Are mods really better than value resorts?

[terri.woodhull]

We've stayed at Value resorts (ASMu & Movies) and several Deluxe & Villa resorts but never any of the moderate ones. I just don't see that the Mods are much better than the values, for the price difference.

What am I missing?

Looking to book late September, 22nd for 7or 8 nights, and I'm considering a mod but not sure if its worth it. I haven't been to WDW since 2011 and so want to make a good choice!

 

[dansdad]

What the mods have that the values don't:

Bigger rooms
Queen beds (except for CBR)
Double sinks
Multiple covered bus stops
Table Service restaurant
Pool slides
Hot tubs
Lusher landscaping
Bike rentals
Boat rentals

So whether the mods are better than the values will depend on whether any of the above features are important.

 

[terri.woodhull]

Thank you great list! Are the rooms noticeably larger?

We don't use buses much (or haven't) but I was considering skipping the car rental to save $$.

 

[Mom2Cody06]

It's all a matter of preference and who's traveling with you. My kids love the larger than life and bright colors of the values. I love the luxury of deluxe but just can't afford it. We personally love POR. The grounds are beautiful. The pool is awesome.

 

[dansdad]

Thank you great list! Are the rooms noticeably larger?

We think so. Especially if you add in a pack-n-play and/or stroller.

We don't use buses much (or haven't) but I was considering skipping the car rental to save $$.

We enjoy using the buses. We consider it a part of the experience, like it's an attraction in and of itself. In 9 trips, never felt the need to spend the $$ on a car.

 

[mickey2minnie1]

The queen beds alone have me sold!

 

[Disneylover99]

Overall, mods just have a more relaxing, quiet vibe than the values.

 

[cinderwannabe]

They also have coffee makers at the mods

 

[720L]

Queen beds, coffee makers & covered bus stop make mods better than value---oh and slides at the pool.

 

[720L]

What the mods have that the values don't:

Bigger rooms
Queen beds (except for CBR)
Double sinks
Multiple covered bus stops
Table Service restaurant
Pool slides
Hot tubs
Lusher landscaping
Bike rentals
Boat rentals

So whether the mods are better than the values will depend on whether any of the above features are important.

CBR doesn't have queen beds??

 

[dansdad]

CBR doesn't have queen beds??

Nope. Rumor wis that a room refurb has started which will include queen beds, but other than some shoddy pictures posted on another website there has been nothing confirmed.

 

[Patience]

We've only stayed in a moderate once before a long time ago and it was when Coronado Springs was brand new. We liked it, especially the pool and I enjoyed the newness of the room. Our next onsite stay was in 2011 and we stayed at Pop and enjoyed our trip. The room was very basic and small but it was clean and we had a mousekeeper who kept things magical (lots of towel animals and she would decorate our room with my daughter's stuffed animals, princess dresses, etc.). The resort itself was fun but my then 4 year old didn't really get some of the larger than life icons like the rubiks cube. For our upcoming trip, we have decided to stay moderate in a royal room at POR which ended up being a little cheaper with free dining than the Little Mermaid room package I had originally booked with no discount. I'm not sure how much my now 6 year old will like the resort itself (not as colorful as the values, no huge icons to look at, etc.) but I know she will love all of the princess touches in the royal room and so will I. I prefer hotel rooms that are fresh and a little more upscale than the value rooms, although I was looking forward to staying in a LM room because I knew my little one would love the resort so much. One day, I would love to stay at AKL or the Poly but I think I am too much of a penny pincher to justify the prices of those to myself.

 

[goofy4tink]

I love POR, one of my favorite resorts. It was my first WDW stay back when it was Dixie Landings. And I've stayed there multiple times. And was very tempted to stay there again in 3 weeks. BUT....for me, it's just not worth the cost. Why?
We don't use hot tubs...I love them at home, but hate sharing with a bunch of rowdy kids. And I have only one time not had this happen...midday at BCVs. I seldom eat at table service restaurants at the resort. I much prefer the food court for quick meals at resorts. Pool slides are fun, but once my dd got to a certain age, they were too small for her. That age was about 8!!!
As far as room size goes...it really isn't a huge difference!! And once they put in queen beds, the room difference is almost negated!!
Yes, the double sinks are nice but not that big a deal for us. We seldom find ourselves needing sinks at the same time.
Once they put those curtains into the values, we pretty much stopped using moderates.

If you are planning on spending a lot of time at the resort, then sure, go with a moderate. You do have some addtl recreational options there. But, if you are planning on just doing the parks and then sleeping or swimming at the resort? Go with a value.

