Walk Time at Moderates

[-Shannon-]

Hi, everyone:

I'm considering a stay at a moderate and I'd appreciate your perspective on the size of the resorts and the walking required to get to the restaurants/bus transportation. I've previously stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge and Pop Century. In both cases, I was lucky enough to get rooms that were a "middling" distance from the lobby: not super-close but also not at the furthest reaches of the resort. In both cases, I felt like the run to the lobby to refill our mugs or catch a bus was very reasonable.

Now, I'm considering Coronado Springs or Port Orleans-Riverside. Reading about multiple bus stops, and looking at the maps, I'm wondering how long it takes to get from an average room to any of the amenities. Both resorts look beautiful but huge. Will I end up dreading the "commute" to grab an ice cream bar or visit the front desk?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

 

[buzznina]

1-10 minutes depending on your room location. I found being in the back of POR took just as long as our room near the end of hallway at AKL and BW. If really worried, you can reserve a preferred room at both of those resorts and you will be within a couple of minutes.

 

[Sue M]

My last stay was at PoP and I was really far from food court and bus. I never timed my walk but it was long. POR is our fav moderate, I stay in the mansions either in Magnolia Terrace or Acadian House and I have never had too long a walk to main amenities, pool or main buildings. And there are 2 bus stops behind these buildings that I prefer over the main bus depot.
CSR is a bit different being built around a lake. I think the walks to the food court could be longer. I’ve never stayed here. I went once to look around during an AKL stay to see if it was somewhere I’d be interested in staying, but POR won out. Also CSR is under construction now.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

I can't help you out with Coronado Springs as I've never stayed there. My husband is there right now, though, so I can ask him his perspective when I talk with him later. Regarding POR, I have stayed there twice, once in a Royal Guest Room which is across the river from the main building and once in a preferred room. The preferred room was in Aligator Bayou and on the same side of the river. I never had to walk more than maybe one or two minutes to be at the closest bus stop to me. Now, in Aligator Bayou, I was closest to the first stop and I loved that because if I showed up as the bus I wanted was pulling away, I could easily walk to the main stop, which is also the last stop, in under 5 minutes and catch the bus I had originally missed. Pretty nice. It probably took no more than 3 minutes to get to the main building for food from my Aligator Bayou room.

In the Royal Guest Room, I was, again, no more than a minute or two from the bus stop. It probably took about 5 minutes to get across the bridge to dining. I'd wager that no room is more than a minute or two from a bus stop. You might have to walk farther for food, but it would never be much over 5 minutes, I wouldn't think.

 

[nkereina]

You could always book a preferred room at either resort to guarantee you a room not too far from the food court and main building. At CSR, the rooms in Casitas 1,2,3 are preferred and are very close to El Centro and a bus stop as well. A little bit of a walk to the pool though. At POR, the preferred rooms will be in AB and pretty central to everything.

All that said, we've stayed at both and never booked a preferred room. We got Cabanas at CSR and thought it was a great location, and at POR we have stayed in the mansions each time which was a good 5 minute walk to the main building.

 

[loves to dive]

I've never found the walk from the farthest point at either CSR or POR any further away then say the REDRUM hallways at BWI or being on the HS side of YC. If you want to be closeish, I've stayed in Magnolia Mansion at POR, there is a bus stop right there and the walk to the main building or the pool couldn't have been more than 3 to 5 min. I've stayed in both the Cabanas and the Casitas at CSR. Cabanas building 8 Casitas building 5. Neither was very far from the pool or the main building, both have quiet pools right there. Casistas is bus stop 2 but the first stop the bus stops at CSR, Cabanas is the 2nd to the last at POR .

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

I have stayed at both CS and POR, really will depend on where your bus stop is for the length of your walk. We stay in the mansions at POR which is less than 2-5 minutes to the bus stops based on where you are in the area. We even walked all the way to the main bus stop after we toured around the lobby and grounds and that was only 10 min from the mansions. Also, there are several pools at POR so you aren't far from any of them. At CS I don't recall the location name where we were but it was never that far for us. Just take a look at the map and try to get as close as you can if that is a major concern. The lobby seemed to be a bit farther of a walk but not horrible. You can find out what room types are in the buildings you would like to be in that will get you closer to the bus stops and lobby.

 

[heidijanesmith]

I really enjoyed Coronado Springs. I was there for a conference and was concerned about the size of the resort.

I loved the Castias section. Half way between the pool and lobby. There was a bus stop right out side my building.

I thought the bus stops were super easy and quick, just four and then your off to your destination. I think the buses here were better than my stays at the Deluxes!

 

[cassie58]

We always request Cabanas 8A or 8B at CSR, which is close to a bus stop, main pool, and a short walk to El Centro for food court, with beautiful landscaping along the way. Nothing more than a few minutes from that location. Also like that the bus ride to Epcot, HS, and AK are about 10 min, w/only MK being longer - very central location from our perspective. You could check the thread on Resorts Forum to see if current construction has had any impact on the paths.

 

[-Shannon-]

Thanks for the feedback, everyone. It sounds like the benefits of the moderates offset the size of their footprint. I'll do my research, put in a room request, and cross my fingers!