which moderate resort do you recommend?

[mmmnj]

Hi, My kids and I travel to disney yearly every august.... yet again this august but staying off-site again at a villa resort. We've stayed at the deluxe resorts and we've stayed offsite at various villa resorts. However, i just received a great promotional offer from the disney rewards visa for November (thanksgiving week dates). The rates are great for the moderate resorts on-site at Disney -- I've never stayed at any of the moderate resorts. 6 nights with 2 days park tixs and free disney plus dining ....giving us a full 6 nights for about $2000.
I want 2 Queen beds, that's a requirement so that limits us to Port Orleans riverside, the French Quarter and Coronado Springs. I am traveling with my kids 6, 4, 3 so the pool and everything should be young kid friendly.

The French quarter standard room is about $200 less than the Coronado Preferred Room. And the Riverside Royal rooms and the Coronado Preferred Rooms are about the same rate.
Can i get your thoughts? Your opinion?? The pool and rooms at French Quarter actually looks nicer to me from the pictures. I could save $200 but then again looks can be deceiving.
Do you have any recommendations or opinions...... ?????

Thanks a bunch!!!

 

[Kim1964]

I've stayed at all three and with kids those ages, I'd go with French Quarter. It's small and the pool is very kid friendly. Coronado is my favorite moderate but my kids are older.

 

[beccasmom]

I like POFQ a lot. The pool area is really clever - the water slide is a dragon and kids seem to really enjoy it. It is a very compact resort with "only" one bus stop and it is very easy to navigate. The food court is replete with Mardi Gras masks.

POR is very nice too, but much larger. There are several bus stops. There are two styles of rooms. There is both a food court and sit-down restaurant.

Both resorts have watercraft service to DTD ...... A really nice perk!

You really can't go wrong with either one, so just pick the ambience you prefer.

 

[ttintagel]

I HIGHLY recommend French Quarter! Lovely refurbished rooms, luxurious beds, boats to Downtown Disney, and atmosphere up the wazoo. It's got only one bus stop with less waiting, and you can comfortably walk anywhere in the resort you want to go.

Plus, if you want big-resort amenities like table service or a bigger pool, you can walk over to Riverside in ten minutes and use theirs. Honestly, I wish I'd spent more time out of the parks and at the resort when I was there last summer.

 

[Forensicmom]

I have asked this question several times to friends who have been to Disney. Both the Coronado Springs and the POR-Riverside were recommended to us. We're torn between the two because they are are roughly the same price.

We have 4 older kids (18, 13, 11, 8), so we need two rooms but we are planning to go the week before Thanksgiving (Nov 14-20). We went last year on the same days and it was amazing. NO crowds and fantastic weather.

 

[canopynut66]

we really liked POR but for the money we went to POP five years ago and really like it but is double beds. we get two connecting rooms so we all have our own bed and is cheaper than getting a suite that we will not even make a pot of coffee in so why pay for the kitchenette. have stayed at all moderates and they all nice but again POR gets our vote

 

[usd2bmd]

We have stayed at POR more than once and loved it. We always request and are lucky enough to get a room on the mansion side of the resort. You can still pool hop to the French Quarter. It's quiet and laid back. Just what you need after a day (or two or three) of running around and packing in the fun at the parks. If you stay there be sure to go to French Quarter and get Beignets. They are wonderful.

 

[AmyLand98]

We have stayed at both the Coronado and Riverside and personally preferred the Coronado. My son was almost 6 and my niece was 10 and the LOVED it!! They LOVED the pool and my son said it is his second favorite water slide at Disney (first now being at Kidani). We liked Riverside, my son was 9 and a friend was 11 when we stayed there. But we still liked Coronado more

 

[JLJTheRaven]

I HIGHLY recommend POFQ. It is the smallest moderate resort (and maybe the smallest of all resorts, though I am not certain) and thereby eliminates the possibility of being far away from the main resort building. Also, there is only one bus stop. When we have stayed at POFQ, we have never had to wait for long periods without a bus with the exception of one day in December of 09 when the MK bus was delayed. With newly updated rooms, I don't think you'll find a better option. But of course, that just my opinion. I hope you have a blast on your vacation!

 

[shannonstar]

We love POFQ. It is a small resort and very quaint. We loved the boat to DTD. Only one bus stop and they don't always share with POR, which is nice.

 

[DizDaD7]

Hmmm:
I'm torn between this because whenver this question comes up, I'm 99% going to say CSR....For every possible reason.

But in your case, with 3 lil ones, & the shear ease of navigating around the resort, I too would say POFQ... Pool is close to all bldgs, & mainly geared toward youngsters...I personally like POR a lil better , but Love CSR....but in your case I would say POFQ...And don't forget to order 1 or 20 doz..Beignets....Yum!!!

 

[tiffjoy]

We love POFQ. We used to stay at Pop but decided to try POFQ when we got a great deal. Now we are too spoiled to go back to Pop!

