Moderates: Your opinion of the ROOMS

[Dallas_Lady]

I have pretty much sold DH on staying at POR instead of offiste. My points have been use of Disney transportation, the Disney atmosphere, the themeing, etc. He has seen pics and likes the grounds of POR best.

This is his new concern: The rooms looks pretty small and don't have many amenities. The grounds are nice and all, but, we are paying for the room. We could get a better room (larger, more amenities) offsite for less money.

So, aside from the outside themeing and transportation, what are you opinions of the actual rooms at the moderates, and specifically POR?

[Luv2Roam]

I can't help specifically on POR -- yet. We leave for POR a month from tomorrow though! :D :bounce:
I stayed at CSR and ASMo. (Two double beds) Other than a coffee maker and double sink in CSR, it wasn't that big of a difference, room wise to me.
The CSR was a little nicer in decor, while the ASMo was okay... (CSR -- TV in a cabinet w/doors, nicer wall decor.) CSR was nice. Nothing grand. But nice.
Rather than POR, I was set to stay at a DTD resort also. DH was totally against it. He refuses to stay off site. :rolleyes:
Main reason is one thing he really likes about WDW is he doesn't have to drive or bother with a car for a whole week. It's more relaxing to both of us really, in that aspect.
I don't know from personal experience, but I have read if you stay off site and take a bus to WDW:
1) Most likely the other buses don't come as often as WDW buses
2) They don't drop you off at the front door of the parks like WDW buses do
The plus side is many off site motels have some sort of breakfast. Obviously you don't have a free breakfast at WDW resorts.
To me it is just very convenient to stay on site, even if you need something out of your room and can hop a bus there and back. It doesn't take long. (We have had to do that. ;) )
There is very low crime rate in WDW, although it is not unheard of. Another plus. There are always security around at WDW, even at the resorts.

[Luv2Roam]

Another perk to staying on-site is that you can charge to your room key.
Our first visit, our room key, park passes, fast pass and credit charge were all used by carrying that one card. Very convenient.

[soccer mom]

I think the rooms are fine. I have stayed at AKL, POFQ and Wilderness Cabins at FW. We had four people in our room each time. The rooms seemed comparable in "move around space." Probably because you're putting queen size in deluxe and double in moderate. If you have a king for your anniversary trip it may make the moderate seem even more spacious. The theming is nicer in the deluxe, but it isn't bad in the moderate. We enjoyed the room at the FQ as much as AKL (except for the balcony...and if it weren't for the animals I wouldn't have needed a balcony!)

www.ourlaughing place.com and www.wdwig.com have some nice pictures of the rooms if you want to see for yourself.

[daannzzz]

Your husband is right. You can get more amenities off site for the same price. But there is more to life than amenities. There is the use of you imagination that you are in a bayou home or a mansion home like in Gone with the Wind. Wandering the pathways with the crickets in the bushes and feeling miles away. as opposed to a regular hotel room with regular decore, overlooking a parkinglot or shopping center, miles away from WDW. Sure some of the amenities are nice. I would trade them for the chance to travel to a different time or place as the backdrop for my vacation.

[Buzz2001]

No double sinks at CSR but they do have the coffee and coffee maker, iron ironing board and hari dryer.

[jaguar9748]

You could absolutely get more amenities off-site, but you could also get a really bad room, really bad service and you could get involved in really bad traffic. Traffic outside of Disney can just be a nightmare! For us, there is no vacation but an on-site vacation. We've stayed at POR and CSR. Both resorts are great. POR is our favorite of the 2, but again both resorts are nice. There is nothing better than parking the car and waving good-bye as you ride Disney transportation from door to door. Walking through a Disney resort at the beginning or end of the day is so wonderful! The rooms at CSR and POR are fine. They have everything you need, are typically very clean, and the CM's are so much better than most employees in off-site hotels. The beds are comfortable, the water is hot with great pressure, the resort theming is perfect. The only complaint I have about Disney is the TV selection is quite poor, but then we don't necessarily watch a lot of TV anyway! Give a moderate a try and if you don't like it, then stay off-site the next time.

[Bete]

I feel very strong that I'm not there to enjoy the room or even the pool. I'm there to be in the parks. This always makes it hard for me to go beyond the cost of All-Star resorts. I rather save the money and do more with fine dining at Disney, shopping at Downtown Disney and doing the night scene at Pleasure Island. If your budget is good to do all of the above then go for it all the way.

