Moderate vs. Value

[TheVBs]

We've always stayed at ASMu and have really enjoyed it. But the "Why do you prefer deluxe?" thread got me thinking. What are the reasons you would choose a moderate over a value? What are the biggest differences?

[azcavalier]

Why do WE stay at a Moderate? One reason. You can sleep five to a room in POR. That's probably the only reason.

Now, we enjoyed having a waterslide in the pool, and we enjoyed having multiple bus stops in the resort, meaning that there was one really close to our room. The food court was also better...meaning that the choices were a little higher class and interesting than that of the value resorts. A pasta bar, for example. This time, we are actually going to eat at the sit-down restaurant at the resort for dinner the day we show up. Looking forward to that.

[Buddy08]

I think for us it is because the rooms are slightly larger and there are 2 sinks in the bathroom. There is usually 3 adult sized people in each room and it just makes things easier.

[stitchaholic]

the pools are warmer and have water slides,they have hot tubs (gotta love that after a day in the parcs with a nice drink)
at CSR queen beds, bigger rooms,better food,more relaxing themes.

[wdwnutz]

We usually choose a moderate over a value because the rooms are bigger, 2 sinks outside bathroom which speeds up time of everyone getting ready, refrigerator in the room, nicer pools, hot tubs, more bus stops, nicer food courts and sit down restaurant. We have only stayed at deluxe one time and I doubt that I will ever be able to justify the cost again with a family of four.

[grumpypima]

I am a total grump in the morning without coffee. The moderates have 4-cup coffee makers in the room and the values do not. We stayed at the All-Star Sports in August which was our first stay in a value. They really are not that bad, I would stay again; but I would bring my own coffee pot. I'm sure I scared many people on my way to the food court every morning...it was not good!!

Other things that we missed, in no particular order: bike rentals, slide at the pool, two sinks & curtain divider.

[prprincess]

Like most of the other posters are saying, I prefer moderates over values because of the sizes of the rooms. I feel very crowded at values, especially with two little ones in our party. They're always running around and on the go, even in the rooms.

[Phantod]

How do I say this delicately. Please be aware I mean no offense.

We find that since it is just the DW and myself, and we are in our 50s, that the moderates have less families with a bunch of children. We've stayed at the All Star Music twice, got stuck in a building way at the back, and there were extremely noisy rooms around us, kids screaming, tv's up full blast, etc. No way would I want to get into one of the pools with 4000 little kids. Thanks, but no thanks.

We find the moderates to be quieter with fewer large kid families. And (here's the no-offense part), we tend to find the guests at the moderates to be a little more upscale and "classy". You need to understand that we love children...we have a brand new grandson (our first). But the way many kids behave in this day and age are a far cry from the behavior I expect (or that I expected from our kids when we went to the parks). So the easiest thing to do is just avoid them.

The whole experience for us is more enjoyable....oh and the standard refridges doesn't hurt. :mickey:

[thrillme]

I like the values.

Never had a problem with the size of the room. Why go to Disney and spend it in the room. The "price" was nice. Everything was conveniently located (food court, bar, pool to laundry). Love the Food Court at the Values. Fairly reasonable for Disney and a good amount of choices.

The pluses of the Moderate resort:

1. QUEEN BEDS (I think there's enough room in the Values for these. I think double beds are the stupidest thing ever invented for two people to sleep in).

2. Like the water slides and hot tubs.

[caryrae]

The pluses of the Moderate resort:

1. QUEEN BEDS (I think there's enough room in the Values for these. I think double beds are the stupidest thing ever invented for two people to sleep in).


Isn't CSR the only moderate with Queen beds and the others have doubles? unless you pay for king beds of course.

I agree with the double bed thing. They are not big enough for 2 adults. If we have double beds I will take one and my Wife will take the other.

[Goes4FastPass]

I like mods OK but our next stay is booked in an ASM family suite which beats the pants off any moderate room any day.

[azcavalier]

I like mods OK but our next stay is booked in an ASM family suite which beats the pants off any moderate room any day.

Except for the price. We looked into this. It's cheaper to stay at POR than it is at ASM Family Suite.

