Deluxe vs Moderate vs Value - How to choose??

[tucky]

I have never been to Disneyworld before. There are so many different hotels that it's impossible to choose.

At first I thought I'd pick the moderate ones, because we won't be in our room that much. Then I compared the moderate and value resorts and to be honest, I must be missing soething. Moderate resort has some more classy themes to how the buildings look. But they all have pretty much the same room layout. And a big food court. They all have motel corridors with windows on the front by the door. No balconies.

What's the difference between moderate and value that really make moderate worth about double the price? The motel style layout of either of their rooms. seem the same.

So then I looked at Deluxe, and the rooms seem really nice. You get your own balcony outside and the theming is a lot nicer too, and maybe the locations are better? But you're paying almost 4X more per night than the value and double from the moderate.

I'm not sure that the deluxe is worth 4 times the price, with available rooms at $450+ and some club level at $750 for a few snacks and drinks and a concierge every afternoon.

i know i am missing something here, and I'm willing to stay if the value is really there. Why do people pay that much more for Moderate and Deluxe? Please help me figure out what to do. I'm deciding between the All Star Sports, the Coronoado, the Contemporary, and the Floridian. And it's seems silly to decide between such different pricepoints.

Note: I have never been so I am really looking for some education above what the website seems to reveal. Thank you!

 

[DisneyArkie]

Piece of advice and speaking from experience. We started off staying at deluxe resorts and now we have become deluxe snobs. We downgraded one time last year and stayed one night at a moderate, POR, before our move back to WL and we were miserable. Not that POR was terrible, it wasn’t. It just wasn’t a deluxe. My family and I firmly believe if we would have never started off at the deluxe level we would be just as happy in a value or mod. If we would have done that we would have saved thousands over the years. Get my drift?

With that said I recommend starting off in a value. In a place you will not know any better and you will happy because you are at Disney. Just my two cents...

 

[Sue M]

First, you’d have to cnsider how many people will be in a room, ages, and group dynamics. Are you a family with 2 young ones, or have 2 teens?

Admission, I’m not a big fan of the values, and the only ones I’ll stay in are PoP, or Art of Animation.
Let’s start with Values and room size. room size. Values are tiny rooms. They have small bathroom, 1 sink, and double beds except Pop has 2 queens. Also except for Pop no coffee maker in room.
Grounds aren’t anything special to wow you. No slides at pool, or hot tubs. Pretty basic.
Pop suited my trip in Dec, as I wasn’t swimming, wasn’t planning on relaxing at Resort. went with a friend, and had our own rooms.

Moderates, still have outside doors, but they have beautiful landscaped grounds, around lakes or a river. The buildings are also pretty and themed to resort. Not cell Block structures of the values.
Nice pools with amenities- slides, hot tubs. Also quiet pools.
Port Orleans (our fav) is along a river, with a boat to Disney Springs, carriage rides at night, fun entertainment in the lounge, but family friendly, great food court. Nicer. The make your own pasta is our fav. Also has a table service restaurant.
Rooms are larger with 2 Queen beds, double sinks, and the Alligator Bayou (AB) section also can accommodate a family of 5 with rooms that have Murphy beds, or 2 teens that don’t want to share a bed!
POR has 800 less rooms than Pop.

The Deluxe as you noted have inside halls, most but not all rooms have balconies. It depends on the resort. Larger rooms, many have 2Queens plus a day bed. The pools are beautiful, and the grounds are also beautifully landscaped. These resorts have multiple restaurants. Some have multiple modes of transportation to the parks. Monorails, boats and busses depending on what resort area you stay in.

Worth is very subjective. I love the deluxe but won’t pay rack rate. I’ll only stay with a decent discount. Actually I won’t pay rack rate for any resort!
I know the Disney resorts are over priced. But I stay there for the convenience, and ease of traveling back to the resort for mid day breaks.

I enjoy both the deluxe and moderates, for me the values are just ok.

 

[Capitalangel]

We have always stayed at the Value level until our last trip. They were fine for what we needed since we were a young couple/ family on a budget. The rooms were clean and the size of bed was not an issue. The lack of sit down restaurant was also not a factor because we usually ate a quick breakfast before storming the parks. On our last trip we decided it was worth it to us to move up to a Moderate level since we would be spending more time at the resort due to activities of the trip and age of our kids. There were less groups which we enjoyed. The Values host a lot of high school sports, music, or international travel groups. This was not a big deal but made things harder when trying to get on and off buses, or trying to eat due to the crowds. We also enjoyed the more relaxed feeling with the landscaping at the Moderate. My sons are old enough but also young enough that things like water slides and zero entry pools were a plus. The next trip we have gotten a great deal on a Deluxe so we will see what we think about that level.
I would never have considered paying rack rate for a Deluxe because we could never justify those prices and the great locations are not as important because Disney Transportation has never bothered us, but I know others have had very different views on the buses.

