Coronado Springs Resort/Pepper Market - DON'T STAY THERE WITH KIDS

[MissMichelle]

CSR is by far my family's favorite resort to date. We all love the Pepper Market and having it on the DDP is even better in terms of value

My son told me he doesn't want to go back (he is 7 btw) unless we stay @ CSR...so to each his own I guess.

 

[CleveRocks]

The food selection area is crowded (to very crowded) and the wait time in some lines can be more than 10 mins (easily). My wife waited 15 mins to find out that it would be another 40 mins until rotisserie chicken was available.

So you are left with a dilemma of how to get food for the kids.

A) Do you get food for the kids and have one parent stay with them at the table while they eat and the other parents waits in line for their selection.

B) Do you have the kids wait in line with you while you get your selection. The problem with this is that there isn't sufficient area in the food selection lines to have two kids tagging alone (forget about it if they are in a stroller). Then you have to wait in the kids food area to get their selection while yours cools down.

C) Do you get the kids their food and leave them alone at the table while you the parents get your food.

What even complicates the issue more is that the wait time for each food area can be much different. Thus there is a good possibility that one parent's order could be done much sooner than the other parent's selection.

It all comes down to that it is very unlikely that everyone will be at the table together eating their food at the same time. Most likely, someone will be finished before that last person even gets to the table with their meal!! Not a very family orientated experience.

I've never been to CSR. But the same exact experience can be had at any of the Moderates' food courts. I've stayed at CBR twice and POFQ once. AT each of them, at times, there were very long waits at one of 2 of the food outlets and almost no wait at another one or 2.

Yes, it does make it very difficult to have the whole family eat at the same time. Yes, on occasion I've ordered food I didn't prefer in order to make it easier for us all to eat together.

So I'm not saying it's not a problem ... I'm just saying it's the same at any of the Moderate food courts. I'd assume it's the same at any resort food court in WDW.

And while we're at it, how is this any different from any shopping mall food court experience during a busy lunch time???

 

[attackwithnorth]

I have stayed at the CSR one time for a very short 2 day stay a couple of years ago. My complaint about this resort was similar to the OP, in that I felt that the Pepper Market food court was far more chaotic than any other Disney Resort food court. I also felt that the CSR had one of the least Disney "feeling" themes to it. There was a truck convention going on in the parking lot, and I just felt far away from the magic I feel at other resorts. Again, this is just one persons very brief, limited, and subjective experience. Aside from that 2 day furlough, I have not returned to the CSR. Please don't flame.

 

[CleveRocks]

I'm sure that within a few posts, a Disney apologist will post that their experience was completely different and they never experienced any waits. Don't Believe them.

I must have missed this section the first time.

It's the height of self-centeredness to "know" that everyone who has ever been to the same place as you has had exactly the same experience as you, and that if anyone claims they ever had a different experience then they are lying. I can see my 8-year-old making this sort of proclamation.

How can you say that CSR always has the same crowds and the same waits every day, every week, every year? You are very qualified to share your own experience, but to announce that everyone who genuinely had a different experience must be an apologist or a liar ... well, that's evidence of what psychologists call egocentricity.

I'm glad you shared your experience, because it's good for everyone to know what others have experienced, whether that experience was good or bad or anything in-between. But when you call other people liars it's just silly, since you have no idea what their stays were like. Know what I mean???

 

[SammieG]

Pepper Market was exactly the reason we LOVED CSR!

We even go back when we are staying offsite - We have never experienced large crowds in there, nor have we had any problems with people getting their food at different times - or ever had lots of convention people in there!

I guess the OP was just unlucky....

 

[maggs]

Well, Im going there with kids and am looking forward to it. My kids love all sorts of interesting ethnic foods and the menu looks just great at the Pepper Market. I have seen lots of varying reports but the ones I have seen recently on another forum from people with young families have been great. I was taken in before by the popularity of Pop Century and absolutely hated everything about it. Im not too worried about the 10% charge - I will have already paid a lot ( $10,000 )to get from the UK to Florida so I will just have to budget for that.
This time I just want a more laid back hotel and CS looks like it fits the bill for us.
Im sorry you were disappointed, but your experience at the Pepper Market sounds like mine at Pop, so dont believe that it might be less of a chore getting food at a value. I spent 30 mins in various lines while the kids sat at the table waiting. It was a total madhouse.
I havent been to CS yet and wont be there until August. I hope I like the hotel and will report back one way or the other.

Maggs

 

[CarolA]

Personally i won't ever eat there again.

I have gotten food to go, but charging me 10% for 'service' That was a JOKE!

Thanks but I can find the ONLY clean table in the place all by myself..... I paid 10% for that??? (And that was ALL they did, POINT me at a table. The dirty tables around me remained dirty while I ate, the staff stood near the drink station and gossiped)

Food was good so now I get it to go. That way they don't get to charge me for "no service"

 

[CareBear84]

I didn't care for the PM either. While it is like other food courts in some ways, I much prefer the food court at Pop. The 10% tip was not worth what they did. I agree with the PP who said the CM's just stood around while dirty tables sat uncleared.

 

[Kimberly]

I'm not the type to stay in the moderates. My family is so set on staying at the resorts around the Seven Seas Lagoon. But I was in CSR last August with my Grandmother and Aunt and it was actually pretty empty. I never waited more than 15 minutes for food, but then again it was August in Florida, not really peak season.

Sorry to hear about your bad experiences there. Best you can do is try another resort next time, or send a letter to Disney voicing your concerns. Something might be set into motion to resolve the long wait times.

 

[Buzz2001]

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1133200

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=14636077&postcount=392

 

[maggs]

Thanks in particular for that first link Buzz. I have no doubts at all now that I have booked the right hotel for the family. It looks like the Pepper Market is very popular.Im sure we will love it!

Maggs

 

[Kid in Me]

I am so sad to hear you had a bad experience at the Pepper Market. I am sure your experience depends on the time of year your travel, as well as, if there is a convention going on. That could certainly draw the crowds in. We have stayed at POR the past few trips because we have "outgrown" the standard room. Every trip my husband insists we go to the Pepper Market either for lunch or dinner because he loves it so much. It is my favorite moderate resort.

 

[DJ Disney Kid]

Hated the PM too! Super expensive, slow service and don't even get me started on the gratuity!

 

[jenjenmouse]

We have stayed at POR and ASMu and AKL and CSR. I loved AK but my daughter ( who is 10 and a huge animal lover) loved CSR because of PM. I couldn't believe it when she said she'd rather stay at CSR then AKL on our next trip. But she insists the stay was much better. She also liked the pool better. We found the resort to be almost empty because of the conventions going on. Everyone there I guess just woke up and went to their convention and didn't go to the parks much. Hardly any one on the buses. Very relaxing! We didn't wait in any long lines and we had our 2 year old with us. Kid friendly to us... we didn't like the Maya ( is that the name of the sit down resturaunt?).

 

[OurMsBrooks]

I'm sure that within a few posts, a Disney apologist will post that their experience was completely different and they never experienced any waits. Don't Believe them. .

I guess that's me...

Stayed at CSR with DD2, and loved Pepper Market. The food was good, the atmosphere was pleasant, and the wait was not long.

Sorry you had a rough time there, but I don't think you can speak for everyone, and starting out by insulting those of us who enjoy the restaurant is pretty harsh.