In no way am I chastising anyone for asking if a resort - or a cruise, or a restaurant, or a park, or whatever - is "worth it." This is almost a hourly question on these boards, and I suspect I've probably asked it as well....but in reality, I think it's fair to say that only you know whether what you get for what you pay for is ultimately "worth it."
I want to be as helpful as the next person in providing information that helps people make decisions on how to best plan or what a resort might be like, but it's near impossible to tell someone whether something is worth it. The answer to that question is really - well, it depends upon your expectations.
I find it far easier to help someone when I have some background. Who are you? How old are your kids? Where ya from? Picky eaters? Have a certain style? What do you want out of a resort? Are you going to the pool - ever? Do you need to eat at certain times? Is there a cuisine you're fond of, not fond of? Do your kids need naps? Are you trying to maximize your time in the parks? A particular park? Do you have an animal lover? Is this more for you or your kids? Are you flying and renting a car? Are you driving? Any experiences you had last time you want to avoid? What are you sleeping arrangement requirements? Do you care how big the bed is?
I'm a fiscally conservative vacationer....I don't like to pay more for something that is either irrelevant to my situation or otherwise will not improve my situation in such a way that I agree to pay extra for it. That said, I also want to be comfortable on my trip and have preferences about things that I can only find starting at a certain level of resort. Otherwise, in my mind, I might as well be staying off property.
"Worth it" for a week at Disney, when comparing resorts, is often over $1,000.00. For some, it just doesn't matter. $1,000 or $5,000 is a drop in the bucket when trying to create the perfect experience. To others, it's an enormous amount that determines whether the trip can be taken at all. By switching from a Deluxe to a Moderate and snagging free dining, I save $2,300. That is significant to me, and my kids aren't going to know the difference, and if they did, they likely wouldn't care. So, the Deluxe isn't "worth it."
So, in the end, for me at least, it is most helpful to know your circumstances and desires in advance of answering the question, whether it is worth it. I don't need to know what you do for a living and what color you paint your nails....but a sense of your expectations and standards goes a long way towards ultimately getting the help you want.
.02
I want to be as helpful as the next person in providing information that helps people make decisions on how to best plan or what a resort might be like, but it's near impossible to tell someone whether something is worth it. The answer to that question is really - well, it depends upon your expectations.
I find it far easier to help someone when I have some background. Who are you? How old are your kids? Where ya from? Picky eaters? Have a certain style? What do you want out of a resort? Are you going to the pool - ever? Do you need to eat at certain times? Is there a cuisine you're fond of, not fond of? Do your kids need naps? Are you trying to maximize your time in the parks? A particular park? Do you have an animal lover? Is this more for you or your kids? Are you flying and renting a car? Are you driving? Any experiences you had last time you want to avoid? What are you sleeping arrangement requirements? Do you care how big the bed is?
I'm a fiscally conservative vacationer....I don't like to pay more for something that is either irrelevant to my situation or otherwise will not improve my situation in such a way that I agree to pay extra for it. That said, I also want to be comfortable on my trip and have preferences about things that I can only find starting at a certain level of resort. Otherwise, in my mind, I might as well be staying off property.
"Worth it" for a week at Disney, when comparing resorts, is often over $1,000.00. For some, it just doesn't matter. $1,000 or $5,000 is a drop in the bucket when trying to create the perfect experience. To others, it's an enormous amount that determines whether the trip can be taken at all. By switching from a Deluxe to a Moderate and snagging free dining, I save $2,300. That is significant to me, and my kids aren't going to know the difference, and if they did, they likely wouldn't care. So, the Deluxe isn't "worth it."
So, in the end, for me at least, it is most helpful to know your circumstances and desires in advance of answering the question, whether it is worth it. I don't need to know what you do for a living and what color you paint your nails....but a sense of your expectations and standards goes a long way towards ultimately getting the help you want.
.02
I REALLY liked your post, and wish it could be made mandatory reading for all new DISers. Threads that start with "Has anyone ever....." really bug me. No. No one on the DIS boards (including all of us veteran guests) has EVER....(
) It really is a pet peeve of mine (and yes, we all know that I have many
). 
As I've answered before to many of those threads, "worth it" is completely subjective and relative to what you (and your family) value. There is so much information available about any one of these topics (resorts, restaurants, etc...) that you can easily look it up and determine if what's offered is something that you would "value", and therefore, make paying the extra "worth it". 
