A funny observation...

[spoiledraf]

As I look at the signature at the bottom of many posts, the list of previous vations resorts often makes me chuckle. Many long time visitors list year after year at deluxe resorts. Then there is one that says (deluxe) "Honeymoon!

Seems after that, the deluxee part dissapears and the value resorts start popping up. I was wondering how many came with mom and dad for so many years and stayed at the Poly or what ever, but when the time came to pay your own way, you got sticker shock! I know we started out off site so many years ago.

I just thought it was kind of cute to see the sudden change. :mickey:

[Gregandmel]

Well - we've only been once. Last October. It was my family of 4 (DH, DS's 8 & 17). Thought it would be a "one and only trip" for the kids (have to experience WDW at least ONCE in your lifetime!!!!) so we splurged and stayed at the WL Courtyard View - wonderful wonderful! It was truly a perfect vacation!!! So - we got back, and literally within 3 weeks I was anxious to go BACK!! DH keeps asking "What about the Once in a Lifetime thing? Who's lifetime were you talking about??? A fish lifetime/?" ha ha. So now that we want to go back, not sure if we can swing the WL again. It took everything we had to stay there. So now we are being more practical and looking at other moderates to stay at. If we end up going more often than we initally planned, we may end up at the Value's just so we can go back more often!!! Great observation though. Usually when you go the first time, you want to "Do it up right!" (like we wanted to) but Disney can be a financially large undertaking for a lot of people, so you start making some concessions so you can go back! Suddenly sometimes, "where" you stay doesn't factor in as much - although I wish we could always stay at the WL!

[Raye3201]

I laughed so hard when I read about the "fish" lifetime joke - and have to say I felt exactly the same way as you when we first came to Disney World. I couldn't wait to go back.

I know with my DS(8) and DD(10) that they liked it when we stayed at ASM just as much as the BCV where we are DVC memdeluxes...maybe even more because they still talk about the piano pool! I know I'd be staying at the values if I was paying for it out of pocket for sure so that we could come back more often!

Great observation though!:mickey:

[amd780]

I was wondering how many came with mom and dad for so many years and stayed at the Poly or what ever, but when the time came to pay your own way, you got sticker shock! Yes, that's the case for me! :mickey: My family has been staying only at deluxes since 2001. When I got married in 2005 and had to pay my own way, I realized I could only afford the moderates (which are wonderful!). This year, I wanted to stay at the Poly, and the only way that DH and I can afford it is to do a split stay and spend the first 3 nights of our trip at Pop - we like to stay at WDW for 6 nights so we don't feel rushed.

[mudpuppysmom]

I'm going to share a secret......I keep DH around just for his military discount :secret::secret::secret:
If it weren't for him, we'd be staying at a value......

In all humor....I'm only kidding!!! I love DH and I do keep him around for much more than that.

When we can use a disney military discount we try to take advantage of it.

This year though we decided that we would just stay at SOG instead of using the discount b/c we wanted stay at BC and even with the discount it's still a little out of reach. Heck, I'm glad we can even go!

[Dulcee]

For the first ohhh 18 times I went to WDW it was Deluxes with Mom and Dad. The last two times with them it was moderates (and trust me Mom wasn't happy about it) due to myself and my younger sister counting as "adults." This June I'm headed to WDW with my DBF and we're doing a moderate. Our heads both spun when we realized the price of the poly per night (my first choice...). :eek:It is a wee bit of a culture shock. Hopefully once I'm done with grad school and am a highly respected researcher ;) I'll be able to afford my preference.:D

[TikiGoddess]

We're exactly the opposite... my first visits were day trips to the Magic Kingdom, staying with Grandma and Grandpa at their house.

Later visits with my husband were cheap offsite hotels or a Value resort (inc. honeymoon at ASMu -- that was a splurge!). We did a moderate one year, and now have moved up to Deluxe! Although next year we'll probably go moderate as this year's trip is paid for -- won it in a contest.

