Which moderate if you could not swing a deluxe ?

pooh2001

DIS Veteran
Joined
Feb 16, 2000
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Depending on what we can save this year - we may bump down to a moderate instead of staying in a deluxe.

We like boats, pools with slides, good transportation and a gift shop which sells milk in small conatainers.

We are DH, DW and DS (teen) and DD (tween).

Could someone recommend a moderate resort for us ?

thanks
 
Without a doubt -- CSR. It has all of the amenities of a deluxe but with a moderate price tag. There is a spa, nice exercise room, AND (a biggie for the little kids and me!!) room service. We really enjoyed our brief stay here in May -- even though it followed 8 days at AKL. CSR gets my vote!
 
I'd say either POR or POFQ. We stayed at POR when it was called Dixie Landings and we had a great stay! It's just a short boat ride to Downtown Disney, a short walk to POFQ. And I believe you can use the pools to both POR and POFQ. POFQ has the better pool with a dragon water slide. There is also a carriage ride that costs only $30 for 1/2 hr rides at POR. Very relaxing. POFQ is a smaller resort, with only one bus stop. POR is larger, with a total of 4 bus stops, a sit-down restaurant. Both hotels have counter service areas and gift shops that serve milk. :flower: The are is just beautiful to take walks around!
 
We really enjoyed our stay this year at POFQ. It was very quiet and conveniently located to all the parks. I didn't mind not have a full service restaurant as we all our TS meals in the parks. The pool was very nice, too.
 

I am just wondering if a moderate resort has the same benefits as as Deluxe resot where there is guest services, where they can book your PS, etc?
 
yes, you can book your ps's at the resort, there is a special counter set up just for that... they have all or most of the benefits of a deluxe. (there are no moderates on a monorail - but then again there are deluxe's without a monorail too)

i recently posted a message to someone with pictures about this resort... so i will just copy and paste it here:

It has a relaxing type of theme. A southern new orleans, "Mark Twain/Davie Crockett" feel to it.

Connected to building with check in and the gift shop (where they have a mini market where they sell milk, medicine, food, beer, etc), is a bar, where there is a guy that is there at night during the week where he sings and plays on an animated type piano (it lifts off of the ground and sways from side to side), and he gets the audience involved in his act. :rolleyes1 It is really hysterical to watch. if you go there, ask the cast members at check in what times that he is there, so you may want to catch it.

Connected to the bar is Boatwright's Dining hall. I haven't eaten there, but have heard from some other dis'er's that it is good. Connected to that is a food court, where you can get just about anything there. (they also sell little cartons of milk there as well) :teeth:

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Just outside of the building in view from the food court is part of the river, where you can rent paddle boats, bicycles, etc. or if you would like to go to downtown disney, you can take the ferry boat there. it is very convient, and at night, very peaceful. :angel:

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As far as rooms go... it depends on what you are looking for... we've stayed in both section types.

convience? Try to ask for building 14, it is right next to everything. Building 18 is also right next to everything, it is on the other side of 14. But it is surrounded by other buildings in a way that no matter where you are placed in that building, you will not get a room with a parking lot view. Only a garden view or a water view. These buildings are in the Aligator Bayou section of the resort. The rooms are the same, just decorated differently. And rooms in this section automatically come with a trundle bed (a roll out bed).

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if you would like something with a more "romantic" touch to it, then ask for a building in the Mansion Manors, or the Magnolia Bend section. These look more like colonial mansions on the outside, with a different decor on the inside. They are on the other side of the river. Building 90, would be the closest to the food court etc. Also, rooms here do not come with a trundle bed. You can ask for one if you wish, but it is extra. (don't know why?? :confused3 )

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If you want specific building requests, you need to ask to put it on your reservation as a side note, then call the resort about 3-4 days before your trip. This is when they begin filling up the rooms in advance. They try to place the large parties first, then the smaller ones.

Everynight at 7pm there is a campfire at a site behind the main pool with the slide, where they roast marshmellows and smores, and sing songs. Someone once told me that depending on the ages of the children that end up having to some to the fire on each particular night, they'll tell ghost stories too, unless there are objections. last time that i was there they weren't doing this... someone at the front desk told me that they usually do this during peak seasons... since that should be around summer... ask about it when you check in.

I don't know if anyone in your group are into fishing, but there is a "catch and throw" fishing area. Where you can rent rods and bait and fish, or learn to fish.

There are horse carriage rides there as well. Not sure how far they will take you, but they depart from the area where you can rent paddle boats.

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The pools there are nice. There are "quiet" pools, that are placed all around the resort, so the "main" pool called "ol' man island" doesn't get too packed. These pools do not have life guards, but the main one does. At the main one, there is a slide, a hot tub, and a kiddy pool for the little ones, like my godson. There is also a bar near the main one too.

