Coronado Springs Resort - New Unofficial FAQ Thread - November 2012

[maxiesmom]

Hope it is okay to post this question.

I'm trying to decide if CSR is the right resort for our next vacation. It is me, DH, DS16, and DD7. We have never stayed at CSR and I really enjoy staying at different places.

We stayed at the other 3 mods and loved PoR and PoFQ but hated CBR. I guess my concern is that my biggest complaint at CBR, that it was just not laid out well and too vast, might be an issue at CSR for us as well.


Thanks!

I can offer up my thoughts on this. I have stayed at CSR twice and just got back from CBR this past Tuesday. I agree that CBR is not laid out well, and seems huge. I don't feel that way about CSR at all.

My last stay at CSR was just this last March. Our rooms ended up in Casitas 4, and it was a great location. Not very far from the main building, but right next to a quiet pool and the health club. Plus bus stop #2 (the first stop) is right behind Casitas #4.

To me, CBR and CSR are very different resorts, even though both are on the large side. Fewer bus stops at CSR, and there is not the hassle of having a separate check in area. In fact, I booked a bounce back for CSR for next fall.

 

[parith1114]

I have a ? for the CSR experts. I had to book preferred rooms for our SPD package because I waited so long to book...is preferred the Cabanas? That's were they kids were wanting to stay...
Thanks all!

 

[longhorns2]

I have a ? for the CSR experts. I had to book preferred rooms for our SPD package because I waited so long to book...is preferred the Cabanas? That's were they kids were wanting to stay...
Thanks all!

No, preferred rooms are in casitas

If you were able to book water view you might have gotten cabanas- have to request it. Business class is also cabanas.

 

[nathanyell]

That's what I was told. In the evenings though- I don't think it's all day. Someone else said sangria is available too.

Can't wait to get some official word from someone once it starts in January.

Overall sounds like a great addition!!

 

[saskdw]

We got back on Monday from 7 nights at CSR and I wanted to share a few thoughts.

Check-in: We arrived on Monday a little before 8 and while the lobby was fairly dead, the previously mentioned, computer issues caused check in to be painfully slow as there had to be several calls made to find out which rooms were cleaned and ready.

We did online check in and requested to be close to transportation and were offered a room in 9B so that worked out great as we were close to the Dig Site and close to the main buildings.

Room: Our room was perfectly fine. Everything was in working order although it is kind of funny that the thermostats can be set to go down to 65 yet the temperature in the room never went below 73 even with the AC running.

Housekeeping: Housekeeping was well....average.

They had towel animals in our window for check in but after that zero the rest of the week. We also called for extra bath towels our first night around 9:30pm and well, I'm still waiting for those towels.


Food: Never ate at the Maya Grill as the menu did nothing for us.

We ate at Pepper Market for dinner twice and both times the food was very good and thankfully the place was a ghost town because both times there were major issues at the register with the cast member somehow keying in something incorrectly that required a managerial override each time and for more than one person.

With that kind of track record I can't imagine the back up at breakfast!

Also worth noting is that if Disney is attempting to keep accurate records of the food actually being sold at their outlets it might help if their cast members actually rang in what was being eaten and not just anything.

A kids pizza is not chicken nuggets and a turkey burger is not a chicken fajita.

Buses: We mostly used stop four and overall bus reliability seem to depend on where you were going. Buses to DD, AK, and HS were plentiful but if you wanted to go to EP or in particular to MK you were pretty much screwed as either not many came or the bus would be full before it got to stop four.

Also buses back to CSR were not that great either as we waited well over 30 minutes once from HS in the late-afternoon one day and over 75 minutes one night at MK.

It seems that you get what you pay for and the more $$$ resorts get more buses and first dibs at the pool of standby buses if things get backed up where as the B-List and lesser resorts get zero.

We went to the pool on two nights to watch the movie and do the marshmellow toasting and that was a lot of fun. It's too bad that the resort does a poor job promoting it with signage in the lobby and I would guess that is why both offerings were lightly attended at best.

The pool area was very clean and well maintained and I would guess part of that would be because of how few people were using it overall. Plenty of chairs, plenty of towels and plenty of lifeguards.

