Differences in hotel types

[longfamily]

In another thread we were discussing the expectations one would have when deciding on a deluxe, moderate, Home away from home, or economy hotel. Should the expectations be different based on the hotel type you choose to go with? Disney has made distinctions (sp?) in the hotels that seperate one from the other almost like a class system. I for one have been offended at one time or another by that distinction.
Example: It seems to be that the more you pay for your hotel, the closer that hotels bus stop is to the entrance of the park. If you book at GF then you get to get off practically at the gate. If you book with All-Star movie, you better believe that you are going to walk (exageration) a mile to get to the gate.

I would like to hear your opinion on this.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

It's not so bad if your bus is the close one. :goodnevil Personally, the level of variety is one of the things that impresses me about Disney. I'm reminded of that line from Shrek, about having layers like an onion. How much can you afford to peel off? I like to think that there is still something I haven't yet discovered at Disney...like maybe some day I'll take the Keys tour, or do the dolphin swim, but for now, just being in the park and staying at a moderate is enough (and my walk is still shorter than it is for those poor peasants ).

 

[Master Yoda]

You really kind of have to expect stuff like that. If there was no incentive to stay at a higher end hotel no one would. I’ve stayed at every level of resort with the exception of the home away from home resorts and you definitely feel more important when you stay at a deluxe resort. But I have always be treated with the utmost respect and courtesy by the Disney staff no matter where I stayed, so I have never had cause to be offended by this “class” distinction.

 

[longfamily]

The class distinction that actually offended me was the number of bus drivers who look down upon "those all star" people. It would have been different if this had only happened once but it happened several times. We have had conversations with the drivers about the "trashy" people that stay at these hotels and how they don't like to drive for them. Even the bus drivers have made a distinction. Has anyone else noticed things like this?

 

[instant events]

Example: It seems to be that the more you pay for your hotel, the closer that hotels bus stop is to the entrance of the park. If you book at GF then you get to get off practically at the gate. If you book with All-Star movie, you better believe that you are going to walk (exageration) a mile to get to the gate.

I have to disagree with this sentence to some extent. I know for sure, Boardwalk and Y/B are the furtherest to "loading areas" from MK, while AS is first. I think some of it has to due with traffic flow and other things.

IMHO, the differences are more in the room size and resort amenities (free and paid) as well as how much they feel they can charge the captive audience for food (I wish all level resorts had a "food court")

JMHO
Sandy

 

[maelstrom]

First off, we had a bus driver call the All Stars "the projects".

I expect more when I stay at a deluxe resort. I don't necessarily get more, but I expect more. It'd be nice if the bus stops at the Contemporary and Polynesian didn't seem so far away. I expect bigger rooms, and we do get them. I expect a nicer snack area, and all three monorail resorts have poor excuses for a food area; the Caribbean Beach has the nicest and that's a moderate resort!

 

[surfsupdon]

The only real built in amenities for the higher end rooms are a more encompassing theme, a larger room, better pool with slide, and for the most part a centralized location. But even the Lodges only have 4 more square feet per room than at Caribbean (344 compared to 340 sqft).

The inflated prices for deluxe resorts include all the amenities that the Website lists, like restaurants, hair salons, recreation, etc. But you still have to pay above and beyond the room price to even use the amentities offered. It's like paying double.

You pay 250+/night for a room with the option of having full service restaurants, water sports, a hair salon, and other recreation. Yet, in addition to paying for the option of having those amentities, you then must pay additionally to use them. It's like this everywhere, I know, not just at Disney.

Fortunately, Disney is now not charging for weight room useage at deluxe resorts for Guests of that Resort, and are now supplying refridgerators. This was about time.

 

[longfamily]

It bugs me that only food courts and pizza delivery are available at the economy hotels where "sit down" restuarants are available at the moderate to high end hotels. Just because a family spends less to visit doesn't mean that they would always spend less for food. I know that they can easily travel elsewhere to eat at a "sit down" dinner. That's true of every resort. But the fact that they are not given the option to dine this way at the hotels bothers me a bit. It's almost as though Disney is waving a flag saying "you're cheap" and that's not really fair. Not everyone wants to spend alot for a room that they will hardly be in. I think that the moderates have it right. Offer a food court for those on the go and of the less price variety and then offer a restuarant for those who wish to dine in proximity to the hotel. Deluxe resorts are a different animal completely. As earlier mentioned by someone else, Deluxe resorts offer more because you're spending more to be there and that is the basis of the appeal to go there.

