Congrats! You’re planning a trip to Disney World! Now it’s time to pick a resort, but which to choose? There are so many great resorts at Disney, whether it’s a Value, Moderate, or Deluxe Resort. You can’t go wrong with any one of them, it all just depends on what interests you! We’ll help you decide between Value vs Moderate Resorts!
It can be hard to decide whether it makes more sense to stay at a Value Resort or a Moderate Resort. There are so many factors to think on such as food, transportation, pools, room sizes, and more.
Do you save a little money and miss out on some extra amenities at Value Resorts? Or do you spend a little extra to utilize those amenities at a Moderate Resort? We’ll help you figure out which is the best for you and your family!
What Is A Value Resort At Disney?
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Value Resorts are the cheapest resorts for Disney on a budget. They are great options for people who want to still experience the magic of a Disney resort while paying a cheaper price. These resorts have themed rooms and areas for guest’s enjoyment. They also have pools and food courts that are accessible by resort guests.
Even though these resorts are cheaper, it doesn’t mean they are any less magical! All around the Value Resorts, you can find giant statues of your favorite Disney characters. Value Resorts are great for everyone of all ages.
What Is A Moderate Resort At Disney?
Moderate Resorts at Disney are slightly a step above Value Resorts. They offer better theming and more immersive rooms for guests to enjoy. Moderate Resorts have the same amenities as Value Resorts plus more. The pools have slides, and not only is there a food court, but there are also table service restaurants.
These resorts also are great for all ages with more amenities and food options for everyone. Moderate Resorts are a lot larger, so there is more room to explore!
List Of Disney Value Resorts
Here is a list of every Value Resort Disney has to offer. Read our 6 Best (And Worst) Disney Value Resorts for more information on each of them!
- Art of Animation Resort
- Pop Century Resort
- All-Star Movies Resort
- All-Star Sports Resort
- All-Star Music Resort
List Of Disney Moderate Resorts
Here is a list of every Moderate Resort at Disney World. Read The Best (And Worst) Disney Moderate Resorts for more information!
- Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
- Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
- Coronado Springs Resort
- Caribbean Beach Resort
- The Cabins at Fort Wilderness Resort
Similarities Between Value vs Moderate Resorts
There are a lot of similarities between Value and Moderate Resorts. Both of these types of resorts have jogging trails, arcades, playgrounds, and Movie Under the Stars at night. Every resort will have some type of food court for quick and easy food options. Most resorts have more than 2 pools.
Any resort you stay at will provide free park transportation. There are many different ways to get from your resort to the parks depending on which resort you stay at. Most of the Value and Moderate Resorts have outside entry to your rooms; sort of like how a motel is set up.
If you want to stay at a Value Resort with the interior corridors, you’ll have to stay in a family suite at Art of Animation. For Moderate Resorts, the only resort with interior corridors is the Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs.
If these are the only amenities that matter to you, then it might be beneficial to stay at a Value Resort at a better price. However, there are some differences that make Moderate Resorts slightly better.
Differences Between Value Resorts vs Moderate
There are some differences between the two types of resorts that might convince you that the upgrade would be worth it. The biggest difference is that Value Resorts are going to be cheaper than Moderate Resorts. If you are traveling on a tight budget, Value Resorts are the way to go. But if you have some extra cash to spend, a Moderate Resort would be worth it.
Value Resorts are slightly more kid friendly with their oversized Disney character statues. Children won’t care as much about theming as they would seeing their favorite characters. Moderate Resorts have nicer theming and larger grounds.
Even though both Value and Moderate Resorts have pools, the Moderate Resort pools will be slightly better. Value Resorts have basic pools without any slides, while Moderate Resorts do. They also have whirlpool spas at their pools while Value Resorts do not.
Value Resorts only have food courts, pool bars, and pizza delivery when it comes to food options. Most Moderate Resorts have these options available, but they also have table service restaurants for you to sit down at and enjoy.
When it comes to the rooms, the Moderate Resort rooms are larger than the Value Resort rooms. Value Resorts can sleep up to 4 guests while some Moderate Resorts can sleep up to 5. The only exception is the family suites at Art of Animation, but these rooms are going to be pricier than the standard rooms at Value Resorts.
The bathrooms in the Value Resorts only have a single sink vanity while the Moderate Resort rooms have a double sink vanity. This extra space can be very helpful when you have multiple people staying in your room.
The Moderate Resorts are also much larger than the Value Resorts. All the Moderate Resorts, besides Port Orleans – French Quarter, have internal bus routes for resort guests. These buses will take you from your room to the front of the resort where the bus transportation to other parks will be.
As you can see, there are several differences to think about when trying to decide between a Value vs Moderate Resort. We are going to go over some of these differences so you can make an informed decision.
Value vs Moderate Resort Prices
If price is your main concern, it can help to compare the Value Resort with the Moderate Resort you are thinking of staying at. We will give you a general price comparison between these two resort styles. The family suites at Art of Animation are not going to be included in this price comparison because they are more expensive than the standard rooms at the Value Resorts.
If you are comparing a Value and a Moderate Resort for the same time you plan on going, the Value Resorts will always be cheaper than the Moderate. However, different factors can affect the price of resorts.
If you go during a busier time in the year, room rates are going to be higher. Check out our Crowd Calendar for the best and worst times to go to Disney!
Rooms are also more expensive during a weekend than a weekday. This means you could technically find a Moderate room for cheaper than a Value room if you are comparing a Moderate room during the slow season to a Value room during the holiday season.
Value Resort rooms are generally in the $200-$300 per night range depending on when you go. However, sometimes they can be less, and sometimes they can be more! Moderate Resort rooms are generally in the $300-$600 per night range. This again can fluctuate!
Food At Value Resorts vs Moderate
If you want access to lots of different food options at your resort, you should stay at a Moderate Resort. If you plan on spending most of your time eating at the parks, it might be more realistic to stay at a Value Resort.
Value Resorts have lots of different types of food at their food courts, but that’s all they have in terms of dining besides the pool bar and pizza delivery. Moderate Resorts have lots of food options both at their quick service locations and their table service locations. They also have more bars and lounges than the Value Resorts.
Here is a list of food options at every Value and Moderate Resort!
Value Resorts:
Art of Animation Resort:
- Landscape of Flavors
- The Drop Off Pool Bar
- Pizza Delivery
Pop Century Resort:
- Everything POP Shopping and Dining
- Petals Pool Bar
- Pizza Delivery
All-Star Movies Resort:
- World Premiere Food Court
- Silver Screen Spirits Pool Bar
- Pizza Delivery
All-Star Sports Resort:
- End Zone Food Court
- Grandstand Spirits Pool Bar
- Pizza Delivery
All-Star Music Resort:
- Intermission Food Court
- Singing Spirits Pool Bar
- Pizza Delivery
Moderate Resorts:
Caribbean Beach Resort:
- Centertown Market
- Centertown Market Grab & Go
- Banana Cabana Pool Bar
- Sebastian’s Bistro
- Spyglass Grill
- Pizza Delivery
Coronado Springs Resort:
- El Mercado de Coronado
- Cafe Rix
- Laguna Bar
- Siestas Cantina
- Dahlia Lounge
- Barcelona Lounge
- Three Bridges Bar & Grill at Villa de Lago
- Rix Sports Bar & Grill
- Maya Grill
- Toledo
- Room Service
The Cabins at Fort Wilderness:
- P & J’s Southern Takeout
- Meadow Snack Bar
- Crockett’s Tavern
- The Chuck Wagon
- Trail’s End Restaurant
- Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue
Port Orleans Resort – Riverside:
- Riverside Mill Food Court
- River Roost Bar
- Muddy Rivers Bar
- Boatwright’s Dining Hall
- Pizza Delivery
Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter:
- Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory
- Scat Cat’s Club
- Mardi Grogs
- Pizza Delivery
As you can see, there are way more dining options at the Moderate Resorts than the Value Resorts. It all depends on where you and your family plan to eat during your Disney vacation!
Transportation Differences
One of the best perks of staying at a Disney Resort is there is free transportation! No matter which resort you stay at, you are guaranteed it. However, each resort is different in the types of transportation it offers!
Every single resort offers bus transportation, but there are a couple of other cool transportation options that only some resorts have!
The Skyliner is the newest transportation option at Disney. It’s a gondola style system that flies you from resorts to parks. The Skyliner can go to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. There are several resorts it stops at, but here are the Value and Moderate Resorts the Skyliner route is on:
- Art of Animation Resort
- Pop Century Resort
- Caribbean Beach Resort
The Skyliner goes to two Value Resorts while only going to one Moderate Resort. This is something to keep in mind if you are really wanting to use the Skyliner during your vacation!
The other transportation option is by boat. These are the Moderate Resorts that have boat transportation:
- The Cabins at Fort Wilderness Resort
- Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
- Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
The boat at The Cabins at Fort Wilderness Resort will take guests to Magic Kingdom. The boat at the Port Orleans Resorts will take guests to Disney Springs. There is no boat transportation at any of the Value Resorts.
Pools At Value vs Moderate Resorts
As stated earlier, the biggest difference between the pools at Value vs Moderate Resorts is that the Moderate Resorts have slides and whirlpool spas while the Value Resorts do not.
No matter if you stay at a Value or Moderate Resort, most resorts have multiple pools. This includes the main feature pool and several other quiet pools. All resorts also have kiddie pools.
Moderate Resort pools are a little more themed than Value Resort pools. Value Resorts usually have a basic shape while Moderate Resorts are more intricate in design.
If you plan to spend at least one or two days of your vacation at the pool, staying at a Moderate Resort might be more beneficial. But if you don’t care about swimming, a Value Resort is the way to go.
Read our 11 Best (And Worst!) Pools At Disney World for a list of all our favorite ones!
Room Sizes At The Different Resorts
A big difference to consider when choosing between Value vs Moderate Resorts is the room size. Moderate Resorts have a little more room than Value Resorts do. Value Resorts can sleep up to 4 guests while some Moderate Resort rooms can sleep up to 5 guests.
If bed space is important to you, Value Resorts only have double beds while Moderate Resorts have queen beds. Hey, some of us need that extra space to rest after a long park day!
Most Moderate Resorts also have larger vanities with two sinks instead of the standard one at Value Resorts. Some of us appreciate that extra room!
These are things to consider when deciding between the two resort types because it all depends on your family and how much space you will need!
Theming At Value Resorts vs Moderate At Disney
We say Value Resorts are a great place for kids because of how fun and brightly colored the resorts are. There are giant Disney character statues and captivating colors to inspire magic in any child’s eyes. Kids don’t care about whether the resort isn’t as nice or big as other resorts. They just love how cool the theming is.
The rooms at Value Resorts aren’t as themed as the resorts themselves. They are pretty basic with a few Disney touches.
Moderate Resorts have more “adult” theming to transport guests away from the typical Disney character overload. These resorts are beautifully decorated with lush landscaping and large grounds.
The rooms at Moderate Resorts continue that beautiful theming with artwork and furniture to match the rest of the resort. Moderate Resorts are great resorts for adults who want to escape the typical Disney theming and experience something different.
Which Should You Choose?
This question can ultimately be answered by you! Every family is different, so it all depends on what amenities and qualities are important to you! Price, of course, is a big factor, so if you are trying to save money, staying at a Value Resort is a good idea.
If money isn’t a concern, look at all the factors such as room size, pools, food, and theming to make your decision. We have stayed at both Value and Moderate Resorts, and we think they are both great for different reasons! You can’t go wrong with either!
If you’ve stayed at both types of resorts, what do you prefer? What are your favorite things about these resorts? Let us know!
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