Addressing the on or off site issue is very tough but I'm inclined to say yes to Disney resorts if it's the All-Star. If we all get lucky maybe next year Pop Century will open. I've done more off-site and I prefer on for the convenience. You can separate more easily because you have Disney transportation being on-site. You can take breaks easier. You get better info about Disney related services, etc. from the resort staff.

[MinnieGi]

We had a King room in the mansions at POR and it was beautiful!!! It cannot be compared to a normal hotel room. Our King room was on the corner and we loved having two big windows. The decorating and furniture were very nice and walking out your door and seeing the lavish landscaping made us feel we really were staying in an old Dixie mansion. The king gives you more room too.

[Disney-Kim]

I am all about amenities/concierge when we travel outside WDW in the real world. The room is always important to me....its part of the whole vacation thing for me. that said.....

WDW rooms.....especially the mansion rooms at POR are some of my favorites ever. The decor is top notch as far as themeing and they are clean and fun !!! Our room in Magnolia Bend at POR was like a page out of gone with the wind. the dark wood furniture and the pedestal sinks are really pretty. I can't say enough good things about the ROOMS at POR and CBR. :D

imho.....the rooms at the CBR and POR (mansions) are equal to most Hilton/Marriotts we have stayed at in a manner of speaking.
So there are not marble bathrooms and fancy soaps.....who cares.....there are hidden mickeys in the bed spreads.....;) :smooth:

[mitzelf3]

I just wanted to comment on your statement that...

"The rooms looks pretty small and don't have many amenities. The grounds are nice and all, but, we are paying for the room. We could get a better room (larger, more amenities) offsite for less money."

I think the point is that, staying on-site, you are paying for more than a room. The theming, convenience, and "magic" are what you are paying for. You are right, you could get a bigger, more deluxe accomodation staying off-site for a better price. If you are only "paying for the room" then stay off-site. If you choose to stay on-site, then you are paying for more than just the room. The resorts are like an attraction in themselves. I would recommend any of the moderates. I think they are beautifully themed, and a good value. By the way, PO-R is my favorite. Good luck with your decision!

[ducklite]

The rooms at PO are about the size and quality of a standard Holiday Inn or Marriott Courtyard room. So about right industry wide for a moderate room.

I find the furnishings quite attractive. There is an armoire which hides the television, and has some drawer space. POFQ has photo's on the walls which were donated by various cast members of their relatives, with little descriptions under them, which is a really homey touch. There is plenty of light, both natural and via lamps placed appropriately. There are two double beds, which are comfortable.

The bathroom isn't huge, but again industry standard. The dressing area has a double vanity, which helps greatly in the mornings.

The rooms seem fairly soundproofed.

Not sure what else you want to know. I do not like the All Stars, and wouldn't stay there if it was free. On the other hand, I do like the moderates, and on some trips the only reason we don't stay there is the bed size. DH and I sleep in a king at home, and just can't manage in a double. If you normally sleep in a double or queen you should be fine.

Anne

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

"Never having to leave the magic" is a main reason to stay onsite!:) POR is incredibly themed. It is a theme park in itself! We have found we do not mind leaving the parks as we enjoy exploring the resorts so much! Everything is SO detailed. Check out the imprints in the pathways! There is the main themed pool, many quiet pools, the boat to DD, and the wonderful food court and refillable mug program. Plus you can see characters at your resort several times a week. What more can you want from a Disney vacation? When we check out and actually have to leave property for the first time, it is SO shocking to see the "real world" of Orlando:eek: ! We always say how fortunate we are not to have to leave daily. :D And with all the discounts offered lately, it is an easy choice. Enjoy it:) !

PS-For those with children, the available bedrails, coloring books, Disney Magazine, and towels that mousekeeping decorates with or just bonuses!
Also you can request iron, hairdryer, coffeemaker and it will be in your room!

[musicfan]

We have always stayed onsite -- however, that said, I must say that I have always been disappointed with the sizes of ALL the rooms -- especially the deluxes and moderates. The All Stars are small, but then so is the price. But the moderates are only very slightly larger than the All Stars, and the deluxes are MUCH smaller than what you normally get for between $200 and $300 a night.

We stay onsite in order to avoid traffic, and because my teenage son (who does not yet drive) can use the buses to visit the parks on his own. This year, we will stay offsite in a friend's timeshare for a small portion of our trip, and I will let you know how the traffic is on International Drive.

Oh -- one benefit of the onsite experience for my family is the Japanese channel. We don't speak any Japanese, but the programming is fascinating! Last trip, my husband had to practically drag my son and me out of the room.

