Delux v. Value. Is it worth it?

[bas71873]

We just returned from our first trip to WDW. We stayed at the Pop Century Resort and loved every minute of our trip. The hotel was wonderful. Food was good. Transportation was excellent. We have no complaints at all. We are starting to plan our next trip and would love to upgrade, but is a delux resort at over $300/night really worth it? We have a 5 year old daughter who absolutely loved the over-the-top decor and pools at Pop. And, we really didn't spend all the much time at Pop, but, next trip I do plan to have a day or two of resort relaxing rather than run, run, run the whole time.

I have read reviews on the moderate resorts and most of those seem to share the buses, which I really don't want to have to deal with, hence my curiousity on the delux. Anyone out there who has stayed at both and can offer feedback.

Thanks.

 

[Candice30]

i have the opposite problem. i usually stay at deluxe and have been to the moderates but i have never stayed at the values. in my opinion, the deluxes are worth every penny. i'm having a hard time with being okay for POP which is what i have booked now due to money constraints this year. for your 5 year old there won't be a difference but for adults to me there definitely is.

 

[bas71873]

Well, I hope you have the same experience we had at Pop. We went during off season so it wasn't crowded, which I think helped and everything just went very smoothly. The rooms are very small, but were only there to sleep & shower so it really wasn't a problem for us. I also faxed over a room request a few days before we arrived requesting a room in the 50's building, top floor, lake view (see Epcot fireworks)....a quiet room. I am a light sleeper and I did not want to be near the pools, nor have people above me. We were in room 2442 (50s) and it was great. It's farther from the main building where the food, buses, etc. are, but we didn't mind the walk.

 

[G8r4evr]

I think that all of the Deluxes are overpriced and that is why we have yet to stay at one. I am a Financial Analyst by trade and no matter how hard I try, I cannot justify the prices of the deluxes. Maybe when our little one finally gets here, I will be able to put my separate business from pleasure more and finally splurge! =)

I wasnt a fan of the value (granted I have only stayed at Sports), but I find the mods to be a great compromise. IMO, they are the best value on property =)

 

[heyjude]

We've never had to stay at a value resort, but we've stayed at all of the moderate and deluxe resorts, and I would say it was definitely worth the money. The convenience is great with most of the hotels having good transportation options (Beach/Yacht Club and Boardwalk are within walking distance of Epcot and Disney Studios, Grand Floridian and Contemporary are on the monorail, the busses are good). We personally like having restaurants instead of food courts, and that's a plus. The pools are amazing if you want to spend time relaxing, and the rooms are great.

 

[kphwus]

We've stayed at the mods and deluxe, thsi May will be our first trip at a value. I did enjoy staying at the Poly and the BW but it was a rather large splurge 2 yrs ago. I'm curious how much we'll like POP this year. To answer your question, I would have to say yes, they are worth the money.

 

[eliza61]

Worth questions are so very hard on these boards because every one has their own special definitions.
Some folks would never dream of spending $300/night on a disney resort. You have to figure out that for yourself.

For me, I love the deluxes. I'm addicted to a balcony, some of my most memorable moments occur at night sitting on my balcony with my dh after the kids are asleep. I love my king bed. I love the location, I would probably sell my first born for the ability to walk to epcot and I do way more TS's than CS so I enjoy having a restaurant really close. We go in the warmer months and I don't do the parks from rope drop (haven't made one yet. )to closing so my resort is important to me.

 

[mygirl]

have not stayed value, but have stayed in two of the three mods. the mods were good. served their purpose: a nice clean place to sleep. the pools, food courts, and restraunts were okay as well. we liked CBR much better than POR and FQ.

that said, my dh was not too impressed. he travels quite often for work and has the good fortune of being put up in deluxe accomodations every time. when he is on va-cay he wants a great room in a great hotel. however, the deluxe's are pricey at WDW...

this fall we are staying at AKV and looking forward to it

 

[Atchley]

I have stayed at a mod and a value. I prefer the mods. More of a resort feel and very relaxing. The food courts were better at the mod and the bus service was not as crowded. CBR did not share any bus service with another resort. I don't think CSR does either. As far as deluxes, we are staying at WL this July so I don't know about them yet. Some of the deluxes share their buses too. I believe that WL shares with FW and sometimes they say the GF. I guess it all depends on what you like. Mod was a little quieter and more relaxing overall. Value was a great deal and was fun for the kids. If you aren't planning on spending much time at a resort, value would be the way to go. If you are going to take a couple of days to lounge around the resort, I would go mod or deluxe. IMO

 

[dawgfan]

I will say this....I could afford to stay at a deluxe. I would really LOVE to stay at the Poly. I have stayed at ASMu. I have stayed at POFQ. I have visited almost every resort with exception to CBR, CS, and BC. I simply cannot justify the price in my mind for the deluxe above Moderate, where I can for Mod over Budget. The jump to deluxe from moderate is really more of a great leap for me in trying to justify what you get for the price. I just cannot justify the cost to benefit in my mind.

 

[Minnie&Nana]

I love the deluxes too, esp the Poly and GF (have stayed Poly, GF, CR, BC, BW, AKL and Dolphin) but remember they also share buses...do not like taking buses from the deluxe resorts far more than from a value or moderate.

