How do people afford Deluxe?

[TXDisney]

I've been pricing out a trip to go in early May in either May or 2016 or 2017. Since it's that far out... It does make it easier to go for a deluxe hotel bc you have longer to save. So my advice would be, to book far in advance for a deluxe resort, bc it gives u longer to save.

 

[BrerJon]

Please help me understand what you just said. You state that taking a cab from Downtown Disney to the Ticket and Transportation Center is only about 10 minutes and costs about $20, and that is faster than a Disney monorail for to and from the park. Ok, maybe you are correct, that is faster. But here is the question, what are you going to do at the TTC? Take a monorail to the MK! So how is taking a taxi to the TTC, then getting on a monorail(or boat) faster than just taking a monorail(or boat) to your resort?

OK fair enough, at Magic Kingdom that makes a difference, but for the other three parks and the water parks a taxi is much quicker than any bus.

The Grand Flo, Poly and Contemporary may get you to the park quicker, but is a 15 minute saving a couple of times a trip really worth the extra $1000+ price difference it costs to stay in those for a few nights? I know if someone offered to pay me several hundred dollars to to sit on a boat for 15 minutes I'd jump at the chance!

 

[TXDisney]

It's hard to disagree the price difference. I just think if you're in a financial situation to stay at a deluxe then do it. Even if it means saving for a little while. It just feels like you never leave the magic. But it is tons cheaper to stay off site even with a rental car and paying for parking. But the perks of staying onsite are awesome. Honestly it 100% depends on your financial situation.

 

[BrerJon]

If you decide to stay offsite. Things like rental car and parking each day have to be factored in. Also I pretty big factor for me and my wife at staying at a disney resort is we get to drink responsibly since we don't have to drive. Not just one of us be able to drink bc the other has to drive. Staying at a deluxe you can walk or talk the monorail home at most parks and even at moderate resorts you have DME. My next trip I think I want to do the contemporary, it's the cheapest out of the deluxe resorts I believe.

That's why I always suggest taxis. You can drink, don't have to worry about parking, get to the parks quicker than the buses (for all the parks except MK) and the cost of a return taxi trip is always far, far less than the difference between a Disney Deluxe and the equivalent quality off-property or Downtown Disney hotel.

Never mind renting a car, I could *buy* one for the cost of a week in a Suite at the Contemporary.

 

[TXDisney]

Ya we've done that. It has to be thought of when you leave for the day in the morning though obviously, the days we go to epcot I nice to take a taxi bc we tend to drink more. Also a side note, staying offsite makes it easier to go to universal if that's what your into. We normally go for a week8 days 7 nights. So we do 2 days at universal and 6 at disney. When staying onsite I've never gone to universal.

 

[BrerJon]

CR is actually up there as one of the most expensive deluxe options. The cheapest would AKL.

To put some comparisons in, I just did some research for an upcoming weekend trip (1/16-1/19):

Cost of CBR for 3 nights: $549 (passholder, later winter discount, king bed).

Cost of offsite hotel:
The Pointe Orlando (Orbitz 4.1 stars, considered above your Holiday Inn Express, below your Hilton): $141 avg/night on Orbitz, with Orbitz discount = $512.21
Car was about $25 a day, so $75
Total is: 587.21.

CBR is cheaper.

That's for a Moderate though, with a discount. The differences are far less so I totally understand staying off property at a Moderate. It's the Deluxes where I have issues, as nowadays prices are *so* extreme it just seems unbelievable anyone can afford the rack rates without discounts.

 

[TXDisney]

For instance my parents have a timeshare in Orlando and so do my aunt and uncle. They normally like to go once a year. They pay for them regardless and they sleep about 8. So they invite us whenever they want to go bc they know we love disney and they're paying regardless and the the more the better to have fun. They refuse to let us pay so we normally lay for the rental car. For 2 including park tickets for 6 days at disney, 2 at universal, flights and rental car it costs us 2,000. A stay at a deluxe for the same amount of time with no universal tickets or rental car just 2 extra days at disney tickets ($50) that costs us 6,000. So staying offsite is 4000 cheaper.

 

[googilycub]

The Grand Flo, Poly and Contemporary may get you to the park quicker, but is a 15 minute saving a couple of times a trip really worth the extra $1000+ price difference it costs to stay in those for a few nights? I know if someone offered to pay me several hundred dollars to to sit on a boat for 15 minutes I'd jump at the chance!

To some of us, the time difference, along with other differences is worth it. To put it another way, a Kia would get me to and from work just fine. I prefer and am willing to pay a premium for, my BMW.

 

[Skibum1970]

Again, the whole "paying for deluxe" discussion comes down to budget, willingness to spend, and preference. Yes, there are hotels offsite that are just as nice (room wise) and cost less. However, people want what they want. I enjoy getting off the plane, taking the Magical Express to my hotel, and staying onsite. It is all part of the experience. We typically stay at Port Orleans Riverside or Wilderness Lodge, depending on discounts and availability. It is what we want, we are willing to save to afford it, and we prefer it that way. If I had the desire to do so, I could pay $500-600 a night to stay at the Contemporary but haven't found that desire to this point. Obviously, enough people can spend the money as the deluxes appear to have limited availability (based on searches for rooms) and demand is driving the prices up each year.

