How to get a deluxe size room on a value budget at Disney World

One of the biggest complaints of Disney Resorts is the size of the room accommodations. The value resorts are a great price but come with a cost. Deluxe resorts have larger rooms but also come with a cost. What if I told you you could get a deluxe size room on a value budget? Eligible Guests will want to read this!

Disney World Room Sizes

Resorts on Disney World property are divided into three categories: value, moderate, and deluxe. On top of that, Disney Vacation Club offers additional accommodations. So many factors determine which category a resort falls under. This includes price, amenities, recreation, and room size.

With the exception of family suites at Art of Animation and All-Star Music, value resorts offer the smallest rooms at roughly 260 square feet. The standard rooms at moderate resorts are a bit bigger at roughly 315 square feet. Finally, deluxe rooms offer the largest size. This can range anywhere from 370 to 475 square feet (approximately).

The DVC villas, of course, offer larger accommodations due to the fact that the 1-, 2-, and 3- bedrooms have living areas, full kitchens, and other amenities. We will not include these in our analysis today when comparing the rooms at Shades of Green with Disney World hotels.

Shades of Green

Yes, Shades of Green has huge rooms! Surprisingly, the standard rooms here are 450 square feet! When you compare that to the deluxe resort sizes, Shades of Green falls on the higher end of that range.

You may be wondering why you have never heard of Shades of Green. Shades of Green is Disney World’s military property. Although not officially owned by Disney, it does sit on Disney World property. In fact, it is prime real estate! It is located across from Disney’s Polynesian Resort.

I have been fortunate to stay here several times, but you must know that the resort is not open to everyone. Because Shades of Green is owned by the Department of Defense, only eligible Guests can stay here. This includes Active Duty, Retirees, 100% service connected disabled veterans, and more.

You can read all about eligibility requirements as well as a full guide to Shades of Green in this post.

Pricing

Now, here comes the best part. Shades of Green’s pricing structure is fixed and comparable to value resorts! Category 1 is for service members with an E1-E6 ranking. Pricing for rooms is $163 for standard rooms.

E7-E9, W01-CW03, O1-O3 widows, and 100% DAV make up Category 2. Pricing for the standard room is $199. Finally, Category 3 is everyone else: CW4-CW5/O4-O10, DoD Civilians, Foreign Military, and Disabled Veterans Equal Access Act. Standard rooms are $209.

Another great thing is the fact that there are no taxes or other fees. The price you see is the price you pay. In addition, you can typically find monthly specials with savings of up to 15% throughout the year. This may mean you can get a standard room for less than $140! That’s a great price even compared to value resorts, especially if you are visiting during peak holiday seasons.

Room Tour

Now, in the title of this post I said you can get a deluxe size room on a value resort budget. This does not mean the rooms themselves are comparable to deluxe resorts. Most of the time when I visit Disney, I either stay at Shades of Green or various deluxe resorts. I will be the first to tell you Shades of Green as a resort and the rooms themselves are not on the same level as deluxe resorts.

I sometimes call Shades of Green the “no frills” hotel. Being that is a military hotel, it is pretty standard. There is no real theming in the rooms, and they have a drab gray tone throughout. As many military families will tell you, we are used to that and it does not bother us! I’d like to take you on a room tour so you can see for yourself.

Bathroom/Closet

When you first walk in, the bathroom will either be on your left or right. This includes a separate area for the toilet. The other side has the shower/tub combo and one-sink vanity.

On the opposite side of the hallway is the closet. This is rather long closet with two pocket doors. On one side you will find the safe, and the other side has the iron and ironing board. You will also find wood hangers and a bag with extra pillows/blankets.

Main Living Space

The main living space has two queen beds along one wall. These are dedicated queen beds meaning they do not fold down from the wall. Unfortunately, there is no storage space under the beds.

There is one nightstand between the two beds with a lamp, alarm clock, and phone. Unfortunately, that means there are not a lot of outlets next to the beds.

In the corner is a small table with two chairs. In many value rooms, the table and chairs fold out to make a bed. I really love that there is enough space in the rooms here for a dedicated table and chairs. Not only that, but nothing in this room is cramped.

On the opposite wall, each room has a bench (with storage underneath), a dresser, a tall lamp, and a couch that folds out into a twin bed. The dresser holds the mini fridge on one side and three drawers on the other. There are no outlets on the dresser.

Final Thoughts

You will notice in the photos that the walls, carpet, and bedding are all gray and beige tones. Other than two pillows on the couch and one piece of artwork, there is no theming/color whatsoever. In contrast to some of the beautifully themed deluxe resort rooms like the Polynesian and Contemporary, it is hard to put Shades of Green even in that same category.

However, if you’re looking for a place to stretch out with your travel party (up to 5 in a room) and you’re looking to save some money, Shades of Green will absolutely be your best option. As an added bonus, most (if not all) rooms have doors that connect to the room next to it, so if you are staying with an even larger party you could leave the door open and create a larger space.

Have you ever stayed at Shades of Green? Do you love the spacious rooms? Let us know in the comments below! Also, be sure to share this post with a friend who may be interested in staying here!