CBR does not share buses, nor does CSR if you want to try a moderate first. Have stayed at CBR, POR and FQ for mods, but never had trouble with the buses. POP is the only value we tried - enjoy POP, but the walk to the bus stops from the Parks feels like I'm walking to the other end of the World. LOL

I'm with eliza61 ~ I'd be tempted to sell my firstborn for a balcony.

 

[dzneelvr]

We've always stayed at a Values and wouldn't think of doing a deluxe at this point I just can't see spending that much money on a room and "supposed" higher service. Plus, DH would have a fit We'd rather have an entire vacation without any spending limits than all the $$ on the room and then having to economize on everything else. We eat where we want, buy what we want, etc. ASMo will again be our homebase in June

 

[daisyduck123]

For my family, the deluxes are worth every penny.

We spent 10 days at CBR once though, & loved that as well. That was well worth it over Pop as well.

 

[cmd0819]

I think I've stayed most of the Disney resort except for CSR, POFQ and AKL. I love the deluxe for the pools and for the closeness to the parks. I've had great stays at some of the mods too, especially CBR. Because we always like to have a hotel day, I like the Deluxe.

 

[La2kw]

If you enjoyed at two diamond rated motel style resort (according to AAA), and an overcrowded and overpriced food court with bland food, and buses that are way overcrowded, then you will definitely love a deluxe.

Seriously though, before buying DVC, we spent many nights in the value resorts when our kids were your age and we have great memories. Don't go into debt over it if you were happy with the values.

 

[PrincessNoelle'sMom]

Don't know if this is going to make sense to you at all, but I'll try....

For our family it is either Deluxe or value. We have stayed at mods and that is where I can't justify the cost difference. IMO, values are more "fun" type resorts and deluxes are top notch for themeing and amenities. The mods get caught somewhere in-between (obviously), but I do not like the size of them or just the general "feel" of them as compared to the values or the deluxes.

For example, we are staying at Cr for our upcoming trip and decided to go back to a value (ASMu) for our trip in Nov. Mod was never a choice for us. We tend to bounce back anf forth between Deluxe and value. For the convienience and a longer trip ( if you can swing it financially) I would highly reccommend a deluxe and say it is very worth it. For a shorter trip where most time is spent in th eparks a value serves the purpose just fine.

I hope I helped and didn't confuse you more - Best wishes in your decision making.

 

[Liltx]

My answer a few years back would have been yes, it's worth it. DH and I enjoyed many trips to the deluxes. But now with kids and a "get real" financial plan I would say no. I now know what the deluxe hotels really cost in terms of retirement, college savings, etc. I just can't make a room, nice pool and food options worth that. We have recently stayed at the swan/dolphin and I would say, with a teacher rate, that is the best deal on property at $149 but now that it is up to $199 we will be staying mod or value. I can take a taxi to the deluxes for dinner or water craft and still come out WAY ahead. If I want a real resort hotel to relax at I will go to one but it would be half the price and not at disney (Westin La Cantera Resort is 2 miles from my house and the Hyatt Hill Country is about 12 miles and they are real luxury). It would not be a sacrifice in the here and now just in future terms, although we did not qualify for the tax rebate check. Maybe if we got that I would change my mind and stimulate the economy?

Monica

 

[abrock]

I have a question. I am wondering if everyone else who stays at a Deluxe Resort for 4-5 days always ends up spending about $5000 on everything? I'm including DDP for me, DH, and DD (3), 4 day park hopper passes, as well as splurges like princess dresses, souvenirs, etc. We just stayed at the CR, Tower Bay Lake View, and we were there for 4 nights at beg of Feb. I have to stay at a deluxe resort because that is part of the trip for me, as well as the amazing convenience w/little ones at the CR.

Are there any discounts I could be missing? We are going to stay 5 nights next Feb, and are figuring once again it will be around $5000.

 

[Kim1964]

My kids loved Pop Century when we stayed there one night last year, and asked that we stay there longer if we ever go back. I think it was definitely a more fun atmosphere than POR, YC, and WL, which are the other Disney hotels at which we have stayed.

That said, when we go this summer the kids and I are staying 4 nights at POFQ because I want to try it, and then DH will join us for 7 nights at WL. When the 4 of us are together, the deluxes are definitely worth the price difference. The queen size beds are a must as I cannot share a double bed with DH and actually get a good night's sleep. The fridge and the coffee maker make breakfast in the room easy, and I LOVE having a balcony. The double sinks help us get everyone out the door for rope drop, and the really nice pool areas make our non-park resort days lots of fun. I like having a real closet, too. I cannot stand being in a cluttered hotel room, and the mod and value rooms are just too small for me to keep the room tidy.

 

[Macysmom32]

Ignorance is bliss, my dear DIS friend.....if you had a blast at POP, then stick with it and you'll never know the difference, now will you. I was happy happy happy with my little value and moderate resorts, with their colorful pools, loud arcades and crowded buses, but, like you said, you were on vaca at Walt Disney World with crazy big play-doh cans at your resort for your preschooler to go nuts over, and the squirty floor, and the fresh coffee in the morning at the food court, and the......you get my drift. We LOVED going to WDW and staying at these awesome places (which they totally are). But then one crazy trip we splurged on the Beach Club, and now it is hard to go back. So, unless you want to struggle with this question each time you go, stay at the values and enjoy your time!!!! Just my opinion....