Confused about Resorts... CBR/CSR/Value opinions needed.

[Bigbaby]

Ok Im going to make this a poll. I am so "Disney researched out" that I cant make up my mind. So please share your thoughts, What would be the best resort to stay at with a 3 year old boy Sept 11-15?

Im looking for fun, pool (he loves the pool), playground, and we will most likely drive to the MK when we go. Also looking for a decent food court, and price. I notice some of these have water craft rentals, which is nice and very appealing. Im not looking to spend alot of money.

PS can you post what area's/location in the resort of your choice I should consider. Thank you Go go DIS poll


- It feels like yesterday... I was 119 days away from my cruise

 

[safetymom]

There is something for everyone at CBR. You might want to read the CBR thread and visit the pictures of the resort listed below.

 

[Bigbaby]

Originally posted by safetymom
There is something for everyone at CBR. You might want to read the CBR thread and visit the pictures of the resort listed below.

Yes I have read/ visited the sites and viewed many pictures... thats why I am confused. I like them all and this would be our first time staying on a DW resort. We normally stay in Kissimmee on 192. I guess I just want to make this whole trip ( and Cruise) Magical for the DW and our DS.

 

[Ashley]

My family and I really enjoyed CSR. We went in November when the parks close earlier, so we ate supper at Pepper Market 4 or 5 times during the week we were there, as well as breakfast the day we checked out. The food was always good, there was quite a variety, and they were great about sharing. My aunt and grandma even split a bowl of soup. The cook filled each bowl halfway, and it came with all the French bread you could eat. The pool looks awesome with water flowing down the pyramid and there are several places where water squirts up and into the pool. I did not check out the playground.

 

[Disney Spaz]

Since it is just the three of you I would suggest the All-Star Movies. I have found that this is one of my DS's fav's. We have stayed at all of the All-Stars and CBR. The CBR is nice but doesn't offer the themeing that ASMo does. If your DS has seen Toy Story, Jungle Book, 101 Dalmations, Mighty Ducks, or Fantasia he will love this resort. The pools are nice, nothing fancy but with the money you save on a value resort you can put toward charater meals and other activities that are in the parks. However if you plan on returning to the resort to rest during the day or are going to spend any length of time there swimming go ahead and do a moderate. Keep one thing in mind with the CBR and CSR they have a main pool with a slide that depending on the room can be quite a hike to get to where as the ASMo pools are fairly easy to get to. You could always show pictures of the resort to your DS and let him point to which on he wants.

 

[Planogirl]

The Allstars do have the cute icons but I voted for PO French Quarter. If you stay there, you will have access to not only the pool at FQ but also all of the pools at Riverside. You can also walk over and use Riverside's restaurant or food court if you want to. There are the boat rentals if you feel so inclined. There is also the boat ride to Downtown Disney which is handy and was always a hit with our son. French Quarter is also smaller and easier to get around in than the other resorts you listed. Plus the moderates tend to be quieter than the Allstars if that's of importance to you.

 

[Bigbaby]

Thank you for responding. Today I will call and make ressie's. Im thinking since we will be on a Dis-Cruise for 7days prior to our stay, I may go with a moderate for relaxing and pool time. ASMo looks really cool and was the one I was going for, but for the prices I would like to try a mod and see how it goes. Staying on a DW resort... would we be able to vist others? In this case ASMo? so we can see the big icons.

I thank you all for your help in my trip/cruise planning, I found alot of great info here, and as long as the drive is from NYC to FLA, Im looking forward to our vacation.

So by the looks of it its CBR, CSR... Now to find out the locals to stay in each one.

 

[Buzz2001]

CSR!! Check out my website below fpr pic, links and info.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Since you are going during a warm time of the year with a 3yo I would go with one of the moderates. I stayed at Pop last February with my 4yo. I liked it and would go back, but the pools were nothing to get excited about, which didn't matter much to us since he didn't do much water play. He did enjoy the water jets on a warm day.

As to the moderates, I've only stayed at CS, which was very nice, but spread out. I'm thinking about POR if I go down with only my DH and POFQ if I return with my 4yo.POFQ is a compact resort, something I would like if I am alone with my son. My 4yo and I have annual passes and I'm trying to squeeze as many trips out of it as possible. I might go back the end of January with my 10yo and would probably stay at Pop since he would enjoy that and it would be too cold to spend a lot of time at the pool, anyway.

T&B

 

[jellymanoffspring]

We just came back from our second stay at CBR.....(3 children ages 15,10,2). We love the relaxed island like atmosphere and you really do not feel like you are at a large resort with 2,000 others. We stayed in Martinique which is near the Food court and main pool. The fort theme at the pool is great and the water slide is a nice size(not too big for little ones). Each "island" also has its own (non themed) pool.
We were going to stay at CSR but were happy when a room became available at CBR.
We stopped at CSR on our last day and walked in to the area just off the lobby.....to the sound of a live band playing for a conference in one of the Ballrooms........very busy atmosphere, conference folks walking abound with badges and even the gifts in the shop seemed geared to business travelers! The check in area is also in this main area(at CBR it is in a separate "custom House"). All in all a very busy hotel feel to it.........made me happy we stayed at the more "intimate" CBR.
We could see the temple from the pool in the distance and it looked very far away.......
We did not see rooms or walk around the resort but I wanted to share my first impressions with you.......

