Moderate or Value ok--child with high functioning autism

[have2getaway]

Please help me decide. Right now, we have AS Movies reserved for our Sept. trip, which I'm sure our 4 year old son will love, but I am concerned that it will be too noisy at the end of the day with him and that we will want something quieter. Any thoughts/suggestions? Should we pay the extra for a moderate? If so, which moderate would be best?

Thanks all!

 

[robinb]

If you choose a Moderate, I would go for POFQ because it is so small.

Here is a list of advantages/disadvantages that I came up with for each level:

Advantage of Value over Moderates and Deluxes
* Price.
* Food Courts for quick meals.
* Pop Century has its own bus.
* All Stars resorts share busses, but there is usually very little wait on either end.

Disadvantage of Values
* Small rooms.
* Double or King sized beds only.
* Large groups can sometimes be rowdy.
* No pool slide or hot tub.
* external corridors.
* Pizza delivery only.

Advantage of Moderate over Values
* Nicer feature pools with slides and hot tubs.
* Bigger rooms.
* Free refrigerators.
* Sit-down restaurants (all but POFQ).
* Real bars in main area plus pool bar, not just pool bar (except POP).
* Nicer food court, it's not just one big room.
* No giant icons.

Disadvantages of Moderates
* Double or King sized beds only.
* Can be spread out and most need an internal bus system.
* External corridors.
* Pizza delivery only.

Advantage of Deluxe over Moderates and Values
* Bigger rooms yet. Many can sleep 5 people.
* Queen or King sized beds.
* Large variety of sit-down restaurants.
* Nicer feature pools, many with zero entry.
* Internal corridors.
* All have sliding glass doors and most have balconies or patios.
* Most have special proximity to parks: monorail/boat to MK, walk/boat to
Epcot/MGM.
* Room service.
* Valet parking.

Disadvantage of Deluxes
* Epcot deluxes do not have snack shops for a quick meal, except the Beach Club Marketplace.
* Price.
* Busses are often shared, especially the Epcot resorts. The ride can take a long time.
* Self parking can be difficult, especially at the monorail hotels.

 

[BionicEar]

But I just wanted to add something. Maybe someday you might want to save up even bigger money for a deluxe. Spring for concierge even.

We did this. Stayed at the Polynesian concierge back in March. It was money well spent. And we're saving up to do it again. Might be another 3-year wait, but it's so worth every penny.

Our oldest son is on the spectrum - he's severely ADHD with some Asperger traits. We had only one meltdown/autistic episode and that was after we arrived in our room - he was very upset that Disney didn't have Cartoon Network. (Oh the horror!)

But the deal with concierge & my ADHD kid? Having the lounge and its offerings there provided him with the "structure" that he needed. He LOVED the fact that he could get hot chocolate from the coffee machine when he wanted, loved the way that they were consistent with the snacks. They had Smuckers Uncrustables, goldfish crackers, cheese & crackers, and fruit every night. (Yes there were different offerings for the adults.) Breakfast was the same fare every day, which was very important for him, and also gave him a great start to his days. And the evening mini desserts were a great way for him to wind down. (His favorite was Chef Dick's mini eclairs!)

It was a total godsend for me, especially since he is such a picky eater. And he ate so well, which pretty much eliminated any risk of meltdowns, etc. It's usually very difficult to even get him to eat! When I told my mother about our vacation, her first question was how did Matthew eat? I told her about concierge, etc. She asked how much it was, I told her how much we spent, and she said, "That was very reasonable - you definitely got your money's worth!"

He also loved the fact that there was the Electrical Boat Parade every night at 9pm. Even better was the fact that he and his siblings could watch the fireworks from the beach - away from the crowds - while my dh & I sat on the patio, enjoying our cordials and the view.

The best part? Sitting on the patio and watching our three children play on the beach together without fighting with each other.

Ahhhhh.. that Disney magic!

Now, as for a suggestion - bring earplugs! I have a friend with an autistic child and they have Disneyland passes. He wears earplugs and has been doing fantastic when they go to Disneyland. He's even been able to wait in line.

I think you guys will have a great time at Disney!

 

[tacomaranch]

Wow, that was a great review! I thought it brought up both the good and bad of both and really helps in making informed decisions on where to stay.

