I find that by digging around I can usually get a mod for about $70 - $80 more a night than a value. That’s when looking at both with discounts and comparing a cheaper mod to a cheaper value resort - I don’t generally pay rack rate if I can at all avoid it.
AoA however, I always find overpriced. Even with discounts the prices leave me shaking my head. That said, I’m sure the family rooms do provide a good option for some larger groups. but as I often go solo or with only a couple family members, AoA is out of the running for my $$$
The deluxes do have a larger gap and I generally can’t justify booking them unless I find an amazing deal. I do understand why people book them, they’re beautiful, but I have a certain set $$ amount that I like to spend each year on travel and booking a deluxe would mean thinking about booking one less extra small trip. Usually another little trip outweighs my need for a deluxe at Disney. I also do find the cost for a Disney deluxe room vs an actual deluxe hotel other places in the world to be vastly out of balance - a fact that strikes me as bonkers, but whatever, it’s Disney, the prices are what they are.
I did recently book a trip to
Disneyland, I’m staying at the Disneyland Hotel in June and I have to say - the prices shocked me a bit. I’m sure it will be very nice, and more importantly my dad will enjoy the ease of access and the nostalgia of staying where we stayed many times when I was younger... but ouch it was more than I would have paid to stay at the contemporary! In fact, even their cheapest on site hotel costs more than many of the moderates at WDW. But to book this trip I did sacrifice a mini break to San Francisco.
Basically I think it’s all about your preferences and priorities. Do you save more, do you travel more often, do you go less often but spend big when you’re there, do you spend all day in the parks, do you lounge by the pool - no choice is wrong, it’s just how you choose to live and budget for your life.
AoA must fit the bill for some people though, because a lot of people stay there.
Also I must say, I still find the prices on most of the values to be quite decent. Especially since I just paid $169 a night for holiday inn in my neck of the woods so we didn’t have to drive home after a concert.