Was Staying at a Deluxe Different?

[PlutoTheDog89]

My family has mostly stayed at moderate resorts: POFQ and Coronado.

For our next trip, we're planning on staying at Beach Club or Boardwalk. We love the idea of being so close to the park. For those that have made the jump to Deluxe, how was it different from a moderate? What are all the pros and cons?

We're pretty much sold at this point. To us, getting to be walking distance to EPCOT and able to hop on the boat to DHS is a huge selling point. We'd be there over Christmas, so the decorations will be nice and not having to deal with as many buses will be a welcome change.

But what are the small things that make a Deluxe so... deluxe?

 

[LSLS]

Rooms are slightly larger (though I don't really notice that much, we are only a family of 3). For me, it's 3 things. 1.) Better sit down options, 2.) Much Nicer Pool, 3.) Proximaty to the parks (minus AKL, who gets bonus points for just sheer beauty of resort). The Deluxes are also more elaboriate in their themes and decorations (much more enjoyable to walk around like the lobbies and such), and have inside room doors (walk down an indoor hallway to access your room, not on the outside. Some people that really matters). #3 for me is the most important, and worth it when the rooms aren't SIGNIFICANTLY more expensive. Oh, one other thing, you can get a 1 or 2 bedroom if you have a larger family going and need the extra space (I was more just comparing studios).

 

[Shellyb84]

We stayed at the Beach Club last year, our first time in a Deluxe. The location was probably the greatest part. Being able to walk to two parks was awesome. The feature pools at the Deluxe resorts are fantastic, we like the interior corridors, and the relaxing atmosphere at the Beach Club. Bus service is better than the mods since there's just one stop so the bus doesn't stop at a lot of stops all the way around the resort.

 

[Marionnette]

My family has mostly stayed at moderate resorts: POFQ and Coronado.

For our next trip, we're planning on staying at Beach Club or Boardwalk. We love the idea of being so close to the park. For those that have made the jump to Deluxe, how was it different from a moderate? What are all the pros and cons?

We're pretty much sold at this point. To us, getting to be walking distance to EPCOT and able to hop on the boat to DHS is a huge selling point. We'd be there over Christmas, so the decorations will be nice and not having to deal with as many buses will be a welcome change.

But what are the small things that make a Deluxe so... deluxe?

One of the nice little touches that I noticed at BWI and YC was the CM standing in the entrance handing out small towels during (and just after) downpours. It's such a small thing, but very much appreciated when you're drenched and walking into an air conditioned lobby.

Another thing that's not discussed (and not a deciding factor)...toilet paper!
They have a much better quality of TP at the deluxes!

And in the same vein, the toiletries that are supplied are nicer as well.

I also like the balconies, the proximity to the parks, the subtle themes, the upscale dining, room service, and interior corridors.

 

[DisneyPiPhi]

I have stayed deluxe twice: once at the Grand Floridian in February 1999, and once at Wilderness Lodge in January 2011 (marathon weekend).

For GF, I thought it was very different than other resorts. Obviously the access to transportation was huge. GF also had a wide variety of experiences available to guests not offered at moderate and value resorts (although I'm assuming that these activities would be open to anyone, not just GF guests). My sister and I went to a cooking class with the GF chefs in which we made Valentine's Day candy. So fun! It was just a little thing we wouldn't have known about not staying at GF.

WL was also different. By that point, DH and I had stayed at several value and moderate resorts and got a super good passholder deal for WL on marathon weekend. Although we weren't at the resort much, the beautiful surroundings just added a little something to our trip. I think the manicured grounds and highly themed public areas are a huge benefit to deluxe resorts.

I think the biggest difference, for me, is the indoor hallways. I love POR - it's one of my favorite Disney resorts - but I would much rather stay somewhere where I could stay out of the heat and elements when walking around my resort. Perhaps other guests don't find this difference as important, but that's just one of the things I love about deluxe resorts. The room size is also a big difference - most deluxe resorts are more than 100 sq. ft. bigger than value rooms. If traveling with more than just one travel companion, I think anyone would notice that difference! One of my goals is to stay at a Boardwalk-area resort for the same reason you mentioned - proximity to Epcot!

