Moderate Resort or Contemporary?

[serialportme]

OK. One more question. We are considering POFQ or CSR for December 26-30.

The contemporary garden room package is about $600 more total for the stay.

Should I just suck it up and stay on the monorail?

 

[Buzz2001]

I would choose CSR. Check out my website below for pics and info.

 

[Pooh Lover]

To me, it depends on who's going with you. We are going in Seotember with my 2 little ones, 2 and 5. I think the extra money will be worth it to get ahead of all the whining and crabbiness from being exhausted.

Then again, I looked at how much 2 rooms there for 5 nights was going to cost us and I went and bought DVC and it was 1/4 of the whole cost of my 200 points! So now not only are we going to stay at VWL in September, but I'm going with my mom for a girls' weekend in June for no extra hotel money!

 

[2minny]

I would love to stay at Contemporary, if you can swing the cost difference then I'd stay there. I've never been able to justify the cost difference, so we usually stay at moderates, we're rarely in our room and the moderates are really nice. We stay at POR and really like it, this time we're going to try CSR or CBR for a change.

 

[rcraw45425]

At that busy time of year, if you plan to spend a lot of time at MK the convenience of walking to the park is definitely worth it.

 

[smep013]

I would love to say I have that extra money to stay at a Deluxe. If you have it - go for it!

 

[Vickie46]

We have always stayed at Moderate Resorts.. this year we are staying at WL.. and only 2 nights at CSR.. only b/c we can't get all our nights at WL

 

[serialportme]

Turns out it is an extra $1000. I really don't have that - anyone think it is worth a thousand more to do contemporary?

Probably not - right?

 

[disney1313131313]

It is never worth it if you don't have the money! Having said that, the CR is my all time favorite because it is the most affordable resort on the monorail line. I also like the larger rooms. We went in August. I first booked POR, then realized the WL wasn't much more, then my daughter discovered that the CR wasn't much more than that (of course, it was more than POR, but since we did it in steps, it didn't feel as bad). We had a great time and were very pleased with the location. It was great because my 14 year old son didn't feel well one day. We stuck to Epcot and MK, and between the monorail line and cell phones, I felt comfortable with him in the room while I took the other 2 kids out. Given that situation, we were very glad to be at CR. Again, though, all of the resorts are great, and I would only do it if you can afford it without too much pain.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I would say spend the extra $1000 because staying at the Contemporary during the holidays is a magical thing to experience. Since the parks would be very busy you have the walkway to the Magic Kingdom, Monorail via the TTC to Epcot and make sure you get on the buses very early to MGM and Animal Kingdom.

 

[Bluessox]

I agree that the CR is nice at the holidays, but $1000 nice? We stayed at POFQ a year ago and it was gorgeous. Stayed at AKL and Poly before but would not go back for the extra money. If you have money to burn though go for it but POFQ is a great resort, you won't be disappointed.

 

[MissionMouse]

Turns out it is an extra $1000. I really don't have that - anyone think it is worth a thousand more to do contemporary?Probably not - right?

So under this line of thought the CR should be empty right now.

Sure there are people who think it is worth it, but what is most important to you...is it worth it to you? The answer is no. Work with your budget. Don't get sucked into options outside your budget. Remember Disney is a business too, so their trying to get your money...as much as your willing to part with.

 

[serialportme]

Oh, well whats a grand anyway...

I hope it is worth it. I changed - cost an extra $1k for 4 days to go from CSR to Contemporary. I am sure I am going to get slammed for it, but I wanted to give an update.

Thanks for everyones help. Any special requests for garden rooms at contemporary?

Really what did it - what pushed me over was I am traveling - over Xmas with two small kids. I think it would have taken away from the fun to have to wait on long lines for buses back and forth.

Thanks again...Now what requests should I put in?

 

[smep013]

Good for you! Enjoy!

 

[Rowlf]

Walking from CR to MK is good, but I have to say that the monorail was so unreliable last September that I wouldn't pay extra to stay at a monorail resort at all. I sat on it for 45 minutes several times last year, getting more and more angry by the minute.

Hence, we're at WL this year and renting a car.

 

[serialportme]

Walking from CR to MK is good, but I have to say that the monorail was so unreliable last September that I wouldn't pay extra to stay at a monorail resort at all. I sat on it for 45 minutes several times last year, getting more and more angry by the minute.

Hence, we're at WL this year and renting a car.

HAHA - Thanks - after I changed reservation...

This is the first I have heard of monorail troubles...Anyone else?

 

[thptrek]

We really loved staying at the CR recently. You can check out our trip report, the link is in my sig.

 

[disney1313131313]

I would request a ground floor room as close to the main building as possible. With a ground floor room, you have a patio. The upper floors in the garden wing do not have balconies, and it is nice to have that little extra space. The closer you are to the main building, the easier it is to get to the buses, the monorail and the food center. I think you have made a great decision, especially since you are traveling at a busy time with small kids. We were there in August, also a very crowded time and had no problems at all with the monorail, but often had waits for a bus. Another thing to remember, since you are on the monorail line, if the bus lines at the non-monorail parks are long, you can get on the bus for one of the other monorail resorts and pop "home" from there. Sometimes they share buses, but not always at busy times. This won't probably won't get you home faster, but my kids always do better "moving" than standing in line, so when they were little, I would do this. Good luck and have a great trip.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Sometimes they share buses, but not always at busy times. This won't probably won't get you home faster, but my kids always do better "moving" than standing in line, so when they were little, I would do this. Good luck and have a great trip.

Even if the Contemporary is sharing bus service with the Polynesian or Grand Floridian when leaving MGM, AK or DTD, they will always be the 1st stop so you won't stop anywhere else before you arrive back.

 

[LilGMom]

I personally would have used the extra to book at the WL. We stayed at CR once and left early because it was so bad. We were in one of the garden wings so the Tower might be different. We could hear everything that was being said by the people in the room above us and anyone walking down the hall. Yes the room was nice and big but I value my sleep and didn't like hearing so much noise, I've never had that problem at any of the other resorts. And when I called the front desk you would have thought that they would have called the noisy neighbors or somehow asked them to quiet down but no such luck. We like the WL because you can take a boat to MK and hop the monorail from there and I think a boat also goes to CR. Unfortunately, for us, the CR was a big disappointment because I had always wanted to stay there but I know some people absolutely love it. You can hear/read ten great reports on any resort and ten bad reports on the same resort - luck of the draw I suppose.

I hope your stay is 110% magical! The location and Chef Mickey's are great!!