Ok, I'll admit I'm a resort snob....

[MamaDawg]

We've always stayed at a moderate, specifically CBR.
This year, we upgraded our dining plan to DxDP so we could do some character dining (which we've never done) for the kids. So I'm having a hard time justifying also choosing to stay at CBR.
So please tell me if I choose to do a value, probably POP (but ASMo looks cool), that I won't regret it or that the kids won't enjoy it just as much. Its easy to upgrade from value to moderate, but not so easy to go the other way from mod to value, kwim?
Any opinions here? Please help!

 

[cleophus12]

Truth is, you may not notice much difference. The grounds at the moderates are perhaps more luxurious, but the pools at the values are just as good. And for my money, the bus situation, particularly for POP, is much better than some of the moderates where you have to ride around for 15 minutes before you even leave the resort! If you are a stay-in-the-parks-all-day kind of family, you will be just as happy at a value, I'd guess.

 

[Disney grandma]

If you children like a pool slide you won't get that at a value. Also, you can get character dining with the regular dining plan without upgrading to deluxe. Not sure how much difference in price that would be but it might help.

 

[pigletto]

Resort snob here as well. Would I skip a trip to Disney if I had to stay at a value? No way. Would I complain the whole time? No I wouldn't.
But if I am saving up for a trip I save up that extra to stay at a mod or deluxe. It feels more like a vacation to me. I find the public areas nicer, the food courts better, the rooms with enough extra space for my family, and the little touches do make a difference to us.
I find the bus situation much better at the mods as well.

That being said.. if I said to my family "Hey, let's go to Disney but we're going to stay at a value this time." Not one single member of my family would say anything but "Yay!! Disney!!".
We just prefer the overall feel of the mods to the values.

 

[PrincessDez]

We usually stay at Deluxe, and even purchased DVC BLT last year. But when we went with my son's high school marching band last year, we stayed at ASM. I was VERY concerned I would be disappointed, but quite the opposite! I LOVED it there! I really enjoyed the food court, the pool was nice and big and I liked all the grassy areas and picnic tables. The busses were faster and more frequent than any resort I have stayed at which is important when travelling with 85 teenagers. The room was not quite as 'fancy', but still comfortable.
Regardless, you will be at WDW and having a wonderful time! Enjoy yourself!!!!

 

[PrincessDez]

Resort snob here as well. Would I skip a trip to Disney if I had to stay at a value? No way. Would I complain the whole time? No I wouldn't.
But if I am saving up for a trip I save up that extra to stay at a mod or deluxe. It feels more like a vacation to me. I find the public areas nicer, the food courts better, the rooms with enough extra space for my family, and the little touches do make a difference to us.
I find the bus situation much better at the mods as well.

That being said.. if I said to my family "Hey, let's go to Disney but we're going to stay at a value this time." Not one single member of my family would say anything but "Yay!! Disney!!".
We just prefer the overall feel of the mods to the values.

Oh my goodness.......you leave TOMORROW!!!! Have a great time!

 

[natale1980]

The only difference I see between the value and the mods are the transpiration and location.
I don't personally think they are worth it.
Now the difference between the deluxe and the values is defiantly worth it. That being said, my family would have never been able to stay at a deluxe if it wasn't for the DVC.
Me and my friend are staying at a value this weekend (using our points for our family trip) I can't wait!!

Have fun!!
-nat

 

[Havana]

While we stay Deluxe every trip now that we bought DVC, being on property at a mod or a value is better than no trip at all. Have fun!!
I do hope to someday stay at all of the resorts. It's so much trying them all out.

 

[wcpamotm]

The rooms at the values are pretty small; some families feel cramped. But many children (and some adults!) like the over-the-top decor. I don't; I prefer a more relaxing environment when returning back to my room, but that's just me.

It is true that at the values, you will not be riding around in buses for awhile before you even leave the resort. The flip side to that is that you may need to walk much further to the bus stop, which will be uncovered and unshaded.

Having said all that, a vacation at my least favorite Disney resort (a value which I'm otherwise not naming here) is far preferable to a lot of other ways I could think of to spend my time!

 

[2girlsmom]

The big point between mods like CSR and POFQ (refurbed rooms) vs value is bed size, as both these mods have queen beds, the other is a hot tub. We stayed at Pop in 2007 and loved the resort theming, pool, etc., felt the busses were fine. This past December we stayed at FQ, in a refurbed room, and the queen beds and extra space were certainly welcome. We did use the fridge (free in mods, charge in value), but not enough to make that worth it, and honestly, it was TOO cold even for the hot tub this time, but it sure did look inviting, and when it was warm, as the first trip, we would certainly have enjoyed it; it was something we commented on wishing we had that trip at the end of a long day in the parks. As noted, mods also have slides which values do not, most mods also have TS restaurants, though this is not a push to me, as we rarely eat at our resort.

OP, I would also mention that the only character meal that would be 2 credits off the top of my head is CRT, so not sure that you really need DxDDP to do some character meals. Our first trip we did Donald's Safari bfast, Ohana bfast,Crystal Palace, Garden Grill, Chef Mickeys and 1900 PF (Cindy, Prince and steps), all single credit meals. This past trip we also did Cape May breakfast, and we still haven't done Akershus or H&V, but these also are characters for one credit.

 

[sharadoc]

The big point between mods like CSR and POFQ (refurbed rooms) vs value is bed size, as both these mods have queen beds, the other is a hot tub. We stayed at Pop in 2007 and loved the resort theming, pool, etc., felt the busses were fine. This past December we stayed at FQ, in a refurbed room, and the queen beds and extra space were certainly welcome. We did use the fridge (free in mods, charge in value), but not enough to make that worth it, and honestly, it was TOO cold even for the hot tub this time, but it sure did look inviting, and when it was warm, as the first trip, we would certainly have enjoyed it; it was something we commented on wishing we had that trip at the end of a long day in the parks. As noted, mods also have slides which values do not, most mods also have TS restaurants, though this is not a push to me, as we rarely eat at our resort.

OP, I would also mention that the only character meal that would be 2 credits off the top of my head is CRT, so not sure that you really need DxDDP to do some character meals. Our first trip we did Donald's Safari bfast, Ohana bfast,Crystal Palace, Garden Grill, Chef Mickeys and 1900 PF (Cindy, Prince and steps), all single credit meals. This past trip we also did Cape May breakfast, and we still haven't done Akershus or H&V, but these also are characters for one credit.

I was going to say the same thing. You don't have to do the Deluxe Plan to go the character meals. You'll have ALL table service meals which you may not want to burden yourself with. The regular Dining Plan has one TS and one QS a day, plus a snack. You can do all Character Meals with your TS credits and have fun!! And maybe go back to the moderate if you really want to.

For a value, I'd recommend All-Star Music for the activities around the pool. Plus it's right in the middle of the All-Stars, so you can go to Movies or Sports for their pools or food courts. You'll get 6 pools, a splash zone at Sports, 3 food courts, activities all day at the ASMu pool and a nightly movie.