Which Moderate Resort & Why

[wmsinks]

I'm planning our first trip to disney in Late April or Early May. I've finally decided on staying at the Moderate resorts. Can anyone give me the pros and cons to help me decide which one to choose?

 

[Buzz2001]

All the mods are good choices but I prefer CSR the most. I love the Mexican theme. Check out my CSR website below for pics and info. It has the best pool/slide, awesome transportation that is not shared and great food options.

 

[LoveMyLAP-BAND]

Hi there!

Tell me more about who is travelling in your party and the ages of the kids (if there are any). Also, what is important to you? Pools? Theme? Convenience? Will you have a car or will you be taking the buses to the parks?

Kirsten

 

[wmsinks]

Kirsten - Thanks for responding.

It will be my husband, myself and my 6 year old b/g twins.

We will have a car, but we will probably just take the bus to the parks instead of drive.

I guess I would like a decent pool (which I'm sure they all have) and convenience is really important. I believe the caribbean themed one is having pool renovations when I'm going to be there, so I don't want to stay there. I'm open to the other 3.

 

[Navywife508]

We stayed at POR in October and loved it there. So much it is where we are staying again when we go back next October. I cried when we left, it felt like we were at home there.

 

[LoveMyLAP-BAND]

Unfortunately, Caribbean Beach's pool will be under renovation until September.

You really can't go wrong with the other three. The three mods that you are looking at are all 314 square feet with two double beds. The bathrooms in the mods have "privacy curtains" separating the room from the dressing area. (This is really a great feature since us moms rarely get any privacy!) Also, the bus stops at the mods are covered so you are not waiting with the sun beating down on you. I'll give you some basics about each and the pros/cons of each.

Coronado Springs- 1921 guest rooms. This resort is very spread out. The walk from the furthest room to the pool is about 7 minutes and to the Pepper Market is 15 minutes. There are bus stops all around so you won't be too far from one of those. The pool here is probably the best of the mods. It is a replica of an old Mayan temple with a 120-foot waterslide. The playground and arcade are also right there. Theme: Mexican/ Southwest USA.

Port Orleans French Quarter- 1008 guest rooms, 2 pedestal sinks (pedestal sinks don't leave much room for our "womanly" stuff) with the privacy divider. This is a really compact resort. The furthest room is less than a 5 minute walk to the pool, dining or bus stop. This is big plus in my book. There is a water launch to Downtown Disney. Theme: New Orleans.

Port Orleans Riverside- 2048 rooms that are the same as PO/French Quarter. From the furthest room it is an 8 minute walk to the pool and a 9 minute walk to the lobby/dining. Also has a water launch to Downtown Disney. Theme: the Old South.

Let me know if you have any more questions. Are you leaning towards any one in particular?

P.S. Once you choose a resort, then we need to help you with choosing where you are going to eat!!! Do you think you will do the dining plan?

Kirsten

 

[the Fidge]

WE have stayed at both POR resorts and think the French Quarter is great for little ones. THe added benefits are the perks from both resorts can be utilized. For wee ones I do like how close everything is.

We too wish to visit the Caribbean after the pool is finished and hope to do that for Christmas of 2008.

THe Coronado is very attractive but not fond of the fact that it is very spread out. Just my preferences and by all means like the above psoter suggested don't forget the dining plan!

Happy planning and don't forget to share which one you decided on, help the input helps.

 

[Buzz2001]

CSR has a playground right at the main pool area and a huge sandbox. They also have a kiddie pool. The Lifeguards play games with the kids as well as perform the opening pool ceremony involving the kids. It happens at the pool opening at 10:00am. The kids chant to the water gods to get the water turned on to the temple, slide and tiki post.

POR and CSR are just as large. CBR is the biggest.

 

[Disney Fool]

I just read on the Disney website that at the Caribbean Beach, although the main pool is being worked on, the other pools will have slides installed, and the hotel will have "activities" at the pools for the kids. Even without the main pool, it's a nice place to stay.

 

[wmsinks]

Thanks to everyone for responding!

Kirsten - you are a wealth of information! I'm still working on chosing a resort. Last night, I was leaning towards CSR, but not I'm considering them all again. The water launch sounds great to Downtown Disney...

I do plan to do the regular disney dining plan. I don't think I want to do the deluxe and spend that much time at table service meals. I will definately need helping picking places.

 

[DisneyKidds]

I'd suggest POR, for the following reasons:

Theme - I feel that Dixie Landings......forgive me, POR.......is the best themed of all the moderate resorts. Moreso than any of the other moderate, POR transports you to another time and place. Everything from the buildings, to the landscaping, to the main check in area/complex and meandering walks throughout the resort make you feel like you have arrived in the Old South. That is what Disney resorts are supposed to do, and POR does it better than any other moderate.

