"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"?

 

[slappy magoo]

And speaking of Art of Animation (via allears.net but it sounds like it's from the original press release)

"Guests exploring The Lion King courtyard will see characters from the film, such as the hyenas and the evil Scar, through the eyes of Simba and in the same size and scale as the young cub would experience them."

Yeah, that doesn't sound too much like nightmare fuel...

 

[dreamscometrue]

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....

This.

 

[bmarkelon]

I can't read, I thought everyone knew that.

But that would be my first suggestion for you. Kids rend to love FW, you have boat access to MK, plenty of fun activities.

After that, I'd choose Beach Club then BW. Close to 2 parks, and if you're in Beach Club, the pool will be the thing the kids will choose to visit instead of the parks.

After that...probably Riverside, then GF, All Star, then AoA. I'm not a big fan of the Values. Even though they're suites, I prefer resorts with more to do than just a pool and arcade, and more dining options than just a food court and pizza delivery.

:lol: No worries, this thread has been tough to keep up with today!

 

[I_heart_Tigger]

Thanks for the replies. It sort of supports my view that, given the current prices and onsite room options, few would pick $345/night for an AoA suite as one of their top choices.

Like you, I'd prefer a Cabin at FW, a room at the Beach Club, or 2 rooms at POR. For me, any of the options are better values than a $345/night suite at AoA. I'm sure there are those who have booked the suite at $345/night and are really excited about it. Me, I'll wait until Disney offers a discount. There simply are too many other great onsite choices that cost less.

True, few of us chose AoA but in my case your reasoning is off...I think that's what people have been trying to say. My choice of POR and Beach Club over AoA suites had zero to do with their cost. If you had the same list and AoA suites were $45 a night I still would have picked it near last.

If Disney offers a huge discount for it and you ask me again what I would pick it still would not be AoA.

You're focusing on price being a deciding factor (by calling it a $345 suite at AoA rather than a suite at AoA) and it is not necessarily a deciding factor at all. In my opinion a $400 room at POR and a $700 room at Beach Club are still a better value than a $25 room at AoA. Few would pick AoA because few of us would want to stay at AoA.

 

[slappy magoo]

Thanks for the replies. It sort of supports my view that, given the current prices and onsite room options, few would pick $345/night for an AoA suite as one of their top choices.

You could argue that's part of the rationale behind not offering discounts for AoA at the moment. Despite what you may be reading here, there could very well be a huge demand for AoA from customers who'd love to be amongst the first to stay there. By not offering discounts, they're keeping demand closer to par with supply. As aghast as you may be that the prices are so high and not discounted, some people would be incredibly P.O.'d if WDW offered a discount to stay there, and you got all excited to stay there, and then couldn't because it was booked by people who woke up earlier and got through to a WDW agent sooner.

Maybe YOUUUUUU should be saying "Thanks, WDW, for not getting my hopes up."

And THAT'S...one to grow on.



:lookaroun

And also, as I wrote earlier, for me the issue is not that I think AoA is too expensive (though I can't fault anyone for feeling that way). It's that I've never been that big of a fan of the Value resorts. I do spend time enjoying the amenities of the resort where I'm staying, so I want more than just a pool and arcade. We may have the occasional early night, so I'd like the option of a full service restaurant, or more selections for room service. Also, because my family owns DVC points, we probably would rarely spend the money to stay in a regular resort, and if we did, it'd probably be for one night, if we either arrived before our official check-in day or wanted to stay late the night we officially check out.

 

[TurkA77]

I agree that the Value Resorts are Disney's version of "value". I'm completely OK with that.

What I've been trying to emphasize (and without much success ) is that $345/night for what's basically 2 small rooms at a Value Resort (and yes, I am familiar with the floor plan) is a not much of a "value" even by WDW standards. Especially since it is possible to get one large room at a Deluxe Resort that sleeps 5 or 2 rooms at a Moderate Resort that sleeps 10 for less than the "Value Resort suite" that only sleeps 6.

Given the following choices, I'm interested in reading what others would select:

1) One suite at All Star Music for $250/night
2) One room at the Boardwalk Inn or Beach Club for $277/night
3) Two rooms at Port Orleans Riverside for $320/night
4) One suite at Art of Animation for $345/night
5) One room at the Grand Floridian for $376/night

These are the rates available for the dates I'll be there (beginning July 29) with a total party of 5. Because of the age of our children, Disney has always given us connecting rooms in the past so I don't see this as a problem for this trip.

