Tacit differences between Value - Moderate - Deluxe

[correcaminos]

Did not know that.

Coronado has always been kind of a half step above the other moderates. Most of the time it's my favorite one (though POR landscaping is nice)

 

[Much-Pixie-Dust]

COR has spa/salon too. Another poster mentioned parking was closer at a Deluxe, but that hasn’t been our experience. Parking from car to our room at AK was a bit over 1/3 mile. If you get one at the end of one of those hallways at Jambi House, you have a trek even to the lobby.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

Thanks everyone. I'm guessing a lot of these differences should've been obvious but i'm sure i'll know better after my first trip.

 

[surfsupdon]

The CM language barrier can be very real too. If you speak English, more native English speaking Cast are at Deluxes, with fewer at Mods, and fewest at Values.

Don’t hate me. It’s my observation and worth mentioning.

All CMs are helpful and doing their best.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

The CM language barrier can be very real too. If you speak English, more native English speaking Cast are at Deluxes, with fewer at Mods, and fewest at Values.

Don’t hate me. It’s my observation and worth mentioning.

All CMs are helpful and doing their best.

That's somethin lol

 

[AndyS2992]

The CM language barrier can be very real too. If you speak English, more native English speaking Cast are at Deluxes, with fewer at Mods, and fewest at Values.

Don’t hate me. It’s my observation and worth mentioning.

All CMs are helpful and doing their best.

Was about so say what you talking about but thought back and you are probably right. Our last stay at Pop we found a lot of CMs in the food court clearly weren’t native speakers with some having trouble even understanding when we listed items right off of the menu and on one occasion had to point at the words on the screen and he had to wait for the picture on the side to pop up to even know what it was lol Never had that anywhere else.

 

[ctcdisneymama]

Never stayed at a deluxe but recently stayed at a value for the first time. Typically we stay at POR. I noticed a huge difference between POR and Music. Nothing terrible, as our recent stay at Music was perfect for what we wanted (just a place to sleep). Music lacked that Disney feel. Also, not all but some guests were obnoxious and rude. At one point an adult was walking around the food court without a shirt, shoes, and barely swimsuit bottoms and no one batted an eye. Personally, I wouldn't go to a value unless I had to.

Our stays at POR are always wonderful. The atmosphere is great, the guest experience has been better than our experience at Music, and it's always been quiet. Stayed there 4+ times and never had a bad experience.

 

[Trust2deal]

Stayed at all levels at WDW: here is what we think:

- A bed is a bed, and remember your only in the room to sleep. I found the beds to be all the same. Deluxe hotels seem to have more king size room options.
- Room size; see my first point. Yes, Deluxe hotels seem to have more options and larger rooms but not by that much.
- Concierge: located at Deluxe Hotels; you have to really think about the pros/cons there. Cost a lot more for this level of service but if your into the brkfst, midday, pre-dinner availability of these services - then the price point may work. You also have a cast member who will help with any reservation or extra. We have done this level and even though it cost more - is a consideration. There is something about that late night wine after the parks and days events.
- agree with one of the comments re: food courts. There seems to be more food court like options below Deluxe Hotels, but Deluxe Hotels now have them as well. Deluxe Hotels offer more expensive food options - if that is what you're in too, you may want Deluxe? but remember you can eat anywhere in the park even at Deluxe Hotel if you're staying at Moderate.
- Pools do differ; can't beat the Yacht/Beach Club pool - and you pay for it. However, water is water; it's refreshing anywhere. We stayed at Saratoga Springs and I thought their pool was very nice - basic round.
- Location to the parks: this matters if you have young ones. Notice how Deluxe seems to be located near parks? bingo - now you know.
In summary, you can't go wrong no matter where you stay. We have enjoyed all the places we stayed over the years and the price difference can be something to think about.

Have a great trip!

 

[DisneyJoe]

- Room size; see my first point. Yes, Deluxe hotels seem to have more options and larger rooms but not by that much.

FYI - just for those that are curious re room sizes

- Value resort rooms are 260 sq ft, ASMu Family Suite 520 sq ft, AoA Std 277 sq ft, AoA suites 585 sq ft
- Moderate resort rooms are 314 except for CBR which is 340
- Deluxes range from 340 (some AKL/WL rooms) to 380 (BC/YC/BWI) to 400-422 sq ft (GF/Poly/CR)
- DVC - too varied to list

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Which moderates have gyms?