From Port Orleans you can take a ride along the Sassagoula River. Do it for fun, or use it as transportation to Downtown Disney......POR is the only moderate that has such a transportation option.

Activities.....POR has more than other moderates. Take a horse and carriage ride around the resort. While you can rent bikes at any resort, doing so here is a lot of fun as you can wind around POR and make your way to POFQ. Old Man Island does have a playground for the kids if you are so inclined....and I think they still have a campfire/singalong during certain times of the year. Old Man Island is fun for swimming, and if you want to make your way over to POFQ and sample the pool there you can do that too.

On occasion when we need to pick up a night in a moderate resort we find ourselves back at Dixie Landings.

 

[BigMickeyFan]

I'd suggest POR, for the following reasons:

Theme - I feel that Dixie Landings......forgive me, POR.......is the best themed of all the moderate resorts. Moreso than any of the other moderate, POR transports you to another time and place. Everything from the buildings, to the landscaping, to the main check in area/complex and meandering walks throughout the resort make you feel like you have arrived in the Old South. That is what Disney resorts are supposed to do, and POR does it better than any other moderate.

From Port Orleans you can take a ride along the Sassagoula River. Do it for fun, or use it as transportation to Downtown Disney......POR is the only moderate that has such a transportation option.

Activities.....POR has more than other moderates. Take a horse and carriage ride around the resort. While you can rent bikes at any resort, doing so here is a lot of fun as you can wind around POR and make your way to POFQ. Old Man Island does have a playground for the kids if you are so inclined....and I think they still have a campfire/singalong during certain times of the year. Old Man Island is fun for swimming, and if you want to make your way over to POFQ and sample the pool there you can do that too.

On occasion when we need to pick up a night in a moderate resort we find ourselves back at Dixie Landings.

I was just coming in to post pretty much this exact thing, but somone beat me to it. (Thanks!) We just got back from POR, and really loved it. We stayed at CSR in January, and really didn't like it nearly as much. I would definitely go back to POR again.

 

[Lilolvr]

I stayed at 3 of the 4 mods and CSR is hands down the best! No shared transportation like POR/POFQ, the transportation is terrific. There are great food options and the all new Rix Cafe & Lounge just opened this week. The pool and slide rival some of the deluxe resorts. Plus the playground is the best and its right by the pool along with a huge sandbox.

 

[PrincessPaczki]

We have stayed at the POR for the last two years and really loved it. It is such a beautiful resort. The food court has plenty to offer and the pools are great. We usually choose building 39 which is right by a quiet pool, great location!

 

[1313WEBFOOTWALK]

My favorite of the Moderates is POR:

Pros: Excellent theming (even fake cypress stumps intermingled w/ the other plant life), lush landscaping, wonderful peaceful atmosphere, a joy to walk through-especially through the Alligator Bayou section. Nice rustic touches in the Bayou rooms. The boat to Downtown Disney is also a pleasure to take, and you get great views of POFQ and SSR on the way. The pool is great and kids love the activities and the slide. Hey, so did I!

Cons: Bus service is shared w/ FQ and takes a WHILE. If you stay on the outskirts of the resort, you have a HIKE to the main building and Boatwright's. Other than that, I couldnt think of any negatives.

 

[Lintasare]

I personally love Port Orleans French Quarter. It's smaller than the other mods and has a more intimate feeling. The other mods are huge and you could easily get a room on the opposite side of the resort from the main building.

POFQ only has 7 buildings and at most it's a 5 min walk from any one building to the main building. If you have any questions about it feel free to ask.

 

[SGMCO]

Our Family has stayed at CSR and POR.
Both are very nice but we preferred POR because
it felt more Family Oriented comfy (felt more Disney feeling) than
CSR felt to much like the Business Conferance
Center (people in business attire everywhere you looked).
We had stayed at CSR 1st and didn't have other
Disney Resort to Compare it to.
We will be staying again at a PO Resort this time we want to try
POFQ. Both PO resorts are Wonderful you won't be disappointed!

 

[pigby]

The only moderate we have stayed at is POFQ - whilst it was nice, I thought it was actually too small - I love a wander round my resort. When we stayed at Pop for example, I loved strolling round the lake and for this reason we have booked CSR in August. We have had a brief visit here before although haven't stayed there and we liked the feel of it - so we are giving it a go - can't wait to see it at night - looks beautiful.