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Here is a great site that I have found useful for looking at some disney resorts. The phone number for the resort is listed on here too. They have pictures of almost every area around the resort, and images of the resort map, menus with prices from the food court, boatwrights, the bar, etc. so you have an idea of how much things cost, or get an idea of what they serve there...http://www.wdisneyw.co.uk/dxl.html

Sorry this is sooo long, but you got me started on talking about our second home. if there are any more questions, please feel free to ask...

good luck, and have fun!

Jen ::MinnieMo :earsgirl:
 
Jenjen212 - awesome writeup. I'll be there in 10 days. Can't wait. :cool1:
 
CSR!

THE PROS
No sharing bus service with other resorts
Centrally located with short rides to the parks
Largest hot tub on WDW property
Awesome main pool area with bar, snack bar, playground and kiddie pool
3 quiet pools
New shuttle service eliminates long walks to any of the villages
High speed internet service
WiFi available too
Free use of the gym
Spa
Fridge in the room
Coffeemaker in the room
Iron and ironing board
full room service menu
2 arcades
beautifully landscaped
central air, not a noisey wall unit

THE CONS
Full size beds (kings size beds are available)
one sink

IN THE MIDDLE
The Pepper Market is either a love it or hate it place. We love it but some folks just don't care for it.

Convention resort - some guests don't like seeing other guests at work. Doesn't bother us and helps keep the buses empty. GF, Cont, BW, Y & B Club are also convention resorts.

Check out my website below
 
I'll put in a vote for the POFQ. This resort is a lot more managable than the other moderate resorts, as it's about half the size. I love the atmosphere--it's bright, and cheery, and whimsical. Although the slide is short, I think the sea serpant slide is one of the coolest on Disney property. I love the boat ride to Downtown Disney. It's a nice break from the buses.

Karen
 
My vote goes to POR. I have visited POFQ and it is smaller but it also looked more hotel-ish to me. Plus at POR you have a sit down restaurant, Boatwrights (fantastic breakfasts, ok dinners). There is Bob Jackson the fun for all ages piano man who is in the River Roost lounge several nights per week. From both POFQ and POR you can take a nice boat ride to DTD. I like the Southern Tom Sawyer-ish charm. The peaceful laid back feel is a treat after the hustle and bustle of the parks. The grounds are just beautiful as well, lush with plants and flowers and lil bunnies.
 
Definitely CSR. We loved it there on our visit in March. Check out Buzz's site for great pics and information.
 
WOW Jenjen12 that was an incredible post on POR. If only I could reproduce something like that for CSR which is my favorite. I always say that CSR is really a delux resort that got spread out instead of up. The only thing I like better at PO is the boat to DTD. Other than that CSR wins hands down. The bus service is the best of all the moderates, the restaurant is really incredible and I like the Pepper Market even with the 10% automatic gratuity. I prefer to have someone seat me and bring me my drink rather than walking around with it on my tray while I'm looking for a table only to have it grabbed by some kid while I'm trying to get to it. The pool at CSR is larger than the other mod's and has a better slide. The playground is bigger for the kids, the poolside lounge is better and serves real food, there are two arcades -- one in the main building and one by the pool. The gift shop is the best and I've always found that the CM's are awesome and always ready to help -- including the lawn guy that helped me carry my daughter and bags to my room after she fell and was crying. I really can't say enough great things about CSR but I can highly recommend it as an alternative to a delux.
 
We have stayed at a lot of Disney Resorts and I think Port Orleans Riverside is one of the best. If you take a boat ride at night the view is bee-u-tifull. I love the gift shop,and the food is great. ::MickeyMo
 
MinnieSummer said:
WOW Jenjen12 that was an incredible post on POR. If only I could reproduce something like that for CSR which is my favorite. I always say that CSR is really a delux resort that got spread out instead of up. The only thing I like better at PO is the boat to DTD. Other than that CSR wins hands down. The bus service is the best of all the moderates, the restaurant is really incredible and I like the Pepper Market even with the 10% automatic gratuity. I prefer to have someone seat me and bring me my drink rather than walking around with it on my tray while I'm looking for a table only to have it grabbed by some kid while I'm trying to get to it. The pool at CSR is larger than the other mod's and has a better slide. The playground is bigger for the kids, the poolside lounge is better and serves real food, there are two arcades -- one in the main building and one by the pool. The gift shop is the best and I've always found that the CM's are awesome and always ready to help -- including the lawn guy that helped me carry my daughter and bags to my room after she fell and was crying. I really can't say enough great things about CSR but I can highly recommend it as an alternative to a delux.
Nicely stated, CSR get my vote too!
 
POR's got my vote!!!
Love the mansion buildings especially.
Very pretty grounds
Like boat to DTD; bike and boat rentals; carriage rides
Great ice-cream at food court
Friendly staff
Before we bought into DVC we always stayed here unless managed to get a good code rate for the deluxes!
 
If I need high speed interent CSR. Otherwise CBR. I just love that resort and it was built before Disney got "Cheap" Better noise reduction, standard views don't have parking lots!
 
We really enjoyed CBR. We liked the Caribbean feel.The kids LOVED the pool with the slide and the cannons that shot water.The rooms were very large as was the food court.
 


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