 

[Nancyg56]

There are differences between Value and Moderate and Deluxe, but in regards to "worth" the money, that is subjective.

When we plan a trip we first look at overall budget, and then at how we are touring. We do not stay at the parks from RD to park close so that makes a difference in our planning. WE use the resort as part of our vacation, so we need to factor that in. If we did not we would not choose a deluxe, ever.

So: for your planning,

look at the number of days you are staying and what it would cost for tickets and food. Those costs are pretty finite in regards to budget, you need to eat and the tickets prices are what they are.

Do you use the room just to sleep and shower, or will you be relaxing at the resort, spending time there as well as the parks. If so, consider at least a moderate if budget allows. If not, decide how much space you need and the beds. I have not stayed at a value, but have heard the beds are doubles, not queens. I woudl not be able to share a bed in a double, my DH is 6'6" and takes up space.

Pools and restaurants: Would you use the pool and do you like a TS meal at the resort? WE do, so we look at moderates and deluxe resorts. If you would not,why spend the money there? If you will use them, again look at what is left in your budget after food and tickets and go from there.

Honestly, it all comes down to budget and personal preference. I always look at the trip in its entirety, and start there.

 

[Disneylover99]

Look at the 3 resort categories and choose the price point you're comfortable paying.
Once you decide between value, moderate or deluxe, look at the theming and choose something that appeals to you.

 

[disneyvoice]

While we really love staying at the Deluxe resorts now, our resort choice depends on a number of factors. First, price - is this is a trip where we aren't really limited budget-wise or are we trying to stay within a certain budget? Second - will be spending the vast majority of the time at the parks, only using our resort room to sleep and get dressed or do we want to have a more relaxed trip and spend some time at the resort? Third, who is going with us - when it is just me and DH we tend to stay at a deluxe resort because aren't at the parks all the time. If our 16 year old is coming with us we get a Family Suite at ASMu. If our older son and his girlfriend are coming with us we typically get two rooms at a Value Resort.

We have never been "disappointed" staying at a Value Resort after staying at a Deluxe. Would I prefer to stay at a Deluxe each and ever trip simply because I like them better? Sure! But that just isn't practical for us for a number of reasons on certain trips.

We did concierge once and quickly decided it just doesn't make sense for us and isn't worth the money. I couldn't care less about turn down service. I make all my own ADRs and do all my own planning so we don't need help with any of that. And we prefer to eat our meals in the parks or at Disney Springs - we never seemed to be at the resort when they were serving food in the concierge lounge - and when we were there, we weren't super impressed with the offerings and preferred to eat elsewhere. But some people LOVE concierge.

One thing to also consider is the type of bed you might need for a restful night's sleep. We prefer a king bed but can live with a queen. We absolutely refuse to do doubles any more - it was fine when we were younger but now we just find them uncomfortable.

With all this said, I would never stretch my trip budget super thin in order to stay at a deluxe. I wouldn't enjoy any trip to WDW if all I was worried about was how much the trip cost. I also wouldn't want to stay at a deluxe if it meant I had to cut days from our trip, not be able to eat where we want to eat, etc. To me if would be much more fun to stay at a Value and do everything we want.

 

[Teresadoxie]

Piece of advice and speaking from experience. We started off staying at deluxe resorts and now we have become deluxe snobs. We downgraded one time last year and stayed one night at a moderate, POR, before our move back to WL and we were miserable. Not that POR was terrible, it wasn’t. It just wasn’t a deluxe. My family and I firmly believe if we would have never started off at the deluxe level we would be just as happy in a value or mod. If we would have done that we would have saved thousands over the years. Get my drift?

With that said I recommend starting off in a value. In a place you will not know any better and you will happy because you are at Disney. Just my two cents...

This....we started off off site at first, then moderate, deluxe and then when i tried moderate again...oh boy - husband was not happy. He turned just as DisneyArkie said. That is why we are now DVC owners.

That being said, I think the values seem nice. I would stay at these if I didnt have my husband with me - I would like try Pop or Animation. My friend is there now at the all star movies. I think it depends on your expectations and what you want to do. We enjoy the deluxe now and spend our time hanging out at the resort some and do not do the parks commando style. Also, my friend chose the value for her kids - she wanted all the fun statues around the site.

I dont think you can go wrong anyway - look at what you want...rooms, transportation options, cost, pools, ...look for specials too.

You will have fun no matter what! Happiest place on earth.

One more thing - me I am happy to be at Disney anywhere, husband needs the transportation options - hates the buses and when we have to we use the Minnie vans (way too much) and the extra nice resorts.

Enjoy!

