CSR or Wilderness Lodge

[c&m]

We are currently booked into CSR for end of August. However, the more I read reviews of WL and CSR, the more I'm starting to lean towards WL.

Is it worth the extra $700 to upgrade?
Is WL nicer than CSR, even with CSR's refurbished rooms?
Is the food court better at CSR or WL?
Is the pool slide better at CSR or at WL?
Are the rooms clean and updated at WL or are they in need of a refurb?

The pool slide is a big deal because our children are older (13 and a daredevil9) and they want a more exciting slide (for example, the serpent slide at POFQ does nothing for them and the short slide at POR was too flat and not sloped enough).

I'm eager to hear others' experiences with these resorts. Thank you very much!

 

[mef78]

Well, both slides are somewhat short. (Pics of pool slide at WL can be found here). The pool is just plain "cooler" at CSR.

As for rooms, WL rooms are very nice and are not in need of refurb. They have flat screen tvs, queen beds, etc. WL has a more "deluxe" feel--it's all located in one building with the parking lot separate, there's no food court (only a quick service food stop and two full service restaurants), it's closer to MK (with boat service there).

CSR is very nice, and I do like that resort very much, but I'd go with WL. I use the word "grand" to describe it, and it fits. IMHO, it's worth the extra money.

 

[ciera321]

Is it worth the extra $700 to upgrade? If money isn't really an issue, but if you're watching your money (like we all seem to be doing) I'd say stick with the CSR
Is WL nicer than CSR, even with CSR's refurbished rooms? WL is a beautiful resort, we've stayed there twice and loved it... I think both resorts have very nice rooms
Is the food court better at CSR or WL? I'm one who thinks Pepper Market has great variety and good food, WL is just OK
Is the pool slide better at CSR or at WL?The pool at CSR is great including the slide. I think it's much better than WL. The pool at WL in June when we stayed a few years back was very warm and not at all refreshing and the slide is pretty short. We love CSR pool!!!
Are the rooms clean and updated at WL or are they in need of a refurb? WL rooms are very nice since it's not been that long since a rehab...

 

[ty93850]

I can only speak to the WL. Must say it is awsome the slide is a bit small but the pool is ok everytime we have been there our girls liked but they are excited about the bigger slide at the BW Which is were we will be this year. You have been to the other resorts I see in your tag so you know the ins and outs of the bus system. One of the great advantage of the wl is the nonstop boat service to the MK. The Lodge itself is awsome. The they pull of the Northwest lodge verywell. The two ts are good the Whispering Canyon cafe is a fun faimly style loud meal with lots of kids haveing wooden pony races and people yelling for ketchup . The Artist point is a very nice upscale place to have a very nice meal or sit at the bar and relax and have drink with out the kids pulling you. The meals at the ap are also very good. The CS meal is a cafeteria style we have stoped and gotten some breakfast there a few times or some pizza slices nothing to write home about but not bad either. Note the Pool at wl has a bar with waiter service so if you want a nice cool drink by the pool i.

 

[KatMark]

We are currently booked into CSR for end of August. However, the more I read reviews of WL and CSR, the more I'm starting to lean towards WL.

Is it worth the extra $700 to upgrade?
Is WL nicer than CSR, even with CSR's refurbished rooms?
Is the food court better at CSR or WL?
Is the pool slide better at CSR or at WL?
Are the rooms clean and updated at WL or are they in need of a refurb?

The pool slide is a big deal because our children are older (13 and a daredevil9) and they want a more exciting slide (for example, the serpent slide at POFQ does nothing for them and the short slide at POR was too flat and not sloped enough).

I'm eager to hear others' experiences with these resorts. Thank you very much!

I'm not going to suggest which resort you stay at because we've never stayed at the WL and I doubt we ever will--we just do not care for the theme at all (not into log cabin type theme with woodsy area, etc.).

As for reviews, you are going to read good reviews and bad reviews of every resort. I've read two bad reviews of CSR today alone (and it is MY FAVORITE Disney resort) which have upset me; however, I've also read six or more great reviews of CSR. You are going to have good mousekeeping/bad mousekeeping, good food/bad food, good CM's/bad CM's at any resort. I belong to several other forums and I'm trying to find a review that someone recently did of their stay at the Poly. It makes the CSR and the CBR and others sound like the elite of all resorts.

Only you can decide what is best for you.

 

[thesupersmartguy]

I have stayed at most of the deluxes, and I find CSR to be comparable.

 

[iloveeeyore]

The idea of "worth" is so subjective. For us, the price of WL was "worth" every penny we paid, but it's impossible for anyone but you to determine the value of that $700 for you.

