Should We Save or Splurge? - Mod vs Deluxe

[kakn7294]

We're looking at another trip - probably in August value season and as first time AP holders. We're trying to decide on accomodations. What are your opinions on these resorts and why should we choose one over another? Bear in mind that we are usually only at the resort to sleep and shower, don't spend much time swimming, and we generally don't eat in the resort's TS locations. We've only stayed at the Moderate or Value level because of the cost - I haven't yet been able to justify the price difference to jump to a Deluxe.

POFQ - we've stayed here before and love the smallness and ease of finding our way around the resort - rack rate $1341

POR - we've never stayed here but of course have seen it - we would probably request a mansion room although either location is okay - rack rate $1341

CBR - we've stayed here before and like it as well but I believe that the main pool will be under rehab in Aug '08 - we don't swim much but this could still affect the decision - rack rate $1341

WL - we ate at Whispering Canyon and what we saw of the resort is beautiful but I'm not sure I really liked the pics I saw of the rooms - I've also heard complaints of noise and poor bus service - no standard rooms available - rack rate $2251 woods view / 2 queens

AKL - we've never been here and I'm not sure that it appeals to me - would consider splurging and staying in Savanna view vs standard view - I don't like how far it seems from everything - rack rate $2611 Savanna view

OKW - if an AP rate becomes available, this is a consideration - the rooms and pool look awesome - the food choices look poor for CS - not sure about bus service - rate N/A at this time

So, with all of this in mind, if you were me, which resort would you choose and why. Thanks for your help!!!

[kgoulash]

out of all the resorts you listed i've only stayed at wl and have only stayed at deluxes in general
but since you don't seem to use the pools or restaurants much i wouldn't spend the extra cash and would go with a mod
whichever you choose have a great trip
:mickey:

[MidnTPK]

If you spend every waking moment possible in the parks, the I don't see a reason for you to splurge.

But if you're willing to try something different, then maybe you ought to splurge. I like the deluxes because of how nice the overall WDW experience is when I stay in them. My typical schedule has me out at the buses so I can get into the parks near opening time. I spend a few hours there, and then when it starts to get crowded, I go back to my resort around lunchtime, or earlier. Then I spend a leisurely afternoon at the wonderful pool at the deluxe (Stormalong Bay at the YC or the pool area at the S&D). Then I go back to the parks in the mid to late afternoon until closing.

What is nicer about the deluxe is the 'less-craziness' of their pool areas and the overall feeling of a luxurious resort. I stayed at the CBR and it was just a bit busier which made it slightly less pleasant. You can follow this schedule in a moderate, I've just wanted to spend more time at the deluxes when I've stayed there.

[DDuck66]

Of all of our trips we usually stay in mods or values because we do not use the resort except for a place to lay our weary heads. We have splurged once before and stayed at the CR. It was great for the view and the conceirge service. It was definatley worth it for a very special trip. Next year we are go all out and staying at the POLY as a special celebration. It is our 14th anniversary on my DW's 1 year cancer free anniversary. If it is affordable without breaking the bank, I would go for the AKL. I have heard wonderful things about it and it was our second choice after the POLY.
Have fun!!!

[disneymom15]

The way I look at it is, the more money I can save on each trip, the more often I can go to WDW. We almost always stay at the values, would consider moderates if the price was right.

[tink2006]

I am in the same boat...Can't decide to splurge on deluxe or continue with moderate. Our favorite moderate is POR - the mansions. We stay there most trips. CBR was not one of our favorites - it was OK but really spread out. We enjoyed POFQ but did not like the fact that it does not have any quiet pools. Like you, we do not spend much time in the room. We do swim about everyday but enjoy the quiet pools much more than the main pools.
We also do not eat in the resorts TS locations(eventhough I hear Boatwrights is very good).

I think my husband has made up his mind - continue with moderate. He cannot justify spending the additional money when you are not going to spend much time in the resort. I still am debating what to do.

