First Time Value Resort Trip, Will I regret it?

[mi*vida*loca]

Since you go to Disney 4 times a year I say give it a try. You will be back very soon anyway!

I have never stayed at a value and your concerns are exactly why. I don't think I'll enjoy it. I've seen the bus lines after the parks close, I've been in line for my resort and heard(Pop line) cheerleaders scream at the top of their lungs chanting while in line and as the bus pulled away, smaller beds, no pool slide (my kids LOVE a pool slide), no room service, no hot tub, smaller rooms, etc. I don't want to take that risk because it's vacation and I want to make sure I enjoy my time. I know what I like and when I vacation I go for exactly that. If I have to scrimp and save and still do things I don't think I'll enjoy I go elsewhere within my budget or I wait a bit longer until I have the money.

The day may come when a value makes absolute sense (flying in a day early, adding a day at the end) and we will try it but right now isn't that time. We only go every 3 years so we do Disney how we want to do Disney. If I ever had a big trip booked and was invited by my brother or other family member to tag along for a few days on another trip I may do value for a few days because I would consider that a bonus trip. But I would not stay value for my big Disney trip that I don't do very often.

 

[KenHutch]

Regardless of where you stay remember this a week at Disney is better than a week at home. I have thought about what you are considering but my girls have decided that they are deluxe girls. Sigh

 

[Sparkly]

I liked AOA a lot, but I really prefer a nicer hotel for the price it costs to get over to WDW. Would rather save longer (or stay DVC) then stay at a value again, sorry.

 

[Hi Pluto]

...no room service,....

I just wanted to clarify that the values have been building up on their room service. At first I think it was just pizza, but now it's much more extensive. Found this (not very clear) photo online of the menu at Pop Century (not mine):

 

[Disneylover99]

From what I’ve read though, they’re not anymore comfortable!

We typically stay at Pop, POFQ and the Poly, sometimes all 3 on the same trip. I find all 3 resort beds to be equally as comfortable. My husband complains about every single bed he sleeps in, even at home.

 

[Mome Rath]

The new Pop beds are my fav's; extremely comfortable... as they get wore down, that will naturally change.

 

[ST1TCH]

To each their own I guess. My past 2 stays at WDW were in ASMovies and ASMusic and they were just fine with us. I have not stayed in a Deluxe since our Honeymoon where we spent one night in the Grand Floridian and decided the room was no nicer than a Marriott and at $500 a night (this was 20 years ago) was not worth it at all. On our honeymoon we also got an amazing deal of being bumped to the Boardwalk as the Caribbean was over-booked and was still given our Caribbean rate. But I price the Boardwalk each time we go and I just can't justify it. Growing up I went to the Caribbean a few times and I just don't see much difference with the values. We really only use the room for sleeping and getting ready in the morning and when I don't have a meal plan, I really don't spend time eating at the resort either.

When we travel around the country, we always try to get the best price and typically do not pay more than $150 a night for very nice hotels like Wyndham, Fairfield Inn & Suites, Hampton Inn & Suites, Comfort Suites, etc. These are all perfectly nice hotels that usually include breakfast and I would put them on par with the moderate experience.

I always see the notion of "save longer or visit less so you can pay for the deluxe" but that's the complete opposite of the idea of taking vacation to me. Seems you should do it more often, not less to get away from work and spend time with family.

It's like a discussion I have had many times with co-workers who are considering Disney Cruise Line. My wife and I have been lucky to get an amazing deal out of Galveston about 10 years ago and had a great time on the cruise. But we also cruise Carnival every 1-2 years and when it boils down to it, I just can't justify the price difference with DCL which is 2-3x the price. I tell my co-workers that if they want that Disney experience, the price may be worth it....but you're almost better off to take a Carnival cruise to experience cruising and then you can go to WDW for a week with the money you saved by not doing DCL. Then you really get the Disney experience.

 

[gorkt]

I have stayed at DVC, Deluxes, Moderates and Values. Honestly, some of my best trips have been at Values. I will say I didn't care for All Star music, mostly because of the theming, but I think I could still have a fantastic vacation there if I basically just slept there and didn't want to spend too much time at the resort. If I were going to stay at a value I would probably choose Pop.

 

[Helvetica]

Personally, I think the All-Stars are fine. The rooms are smaller, but I found them to be comfortable. The refurbished rooms at Movies and Pop are much nicer than the ones at Sports and Music.

The big advantage is the price and if you're mainly there for the parks, then I don't think it's going to be too big of an issue. The buses kind of suck, so I try to take the earliest bus I possibly could and drag my feet at the end of the night. Depending on how much you saved, taking an Uber/Minnie Van is always an option too.

Personally, I avoid the food court during peak times. There are just lots of people and I can get a better meal somewhere else.

Just keep your expectations in check.

 

[Nomad70]

It really depends on how adaptable you are in general. I think some people are just more "go with the flow, whatever is fine" types who would be happy anywhere. Then there are those who know what they like and aren't happy deviating from that.

I have stayed at all levels, and at almost every hotel onsite. I'd have a REALLY hard time staying at a value again. Last time was 2016 and it was just 3 nights so I sucked it up, but I really don't like them anymore. They are just too much of everything. Too crowded. Too loud. Too bright. Too basic. Too chaotic. When I travel now, I want comfort, some level of "this is better than what I have at home." On vacation, I don't want my sleep disturbed by landscapers with their leaf blowers (happens at the values every time) or by people standing outside my door, talking loudly for hours on end because there is no balcony, so they make the walkway their own version of such. I don't want to hear my neighbor's toilet flushing. I don't want to wait in line 4 times at 4 different food stalls, for 4 different meals,then have to wait in line AGAIN to pay, etc. I don't want to have to brave the elements during a downpour just to get some food. I don't want to stand in a line just to get on a bus at my hotel. I want bell service to deliver my bags. These are just some of my issues with values. For my money, the values are no longer really a "value" at all. When they were in the neighborhood of $79/night, I could overlook all those issues. At the price point now, not so much.

THis is us too! At our age we want comfort and convenience, heck we have earned it. lol I understand budgets, but for just a bit more you could stay at POFQ which is our favorite moderate resort.

 

[Summer2018]

My younger self stayed at the Music three times. That’s when we spent a lot of time in the parks.

Now we don’t even go to the parks every day of our trip. We go for a half-day then rest by the pool or nap. Occasionally we might go back to the parks at night, but we usually have dinner at a signature restaurant and watch fireworks from there or our resort. We can only stay deluxe now. We wouldn’t be able to go back to value. Moderates don’t interest us after a bad experience at the Caribbean. We really love the Polynesian. That’s our home away from home.

If you spend most of your time in the parks, the Music should work for you.