First Stay @ CSR - HELP!

[enigmaMN]

Hello Everyone,

As you can probably tell by my signature, we are DVC members and haven't planned a stay at a non DVC resort in a very long time, however the winter chill and great deals from Disney have lead to a sort of last minute (for us anyway) trip.

We'll be staying at CSR from 3/18 - 3/22. We are staying in a King room and have requested a water view, but I really don't know if that's a good request or if I should be more specific, etc. I'm fairly clueless about CSR as it's the only moderate I've never stayed at before.

I've read the FAQ thread but still not sure what I should request, etc. Actually, I don't even know how to make a request ahead of time.. LOL! So any guidance you can give me would be AWESOME!

PS: From what I've seen I think we'll like the Casitas, but I'm open to anything... suggestions please!

 

[KellyNY]

Hello Everyone,

As you can probably tell by my signature, we are DVC members and haven't planned a stay at a non DVC resort in a very long time, however the winter chill and great deals from Disney have lead to a sort of last minute (for us anyway) trip.

We'll be staying at CSR from 3/18 - 3/22. We are staying in a King room and have requested a water view, but I really don't know if that's a good request or if I should be more specific, etc. I'm fairly clueless about CSR as it's the only moderate I've never stayed at before.

I've read the FAQ thread but still not sure what I should request, etc. Actually, I don't even know how to make a request ahead of time.. LOL! So any guidance you can give me would be AWESOME!

PS: From what I've seen I think we'll like the Casitas, but I'm open to anything... suggestions please!

If I am not wrong, king bed and water view room is a different price, did you actualy book them? Also, even partial view of any pool will be a water view, you are not guaranteed lake view, if I am correct.

 

[enigmaMN]

If I am not wrong, king bed and water view room is a different price, did you actualy book them? Also, even partial view of any pool will be a water view, you are not guaranteed lake view, if I am correct.

Yes, we did book a King room - paid a very slightly higher rate.. less then $50 for the entire trip. DVC has spoiled us.. we love the king bed in the 1BR villas we usually stay in. The CM requested lake view - specifically noted we didn't want pool view. So we'll see. I'd actually be okay with pool view.. more concerned with location...

 

[Luv2Roam]

Water view could be pool or lagoon view.
I paid extra for a water view once and can't say it was a factor worth mentioning. You will still have a outside hallway/walkway. And when we were there in a January, it was cold outside, and the window was 100% misted and fogged over.

 

[BraveLittleToaster2]

Water View does indeed cost more. So paying for a standard room and requesting water isn't likely to get you water view. You would have to make a reservation specifically FOR a waterview room.

We are going to CSR for the first time as well and are just going to askupon check-in to be closer to the main pool as our children will likely use it frequently.

All the sections seem nice...sometimes I find it better to just take what I get upon check-in. Sometimes I've been pleasantly surprised with an area of a resort that I didn't initially think I wanted.

Good Luck!!

 

[enigmaMN]

Water View does indeed cost more. So paying for a standard room and requesting water isn't likely to get you water view. You would have to make a reservation specifically FOR a waterview room.

We are going to CSR for the first time as well and are just going to askupon check-in to be closer to the main pool as our children will likely use it frequently.

All the sections seem nice...sometimes I find it better to just take what I get upon check-in. Sometimes I've been pleasantly surprised with an area of a resort that I didn't initially think I wanted.

Good Luck!!

King rooms and water view are in the same pricing category. They both had a slightly higher identical rate. (Added less than $50 to the total cost)

We will get a king bed no matter what - and the CM indicated that the vast majority of king rooms are water view rooms. I don't care either way... just form the looks I think I'd like to stay in the casitas area.

 

[Luv2Roam]

The CM requested lake view - specifically noted we didn't want pool view.

I took this to mean they also booked a water view.
If a water view was not booked, then I would not count on one. It may or may not happen.

 

[enigmaMN]

So... just to set it straight...

We booked a king bed. Requested water view. I personally am not overly concerned about view. Just want tips, etc. about the resort.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Great resort. I think you will really like it. We have stayed twice. The last visit being mid November. Loved the sliding door panel separating the sink area.
Very nice decor, and lovely property.
I also think a water view there could even cover a courtyard view (fountains). Which would not be bad either.

 

[enigmaMN]

Great resort. I think you will really like it. We have stayed twice. The last visit being mid November. Loved the sliding door panel separating the sink area.
Very nice decor, and lovely property.
I also think a water view there could even cover a courtyard view (fountains). Which would not be bad either.

Thank you! What section of the resort did you stay in? We're hoping for a relaxing/semi quiet get away.

