Just Returned today from WL (Long Post)

[jawbones]

Well, I took my first trip to the WL with my wife, my son (15 months), my mother and stepfather. Our trip took a sudden turn for the unexpected when my stepfather was in a motorcycle accident a few weeks before our trip. He needed to use an ECV, which we rented from Walker(thanks DISabilities board).

Here are the main things that I noticed about our trip:

**Disney Transportation for people using ECVs COULD be
improved. It's good. It could just get better. The first two
trip were spent understanding how to best get around with
an ECV.

**ECVs are a pain! I never realized how difficult these can be for
the people using them. Everyone gets in your way. It is
difficult to travel in a large party.

Those were just ECV observations, here are my resort observations:

--The Wilderness Lodge is nice. That's where it ends for me. This
was my first stay in a Deluxe after 1 All Star Sports stay and a
bunch of offsite stays. I do admit that staying onsite is nicer
than offsite. I am hooked on that. But I don't think that WL or
any other deluxe is 3 times more worth it than a value. I know
all of the amenities that a deluxe offers, and I took advantage
of many of them. I just didn't believe that the difference in
money was worth it to me. To be specific, I stayed at WL for
$1,200 including tax for 8 nights(AP rate). I was upgraded to
pool view from woods view (I guess that's an upgrade). My
quoted AP rate for Pop or All-Stars for the same stay was
$562. That's a big difference. I'm not trying to start a riot to
you RAD sufferers. I know many of you feen for your deluxe
resorts. I'm not knocking the resorts, just knocking the
comparative value. And for those of you who will claim that WL
is not the nicest of the deluxes, point well taken. However,
the monorail resorts and the yacht, beach and boardwalk are
significantly more expensive. I'm curious to hear other people's
opinions on my revelations.

As a side note, anyone who has or has not joined the DVC after hearing the spiel. Please tell me why you did or did not join. We are interested and see the value. The rooms are nice, the whirpools and kitchens are great, and there is definitely value in joining the club. Just wanted to hear from people outside the DVC forums (most of them are already members).

One other quick note: my family and I consider vacations to be very important. We budget for them very well and can afford them. The deluxes are within our budget (especially with AP discount). However, my comments/questions about how much better a deluxe is (for the difference in cost) than a value is what I am really trying to figure out. Just want to hear your opinions, whether they agree or disagree with mine.

 

[tinkgrl]

Hi,

I am sorry you weren't impressed with your deluexe stay. Mom & I have been with DVC a little over a year & like it. We go about every year & the rooms are nice. It's nice to have the option of cooking yourself if you want. You also don't have to worry about mousekeeping everyday. You have lots of options with DVC too which is nice, with many different themes. Good luck & come over to the DVC board & ask whatever you want. The people are great & know A LOT!

Allison

 

[sherry8253]

Hi Jawbones- My DH and I are both 50. We go to Disney by ourselves. We are not part commandos and we spend time sitting on our balcony or in our room looking out the window and just relaxing as well as enjoying the resort. My personal favorite is AKL when I am looking for a relaxing trip because it is very enjoyable for me to sit on the balcony for an hour or so with a drink watching giraffes and other animals from the balcony. We also enjoy the ability to boat or walk to Epcot when we stay at the Swan, Dolphin, or Yacht and Beach Club. We enjoy the convenience of valet parking after a long day in the park or in the pouring rain. We use room service at least once or twice during our trip especially if we encounter bad weather. These are just a few of the reasons that I prefer a deluxe resort. In no way am I knocking the values or the people who chose the values because if I had young children or I was in the parks from dusk to dawn and just wanted a place to crash or swim, then I would certainly consider a value resort. The values are just not for me at this point in my life.

 

[k&a&c'smom]

jawbones - Hey! When we took our first trip to WDW, as a family of 5 the Value Resorts were out, as they only slept 4. So, we started with a moderate, and while we liked it very much, we saw the new BWI being built and decided we wanted to stay there on our next visit. We did, and the rest is history!

