Value Resort vs. Moderate Resort??? Advice please!!!!

[Alice's Mommy]

I was hoping that I might get some help here. DH has finally agreed to let go of his long held grudge against Disney World (long story) and take a family vacation to see the mouse. We'd be traveling at the end of January, 2011. My question is about the hotels DH is a bit of a complainer and noise is usually what he complains about. No worries...he's prepared for the parks but I'd like to keep the hotel kind of quiet yet still affordable. DH has shown an interest in the Port Orleans resorts but has said that he'd stay in the Value Resorts if they weren't too loud. I myself would like to stay in the Port Orleans Resorts but I'm worried about 1) the noise levels: is the moderate upgrade worth it or is it the same as the Value Resorts and 2) will there be enough to keep my kids (5 and 4 at the time of travel) amused since we're probably going to do the first and last day in and around the hotel? Any help you could offer is greatly appreciated! LOVE that I found these boards!!!

 

[woodkins]

My dh is not a "disney person" and has many of the same needs as your dh & we have stayed at all levels of disney hotel numerous times. I would STRONGLY recommend a moderate, my personal suggestion would be the POFQ as it is the smallest mod and most intimate. We found it very quiet and relaxing. I think it is also great for kids (my dd was 6 when we stayed there) as they have a pool with water slide (values have no slide), hot tub, large playground and you can also take the boat launch to DTD area. We just stayed at the GF in Sept. and Pop last week & dh said never again to a value. It was very noisy, dd was disappointed in the pool & the room was TINY. The price was great and thankfully we didn't plan any resort downtime this trip, but we usually do which is why we go for the higher level hotels.

 

[PhillipA82]

I would go with Value Resort...

 

[busyshrew]

I am very noise sensitive at night, have stayed at POFQ and found it to be quiet. We never seemed to hear our neighbours.

One tip picked up from these boards : close your bathroom door at night, it keeps the sound transmission from the neighbours' flushes to a minimum.

 

[ebtbmom]

We have always stayed at values and never really had a problem, until our last trip.

The people in the room beside us had brought their own alarm clock with them that made the loudest, strangest sound I have ever heard. It would go off every morning about 6 and continuously ring, apparently they sleep like the dead!

Finally I got sick and tired of it and called the front desk, they banged on the door, and the people would not wake up! They actually had to open the door and stick their head in to wake them and have them turn the alarm off.

This happened to us on a cruise ship too. Our neighbor returned after having a few too many, turned his TV up full blast and passed out. Security had to go in and turn the TV off, maybe it's us.

 

[squirrel]

I stay at Value resorts. I don't spend much time in the room so I'd rather stay longer than have a little larger room.

The Value Resorts don't have a slide for the pools. Pop has a large food court with many different choices of food. At Pop you also get soap and shampoo from mousekeeping-I believe the All-Stars just get soap. The rooms have two double beds or one king sized bed.

You can request a room away from the pools to reduce noice. You could also just ask for a room in a quiet spot at the resort-you may have more walking to get to the food court and buses.

 

[happymommy]

Since my DH (and I sometimes) are kind of hotel snobs, and my DH would rather hang out at the resort more while the kids and I do the parks, we also love the Swan and Dolphin. The Swan is definitely quieter. The difference is that they have interior corridors, queen beds (Swan), a balcony (upgrade), room service (for those nights when we're just tired out, or our last morning treat), movies on demand, a great gym, and the pool is really great. Also, it's a short walk to Epcot. If you check around, you can get a great deal, and it's usually about the price of a moderate. You will need transport from the airport, but you can rent a car one way with National or Alamo and return it to the Dolphin from the airport, and I've gotten it for very little, like $35 in the past.

Now, you won't have the Disney theme in the room, but for my DH that is a plus.

I just love that location, with the Boardwalk right there, and it's more upscale than a value resort. I like to watch the entertainers at night at the Boardwalk, and really like to be able to walk around a lot.

