If you couldn't afford the hotel you wanted to stay in, would you still go?

[CuteAsMinnie]

We hemmed and hawed about going this year but did not because a) WL was under room rehab and b) because of such, the offered discount was only 5%.

Other deluxe resorts were discounted at least 25%, making those usually much more $$ resorts very attractive to those who don't have a strong liking to the WL. No thanks.... We scheduled our trip for next summer when the discounts 'should' be more even across the board.


Additionally, Even if all prices were even across the board, I would not go if the resort I really wanted to stay at was not available. I would wait.

 

[*Fantasia*]

If budget doesn't permit us to stay on-site, then I'd rather stay off-site so I can enjoy the Disney parks. I'd rather spend sometime with Mickey and friends than not go at all because I can't afford deluxe resort. No matter where we stay, we will have a magical time.

 

[PrincessTrisha]

I wouldn't stay at a value for more than a night (and even then, if there's anyway I could swing at least a moderate I would). I would put off the trip until I could afford the hotel I wanted.

My cousin wants to plan a trip with me for next August. I offered to pay the difference between a value and a moderate for the group of us so I can truly enjoy my trip.

I think everyone has their "thing" that they would spurlge on, and WDW hotels are the one thing for me. I wouldn't consider paying more than $25 for a purse or $30-$40 for a pair of shoes but I just blew $400 on a single night at the Polynesian before our cruise even though I could have booked a value for about 1/4 that amount.

 

[wdisneyaholic]

I thought this was a great topic. My take is, we go on vacation once a year to Disney and for the last few years we have stayed at the YC. Except for one stay at POR Riverside in order for us to bring my MIL. We had a terrible time there. Had stayed there multiple times before that. We can only travel in the busy summer months. It was so crowded we could not swim in the main pool and the food court was filled with tour groups. We pretty much have just decided we only want to stay at YC. We plan a year out and save for it. We decided next year to stay CL and cut back on our tickets. Our kids enjoy spending time at the resort more than the parks anyway.

I get that some people think the hotel is just a place to sleep but we love spending time at the resort and the boardwalk area. To each their own. I guess you just need to decided what you want from your trips. For us, after 12+ trips, we get a little tired of the parks.

 

[goodferry]

We are in the parks from open until after lunch for two out of every three days, in the evenings we go for a nice dinner somewhere and sometimes for an attraction or two or fireworks, but we definitely take advantage of the resort amenities. For me I would rather skip the trip if we can't stay where we want.
We did stay one night in Pop before a DVC stay and we weren't fans, DH and I trying to share a double bed was not my idea of a vacation

 

[monkeyjuce]

I usually say if I am not going to stay on property it isnt worth the trip. I know kinda snobby right? This year I found a great deal on a 2br villa on disney property but not disney owned (Wyndham Bonnet Creek) so I decided to take the risk. I started to panic about 3 months before our trip (in Nov. 2012) and booked a two night stay before my week long villa trip at the POR. I am soooo happy that I am at least going to experience a little bit of magic. I wish the WDW portion of the trip was at the end of the stay but it didnt work out that way. But tht way if I didnt like my stay off site I would have that to look forward to. I hope I love Bonnet Creek because that would change the way I vacation! I could afford to go more often.

 

[TandLMommy28]

We enjoy the resorts more than the parks so for us it wouldn't be a Disney vacation if we weren't on property. We are going with family in a few years and renting a house. We consider than "an Orlando vacation where we happen to go to Disney" rather than a Disney vacation. Maybe that makes us extra snobby, I don't know. But for me, the Disney resorts are everything and there's no comparison.

So yes, we would still go if we couldn't afford what we wanted or if circumstances dictate a different choice (such as having a group of 18 like we will). But we would vacation very differently. Sea World. Universal. Space Center. Not all Disney. So it would change the vacation a lot to where I wouldn't consider it a Disney vacation at all!

 

[cjsm&d]

If I couldn't afford a deluxe, I'd gladly stay at a mod (CSR or POR), or do Swan and Dolphin. But if I couldn't afford a mod, I wouldn't do value. I'd wait until I could afford one.

If I couldn't afford the mod, then I'm guessing I'd be on a really tight budget, and I don't enjoy a WDW vaca if I'm worrying about the wallet during the trip. Plus, the values just don't work for my family (room size, bed size, no sit down dining, etc...)

 

[Sparrow624]

If we cannot afford to stay where we want, we do not go. In fact, we are in that area right now and debating saving another year or 2 or taking a much shorter than usual trip. We love the parks, but also love our "lounge around" time.

 

[Butterflygirl35]

I would not stay at a value but I would stay at a MOD...

But renting DVC points allows me the MOD pricing at a Deluxe resort..

I make my schedule around deals to afford the best for less

 

[Alexsandra]

This was the debate we were having recently as a family. I wanted to go back sooner than later but also wanted to stay in a deluxe. Could not afford it unless I waited another year. Well we ended up just choosing to go to POR which in my opinion is gorgeous anyways and is the top mod. resort. (boat to DTD, beautiful grounds and great food court). We are going for Christmas and am planning to do a resort holiday tour of the deluxe to see their Xmas decor. I have a DS2 and DS5 that don't care about the resort anyway. The fun for them is the parks, attractions, restaurants and great nighttime shows. We will be spending limited time at the resort anyway so why not enjoy what you can right away, you never know what will happen in life! (job loss, sickness, money problems). I saved up just to take this trip and am proud we get to go once more and enjoy family time together. The deluxe resorts are a desire but not a necessity to our family enjoyment.
So excited about my upcoming trip!

