POR, CSR, or Pop?

[BanditsMommy]

I posted this on the Resort Changers thread, but I thought I might have better luck making it it's own thread.

I leave for my trip in a month and I still can't settle on a resort. I would love to stay at WL or AKL, but with the current discount rates it just isn't feasible. I'm currently booked at POR, but I'm afraid that it will involve a lot of walking and I am still recovering from a foot injury. My choices at the moment are between Pop (preferred room), CSR (preferred room), or POR (garden view). I would rather stay on the less expensive end, but can anyone give me some reasons to choose one over the other. I think I'm unconvinced because I am not really in love with any of these properties yet.

Can anyone give me the hard sell on any of these resorts?

 

[PlainJane]

I posted this on the Resort Changers thread, but I thought I might have better luck making it it's own thread.

I leave for my trip in a month and I still can't settle on a resort. I would love to stay at WL or AKL, but with the current discount rates it just isn't feasible. I'm currently booked at POR, but I'm afraid that it will involve a lot of walking and I am still recovering from a foot injury. My choices at the moment are between Pop (preferred room), CSR (preferred room), or POR (garden view). I would rather stay on the less expensive end, but can anyone give me some reasons to choose one over the other. I think I'm unconvinced because I am not really in love with any of these properties yet.

Can anyone give me the hard sell on any of these resorts?

I've never stayed at Pop. I have stayed at POR's sister resort POFQ and walked over to POR multiple times during my trip to go to the food court, gift shop, and walk around the grounds. I have also stayed CSR.

I love CSR. It's one of my favorite resorts. I can imagine laying on a hammock in the Cabanas' section right now. I really enjoy the themeing, rooms, and the feature pool is better than a lot of the deluxes. We eat at Rix's Cafe when we are staying there. We've only eaten at the Pepper Market once and we weren't fans of the setup, but we like Rix's. Something to be aware of with CSR is that the preferred rooms are in the Casitas section which is very close to El Centro which houses check-in, all of the restaurants, the gift shop, and the convention center. However, it is not close to the main pool. I would advise taking the bus to go to the feature pool. There is a quiet pool in the Casitas section.

From my experience with POR, the grounds are beautiful. The pool is not on the same level as CSR, but it's still a very nice pool. The counter service has also been very good in my experience. It is a very big property, so not being close to the main area could be an issue.

I have stayed at VWL and AKL, and I will say that I enjoy CSR more than AKL. VWL and CSR are on somewhat equal footing with me. While I have stayed at a lot of the deluxes and DVCs, and I do like them more, I still really enjoyed my time at POFQ as well.

I would lean towards CSR because of my own personal preference as well as the uncertainty of where you will be placed at POR.

Hopefully, someone will be along shortly to tell you about Pop!

 

[spiceycat]

stayed in all 3 and the other 2 as well.

CSR is a nice resort - not certain where the rooms are located in preferred. are they near the swimming pool or near the food court?

POP pref is near the swimming pools and food court. that say really like at Pop a standard room facing the lake. 50's - building 3, Tramp building

are you going solo on this trip?

does your foot ache? How much does it hurt? If it starts hurting you - you can get a wheelchair at the resort (for free).

Pop has an excellent food court, love the gift shop - they are in one building - the arcade is pretty nice too. the pool drinks is also very nice and sometimes entertaining.

that say the toilets are loud - so you need to close the bathroom door - and if you get a noisy family next door - they can be very loud.

both CSR and POR have queen beds - Pop has double beds.

 

[BanditsMommy]

are you going solo on this trip?

does your foot ache? How much does it hurt? If it starts hurting you - you can get a wheelchair at the resort (for free).

I am actually going with my fiancé this trip to celebrate our engagement! As for the foot, most days it's just okay, but when it rains it can get almost unbearable. Hopefully it doesn't come to me needing a wheelchair :-( I always feel a bit guilty of getting any special treatment for it because my injury was entirely my klutzy fault.

 

[BanditsMommy]

For those of you who have stayed at any of these resorts: do you like the food offerings, and when is the latest you can get food? We try to each cheap, and we definitely eat our meals late, so maybe food is a consideration.

 

[rznhal]

For those of you who have stayed at any of these resorts: do you like the food offerings, and when is the latest you can get food? We try to each cheap, and we definitely eat our meals late, so maybe food is a consideration.

One of my favorite meals from our last family trip was at CSR at pepper market....DH and I came in at 10:55 PM (they closed at 11) and they seated us no problem....meal was wonderful...so fresh (they have counters for food made to order)....it was quiet (kids were in room with my MIL), we had a great time

I think pepper market was our best use of a CS credit ever. That being said, they have changed things up there, but my understanding is that dinner is the same as when we were there in fall of 2011.

POP also had good food late....they closed late too! I know they did run out of some things (like the specials), but we were there in September in the middle of free dining, so it was very busy!!

happy planning!!!

 

[CraftyMommy]

I have a trip coming up. I first booked CBR, then I changed to POR, then I changed to Pop. I couldn't make up my mind.

I ended up going with Pop because I could save some money and I just love the whimsical icons. I figured my son would like it best, so I will go with that while he is younger and try out more grown up, scenic resorts as he gets older. I came very close to booking CBR pirate rooms, but I just couldn't get past all the reports of uncomfortable beds. Pop was also a draw this trip because I wanted to walk over to the new AoA and take lots of pictures.

