Convince me I need a moderate!

[Princess_K]

I need some major help! In December, I'm going to Disney with my boyfriend and another couple (we are all 20-21). To save on costs, we are going to be staying in one room. One couple wants to stay at a value, and I kind of feel we could benefit from a moderate. I know there is a privacy curtain in moderates that might come in handy. And also two sinks. What are the other main differences between the two? And in your opinion, do you think paying the extra money would be worth it? Thanks!

 

[CleveRocks]

You have to decide for yourself which is best for you. Here's an objective list of the differences:

Moderate rooms are 314 sq. ft. (except CBR rooms are 340).
Value rooms are 260 sq. ft.
The 54 square feet difference is about the size of two double beds.

Moderate rooms have a ceiling fan.
Value rooms don't.

Moderate rooms have a fridge.
Value rooms don't (or you'll pay $10/day to rent).

Moderate rooms have 2 sinks (except CSR's have 1).
Value rooms have 1 sink.

Moderates have a pool slide and a hot tub.
Values have neither.

Moderates have pool towels (at the main pools only).
Values don't have pool towels ... you have to bring your room towels.

Moderates have several bus stops, so it's never a long walk to the bus (POFQ has only 1, but it's a very compact resort).
Values have only one bus stop.

Moderates' bus stops are covered (think protection from rain and hot sun).
Values' bus stops are not covered.

Moderates have lush landscaping.
Values have more "hardscaping."

Moderates have a food court AND a table-service restaurant (except POFQ ... food court only).
Values have only a food court.

Moderates have some sort of recreational activity (e.g., boat rentals, bike rentals).
Values don't have that type of recreational activity.

At Moderates, the maximum room charge limit is $1,000.
At Values, it's $500.

EXTRA CREDIT:

POFQ and POR have boat service to Downtown Disney.
CSR has full room service, and a gym.
Values are much more "kid-themed" and whimsical-looking than the Moderates.

 

[Aardvarks]

A free fridge to keep the beer and wine in so you dont have to pay dollar at the bar. You can also keep milk and cheese or yoghurts and cut down on the cost of breakfast.

May I recommend Port Orleans Riverside which also has live jaz music in the evenings and an ability to to downtown disney by boat .......that is soooo cool.

 

[Princess_K]

Thanks for your feedback! It sounds to me like that extra money might be worth it. With the values being a lot more kid-friendly, I would assume they are much louder as well? With lots of noise? Is this true?

 

[maxiesmom]

Thanks for your feedback! It sounds to me like that extra money might be worth it. With the values being a lot more kid-friendly, I would assume they are much louder as well? With lots of noise? Is this true?

It depends. The only value I have stayed at is the All-Star Music, which is reported to be the quietest of the value resorts. And I have found the noise level there to be about the same as the noise level at POR. At least in the main areas. But at the moderates (except for POFQ) they do have "quiet" pools too, so if the main pool is to loud you can escape to a smaller, more peaceful one. Don't think that just because you are upgrading to a moderate there will be less kids around. I have found all of the resorts I have stayed at to be very kid-friendly!

 

[pickles]

2 couples should do 2 rooms, unless you are swingers

so with that said if money is an issue stay at the values with 2 rooms, otherwise by the end of the trip you either may be swingers or you will not be friends anymore

 

[wdw4us2]

I would definitely go for a moderate. We feel crowded in a Value now and it's myself, DH, DD16 and DS 13. We stopped staying at the Values with the kids about 3 years ago.

I couldn't imagine being there with DH and I and another couple!

 

[goofy4tink]

Just be aware that the room size is almost identical. I 'think' the rooms at CSR may be larger than the other moderates. But the moderates are only a foot or so larger in size than the values.
They have table service restaurants, nicer landscaping, pool slides and hot tubs. There is the fridge, and privacy curtain as well as double sinks.
I've found the kid level to be about the same. Not much difference in noise.
For two couples though, I would go with two rooms though. That's just way too much togetherness for me.

 

[Princess_K]

Hahaha..my best friend is in the other couple and we roomed together for two years at college. I think we'd be okay with the togetherness factor. The swinger comment made me laugh!

Thanks for your input. I'll have to show them this thread and see what they think!

 

[mickeyluv'r]

There is also nicer furniture, better room decor, and more clothing storage in mods. Most mods have granite counters, more counter space outside bathroom. Values, I think have either laminate counters or maybe Corian.

Most mods though are very large, and that takes a longer time to get around. The values each have only one bus stop for each park, and LINE queues. Some don't like lining up for bus, but we found that areal asset of the values. Makes it much harder for folks to cut the line. If you aren't at main bus stop at mods, you do get covered ares with benches, but you might also have a FULL bus pull up. So then you have to wait for the NEXT bus to arrive. UGH! I never had to stand in the rain at values though. (rain tends to happen in the afternoon in FL.)

CSR also has a salon and a spa.

