Once you go Deluxe.......

[SeaSpray]

I've split a stay between a moderate (CBR) and a deluxe (Grand Floridian), then my next trip went back to a moderate (CBR) again!

I think if you enjoy the theming of the moderate (or value), it won't be too much of a difference, especially if you've been there before and know what to expect.

To us, the room is NOT just a place to sleep. We like to take breaks during the day to swim and enjoy the resort, as much as we like the parks.

My next trip is being planned for the Polynesian, but if for some reason our finances won't allow it, we'll have no problem at all returning to CBR Actually.....if finances are tight, I'd probably just split the stay between the Polynesian and one of the lesser deluxes like the Wilderness Lodge or Animal Kingdom Lodge.

I want to add that I have nothing again the value resorts, and being a Baby Boomer, the Pop Century resort actually looks kind of fun to me. The themes of the other values don't appeal to me at all, so I can't see myself staying at any of those.

 

[peachgirl]

BUT i LIKE THE lobby and the halls and the fact I don't have to trudge outside to get a drink or food....

That's exactly what we love about the deluxe resorts....having a lobby and interior halls. It just seems to me you lose a little bit of the Disney "magic" without a lobby. We love being able to go down to the lobby and just hang out, ask questions at guest services or wait for the slow ones to get ready. We're big bathroom people too. My sister, my mother and I just went wild over the lobby bathroom at the Yacht Club. I know it's silly, but it was just gorgeous and the "real" washcloths were so nice. I know it's a small thing, but I think that's what makes the difference between a deluxe and the others...the small things. I can't imagine preferring a value or moderate over a deluxe, although my bet is there's a lot of people reading this thinking I'm nuts for putting so much importance over whether or not I have real washcloths or paper towels..so to each their own!

 

[Magic2000]

We've stayed at quite a few of the Disney hotels, and we really loved them all!!!

We're a family of five, so now that my little one is older, we're mostly at the deluxes. My two oldest DDs really loved Port Orleans and the slide when they were younger! My middle daughter thought the theming at Coronado Springs was great, and we all enjoyed their pool and slide! For the past two Decembers, we've taken short trips to see the Christmas decorations and we've stayed at the All Star Movies. My five yr old absolutely loves this hotel!!! She loved walking by Pongo and Perdita every day, and had to play like she was on TV! And I thought the Movies had some of the best bus service too!

During the summer, we usually stay for a week or more, and we spend more time at the hotel for nap/swim breaks. The Christmas trips have just been LONG weekends, and we're at the parks mostly. We've gone back and forth between the deluxes, moderates, and value; and we've always had a great time!!!

 

[MJames41]

As it's been said before, I think it depends on what you are looking for at the resort. Different people like different resorts (and different resort styles) for different reasons. I personally love all of the resorts and want to stay at all of them. On our next trip, we are starting at a value, moving to a deluxe, then to a home away from home, then a deluxe, then to a moderate. Experiencing it all in one trip. I believe that as long as you go to the resort knowing what you are getting for your money, you should be fine (except for bad experiences which can happen to anyone of course). Just my thoughts.

 

[CamColt]

Well said MJames!
I dont think I will ever want to go back to a moderate...but thats since staying at ASMO.
I will say nothing can compare to a deluxe, but Im not rich so I cant always spend 200.00-300.00 a night for a place to sleep. While the moderates fit my budget more than a deluxe, to me, they were just very nice hotels, nothing special. Now ASMO on the other hand was awesome! We will be back there in just 2 days!!!! And we will also spend 1 night at the Poly to get in our deluxe fix.

 

[Claudia Kellenberger]

I did two years in a row at DxL, ( now POR ). I was totally in love with this resort, and still am. Then we did WL, (breathtaking lobby ), and then did The BC. I love being close to Epcot SO much, but it is difficult to pay that higher price. Then I did two more times at DxL. When I discovered The Swan with the wonderful gov't discount, I was delighted. I still prefer the atmosphere and the room at POR- AB section, but it is more of a transportation and location issue. At the parks, the bus pick-up for POR was the most far away, and that is a real killer on this 49 year old body. So, as long as I can get that gov't discount, it will be Swan/Dolphin for me. ( Or maybe YC / BC if I get the lottery)

 

[PamNC]

OOOOH....

Good Idea - I like the idea of splitting a stay between a deluxe and moderate -that way I can see for myself how I feel about it.

Thanks everyone - I'm enjoying these posts.

PamNC

 

[Tara8595]

I've stayed at all three levels and though my preference will always be for the Epcot area due to my love of Illuminations, the All-Stars are a *real* bargain!

