In defense of Deluxe Level resorts at WDW

So, trying to be frugal means trying to not spend a lot of money, right? But it also means getting the most bang for your buck. At Disney World, this is an even bigger game than in every day life.



For those who don't know, Disney has three resort levels - Value, Moderate and Deluxe. Value resorts are a steal, as rates usually fall between $80 - $110 depending on the room, season and number of people. The downside - ginormous resorts, tiny rooms, all bus service, tour groups, etc. The next step up, the Moderates, are still ginormous, but the theming is more toned down. Rooms are slightly larger, but it's still all bus service. Then there's the Deluxe. Some are serviced by the monorail, others have boat service, but there are some places where bus service is mandatory. Rooms are much larger, have interior coridors and are overall just nicer. However, they come with a hefty price tag.



On our last three trips, we've stayed at Deluxe resorts - the Wilderness Lodge (cheapest), Polynesian (most expensive) and Contemporary. But why would we do this when we're trying to get out of debt? Now, I'll admit that the rack rate for our room at the Contemporary in the tower this year was $390, but we certainly didn't pay that much. I would pass out to think of paying that much anywhere in the 'normal' world, but that's pretty standard for WDW.



While we are open to staying in a lower priced resort, we feel like we do get a lot for our money.



*We like our space and large beds. Our largest room ever was at the Polynesian, and it was about 490 square feet. That's huge! Deluxe resorts also feature queen sized beds, while almost all of the Moderates and all of the Values have doubles.



*We go back to the room every day. Some argue that they are happy staying in a Value resort because they don't use the room except to sleep at night. We don't. Our kids need a break! So, we spend several hours in the afternoon in our rooms, on top of the nights and mornings.



*Ease. At the Wilderness Lodge and the Contemporary, we stayed in the same building as all of the amenities - front desk, quick service, sit down dining, etc. It was nice to be in the room, jet down to the quick service for a drink, and be back upstairs in less than 10 minutes. Not all Deluxes are like this - this same trip at the Polynesian would have taken closer to 20 minutes! But if you are at one of the other level resorts, it's a guaranteed walk to everything.

*Transportation. By staying at a monorail resort, we have been able to get to the Magic Kingdom, Epcot and back again much faster than if we were traveling by bus. In fact, you can even walk from the MK to the Contemporary, which saved us time when leaving at peak transport times. Why is faster better? That means we're spending more time in the parks! We're not having to wait 20 minutes on a bus, then spending another 10 - 20 minutes on the bus back to the resort, then traveling within the complex, then spending 10 more minutes getting to the room. We were able to go from the gate at the MK to our room in 20 minutes!

I could go on, but I think you can get the picture. When staying at Disney and looking at prices, those numbers don't tell the whole story. You've got to look at what you are getting. Now, if your budget calls for you to have to stay at a Value resort, stay there or look to stay off property. I'm not saying at all that you HAVE to stay at a Deluxe resort. But I just hear so many people on the Disney fan boards scoff at the Deluxes based on price alone. I've never felt ripped off when it comes down to it.