Deluxe Hotel, what are you really getting?

[jprieur]

Wife and I always end the day with a WS sit down dinner. To us, the ability to go back to the room, shower and change, and walk to our dinner fresh and clean is worth some of the extra cost. As far as the REST of the cost, well they are really testing the elasticity of our demand lately with pricing.

Looking at the new Coronado rooms, as well as some of the other moderate renovations (POFQ), I think the room quality disparity is shrinking, the moderates are getting a tad nicer and the deluxe renovations are rather bland in my opinion (based on recent yacht club stay). From what I have read as well, mattress quality in moderates improved with the recent renovation round.

As far as view, the only view worth it to me is the themepark tower view at Contemporary, all else don't demand the premium.

For me, its strictly location at this point, nothing more.

 

[DisAl]

Very true about bad views at deluxe hotels: I've had roof views (hot and loud as they reflect light and sound), walkway views (no privacy) and loading dock views. These three issues tend to plague most all of the deluxe resorts.
Not everyone would say that's a bad view you posted. With this one at least you had the opportunity to glimpse some of the area's wildlife sneaking through (WL has plenty of bunnies, birds and at least one deer to spot each trip we've been). Trees are also decent as sound screens.

The problem with this view is that we requested a HIGH floor with maybe a view of the MK. This was the LOWEST floor available all the way in the front corner of the lobby. Almost like they intentionally gave us the exact opposite of what we asked for. I know requests aren't guaranteed, but probably 90% of the rooms on the west side would have had at least a little view of MK fireworks. We had NOTHING. We won't be going back to WL.

 

[OneofThree]

The problem with this view is that we REQUESTED a high floor with maybe a view of the MK. This was the LOWEST floor available all the way in the front corner of the lobby. Almost like they intentionally gave us the exact opposite of what we asked for. I know requests aren't guaranteed, but probably 90% of the rooms on the west side would have had at least a little view of MK fireworks. We had NOTHING. We won't be going back to WL.

You're acting as though you've been wronged somehow. With as many guests as WDW serves, people who submit requests should consider themselves fortunate if they even get read, never mind honored.

 

[DisAl]

You're acting as though you've been wronged some how. With as many guests as WDW serves, people who submit requests should consider themselves fortunate if they even get read, never mind honored.

You are right, whether justifiably so or not I do feel wronged. I wanted this trip to be special because it will probably the last trip for all four generations of our family, and the request was noted on the reservation over a year in advance by the cast member who helped with the two room reservation. In retrospect I was stupid to pay for a deluxe resort to try to make this trip "extra special" rather than the moderates we have been happy with in the past.

 

[Skibum1970]

You are right, whether justifiably so or not I do feel wronged. I wanted this trip to be special because it will probably the last trip for all four generations of our family, and the request was noted on the reservation over a year in advance by the cast member who helped with the two room reservation. In retrospect I was stupid to pay for a deluxe resort to try to make this trip "extra special" rather than the moderates we have been happy with in the past.

Sorry that didn't work out for you. I don't like changing my routines that have worked in the past (i.e. staying at POFR). I always worry that it won't be as enjoyable and that I'll rue the day. I understand "try something new" but I like vacations to have a certain level of reliability, especially when that much money is on the line.

 

[tasha ratliff]

You are right, whether justifiably so or not I do feel wronged. I wanted this trip to be special because it will probably the last trip for all four generations of our family, and the request was noted on the reservation over a year in advance by the cast member who helped with the two room reservation. In retrospect I was stupid to pay for a deluxe resort to try to make this trip "extra special" rather than the moderates we have been happy with in the past.

