“Just stay at a value resort! All you’ll use your room for is a place to sleep.” When planning a Disney vacation this is a common suggestion. And for someone on a budget this is a great recommendation. Yet, if you are financially capable, I personally believe this might be the wrong advice for you and/or your family. On average the moderate resorts run about $80 dollars more a night, but this extra money goes a long way when upgrading your room to a moderate resort for your Disney vacation.
I’m sure some will call me a frivolous spender to suggest this, but when spending as much money as a Disney vacation already is, I believe this additional expense is well worth saving up for. Here are my 3 main reasons why:
1) It’s Much Quieter At Moderate Resorts
The value resorts can be noisy. Cheerleaders, field trips, and family reunions all seem to take place at the value resorts. These large groups can leave the hotel buzzing with activity. Not to sound like a grump, but the loud games of hide and go seek, and general tomfoolery can go on late into the night and can keep you and your family awake. Field trips, and teenage groups especially, seem to flock to the All-Star Resorts, so if you’re going to stay there, be prepared.
2) Moderate Resorts Continue The Experience Better
In my opinion the difference between value resort to a moderate resort is massive, simply because all the small things add up. Full service casual dining, closer access to the parks, and let’s not forget hot tubs are what make returning to a moderate resort so great. These extra touches are what really push the Disney experience over the edge.
Leaving the parks shouldn’t feel like you’re leaving the Disney experience. When you return to a moderate, or deluxe resort, it’s as if the story continues. While value resorts attempt to continue the story, they don’t do it justice as well as the moderate resorts. The exception to this rule is certainly Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. For me, because the moderate resorts are not being themed around a particular Disney movie, their theming stands alone.
3) They Provide A Variety Of Amenities And Entertainment
Whether it is YeHaa Bob Jackson at Disney’s Port Orleans – Riverside or spa services available at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, the comforts available at the moderate resorts are what push your experience over the top, especially when compared to the value resorts. While the moderate resorts don’t have all the same amenities or dining options as a deluxe resort they each have their own flavor of unique services. If you plan according to what fits you and your family’s needs, the experience at a moderate resort can feel deluxe. As long as you know what you’re looking for and know what you’re willing to compromise with, than the moderate resorts are hard to beat.
So before you to take the advice of someone who says, “just stay at a value resort,” I ask you to reconsider what you’re really looking for in a Disney vacation.
Stephen "Steve" Porter started going to the parks with his family in 1996. Since then he hasn't looked back! Steve was a cast member participating in the Disney College Program in 2013. Most recently he graduated from Penn State University!
