Coronado Springs vs Wilderness Lodge

Just for a reference, that $500 extra for the WL is $100 more per night and would pay for the Disney Dining Plan. With it they would have two meals a day paid for. There is a re-occurring theme I see here on the DIS and I call it "resort creep". The OP doesn't need to be upsold to the WL. He and his family would be perfectly happy at CSR as it has everything they need.

Is the WL a better resort? No doubt in my mind. If the OP has plenty of extra money to throw around (without breaking the bank, going into debt, yada, yada, yada) then by all means he should book at WL! If money is tighter (like it is for most us) then I think he should stick with CSR. After all ... he is likely to get hooked like the rest of us and there will be a "next trip" that could be spent at the WL :).
 
Just for a reference, that $500 extra for the WL is $100 more per night

Why yes! $500 divided by 5 nights is $100 per night! Thanks for helping.

The OP doesn't need to be upsold to the WL. He and his family would be perfectly happy at CSR as it has everything they need.

We don't know that. We certainly don't know what the OP and his family need. The OP doesn't even know that CSR has everything he and his family need or he probably wouldn't be asking for comparisons and opinions. Having stayed at CSR I know I was not "perfectly happy" even though I'm sure it has everything you think I need. For some of us vacations are important enough that we are willing to spend the extra money for what we need (and want) in our vacations.
 
I would pick CSR in a hearbeat. Better transportation and pool are big factors for me. The food court is much larger and there is also a restaurant. The spa and health club are also cool features that other mods don't have.
 
Stinky_Pete, here is no reason to get your undies in a bundle and get snarky. I am sorry that you didn't like CSR. No resort is for everyone. But neither is the more expensive resort the right choice for everyone. Unfortunately, the more expensive one is almost always suggested part and parcel with the "You only live once!" advise.

I hope the OP comes back soon to make his needs clearer, but CSR came on top as far as I'm concerned in 3 out of 4 of his own requirements stated in the first post.
 

We did a split stay at those 2 resorts this week and I have to say WL wins hands down! It is so cozy and intimate and if you are planning on spending a lot of time at MK the boat ride can't be beat. The boats are no longer shared with FW and the ride was maybe 6 minutes. Also you can rent bikes and ride to Ft Wilderness for the campfire and the electrical water pageant is awesome. If the extra $500 won't break the bank I would splurge.
 
STAY AT WL!!! I have never stayed there, but have visited. It looks beautiful, and is one of my top "dream stays"!

CSR is nice unless you have a horrible room location (like we did!). 1/3 of the rooms (in the Ranchos area) are a good 15 min. hike away from the main building. There are golf carts being driven around the property that will offer you a ride, but they are very sporadic (only got a ride 2 times in 6 days), and stop running in the evening. There is so much walking at WDW, why would you want to add to that when you get back to your resort??? Also, although Mousekeeping is supposed to clean your room every day, our room was only cleaned twice, and the second time was because we complained that our room had not been cleaned in three days! The pool is nice, and the buses are the best we've had. I guess it all depends on what is important to you in a resort.
 
Thanks everyone for the feedback and Buzz for the great website. After much further research and self-debate, I have booked CSR for 6 nights.
 
Begin a convention resort also works in your favor because it keeps the pool and buses less crowded because those guests are busy working in the convention center. Plus you get perks of a deluxe at mod prices. CSR has a spa, fitness center, salon, live entertainment and more. So it all depends how you look at it. Seeing people working just makes me appreciate my vacation that much more.

Buzz, I wasn't aware of live entertainment at CSR! Can you elaborate? Thanks!

Just for a reference, that $500 extra for the WL is $100 more per night and would pay for the Disney Dining Plan. With it they would have two meals a day paid for. There is a re-occurring theme I see here on the DIS and I call it "resort creep". The OP doesn't need to be upsold to the WL. He and his family would be perfectly happy at CSR as it has everything they need.

Is the WL a better resort? No doubt in my mind. If the OP has plenty of extra money to throw around (without breaking the bank, going into debt, yada, yada, yada) then by all means he should book at WL! If money is tighter (like it is for most us) then I think he should stick with CSR. After all ... he is likely to get hooked like the rest of us and there will be a "next trip" that could be spent at the WL :).

Robinb - I don't get what you mean by "resort creep". Can you explain further?
 
I'm planning a trip the 1st week of March with my wife and 3 yr old boy and debating between CSR (Moderate) and WL (Deluxe). Any opinion is welcomed; to the extent you can touch on the following, I would greatly appreciate it:

Pool (size/kid friendly)

Food options (both food court and sit down restaurants)

Room (size/cleanliness)

Better Transportation (to parks)

Overall (Taking into account that the WL is $500 more (for total 5 night stay), where would you stay?)