We have also stayed at Dixie Landings(now PO Riverside) and it also had a nice relaxed feel just no Palm trees (which I love)...

Carol in NJ

 

[hulabird]

Another CBR vote.

But it really boils down to what kind of theming you like best. I choose CBR because I love a tropical, beachy feel versus anything else. My favs are CBR, BWI, BC/YC and OKW and Poly.

 

[gigi1313]

personally, i would stay at a value... i think they are more "small child" friendly... and since you mentioned food court as a criteria, i must say that we preferred the value food court over the moderate... again, more family (and budget) friendly...

our trip to CBR was about the same time of year as you are going and alot of the counters at the food court were closed (open seasonally) which was really a pitb...

the watercraft rental at CBR were fun... but you can go to any of the resorts w/marinas and rent them whether you are staying there or not... we are planning to rent water mice when we are there

 

[safetymom]

Originally posted by gigi1313

our trip to CBR was about the same time of year as you are going and alot of the counters at the food court were closed (open seasonally) which was really a pitb...

I have never seen CBR close down the counters during any of the seasons. Some of them are open for breakfast, others only serve lunch and dinner. That is year round. Not sure when you went but they do have a central checkout now at CBR.

Cost wise I don't think there is any difference cost wise between food courts. A burger costs the same at a value as it does at a moderate. You may have different choices at a value.

 

[HopperFan]

CSR !!!

Great amenities. The pool area is big w/great slide and plenty to do, plenty of seating and very relaxing. Pool was never crowded. We thought the food at Pepper Market good and very large portions.

 

[tar heel]

The moderate pools are much nicer than All-Stars -- I would do one of them if you can afford it. We've stayed at PO-R, CSR and CBR and liked them all. CSR has the best pool for my kids, but they're older than yours.

On another topic, we would never drive to the MK. The Disney bus takes you directly to the park. If you drive, you will park, then ride a tram, then ride either the monorail or the ferryboat over. All that takes a lot of time we don't have first thing in the morning.

 

[gigi1313]

Originally posted by safetymom
I have never seen CBR close down the counters during any of the seasons. Some of them are open for breakfast, others only serve lunch and dinner. That is year round. Not sure when you went but they do have a central checkout now at CBR.

Cost wise I don't think there is any difference cost wise between food courts. A burger costs the same at a value as it does at a moderate. You may have different choices at a value.

hmmmm... we were there the first week of september in '01 (came home on the 9th) and the whole time we were there some of the counters were closed (i.e. a chicken place that dh was dying to try 'cause he loves fried chicken) and a few of the other counters... and because only two served breakfast the lines were lonnnnnnnnggggggggg!

while the values may be the same price as the mods, i found you could get more variety as well as smaller portions (our fave was the little dish of carrots and dip or fruit cups in the value food court and we missed not having that at the mod) which saved money or at least added variety and was more healthful... we never saw a "kid friendly" veggie at the mods (my kids only eat raw veggies w/dip)... it sounds as though they've changed it quite a bit since we were there...

as far as pool theming goes, i agree that the mods have it over the values, *if* you are close to the main pool... we were not close enough to go for a quick dip so if we were not making it a "pool day" we swam in the "quiet pool" which is themeless

hence my vote for a value! LOL!

 

[jellymanoffspring]

We were just at CBR and they did have fruit bowls at both the grab and go and at the one food window.........
The Grab and go also had veggies ......
The grab and Go had its own register so you did not have to wait on the same line with the others.......
Carol

IMO I have noticed from reading these boards ..that it is impossible to note every detail about a resort.....if something does not seem to be available (ie: iron, hair dryer, specific foods)
Call the Disneyinfo or ask a CM ..........usually it is available just not where you are looking for it ......or missing from your room as an oversight!!

 

[gigi1313]

see... that's what i was wishing CBR had when we were there... they didn't... sounds like they updated it (maybe based on my response to their after-stay survey?) for the better... now i'm almost tempted to upgrade from a value to a mod... LOL (dh would KILL me! LOL!)

 

[Micca]

We have only stayed at one mod, the CSR. We liked it quite a bit and I don't think we'd even consider anywhere else if we were going for a mod again. Stayed at only one budget, the All Stars. I probably wouldn't stay there again. Try the CSR and enjoy your trip

 

[KELLY]

Oh please tell me the CBR doesn't close windows at the food court I can understand the breakfest ones when it is lunch or dinner and so on. But we our going Sept 11th to the 18th. We are booked at AKL but would like to stay at CBR to save some money and they seem to have more food choice I would pefer.
KELLY