Seeking opinions on our resort options

[fabfemmeboy]

I'm currently planning a trip for 2 mid-30s adults (no kids) for October. Probably 10 days or so, mostly half-day park-days because my partner is doing online classes (and because we get bored when we can't parkhop). We're very low-maintenance travelers, have always stayed at Value resorts in the past and use the metric of "what's cheap and close?" when traveling abroad.

I'm trying to decide between Coronado Springs Resorts and Pop. We've stayed at Pop several times in the past and liked it, but my partner has informed me in no uncertain terms that he will not be riding the "flying death tube" (also known as the Skyliner). So the options would be CSR with buses, or Pop with a combination of buses when available and Lyfts when unavailable. The difference in cost per night is $70, not counting lyfts, so really more like $50/night when averaged over the week.

A few areas of concern/preference that I'm trying to weigh out:
* I use an electric wheelchair, which means I worry about being able to board buses at their first/only stop; my partner does not use a chair, which means he likes the room to be as close to the bus stop as possible and cut down on the end-of-the-night schlep.
* Food. Specifically for people who don't eat pork or shellfish or combine meat/cheese. It looks like a couple of the food places at CSR aren't slated to reopen on any particular date yet?
* Being a bit less crowded/more spread out from other people/families would be nice given the virus. Based on our dates, we would be arriving within a day or so of when CSR reopens.
* Time to and from the parks, if they're dramatically different from one another which it doesn't seem like they are. (I care only because he has certain times he'll need to be back, and we still want to maximize park time.) Is getting a Lyft a huge pain in the *** from Pop/does it take forever?
* Known versus unknown. I know what Pop is like; we've never even been to CSR (but the pictures look gorgeous!)

It feels silly to stay at Pop and not use the Skyliner since that's part of why it costs as much as it does now, but I've learned not to push that fear (and am not completely wild about the gondolas myself, either, especially since most of the issues they've had have come from the disability-pullout lane). Should we just be grownups and stay at the nicer place where we bus everywhere regardless? Is CSR so worth the expense that we'd be crazy to stay at Pop for such a low price difference? Are there other factors I'm missing that you think really differentiate the two?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Can't help with the VET questions (except the one about him wanting to be close to a bus stop: request "as close as possible to bus stop" but make sure he understands no request is guaranteed.

but my partner has informed me in no uncertain terms that he will not be riding the "flying death tube" (also known as the Skyliner).

Are you driving? Because his description sounds much more like a plane than any other form of non-street-level transportation.

It feels silly to stay at Pop and not use the Skyliner since that's part of why it costs as much as it does now,

What if you use the Skyliner and he meets you later by bus?

but I've learned not to push that fear (and am not completely wild about the gondolas myself, either, especially since most of the issues they've had have come from the disability-pullout lane).

What issues? Except at Riviera, which you haven't mentioned at all, gondola cars are pulled off the main track and are stationary when boarding and disbarking.

 

[fabfemmeboy]

Are you driving? Because his description sounds much more like a plane than any other form of non-street-level transportation.

What if you use the Skyliner and he meets you later by bus?

What issues? Except at Riviera, which you haven't mentioned at all, gondola cars are pulled off the main track and are stationary when boarding and disbarking.

Haha, no, we're flying. I'm not sure why he's fine with planes but not with gondola-type rides. It's not just at Disney, either. Even the open-air ones at the Boardwalk...and then I didn't help matters when I accidentally made him go on two different ones during our trip to China and Hong Kong where there was wind and such...

As for the issues I was referring to, I've heard/read of several different incidents that were caused by the pull-off track, either trying to pull it out or trying to shuffle it back in. Including the big accident shortly after opening and at least one or two others.

I'm not sure I understand your question about him meeting me later by bus. I was under the impression that they no longer run buses from Skyliner resorts to the Skyliner parks, not even the once-per-hour they were doing at the start of 2020. Or do you mean, for example, bus to DS and then another bus to a resort in the vicinity of the target park?

