Possibly downgrading to a value

[sbkline]

Haven't decided for sure, but pondering the possibility of saving a thousand dollars and downgrading from Carribbean Beach to Pop Century or All Star Movies, for our April trip. One thing that concerns me is the smallness of the rooms. This will be our first trip with both kids, and even with just our son at Coronado Springs, we had plenty of junk in our room. I am concerned about having a 2 3/4 year old daughter with us, with a playpen and whatever else she might need, in a room that would be around 30 square feet smaller than the moderate resort rooms. For those of you with similar family sizes, can you tell me how it worked out for you, packing your family and possessions into a value resort room?

Also, I've never got out of the vehicle and walked the grounds at any of the value resorts. We've driven through the parking lot and that was about it. I've walked the grounds of every other resort (not counting the DVC resorts). But what all do they have at the values as far as ammeneties and activities?

What are movies are represented at All Star Movies?

What decade does Pop Century start with?

We may end up just staying at CBR. But I'm just curious in case we do decide to save a few bucks.

 

[powlessfamily4]

I can tell you this.... Pop goes from the 50's to the 90's. I have personally stayed int he 50's and the 80's. The 80's is a lonnnnnng walk to the food court. They have an arcade and show movies at night out by the pool. They also do trivia and have a lot of games scheduled for the kids during the day. As far as the room.... it will probably be cramped with a playpen. Having said that, I have never attempted to set one up in the rooms so I am going off a guess. Pop is very kid friendly.

I have also stayed at Allstar Movies. if memory serves me corect there is Mighty Ducks, Herbie Love Bug, Toy Story, 101 Dalmations and Fantasia. (I might be forgetting one).

Both are very "fun" in atmosphere.

 

[slappy magoo]

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Generally, it looks like each All Stars has 2 pools, some with kiddie play areas, and an arcade and a playground. Pop has 3 pools, a kiddie pool, arcade and playground. Food courts, no sit down restaurants. Not much other recreational activities to speak of, like bike rentals or boat rentals, no gyms. The rooms will not have refrigerators unless you pay extra.

Based on my (admittedly faulty) memory of what people say about staying at the Value resorts, Pop has better bus service, and the people who seem to enjoy them the most tend to be park commandos, doing little else at the resorts besides sleeping showering and some meals. Little kids enjoy the larger-than-life icons throughout the properties.

I don't think I'd like to stay more than a night or two, if necessary or out of curiosity, at a Value. But I like having at least a little more space than what they provide. I'm a fairly big guy, and my wife is around 5'9" so it'd be awkward for two of us to sleep together in those small beds (closer to fulls than queens), so it'd be a parent and a kid in each one for us. We also like playing at our resort at times, we'll rent boats or bikes and I'll use the gym etc. We like at least the option of having sit-down restaurants if we choose to call it an early night once in a while.

I can't guarantee this will work, and it might not be much money saved, if at all. But you may want to try calling Disney up, telling them your travel dates and explicitly asking if they're running any special rates for Old Key West or Saratoga Springs those days. Sometimes they have incredibly deep discounts in those resorts in the hopes people might be temped to become DVC members once they stay there. Sometimes the rate is even a little less than a moderate. So while you won't save a thousand, you may save something and stay in a slightly better room as a result.

Another thought - if one adult (maybe even if one child?) were to upgrade to annual pass, you could get the passholder room rates for the moderate. You may be spending more to save a little more, but you'll still (possibly) save, and I doubt it'd be more if you go this route unless your stay was exceptionally short. A week trip, it would probably be worth it.

 

[MKCP 1985]

The Allstars rooms are tiny, and even more so if you are putting a family in a single room. You will definitely feel cramped.

Amenities = a food court. The rooms do not include coffee pots or refrigerators.

The good thing about the values is that you can turn off the room lights and dead bolt your door without even getting out of bed because the rooms are so small! (only half-joking there :lookaroun )

 

[sbkline]

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http://allears.net/acc/faq_asm.htm
http://allears.net/acc/faq_asm.htm
http://allears.net/acc/faq_asm.htm

Generally, it looks like each All Stars has 2 pools, some with kiddie play areas, and an arcade and a playground. Pop has 3 pools, a kiddie pool, arcade and playground. Food courts, no sit down restaurants. Not much other recreational activities to speak of, like bike rentals or boat rentals, no gyms. The rooms will not have refrigerators unless you pay extra.

