Booking the resort you stay at during your Disney vacation is one of the first decisions you will make. When perusing the different resorts that Disney World has to offer, you will notice that the resorts are broken into three different levels: Value, Moderate, and Deluxe. Value and Deluxe resorts are on completely different ends of the spectrum and both offer many different pros and cons.
Here I hope to offer an honest opinion on which resorts are better in which situations and if the huge price difference between Value and Deluxe truly is worth it. For examples I will refer to the cheapest option for Value Resorts- the All-Star Resorts- and my favorite Deluxe Resort- Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Deluxe Resorts- Worth the High Price?
If price was no object, I would of course choose to stay at a Deluxe Resort on every trip. The theming at Deluxe Resorts is much more thought out and intricate, the location is often the most convenient, there are often highly sought out table service restaurants right on-site, and the overall feel is much more elite and relaxing than Value Resorts.
Pros of Deluxe Resorts
1) Theming
Every Deluxe Resort at Walt Disney World has amazing, all-encompassing theming. You could spend hours taking in all of the little details and can tell that the Imagineers put a lot of thought and effort into these Resorts.
From the moment you arrive at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, you are immediately transported to Africa. Every little detail of the Resort makes you forget that you are actually at a hotel in Orlando, Florida. When you first walk into the Resort, you are met with an amazing, cathedral ceilinged lobby which looks out onto authentic African Safari lands. The woodwork is carved into intricate African designs and the ceiling makes you feel like you are actually in a lodge. The African design continues in every aspect of the resort, including hallways to the rooms, the guestrooms themselves, and even the outfits that the Resort employees wear. On top of that, African music is playing nonstop throughout the entire Resort. The theming truly is a magical, impacting experience, so much so that whenever I hear African music, I am immediately reminded of the Animal Kingdom Lodge.
2) Location
The majority of the Deluxe Resorts are in the most convenient locations to access the parks. Three of the Deluxe Resorts are on the monorail loop and also within walking distance of Magic Kingdom: The Grand Floridian, The Polynesian, and The Contemporary. That makes accessing Epcot and Magic Kingdom from these resorts extremely easy. Also, the Boardwalk hosts quite a few of the Deluxe resorts, which is easily within walking distance of Epcot, has water ferry access to the Epcot and Hollywood Studios, and has skyliner access to Hollywood Studios. Animal Kingdom Lodge is the only Deluxe Resort that does not have direct access to any park and requires taking the Disney bus to all destination.
2) Restaurants
Deluxe Resorts all have Table Service Restaurants, some of which are highly coveted and sought out more than in-park restaurants. While you don't get any advantage obtaining reservations to these restaurants just by staying at that particular resort, it is convenient to be so close to the restaurant if you know you will eat there at some point. Even if the restaurant is not a "highly coveted" one, it is still nice to have a good line up of better quality food on-site, rather than just a food court like at all of the Value Resorts. It saves time from having to travel to Disney Springs or another resort just to have a sit down Table Service meal on a non-park day.
Animal Kingdom Lodge has multiple Table Service restaurants on site, two of which are some of our favorite restaurants on Disney Property. I probably wouldn't have tried these restaurants if not for actually staying at the Resort.
The first restaurant that I really enjoy at Animal Kingdom Lodge is Sanaa. It serves authentic African food and the restaurant has floor to ceiling windows that look out at the African safari. How cool that you can eat African Naan while watching a Giraffe graze in the savannah!
Another restaurant at the Animal Kingdom Lodge that is a fan favorite is Boma. I am personally preferable to the breakfast which is an absolutely delicious buffet of African breakfast foods. Staying at the resort is so convenient for this breakfast buffet, since you just have to roll out of bed to dine here!
3) The Vibe
Maybe it's all in my head as justification for the high price I paid to stay there, but staying at a Deluxe Resort just makes me feel VIP. Everything is top notch. Also, Deluxe Resorts have a much more laid back and relaxing feel. Value Resorts tend to have more families so they are louder and have more bustle. In my opinion, the combination of the theming and the laid back atmosphere, make Deluxe Resorts feel more adult than the Value Resorts. Definitely a strong pro for Deluxe Resorts if you are planning on spending a few days just relaxing at the Resort and taking in the atmosphere.
4) Special Perks
Deluxe Resorts get some special perks, included in the Resort Rate that you pay. First, Deluxe Resorts get 2 free Extra Magic Hours at night after the park closes, on Mondays at Epcot and Wednesdays at Magic Kingdom. That means barely any wait times and crowds. This is something that I absolutely recommend you cash in on if staying at a Deluxe Resort. You can accomplish so much during those 2 hours. Just be advised that you will still need either a park ticket to that specific park for that day, or a park hopper ticket for that day.
Deluxe Resorts also have hot tubs along with the Resort pool. This may seem inconsequential, but they feel amazing on your feet and back after a long day of walking around the Parks. This was something that we greatly missed on our last trip staying at a Value Resort, and joked that the hot tub was a reason in itself to splurge for Deluxe.
