Resort category jumping?

[Disneykidder]

So, a colleague of mine goes to Disney every August for about 2-3 days at a time. She always stays at GF. So on her most recent stay she stayed at POR. She HATED it. Everything she said was negative. I happened to like my stay at POR (years ago when it was Dixie Landings) and have even vivited there in the past few years and think it's great. I'm just thinking she is used to the monorail, the GF and the lay-out of POR just wasn't her cup of tea.

So, my question is, have you gone from a moderate to a value and been disappointed/surprised/pleased or a deluxe to a moderate...you get the idea. I have stayed at all categories but my last stay was at 2 deluxe resorts. (BLT and AKV) (I think my colleague is just snobby.)

 

[epcotisbest]

So, a colleague of mine goes to Disney every August for about 2-3 days at a time. She always stays at GF. So on her most recent stay she stayed at POR. She HATED it. Everything she said was negative. I happened to like my stay at POR (years ago when it was Dixie Landings) and have even vivited there in the past few years and think it's great. I'm just thinking she is used to the monorail, the GF and the lay-out of POR just wasn't her cup of tea.

So, my question is, have you gone from a moderate to a value and been disappointed/surprised/pleased or a deluxe to a moderate...you get the idea. I have stayed at all categories but my last stay was at 2 deluxe resorts. (BLT and AKV) (I think my colleague is just snobby.)

I can not imagine hating POR. We have stayed at all the categories and thoroughly enjoyed each one. Anyone can go anywhere thinking it is going to be awful, then make it so. Anyone can also go into something thinking it is going to be great, and their attitude can help make it so. Personally, I prefer POR to GF.

 

[Tuvalu]

Personally, I prefer POR to GF.

Me too!

 

[DisneyDelirious]

Hate is a strong word. That being said, it can involve some expectation management. I think we all like what we are comfortable with. If you are used to sleeping in a king sized bed and get put in a queen or double it isn't as comfortable. Does't make you a snob, but it's not what you are used to. Stepping up resorts can alter your expectations and make going back seem less glamorous. We stayed at Pop Century once for a short MVMCP trip. All other trips have been at CBR. Wife and kids didn't like it at all. They thought it felt like a themed roadside motel. I had adjusted my expectations and got along fine.

 

[zurgandfriend]

DW and I stayed at a moderate, then Dixie landing now POR, our first trip,I liked it. My DW however wanted to try the Contemporary, then the Wilderness Lodge then the Grand Floridian. My DW and DS are now resort snobs and will only stay on the monorail so maybe your friends are like my family.

 

[hsisthebest]

We've hopped around resort categories for over a decade. Last trip we took we stayed 6 nights at AOA and 4 at AKV. It really makes the Deluxe resorts seem like something special, but the kids liked AOA more. Variety is the spice of life kids..

 

[pixargal]

We have stayed at almost every resort on property and have enjoyed almost all of them. The biggest disappointment was at the Yacht Club and the most pleasant surprise was the ASM. There is good and bad at all the resorts, depends on what you are looking for. I can't believe your friend didn't like POR. It is one of the best resorts on property. Since we became DVC owners we don't get a chance to stay there, but we have great memories and pictures.

 

[jkl2000]

I enjoy staying at little chain motels, so I imagine I'd find something to like about ANY WDW resort.

 

[75disney]

I have stayed in all three categories: deluxe, moderate, and value. I like the moderates and the deluxes. Deluxes are particularly nice given their proximity to the parks. I stayed at a value resort once and hated it. I felt the rooms were too small, the theming garish, the food courts too crowded, and the bus lines long. I vowed I would never stay there again. I know that I don't spend a lot of time in my room, but I still like to return at the end of a hectic park day to the soothing and more sophisticated theming of a deluxe or moderate resort.

 

[Disneykidder]

I have stayed in all three categories: deluxe, moderate, and value. I like the moderates and the deluxes. Deluxes are particularly nice given their proximity to the parks. I stayed at a value resort once and hated it. I felt the rooms were too small, the theming garish, the food courts too crowded, and the bus lines long. I vowed I would never stay there again. I know that I don't spend a lot of time in my room, but I still like to return at the end of a hectic park day to the soothing and more sophisticated theming of a deluxe or moderate resort.

I kind of agree. We stayed at moderates, then values and then vowed we'd never go back...and we haven't. We went back to moderates and then joined DVC so we are in the deluxe category now. It was more of the room size that did it, buses and plus the crowds. We are very happy with staying at deluxes but I am not opposed to staying at a moderate. They are very nice and quiet. We are also a family of 5 now so unless we are staying in two rooms or a suite, moderates and values aren't an option anyway.

 

[disneygirl1]

I'll say this, I have stayed at every level of resort in Disney and there has been times that I had to stay at a value after stay at a mod or deluxe previous years, and I have never felt that way. Hate is a very strong word. For me, while I prefer to stay at a deluxe or a moderate resort, just because now after so many trips to the World we like having downtime at the resort, I am happy no matter where we stay as long as I'm in Disney!

 

[awoogala]

We started at POP. I always laugh, because every single trip since then, my kids have asked if we can go back to POP. This, after they have done Boardwalk (they hated it), Contemporary Garden room (we all loved it), Bay Lake Tower (awesome, but not perfect). I just booked Poly. I am hoping i don't hear "Can we go back to POP?" again after this trip!
I honestly would go back to POP tomorrow though, if it was between that and off-site- we happen to be lucky enough right now to be able to go to a deluxe, and I am very thankful. My only real issue with POP was the beds were too hard. I'm getting too old for crappy beds. I can stay at a $60 a night hotel and deal, as long as the beds are ok!

