Disney World changing how resorts are priced?

[1911]

AOA has been priced higher than the mods for dates we were going when I was looking to book.I hardly call that a "value resort"

 

[BigB0882]

I feel like we will still have Value, Moderate and Deluxe, even if they take those names away. The value resort hotels are never going be the same as the Deluxe. What you will have are hotels that end up a Value Plus type of hotel, one that was a Value before but is now slightly more (or a lot more) expensive because it has access to the Gondola.

 

[ErinsMommy]

Isn't that basically happening right now? If you look at the location of the deluxe resorts they tend to be located in "prime" spots that allow you to get to some parks fairly easily (just by walking in many cases). The moderates are a bit more spread out and the values are on the periphery of property. The deluxe that are more distant to most parks (AKL and SSR) are typically priced less than the other deluxe resorts.

The only park you can walk to from any deluxe is the Contemporary and that's only to MK *edited that you can also walk to EP & HS from the Epcot resorts* With regard to distance, Contemporary and Poly are furthest from AK (I think) and at least Poly is the 2nd highest cost resort below the GF. And although I haven't had this problem, others have reported problems with the monorail and in the time it takes for them to fix the problem, buses are faster.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

The only park you can walk to from any deluxe is the Contemporary and that's only to MK.

Not true. You can walk to Epcot and DHS from BWI, YC, and BC.

 

[ErinsMommy]

Not true. You can walk to Epcot and DHS from BWI, YC, and BC.

yes, my apologies. i totally forgot about those and was just thinking of the monorail deluxes.

 

[madalex]

Disney isn't going to be able to charge more just because they change the names of the categories. No matter what, they will charge what the market will bear, based on location and time of year.

In addition, I would think many on the boards would applaud this change. For years, I've read comments on here that "Deluxe" resorts aren't really deluxe compared to "deluxe" resorts in the real world. If they change the category name, people will have to find something else to criticize Disney for.

 

[Lynne M]

I don't know that this is about changing pricing (which they do every year) so much as changing the categorization. Which is probably long overdue, since the current categories are often misunderstood.

There's been a long-standing misconception that the resorts were grouped by price, when Disney's intent was to group them by amenities. In other words, all value resorts have one food court, one bar, one arcade and one gift shop. There are no table-service restaurants at value resorts. There are no pool slides or hot tubs, there are no recreational activities such as boat rentals.

Deluxe resorts have a counter-service eatery and multiple table-service restaurants. Many have multiple bars. All deluxes have a pool slide, and generally have the most elaborately themed pools. All deluxes offer recreational activities. The amenities at moderates fall somewhere between values and deluxes, and the resorts in the deluxe villa category usually share facilities with deluxes, so they have deluxe-ish amenities.

Now, are the room rates at values generally less than moderates? Are moderates generally less than deluxes? Yeah, mostly, but not always. AoA is a value resort, but a family suite there can be nearly twice the cost of a standard room at a moderate, and can come close to the rate for a garden wing room at CR. Coronado Springs is a moderate, but their suites will run you about double what a room at the Poly costs. And when you throw discounts into the mix, price categories go right out the window.

Then you have the terminology. I can't count the number of times that a poster has said "I thought the value resorts were supposed to be affordable, but they're too expensive for me!" Well, no, that's not what Disney means by "value."

I don't know how they're going to break out the new categories, but I hope they use terms that don't imply cost.

 

[Sue M]

YUP. As is the case with all the Disney resorts if you go dollar for dollar in the real world. Disney spends money on the grounds, the landscape, sometimes the lobby, the main pools, maybe dining ................ but the rooms are never up to par with their cost. So when POP is just under $200 and I compare it to what I can get just a couple miles away or even around the corner ............... if I'm going to spend that much I won't be at POP.

I just picked dates the weekend before 4th of July ... POP $189 vs Embassy Suites SOUTH $184 but it is a two room nicely decorated suite almost twice the size of a POP room, two queen beds, sofabed in living room, microwave and fridge in kitchenette, interior door, huge hot breakfast buffet that is excellent even cooked to order omelets and eggs, evening reception with beer, wine, mixed drinks and snacks. If I leave a park at closing I can be back to my hotel before I can get a bus and be back to POP. Disney is making this very easy for me with the prices.

No way! Pop $189????? It will be a cold day....before I pay that for Pop. Yes, we like Embassy Suites, I’ve stayed in one in Lynwood, Wash.
And there’s a Doubletree in Disney Springs that’s all suites. Very nice rooms. Easily 2+ times the size of Pop room.
$160 king suite or $173 2 queens with AAA discount. And parking fee waived.

