Animation Resort Rates

[maxiesmom]

We were going to have a group of 6 and had planned to stay AoA until the prices came out. Since 2 out of the 6 are only coming for 4 of the 8 nights, it's actually going to be cheaper for us to rent points and get two studios at a DVC resort than it would've been to stay at this so-called "value". Go figure.

The thing I see as a negative with getting two rooms or dvc units of any kind is that you won't be all together in one space. You can request connecting rooms, but it is not a given that you will get them. We have had first hand experience with that! However, for some it is worth the small gamble.

 

[THERESA522]

I, too, am disappointed by the rates.

What I would have LOVED, though, would be a room for a family of 5 (with no kitchen) at a value. They could have kept the cost down that way and no one would be insulted by the price @ a "value."

 

[twoplustwins]

yes, I was disappointed too. I had looked forward to my family staying here, but $300 a night is not a value IMO.

 

[BrerMama]

Not only is AofA more expensive than Riverside (for us the difference is $2000 more for the suite at AofA), but it's also $1200 more than getting 2 rooms at Pop.

I'm planning to book Riverside. If they get rid of the trundles, they can move me to a deluxe or a DVC. They're not moving me to a Family Suite -- I'm not going to a Value when I booked a Moderate.

 

[MsPeggySue911]

my "issue" with the family suites is that you pay top dollar and get value service, ie multi bus stops, not sit down rest at the resort, no water slide - just to name a few things that you get a moderate/deluxe resorts
imo for what they charge you should be getting much more

its pretty sad when you can get 3 rooms at a mod for the same cost of a family value suite
the only plus to the family suite vs 2+ rooms is that you are guaranteed to be "next to" each other

You can't get a suite for the same price as 3 rooms at a mod. The lowest mod prices are $150 a night with some being over $200 a night.
That would be $450 to $600 a night for 3 mod rooms.

We are booked at a family suite at ASMu for $250 a night.

 

[plutolovr]

One option Disney may be thinking about in the AB section rooms for 5 would be to put in the TV consoles that they are using in Aulani http://www.**************.net/2011/01/tour-the-rooms-of-aulani-disneys-first-vacation-club-hotel-in-hawaii/It's a console that has a bed the pulls down. It's a small bed, and definitely not big enough for an adult, but a small child would fit.

If they do this they will have to put drawers somewhere else as this would cut down on storage. Perhaps they can put drawers and refrigerator where they have the bench, a set-up like they have at the Boardwalk and YC/BC. I just don't see any room for them to still use trundles with queen-sized beds.

 

[dmband]

You can't get a suite for the same price as 3 rooms at a mod. The lowest mod prices are $150 a night with some being over $200 a night.
That would be $450 to $600 a night for 3 mod rooms.

We are booked at a family suite at ASMu for $250 a night.

Yes you can
We did it in 2010
With out typing all the details, basically because family suites don't have many discounts and moderate resorts have higher discounts then value the savings is 3:1 if you take the time to do everything and get discount code

On the flip side I just made res for next yr...
Value family suite is $1670 at aoa and $1505 at cr which is deluxe for a trip with 5 people
So IMO to pay $165 extra to lose everything you get from deluxe to value is a joke and shows the lack of value

Edit to be fair, the value would give me a second bathroom and kitchenette but we never use the kitchenette and can live with one bath

 

[dzorn]

The thing I see as a negative with getting two rooms or dvc units of any kind is that you won't be all together in one space. You can request connecting rooms, but it is not a given that you will get them. We have had first hand experience with that! However, for some it is worth the small gamble.

DVC does not have connecting studios.

Denise in MI

 

[5Dreamers]

Yes they are we are booked at AOA but I keep thinking we could save money and be in a Mod. Only thing holding me back is I am worried about the trundle bed. Now if I could book a trundle bed room and bring my own air mattress I would got to PORS. Less money and a mod.

We went last fall and did exactly that! I didn't like how thin and short the mattress was in the trundle, so we used a twin size blow up mattress that we had brought just in case the trundle didn't work out. We left it blown up the entire stay, leaning it up against the wall during the day. The staff never mentioned it. The room was small, but we didn't spend much time in it anyway, so it didn't bother us. They gave us a bed rail for one of the beds too.

Of course it would have been nice to have the extra bathroom, but we only have one at home anyways, so we're used to it. Having the extra sleeping area would have been nice too, especially since the kids are not used to sharing a bed and I was not used to them tossing and turning into me every night. [My husband and I each slept with one so as they wouldn't bump eachother and argue, the 3rd slept on the blow up. Kids rotated a turn on the blow-up].

It worked out for us, but I think next time I might pay the extra $.
I guess it really depends on how much the extra space/bathrooms/sleeping areas are worth ($) to you.

Hope this helps!

 

[MSLRAC]

One option Disney may be thinking about in the AB section rooms for 5 would be to put in the TV consoles that they are using in Aulani http://www.**************.net/2011/01/tour-the-rooms-of-aulani-disneys-first-vacation-club-hotel-in-hawaii/It's a console that has a bed the pulls down. It's a small bed, and definitely not big enough for an adult, but a small child would fit.

If they do this they will have to put drawers somewhere else as this would cut down on storage. Perhaps they can put drawers and refrigerator where they have the bench, a set-up like they have at the Boardwalk and YC/BC. I just don't see any room for them to still use trundles with queen-sized beds.

That is neat! I look for them to do something to sleep 5 because I really can NOT see Disney still allowing POR to book for families of 5 if they know that they will not have the ability to sleep 5 after the refurb. But I guess only time will tell.

