Why Deluxe Resorts

[christa112]

I totally understand that we have all income brackets on this board and what some people can afford others can't. So what is the draw to Deluxe Resorts?

I can honestly say I can't afford a Deluxe resort, not that I wouldn't kill to stay in one, but the idea of my family spending $7,000 to $10,00 on a hotel boggles my mind. I would much rather go more often and stay at Moderate or a Value than go once every ten years and stay at a Deluxe.

Please do not take any offense to the post, it was not intended to be a slam. I am just curious.

Ok, so let me make a correction to my $7,000 to $10,000. I didn't mean on just the room. I meant for the entire vacation in a Deluxe resorts, park tickets, with hopper & water parks etc & DDP. And for those of you who are questioning where I came up with $7,000.00 If my family of 5 (2A & 3C) was to stay at the Poly, Theme Park View, it would cost $6,658.65 not including airfare, so if you added that on at least another $1,300.00 That is pretty close to $7,000.00 to me and I sure I can get into the 9,000.00 range if I tried other deluxe hotels.

 

[livie1205]

Ok, so let me make a correction to my $7,000 to $10,000. I didn't mean on just the room. I meant for the entire vacation in a Deluxe resorts, park tickets, with hopper & water parks etc & DDP. And for those of you who are questioning where I came up with $7,000.00 If my family of 5 (2A & 3C) was to stay at the Poly, Theme Park View, it would cost $6,658.65 not including airfare, so if you added that on at least another $1,300.00 That is pretty close to $7,000.00 to me and I sure I can get into the 9,000.00 range if I tried other deluxe hotels.

well you are at the high end of things, you can cut costs by one not staying in a theme park view,poly is fine without it and you may get upgraded for free (it happens) two not get park hoppers (they cost alot more and with 3 kids not easy to do.)three get AAA or look for a code (they come out all during the year,i have always found one)these things bring the cost down so at least you wont fall over after getting the price lol I have 3 kids also and I try to stay at a deluxe whenever I get a chance because with 3 kids we like to have a little down time and there is so much more to do at a deluxe.We never do park hoppers because with 3 kids we just get to tired to go from park to park in one day and the kids get all cranky,we find it cheaper to just pick one of the water parks for a day and pay for that day...but at a deluxe they have great pools so we just stay at the pools....we only do water parks if we stay at a mod or value.

 

[Aliceacc]

Even before we lucked into the 40% code, our trip was nowhere near that expensive. We had booked at the Contemporary, Garden View, during Value season with the AAA discount. We had a 6 night stayand 7 day parkhopper tickets. Even with DDP and airfare from NY, it was around $5000. for the 5 of us.

 

[bsbrady]

I totally understand that we have all income brackets on this board and what some people can afford others can't. So what is the draw to Deluxe Resorts?

I can honestly say I can't afford a Deluxe resort, not that I wouldn't kill to stay in one, but the idea of my family spending $7,000 to $10,00 on a hotel boggles my mind. I would much rather go more often and stay at Moderate or a Value than go once every ten years and stay at a Deluxe.

Please do not take any offense to the post, it was not intended to be a slam. I am just curious.

I understand everyone has a budget, but 7 - 10 thousand dollars was way more than it would cost. You can stay at the Wilderness Lodge for as little as $215 per night, and that does not any additional discounts like AP, AAA or any other. I just booked my stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge for 165 per night. So if your dates are flexible and you do some planning you can stay at a deluxe for the price of a mod

 

[CarolA]

I can afford Deluxe resorts.

Why would I stay at Disney Deluxe anymore?

Beds are a little bigger. Location might be better depending.... (

Bedding is sub par compared to industry standard (Don't believe me spend a night at the Swan or Dolphin)

Amenties....same as at the mods.

Service. Well... It USUALLY is a TINY bit better with the exception of the GF where the service was dramatically HORRID, but in truth it's not "deluxe" (See the rating agencies. Disney "deluxes" get THREE STARS.... The Marriott Birmingham gets 3 stars LOL!)