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

We stayed at the Beach Club last year, our first time in a Deluxe. The location was probably the greatest part. Being able to walk to two parks was awesome. The feature pools at the Deluxe resorts are fantastic, we like the interior corridors, and the relaxing atmosphere at the Beach Club. Bus service is better than the mods since there's just one stop so the bus doesn't stop at a lot of stops all the way around the resort.

Yeah -- we went to EPCOT for NYE. We had done it the year before and loved it but this year it just seemed far more crowded. We're normally okay with the crowds, but this year was too much. It was really hot and my mom had a weak knee, which made it tough to walk around. We kept saying how nice it'd be to walk over at 11pm from our resort to see the fireworks and not have to worry about getting a bus back.

Also - I love how much running area there is. I'm not a huge runner, but I like to stay in shape. The idea of having an on-site gym and being able to run to Hollywood Studios some mornings is a huge plus. I can work off 1/8th of my calories for the day

 

[Mousemommy1]

Room Size
Interior Corridors (which we prefer)
Typically location - Epcot resorts are a great choice for their walking ability
More sit down restaurant options
Balconies (in most cases)
Ability to have club level (which we love)

We just really prefer deluxes overall.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

We've stayed at Port Orleans Riverside (multiple times), Polynesian (twice) and Yacht Club (4 times now I think). The immediate differences we noticed from Port Orleans to Polynesian (our first deluxe) were the room sizes and the bed sizes. We are a family of 5 and at the time Port Orleans only had double beds and our kids were early-to-mid teens and we were outgrowing the beds and the trundle at Port Orleans. Was also nice to have a larger room and a deck. Yacht Club is now our favorite resort (although we still like Port Orleans) and the things that separate the two are:

(1) Location, which you already know about, but this is a HUGE factor in Yacht Club's favor for me. Being able to walk to Epcot in 5-10 minutes and get a meal or just walk around is great. The boat to DHS is also a plus, though I learned the hard way last stay that if you want a boat to get you to DHS 30 minutes before EMH rope drop you may be in trouble. I really dislike Disney buses, primarily because I'm very impatient and hate waiting, so being able to get to 2 of the 4 parks someway other than bus is great for me.

(2) Room size. As I mentioned the rooms are bigger so you have a bit more room. Still a bit tight for a family of 5 but better than Port Orleans where I always felt like we were tripping over each other.

(3) Balcony. I really like having a balcony to relax on, either in the morning before we leave or in the evening. Keep in mind that all Yacht Club rooms have a balcony but not all Beach Club rooms. We usually pay a bit more for the water view rooms and request one with a view of Crescent Lake so I can watch the fireworks from Epcot. That is one of the best views at all of Disney, better even than theme park view at Poly in my opinion.

(4) Interior corridors. As others mentioned, you have interior corridors at the deluxes and don't at moderates (at least at Port Orleans). This isn't a huge issue to me but is nice if, for example, it is raining and you want to go grab a bit to eat and stay dry.

(5) Pool. Honestly, the pool at Poly (I haven't been to the refurbed pool there) wasn't much better than that at Port Orleans. The pool at Yacht Club is a whole other thing altogether and really stands out. We tend to spend midday at the resort pool and it doesn't get any better at Disney World than Storm Along Bay.

(6) Proximity to Boardwalk. The Boardwalk area is a neat place to visit and offers a few more dining options. It is nowhere near as interesting as Disney Springs but is easy walking distance from Yacht Club. NOTE - I agree that the boat from Port Orleans to Disney Springs is really convenient, but last time we were at Port Orleans (a Sunday in late October 2015 for 1 night), we waited about 20 minutes for a boat to arrive and when it did it already had a bunch of people from French Quarter on it and the captain said it would be TWO more boats before we would be able to board based on where we were in line. We ended up just catching a bus.

(7) Signature restaurants. If that's your thing, all of the deluxes have a signature restaurant and as far as I know none of the mods do.

 

[krm222]

We ate at Ohana for breakfast at our most recent trip AFTER hubby and I decided that we were ready to stay on the monorail line next time. I told him after breakfast that super soft TP was another deluxe pro!

 

[alliecat523]

Interior corridors and location are the two biggest sellers for me.

 

[addiln]

It is all about the location for me. Last year we stayed at Bay Lake Tower and the walk to MK was great. You can not beat a 5 minute walk to the park. This year we are staying at Boardwalk and it will be a nice walk to Epcot.