It isn't the right or wrong decision. It is simply a decision. It could be a wrong decision if someone lets their house go into foreclosure while spending $10K on a vacation but that is a different argument.

 

[ToTBellHop]

To some of us, the time difference, along with other differences is worth it. To put it another way, a Kia would get me to and from work just fine. I prefer, and am willing to pay a premium for, my BMW.

Agreed. I find this basic topic to be a bit rude, honestly. Shall I start a separate thread, "How do people tolerate the All Star motels?"?

 

[BigTxEars]

We are a stay on property or bust type of family. I rather stay at any resort on property than any other off property. It's the bubble for us

The Deluxe resorts are all about location when talking about on property resorts. Room to World Showcase in 5 minutes is awesome for example. Worth the cost? Very subjective but to us yes.

 

[crispy]

Agreed. I find this basic topic to be a bit rude, honestly. Shall I start a separate thread, "How do people tolerate the All Star motels?"?

Actually, I've seen quite a few threads like that. The OP seemed genuinely curious about how people afford it because it's a pretty large expense for the average family. I didn't read any rudeness or malice into the question.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Again, the whole "paying for deluxe" discussion comes down to budget, willingness to spend, and preference. Yes, there are hotels offsite that are just as nice (room wise) and cost less. However, people want what they want. I enjoy getting off the plane, taking the Magical Express to my hotel, and staying onsite. It is all part of the experience. We typically stay at Port Orleans Riverside or Wilderness Lodge, depending on discounts and availability. It is what we want, we are willing to save to afford it, and we prefer it that way. If I had the desire to do so, I could pay $500-600 a night to stay at the Contemporary but haven't found that desire to this point. Obviously, enough people can spend the money as the deluxes appear to have limited availability (based on searches for rooms) and demand is driving the prices up each year.

It isn't the right or wrong decision. It is simply a decision. It could be a wrong decision if someone lets their house go into foreclosure while spending $10K on a vacation but that is a different argument.

See, everyone one keeps saying that demand is driving the price up yet the occupancy rate at the Poly and some of the other deluxes are so low that they have to convert rooms to timeshares.

There is little "demand" there.

 

[chemicalart]

See, everyone one keeps saying that demand is driving the price up yet the occupancy rate at the Poly and some of the other deluxes are so low that they have to convert rooms to timeshares.

There is little "demand" there.

It is more complicated then that. At least the rumor mill says so.

Rumors have circulated Disney wanted another "standard" resort but it would run into issues regarding a monopoly of hotels...again rumor. This theory does provides logic for the explosion in the timeshare model.

A cynical response to the greater timeshares is to bide time before another hotel proper could be openned.

 

[BigTxEars]

That's for a Moderate though, with a discount. The differences are far less so I totally understand staying off property at a Moderate. It's the Deluxes where I have issues, as nowadays prices are *so* extreme it just seems unbelievable anyone can afford the rack rates without discounts.

It seems like anytime we have wanted to go to WDW there has been a room discount. Kind alike those jewelry store at the mall always having a sale

Now with something like free dinning where you do not get the room discount you offset that cost with "free" grub. So it kinda breaks even in the end I guess.

I cap out at $300 per night, I can't stomach to pay more than that per night unless the sink flows margarita instead of tap water. But I do fully understand people who do, it's can be such a special trip for people they want to do it the way they want regardless of the cost.

Plus honestly you can rob 2 or 3 convince stores and have the cash needed to stay wherever you want on property so why not?

 

[NearTheEars]

Late to the discussion here, but no chance we're ever staying at a deluxe. Even if we hit the lottery, there's no way I could justify it.

MAYBE if we were to eventually move back out of Florida, and were actually on a real vacation.

So far, it's been off property, or the All Star resorts with an AP dsicount for us on the few weekend getaways we've done.

I am kinda cheap though

 

[Andrew C]

Late to the discussion here, but no chance we're ever staying at a deluxe. Even if we hit the lottery, there's no way I could justify it.

MAYBE if we were to eventually move back out of Florida, and were actually on a real vacation.

So far, it's been off property, or the All Star resorts with an AP dsicount for us on the few weekend getaways we've done.

I am kinda cheap though

It would be easy to justify staying at a deluxe if you won the lottery. Let's be honest.

 

[NearTheEars]

It would be easy to justify staying at a deluxe if you won the lottery. Let's be honest.

Nah, all of our lottery winnings will go to the church and charity and children ......... Right?

 

[I_heart_Tigger]

Reading this thread makes it very obvious why the different resort levels exist. I've stayed at all of them for various types of trips and have no problem justifying my reasons for staying at Pop one trip and Beach the next. As for how I can afford it...I just do.

I wanted to stay at Beach because I wanted some chill out time at my resort and a quick walk to Epcot so I made monthly payments and paid it. When I stayed at Pop it was a girls trip and we planned whirlwind park days and just wanted a place to crash.

I understand that some families can't afford to stay at certain resorts but the combination of priorities, income, family size and sacrifice mean that there will always be a clientele for each level.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

I think that there is a difference between "Deluxe" and "Monorail Deluxe". Most of the "Deluxes" are expensive, but not crazy expensive. The "Monorail Deluxes" are crazy expensive.