Apartments Near Disney World for Cast Members in 2026
Working near Disney does a strange thing to distance. Eight miles looks harmless on a map. After a closing shift, when half of Central Florida has decided to use the same road, those eight miles can feel like a second job you forgot to clock into.
That is why the best apartment near Disney World is not automatically the one with the biggest pool, the newest quartz countertops, or the lobby that smells like a very expensive candle. It is the place that fits your actual life: your work location, your hours, your car, your roommates, and the amount of money left after every mandatory fee has taken a bite.
We compared current MoveRebate property data with official apartment pricing and fee disclosures available on August 1, 2026. We also read recent Cast Member housing discussions and resident feedback. The result is a practical shortlist, not a brochure parade.
The quick answer: our five best apartments near Disney
Apartment | Best for | Observed starting monthly price* | Approx. Disney commute* |
Best overall and shortest drive | About $1,541 total | 8 minutes | |
Amenities and flexible lease terms | $1,527 incl. fixed fees | 10 minutes | |
Horizon West lifestyle | $1,849 incl. fixed fees | 18 minutes | |
Newer feel at a competitive price | About $1,619 total | 13 minutes | |
Roommate groups and larger layouts | About $1,654 total | 13 minutes |
*Prices and availability change daily. “Total” or “including fees” means the advertised price included known fixed mandatory monthly charges, but it may still exclude electricity, water, sewer, optional services, pet costs, and one-time move-in charges. Commute times are MoveRebate planning estimates, not promises from the traffic gods.*
How we ranked them
Apartment rankings usually go sideways when every property gets praised for “resort-style living” and nobody asks what happens at 11:45 p.m. when you are tired, hungry, and circling for a parking space.
We gave the most weight to five things:
Commute reality: Distance to Disney-area work locations and the roads you will actually use.
Real monthly cost: Advertised rent plus known mandatory fixed fees, not just the prettiest number on the floor-plan page.
Lease flexibility: Especially important for College Program alumni, newly hired Cast Members, and anyone whose next twelve months are not carved in stone.
Roommate practicality: Bedroom mix, qualification rules, and whether the numbers become sane when rent is divided.
Daily livability: In-unit laundry, parking, noise, nearby errands, maintenance patterns, and the little annoyances that become large after month six.
No apartment wins every category. “Best” here means strongest overall fit for a common Cast Member situation, with the ugly parts left in the picture.
1. Windermere Cay: best overall for a short Disney commute
Best for: Cast Members who want the shortest practical drive and prefer the quieter Reams Road side of the Disney area.
Current snapshot: One-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, roughly 742 to 1,310 square feet, with a MoveRebate Disney commute estimate of about eight minutes.
Why it made the list
Windermere Cay is close enough to Disney that the commute can remain a commute instead of becoming a lifestyle. MoveRebate places it roughly three miles from Disney-area destinations, and that proximity matters more than another decorative fire pit ever will.
The community advertises in-unit washers and dryers, a pool, fitness center, clubhouse, dog park, and a cable and internet bundle. Its current Greystar pricing page showed total monthly pricing from about $1,541 during our check, although other listing feeds were higher. Dynamic pricing is doing what dynamic pricing does: moving around while everyone pretends the number is permanent.
Windermere Cay also sits near Horizon West and Flamingo Crossings without putting you directly in the busiest part of the tourist corridor. That can be a good balance for Cast Members who want work nearby but do not want their entire off-hours life to feel like an extension of work.
The catch
The property generally lists 12- and 15-month lease options, so this is not the most forgiving choice if your work plans are uncertain. Income guidance in MoveRebate's current record is three times monthly rent, and utilities are not included.
The pricing deserves an itemized conversation. The community markets a cable and internet bundle, while third-party cost disclosures may show the service rolled into the total monthly price. Ask the leasing office for the recurring-cost worksheet instead of debating what the word “free” means in apartment marketing. It has been through enough.
