From Deluxe to value

[MrsJ Henry]

We have stayed at AKL and YC and have loved them both. we were looking to stay at another Deluxe or even going back to the YC when we go again next year. This time we will have our toddler with us (2 1/2).
well I started looking at the family suites at All Star Music. They look nice and people have some very nice things to say about them.
I think it would be nice to have the extra room etc...
I am concerned that we will be let down since we have stayed at only Deluxes.
Who has done this and what were your thoughts?

 

[eliza61]

I've done this, never felt let down. There are some times when my budget did not allow for deluxes, no problem. That's one of the things I love about Disney is that there are options all over the place.
The only complaint (not really since I knew what the deal was when I booked) is that I don't like double beds.

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

We stayed at Pop this year, and consider ourselves a bit hotel snobby, and loved it there. People seem to have this idea that values are equal to a motel 6, and forget that they are actually more equiv to a 3* hotel. The pools are great, clean, friendly, great food court options. Also, these rooms are $100-130 a night, quite a bit more than any travelodge or motel 6!
I personally wouldn't spend 200+ a night to sleep and shower and watch a bit of tv before bed. I can live without a balcony. I do wish they had a waterslide like the moderates, but thats the only thing I 'miss'. Even then, we vacation in January and its cool in the eves and only swim for a half hour or so in the evenings to get refreshed.
As for noise, we had a ground floor room beside the pool and were never bothered with noise at all!
The only thing I do suggest is paying extra for a preferred room location, as it is a long walk at the end of the day, or just to run and grab a refill for your mug if you don't get preferred. I would go for it - you will love it!

 

[gamamalovesdisney]

My family stayed in a family suite and we were pleasantly surprised. We normally stay in the deluxe or villa resorts also. The only thing I really missed was a larger bed in the bedroom. It was okay, but we have a king at home and missed the larger bed.

We drove to most of the parks, but the few times we took the bus, it was fine. There is no sit down restaurant, but that was no big deal. The resort itself was fine.

Good luck.

 

[disnut8]

If you go into the All Star Suite and start comparing them to a deluxe resort, you will be disappointed because they are not a deluxe room and that's not their intention.

But if you go into the All Star Suite and remember why you booked it in the first place, then you'll have a great time.

"I am concerned that we will be let down since we have stayed at only Deluxes." If you carry that concern over to your vacation, no matter what anyone says, you will be let down.

 

[MickeyNicki]

I dont care where I stay as long as the price is right and I am at WDW.

Last month we turned in points and stayed offsite for the first time in 6 years...I thought I would hate it but we really liked the Staybridge Suites and the flexibility of having my car right there for me

 

[ms_missy66]

I've stayed at AKL and then at the Pop and was not disappointed. IMO, the Pop's rooms are very very basic. However, the hotel grounds, pool complex and cafeteria/store were all great. I have no complaints and we're staying there again in December with no hesitation.

Of course the deluxe resorts are roomier, but I don't believe the service is better.

Have fun!

 

[Shmily1]

We've stayed at almost every WDW resort, most recently at AS Mo. No matter where we are, we have fun. I love the values so I'm always happy there. They are just meant to be fun and that's exactly what I'm looking for. We stayed last summer for a week at BC and I've stayed at four other WDW resorts since then, none of them deluxe.... but I'm having fun!!!

 

[Luv2Roam]

We stay at values, moderates and deluxes. Of course we like the deluxes the best. But the values are a great stay too.

 

[KMLOVESWDW]

We've stayed all three levels of hotel & truth be told, it really all depends on what kind of vacation we want. May we did a split stay between POR & POLY because we love both resorts for different reasons & couldn't decide! We when first started visiting the world we only stayed at all-stars. We were in parks from morning til night so it really didn't matter & we always had a nice stay. When we wanted more of a hang at the resort type vacation, we have stayed at the POLY. We will be going this December & are staying at POP for the first time & we're pretty excited. We are going for all the holiday stuff so there won't be a alot of resort down time. I think you have to look at it for what it is. The values seem to be more fun & more disney-like. I have fun no matter where I stay because 1. I'm not at work, 2. I'm not at home dealing with stress, & 3. I'M AT WDW Have a great time & enjoy your trip.

