Need CSR experts

[johnnyr]

It looks like we will be able to squeeze in another week at WDW for April 2004. Because we are going to stay at a deluxe in July 2004, we are looking at CSR for our April 2004 trip. I need some honest opinions on this resort. Here are some of the questions I have:

1) Did you find it too far away from everything?
2) Is anything currently under rehab at this resort?
3) How is the pool?
4) How is the transportation to the parks?

Feel free to add your experiences (good and bad). Thanks


John

 

[Buzz2001]

1) Did you find it too far away from everything?

I assume you are talking about CSR being too far away from everything. If that is the case I think you will find that CSR is actually close to everything with the exception of DtD. AK is around the corner, Blizzard Beach is across the street, the Boardwalk, MGM and Epcot are just down the street within 5 minutes.

2) Is anything currently under rehab at this resort?

I think CSR is in the process of changing over the decor of the rooms. I am not positive, its just something I've read on the boards.

3) How is the pool?

I think you will find this pool to be one of the best that WDW has to offer.

4) How is the transportation to the parks?

CSR has outstanding transportation. Being a convention resort, you will find that you will have less traffic on the bus due to conventioneers at the resort.

Check out my CSR website below.

 

[susy]

HI! Having stayed there only ONE night (this past March), I am hardly an expert, but CSR is my FAVORITE resort !

We were there during peak season (as you will be) and had a FL res rate of $109. We thought it was WELL worth it and this was after we had gotten great rates at other resorts ($49 at AS, $84 at CBR, and $119 at AKL).

My first impression was WOW, this is a moderate? DH and I went for a quick overnight trip (no parks). We hung out at the pool all day and went to Ohana for dinner. We used our car, but the transportation from this resort is supposed to be GREAT! We ate a both the Pepper Market and Maya Grill. Both were wonderful. We had lunch from the pool bar , which was also very good.

The pool has a longer slide than I was expecting and the hot tub was huge.

The grounds, architecture, fountains... were all breathatking. Yes, breathtaking at a moderate. go figure...even after having dinner at the Poly we were amazed at the beauty of CSR at night and enjoyed the view from a hammock.

Can't wait to go back!

 

[johnnyr]

Thanks for the fast replies. Great Web site Buzz2001! I have driven past this resort a few times and I agree it doesn't look like a moderate resort.

One of the concerns that I have is that CSR IS a "convention" resort. I will be traveling there with my wife and two kids. Maybe it shouldn't be of great concern, but I vision a resort full of conventioneers. I've been sent on conventions with my company to various hotels throught the country. Some have gotten a little to roudy and I don't want to expose my family to that. This will be a family vacation for us. Am I reading too much into this or is the resort packed with business travelers throughout the year?

John

 

[MOMTOMOOTOO]

We were there last week and I really liked it. It was our first stay at a moderate and I was pleasantly surprised.

I did not find too far removed.

I didn't see any rehab going on.

The pool ROCKS. Its better IMHO than, the Poly, AKL, WL (the only deluxes we've stayed at)

The transportation was quite efficient.

Now I totally agree with Susy in that it does feel like a deluxe. I was able to get a manicure and the kids got their hair wrapped. And the room service was not too limited.

I would not hesitate to stay there again.

Good Luck

Laura

 

[Deb & Bill]

The Maya Grill has a great breakfast buffet. I wasn't crazy about their dinner (it was okay), but the breakfast was great.

The Dig Site pool is loads of fun. The Casitas pool is pretty big. The other two pools (Ranchos and Cabanas) are a big smaller.

It's very easy to walk anywhere in this resort. We got up early both mornings we were there and ran/walked around the resort several times to get our 3 miles in.

I'd go back there in a minute.

 

[susy]

As I mentioned, we hung out at the resort all day when we went. There were a few conventions going on, but you didn't notice any crowds because they were all over in the convention hall area. The conventions were an international poetry society (I saw a child with a trophy, so there were kids) and a women's health conference, so it's not all business. I maybe saw two people in suits. They weren't walking around the resort or at the pool. If I had not known it was a "convention resort, I would have never noticed anyone. We plan on going back there with our son.