Mom and I went up for a quick weekend and tried out the All-Star Movies and loved it. I think these are especially good for those times (you know who you are!) when you just *have* to get to WDW and a special airfare comes available, and you haven't really budgeted, but you know you can stay at the All Star with a code for $60 in February or something like that, so you just GO. The theming is fun, and the food courts are very convenient and reasonably priced.

We also stayed at PO-Riverside and while it was pretty and we liked the Food Court, the difference wasn't worth the change from the All Stars. I'm with Maddy - I feel like if I have the budget, I'll go for deluxe, but if I'm saving money, I'll do an All-Star - there's just not enough difference between the Value and Moderate to warrant spending the extra money.

It helps too, if you stay near the main building. I stayed at Coronado Springs once and hated it because we brought our own breakfasts and rarely ever walked through the lobby. It made me feel like I wasn't even on property.

I think the main building in the Values and Moderates are really where the theming is found, so it's best to be near there. When we went value, we got close to the main building and parked in the main lot every night (we like to use the rental car), and walked through the main building every time we came to and from our room. This made it more like a 'Deluxe' experience even though we had smaller beds and one sink. It was much better than my CSR experience.

So - yeah, you can bounce around - you just have to look at the Pros and Cons of each and know what you're in for. And walk through the main building often if you're not in a Deluxe!!

Tara

 

[dcedwards]

Every year I struggle with this question. Our favorite is the POFQ. We have stayed at a deluxe and honestly, didn't much care for it, so we went back to the moderate. Depends on what you are after. Each year I compare the price of moderate with a deluxe and every year I go back to the moderate. Yes, the bathroom area is smaller but that isn't a big thing for us as we are a family of only 3. And, we love the food court concept. Had a friend that stayed at the YC/BC one year instead and they paid a lot more in food costs. So, I can honestly say that I don't mind the moderates after the deluxe. Advantages on both sides. Now if money was never an option I would probably pick YC Concierge every time. But, I haven't been in that position yet...so I keep going back to the moderate. But different strokes for different folks...that is what makes this world so interesting.

 

[Brier Rose]

With us, it just depends on what we're going for.We like to stay in a Deluxe when we go for our long Dec. trip, but then severel times a year, we just jump down for a quick "tide-me-over" trip,which we usually spend at All-Star Movies.I would never give up my Deluxe stay for anything,but on those short trips I don't mind staying at ASM at all.To us it just always seems so fun with all the families running here and there, going to the food court,watching the Disney movie in that little area in the lobby,swimming, even late at night it always seems so full of energy and that makes it fun for us. I know we're weird

 

[travelitis]

I went from staying at CR and Dolphin to staying at ASM with no problem at all. If my budget demands it, I love Disney and am just happy to go at all. We recently faced this dilemna with a twist. We opted to stay off site instead at one of the deluxe resorts because the off site property was nicer than anything on Disney property. We are doing the first night at CR.

 

[eeyore0062]

Yeah, no problem at all! Just get a different mindset, and you will be fine!

We have done the following
DXL
DXL
WL
CBR
Contemporary
Courtyard Marriott
and in Oct PO-FQ.

Other than valet parking, and more of a variety of restaurants... and possibly convenience to parks, we haven't seen all that much difference. The rooms in the Mods are a bit smaller, unless you are staying at WL or AKL, and then they are the same size as those in CBR.

 

[PamNC]

well said - my husband actually said it's all about "mindset" in our discussion about this subject.

I just wish there was another Stormalong Bay. If there was a Stormalong Bay at the CBR or CSR...I'd be there. But hey...that wouldn't fit the theming of those two resorts now would it.

I'm diggin' the idea of a split stay or a short little trip so I can see how I'd feel at a moderate.

PamNC

 

[LvsTnk]

Our last trip to a moderate was at CBR during Christmas several years ago. It rained and rained and it was cold. When packing for this time of year you have to bring a little of everythingso.......trips to the laundry to wash the cold weather things were also in the rain. DH said that's it BWI next year!! During the other trips (spring break and 4th of July) next year we will see what is available at a good rate. I miss CBR and POR!!

 

[eller]

Our first on site visit was to the Poly. I was in heaven! We loved the monorail and the themeing.

When we stayed at POFQ. We just didn't care for it. The differences between the values and moderates, (moderates having stightly larger rooms and a restaraunt) just wasn't worth the extra money. After all they had clossed the restaraunt. The pools at both FQ and Riverside were great!

During the same stay at POFQ, we transfered over to AKL concierge. Oh! Now this was more like it!