 

[minnie61650]

I have stayed at all levels of resorts but All Star Music is one of my fav resorts.

They have a lot of fun activities at the pool including a different Disney movie each night of the week.

The Family Suites start at $184 a night duing value season.
Most of the Disney resorts (excluding DVC) charge extra for more than 2 adults in a room.
The Family Suites do not charge extra for extra adults.
1-6 adults can stay in the Family Suites for the same et price.
The Family Suites have discounts available also so if you keep your eyes open you just may snag a great deal.

---------------------------------------------

Family Suite info:

DH and I stayed in a Family Suite at All Star Music ( a value resort) in Sept. of 2006.

We really enjoyed the Queen size bed, the kitchenette with the microwave, having a sofa and cushioned chair to sit on and relax after a day at the parks before retiring for the evening.

I thought the pullouts very comfortable.

They are designed so the back cushion and seat cushion of the pullout support the pullout. There is no metal bar to hurt the sleepers back.

Info thread--Pullouts in Family Suites at ASMU with photos of how the pullout is supported.

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?p=18100990#post18100990

Here is the layout of the Family Suites:

They:

-Sleep up to 6 (plus one child under age 3 in a Pak-n-Play crib)
-Studio amenities and separate sleeping areas giving more privacy than a standard room.
-Queen bed, full-size pullout sofa, convertible ottoman & chair sleepers
The pullout chair and large ottoman each pull out into standard size twin beds.
(4 separate sleepers)
-Private master bedroom and family room have 27” flat CRT TV and high speed Internet access.
-Kitchenette with microwave, small refrigerator (4.3 cu. ft) and coffee pot
-Two-full bathrooms


Here is my review of the Suites:

www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=17640774&postcount=7

For more photos and info please see this info thread:

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1392879

Have fun at Disney wherever you choose to stay!

 

[minnie61650]

I have stayed at all levels of Disney Resorts. My favorite Disney owned resort is All Star Music.

Here are a few reasons :



1. I can book a preferred room location..( The Calypso buildings are preferred and they are the closest to the main pool ,food court and bus stop. They cost an $10 extra a night and in my opinion they are well worth it.)
The way All Star Music is laid out it "seems" smaller than most of the other Disney resorts. If I stay in a preferred building I only see the Calypso and Jazz builings on the way to and from the main pool and the bus stop and food court. Since I stay in preferred room I know I am going to be close to the food court, bus stop, & main pool.

2. I enjoy the theming at the All Stars. All Star Music is one of the the quietest of the values.

3. The bus service at the All Star Music is very good. Since I use an ECV good bus transportation is essential.

4. The entry at the values and Mods (are angled )and are much more Handicap friendly for my EVC.
I am able to get in and out of my All Star room unassisted. This way my husband can go and play a round of golf and know I can leave my room to relax by the pool if I choose.
--------------------------------------------------

All Star Music is my favorite resort. It tends to be the quietest of all the values.


All Star Music just underwent a refurbishment of all of the rooms and was completed in June 2007.


Here is a website with photos of the newly refurbished rooms at All Star Music.

Look at the Jazz Inn section with new posted:

http://allearsnet.com/acc/g_asmu.htm




---------------------------------------------------------


DH and I enjoy the landscaping and peacefulness of All Star Music.
We enjoy relaxing by the pool (there are plenty of chairs and lounges), and the beautiful lighting at the resort by night.

------------------------------------


I love The All Star Resorts.

I am 56 years old and travel several times a yearfor pleasure. I often stay at 3and 4 star and sometimes a 5 star hotels and motels.
So the deluxe and mod resorts are just another hotel/motel to me.
Staying at an All Star is like being in the heart of the Magic and that is where I want to be.

All Star Music is my favorite. It is quieter because more couples stay there. I love staying at the Calypso building. It is closer to the pool, food court and bus stop.

Here is a site with a map of All Star Sports and All Star Music.
http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/allstarmap.htm
Scroll down. All Star Music is at the bottom of the page.
The Calypso buildings at All Star Music are #1 and #10 are nearest to the food court and bus stop.