From everything I've seen it does look beautiful. I can't wait to get there!

 

[Luv2Roam]

Twice -- and both times by chance in Casitas 4.
We have our own car. So any location would have been fine for us. Without a car I would say I would not appreciate being in the furthest corner.
The only bad location I can think of is our first stay (back in 2001, I think) we noticed not far from us, on the other side of the building was a constant comings and goings of commercial vehicles. (At night the huge laundry trucks were not exactly quiet.) We both commented we were glad not to be over that area. So maybe having that water view room paid off.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Oh -- we have been at CSR on Christmas Eve too. (Not staying there then. Just visiting/eating.)
Very festive. Santa was in the check in area. And Mickey and Minnie were in the fountain entrance. Also there was free cookies and cider and hot chocolate for all at that location too!

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

We stayed in Ranchos 7B last spring and couldn't have been popular, but that building would take you out of the water view! It was seconds to walk to the Dig Site (remember CSR has the biggest hot tub on property!) and a couple minute walk to the busses.

It was a super quiet resort, the rooms were really nice! The baths only have 1 sink, but it's managable.

Good luck with your trip! CSR is a nice place to get away.

 

[enigmaMN]

Twice -- and both times by chance in Casitas 4. We have our own car. So any location would have been fine for us. Without a car I would say I would not appreciate being in the furthest corner.
The only bad location I can think of is our first stay (back in 2001, I think) we noticed not far from us, on the other side of the building was a constant comings and goings of commercial vehicles. (At night the huge laundry trucks were not exactly quiet.) We both commented we were glad not to be over that area. So maybe having that water view room paid off.

Thank, you! I think I'll definitely put in a request for the Casitas area. Now this is a dumb question - but how do I make that request? I see mentions of faxing it to the resort, or should I call CRO? If faxing, where do I find the number?

Oh -- we have been at CSR on Christmas Eve too. (Not staying there then. Just visiting/eating.)
Very festive. Santa was in the check in area. And Mickey and Minnie were in the fountain entrance. Also there was free cookies and cider and hot chocolate for all at that location too!

We'll be at AKV/SSR for the holidays this year. We plan on checking out the resort decorations, etc. but hadn't thought of the mods. We'll have to stop by CSR as well!

We stayed in Ranchos 7B last spring and couldn't have been popular, but that building would take you out of the water view! It was seconds to walk to the Dig Site (remember CSR has the biggest hot tub on property!) and a couple minute walk to the busses.

It was a super quiet resort, the rooms were really nice! The baths only have 1 sink, but it's managable.

Good luck with your trip! CSR is a nice place to get away.

Thank you! I'm very excited... well mostly to leave the arctic tundra I call home!

 

[dansyr2514]

My personal favorite areas are cabanas and casitas. Ranchos just don't appeal to me. I like casitas 5 or cabanas 9 or 8. Ranchos are the furthest away from El Centro. I love CSR...we are staying there for 3 nights and 4 nights at Beach Club. I would just call Disney reservations and ask they they note in on your reservation if you have a special request for an area.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Just make your request on the res when you book. Of course it is nothing more than a request. If you already booked, just call and add the request to the res.

We also make a point of going to the GF at least once in the afternoon during the holiday season. Besides the gingerbread house, the valet area toasts up and hands out roasted chestnuts.

 

[KellyNY]

We stayed there twice but I do not remember what they called this location, it was on the opposite from main pool side, quiet a walk. If we stay there again, I would aim at the location between main pool and food court. Remember those 2 locations are on opposite sides and pretty far from each other. I am not sure if in between locations are preffered locations, which is not the same as water view or king, it is a bit complicated when you want to combine requests, good luck.

 

[KatMark]

King rooms are spread out throughout the resort -- in the Casitas, the Cabanas and the Ranchos. We have stayed in the Casitas seven times and the Cabanas once (we've never done the Ranchos and plan to request it next time). We always make our request when we make our reservation so that it is noted there. We love Casitas 4 and 5 -- close to the quiet pool, the fitness center/spa and about a five minute walk to the main building and about eight minutes to the main pool. If your request for a water view is granted, you could have a view of the quiet pool, a courtyard with a fountain or the lake...it all really depends.

Hope you have a wonderful trip.

 

[BrittanyBB]

We stayed at CSR in December for our Honeymoon. We got a king bed and ended up getting a water view room of the lake. I had faxed in a request about 3 days before our arrival for Casitas 4 and that's exactly what we got. We found the walk to the food court longer than we had anticipated but it wasn't horrible. The pool wasn't far from our room either so it was nice. There was also a bus stop close by as well.