Our last stay at the world found us at ASMo and AKL. We enjoyed the AS more than POFQ. Go figure. Maybe we saw a greater value for the money at AS than POFQ.

We would be staying at CSR in December, but no great rates, so we paid the extra (which only ended up being $5 from the first code) and have a perfered view at ASMu. I hope we like it as well as movies. We will also be back to the Poly, but concierge this time.

My point, stay where you can afford to stay if you like it and have a great trip!

Lori

 

[DeeP]

I am a DVC member with my home resort at BWV, so I stay there most of the times but when I am not using DVC pts and I am paying cash I stay at all the different levels of WDW resorts and I enjoy them all. It all depends on the type of trip I am taking and the best cash rate I can get whether I stay at a deluxe, moderate or value resort. I am very happy at all of them and have no problem jumping around from BWV to a deluxe to a moderate to a value. They are all fun.
I have stayed in every deluxe resort but GF and IMO the only deluxe resorts that have substantially larger bathrooms(not sink areas) than the moderate or deluxe resorts is the Poly and CR, all the other deluxe bathrooms are really not that much bigger than a moderate or value resort bathroom. I have never had a deluxe resort room with a wicker hamper, which resort is this?

 

[Krissalee]

I have stayed at value, moderate, and deluxe resorts. While I would prefer to stay at a deluxe, I am just happy that we can go to WDW! Our last trip, we stayed at ASMu, and had a fantastic time! Next trip we are staying at AKL and YC, and I am sure we will have a fantastic time, too. The trip after that will probably be at a value or moderate resort, and I will just appreciate the fact that we are able to enjoy ourselves and go to WDW as often as we can!

In my opinion, you can go back!

Krissy

 

[luvdisney14]

We did not stay on property for quite awhile. This year we split our stay POR abnd YC. We have 5 people so we had to stay at Alligator Bayou. I loved the transportation, food court, main building,quite pool, lounge and grounds. Main pool was a little shabby, could definately use some rehab. I wasn't that crazy with the bayou room only because it's not really my style, I know I would have loved the mansions, but we have 5 so we are very limited. I wish disney would change that. Then we went to YC - I thought this resort was incredible. SAB was wonderful. It was like being at small water park all the time. I normally don't like to sit and the pool area, this time I couldn't get enought. The rooms were just done over, everything was so new and clean. I absolutely loved the balcony. The view and convenience to epcot was great. We treated ourselves and it was well worth it. I was not disappointed at all. I would like to stay at YC at BC next year depending on room rates and financing. If some one is not going to go to the parks, just relax, I feel it's worth it to stay at a nice resort. If I had to go back to POR I would. I just know that I will always compare any moderate to YC and deep down be alittle disappointed. The only thing I did miss was a food court and the amenities that they have. Staying at any disney resorts is better than staying off property.

 

[hmp2z]

For us, I would even take this a step farther, and say that, once we go Grand Floridian, we can't even go back to other deluxes!!! And, actually, now that we've stayed GF Concierge, we can't go back to the GF outer lodges!
For my first trip (and Andy's 20th or so...), we stayed at All Star Sports, and I thought it was really cute. Then on the 2nd trip, we stayed at the GF, and I was absolutely blown away. For our wedding planning trip, we weren't even getting park passes, so we stayed at Coronado Springs, and we really missed the balcony, the orchestra, the beautiful beach, the castle view, the feeling of staying in a palace - the list goes on and on! We ended up spending most of our time just hanging out at the Grand Floridian, our Disney "home" It was so strange, and I would agree with whoever said that the difference between the values & moderates is pretty minimal. The room size itself isn't the issue - it's the luxury of the great views & private balcony & fantastic lobby that really makes the difference between a value/moderate and a deluxe hotel.
On this past trip, we stayed at the GF first, just b/c it was so convenient to be there during the wedding events. But then when we moved to WL concierge, it was such a disappointment, compared to the GF concierge! Not the people, just the resort itself didn't call to us the way the GF does.
So, I know it's an entirely personal decision, but for the two of us, we couldn't go back to a moderate/value resort, and would never, ever again put any resort in the position of trying to follow in the GF's footsteps, by going to the GF first on our trip.
Cheers!
Heather W

 

[Pammy jo]

I think I could still enjoy a moderate, however, now that I have stayed in a two-bedroom condo at HH, I don't think I'll ever go back to a studio or regular room. With the kids, at least a one-bedroom is a must. I think I'm hooked on the villas for good now! If I just went with my DH I suppose I could live with a moderate.