Need advice: POFQ or CSR?

[sz9144]

we would like to stay at a moderate this time around, and have narrowed down our choices to CSR or POFQ?

we will be using disney transport, so we would prefer the location with the best bus service and fastest trips to the parks. also, would prefer the location with the least amount of walking to get places as we will have 2 small children with us. the kids love to swim, so a nice pool area is important also.

thanks so much for any input!

 

[BrianD]

Hmm, this is tough, because some of your desires favor one resort, and some favor the others.

Transportation...you will probably do better with CSR, because they do not share busses, while POFQ shares with POR.

Walking...CSR is a very large resort and it is possible to have to walk quite a bit, but they do now have carts that are constantly go around and they gladly give you a ride to wherever you need to go. POFQ is a much smaller resort and the furthest walk is only about 5 minutes.

Pools...both pools are fun, but I think CSR wins this one. First of all while POFQ only has one themed pool, CSR has the themed pool (which is larger than POFQ's) and also has separate pools in each section of the resort. Also, the hot tub at CSR is much larger.

If it is still a tough decision consider some other factors. Which theming would you prefer? Also, POFQ has a normal food court, but the layout of CSR is a little different, though the food is very good, in my opinion. Also, CSR has a table service restaurant, but POFQ does not. And CSR is a convention resort, and POFQ is not.

So, lots to consider. I'd say figure out which is the most important to you, and go with the resort that is better for that. We really enjoy both resorts. Good luck!

 

[Selket]

I've stayed at both and I think POFQ would be my recommendation. The resort is small so not much walking distance to the pool or food court or bus compared to what is possible at the other moderates. The pool area is also nicely themed for young kids. You could also use the pool at POR if you like (not too far of a walk - or the food court there too). There is also a boat to Downtown Disney which can be fun for the kids. Our stay there was awhile ago (POR more recently) and no problem with bus service.

CSR is a very pretty resort as well. It is possible to get a room here that is quite convenient to the pool, bus and food court but there is no guarantee where your room will end up! In some locations you are quite a distance from the main building. CSR has dedicated bus service however. The only pool with a baby pool (assuming you need that since you said young kids) is the main pool. One time we stayed at CSR and we were about as far from the main pool as is possible across the lake. Boy....if you schlep all the way over there with the toddler/baby, the stroller, all the stuff then realize you forget something it feels like 10 billion miles back to the room. We didn't use the quiet pools cause we had a toddler and he wanted to be in the baby pool of course.

I always find CSR to be more walking. There are these golf cart like shuttles around the lake but they always seem to be full when passing us.

 

[Lilolvr]

I've stayed at both and prefer CSR hands down. CSR has no shared transportation and has short rides to all the parks.

 

[Buzz2001]

Check out my CSR website below for pic and info.

CSR has great transportation that is not shared with any other resort. It's a plus when other resorts have a long queue.

 

[cara loves the poly]

Just from reading here on the Dis, CSR has a lot of fans, I rarely read a bad report.

 

[alldiz]

we would like to stay at a moderate this time around, and have narrowed down our choices to CSR or POFQ?

we will be using disney transport, so we would prefer the location with the best bus service and fastest trips to the parks. also, would prefer the location with the least amount of walking to get places as we will have 2 small children with us. the kids love to swim, so a nice pool area is important also.

thanks so much for any input!

I would choose POFQ......for a few reasons....

Smallest mod....every room is close...no far walking....

Very nicely themed pool area.....perfect for young kids.

While POFQ does share a bus with POR.....at POFQ you are...
1st on and off the bus....meaning you will always get a seat to the parks...
and on the way home you get dropped off 1st.
Have a great trip
Kerri

 

[rpbert1]

never stayed at CS but have stayed at POFQ, reason i picked it was the size of the resort, no matter where you where staying everything was only a few minute walk.Pool area is nice and well themed, and as has been stated , while you share the bus with PO you are first on at the resort and dropped off first on the way back from the parks. Also the boat ride to DTD is good and you can also get the bus if you want

 

[chocovrdmicears]

We stayed at CSR this past Sept with our 4 and 5 year olds. CSR was much to big for us. Waaaayyy to much walking for our kids (15-20 minutes from our room to the food court) . The bus system was great in that we never waited long for a bus. However we were the last stop within the resort on the way home from the parks so it was an additional 15-20 minutes for us from the time we entered CSR to our bus stop which was tough at the end of the day with tired littles ones.
While it is a beautiful resort and many many people have been very happy there, it just didn't work well for our family.