I think one problem with your logic is you aren't comparing the AoA suite to other suites with the exception of the All Star music. I just quickly threw in July 29th to see what some suites are going for at the Deluxes and these are the prices I got:

AKL 1 BR suite sleeps 6 is $845/night
Grand Floridian " $1356
Polynesian " $1035


Those prices don't include tickets. So when you compare apples to apples, seems like $345 at AofA is a "value".

 

[Freshee61]

For all of you opposing at the fact that aoa is not a value resort it is. check at the walt Disney World web site. It's with pop, sport, movies and music. Last time I checked value in the dictionary meant budget, deal, alternative etc. to keep arguing with the original post is insanity... Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a diffent outcome. And in the world of Walt Disney world there is a sequence that value resorts willbe cheaper than moderates and deluxes( which in this case is an exception and why this thread was started). That is the discussion at hand that Walt Disney administration is nickel and dimming and taking adVAngtage that the resort is new and is charging deluxe prices. No way around that fact. Now that they can do it... SURE and that's what they are doing.

 

[TurkA77]

For all of you opposing at the fact that aoa is not a value resort it is. check at the walt Disney World web site. It's with pop, sport, movies and music. Last time I checked value in the dictionary meant budget, deal, alternative etc. to keep arguing with the original post is insanity... Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a diffent outcome. And in the world of Walt Disney world there is a sequence that value resorts willbe cheaper than moderates and deluxes( which in this case is an exception and why this thread was started). That is the discussion at hand that Walt Disney administration is nickel and dimming and taking adVAngtage that the resort is new and is charging deluxe prices. No way around that fact. Now that they can do it... SURE and that's what they are doing.

The problem with the OP is she is comparing a value "suite" to deluxe "standard rooms". When you compare the AofA suite to any deluxe suite like i did in the post right before yours, you can see that the deluxes are still much, much more expensive. You have to compare apples to apples for a comparison to work, not apples to oranges.

 

[GenerationX]

Given the following choices, I'm interested in reading what others would select:

1) One suite at All Star Music for $250/night
2) One room at the Boardwalk Inn or Beach Club for $277/night
3) Two rooms at Port Orleans Riverside for $320/night
4) One suite at Art of Animation for $345/night
5) One room at the Grand Floridian for $376/night

These are the rates available for the dates I'll be there (beginning July 29) with a total party of 5. Because of the age of our children, Disney has always given us connecting rooms in the past so I don't see this as a problem for this trip.

We're a family of 5 (my sons are middle and high schoolers), and we'd take the two rooms at POR in a heartbeat. The most square footage, a great food court, and plenty of amenities. Just last year we chose two connecting rooms at CBR rather than one (more expensive and smaller) deluxe room or value family suite.

 

[I_heart_Tigger]

For all of you opposing at the fact that aoa is not a value resort it is. check at the walt Disney World web site. It's with pop, sport, movies and music.

No one has said that AoA is not a value resort. Every agrees that it is classified as a value resort, that has never been in dispute. What we are discussing is what we each feel is the best value for our personal tastes

Last time I checked value in the dictionary meant budget, deal, alternative etc.

That's not the definition value - Value: An amount, as of goods, services, or money, considered to be a fair and suitable equivalent for something else. This does not mean it is the cheapest item it means that your are getting a quality of product or service that corresponds to the price you have paid.

to keep arguing with the original post is insanity... Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a diffent outcome.

Haven't really seen any arguments, however it is a discussion forum and people are discussing whether this particular room at a particular resort for a particular price would be a good value for them. Since value is subjective people are offering different opinions with various reasons. I wouldn't call that arguing.

And in the world of Walt Disney world there is a sequence that value resorts willbe cheaper than moderates and deluxes( which in this case is an exception and why this thread was started).

This isn't an exception - this is a suite at a value resort and it is less expensive than the suites at the deluxe resorts.

That is the discussion at hand that Walt Disney administration is nickel and dimming and taking adVAngtage that the resort is new and is charging deluxe prices. No way around that fact. Now that they can do it... SURE and that's what they are doing.

Yes, they are taking advantage that the resort is new. Just like when you buy clothes or a car or a house or a fridge or a computer or a tv or a camera or anything else in the retail world. When it first comes out it comes out at peak prices then deals are offered - sometimes quickly, sometimes not. Some people have already received PIN codes to give them a discount at this resort so the deals are there. Maybe not at the exact time frame the OP is going but they are there and they are for a limited time - just like anything else that goes on sale.