The Calypso pool at ASMu has Donald Duck.

The buses are wonderful.

Bus rides are quite short from the ALL Stars according to PassPorter.com

All Star Buses-CBR buses---POPbuses--PO buses--- Contemporary
MK 20 min---- 20 min-----25 min------10 min---20 min(mono)
Epcot 10 min-- 15 min-----20 min------10 min---15 min
MGM 10 min----12 min-----15 min------15 min---20min
AK 10 min------20min-------15 min----15 min---20 min
DTD 15 min----20 min------20 min-----15 min---35 min

It only takes 10 minutes to get to Epcot, MGM and AK from All Stars.
MK is listed as 20 min away. That's the same amount of time it takes on the monorail from the Contemporary.


*Please Note:
In my experience the bus rides are usually 3-6 minutes shorter than the listed times. Perhaps the authors posted the ride times during heavy traffic so the actual times would be less in most cases.


A WORD ABOUT BUS SHARING

To me Bus Sharing at the All Stars is really a non issue.

In the mornings during Park opening hours each All Star usually has a dedicated bus.
During mid day it is usually just our stop and maybe one more on the way to the parks. On the way back sometimes it is all 3 but often Sports and Movies share and Music has it's own bus back. Each of the All Stars usually has it's own dedicated bus back from the MK.
That is a big plus. It seems like the Music bus stop usually has the shortest of the three All Star bus lines.

I guess some people who stay at POP see all 3 All Star names on the return sign of our bus stop when they head to the POP bus stop and think All Stars also has 3 stops on the way to the park.
(Even when we stop at another AS resort to load up it has not taken more than 5 minutes and we are on our way!)

The pools at The All Stars are very kid friendly.

When staying at the All Stars you can use any of the All Star pools.That means 3 main pools ,3 quiet pools and 3 kiddie pools to chose from.

The All Star Movie Fantasia pool has Mickey.

The Calypso pool at ASMU has Donald Duck.

And the Surfs up pool at All Star Sports has giant surf boards.

Here are a few pool photos.

All Star Sports pool.

All Star Music Donald pool.

All Star Movies Mickey Pool.

I have visited WDW more than a dozen times with the 1st time in Oct. 1971. It was brand new. I've stayed at FW, Disney Inn, a few the of Hotels on hotel Blvd., CBR and the towers at the Contemporary. I got to see the MK from my balcony at the Contemporary and I'm happy I got to experience it once. I just prefer the All Star Resorts.
The theming is pure Disney.

My last 6 visits have been at The All Stars and during the fall of 2005 when we took dd,dsil, and our grandson age 3(at the time) for 8 nights we stayed at the All Stars Music. I thought about AKL and even though we can well afford AKL I just wanted Alex to experience the Disney Magic at the All Stars on his first visit.
Where else can one find Donald Duck or Mickey Mouse at the pool?

Have fun at Disney!

 

[MrsJ Henry]

Thanks so much for everyone's input. Just doing some research into different resorts and what would be the best for us.
It is always so nice to hear what other's have gone through and their thoughts. It always helps us to make up our mind. That is why we love this board so much.

 

[Elmo888]

We stayed at WL in 2007 and then at ASMusic Family Suites in 2008. With kids, we absolutely will stay in the ASMusic Family Suites again. The price is great for two room and two bathrooms, and everyone slept so much better (no, my DDs did not just pass out from a busy day at the parks). I think that the WL rooms (comparable to AKL rooms) were a bit cramped with four people (one in a pack and play). And trying to get kids to sleep (one DD was 2 at the time) was painful. She would just stand in her pack n play until all lights were out. Ugh.

For ASMusic, I requested a non-pool view in building 10 (Calypso), and we had a first floor, facing some lawn/landscaped area. It was nice and quiet.

Of course there are things that aren't the same, like the lobby at WL, the feeling of being removed, and the beautiful grounds, but that didn't matter. The Family Suites more than made up for that. The food court was handy, and we found the buses more efficient. The kitchenette was nice. The pool was great. Even with the fridge and coffeemaker in the deluxes, it helps that there is a lot of storage for food and such in the Family Suites (I had a difficult time figuring out where to put everything, foodwise, in our WL room).