 

[luv]

I was never disappointed, but I started with Deluxe and knew what I was getting when I switched.

Deluxe is a hotel with average to sub-par service. Mods and values are motels with generally average service, maybe a little better than average at times.

If I'd gone to POR expecting a luxury resort, I'd have been disappointed.

I don't think it is snobbish to prefer a better hotel. It's why I left Disney hotels. It is silly to think you "need" it, lol...but I don't know your co-worker, so I have no idea what she is like.

 

[Weather_Lady]

I agree with @DisneyDelirious -- it's all about expectations. Clearly the OP's friend hadn't done her research before she left home, or hadn't given sufficient thought to her own particular priorities when it comes to a resort. (For example, my set of priorities being fairly restricted to a "pretty" theme, queen-size beds and an in-room coffeemaker and fridge, I don't see a huge difference between the amenities offered in a standard moderate room and those of a standard deluxe room, although a value room would be lacking those things that I consider important. Someone who highly values plusher bed linens, posher toiletries and the largest possible room, however, would feel that there were huge differences between moderate and deluxe resorts.)

I can understand being angry if a resort does not live up to what was promised. However, if the resort conforms to its description, one has no excuse for disliking it simply because they didn't bother to investigate it ahead of time. We stayed at PORS on our last visit, knowing what to expect, and were completely delighted with it. We've also stayed at Fort Wilderness Campground. We knew we weren't going to find pillowtopped tent pads or comfort stations with whirlpool tubs there, so we weren't at all disappointed by what the campground had to offer. Resort category jumping can be fun if you do your homework (or if you're just a positive-minded and happy-go-lucky person). Otherwise, caveat emptor.

 

[Dog Ate Mouse]

I could see her disliking it when she has always stayed at the Grande Floridian. Think about it a second. She probably never read anything on the resort and was expecting POR to be the same level as the Grande Floridian. I could really see this happening. I am trying to give your friend/collegue benefit of the doubt and try to see it through her point of view.

Now PORs is my favorite resort to stay at and just love the setting and atmoshpere. We have stayed at the Wilderness Lodge and loved it but always knew up front that staying at the deluxe resorts would be a once in awhile event and love the whole experience. Then the following year we stayed at PORs and had a blast. We finally did make it to the Poly and had a wonderful time. Then you guessed it the following few years in a row back to PORs. I have always said that there is one or two resorts that are to your liking and expectations at WDW for everyone no matter be it Vlaue, Moderate and Deluxe. Deluxe resorts to me just adds a tad more magic because they are a little more themed and more plush. They are wonderful to stay at but for the cost I could stay at a moderate a few more days and save the money to make my stay longer. This is a to each their own type of deal and whatever makes you happy type of thing. If you love and can afford the Deluxe Resorts all the time, then all the best to you. I cannot but when I am in WDW at my favorite resort PORs I am totally happy and do not think or even care that this resort is better than mine or visa-versa. PORs give me and my DW all the comfort and enjoymnet to help make our WDW stay very magical and relaxing, when you truly think about it, isn't that what really matters.

 

[draybook]

As someone that's slept in a deuce and a half, I couldn't care less about theming when returning from the parks. All I want to do is snooze.

 

[BigTxEars]

I like POR, can't imagine anyone hating it. I am one of the one that thinks where I stay at Disney is as important as the parks I visit. It's all part of the package for me, park, food and room all make the trip what it is. We are not slamming out rides one after the other till the park closes then hitting the room until daybreak to do it all again, if we were I would guess the room would not matter as long as it had a bed. But I am too old for that

Any of the resorts of any of the classes works really but I would prefer to stay at some over others. But I really can not imagine every staying off property again. Traveling to and from Disney on public roads breaks the immersion for me.

 

[jlsHouston]

Several visits I have resort hopped. It was always deluxe to deluxe. What I have noticed is there is always a bit of a comparison that occurs with each visit and when you are doing it so close together.
The first time I resort hopped was BC to AKL....wow I loved the BC so much and when we got to AKL...the room size seemed so noticeably different and the WiFi wouldn't work...really detracted from me enjoying my stay at AKL. The next time it was POLY to one last day at Dolphin....actually this one no emotional swings and really liked the Christmas decor that was up at the Dolphin but did miss the POLY. Last summer went from BWI to POLY...well I had hated my room location at BWI the entire time so I was thrilled when we moved to the POLY, but my friend felt like the BWI was a much better room and constantly compared the CM's at the 2 resorts...and I kind of noticed what she was talking about too....people at the POLY no where near as friendly as those at BWI. This past November I went WL - BWV - Dolphin. A twelve day visit. Now that was way too much resort hopping. And contrary to what I had presumed I LOVED the WL and missed it terrible when we left!
What I have discovered, with myself, while I love variety and it will be difficult to curtail resort hopping completely..it does detract from the resort experience....not to mention the time you spend moving your stuff.

 

[durangojim]

We usually stay at deluxes (GF, Poly, BC, WL, AKL) but when we don't we usually stay at Pop. We stayed at PORS...Once. We really did not like it. I wouldn't say "hated" it, but definitely would not stay there again. For the cost (which was't much) we felt like we would have been better served staying at Pop and saved a little more money. We didn't like the layout of the resort, the buses, and some of the decor (we stayed in alligator bayou).

There are many times where we'll start at a value and then go to a deluxe, but never the other way around. We also stayed at AoA in the Little Mermaid room, but had hardly any discount and that resort didn't give us much more than Pop already does. My kids love Pop, they thought AoA was "OK".

 

[disney4life2008]

I am values all the way - inexpensive and I get the disney benefits. I have stayed at the mods and while nice - the price keeps me away