Moderate vs. Value - I need an analysis

[Nightsbane]

My wife and I when we have gone like to stay at the Poly. We have been promising our girls a trip for a year now, and haven't been able to go when we would have liked due to finances etc. We are trying to set up a trip to go next fall, knowing that at their ages (5 and 8 now, 6 and 9 then) we are just about out of time with them being giddy little girls at disney wanting to do the kids stuff. Another year and the older one will probably scoff at some things.

So we want to take a trip next fall and are wondering about resorts. We cannot afford to take the girls along on a trip to a deluxe ( we love monorail access and proximity to Magic Kingdom) and so we were pretty set on Port Orleans, French Quarter. It still looks gorgeous and like a wonderful stay.

Yesterday as I was arranging the trip I wondered how much more we could save if we considered a value, that could be put towards spending money, activities and the like.

What I do know, is that the hotel is important to us. It must be clean, well run, not run down, and not super crowded. We want to feel like we are staying in a nice place. I am not trying to insult anyone's sensibilities that has stayed in value resorts; I simply have never even been inside one and have no knowledge on their level of niceness. The pictures online of the couple I have seen look almost a bit run down, though I may be simple not seeing good shots.

What advice can you give those of you of wdwmagic? What is the difference in stay and amenities as well as location between the two for getting to the parks? I am not sure how much money can be saved by the switch or how the experience will be affected. We are planning a 7-10 day trip next late October or early November, 2 adults, 2 children.

 

[GenerationX]

The biggest differences between the moderates and values are the amenities, room size, and landscaping. All of these are a significant step up with a moderate. Going to a deluxe is yet another step up in all three things, but you lose the food court. Food courts don't exist at the deluxes.

In the last few years, I've stayed at Port Orleans - Riverside with the whole family (all five of us) and at three of the four values with just me and one of my sons each time. If you plan to spend any time at all at the resort (in the room, at the pool, at the food court, etc.), the extra $50 a night at the moderate is well worth it.

 

[Tigger1988]

What I do know, is that the hotel is important to us. It must be clean, well run, not run down, and not super crowded. .

Then avoid All Star at all costs. The room was like a shoebox, it was messy, the bathroom floor would flood anytime someone took a shower and it was like a madhouse there. (This is of course based solely on MY experience, I'm sure someone will run in and say how clean and well kept it is)

Spend the extra for a moderate, it sounds like it'll fit your needs/tastes much better.

 

[panther726]

Stay at French Quarter! We always stayed at the All Star Resorts and Pop until two years ago when we stayed here. We can't imagine going back. French Quarter is the smallest resort on property, so you don't have to worry about requesting a room close to the lobby or bus stop, or worrying about crowds. There is only one bus stop, and the pool has a waterslide. You can also share amentites with Riverside, though we never have desired to leave FQ. There is also a boat that runs to Downtown Disney, which we love, so if you're planning on spending a night there, it's definitely worth it. We feel like we definitely get what we pay for.

Can't wait for our December trip!

 

[French Quarter]

I would definitely stick with POFQ. We had always stayed at Values and were never completely satisfied. Especially with the buses. We felt like cattle being herded at the end of the night. We never got that feeling with the Deluxes. While we love the theming at POP (not All-Stars), we wouldn't stay there again unless it was the only way that we could afford to go to Disney. We've chosesn POFQ for our next vacation to save a bit of cash. It looks amazing.

 

[stargrl33]

French Quarter is amazing...your kids will love the water slide. I do think that the moderates are worth the extra cost, personally.

One suggestion, to offset the extra cost, would be to utilize the mini-fridge in your room. order some groceries, sandwich stuff, from garden grocers and get it delivered. pack a lunch to bring to the park or go back to your room for a midday meal and swim. Much cheaper than the food courts at the resorts and in the parks.