The one funny thing about the "pool rules" is the lifeguards were quick to blow their whistles if a parent with a cup of soda got near the pool for any reason yet people in the hot tub had beer bottles and mixed drinks from Siesta's in the hot tub which was a clear violation of the rules yet no one said a word.

Also worth noting is that one day I had to change a DDR on the fly and when I attempted to go to one of the concierge staff to rebook a DDR for lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern in talking with the cast member she remarked that she had no idea that Liberty Tree had an a la carte lunch menu after I told her about the excellent pot roast they offer and she had been at CSR for eight years as a concierge.

It was our first stay at CSR and in the past we had been at WDL and quite honestly CSR is a major step down from WDL in the transportation area and that alone will probably keep us away from here in the future unless we rent a car.

I couldn't disagree more with your assessment of the transportation. We have spent a total of 2 full months at WDW in the last 4 years. All of it in the month of December at some of the busiest times. We don't rent a car and use strictly Disney transportation other than the odd cab ride. I can say that there is no doubt in my mind that the Mod resorts have consistently the best bus service at WDW. And the funny thing is I would rate WL as probably one of the worst for bus transportation. Yes the boat to MK is very good, but to take a bus to anywhere else to or from WL takes forever. They don't have as many buses because it is smaller than the Mods and the trek through the campground to get to WL makes for the longest bus ride at WDW. The Deluxe resorts are very convenient for the parks they are close to, but the ones you have to bus too are second rate compared to Mods. Shared buses makes for very long bus rides compared to CSR. Sorry you had a bad experience, but IMO this isn't the norm.

There will always be stories of people waiting too long for a bus, but CSR is consistently reviewed as having excellent bus service.

 

[saskdw]

Can't wait to get some official word from someone once it starts in January.

Overall sounds like a great addition!!

Yeah, I am anxiously awaiting the reports from business class to start as well.

 

[goofy4prez]

I think I read somewhere on here that business class includes beer and wine. Is that true? I booked it for a conference in march. Would be a nice addition.

Brian

That's what I was told. In the evenings though- I don't think it's all day. Someone else said sangria is available too.

Can't wait to get some official word from someone once it starts in January.

Overall sounds like a great addition!!

Yeah, I am anxiously awaiting the reports from business class to start as well.

I'm looking forward to hearing about CSR and it's business club level as well. I just booked my trip to CSR in November 2013 just a couple of hours ago and did the business club level myself. I'm not an alcohol drinker but I do like the continental breakfast, snacks during the day, and the location being in the Cabana 9b building.

 

[saskdw]

I'm looking forward to hearing about CSR and it's business club level as well. I just booked my trip to CSR in November 2013 just a couple of hours ago and did the business club level myself. I'm not an alcohol drinker but I do like the continental breakfast, snacks during the day, and the location being in the Cabana 9b building.

Yeah, for $50 a night get breakfast, snacks, supply of bottled water, a few free beers, and a guaranteed room in Cabanas 9B one of the most popular buildings. Good deal. Only problem for me is I really like Casitas 4, but Cabanas 9b is my second favorite location.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

I just heard that Pepper Market will be returning to an a la carte menu for all three meals starting January 1, 2013.

 

[longhorns2]

Yeah, for $50 a night get breakfast, snacks, supply of bottled water, a few free beers, and a guaranteed room in Cabanas 9B one of the most popular buildings. Good deal. Only problem for me is I really like Casitas 4, but Cabanas 9b is my second favorite location.

I think knowing the building for sure is a huge perk to the business class at this very large resort. I'm hoping for some Disney magic since I booked one business room and one water view room for my travel party. Requested the water view building be in cabanas so we would all be close but who knows?

 

[goofy4prez]

I just heard that Pepper Market will be returning to an a la carte menu for all three meals starting January 1, 2013.

I had to research this after seeing you post it. From what it appears, this is correct. I personally think it really stinks. While the food may not be fantastic, it was still one whale of a deal as a cs on the DDP. Depending on the menu offerings it may eliminate any incentive for me to come back to the resort during the day and use my cs credit at the Pepper Market. At least I will have breakfast with no problem in the lounge.

 

[michsig]

Are the pools typically open in the winter time at CSR? Namely, the digsite pool? We will be there from January 7-13. Thanks!