 

[walker0829]

I'm in the opposite boat..going from always staying in Deluxe's to my first moderate. The price difference between POFQ and Contemporary through our agent was almost double the price. A split stay was going to cost us $400 more for 3 nights and $600 more if we wanted Polynesian. Considering the other Deluxe's were even more, we figured the money would be better applied to park tickets/food/etc.

I love indoor corridors and easy park access but not THAT much!

 

[Bobb_o]

3.) Proximaty to the parks (minus AKL, who gets bonus points for just sheer beauty of resort).

Hey it's the closest resort to Animal Kingdom!

 

[DSLRuser]

Deluxe resorts are large, but more compact. Less walking as compared to port orleans or CBR or coranado.

We enjoy comming back to the resort for long mid day pool breaks or naps. the deluxe resorts are much better for this.

 

[Babsy]

Staying deluxe is very different from staying at value or moderate. We haven't been rope drop to bedtime people since the mid eighties, though.

We spend a lot of time at the resort, so deluxe resorts are very important to us. We like being able to sit comfortably in our room on a sofa or comfortable chair while relaxing. We also enjoy relaxing with a coffee on our balcony watching the view or fireworks. (Lying on the bed gets old really fast during the day, but is the only relaxing option at values or moderates.) I also like being able to go from my room to restaurants, shopping, and other activities, without going outside into the weather. If it is raining or really hot/cold, it is nice to walk around without needing rainwear, coats, etc. (I worry about getting stuck during a hurricane and would hate to be stuck in a room not attached to the main building.) Deluxe resorts often have covered walkways to the bus stops as well as benches for seating. I have bad knees and standing still is a huge issue for me so queuing in the value bus lines is really hard.

As a result, I really like the CR, RPC at the GF, YC/BC, WL and AKL. The Poly is really nice, but having to go outside like you do at a value or moderate is the one tiny bit of a downer for us when staying here. However, the atmosphere is so special at the Poly that it is worth that bit of inconvenience.

BONUS: Staying in the deluxe resorts, you never encounter large groups of teenagers such as cheerleaders or sports teams. These groups tend to stay at values or moderates. You still encounter these groups in the theme parks but they are more easily avoided in the parks.

We still stay in the values or moderates on occasion to save $$$, especially these days with the increase in rates, but we choose to do so early in the trip (when spending extra time in the theme parks) and only for a few days. For the first three or four days we will go into the parks for four or maybe as much as five hours in the day. After the first few days we spend less and less time in the parks (maybe an hour or two), and some days toward the end of our visit not bothering to go in at all. So, it is nice to have the extra amenities and comforts that are available at the deluxe resorts for the last few days.

 

[Disneylover99]

When we stayed at the BC we loved the proximity to Epcot. You just can't beat it. Other then that, we prefer the food courts and transportation at Values.

 

[hookedonears]

My family has mostly stayed at moderate resorts: POFQ and Coronado.

For our next trip, we're planning on staying at Beach Club or Boardwalk. We love the idea of being so close to the park. For those that have made the jump to Deluxe, how was it different from a moderate? What are all the pros and cons?

We're pretty much sold at this point. To us, getting to be walking distance to EPCOT and able to hop on the boat to DHS is a huge selling point. We'd be there over Christmas, so the decorations will be nice and not having to deal with as many buses will be a welcome change.

But what are the small things that make a Deluxe so... deluxe?

Location makes all the difference in the world. Prepare to be spoiled. As said previously, in addition to the location, the rooms are larger as well. The Monorail resorts have the largest rooms and the lobbies are much grander. The monorail is a big difference maker as well. I'd stay wherever your going to spend the most time.

 

[kiford]

Interior corridors. As others mentioned, you have interior corridors at the deluxes and don't at moderates (at least at Port Orleans).

Interior corridors can also provide a bit more privacy. When your room opens onto an exterior walkway, you generally can't keep your curtains open unless you want everybody looking in as they pass. Some rooms on the ground floor of deluxe resorts may have that issue too, but all of the rooms at moderates have that problem. We also find that rooms tend to be quieter with an interior hallway.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Hey it's the closest resort to Animal Kingdom!

I argue that AKL is a destination of itself, rather than being near a destination.

 

[5kidsmommy]

Off topic but reading this thread so makes me want to stay in a deluxe. It's my goal once more kids move out.