Once you go Deluxe....

[Tnkrbelle565]

Is it true for a lot of people that once you go deluxe you never go back???? I have always been of the mind frame that a hotel room is a place to sleep..especially at Disney where we spend very little time in our room. Now I wouldn't be staying in any gross, run down places. But in general, if the place is clean and decently rated, I'm not that picky. I have been very happy at POP for our previous Disney vacations. This year we upgraded to AKL when we got the 40% off code.

Well, within 30 seconds of arriving there, DH stated "we are never going back to POP" and sure enough, was happy to pay an extra $800 over what we spent this year to stay at AKL again next year (we did the bounceback offer so we got free dining).

So is this the Disney norm????

 

[kapoof]

deluxe is a great treat! there are sooo many pluses and extras. to us its worth the extra $ also. i'm glad to see you liked the akl, we are thinking of staying there next trip.

 

[StrollPatrolMom]

probably...next year will be our first trip to a deluxe...but if we continue to bring my om going forward thats our best option with 5 people in a room...so we'll just suck it up and start a year early.

I was not overly thrilled with Pop...it was a pretty basic motel with jazzy paint...

hopefully the deluxe lives up to its price tag...

 

[MAGICinMYHEART]

Most people say..."I'm just in the room to sleep. I don't need a deluxe."

After you stay at a deluxe you realize that the resorts have so much to offer, you don't need to be in the parks from opening until closing.

You tend to slow down and enjoy the whole experience

 

[grumpymakesmehappy]

We love Disney's Deluxe Resorts. We love them so much that we've never tried the values or the moderates. I'm not saying that we never will try any of those resorts, it's just it's so hard to pull away from the Poly, WL, and now the BC!! So yeah for us, it's deluxe or nothing!!!!

 

[disnut8]

We've done value, moderate, deluxes, home away from home. There are just a few resorts we haven't tried yet.

We had a long run of deluxes and then scaled back to values. Now we are even offsite (horrors!). It doesn't matter to us. I saw the mention that at a deluxe you tend to slow down more. But we do that at a value as well. We are never at a park at rope drop, usually arriving near noon. A late night for us would be doing something after the 9:00 showing of Illuminations. We haven't adjusted our touring at all.

Would I like to go back to a deluxe someday? Sure. But quite hoestly, I can't justify the cost difference since we'd be doing the same things in a deluxe that we would be doing in a value.

 

[Destination Disney]

Congrats...you are now a "hotel snob"

Welcome to the club!

 

[Buzz2001]

I did it once and would never pay those high prices again over CSR. I tried CR and it was okay but not worth the extra money. Shared buses to AK and MGM were slower than CSR. Granted, I didn't have a tower room with an MK view but CSR is fine for me.

That said, the only two deluxes that I would like to try are the POLY and BC.

 

[Magic2000]

We've stayed at the values, moderates, and the deluxe, and we've gone back and forth, with no problems at all.

When we choose where we'll be staying, we consider of course our budget, but also what we want out of that particular vacation. Then we start thinking about what "theme" we want. (sometimes, its tough to choose!!)

The last two summers, we went for two weeks, and we were more than happy at Pop Century/Boardwalk in 2006, and then just Pop for this past summer!

All of our trips have been great - and we've never regretted our choice! I do think you get a little more pampering at the deluxes, but I've always been treated very well at the values too!

Have a great trip!!!!!

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

we definately plan to slow down next year and enjoy the hotel more. The only "relaxation" we experienced on previous trips was quick trip to the pool. This year, DD did listen to the storyteller and do the parade at AKL and we are hoping to do some of the other activities next year. We also added two more days next year to actually have time to "slow down"!!!

 

[EnchantedPrincess]

I think once you have experience deluxe, it IS hard to go back to a value resort. Dh and I stayed at ASMu before we had kids, and thought it was great and never really complain about it until our stay at Contemporary this past August, when we were upgraded free of charge to a tower room facing Magic Kingdom on the concierge level as we were selected as the "Family of the Day". Next year, we are staying at AKL. I definitely think that the deluxe resort does have a lot more to offer, and worth the money.

 

[G&GMom]

I think it just depends on the family. We've stayed 10+ trips in the values and just returned from AKL. On this particular trip we didn't really use the amenities to justify paying the extra price per night. Plus we had to listen to heavy construction noise outside our room in the early mornings and we didn't find the room much bigger. I would like to stay at AKL again but I booked the bounceback for Pop next year.