It's so very quiet, which I love after the hustle if the parks. It's perfectly beautiful and not too big. My single complaint would be lack of onside dining options but it's such a minor issue. Especially cause you can walk to Riverside or take the boat to DTD.

It was too cold for the pool when we went, but it looks really nice.

The rooms are decorated beautifully and perfectly comfortable.

Wherever you pick, enjoy!

 

[mdinme]

Yes the "big nets" as we called them are tasty!

 

[aubriee]

I go to WDW several times a year and have pretty much settled on the moderates as my resorts of choice, so have stayed in all four more than once. For me POFQ and CSR would be a close tie, with maybe CSR having just the slightest edge. I love their food court. It is a buffet for breakfast and lunch and if you are on the DDP it just costs one CS credit (yes CS, not TS). Their beds are alot more comfortable for some reason. I thought that when the rehab was finished over at POFQ that they'd have the same mattresses, but we have stayed at POFQ twice since the rehab and also twice at CSR and the beds at CSR are soooo much more comfortable. The new ones at POFQ are just OK. We also love the lovely white sand beaches and hammocks in the Cabanas section and pretty fountains in the Casitas section at CSR. We are not fans of the Rancho section though. We also prefer CSR's pool and they have the biggest hot tub on property. We also like that you can refill your mugs and also order food right there at the pool. They also have marshmallow roasts right there at the pool. They by far have the best playground for kids.

However, saying all of that, with the age of your kids I'd still probably go with POFQ, just because it is the smallest WDW resort and no room is very far from anything else. Plus they have to the boat to DTD, which opens up more dining options. We stayed there this past Feb with our 3 y/o GS and he adored the serpent slide and gator fountains (although when we called his parents that first night, my son was just a tad alarmed when he asked what he'd done that first day and my GS answered that he'd slid out of a "wet dragon's" mouth into a deep pool and played with alligators.)

I would not recommend PORS in your case. The bus usually stops at POFQ before going over to PORS (except each resort normally has their own bus to and from MK), which means by the time the bus gets to your stop at PORS, it may be standing room only, which may be difficult with a 3, 4, and 6 y/o. You'd be holding the stroller and bags, plus be trying to keep your little ones from falling, while holding on yourself. We saw this several times this past Feb, when we were at POFQ. I felt really sorry for those parents. My husband gave up his seat several times. I held my GS on my lap, but no way was I standing with a wobbly 3 y/o. With POFQ being the first stop, you usually get a seat every morning. With CSR being a convention resort, conventioneers are in meetings all day, so leave the buses to us. I've stayed at CSR ten times and have always said that consistently CSR has the best bus service.

 

[indigoxtreme]

As many have said POFQ is the best choice for you. It is so small and lovely. We have stayed at POR and POFQ and love the fact that each resort is only a short 10 minute or less stroll down the river. Since they are Sister resorts you are allowed to use the amenities at each. Anywhere in POFQ is less than 5 minute walk to the main building. We love Building 3, if you are looking at the main building in front of the resort it is the building to your left. It is away from the bus stop and you do not hear the buses all the time. When the children are older you have the option of POR with the murphy bed. You may want to consider it now and ask for alligator Bayou building 5 is our favorite and I believe it is now a preferred building, real close to the main bus stop, just walk across a parking lot to it. Go to the web site developed by one of our own Dis members for POR and POFQ, you can view picture of the new refurbished room and lots of great info. Also on the resort threads there are two information pages.
http://www.portorleans.org/ Here is POR thread http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2904701

and here is POFQ thread http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2924189

All are done by Andrew Wiley from DIS Have fun Oh and the boat to DTD is wonderful for kids and adults.

 

[Pixiedust34]

For young kids, French Quarter hands down. The compact size is nice with young kids, and the pool is the most kid-friendly.

If you were traveling with older kids, I'd have recommended CSR. Save that one for when your kids are older and would better enjoy the pool slide there.

 

[disneychic2]

I'm another vote for FQ. It is our favorite resort. I think your kids will love the pool and the ease of getting around is handy with little ones. The food court is nice and the boat to DTD is a wonderful relaxing way to get there. Congrats on getting such a great offer!

 

[Lyrabee]

Another vote here for POFQ! I love the size of the resort and the theming, too.

 

[Forensicmom]

Thanks so much for posting this. Even though my kids are older, I'm hearing the differences between CSR an POR/POFQ. We originally wanted POR but after reading so many posts, I'm leaning more towards the CSR. My kids are much older and would be fine.

 

[mmmnj]

HI everyone,
I want to thank you all for your posts. Very helpful. Can't thank everyone enough for all the info. I used to be very active on these boards when my older children (now teenagers... were little and i was home with them only working part-time (back 2001-2003). However, I went back to work full-time and I had 3 more children and just couldn't get on these boards anymore. This is still such a wonderful community!! I'm so glad to see these forums still so active and helpful! I'm back to working part-time and am hoping to get back on the boards again.
Any way,
thanks again for everyone responding and so quickly!