[thrillme]

Isn't CSR the only moderate with Queen beds and the others have doubles? unless you pay for king beds of course.

I agree with the double bed thing. They are not big enough for 2 adults. If we have double beds I will take one and my Wife will take the other.

I thought most of the moderate resorts were upgrading to queens. We stayed at CSR and I didn't like it much except for the beds and the pool...

If that's the case...I may go back to the Values. A water slide and a hot tub (in 80-90 degree weather) is not that big of a deal.

[Mousemates]

Pluses for the mods:

Queen beds at CSR

Better eating options

Boat access to DTD (POR/FQ)

A bit quieter -most school groups etc stay at the values

More subdued exterior disney theming (this can be a plus or minus depending on your age and/or tastes)

Slide/themeing at the pools

[CleveRocks]

Here is some general information comparing the Moderate and Value resorts overall:

Moderate rooms are 314 sq. ft. (except CBR rooms are 340).
Value rooms are 260 sq. ft.
The 54 square feet difference is about the size of two double beds.

Moderate rooms have a ceiling fan.
Value rooms don't.

Moderate rooms have a fridge.
Value rooms don't (or you'll pay $10/day to rent).

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

Moderates have a pool slide and a hot tub.
Values have neither.

Moderates provide pool towels at the main pool.
Values do not provide any pool towels … you must use your room towels.

Moderates' bus stops are covered (think protection from rain and hot sun).
Values' bus stops are not covered.

Moderates have lush landscaping.
Values have more "hardscaping."

Moderates have a food court AND a table-service restaurant (except POFQ ... food court only).
Values have only a food court.

Moderates have some sort of recreational activity (e.g., boat rentals, bike rentals).
Values don't have that type of recreational activity.

At Moderates, the maximum room charge limit is $1,000.
At Values, it's $500.

At Moderates, you can pay extra to guarantee a room with a king-size bed.
At Values, you can't reserve a king-size bed room, you can only REQUEST it, but there's no extra charge for it.

EXTRA CREDIT:
CSR has queen-size beds, full room service, and a gym.
POFQ and POR have boat transportation to Downtown Disney.

[darthmacho]

:mickey: Great question! Here's my humble opinion why the Moderates are better for me than the Values, and worth the money if you can afford it, in no particular order:

1. Theming: While I like the theming of All-Star Music, the Values seem a little over-blown to me. I'm okay with that because they have a very "Disney" feel to them, but I much prefer the more subdued theming of the Moderates, including the architecture and decor, which makes exploring a little more fun.

2. Recreation: The themed pools of the Values are great and well themed, but I'm not a big swimmer, so I'm always looking for things to do at the home resort. I'm looking forward to a boat ride on the Sassagoula River, a horse-drawn carriage ride, kayaking, and a host of other activities when we stay at POR next year!

3. Sit Down Restaurants: Cafeterias are just fine with me, but I like to have the option of a sit-down restaurant like Maya Grill and Boatwright's for at least one meal per trip. Deluxes like Wilderness Lodge have even better options.

I think that might be it. As for the money, if it meant staying home otherwise because I couldn't afford a Moderate or better, I would be more than happy to stay at a WDW Value Resort. :mickey:

[TheVBs]

WOW! Thanks so much for all the great responses! :mickey:

If I'm remembering correctly, the cost difference on our last trip between a preferred room at ASMu and a standard room at CSR was about $40 per night. Over 9 or 10 nights, that obviously ads up a bit. I couldn't justify it for just the extra room (although more room would be nice). But I think we might find it reasonable for more room, an in room fridge, covered bus stops (my favorite!), a ceiling fan, better food options and a pool slide. We have two kids and we don't spend a lot of time at our resort, so it makes it hard to justify spending more. Our next trip will be Oct. 2010, so I'll definitely look into the possibility of a moderate for that stay.

Just a note: ASMu does provide pool towels.

:mickey:

[brownie]

A bit more room in the room and spending more time at the resort would be my two big reasons.

