"Value" Resort costs more than Deluxe

[ParentsOf4]

We are looking into a WDW trip in late July. An Art of Animation suite is $345/night (sleeps 6) while a room at the Boardwalk Inn or Beach Club is $277.50/night (sleeps 5).

I just stayed offsite in a comfortable hotel in a 2-room suite with kitchenette that sleeps up to 6 for $118/night during Easter week.

I realize AoA is offering a suite and sleeps one extra person than a Deluxe Resort room but does anyone else think the AoA price is insane, especially for a so called "Value Resort"?

 

[Annielkd]

We are looking into a WDW trip in late July. An Art of Animation suite is $345/night (sleeps 6) while a room at the Boardwalk Inn or Beach Club is $277.50/night (sleeps 5).

I just stayed offsite in a comfortable hotel in a 2-room suite with kitchenette that sleeps up to 6 for $118/night during Easter week.

I realize AoA is offering a suite and sleeps one extra person than a Deluxe Resort room but does anyone else think the AoA price is insane, especially for a so called "Value Resort"?

I think this is a suite that has another room. The room at Boardwalk is only a studio. They may SAY it can sleep 5, but I can't figure out how. I guess if you could have some kind of roll away bed... sure, but honestly, we were a little cramped with onlly 3! I think that the price is for the convenience... I always stay on property... I know it's probably not worth it... but, to me, it is.

 

[nepalostparks]

You're comparing very different things in your post.

First off, you are comparing the price of a suite with the price of a room. The Art of Animation Suites will be around 545 square feet, feature living space, a dining area, a fully separate bedroom, and two separate bathrooms.

A standard room at Boardwalk is 380 square feet, and to sleep five would mean two queen beds in the room with a child sofa bed for the fifth. One bathroom, no living/dining areas.

So, for the 67.50 difference you note in your comparison, you are sleeping one more person, have 165 additional square feet of space, gain a second bathroom, have one sleeping area that is separated from the rest of the living space, have living space, and have a dining area.

Whether or not the additional cost is "worth it" is certainly an individual decision. But to simply compare the cost without looking at the differences isn't very fair.

 

[Master Yoda]

In addition to what nepalostparks pointed out, it also looks like you are comparing a full price room to a discounted price room.A standard room at the Beach Club at rack rate on 7/27/2012 is $450 with all taxes.A suite at the AoA at rack rate on 7/24/2012 is $444 with all taxes.

 

[CaptainJackNO]

No matter how you slice it, that's steep. I wouldn't pay that. Check the swan-dolphin and the hotels in downtown disney. No way those rooms are worth 345 a night.

 

[Annielkd]

You aren't paying for the room, you are paying for the convenience and the ambience. None of the hotels are worth the price... it's the other things that make it worth it.

 

[GenerationX]

In addition to what nepalostparks pointed out, it also looks like you are comparing a full price room to a discounted price room.A standard room at the Beach Club at rack rate on 7/27/2012 is $450 with all taxes.A suite at the AoA at rack rate on 7/24/2012 is $444 with all taxes.

And the rack rate for two standard rooms at the Caribbean Beach (680 sq. ft total) in July, 2012 is $410 on weekends and $380 on weekdays before taxes.

 

[RonAnnArbor]

So, don't take this the wrong way because I think we will all agree that everything on property is overpriced for what it is worth....but....the point of your post then is basically to just complain?

There are all sorts of off-property resorts that are half the price....but the convenience of staying on-property; the extended hours at the park; and the free transportation around the property as well as from/to the airport is what you are paying for there...

"value" doesn't really have meaning at a place like WDW, nor similar vacation destinations....

 

[Annielkd]

I think I was just saying that none of the rooms are worth their value... the value is in what else you get from being on property. I would never pay the same price for the value resort as I would for a one bedroom at Boardwalk or Beach club. But, I pay the price for the location... so I wouldn't pay that to be anywhere else. To me... it's not worth any price.

 

[Annielkd]

Yes, you have it about right. I am basically complaining that WDW is charging $345/night for a "Value Resort". I also am wondering what other people think about it. Does $345/night (more on weekends) at a Value Resort seem right to you?

Over the years, I've stayed at every WDW resort with the exception of the Cabins at Fort Wilderness. I'd like to stay at AoA but won't until the prices come down.

It wasn't that long ago that I booked 2 rooms at a Value Resort for $59/night or $118/night for 2 rooms. Now WDW is charging $345/night for the same square footage and resort category. I recognize that that's not a completely fair comparison but it's still seems like a shocking price increase, even taking into account the differences. So I'm basically feeling sticker shock and complaining. Am I alone in thinking that $345/night at a "Value Resort" is crazy?

I think you are looking at this the wrong way. It's not a "value resort"... It's a suite. You can't compare apples to oranges. You are getting a completely different room as a bedroom and a kitchenette. Maybe if you looked at it as a suite it wouldn't bother you as much. They should have called it "moderate suites" instead of value. You are paying for the convenince of having a larger family all in the same area. You don't need to step outside... you can keep the door open if you want. It's a suite... not a value resort.

 

[Annielkd]

To get the same size accomidations you would need to pay 175 dollars more per night straight up rack rate for a one bedroom. So, I'm not sure what the complaint is about. Yes, all the rates are high... this one has a seperate bedroom. Hotels off site are considerably lower... always have been.

 

[Annielkd]

Yes but a family suite at the All Star Music is $ 250.75/night for the same nights. WDW is charging an extra $95/night for the new resort. I hope that once its newness wears off, AoA rates comes down to be more in line with other Value Resorts.

