I have stayed in all the tiers of resorts for the experience. I don't need to stay deluxe. I don't want to pay for it. I can visit those resorts without paying for those resorts like with dining there. I don't feel the moderates are worth the money comparing them to the values.
We stay value all the time, now. We have the freedom to pick our time to go; so, we make sure we get the free dining promo. We will upgrade the dining plan. If they stop the free dining promo I will take a long rest from going to Disney World.
I'm a fanatic to make sure we get the free dining plan, the best fastpasses and the best dining experiences. I will try for additional fastpasses, too at the parks once we are there. I do my homework. I'm very successful but it takes time to do it. I go as far as to make sure we do very little backtracking through the parks.
I use most of the extra magic hours available especially the morning time ones.
I won't pay for too many extras like dessert parties.
With this strategy it works for us and I feel we get value. It does become somewhat of a job to get a trip organized.
We have done Disney World for over 40 years. There were economic times were Disney was struggling a bit and then you could get some bargains with resorts. We did deluxe when it made more sense.
Now, we go back every 3-5 years. I feel there's enough new to see that way to make it more worthwhile. There was a time we would go there three to four times a year and buy annual passes, but not anymore.
We went in 2017 and I may return in 2021 for the big event. To be honest I think that will be our last trip there. We went to
Disneyland's 50th and we have not been there again.
Disney World was our honeymoon, we took our kids there and then our grandkids. We will be taking our great grand kids in 2021 I hope and we will be done. I hate to think what the prices will be that year. I went in 2000 for the millennium and it was quite high to stay onsite.