 

[michsig]

I had to research this after seeing you post it. From what it appears, this is correct. I personally think it really stinks. While the food may not be fantastic, it was still one whale of a deal as a cs on the DDP. Depending on the menu offerings it may eliminate any incentive for me to come back to the resort during the day and use my cs credit at the Pepper Market. At least I will have breakfast with no problem in the lounge.

I actually preferred the a la carte!

 

[michsig]

I couldn't disagree more with your assessment of the transportation. We have spent a total of 2 full months at WDW in the last 4 years. All of it in the month of December at some of the busiest times. We don't rent a car and use strictly Disney transportation other than the odd cab ride. I can say that there is no doubt in my mind that the Mod resorts have consistently the best bus service at WDW. And the funny thing is I would rate WL as probably one of the worst for bus transportation. Yes the boat to MK is very good, but to take a bus to anywhere else to or from WL takes forever. They don't have as many buses because it is smaller than the Mods and the trek through the campground to get to WL makes for the longest bus ride at WDW. The Deluxe resorts are very convenient for the parks they are close to, but the ones you have to bus too are second rate compared to Mods. Shared buses makes for very long bus rides compared to CSR. Sorry you had a bad experience, but IMO this isn't the norm.

There will always be stories of people waiting too long for a bus, but CSR is consistently reviewed as having excellent bus service.

I totally agree with this - I honestly don't think we've ever waited longer than 10 minutes for a bus at CSR!

 

[longhorns2]

Are the pools typically open in the winter time at CSR? Namely, the digsite pool? We will be there from January 7-13. Thanks!

All WDW pools are heated- and open year round unless there's severe weather!

 

[michsig]

All WDW pools are heated- and open year round unless there's severe weather!

Awesome! The reason I asked is because I've heard that many of the resort pools undergo refurbishment in the winter - but I'm hoping for at least one warm day to swim!

 

[longhorns2]

You know, I saw that the slide was closed in Jan for refurb (maybe Feb...) let me see if I can find that info. the pool was not listed, but the slide was.

 

[longhorns2]

This is what I found earlier:

Jan. 17  Feb. 1, 2013: Dig Site feature pool slide will be closed for refurbishment. The Pool will remain open.

Not sure if that's still up to date or not. You guys should be ok!

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

I couldn't disagree more with your assessment of the transportation. We have spent a total of 2 full months at WDW in the last 4 years. All of it in the month of December at some of the busiest times. We don't rent a car and use strictly Disney transportation other than the odd cab ride. I can say that there is no doubt in my mind that the Mod resorts have consistently the best bus service at WDW. And the funny thing is I would rate WL as probably one of the worst for bus transportation. Yes the boat to MK is very good, but to take a bus to anywhere else to or from WL takes forever. They don't have as many buses because it is smaller than the Mods and the trek through the campground to get to WL makes for the longest bus ride at WDW. The Deluxe resorts are very convenient for the parks they are close to, but the ones you have to bus too are second rate compared to Mods. Shared buses makes for very long bus rides compared to CSR. Sorry you had a bad experience, but IMO this isn't the norm.

There will always be stories of people waiting too long for a bus, but CSR is consistently reviewed as having excellent bus service.

I agree. Besides CSR, we have stayed at Poly (twice), AKL, Beach Club (twice), OKW and Boardwalk. CSR has consistently had much better bus service than any of the deluxes.

I had to research this after seeing you post it. From what it appears, this is correct. I personally think it really stinks. While the food may not be fantastic, it was still one whale of a deal as a cs on the DDP. Depending on the menu offerings it may eliminate any incentive for me to come back to the resort during the day and use my cs credit at the Pepper Market. At least I will have breakfast with no problem in the lounge.

It is true - I didn't mean to suggest there was any question about it. Pepper Market will have a new menu, which will include make your own burritos, including wet burritos. That is the item I miss most from their old menu.

Pepper Market continues to be a great value on the DDP with nicer entrees like chicken or steak fajitas, plus the return of Mickey waffles for breakfast! The value of the DDP in general remains in question, though.

Buzz has posted the new menu on his site, but I haven't found a link I can post here yet.

 

[JustMinnie]

It's official!! Made reservations this morning for CSR. We'll be there May 18 thru the 25. Can not wait!