I am booked at Music and AoA-LM in three weeks. I was going to change from Music to POR but figured I could spend $250 in better ways!!! Just didn't make sense for 4 nights. But, that's up to everyone to decide for themselves.

 

[maxiesmom]

If you are planning on spending a lot of time at the resort, then sure, go with a moderate. You do have some addtl recreational options there. But, if you are planning on just doing the parks and then sleeping or swimming at the resort? Go with a value.

That sums up perfectly how we decide which resort we are staying at for our trips. Some trips are shorter trips, and we are in the parks open till close. For those trips, we stay at a value resort. For the trips that are a bit longer in length (more than 4 nights) we know we need some relaxation to go with our park fun. So we stay at moderate (and on some occasions deluxe) resorts.

I will say too that if I go during the middle of the summer, the covered bus stop at the moderate and deluxe resorts are a huge plus. By themselves they are almost worth the cost to upgrade from a value.

 

[goofy4tink]

That sums up perfectly how we decide which resort we are staying at for our trips. Some trips are shorter trips, and we are in the parks open till close. For those trips, we stay at a value resort. For the trips that are a bit longer in length (more than 4 nights) we know we need some relaxation to go with our park fun. So we stay at moderate (and on some occasions deluxe) resorts.

I will say too that if I go during the middle of the summer, the covered bus stop at the moderate and deluxe resorts are a huge plus. By themselves they are almost worth the cost to upgrade from a value.

Yeah, we'll see how I feel this time next month...after a week at Music and AoA-LM. No covered bus stops there!!! And it should be pretty toasty!!!

 

[pigletto]

I love POR, one of my favorite resorts. It was my first WDW stay back when it was Dixie Landings. And I've stayed there multiple times. And was very tempted to stay there again in 3 weeks. BUT....for me, it's just not worth the cost. Why?
We don't use hot tubs...I love them at home, but hate sharing with a bunch of rowdy kids. And I have only one time not had this happen...midday at BCVs. I seldom eat at table service restaurants at the resort. I much prefer the food court for quick meals at resorts. Pool slides are fun, but once my dd got to a certain age, they were too small for her. That age was about 8!!!
As far as room size goes...it really isn't a huge difference!! And once they put in queen beds, the room difference is almost negated!!
Yes, the double sinks are nice but not that big a deal for us. We seldom find ourselves needing sinks at the same time.
Once they put those curtains into the values, we pretty much stopped using moderates.

If you are planning on spending a lot of time at the resort, then sure, go with a moderate. You do have some addtl recreational options there. But, if you are planning on just doing the parks and then sleeping or swimming at the resort? Go with a value.

I am booked at Music and AoA-LM in three weeks. I was going to change from Music to POR but figured I could spend $250 in better ways!!! Just didn't make sense for 4 nights. But, that's up to everyone to decide for themselves.

I couldn't agree more and it just illustrates that nobody can answer this question for someone else because we all have our own dealbreakers and preferences. That being said we usually end up at a mod or rent points because cost is pretty equal to our want to stay somewhere a little quieter and what we perceive to be more relaxing.
However, our very first night on property on our first family trip ever was at Pop Century and while it wasn't my favourite, the look on my kids faces when they saw the colors and theming and larger than life icons was priceless. I will never forget their excitement and wonder at a value resort.

 

[wmpenguin]

Queen beds are also what has sold it for me. But like others have said, everyone is different as to what value we place on different things!

 

[Marsheliz]

We used to stay value but last year we tried a MOD and I guess I am spoiled now and loved it so much.. Just nicer, bigger rooms, better grounds/landscapings/ covered bus stops with benches, quieter.. Worth a little bit extra for me!

 

[Dsnyfireman]

We stay at values with the kids. They enjoy the theming and all the stuff to do.we are not in the room much so a large room doesn't mean much to us. POP is our favorite due to location and theming. However when my wife and I go next time for an adult only trip, we fell in love with POFQ!!!! Last trip we visited I and didn't want to leave! I think with adult trips a mod is best but for us with the kids we love POP! You'll have fun no matter where you go , disney is magical at all resorts, just at different levels .

 

[Anniefrances]

For us the difference is negligible except for the price! We spend so much time in the parks that the increased expense isn't worth it. The money we save by going value over mod lets us stay longer and have more snacks and other treats. And because my kids are still young, a pool without a slide is no biggie and still really fun for them.