After staying deluxe for many visits (AKL, Poly, WL), DH and I also had to switch to moderates for a while. We've stayed at all four moderates, and POR is our favorite by far. I even like it better than Poly and WL (though AKL is still my all-time favorite).
The resort was just renovated in the last year or two, and the rooms are really nice. The landscaping is lush and beautiful, the pool is fun, and the food court is tasty and has a lot of choices. We also like taking the boat to downtown disney, though be advised it can take a while. We've also generally had very good service at POR. Boatwrights, the table service restaurant, is a hidden gem, and usually has availability for last-minute bookings.
The only downside to POR as far as I'm concerned is the exterior corridors, but all the moderates have them.
We always stay in the AB rooms, so I can't speak to the mansions section or the royal rooms. Normally we don't mind a walk, but we ended up in a preferred room last time in the building closest to the lobby/food court (building 13, maybe?), and now we're spoiled and will likely book preferred again.
Long story short, I was really worried about "downgrading" from deluxe to moderate, but it ended up not being an issue, and I would stay at POR again in a heartbeat. The exterior corridors are a bummer, but otherwise, I think it compares really favorably to a deluxe.
