Value or Moderate and which ones

[New England]

OK, I have to admit I'VE NEVER BEEN TO DISNEY. I have two boys ages 8 and 5 and my husband and I are looking to go in May 09 (?). The first question I have is Value or Moderate and what if any are the big differences? I have to admit that the value resorts do look somewhat......tacky but I am sure my kids would love them. I do think the water slides at the moderate resorts would be a big plus but do I dare pay the extra just for a water slide?

I used a forum to help plan a ST John, USVI trip last year and got so many wonderful tips. I am looking forward to all the help and suggestions I will get from you guys!!

 

[duckfan78]

Well I have stayed in pretty much every type of resort that WDW has to offer.

I have to say that for the price, the value are worth it. the moderates to me make more sense because they offer you a little more, the rooms are bigger, and the pools and such are usually less crowded.

also it is a lot quieter at the moderates. I remember staying at POP and hearing all these kids running all around outside the rooms and it was loud near the pool till earling in the morning.

For your first trip, I would recomdend a moderate. I think Port Orleans or CBR are the best choices.

 

[Em&Bec'sDad]

Our first time we went to POR and loved it. The value resorts are subject to more high-school bands/kids groups and so you are playing with danger on this.

The way that I see it, your kids will be inundated with fun-filled visuals at the parks. You may want to make the resorts more about you.

My 2 cents,

 

[Atchley]

We like the moderates. We have stayed at values before but seemed like we heard more from outside and the rooms next door than at the moderate. If the only way I could go would be to stay in a value, make no mistake, I would do it, but if I could upgrade to moderate, I would do it. Just my opinion.
The values are great if you don't plan on spending a lot of time in your room. Ours was clean and mousekeeping was very nice, but I just like the resort feel of a moderate. It really makes me feel like I am on vacation.

 

[New England]

Sounds like the moderate is the best choice!!

 

[twinklebug]

I considered starting our last stay at a value and switching over to the WL but changed plans. Glad we did as when Magical Express dropped off the families at the All Stars and Pop I got my first look at the architecture up close. For me 1/2 the Disney experience lies in the peacefulness and landscaping/design of the resort - it's the reason WHY I stay on site. I would never have been happy at a value.

NOW... note we have stayed at POR and loved it! The thing going against this resort is the size of it - the busses do get crowded, but then again I've been on packed Boardwalk busses too.

 

[klwdisney]

DH & I have stayed at both. We loved our experience at All Star Movies - felt like the magic followed us home from the parks at night. Didn't care so much for POP. And we love love love POR! Im tring POFQ with my mom in May. I think it all depends on what you want out of your hotel stay. Do you want a "break" from the parks? Then a moderate is the way to go. Do you want to be fully immersed in Disney 24/7? Then a value is the way to go. We enjoyed both choices... but when we can afford it, we go Moderate. POR has a fishing experience the boys might like.

 

[kelleydea]

I have only been to Disney once, so I am far from an expert, but we decided to stay at a value. We stayed at ASSports. It was fine- it wasn't nice by any stretch, but we were hardly in the room. I thought there was enough room for my family of 4 but there was certainly no extra.

What I viewed as the biggest downside was every bus stop at every park was the farthest away. After a long day at Epcot I was not thrilled to walk past every resort's bus stop to get to the ASSports bus when what I really wanted to do was fall over!

We are going back in January and I think we are going to stay at Pop this time. It was between that one and Wilderness Lodge, and I just can't bring myself to spend that much more money for a room that I will only sleep in.

Different families make different decisions though. I can see the appeal of staying at a nicer resort, and maybe someday we will, but right now the value resort is the right choice for us.