None of the deluxe resorts have food courts. WL has a very nice but very small CS restaurant, Roaring Fork. It suited our family's needs perfectly for the few lunches and breakfasts we ate at the resort. We found the food to be of high quality and reasonable price, though the selections were limited, we always found something good. I have never stayed at CSR, but I believe that the offerings at the Pepper Market are much more extensive (I think also much more expensive).

The pool at WL was beautiful, lovely landscaping and very perfectly themed...but the slide was pretty lame. From what I've read on these boards, I'd have to give CSR the edge when it comes to the pool...Dig Site looks way cool!

The rooms at WL are very nice, beautiful furniture, again, perfectly themed. The big difference in the rooms at WL are the inside corridors (more deluxe feel for me, anyway) and the private balcony or patio. We really used our balcony a lot and appreciate the value in that!

Whatever you decide, have a magical time!

 

[tinkbyday]

I have not stayed at CSR, but really loved our stay at WL. I thought the resort had that "Wow" factor when you entered. Roarin Forks isn't a food court but more like a quick breakfast/lunch type place - grab and go. The food was excellent when we stayed here.

As for the water slide - it is very boring - especially for older kids. The pool is nice but I did think it was a bit small for the size of the resort. I thought it looked much bigger in the pictures than in person.

Whether it is worth the money is really a personal choice. I prefer the deluxes and would pay the extra as long as I could afford to. I like the indoor corridors, sit down restaurants, transportation options other than bus, theming, etc.

When we stayed I thought the rooms were fine - not really needing a refurb - but honestly, of the places we have stayed, I have yet to stay in a room that really felt "deluxe". Well, maybe the Swan did

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I would go with the Wilderness Lodge because I like their overall location and I think Coronado Springs is located in the middle of no where because they have nothing around it. Finally I like like their theme better and with the Wilderness Lodge you get more transportation options.

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

We have stayed at both. We enjoyed our stays at both. I would definitely pick WL over CSR. It's not that there is anything bad about CSR at all, we liked it there very much, it's just that WL is magnificent and the close proximity to MK makes you feel more like you a very much a part of Disney World. To me, that is worth it.

So to answer your questions:

Is it worth the extra $700 to upgrade?

If you have the money to do so, I would lean towards yes, I would pay $700 more for WL - wow, though, I didn't realize there was that much of a difference.

Is WL nicer than CSR, even with CSR's refurbished rooms?

If you compare rooms to rooms, they are probably pretty much the same as far as space and furnishings, but comparing the lodge itself to CSR as a resort in whole, well, WL is really something, imo. I feel so close to being wrapped up in the Disney experience at WL. CSR is a very pretty resort with a nice theme, but it's just not the lodge.

Is the food court better at CSR or WL? Imo, no. We pretty much got things to go at the Pepper Market. They have a mandatory fee for eating inside, yet it is still a food court. They do have awesome pizza though. We would get it to go and eat outside or in our AC cool room. While WL might not have a huge selection, it did suit our needs. We enjoyed it. It was quaint and the CMs were very nice during our stay.

Is the pool slide better at CSR or at WL? They might be about the same. I'll tell you, all the resort slides are tame. You won't find anything daring about them. The water parks will make up for that though. CSR's pool is bigger. It can accomodate everyone. We always found a place to sit. WL's pool is smaller, it could get crowded and we could never find a place to sit. I think it has a lot of pool hoppers and no one enforces that, as far as I can tell. Still, standing in the WL pool and looking up at that magnificent lodge... it was very special. Swimming there right near Bay Lake.... so nice.

CSR had excellent bus service during our stay. I would stay there again, but between the two resorts, it is WL hands down for us.

Have fun whatever you decide!

 

[Amy&Dan]

I would go with the Wilderness Lodge because I like their overall location and I think Coronado Springs is located in the middle of no where because they have nothing around it. Finally I like like their theme better and with the Wilderness Lodge you get more transportation options.

I hate to sound like I am disagreeing, but I am! You being a CR lover obvioulsy enjoy the MK location of that resort and others. However, I would hardly say CSR is in the middle of nowhere. Its very close to AK and Blizzard Beach, its on property for heaven's sake and it doesn't have shared busses. WL will have the boat to MK but share busses to the other parks. So while you get a boat and a bus, the shared aspect of the busses is hardly a selling point. I have stayed in all areas of WDW (MK, Epoct resorts, DTD area, the values you name it) and CSR is a good location. Frankly all the WDW resorts are in good locations, since again, any WDW resort is after all on WDW property.

