A or B - I won’t pay for the extra events.
Wow, that is a big difference. I typically go during a “value” season and stay st AKL or WL (and I get a pretty good deal renting from a friend), but I’ve never had to pay more than $200/night. For next Dec I think my 7 nights at WL will barely break $1,000 for the whole stay…
Unfortunately spring break is very expensive. It’s worth it though to get a 12 day vacation with the kids only missing 3 days of school. Everytime we have stayed deluxe (just 3 times plus the upcoming trip over spring break) it has been expensive. $313 for BCV with points, $330 for AKL in standard bunk bed room, best was $290 at Contemporary. I cannot imagine getting deluxes for $200 a night. I would never stay value or moderate again if that was the case!
The question isn’t hypothetical for me because I’ve made this decision for my next two trips: C.
A few years ago I would never have considered a value resort. I like comfort and luxury. But the deluxe resorts are incredibly expensive and — for me — represent very poor value for money.
What changed the game for me was when I saw the refurbished rooms at Pop. Stylish, modern, simple and — ultimately — just somewhere to sleep. Why pay more? I can hang out at deluxe hotels for free. Sure, the pools are rubbish, but then I’m not really a pool kind of a guy. Sure, the food courts are rubbish, but I’m not a food court kind of a guy. Anyone can eat at any restauarant: you don’t have to be staying at a deluxe.
Τhe extras are a big draw for me. They make things simple and predictable. I just shelled out $125+tax for After Hours at AK: 8.30-11.30pm. Now I don’t have to worry about FOP. Because I booked this trip very late, there were no FPPs available for FOP. I’m not going to rope-drop. Sorry. So I’m facing a very long wait in the standby line. I was actually up for that, until I saw the TP predictions for waiting time for FOP during my trip: up to three hours. Madness. This way, for a relatively small amount of money in the grand scheme of things, I get to ride FOP multiple times with minimal waiting.
It’s the same with the dessert party for HEA. It just removes the stress. No staking a spot and defending it for an hour. Show up half an hour early, wait in a relatively uncrowded area, and get a great view of the show. Then have some lovely desserts. For $69. Bargain.
It does occur to me that this is one area in which being single and childless is a huge advantage. Planning is simple: I only have myself to please. And cost is less of a factor. Mummy, daddy, two kids: suddenly After Hours is a $500+tax upcharge. Ouch.
Of course, I haven’t actually stayed at Pop yet. And next month I’m staying at ASMo, desperately hoping I get a refurbished room. I may rediscover a love of deluxe hotels. But I hope not.
It’s for this reason we don’t do up charge events. With a party of 7 it’s stupid money.
We stayed at a value when we were stranded in Disney because of a hurricane at home and I would never stay value again. Not with our party size. Even spread over two rooms it was too close for comfort.
So that leaves me with choice B or E, either of which would be good.
For us, I think maybe I need to accept it’s out of reach–I think its about $400 for the HEA dessert party (which I did when it was just DH and I) and $800 for DAH for our party of 6
That is a definite advantage. DH and I have different preferences with regard to these things but he is also a go-with-the-flow guy and I am an overthinker and excessive planner.
On our last trip in June, we did the AK African Safari Tour and it was totally worth it. If I’m going to spend money in an upcharge event, I want it to be an experience in and of itself. At this stage in our Disney park attendance career, paying extra for reserved seating at a fireworks show or to ride “select” attractions after close and some cookies for the whole family is not worth it to me. $800 is a lot of money and can buy you a more memorable experience than DAH, in my opinion.
C or D - but that is my take as a family of four (we’re doing a modified D this trip).
If it were just a trip with my friends or with my husband, I’d go for an even shorter time, higher end, and more extras (I think that’d be an Option F - 3 nights/4 days deluxe with DAH, TS and dessert parties).
I really appreciate that Disney is a choose your own adventure vacation. Last time I went it was a Deluxe (courtesy of my BFF’s DVC) for three nights and we did the DVC After Hours event. I was a bit spoiled and thought “Forget the kids! I need to get back her with the husband for another adults only trip.”
I would probably say D. We really like POR and stay there when we do a moderate. DAH and the HEA dessert party were some of the best things we did on our last trip. We have been to Disney many times so a 5 day/4 night trip is the perfect length for us.
But I can see the appeal of choice A. With a longer trip there is more flexibility and honestly you could do so much more in the parks that you won’t need DAH. I also think more days would allow your teens to sleep in a few days (I know mine started protesting RD). Also the cost of those add-ons with 6 people is rather overwhelming.
Of those choices, I think I would choose B. We spend some afternoons at the resort and DH likes to chill in the room while DD and I go to the pool or shopping. Or if we have spent all day at the park we can go back to the resort and eat at the TS there. Not having a TS restaurant makes staying at a value less appealing to me. And as much as I enjoy my upcharge events I think I would choose the extra 2 park days over 2 events.
But as @bswan26 suggested I would compare the cost of renting DVC as I would much prefer to be in a deluxe over a moderate.