Just back from CSR ( won't be returning )

[Deb & Bill]

I was one of those conventioneers once at CSR. But there weren't any additional rooms available, so we stayed at POFQ (which was pretty nice) on that trip. But it convinced me to try CSR and we really liked it. The Dig Site pool is loads of fun. We stayed in the Casitas and in the Cabanas and I liked the Casitas better. We always have a car, so we can go elsewhere to eat if we want to. But on our last trip (we stayed at BCV), we even went over to the Pepper Market one night when we couldn't agree on what to eat. I didn't mind the automatic gratuity because we did get drinks refilled several times and our dirty dishes removed as we emptied them.

I still like CSR and would stay there again if I was staying at a moderate.

 

[Luv2Roam]

We have stayed at CSR, eat/shop there occasionally, and have a planned stay there coming up early next year.
PM seems to be one of those places people either really like, or really don't.
I can go either way. It's a nice choice above counter service when all the sit down places are filled. Plus it is an in and out type of eating. Great last minute choice. And their desserts are GOOD!

 

[DJ Disney Kid]

Just to add, I wouldn't say the theming is bad at CSR at all, it is perfect. I think the complaint about the Disney "feel" missing is that most of us are used to walking out of our rooms and seeing families dressed in their Disney gear, shorts, sandals, etc. People heading to the pool. But thats not what you get at CSR. You see people in business suits talking on cell phones while walking to their conventions.

I have to agree that the pools were empty and so were the busses.

Again, my only complaints were seeing all those people in businesswear and the Pepper Market. Im a food court guy. I don't do restaurants. I like my burgers, hot dogs, pizza, etc. The other issue with the Pepper Market is its not laid out in any proper way. Its a jumble of people who don't know where to stand to order. Am I in the front of the line, end of the line, have these people ordered yet, are they waiting to order, am I cutting ahead? Many times they had one CM running two sections. The Pepper Market is just a very unorganized mess.

 

[GovieMom]

Just to add, I wouldn't say the theming is bad at CSR at all, it is perfect. I think the complaint about the Disney "feel" missing is that most of us are used to walking out of our rooms and seeing families dressed in their Disney gear, shorts, sandals, etc. People heading to the pool. But thats not what you get at CSR. You see people in business suits talking on cell phones while walking to their conventions.

Exactly ... the resort is absolutely beautiful, and we would have gotten the Disney feel if it would have been full of vacationing families like us, instead of business people everywhere.

 

[Micca]

Being a manager I am completely comfortable watching other people work while I am enjoying myself at WDW.

 

[CTDis4]

Being a manager I am completely comfortable watching other people work while I am enjoying myself at WDW.

I agree!!!!!!!!!

 

[DisneyRulz07]

as for the conventioners i know they bother some but i don't have a problem with them at all. plus since they are in the conventions during the day the buses aren't very crowded!

EXACTLY... I like the conventioners because they are not in the POOLS, BUSES and in the PARKS. Let them have the resort lobby LOL.

As for the prices....its that way where ever you go in Disney $$$$$. Try the character meals you'll spend 100.00 for 2 adults and 2 kids(AND thats one meal).

 

[Luv2Roam]

I was thinking when I read the cheeseburger and fries for almost $10 -- so what makes that different from being in the parks?
Basically what we would consider a McD value meal costs twice as much in the parks.
With buying two counter service meals in the parks for us I can pretty much figure nearly all (if not all) of $20 is gone. That is one reason I avoid them. For $20 I rather eat better elsewhere.

 

[DJ Disney Kid]

You need to compare a cheeseburger and fry from one resort to the other. Why is a cheeseburger and fry at WL $6.95, but at CSR I have to pay $9.75, ( plus a 10% sitting fee )? I agree that all the prices in WDW are high and I go in expecting that WL's cheeseburger and fry is going to be double what I'd pay at home for McDonalds, but now your talking almost triple at CSR ( Can't Stop Raping your wallet )!

 

[Luv2Roam]

My first guess is one is Disney owned and one is not.

 

[famsen]

After doing tons of research on CSR, we had chosen it for our six night stay this past Sept/Oct. Well, we stayed all of 2 hours before I had a near nervous breakdown at the convention crowds and those interal transpostation carts practically running us over on at least three occassions. Our room was nice and clean but it was a long walk to the main building. The whole atmosphere was loud, crowded and chaotic. I go to WDW to relax and I could tell there would be little relaxing and alot of anxiety on my part. I nipped it in the bud and asked concierge if they could find availablility for us at another resort. The only available room was at Saratoga Springs Resort. I was informed that they would not charge me any additional money for the change and the room was a fabulous upgrade. At SSR we had a room with a sitting area and a private balcony and a kitchenette. We loved SSR so much that we purchased the Disney Vacation Club during our stay.

I am happy I at least gave CSR a try even though I found that I did not like it. I have stayed at all the other moderated before and found that my family liked CBR and POFQ the best. The coin toss would go to CBR because it does not share bus service with any other resort.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

I think CSR is beautifully themed! I thoroughly enjoyed my stay there last December. I stayed in Casitas 5, was a short walk to the bus stop, and the buses were prompt and almost always nearly empty.

