Anyone stayed at CSR before?

[WanderlustNZ]

If so, what did you think?

I don't see it mentioned on the ANZAC pages very often. Yet, of all the moderates, my gut is telling me that this is the one that will suit my family best.

Decisions decisions ...

 

[areweindisneyyet]

Pretty sure Princess in Oz has maybe 2 years ago. There will be a trip report somewhere on here.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Pretty sure Princess in Oz has maybe 2 years ago. There will be a trip report somewhere on here.

Good memory.

I think someone else has stayed there too.....could be Becpee? Maybe?



Wanderlust....my TR is on the WDW section. Link here.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2587528


The first post has the quick links and I put all my pics of CSR in the one post, somewhere near the top.


For my money, I would stay at one of the other moderates. Not that there was anything wrong with CSR and the dig site and pool was fantastic - but it is the conference resort. I gather that whilst it is "Disney", it is run by someone external. The people working there just didn't give that Disney vibe. It just seemed lacking in that full emersion quality for me. Just my opinion. Lots of people love it and I wouldn't turn up the chance to stay here again.

Oh...and if it matters to you....the MarketPlace, whilst a food court...if you sit down to eat, it is considered table service. You'll have to tip; and from memory it is added on top of your bill when you pay.

 

[WanderlustNZ]

Good memory.

I think someone else has stayed there too.....could be Becpee? Maybe?

Wanderlust....my TR is on the WDW section. Link here.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2587528

The first post has the quick links and I put all my pics of CSR in the one post, somewhere near the top.

For my money, I would stay at one of the other moderates. Not that there was anything wrong with CSR and the dig site and pool was fantastic - but it is the conference resort. I gather that whilst it is "Disney", it is run by someone external. The people working there just didn't give that Disney vibe. It just seemed lacking in that full emersion quality for me. Just my opinion. Lots of people love it and I wouldn't turn up the chance to stay here again.

Oh...and if it matters to you....the MarketPlace, whilst a food court...if you sit down to eat, it is considered table service. You'll have to tip; and from memory it is added on top of your bill when you pay.

Yay, thanks for the link to the trip report. It looks like I'm in for a good read. Hopefully Disboards doesn't go down soon like it seems to about this time every night.

Interesting what you said about CSR being run by someone external. That's the first time I've read that. Most of what I've read so far has suggested that the service is better due to the higher expectations of all it's business customers.
It's good though to hear a different perspective. It'll give me food for thought when making my final decision. POR is also very high on my list.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Yay, thanks for the link to the trip report. It looks like I'm in for a good read. Hopefully Disboards doesn't go down soon like it seems to about this time every night.

Interesting what you said about CSR being run by someone external. That's the first time I've read that. Most of what I've read so far has suggested that the service is better due to the higher expectations of all it's business customers.
It's good though to hear a different perspective. It'll give me food for thought when making my final decision. POR is also very high on my list.

I call it the Dis Twilight Zone. I'm guessing that the WebMasters have overnight scripts that run at the regular time.

I've stayed at POR as well. The link is the 2010 May TR in the siggie below. But that was my first ever TR....I hadn't yet found my fingers.

 

[Travel Mum]

Yep, we loved POR

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

I'll be at POFQ in 9 sleeps, happy to give you my thoughts on that resort.

 

[WanderlustNZ]

I'll be at POFQ in 9 sleeps, happy to give you my thoughts on that resort.

Of course.
Until any bookings I make have been finalised, I'm interested in hearing about all moderate and value resorts. Except perhaps the CBR. Pretty sure I've dismissed that one.

9 sleeps! How exciting!

 

[kyl]

We stayed at CSR. It was nice, but we were in the section right down the back I can't remember the name. But it was a walk and a half to get food etc. Saying that the pool areas were lovely. The rooms big enough, beds comfy. Just keep in mind you will also have many people around on conferences. I would stay there again if they had a good deal. However I would make sure we were located near the main area, it would be worth the extra dollars if it cost more to do this.

 

[GusGus77]

I stayed at csr whe I was a teen the year it first opened. I remember it being nice, very clean, but it just did not have much of a Disney feel to it. We loved POR when we stayed there this year and even dh was taken by it. (We stayed in the royal guest rooms so it was very disney.)

Just reread that you said value, too. We stayed at pop last year and really liked it. We got a preferred room as I didn't want to get stuck way out in the 80s section. I loved it and would not hesitate to stay there again. I think the food court is the best of all the values, too, minus they don't have cherry coke! (Lol!) we only didn't stay there this year as we were afraid it would be really crowded because LM rooms just opened at AoA and were full and lots of those people were jumping ship from lm rooms to go to pop for free dining. Plus with 4 of us going for 10 days we wanted a little more space.

 

[WanderlustNZ]

We stayed at CSR. It was nice, but we were in the section right down the back I can't remember the name. But it was a walk and a half to get food etc. Saying that the pool areas were lovely. The rooms big enough, beds comfy. Just keep in mind you will also have many people around on conferences. I would stay there again if they had a good deal. However I would make sure we were located near the main area, it would be worth the extra dollars if it cost more to do this.

