deluxe vs moderate

[bhillier]

Our first trip to WDW is planned for early May. We will stay @ Poly - concierge for eight days. I've been reading the boards and looking @ picturesof the different resorts. Even got a DVD vacation planning video. Both the mod and the delux resorts look great. What's the real difference (besides the price)?

 

[Scoootch]

Moderates are wonderful but the difference when you upgrade to the deluxe's is :

With a deluxe you get a balcony (most times - not true of all such as the BC has many standing room only balconies).

Moderates have room service limited to only Pizza delivery -- deluxes will have full room service.

Deluxes will have valet parking - Moderates will not.

Rooms at the deluxes will be larger in square footage and will most often times have room for 5 -- 2 double beds or queen beds and a daybed. Moderates will only have 2 double beds and be smaller.

Deluxes will have interior corridors - Moderates will have outdoor room enterances (disadvantage in rainy weather).

Often times certain deluxes offer spa services (such as the GF, Y & B clubs) and will have hair salons.

Anyone have anything to add?

 

[Rneighh]

The Deluxes have better food options.

We have stayed both Mod and Deluxe and love both. For a first time visit you will be speding most of your time at the parks and very little time in the resort. I would save the money and stay at the moderate, or spend about the same and add on the silver plan so you can eat like a king and not think about the price.

Renee

 

[bhillier]

thanks for the info.

 

[Gaiusrex]

Deluxe usually has better park access as well

 

[woody5]

I think you have to decide what type of resort person are you. We have stayed at values, moderates and deluxes. I have decided that we are a moderate resort family. Although the deluxes are beautiful we don't tend to use all of the extra amenities that they provide. We still spend most of our time in the parks and basically sleep and swim at the hotel. We don't like the values but that is a personal preference. I personally don't feel that the transportation is that much better from the deluxes to all of the parks. You still have to take busses to some of the parks and these resorts also share busses. If this is your first time I would book a moderate since you will be in the parks a lot anyway and save some $$$. If you find on return trips that you would like to spend more time at your resort and just enjoy the resort itself then book the deluxe. You are spending so much for conceirge at the Poly. Will you be back at the resort to use the lounge and so forth. There will be major $$$$ savings in booking a moderate. The decision of which resort is an individual thing. What one person loves another hates so you really have to decide what you want from the resort and how much time you are going to spend there.

 

[Spartan]

We only have a little experience with deluxe's, as we personally didn't feel it was worth the cost. The two main things I liked were the balcony and better transportation options. Those are both vey valuable, but there were some things I definately like better at the moderates. There were only 3 of us, so the room size didn't play a factor, but that could obviously be a big advantage as well.

At the mods, I like the food courts better - a much better selection. Sit down restaurants weren't a factor to us because we preferred not to have sit down meals at our own resort. I know many people like having everything in one building, or closer together, but I thought it gave the resort a more crowded feeling. This might have to do with the fact that I think the deluxes draw a lot more visitor's, either eating in the restaurants or just checking things out - but I felt like we were on display in the main pool (not that there's anything to show off ) I like the pool situation better at the mods with having so many quiet pools. Those pools are practically empty every time we've used them. We also always have our own vehicle with us, and use it for some of the parks and DTD, so that also tends to make transportation a little less important.

Room service, spa, valet, inside corridors, concierge - were all meaningless to us, but certainly worth considering if they are important factors to you.

 

[Franky4fingers]

I have only stay at the moderates and the all-stars, but here is what appeals to me about the Deluxes. Poly, Contemporary, and Floridian all are on the monorail line, I love the monorails and if I stayed on the monorail line I would be in "Por favor mantenganse alejado de las puertas" heaven. If you stay in the mods you rarely ever ride the monorails because your hotel buses take you to the front gates.

The other thing about the deluxes is look how cool and big the buildings are. Contemporary, Grand, Wilderness Lodge, and the Poly all have big distinctive buildings. Those are the buildings you think of when you think of Disney hotels not the spread out compounds of the POR, CSR, and CBR.

Valet, Concierge, room service, don't mean much to me so I can't comment on that aspect.

The Great Ceremonial house in the Poly is the coolest lobby ever. And in that lobby is the coolest bar/lounge in all of Disney.

Animal Kingdom Lodge I can't really speak about I have never been over there so I have no Idea but I have never really heard anything bad about it.

As far as food goes when I go to disney I am usually on the chicken finger/hotdog meal plan. So as long as I can eat that I am happy.

POR owns!!!

 

[motaei]

Last December, I had reservations for CSR. Due to air conditioning problems, we were moved to YC (for no additional cost) after only one day at CSR.

The benefits I saw were: The balcony. Indoor access. A bakery/espresso bar downstairs. A walk to Epcot. Mickey & Pluto downstairs on the weekend mornings. Bigger rooms. An easy walk to BW.

Although all these ammenities are very nice, I don't think they are worth paying double for. But that is just me. There are obviously plenty of people who do believe those extra are more than worth it. So it's really up to you.

 

[rascalmom]

One of the big differences to me was the type of air conditioning. This is a bizarre thing with me - I hate those under-the-window type air conditioners. They are noisy and they are either "on" or "off".

I prefer central air with a thermostat control - it really makes a difference in how I sleep. Most people wouldn't even notice, my husband thinks it's silly. I've been known to ask about the type of air conditioner before I will make a reservation at a hotel.

Interestingly, the value resorts have the better air conditioners!