WDW Resort Hotel Prices

[Much-Pixie-Dust]

Like @Brian V said, I am more excited to stay at AKL than to go to the parks, so I find value in the resorts. I do think Disney Resorts are expensive, but I always take the room only discount. We bring our own snacks and eat some meals on US 192 due to renting a car. That helps absorb the costs. Haven't ever stayed offsite, but we are getting season passes. So we will be staying off-site for some trips in the future since we will be going more often and we fly due to distance we live from Disney.

 

[BASS]

Worth and value are very subjective.

For me, as a Florida resident, Disney is just a 3.5 hour drive away. So, I'm hesitant to book at deluxe because the hotel is more like just a bed for us. We have the beach and the pools year-round as it is. So that's not a draw for us.

Unlike those of you who live outside the state or have to fly, Disney isn't a once-a-year experience for my family, but something we have the privilege to enjoy quite frequently because of the distance. If I lived outside the state, or went only once a year, perhaps I'd "enhance" the experience and find the value at a deluxe, but for my family, it's not really worth it, particularly since our stays tend to be no more than 3 days (so we cram parks in and spend little, if any, time at the hotels).

 

[Tinkwings]

Yep to me it's location location location...since I adore the MK....I could honestly spend an entire week just there....and the boat rides are my favorite way to arrive, the WL is home sweet home....I look at the whole cost of the trip....I usually get the food and spending money "free" with Disney Visa points, and this time I got my airfare free as well....so all I need to pay for IS the resort....and that is the cost of my trip period. I love the club level for quick breakfast, and a light dinner to go back to after a bit of indulgence catches up with me...and the peace and quiet as this fairy is a super light sleeper. .....but have always gotten a good discount, this year so far not, and it bothers me slightly, but had been thinking on doing a lower level and getting a king bed and nothing has opened up...the few I have seen are queens with bunk beds, which I don't need for first time ever, and the pricing wasn't applicable to any discounts either so was only about $100 less a night.....I know people pay much more for like a cruise, which I really wouldn't enjoy much...... So YES it's ridiculous if I only consider the per night hotel cost....but like Hanna said, it's not only the room you are paying for....I concur. (Music, theming, location, ambience, lobby,Magical Express, hidden mickey hunts.....personally I have loved the fact we were THERE when we were ill or it was bad weather and we got a tour, listened to the peaceful waterfall outside our balcony, explored the lodge AND was flag family... and so much more I can't get elsewhere)

 

[G8rchamps]

We did 2 nights at the Contemporary for my daughters 7th two years ago for about 350 a night. My wife and I both grew up in FL and had never stayed there so it was as much for us as her. It was really cool and we had a blast - even able to sync a youtube wishes to the real show from the balcony. Will I ever stay there again, probably not. Deluxe is just not enough extra to us for the price.

 

[Marianm]

You're also paying for location. Beach Club, Yacht Club, and Boardwalk are within walking distance of two parks. You can walk to Magic Kingdom from the Contemporary. These are the reasons some of us actually disagree that they are overpriced. You aren't just paying for a room. I read all the time, people saying we only go to the hotel to sleep- well if that's the case then yes, by all means, you can probably do better elsewhere.

This. I'm paying for location and extra amenities. With 2 young kids, I spend over half my trip at MK. So the ability to walk there and back, see fireworks from the hotel, etc., I wouldn't stay anywhere else. It is worth it for me and my family.

 

[Jess G]

I found that if you really know your way around disney staying at one of the hotels on hotel plaza blvd that is within walking distance of disney springs isn't bad for somebody who doesn't have disney pricing in their budget. I stayed at the best western with a disney view for 80 a night and was able to see every parks fireworks from my balcony every night and I was able to walk to disney springs in 10 mins which I enjoyed... Did I miss disney property and amenities and convenience.... YES ... but I would deff suggest that or wyndham garden for family who wants the experience. I will say though do your research, often times you will feel like you're getting a great deal but then once you get there there's a hotel and parking fee and after you do the math you probably could of stayed at POP.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

That may be true but there is zero chance I don't stay at YC/BC so I can walk to two parks...Monorail to a third.... I hate waiting and hate the busses... The cheaper places are way too crowded...

You walk through Epcot to take the monorail to MK? That takes way longer than just busing to MK.

 

[G8rchamps]

I will say though do your research, often times you will feel like you're getting a great deal but then once you get there there's a hotel and parking fee and after you do the math you probably could of stayed at POP.

^^This^^ Watch the "resort fee" and check on parking rates.

 

[HurricaneHanna]

You walk through Epcot to take the monorail to MK? That takes way longer than just busing to MK.

Provided park hours allow, when we stay at YC, BC, or BW we always walk through Epcot to take the monorail to Magic Kingdom. It's a lot more fun than the bus. We aren't afraid of exercise.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Provided park hours allow, when we stay at YC, BC, or BW we always walk through Epcot to take the monorail to Magic Kingdom. It's a lot more fun than the bus. We aren't afraid of exercise.

It's not a matter of exercise, it's a matter of time management. When you factor in the transfer at the TTC, you're talking about an hour trip, minimum, versus a 15 minute bus ride.

 

[HurricaneHanna]

It's not a matter of exercise, it's a matter of time management. When you factor in the transfer at the TTC, you're talking about an hour trip, minimum, versus a 15 minute bus ride.

You're right about the time it takes. We don't care though. We go often and we don't really care how much we get done. Our trips are about relaxing not fitting in max number of attractions. A lot of people do care about "time management" like you say. Walking through Epcot to take the monorail to MK would not be for those people. We, and I imagine the person who you originally quoted, love doing it that way though

 

[Tinkwings]

Provided park hours allow, when we stay at YC, BC, or BW we always walk through Epcot to take the monorail to Magic Kingdom. It's a lot more fun than the bus. We aren't afraid of exercise.