As stated, Coronado Springs is the one moderate to have a gym.

Poly is the one deluxe to not have one. If you stay there, you have to walk to Grand Floridian's.

POFQ is the one mod to not have on-site table service dining. It's either walk to Boatwrights at POR (dinner only) or boat to DS.

It should also be said that many deluxe rooms do not have a balcony, or if the do, a very small one. It's not a guarantee.

 

[clarabellej]

I’ve never had the chance to stay in a Deluxe.

I’ll preface this with the fact that I love Pop! I have never had any issue with loud people there.

The first time I stayed on site was at Port Orleans Riverside and I had nothing to compare it to. This was prior to Value suites: first at All Star Music and also prior to AOA being built. So, POR was the only place in our price range to accommodate 3 adults and two children.

I remember a dark brown decor, rustic looking? There was a pull out trundle my 6 year old was supposed to use, but refused.

The room was fine, but certainly nothing special.

We had quite a walk to the food court. The food court was very nice. It has a large waterwheel outside. I remember a really nice build your pasta station. Very generous helpings.

The grounds were lovely, but again I remember it being a walk to buses and food court. Also to the main building and lobby.

As mentioned the moderate pools have slides. We didn’t use the pool though.

The next visit (second on property) we stayed at All Star Movies.

I was pleasantly surprised. The Value resorts, IMO offer the same great Disney service, well kept landscaped grounds and comfort.

My then 7 year old loved the larger than life decorations.

It was colorful, but in a fun way. Not over the top.

Food court there was a little more hectic/busy, filled with excited families. Again, no loudness, just your regular folks.

To me Disney is all about just that. So the Values fit the bill, literally.

After having stayed several times at All Star Movies, we stayed at Pop.

We are Pop lovers now and have only stayed there over multiple visits. I think we’ve been 10 years in a row now.

Not to mention other visits when I was not on site.

Nothing compares to staying on site.

Pop’s new rooms are very clean and streamlined. Very simple in terms of decor. More toned down. I think they could almost use more color! Nice toiletries. Although I miss the little shampoo bottles and bar soaps. They are now in larger dispenser bottles.

Another nice addition with the remodel is a coffee maker. Something the Values didn’t used to have. Additional supplies available on request.

You can ask to opt out of Mousekeeping and instead get a Disney gift card for each night you stay. I received one for $60 & purchased a super cute Disney Parks Pandora charm at Uptown Jewelers in MK. This is offered I believe at moderates as well.

If I could afford Deluxe I am sure I would love it.

But I stand my ground with the Values. They are more than sufficient and quite nice.

I think you can encounter large groups and rowdy, possibly rude people anywhere.

For the most part, everyone is happy to be at Disney!

We truly feel at home when we arrive at Pop!

I think everyone should give the Values a try. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Since we tend to spend all our time in the parks, the Values provide a comfy place to return to each night.

I might consider upgrading if I planned on hanging out more at the resort.

 

[correcaminos]

As stated, Coronado Springs is the one moderate to have a gym.

Poly is the one deluxe to not have one. If you stay there, you have to walk to Grand Floridian's.

POFQ is the one mod to not have on-site table service dining. It's either walk to Boatwrights at POR (dinner only) or boat to DS.

It should also be said that many deluxe rooms do not have a balcony, or if the do, a very small one. It's not a guarantee.

DVC is the exception to balconies and patios. There is one room at BRV that doesn't have one, but it is literally the only one that doesn't have it. All are supposed to but someone made a poor design choice and it was left without one.

For those wondering, the gym and spa at GF is kind of between GF and the Polynesian. It's really close to the wedding pavillion. Not a hugely convenient location to either GF or Polynesian.

 

[LAKid53]

DVC is the exception to balconies and patios. There is one room at BRV that doesn't have one, but it is literally the only one that doesn't have it. All are supposed to but someone made a poor design choice and it was left without one.

