Downgrading - CBR, CS, or FW Cabins?

[QueenT]

Well, it looks like we will have to downgrade from 2bdrm at OKW, due to family circumstances. I'm actually kind of excited because I have stayed at villas & offsite & s/d but nowhere else so now I get to try a mod. DH refuses to stay at value, so that's out.

I could really use some advice here. I have reviewed all the info on all of the mod resorts on Deb Willis' site, plus some comments here.

We are a party of 6 (3 adults, 2 juniors, 1 infant), so it will either be a cabin or 2 moderate rooms. Most important to us:

1) relaxing atmosphere
2) not too long a walk from parking lot to room (we will have a car & use it)
3) separation (between us & dd21/dgd18mos)
4) resort stuff to do for all

We are on the dining plan. Any advice is appreciated. I keep flipflopping between these 3, and need to change my ressie asap.

 

[tacomaranch]

We had to downgrade also because my DSS can't come to WDW. We are a smaller group and are staying at the POFQ due to the small size of the resort and the boat ride to DTD. I heard POR is also very nice. We are not value people either but I have thought about it a lot to save money.

If you are just going to be in the parks mostly, why not a value? We have a toddler who has to nap each day so I will see our room more than not.

Good luck,

 

[QueenT]

I would be ok with a value, but for some reason dh does not like them and does not want to stay in them. "Rooms too small" he says. I don't see that huge of a difference in the room size with POR or CS, but CBR & cabins are both much bigger. Of course in the cabin it doesn't really count as bigger since we would stay in just the one cabin instead of 2 rooms, I think sq footage wise it is actually smaller than 2 value rooms, or close to the same size.

To be fair, dh does spend more time in the room than the rest of us, he has problems with his legs and also gets tired.

DD11 has already said she prefers "the cartoon ones".

So, CBR had bigger rooms, and I like the look of the resort. CS has more amenities (DS likes to work out). FW Cabins I also think I would enjoy, and you can take a boat to MK.

 

[Crazy Kanga]

CSR all the way! It is a great resort.

 

[pixistix]

Since you have younger children you may want to consider POFQ...it's a smaller resort...it's quiet and you won't have to walk far no matter where your room is.
Don't feel alone...my DH and I are the same way about values....just won't do them. My in-laws did the values in 2001 while we were at a moderate...they were exhausted from all the walking they had to do.

 

[Buzz2001]

CSR is a large resort that doesn't share services with other resorts and offers some deluxe amenities because it's a convention resort.

CSR offers a salon, spa, workout facility, full menu room service, a courtesy coach to assist in getting to and from the main building, and is the only moderate to offer suites.

If you're on the dining plan, you won't find a better CS spot than the Pepper Market. Huge portions, great choices and tasty food. Lunch/Dinner Menu

CSR is situated around a 15 acre lake and CBR is situated around a 45 acre lake. Great place for a romantic walk romantic walk around the Lago Dorado, across the lighted bridge to the hammocks on the white sandy beach.

CSR has terrific transportation. It doesn't share with any other resort (like POR / POFQ) and it only has 4 bus stops within the resort (vs 7 at CBR). And since CSR is centrally located, you'll have a quick ride to all the parks.

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

CSR is the most central to the 3 parks. See the map below.

Photo by Ducky4Disney

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, and a playground at the main pool area.

Review from mousesavers.com!!

Coronado Springs is my Best Value choice in the Moderate category. It has several advantages compared with the other Moderate resorts. It is newer, so there has been less wear-and-tear on everything. Also, Coronado Springs is a convention hotel, so it has a few extra amenities not offered at the other Moderates, including a salon, a health club and a more upscale food court.

The theming is radically different in the three areas of Coronado Springs. You can request a specific area when booking but there is no guarantee you'll get your request.

• The Spanish-style Casitas at Coronado Springs are very peaceful, with courtyards featuring tiled fountains. Casitas Buildings 1, 3 and 2 (in that order) are the closest to the restaurants and services. Casitas Building 4 contains the salon and health club, if those are important to you.
  
• The Cabanas at Coronado Springs have a beachy Caribbean feeling. Cabanas Building 8A is very close to the feature pool, which may be a blessing (convenience) or a curse (noise, light). Cabanas Building 9B is closest to the marina and relatively convenient to the restaurants and services.
  
• The Ranchos at Coronado Springs feel quiet and secluded -- some would say isolated -- and feature desert landscaping and pueblo-style architecture. They look closest to the main pool on a map, but in actuality they are separated from the rest of the property by a swamp, so it can be a fairly long walk from these buildings to the pool, and a very long walk to the restaurants.

 

[seven dwarfs]

I would do FW first, then CSR.

 

[Antonia]

Check travelocity. I got AKL for only $135 (151 with tax) . You never know what you may find on there.

 

[jlcd]

The cabins allow you to park right at your door. They also have a full kitchen which may be nice with an 18month old. 2 rooms at a mod would give you 2 bathrooms. Just some things to think about that might sway you one way or the other. Good luck with your decision!

 

[Aurora63]

When we stayed at POR this June, the parking was quite close to our room. We were in Magnolia Terrace, but the other buildings were similar (except maybe a few Bayou rooms, but I'm not sure on that.) I loved it there, very peaceful and relaxing.