 

[PumpkinSpice]

If it were me I'd go with CSR, mainly because with the limited park hours you're going to be spending more time at the resort, and I'd much rather stay where there are better food options, and also simply for the fact that CSR is so much more beautiful, with more areas to walk around, as well as to sit and enjoy the scenery, and it has a much better pool. I hate feeling cooped up in a resort room with no where to go, especially if said resort doesn't have a patio or balcony to sit out on, and with CSR having so many amazing places to hang out during the day and after park closure, that would seal the deal for me. I'm also not a fan of the Skyliner, but since it was so convenient when we stayed at Pop, I learned to tolerate it. I don't think I'd want to stay at Pop if I wasn't utilizing the Skyliner, and if there weren't regular park hours, unless I was doing a cost-saving trip.

 

[westie55]

I wouldn't stay at Pop if your partner is afraid of the skyliner. My DH is also afraid and we stayed at Riviera last week. He tried it at first, but after a few rides he wanted no part of it (I thought it was great). I don't think you want to have to split up every time you go to DHS or Epcot, it just doesn't make sense. You are right that if the skyliner is running, there is NO bus. It is either or. We will likely not be staying at Riviera again due to the skyliner issue. Try something new this time and give CSR a chance!

Incidentally, DH is not afraid of planes and he even rides gondolas at ski resorts... but he hated this one. He said it was too high and he didn't like being over a parking lot. It also slows down or even stops sometimes (for us it only stopped for a couple minutes) but it was enough to give him a lot of anxiety.

 

[vinotinto]

Can't help with the VET questions (except the one about him wanting to be close to a bus stop: request "as close as possible to bus stop" but make sure he understands no request is guaranteed.

Are you driving? Because his description sounds much more like a plane than any other form of non-street-level transportation.

What if you use the Skyliner and he meets you later by bus?

What issues? Except at Riviera, which you haven't mentioned at all, gondola cars are pulled off the main track and are stationary when boarding and disbarking.

With an electric wheelchair, the Skyliner is such a great solution. I would suggest Pop, and like the PP, I like the idea of you taking the Skyliner and he can meet you, but not sure if any buses are currently running to DHS and Epcot (they were running about once/hour back when we stayed at AoA in Feb, but it was very inconsistent and with distancing, they may not be running anymore).

Otherwise, I would suggest you book a preferred room at CSR (buildings 1,2,3) and that should put you close to the first bus stop at CSR (Request Building 2). No building at CSR is far from a bus stop. With the bridges, it's not as big as many make it sound. We were in Ranchos and could be in just a minute to the main pool and only a few minutes to GDT, and maybe 5 minutes tops to the QS.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Haha, no, we're flying. I'm not sure why he's fine with planes but not with gondola-type rides.

Oh, I know why. It's the difference between being attached to the ground or not. Just, your desctpription of his refusal sounds exactly like fear of planes!

and then I didn't help matters when I accidentally made him go on two different ones during our trip to China and Hong Kong

Shame! Shame!!

Including the big accident shortly after opening and at least one or two others.

The accident that caused the shutdown was on a main line, not the pull-off area, i.e. gondolas that were constantly moving, as opposed to being added back on to the track. Even if that car had come from the pull-off, it was well on its way on the main tracjk when the incident occurred.

Not aware of other incidents, so can't prvide any information. Not that anything we say would change his mind...

I'm not sure I understand your question about him meeting me later by bus

I keep forgetting the bus isn 't running.

 

[JAMIESMITH]

CSR is pretty big, but there are lots of bus stops. With a wheelchair, you'll want to be at the first pick up spot. I believe that was near the lobby. We really enjoyed the Pepper Market. The grounds and pool are lovely!

 

[DisneyPiPhi]

Does your budget accommodate a Preferred Room at CSR? That would put you closer to food and transportation options.