OP: Extra money this day in age is not a bad thing. I have not stayed at WL , it looks lovely. I do think CSR has quite a lot to offer in the moderate category. Spa, room service, full service restaurant, queen beds and a nightclub all make it a very good deal. Only you can decide which resort in the end will be the better choice. They are both completely different, thus very hard to compare.

I have stayed at deluxe's (again, not WL) and I can say that CSR is no shabby distant relative to a deluxe! It does have the exterior corridors but the extensive grounds, incredible main pool and the several quiet pools all make it seem very nice. If you can swing the extra money WL might be your choice. However if you want a great resort at a cheaper price than CSR is a winner.

And I have swam at the WL (we are DVC and we are allowed to pool hop). Its slide is nowhere as near as good as CSR's in my opinion. I also think the Pepper Market has so much more selection than Roaring Forks. Now for fine dining, clearly Artist Pointe is the better choice over Maya Grill (but I do enjoy Maya Grill). But for quick serve as far as variety, CSR wins hands down. And if you are on the DDP, Pepper Market is probably the best deal on property. They have a steak on the dinner menu at PM, so for a cs credit, you get quite the meal!

I think one of the best selling points to any of the mods or values is the food court. We really miss those when we stay deluxe!

Good luck with your choice, you cannot make a bad one.

 

[Queenofthecastle]

I agree that WL has a more Disney feel to it and to me it really feels like the resort vacation experience. To me it's worth the extra money, but then again we go about every other year so we have time to save up. If it were me, I'd figure out a way to make that extra $700 some how...garage sale, side job, overtime, or cut back on spending, especially eating out.

I also wanted to mention that CSR is a convention hotel as well so there will be business travelers there at times.

 

[Pinkpony]

We were choosing between the very same resorts just a few days ago, WL or CSR. We ended up choosing WL, but I think we'd enjoy CSR too.

 

[pepe of ohio]

CSR= 1, WL=10+. We do not like motel style resorts such as CSR, prefer interior halls and a resort all under one roof. WL is shaped like a big "U", with the pool in the center, either side, short walk to the pool, equal walk to the lobby, all around a compact resort. CSR is and end to end resort, different buildings with the pool at one end. Huge parking lot that separates the resort from the different bus stops. Our one stay at CSR was before the pool refurb so I can't comment but WL pool suits us fine. We prefer queen beds, like a morning newspaper at our door, like the balconies, enjoy the boat to the MK and FW and the EWP at night. There's something about being on the water and having different modes of transportation that makes WL the resort for us regardless of the cost.

 

[jlcd]

We have stayed at WL tiwce and recently got back from our first stay at CSR. My thoughts....


Is it worth the extra $700 to upgrade? If money is not an issue at all then go for it.. For us we were looking at the same amt and could not justify it this year. The money we saved pretty much paid for our food for the week.

Is WL nicer than CSR, even with CSR's refurbished rooms? I found the actual rooms to be comparable. Both are nice. They are about the same size. WL does have the balcony which I did miss at CSR

Is the food court better at CSR or WL? We prefer WL. Not as many choices as CSR but the prices are better and we liked the sanwiches and salads better. CSR has MUCH better coffee!

Is the pool slide better at CSR or at WL? CSR has a much better slide and pool in my opinoin. We found the pool at WL to be way overcroweded. We could barely find a chair in the afternoon which is very annoying when you are paying deluxe rates. The CSR pool is huge and we could always find a place to sit.

Are the rooms clean and updated at WL or are they in need of a refurb? Again, we liked the rooms at both reosrts.

Have a great time wherever you decide. We would stay at either resort again without hesitation. Grounds are beautiful at both, just different. Bus service was about the same in terms of how long we waited, but I did like that CSR did not stop at any other resorts. I do think my kids would pick CSR if given a choice becuase they liked the pool that much more.

 

[KatMark]

For one of the previous posters, FYI...the CSR now has Queen beds. And the pool at the CSR is MUCH bigger than the pool at the WL. For us, the CSR is a 10 and the WL is about a 5. We've no desire to stay at the WL--the resort is beautiful, but if I wanted to go to the woods, I'd go out west or something, and we prefer the outdoor walkways to enjoy the weather. Plus, in seven stays I've never had a rude CM at the CSR; I've visited the WL twice, once to see the resort when it was first done and last year to eat at the WCC. On both occasions, we talked to very rude CM's at the restaurant and at the front desk.

You also can have just as long a walk from one area of a deluxe to a pool or food as you do at the CSR or the CBR.

Until our kids are out of college, we see no reason to pay Disney prices for a deluxe. And, in today's economy, a lot of people can't afford a deluxe (or even a moderate). We've had to cancel our trip all together.