Just thought you may want to look into that as an option - unless you're going to do a dining plan. You can't do that or take ME.

I've paid as little as $129 a night there, plus I use the Starwood Amex card, so rack up the points. I've saved enough to stay there for free 4 times. Can't beat free!

 

[deva]

My dh is not a "disney person" and has many of the same needs as your dh & we have stayed at all levels of disney hotel numerous times. I would STRONGLY recommend a moderate, my personal suggestion would be the POFQ as it is the smallest mod and most intimate. We found it very quiet and relaxing. I think it is also great for kids (my dd was 6 when we stayed there) as they have a pool with water slide (values have no slide), hot tub, large playground and you can also take the boat launch to DTD area. We just stayed at the GF in Sept. and Pop last week & dh said never again to a value. It was very noisy, dd was disappointed in the pool & the room was TINY. The price was great and thankfully we didn't plan any resort downtime this trip, but we usually do which is why we go for the higher level hotels.

I second POFQ. Quiet (request one of the buildings near the water - they are very quiet), and great pool. We are DVC members now but my kids still always want to go back to the pool at POFQ. I have also heard great things about CBR so you may want to check it out as well. IMO the rooms aren't all that different between the two, but the amenities at the mods are great. Also you get all the tour groups at the values. If memory serves, January is peak time for cheerleading competitions and the values are crazy.

 

[MiniGirl]

If I read your ticker correctly, you are going in January. Is that correct? Can somebody tell us..... Is that during Pop Warner (or whatever that big cheer event is at Disney)?

If it is, then you would definitely want to stay at a moderate hotel. The values are very loud and very crowded during that time. Nothing bad happening -- just lots of cheerleaders practicing their routines and having fun.

FWIW, my dh is not a Disney fan either. Whenever he goes with us, we try to swing a deluxe or rent points to stay at a DVC resort. The double beds at the values and mods are just too small. I know not everyone can swing it, but we find dh enjoys Disney more if he can get a comfortable nights sleep.

 

[woodkins]

Pop Warner is early Dec. but the All Stars are the designated resorts for any competitions/events and tournaments held at the Wide World of Sports Complex. My dh plays softball tournys there & the all stars are always the hotel that is offered at the group rate for participants. I do believe that PO riverside is also included (at least it was for the Pop Warner)

 

[momof1princess]

we never had a noise problem at pop century resort, until 2007, when we were assigned a room overlooking one of the pools-they NEVER close (even if they say they do) and the screaming and racket kept us up every night. now, we always ask for the 70s building-very quiet. it's somewhat of a hike to the parking lot, but it's worth it.

 

[disney*mom*82]

We have stayed at Values a few times and we were never very impressed, they just dont seem that nice, the pools have a cute theme, but no slides, and the food courts were horrible. We have stayed at POR many times and it is our favorite resort and the only resort we like to stay at. As pp said, Values are the ones usually booked for groups and we always found them noisy. (we stayed at them in Dec and March). We have never had a noise problem at POR, it is a larger, spread out, beautifuly maintained resort. I reccomend you trying POR, it is so nice. There are several pools and you can use POFQ pools and each resort has a pool with a slide.

Also some recreational things offered there: fishing, boat riding, bike rentals, carriage ride, and the Bayou Adventure for the kids. (its like $20 and the kids get to go on a treasure hunt via boat, lunch and goodie included, they are gone for 1-2 hrs, its pretty cute. Good for probably 5-8 yr olds). All of these have a fee.

Now, there is also the boat ride to DTD that is free and so very relaxing, one of the many things my husband really looks forward to there.

Good luck on your decision, Im lucky in that my DH is probably just as nuts about Disney as I am! We go every March and were also able to sneak in a visit this past Sept. Counting down the days til we go back!

 

[LWatson]

DH is deff one who prefers space and quiet. We got a quiet room as far as no screaming, but it was soooooooo loud when the busses went by as we were facing the bus stop at All Star Sports.