Personally when I compare the Disney "Deluxe" product to the hotel industry standard I know I am being ripped off. I don't LIKE to be ripped off. So I won't pay those prices anymore for a subpar product.

So don't worry if you can't afford it.... IMHO you aren't missing much

 

[joenan88]

I am a family of 5, as well. We can afford the deluxe properties and for us it is the whole package. I like the resorts on the monorail with a MK view...for us to sit on our balcony and see the MK and hear the wolves at the HM and the ferry boat horns just is a magical feeling..one that I feel is worth the money. I am staying at The CR in a MK view this August and surprising my kids..I like to feel like I am in WDW throughout my vacation not just while I am in the parks. We also like the restaurant choices and the pools that have the cool slides...it keeps my kids busy for hours.

 

[mpbs]

I like the deluxe because I have a husband and teenage boys, and need the space. When my children were young and we could stay in a value or moderate, but those days are gone. I have also like the perks of gthe deluxe too.

 

[marivaid]

We've stayed at every level of resort in WDW. The last trip was WL, BC, and POFQ. This trip will be POP.
It's just a very different kind of vacation when you're staying Deluxe. We tend to spend a lot more time at the hotel and RELAX.
For us the main appeal of Deluxes is location. The Beach Club was a five-minute walk to Epcot. After Illuminations ends, when everybody's trying to beat the crowd to the buses, you walk right out through International Gateway and five minutes later you're in your room. Or in the hot tub

I love POP. It's fun and practical and the atmosphere is great. But relaxing it is not.

 

[TDC Nala]

i like having only 1 bus stop.

There are only two resorts that do not share buses with any other resort and do not have multiple bus stops within the resort - and they're Pop Century and AKL. All other resorts, including deluxes, either share with one or more other resorts (either all or part of the time) or have multiple stops within the same resort.

 

[DebbieB]

Before buying DVC, I stayed deluxe many times and never paid anywhere near that amount, not even half (including everything). I also never paid rack rate, always got some kind of discount.

 

[TaylorsDad]

We have only tried value resorts at Disney just because we use our room primarily for sleeping and have no need for all the deluxes offer. This year we are trying a Moderate (POFQ) because we got a good deal only a little over $200 more than a value for 6days stay. Maybe if we like this we will try a deluxe next time because after hearing how close some of them are to the parks it seems tempting.
Odd that when we visit Universal we want to be "Spoiled" and stay at the nicer on site hotels, primarily because of the front of the line access.

 

[Rambler5678]

Nice Rooms and Great Location.

 

[auntie]

Balcony...is my biggest reason for a Deluxe. I very much enjoy having my morning coffee or a drink in the evening out on the balcony. It is just a very simple but enjoyable part of my vacation. It's why I'm so particular about the view also. We are way past the days of spending every minute in the park. We like to enjoy the amenities that the resort (usually the WL) offers. When we go to the parks it's to see something new..or the things we enjoy. We don't drive ourselves crazy having to see everything..but then again we've been at it for a while. Been going since '91! I do sometimes think we'd like to go back to Caribbean Beach, because we do like the food court there, and the theme..only no balcony..and I'm spoiled. Once we got that taste of it, it's been hard to go back. All that being said..I've never visited and paid full rack rate..just not worth it. I'm somewhat dissapointed with the discounts offered so far this year..and may just not go, or do something else.

 

[nurse.darcy]

For me its just because I can. I have no problem staying in a value. Did that in August with my now ex DH, but I truly love my deluxe amenities. For this next trip, it will be deluxe because I am taking my 15 year old and his friend. They will commando style the parks, I can join them in the mornings and evenings and spend the afternoons enjoying my resort while they get blisters on their feet. . .lol.

 

[Millie12591]

inside doors, great restaurants, awesome locations, exercise room, bigger rooms, views that are unbelievable, more and better transportation options.