Still, with adults who like to have their own beauty products, I think the extra space at the mods would be better. I am willing to share toothpaste with DH, and shampoo with my sister - but I don't want to have to share either with my friends, generally speaking. There's also extra room to store luggage and clothes. I remember thinking the values were fine for two adults, but would be tight with four adults.

 

[mmmears]

I would go with the moderates because with 4 adults the privacy curtain for the bathrooms and the extra space would make a big difference. Really, I think that ANY additional space is nice. Plus the pools at the mods have waterslides, so they are a bit more fun than the ones at the values. Plus more food choices at the resort.

Also, the 2 resorts at PO have that great boat transportation to Downtown Disney at night, and there's lots to do there, with Pleasure Island and Disney Quest, plus all the dining and shopping choices.

Have a great trip!

 

[wdw4us2]

Just be aware that the room size is almost identical. I 'think' the rooms at CSR may be larger than the other moderates. But the moderates are only a foot or so larger in size than the values.

The difference in the room size is more than a foot:

Values: 260 square feet
POFQ, POR, CS: 314 square feet
CBR: 340 square feet

 

[minnie61650]

The difference in the room size is more than a foot:

Values: 260 square feet
POFQ, POR, CS: 314 square feet
CBR: 340 square feet

There really is not much room size difference between a mod and a value.

Here is the layout of a mod.

The bathroom is about the same size as the All Stars but the mods (with the exception of CSR which has a larger vanity area) will have 2 sinks instead of one.

POR room lay out

Here is the All Star room layout'

All Star room layout

The mod has 54 square feet more than the value.
That means if both the mod and the value room were 27 feet long than the mod would be 2 feet wider. Just enough room for a double sink instead of a single.

To me that is not a lot of room size difference.
--------------------------------------------------------
*NOTE:
If you want a privacy curtain All Star Music has privacy curtains in all of the rooms in the Calypso and Jazz buildings. If you pay an extra $10 a night for a preferred building at All Star Music your room will be in a Calypso building. Those buildings are the nearest to the main pool, food court and bus stop.
For $10 extra a night you not only will have less walking at the resort you will also have a privacy curtain!

Have fun at WDW ! :wizard;

 

[Princess_K]

I didn't realize that any of the values had a privacy curtain around the sink area. That's a nice added bonus. The other big concern I have about a value is the lack of refrigerator. I'm always used to having one in the room that we keep milk and juice in. Then we just eat breakfast in the room. How much does it cost to get a fridge?

 

[minnie61650]

....With the values being a lot more kid-friendly, I would assume they are much louder as well? With lots of noise? Is this true?

I stay at the values quite often and have never had an issue with noise.

The noise issues come with :

1. The main pool is located very close to some of the value rooms.

The themed pools at the mods and deluxes are set away from the rooms.

Tip: Ask for a room facing away or located a ways from the main pool.

2. Turbo toilets

The Values, AKL, SSR, and some of the updated rooms at POR are newer and have the turbo toilets.

Tip: Close your bathroom door at night because noise travels through the plumbing.

3. Connecting rooms

About 50% of the value rooms have connecting doors.

Noise will travel under the connecting doors in a room.

Tip: If you have noisy neighbors open your connecting door and place a rolled up bath towel on the floor between then close and lock your connecting door.

Some guests find that a fan or a white noise machine helps them sleep better at night.

These tips should help you get a restful sleep wherever you choose to stay.

Have fun at Disney!

 

[MissAlaineous]

Two options for the fridge .... look into one of the fridge swaps or take a small cooler and fill up at the ice machine.

 

[minnie61650]

I didn't realize that any of the values had a privacy curtain around the sink area. That's a nice added bonus. The other big concern I have about a value is the lack of refrigerator. I'm always used to having one in the room that we keep milk and juice in. Then we just eat breakfast in the room. How much does it cost to get a fridge?

All Star Music is the only value that has privacy curtains.
When All Star Music added Family Suites to the Calypso and Jazz buildings they put privacy curtains in the standard rooms of those buildings as well as the Suites.

They did not put the privacy curtains in the other buildings when they were refubished. So the only value resort rooms with privacy curtains are in the Calypso and Jazz buildings.

WDW just finished refubishing all of the rooms at All Star Sports but they did NOT add the privacy curtain to any of those rooms.

A fridge costs $10 a night to rent.
The budget board on this forum does have some fridge swaps where you can get a fridge for free or for a small fee.

Good Luck and have fun at Disney!

 

[loonytoony]

Definitely pick moderate and I recommend POR. It has a trundle bed too. That way if someone wants to kick their mate out of bed they can sleep on that.

 

[MK4ever]

With 2 couples in a room definitely go with a moderate. More space.

 

[MinnieNurse]

2 couples should do 2 rooms, unless you are swingers

so with that said if money is an issue stay at the values with 2 rooms, otherwise by the end of the trip you either may be swingers or you will not be friends anymore

My thoughts exactly!

I personally would go with the value and get separate rooms.

We have stayed at all levels of resorts and POP is one of our favorites.