When you refer to Deluxe prices I'm not sure if you mean high prices or prices at Disney Deluxe Resorts. If you mean high prices then yes, the rate showing right now is probably the Rack Rate - or top rate for the season for that room. Rack rates are simply rates with no discounts.

If you mean Deluxe Resort Suite prices you are way off - the Rack Rate for a one bedroom suite at AKL is $1225 per night or about $900 more per night than the one bedroom suite at AoA - so AoA certainly isn't charging anywhere near the rates of deluxe resorts.

Hope that helps to clear things up a bit.

 

[AlishaMisha]

Too sleepy to read through, but...

To make it fair you have to compare a Villa rented w/o the lockoff to the AoA rooms.

Anyone know the rates?

 

[Freshee61]

I heart tigger you can keep bouncing around the original topic and what I have said but I am clear on what I said. Thanks.

 

[I_heart_Tigger]

I heart tigger you can keep bouncing around the original topic and what I have said but I am clear on what I said. Thanks.

But that's what Tiggers do best! :lol:

I'm not arguing with you (or anyone on here) just clarifying my stance and pointing out some facts that you may not have been aware of when you posted. I guess I just wasn't clear on what you said since it didn't seem to reflect what had been going on in this thread.

Also the original topic was that the OP was wondering why a suite at AoA was more than a standard room at a deluxe resort which is why people were discussing whether it is fair to compare a suite to a standard room. I don't think your post had anything to do with the original topic either but that's the great thing about discussion boards - it ignites discussion.

 

[I_heart_Tigger]

Too sleepy to read through, but...

To make it fair you have to compare a Villa rented w/o the lockoff to the AoA rooms.

Anyone know the rates?

1 BR Beach Club villa $480 to $715 per night - I think that would be most comparable. I think the rate quoted by the OP was likely a rack rate since the resort is just opening so the direct comparison would be $715.

 

[AlishaMisha]

1 BR Beach Club villa $480 to $715 per night - I think that would be most comparable. I think the rate quoted by the OP was likely a rack rate since the resort is just opening so the direct comparison would be $715.

Well then that would indeed make AoA a value even pricewise. Case closed, let's go home.

 

[I_heart_Tigger]

Well then that would indeed make AoA a value even pricewise. Case closed, let's go home.

Sounds good...drinks on you? :lookaroun:lol:

 

[slappy magoo]

I heart tigger you can keep bouncing around the original topic and what I have said but I am clear on what I said. Thanks.

Who said you were clear on what you said? I don't think you're clear at all. Sure, I'm just an ape, but I'm a superintelligent ape from the future! Look! I type and everything!

 

[AlishaMisha]

Sounds good...drinks on you? :lookaroun:lol:

Not at Disney's drink rates! But you seem to be a neighbor to Maine so maybe I can make an exception :animwink:

 

[MickeyPeace]

Value doesn't necessarily mean cheap. Disney doesn't call their resorts cheap, medium priced, and expensive. If they did, then I may agree with you.

I'm honestly not sure why you are complaining. No one is forcing you too book an AoA suite. Disney never stated anywhere that their value resorts would only ever have cheap rooms in them. Not everyone needs a fancy pool with a slide, or a shaded bus stop. We can all choose to stay and pay for whatever we wish. Complaining over a name, or because a suite in a value resort costs a bit, is just silly.

First off lets get it straight, I'm not complaining. I will never pay the price asked by AoA. If I did. I would complain. Now, I'm not complaining.

Next, true Disney doesn't call their resorts, cheap, medium priced and expensive. But have a look at the rates. Value are least expensive, moderates are medium priced and deluxe are...you guessed it most expensive.

And you get what you pay for. I've stayed in all three levels. Values are cheap and the rooms are crap. Uncomfortable beds/bedding. No closet. Horrible water pressure. Garish themes. etc. Great if you just want to get back to the room and crash right away. You're right there are not great pools and no shade for bus. Thats why it's value. You save money and get less. And so it goes up with moderate and deluxe. As you pay more you get more. Better quality and more tasteful atmosphere, better pools, etc.

So there you have it.

 

[MickeyPeace]

That's not the definition value - Value: An amount, as of goods, services, or money, considered to be a fair and suitable equivalent for something else. This does not mean it is the cheapest item it means that your are getting a quality of product or service that corresponds to the price you have paid.
.

By your definition ALL resorts on Disney property are value. Doesn't cut it. It's clearly based on price.