A recent Disney Cast Member discussion on Reddit included both strong interest in Windermere Cay and an anecdotal warning about street flooding and nearby construction. That is not verified property-wide evidence. It is, however, a perfectly good reason to visit after heavy rain and ask what construction or utility interruptions are expected during your lease.
2. Cortland World Gateway: best for amenities and lease flexibility
Best for: Cast Members who want a short drive, a large amenity package, and more lease-length choices.
Current snapshot: One-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, 661 to 1,471 square feet, with a MoveRebate Disney commute estimate of about ten minutes.
Why it made the list
Cortland World Gateway lives where its name says it does: in the thick of the Lake Buena Vista employment corridor. That makes it a particularly practical option for people working near Disney Springs, the Epcot resort area, or other roles on the east and south sides of property.
During our August 1 check, official available-apartment pricing started at $1,527 per month including $53 in fixed mandatory fees. The base rent on that unit was $1,474. Usage-based water, sewer, electricity, and common-area electric were still extra.
That distinction matters. The $1,474 number gets your attention. The $1,527 number is where the conversation should begin.
Lease terms in MoveRebate's current record range from seven to seventeen months, which is unusually useful for people transitioning from a program, testing a new role, or trying to avoid signing a lease that outlives the plan that justified it.
The amenity list is not shy: two 24-hour fitness centers, yoga and spin facilities, coworking areas, a movie theater, a bark park, and a pet spa. Recent reviews on Cortland's own site frequently praise cleanliness, the move-in experience, and staff helpfulness. Property-hosted reviews should always be read with a little seasoning, but the pattern is still worth noting.
The catch
World Gateway is close to Disney because it is close to everything else in the tourist corridor. Traffic can go from manageable to ridiculous when parks close, conventions release, or everyone in a rental car remembers the turn at the same moment.
The current pet charges are also substantial: a $400 nonrefundable fee and $25 per month per pet, subject to restrictions. The income guideline in MoveRebate's record is 2.5 times monthly rent, which is friendlier than the three-times standard at several competitors, but every applicant should verify how combined roommate income is evaluated.
Choose this place for the location and lease flexibility. Treat the theater room as a pleasant extra, not a financial strategy.
3. Cortland Independence: best for the Horizon West lifestyle
Best for: Cast Members who want a quieter residential setting, newer surrounding retail, and a life that does not revolve entirely around the attractions corridor.
Current snapshot: One-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, 751 to 1,369 square feet, with a MoveRebate Disney commute estimate of about eighteen minutes.
Why it made the list
Cortland Independence trades a few commute minutes for a more settled neighborhood. It sits in the Independence and Horizon West area, where errands, restaurants, trails, schools, and community events feel more like ordinary Central Florida life and less like the service road behind a vacation economy.
That trade is exactly why some Cast Members like the area. In recent Disney housing discussions, Horizon West is often described as cleaner, more walkable in its developed pockets, and generally pleasant, while Kissimmee is more often recommended for finding lower prices. The obvious footnote is that Horizon West tends to cost more.
The official Cortland Independence availability page showed one-bedroom total monthly pricing from $1,849, including $79 in fixed mandatory fees, during our check. Two-bedroom totals started around $2,169. Lease terms in MoveRebate's record run from seven to eighteen months, and the listed income guideline is three times monthly rent.
Resident feedback commonly praises the quieter setting, community events, and responsive maintenance. The property also offers a pool, fitness center, clubhouse, coworking space, and package lockers.
The catch
This is the most expensive starting one-bedroom on our shortlist. It also has the longest estimated Disney commute of the five.
Eighteen minutes is still reasonable on a cooperative road. Central Florida roads are not famous for cooperation. If your role is on the opposite side of property, test the route at your actual shift-change time before signing anything.
Current specials may soften the first few months, but concessions are dessert, not dinner. Compare the regular monthly total because that is the number still sitting at the table after the special disappears.
