The millionth person needing help picking a resort

[WendyWonderland]

Last year was our first visit, and we stayed at POR in a Royal Guest Room. It was great. We were in Magnolia Bend in a corner room, and we had zero neighbors till our second to last day too (I realize that was just luck and will probably never happen again ). The walk to the buses wasn't terrible, food court had good food even if it was a fight for a chair.. And of course the boat rides are really nice too.

So, now we're ready to book for our trip this year and Riverside is sold out. This has happened 2-3 times over the last few weeks that I've been looking and it always seems to come back. BUT, for argument's sake, let's assume it's not coming back.

French Quarter is not an option, as there will be construction during the dates we're looking at.

So, we're debating between Coronado Springs and Caribbean Beach. We've heard Coronado is a pain as far as walking is concerned and that Maya doesn't have that great of food. We haven't heard much about Caribbean Beach, which is just as bad/scary.

We(I) don't know what to do. I really want to hold out for POR, but now that I can actually book the trip I'm all panicky and feel like it's never going to come up again and I need to have a backup.

Our biggest concern is the walking distance to a bus stop and the food court (this will be an adult-only trip, so drunken stumbling for a mile to our room is something we'd like to avoid ).

HALP?

 

[amccu18007]

I would go to CSR hands down. It is a wonderful resort and the queen beds can't be beat. Caribbean still has double beds.

 

[dansdad]

We have not stayed at CSR yet, but have stayed at POR, POFQ and CBR with CBR being our favorite of all. It has such a relaxed laid back feel it's like we get 2 vacations in one. It's a nice retreat from the craziness of the parks.

It is a large resort, but there is a bus stop at every village plus one at Old Port Royal which is where the food court and main pool are. So you are never far from a bus stop. Unless you book, and pay extra for, a Pirate Themed room you will not have to walk a mile to get to your room. There plenty of locations that are under 5 minute stroll to OPR, the main pool and the pool bar. Every village also has it's own quiet pool too.

CBR does still only have double beds, but if this is an adults only trip you can book a king bed.

After 4 stays at CBR, during free dining when it's booked to capacity, we always felt like we didn't have any neighbors. It really does feel like a resort. The food court has great selections and we've never had to fight for a seat.

From what I do know about CSR, you really can't go wrong with either choice. We just happen to love CBR and it rarely gets any love here on the DIS. Make sure you check out the FAQ threads for both CBR and CSR for tons of great info.

 

[pieface]

Coronado has an awful food court and is designed more for the business traveller but is a decent resort does have queen size bed. I like. Caribbean beach better excellent food court but it only has full size beds.

 

[maxiesmom]

If you are picking strictly between CSR and CBR, CSR wins in a land-slide, no question! CBR is much more spread out than CSR, has (in my opinion) the worst food selection of all of the moderates, and as of now is un-renovated. All the rest of the Moderates have been redone, and have had their beds switched to queen sized beds in the last few years.

CSR.

 

[sunsetbeachgal]

I would go to CSR hands down. It is a wonderful resort and the queen beds can't be beat. Caribbean still has double beds.

AGREE...The beds there are the best!...request a room in Cabanas and you will be close to the lobby and food areas...or pay for a preferred room...

 

[Linda T.]

We have never stayed at CSR but we absolutely love CBR. CBR is big but it is very manageable. There are 7 villages with quiet pools in each village. The resort is beautiful with white, sandy beaches, hammocks on each beach along with friendly ducks to entertain you. The main pool is zero entry and lovely. There is also a Banana Cabana by the main pool for adult beverages if interested. We like the food court and their options. The gift store is also very nice.

We always request Jamaica 45 or Aruba 51. There is a bus stop right by both of these villages. These two villages are a short walk across the bridge to the main pool, gift store, and the food court.

The rooms are a very nice size with lots of storage. The bed size is a double but you could get a room with a king size bed. We have always had good housekeeping and good bus service too.

CBR doesn't get a lot of love on Disney boards but we love it. CBR was our first resort we stayed at when my daughters were little and it is the resort that they continue to want to stay at. My daughters are now 24 and 26 and we are again going in July and staying at CBR.

Have a wonderful trip!