Woohoo!!! Go Hanna...we love to take the boat to take the monorail to get to and from Epcot from the WL.....we consider the Monorail an attraction.........guess that goes for the boat rides too...the bus? Not so much. . 'cept for the one year someone in my family was collecting the trading cards and the bus drivers were the most generous.....
Now if I could only find a better way (non bus venue) to travel to the AK......

 

[HurricaneHanna]

Woohoo!!! Go Hanna...we love to take the boat to take the monorail to get to and from Epcot from the WL.....we consider the Monorail an attraction.........guess that goes for the boat rides too...the bus? Not so much. . 'cept for the one year someone in my family was collecting the trading cards and the bus drivers were the most generous.....

Agreed. There's just nothing fun or enjoyable to me about a bus ride but I love being on the monorail. As for the boats, I really enjoy the open, airy ones that service the WL. I'm not a fan of the ones that go between Epcot and HS though. They're enclosed and no matter what time of year it is they feel stuffy, overheated, and claustrophobic. The seats are a special kind of uncomfortable too!

 

[Tinkwings]

Agreed. There's just nothing fun or enjoyable to me about a bus ride but I love being on the monorail. As for the boats, I really enjoy the open, airy ones that service the WL. I'm not a fan of the ones that go between Epcot and HS though. They're enclosed and no matter what time of year it is they feel stuffy, overheated, and claustrophobic. The seats are a special kind of uncomfortable too!

Oh yes I know what you mean about those boats from DHS....more like a bus on water.....ha.... AND the ferries from the parking lot are even a step up from that....though I have not been on those for many years.

 

[chrisbarry]

We haven't paid full price for a Disney room in years. 30% or 40% off room only deals happen just about every year for Deluxe which softens the blow. Still not cheap but we paid around $260 for a garden view Yacht Club room, $289 for a garden view room at the Poly, which if you know what building to request (Fiji) will actually get you a water view. That said, a price like that for a summer room at either of those resorts is so completely worth it. Consider rooms up and down the east coast during summer will cost you more than that and give you nowhere near the luxury, service or amenities. Hershey, Busch Gardens, any shoreline motel with a postage stamp sized pool will cost you the same as a garden view room at the Yacht Club? It's true, I've paid more and gotten so much less than a Disney resort. It really is worth it. We've paid around $150 for Riverside using the room only discount. Try and find a resort someplace else that nice with that many amenities, pools, transportation and service for that price. You won't.

 

[HurricaneHanna]

Consider rooms up and down the east coast during summer will cost you more than that and give you nowhere near the luxury, service or amenities. Hershey, Busch Gardens, any shoreline motel with a postage stamp sized pool will cost you the same as a garden view room at the Yacht Club? It's true, I've paid more and gotten so much less than a Disney resort. It really is worth it. We've paid around $150 for Riverside using the room only discount. Try and find a resort someplace else that nice with that many amenities, pools, transportation and service for that price. You won't.

So true. We do a family week at the beach (which is a 2 1/2 hour drive from our home) almost every summer. This year the going rate at the oceanfront Holiday Inn was over $600 a night in peak summer. It's not particularly nice and hasn't been refurbished in 20 years. In contrast the Yacht Club is a bargain. I often wonder if the people who think Disney is expensive live in areas with a lower cost of living than the North Eastern US.

 

[Seanual757]

Once of the reasons why we purchased DVC @ VGF in 2015 and Poly in April of this year. My last 2 years of stays have paid for my VGF contract.

I did pay $155 a night for 2 nights @ POR next month (Friday & Saturday)

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Once of the reasons why we purchased DVC @ VGF in 2015 and Poly in April of this year. My last 2 years of stays have paid for my VGF contract.

I doubt that very much. The DVC math works for some people but there's zero chance you hit break even in two years.

 

[Seanual757]

I doubt that very much. The DVC math works for some people but there's zero chance you hit break even in two years.

Well seeing that we have had 7 different stays since July 2015 (with 1 more stay this year in October using DVC points, and 1 stay without DVC points) and running the pricing per Mousesavers with a mix of villas, 1 bedroom, and 2 bedroom stays we will be at $33454 if we had to pay out of pocket for our stays.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Well seeing that we have had 7 different stays since July 2015 (with 1 more stay this year in October using DVC points, and 1 stay without DVC points) and running the pricing per Mousesavers with a mix of villas, 1 bedroom, and 2 bedroom stays we will be at $33454 if we had to pay out of pocket for our stays.

What you're describing is quite literally impossible and I'd encourage you to check your math. Even with banking and borrowing, you'd need almost a $100,000 contract to get $33,000 worth of rack rate rooms in the time frame you're talking about.

A one bedroom villa at VGF is approximately $1,000 or 53 points per night for a dollars-to-points ratio of 19:1. The ratio holds pretty strongly for two bedroom villas as well. If you ACTUALLY got $33,454 worth of rooms out of your contract, that means you spent somewhere in the nieghborhood of 1,760 points. Even if that's three contract years worth of points (2015, 2016, 2017), that's a contract of well over 500 points per year. VGF is priced at $180 per point, meaning you'd need at least a $90,000 contract plus about $9,000 of maintenance fees to get what you're describing.

This is why I hate DVC so much. People are tricked into buying something they don't understand and then they act as evangelists on the internet, spreading misinformation that will deceive others into making similarly misinformed decisions.

I invite @ParentsOf4 to check my math. Even the most hardcore pro-DVC people on this board will tell you there's zero chance you hit break even since 2015.