[Belle5]

At CBR (a moderate) you get a larger room and queen sized beds. The grounds may not be quite as gorgeous as POR (where we have stayed twice) but the theming is still head and shoulders above anything off property.

[DVC-LEROY]

We've stayed at POR (Dixie Landings) a few times and loved it. We had a room problem one time - and it was not a problem transferring to a new room. In fact, they bend over backwards to make your stay pleasant - even got some freebies for our trouble.
We love the mansion section, the music playing almost everywhere, walking on the beautiful paths, the great breakfasts - I can go on and on. You just don't get that same feeling off site and we will never do that again - as we are now DVC'rs and completely hooked on the experience. If room size is a real concern - depending on when you are going there are sometimes upgrade deals for the Contemporary. The regular garden wing rooms are the largest of all - but there is far less theming. Depends on what you are looking for - atmoshpere or just a place to crash. Most of us fall in love with the magic of it all - no matter where you stay on site.

[Dallas_Lady]

Thank you for your replies!

I have heard all the arguments about the themeing, Disney Magic and such. And I agree that these are important. But DH and I want to make sure we weigh everything, and the size/comfortability of the room we are in is important to us. But we are not willing to pay the prices of the Deluxes, so that is why we have considered offsite.

[tampafan]

I think the rooms at the moderates are great. They are a comfortable size and have everything you would need. The staff members have always been great, and the maids almost always arrange our children's toys in a cute manor. As far as amenities, the biggest thing to consider is the convienience of being on site. It makes up for not having the mint on your pillow.

[jesdmill1]

We stayed at POFQ and thought the rooms were very nice. They were clean and well decorated, and the beds were comfortable. The only complaint would be the small bathroom, but pretty much all WDW hotels have small bathrooms.

We would certainly stay again at PO, the themeing is really lovely and I felt the rooms were on a level with a nicer chain hotel.

[Magnetic]

I do not like the All Stars, and wouldn't stay there if it was free.

I agree. I stayed at ASM one time for three days and I was aghast at how bare-bones it was. It felt like a college dormitory to me. I know I'd been spoiled by previously staying at Dixie (POR) but I thought I'd try to save a little money. I will always stay at a Moderate from now on. I am not a person who needs deluxe, wonderful accomodations, but these rooms are so far below Disney quality for me.

The bathrooms are shockingly bad. I couldn't believe there is a showerhead just sticking out of the wall in the same room as the toilet -- no bathtub. The curtain that you're supposed to pull across the room while you're taking a shower was no help, and the whole floor got wet and slippery anyway, with water running under the door and out into our room, soaking the carpet. I took a photo of the bathroom to show my family at home, because I knew nobody would believe how bad they were. All-Stars, never, never, again, even if it was free.

We are staying at Coronado Springs in August, which I've never stayed at but visited the grounds the last time I stayed at WDW. It looks beautiful & I'll post a report when we're back.

[Belle5]

Let's hope this doesn't turn into a debate on ASMo (where I'm staying in December)!

[Magnetic]

I'm not trying to start a debate :) Having stayed there, I learned that this isn't the resort for me. I know many people are happy there. I am discussing this resort in another thread here too, where my advice was -- if you are the kind of person who likes a bathtub to soak in after a day at the parks, or for your kids to bathe in, this may not be the resort for you. Here is a photo that I took of the <a href="http://www.magnetic-media.com/allstar-bathroom.jpg">ASM bathroom</a>.

[Dallas_Lady]

Magnetic it looks like you got a handicapped room which does not have a regular tub. Most rooms at the All Stars do have regular tubs.

[Magnetic]

Would they have a handicapped room on the 2nd floor, being that they have no elevators? I went with a group of friends, and we were all on the 2nd floor in Jazz and had the same kind of bathrooms.

Edit: If that's the case, my apologies for knocking all the resort's bathrooms. I just want to knock THIS type of bathroom ;)

[eeyorefanatic]

When I first planned our trip in Dec of 2000 he balked at the price of the room at the FQ. DBF really hates to travel, and usually will only go to New Orleans, so I thought this was a great compramise. :D


When we got there he kept saying how beautiful the resort was. As I am much more of a park commando than he is, there were days when he just wandered around the resort, enjoyed the pool and hot tub. His only complaint was the lack of sit down dinning there and I agree. the food court was ok but not spectacular.

We loved being able to take the boat to DTD and the small size of the resort overall.