We were blessed to have had a free upgrade to a 1 br. villa at OKW and this time it is a mod room at POFQ. I don't know how we will do but it is what we can afford.

Back in Sept for my birthday.

April

 

[SueM in MN]

The others did a real good job of plus and minus.
I think the main thing is to know what to expect. Find out as much about where you could be staying and weigh the pluses and minuses - remember, someone else's minus might be your plus.

Once you have decided and made your reservation - DON'T second guess yourself (you will see threads on the Resort Board where people do that all the time; all you will do is cause yourself grief).

And for robin and BionicEar, I really like what you wrote - would you mind if I put some of it into the disABILITIES FAQs thread? (I may have to edit a bit for length and I will add a bit for the DVC resorts, but I think both of you brought up some good points that are not in the FAQs thread).

 

[robinb]

And for robin and BionicEar, I really like what you wrote - would you mind if I put some of it into the disABILITIES FAQs thread? (I may have to edit a bit for length and I will add a bit for the DVC resorts, but I think both of you brought up some good points that are not in the FAQs thread).

Sure, go ahead .

 

[SueM in MN]

thanks. I may not get around to it until the end of next week, but look for it then.

 

[have2getaway]

The tips are great! They will really help me decide. The one problem I am having is determining which points will matter (such as large icons). I don't know if my son will love the large movie icons or if they will scare him. I do know that he loves toy story. I would love to save for the Polynesian concierge for another trip down the road--your trip sounded incredible, but for this trip the most we have budgeted for is up to the mods. I was disappointed too because I was considering the Coronado, but I don't think it's available the week we are going. I know exactly what SueM is refering to about second guessing yourself, because I do that daily!! It's about $362 more for the moderage and I am trying to decide if we will enjoy it more. The perks I liked were the quieter rooms, pool slide (ds will love this), the free fridge, and the hot tub. I am wondering about the dining though because it almost seems like it might be easier to do meals at lunch at a resort with counter service. Well, thanks again for all the feedback. Which moderate is the best if we do go that route? I know that POFQ was suggested. How about Carribean Beach Resort?

Thanks,
Have2getaway

 

[Cheshire Figment]

At CBR the rooms are 340 sq ft while all the other moderates the rooms are only 314 sq ft. It makes a big difference.

Also, CBR has a quiet pool at each village of three or four buildings as well as the main pool. Note there is a coin operated laundry at each quiet pool.

 

[sameyeyam]

If you stay in a Value I would try to get a room on a higher up floor, facing away from a pool.

I too was concerned about the noise when we went to Pop in April. But we were on the 4th floor, facing a parking lot. It couldn't have been any quieter!

The rooms that I think would get the most noise would be on the ground floor and/or near a pool, or elevator.

 

[BionicEar]

And for robin and BionicEar, I really like what you wrote - would you mind if I put some of it into the disABILITIES FAQs thread? (I may have to edit a bit for length and I will add a bit for the DVC resorts, but I think both of you brought up some good points that are not in the FAQs thread).

You're more than wlecome to quote me. I'm flattered that you would do so.

 

[DisneyDreams4P&B]

I too did the Value or Moderate dance back and forth. I heard all of these awful things about the values and was worried that they would be too loud, too small and we would have an awful vacation.

We ended up staying at ASM with our autistic 6 DS and 3 DS who has Sensory Intergration Disorder (we went during the first week of the new "free dining" packages and it was crowded but we never felt it at the resort). I too was worried about the noise and creating a "Quiet Zone" for my sons. I explained the situation to the CM when I made my booking and was sure to follow that up the week before we arrived as well as when we got there (I am a little OCD but I'm in a lovely 12 step program for it). They put us in a great room in the Toy Story Section. We were behind Buzz on the side near the back, it was quiet, there was a lawn (but you couldn't see down into the Toy Story Courtyard- which would have attracted my sons) for them to chill out on (but they never used it) and it was very quiet and peaceful. The extra $$ we saved went towards things we wouldn't have been able to do otherwise, Like spending the day at Universal which wasn't in my original budget when I planned to stay at a moderate.