Kathy

[Disney Doll]

Actually out of all the times we went when I was a kid we only stayed on site once and that was at a moderate. When DH and I started planning our own trips we started with values and as our income increased we moved up to moderates. My parents recently bought into DVC so for our next trip we are staying with them at AKL. Otherwise I don't think I could ever justify those deluxe prices. Hopefully we don't get spoiled!

[javamama]

So are you looking at mine:secret: No I'm kidding, my parents always stayed at the CR when they took us and stayed on the property(otherwise we stayed in Sarasota) then I started taking my b/f who is now dh. So I treated him the Dixie Landings--which we did love, then we started moving up the food chain again WL a few times, and now we can never leave the Princess Suite at the Poly, I'm ruined, my kids are spoiled rotten thanks to my parents(in a good way), and my dh even loves the room/resort. We may think about GF's suites next year, but we may also have a wedding in Italy next year so we'll see what happens.

[brad192]

When I was a kid/teenager, my family was big into camping so we stayed offsite at a local campground. Later, I was a completely clueless individual, not realizing the benefits of staying onsite.

Since then, I have realized the error of my ways, and have stayed onsite, but only at value resorts. My plans usually involve getting up early, hitting the parks, and returning late in the day. The value resorts fulfill my needs perfectly. A clean room, comfortable bed, and a nice hot shower after a wonderful day in the theme parks. Really, all I need for a hotel room.

I know a lot of people want more from their resort, but I simply can't justify the added ( at times extremely) cost for a few nice things. I'd rather spend those extra dollars on tours, food, or a really nice souvenier.

To each their own...:)

[SBETigg]

We've always gone deluxe, except for one moderate trip that was a radio station prize. We thought it was a great chance to see if we could get away with spending less on trips. Nope. We liked POR but missed the magic. It just didn't feel like our usual Disney experience. But, worth noting, it was ten years between our GF honeymoon and our eventual return to Disney because we couldn't afford much in our first years as a married couple and then as new parents.

[Insanity Clause]

I would love to able to stay at a Deluxe...my pick would be AKL and GF for the hubby but since we have 5 kids can you imagine the price that would be. This year we are only bringing the 3 older one but next year it will be all of us and we will probably end up with two value rooms with a connecting room. It will roughly come out to what we are paying for the one Moderate this year around.

[Scott C]

Well, when we honeymooned at the poly in '88 a garden view room was $160 a night and the first moderate had just opened and there were no values -- my how times have changed.

Thanks
Scott C

[tinksmom02]

Well, my one childhood trip was off-site, so I don't know about the "sticker shock" thing, but I can completely understand it if a lot of people feel that way!

For us, the Mods are a good value, the Values never really appealed to us. The upcoming Poly trip is so DH doesn't have to *get* me anything for our 10 year anniversary LOL

*Supposedly* the Poly is a one-time thing...we'll see :blush:

[PETE FROM NYC]

We stayed off site a bunch of times before we ever stayed on property, first at CRB, then at POR. This was when they were the cheapies. Now, we stay at the values.
We are up early, in the parks til closing. We do not need or want to pay for any extra fancy amenities. Hey, in seven stays on site I have never even been in a pool. I want the parks, period.

[Woozle]

Our first trip in 2006 was offsite and that was because I was paying for the room (+ 3 more weeks of hotels on the east coast). This year's trip is happening because my DH (not a disney fan at ALL) is not going with us and my mom has DVC. So we are staying at OKW 2bd villa. After the first time of staying offsite I will pull the money out somehow to never do that again.
Only 62 days to go!!!! Yippeee!!!

[kemps@wdw]

Funny thought! Our signaure indicates that we first started out in the early 80's. Not many resort options available @ that time, 3 to be exact...Poly, Contemp, and Golf Resort. (also no kids). First trip w/kids (98) @ moderate was fun and affordable, but too much bus time. Got a free upgrade (03) to WL and fell in love w/it! :cloud9: However, w/the economy today, for some, I don't think it's so much lack of a "free ride" as it is a simple lack of funds! Although, after a report from friends @ the World today, judging from the crowd level, it seems business is booming @ WDW!