CSR vs.POR/FQ

[Linzybrooke]

My hubby and I are planning a trip to Disney World in June and are looking for info on Port Orleans and Coronado Springs. We have read a million reviews but are really curious to hear what people have to say about them; particularly people who have stayed at both and can provide us with some comparison information.

I have already checked out Buzz2001's site for CSR and it rocks! Does anyone have a site for Port Orleans?

Thanks!

 

[Buzz2001]

Just me (CSR), Epcotfan (CSR) and tikiman (Poly). These are the only 3 that I know of right now.

You know which one I love!

You choosen between 2 resorts that are totally opposite. POFQ is a small resort with shared services; restaurants, buses. CSR is a large resort that does not share services with other resorts and even offers some deluxe amenities because it is a convention resort.

CSR offers a salon, a spa, a gym that even other moderates do not offer. CSR offers an internal shuttle system provided by golf carts to assist in getting to and from the main building to the villages. Again, it is not a perfect system but it is something not offered at other resorts.

CSR has terrific transportation. It is not share with any other resort (like POR / POFQ) and it only has 4 bus stops within the resort (vs 8 at CBR).

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

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, a playground and kiddie pool at the main pool area.

Photo by Ducky4Disney

It will come down to your tastes. Good luck deciding!

 

[dixiedizfan]

I've stayed at those and Coronado Springs and PO Riverside are both gorgeous. Both resorts have their good and bad points so it would come down to the theming you prefer, as general room size and amenities are about the same. They're both large and spread out but have great main pools and several quiet pools. POR has the boat to Downtown Disney, and CSR is home to the wonderful Pepper Market food court. Both have excellent landscaping, but if you're going in the spring/summer, POR would have to get my vote. And if you're adding PO French Quarter into the mix, it's pretty but not gorgeous like the other two. It is a lot smaller and compact though, which makes for much easier navigating to and from the food court and pool.

 

[Linzybrooke]

How was the transportation for Riverside though? I've heard that since it is second the list it is often full or standing room only and you have to wait for the next bus to come along...

 

[TweetieSC4]

I've stayed at both - see my signature. My DH and I loved both resorts. I think for a June stay, I would choose CSR. We just did POFQ in Sept. It was off season, so the sharing of the buses with POR wasn't bad. During peak season though.... that could be rough. POFQ was very romantic and the recently refurbished rooms were beautiful. CSR is gorgeous during the evenings (the lights off the lake are so pretty) and very romantic. I think you'd be really happy there. A lot of people with kids shy away because it is a convention resort, but we didn't have any problem. CSR has a big hot tub and you can see from the pool pics, that the pool area is really neat. Make sure you take everyone's advice and request a room near the pool!

 

[Linzybrooke]

Thanks TweetieSC4

 

[scottstarla]

My hubby and I are planning a trip to Disney World in June and are looking for info on Port Orleans and Coronado Springs. We have read a million reviews but are really curious to hear what people have to say about them; particularly people who have stayed at both and can provide us with some comparison information.

I have already checked out Buzz2001's site for CSR and it rocks! Does anyone have a site for Port Orleans?

Thanks!

What is Buzz2001's site?

 

[manticore]

The first time we stayed on property, I did a lot of research on here and on Buzz's site. We ended up at was at CSR and we loved it. We then tried POR for something different. The last few times we have ended up at POR. My personal favorite is CSR, my wife prefers POR, she always wins.

As others have mentioned the transportation at CSR is the best, POR can be tough especially after breakfast time and at closing time. You will find yourself standing on busses alot. We didn't really wait all that much just at closing. As far as the Pepper market vs POR food court. I personally liked the Pepper market for the choices, however it is much more expensive and you can't use DDE there. Since our last trip as well and our upcoming one are kind of budget trips, POR won out. We spend a lot of time at the resort and eat there often. This year we will have seven people in our party and the DDE I got for last years trip will save us a good amount of money this year too.

All in all, I find the two resorts are very similar in many ways, ie: rooms size, resort size, recreation etc. It really does come down to the theming and your preference. Good luck on your decision, but either way you can't lose.

 

[Buzz2001]

What is Buzz2001's site?

Click on my link below

 

[DisneyJen0504]

We LOVE CSR!! It has such beautiful grounds and theming, comfortable rooms, awesome pools, best buses ever!! Plus, the food court is great!

 

[my2littlebuckeyes]

What does DDE stand for? It is not listed in the abreviations page...

 

[Buzz2001]

What does DDE stand for? It is not listed in the abreviations page...