And as earlier mentioned, someone said that the AS where the "projects" of Disney. once you stay in a deluxe resort and you hear how CM's and drivers talk about the AS it would make you never want to go there again for fear of being shunned Okay, it's not as bad as all that They will treat you differently based on where you are staying though, from one degree to another. Not all CM's or drivers do this but alot do.

 

[wannabeBelle]

The class distinction that actually offended me was the number of bus drivers who look down upon "those all star" people. It would have been different if this had only happened once but it happened several times. We have had conversations with the drivers about the "trashy" people that stay at these hotels and how they don't like to drive for them. Even the bus drivers have made a distinction. Has anyone else noticed things like this?

I have to disagree with you here. I know of at least one bus driver who says that he prefers the lower level hotels as the people in the higher end resorts arent always the nicest to deal with and in some cases get downright arrogant and rude. Belle

 

[ClemsonTigger]

I don't quite get your point. If you pay more you should expect to get more. Basically, everyone on property has the same access to transportation, and as for dining, you are free to go wherever. When I stay at the Poly it doesn't mean I'm going to eat at the Poly. They are not resort only or preferred restaurants. All resorts get early admission. All resorts have nice pools.

When it comes to what is available at the resort, I think it's basic economics. The economy resorts have food courts because more budget minded guests also budget their food. People at the deluxe resorts might complain that they don't have a good food court immediately available.

When you go into your Chevy dealership, do you expect all the whistles and bells you get with a Caddy? Is a Toyota Corolla the same as a Lexus?

If anything, you get much more value at the value resorts considering you pay 1/2 to 1/3 the price and get all of the same perks.

PS I don't understand what you mean by closeness. The three monorail hotels are only close to MK. AKL is the most isolated, being on the far side of AK. POR is isolated and Old Key West is well out of the loop. Many moderates are in walking distance of Epcot and MGM. So all have pro's and cons.

 

[DisneyPhD]

When we 1st started going to WDW in 1996 it was just hubby and I we always stayed at moderate hotels. (they were rather nicely priced back in the day :lol: ) We stayed away from All Stars becuase of the fear of overwelling children (and even wrose college students on spring break, since we always went in March). Or the wrost would be All Star Sports and have thousands of cheerleader taking the resort over.

Then 911 happened and Disney started giving some good deals and we started staying at some Deluxes. I must admit I was dispointed when there was mod or value resort before mine at the bus stop. I did kind of feel we were paying more and should be closer.

Now we are DVC so it is deluxe all the way (expect maybe on weekends to save some points.) Now that I have kids I think they might enjoy All Stars, but once you go home away from home, it is too hard to go back.

I do miss that deluxes don't have the food court, but refregerators in the rooms helps and we love Beaches and Cream at BC. It also helps that there is soooo many choices between Y&B and Boardwalk (not to mention Epcot.) With kids the best part of Deluxes is less walking to your room. (especailly in the rain.)

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

While I liked the food court at CB, most of the deluxes DO have a quick-service food option. Even the GF. Maybe it isn't a full fledged food court per say, but you can have a reasonably priced meal there. I think each hotel can only support so many restaurants. But this is why we have choices, which is a good thing. Why get offended if all the choices aren't the same?

 

[RebeccaQ]

The deluxes do have food courts (or the equivalent in terms of quick food choices) - they are just smaller because they are not the only option available.

As for putting full restaurants in the values, when we stayed those few days at Pop, I overheard people complaining that the food court was too expensive - so I think Disney is on the mark that a full restaurant isn't necessary and wouldn't get the amount of use that the food court does on those hotels.

It really comes down to paying more and getting more. That applies wherever you go.

The biggest distinction to me between the deluxes and the other hotels is that when the room prices are higher, that allows a much higher staff to guest ratio - so it is much easier to get more attentive service. Now I didn't say "better" service - most all CMs I have dealt with at all the resorts have been wonderful - it is just quicker and easier to get what you need when there are more of those wonderful CMs available to meet your needs and everyone else's.