For those wondering, the gym and spa at GF is kind of between GF and the Polynesian. It's really close to the wedding pavillion. Not a hugely convenient location to either GF or Polynesian.

It's across from the drive up entrance to the DVC villas.

 

[LeighM]

I was at Coronado Springs in March and we found it very quiet. We were in Ranchos 7A at the back of the resort. We loved it! It was close to the second bus stop and very quiet. I always found Riverside to be quiet too though but I think the buses were better at CSR during our stay. I like to request a room on the upper floor so I get less noise from those in rooms above mine since they removed the carpets. the only time I ever heard a lot of noise was from a group of middle aged adults that dragged their room chairs into the walkway and were heavily drinking.

 

[correcaminos]

It's across from the drive up entrance to the DVC villas.

I'm aware - I've been in there more than once. If you look on the map it's almost right in line with the wedding pavilion just to give an idea of how far down it is. Before the villas were built it felt very remote. Unless you are in the villas it can feel kinda far away - especially if you are closer to the other end of the resort.

 

[imsosarah]

We are DVC members and have stayed at a few deluxe as well as all of the moderate and few value from before our DVC days. There is a huge difference from value to moderate as far as the crowds/kids/behavior etc for sure.

I like the moderate (especially Coronado springs!) because they often end up with more business travelers thanks to the convention center traffic so the busses are more empty, pool is more empty, and the food is often better. Deluxe does have a few more features here and there but I found there to be more kids at those than the moderate, You won’t be disappointed!

 

[eliza61nyc]

Stayed at all levels at WDW: here is what we think:

- A bed is a bed, and remember your only in the room to sleep. I found the beds to be all the same. Deluxe hotels seem to have more king size room options.
- Room size; see my first point. Yes, Deluxe hotels seem to have more options and larger rooms but not by that much.
- Concierge: located at Deluxe Hotels; you have to really think about the pros/cons there. Cost a lot more for this level of service but if your into the brkfst, midday, pre-dinner availability of these services - then the price point may work. You also have a cast member who will help with any reservation or extra. We have done this level and even though it cost more - is a consideration. There is something about that late night wine after the parks and days events.
- agree with one of the comments re: food courts. There seems to be more food court like options below Deluxe Hotels, but Deluxe Hotels now have them as well. Deluxe Hotels offer more expensive food options - if that is what you're in too, you may want Deluxe? but remember you can eat anywhere in the park even at Deluxe Hotel if you're staying at Moderate.
- Pools do differ; can't beat the Yacht/Beach Club pool - and you pay for it. However, water is water; it's refreshing anywhere. We stayed at Saratoga Springs and I thought their pool was very nice - basic round.
- Location to the parks: this matters if you have young ones. Notice how Deluxe seems to be located near parks? bingo - now you know.
In summary, you can't go wrong no matter where you stay. We have enjoyed all the places we stayed over the years and the price difference can be something to think about.

Have a great trip!

lol, now I'll give the counter point.

• A bed is a bed?? I guess if you are skinny and don't have size problems. I have a family of guys all over 6ft and 2 leaning toward 250. As much as I loved my honey bunny, he was a pooh size dude and this gal needs her beauty sleep.
• Room size. Ok so we generally go in the late summer when the thermostat in Florida is set to "hell" or "surface of the sun". For us, a room is NOT where we just sleep. we come back to our room and chill in the middle of the day. some times we go to the pool but some times we just relax and catch a movie. One big reason we purchased into DVC, larger rooms. I can never go back. I don't want to be on top of my family on sitting on a bed every time I'm in a room.
• IMO park restaurants are the weakest in the world, resort dining is much better so outside of Epcot we try to eat at Disney springs or a resort. I like sit down meals and after a long day in 90° heat I don't want to have to find seating in a food court, again just us. so it's nice having a full service restaurant .
• Again while it's absolutely true that water is water and my kids have enjoyed the quiet pool, one of the reasons why we go on vacation is to escape the "every day" so it's nice to have the theme pools. again we spend a lot of time at the pool in late August.

