Moderate vs Value

[coolbeans]

Okay, I know this question has been beaten to death but I'm asking anyway. We stayed at All Stars Movies in 2004, and I really want to stay at French Quarter next year just for a change. How can I justify the price difference to myself?? 10 nites at $149 versus $89. All you do in the hotel is sleep anyway?? It will be me, DH, DD (12) and DS (2) next year...

 

[mickeystoontown]

I, personally, like the extra space that a moderate resort room provides. We stay at WDW 10 days/9 nights and two of those days are spent sleeping in and then spending the day at either our resort, Downtown Disney or the water park.

A refrigerator is also free of charge at the moderate resorts and that's a definite plus for our family. We bring along colas, milk, juice and water and having a refrigerator in the room is nice. If a refrigerator is important to you, add up the cost you would have to pay ($12 a day) in a value versus having one free in a moderate room.

The moderate resorts also offer a full service restaurant and a food court. The value resorts have a food court only.

The moderate resorts have covered bus stations whereas the values are uncovered.

The moderate resorts have marina and the values do not.

You might find that you want to spend more "down time" at your resort if there are more things to do.

 

[abacobaby]

I'm also debating between trying out one of the value resorts vs. one of the moderates. We've been to DW two times and both times we stayed at POR. We really enjoyed the hotel, but fell in love with the soothing boatride to DTD.

I'm really itching to book a room at POFQ this time (just to try out a different hotel but still have the great boat ride to look forward to), but the price difference between the moderates and the value resorts are quite big and saving some money would also be nice.

It's a tough decision, I know!

 

[michelle1]

We have stayed at both a value and a mod and really liked both. If we were doing a short trip we would stay at a value but if we are staying longer and spending a significant amt of time around the resort and pool we would definitely stay in a mod as they seem to be more relaxing. The pools have slides and CSR had great poolside activities. The mod rooms are not much bigger but they are a little bit nicer and have fridges.

 

[Harvest02]

I debated this question as well for our upcoming trip in October. We went in June 2006 and stayed at ASMo, which we really liked. I would go back there in a heartbeat! But, I really wanted to try a moderate this time just to see how they compare. We are booked at POR and are very excited!!! I like the idea of the fridge in the room, the boat to DTD, and the relaxing feel of the resort. I have some resort time built into our schedule so that we can enjoy the pools, lounges, and walking paths. I decided this time we are not going to be on the go 24/7. Vacation is suppose to be relaxing, after all!!!

 

[stitchlover]

We did ASMo in '06 and POFQ in '07. We enjoyed POFQ much more. We loved the laid back, not so packed feeling. The food court at AS was ALWAYS crowded and a blur of activity. We never dealt with that at POFQ. The bus system at POFQ was wonderful. It is a covered waiting area and everything ran so smooth and is much closer to things than the AS's. The pool was never crowded. I would say go with the Moderate if you can afford it. Also the fridge in the room was very handy!

 

[CoolPool]

If you envision yourself as Rambo-of-the-Parks then you probably will just sleep in your room and who cares what it looks like so long as its clean. Go with your proven price point and forget about it.

 

[BamaFan121s]

I also tend to live by the 'why pay that much more for a place to sleep' rule, but to me, the extras really ARE worth it. The extra sink and space in the changing area is worth it. So is the extra storage room (the bench/drawer).
We save $$$ by taking snacks and sandwich goodies and eating in the room for lunch since we come back to rest mid-day anyhow, so the fridges are also beneficial.
Also, I know that this is a highly debatable statement, but from what we have been told by CMs AND what we have had 1st hand experience with, the beds are actually a smidge bigger than standard 'double' beds. (same width, but 5 inches longer according to a CM I called to ask once). Maybe, maybe not, but I can tell you that 6'5" DH and I will NOT fit in the beds at Pop, but fit nicely in the CBR beds...don't know any other explanation. Take if for what you will.
Also, I believe someone mentioned that the bus stops were covered...a big plus, if you ask me.
It seems like lots of 'groups' (churches, choirs, bands, etc) seem to end up in the Value resorts. It SEEMS, just from my experience, that away from the value resorts, the ratio of adults to unruly kids seems to be more in the favor of guest preferring to keep their sanity and enjoy a bit of quiet relaxation.

 

[skipperkim]

I don't eat lunch in my room, rather breakfast. It saves time to do this and with a fridge it makes it very easy to do so. Otherwise, you have to constantly get ice to keep the milk cool. Also, the values don't have hot tubs,the moderates do. One big reason to stay at POFQ, it has its own bus stop at MK in the evening.

 

[cheerforchelsea]

I much prefer a moderate resort to a value just bcause of the little extras like fridge in the room, covered bus stop, and adult to child ratio. The moderates provide a more restful vacation than the often "way to noisy for me" value resorts. But we try to do a value when we are renewing AP tickets and a moderate when we aren't paying for tickets.....

 

[joleen76]

The first 3 years we went to WDW we stayed at values. (ASMo 03, POP 04 & 05). We have stayed at POR 06 & POFQ 07. While we enjoyed all our trips, the buses were better at the mods. As were the quick service meals, the pools have slides, the boats to DTD, carrage rides, and other aminities also made it worth the extra $$$. For me it was the comfort sleeping. I could never get the room cool enough at the value's and never had an issue at the Mod's and they have ceiling fans to boot. Don't think you could go wrong either way. I mean it's Disney after all!