[Tigerinvestigator]

Looks like everyone has pretty much covered why I prefer the mods over the values. My reasons include: Better theming, less group/teams staying there, quieter and water slides.:thumbsup:

[doombuggygal]

We are staying moderate for the first time on our upcoming trip. Some of our reasons why are:
Free Standard Dining instead of Counter Service
Queen Size Bed
Private Bath area
Ceiling Fan
In room fridge
Dig Site Pool w/ Slide and hot tub

[stitchaholic]

ouhhhh,you will love CSR,have a daiquiry by the hot tub for me ,and a quiche from cafe rix!

[bruin1344]

1. theming
2. quieter
3. busses less crowded

[TheVBs]

The only thing I've ever been bothered by (and even "bothered" is a bit strong for it) is the mass of people at the cafe in the mornings. Just getting a few pastries, milk and some coffee can be a real trick. Is this less of a problem at a moderate?

[TheVBs]

Just thought of another question. Do mods have activities by the pool for the kids, like ASMu does?

[forever a child]

I will bump this so that perhaps someone will reply to your questions since I am unsure of the answer.

Great post though! :thumbsup:

[KayDee]

The biggest reason for us to chose mod over value is the amount of time we spend in WDW usually 2 weeks. Mods do provide stuff to do at the resorts plus they are much less crowded.

[TheVBs]

Thanks for the bump! :mickey:

At ASMu they have a poolside dance party every afternoon or evening, contests, games and a movie by the pool later in the evening. I'm just wondering if the mods have some really special kids activities like that?

[kat70]

If DH was a water person, I'd push to stay at a moderate for the themed pool and hot tubs. But he's definitely not... and also not a heat and sun person, so we don't use the pool much, if at all. He's 6' 4", so you'd think he'd prefer to ensure a larger bed, but we managed to sleep in one of what I thought were doubles at Pop Century in 2006, but he thought might be queens. (We do tend to snuggle, though, so he doesn't always stretch out. :blush:) The cafeteria could be a zoo at times, but we always managed to find a quiet corner. We both enjoyed the fun theme of the hotel, and neither one mind the single sink and lack of fridge. So... if your needs are simple and you like a fun bargain, research the various value resorts to find a theme that makes you smile. If you need a bit more, I personally LOVED CBR! But, again... research and choose the look and amenties that fit your style and pocketbook. (I hate ending a trip feeling I've wasted or just spent too much... my New England/Scottish roots, I guess.)

Enjoy the decision-making process. Such fun to plan and anticipate! 74 days 'til we're back at Pop Century! :cloud9:

[jonahbear2006]

just returned for por and we visited pop century while we were there; our friends were staying there. Moderate is an overpriced value, if you ask us. We were very disappointed in the room size, the pop centurys bathrooms were bigger and more comfy. The POR bathrooms, the door wont shut if you are on the toilet, it will hit your knees. The rooms were not as up to date as I expected and there was absolutely no extra room. If we had brought an air matress, there wouldve been no place to put it. The pops room was brighter colored and looked newer. Wish we would've spent $100 more for the two week trip and gotten two rooms at the Pop. Our original reason for choosing it was to stay in one room, for 5, and bc we wanted the waterslide but heck, if you are 4 people you can buy waterpark option for cheaper.

[jwildflower1981]

Great thread! You have just helped me sell Mod to my DH!!! Now we just need to decide between POR or CSR! I'm so excited he finally agreed!!!:mickey::thumbsup:

[thrillme]

I can't say anything really positive about CSR except maybe the queen beds. I liked the food court at POP a LOT LOT LOT LOT LOT (did I say LOT) better...We ate there a couple of times because everything else was closed. There was no tie dye cheese cake...no meatball subs..CSR the food we had was TERRIBLE. Maybe it was just because we were there late but...:ack: I'm glad we were on the free dining plan because I wouldn't have paid a $1 for that stuff.

I was also really annoyed that the bar by the pool closed early...the bar that was open was about a mile up the walk. UGH.

HOWEVER while we were at the pool (not drinking a fruity drink because the stupid bar was closed)...a couple of people highly recommended POR. That might be worth a try next time...My girlfriend stays at Carribean Beach and that place was REALLY nice.

