In your opinion, what's the difference...?

[smkiya]

I'm just curious about what you think the difference is between a value, moderate, and deluxe resort. If you stayed at a value and a deluxe or any combination of resort type, what was the difference? It seems they all have something special to offer, so what makes one worth thousands of dollars more than another?

TIA

 

[Cool-Beans]

The difference between value and moderate is really space and a little sanity. Those value resorts are just gaudy and garish and jangle my nerves. Not the place I want to be after a long day in the parks. I want to relax.

The deluxe resorts add a little more space than the values and Bellmen, valet guys, restaurants, room service...all those little things that make a vacation relaxing. Especially at Disney, the less work a person has to on vacation, the better.

At the Poly, I like the music they play. Honest to God, it's my favorite part of the Poly. Little stuff like that makes a big difference.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Here are some of their differences.

Valu Resorts: No restaurant locations, they only serve counter service meals, the rooms are the smallest on WDW property and only use buses as their one form of transportation.

Moderate Resorts: They seem to be located in quiet locations away from all the action and are all very spread out.

Deluxe Resorts: Located very close to the parks, have many forms of transportation and they have restaurants, counter service locations and bars at each resort.

 

[jemgumby]

Your right all of the different resorts has something to offer for sure. For the values alot of people really enjoy the theming and don't spend alot of time in their rooms so the values are perfect for them. The values are usually clean and have good selections at their food courts as well. As far as the moderates, the pools usually have slides to offer and that is something the values don't have. Your still in the situation of the two double beds (except for Coronado resort, which now has 2 queen beds in the rooms). Also the moderates have more food choices as they have a sit down restaurant on site that the values do not. The theming is kicked up a notch too with the mods. Then the deluxes have two queen beds, food courts, on site sit down restuarants, provide onsite childcare, the pools have not only a slide but the theming is pretty cool, some have spas and then some of the deluxes have great locations (like Grand, Poly and Contemporary) for magic kingdom and then others are great locations for Epcot and MGM like the Beach Club, Yacht Club and Boardwalk. Hope this helps!!!

 

[MickeyNicki]

I think the prices for the deluxes are way too high....but I love staying there especially when you get a discount! The location, transportation and the restaurants are much better there and make it worth it for us but we miss the food courts from the values and the mods.

 

[tricia]

Well for me the difference is the bigger beds and the availability of bunk beds, and the indoor hallways. Getting good night's sleep every night (or at least most nights) of my vacation is priceless.

None of us sleep well crammed into double beds, and we have had lots of difficulty with very loud teenagers also keeping us up in the values.

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

I guess it's mostly been covered here . . but there are differences in room and bed sizes, at values there isn't even a bookable king bed category. More layers of themeing as you go up in resort category, even stuff like pool slides - values don't have any for example. Location to the parks, most of the deluxes are closer, some within walking distance. I wish I'd taken pictures of the bus line ups at the parks because aren't the deluxes closest to the parks too? It seemed to me the mods and values are farther out. Deluxes usually have more than one mode of transportation to parks (I guess AKL is the exception) - the others have boats, 3 have the monorail. No table service restaurants at the values, no fine dining at the mods. Some deluxes have added services such as salons, the GF and SSR have spas. Just off the top of my head . . . whether it's worth it depends on if it's worth it to the customer. Oh values and mods don't have any balconies either.

 

[vicki_c]

Interior corridors and balcony/patio are the biggest things I like about the deluxes.

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

Oh, and some of the deluxes have awesome resort views from those balconies. Don't know how I forgot that one - it's one of my favorite things to grab a quiet few moments on a balcony admiring the view, like the animals at AKL and Kidani.

 

[LilGMom]

Bed size comes to mind as one of the biggest differences and why I'll never stay in a value. DH & I are both tall and we'd kill each other on one of those little value resort beds and sleeping with the kids isn't an option. I'd rather be on the floor than sleep with one of my wiggle worm kids.

TS dining is available at the mods and dlx resorts. Rooms size and option of bunk bed rooms, interior hallways, balconies, more subtle theming and pool slides are some of the other features that the dlx resorts offer.

Moderates tend to have better CS than the dlx resorts and are more spread out.

 

[badblackpug]

I think all the major differences have been covered. I have stayed in value, mod, and deluxe. I don't think the difference in room size is enough to warrant the extra money. I didn't find the deluxe room to be all that much roomier than the value. Bear in mind, I have 4 kids. The hotel lobbies were certainly more ornate and the pools were fancier. The queen sized bed is nice, though. I actually prefer the "outside" corridors as opposed to the inner corridors, as I could hear children running up and down the halls late at night and early in the morning. I know the buses are much maligned, but I have never had any problems with the WDW bus system. It is nice to have the monorail, but bear in mind, that you still have to take the bus to AKL, DHS, and DTD. Room service doesn't matter to us as we don't use it. It's not worth the 2 TS credit on the DDP. The sit down restaurant isn't really important either, as we would probably only eat there once during our stay. The values seemed to be decorated in a theme more appealing to children. They are colorful and in the case of POP, campy. As for the pool, my kids are happy to have ANY pool in November. I do agree that the deluxes offer a more relaxing and adult atmosphere, but after a day in the parks I could sleep on a bed of nails under a sunlamp!

We stay at ASMu in a family suite. The have a living room with 3 pull-outs and a bedroom with a queen sized bed. There are TV's in each room, a small kitchenette, and, best of all, 2 bathrooms.

 

[Kim1964]

When my brother-in-law was complaining about staying at Pop a few weeks ago (I was staying there with the kids and my sister and he stayed there, too) I said that staying at Pop gave us all the perks of staying onsite at a good price. He commented that it's "All the perks with none of the amenities" and I think that sums it up pretty well. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed our Pop stay and feel that I got exactly what I paid for out of it.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

There are also some small things: coffee makers, pool towels (though I'm told all values now have these), I think one of the values might still be missing in-room hairdryers (though most have these now), make-up mirrors (only at some deluxes), more resort activities, dorm fridges (they aren't very cold, but in the value resorts you have to pay $10 per night to get one), fresh flowers in lobby.

I've also personally noticed a different level of service. It's hard to describe, as most of the resort CM's do a great job. At the values though you are slightly more on your own. At the deluxes, CM's spend more time going over details with you at check-in. I think this has to do with higher staff ratios. But not all service at all resorts on all visits will be equal or up to snuff. you could get an excellent or less-than exceptional CM at any resort.

That said, many folks enjoy staying all the resort levels, as has been pointed out many times. Still, I think - just as folks act differently when they are dressed in their Sunday best- conduct expectations are slightly different at each resort. That doesn't mean conduct is better or worse, just slightly different. Indeed, often the folks who are most willing to talk to strangers and offer help are at the values.

We also noticed for us, that - even if you WANT to spend time at the value resorts - you have to leave to use the dining plan TS credits- no matter the weather. Some of the your trekking will be out in the open.

At Deluxes - depending the TS places at your resort might be too popular to get a last minute table, should inclement weather cause you to rethink a dining reservation. At the mods, the TS places aren't in as high request, but they are available.

All resorts have unique theming. There is more detail to the mods and deluxes. Only the All-Stars really have Disney characters for theming. You'll only see things like fresh cut flowers at the deluxes. All resorts are very clean, but room keeping tends slightly better at deluxes.