He was also dreading the use of buses. But after our first day there he never asked if we could drive anywhere. THe traffic around WDW is really nightmarish as is the parking. I heard that WDW has 3 of the worlds largest parking lots so just getting to the front gate can be a hike:eek: I can't even imagine taking mid day breaks, or the thought of having to drive after being in the parks all day YUCK!

I am planning to take a quickie trip and camp at FW and he even offered to pay to upgrade me to an allstar resort. He really gets "it" now about being on site.

[jlambrig]

Loved POR, don't love CBR, we found it noisy and dirtier than other resorts. But the pool facilties are great

[DancingBear]

I think you'll have plenty of room with just a king bed in POR. We stayed with 3 adults in POFQ several years ago and didn't have any trouble bumping into each other or anything. There is enough furniture and room to put away your luggage and get it out of your way. My only difficulty is that DW and I were used to sleeping on a queen bed and a double was a little too cozy.

I don't think you can discount the pleasure that you derive from the beautiful landscaping and Disney theming, plus the convenience of the transportation and such.

[DeeP]

All the buildings in all WDW resorts, except the orginal buildings in OKW, have elevators.
I have stayed in every type of WDW resort there is from the values to the deluxe with the majority of my stays at my DVC home at BWV and I like them all. I have not found a bad resort on WDW property yet. That is what is so great about WDW, there is something for everyone!
BTW, the bathroom the previous poster described was a handicapped bathroom. All the WDW resorts have handicapped and regular rooms. There are also handicapped bathrooms with tubs and the bathrooms without tubs are for people in a wheelchair so they can roll their chair right into the shower.

[musicfan]

You may (accidentally) get a handicapped accessible shower if you ask for a king bed. If you want a king bed, be sure you also say that you want a tub, so you get an accessible room, but with a tub. See, all the accessible rooms have king beds, as I understand it. Then WDW makes some with accessible tubs and some with accessible showers.

And all of the All Star hotels have elevators.

It's funny how different peoples' impressions can be. We stayed at the All Stars before we stayed anywhere else on property, and when we stayed at POR I couldn't get over how the rooms were almost exactly identical to the All Star rooms in size, set up and decoration. They had different patterns on the bedspreads, different patterns on the ceiling border, a different wallpaper pattern in the bathroom and a different style of armoire, but that was about it! The size was nearly identical. It always makes me laugh a little when people say what a difference in size there is. We looked it up once and there was seriously about a two foot difference in the length of the rooms!

[DMRick]

We have stayed at Ft Wilderness (which we loved when kids were small..going back now, I'm not sure it's much more than a really nice campground..they thinned out the trees this past year so much you lost a lot of privacy). If I was camping, however, I would pay the extra to stay at that campground, vs off site.

We have also stayed at every Allstar..and loved them all. The theming for kids is wonderful. I still remember several years ago, when on our way in from the parks everynight my granddaughter (who thought she was real, in her young age), stopped to say goodnight to the Little Mermaid. Well on our last night, she was out for refurbishing, and my then 4 yr old grand told me a big story about how she went to be with her dad..the Mermaid was so real to her. And the Toy Story..wow, how they loved the BIG ROOM. Sports...wow, my grandson says..we get to play on the field..and climb in a giant cup..awesom he says!!

I am pretty sure that when I broke my foot and stayed at All Stars, that we took an elevator upstairs. They did offer us a handicap room, if I thought I would have trouble getting in and out of the tub..so you had one of those rooms.

We've been kicked out of the AllStars this trip (less than two weeks!) because we are five. We had visited POR and checked out those rooms, so we will be there..but unless I'm missing something, other than that dinky bed on the floor, it's just not that much different from the Allstars (size wise). Yes, the buildings are farther away, and the quiet pools were really quiet when we were there....but I would stay at either or any park in Disney..it's just such a nice feeling to "come home" at night.

We've been offsite at a Holiday Inn (not the one with the suites..the one with the blood in the shower, and the hair on the pillow case, and the coffee still in the coffee pot..thank you Disney for letting us recheck back in at 11 at night..even though you were suppose to be full!!), Tropical Palms (that was very nice!), and a couple of other campgrounds..and there is just something about not making that drive, being dropped off in front of the park in the morning (if you don't bring your car), and being able to be home without driving with a zillion other people on a highway, that makes it all worth while.

We will be visiting the AS, since the grands were very unhappy that they wouldn't let us stay there this time, and I think we will really enjoy POR, also..but I won't feel really Disney, til I see all those oversized icons at AS!

But the final choice has to be for your reasons..if a lot of money is at stake..if you couldn't go to Disney and enjoy yourself..then do what's best for you!