 

[pepe of ohio]

I'd still go with POFQ... We just returned and construction was going on in the lobby, check in area.... No big deal, that section was blocked off and check in was moved across the lobby next to the Scat Cat Club... no impact on our stay what so ever..

We're not fans of huge resorts... POR and CSR...way too much walking for our taste and when a resort has multiple bus stops... that's too huge ! We've stayed at CSR and couldn't wait for that trip to end, never again... Didn't feel like we were on Disney property at all...

Go for POFQ, small compact and easy to maneuver around, you won't regret it!

 

[WendyWonderland]

Thank you everyone for the replies!

Is the size of CSR comparable to POR? We had a decent walk to the bus, but it wasn't unmanageable.

CBR looks really nice, and I think if we were planning on spending more time at the resort, we'd lean towards that one. After reading what you guys have to say and Googling images of each resort, I think we're leaning towards CSR.

French Quarter is also sold out now.

When booking the room, I never really understood the "Preferred" option.. So that just means it'll put us closer to the bus and food?

Thanks again for all the help.

 

[disd55]

Thank you everyone for the replies!

Is the size of CSR comparable to POR? We had a decent walk to the bus, but it wasn't unmanageable.

CBR looks really nice, and I think if we were planning on spending more time at the resort, we'd lean towards that one. After reading what you guys have to say and Googling images of each resort, I think we're leaning towards CSR.

French Quarter is also sold out now.

When booking the room, I never really understood the "Preferred" option.. So that just means it'll put us closer to the bus and food?

Thanks again for all the help.

CSR and POR are about the same. We booked a preferred room at CSR and got Casitas 5 which seemed like the farthest preferred room. The pool was a 20 minute walk and it was just a pain to take a bus around the resort. Maya wasn't anything special. Food court was alright. If you want to stay at CSR, try getting Casitas 1&2 or Cabanas 9B. We hated CSR, and even though a lot of people consider it the 'deluxe mod' it really isn't. Never stayed at CBR but that ones even bigger, so it doesn't appeal to us. Only POFQ appeals but I know that isn't an option. I guess go with CBR and hope you get lucky with the room. CBR is more beautiful than CSR IMO even though I've never stayed there, it looks nice and has less of a Convention feel than CSR.

 

[WendyWonderland]

AGREE...The beds there are the best!...request a room in Cabanas and you will be close to the lobby and food areas...or pay for a preferred room...

Is there a way to assure you get in the Cabanas, or is it just a request? Looking at a map, that definitely looks like the best area to stay.

 

[Ninja Mom]

Thanks for the great laugh when I read the title of your post.

Honestly, our family just writes the name of all the contenders on a post it note and scatters them on the floor. Then we call the dog over and the first one he touches is the one we pick. If something goes wrong at the resort, or if we don't like it, we can blame the dog for picking it. When we get home we are sure to give him the stink eye for a day or two. This makes everybody feel better, but not so much the dog, who is probably wondering what we got in our eye while we were on vacation.

Now if you have a situation where YOU want to stay some place and everyone else wants a different place.... well what you do is rub peanut butter or bacon on your post it note when the rest of the family is NOT looking. You give the dog the secret wink and lay your post it note down. Those dogs have noses like you wouldn't believe so it's a sure bet he's going to run over to your note and touch it first. Just be sure to give the dog a treat after he picks your note, otherwise he will hold a grudge and defeat your scheming the next time you have to use this system of choosing a resort.

Remember, if you "Help" the dog pick your resort choice there is no giving the dog the stink eye if you have any problems on vacation, because that choice was all yours, the dog was just in it for the bacon.

~NM

 

[maxiesmom]

CSR and POR are about the same. We booked a preferred room at CSR and got Casitas 5 which seemed like the farthest preferred room. The pool was a 20 minute walk and it was just a pain to take a bus around the resort. Maya wasn't anything special. Food court was alright. If you want to stay at CSR, try getting Casitas 1&2 or Cabanas 9B. We hated CSR, and even though a lot of people consider it the 'deluxe mod' it really isn't. Never stayed at CBR but that ones even bigger, so it doesn't appeal to us. Only POFQ appeals but I know that isn't an option. I guess go with CBR and hope you get lucky with the room. CBR is more beautiful than CSR IMO even though I've never stayed there, it looks nice and has less of a Convention feel than CSR.

