Hi Laurie! How exciting to be planning your family's first Disney vacation! I'm one who
looks forward to my Disney resort stays just as much as my visits to the Disney
parks, so in my opinion, the extra money spent on a moderate or deluxe resort is
well worth it. However, I know other people who stay in the parks from morning
to late night and just want a place to lay their heads at night. If you don't
spend a lot of time at the resort, I don't think it's worth it to pay for a more
expensive room, since you'll hardly be there. However, if you don't plan to
spend all of your time in the parks and want to enjoy your resort, you'd likely
appreciate the extra amenities the moderates and deluxes offer over the values.
In a moderate resort, the rooms are larger, and in my opinion, more plush
and comfortable. You'll generally have amenities such as mini-refrigerators and
coffee-makers. The moderates often have a quieter, more upscale feel, while the
feel of the values is busy and whimsical. The pools at the moderates have slides
and hot tubs, and most have a table-service restaurant on site, in addition to
the food courts. The Deluxe resorts have even bigger rooms and are all very luxurious. Most deluxes have locations close to the parks. If these kinds of amenities appeal to you and your budget
allows you to upgrade, you'd probably enjoy a moderate or deluxe resort.
My family likes having a little more room to spread out, and I like the
option of having a table-service meal in addition to quick-service. In my
experience, the mattresses in the moderate and deluxe rooms seem more comfortable that
those in the values. I've stayed at values when I wanted an inexpensive room for
a quick trip, but I choose a moderate or deluxe when I want a more relaxing,
longer vacation.
Whichever you choose, I hope your vacation is magical!