$500.00 a night for deluxes other than AKL/WL????

[FairyDust2008]

What makes the other deluxes cost so much compared to AKL and WL when they are 2 of the newest resorts?? I know the monorail, transportation/location to the parks, etc is a big location, location thing but I've read reviews on trip advisor of run down furniture/decor and just being out of date and the Poly being compared in various reviews as being very "BRADY BUNCH" decor. I mean the AKL has exotic animals and even if you don't have a savannah view room, the cost of the rooms are very reasonable for a deluxe hotel compared to like a standard/garden view like at Poly, which runs close to 400.00 a night compared to 275.00 or so at AKL. Just curious....... Everytime I watch the DVD and my kids see the deluxes like Beach Resort, which dd loves, I compare the costs and so astronomical in cost between the AKL/WL and Beach Club, Poly, etc. Feel free to give your input.

 

[boomhauer]

It's all about location.

CR, Poly and GF charge that because they're on the monorail.
Boardwalk, Y&B Club charge that because they're within walking distance to Epcot.

I agree. I wouldn't pay that much for a room either, and personally, I prefer the theming of both the WL and AKL over any of the deluxes.

 

[Jill in Chicago]

They charge that much because they can. As long as they are able to fill rooms they will continue to charge as much as possible. It's not about us. It's about them and the bottom line and making a profit. I love Disney and do not mean to sound cold about this at all, just honest.

If their rooms are not filling up they will have discounts and those will be let known to the public. I think they play a lot of this by ear and change rates as they need to.

I have stayed at the WL and it was wonderful. My girlfriend stayed at AK and loved it as well.

This time we stayed at a rental home, with its own pool, only 10 minutes from AK and spent less than $1,000 for the entire WEEK. That can't be beat. I know everyone talks about Disney magic, but what's more magical than coming home from a day at the parks and having a glass of wine in your own pool without getting hit in the head by flying pool toy? Or what about having two bathroom? Or your own bedroom separate from the kids? I think all of that is magical, so, consider staying off site.

 

[Piglets Mommy]

Like Boom said, it's all about location. If you are pricing it out on Disney's site, double check the room type. I freaked once at the price, and it had automatically included club level Magic Kingdom view for the Poly. I re-priced with lagoon and it was much better (but still too rich for my blood) I think the lagoon view was $359/night for the first week in Dec. (Value season)

 

[Turtlegirl]

I wonder if the people who liken the Poly decor to Brady Bunch decor have actually ever been to Hawaii? The current Poly decor is truly decorated Hawaiian. I've stayed at 8 different hotels on 3 different islands since 1998 in Hawaii, and Hawaiian decor is dark! They use a lot of dark wood, browns and oranges. Honus (turtles) are a common decorating theme. The Polynesian longhouses are shaped like ancient Hawaiian longhouses. One place we stayed at on the Big Island of Hawaii had grass huts or "hales" with no phones, no TVs and no a/c. This is a true Hawaiian experience. Perhaps the Polynesian is too authentic for them and what they want is their "idea" of Hawaii.

 

[Hopefully]

There are on site Villas with 2 bedrooms where I can sit on my Disney balcony sipping a glass of wine and overlooking the activity at the Boardwalk, for example. I love staying on site.
But to answer the OP question, the rooms at the WL and AKL are a bit smaller than at the CR, the Poly and I believe the GF. But as you noted, it is primarily the location of the Deluxe resorts that make for the nightly rate. And as a PP said, people continue to be willing to pay for them, and as long as that is the case Disney will charge those prices.
As they continue to go up, each of us must make our own decision and decide whether we can and are willing to pay that price.

 

[LowesChevy]

Depends on what you are accustomed to paying for a room a night. If you do not feel like the price is related to the overall value, then do not pay it, but there are plenty of people who are paying the $500 bucks a night.

It has a lot to do with location and supply & demand. As long as people are filling up the resort week after week then the prices will continue to climb every year. If the occupancy goes down consistantly over a period of time, then you must lower prices.

The location of the Polynesian makes the resort ideal for travel-you are not limited to busses, easy walking access to TTC, boats to MK and the monorail. Yacht, Beach Club & BWI are close proximity to Epcot and DHS. Whereas AKL and WL are closest to 1 park. Whether the extra $150-200 is worth this convenience is up to you.

