Moderate w/car or Deluxe: Thoughts

[therriau4]

Hello, Disney experts! My family (me, dh, teen, and tween) are dreaming of a 2006 Disney vacation. We've been really spoiled in the past with Poly rooms (6 trips!!) but grrr, now we're on a budget. So we're thinking of saving $ and staying at a moderate resort (CSR looks really nice!) but we hate the Disney bus system (sorry to those who love it). So we're thinking to rent a car, which I've not done in years. Finally, my question: better to stay at a moderate with a rental (and if so, can anyone point me to a map of the resorts and parks area) or bite the bullet and get a garden view room at a Deluxe? What would you do? Thanks so much!!!

 

[MKFan-PR]

Decisions, decisions!

If you are on a budget, a Moderate and a car will definitely save you some $$ (be sure to check MouseSavers (www.mousesavers.com) for codes). I would add up the car costs to the resort costs, check what would be the difference, and see if I could handle the difference.

Moderate rooms are a bit smaller (compared to the Poly, where they are HUGE), with no balcony and no inside corridors. As for the rest, every Moderate has its own 'charm', so you'll probably enjoy it. I have never been disappointed with any of the resorts, Mods or Deluxes.

As a compromise, you could look into a room at WL. The room rates there are more economical than the rest of the Deluxes. AKL room rates are about the same, but since you stated you don't like riding the buses, AKL would probably not be an option.

I'm not sure where to find maps, but you can a nice driving directions app here:

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/transportation/transportation1.cfm

Resort maps for CSR and WL can be found here:

CSR: http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/cspringsmap.htm
WL: http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/wildlodge.htm

Have fun planning!

 

[welovedis]

Just a thought, even if you are staying at a deluxe resort, you'll still need to use something other than the monorail to get to some parks or DtD, so a moderate & a rental makes more sense, IMO.

CSR is one that we'd go back to if we didn't love renting DVC points so much. Actually, you might want to consider that option too since it costs not much more than a moderate and offers a great kitchenette and other items at a deluxe resorts.

Just my .02!

 

[therriau4]

Oooh, great suggestions and comments. Thanks so much. I've checked out the link to mousesavers as you suggested, MKFan PR, and wow! so much great information. I just wish I could get all the rate info I want for summer 2006, then I could really compare AP vs. rack. And thank you very much for the info on the WL. I think that'd be right up our alley, and the prices are not too bad. Dh loves the boat ride to MK and the TTC, so that'd keep him happy and relaxed.

welovedis, you are right about needing a car to get to some places even if we stay at a deluxe. We've done the buses to AK and DtD and MGM in the past, so a rental would negate that. Thanks for the CSR recommendation, too. Its good to read that your family enjoyed it. I found some pics online and my daughter has cast her vote for there. She loves the Mexican theme. Ole!

Thanks so much again, you've given me so much to think about!

 

[daisax]

I find the CSR great with a rental because you can hop on and off the highway so quickly. The internal Disney roads are picturesque, but some of the interior resorts seem to take forever to drive to.

At CSR I felt like we zipped right back each and every time, and once we were inside we still felt like we were miles away from the rat race.

 

[therriau4]

Thank you! CSR sounds so great, and I'm glad to hear that it has a relaxing feel to it. My teenage son, though, hopes that there will be plenty of other teens around. I would imagine that with the two arcades there, there'd be some other teenagers around.

Were the parks relatively easy to find by car from CSR? My dh and I do NOT do well together when we get lost, so I'd need to get maps ahead of time and idiot proof (for me) the travel.

Thanks so much.