I would just ask the CM when you make your reservation, to try and place you in a section that is off the beaten path a little more. I have always found them to be accomadating. A little sound machine from the Discovery store can also help drown out any extra little bit of sound (mine love the sound of the ocean and after a stimulating day, it really helps them relax and fall asleep).
Hope this helps some, Have a great trip.

 

[Nik's Mom]

I too did the Value or Moderate dance back and forth. I heard all of these awful things about the values and was worried that they would be too loud, too small and we would have an awful vacation.

We ended up staying at ASM with our autistic 6 DS and 3 DS who has Sensory Intergration Disorder (we went during the first week of the new "free dining" packages and it was crowded but we never felt it at the resort). I too was worried about the noise and creating a "Quiet Zone" for my sons. I explained the situation to the CM when I made my booking and was sure to follow that up the week before we arrived as well as when we got there (I am a little OCD but I'm in a lovely 12 step program for it). They put us in a great room in the Toy Story Section. We were behind Buzz on the side near the back, it was quiet, there was a lawn (but you couldn't see down into the Toy Story Courtyard- which would have attracted my sons) for them to chill out on (but they never used it) and it was very quiet and peaceful. The extra $$ we saved went towards things we wouldn't have been able to do otherwise, Like spending the day at Universal which wasn't in my original budget when I planned to stay at a moderate.

I would just ask the CM when you make your reservation, to try and place you in a section that is off the beaten path a little more. I have always found them to be accomadating. A little sound machine from the Discovery store can also help drown out any extra little bit of sound (mine love the sound of the ocean and after a stimulating day, it really helps them relax and fall asleep).
Hope this helps some, Have a great trip.

Did you use the bus service while at ASMovies?

 

[DisneyDreams4P&B]

We did not. I got a great rate on a car and prefer that to taking the bus. While I have heard nothing but great things about the bus service there, I figured that having a car would provide us more freedom and as we went to many different resorts for breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as Universal for the day. I figured it would be less hectic and easier on the kids. The buses were very packed at certain times of the day and I thought that would just disrupt the boys more than necessary.

We did use it one day to go back for the evening to MK and it was great but I don't think that I would have relied on it soley for the week but that's just the control freak in me (working on that issue too).

My 2 cents: the buses are great but you do have to wait on them and when you have a child near or in the midst of a melt down, every second counts. The car ride was often their chance to calm down from the day's excitement, they couldn't do that on a bus, too many new people and not being on a bus that much was a new experience in and of it's self.

 

[Nik's Mom]

O.k., second question. How was check-in? I've heard that the Values can have some pretty long check-in lines. After a 5 hour flight, our guy just wants the safety of the hotel room, not a long wait in the lobby.

 

[sameyeyam]

O.k., second question. How was check-in? I've heard that the Values can have some pretty long check-in lines. After a 5 hour flight, our guy just wants the safety of the hotel room, not a long wait in the lobby.

Stayed at Pop this year, check in time (walked right up to the counter, no wait!).

Stayed at POR last year, check in time (about 10 minutes).

Think a lot of it depends more on the time you are checking in, rather than the type of hotel.

 

[Nik's Mom]

Thanks.

 

[andijean]

I went through the same process you are for our trip back in December. I finally put it down on paper and numbered what my highest priorities were and it was interesting that I finally felt confident about what the best resort was for us. There is no perfect place unless you have an unlimited budget, so it comes down to which resort satisfies most of our needs.

The other posters are right about second guessing. I did the same thing, but once I finally committed.. what a relief !! Where I chose really was the best place for us.

One of the things that really swayed us to mods was the fridges. It really paid off both financially and practicality. It was one meal we didn't have to sit in a loud place, or wait in line, or decide what he could eat. I packed cereal, bowls, pop tarts, fruit cups and granola bars in our luggage and then just bought milk at resort. It worked out great for all of us and the mornings started off better. If we had eaten breakfast our it would have cost us $25-35/day for family of 4.

Good luck to you and think with all the thought you are putting into you will do fine.

 

[tacomaranch]

andijean,

Excellent point on the ceral, fruit and bowls. I like to pack bagels and cream cheese in a little carry on cooler and then we have a bit to eat before getting to the parks. It just saves $.