[Ksmith75]

My DH and I have gone the past 3 years and are going next year. It is just us, so the values work out fine. This year was the first year we did value at the POP. It was noiser and the rooms are not as nice as the POR, but for the value you cant beat it..we always go for 9-10 days and next year we are going for 10 nights, so the POP just makes more sense in a value light. Plus, I love the food courts, the buses are great and the store is great too. We arent big swimmers, but we do sit out by the pool and pool bar and love it!

[Disney Doll]

Moderates are our choice. Here's where I think moderates are better:

nicer pools
bigger rooms
better food options
standard fridge
Beautifully landscaped grounds
quieter
more spread out

I know a lot of people gripe about being too far from this or that, but being slightly removed is one of the biggest draws of a moderate resort to me. When we stayed at Pop and ASMo there were people everywhere: kids running all over, lots of noise, and ridiculous congestion in the food courts and main building. Both times we went in early Feb when crowds are smaller. At moderates having the rooms more spread out means the crowds are more disbursed which makes for a much more relaxing environment. For some reason everything just seems less crowded.

[kat70]

We stayed at CBR in May 1997 (Aruba, 5461) and absolutely loved the resort, but didn't love the return transportation... it was shared with other resorts and often took quite a while to finally reach our stop. Plus, while we enjoyed the two food options, we didn't find the need to use the more upscale restaurant and wished the food court had more to offer. Still, I would definitely stay there again, just because it is such a pretty, peaceful resort. In October 2006, we were part of my DD's 10th anniversary celebration Grand Gathering, staying at POP (80's, 9405). We found that resort to be just right for us, especially the price, as we prefer to stay at least 10 days for any vacation. We love the happy theme, did not have any problem with noise (perhaps, just lucky), and while we agree the food court can be a zoo, we never had a problem finding a place to sit when we opted to use it - most often for breakfast, when it definitely wasn't crowded. We ate lunch and dinner at the parks, for the most part. Granted, on any given visit to ANY vacation property (or cruise ship) one person can have a vastly different experience from another, even if staying in the same room/cabin. It all depends on the mix of guests and staff at any given moment, really. So we go with an open mind, pack a large piece of patience, and look forward to spending time together at a place that makes us smile. We'll be back at POP 10 weeks from tomorrow! Our first visit to WDW was our first big family trip--in 1988 at what was the Sonesta Village, a really neat complex... our room had a kitchenette, which we used for breakfasts, and a convertible couch that our teenage daughter loved... she felt like she had her own room. Our younger teenage son slept in the other bed in our room. They also had wonderful hot tubs outside that felt marvelous at the end of the day, and a great pool that we took advantage of for mid-day breaks. Being off-resort worked well for that trip because it was more affordable, plus we also wanted to visit the space center and Sea World, so had a rental car. Still... nothing like staying on property! :D Can't wait to land in Orlando and see the bus waiting for us!!!

[CleveRocks]

We stayed at CBR in May 1997 (Aruba, 5461) and absolutely loved the resort, but didn't love the return transportation... it was shared with other resorts and often took quite a while to finally reach our stop.
I don't know about 1997, but when I stayed there in 1990 and again in 2005, CBR definitely did NOT share buses with other resorts. And it definitely does not share with other resorts at the present time.

[kat70]

I don't know about 1997, but when I stayed there in 1990 and again in 2005, CBR definitely did NOT share buses with other resorts. And it definitely does not share with other resorts at the present time.

You're absolutely right. I guess I didn't state that quite clearly enough. It was only the late-night return trips -- not CBR transportation in general, and DH just reminded me it was really only from Boardwalk that we'd have to wait for them to drop people off at other resorts before arriving at CBR. :blush: Because CBR is so large and spread out around the lake, there isn't just one drop-off spot, but several; and it seemed like we were always at the way-far end of the route on our return trips. It really wasn't all that bad, just seemed like a long ride by the time our tired bod's finally made it back to our room. :sleepin: And, compared to the overall experience, that was a minor inconvenience. I'd absolutely recommend CBR to anyone wanting a gorgeous resort that won't totally break the bank!