 

[NewfieFan]

All Star Music has newly renovated rooms. It is very clean and well kept. Bussing is just fine... and contrary to popular belief around these forums you don't share busses that often (usually at off times during the day). The pool is wonderful and they have great activities in the middle of the afternoon to keep kids and adults alike entertained. There's also a quiet pool as well... which is actually quiet (it's usually empty)! The AS resorts are relatively small so even if you're in the furthest building from the lobby and pool you won't have that long of walk. Also, b/c they're a little smaller the food courts are not as busy as some others.

I love AS Music and will not hesitate to stay there in the future. Just for reference... I have stayed at a deluxe resort (Yacht Club to be exact) and I still feel this way about AS Music. I think it offers a lot for the price!

 

[Flower'sChild]

I have stayed at value,moderate and the delux resorts. In my eyes all the Disney resorts are nice and clean and awesome. I enjoy all the Disney resorts. For my birthday vacation staying at a Disney resort or the Swan and Dolphin (they are right by Epcot) is a must. My second choice for my birthday vacation would be hotels in Downtown Disney and they are nice hotel to stay in. But for me even a hotel in Downtown Disney can't compare to staying at either a Disney resort or the Swan or Dolphin during my birthday week. A hotel in downtown Disney is something I would like to do for something different when it's not my birthday vacation.


Anyways sometimes the value resorts can get crowded on the buses but this is basically during opening and closing times of the parks. Also the value don't have any water slides or spa's. Also at the value you have to pay $10 extra or a fridge and I think another $10 for a microwave and at the moderates you can have these at no extra charge. Both the values and moderates have big food courts. The values have lots of nice large Disney icons all over their hotels and the moderates have very pretty landscape that is really neat at their resorts.

Both the values and the moderates are very nice resorts. I have explained some of the differences. Now as for location. The AllStar resorts are close to the Animal Kingdom and Blizzard Beach. Pop Century is located close to downtown Disney and Typhoon Lagoon. Coronado Springs is located close to Blizzard Beach and Animal Kingdom. Carribbean Beach is close to Mgm and Epcot. Port Orleans is located close to Epcot and Downtown Disney. You can enjoy a nice boat ride from Port Orleans to Downtown Disney as well as take the bus from Port Orleans to Downtown Disney.

 

[bamillerpa]

I have stayed at Moderates and Deluxe resorts. If we are staying at a moderate we prefer Port Orleans Riverside. It's such a beautiful resort and has a really nice (although crowded at times) food court. My children both loved the pool and theming there. We would walk around the resort along the river and saw very few people. They also have a lot of quiet pools. I think six of them. It was very quiet, calm, and serene and felt like a Deluxe to us.

If you can't afford a deluxe like the Poly did you consider one of the cheaper Deluxe resorts such as Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom Lodge? Both are amazing and cheaper than the other deluxes. There's even the water launch to the Magic Kingdom which would really nice with two young children. You could even take the launch to the MK or other resort close by and grab the monorail if you didn't want to deal with the buses to Epcot.

We are staying for one night at Pop Century on our next trip since we are arriving late at night. We are switching to the Poly the following morning. I thought about just staying at Pop but really wanted the monorail and some peace and quiet. I've heard that the values can get really crowded and noisy and the rooms are really small.

 

[kcs]

Riverside

We have stayed at all levels of Disney hotels and we LOVE Riverside the best! It has beautiful quiet grounds. The quiet pools are almost always empty. The food court is large with a great selection. It never feels crowded. It just has a quiet laid back feel! Our whole family has voted that this is our fav even over the Contemporary and Boardwalk. When we go back this is home for us!!

 

[CleveRocks]

Here's your analysis!

The major differences between Moderates and Values:

Moderate rooms are 314 sq. ft. (except CBR's, which are 340 sq. ft.)
Value rooms are 260 sq. ft. The 54 sq. ft. difference is about the size of 2 double beds.

Moderate rooms have refrigerators, standard.
Value rooms have no fridge, and to rent one is $12/night.

Moderate rooms have 2 sinks (except CSR's rooms have 1).
Value rooms have 1 sink.

Moderate rooms have ceiling fans.
Value rooms don't have them.

Moderate main pools have a pool slide and a Jacuzzi.
Values don't have either one.