 

[HopperFan]

No way! Pop $189????? It will be a cold day....before I pay that for Pop. Yes, we like Embassy Suites, I’ve stayed in one in Lynwood, Wash.
And there’s a Doubletree in Disney Springs that’s all suites. Very nice rooms. Easily 2+ times the size of Pop room.
$160 king suite or $173 2 queens with AAA discount. And parking fee waived.

YUP, POP is getting crazy. I paid $200 for NYE there a year ago. It's price has been creeping this year and getting unrealistic for what they offer. POP rooms are 260 sf and I think most ES are 450+ sf.

Yes we are 5, so when we all travel we love Embassy Suites, have stayed at 4 of the in Orlando. Really like the Doubletree too for the location, and it's last renovation was done nicely, similar to the ES LBV South.

 

[Sue M]

I don't know that this is about changing pricing (which they do every year) so much as changing the categorization. Which is probably long overdue, since the current categories are often misunderstood.

There's been a long-standing misconception that the resorts were grouped by price, when Disney's intent was to group them by amenities. In other words, all value resorts have one food court, one bar, one arcade and one gift shop. There are no table-service restaurants at value resorts. There are no pool slides or hot tubs, there are no recreational activities such as boat rentals.

Deluxe resorts have a counter-service eatery and multiple table-service restaurants. Many have multiple bars. All deluxes have a pool slide, and generally have the most elaborately themed pools. All deluxes offer recreational activities. The amenities at moderates fall somewhere between values and deluxes, and the resorts in the deluxe villa category usually share facilities with deluxes, so they have deluxe-ish amenities.

Now, are the room rates at values generally less than moderates? Are moderates generally less than deluxes? Yeah, mostly, but not always. AoA is a value resort, but a family suite there can be nearly twice the cost of a standard room at a moderate, and can come close to the rate for a garden wing room at CR. Coronado Springs is a moderate, but their suites will run you about double what a room at the Poly costs. And when you throw discounts into the mix, price categories go right out the window.

Then you have the terminology. I can't count the number of times that a poster has said "I thought the value resorts were supposed to be affordable, but they're too expensive for me!" Well, no, that's not what Disney means by "value."

I don't know how they're going to break out the new categories, but I hope they use terms that don't imply cost.

But taking out of the mix suites, the regular room rates are similar in the different groupings of Value, Mod & Deluxe. There are some variances but a regular room at Coronado is nowhere near CR garden wing price. At least for me, when comparing I compare apples to apples. Regular room at a mod vs regular room at value or deluxe.

 

[Sue M]

YUP, POP is getting crazy. I paid $200 for NYE there a year ago. It's price has been creeping this year and getting unrealistic for what they offer. POP rooms are 260 sf and I think most ES are 450+ sf.

Yes we are 5, so when we all travel we love Embassy Suites, have stayed at 4 of the in Orlando. Really like the Doubletree too for the location, and it's last renovation was done nicely, similar to the ES LBV South.

That Doubletree is 540sq Ft. I got free breakfast once with a Mousesavers discount code.
I enjoyed the Pop room, but yes, it’s sure not a $200 room or resort. Fortunately I go to WDW during low seasons. And get a good Labour Day Discount. But if room rates keep going up there will come the tipping point where I won’t stay at a WDW resort, as much as I love them. The Disney Springs resorts are attractive to me because of their excellent park transportation and I don’t like driving around WDW.

 

[halfpintpeggy]

YUP. As is the case with all the Disney resorts if you go dollar for dollar in the real world. Disney spends money on the grounds, the landscape, sometimes the lobby, the main pools, maybe dining ................ but the rooms are never up to par with their cost. So when POP is just under $200 and I compare it to what I can get just a couple miles away or even around the corner ............... if I'm going to spend that much I won't be at POP.

I just picked dates the weekend before 4th of July ... POP $189 vs Embassy Suites SOUTH $184 but it is a two room nicely decorated suite almost twice the size of a POP room, two queen beds, sofabed in living room, microwave and fridge in kitchenette, interior door, huge hot breakfast buffet that is excellent even cooked to order omelets and eggs, evening reception with beer, wine, mixed drinks and snacks. If I leave a park at closing I can be back to my hotel before I can get a bus and be back to POP. Disney is making this very easy for me with the prices.

I am SO with you!

 

[DSLRuser]

I And same ugly buildings. As another poster said, you can put lipstick on it but it still is what it is.

i have always described the Values resorts a Motel 6 with Disney crap painted on the walls. Just not my cup of tea.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

But taking out of the mix suites, the regular room rates are similar in the different groupings of Value, Mod & Deluxe. There are some variances but a regular room at Coronado is nowhere near CR garden wing price. At least for me, when comparing I compare apples to apples. Regular room at a mod vs regular room at value or deluxe.

I do believe in making apples to apples comparisons, and I do think the pricing/category structure currently works very well. It’s so easy for me to understand.

I love how the resorts are categorized by amenities. I know what I get at values, moderates, and deluxes, right down to the provided (or not provided) toiletries. I don’t see any need for change.

Regarding pricing, although the rooms at Pop may be typical hotel value (ok- cheap)rooms, the resort as a whole is not a typical value hotel. That’s why I don’t mind paying more for Pop than I would at a Quality Inn (or even an Embassy Suites). The resort grounds are beautiful. The pools are large, clean, and well-staffed (love those Disney lifeguards). There is a great food court and a fun lobby and a neat gift shop. Of course, bus transport and DME are there, in addition to Magic Bands and EMH. And I feel safer at Pop than at most (all?) other value hotels off property. The room is really not very important to me. I care about the amenities- and I still get a better value at Pop than at any other value resort off property, in my opinion.

The increase in Disney resort prices has been hard to swallow, for sure. I hate it. It seems as if they have taken typical inflation rates and multiplied them by 10. But an honest assessment has me realizing that I am most annoyed because I used to get a really great value for dollar at Pop, while now I just get a good value for dollar at Pop. I don’t like that. Still, I think it’s a good value.

And I hope they keep the categories the same. They characterize the resorts and amenities quite well, in my opinion.

 

[robinb]

Of course Disney will charge more if/when they rebrand their ‘resorts’.

 

[Sue M]

I do believe in making apples to apples comparisons, and I do think the pricing/category structure currently works very well. It’s so easy for me to understand.

I love how the resorts are categorized by amenities. I know what I get at values, moderates, and deluxes, right down to the provided (or not provided) toiletries. I don’t see any need for change.

Regarding pricing, although the rooms at Pop may be typical hotel value (ok- cheap)rooms, the resort as a whole is not a typical value hotel. That’s why I don’t mind paying more for Pop than I would at a Quality Inn (or even an Embassy Suites). The resort grounds are beautiful. The pools are large, clean, and well-staffed (love those Disney lifeguards). There is a great food court and a fun lobby and a neat gift shop. Of course, bus transport and DME are there, in addition to Magic Bands and EMH. And I feel safer at Pop than at most (all?) other value hotels off property. The room is really not very important to me. I care about the amenities- and I still get a better value at Pop than at any other value resort off property, in my opinion.

The increase in Disney resort prices has been hard to swallow, for sure. I hate it. It seems as if they have taken typical inflation rates and multiplied them by 10. But an honest assessment has me realizing that I am most annoyed because I used to get a really great value for dollar at Pop, while now I just get a good value for dollar at Pop. I don’t like that. Still, I think it’s a good value.

And I hope they keep the categories the same. They characterize the resorts and amenities quite well, in my opinion.

I’ll agree I do feel safe at any WDW resort. And I did like the new rooms at Pop. But the grounds and pools although very well kept don’t do much for me. Or the block buildings.

 

[buzznina]

Just as I do not think the value resorts are even close to being like a motel 6, I also do not think they even compare to places like Embassy suites.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

Just as I do not think the value resorts are even close to being like a motel 6, I also do not think they even compare to places like Embassy suites.

I think it really depends on what you find the most value in. Theming is huge for me. Resort grounds are so important. Embassy Suites is so boring. I want color and vibrance and fun. Maybe it’s because I used to travel a lot for work and stayed in a lot of “plain” hotels. When I’m on vacation, I want my resorts to sing “Vacation!” Pop does that for me.

Maybe these could be the new categories:

Have Fun! (values)
Relax! (Moderates)
Indulge! (Deluxes)

 

[toonaspie]

By the logic of using location based pricing, would it be like this?

• GF, Poly, and Cont will still remain the most expensive as they are located on the Magic Kingdom loop.
• Wilderness Lodge might go up slightly due to MK proximity.
• BWI, BC and YC will remain same due to proximity to Ep/DHS
• POP, AoA, and CBR could go up due to Skyliner access to Ep/DHS
• AKL and CSR are up in the air.
  
• The All Stars would remain the same as you need a bus to get anywhere anyway.
• Port Orleans resorts, OKW, and SSR might go down. I don't see access to Disney Springs as a valuable feature for paying to stay there.
• Ft. Wilderness is up in the air or likely to remain same.

I'm just guessing here.

 

[kwdw]

CSR is definitely going to go up in price once the tower and restaurants are live! No question about that. The CM we talked to in January said they had already been told there would be a new pricing structure - as their "amenity level" would put them between the mod and deluxe concept now.