Used to Port Orleans Riverside.. but it's booked!

[pianoronni37]

I'm going to Disney to visit a friend who works there - kind of an impromptu trip, for my husband and myself! We're excited, we were just there in January, so this is a really nice surprise!

My friend is going to get us a discount, but our normal resort, POR, is BOOKED!

There are openings at CBR and CSR, but I'm wary due to... well.. I love that boat ride to DTD!! Haha.. I guess I've been spoiled.

If I have to choose between CBR and CSR, what's got the most "lush" feel to it? I love the bayou section of POR... though I'm sure a change in scenery would do us well!

Does anyone have any suggestions? I don't want to be *too* picky, as my friend is doing me a favor, but I want to make sure I'm happy. I don't mind walking around a resort as long as the scenery is nice, and I do enjoy the "quiet" pools, a good food court, and, obviously, ease to the bus stops!

I know, I know... this is all up for debate all over the boards, but I'm hoping that someone who prefers POR and has stayed at both CBR and CSR can weigh in!

Thank you so much in advance! Y'all are swell.

 

[Missytara]

CSR, without a doubt.

 

[vettegirl]

Another vote to try out the beautiful CSR! I love it there, going back for visit #5 next month.

 

[pianoronni37]

I was leaning toward CSR. Mainly because that's where we were supposed to stay prior to booking POR the first time, but it didn't work with our dates way back when. So we switched up to POR, and fell in love with it, and haven't tried anything new since! Haha.. we don't like change.

 

[Smiling Cheshire Cat]

Haven't stayed at CSR, but didn't like CBR at all. CBR didn't feel very "Disney" to me.

 

[CanadianAli]

CSR for sure. CBR is the only Moderate without Queen Beds (in case you weren't able to get a King room). CSR is nicer and has great amenities. CBR just feels a bit old these days IMO. Loved the feel of it years ago, but needs a bit of updating I think.

 

[minnie mum]

I guess I'm the lone dissenting voice. If you want lush, then CBR might be your choice. If you can get a king bed room. I'm assuming that you would not want double beds. I love the grounds of CBR, and actually prefer the regular food court there over the Pepper Mill at CSR. I know lots of folks like it, but it doesn't work for us. And we've never had a problem with the transportation.

 

[mickeystoontown]

I can't give you an opinion on the CSR because we have never stayed there. However, we have stayed at the CBR 8 times and loved it each time. I agree with minnie mum, if you're looking for "lush" as in lush landscaping, then I'd suggest you go with the CBR. The resort grounds are beautiful as are the various colored buildings in each of the resort villages.

There are quiet pools in each of the resort villages and, many times, we have had the quiet pools to ourselves. As far as being close to a bus stop, there's a bus stop in each village as well so you're never far from one.

The bus ride from the CBR to DTD doesn't take long at all if that helps ease the pain of not being able to take the boat there.

I have lots of pictures of the CBR in my trip report if you want to take a look see. Just click on the link in my signature.

If you have any specific CBR questions, I'll try to answer them for you.

 

[dansdad]

I guess I'm the lone dissenting voice. If you want lush, then CBR might be your choice. If you can get a king bed room. I'm assuming that you would not want double beds. I love the grounds of CBR, and actually prefer the regular food court there over the Pepper Mill at CSR. I know lots of folks like it, but it doesn't work for us. And we've never had a problem with the transportation.

Completely agree with minnie mum on her description of CBR. Can't attest to anything related to CSR as we have never stayed there.

 

[dansdad]

I can't give you an opinion on the CSR because we have never stayed there. However, we have stayed at the CBR 8 times and loved it each time. I agree with minnie mum, if you're looking for "lush" as in lush landscaping, then I'd suggest you go with the CBR. The resort grounds are beautiful as are the various colored buildings in each of the resort villages.

There are quiet pools in each of the resort villages and, many times, we have had the quiet pools to ourselves. As far as being close to a bus stop, there's a bus stop in each village as well so you're never far from one.

The bus ride from the CBR to DTD doesn't take long at all if that helps ease the pain of not being able to take the boat there.

I have lots of pictures of the CBR in my trip report if you want to take a look see. Just click on the link in my signature.

If you have any specific CBR questions, I'll try to answer them for you.

Couldn't have said it better my self Mickeystoontown!

 

[GrumpyBelle]

When you mentioned "lush", I immediately thought of CBR. We stayed there once (before we joined DVC) and thought that was the feel of the resort grounds. We wouldn't hesitate to go back there if DVC weren't an option.

