What is your favourie MODERATE resort and why?

[twokiddos]

Anyone care to help a Disney newbie out?

We are going in September....took advantage of the free dining plan. I initially had wanted to book the Port Orleans - French Quarter, but we couldn't get it for the time we wanted and also, they are renovating right now apparently.... otherwise I might have tried to switch our times. Then we tried for Riverside and again same issue, not available. But I checked this am and it is available now so I'm considering changing.

We are currently booked with Carribean Beach Resort, preferred room. Travelling with my HB and 2 kids who will be 6 and 4 at the time of travel.

So tell me, what's your favourite moderate resort, which room type, and why? Any resorts that you really dislike?

Thanks so much for your help!

 

[Disneylover99]

Favourite mod....POFQ for its compact size and boat to DTD. Because of the compact size, they don't offer preferred rooms, so you don't have to pay for preferred rooms to be near the buses or counter service restaurant.

 

[twokiddos]

Favourite mod....POFQ for its compact size and boat to DTD. Because of the compact size, they don't offer preferred rooms, so you don't have to pay for preferred rooms to be near the buses or counter service restaurant.

Thanks for your reply! I'm so disappointed bc this was our first choice. I didn't try and modify the dates too much bc I noticed they were under renos and I was a bit concerned about that.... not sure how that's going and how it would effect us....

 

[Disneylover99]

Thanks for your reply! I'm so disappointed bc this was our first choice. I didn't try and modify the dates too much bc I noticed they were under renos and I was a bit concerned about that.... not sure how that's going and how it would effect us....

If POFQ was not available then POR would be my second choice. POR has an awesome counter service restaurant (bigger and better then POFQ IMO) plus the boat to DTD (which we love and use often). There is also catch and release fishing and carriage rides you can book. I would definitely book a preferred room at POR though.

I've heard Caribbean Beach does not yet have queen size beds. This is one reason we stay away.

 

[bennifer]

Our favorite mod is CSR. I really didn't like CBR because it was just too big. If I have to take a bus to get around the resort, it's too big for me!

 

[justplaingoofy]

Caribbean Beach is my favorite. I have stayed there 4 times & just booked there again in December.
We have also stayed at Port Orleans Riverside 2 times, and Coronado 2 times.

 

[emthmt28]

My fave is definitely French Quarter also. However, the pirate rooms at the Caribbean Beach are very cool. If you don't have one of those rooms, check into that. Quite honestly, all the moderate resorts are very nice. All are also very huge, except French Quarter, which is why I like that one so much. You'll definitely have fun at whichever resort you decide upon.

 

[tinkerbella16]

Both POFQ & Riverside are my favorite moderates. I wouldn't stay anywhere else but 1 of these 2. POFQ I like just a little more for its small size and charm. I love the boats to DTD! Even when the resort is booked solid, you'd never know it.. it is always so quiet and relaxing. Riverside is a great resort.. all of the amenities are at Riverside, but it is much larger. The food court at POR beats FQ in my opinion.

I have stayed at all 4 moderate resorts, so I am not biased. Just going by experiences. I keep on going back to Port Orleans so that must mean something!

 

[WisconsinDad]

We stayed at CSR in 2011 and the whole family loved it. If your on the dining plan, the Pepper Market has a lot of great options (didn't try Maya Grill).

Also, I believe CSR is the only mod to have a wooden divider between vanity and the rest of the room which was a nice touch.

 

[BeerMe]

POFQ, like others have said, plus it has beignets and they have Purple Haze on tap at the pool bar.

 

[Ram7730]

Sorry if this is in the wrong place but I have a stupid question. I am currently booked at Art of Animation in January for marathon weekend so I can do the Dopey Challenge. I am going with my two daughters, wife, parents and my Grandmother so we have two rooms.

My question is are the moderate resorts really worth the extra price? Without discounts it would be 1 and 1/2 times the cost. I don't mind paying extra but what do you get for it? Is it just that the rooms are nicer? The idea of being a boat ride away from downtown disney is attractive but is that really it?

 

[BeerMe]

They are generally less crowded than Values, they have a sit down restaurant, the rooms are slightly larger, the pools are better, they have hot tubs. Having said that, we stay at all levels of resorts and we like the Values too. Oh and the food courts are not as crazy crowded as at the values.

 

[amytech]

Our favorite is POFQ by far! If that one wasn't available I would choose Riverside. Loved the boat to DD, loved having queen beds and the resorts are quiet.
Food courts were great too!

 

[Ram7730]

They are generally less crowded than Values, they have a sit down restaurant, the rooms are slightly larger, the pools are better, they have hot tubs. Having said that, we stay at all levels of resorts and we like the Values too. Oh and the food courts are not as crazy crowded as at the values.

Thanks, the only one I've stayed at so far was the Pop Century and it was ok. I am leaning towards switching the reservation because as I understand it by the time you factor in discounts the price difference isn't that much. Something a little less crowded and a little more quiet would be nice

 

[Disneyaddictz]

Riverside was so nice, IMO the grounds were comparable to deluxe!

 

[Disneylover99]

My question is are the moderate resorts really worth the extra price? Without discounts it would be 1 and 1/2 times the cost. I don't mind paying extra but what do you get for it? Is it just that the rooms are nicer? The idea of being a boat ride away from downtown disney is attractive but is that really it?

moderates have....

-bigger rooms
-queen size beds (except CBR)
-ceiling fans in rooms
-double sinks
-hot tubs
-pool slides
-boat to DTD (POR and POFQ)
-usually quieter than Values

I think sometimes Moderates are worth it and sometimes they are not. It depends on your length of stay, the ages/size of your family and if you plan on hanging out at your resort at all.

 

[Stitch2244314]

After our stay there in December, POR has overtaken CBR as our #1 favorite moderate. We loved the grounds, the atmosphere, the food court, and we stayed in a royal room, which was fantastic. We also like CBR for the tropical atmosphere, friendly CMs, and overall feel. I think POFQ is a good choice as well, especially for the small size. The only one we didn't really care for was CSR, but that was before the big room refurbs, and that place has a ton of fans! Good luck with your decision-- you can't go wrong with whatever you decide!

 

[Eeyore's My Favorite]

Check out the website www.portorleans.org. It gives you so much information & really helped us decide on POR over POFQ. We took the carriage ride through POFQ when we were there & decided it was too small & too compact for our tastes. Love the boat to DTD & we had no issues with the buses at all during either of our trips in April. Stayed in AB preferred rooms both times, but plan on trying out the mansions next trip. Have fun on your vacation!

 

[twokiddos]

Thank you so much for all of your replies. Appreciate all the info. I did end up switching to POR.... when we initially booked I really wanted POFQ, the pools looked like fun for the kids.... POR didn't seem as kid friendly, however I have since heard that it is great and the kids will love it.

I do wonder about CSR and I do still have time to switch, so I'm still looking into everything. I keep changing my mind about everything! There is just so much to choose from! LOL.

 

[karriealex]

CSR is farther out from the parks and I have heard good and bad about the resort. They do have a sort of club level which I believe I heard is not much more than a regular room. That could potentially save you on dining.

POR is nice but just wasn't our taste. We have stayed at POFQ and CBR and of the two we liked DBR better. I guess we are more Islandy people since we also ADORE the Poly. CBR jut had a bouncy happy feel to it.