The Polynesian refurbishment was completed last year and the rooms are wonderful. New furniture, fixtures, bed linens, and televisions were all added.

 

[spiceycat]

go rent a BCV reservation from a DVC member. then she can stay there - okay in the BCV part - but still BC - so she gets to use the pool (which is probably her big draw)

 

[Elmo888]

In addition to location, WL and AKL have the smallest rooms of the deluxes. WL and AKL typical rooms are 344 square feet, and the next smallest is YC/BC with 381 square feet. A typical room at GF is 440 square.

 

[CarolA]

You are paying ONLY for location and theme

The Disney "deluxe" is not even equal to your local full service Marriott in terms of room quality, service etc. Most independent rating services rate them a three star which is the rating your local full service Marriott/Hilton aim for.

So if you think the location is worth it pay. IMHO they are ripping us off and I won't pay. I used to think that AKL was the one exception as it does have the cool animals, but now that I have the DVC resort there I won't pay Disney Deluxe prices again. Even with a discount when compared to TRUE resorts it's a rip off. The location does make up for it IMHO.

I do get to stay in REAL Deluxes and the Disney version is a sad comparison!

 

[3for Me]

Well for us, we have a family of five. WL and AKL can not accomodate us unless we get a deluxe room. Even if it were allowed we would never try to squeeze that many people into that small a space - it certainly wouldn't feel like a vacation!

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

The room we had at CR Tower MK View was alot bigger than the room at AKL, and thank goodneww I didn't pay for a Savannah view, because there weren't many animals on the reserve and I would expect there would be for that kinda money. I got everything I paid for at the CR with a view that was priceless.

I can't understand why the Poly and GF prices aren't comparable to the CR, but I know there is a reason. I paid $411.85/night for that CR MK View including a AAA discount, so they do have more reasonable rooms there.

Suzanne

 

[texasteacher35]

I have stayed at the GF twice and it is really nice! I love the location and the theming of the hotel! I have also stayed at WL and I really like that decor, too! It is really fun! It is great that they offer some good rates on SOME deluxe hotels...maybe because WL is NOT on the monorail AND AKL is way over at AK in stead of right in the middle of the Magic Kingdom loop! I think it is fun to stay at all the different deluxes...we plan on trying the AKL this year! I heard that their tranportation on the buses is really good because they do NOT have to share a bus with any other hotel! The bussing at the GF really STUNK when we had to make, like, 100 stops before returning to our hotel from the MGM area and DTD! I hated that last time!

 

[texasteacher35]

I have stayed at the GF twice and it is really nice! I love the location and the theming of the hotel! I have also stayed at WL and I really like that decor, too! It is really fun! It is great that they offer some good rates on SOME deluxe hotels...maybe because WL is NOT on the monorail AND AKL is way over at AK in stead of right in the middle of the Magic Kingdom loop! I think it is fun to stay at all the different deluxes...we plan on trying the AKL this year! I heard that their transportation on the buses is really good because they do NOT have to share a bus with any other hotel! The bussing at the GF really STUNK when we had to make, like, 100 stops before returning to our hotel from the MGM area and DTD! I hated that last time!

 

[texasteacher35]

Sorry, I am turning into a parrot!

 

[monorailsilver]

I wonder if the people who liken the Poly decor to Brady Bunch decor have actually ever been to Hawaii? The current Poly decor is truly decorated Hawaiian. I've stayed at 8 different hotels on 3 different islands since 1998 in Hawaii, and Hawaiian decor is dark! They use a lot of dark wood, browns and oranges. Honus (turtles) are a common decorating theme. The Polynesian longhouses are shaped like ancient Hawaiian longhouses. One place we stayed at on the Big Island of Hawaii had grass huts or "hales" with no phones, no TVs and no a/c. This is a true Hawaiian experience. Perhaps the Polynesian is too authentic for them and what they want is their "idea" of Hawaii.

I have stayed at the Poly many more times before going to Hawaii & loved it & then I honeymooned in Hawaii in 2000 & loved it there & teh entire time I kept telling my dh "I feel like I am in WDW with a beach & a little NYC too".