 

[litlpixie]

Are there any openings at the FQ? Did you mention when you were going? I would keep trying-people cancel all the time throughout the day. I dont blame you for wanting to stay at POR...We love it there

 

[sheilanne]

I'm amazed so many people like CBR!!! My family stayed there for the first time in 2011 and our pirate room was filthy! You could smell mold and stains were all over the carpet and bedding. It was a horrible experience and we tried to stay away from the resort as much as possible. This was the nastiest place I've ever stayed. The week after Thanksgiving we are staying @ BLT and are so excited!!! I know it is more expensive but I'm sure it will be worth it!!!! I could NEVER recommend CBR to anyone!! YUCK!!!!

 

[mickeystoontown]

I'm amazed so many people like CBR!!! My family stayed there for the first time in 2011 and our pirate room was filthy! You could smell mold and stains were all over the carpet and bedding. It was a horrible experience and we tried to stay away from the resort as much as possible. This was the nastiest place I've ever stayed. The week after Thanksgiving we are staying @ BLT and are so excited!!! I know it is more expensive but I'm sure it will be worth it!!!! I could NEVER recommend CBR to anyone!! YUCK!!!!

Oh no! I hope that you reported the smell and mold to housekeeping. We've never stayed in a pirate themed room, just the standard and preferred rooms at the CBR. Never had an issue with any smell, mold or dirt in all of our 8 stays.

 

[pianoronni37]

Oooh, you're right.. with lushness, I might prefer CBR... it looks so big, it seems almost intimidating! But I guess POR does as well, though really, we love those meandering walks hand in hand after a long day at the park. The grounds are more important to me than the rooms, I'm only there to sleep - as long as I have a nice walk back, I don't care *what* the rooms look like!

Thank you so much for all your opinions so far - you guys are so helpful! Not sure which way I'm leaning yet, but I'll have to look at some photos of the grounds, thanks for all the advice!!

 

[Amy&Dan]

I'm amazed so many people like CBR!!! My family stayed there for the first time in 2011 and our pirate room was filthy! You could smell mold and stains were all over the carpet and bedding. It was a horrible experience and we tried to stay away from the resort as much as possible. This was the nastiest place I've ever stayed. The week after Thanksgiving we are staying @ BLT and are so excited!!! I know it is more expensive but I'm sure it will be worth it!!!! I could NEVER recommend CBR to anyone!! YUCK!!!!

I am sorry that happened, of course it can happen at any resort.

I hope you brought up your multitude of filth issues directly with resort management. If you did and they did nothing, that is even worse than the issues themselves. If you didn't you only hurt yourself.

To the OP, we have had two great stays at CBR and I highly recommend it. We just stayed 11 nights there a few months ago and our room was always spotless. I think its very lush, more lush than CSR although CSR also has beautiful grounds.

CBR does have the double beds, to us that is not a biggie although it will be nice to have the queen beds at CSR in October. As a couple you can solve that dilemma by reserving a king room!

Between the two, based on my stays at both, I don't think you can make a bad choice.

I would go to www.allearsnet.com and check out the resorts video sections. They have videos that are over ten minutes of each resort and you can get a great feel for each of them, far better than just pictures alone.

Good luck and have a great trip!

 

[twinboysmom]

I'm amazed so many people like CBR!!! My family stayed there for the first time in 2011 and our pirate room was filthy! You could smell mold and stains were all over the carpet and bedding. It was a horrible experience and we tried to stay away from the resort as much as possible. This was the nastiest place I've ever stayed. The week after Thanksgiving we are staying @ BLT and are so excited!!! I know it is more expensive but I'm sure it will be worth it!!!! I could NEVER recommend CBR to anyone!! YUCK!!!!

Our pirate room in our April stay was immaculate. A bad room can happen at any resort and you should have requested to be moved immediately. Don't want to burst your bubble but have you checked the DVC boards regarding BLT? There are always complaints regarding the upkeep of those rooms and it is a very new resort. We are DVC members and are staying here in September. I am keeping my expectations low.

OP, we haven't stayed in POR but have stayed recently in CSR and CBR. To me, CSR was more adult/older children oriented. CBR is great for families with all aged children. The grounds on both are fantastic but for lush, CBR would win in my book. Food options to me are better at CSR but some people do not like the pepper market. It is a buffet at breakfast and lunch. For dinner it has Mexican food but also saw the usual food court offerings. The food court at CBR to us was just average.

As for pools, this seemed unusual to me but the quiet pools at CBR were more quiet than those at CSR. And we definitely saw more children at CBR. The only thing I can think of is that the main pool at CBR is so fantastic for families that people just didn't use the quiet pools. We used the dig site pool once at CSR and decided that because to us it was just a big pool (nothing for younger kids) we wouldn't waste our time walking to it. Obviously others felt the same because the quiet pool was packed with kids every day.