Moderate vs Deluxe Resorts: Is An Upgrade Worth It For UK visitors?

Toying between staying in a Moderate or a Deluxe resort is a decision that comes down to three big questions for UK visitors: affordability, the value of added Resort guest benefits, and whether there’s a UK offer that tips the value scales. The jump in cost between Moderate and Deluxe hotels for a 14 day holiday is usually the hardest to justify, but there is a way around that.

Moderate vs Deluxe: Key Features Compared

Staying in a Disney Resort and choosing between Moderate and Deluxe hotel tiers is best done in the first instance by comparing the key resort tier differences side-by-side:

Upgrading to a Deluxe Villa will cost more again; this is not something covered in in this post. Deluxe resorts compared throughout are for Deluxe hotel rooms.

For a detailed look at what is on offer in Moderate and Deluxe resort tiers, and the hotel options in each tier, read the full guides:

• Disney World Moderate Resorts UK Guide: Which To Pick?
• Disney World Deluxe Resorts UK Guide: Which To Choose?

Is Deluxe too expensive to upgrade to for a 14 night holiday?

It’ll depend on your budget, but Deluxe hotels have a premium price tag and for 14-nights it’s a high price. The price difference between Deluxe and Moderate Resorts for 14-night holidays is usually thousands of pounds for a family of 4.

The cost of 14 nights in a deluxe vs moderate hotel at Disney does however vary depending on who you book with, how you book, the time of year you visit, and even when you book. Here is a working example of the cost difference in hotel pricing for a summer 14-night holiday stay in 2027, between 25th July and 8th August 2027 for 2 adults and 2 children under 10:

The most expensive Moderate Resort at this time is Disney Caribbean Beach Resort, and the most affordable Deluxe Resort is Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. When looking at the hotel options for the dates for the cheapest rooms available:

• The price range for Moderate hotel for those dates was £3,712 - £3,967.
• The price range for Deluxe Hotels for the same dates was £6,302 - £13,132

Walt Disney World Travel Company

There is a price jump between Moderate and Deluxe hotels on those specific 2027 dates, when all resort hotels in each tier were available at the time of checking in July 2026, of £2,335 for a UK family of four. This is equivalent to the price of UK Magic Tickets for a family of 4, making it a big decision for a 14 night trip.

The table below displays this 14-night holiday cost worked out to a cost per night and the price difference per night:

On average, budgeting around £3,000 more to stay in a Deluxe hotel over a Moderate hotel is about the minimum amount. But don’t let that put you off considering a Deluxe stay as part of your holiday.

UK visitors are better upgrading to a Deluxe hotel for a split stay

A split stay is the best option to experience a Deluxe Resort. Deciding between a Moderate and a Deluxe resort for a stay of only a few nights becomes much more realistic and the focus becomes less on the price and more on the resort differences for a shorter stay.

Split stays mean you stay in cheaper or different hotels at Disney or elsewhere in Orlando off-property for some of your holiday, and then stay in a Deluxe hotel for a couple of nights. This gives you the best chance to also take advantage of Extended Evening Hours, the exclusive Deluxe Resort guest benefit, too.

Is it worth upgrading to Deluxe hotels for dining options?

The main difference in dining options between Moderate and Deluxe hotels is the range of what is on offer inside the hotel. This is something to consider if you like dining as part of your holiday and would enjoy the convenience of having multiple on-site dining experiences within your resort. And given he proximity of some Deluxe resorts to the parks, you can even book meals in your hotel to enjoy with the fireworks.

Dining options comparison between Moderate and Deluxe hotels:

The upgrade comes in the convenience of having these options on-site, but they do still need an advanced dining reservation that you have to book in advance like all other visitors. Anyone is also able to book reservations at these restaurants so you can stay in a Moderate and still enjoy the dining on offer in a Deluxe hotel.

The UK’s Free Drinks and Dining offer may be another reason for UK visitors to consider making the upgrade from Moderate to Deluxe as what is on offer varies between resort tiers. If dining experiences are an important part of your holiday upgrading to Deluxe may be worth it, while also offsetting the price gap between tiers.

Resort guests at hotels do not currently get preferential reservation options, so just because you stay in a hotel with excellent dining options, doesn’t mean you’ll get a table. To take full advantage of the on-site dining you’ll need to book advanced dining reservations.

Is it worth upgrading to a Deluxe hotel to be able to walk into Magic Kingdom or EPCOT?