 

[disnut1149]

Hi
I recently got back from CSR on 12/14. It's a beautiful resort, but so huge. It was just my DH and I and my DH just loved it. I'm taking my DD and DGD who is 5 in August and we're staying at POFQ. I haven't stayed there, but did use their pool when I stayed at POR. The sea serpent slide seems perfect for small children. I saw golf carts going around CSR with no one in them, and they were going really fast. We were in Cabana 9B and it just seemed like such a far walk to the pool. I know I just wouldn't walk that far with small children everyday, especially after walking around the parks all day. Have a great time at DW!!

 

[CinderellyCinderelly]

The theming at POFQ and POR looks depressing to me. I also don't think it is a very good location. We did CSR in March and loved it, but you're right there is a lot of walking. There are however 4 different bus stops so the walk from your building won't be too far from the Disney transportation. We never waited long for a bus and we always had a seat. The pool areas were all so cute but the theming at the main pool was great! I'd say go with CSR and try to request a location close to the pool or El Centro.

 

[sz9144]

Thanks so much to everyone for your input! I think no matter which we choose we'll have a great time- but we'll probably choose POFQ for the boat to DTD and the shorter walking time

 

[pickles]

we tried CSR our last trip..we did resort hopping. CSR is our least favorite resort..Buzz's pics are beautiful, but the personal exp of the walking, the hot paths, lack of benches and the feeling of a hotel left us wanting.
We didn't stay at FQ, but were by it via POR and with little kids I bet that one would be enjoyable..the pool looks cute from the river anyways and they have the carriage rides available

 

[skipperkim]

The theming at POFQ and POR looks depressing to me. I also don't think it is a very good location. We did CSR in March and loved it, but you're right there is a lot of walking. There are however 4 different bus stops so the walk from your building won't be too far from the Disney transportation. We never waited long for a bus and we always had a seat. The pool areas were all so cute but the theming at the main pool was great! I'd say go with CSR and try to request a location close to the pool or El Centro.

To each his own, because depressing would be how I'd describe the landscaping at CSR. But then I hate the Southwest style, I prefer flowers over cactus. I like Mission style furniture, but not the tacky stuff from the 70's that some of CSR has. But that is why Disney has so many resorts. If there was only one choice per level, most people would opt to stay off property. Could you imagine trying to design one resort that everybody would love?

 

[Fionasmommy]

With two small kids, it's an easy choice - POFQ. It's tiny - half the size CSR. I carried a sleeping 4 year old off the bus and all the way to the room, without even breaking a sweat!

Half the size also means fewer people in line at the food court!

The pool is fantastic for little kids, and you can walk or get the boat up to POR if you want to use that pool too.

My DD loved the boat to DTD, and we did that several times to eat or go souvenir shopping.

The buses are no problem at all, really. POFQ shares with POR, BUT, POFQ is the first to pick up (so you always get a seat) and on the way home it's the first to drop off. During busy periods, we didn't even share. We went in May/June and had several buses that went right to the MK.

Also, keep in mind that POFQ only had one bus stop - it's that small! - so although it shares buses, other resorts have several stops so it's works out pretty much the same. We were at CBR last fall and IIRC they had atleast 4 stops, which easily took as long as the shared buses at POFQ/POR. Considering the size of CSR, I'm sure they have plenty of stops too. The difference is that at POFQ you will know you're close to the bus stop and that you'll get a seat. That, with little ones, is priceless.

The other thing, is that it is such a pretty resort! We've been to WL and AKL since our stay there and I still want to go back to POFQ because it was so little and pretty. The landscaping is lovely, there's tons of bunnies hopping around in the evenings, and when the street lamps flicker on at night it's truly enchanting.

 

[lilyv]

To each his own, because depressing would be how I'd describe the landscaping at CSR. But then I hate the Southwest style, I prefer flowers over cactus. I like Mission style furniture, but not the tacky stuff from the 70's that some of CSR has. But that is why Disney has so many resorts. If there was only one choice per level, most people would opt to stay off property. Could you imagine trying to design one resort that everybody would love?

I'm very curious to see if they keep the mix of colors and patterns, Old Mexico style furniture when they do the room renovations.

I love mission style furniture, too! It's true. There's a wide range of theming at Disney.

 

[Buzz'sBetterHalf]

With two small kids, it's an easy choice - POFQ. It's tiny - half the size CSR.

Half the size and half the amenities. It all depends on how you look at it and what you expect in a resort. It's CSR for us hands down.