4. Madison Waterstar: best newer-value balance
Best for: Cast Members who want a newer apartment feel near US-192 and can make the qualification and fee structure work.
Current snapshot: One-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, 707 to 1,248 square feet, with a MoveRebate Disney commute estimate of about thirteen minutes.
Why it made the list
Madison Waterstar offers modern finishes, elevators, front-loading in-unit laundry, a resort-style pool, fitness center, outdoor gathering areas, and quick access to the west Kissimmee and Four Corners side of the Disney market.
Recent listing data showed total monthly pricing from about $1,619. That makes Madison one of the more competitive newer options on this list, particularly for renters comparing one-bedrooms.
The property also publishes one of the clearest fee and qualification guides we found. Clarity does not make a fee cheaper, but it does prevent the deeply irritating experience of discovering it three days before move-in.
Lease terms run from nine to fifteen months. The property requires gross income of at least three times monthly rent and says all leaseholders must qualify. That last part deserves special attention if you are applying with roommates. Do not assume the highest earner can carry the entire group through screening.
The catch
Madison's mandatory fixed monthly charges add at least $148.50 before water, sewer, and electricity: $85 for bulk internet and TV streaming, $40 for valet trash, $5 for pest control, $14 for liability insurance, and a $4.50 utility billing fee.
There is also a $65 application fee per screened applicant, a $250 administrative fee, and a standard $300 deposit for approved applicants. Conditional deposits can be much higher.
That is not hidden. It is simply expensive enough to deserve a calculator.
Because Madison Waterstar is newer, its public resident-review history is thinner than the older properties. The limited verified feedback we found was generally positive about location, staff, and amenities, with noise scoring a little lower. Treat that as an early signal, not a final verdict.
5. The Grand at Westside: best for roommate groups
Best for: Two-, three-, or four-person roommate groups that want more bedrooms without moving far into the outer suburbs.
Current snapshot: One-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom apartments, 790 to 1,503 square feet, with a MoveRebate Disney commute estimate of about thirteen minutes.
Why it made the list
The Grand at Westside is the only community in our top five with a four-bedroom floor plan. That matters because Cast Member apartment math gets much less offensive when the rent can be divided among more actual bedrooms.
Current total monthly pricing observed through major listing feeds started around $1,654 for a one-bedroom, about $1,939 for a two-bedroom, $2,289 for an available three-bedroom, and roughly $2,564 for a four-bedroom. Availability changes quickly, but the broader point holds: larger roommate layouts can bring the per-bedroom share down without sending everyone an hour from work.
The community includes in-unit laundry, a pool, fitness center, clubhouse, outdoor lounge areas, and pet amenities. Resident feedback often praises the staff, maintenance response, cleanliness, and amount of space.
The catch
The west Kissimmee location can be a value play, but it puts you on roads shared with resorts, vacation rentals, and a heroic number of people trying to turn left across traffic. Some renter feedback also mentions street noise, so building placement matters.
The official floor-plan page was not consistently displaying live units during our research and directed renters to contact the office. That makes the written cost worksheet especially important. Ask for base rent, all mandatory monthly fees, utilities, deposits, parking costs, and the exact concession terms for the specific unit, lease length, and move-in date.
This is not our first choice for a solo renter. For a reliable group that can qualify together and coexist after a 2 a.m. closing shift, it may be the smartest layout on the list.
What Cast Members keep saying online
The useful Cast Member housing conversations are rarely about countertops. They are about transportation, roommates, lease timing, and whether the drive home will make you regret every decision that led to the on-ramp.
Across recent Disney College Program housing discussions and broader Cast Member threads, three themes repeat:
A car changes the entire search. Off-site housing without reliable transportation can turn a cheaper apartment into a logistical mess.
Roommates are often the difference between possible and absurd. Solo one-bedroom pricing near Disney commonly lands well above what many frontline workers want to carry alone.
