Longer Stay or Better Resort

[Dogslider]

I would vote for the upgraded resort and shorter stay. The resort itself is a big part of our vacation.

 

[RJD]

I guess that's a personal opinion. I would definitely pick a longer stay. My family & I go for the parks and like to get in as much as we can so we spend very little time at the resort. For us, the hotel is just a place to basically shower and sleep.

 

[klmall]

If its just me doing a solo trip I could stay anywhere and would choose a Value especially to save money. But when we go as a family of 3 adults we absolutely need queen beds; really 2 queens plus a daybed and a big room for anything longer than 2 nights. Guess it's the king bed at home that spoils us!

 

[J and R's mom]

The resort is as much of my Disney vacation as the parks, especially now that I have kids. We're in the room quite a bit (if nothing else, just to rest each afternoon).

December will mark my 12th trip to Disney, so that may have something to do with my choice to pick a nice resort over longer days. Plus, I have found that seven nights is the max for us, even without kids.

Try the nicer resort and a shorter trip and see if that becomes your preference. If not, you can go longer next time. You'll never know until you try.

 

[boomhauer]

Stay longer. No question.
I have no problem with the values, and I like that they save me money to be able to stay longer and do more things.

Absolutely. The only time I would pick a nicer resort is if it was a monorail resort. And even then, I'd have to seriously think about it.

 

[TinaLala22]

Put me on the list for longer stay...honestly how long are you really at your resort???? Being at the parks is more fun then hanging around your resort - you can do that anywhere!!

 

[#1Disfann]

I vote for a longer stay too! So far I have stayed at all the mod's and WL. I would not pay the extra to stay at WL again! When I made my ressies for my August 2007 trip I originally booked POP then chickened out and went back to POR. We are in the parks most of the trip but I told myself...the values don't have a slide...no sitdown restuarant, no hot tub...well, I guess I'm changing my opinion of what is important because I went down the slide twice, never ate at Boatwrights anyway and never got to the hot tub. So when I went back to POR last month (during the Free Dining Bounceback) I booked 10 nights for next September at POP and I'm sticking to it and where before, I wasn't really looking forward to POP (which is why I changed to POR) I am very excited about it now and can't wait to try it AND get to stay for 10 nights!! JMO.

 

[lisalonglash]

I honestly don't understand the posts that are saying shorter stay at a more expensive hotel. Maybe it's just me, but I do NOT go to Disney for the hotel experience, I go for the Disney experience! Disney hotels are fine, but if I wanted to have a "resort experience", Disney is not where I'd go LOL

To the OP:
Go with whatever you feel is right for your family. If you're going to WDW for the parks, then stay longer at a cheaper resort

 

[antmaril]

I honestly don't understand the posts that are saying shorter stay at a more expensive hotel. Maybe it's just me, but I do NOT go to Disney for the hotel experience, I go for the Disney experience! Disney hotels are fine, but if I wanted to have a "resort experience", Disney is not where I'd go LOL

Don't get me wrong, I love WDW and we've been there many times, but the longest we've ever stayed is five nights. That's our limit. For me, the most important part of any vacation (after choosing a destination, of course ) is the hotel. I love nice hotels. It doesn't matter where I'm going, I will almost always choose a shorter stay in a nice hotel.

I made an exception to my own rule at the end of August. We stayed four nights at Pop Century (needed two rooms) and it took all my willpower to stay in that Value hotel. It turned out fine, but it wasn't my first choice. It saved us money (our second trip this year) and we had fun.

For me, it's always going to be shorter stay at nicer hotel.

 

[Us3]

Great question! My answer is "it depends". If you like to spend most of your time at the parks and enjoy being at the All-Stars, then by all means stay longer. If you plan on spending a good amount of time at the resort and prefer CBR over the value's then I'd say go for the "nicer" resort.

In short, dont forget you can spend time at the other resorts during your stay. Why not stay longer and visit other resorts for lunch or dinner? Just a though...?? Good luck with your decision!

 

[lisalonglash]

Don't get me wrong, I love WDW and we've been there many times, but the longest we've ever stayed is five nights. That's our limit. For me, the most important part of any vacation (after choosing a destination, of course ) is the hotel. I love nice hotels. It doesn't matter where I'm going, I will almost always choose a shorter stay in a nice hotel.

I made an exception to my own rule at the end of August. We stayed four nights at Pop Century (needed two rooms) and it took all my willpower to stay in that Value hotel. It turned out fine, but it wasn't my first choice. It saved us money (our second trip this year) and we had fun.

For me, it's always going to be shorter stay at nicer hotel.

I certainly respect that different aspects of a vacation are priorities for various people I have to ask though - if a resort is #2 on your priority list, there are a lot nicer resorts than Disney's kwim? Maybe I'm just hotel-challenged LOL! I'm glad you had fun at Pop - it sure looks like an upbeat and fun place to sleep to me

 

[jrogalny]

I agree with you. I want a nice hotel to come back to relax to and a hotel that I can enjoy if we are "theme parked out". We recently stayed at a moderate resort we never tried before because our favorite was booked. I did not like our choice at all. As a result, I didn't want to spend time at the resort because I wasn't thrilled with it. We went to some other resorts on property and asked to view the rooms and what a difference! Five nights and I would choose a deluxe resort and cut a day or two off the parks. I like to enjoy a hotel and I usually need a vacation after a Disney vacation. Relaxing at a nice resort would cure that problem in a heart beat!

 

[DizzDoll]

Call me Cheapo, yes, the 5th Marx Brother, but I've stayed at the Deluxes, the Mods, and this year, for the first time, a Value. What it boils down for us is length of time in the parks, not the resort per se, so for us it works out better to stay at a Value so we can stay down in WDW longer, because we don't do a lot of hangin' at the resort du jour, may be an hour or two for a break, then we're off again. But if you like the nicer resorts (and really, who doesn't), by all means stay a shorter length of time and you can always go back.

 

[Disneymoon678]

I'm a middle of the road kind of gal, and thus, I'd do both-- a split stay.

Instead of 7 or 12 days, I'd stay for 10-- 5 at the value and 5 at the moderate. Your numbers may or may not be pretty similar than if you were to do just one or the other. You could adjust to compensate as well, like if it puts you over budget, do 6 days value, 4 days mod, or vice versa if you're under budget.

That way you get the best of both worlds and a fabulous 10 day stay! Good luck with your choice.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

Without hesitation.......longer stay!!!!!

 

[Stitchfans]

Longer stay. IMO the resort is just a place to sleep and shower. Don't spend that much time there.

 

[dddisrunner]

Longer hands down!

 

[jeanninepl]

I am in the shorter stay camp.

My family and I enjoy spending time at our hotel just as much as the parks. We stay by the pool and usually enjoy a character dinner at night on the days we don't go to the parks. To me, I am just as immersed in the Disney magic at the hotel as I am at the parks. Its all around me!!!!!

 

[mikkiwikki]

Shorter Stay Better Quality

 

[C-CMom]

I have always chosen the longer stay at value because, not only can you see and do more, but I feel we can schedule some off time or days to relax. This leaves us better rested for the action - then we can enjoy with less stress. I have paid more for stays in other locations, but at Disney I feel I can be immersed in the magic and perfectly happy without needing to pay the highest rates.