Keep in mind, whatever you decide, it will still be magical :mickey:

[kakn7294]

The way I look at it is, the more money I can save on each trip, the more often I can go to WDW. We almost always stay at the values, would consider moderates if the price was right.
Budget-wise, the Values would be the first choice but we have a couple of reasons for not selecting one. We like having a bit more room in the Moderates. My DD's spread out like nobody's business and it makes it a little easier to get ready in the mornings or set things out the night before with the extra room. We also greatly enjoy the convenience of the mini-fridge and coffeemaker in the room although I know I pay a whole lot extra for that convenience.

[gueli]

if there were a special reason to upgrade (for the $900 or so dollars) i would say go for it. otherwise you are probably better off at the moderats. I mostly enjoy POR.

some things to consider though- WL would have been my 2nd choice if we were not doing POLY this trip (the extra money is worth it to my family because it is DD 5 1st trip to WDW. you only get to do the 1st time once, I want to do it in style) as far as rack rates and unavailable rooms, when we booked our trip DW called WDW and could only get a lagoon view. Not that I minded but lots of $$$$$. I called AAA travel, just to check the difference (to see if they could save us any money, wow did they)- they had a standard view at the poly available. It almost seems like WDW allocates certain levels to certain locations (travel agents, their web site, the people on the phone,etc). I would reccomend that you check around- the room you want might be available through somewhere else. also as far as the transportation - their boat service is supposed to be realy good & i read somewhere else that they have improved their bus service. I mean you could take a boat to MK, travel by monorail to TTC (epcot is a monorail ride away), GF Contemp or poly and catch the bus there..
no matter what you choose, I hope it works out wondefully for you
:mickey:

[Septbride2002]

I would stick with the mods. The Animal Kingdom Resort is under some construction and if you are not resort people then the Savannah view cost would not be worth it. Especially since you can visit the resort and their fabulous resturants anytime and see the animals.

I agree with you on the room decor of the Wilderness Lodge - it leaves a lot to be desired.

If it was me I would stay at POFQ - I like how small the resort is. One thing I'll say for the deluxes is I like that there is one bus stop, I don't like having to catch a bus to get to the bus stop and then get on another bus like at CBR or the mansions.

~Amanda

[kakn7294]

as far as rack rates and unavailable rooms, when we booked our trip DW called WDW and could only get a lagoon view. Not that I minded but lots of $$$$$. I called AAA travel, just to check the difference (to see if they could save us any money, wow did they)- they had a standard view at the poly available. It almost seems like WDW allocates certain levels to certain locations (travel agents, their web site, the people on the phone,etc). I would reccomend that you check around- the room you want might be available through somewhere else.
Actually, I do plan to check on a AAA rate - I told my DH the same thing about rooms being allocated for AAA, travel agencies, etc. I don't belong to AAA right now (I used to) but if a room rate is available and it saves enough money, I'm not opposed to rejoining.

[dephenn]

The first time we went I debated between Moderate and Delux, to this day I don't regret saving the money.

[#1donaldfan]

Kathy......we LOVE the Steelers too....4-1 pre-season......I hope we can do it again.....Ok, to your question......I have never been able to justify staying at a deluxe as we spend such little time in the room or resort area.....so why would you spend that much more to have a deluxe room??? They are not that much bigger, the food is no better, it's just a scenary change. What's the prestige of standing in an identical line at the bus stop that says WL instead of POR......I will say that we have only stayed at a moderate, as we feel that sometimes the values are much more crowded. Why not save the money and go to a Steelers game.....now that's what I call fun, outside of Disney......happy hunting....

[SBETigg]

We visited the AKL on our recent trip and it was pretty amazing. You know I'm a monorail deluxe fan, but the set-up of the bus stops at the AKL was impressive (different stops for each park, etc.) and made me think about giving it a shot. It looked really efficient for transportation.

If you wanted to try spending more time at the resort, the AKL would be a good one to test out. If you're all about the parks and nothing else, then maybe not. But we find we enjoy our park time much more with some quality downtime to balance it. I think the AKL would make for a pretty special change of pace. Good luck with your choice.