But I still love the Poly post Hawaii too. It's just tradition for me. That was the first place we stayed, my dh (then boyfriend) fell in love with Disney then, OK not really but he enjoyed his stay there much more then at the All Stars & the WL & then he proposed to me there.


Back to the original OP-like the other posters have said location, location, location. I don't know the room specks but I believe the Poly & a few other of the more expensive deluxes are bigger then the WL (and maybe??? the AKL too??). The WL only holds 4 to a room. OK that is all I know because I squeel with glee when I walk the Poly grounds, smell the smell from my childhood that some think is musty but I remember that smell from when I was little & growing up thru the years, and then I see the castle, hear the boats tooting, hear the HM, the train, etc...and the price is so worth it to me just for that.

And then I get home & see that credit card bill & all the pixie dust is gone.

 

[septbaby]

Just as there are those who couldn't and wouldn't pay $500 per night at Disney there are those who would never stay at a Value and pay $82 per night. To each his own and Disney does a great job providing options for a wide range of families and travelers.

 

[MsStinkerBelle]

Just as there are those who couldn't and wouldn't pay $500 per night at Disney there are those who would never stay at a Value and pay $82 per night. To each his own and Disney does a great job providing options for a wide range of families and travelers.

Well said!

The CR, Poly and GF are about location, Location, LOCATION. For the way I travel with a special needs child, location is very important to me. We've stayed at the AKL and loved it despite the rooms smaller than the Poly, we spent most of our time at AK on purpose. For our upcoming December trip, we're spending a lot of time at the MK and EPCOT so we're back to the Poly. We do stay at the values but that's usually just for 1 or 2 nights before checking into a deluxe.

It just means we have to save more for a longer period of time and that's ok with us.

 

[boomhauer]

You are paying ONLY for location and theme

The Disney "deluxe" is not even equal to your local full service Marriott in terms of room quality, service etc. Most independent rating services rate them a three star which is the rating your local full service Marriott/Hilton aim for.

So if you think the location is worth it pay. IMHO they are ripping us off and I won't pay. I used to think that AKL was the one exception as it does have the cool animals, but now that I have the DVC resort there I won't pay Disney Deluxe prices again. Even with a discount when compared to TRUE resorts it's a rip off. The location does make up for it IMHO.

I do get to stay in REAL Deluxes and the Disney version is a sad comparison!

I agree that I won't pay $500 per night, but I don't think a fair comparison to the WL is a local Marriot. I've stayed at quite a few Marriots priced out about the same as the WL, and far and away, I preferred the WL. The room decor was far more interesting. The service was much friendlier, and the ammenities at the hotel were much better. How many Marriots have a dock where you can rent boats or bicycles? How many have cool family restaurants like Whispering Canyon?

 

[madalex]

You are paying ONLY for location and theme

The Disney "deluxe" is not even equal to your local full service Marriott in terms of room quality, service etc. Most independent rating services rate them a three star which is the rating your local full service Marriott/Hilton aim for.

So if you think the location is worth it pay. IMHO they are ripping us off and I won't pay. I used to think that AKL was the one exception as it does have the cool animals, but now that I have the DVC resort there I won't pay Disney Deluxe prices again. Even with a discount when compared to TRUE resorts it's a rip off. The location does make up for it IMHO.

I do get to stay in REAL Deluxes and the Disney version is a sad comparison!

All real estate is location. A three bedroom house in Greenwich, CT costs more than a three bedroom house in Iowa due to location. A hotel room in Manhattan is more expensive than a hotel room in Kansas City due to location. The home seller or hotel owner in these examples isn't "ripping people off" because they charge higher prices in those examples; it is purely a matter of location.

It is much the same with WDW deluxe resorts. They have, without a doubt, the best locations of the WDW resorts and for that reason they are more expensive. Whether or not the local Marriott is a "nicer" hotel, in and of itself, than the Disney deluxe resorts is completely irrelevant to the question of the cost of a room at those resorts. To suggest Disney "rips us off" because they charge high rates for those hotels is, IMHO, incorrect.