TheSouthernBelle
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2017
Read a few more articles today (having a tough time coming down from my Disney high post vacation; I'm sure most can relate!)
Looks like Coronado hotel will be a convention center and priced as a deluxe. I also read that Art of Animation is essentially priced as a moderate already. There certainly is speculation on a new park but only because it's been so long. My "moderate MK" is of course a weird thought.
When I say they are pricing out the middle class, there are several articles talking about that (one is linked somewhere above). Of course going to WDW at any interval is not a "right"; and certainly staying at a deluxe isn't either.
I just sit and think of the vast difference in ambiance between a deluxe and a moderate and recognize there is a level in between the two that seems to be missing. Food courts and no hallways to me is not "moderate" - just because there are hotels with even less than that doesn't make them "moderate". To me a moderate hotel would be one with a food court, one or two sit down restaurants, a lobby bar, room service, and a nice pool (with drink and food service). Oh yeah - and a hallway.
I'd price that LESS than the Swan/Dolphin - given the S/D has the convenience of location to half the parks and two deluxe hotels with their restaurants etc.
The fact is, the S/D is exactly what I'm thinking of. We just got back from 6 nights. We paid about $550 (with tax and resort fee) a night for an Alcove room - which is located at the end of the hall at the Dolphin - two rooms opposite each other with a door that shuts them out from the rest of the hall and creates a private area for storage. One room was a suite of sorts with two double beds and a sofa sleeper. The other a large room with a king and sofa sleeper. PErfect view of MK in the distance in one, and great view of Y/B, BW, waterway, Epcot fireworks and, ToT and fireworks in the other room.
So we have two large rooms averaging $275 a night all included. At a truly deluxe hotel (though not themed "Disney"). The Grotto pool is wonderful (certainly no Stormalong Bay, but the Boardwalk doesn't have that either. )
GF, Y/B, BW AKL, etc for a much smaller room I think costs near $400 a night after tax I believe. Sure - discounts can be had etc and we had a AAA discount) but S/D price for what you get is much better.
Disney has no interest in building anything like that, do they?
I know there’s a lot of new stuff for lodging on the horizon but I feel like it’s all geared for DVC. I will say we’ve stayed at all levels and feel like the mods are almost a rare breed of hotel at WDW right now with construction the pickings are slim and it’s tough to justify spending $250 on a mod room when some of the DVC studios at SS and OKW are $289.
The lack of theming is what keeps us away from s/d. The location is nice but not enough for us. I get what you’re saying agree but if Disney doesn’t have to give us more for less $$ why would they.
I wish the mods could step up some but as long as Disney has their line drawn in the sand on what separates the values the mods and the deluxes, they’re their only competition and don’t have to change.
Last edited: