Walt Disney World Moderate Resort Hotels 101

If you're the budget-conscious type who's ever taken a vacation to Walt Disney World, you've more than likely stayed in one of Disney's "Value" Resorts, which are on the low end of the three-tier pricing totem pole, as it were. For the next trip you're planning, it could be that you're considering bumping up the accommodations without jumping straight into the uber-pricey "Deluxe" Resorts at the top end.

So what about the middle tier? Those are appropriately known as the "Moderate" Resorts, which are noticeably nicer than the Value Resorts but aren't what you'd call full-on luxurious. As such, they offer nightly rates that fall somewhere in the middle between Value and Deluxe, so you might be able to budget for them without your bank account crying too much if you do it right.

What are the Benefits of Upgrading to a Moderate Resort?

Choosing whether to upgrade from a Value to a Moderate Resort is a matter of personal preference, and depends on how much time you actually plan to spend there. So what do you get in exchange for paying that higher nightly rate (generally speaking)? Here's a quick list of some benefits:

• Classier theming— Whereas the theming at Value Resorts tends to be bright, colorful, and even somewhat kitschy — possibly in an attempt to draw your eye from the rather plain buildings themselves — Moderate Resorts lean toward a more elegant, subdued effect with richer details for you to discover.
  
  
•  Slightly larger rooms— Rooms at Moderate Resorts give you 50–60 more square feet over Value Resorts, allowing you to sleep five to a room rather than just four.
  
  
• Table-service dining— Moderate Resorts have actual restaurants you can dine in, while Value Resorts only have food courts. Up to you if you consider that a worthy reason for upgrading.
  
  
• Lush landscaping— If you're the type who likes to take long strolls, you'll appreciate how beautifully well-kept the landscaping is at Moderate Resorts.