Would you cut stay one day short to upgrade to mod from value?

[hammie59]

PS-just read your post about each bunking with a kid. That is exactly what we did. Much easier than 2 adults in a double bed. We also requested two bed rails (one for each bed) to make sure they didn't fall out.

 

[ajh88]

My opinion is to stay at Pop and keep the "extra" day. I'm not sure what scenario would ever cause me to shorten my stay (willingly)...definitely not the difference between a value and moderate! Have fun no matter what you do!

 

[psac]

As someone who usually stays deluxe, I would still say extra day. It's always best to book within your budget to get the most out of a vacation.

Also, I think it was on easywdw that they recommended first timers never book moderate. Basically ALL disney hotels are under-quality for what you pay for (I'm a huge WDW fan as I say that), so not having stayed at a value, you may not appreciate the elements in a moderate that are "better" than those at a value -- they're all overpriced anyway! Hope that somewhat makes sense.

 

[petrola]

I'm with Butterfly girl here. For me I would rather stay at a mod or deluxe for one less day - but stay where you think you can be happy for the longest amount of time. Also when you say one less day - it depends on the amount of days you are going. If one more day means 8 days then I would rather stay in a mod for 7 but if one more day means 3 days, then maybe you should consider the value resorts. For us, due to work, we don't get many vacations that are longer than 5 days, so when we do go away, I want what I want. Have fun wherever you go!!


updated: ok I just re-read your initial post and see that you are looking at 7 days. Definitely stay at the mod then, I don't think I would need one more day of parks after going for 7 days, especially with a 5 year old. My daughter is 3 and LOVES, LOVES, LOVES going to Disney, but after 6 days is really too wiped out to even consider day 7.

 

[ready123go]

skeettafic-
I would stay the extra day, but I would plan strategically. Price this year's specials to see what the cost of a moderate is. If you can 'afford' the mock vacation at a moderate, then I would look at this year's dates and prices for the Free Dining and Room Only specials. I would look at last year's thread for Fall Free Dining 2011 and maybe even go back to 2010 Then, if I could, I would try to book next year's vacation during dates that I think they might run the specials.

I would book the value and upgrade when they run the special.

This is providing the dates work for you.

GL! -Ready

 

[mommy2twinprincesses]

Hands DOWN, moderate over a value in exchange for one less day. The kids will LOVE the slides. We stayed at a value once and won't stay there again.

 

[ilovemk76]

On a first visit I would go the maximum number of days you can afford.

 

[jsw1114]

Stay an extra day! With it being ur first trip u will prob b in that room to sleep worst case u sleep with one and hubby sleep with other child cause a full bed is small we have stayed value the past two times and did fine we always had six in our group this time will b the first mod trip because it's only five and we r staying at POR in one room

 

[softballmom3]

Stay the extra day!! Especially first visit. We have state at Pop and loved it! They had better than average bus transportation and their food court was pretty good. I wouldn't even consider the other. .

 

[Amy&Dan]

OP, I think (for what that is worth lol) you made the right choice! And here are some things I have found through the years and the many trips we have taken to WDW.

We have stayed at every single level of WDW resort. We did a couple of stays in DVC two bedrooms, many stays in DVC one bedrooms, also stayed at the Poly once, plus numerous stays at the mods and the values (have stayed at all of both those levels except for AoA, most more than once). I guess my point is that we have really slept around at WDW!

We have done I think four stays at values, each one totalling ten nights and then quite a few more at values for 4 nights. As a family of four. The double beds did not bother us (I'll add that dh and I are not tall so that helps). Until recently, the mods all had double beds (cbr still does) and again, we did fine.

I also might suggest you take a sleeping bag or airbed. We do that (girl and a boy far too old to sleep together and my dd is not somebody I will sleep with since she thrashes all night long). When my kids were younger, we had a little Disney princess sleeping bag I got at Target with a built in blow up mattress. Dd would sleep in that, it was her "disney bed". Later on when she outgrew that, we took the twin airbed. If you do something like this, you and your husband can each have their own double bed, without you having to sleep with your dd. The value rooms can fit a twin sized airbed very easily between the one bed and the door, a sleeping bag can fit between the beds. Just a thought.

