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.

 

[stewdog1]

I've stayed at the Moderates many times and have never felt slighted or even treated better than others. Plus I haven't seen those who stay at the Value resorts treated differently, but granted I don't worry about other people when I am there.

I've only been at an All-star once, for one night only. So my view is quite limited. But we weren't treated any different. I fully expected it not to be as nice as Dixie Landings because of the price. If it was that nice I would be staying at the All-Stars all the time.

However, I don't see why the All-Stars could not support a sit-down restaurant. I would think that their theming screams out for a sit-down. It could be easily be Disney's version of a Hard Rock Cafe or Planet Hollywood.

 

[TURKEY]

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?

In your first post, your example is about the distance of bus stops to the front of the park.

I try to treat all guests the same (I think most CM's do). Whether or not, it comes across that way by guests or if I don't is another question. Unless in a resort, most CM's aren't going to know where a guest is staying except on a bus or if mentioned by the guest.



Lots of CM's consider the value resorts to be the ghetto or projects. When compared to other resorts they are. However, I don't think many CM's treat them any differently than other guests.

For many people that stay at a value resort, they have to save for years to make it to WDW once in their life. It doesn't make them any less important to me than if someone is staying at the Grand. It just might mean that the person staying at the Grand is one their only WDW vacation, just having to save up a few more years to experience it.

 

[TURKEY]

I've stayed at the Moderates many times and have never felt slighted or even treated better than others. Plus I haven't seen those who stay at the Value resorts treated differently, but granted I don't worry about other people when I am there.

I've only been at an All-star once, for one night only. So my view is quite limited. But we weren't treated any different. I fully expected it not to be as nice as Dixie Landings because of the price. If it was that nice I would be staying at the All-Stars all the time.

However, I don't see why the All-Stars could not support a sit-down restaurant. I would think that their theming screams out for a sit-down. It could be easily be Disney's version of a Hard Rock Cafe or Planet Hollywood.

The biggest problem with an All-Star sit down restaurant is:

1a. The location. If placed at Movies, people at Sports and Music would complain about how far it is from their room. People complain at Movies about being in Mighty Ducks and Love Bug (it's 5 minutes tops to the commercial building).

Placing at Music, even though in the middle, would draw complaints from the other resorts.

Not to mention that there really isn't anywhere to add a sit-down restaurant capable for the capacity that might be demanded by one theme, none the less three themes in the All-Star area unless put into a parking lot between Love Bug/Broadway or Rock/Tennis.

2. Transportation. People would demand transportation to the location from resort. At moderates, you can circle the entire resort with any type of automobile. Only Movies can at All-Star, Music and Sports you can't.

3. Degree of dining. Personally, I think the restaurants at the deluxe resorts are a bit more elegant/upscale than the moderate ones. What type of theming/degree of restauant are you talking about for the All-Stars?

 

[ClemsonTigger]

Well, I think you've touched on the real issue here...folks staying at All Star think of themselves as "less worthy" or cheated. Self fufilling prophesy, if you think you're being treated second class, than you will see it everywhere.

longfamily:
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.

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.

This touches on a pet peeve of mine...Disney is no more expensive than anywhere else. Hot dogs and burgers cost about the same. Water costs about the same as everywhere else. Nicer restaurants are the same as I would expect to pay at home. The problem is when you are at WDW for 5-7 days with a family of 3-6, eating two to three meals a day IS expensive, but no more than if you did the same at home.

And by the way, what McDonalds do you go to? It is no bargain either along with your reasoning. When I pick up for three kids, the bill is around $20.

 

[Lauriebar]

Well, I think you've touched on the real issue here...folks staying at All Star think of themselves as "less worthy" or cheated. Self fufilling prophesy, if you think you're being treated second class, than you will see it everywhere.

I agree that if one has the attitude that because you are staying at a less expensive hotel that you are considered "second class" then you might then be more sensitive to the treatment you get. However, I just don't see it as being a question of fair. If I pay more money to stay at a Deluxe, then you better bet I should have more options and out of the ordinary service. If I pay less money and stay at a Value, then I should expect fewer options and friendly prompt service. As someone said earlier, once you are in the parks CM's don't know what resort you are staying at so everyone gets the same service.

At the end of the day, you're at WDW and you're more that likely being treated better than an off property site!!

 

[Dwarful]

And by the way, what McDonalds do you go to? It is no bargain either along with your reasoning. When I pick up for three kids, the bill is around $20

I think like everything else, its all a matter of location, location, location. I live in the midwest. I can feed 5 on a $20 at Mc D's and that is with my husband ordering his McD's usual of a Double Quarter Pounder w/cheese large value meal & a quarter pounder. One example is a cheeseburger happy meal is $2.40 with tax here. While if I drove 6 hours to the north (Chicago)I would expect that same hamburger happy meal to have a significant price increase.


We are AP holders, have stayed exclusively at the various all stars since 1995 and have not been disappointed. However, I do believe that a sit down restaurant would be financially successful at the all stars. I don't know where they would put it, but yes I think it would work.