We stayed at Shades of Green b4 and going to Value from that was a big shocker (we did SOG in Feb and ASSP in Dec). If we go again it will either be SOG again or a Moderate. We really like have a fridge in room and you dont get that with the values.

 

[SGMCO]

My DH does not like noise and he doesn't like to be overloaded with WDW
after leaving the parks so when I wanted to go to WDW I choose a MOD.

We've stayed at 3 of them now 1st CSR, 2nd POR and 3rd POFQ out of
those DH really loved the POR.

He loved the large Food Court because
there were plenty of choices and freshly made food. We walked over to POR
when we stayed at POFq because the FC being better at POR.

We also really enjoyed the Boat Ride to DTD, very relaxing and fun.

You will love the PO resorts they are very relaxing and because they
have lots of beautiful landscaping and are more spread out they are quiet
and not crowded feeling. I always wanted to try a Value but DH will have
nothing to do with it, He says the Large Icon give him a headache and he
can't see himself staying there for the whole Vacation.

After bringing my DH to WDW for the 1st trip in 2006 (thinking that may be the only trip)
he has fell in love with WDW and likes to go and
is looking forward to our next trip (which will be our 4th WDW trip)

Hope you will make the right decition for your DH and
that your family have a Wonderful trip!

 

[susykt4]

My kids absolutely LOVE Pop Century. We've stayed at Pop 3 times, All Star Music once and POR twice. The kids keep begging to go back to Pop. My favorite things about Pop are the food court and the bus service. There is only one bus stop, so time on the bus is greatly reduced (I think Port Orleans has at least 4 stops and it takes forever just to get around the resort.) Pop has three large pools, a kiddie pool, a pop jet fountain and a playground. The food court has many choices and the kids love the slushie machines. Pop has scheduled kids' activities including a nightly parade through the food court and check in area. However, the rooms are very small, with two double beds and no privacy area.

Port Orleans has somewhat nicer rooms, but still no real division between kids and adults. Our issue with POR is that it's HUGE. We spent more time walking to bus stops and the food court! The kids loved the (tiny) fishing hole and the nicer playground and pools, but the resort itself required strollers just to get around. French Quarter is much smaller, but its food court is tiny. I love Port Orleans and would happily stay there again, but either without kids or when my kids are much older.

All Star Music was ok, but I'd never intentionally stay there again. It just wasn't nearly the same level as Pop Century. Oh, and we've stayed at Pop three times during the January cheerleader thing and have never had problems with the girls at the resort or at the parks. I think one time at Epcot we got behind a large group of them, otherwise they have never affected our visit. There are a lot of cheerleaders, but January is slow enough they don't make much of a difference. Plus, they're not clogging the lines for the kiddie rides and characters that OP's aged kids will likely go for anyway.

 

[corlib]

We have stayed both on property and off. With both kids from 5 to 14 and by ourselves. The resort we now keep comming back to is Port Orleans Riverside. It is spread out with several pools as well as the main pool. They have a program for kids a couple of nights a week. We are now retired grand parents and enjoy the peace and quite we find there.

 

[jerseygirl81]

If it took a while to get your DH interested in going to disney and he likes POFQ then I would go with that. I will be quiter there than the values and the mods have a more relaxing feel than the values. We stayed at the Pop last week and we have stayed at the values in the past as well as CSR and the Pop was much louder and not as relaxing. We went over to CBR to eat at the food court and DH suggested we stay there next time. We enjoyed our trip but we enjoyed our resort time more at a mod. Linda

 

[AirGoofy]

Go moderate. If noise is the issue, the buses to the value resorts are really loud and really packed with people going back to the parks. The moderate buses are much less crowded. Also, most of the moderates have more or private pools to offer as well as sit down dining. We tend to only do the parks about half the time we are there, and always had plenty of fun at the resort.