Best Moderate Resort

[allstarlover]

When I visit WDW, I usually stay at All-Star Resort (could be AS Sport, ASM, or ASMo). I love All-Star very much. But now, because I plan to visit WDW with my niece and nephew, I want to stay in a bigger room. So, I decided to stay in a moderate resort. Because this would be my first experience at a moderate resort, I need your help. Which moderate resort is the best?

Thank you,
Kevin

 

[Buzz2001]

We feel CSR is the best mod. Check out my website below.

CSR is a large resort that does not share services with other resorts and offers some deluxe amenities because it is a convention resort.

CSR has a salon, spa, and a gym that other moderates do not offer. CSR has full menu room service and offers an internal shuttle system provided by golf carts to assist in getting to and from the main building to the villages.

It is also the only mod to offer suites.

CSR is situated around a 15 acre lake and CBR is situated around a 45 acre lake.

CSR has terrific transportation. It does not share with any other resort (like POR / POFQ) and it only has 4 bus stops within the resort (vs 7 at CBR). And since CSR is centrally located, you'll have a quick ride to all the parks.

And being a convention resort, the buses seem less crowded because guests are busy with their conventions.

CSR is the most central to the 3 parks you mentioned. See the map below.

Photo by Ducky4Disney

CSR has the best pool of the mods and probably the second best on WDW property.

Best mod pool. It offers a great slide (123 ft long), an arcade, a sand volleyball court, and a playground at the main pool area.

Review from mousesavers.com!!

Coronado Springs is my Best Value choice in the Moderate category. It has several advantages compared with the other Moderate resorts. It is newer, so there has been less wear-and-tear on everything. Also, Coronado Springs is a convention hotel, so it has a few extra amenities not offered at the other Moderates, including a salon, a health club and a more upscale food court.

The theming is radically different in the three areas of Coronado Springs. You can request a specific area when booking but there is no guarantee you'll get your request.

• The Spanish-style Casitas at Coronado Springs are very peaceful, with courtyards featuring tiled fountains. Casitas Buildings 1, 3 and 2 (in that order) are the closest to the restaurants and services. Casitas Building 4 contains the salon and health club, if those are important to you.
  
• The Cabanas at Coronado Springs have a beachy Caribbean feeling. Cabanas Building 8A is very close to the feature pool, which may be a blessing (convenience) or a curse (noise, light). Cabanas Building 9B is closest to the marina and relatively convenient to the restaurants and services.
  
• The Ranchos at Coronado Springs feel quiet and secluded -- some would say isolated -- and feature desert landscaping and pueblo-style architecture. They look closest to the main pool on a map, but in actuality they are separated from the rest of the property by a swamp, so it can be a fairly long walk from these buildings to the pool, and a very long walk to the restaurants.

 

[TLinden16]

Welcome to the DIS!

I'm a big fan of the POFQ. It's a lot smaller than the other moderate resorts, so it's much easier to navigate. I love the atmosphere there--it's bright and whimsical. The sea serpant pool is very cool as well. I also love the boat to Downtown Disney--it's a nice break from the buses, and a very relaxing ride.

I've stayed at all of the moderates, and all of them are nice (although the walls at the CS seemed very thin--I could hear my neighbors talking at normal levels, and footsteps of the people above me--I've never head noise at the other mods).

Have fun planning.

Karen

 

[safetymom]

We love CBR. It all comes down to the theming you like best. As you see you will get varied responses. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the moderates. I have stayed at POR, CBR, CSR.

 

[minnie61650]

Since you have stayed the All Stars you know the values are all about themes.

The mods have themes also.

I would choose the theme that most appealed to my family and try it out.

CBR has the wonderful beach area.

POFQ has the New Orleans look.

POR has the Mansions and deep south look.

And CSR has the southwest look.

They all look like fun places to stay at.

 

[monymony3471]

We stayed at the coronado the first time I took my family with my mother. We had two adjoining rooms. Worked out great. We loved the resort.

My only complaint, and it's not a whine, just some people like to walk, and I don't mind it. Be prepared to do a lot of walking. It's spread out. We didn't get a room by the pools, and it took 10-15 minutes to walk around the lake to get to the big pool. But on the plus side, the bus stop was right across the parking lot from us. I'd suggest disney have porter's with golf carts to take people around the place. My mom had a cast on at the time. So, it really slowed her down.

And walking to the Market took about 15 minutes too.

 

[allstarlover]

Well, thank you very much for your great suggestions. I'll discuss it with my niece and nephew, thinking about your great suggestions, and then I'll book the resort. I hope we can get a room in a moderate resort (because we are going to WDW on October 06!). Also, I hope that my first experience at moderate resort would be very nice.

Thanks!!!
Kevin

 

[PixieDustTink]

We have stayed at CBR and CSR. We enjoyed the theme at CBR a little more, but CSR is a gorgeous resort. And I personally liked the pool better there, I like a larger pool area in a place that is as crowded as WDW. We found the pool at CBR had a bit of a packed in like sardines feel to it. Other than that it was a really beautiful and relaxing place to stay. With either one of these resorts I do not think you will be disappointed!! We enjoyed every second of our stay.