We stay at the value resorts because we are not in our room for more than sleep and bath. I would rather spend my money on nice meals and extras in the parks.

 

[Woody13]

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.

We like the value resorts! You just have to know how to make the most out of your stay. We always make a grocery stop prior to check-in. We buy two weeks worth of food, 15 cases of beer, 9 gallons of wine and lots of snack food. We put the perishables on ice (ribs, bacon, hamburger, chicken, steaks, duck, milk, eggs, cheese, etc.) in the big cooler and we just stack up all the canned goods and nonperishables in a corner of the room. We always bring along our crock pot, a hot plate and some pots and pans as well as our Showtime Rotisserie Barbeque. We use the small cooler to ice down the beer and wine as required. Heck, they provide plenty of free ice at the value resorts so we use it.

The beauty to this system is that when we want to eat something quick, we just cook it up on the hot plate. On the other hand, if we want to have a nice dinner we either use the crock pot or the Showtime Rotisserie Barbeque. We just plop the meat in the cooker before we leave for the parks and "set it and forget it"! When we return, we have a meal fit for a king. We use the Ron Popeil "Walt Disney World Showtime Recipe Book" as our guide.

After our long day at the parks, it's nice to have a hot meal waiting for us back at the room. We normally just take out the room table and chairs (and a few lawn chairs) onto the common balcony for our meal. We have the hot food, cold beer and wine and the All-Stars ambience. Often we invite fellow All-Star patrons to join us (we always cook much more than we alone can eat) and the party sometimes goes into the wee hours! Oh what fun!

Clean up is a snap. We use the plastic cups in the bathroom for the wine, so we just throw those in the trash. The beer cans go in the trash as well. As you know from the TV, the Showtime Rotisserie Barbeque is simple to clean. If we have any plates or utensils that need cleaning, we just wash them in those little cement ponds. We just leave the table and chairs out on the balcony and let the mousekeepers tidy that stuff up. The next morning, we just repeat the whole process. We never have to go to the food court, except to stock up on the free soda pop, condiments, plastic utensils, napkins and the other free stuff. :slurp:

 

[longfamily]

To: Woody13,

You're awesome!:kiss:

 

[Master Yoda]

We like the value resorts! You just have to know how to make the most out of your stay. We always make a grocery stop prior to check-in. We buy two weeks worth of food, 15 cases of beer, 9 gallons of wine and lots of snack food. We put the perishables on ice (ribs, bacon, hamburger, chicken, steaks, duck, milk, eggs, cheese, etc.) in the big cooler and we just stack up all the canned goods and nonperishables in a corner of the room. We always bring along our crock pot, a hot plate and some pots and pans as well as our Showtime Rotisserie Barbeque. We use the small cooler to ice down the beer and wine as required. Heck, they provide plenty of free ice at the value resorts so we use it.

The beauty to this system is that when we want to eat something quick, we just cook it up on the hot plate. On the other hand, if we want to have a nice dinner we either use the crock pot or the Showtime Rotisserie Barbeque. We just plop the meat in the cooker before we leave for the parks and "set it and forget it"! When we return, we have a meal fit for a king. We use the Ron Popeil "Walt Disney World Showtime Recipe Book" as our guide.

After our long day at the parks, it's nice to have a hot meal waiting for us back at the room. We normally just take out the room table and chairs (and a few lawn chairs) onto the common balcony for our meal. We have the hot food, cold beer and wine and the All-Stars ambience. Often we invite fellow All-Star patrons to join us (we always cook much more than we alone can eat) and the party sometimes goes into the wee hours! Oh what fun!

Clean up is a snap. We use the plastic cups in the bathroom for the wine, so we just throw those in the trash. The beer cans go in the trash as well. As you know from the TV, the Showtime Rotisserie Barbeque is simple to clean. If we have any plates or utensils that need cleaning, we just wash them in those little cement ponds. We just leave the table and chairs out on the balcony and let the mousekeepers tidy that stuff up. The next morning, we just repeat the whole process. We never have to go to the food court, except to stock up on the free soda pop, condiments, plastic utensils, napkins and the other free stuff. :slurp:

Dude! Let me know next time you go I'll make sure i'm you neighbor.

 

[ClemsonTigger]

longfamily

To: Woody13,

You're awesome!

Don't encourage him! :zipit: :lol:

 

[DisneyPhD]

Woody you are too funny! No wonder you don't really like DVC home away from home, you make your self at home no mater where you are! :lol:

It sounds like you have a system down. We have one too, but it requires bringing less with you since we always stay in DVC (at least a studio.) That is good since we fly. I have been "yelled at" on line by people who don't think you should cook in a studio because there isn't enough room. You guys must really know what you are doing to be able to make it work in an All Star room.

Point is you can really save alot buy bringing your own food (doesn't have to be elablerate,) can be milk and ceral along with fruit and sandwiches. Just one meal a day and some snacks can sure cut a lot off your buddget and still get to eat fun WDW stuff too.