That's what so great about Disney--something for everyone. Those who love indoor corridors, have to have a balcony, etc. and for those who want an outdoor corridor, larger pool, etc.

 

[Amy&Dan]

For one of the previous posters, FYI...the CSR now has Queen beds. And the pool at the CSR is MUCH bigger than the pool at the WL. For us, the CSR is a 10 and the WL is about a 5. We've no desire to stay at the WL--the resort is beautiful, but if I wanted to go to the woods, I'd go out west or something, and we prefer the outdoor walkways to enjoy the weather. Plus, in seven stays I've never had a rude CM at the CSR; I've visited the WL twice, once to see the resort when it was first done and last year to eat at the WCC. On both occasions, we talked to very rude CM's at the restaurant and at the front desk.

You also can have just as long a walk from one area of a deluxe to a pool or food as you do at the CSR or the CBR.

Until our kids are out of college, we see no reason to pay Disney prices for a deluxe. And, in today's economy, a lot of people can't afford a deluxe (or even a moderate). We've had to cancel our trip all together.

That's what so great about Disney--something for everyone. Those who love indoor corridors, have to have a balcony, etc. and for those who want an outdoor corridor, larger pool, etc.

Kathy I am so bummed you and Mark had to cancel your trip. It really puts things into perspective doesn't it? I guess WDW will be there always and one of these days those boys will be out of college!

I so agree about the long corrdiors. I was shocked at BW how much we walked. But I agree, WDW thankfully has something for everyone.

 

[plutospup]

We've stayed at CSR twice, and WL twice. Both times were great experiences.

Now that CSR has queen beds I like their rooms, however, WL has bunk bed rooms which my family likes.

Quick Serve - Pepper Market hands down - especially if you are on the dining plan. Not that Roaring Forks is bad, it's just we like Pepper Market so much more.

Pool- CSR has a much better slide, and the pool area is very nice. I prefer the hot tub at WL - great place to relax with a wonderful view!

We prefer indoor corridors of WL to the outside entry of CSR.

CSR is very convenient to Blizzard Beach, AK, EPCOT, and DHS. We really liked that WL was a boat ride away from MK, or restaurants at CR and FW. WL is a walk, boat or bike ride away from Fort Wilderness and the trail rides, and Hoop De Doo Review.

The grounds are beautifully landscaped at both resorts. The lobby at WL is outstanding.

Parking - We parked literally steps away from our room at CSR. Loved it!!!!! Very convenient. Never heard parking lot noise, though. WL seemed like a long hot walk to the car

Why did we stay at CSR instead of WL? Saved $700, and still had a great time. It's worth is totally up to you. Good luck in making your choice!

 

[c&m]

For one of the previous posters, FYI...the CSR now has Queen beds. And the pool at the CSR is MUCH bigger than the pool at the WL. For us, the CSR is a 10 and the WL is about a 5. We've no desire to stay at the WL--the resort is beautiful, but if I wanted to go to the woods, I'd go out west or something, and we prefer the outdoor walkways to enjoy the weather. Plus, in seven stays I've never had a rude CM at the CSR; I've visited the WL twice, once to see the resort when it was first done and last year to eat at the WCC. On both occasions, we talked to very rude CM's at the restaurant and at the front desk.

You also can have just as long a walk from one area of a deluxe to a pool or food as you do at the CSR or the CBR.

Until our kids are out of college, we see no reason to pay Disney prices for a deluxe. And, in today's economy, a lot of people can't afford a deluxe (or even a moderate). We've had to cancel our trip all together.

That's what so great about Disney--something for everyone. Those who love indoor corridors, have to have a balcony, etc. and for those who want an outdoor corridor, larger pool, etc.

Sorry to hear about your trip being cancelled. That is truly disappointing, especially when it's a Disney trip. Our DDs are still young so we don't have college tuitions to worry about YET.

Thank you all for your responses. I guess I am really keen on WL because it was a resort DH and I wandered through and fell in love with in August 1995 before we had kids. We were poor and were staying at the Days Inn somewhere outside the resort. (My DH had surprised me with the trip because it was the last trip for a while as we were about to have our first child.) We were wowed by the resort and wished we had the money to stay at WL and said "umm...one day". But remembering the lean times, $700 is still money that can be stashed away for a rainy day.

 

[tlynk]

I've stayed at both and I would choose WL. DH disagrees and likes CSR better. He thought the beds were more comfy. I like the indoor corridors vs. outdoor corridors, and I like the WL theme. If money is not an issue- I would upgrade in a heart beat. However, CSR is very nice and I would love to stay there again!