 

[spiceycat]

Pop would be a little cheaper for the food.

but disney is expensive period - it is cheaper to eat offsite.

 

[rznhal]

We did POP in 2009, then CSR in 2011. Although I loved CSR, I'm not sure it was worth the money (over $500 more than POP for 5 nights).

POP is clean, bright, and full of activity. I think these things make up for the downfalls, which for me were small beds, thin walls, and crowded bus stops.

One thing I really appreciated at CSR that POP didn't have was the covered bus stops. My family is super fair-skinned so we had to be completely SPF'd up before we ever got to the parks! With little kids, that extra hour without sunscreen is nice. But we went in September, I'm sure at other times of the year this would be less of an issue.

I also liked not having to stand "in line" for a bus at CSR....we do enough of that in the parks*

I have great memories from both places (and the other 2 on site places I have stayed), so in my opinion you can't go wrong!!!!!!

 

[JessiBelle22]

I posted this on the Resort Changers thread, but I thought I might have better luck making it it's own thread.

I leave for my trip in a month and I still can't settle on a resort. I would love to stay at WL or AKL, but with the current discount rates it just isn't feasible. I'm currently booked at POR, but I'm afraid that it will involve a lot of walking and I am still recovering from a foot injury. My choices at the moment are between Pop (preferred room), CSR (preferred room), or POR (garden view). I would rather stay on the less expensive end, but can anyone give me some reasons to choose one over the other. I think I'm unconvinced because I am not really in love with any of these properties yet.

Can anyone give me the hard sell on any of these resorts?

Hi! I know it's not one of your choices listed, but have you looked into or at Port Orleans French Quarter?! Since your still recovering from a foot injury, I might want to consider. It's such a pretty resort, not very big, and a very short walk to everything. Just a thought to add, lol! Good luck!

September 2013 WDW!

 

[kmarie99]

We stay at CSR every time we go to Disney and we LOVE IT!!! It is wonderful.

Having said that, it is kind of a large resort if you just had foot surgery. However, the Preferred Rooms at CSR are near the food court and there are 4 bus stops so you are never too far from one. The only time that you would need to walk any lot there is if you want to go to the main pool which is not too far away but is across the small lake. But there are quite pools in each section so if you just want to swim you don't need to go to the main pool.

It has great food at the Pepper Market and the grounds are beautiful.

I am may be a little bias because I got engaged there and when their on our honeymoon and will be going back for our first anniversary in Feb. but I think you will have a great time which ever resort you choose.

 

[nkereina]

Will you be using the pool/hot tub at all? At CSR, preferred rooms are near the food court/main building area, but far from the main pool/hot tub. At POR, the main pool is just down the path from the food court/main building so you don't have to choose between the two when making your request. I would choose POR and request a mansion. Since the Royal Rooms are in Oak Manor and Parterre Place, you would be placed in either Acadian House or Magnolia Terrace if they fill your request. IMO, these two buildings aren't a much further walk than the preferred rooms at POR in the AB section. I can't speak to Pop at all, but I do think the price difference between mod and value is worth it.

 

[mfp]

I would stay at Pofq if I were you, the resort is nice and small, I loved it. We just got back from POR and I did not get my room request and ended up a 15 min brisk walk from the main building. Yes, it was annoying and basically I would never recommend POR to anyone unless they reserve a preferred room or know they will be in the closer mansions. We are a family of five, so had no choice, but to get stuck out in alligator bayou. Plus, the buses and food court are extremely slow at POR, we never had those issues at Pofq.

 

[nkereina]

I would stay at Pofq if I were you, the resort is nice and small, I loved it. We just got back from POR and I did not get my room request and ended up a 15 min brisk walk from the main building. Yes, it was annoying and basically I would never recommend POR to anyone unless they reserve a preferred room or know they will be in the closer mansions. We are a family of five, so had no choice, but to get stuck out in alligator bayou. Plus, the buses and food court are extremely slow at POR, we never had those issues at Pofq.

Proof positive that all opinions should be taken with a grain of salt, because I have the exact opposite opinion of this poster We found POFQ to be too compact and therefore busy at all times like the food court and the buses. We travel in September which is low crowd season but we never would have known at POFQ. At POR, we loved how spread out it was so it felt empty. Never had an issue getting a seat in the food court, liked the larger variety of food items at POR, loved the quiet pools and the multiple bus stops. Bus service can be good or bad at any resort on any day since drivers rotate. To each their own!

 

[a1tinkfans]

At POR, Id only stay at the preferred location, its buildings 18, 14 and two others right in AB section, near food court (which is awesome, and is open late and has just about anything you can think of ) . If you have a foot issue, and you cannot get preferred I would not do POR. (and its my favorite resort of all time.) Its a HUGE resort and you can be walking lots!
Otherwise, its my choice...great poolS (main and quits) ,food court and sit down restaurant, beautiful grounds, 2 bars (in and out), carriage rides, boat to DTD, hottub, game room, and more and more...such a great place to visit.
CSR is a nice resort as well, but if not in preferred Id do POR over it in a snap. Food here is good as well, lots of options as well, but IMHO, I like POR food court much better ...
I am not one to choose any value, its just not our thing...we think its too packed with people/families, too packed with kids, too much noise, too many lines and not enough "calm" after a day n night in the parks...we just also find it LOUD, in design as well.
Which ever resort you choose I hope you both have a MAGICAL time,
and
Congrats on your engagement!