Thanks for the info.
Was it the ranchos section you stayed in? There was one rancho's building that I was thinking would be quite cool because of how close it is to the pool and a bus stop. But you're right, it definitely looks like a hike to the main restaurants.

Not too concerned about the conference crowd. I kind of like the thought that a lot of resort guests will be staying at the resort all day for meetings rather than competing with me for the buses. Also, I read a review somewhere that the linens and toiletries are better at CSR than other moderates due to it being a conference hotel. I'd love to know whether this is true or not.

 

[kyl]

Yes it was the ranchos section! We had a quite pool and the main pool not to far away. I guess because we went in September it was hot hot hot! I mean 100% humidty hot so walking to the food court was hard work. However the pool was close and the bus stop very close. I would still book close to the food court and near a quite pool. The main pool was nice but hey a pool is a pool to me cool jump in and cool off. The kids did like the water slide at the main pool but we only went there a couple of times it was still a bit of a walk.

 

[WanderlustNZ]

I stayed at csr whe I was a teen the year it first opened. I remember it being nice, very clean, but it just did not have much of a Disney feel to it. We loved POR when we stayed there this year and even dh was taken by it. (We stayed in the royal guest rooms so it was very disney.)

Just reread that you said value, too. We stayed at pop last year and really liked it. We got a preferred room as I didn't want to get stuck way out in the 80s section. I loved it and would not hesitate to stay there again. I think the food court is the best of all the values, too, minus they don't have cherry coke! (Lol!) we only didn't stay there this year as we were afraid it would be really crowded because LM rooms just opened at AoA and were full and lots of those people were jumping ship from lm rooms to go to pop for free dining. Plus with 4 of us going for 10 days we wanted a little more space.

Thanks Gus. Pop was actually where we originally planned to stay. The money we'd save by staying at a value is really tempting. Pretty much the only downside I can see is the double beds. If it means saving lots of money, I will happily forgo resorts with sit down restaurants and fancy pool slides. Heck, I'm even happy to sleep in a smaller, garishly coloured room (although admittedly the decor of the little mermaid rooms looks like way too much for me). But one thing neither my husband and I are prepared to put up with is 11 nights of bad sleep. I just can't shake this worry that that is what's going to happen if we have double beds instead of queens. My DH and I like our space and are used to a King at home. My son becomes a ninja in his sleep and likes to kick me in the ribs. So I can't see any kind of sleeping arrangement working that well.
In saying all that, I'm hoping I'm just being ridiculously paranoid. The values are such a good price, I can't just dismiss them altogether.

POR appeals to me a lot because of the landscaping. The grounds and the exterior of the buildings look beautiful. Also, I like the fact that you can catch a bus to DTD. But that's where the appeal over CSR ends for me.
I like the look of CSR's room decor and pool better. I've read great things about CSR's buses and I like the central location to the parks and Blizzard Beach. Lastly, because my DH and I love spicy food so much, the food court at CSR appeals more.

Out of curiosity, what do people put of higher importance. The theming of the grounds or the interior decor of their room? I'm having a similar internal debate between RPR and HRH.

 

[WanderlustNZ]

Yes it was the ranchos section! We had a quite pool and the main pool not to far away. I guess because we went in September it was hot hot hot! I mean 100% humidty hot so walking to the food court was hard work. However the pool was close and the bus stop very close. I would still book close to the food court and near a quite pool. The main pool was nice but hey a pool is a pool to me cool jump in and cool off. The kids did like the water slide at the main pool but we only went there a couple of times it was still a bit of a walk.

We'll be there late Sep/early Oct, so humidity is definitely an issue. I do wonder if the theming of CSR will make it feel even hotter. As opposed to the likes of some of the more lush, green resorts such as POR.

 

[kyl]

It is hot every where that time of year! I remember walking out of our room at 4am as DS was only 3 at the time and wide awake with the time difference! I was sweating as soon as we walked out. It was dark!!!! I think the water parks would be fun at that time of year. We didn't do but looking back it would of been fun and given us relief from the heat!

 

[kyl]

 

[WanderlustNZ]

It is hot every where that time of year! I remember walking out of our room at 4am as DS was only 3 at the time and wide awake with the time difference! I was sweating as soon as we walked out. It was dark!!!! I think the water parks would be fun at that time of year. We didn't do but looking back it would of been fun and given us relief from the heat!

Thanks Kyl for the pics and all the useful info.

Will definitely be making use of the water parks. Taking away the time we want to go offsite to the outlet malls and maybe Legoland, we will have about 8 or 9 full days at WDW. I'm thinking we'll probably spend most mornings and evenings at the 4 main parks, but during the hot afternoons we'll do relaxing things like swim at the resort, nap or go to a waterpark. Give me an inflatable tube and a good lazy river and I'll happily float around for hours. I think I read somewhere that Blizzard Beach is only about 3mins bus ride from the entrance of CSR.

I went to Typhoon Lagoon many many years ago and LOVED it. Never been to Blizzard Beach though. Quite excited.