Thanks in advance.

I've been staying at the Walt Disney World Resort and have been and stayed at both of these hotels.

When it comes to the swimming pools at both hotels, they are equally matched. Both have slides, both are elaborately themed, but I find the Coronado had more of a family feel to the pool as it also includes a nearby playground. Win goes to Coronada Springs.

Food options are about equal as well. Both resorts have great eating accomodations as well as their signature up-scale restaurants. Coronado Springs has a breakfast buffett to die for. This one draws a tie.

When it comes to the room there is no comparison between Wilderness Lodge and Coronado Springs. Coronada Springs has your standard hotel room you could expect at any Motel 8 around the interstate. Coronada Springs is essentially a convention resort with a few family ammenities added to attract the families. On the other hand, the rooms at the Wilderness Lodge are in superb shape and cleanliness. They carry out the theme of the rest of the resort and give a much comfier, at-home feeling. Win goes to Wilderness Lodge.

Transportation at Coronada Springs is a very limited process. There is only one terminal and you simply must wait for the right bus to arrive. Wilderness Lodge on the other hand has 3 or 4 docking stations and goes directly to all of the theme parks as well as both of the water parks, Animal Kingdom Lodge, and Fort Wilderness. Win goes to Wilderness Lodge.

Without any doubt in my mind I would choose the Wilderness Lodge. The extent to which the overall theme and feel of the place is without equal. The main lobby itself is a thing of grandeur simply to be in awe of. It is situated in it's own forest region, it's on the water, and all of the nearby ammenities (including Fort Wilderness-great for its nightly Campfire Sing-a-Longs and Campfire Movies as well as the Hoop-De-Doo Revue and Mickey's Backyard Barbecue). The Whispering Canyon in the Wilderness Lodge offers amazing food (as well as an endless all-you-can-drink milkshake ^_^) and the upscale Artist Point make this resort a Disney World masterpiece.

I hope this helps you in your decision!
 
Hi there! I stayed at CSR with some girlfriends last Spring, and although I have never stayed at WL I usually do GF which is in the same area...

Pool- We went at night and there were mostly adults. It was not very crowded and is a pretty large size. There are also quiet pools in the other areas and I never saw anyone in those!

Food options- Just ate at Pepper Market

Room- We had 3 adults in our room and it was plenty of room, and we were in the parks most of the day so it was fine.

Better Transportation- My one complaint about CSR is that it is out of that way I feel like. But the bus system was great and was hardly crowded. I guess it just depends on which park you plan on visiting most, as WL would be SO convenient to MK. Not sure when the above poster was last @ CSR, but I was there in March and there were actually 4 different bus stations and one was right outside our area so it was very convenient.

Overall (Taking into account that the WL is $500 more (for total 5 night stay), where would you stay?) I think having a 3 year old I would choose WL because of the proximity to MK and I'm assuming that is where you'd spend most of your time. If you need to go back and forth for naps or a swim it would be very convenient. But CSR is great for the money.
 
Begin a convention resort also works in your favor because it keeps the pool and buses less crowded because those guests are busy working in the convention center. Plus you get perks of a deluxe at mod prices. CSR has a spa, fitness center, salon, live entertainment and more. So it all depends how you look at it. Seeing people working just makes me appreciate my vacation that much more.

Where is the live entertainment?
 
Where is the live entertainment?
I believe it is at the new Rix Lounge located in the main building at CSR.

The new lounge called Rix opened last weekend has offers live entertainment after 9:00pm.

Thanks, Buzz! Do you know if it is family-type entertainment like POR has with Bob Jackson, or adults only?
21 and over.

RIX027.jpg
 
I will be staying at the WL next year for the first time. The price difference may not be as much as you think. I was originally planning to stay in a mod but decided that I really wanted to stay at WL so I was going to pay the difference, but when I called WDW to make my reservation for a standard view room I took the advice of the Unofficial Guide and asked specifically if there were any codes or discounts going on when I would be there that I could use and ended up getting upgraded to a woods view room for about the same price as the mod was going to cost. According to the guide you must ask the reservation people specifically about this because they will never volunteer the info. Good luck and have a great trip whatever you decide.:thumbsup2 Mark
 
We are going on our second family trip. And we choose WL the first time. But my sons....for our second trip are all for WL again. I wanted the PR and they said no. I love the location of WL and the we can go to the CR and hop the monorail. The loved taking the boat to the MK. WE LOVE WL
 














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