If you paid for a preferred room and got Casitas 5, you were cheated. Only Casitas 1, 2, and 3 are preferred.

There is also no way Casitas 5 is a 20 minute walk away from the pool. It is right across the bridge from the pool. Are you positive you were in Casitas? Here is a link to the map, and you can see why Casitas 5 is definitely not that long a walk away from the themed pool.http://allears.net/acc/ResortMaps/Coronado Springs.pdf

 

[Chime]

Thanks for the great laugh when I read the title of your post.

Honestly, our family just writes the name of all the contenders on a post it note and scatters them on the floor. Then we call the dog over and the first one he touches is the one we pick. If something goes wrong at the resort, or if we don't like it, we can blame the dog for picking it. When we get home we are sure to give him the stink eye for a day or two. This makes everybody feel better, but not so much the dog, who is probably wondering what we got in our eye while we were on vacation.

Now if you have a situation where YOU want to stay some place and everyone else wants a different place.... well what you do is rub peanut butter or bacon on your post it note when the rest of the family is NOT looking. You give the dog the secret wink and lay your post it note down. Those dogs have noses like you wouldn't believe so it's a sure bet he's going to run over to your note and touch it first. Just be sure to give the dog a treat after he picks your note, otherwise he will hold a grudge and defeat your scheming the next time you have to use this system of choosing a resort.

Remember, if you "Help" the dog pick your resort choice there is no giving the dog the stink eye if you have any problems on vacation, because that choice was all yours, the dog was just in it for the bacon.

~NM

Reading this really made my day. I have been putting way to much thought into resort choice - I think I'll try your method instead!

(btw - is there still a tag fairy around here? Because "the dog was just in it for the bacon" would be an amazing one. )

 

[WendyWonderland]

Thanks for the great laugh when I read the title of your post.

Honestly, our family just writes the name of all the contenders on a post it note and scatters them on the floor. Then we call the dog over and the first one he touches is the one we pick. If something goes wrong at the resort, or if we don't like it, we can blame the dog for picking it. When we get home we are sure to give him the stink eye for a day or two. This makes everybody feel better, but not so much the dog, who is probably wondering what we got in our eye while we were on vacation.

This was the best answer, ever. Thank you for the laugh as well, I could use it!

We actually really like the idea of leaving it to the dogs. If it comes to be Monday and POR is still not available, we may just put it their hands..Er, paws.

 

[pigletto]

Thanks for the great laugh when I read the title of your post.

Honestly, our family just writes the name of all the contenders on a post it note and scatters them on the floor. Then we call the dog over and the first one he touches is the one we pick. If something goes wrong at the resort, or if we don't like it, we can blame the dog for picking it. When we get home we are sure to give him the stink eye for a day or two. This makes everybody feel better, but not so much the dog, who is probably wondering what we got in our eye while we were on vacation.

Now if you have a situation where YOU want to stay some place and everyone else wants a different place.... well what you do is rub peanut butter or bacon on your post it note when the rest of the family is NOT looking. You give the dog the secret wink and lay your post it note down. Those dogs have noses like you wouldn't believe so it's a sure bet he's going to run over to your note and touch it first. Just be sure to give the dog a treat after he picks your note, otherwise he will hold a grudge and defeat your scheming the next time you have to use this system of choosing a resort.

Remember, if you "Help" the dog pick your resort choice there is no giving the dog the stink eye if you have any problems on vacation, because that choice was all yours, the dog was just in it for the bacon.

~NM

I think I love you

 

[WendyWonderland]

If you paid for a preferred room and got Casitas 5, you were cheated. Only Casitas 1, 2, and 3 are preferred.

Do you know which buildings in CSR are preferred aside from Casitas 1,2, &3?

 

[dansdad]

Do you know which buildings in CSR are preferred aside from Casitas 1,2, &3?

Yes 1, 2 and 3 are preferred.

 

[WendyWonderland]

Yes 1, 2 and 3 are preferred.

I meant aside from those, or are those the only ones?

 

[dansdad]

I meant aside from those, or are those the only ones?

Sorry, I missed the "aside from" part. Those are the only preferred building.