Everyone keeps mentioning the resturants, does this mean if your staying at a particular delux resort, and you want to eat at the resturant you can just walk to the resturant and ask to be seated without having ADR's?
The reason I'm asking is that it seems to me that I'm not seeing much of a diffrence other than asthetics and location, someone mentioned the one stop bus stops (happens with Pop) and they also mentioned having things you bought at the parks sent to your room (same with the POP as any of the resorts value or otherwise). I have no doubt that staying in some of the deluxe resorts are just amazing, and one day I would love to stay at the GF, but some of the things mentioned I think people don't realize are offered at some of the other resorts don't cost as much. Worth looking into if you can't always stay at the deluxe resorts.

 

[drew64]

Location - primary reason, especially YC/BC/BWI

Room - size, additional amentities, private balcony, interior corridors - at the ones I prefer, queen size beds, real closet, addtional storage space, full room serivce

More dining choices on-site at resort

Nothing wrong with the Mods - have stayed at all of them, but just prefer the deluxes we have stayed in. Find we do much more at the resort at the deluxes - especially AKL and Epcot resorts

 

[nurse.darcy]

Everyone keeps mentioning the resturants, does this mean if your staying at a particular delux resort, and you want to eat at the resturant you can just walk to the resturant and ask to be seated without having ADR's?
The reason I'm asking is that it seems to me that I'm not seeing much of a diffrence other than asthetics and location, someone mentioned the one stop bus stops (happens with Pop) and they also mentioned having things you bought at the parks sent to your room (same with the POP as any of the resorts value or otherwise). I have no doubt that staying in some of the deluxe resorts are just amazing, and one day I would love to stay at the GF, but some of the things mentioned I think people don't realize are offered at some of the other resorts don't cost as much. Worth looking into if you can't always stay at the deluxe resorts.

Millie, Package delivery to deluxe resorts goes to the room, not just to the gift shop. You are correct about transpo. Only AKL has exclusive bus transportation and from what I have heard it is excellent. I can't answer your question about the restaurants because, although we did TS last August we only had one ADR and just walked in everything else we wanted to eat at. We did arrive before free dining so the restaurants were not NEARLY as crowded as they get during the free dining period. We were able to be seated within 20 minutes at any TS restaurant we wanted so no biggie for us. As resort dwellers anyway, we are used to waiting for seats at restaurants. Many restaurants here in Vegas are first come first served due to tourism. Some have ressies only but seriously, its always a wait no matter what.

 

[TDC Nala]

Millie, Package delivery to deluxe resorts goes to the room, not just to the gift shop.

As far as I know, this is currently true only if you are staying at concierge or club level. Unless they've changed again.

Everyone keeps mentioning the resturants, does this mean if your staying at a particular delux resort, and you want to eat at the resturant you can just walk to the resturant and ask to be seated without having ADR's?

There is no priority at resort restaurants for guests of that resort. I assume they mean it's just far easier to get to a table service restaurant if the resort you are staying in has one or more available.

 

[Contemporary_Man]

Service. Well... It USUALLY is a TINY bit better with the exception of the GF where the service was dramatically HORRID, but in truth it's not "deluxe" (See the rating agencies. Disney "deluxes" get THREE STARS.... The Marriott Birmingham gets 3 stars LOL!)

According to the latest AAA ratings, the following are 4 Diamond:
Beach Club, Contemporary, Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Yacht Club

 

[leighe]

I love the deluxes for the pools and the transportation options. However, I think rack rate at the deluxes is just ridiculous, and although we can afford it, I just can't bring myself to spend that much money on a room every night - especially when DH and I both love the feeling and landscaping of the moderates. We do deluxe if or when we can get a decent AP rate. I love the Poly but when I start asking myself - is it really worth an extra $200 a night just to be on the monorail? - I usually answer no. But that's just me. We have also just now started travelling with our DDs (2 and 7 months) so the monorail could be worth $200 in the future.