Value suite vs. moderate single room

[sara1215]

We will be going to Disney this winter (January or February) and I can't decide which type of room to get. We have two daughters, they will be 4 and almost 7 when we go. I'm not sure how well they would sleep in the same bed together--have never tried it. Also, my husband and I are used to sleeping in a california king bed, so a double bed is definitely out for us. I've looked over all the resorts on the Disney site and am overwhelmed! As of now, I'm considering a Standard room at Caribbean Beach, which has two queens and a pull out bed. I'm also considering a family suite at Art of Animation or All-Star Music. I like the idea of two separate rooms and the suites at Art of Animation look really beautiful.

Is there anyone who has stayed in both and would have a recommendation for me? Is the extra space in the suite worth the extra money? Or should I spend my extra money on a single room at a nicer resort?

 

[Baklava]

We haven't tested it yet, but we did go with a mod over a value suite. My husband and son are 6'4" and 6'3" and my 5 year old is autistic and can't share a bed reasonably. We went with a preferred room at POR in order to secure a pull out bed. AoA was tempting, though.

 

[addiln]

i would say go with the suite at AoA. you will have more room and having the separate bedroom is a plus. if the kids are asleep you can relax in your room and not worry about the tv or light waking them up.

 

[mattchu758]

Sounds like your mind is already made up, I'd go with suite at AoA

 

[cmsb]

I have only stayed at AoA when visiting Disney with my family. There are 4 of us and the size of the suite was perfect! There were 2 beds for the kids in the living space, as well as their own bathroom. My husband and I had our own room and bathroom with a door to separate us, which was great! Having the small kitchenette area was a plus, too. The resort itself is fantastic. There are 3 pools, including a zero entry pool that plays music underwater. There is also a spray area for the kids and a playground. The life size Disney figures made the resort a hit with our kids, too. I think the extra money for the suite is definitely worth it!

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

I've never stayed at CB, but our family has stayed at AoA and POR and personally, I would pick a moderate room over a value suite. We really felt the quality difference in the resorts and prefer the moderate resorts to the values.

For the price of a value suite, you may even be able to get a deluxe room. That is why I find it hard to justify the cost of a value suite. Compare room prices. If you are using a room only discount, the deluxe discounts are so much more than the values. At rack rate, the price difference in the value suite and the deluxe room will be significantly different. For your time period, I would compare discounted prices of the value suites and the deluxe rooms.

We also have two little girls (8 and 2) and as a family, we sleep very well in the same room. We also do well with one bathroom. On the other hand, we have friends who always insist on having separate sleeping areas for their children (the parents like to stay up and watch television and talk after the kids are asleep, which is hard to do in the same room with sleeping children). How important is that to you?

Whatever you choose, I bet you will be happy. AoA has a great pool area and the artistic detail around the resort is great. We really did love our stay there. We just decided that, personally, we are better off in a moderate or a deluxe- especially when it means paying the same price or less than the value suite.

 

[uccats97]

I've stayed at both and enjoyed them equally. Both CBR and the suites at AoA have queen size beds. Having a master suite, better bus transportation and one of the best food courts would lead me back to AoA. You can't go wrong though. They are both fabulous choices!

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

I know you only mentioned a choice between the two resorts, but have you considered the cabins at FW? We did a split stay last year between the cabins and the AoA suite, and to my surprise, everyone in our group preferred the cabins - even my 8 year old (7 at the time). She LOVED the bunk beds. The cabins have two double beds and a set of bunk beds, so you and DH could have your own bed (if that works for you) and the girls could enjoy the bunk beds. You also get a full kitchen, so you can save money on food if that is important.

For some people, because of transportation concerns and the lack of Disney themeing, the cabins aren't the place for them. But others, like us, really love them. When we stayed, they were pretty much exactly the same cost as the AoA suites. They only have one bathroom, but they have two sleeping areas, a full kitchen, a nice deck, and a place to park your car right outside. The best part was the sleep quality - so blessedly quiet! No shared walls meant lots of rest for us.

 

[sara1215]

I know you only mentioned a choice between the two resorts, but have you considered the cabins at FW? We did a split stay last year between the cabins and the AoA suite, and to my surprise, everyone in our group preferred the cabins - even my 8 year old (7 at the time). She LOVED the bunk beds. The cabins have two double beds and a set of bunk beds, so you and DH could have your own bed (if that works for you) and the girls could enjoy the bunk beds. You also get a full kitchen, so you can save money on food if that is important.

For some people, because of transportation concerns and the lack of Disney themeing, the cabins aren't the place for them. But others, like us, really love them. When we stayed, they were pretty much exactly the same cost as the AoA suites. They only have one bathroom, but they have two sleeping areas, a full kitchen, a nice deck, and a place to park your car right outside. The best part was the sleep quality - so blessedly quiet! No shared walls meant lots of rest for us.

I hadn't even considered it, but I'll look into them. Thanks for the advice!

 

[kimb96]

We just have one 11 yer old son. Anytime we travel and can afford it, we will go with a suite. I like having extra space and a private room from our son. Two bathrooms would be a real treat as my son can turn a bathroom into a swamp in no time

We booked CBR for our August/September trip. We can all stay in one room fine. A suite just wasn't in the budget.

 

[lanejudy]

I don't believe the extra bed can be guaranteed at CBR. Families of 5 will be prioritized to those rooms; a family of 4 may get one if available. So book an option that guarantees the 3rd bed if it's really important.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[got2sammies]

Port Orleans has two queen beds and a murphy style bed in the alligator bayou section (not in the mansions). The four year old should fit on that just fine