Just out of curiosity did you pay for the view you requested bc then they HAD to give it to you, in 25+ trips Ive never gotten a view I didn't hav eto pay for except for once and that was bc they put me in a very bad room where almost everything was broke and to make it up they moved us up to a theme park room otherwise if I paid for standard or garden that's exactly what I got.
We adore the deluxes for the convenience and amenitys, like we always stay on the monorail line bc we take daily breaks at the pool, view doesn't matter to us and our vacations are magical bc we get to go to the parks and daily take our swim breaks and be together, we aren't the at the park from open to close kind of family, so we do spend some time on our balcony in the morning to have coffee or sometimes in the evening for a few before or after going back to the park but as long as Im not stuck with a bad parking lot view we are cool with any view. The one vacation we had a theme park view we did get to watch the fireworks from our balcony at the Poly a couple times which added to the magic but I cant say that vacation was better then any of our Disney vacations bc of the view.

 

[DisAl]

Just out of curiosity did you pay for the view you requested bc then they HAD to give it to you, in 25+ trips Ive never gotten a view I didn't hav eto pay for except for once and that was bc they put me in a very bad room where almost everything was broke and to make it up they moved us up to a theme park room otherwise if I paid for standard or garden that's exactly what I got.
We adore the deluxes for the convenience and amenitys, like we always stay on the monorail line bc we take daily breaks at the pool, view doesn't matter to us and our vacations are magical bc we get to go to the parks and daily take our swim breaks and be together, we aren't the at the park from open to close kind of family, so we do spend some time on our balcony in the morning to have coffee or sometimes in the evening for a few before or after going back to the park but as long as Im not stuck with a bad parking lot view we are cool with any view. The one vacation we had a theme park view we did get to watch the fireworks from our balcony at the Poly a couple times which added to the magic but I cant say that vacation was better then any of our Disney vacations bc of the view.

Yes, I did pay extra for what was supposed to be an upgrade over the "standard view" rooms at WL. I guess what was most irritating was that extra cost over POR where we usually stay was about $1,200 for this trip and it was a total waste of money in my opinion.

 

[OneofThree]

Yes, I did pay extra for what was supposed to be an upgrade over the "standard view" rooms at WL. I guess what was most irritating was that extra cost over POR where we usually stay was about $1,200 for this trip and it was a total waste of money in my opinion.

Let me get this straight: Your entire Walt Disney World vacation was ruined because you couldn't see fireworks from your room as your deluxe accommodations at the Wilderness Lodge didn't include a theme park view -even though the resort doesn't even offer one? Interesting. . . perspective.

 

[DisAl]

Let me get this straight: Your entire Walt Disney World vacation was ruined because you couldn't see fireworks from your room as your deluxe accommodations at the Wilderness Lodge didn't include a theme park view -even though the resort doesn't even offer one? Interesting. . . perspective.

No, I never said that. Overall we had a great trip. That still does not change the fact that we were very disappointed in the room assignment when about 80% of the rooms on the west side DO have a view of the MK (or at least the MK fireworks) since the trees were cut down to add the new DVC villas. I even heard from a CM at the front desk that they are going to start calling these "fireworks view" rooms and of course they will then charge extra for them. Doesn't really matter at this point because we will most likely never go back to WL. FYI we had problems with housekeeping not delivering enough towels or soaps too.

 

[plutothedoggo]

The wife and I love staying at deluxe resorts because our trips are usually 3 or 4 nights and we do at least one park day and try to schedule around a MK after hours special event or something like that i.e. Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. We will spend a good chunk of time at the resort by the pool area, getting drinks and food at the pool bars which aren't found in the value resorts. It's just a nicer experience for us as we put a lot of emphasis on the resort amenities being part of the trip.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Unless, of course, you're wearing one of these...

I like how they sell T-shirts to what amounts to 20 rooms...

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I don't want to be rude, but I've never heard anyone staying at Wilderness lodge for a themepark view , if you wanted a themepark view why didn't you just stay at The Poly, Grand Floridan, or The Contemporary?

If you bring some of that expedition Everest queue gear, form a base camp in the upper snacks lounge, and do a controlled ascent up to the top of the flagpole...you can definitely see the tiniest sliver of the Magic Kingdom ferry boat dock beyond the contemporary...

Doesn’t that count?

 

[DisAl]

I don't want to be rude, but I've never heard anyone staying at Wilderness lodge for a themepark view , if you wanted a themepark view why didn't you just stay at The Poly, Grand Floridan, or The Contemporary?