 

[Buzz2001]

I have been to CSR numerous times and only once did I notice a huge convention going on. It was at the little store outside of the Pepper Market. The store was packed and the CM was having trouble using the room key cards for the guests to pay for purchases. Other than that, I have never had a bad experience at CSR due to conventioneers. Then again, I am not hanging around Francisco's late at night. We were treated to our very one fireworks show one night. The convention paid to have fireworks right at CSR. That was a great surprise.

 

[becka]

CSR is really well located. The longest ride is obviously to the MK but it still did not take very long since you are not sharing busses with other resorts.

The pool looked great. Unfortunately we were there in January 2001 when it was freezing. We were wearing gloves and scarves so it was much too cool to use the pool.

Bus transportation is the BEST! CSR does not share busses with other resorts and I have always been able to get a seat. Because it is a convention resort so many of the people there do not go to the parks which just frees up room for us. I always hated having to stand after a long day at the parks.

The convention thing did not bother me. We did see people dressed up on their way to meetings especially in the morning for breakfast but everyone was well behaved. It didn't bother me and I kind of liked seeing them all getting ready to work in the morning because it made me appreciate the fact that it was not me!

We LOVE CSR and we have booked it again for our Feb 2004 trip....we can't wait!

 

[cali2gagirl]

We stayed for 2 nights in July..and loved it! I thought it'd be really spread out..which it is..but not inconviently.. We were in Ranchos 6a, and I was across the parkinglot from a bus pickup..which I didn't wait longer than 10 minutes for MGM bus. We were close to the lake, and the Dig Site pool, which the pool is Awesome! Great slide, nice hot tub, volleyball area...its great! The pepper market is good, nice waitstaff, we thought the place was beautiful!

 

[holcomb-mania]

Buzz, I look forward to hitting your site. I don't think I can hit it from work, so I'll wait 'til I get home.

Passporter says there is a walkway to BB from CSR, but I haven't found any confirmation of this. Is it true? Also, when should I fax my room request?

Great thread. Excitement.....building....

===============
edit: Nevermind on the BB thing. I found the other thread. Thanks for the response. Walking there sounds like a swell idea at first, but doing so implies walking BACK to CSR with tired kids, etc. So we'll drive!

 

[Buzz2001]

You can just walk in one direction if you really wanted to but think about all the walking you have to do at Blizzard Beach to get to the slides. The stairs are a killer on your feet and legs.

 

[johnnyr]

Thanks to everyone that replied. Not one negative post. That says a lot for this resort. I was sold from the time I saw the pictures, but wanted to get some feedback here. I made a reservation for April 2004. Only have AAA discount at this stage of the game, but who knows, AP could come along by that time. It did last year.

Now, one last question. We like to be close to the food courts and restraunts no matter where we stay. Looking at the map, Casitas may be a good coice, but which building for a standard room? If there is something better, please suggest. Thanks.

John

 

[HurricaneWarning]

Originally posted by Deb & Bill
The Maya Grill has a great breakfast buffet. I wasn't crazy about their dinner (it was okay), but the breakfast was great.

How much was the breakfast?

Thanks Mike

 

[pwcarlson]

LOVE IT!!!!! Stayed there in Oct 2001. Since the conventions were already booked and paid for, they were still on. I hardly saw any conventioneers. Once in a while around the main building. Only one nite PM was pack to the rafters with one college group of pre-meds. The other groups were fine.

The Dig Site with the pool and spa is to die for. I remember waking in the morning and going for a early morning dip in the spa. The spa is very large. I don't remember going to the quiet pools because we were very close to the Dig Site and the main one. We were in the cabanas. There was a bus stop right behind the building and we were across the bridge to El Centro.

It is a very relaxed place. You will enjoy it.

 

[SuiteDisney]

The pool is a lot of fun and the pool slide is very fast.

http://www.***********.com/1d34d0e00.jpg

http://www.***********.com/1d3562d00.jpg

I have more pix HERE. There are links at the top of the page that will show you around the resort.