 

[meggybear17]

I've stayed at Values, mods and deluxes and would gladly go deluxe or value again. I was not pleased at our last mod experience, i really didn't feel like it was anything "special" especially for the $600 we were paying above what a value resort would cost.

DH and I both agreed that the deluxes are very special and they offer so much more; the pools, the rooms, the scenery, etc, etc, etc. we will gladly pay the price to stay there. when we have, we did slow down and relax a bit more, hang by the pool and just enjoy the sights

we literally only showered and slept in our rooms the last moderate trip and would have preferred to save the money and stay value. didn't even stick a toe in the pool! our next trip will be at the pop, as we don't anticipate spending much time in the room again.

and if it comes down to staying at a value or not doing disney at all, I'm sure you know what all of us would choose!

 

[MinnieSummer]

I've stayed at all the WDW resorts but two (Poly and YC). I'll never stay at an AS again but I will stay at POP if that's what the budget demands. I'll also never stay at GF again as it didn't really seem worth the $$. I don't like CBR either but will stay at any of the other mods with CSR always being my first moderate choice. So, basically, while I would prefer staying at AKL or CR MK view or BC, I will stay at other levels just not at certain resorts that I don't feel are worth the $$.

 

[breebella]

We've stayed at CSR a few years ago. Then last year we stayed at the Contemporary. The rooms were beautiful at the Contemporary, there is no doubt about that, but then this summer we headed back to CSR. I liked CSR much better, especially with the kiddos. The pool was way better at CSR
I did miss the comfy beds and spacious rooms and the convenience of the monorail @ the Contemporary, but if I had to chose again, I'd go back to CSR. It just worked for us and the price difference is always a plus

 

[MickeyNicki]

I hate to say it but yes...or at least in my case yes. We did POP and ASMu and thought that was the best thing since sliced bread. Until we did CBR and POR...no more values for us.

We stayed at CR and were not impressed at all so back to POR...until we spent our 10 year anniversary at the WL...oh my god this place is amazing. Then we did alot of last minute trips and the Swan/Dolphin's prices were so cheap we stayed there, it was great!

We have toured the resorts and the only ones that are of interest to us are the Poly (going there in 9 days), GF, AKL and WL. If the prices are too high I would rather stay at the Swan.

 

[Mickiethepooh]

I would never stay at a value, but I tend to fluctuation between Mods and Deluxe depends on the trip, this coming trip I actually booked POR for 6 nights with dining plan and the Swan for the same last TWO nights. so still 6 nights total.
Other trips such as with more family members, usually the Poly or the Beach Club.

 

[ciera321]

We've stayed at several of the deluxe resorts, but we still go back to CSR without missing the more expensive places. We stayed at BC last year and I was so looking forward to it, but after the troubles we had with housekeeping and having a room that was not is very good condition, I was wishing that we'd have chosen CSR. For us it's a treat to go deluxe, and we do for special occasions, but I really have a hard time justifing it when all we usually do is sleep and shower there.

 

[Matt'sMom]

Most people say..."I'm just in the room to sleep. I don't need a deluxe."

After you stay at a deluxe you realize that the resorts have so much to offer, you don't need to be in the parks from opening until closing.

You tend to slow down and enjoy the whole experience

I so have to agree.

Our family's experience has been similar. After several WDW vacations where we stayed in the parks from opening 'til closing, and then crashed for the night at the All-Stars, I had had enough. Much as I enjoyed the parks, the over-all experience was lacking something. We came home exhausted (both physically and emotionally), needing at least a day more just to 'recover from our vacation'.

Then we decided to save up our $$$ for a stay at the Poly. (We had gone there early one morning for breakfast at Kona, and fell in love with the resort.) Totally different vacation experience. It was so peaceful & relaxing! We actually enjoy spending time at the resort now, occassionally taking mid-day breaks or returning early in the evening to watch the EWP & fireworks from the beach. We now come home from our WDW vacations feeling totally refreshed.

I don't think I could ever go back to the hectic atmosphere of the value resorts.

 

[unicorn1]

Up until 4 years ago, being the cheapskate that I am, I was a strong believer in staying off site. After all, a room is a room, and it saves a lot of money.

Then came the dreaded year the we received the postcard to stay at POP for $49/night. Sounded reasonable to me, and the kids would think I sprung big for a Disney property.

One year later, in a weak moment I agreed to try CR only if we cut the length of the stay to help offset the additional costs (like I said, I'm a cheapskate). Well, the rest is history. We were hooked, and it's been CR or POLY every year since. At least while the kids are young, I anticipate being at a deluxe. I'll just have to save the money elsewhere!