We much prefer the inside corridors, balconies, bell services, valet parking (although if we fly, we just take a towncar,) laundry service, and restaurants that are at the deluxe resorts. While I agree that the prices are pretty steep compared to, say, Motel 6, they are not completely out of norm for a nice resort. One of the biggest reasons I can't bring myself to leave the deluxe resorts for a moderate again is the transportation issue. I love the proximity to the parks of the deluxe resorts. When my tired feet are aching, it is so nice to hop on the boat to the Poly, or the monorail, or walk right to the Epcot resorts without having to go all the way to the bus depot and wait. Not to mention, I have recently gotten hooked on the concierge services!

For me, the superior service and amenities are well worth the extra price. If I need to cut back on the budget, I would return to the moderates, but if I can afford the deluxe resorts, why not live a little?! You only go around once, and it's a pretty short ride!!

 

[AspiringCindy]

One thing that is sooo great about staying on site at WDW...is that there are hotels to suit everyones taste and budget! WL happens to be my favorite resort...and there really isn't anything that I personally dislike about it! Having stayed at BC/YC in the past, I still prefer WL. WL isn't as costly as all the other Deluxes, and besides, we spend much of our time at MK. I agree with K&a&c comments about inside corridors too!
I have also stayed at ASMusic and POR and for the price, I prefer the value over the moderates! I didn't see much of a difference between value and moderates...so why not save the money!?

 

[jaguar9748]

Glad you enjoyed your trip. Your point about the ECV's is very well taken and understood!

We have been recruited by DVC often, but have not taken the plunge. Not sure we're going to either. Being Florida residents, we utilize AP's and resort discounts.

We've stayed at quite a few resorts as my signature suggests. I think the value resorts are excellent values, but I no longer wish to stay there (I think I've become too old!!!). We love the moderates - especially Riverside and Caribbean Beach - and think they're the best deal overall. We also love the deluxes we've stayed at - WL, Yacht Club and Grand Floridian. Grand Floridian rooms were the best but Yacht Club is the best overall due to excellent service. We even liked the Ft. Wilderness cabins. We're staying at the Boardwalk for a night in September prior to a Disney Wonder cruise.

Glad to hear of the WL upgrade - hoping to get one when we check in next Saturday!

 

[slimplaw]

We joined DVC in late 2000 at VWL. We joined because we enjoy going to WDW. I go about 2x a year. My DH goes about 1x a year. We did take my sister and her husband once with us. They had gone there 1 other time. BIL has a MBA and is very analytical. He did not go to a presentation, but quickly saw the value of membership. He came home and did a lot of research trying to make a decision. They did eventually join because he felt it was a sound value, offered a lot of options and was something they would use. Another BIL has a membership in a timeshare connected to RCI and seldom gets anything he has requested. We've provided them with a room at WDW 2x without difficulty. He wishes he had known about DVC before buying his timeshare.

 

[n2mm]

jawbones, I can completely understand where you are coming from. Everytime we splure for a mod or delux resort, we always find ourselves comparing the value. We love the value resorts and were especially impressed with Pop Century for our 10 night stay in May (It's amazing how they still continue to improve each resort). We always stay at a value resort during our spring and fall trips; and also when we need more than 1 room. We choose to stay at WL in Feb. this year, mostly because of the hot tubs and we wanted to be inside while it was cold outside during the mornings and evenings. We also choose to stay at a delux in the summer---why you ask?? Tour Groups! we stayed at the mod and value in the summer once, and never again. There were tour groups everywhere and we had our fill of them. Also, because it is so hot outside, we like being in an inside resort. (this is mute because after our recent July trip--we swore off summer vacations now.) We our empty nesters and love the values and DO exactly what you did, constantly compare amendities and value. OK, here's one, you get a bigger safe at Pop than WL, and the funny one, at WL you get a little 19 inch TV, but at Pop you get a whooping 25 inch TV. I think WDW values are a great deal and will continue to use them often (mostly during school times when there are less children and groups.) Here's another kicker, because I am married to a CM we get our pick of any resort at a wonderful CM rate and still I choose the values. I keep telling myself I should try the Poly, BC, YC since I can get it so cheaply, but still I just can't justify even that price. The only deluxes we do stay at when we choose to is WL, CR, and AKL. We'll be at Pop in October 12 nights and can't wait, but did just return from WL in July (14-23).