Based on my (admittedly faulty) memory of what people say about staying at the Value resorts, Pop has better bus service, and the people who seem to enjoy them the most tend to be park commandos, doing little else at the resorts besides sleeping showering and some meals. Little kids enjoy the larger-than-life icons throughout the properties.

I don't think I'd like to stay more than a night or two, if necessary or out of curiosity, at a Value. But I like having at least a little more space than what they provide. I'm a fairly big guy, and my wife is around 5'9" so it'd be awkward for two of us to sleep together in those small beds (closer to fulls than queens), so it'd be a parent and a kid in each one for us. We also like playing at our resort at times, we'll rent boats or bikes and I'll use the gym etc. We like at least the option of having sit-down restaurants if we choose to call it an early night once in a while.

I can't guarantee this will work, and it might not be much money saved, if at all. But you may want to try calling Disney up, telling them your travel dates and explicitly asking if they're running any special rates for Old Key West or Saratoga Springs those days. Sometimes they have incredibly deep discounts in those resorts in the hopes people might be temped to become DVC members once they stay there. Sometimes the rate is even a little less than a moderate. So while you won't save a thousand, you may save something and stay in a slightly better room as a result.

Another thought - if one adult (maybe even if one child?) were to upgrade to annual pass, you could get the passholder room rates for the moderate. You may be spending more to save a little more, but you'll still (possibly) save, and I doubt it'd be more if you go this route unless your stay was exceptionally short. A week trip, it would probably be worth it.

Thanks for all the info! I already ordered APs back in May, for my wife and son and I, so we can use them on the next two April trips, and a Christmas visit in between. So I am taking into account the AP discount that I am hoping for. I called yesterday to see what our current balance is (after the deposit we made back in May when I initially booked us for the Deluxes). It was around $1400. I asked how much it would be if we downgraded to the Values and he said around $400. I wrote down the exact amounts, but don't have it handy. I did the figures based on a 30% discount and found that if they give a 30% discount for AP, that would drop my current balance down to around $700, and if I were to downgrade to a value, and then get an AP discount, it would probably give me a refund of a little over a 100 dollars.

Basically, what's going on is that we just made a deal on a house. We own ours free and clear and by the time we buy the new one and sell the old one, we won't be paying all that much, as far as a new house goes (the house isn't really new, but it's new to us LOL). So I was just toying around with saving a little money without cancelling the trip, which I don't think would really be necessary anyway. We are already saving some money by not having to re-side our house and garage next year, since we won't be here and we have agreed to cancel a trip to Mackinaw Island next year. So, while I don't expect it to be necessary to consider cancelling the Disney trip, I was considering the idea of downgrading to a Value just to save a little to make such a scary decision (buying a new house and having to worry about selling the other one) a little less scary. LOL

But based on your comments and those of the other posters, I think I may just keep us where were are currently booked.

 

[wendysue]

Haven't decided for sure, but pondering the possibility of saving a thousand dollars and downgrading from Carribbean Beach to Pop Century or All Star Movies, for our April trip. One thing that concerns me is the smallness of the rooms. This will be our first trip with both kids, and even with just our son at Coronado Springs, we had plenty of junk in our room. I am concerned about having a 2 3/4 year old daughter with us, with a playpen and whatever else she might need, in a room that would be around 30 square feet smaller than the moderate resort rooms. For those of you with similar family sizes, can you tell me how it worked out for you, packing your family and possessions into a value resort room?

Also, I've never got out of the vehicle and walked the grounds at any of the value resorts. We've driven through the parking lot and that was about it. I've walked the grounds of every other resort (not counting the DVC resorts). But what all do they have at the values as far as ammeneties and activities?

What are movies are represented at All Star Movies?

What decade does Pop Century start with?

We may end up just staying at CBR. But I'm just curious in case we do decide to save a few bucks.

If you move the table and 2 chairs closer to the entertainment center, a playpen is doable. I think it would be worth it for the money you will save. We love Pop and always stay in the 70's area.