This was our first time at a deluxe. We chose WL because we liked the look of it and thought we would enjoy staying there. We didn't stay there because of the park view, but we requested a room that had view of the MK fireworks because 80% of the rooms in the class of room we had booked had that view and the grandkids would have really enjoyed that.
The reason we didn't stay at the ones you mentioned is simple. COST! The WL already cost about $1,200 more than the moderate we usually stay at, and the monorail loop resorts would have been and at least an additional $1,200 and that was out of our budget range for this trip.

 

[DisAl]

If you bring some of that expedition Everest queue gear, form a base camp in the upper snacks lounge, and do a controlled ascent up to the top of the flagpole...you can definitely see the tiniest sliver of the Magic Kingdom ferry boat dock beyond the contemporary...

Doesn’t that count?

Actually you could see the MK from the "hall corner" windows just down from our room, just not from the front corner rooms where they put us. And yes, you can see at least the "top half" of the fireworks from the dock or the walkway near the Geyser Point bar and grill.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Actually you could see the MK from the "hall corner" windows just down from our room, just not from the front corner rooms where they put us. And yes, you can see at least the "top half" of the fireworks from the dock or the walkway near the Geyser Point bar and grill.

I know...I’m just yanking your chain.

But the point remains: if you have a fixed point (MK) and you build a 3 dimensionsal structure (WL)...then some can’t see that point. Line of sight. There has to be a “backside”.

My advice: never expect or pay for a view...it’s a tad silly anyway as no 10 second/10 minute per day look is worth $100. That’s just me.

 

[DisAl]

I know...I’m just yanking your chain.

But the point remains: if you have a fixed point (MK) and you build a 3 dimensionsal structure (WL)...then some can’t see that point. Line of sight. There has to be a “backside”.

My advice: never expect or pay for a view...it’s a tad silly anyway as no 10 second/10 minute per day look is worth $100. That’s just me.

Chain yanked....
All of the rooms in the class that we reserved were on the west side of the WL facing the MK, and at least 80% of them did have a view of the MK since the trees had been cut down for Copper Creek villas.
I agree with you for the most part. The only difference is that upgrading at over $100 a day just for the view of the fireworks for 15 minutes would be completely silly, not just a tad if that was the only reason we were doing it. It would have just been icing on the cake for this trip.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Chain yanked....
All of the rooms in the class that we reserved were on the west side of the WL facing the MK, and at least 80% of them did have a view of the MK since the trees had been cut down for Copper Creek villas.
I agree with you for the most part. The only difference is that upgrading at over $100 a day just for the view of the fireworks for 15 minutes would be completely silly, not just a tad if that was the only reason we were doing it. It would have just been icing on the cake for this trip.

Paying for views at WDW has always been stupid...unless you are a first timer, one and done, or special circumstance.

Nobody can honestly prove the “value”
of it. But that’s how they play the game and people go along. Money for nothing for Disney and low ROI for the customer. It is what it is.

I’m not saying there’s anything “wrong” with it on a personal level...it just ultimately makes no sense.

 

[DisAl]

Paying for dues at WDW has always been stupid...unless you are a first timer, one and done, or special circumstance.

Nobody can honestly prove the “value”
of it. But that’s how they play the game and people go along. Money for nothing for Disney and low ROI for the customer. It is what it is.

I’m not saying there’s anything “wrong” with it on a personal level...it just ultimately makes no sense.

One of the CMs at the front desk told me they are going to "reclassify" those rooms as "fireworks view" and you can bet they will charge more for them. I won't pick up that horseshoe again.....

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

You get better parking at a Deluxe. That's why the parking costs more. Then they mark-up the room rate due to the fact you are getting better parking.

 

[KaliSplash]

You are getting location. You are getting the best hotel rooms on Disney property, even if they are not in the same class as top-end hotels in the Orlando area. You are getting the best restaurants of any Disney hotels. And you are being immersed in the Disney experience at a level above Moderates and Values. That said, if you are a theme-park commando who only uses the room to sleep and shower, you are much better off at Mod or Val