Talk me into it! Value vs Moderate

[Whazzatk]

Hi everyone!

I have been MIA for awhile and I'm back!
My family was at the World in November and thought it would be 4+ years before we would go back. SURPRISE! My sisters family wants to go and what better excure to go than to go with them! It will be a stretch but I think we can save/swing it. The plan is to go 10/2014.

Anyway...my family has always done Value Resorts. My theory has been that we didnt spend much time in the hotel so why pay more. This time I am thinking of maybe doing one of the PORT ORLEANS resorts.

Please convince me (and my husband/wallet) that it is a good idea! WHY would you choose PORT ORLEANS over ANY VALUE??

Thanks!!

 

[LeslieLou]

I really enjoy POR/POFQ complex. I think the reason to stay at a moderate comes down to amenities and feel.

If you plan to spend all of your time in the park and just need a place to rest your head, I would choose a value.

Amenities: We really enjoy the boat to DTD, the slides at the pools, and the other features of the resorts such as restaurant choices, boat/bike rental, carriage rides, etc.

Feel: POR/POFQ is peaceful. There's something about it that feels restful compared to a value resort. I enjoy walking through the resort and feel happy just being on the property.

Happy Vacationing! I'm sure you'll have a great trip, regardless of your hotel choice

 

[KELLY]

Honestly every trip I have the same delima in my head. We have stayed at the moderates and some deluxes. I guess I feel like know we have been there done that and are happy with a value. Plus we are going for 17 days this year so a moderate for us is a additional 1200.00.

But I will say that the PO resorts are very nice and if it is in the budget to try it. . They really are nice and have a different feel and look then the values. We do spend time at the resort no matter what we choose. I know some people say if you just need to sleep and shower pick a value. But I don't really agree with that. I say pick with what you can afford and where you want to stay to enjoy your vacation. We actually enjoy the values.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

We are trying a moderate again for the first time in nearly 8 years (we either stay deluxe or value). But the queen beds and pools with a slide drew me back to try again. POR is a VERY pretty resort and the boat transportation to DTD is a nice plus as well. If its in the budget I would definitely try it

 

[ZehnJahren]

There is something about the value resorts that scream "Disney Disney Disney!!!!" to me. I like to stay at them for the feel, but unfortunately I made the mistake of renting DVC points to stay deluxe a few times (and also had an annual pass that gave me great discounts on deluxes as well) and now I'm ruined forever.

That being said, the values SCREAM Disney and the moderates whisper it. You'll feel like you're on Disney property at any of their hotels, but there is definitely a more relaxed feeling to the POR/POFQ resorts; it's very nice. But if you ask me (and you did), I'd personally stay value or deluxe. For the money to stay at POFQ, I could rent points and stay at AKL, or BW! That's what we'll be doing in October of 2014!

 

[Marsheliz]

We always stayed value before too b/c we never wanted to pay the extra money to stay at a moderate but we stayed at POFQ in September and absolutely loved it... It just had a calming, relaxing, beautiful feel to it.. Now I am having a hard time trying to convince myself to stay at a value again..
Bigger rooms, two sinks instead of one, the privacy curtain that separates the bathroom and bedroom.... I think it's worth the extra $.

 

[Whazzatk]

Amenities: We really enjoy the boat to DTD, the slides at the pools, and the other features of the resorts such as restaurant choices, boat/bike rental, carriage rides, etc..

This is what I have been thinking! Do both R and FQ have slides at the pool?

 

[Cinderumbrella]

This is what I have been thinking! Do both R and FQ have slides at the pool?

Yes, but the POFQ slide is really geared towards little kids.

 

[livsmom04]

I've never been to POFQ but last August my husband and I went on our honeymoon and stayed at Coronado Springs. We had always stayed in value resorts like Pop but we decided to spring a bit for our honeymoon. Well needless to say we loved it so much there that we decided for our family vacation this year we would stay there again. I felt like it was much more relaxed there and the beds there were two queen sized beds. So it was perfect!

 

[buzznina]

Ever since all Mods but CBR added queen beds, we rarely do the overpriced deluxes(JMO) anymore. We like the Mods because we do spend time at the resort to use their amenities (boat or bike rentals, entertainment...), but if you do not then the values are fine. Why pay for stuff you will not use. We have did DVC (twice with friends) and you save $$ with the studios but other than OKW the 2nd bed is a full size pullout that is NOT very comfy. Even with the 1 bedroom, which the cost really goes up you still only get 1 bed.

 

[osugal]

We stayed at PO several years back and couldn't believe how beautiful the resort was. We loved it. I remember being blown away when I walked into the lobby of POFQ. I think you should try it out.

 

[bookgirl]

I do values stictly for the money savings. I've tagged it on before or after a stay, and my first which was a short turnaround so no time to save up. I like them fine (I dislike large in your face decorations which is why I prefer ASMu over AoA or POP) and as a solo trip they would work for me.

However for multiple people or atmosphere, I have to go with MOD. I'm planning my third trip to POFQ.