 

[piratepride]

If you don't plan on staying in the room and will be park hopping the majority of the time...I'd stay at a value resort. As you upgrade the biggest difference are the pools and the dining options at the resorts. The monorail is the big added bonus for the Deluxe Resorts at the MK area.

 

[terri33inne]

First consideration is budget... we've stayed all 3 levels, and I would not hesitate to stay any level again (there are some resorts I would not stay at again, but I like resorts from all 3 levels). Then, group size/ age range, etc. I would go from there.

My main reason typically for splurging for deluxe is location. As someone mentioned the MK resorts are great for getting to/from MK. Also, the Epcot resorts you are within walking distance of 2 parks which is super convenient, and opens up a world of dining possibilities. As a caveat to that though we are not commando at the parks, we like spending time at the resort as well, and usually end back there in the afternoons.

 

[JediBonas]

Piece of advice and speaking from experience. We started off staying at deluxe resorts and now we have become deluxe snobs. We downgraded one time last year and stayed one night at a moderate, POR, before our move back to WL and we were miserable. Not that POR was terrible, it wasn’t. It just wasn’t a deluxe. My family and I firmly believe if we would have never started off at the deluxe level we would be just as happy in a value or mod. If we would have done that we would have saved thousands over the years. Get my drift?

With that said I recommend starting off in a value. In a place you will not know any better and you will happy because you are at Disney. Just my two cents...

I'm going to second (third?) this. Back in high school we stayed at Carribean Beach (a moderate) and I remember thinking it was amazing. For our first family trip once we had kids we stayed at Yacht Club and it's pretty much ruined us for staying at anything but a deluxe. We don't even bother looking at anything other then the deluxes anymore and it is expensive (we even did an eight night stay at rack rate one year, ouch!).

I think if we had stayed that first trip at a moderate we would have been more open on other trips to other resorts, but that first stay at YC has pretty much sold us to only stay at YC/BC.

 

[djc9699]

We stay value mostly because we are always at the park. We have stayed at moderate and deluxe a few times. We are staying Deluxe in July because we will have more down time and I will be there for two weeks with a 3 year old. Honestly, I do not like the moderate resorts. The only real improvement, to me is the pool difference. The moderates are just too spread out. I don't want to walk 15 minutes or take a bus to the lobby. And I don't like the food courts at the moderates. The all stars resorts are very compact and have a large food court. If I am just with my teenage daughter we stay at All Star Sports, because we are never at the resort. We stay deluxe when we want to relax more. Deluxe adds a great deal of choices in transportation and activities. Our favorite is the Wilderness Lodge because it is more compact, feels secluded, has a direct boat to MK, Fort Wilderness, and the Contemporary resort, so our dining choices are improved with direct transportation options. The WL is also less expensive than the other deluxe so what you get for the price increase feels more 'worth it' to us.

 

[Moliphino]

It usually comes down to budget. We usually stay at values on a room only discount, since we really don't spend much time at the resort anyway. We did moderates a few times over the past few years to get the free DDP instead of QSDP (now that mods only get QSDP we're planning to go back to Pop and just upgrade the free QSDP to DDP). Deluxes are not even in the picture unless they have an insane discount.

 

[sponica]

I don't have an issue with the values, but (at least for me) the price jump between let's say Pop and the moderates is small enough, but the upgrades are substantial. Values are great if you just need a bed. They're fun with little kids because the theming is in your face. But they lack a table service restaurant or lounge. For us this is a must have, even if we don't use the hotel TS or the lounge, we like to have that option.

I'm not at a financial place where I can make the leap between moderate and deluxe, so I'm quite happy staying at the moderates.

 

[srpresto]

I have not gone deluxe yet because as previous posters have stated, I am not sure I will be able to go back. That being said, I switch between moderates and values based on other factors. How long is my trip? The shorter the trip the less time I have to spend at the hotel. Also the time of year matters, are there going to be large groups staying at the values (pop warner, cheer leaders, other sports). I am a solo traveller and don't enjoy the noise from some of the school age groups. If I am going with a friend and we might have different agendas, then POR or POFQ with the boats to Disney Springs are great. How often do you think . you will eat at your hotel? Take a quick look at the food court menus and see which one you like. I usually only eat 1 or 2 meals at my hotel (I go during Epcot festivals and will happily pop over there for lunch or dinner), so the food courts only need a few options for me. Like other posters, I recommend starting at Pop, but the All Stars are good too.