I agree that price is always a consideration but I also encourage people to think about the non monetary things that bring value. IMO there is immense value in the ability to walk to Epcot or MK. lol, at the end of the night doing the MK stampede is not magical. so the ability to walk back to the Contemporary or take a quick boat back to WL is a huge bonus. I think it matters more now that our kids are young adults. staying at an Epcot area resort and walking back from HS and/or Epcot is definitely a huge huge incentive.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

The 'bed is a bed' comment also stood out to me because the one time we stayed at a moderate, our rooms had horrible beds. Sure, it met my requirement of being at least a queen, but I could feel the springs in my back and hips and it squeaked horribly every time I rolled over. I didn't bother to request a new room because both beds in this room and the beds in the separate room my parents had booked were equally as awful. i.e. if multiple rooms have horrible beds, switching rooms isn't likely to fix this problem. In fact, we've found the mattress quality at WL and AKL to be inferior to what you find at the Epcot and Monorail resorts. So, I really feel they pair bed quality (and bedding quality) to resort class/price.

I also agree on the space matter. Yes, I tend to be a bit more claustrophobic, but the bathroom set up in our POR room was ridiculously cramped. I felt like we had to hurdle the toilet to get in and out of the shower, which made the area a sloppy soggy mess. The rest of the room space felt like the room space you get at WL and AKL...but I also find those pretty cramped too if you're not in a bunk bed room. It's easier to tolerate in a summer trip where we don't have as much luggage because summer clothes take up more space, but we have to pack a lot more for winter trips because of varying temps...which takes up a lot more room space...even if you unpack. As it was...we had very little room for our summer stuff and unpacked luggage at POR. I had to stack things under the table just to make space.

I also missed having a balcony/patio. I know that you're not guaranteed one at every deluxe resort, but if you plan your room requests accordingly, you have a pretty good chance of having one. You'll never have one at a mod. I know some people say they'd never use it since they are in the parks from open to close, but it's so nice to go out on your balcony for a quick breakfast or a late night drink...especially if you have a view. I loved my early morning breakfasts at AKL while looking out on the safari and I remember sitting on ours at WL and watching what we could see of fireworks from MK while having a couple of beers.

Finally, I'd always heard about buses bursting at the seams at the end of the night. We've had some crowded bus situations at the deluxe resorts, but nothing like what we saw at the mods. When we stayed at POR...every single night the buses were insane...regardless of park. Buses going to the park were fine and transport time wasn't any better or worse than staying at some of the deluxe resorts, but end of the night...WOW! It made me wish we had just driven our own vehicle.

 

[Dave B]

Stayed at all levels at WDW: here is what we think:

- A bed is a bed, and remember your only in the room to sleep. I found the beds to be all the same. Deluxe hotels seem to have more king size room options.
- Room size; see my first point. Yes, Deluxe hotels seem to have more options and larger rooms but not by that much.
- Concierge: located at Deluxe Hotels; you have to really think about the pros/cons there. Cost a lot more for this level of service but if your into the brkfst, midday, pre-dinner availability of these services - then the price point may work. You also have a cast member who will help with any reservation or extra. We have done this level and even though it cost more - is a consideration. There is something about that late night wine after the parks and days events.
- agree with one of the comments re: food courts. There seems to be more food court like options below Deluxe Hotels, but Deluxe Hotels now have them as well. Deluxe Hotels offer more expensive food options - if that is what you're in too, you may want Deluxe? but remember you can eat anywhere in the park even at Deluxe Hotel if you're staying at Moderate.
- Pools do differ; can't beat the Yacht/Beach Club pool - and you pay for it. However, water is water; it's refreshing anywhere. We stayed at Saratoga Springs and I thought their pool was very nice - basic round.
- Location to the parks: this matters if you have young ones. Notice how Deluxe seems to be located near parks? bingo - now you know.
In summary, you can't go wrong no matter where you stay. We have enjoyed all the places we stayed over the years and the price difference can be something to think about.

Have a great trip!

You are so off base, it is unreal, the beds are so different at all levels, they get better as you move up, 100% without a doubt

 

[MisterPenguin]

You are so off base, it is unreal, the beds are so different at all levels, they get better as you move up, 100% without a doubt

As I type this, I'm sitting on a brand new queen bed at Pop.

Quality does go up, but not by much. And if a mod or luxe that hasn't bought new beds in a while might have a lesser bed experience then a tier below them.