 

[TandLMommy28]

The thing I see as a negative with getting two rooms or dvc units of any kind is that you won't be all together in one space. You can request connecting rooms, but it is not a given that you will get them. We have had first hand experience with that! However, for some it is worth the small gamble.

This is actually not a bad thing for us. My mom and aunt are joining us for the second half of the trip and they are keeping the kids in their room for those nights. Having them on another floor/area honestly wouldn't be so bad... it would be like sending them to Grandma's overnight.

 

[letsgoagainsoon]

I, too, am disappointed by the rates.

What I would have LOVED, though, would be a room for a family of 5 (with no kitchen) at a value. They could have kept the cost down that way and no one would be insulted by the price @ a "value."

That's exactly what I was hoping for. I thought they could have just made the rooms a little larger to add a twin bed or double pullout or an option with bunk beds that would even allow 6 to a room. I honestly don't care about a kitchenette or extra bathroom and that would have been able to keep costs down.

 

[dragonfly57005]

Sounds like Disney is punishing familys with more than 2 kids... I'm surprised the POR is not accepting families of 5 anymore... bummer... we liked that resort...

I don't think they think of it this way. They see these rooms being shared by a family along with grandma and grandpa or another family. Split the costs that way and it "works". Multigenerational.

Alot of disney's practices are not practical for families of lots of kids.

 

[danceintherain]

Just wait until they refurb the Family Suites at ASMu and the prices there jump over $200 during Value season. They're already at $194, so it's not that much of a stretch. During other seasons of the year, people pay more than that to stay in them. Most of the time they're filled up by the time the discounts are released, so people often pay rack rate to stay in them. Disney knows this, and I'm sure took all of it into account when they priced the new suites, especially since the sheer bulk of suites will likely make them open to discounts.

From pricing it myself, it seems that the price point is exactly where I would expect it to be. It costs a bit more than twice as much as a single room at a Value. More than a single room at a Moderate, but $50 less than a Cabin at Fort Wilderness.

I guess I would like to know how much everyone thought it was going to cost. They're trying to cover all their bases. It's still less expensive than all the single room options on property that accommodate 6 with the exception of the ASMu suites, which were basically cobbled together out of two rooms at a Value anyways. They saw it as a price point that they hadn't matched yet, and either they'll fill these new suites to capacity at rack rate, or they'll offer them at a discount. In their world, it's better to set rack rates high, then offer crazy low discounts, in hopes that people will pay the rack rate.

I do understand the frustration. I'm sure at some point my family will outgrow a standard room at Disney and we'll have to deal with the limited options. We'll still enjoy our vacations at Disney, even if we can't afford to stay on the property, or I'll book myself into a Deluxe resort and send the "overage" kids to camp at Fort Wilderness with their Daddy.
I definitely won't be paying rack rate for one of those suites.

 

[letsgoagainsoon]

From pricing it myself, it seems that the price point is exactly where I would expect it to be. It costs a bit more than twice as much as a single room at a Value. More than a single room at a Moderate, but $50 less than a Cabin at Fort Wilderness.

A bit more? Really?? Disney lists a preferred room at Pop for 100.00, they have the rate at AoA as 320.00...that is more than a bit to me!

 

[Sammie]

Disney is a business and they have share holders to answer to. They are not trying to punish anyone. They are trying to sell rooms at what the market will support.

If these rooms do not sell at these prices then you will see discounts.

One can still go to the parks and stay at many really nice homes off property for less.

 

[NewmanFamily6]

That is why this family of 6 joined DVC. More $ up front but years of usage without figuring out where to stay

 

[dazednconfused]

A bit more? Really?? Disney lists a preferred room at Pop for 100.00, they have the rate at AoA as 320.00...that is more than a bit to me!

It's true that the rates at AoA are higher than that of other Value resorts. But a difference is $220 is a lot! Pop doesn't have any Family Suites though. Are the rates you're looking at for AoA pertaining to the Family Suites or the Standard Rooms? I believe it's a only $10 or so difference if you're referring to the Standard Rooms. I got this info from the WDW website. I too want to stay at the AoA when we go to WDW in 2012. But it seems like the Standard Rooms might not be open then... If so, then we're heading to AS Movies.

 

[RMulieri]

Disney is a business and they have share holders to answer to. They are not trying to punish anyone. They are trying to sell rooms at what the market will support.

If these rooms do not sell at these prices then you will see discounts.

One can still go to the parks and stay at many really nice homes off property for less.

PLUS it is NOT just Disney that charges more or higher rates for families of 5.Most places do.

 

[MSLRAC]

I guess I would like to know how much everyone thought it was going to cost. They're trying to cover all their bases. It's still less expensive than all the single room options on property that accommodate 6 with the exception of the ASMu suites, which were basically cobbled together out of two rooms at a Value anyways. They saw it as a price point that they hadn't matched yet, and either they'll fill these new suites to capacity at rack rate, or they'll offer them at a discount. In their world, it's better to set rack rates high, then offer crazy low discounts, in hopes that people will pay the rack rate.

I expected it to cost the same as the other value resorts. For us, we just can not justify $500 more for AoA verses ASMu just because it is new.

But honestly, we were just looking at AoA because DS and youngest DD are obsessed with Cars. We ended up settling on POR for the moment because DH is still in the "keep the cost low" mindset but I'm slowly drawing him over to the monorail resort dark side and oldest DD is working him hard for a theme park view.