Now all this said, as we have gotten older and our kids are older (16 and 17 now), the mods fit us a bit better. We love them! But would I ever cut a trip short to stay in one? Never!

Value food courts are very busy, in the morning in particular. We solve that in two ways. I usually bring a box of cereal, maybe some pop tarts and granola bars and then buy a half gallon of milk in the gift shop so that we can eat in the room some of our days. Other days, we get up later (have teenagers lol) and the food court at about 10:00 is deserted. Other days, dh or I will go over alone to the food court, get breakfast to go (they have big bags and will cover the food up so you can do this) and then meet the rest of the family either in the room or maybe near one of the pools (all the pools have tables that are almost always deserted in the mornings) and we will have breakfast outside which we'd rather do anyway. I will add the mod food courts are also busy in the mornings.

I think with the age of your daughter (5 I think?) you cannot beat a value. When my kids were little, they thought the values were the best! Most kids want a pool they can get wet in, a slide is not the end all be all. And all the values now have pool games in the afternoons, movies by the pool at night and believe me, your dd will be very happy in a value pool.

Disney values are to me far from a motel in that the rooms may be on the small side, but they are still nice rooms and the resort themselves have lovely grounds, lots of theming and large pools. And taking your little one to Disney is going to be magical for you all no matter where you stay!

 

[skeettafic]

So in a dramatic turn of events....

We're cutting the day to stay at a mod! With what some people posted here plus with getting to talk to some girlfriends last night who are Disney Veterans, we've decided that we would rather have someplace a little quieter and maybe slightly more relaxing for the times that we are there. We figured out that if the FD is offered the same way it has been the last few years, then we would end up needing another 250 or so to upgrade to the regular dining plan so the price litterally ends up being the same if we cut a night.

Also, checking flights to get an estimate and there are flights that we could take and be in Orlando by 10am the morning of our reservation so that will help!

And, my parents are coming with us (in their own room) and, even though my dad didn't say anything, they really wanted a slightly less crazy resort as well.

Now the only decision is CSR or POR

 

[Amy&Dan]

So in a dramatic turn of events....

We're cutting the day to stay at a mod! With what some people posted here plus with getting to talk to some girlfriends last night who are Disney Veterans, we've decided that we would rather have someplace a little quieter and maybe slightly more relaxing for the times that we are there. We figured out that if the FD is offered the same way it has been the last few years, then we would end up needing another 250 or so to upgrade to the regular dining plan so the price litterally ends up being the same if we cut a night.

Also, checking flights to get an estimate and there are flights that we could take and be in Orlando by 10am the morning of our reservation so that will help!

And, my parents are coming with us (in their own room) and, even though my dad didn't say anything, they really wanted a slightly less crazy resort as well.

Now the only decision is CSR or POR

Well we love all the mods! Have you considered POFQ? Its much smaller.

Between CSR and POR, its hard for me to pick a favorite. POR is probably our favorite. And you can get a "preferred" room which puts you very close to the main area and food court. CSR also has "preferred" rooms which put you close to El Centro which has the restaurants, but the main pool at CSR is on the other side of the resort. At CSR, its kind of tough to be close to both the main pool and food court.

We don't find the size of the mod resorts to be a factor, we have stayed in the far out buildings at both POR and CSR and did fine. One of those (CSR trip in the Ranchos section) was with my inlaws and in spite of the fact my aunt in law had a hip injury, she did fine with the walking at CSR over to the main area.

I would go over to www.allearsnet.com and check out the resort video section. All the mods have video tours of the grounds, rooms, foodcourts and lobbies that really give a great feel for the resorts.

Maybe watch those with your parents and see what everyone thinks. If you have a whole day when you arrive, that will give you time to in essence have the lenght of trip you need/want. And as someone pointed out awhile back, you can never get it all done anyway!

And if your dates do fall during a hopeful free dining period, and you want the DDP vs. the QSDP, its much better to be in a moderate.

 

[JohnO]

I don't think you'll go wrong with either POR or CSR. We've stayed at both and they're both great!!!