 

[buzznina]

12 years ago, our family started at POLY a monorail Deluxe, based on having an infant and what a lot of Dissers had said about convenience and saving time etc. Well fast forward 12 years and 30+ more trips, we have stayed at all 3 levels and have totally enjoyed every trip and learned that the "convenience and saving time" factor did not live up to the hype. To us, we found the deluxes (especially at the prices recently) just not worth the extra $$. We think the themes are as good as the deluxe's and just a lot nicer than values (more trees and greenery), the PO's have a boat to DS, we rather have a good food court over a sit down restaurant, do not need a balcony and (at WDW only) rather have an outside corridor. We found that "location, location, location" is not that big of a deal when you factor in the $$, we have had deluxe rooms that were just as far of a walk as at a Mod resort and actually more to catch a bus.
We now usually do the Mods over values, because we are not always at the parks and spend a decent amount of time at the resort, queen beds over full size beds (but now the values are starting to put queen beds in their refurbed rooms), our DD's love the pool to have a slide and we like being able to rent a surrey bike. You also have entertainment, like yeehaa Bob etc. that values do not have.

But I would not pay double to move up a category, we usually can find a discount to stay at a Mod over a value where the price difference is not that much. And if there is a great TA discount for a deluxe then we may "splurge" and stay there.

If you are going to be at the parks all the time then why pay more $ for amenities that you are not going to be using. Like I said before we had fun and great trips when we stayed at values, mods or deluxes.
Here are a couple of good site to look at the resorts and rooms.
http://www.disneytouristblog.com/disney-world-hotel-reviews/
https://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/hotels

 

[VAfamily1998]

I have only stayed at Deluxes (BWI, YC, Poly, WL, AKL) and moderates (all of them.)

It's unlikely I will stay at a value (except maybe just one night, if I had a late night arrival) because values do not have hot tubs in their pool area, and I actually really enjoy a hot tub

I have enjoyed most of the moderates just as much as Deluxes--especially Coronado Springs. The outdoor corridor and lack of balcony really doesn't bother me much.

 

[SarahC97]

For me, price always dictates where we stay. The second factor is the comfort. I have stayed at all three levels and I have to admit, the moderates were the most comfortable for my family. The beds were so great, we actually bought the same style mattress when we got home. But if I would rather go for longer and pay about the same amount, I'll choose a value no problem. I have two small kids (7 and 10), so the size of the beds isn't an issue right now. It may well be some day, but now that you can stay at Pop and get two queen beds, it's not a big of a difference as it once was. And they're redoing the rooms at the All Stars too, so that might soon be a non-factor.

In my mind, the biggest difference between values and the other resorts is the pool. Pools at mods and deluxes are far superior to the values and have hot tubs too. If you think you're going to spend more time at the resort in the pool, then it's certainly worth paying more for that feature. But, having stayed at deluxes, the only thing they have over the moderates in my mind is location and transportation options. So, that's another factor to consider. I would suggest thinking about the features that mean the most to you, then choose a resort based on those. I personally lean more toward moderates, especially Port Orleans French Quarter, because they're a good price with good pools and good transportation.

 

[jaiminee krikit]

Our first on-site stay was at WL. I loved it, but I didn't pay for the trip and had no idea how much it cost. When planning our next vacation, DH did everything. I don't know how, but he picked perfectly. We stayed at POFQ. We were in building 4 nearest the food court, right by the stairs. We were also close to the path to the bus stop. It was the perfect hotel for our first stay as a small family. It is still my favorite resort that I've ever stayed at.
We've stayed at all the moderates, Pop, and AKL. We usually stay at one of the PO resorts (POR is DD15's favorite). I will stay at Pop when I'm by myself. DD and I are staying there this summer and it's the first time I've stayed there with more than one person besides a one night stay before a cruise. I'll see if I still like it after that AKL wasn't worth the cost IMHO. It was a nice resort, but I didn't love it like I thought I would. It was amazing to look out our balcony and see animals just wandering around, but I didn't like the room at all. It was dark, the beds were horribly uncomfortable, and there was no storage space (compared to moderates and even Pop). It was a split stay and as soon as we got to POR I said "This is where I'm meant to be".
I personally cannot justify the cost of deluxe resorts. I always tell myself, some day, but when that day comes and I see how much it costs, I would rather save or stay longer.

 

[Dis703]

The main difference for me between value and moderate is the feel of the resort. Values always feel very loud and chaotic to me in both decor and actual crowd/noise level. The mods like CBR are very spread out, only 2 levels, I hardly ever see anyone around the resort except at the bus stop, pool, and food court. The rooms were some of the quietest we've stayed in and the resort is just peaceful and relaxing. I also prefer the covered bus stops so I'm not standing in the sun or rain like they are at the values. The pools are also nicer and have a slide. The splash zone for the kids is pretty awesome. Little beaches with hammocks to hang out and relax. And they have the option of a TS meal. There are some differences in the rooms as well. Queen beds vs. double (although Pop is putting Queens in with one of them being a murphy bed), coffee makers, doors that slide to separate the sleeping area and sink area. There are a lot of subtle differences, but the overall feel of the resort is what makes me prefer the mods.