Have you made a switch from value and/or moderate resorts to deluxe? Was it worth it?

[MagicAddict123]

I am in the same boat at you and looking forward to it! We've stayed at ASM, CBR, POFQ (twice, personally our favorite); and off site - Disney Springs Hilton (this past X-Mas), Marriott World Center. For our July trip, we've are going to AKL and super excited. I rented DVC Points from David's Vacation Club Rental site and we paid slightly less than we would have for POFQ. Observations, The Value Resorts attract more groups such as tour groups from overseas and school groups. These groups tend to crowd the bus stops and food courts making getting in and out a challenge. CBR, - I didn't feel it was much of an upgrade to ASM and haven't been back (great pool though). POFQ is our favorite MOD. Great service, one bus stop, dedicated buses and smaller crowds at the food court makes it awesome! We love Arniel the doorman!!!

If not a DVC member, rent the points! The only drawbacks are, you have to pay upfront for the rooms and DDP and you are relying on the DVC member to make the reservation and booking ME and the DDP. Other than that, you get to stay at a DVC Deluxe property without shelling out the $25,000 - $35,000 you would for DVC.

 

[happymommy]

I used to only stay at deluxe resorts. Last time, just me and our youngest stayed at the BWI (even with a big discount), we both felt it was SO not worth it!

We tried Pop, enjoyed it SO MUCH more! We like the variety of food court options. Room was fine! Comfortable beds. Excellent service. Only thing was I brought a travel coffee maker; no big deal to do so, and I had excellent espresso ground coffee instead of Disney's nasty Joffrey crap. Since then, we decided we preferred Pop! Bus service was better. They offer (limited) room service for a very reasonable price.

I am doubtful I'll stay deluxe again, and moderate really has no draw for me.

 

[Rosanne]

We've stayed at four deluxes...Yacht Club, Beach Club, AKL and the Polynesian. We've stayed at the Swan and Dolpin. We've stayed at CB and we've stayed at Movies several times, Music several times and Pop once. Last year was our first year at Poly. For us now it's either Poly or Movies or Music. We like the relaxed atmosphere at the Poly. It's kind of like having two vacations in one.. we feel like we've "been somewhere" islandy. We like Movies and Music because they are so whimsical and people seem so happy there. We also like the food choices at the food court. At Poly we like the Dole Whips and the Twilight Feasts and being able to hop on the monorail to Epcot and MK.

We don't really mind the buses at the values. We actually had much better experiences with them than the buses for Beach Club. I like that the bus lines at the values have chains that make clear lines.

We're heading back to the Poly in August but if we couldn't do Poly we'd do Movies or Music. No big deal.

 

[mrsclark]

I think for what the OP is looking for the jump to deluxe will be worth it. We were on a large family trip last fall and stayed at the Cabins at FW - the cabin was, for the money, the nicest room we ever had on Disney property (huge, private, quiet, clean) and the service at FW was VASTLY superior to YC & BC (I would say for service, FW is tied with the Contemporary for the best service we have had on property). But even though we LOVED the cabin, we don't plan to rebook at FW anytime soon because of the location. The great thing about the Epcot Deluxe resorts is the uncrowded walkway to Epcot and HS - no waiting for transport, we could get to either park just as fast our feet could (or wanted to) carry us. And we loved the Contemporary for much the same reason, a super quick walk to MK and it was like having easy access to anywhere on property - just walk to the MK bus depot and you could catch a bus to any other resort or park on property.

And the pools at the Deluxe hotels tend to be beautiful - we love the sand bottom pool and lazy river at YC/BC and the pool at AK was great!

If the OP had different priorities such as room quality, I would give a much different answer. As I know has been stated on this board, Disney's idea of Deluxe in room furnishings, fixtures, size, etc. does NOT match with what you would find in a Deluxe hotel on the "outside." At their very best (excluding, of course, rooms like the Poly Bungalows or WL Cabins), Deluxe rooms at Disney are probably equivalent to a mid-tier hotel on the outside. But DH and I know at Disney we are paying for location, location, location and since that is our priority we expect to pay up for it.

 

[mrsclark]

One more thought, though, as the economy has improved and Disney prices have increased while the discounts they offered have decreased, DH and I talked about going back to AK or trying WL. Our last experience at YC was less than stellar and if the price matched (or was at least in the same universe) as that experience, that would have been fine, but for the per night price along with the fact that we were staying ten nights, the experience left a sour taste in our mouths. The "problem" (and I use that term very very loosely) is that there isn't any walkability to the parks from AK or WL, but at the prices Disney is now charging, they may just about be reaching the point where the walking is not worth it. So if Disney needs us to "vote" with our money, we might try BW and see if we like that any better.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

I've stayed at Value and Deluxe and I find the Deluxe (Contemporary) to be way more relaxing. Way less crowded and a lot quieter. No kids running the halls at 2am and it's really easy to get food at the Contempo Cafe or relax at the Outer Rim bar. Plus the access to the Monorail makes travel to Epcot so easy. We always walk to MK, it takes about 15 minutes. I can justify the cost due to the time saved traveling. We booked Club Level for the first time this upcoming trip and I'm looking forward to not wasting time on breakfast ADR's. We can grab a quick bite and be on our way in 30 minutes or less.