Neighborhood choice is a trade. Kissimmee often offers more price competition. Horizon West often wins praise for its newer, calmer surroundings. Lake Buena Vista wins on proximity, then sends tourism traffic to collect payment.
Online reviews are useful, but they are smoke alarms, not blueprints. A repeated complaint tells you where to inspect. It does not prove every building, every unit, or every manager is the same.
Look for patterns across recent reviews. Then verify those patterns in person, preferably at the time of day you will actually come home.
Which apartment should you choose?
If you want the simplest answer, use this filter:
Choose Windermere Cay if minimizing the Disney commute is the priority and a 12- or 15-month lease fits your plan.
Choose Cortland World Gateway if you want a short drive, extensive amenities, and lease terms as short as seven months.
Choose Cortland Independence if you are willing to pay more for the Horizon West setting and a quieter residential feel.
Choose Madison Waterstar if you want a newer apartment at a competitive starting price and can absorb the mandatory monthly package.
Choose The Grand at Westside if you have a dependable roommate group and want access to three- or four-bedroom layouts.
If you do not have a car, none of these deserves an automatic yes. Map the full trip from your front door to your specific work location, including the hours when your shift begins or ends. “Near Disney” is a marketing phrase. Your costume location is an address.
The costs the headline rent leaves out
Before you apply, ask every leasing office for two written numbers: the total recurring monthly cost and the total move-in cost.
Your recurring monthly worksheet should include:
Base rent
Mandatory service or amenity fees
Trash and valet trash
Pest control
Internet or cable packages
Renter's liability coverage
Water, sewer, and billing fees
Electricity
Parking, garage, or storage charges
Monthly pet rent
Your move-in worksheet should include:
Application fees for every adult
Administrative fees
Security deposit
Pet fees
Access devices and parking credentials
Utility setup charges
Any prorated rent
Then ask one more question: What do I owe if I leave early?
That answer is not romantic. Neither is paying back a concession, covering a lease-break fee, and funding a move at the same time.
How to tour an apartment like someone who works weird hours
Tour the apartment twice if you can. The polished Tuesday-afternoon visit tells you what the pool looks like. The late-evening drive tells you whether you can park, hear your neighbors through the walls, and get home without developing a personal feud with an intersection.
Use this checklist:
Drive from your likely work location at your real shift-change time.
Visit the parking lot after 10 p.m.
Stand quietly in the bedroom and listen for road, hallway, and upstairs noise.
Check cell service inside the actual unit or building.
Run the shower and test the water pressure.
Ask where packages go and what happens when the lockers are full.
Ask about planned construction, roof work, painting, and utility shutdowns.
Confirm whether the quoted unit faces a road, pool, dog park, trash area, or construction site.
Photograph the model, then compare it with the exact available unit.
Get every concession, fee, and lease promise in writing.
The leasing office is showing you the apartment on its best behavior. Your job is to meet the version that lives there on a rainy Thursday after fireworks.
Final verdict
Windermere Cay is our best overall choice for most Cast Members because the short Disney commute is hard to beat. Cortland World Gateway is the strongest alternative for flexible lease terms and a deep amenity package. The Grand at Westside becomes much more interesting when three or four reliable roommates are involved.
But there is no universal winner. A Magic Kingdom Cast Member with a car and a dog is solving a different problem than a Disney Springs Cast Member sharing a four-bedroom with three friends. Start with your work location and real monthly budget. Let the pool come later.
Research notes and sources
Pricing, fees, specials, and availability were checked on August 1, 2026. Apartment pricing is dynamic and can change by unit, lease term, move-in date, screening result, and concession. Always request a written quote for the exact unit before applying.
Cortland World Gateway official availability and fee-inclusive pricing
Cortland Independence official availability and fee-inclusive pricing
Madison Waterstar official floor plans and fee, qualification, and policy FAQ
The Grand at Westside official floor plans and current total-price information found in online rental listings
Recent Disney Cast Member apartment discussion and DCP-friendly apartment discussion
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