Hello,
we stayed at CSR for the 1st time for the week of 3-26 thru 4-2
My overall impression
(out of 4)
Our arrival: went smooth, I was unable to pre-check in online before we arrived but had a shared ressie w/ my mother and she did. So the CM had her stuff all pre-prepared in an envelope easy breezy...and I was able to check-in w/ her and it only took a few minutes for the whole process.
All our requests were met from my inital ressie (at the time I was unaware of the remoldled rooms so didn't ask and never changed it, thought I'd ask down there when we arrived if neccesary) we requested connecting rooms, ground floor (no preferred view) and near the restaurant.
Rooms:
We had rooms 1167 and 8 in Casitas 1 (non-remodled) so I was bummed (but wouldn't have known any better if I didn't know before)
our proximity to the Pepper Market and Cafe Rix and El Centro bus stop 1 was great.
I found the rooms a bit dated and a little dingy, but everything was neat, in working order and clean. What more can you ask. After staying at the POLY though last summer it did feel like a step down in regard only to the room.
Our rooms were ready at check-in so I didn't ask to be moved. We arrived at CSR about 2 pm if not a little earlier. that was greatly unexpectated and welcomed surprise
One negative note though regarding the rooms is the carpet must have been freshly shampooed and was still wet. I also noticed we did not have a no-smoking sign by our door...I never noticed any after smell....but reminds to double check that for furture ressies....I thought maybe.. wrong but that all disney rooms were non-smoking
room temp was a bit funny, but I think mainly for my DH & I we were cold when we first went to bed then hot in the middle of night....
lastly a few times the outside noise and room to room noise was a bit noticible, but it has been 4 years since we stayed in an exterier room (in comparrison to POLY internal room/hallways)
Food service:
we ate at the Pepper Market once for sit down breakfast, and 5 times for a combo of lunch & dinner. Our first visit was lunch on the first day and it was basically empty. We were a bit confused at the ordering process at first...but had it down by the last day. I found the kid choices ok as you can get...but it pleased my 3 older kids. and 1 night the manger allowed my DD (9) to get a house salad as her kid meal choice which was nice.
We had some great and some blah servers but everyone was nice and for the most part quick return on your orders. We brought our mugs w/ just about everytime and we had them labled w/ our names most servers filled them up for us in the right cups we were impressed.
The prices are high so I don't think I'd dine there regualrly if not on the QSDDP.
My parents ate at Maya Grill once and thought the place was very nice, they really like their server and the food was good.
We also got pizza a few times from Cafe Rix, my parents got coffee many mornings in their mugs. the downside here was so few snack credits. We got muffins twice.
Panchitos:
I thought the store was great lots to choose from we bought quite a few things. Package retrival was always quick and easy. we also bought milk here for our room which was only a large milk CHUG not an actuall quart but it ended up being enough the milk cost us 2.44 w/ tax so that is steep! we also on the 2nd to last day picked up a bunch of the small Chip & Dale snack co snacks as snack credits for snacks the next day at the airport.
The Pools:
we used the main pool (Dig Site) twice and the Casitas quiet pool once. Our
1st visit to the DS was good except that we walked the wrong way around the lake (opposite of El Centro) and it was long the 2nd time we walked the other way and it was better even my 28 mo old could handle the walk.
we enjoyed the pool, the older kids loved the slide and my youngest liked the kiddie pool too. Several in my group sat in the hot tub a few times too. and we did use the swim vest for my youngest which was good.
We checked out the playground but didn't really use it and we went to the arcade once.
Buses: was actually great
we waited at El Centro for all our pick-ups and only a few times waited more than 15 minutes as we just missed the previous bus....for the most part we always left for our destination straight from there.
Coming back the stops [ at the parks] were generally the 1st ones at the park which was nice and we barely waited, most times a bus was there or just arriving. I think only twice we waited more than 10 minutes to go back to CSR and it was directly back. sometimes we got dropped at El Centro first and others at Stop 2 when that happend twice we rode around and twice we got off and walked just a little further to our room
The only exceptions [longer travel and extra stops] were traveling to DTD and I think one other time have to check my notes.
Would we stay again or would I reccommend it?
Stay again? proabably not and it isn't because we didn't like it, but we've outgrown the base disney rooms as a family of 6 so we decided to buy into DVC and BLT.
Recommend? yes if you are thinking moderate why not stay here it's practically a deluxe especially the remodled rooms and it will be all done soon and if you are going to eat here alot be on the
DDP though.
well that's my review. Thanks for all the tips ahead of time we had a great stay at CSR and WDW!
9/27-10/3. This is a great thread and very informative about CSR. Is there a particular area maybe I should try to request? I told our travel agent it was our honeymoon but other than that I'm not sure 