 

[Susan--Ontario]

Jawbones,

We did the DVC spiel in 2002. We wanted to join then but finances were such that we couldn't. (Also the American Dollar was trading at 1.60 for us Canadians). So we waited. We really wanted to buy at Saratoga because we always loved staying at the Institute. This past March we heard that the point values were going up so we called. They had a great incentive program on at the time (the Canadian dollar is now 1.35), we did the numbers and bought 200 points. I was confident that we had done the right thing but I was proven right when my DH and I went on another timeshare tour. DVC is the most flexible one available. Saratoga is good for the next 50 years. My kids and grandkids will always have a place to go for a vacation if they want. If for some reason we can't go in a given year and don't want to bank the points I have many relatives that I can rent my points to.

Besides, every year you can stay at a different resort for your vacation.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[sters]

Originally posted by jawbones
.
As a side note, anyone who has or has not joined the DVC after hearing the spiel. Please tell me why you did or did not join. We are interested and see the value. The rooms are nice, the whirpools and kitchens are great, and there is definitely value in joining the club. Just wanted to hear from people outside the DVC forums (most of them are already members).

Over the past few years, I've toyed with the idea of joining the DVC myself, but what has always stopped me in the past is the maintenance fees. For the number of points I thought I'd need, I think around 200, the fees were like $800 a year. And I keep saying, "Gee, for the fees alone, I could just STAY at a duluxe for 2-3 nights a year and that's withOUT the cost of the points themselves." Of course, if you are staying at a Value and satisfied with a value, you could stay for more than a week on just the fees! I think the DVC is for people who routinely take and find value in fancy-pants accommodations.

I aspire to be a duluxe accommodations person (I'd like the fancy-pants aspect), but my husband always reigns me in. For the difference in price between a deluxe and a moderate, I can have a very, VERY nice dinner out, and that is also important to me on vacation. And the POR was just gorgeous, with all the ammenities that I needed and wanted.

On the otherhand, DVC members are constantly at Disney, maybe several times a year on short trips. From what I'm reading on their boards is that after a few years the theme parks no longer become the primary focus of the trip. The golfing , the spas and the other recreational activities on site become bigger parts of the overall vacation experience. AND they often bring family and friends with them, having a more extened-family experience (like my husband used to have as a child at the Jersey shore). So, I think for those reasons, the DVC could provide a greater value in the long run over just having a "deluxe" experience.

Okay, I've just talked myself into it!!!

 

[sters]

Originally posted by jawbones
.
As a side note, anyone who has or has not joined the DVC after hearing the spiel. Please tell me why you did or did not join. We are interested and see the value. The rooms are nice, the whirpools and kitchens are great, and there is definitely value in joining the club. Just wanted to hear from people outside the DVC forums (most of them are already members).

Over the past few years, I've toyed with the idea of joining the DVC myself, but what has always stopped me in the past is the maintenance fees. For the number of points I thought I'd need, I think around 200, the fees were like $800 a year. And I keep saying, "Gee, for the fees alone, I could just STAY at a duluxe for 2-3 nights a year and that's withOUT the cost of the points themselves." Of course, if you are staying at a Value and satisfied with a value, you could stay for more than a week on just the fees! I think the DVC is for people who routinely take and find value in fancy-pants accommodations.

I aspire to be a duluxe accommodations person (I'd like the fancy-pants aspect), but my husband always reigns me in. For the difference in price between a deluxe and a moderate, I can have a very, VERY nice dinner out, and that is also important to me on vacation. And the POR was just gorgeous, with all the ammenities that I needed and wanted.

On the otherhand, DVC members are constantly at Disney, maybe several times a year on short trips. From what I'm reading on their boards is that after a few years the theme parks no longer become the primary focus of the trip. The golfing , the spas and the other recreational activities on site become bigger parts of the overall vacation experience. AND they often bring family and friends with them, having a more extened-family experience (like my husband used to have as a child at the Jersey shore). So, I think for those reasons, the DVC could provide a greater value in the long run over just having a "deluxe" experience.

Okay, I've just talked myself into it!!!