 

[wootejl]

Lately, my family has been renting DVC points whenever possible (we have never been able to justify the cost of a deluxe resort booking through Disney). But for our 2 upcoming trips, the resorts/rooms we wanted weren't available so we decided to save a little money and stay at POFQ instead. Even though I've always loved POFQ in the past, I just couldn't get myself excited about it after having stayed at resorts like AKL. I ended up watching a lot of youtube videos about the resort and why people love it and it got me super excited again! Doing stuff like that always helps me get back on board when we're not staying at my first choice resort. Plus by saving a little money on the resort, we were able to use that for other things like the Magic Kingdom After Hours event on our trip in March, and for our October trip it's allowing us to stay an extra day and possibly add additional experiences like Hoop-de-doo. Get on YouTube and it won't be hard to get yourself excited about staying at a moderate resort again, even after a deluxe

 

[AllieBoo]

We used to only stay at Mods, but after trying each one of those, we decided to try a deluxe. We have not looked back lol. For us, the big draw for staying deluxe is transportation. We prefer to stay at a resort that is within walking distance to a park, or a short ride on the monorail. My husband really hates riding Disney buses because it takes up so much time. We've stayed at YC and BC and loved being able to walk to Epcot or DHS, and at the Contemporary so we could walk to MK.

 

[Bowen Family]

Yes, we've just discovered the whole DVC rental concept and are looking into it now. Seems almost too good to be true if you can find availability and make it work!

 

[Bowen Family]

Thanks for the reply! I think we're leaning towards a split stay at a premium (DVC rental if available) then value or moderate.

 

[Bowen Family]

I am in the same boat at you and looking forward to it! We've stayed at ASM, CBR, POFQ (twice, personally our favorite); and off site - Disney Springs Hilton (this past X-Mas), Marriott World Center. For our July trip, we've are going to AKL and super excited. I rented DVC Points from David's Vacation Club Rental site and we paid slightly less than we would have for POFQ. Observations, The Value Resorts attract more groups such as tour groups from overseas and school groups. These groups tend to crowd the bus stops and food courts making getting in and out a challenge. CBR, - I didn't feel it was much of an upgrade to ASM and haven't been back (great pool though). POFQ is our favorite MOD. Great service, one bus stop, dedicated buses and smaller crowds at the food court makes it awesome! We love Arniel the doorman!!!

If not a DVC member, rent the points! The only drawbacks are, you have to pay upfront for the rooms and DDP and you are relying on the DVC member to make the reservation and booking ME and the DDP. Other than that, you get to stay at a DVC Deluxe property without shelling out the $25,000 - $35,000 you would for DVC.

Yes, looking into points now! Thanks for the reply.

 

[Bowen Family]

I used to only stay at deluxe resorts. Last time, just me and our youngest stayed at the BWI (even with a big discount), we both felt it was SO not worth it!

We tried Pop, enjoyed it SO MUCH more! We like the variety of food court options. Room was fine! Comfortable beds. Excellent service. Only thing was I brought a travel coffee maker; no big deal to do so, and I had excellent espresso ground coffee instead of Disney's nasty Joffrey crap. Since then, we decided we preferred Pop! Bus service was better. They offer (limited) room service for a very reasonable price.

I am doubtful I'll stay deluxe again, and moderate really has no draw for me.

Really interesting feedback. Thanks!

 

[Bowen Family]

I think for what the OP is looking for the jump to deluxe will be worth it. We were on a large family trip last fall and stayed at the Cabins at FW - the cabin was, for the money, the nicest room we ever had on Disney property (huge, private, quiet, clean) and the service at FW was VASTLY superior to YC & BC (I would say for service, FW is tied with the Contemporary for the best service we have had on property). But even though we LOVED the cabin, we don't plan to rebook at FW anytime soon because of the location. The great thing about the Epcot Deluxe resorts is the uncrowded walkway to Epcot and HS - no waiting for transport, we could get to either park just as fast our feet could (or wanted to) carry us. And we loved the Contemporary for much the same reason, a super quick walk to MK and it was like having easy access to anywhere on property - just walk to the MK bus depot and you could catch a bus to any other resort or park on property.

And the pools at the Deluxe hotels tend to be beautiful - we love the sand bottom pool and lazy river at YC/BC and the pool at AK was great!

If the OP had different priorities such as room quality, I would give a much different answer. As I know has been stated on this board, Disney's idea of Deluxe in room furnishings, fixtures, size, etc. does NOT match with what you would find in a Deluxe hotel on the "outside." At their very best (excluding, of course, rooms like the Poly Bungalows or WL Cabins), Deluxe rooms at Disney are probably equivalent to a mid-tier hotel on the outside. But DH and I know at Disney we are paying for location, location, location and since that is our priority we expect to pay up for it.

You're absolutely right. Neither room quality nor on-site food options are big draws for us. Rather, it's all about amenities and park access. Thanks for the reply!

 

[Bowen Family]

We don't really mind the buses at the values. We actually had much better experiences with them than the buses for Beach Club. I like that the bus lines at the values have chains that make clear lines.



Agreed, we've had much better bus experiences at POP than during our one stay at Port Orleans Riverside.

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

We have done all levels. When we did deluxe they were more reasonable then now. Discounts were better in the past. We've been going for forty years.

Anyway, we are park people. I really don't want pool time or whatever. I'd rather do value resorts and perhaps treat us to better dining or experiences like tours.

I can see trying it once for deluxe, but once and done would be my motto.

Indeed! well over 50% markup since 2000 for POLY. I do not foresee ever staying there again because of that. Thankfully there are other choices!!

 

[klacey1]

I've never stayed at value, and don't think I would. I think I'd rather go offsite--for my trip in April, Pop is the same price as the Hilton Buena Vista Palace, which is walking distance from Disney Springs, has a lazy river, and now has access to the 60-day FastPass access. I just don't really love the theming or the size of the rooms. Honestly, the one thing I do appreciate about them is that they have bus queues with chains, forcing people to board in the order in which they arrive at the bus stop. I hate staying when at the mods/deluxes people swarm the buses, especially those who stroll up just as the bus arrives.

The only mod I'll stay at is POR, and I absolutely love it. Tom at Disney Tourist Blog describes POR as a mod with deluxe theming and I completely agree. It's a nicely central resort--perfect for trips when I'm not focusing on one park. One thing I LOVE about POR that I've missed at the deluxes is the variety in the food court. I love that they have tons of options for every meal.

I must admit that I certainly prefer deluxe, and would stay in one every time I could afford it, which is fortunately most times. However, if I had to stay moderate (like this upcoming April bonus trip), I would and not be sad I wasn't staying deluxe. I think it's all about mind frame for. If I appreciate POR for everything it is (great food court, lovely grounds, great pool, main building bar), I'll have a great time!

 

[Bowen Family]

I've never stayed at value, and don't think I would. I think I'd rather go offsite--for my trip in April, Pop is the same price as the Hilton Buena Vista Palace, which is walking distance from Disney Springs, has a lazy river, and now has access to the 60-day FastPass access. I just don't really love the theming or the size of the rooms. Honestly, the one thing I do appreciate about them is that they have bus queues with chains, forcing people to board in the order in which they arrive at the bus stop. I hate staying when at the mods/deluxes people swarm the buses, especially those who stroll up just as the bus arrives.

Thanks. The Hilton wasn't even on my radar, but just checked the website and pricing and it looks great.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

We have stayed at all of the values (AoA is our favorite, Pop is a "never again"m and the All Stars fall somewhere in between), half of the mods (POR and CBR), and many of the deluxes (Wilderness Lodge, Boardwalk, Contemporary, Polynesian, and have Beach Club coming up in less than 2 weeks). For us, there was a huge jump from value to moderate and a decent jump from mod to deluxe. Depending on our budget, we might stay at a moderate instead of a deluxe, but I can't see us ever staying at a value again. The difference is just too great. And, with renting points for a DVC property being as easy as it is, combined with the fact that we can often times get a studio for the same or even less than a moderate, we most often go deluxe if there is availability. We like the transportation, find the accommodations to be better, think that the locations are almost always more convenient, and feel more relaxed there. However, we are able to be very comfortable and relaxed at the mods. The values, though, not so much. Beds aren't as comfortable, sheets are too cheep, walls are too thin, and transportation isn't very good. All of these things improve at the mods and top out at the deluxes. So, for us, deluxe is preferred, mod is perfectly acceptable, values are not.

 

[MagicAddict123]

Thanks. The Hilton wasn't even on my radar, but just checked the website and pricing and it looks great.

Stayed there January 27th - 2/2/28. Nice hotel and good service and free transportation to the parks. I was able to use Hilton Honors points and pay for the room for the entire stay. The rooms are a little larger than most Disney World rooms. For us, however, not being a resort guest, we missed some of the perks such as extra AM and extra magic hours. Also, walking to Disney Springs or the Saratoga Springs Resort is not easy. You cannot cross the street in front of the hotel to walk over to SSR. You have to walk all the way around to the Disney Springs footbridge and then all the way back.

 

[shocker]

To your title question...We've made the switch from Deluxes to Moderates and Values. Like you, I really like the walking distance resorts to some of the parks. But, I also didn't like that Deluxes are not themed to Disney. Most will disagree, but the themes at the values are superb. I like the slightly larger rooms, fans, queen beds, and themed pools at the moderates too. But, as others have said the Deluxes are pricing themselves out of our range. This summer we are trying a DSAR resort for the first time, that will now offer EMH and 60 day FP+ benefits, and walking distance to Disney Springs. I'll either be earning loyalty points while there to use on another vacation or spending points I've accumulated for a free stay at Disney. We'll see how it goes.