So, while there might be things that you miss at the deluxes, I think that the Family Suites more than makes up for those things with conveniences. And for the money (less than our room at WL), it is great.

The next time that we go without kids, I'll check out deluxes. But with kids, I'll stick with the Family Suites if I can get one.

 

[disneymath]

We've been all over the map as far as WDW resorts go ...

We liked Caribbean Beach ... except we felt it was very spread out. (We were in Aruba ... but I was just a kid then, so don't remember too many specifics).

We loved All Star Movies ... there were 7 of us in two rooms, but it was so much better than the disaster off site place we had booked at originally! (Disney to the rescue!!)

Then, we tried WL b/c we had free dining .... OMG!!! Wow! No complaints here!

When we went to Disney just before Xmas last year ... first trip with my nephew (6 months old when we went) ... we opted to try the ASMu Family Suites ... we really liked those too ... the space was a plus, that's for sure. Gotta say, we did miss the atmosphere of the WL ...

This trip we're heading to the AKL thanks to a 40% code ... really, the code is the only reason we're going again so soon! We aren't so much about going park commando anymore, and we really like the atmosphere of both the AKL and WL.

So, not sure if this helps or not really. We would stay at a value again if it was going to be a commando style trip ... but we would definitely prefer to stay deluxe for the atmosphere, tranquility, etc.

 

[thomas998]

Actually I think you would be happer if you simply stayed at the AKL in a room with a kingsize bed and bunk bed... It would give you enough room if you have a 2-3 year old and two parents... frankly I would feel a little ripped off if I payed close to 200 dollars and was in a AS hotel... The pools are not as kid friendly as the deluxes and the hotels tend to be a lot noisier... If money isn't the issue then I would say just get a tower room in the contemporary and you'll have nice beds lots of room and easy access to the MK where the little one is likely to wan to go most.

I might also look off site before I would stay at a value suite. While I can justify a value hotel at the standard price, I just can't do it for a suite... sure you pay more and get more room but you don't get any of the other resort perks that you tend to expect when you start paying 200 a night. Remember there are other option outside WDW hotels... some of them are darned nice... fact is some of them put the mouse to shame.

 

[zefyr]

I've stayed at the Poly and GF on past trips. I wanted to go last year but would have to go solo and couldn't afford (or at least justify to myself) going to a deluxe. So, I went to Pop and was pleasantly surprised. For starters my room was ready when I checked in at 11am. Everyone was super friendly. I went to Everything Pop to get an autograph book and the CM at the register opened one so I could see if there were inserts for photos along with the auto pages. When I said I'd take it, she insisted on giving me a new, in wrapper book. I said I was fine with the one she opened and she said no, that I was purchasing a new one so I should get a new one. While the hotel room was smaller, it was plenty big for me, and I had a wonderful mousekeeper that left notes (and towel animals) for me when I got back to the room. It was a fabulous experience and would go again in a heartbeat.

 

[MrsJ Henry]

Thanks again to everyone.
I should say that we are lucky enough to be able to be getting around a 40% discount on the room due to a family member.
We would be able to get this on any of the rooms at WDW but we are thinking that having the room of a suite would be very nice. As well as having an extra room for our daughter to go to sleep etc....
Just thinking of all the pros and cons.

 

[m&n's mom]

Just thought that I would share my experiences as a mother of two boys who are now 11 and 15. I have stayed at the bc in 96 in a regular room when my oldest was 2.5 which was great. When my youngest was 3 months we stayed in a BW villa with the extra bathroom and washer/dryer, kitchenette which worked out well with a baby. The last 3 out of 4 trips we have stayed at the yc which was our fav!! The pool is great for all kids, young and old. It is so nice to be able to walk around the boardwalk at nite also to epcot with a stroller, no need to get on and off a bus. Our absolute fav resort is the yc and are returning aug 08.

We stayed at the POR in jan 08 - can't imagine having a toddler or small child in the room, too small. Not to mention all the stairs, elevators were quite a long walk to find.

Hope this helps you in your planning - good luck!