I think we're over the values...

[gypsy_at_heart]

I stayed at AS Music a few years ago. It was ok, nothing awful, nothing amazing. Next trip I found a deal at CSR... it was only a couple hundred more for my stay than at AS Music. Loved CSR, love all the moderates I've stayed at. The deluxes are lovely too but I'm just not willing to pay the price jump when I'm quite happy at the mods and can usually find a good deal. I'm sure I could stay at a value and not hate it, it was fine before and I'm sure it would be fine again, but I prefer the mods and they fit in my budget so I have no plans to go back to the values.

 

[k5xs]

Each has its place with us, so we do a mix.

(Five times a year or so) low cost stays, Pop

(Less frequent) Moderate stays, POFQ

(Once a year or so) Deluxe stays, Contemporary

(Special occasions) Contemporary club-level

 

[Moliphino]

I pick my resort based on my mood for whatever trip it's going to be. Pop a few weeks ago; loved the beds (sooo comfortable), loved the new rooms. Yes, what the OP said about the large groups is indeed one reason to avoid values if you go during the time of year they will be all over the place. I swore off All-Stars across the board before the renovations, but would give them another chance if I could find a time of year there were no large groups (me and my friend were almost left behind when DME did a pick up for the airport because the bus was crammed full with a group that was staying there and the group was extremely loud, rude, and oblivious).

We had that problem at CSR once. There was a huge group of teen girls getting on DME at the same time as us. They sent 2 buses, but we still almost didn't get on one. The Disney employee told us it was up to the drivers to let us on or not, even though that's the bus we were scheduled for. One driver let us on while the adults in the large group were still trying to sort their arrangements out (I think they were annoyed with us because we threw off their numbers, but that's not my problem).

I'm totally fine staying in the values. We'll be at Pop for eight nights in December after staying at CSR the past few years. I've stayed Deluxe, Moderate, and DVC in the past and haven't been ruined for Values. I think they often actually have better bus service.

 

[PrincessDaisyDuck]

Personally what I prefer about the values is the bus setup - I really like that there are lines set out. In my experience at the mods and deluxe levels we stayed at when the bus would come people would kind of swarm it. I always felt bad for any elderly or slower people that may have been waiting longer but maybe were sitting back on the benches. It just felt uncomfortable to me seeing that, however of course not all of the bus pick ups are like that. I also love the bigger food courts at the values.

I do wish they would cover the bus lines at the All Stars though.

 

[gillep]

We started out in moderates and then a mix of moderate/DVC studios, and have recently stayed DVC/Deluxe due to all the construction at the moderates. We stayed almost a week at POP when we took DH's whole family, followed by a couple days for us at CSR once they left, and I was doing the sound of music twirl in my CSR room as it finally felt like we could breathe, that POP room was just too small for us. We have done one night at ASMo, and I have to say I definitely preferred it to POP, I still couldn't spend more than a night or two there, but I really hated the setup of POP and it was at least better at ASMo. I personally don't see the larger food courts at the value resorts as a plus, they have more options, but I have yet to actually have anything that I liked at either of the three I have eaten at (POP, AOA, ASMo). I hate the uncovered lines for the buses and at POP and how the food court, seating for the food court, and the gift shop were all one contiguous space, it made it very loud and chaotic, especially when people came in through the shop from the buses.

We spend a lot of time at the resort though, and use the hot tubs, themed pools/slides, table service restaurants, and indoor lounges, so not having that at a WDW resort really impacts our trip. When I go to DL we are park open to close people, and I take a bare bones motel room across the street from the entrance, because it fits with our DL touring style.

 

[scoobygrl79]

It's crazy how everyone has different views of the same resorts.

I love POP. It's nostalgic for me because we stayed there many times in the mid 2000s when I was a teenager.
I love the deluxes, staying at Grand Floridian in November.

Mods? I don't like.

To each their own!

Your comment kinda struck home because I feel like I can relate, yet I fight it since I don't know WHY I have this mentality! Do you mind sharing why you also feel like Mods are not your jam? Maybe it will help me figure out why I'm starting to have this non-explainable aversion after all these years.

 

[Julylady]

We agree. No values for us.