Moderate resorts' bus stops are covered (think protection from rain and hot sun).
Value resorts' bus stops are uncovered.

Moderate resorts have multiple internal bus stops (except POFQ), meaning that no room is a far walk from the bus.
Values have only one bus stop/area.

Moderate resorts have pool towels at the main pool.
Value resorts don't (consistently) offer pool towels.

Moderate resorts have a table-service restaurant (except for POFQ) as well as a food court.
Value resorts have only a food court.

Moderate resorts offer some type of recreational activity (boat rental, bike rental, etc.).
Value resorts don't offer any of that.

Moderate resorts have a maximum room charge limit of $1,000.
Value resorts have a maximum room charge limit of $500.

 

[bamillerpa]

I never knew about the room charge limit. What is it for Deluxe Resorts?

 

[slappy magoo]

To the OP, I don't know how much room size, onsite amenities and the like are to you. For a lot of people, the resort is a pale to shower, shave and ____...ut eye in-between going to the parks from dawn to dusk. If that defines you, the Values may suit you. But those rooms are tiny. Personally, I wouldn't want to sleep more than 2 people in one if I didn't have to, and you're talking 4. They've got pools, they've got arcades, they've got food courts, and they've got bus service. If you want larger rooms and more amenities (water craft or bikes, catch-and-release fishing), and if you'd like to have the ability to have a sitdown dinner followed by an early night once in a while, the mods are really worth the extra money. Personally, I wouldn't want to stay in a Value. I like spending time in the resort, so the amenities and restaurants are important to me.

 

[NewfieFan]

I never knew about the room charge limit. What is it for Deluxe Resorts?

$1500 I believe!

 

[sweetpee_1993]

$1500 I believe!

Yep. It's $1500.

 

[Flower'sChild]

I never knew about the room charge limit. What is it for Deluxe Resorts?

Yes there is a limit, but it's just for the day. The next day the limit starts over again. I have gone way over the $500 limit at a value but that is from 1 and 2 week vacations. Also a cast member at one of the AllStars said somethig about if you hit your limit for that day all you would have to do is call the resort so you can keep charging for that day.

 

[disneygirl1]

We have stayed a quite a few moderate resorts and all of the value resorts... Both are great and honestly other then a sit down restaurant, a slide at the pool and the rooms being slightly bigger at the Mods there really isn't that much of a difference between the 2 resort types in my opinion. At the end of the day, what it all boils down to is how much time is your family really planning on staying at the resort??? If it's just to sleep and shower, I'd say value all the way! If you are planning on staying at the resort more often, I say consider a moderate. We just returned from a quick trip to the World on Monday and stayed at All Star Sports and we had a blast. We are also going again in December and this time splurged and are staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge as we plan to relax at the resort a little more since we are there for 9 full days.

 

[Engine 51]

The only real advantage I see with a mod is the bed itself, Values have doubles and most mods have queens. After all the walking and playing, it's nice to have the extra room to stretch out. With the age of your kids they may prefer the cartoon like value decor. If it's not a surprise, show them the virtual tour on the WDW site and let them decide.

 

[NewfieFan]

Yes there is a limit, but it's just for the day. The next day the limit starts over again. I have gone way over the $500 limit at a value but that is from 1 and 2 week vacations. Also a cast member at one of the AllStars said somethig about if you hit your limit for that day all you would have to do is call the resort so you can keep charging for that day.

My understanding with the limit is when you hit it you have to authorize them to take the payment from your credit card before they will give you the limit again to start charging again. You can do this over the phone... it's happened to us while shopping in DTD and you can do it at your resort as well, I think!?!

 

[NewfieFan]

The only real advantage I see with a mod is the bed itself, Values have doubles and most mods have queens. After all the walking and playing, it's nice to have the extra room to stretch out. With the age of your kids they may prefer the cartoon like value decor. If it's not a surprise, show them the virtual tour on the WDW site and let them decide.

I thought the only mod that had queens was Coronodo Springs... but I could be wrong!?! :shrug: