Is Anyone Else Overwhelmed by the Size of Mods?

[Lollipop's Mom]

Quick backstory...
We are going to the world for the first time in 8 years. We live on the west coast and going to DL is much more managable than WDW. I am a single working mom, and have worked a 2nd job for this trip (and darn hard for it too!).
Coming up with $3500 for a trip has not been easy. We are going for 10 days and to say we are excited is an understatement! (some may say how do you come up with $3500 for 2 people at the pop - well it does - hotel/tics/basic dining is $2100, air is about $800 from the west coast and spending $, hotel pre-flight, spending...yah it adds up).

I have booked the Pop preferred room. We are definately used to nicer hotels. Due to my line of work, we often get put up in 4-5 star highrise hotels, and are used to our room service and quiet hotel rooms. We are NOT hotel snobs at all, and will stay at a days inn when needed for a quick overnight trip somewhere. Done this many times.

My budget does allow for only a value resort, but if a code comes out we can move up to a mod....but looking at maps,etc... Im not sure I want to...
The size of them OVERWHELMS ME! It looks like you could spend more time getting around the resort just to go grab a drink or breakfast or whatever than you would in a preferred at the values. After long days in the park, the thought of walking another 10 mins to our room, then getting into our swimsuits and walking another 10 mins to the feature pool, then back to the room, then back out to the bus to go out for the evening or whatever.....it just seems so overwhelming to me.
Does anyone else feel this way? As much as I would love the theming and relaxation of a mod, the whole size issue just freaks me out!
Or is putting up with the size a good trade off for not dealing with the crowds/noise of a value?

 

[Sammie]

Actually POFQ is very small and compact. The others while spread out, are really not as large in person as they seem on the maps.

I don't find them to be any harder to manage size wise than the values.

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

Thanks. Right now my dates are sold at at POFQ, but just by ONE day. And of course I have all my ADRs and don't want to try switching everything....will be a total pain.
I was looking at POR. How far is it 'really' from the AB rooms beside the food court over to ol' man island? It looks very far on the map.

 

[Pakey]

I agree POFQ is not large at all. My DH and I had decided one time to try a mod instead of a deluxe to see if we felt the price diff on the deluxes was worth what it cost each time. I did my research and there was a lot of feedback regarding POFQ being small, quiet, etc. We found the resort to be quite charming and enjoyed morning strolls looking at the fountains. There was only one pool there and one bus stop. It was a quick walk to get to the pool and also to the bus stop. The bus did also stop at POR, which has several bus stops, but POFQ is the first stop so there was always rooms on the bus.

Good luck on finding a discount. I too feel the pain of those west coast airfare costs. We are a group of 8 (now 9 for next trip) and the best rate I've ever found from where we live is $600 per person. Sometimes we have to make the 4 hour drive to LA and fly from there to get a decent rate.

 

[melomouse]

Hi Lollipop!
I hear you on the hard work and planning - I'm a widowed mom of 2 and our 10 days at WDW was $4100 with tix and DDP at a deluxe - lol - and I thought that was a good deal! Puts things in perspective, right??
Anyway - we have always stayed mods and when I can afford it, WL. My first choice on the mods is always POFQ because of the smaller size, followed by POR if you get in the right building - closer to the food courts and bus stops. When you don't have another adult with you, these points seem to take on more importance. For some - "long wlk" is relative. Factor in two kids, tiredness, and 105 heat index, and it becomes critical.
I'd look for the code if you can get it and do a smaller and shadier resort. CSR looks beautiful from the pics - but no shade and sprawling. Ditto CBR. Someone will correct me on this, I'm sure, just my sense... Even at POR, which is twice the size of POFQ, you travel shaded paths with water and animals and it's not as bad. Mods rooms are bigger, the property is shadier and there's more to do on "off" days.
So much is about knowing who you and your kids are and how the vacation will "flow". Sounds like you are right on with this. And I'm not a hotel snob, either, and I have not ever stayed at a value BUT...I think I feel safer at a mod or a deluxe than I would at the values. A thread was just on here about letting kids go to the food court or arcade unaccompanied. While you don't say how old your kids are, I know that on the mod and deluxe properties at WDW, I feel perfectly safe letting DS (my Asperger's kid who will be 16 on the next trip) and even DD(11) go to the food court or arcade with cell phones. DS has been doing this at mods since he was 11.
Off soapbox and flame suit on - but I hear your concerns and I applaud your work to plan this awesome trip!! let us know what you finally do!

 

[Nwfdrool]

We just got back from 6 days at POFQ and I really liked that resort. It is what everyone on here described it to be: small, quiet, charming and within short walking distance to everything on property. I had requested building 4 since I knew it was the closest building to the bus stop. Having two small children and a double stroller with us, being close to the bus stop was key. It was literally a two minute walk from the bus stop back to our room. Our room faced the parking lot and we could see the bus stop. The counter service restaurant was right next door as was the front lobby. Pool was just around the corner, laundry room, play ground, and just beyond that was the boat launch to DTD. Lots of trees and shade. I was very pleased with our stay and would go back to POFQ again. The kids had a blast at the pool with the very cool serpent slide.