I think Disney has very carefully considered their target demographic for each type of hotel and has laid out choices to fit everyone's needs and personal tastes. It is great that the values are there offering an option for getting to stay on property on a budget - that way staying on property is available to everyone rather than being a luxury. At the same time, the other hotels are available for those who prefer to use them. What each hotel provides is what there is a need/demand for at that hotel. For example, it is not a slight to the values that there are no concierge rooms available - there just isn't a demand for that kind of extra expense at a hotel that caters to people on a budget or just watching their costs. Same thing with the smaller quick food areas at the deluxes - Disney has probably found that people staying in the deluxes are fine with spending a bit more and would prefer a full restaurant meal.

 

[RebeccaQ]

Wow - MickeyLuv'r just beat me to it while I was typing - and in way fewer words - thank you. I get a little distracted, long winded, and very slow to type while chasing little ones! I should just leave it to you next time - well said.

 

[longfamily]

Well said.

 

[longfamily]

While I agree that Deluxe resorts have the best of all world's, and it should for obvious reasons, I still think it would be nice for the families that stay at AS to have a restuarant. Even if it means placing one between the three AS somewhere. Some people enjoy dining where they are staying and some are to tired at the end of the day to go search the parks or hop to a different hotel. Sometimes people don't know that they can eat in other hotels and if they find out that they can, they have no idea how to accomplish that aside from a rental car. It's easy to take this knowledge for granted

**Shouts: All All-star people please head straight to the TTC for transfer to dinner.**lol

I'm sad for the people who stay at the value resorts and they believe that the food courts will be value as well and it ends up being out of thier budget. That is no way to feel when you're in the happiest place on earth.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

Thanks!

 

[Lauriebar]

While I agree that Deluxe resorts have the best of all world's, and it should for obvious reasons, I still think it would be nice for the families that stay at AS to have a restuarant.

I'm sad for the people who stay at the value resorts and they believe that the food courts will be value as well and it ends up being out of thier budget. That is no way to feel when you're in the happiest place on earth.

I'm confused...you think the Value's should have a sit down restaurant, which would obviously cost more than the counter service that is already in place but, you are sad because the counter service might be to expensive for the Value guests?

Counter service at the All-Star hotels are catagorized as either VALUE priced (under $6) or MODERATELY priced (under $12), this does not seem at all unreasonable to me.

I think that many Value guests save money on their lodgings so that they can splurge elsewhere or they are just thrifty in their spending habits and prefer the Value experience. Whatever the case I am sure they do not need our sympathy. The fact remains...You get what you pay for...that's the American Way!!

 

[TURKEY]

One sit down restaurant between the 3 All-Stars wouldn't work. People complain about walking to almost any building and are disappointed when they can't stay in the commercial building.

At value resorts you get what you pay for: no slides, no hot tubs, no exercise area, no transport other than buses, no sit-down restaurants, All-Stars just have the pool bar, smaller rooms, etc.

I've had lots of guests that have stayed at Deluxe before and are disappointed, saying they won't be back to a value, just because they've been spoiled at the deluxe resorts.

 

[longfamily]

I'm confused...you think the Value's should have a sit down restaurant, which would obviously cost more than the counter service that is already in place but, you are sad because the counter service might be to expensive for the Value guests?

Counter service at the All-Star hotels are catagorized as either VALUE priced (under $6) or MODERATELY priced (under $12), this does not seem at all unreasonable to me.

I think that many Value guests save money on their lodgings so that they can splurge elsewhere or they are just thrifty in their spending habits and prefer the Value experience. Whatever the case I am sure they do not need our sympathy. The fact remains...You get what you pay for...that's the American Way!!

Ahhh, I my post must have sounded confusing...

Rebecca Q mentioned that some AS guest have complained that the counter service is too expensive. I just feel bad for those people because They expected more value than that. They didn't consider that "Disney Value" is still more expensive than the local McDonald's. It's a bummer to have to worry about such things while at Disney.

I am in total agreement that some AS guest stay at AS because they see no point in spending $$$ on a hotel they will barely be at. For those people who save a buck here to spend more there, I would like to think they they should have the option of a restuarant in close proximity to their hotel.

We've gotten off topic
The whole topic though, goes back to different treatment for different priced hotels. Good and Bad. I actually prefer the Deluxe resorts for all of the reasons listed in other posts. However, I do think that People are treated differently, and attitudes towards people are different based on where you stay. Should it be this way?