[Crow]

Ive stayed at all on your list except OKW
WL is my fav deluxe
POFQ or CS are my mod pics
Pop for value
i usually try to save some by splitting my stay.
so i would suggest that if you dont mind moving.
AKL is nice but had some bad memories and the room (parking lot view) wasnt good. Jiko & Boma are not bad
WL has AP which is great, the ambiance is great. u can take a boat to MK, walk,ride or boat to FW..
it also depends how much time u will be in the room too
GO STEELERS!:football:

[katzctkpt]

Seems to be some Steeler fans on this thread. So, I'll add that my family too loves the Steelers:number1: Now for Kathy, I agree with #1donaldfan save the xtra bucks and catch a Steeler game or plan another trip to WDW.

We've only stayed at POR due to our family size of 5. It was the most cost efficient for us and honestly fit our lifestyle the best. Made us feel right at home.

[Gottaluvgoof]

I always go as cheaply as possible, so I can book another trip! :mickey: I do prefer the moderates over the values for the added room and POR is my favorite. We are like you though, we go to the parks from morning till night so all we need is a bed and a shower. I would rather go on numerous trips than splurge on one and then not even use any of the "extras" the deluxes have to offer. Maybe one day when the kids are grown. Who knows though, I might be out there whizzing around in my wheel chair and still be going morning till night. :D

[Vintage Disney]

Deciding how much to spend and what resort is right for you is such a personal choice. Everyone likes something different.
DH and I have stayed at almost every WDW resort but the Polynesian just feels like home to us, Wilderness Lodge is a very close second. We spend most of our time at MK so we love being able to hop on the boat and get there quickly. A big advantage with the Polynesian is having boat or monorail service to MK and you are right next to TTC so you can hop on the monorail to Epcot. We also love being on the lake , watching the electric water pagent every night, and watching MK fireworks from the beach.

Why don't you consider splitting your stay? You could spend the majority of the trip at your favorite moderate and then splurge on a deluxe for 2 or so nights. Anyway, you'll enjoy being an Annual Passholder , I have saved a good bit of money with our APs on rooms and special event tickets.:mickey:

[scootch713]

I see you have girls... I have two and they LOVE MK... so we hit it almost every day of our trip. So for me, it is so worth the extra to stay at a deluxe. But warning, once you stay so close to the magic, it is hard going down. We had a split stay last year and POFQ was very nice, great bus service, cool pool... but just did not feel like disney to us.

[wdw_bound]

My DH has been know to be a bit, shall we say, frugal. We were able to stay in a standard view WL room last year thanks to free dining.

This year, my inlaws are joining us. DH and I both agreed that 2 rooms at WL fit our needs better than 2 rooms at a moderate. We love the boat transportation to MK and CR, and the fact that it is a hop, skip and a jump from either to Epcot on the monorail. It is a very relaxing resort with a great pool. Last year, we had a lobby room, which meant in addition to the balcony, there were rocking chairs right outside our room overlooking the gorgeous lobby. As for our room decor, we loved it - didn't consider it too dark at all. We liked the fact it wasn't all spread out. WCC and Roaring Forks were great. We have a wonderful memory of sitting on the beach watching the Electric Water Pageant.

Having said all that, for a while in the last several weeks, it looked as though his parents might be changing their minds, so I suggested to DH that if they opted out of the trip, we should consider moving down to POFQ to save money. I was shocked by how adament he was in his refusal. So if my *frugal* hubbie thinks it's worth the extra $$$, that is quite something!

[pixiesmimi]

We have always stayed at a value to save money since, as you say, it is only to sleep and shower. But since we were getting free dining this year, we decided to upgrade to moderate for just DH and I. We have always wanted to stay closer in. The only way I would spend the extra money to stay in a Deluxe is if we planned some time to actually use the resort and pools or they did a terrific money-saving discount for deluxe. I was very disappointed this time that we didn't get to spend more time enjoying the CBR after upgrading. But the comfort was much nicer and it was quieter. If we go again with the DGC, we will probably end up staying in a value unless there is a special package so they can all afford it better. Also, the themeing is better for kids in the values. But as many times as we have been, we may just plan a trip sometime in a deluxe and plan to just enjoy the resort more than going to the parks from sun up to sun down. I would also enjoy staying somewhere where you could walk to the park or take a boat or monorail to the parks from the resort. That would be cool. :)