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

My DD is a very mature 11 yr old. And yah, having her off running here and there on her own is always a concern for me - but have to say it would be a concern anywhere. Maybe someone will cancel at POFQ and I can grab a room there. We are going Jan 2-12 and its booked solid, but from Jan 3-13 its open. I have to figure at 45 days out some availability will pop open!

 

[Sammie]

My DD is a very mature 11 yr old. And yah, having her off running here and there on her own is always a concern for me - but have to say it would be a concern anywhere. Maybe someone will cancel at POFQ and I can grab a room there. We are going Jan 2-12 and its booked solid, but from Jan 3-13 its open. I have to figure at 45 days out some availability will pop open!

I would book what you can get and have the one day at Pop when you arrive, and hope for a cancellation or change your dates to the open ones.

 

[EpcotLove]

I just stayed at Coronado Springs Resort, and I must say I was overwhelmed with the size. I will def be staying at POFQ next time. I need the quiet bad. We normally stay at Pop and I would almost rather stay there than CSR if it wasn't for the long waiting overcrowded bus transportation. CSR was just so spread out.

 

[StrollPatrolMom]

Pop is not small...I cannot speak for the mods from experience, but based on out friends who went down with us who have stayed at all of the mods, there are more bus stops...at Pop, we were in a fairly central location (50's) and it was a decent walk to get to Classic Hall.

I ran around the property most mornings I was there, its not a small resort by any means...I hate to say it, but if you're used to higher end travel you might be disappointed with the hotel...but if you're going more for the parks/experience and don't expect too much from the hotel itself, you'll probably be fine.

I'm going to be getting a PT job myself to sort bolster our savings for next year's trip...to me its worth the extra work to be able to do a deluxe....just go in knowing that it is a value resort...no hot tubs, no restaurant, its on the louder side....for the money, it is a good travel value IMO...but its no 4 star hotel.

 

[AJKMOM]

Most of the WDW resorts, ranging from Value to Deluxe, are large. Also included are a few of the DVC resorts. Even the campground is spread out! I loved POFQ, loved the atmosphere at Riverside, but it was very large, too. Haven't been to the other moderates, but everyone complains the Caribbean Beach and Coronado Springs resorts are huge.

So, there isn't much to pick from for anyone who wants an intimate setting, sorry.

 

[verticalchaos]

I guess I (and my family) am weird. I LIKE the spread-outness. It's fun to walk over for breakfast in the morning ~ get some exercise, fresh air, etc. And there's almost always been a bus stop at least semi-close to where we've stayed. What we found we'd do a lot is just take everything with us to breakfast and leave from the main building ~ saving all the backing and forthing that there could have been otherwise. But it was great to have the ability to walk around and BREATHE!

OTOH, I don't think I could deal with the Pop or any of the All-Stars...they're TOO busy and close together. Yuck!!

 

[safetymom]

I found the walking was worse at a value resort than it is at the mods. I am also a single parent.

 

[minnie61650]

Just an FYI
The values and CBR (a mod) are the Disney resorts that have preferred locations you can pay extra for (about 412 a night extra).
The preferred location at CBR are Matinique & Trinadad North Villages. Those 2 villiages are the nearest to the main pool and food court.

At Pop some the parts of the 50's ,60's , and 70's buildings are the preferred rooms.
Those rooms are the to the main pool, food court and bus stop.

Since I have limited mobilty we usually stay at All Star Music.
At All Star Music only the Calypso buildings are the preferred buildings.
Those building are just steps away from the main pool , food court and bus stop.
That is one of the main reasons why All Star Music is my choice when we go to WDW.

Have fun at Disney wherever you choose to stay!

 

[marivaid]

My DD is a very mature 11 yr old. And yah, having her off running here and there on her own is always a concern for me - but have to say it would be a concern anywhere. Maybe someone will cancel at POFQ and I can grab a room there. We are going Jan 2-12 and its booked solid, but from Jan 3-13 its open. I have to figure at 45 days out some availability will pop open!

Just my opinion - I'd book POFQ Jan 3-12 and book the night of the 2nd at a Value somewhere. Also keep checking just in case.

 

[catbertdave99]

The great thing about WDW resorts is there's something different for everyone.

For us (I am a single dad with two sons I am raising on my own), we like CBR so much that it's our favorite. One other poster mentioned that she liked the spread-outness. I'll give you an example of one reason why we agree -- although we stayed at CBR, my DS13 and I visited WL when were in WDW this past March. He commented how loud it was, and how much quieter CBR was. That's the spread-outness... you're not on top of hundreds of other people. More pools, more buildings, and yes, more space.

Then again, there are more bus stops, so we actually have been closer to the bus stop while at CBR than we were at either WL or AKL when we stayed there. And we just love the food court better than sit-down restaurants and smaller snack bars.

It's just our preference -- others may feel differently, but we love CBR!