There were certainly conventions going on when I was there, but I think I only saw maybe a dozen business types walking around during the day (they were in conventions/meetings all day). At night, Francisco's tended to be crowded with them, but they were perfectly friendly and well-behaved (must have had a good group).

Nighttime was wonderfully peaceful. I had a room on the top floor, and never heard a peep out of anyone any night I was there.

Pepper Market, I'll admit, was a little strange, but I was prepared for it. I ate there once, had a salmon and rice dish that wasn't terribly overpriced (I think around $10, but I'm not certain), and the waitress brought me utensils and kept my drink full. I think she deserved at least 10% for that! I wouldn't make a special trip to CSR to go to Pepper Market, but I wouldn't avoid it during my next stay there.

 

[Carol D]

I think CSR is beautifully themed! I thoroughly enjoyed my stay there last December. I stayed in Casitas 5, was a short walk to the bus stop, and the buses were prompt and almost always nearly empty.

There were certainly conventions going on when I was there, but I think I only saw maybe a dozen business types walking around during the day (they were in conventions/meetings all day). At night, Francisco's tended to be crowded with them, but they were perfectly friendly and well-behaved (must have had a good group).

Nighttime was wonderfully peaceful. I had a room on the top floor, and never heard a peep out of anyone any night I was there.

Pepper Market, I'll admit, was a little strange, but I was prepared for it. I ate there once, had a salmon and rice dish that wasn't terribly overpriced (I think around $10, but I'm not certain), and the waitress brought me utensils and kept my drink full. I think she deserved at least 10% for that! I wouldn't make a special trip to CSR to go to Pepper Market, but I wouldn't avoid it during my next stay there.

I agree 100%!! I stayed at CSR over the summer for the first time and absolutely fell in love with it. It is by far the best resort I've stayed at. From the transportation to the pool to the food to the CM's, everything was tremendous! I wouldn't hesitate to stay there or recommend it.

 

[MandaPerry]

Ok I have to put my 2 cents in here. I have as of this trip in Dec stayed in every catagory offered in the class of service offered at disney OKW home away from home -POLY CR AKL and WL deluxe POR POFQ and CSR mderate- and ASMU(in dec value) The one resort that we go back to tie and time again is CSR we love it!!!!!!! Saying that seeing people in business suits and name tags ruins the disney feel of the resort is like me saying watching kids having a melt down while wearing a laynard full of overpriced disney pins ruins te disney feel fo me. It's all about what you make it.

 

[Carol D]

Saying that seeing people in business suits and name tags ruins the disney feel of the resort is like me saying watching kids having a melt down while wearing a laynard full of overpriced disney pins ruins te disney feel fo me. It's all about what you make it.

That's so true! I never thought of that before.

 

[justjudy]

Saying that seeing people in business suits and name tags ruins the disney feel of the resort is like me saying watching kids having a melt down while wearing a laynard full of overpriced disney pins ruins te disney feel fo me. It's all about what you make it.

Exactly!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

It was just too weird seeing people with nametags and cell phones walking around everywhere; for that reason CSR lacked the "Disney" feel for us. Too bad, as it's a gorgeous resort.

Based on other threads I would rather see those guests on cell phones who walk around everywhere, then all the teenagers who stay at the All Star Resorts during Pop Warner week and cause a lot of problems because a lot of times they are unsupervised. Not to mention all the cheerleaders who sometimes cheer at 5:00 AM. At least the guests who are there for conventions would be a lot more mature since they would be adults.

 

[Stinky_Pete]

The other issue with the Pepper Market is its not laid out in any proper way. Its a jumble of people who don't know where to stand to order. Am I in the front of the line, end of the line, have these people ordered yet, are they waiting to order, am I cutting ahead? Many times they had one CM running two sections. The Pepper Market is just a very unorganized mess.

This was my impression of the PM when I stayed at CSR. I also found my encounters with the employees (not CMs as they are not Disney) lacking...

I gave the place three tries and after the third disappointing visit decided that wild horses couldn't drag me back in there! The PM was the major factor in my decision to stay at a different mod for my upcoming trip.

 

[Deb & Bill]

.... At least the guests who are there for conventions would be a lot more mature since they would be adults.

Ah, spoken like a person who has never been to a convention.

Seriously, some convention-goers are there to attend the meetings and other scheduled events. Others are there to get away from the spouse and kids and party hardy. Some (like me) bring the family along for the trip and they got to play while I attended meetings.

 

[becka]

We loved CSR. The Pepper Market could be a bit confusing but everyone was so friendly and we met the best CM ever on all of our trips there. She was wonderful and deserved that 10% IMHO. I liked the variety and getting just a little bit of service. It made for a nice change of pace.

The convention goers never bothered me. I think it actually made me appreciate my vacation more because every morning I got to think....Thank goodness that is not me! I know many have complained that it takes away from their vacation but I guess that just depends on your mindset.

CRS has the best bus service as well. All those convention people do not go to the parks so you always have a seat and do not feel packed in like sardines when you go somewhere. We stayed in the Casitas and thought it was just beautiful. I was not sure what to expect at first but it is one of the most stunning places at WDW especially at night.