 

[Demosthenes]

Your four requirements are best met by the FW cabins. They offer room separation, the most convenient parking of any resort, tons of activities for the whole family (nightly camp fire sing-a-longs, free movies, boating, biking, petting zoo, horseback riding, hay rides, carriage rides) and an extremely relaxing atmosphere. In fact, for the four requirements you listed, I can't think of any WDW resort that better suits your family.

 

[Demosthenes]

I forgot to mention that 1 FW Cabin is probably cheaper than two rooms at a moderate. Also, you have boat transportation to the MK, so if you spend a lot of time there, that is really convenient.

 

[MELSMICE]

We've only stayed at FW, deluxes & DVC because we are a party of 5. We joined DVC a few years ago & love staying at OKW. Before that our favorite was FW, so my opinions are centered around where I have stayed.

1) relaxing atmosphere

FW is extremely relaxing. You get your own deck to sit on & also an outdoor grill. You do have to supply your own charcoal & lighter fluid.

2) not too long a walk from parking lot to room (we will have a car & use it)

At FW you park right at your cabin. I think at the mods you park in the lot & walk to your room. Don't know how far you are away from your room. You do have to walk to the bus stops at FW & then take a bus to the Pioneer Hall area to catch the boat to the MK.

3) separation (between us & dd21/dgd18mos)

The cabins do have an extre bedroom & they supply a Pak N' Play. The bedroom has a queen & a bunk. The bed in the "main" room is a pull down Murphy bed, which is real cozy for DH & myself. We are used to a king so it's a tight squeeze for us. You would probably get more privacy with 2 rooms at a mod.

4) resort stuff to do for all

FW has many things to do. You can rent bikes (they have carriers for the toddler). You can rent paddle boats & canoes, along with water mice (or whatever they're called now). They have basketball & volleyball courts through the resort. They have an evening sing-a-long & campfire program. They do not have a spa or workout facility - I think CSR resort does.

The reason we enjoy the cabins is because we also spend a fair amount of time in our room. We enjoy reading the paper on the deck in the morning. We really enjoy having the kitchen facilities.

I would say the downside of the cabins is only 1 bath. Other than that we love it. We drive to all the parks, with the exception of the MK so transportation is not an issue for us.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Skroops]

Although I really enjoyed the cabins, I'd have to vote for CSR. I liked CBR, but I really liked CSR. The only drawbacks to the cabin is that the pull down (murphy) bed wasn't very comfortable to us and with all those adults you only have one bathroom. You could get two cabins...but then that is too much room. CSR is really nice!

 

[Junebugwv]

I have to second the suggestion of POFQ. We've stayed at 5 different resorts and I can not believe how little we have to walk at FQ compared to anywhere else. It would be my hands down fav if it weren't for the full size beds, which you will have at any mod unless you opt for a king room.

 

[Badllamamama]

CSR has better transportation, main pool area and food.

 

[dolphin01]

Another vote for CSR!!!

 

[Lilolvr]

Definitely CSR! Pool, transportation and food are great!! the resort is so beautiful, especially at night!!!

 

[minnie61650]

I would be ok with a value, but for some reason dh does not like them and does not want to stay in them. "Rooms too small" he says. I don't see that huge of a difference in the room size with POR or CS, but CBR & cabins are both much bigger. Of course in the cabin it doesn't really count as bigger since we would stay in just the one cabin instead of 2 rooms, I think sq footage wise it is actually smaller than 2 value rooms, or close to the same size.

To be fair, dh does spend more time in the room than the rest of us, he has problems with his legs and also gets tired.

DD11 has already said she prefers "the cartoon ones".

So, CBR had bigger rooms, and I like the look of the resort. CS has more amenities (DS likes to work out). FW Cabins I also think I would enjoy, and you can take a boat to MK.

A value room is 260 square feet so 2 values = 520 square feet.
A Fw cabin =504 square feet.
So the FW cabin is only 16 suqare feet smaller than 2 value rooms.
The plus of the FW cabin is a full kitchen.
The downside is only 1 bathroom.

POFQ is not as spread out as the other mods or the values.


POR CBR and CSR are very spread out.

The Values are laid out closer together.

The mods have pool slides, a hot tub and a sit down restaurant (POFQ doses not have a sit down restaurant but shares with POR.

There is not much room size difference between a mod and a value.

Here is the layout of a mod.
The bathroom is about the same size as the All Stars but you will have 2 sinks instead of one.

POR room lay out *note CSR does not have a luggage seat.
here is the All Star room layout'

All Star room layout

POFQ,POR,and CSR has 54 square feet more than the value.
That means if both the mod and the value room were 27 feet long than the mod would be 2 feet wider. Just enough room for a double sink instead of a single.

CBR is 340 square feet which means it is 26 square feet bigger than POFQ,POR, and CSR making it maybe half a foot longer and wider than the other mods.
There is not a lot of room size difference.


Here is the layout of the FW cabin.

Have fun wherever you choose to stay!

 

[ConcKahuna]

As a FW guest you actually get access to Sturdy Branches, the health club next door at the WL.