Disney Dining Experience

 

[Selket]

I've stayed at POFQ and CSR and both are beautiful. POFQ is small and it is very easy to walk to anything there. We stayed there when my son was 2 yrs old - a good resort for folks with young children - the pool theme appeals to kids as well. I've read that folks thing POFQ is romantic for couples and with the gaslights at night I can see that! You also have the boat to downtown Disney.

My biggest complaint about CSR was just the walk to get to everything - some think it isn't bad but I guess I'm one that found it a hassle to walk so far to the pool (our room was about as far away from the main pool as it could be). I was tired from all the walking at the parks - didn't want to walk so much and heaven forbid you get to the pool and forget something in your room! We didn't have much luck with the internal golf cart shuttle thing - it usually was full when it passed us by.

Bus service at POFQ and CSR was both excellent. I haven't been to POR so no comment on that. I think you can't go wrong with either. If you like to walk (or would enjoy a jog around the lake for exercise in the morning) then CSR. If you'd prefer a smaller, more intimate resort then POFQ. I'd stay at either again (staying at CSR in 2007 for a conference but I'd pick POFQ personally).

 

[momof2inPA]

I've been to all three, and the only I would really avoid is POR, Alligator Bayou section (the mansions section at POR, however, is lovely).

Comparisons:
POFQ has the best rooms
CSR has the best food and dining ambience-- by far
Pools are about the same
CSR has much better bus transportation
POFQ and POR have the lovely boat ride to Downtown Disney
POFQ is nice and shady (which might be a good thing in June) and the piped in music is wonderful
Waterviews from all resorts can be really pretty, so you might want to splurge for a waterview room
CSR had tons of towel animals when we were there
CSR is more spread out and the internal shuttle is unreliable, so you will be walking A LOT
POR has all the boat rentals that you can take to downtown Disney

 

[bytheblood]

I love POFQ. Small, intimate, quiet, fantastic bus service, nice staff, comfy rooms....i really like it a lot.

 

[jmay127]

I would not stay at POR ever again though at this point I will probably never stay onsite again. We stayed Nov2004 when they were in the midst of adding fridges and updating the rooms. Unfortunately, we got an old room in desperate need of help (peeling wallpaper, mold on wall in bathroom, a disgusting big black stain on carpet that I covered w/a towel, had to call 3x for fridge etc). I would have requested a room change but 2 ds and dh had already unpacked by time I got back w/refillable mugs and just wanted to get to parks. Friday morning 5 yr old ds woke up vomiting w/horrible cramps. We were supposed to check out and they did allow us a later time as we were driving back to NC. DS was violently ill the whole trip (yes, called dr and even looked at stopping for the night). Chalked it up to a bug. Then Sunday dh gets sick and then I do to the point of having an ambulance take me to hospital as cannot stop getting sick and blood pressure dropping too low from dehydration. Stayed in hospital 2 days (with an HMO!) while they ran every possible test (6k bill). Final diagnosis - "cruise ship illness" - i.e. where they turn rooms over too quickly. I was advised by hospital to alert disney. I called Disney to advise and was told no problems there and rooms are clean. Then wrote Disney about it and send pics of filthy room and health concerns for other visitors- 2x with no response...

 

[Linzybrooke]

I'm really sorry to hear that! I've stayed at various resorts several times and have never had a problem. Sorry you were disapointed with Disney!

 

[jmay127]

Linzybrooke-

Thanks for the kind words...we've traveled all over the country & never had anything happen like that before. The Disney part itself was good minus the occasional glitches everyone deals with but this was just a double whammy. We splurged to stay onsite (our first time ever) and experience all the madness mentioned above then no response from disney. Very disappointing. If I even mention going to Disney again someday my youngest ds, now 6, says he doesn't want to go and get sick like that again...

 

[Linzybrooke]

jmay127

My first onsite experience also left something to be desired. We stayed at CBR and while no one got sick or anything that serious we had horrible interactions with the entire cast of the resort. I won't go back there unless its free. I got the same response from my complaints, or lack of response in actuallity. Since then, however, it has been nothing but the best. I hope if you ever make it back you have a great time and it makes up for the first one!!!

 

[jmay127]

Linzeybrooke -

Thanks again and sorry you had a bad first experiece too. Good luck with your new trip! We had wanted to try CSR but they were booked solid so took our second choice POR. I have read only one bad experience at CSR with all the rest positively adoring the resort to the point of making their return trips there. One nice thing about POR was being able to take the boat to downtown disney but learn from my mistake - if the room is nasty ask to be changed immediately.

Here's to happy planning and a wonderful trip...