This is a great question, and one that many Walt Disney World resort guests ask themselves when booking hotels for their trips: Is paying the extra per night cost for a preferred location room worth it?

First, let’s define a “preferred room.” At Disney’s Value and Moderate resort properties, preferred rooms are those closest to the main lobby and dining areas. Occasionally, they’re also closes to the main theme pool. In the case of Pop Century Resort, preferred rooms are closest to the main building, which houses the lobby, the bus stops, and Everything Pop Shopping and Dining. The preferred rooms are also the closest rooms to the main theme pool — the Hippie Dippy Pool — and Petals Pool Bar.

All of that sounds great, right? So what’s the problem? Those rooms cost an extra $15 more per night than regular rooms, so if you’re staying over the course of a week, you’ll be paying an extra $100 — an amount that could easily pay for a day’s worth of food for a family, or even an extra night in the hotel depending on the time of year!

So how do you decide if it’s worth it to pay the cost for the preferred room? The answer to that question is, ultimately, a personal one. Each person will have a slightly different answer as to why the extra cost is worth it, or not worth it, to his family. Here are some of the concerns you should keep in mind:

Pros: Consider paying for the preferred room if…

• Someone in your party has mobility problems. While the pathways around the resort are smooth and even, the trek can be long to the bus stops and food court when you’re using crutches, a walker, etc.
• You spend a lot of time at the hotel during your stay. Usually, people who include several days of relaxing at the resort in their vacation plans will benefit from being close to dining and the main pool — especially if you’re continually filling your refillable resort mugs!
• You’ll make ample use of the wading pool. The only wading pool on property is next to the Hippie Dippy pool in the 60’s section, so if that’s the only pool you’ll be using, consider spending the cash for a preferred room.

Cons: Stick with the regular room if…

• You don’t spend that much time at the resort hotel. Those who are off in the theme parks all day long and only use the room to sleep have no need to be ultra close to amenities. Use the extra money in the parks.
• You exercise regularly. If you’re going to get up and go for a run every morning, why spend extra money just to save yourself a little walking later in the day?
• You prefer a different section of the resort. Preferred rooms are only located in the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s sections of the resort, so if you like the 80’s or 90’s, skip the preferred cost.

Of course, everyone’s reasons are different. Let us know why YOU chose a regular or preferred room!

This post is part of a Disney Blog Carnival over at DisMarks.com! If you like reading Disney blogs and articles — head over to the carnival to take a look at some other great posts!