 

[Dizzytime]

We don't go to Disney often, once every 8 or 9 years. We travel different places. So when we go, we like to do it the way we want to. A longer trip, and staying deluxe. (just my preference, we spend time at the hotel)

In a discussion today, a friend was debating going now and staying at a hotel she really didn't want to, or save up and go next year and stay where she really wanted to. I told her how I would do it (save up).

Would you go now and settle for less in the hotel (in your mind) or save up for what you really wanted? (meaning you could want deluxe, moderate, value, off-site, whatever!)

If I couldn't afford the place I wanted (Beach/Yacht club or Polynesian!), I wouldn't go until I could afford it.

Our kids are grown, so now it's just the two of us coming from CA every few years. Our first stay without the children was at BC, and have stayed ther ever since... mainly because of the wonderful location.

Would probably not consider going unless we could afford to stay there, or another Epcot resort, since we're not the park hopping, go-go-go people we used to be. 'Riding the rides' has moved down the priority ladder to below 'walking to WS for dinner every night' hah!

We still love our time there!

 

[carrie1626]

ABSOLUTELY

Life's too short

 

[jm0925]

You're right, it's about if you are a park or a hotel person.

For me, my warmest memories of Disney come from staying at the Poly with my family as a little girl back in the late 70's/early 80's(?). I still remember the smells, the sound of the waterfall in the lobby, the feel of the stone of the old slide in the pool, the water parade at night....then the Beach Club on the first trip with my boyfriend - the pool!, the bright pretty rooms, the walk to EPCOT. These are my Disney memories.

Don't get me wrong, I love the parks!! It's just those hotels have such a strong hold on my memory/heart that it's worth it to me to wait until I can stay there.

This is so true! I remember staying at the Contemporary with my family when I went to Disney as a child. I used to think it was so cool that the Monorail went through the resort. I would love to stay there again, but unfortunately that resort never falls into my vacation budget. :/

 

[robinb]

I would go now, but then again I am not known for my impulse control . IMO, all the Disney resorts are nice and I don't even mind staying off-site. I just can't see saving up to stay at a "dream resort" when I can wedge in more trips staying at a less expensive place.

Honestly, I don't think the Deluxe resorts are "all that" anyway ... and I talked myself into buying DVC .

 

[Couchy]

I used to think I would but after staying at BC I am not sure I would stay anywhere else but BC/YC. DH and I spend alot of time at the resort. SAB is amazing and I would miss it. I would consider S/D however, but much prefer BC

 

[Nancyg56]

I think my family is a bit of both. We really do love a few of the Deluxe resorts. DD and her family would choose the Poly anytime possible but will agree to POFQ if their budget will not accommodate the Poly. My favorite is AKL but it is not always in our price range so I stay moderate. I love POFQ and like CBR so I am fine with that compromise. I have no desire to stay at a value so if that was my only option I would save a little longer and stay where I want.

Honestly, I don't mind a compromise on resort level but will draw the line there. I know that this was not part of the question but if I have to skimp while I vacation I would prefer to stay home and travel when I can readily afford the trip. I think my budget needs to include enough to include a stay at at least a moderate resort because we spend a lot of time at our resort. We also need to be able to eat well, have a cocktail or two at dinner and not worry about snacks or a little shopping. I have seen folks vacation with no money for an extra or no money to eat out and that is no fun for me. THen I save.

This is so true! I remember staying at the Contemporary with my family when I went to Disney as a child. I used to think it was so cool that the Monorail went through the resort. I would love to stay there again, but unfortunately that resort never falls into my vacation budget. :/

It was the Contemporary Resort for us! My Fiance took all of us when my children were little. He insisted on that resort because he felt it was what the kids would remember as part of their Disney vacation. It was awesome!!!!!!!!!!! We have been together 32 years now and have shared many vacations together but we still look back at that one as the one to remember. He set the bar for how to make one very special memory at any given time in a child's life.

He is still doing this in DIsney with ou family and lovely DG!

 

[QueenElinor]

I wouldn't go unless I could stay where I wanted, either.
However, I might be inclined to camp at Fort Wilderness. Camping is in a whole different category- it's cheap but it's fun- the point is to camp, not save money, but you end up doing both.

For instance, next week we are going to Yellowstone and staying in the Old Faithful Inn (this is why I never visit the WL at WDW ). It's $250 a night, with a discount & late season. But we already went camping twice there this summer, and I never felt like we cheaped out when we did, though it was $8.00 a night with my pass.

This won't work for everyone, but sometimes going to the other extreme becomes an adventure, and not just a cheap way to stay.

 

[Wood Nymph]

We would not go to Disney if we couldn't afford to stay where we wanted to. And in fact, we have missed quite a few years because of that. We also prefer to stay at the deluxe resorts because of their proximity to the parks. We also go during the off-peak season to save money and avoid crowds. It is much nicer to go when it isn't hot and crowded.

A Disney vacation for us isn't about the rides, it is the whole package. We always go to a park in the morning, come back to the resort in the afternoon, then return after dinner. It is relaxing and the crowds are usually smaller. The deluxe resorts make this very easy. That is why we would only go to WDW if we could afford it.

 

[catho72]

My theory is I'd rather spend less and go more often than save for years and years for an expensive trip. As long as I'm at WDW, I'm happy. We've stayed onsite and off-site at Windsor Hills and we enjoy both kinds of trips. They both have pros and cons.

One year, we went all out.....stayed onsite, did the DxDDP, bought 10 day non-exp, PH, WPF tickets, flew our family of five and had a disasterous trip that was riddled with sickness and death (literally.....my uncle died hours before we were to leave). We had a good trip, but not great....so we did a "do-over" trip during FD that year! We had a great trip! We have also driven, stayed at WH, bought non-PH tickets and had phenomenal trips!

I don't have to stay at a deluxe to have a magical trip. That being said, BC is my favorite place in the entire universe!