Queen beds, two sinks, slightly larger rooms, better food choices, the boat to DTD, the quiet resort feel of landscapeing and aura, hottub/poolslides, for all those you can't beat a MOD.

That being said POFQ almost never has as good of rates as the other MODs (either not included at all or 5-10% higher in price). It's small, popular and fills up at rackrate no problem. POR usually does get included in sales, and I've heard that CBR has the absolute best pools of the MODS and will often be included in sales.

You just have to look and decide how much you're willing to spend in order to get the added features.

 

[pamkat1820]

Bigger beds!!!!! Is a I have to say. A double bed is like 2 ppl sleeping in a twin bed. That reason alone is why I would choose POR over a value any day.

The food court has a great pasta station. And the boat to DTD, the buses to DTD are horrible no matter what resort u stay at. So having another option is great.

 

[Miss Mo]

The first time we stayed on property we stayed at POR and absolutely adored it. The next time we went back we were on a bit more of a budget and stayed at POP which we loved until we took a little trip down memory lane one day and went to POR for lunch and remembered the difference!!!

The following year we went to Coronado Springs and loved it and then the last time we went we stayed at POFQ. I love them all tbh. French Quarter is very small and easy to get round but the food court is TINY and I'm vegetarian and can't remember there being a single thing there I could eat. We ate breakfast there but that was all. That said we wandered over to POR on a few occassions and ate there and had a few cocktails/listening to the singer (name escapes me now but it was good). I loved the food at Coronado Springs - so much choice for your counter service. Pools were nice at all three but actually didn't do that much pool time at either.

If budget really was an issue I'd do budget rather than nothing but if I could I'd go mod. Often from the UK we get free dining with the mods which we never get with the budget so often worth upgrading just to get the dining.

That said this time we are doing budget for 4 days because I soooooooo want to see Art of Animation but then we are going Deluxe (first time) for 10 nights at Saratoga Springs, again free dining and a great discount swung that. It was actually cheaper than the mods but with DDP rather than QSDP.

Anyway I'd say go Moderate if poss and I think my personal favourite is POR but I'd happily do any of them. So much more chilled out than budget.

mo x

 

[Whazzatk]

Thank you everyone!

 

[deejohn]

We did a Value for long trips when we have park tickets. For our most recent "quick" trip at Christmas, we only had MVMCP, and so we spend a lot of time at the resort; so I went with PORS. What a great choice - nice quiet pools, a hot tub, slide at the main pool - and it just feels more "relaxy" at moderates

 

[Z28KatCar]

I have stayed at both and like the moderates much more and here is why...

1st - bigger beds, 2 queens vs 2 doubles

2nd - bigger rooms

3rd - more transportation options, boat & bus

4th - better pools

5th - typically no tour groups = not as noisy and the food court & pool doesn't get taken over by large amounts of obnoxious teenagers who have no supervision.

I don't think that the price difference is that huge between the 2 either.

Good Luck, I'm sure you will have a great time!

 

[dminnie]

Not sure if this has been mentioned or not...POR was just renovated in 2012. That is definitely a plus. Already mentioned: queen beds, double sinks, privacy curtain, boat to DTD at POR or POFQ. The mods all have a really nice feel to them and beautiful grounds. I haven't stayed at a value, but from what I've heard, there are more tour groups at them and therefore, they can sometimes be a bit louder. Also, do values have covered bus stops? Mods have covered bus stops.

CSR and POFQ were also recently renovated...I'm not sure of the dates. I think CSR is more recent that FQ. I thought CSR was the most convenient bus ride back from the parks.

CBR is still in need of queen beds and I didn't think their food court was as good as the others.

 

[dzneelvr]

I agree with all posted except the misconception Values have only double beds. Since the beautiful room reno, we've had a queen both our stays for a 2-adult ressie. Now that DH and I go without the kids, we aren't looking for slides, hot tubs (I'll never get into a public hot tub, even a Disney one) etc. and I am hooked on the annual savings--values rate plus 15-30% discount range.

 

[CerysG]

I went through this when trying to pick where we would stay this time around. I tried to talk myself into a value as we are staying longer and getting two rooms but none of them called to me as somewhere I wanted to stay. They just don't have the nice grounds like the mods and they are way over the top Disney. Now if you have little kids who would love this then it's ok but my DH wants to be away from that once he's outside the parks.
We stayed at POR last time and its very nice and we enjoyed it. This time we are getting two rooms at CB. We wanted to stay somewhere different as DH says he won't go back to Disney again (to many other places to go in the world) and CB called to me the most...though I had tried to get some rooms at CS since they had the queen beds and CB doesn't but it was full due to a conference so I took that as a sign that CB was really where we should stay! The girls will all have their own beds so DH and I will manage with a double (we did last time at POR) as it's really not that big of a deal for us. I'll be up early any how going for a walk or getting coffee etc. so I think we are going to have a great time at CB.
I'd say pick the restort that calls to you the most as that is the one you'll likely be they happest with.