 

[DisneyTravelers2008]

Have you considered renting points from a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) member? That is a great way to get a great deal on a delux resort...there are several agencies that specialize in this

We are DVC members and we usually stay at Animal Kingdom, Poly, Boardwalk or Saratoga Springs. We recently booked one night at AoA and it was definitely...."different"....than a delux

 

[mco65]

if not for the size of our family, we would stay at Value over Mods... Not that much difference IMO. Now deluxe is another story...

 

[Jennasis]

We own DVC now so it's not really necessary to stay in a mon or a value but back in the days of cash trips we enjoyed Pop very much.

 

[Magalex]

We were pleasantly surprise for a last minute trip with discount code last June 2017 to stay at All Star Music. It was last minute and we had a code and Music was available. We selected building #7 Beauty and the Beast. We were on the back side of the building. Lovely. Everything was clean. No large tour groups. All the cast members were friendly. Food court bright and clean. Buses on time! Excellent we were so close to AK for Pandora. Next year we selected ASMOVIES becuase of the room renovations and we spend lots of time in the parks.

 

[Shelleyfs]

I agree. We used to stay at Pop the first night every trip. We drive down and it would be our time to rest up, the kids would swim and just hang around the resort. This time I didn't even want to do that. Our rest days are going to be at AKV. The older I get, I think I am starting to appreciate time saves and overall comfort. I would rather stay a week at a deluxe than 10 days at a value/moderate. I used to love the values when the kids were little. Life changes, I guess.

 

[Redd1989]

Thinking of trying an AS, but not sure it is for folks without children?

 

[Mome Rath]

Thinking of trying an AS, but not sure it is for folks without children?

Sure, it's just a resort that tends to have a lot of families and kids. I always say there's a lot more "energy" at the values. I would suggest picking one that has renovated rooms and request one of them if you decide to stay at an AS.

 

[twinboysmom]

I left Texas last August for hurricane Harvey and with no planning went to disneyworld with my boys and my mother in law. We normally stay dvc and have stayed all levels but it had been since the 2011 we had done any stay at all in a value. We stayed in all star sports. It was clean, I felt safe, and it worked out well for us. The rooms are small but I knew that. I had no issue fitting my double jogging stroller and having plenty of room to walk. We enjoyed the food court in the morning. The pools were fun. Staff were nice, helpful, and the buses were fine too. I would absolutely do it again.

 

[buzznina]

if not for the size of our family, we would stay at Value over Mods... Not that much difference IMO. Now deluxe is another story...

And we find it the other way, for the much bigger $$ difference we do not see much difference between Mods and Deluxe, but do between Value and Mods.

 

[FSU Girl]

I don't like the values. I've stayed at them a few times and I just feel like they are an overpriced motel with the outdoor entrance and the small rooms. I'd rather stay at the Disney Springs hotel that have indoor hallways and the price is usually $50 to $75 cheaper. I love the Deluxe hotels and the last two years that's all I've stayed at. The prices have gone way up next year so we probably won't be doing many onsite stays, but might splurge every now and then.

 

[maxiesmom]

I don't like the values. I've stayed at them a few times and I just feel like they are an overpriced motel with the outdoor entrance and the small rooms. I'd rather stay at the Disney Springs hotel that have indoor hallways and the price is usually $50 to $75 cheaper. I love the Deluxe hotels and the last two years that's all I've stayed at. The prices have gone way up next year so we probably won't be doing many onsite stays, but might splurge every now and then.

That is odd. Whenever I check the Disney Springs resorts they are the same if not more than the Disney Values. And many of them charge service fees that are not included in the stated price. Must depend on time of year.

 

[FSU Girl]

That is odd. Whenever I check the Disney Springs resorts they are the same if not more than the Disney Values. And many of them charge service fees that are not included in the stated price. Must depend on time of year.

That is weird, maybe it's the certain hotel? I check through all of them. My Fiance also has a Hilton membership thing so he gets a slightly discounted rate. But at a quick glance for my trip I'm trying to plan all the rooms are about $50 cheaper, with all the hotel fees.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

Thinking of trying an AS, but not sure it is for folks without children?

My trip in September was a trip with only adults. We stayed at ASSports

There were two ladies, we had a blast. We watched a movie, from the pool, we swam and we liked all of the different options for food at the food court.

I don't know how many adults I could comfortably fit in the room, mainly because we had two full size beds.