Additionally, Deluxe Resorts get turn down service everyday whereas Value Resorts only get it every other day, and the placement of the Deluxe Resort bus stops are closer to the Parks and require less walking at the end of a tiring day, than the bus stops for the Value Resorts.
Cons of Deluxe Resorts
The only con I can think of for Deluxe Resorts is the price. The price per night varies by Resort and also based on time of year you are going, type of view from your room, and level of room you choose. Deluxe Resorts typically cost at least $600 per night and can go into the thousands per night. Animal Kingdom Lodge is actually the cheapest of the Deluxe Resorts, if you get a standard view room. However, if I am going to stay there, I think a savannah view room is necessary to fully take in the atmosphere of the Resort. This adds at least $200 per night, for the upgraded view from the room. Disney sometimes runs resort discounts, which I advise looking for before booking a Deluxe Resort. At least you can feel slightly better about the exorbitant price you are paying. It's a deal!
Value Resorts- What does the value price get you?
You know Disney is an expensive vacation destination when $160 per night is considered a bargain. Value Resorts are much cheaper than Deluxe Resorts, but are they rightfully so? Let's take a look at the pros and cons for the cheapest Resort option you have at Disney World.
Pros of Value Resorts
1) Price
This is the obvious and most persuasive pro of staying at a Value Resort. You can save hundreds of dollars per night and use that money elsewhere, whether it be a special dining experience or a nighttime after hours event/party.
2) It is still on Disney Property
Even the Value Resorts at Disney World are likely more than you would pay for a room at a nearby Comfort Inn. However, paying slightly more to stay at an official Disney Resort on Disney World property brings you special perks. First, every guest staying at a Disney World Resort, whether it be the cheapest or most expensive, gets 30 minutes of Extra Magic Hours every morning at any park, before the park opens to the general public. While this is not as good of a perk as the nighttime Extra Magic Hours that Deluxe Resort guests get, it is still better than what the general public gets and you can squeeze in one or two rides before the Park is "officially" open. Also, as a Disney Resort guest, you are able to book your first Lightening Lane through Genie Plus earlier than the general public, and you are entitled to free parking anywhere in Disney World during your stay. Finally, if you book a package including the Resort and at least a 2 day park ticket, you receive coupons for free mini golf, free entrance to ESPN Wide World of Sports, and discounts of some shopping and dining in Disney Springs.
3) Skyliner
While the All-Star Resorts only offer bus transportation, and therefore are the cheapest Value Resorts at Disney World, 2 of the other Value Resorts are located on the Skyliner. Pop Century and Art of Animation are considered to be Value Resorts, but immediately get bumped up above the All-Star Resorts due to the easy Skyliner connection to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. This is a very special perk that Disney has used to raise the prices of these other Value Resorts, making them comparable or only slightly less than Moderate Resorts in price.
4) More Disney-ish Theming
The Value Resorts offer more of what you might consider "Disney" theming. There are giant statues of Disney characters throughout the Resorts, the pools have theming that gears more towards children, and the rooms have artwork that features Disney characters and movies. This is true at all of the Value Resorts. If you want to stay in a Resort that feels like classic Disney, then maybe the Value Resorts are for you.
Cons of Value Resorts
1) Dining
Unlike Deluxe Resorts, and even Moderate Resorts, Value Resorts only offer a food court for dining. It is not the most appealing food and nothing that would make me specifically decide to have a meal back at the resort. As such, you will likely find yourself having to travel outside your resort to either another resort, Disney Springs, or a park to have all of your meals.
2) The Vibe
Due to the "cheap" price of Value Resorts, they are most often occupied by families. That means loud splashing in the pool at all hours, loud footsteps in the rooms above you, and more commotion around the resort than you may expect at a more relaxing resort such as Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Also, the rooms are not as upscale as the Deluxe Resort rooms. That's not to say, they are dumpy, but they don't have the same feel as one of the nicer resorts. They are simply bare bones, which is not terrible if you aren't planning on spending a lot of time in the room itself.
The Verdict
It all comes down to what type of vacation you are looking to have. I used to be of the opinion that while in Disney, the resort was just a place to sleep. You spent so much time in the parks, that you were hardly at your resort. As such, I didn't think it was worth it to stay anywhere other than the Value Resort, and even that was a splurge compared to a stay at a normal Holiday Inn. I still feel that way for trips that you know will be out of the room from 6am to midnight every day.
However, in the end, I am a fan of Deluxe Resorts. You are on vacation after all, and want to feel pampered and relaxed. Deluxe Resorts come with so many extra perks, that if you are going to splurge on the higher-level resort, you should really plan on having at least a couple resort days during your trip. I will say that once you stay Deluxe you can't go back. Any visit to a Value Resort after staying at a Deluxe Resort just feels like a serious downgrade.
However, it is not financially feasible to stay at a Deluxe Resort for every visit, especially if you plan to visit Disney World more than once a year. I would much rather visit Disney World more often than have to go less frequently in order to always stay at a Deluxe Resort.
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