Proximity is power in Disney World: think about Early Entry, fireworks viewing spots, it’s all about location. While UK guests with 14-Day Magic Tickets don't need to cram every ride into a frantic three-day window, the sheer size of Disney World can wear you out, and it doesn’t change the dream of wanting to walk from a hotel into a park.

Upgrading to a Deluxe resort from a Moderate Resort gives you the chance to walk from your hotel into a Disney Park; these are the Deluxe hotel options, park’s within walking distance, and walking times:

No Moderate hotels offering close enough proximity to a park that you can walk, but equally you only get to be close to one park to walk to when staying in a Deluxe hotel. What happens when you’re on holiday for 14 nights and you want to use your Magic Ticket to visit the other parks? You end up using the free transport system, just like you would at a Moderate hotel.

Being walking distance away from Magic Kingdom or EPCOT has other perks however. It’s easier to get in and out of the parks during the day, and you can watch the park fireworks in resort with lower crowds. The pros and cons of upgrading to a Deluxe hotel from a Moderate hotel to be within walking distance of a park are about more than that dreamy saunter:

For one or two nights of having that walk in experience, which will also give you the chance to see the park’s fireworks from your resort area too, it’s worth it. But for 14 night stays, the upgrade from a Moderate hotel to a Deluxe hotel in 2026, just to be within walking distance of a park is not worth it.

Is it worth upgrading to Deluxe hotels for better on-site activities?

For days and times when you need to escape the parks and unwind, upgrading to a Deluxe resort from a Moderate resort for better recreational activities on rest days makes sense. But there are a number of recreational facilities that are the same in both Moderate and Deluxe resorts:

• Movies under the stars for free every night
• Campfires, with s’mores making for an extra fee
• An arcade
• Jogging trail

Despite the similarities, there are key differences t what’s on offer that alters how you can spend your time in Moderate and Deluxe resorts. This is a side-by-side comparison showing the activities offered by each hotel, (sone require an additional charge):

Available activities vary from resort to resort at both Deluxe and Moderate level, although there are more options available overall at Deluxe resorts. When it comes to upgrading from a Moderate to a Deluxe based on available recreational activities, it’s worth it depending on how much you’ll use them.

Is there a big difference between pool areas in Moderate and Deluxe Resorts?

In terms of pools, you’ll find that there are water slides for the children at both Moderate and Deluxe main pool areas, and hot tub areas in both resorts for the adults. It’s what’s on offer around the pool that changes in Deluxe resorts, plus you’ll find that the sun loungers are a bit more luxe and comfy in most Deluxe hotels.

Deluxe resorts offer Poolside Cabanas, they are an upsell, but offer much needed shade if you want a full day by the pool as part of a rest day. These are not available n other resort tiers. Would it make me choose a Deluxe hotel over a Moderate; no. However the combination of the option to have one plus access to a pool like Stormalong Bay opens in a new tab at Disney’s Beach Club, which has a lazy river, would factor into decision making. When it comes to pool amenities, only Disney’s Beach Club would sway me when making the decision between Moderate and Deluxe.

Is it worth upgrading for the difference in the rooms?

It’s not worth upgrading for amenities or the room itself, but it is worth upgrading from Moderate hotels for the views you can get from some Deluxe hotel rooms. Moderate hotels do not offer views of fireworks or animal safaris, which make the biggest difference to a Disney World hotel experience. Drinking coffee and watching the sun come up over Seven Seas Lagoon or watching giraffes and zebras jump around below in a Savannah View room in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge really makes a hotel experience.

While the main difference in the rooms tends to be simply theming, the view from the balcony; that’s the real reason to upgrade. And yes, it’s worth it.

When is it worth UK visitors upgrading from Moderate to Deluxe Resorts at Disney World?

It’s worth upgrading from a moderate to a deluxe hotel for a 14-night holiday from the UK if budget is not a consideration and you want a hotel room with a view that gives the wow factor. For most UK visitors the upgrade to a deluxe hotel is worth it for the same reasons on a shorter stay as part of a split stay holiday to Disney World.

Realistically, deciding to upgrade comes down to weighing up what each Moderate and Deluxe hotel offers to give you the best possible holiday experience. The fundamentals of a comfy bed, clean rooms, and free Disney perks remain the same no matter whether you pick Moderate or Deluxe, (or even Value Resorts), apart from Extended Evening Hours.

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Questions about upgrading from Moderate to Deluxe Resorts