I'm really surprised that others aren't finding the prices at AoA shocking, even by WDW standards.

It should be the same price of the family suite at Music... I have no idea why it wouldn't be the same price.

 

[DisneyJoe]

Yes but a family suite at the All Star Music is $ 250.75/night for the same nights. WDW is charging an extra $95/night for the new resort. I hope that once its newness wears off, AoA rates comes down to be more in line with other Value Resorts.

Even the ASMu Family Suites and AoA Suites are different enough for this to be an apples to oranges comparison - AoA has internal hallways, for one.

You keep saying "when rates come down" - have you ever known Disney to lower room rates??? I've been a travel agent specializing in Disney now for over 8 years and they set the rates once for the year and then that's that. Perhaps as they move to the next year and set rates, they won't raise them as much as the others, and let them align a little bit....

 

[Master Yoda]

It should be the same price of the family suite at Music... I have no idea why it wouldn't be the same price.

AoA is more popular than ASM and Disney is charging more for that reason alone. It is the same reason the charge more for the rooms at Pop than they do at the All Stars.

 

[Dwarful]

None of the values are worth the price for the room. You can get a better room w/more features and lots more space for much less money. BUT you don't get the onsite perks. Now, maybe (I don't have a clue..just guessing) more people have been leaving the values for offsite or going from mods to values due to the economy..but Disney has added some things people have been asking for...fridges, wi-fi, etc.,

We have stayed at all levels of the resorts....but I wouldn't pay rack rate for the values though...not worth it in my opinion.

 

[I_heart_Tigger]

WDW currently is not offering room-only discounts this summer for the new AoA but is offering room-only discounts for most other resorts. (I cannot find an AoA room-only discount online but perhaps someone else knows where to find a lower rate?) The ASM suite rack rate is $295/night. The ~$95/night difference between the ASM and AoA suites can be broken into 2 components:

1. $50/night higher rack rate at the AoA ($345/night). I assume because AoA is new and WDW is expecting a higher demand. I assume WDW feels the public will pay the extra $50/night for the chance to stay at the newest resort. Correct - newer hotel = no discounts

2. $45/night is because WDW is offering summer room-only discounts for the ASM suites, but not for AoA suites. Again, I assume because WDW believes the public doesn't need to be offered a discount for the new AoA. Same reason as above
Because of the summer room-only discounts:

A. An AoA suite costs more than one room at most Deluxe Resorts. As previously mentioned you are getting a much larger room, more sleeping and living area - so reasonably it would be more expensive
B. An AoA suite costs more than two rooms at most Moderate Resorts. Suites at ASM are also more expensive than 2 moderate rooms - this is not something exclusive to AoA

C. An AoA suite costs much more than a similar suite at ASM. Again - newer hotel = more expensive - pretty standard in the hotel industry not just Disney

To return to my original complaint (I mean observation), even by WDW standards, the suites at AoA are really expensive.

In short - yes they are expensive (just like all Disney hotels, park tickets, food, merchandise) but there are reasons for this as noted. If you think they are too expensive for your budget or simply not worth the price for the chance to stay in a new resort, convienience being on Disney property, staying "in the magic" etc, etc, etc or all the other reasons we choose to stay on property then you have other options, both onsite and offsite.

I know some people who would easily pay extra to stay at AoA in the first year of opening and Disney knows that, too. Also, Disney has a lot of rooms for families of 5 so a room built for families of 6 is a rarity and they will price it to sell as a unique room option.

 

[Unplugged]

And people complain (not on this thread...thanks :wave about DVC all the time, yet my costs as a member at Villas at Wilderness Lodge will average over the lifetime of the points to be comparable to a Value resort. For me, that means a Deluxe Studio at a Deluxe resort for 9-10 nights in Sep/Oct.

Yes, I know it does NOT work for everyone, I realize that and am not pushy about it. But reading all the complaints posted so far about the how expensive rooms are (I agree as I used to pay those rates) and that to save money many are going off property and losing out on a lot of convenience and features makes me glad I bought in. If you can make it work for you the savings and convenience add up fast. Just sayin'.

:wave:

 

[Flip83]

If you want to stay in Disney/go to Disney/etc etc... You will pay. Plain and simple. I just booked our trip in October. 5th to the 13th. AoA plus dining n hoppers everyday... A little under 2600. I understand Cost of staying on property has gone up a lot. Am I happy? No, But I cant stay off property for a "Disney" vacation. For the folks that can, that is great. I have nothing against people trying to save. For me and my family, it just isnt a Disney vacation without being on property. Transportation, unique feel at each hotel, magic hours and other great things are why we stay on property. If we just can't afford to stay, we'll wait till we have the money and go. We won't settle for less.

I will say after experience at all the hotels, except AKL ( which we plan on eventually) we won't do Moderates anymore. We find no reason to fork the extra money (and a lot of it) to move from Value to Moderate. Its barely an upgrade in our eyes and most of the moderate hotels bus stops are Awful. You may notice Pop century bus stops can be crowded, but there are always so many buses moving people out. Moderates, we would always wait forever for a bus, then you have to deal with the multiple stops at the hotel. It's a headache to us. If we want to spend the money and stay at a nice resort then we wait a little longer and book a deluxe. Now they are worth it. Beach Club is amazing. Worth every expensive dollar! Otherwise, if we want to go, because we have the disney itch, we just go Pop Century or now AoA.

 

[wdisney9000]

Just go all out and stay at the Grand Floridian Royal Palm Court.

 

[Semantje]

I'm not really sure why they are calling it a value hotel. They could better make it an moderate because the standard room is more expensive than some of the moderate hotels.