 

[allstarlover]

By the way, I have checked this thread but nobody recommends Port Orleans Riverside. What I know until now is there are 4 moderate resorts (CBR, CSR, POFQ, and POR). Is Port Orleans Riverside not as good as the other moderate resorts? I'll be waiting for your opinions.

That's all for now and thanks (always!),
Kevin

 

[bookgirl2632]

I'm staying at POR in September for the first. I am doing so on the recommendation of a good friend and many people here on the Dis. My friend stays there every time she goes down, going back many years. She and her family absolutely love it. And if you search these boards, you'll find a lot of people who love it as well.

I'm excited for my trip and my stay there. Hope you have a great time too!

 

[Badllamamama]

CSR is a great resort! Best ppol, better transportation and beautiful landscaping!

We like it better than POR/POFQ. CBR would be last on the list.

POR/POFQ share buses making for crowded situations at times. POFQ lacks in amenities.

 

[Evad]

POR IMHO is the best mod at Disney. Mind you we have not stayed at the others but after staying at POR I really can't see leaving this resort.
There so many great things at POR starting with the theming, boat to DTD, great food court, Boatwrights restaurant, Ol' Man's island, the many quiet pools, I could go on forever. Just check out the pictures below to see how nice this resort is.

Dave

That is the building we stayed in # 38

Ol' Man's island

The fishing hole

 

[Linda T.]

My family has stayed at both POR and CBR, and we love CBR. CBR has beautiful tropical themeing, white sandy beaches with hammocks, seven quiet pools, and a main pool. The rooms are large inside with two double sinks which is great for four women (mom, grandma, two daughters) in one room. We love staying in the Jamaica section, either building 44 or 45. It is close to a bus stop and also you take a very short walk over the bridge and you are at the main pool, food court, and the gift shop. We have always had good bus service at CBR. Safety Mom has a great website on CBR. POR is beautiful, but my family liked the tropical themeing better. POR has a boat to take you to Downtown Disney and that was really nice. But we did not like the bus service at POR. We had long waits at the bus stop going to the parks. Have a great vacation,

Linda T.
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June, 1979 - Offsite
June, 1995 - CBR
June, 1997 - CBR
June, 1999 - POR
July, 2003 - CBR
March, 2005 - Disneyland
July, 2005 - CBR

Next Trip - July, 2007 - CBR

 

[dolphin01]

Another vote for CSR!! Bussing, landscaping, pool, food options are all tops!

 

[Lilolvr]

Stayed at 3 of the mods and CSR is our mod of choice!!

 

[allstarlover]

Wow, thanks for your suggestions. Actually, I have discussed with my niece and nephew about where would we stay and they said that they'd love to stay in CBR ! But I prefer CSR (most people in this thread also recommends CSR so far). Also, as Buzz2001 wrote that CSR doesn't share its bus service and only has 4 stops and it has a nice landscaping. Well, I think POR/POFQ is a good resort, too (I got the pictures). POR/POFQ seems so quiet and peaceful. My niece and nephew both like a big and crowded moderate resort. They also like resort that architecturally interesting and multistoried Do you know which moderate is big, somewhat (not too) crowded, architecturally interesting, and multistoried?

I'll be waiting for your answers and suggestions,
Kevin

 

[Steven41782]

POFQ!!

Sea Serpent Water Slide!
Boat to Downtown Disney!
Compact! (no more than 4 or 5 minute walks to anything & we're lazy on vacation)!
Awesome bus service (for us)!
Beinets! (Spelling? These are awesome pastries!)
Monorail to Magic Kingdom!!... just joking.

Basically I think everyone's got different needs and tastes on vacation. I do think that once you've found "your" resort you'll know it, but it may take visiting a few before you know.

 

[JennyMominRI]

Wow, thanks for your suggestions. Actually, I have discussed with my niece and nephew about where would we stay and they said that they'd love to stay in CBR ! But I prefer CSR (most people in this thread also recommends CSR so far). Also, as Buzz2001 wrote that CSR doesn't share its bus service and only has 4 stops and it has a nice landscaping. Well, I think POR/POFQ is a good resort, too (I got the pictures). POR/POFQ seems so quiet and peaceful. My niece and nephew both like a big and crowded moderate resort. They also like resort that architecturally interesting and multistoried Do you know which moderate is big, somewhat (not too) crowded, architecturally interesting, and multistoried?

I'll be waiting for your answers and suggestions,
Kevin

Port Orleans Riverside!

 

[Buzz'sBetterHalf]

One more for CSR!!

 

[cabanafrau]

Buzz, absolutely love your photos from CSR! The photos and your enthusiasm make me wonder if we shouldn't have saved a few dollars and given CSR a try this year. (Can't seem to pull ourselves away from the Poly -- but then again, who can say how hard we're really trying!)