Why are Coronado Springs reviews so iffy?

[L&Lfan]

We are staying at Coronado Springs Preferred Room from 9/23-9/27. My friend could only afford a moderate so we decided CS would be it. I'm paying for 4 nights at the Boardwalk Inn Water View starting 9/27. It's my very first stay in a moderate so I hope I will like it.

 

[quickcat]

I have not read all the responses but for us, I did read the reviews and most said its a moderate but more close to a deluxe. I did not find this to be the case at all. I think I should not have read the reviews and just went with the description on the website and then I would not have talked myself into it.
Our stay there wasn't bad, the resort just wasn't for us. I did not like how the food 'court' was laid out. I thought the rooms were very dark which then made them seem very old and run down.
Everything was clean though, the food was fine, etc. We just much prefer having the balcony and a lighter, more open room.

 

[saskdw]

HAHA I have a good time where ever I go!! I just keep seeing people mention the convention guests as a deterrent to staying here and was wondering if there was more to it than just the fact that they are not there on a vacation. Seems a little silly to me that those guests would ruin a person's stay just because they happen to be there for a convention or meeting. To me it sounds like they would make the resort better. I doubt they are using the buses or the pool areas as often as the regular guests, so that should alleviate some crowding. Plus, if Disney wants to make the rooms at CSR a little nicer than the other moderates to attract convention guests than fine by me!!

We have 36 nights at CSR under our belts and 14 more booked this December. I have never actually noticed a conventioneer. The only thing I have ever noticed was kids sports teams and last year there was a national scholastic chess championship for a couple days while we were there. I noticed people walking around carrying their chess equipment. The only impact it had on the resort was the sports teams took over the volleyball court at the pool a couple of evenings. They had quite a game going on, they were having a lot of fun!

 

[jnscott4]

We have 36 nights at CSR under our belts and 14 more booked this December. I have never actually noticed a conventioneer. The only thing I have ever noticed was kids sports teams and last year there was a national scholastic chess championship for a couple days while we were there. I noticed people walking around carrying their chess equipment. The only impact it had on the resort was the sports teams took over the volleyball court at the pool a couple of evenings. They had quite a game going on, they were having a lot of fun!

Well you know those chess teams can get out of hand at times.......

 

[saskdw]

I have not read all the responses but for us, I did read the reviews and most said its a moderate but more close to a deluxe. I did not find this to be the case at all. I think I should not have read the reviews and just went with the description on the website and then I would not have talked myself into it.
Our stay there wasn't bad, the resort just wasn't for us. I did not like how the food 'court' was laid out. I thought the rooms were very dark which then made them seem very old and run down.
Everything was clean though, the food was fine, etc. We just much prefer having the balcony and a lighter, more open room.

Having a balcony is nice. That is one thing I wish I could get at a Mod resort.

The reason people call CSR the Deluxe of the Mod resorts is all the deluxe type amenities it has that the other Mods don't.

Fitness center, spa, salon, sauna, lap pool, night club style lounge with dance floor, 2 out door lounges, largest hot tub at WDW, 2nd longest water slide at WDW resorts, Business Class room option. Despite what you thought, IMO the best food court at any WDW resort and Maya Grill is a very highly rated sit down restaurant. They also added a second sit down restaurant.

So they don't have balconies and you aren't on the monorail, but there's a lot of value for your money in that list!

 

[saskdw]

Well you know those chess teams can get out of hand at times.......

It was the basketball teams at the volleyball court not the chess team!

 

[mevelandry]

Is there any trick to receiving a room location request. My DD 11 had a " cactus" incident a few years back. She wont walk near one- Is ranchos full of them?

As long you don't go and play in the "gardens"... you should be fine, I think.

 

[mevelandry]

I have not read all the responses but for us, I did read the reviews and most said its a moderate but more close to a deluxe. I did not find this to be the case at all. I think I should not have read the reviews and just went with the description on the website and then I would not have talked myself into it.
Our stay there wasn't bad, the resort just wasn't for us. I did not like how the food 'court' was laid out. I thought the rooms were very dark which then made them seem very old and run down.
Everything was clean though, the food was fine, etc. We just much prefer having the balcony and a lighter, more open room.

The rooms were "dark" ? I'm surprised. When did you go/what section where you in? Our room was painted with pastel colors and there was a huge window...

I think everybody hates that food court

 

[quickcat]

The rooms were "dark" ? I'm surprised. When did you go/what section where you in? Our room was painted with pastel colors and there was a huge window...

I think everybody hates that food court

Ok, that exactly is what I think was a big reason why I hated the room, the huge window.... in the front.
I felt like I could not leave it open because people walk by and look in. Not that I blame them, its just human nature to look into a huge window as you are walking but with the dark wood and no window facing a different view, it really made the room seem dark and worn.
Now, the room was clean and like I said, it was fine but just need a window (facing backwards) or a balcony
I guess I like natural light with privacy as well

 

[maxiesmom]

The rooms were "dark" ? I'm surprised. When did you go/what section where you in? Our room was painted with pastel colors and there was a huge window...

I think everybody hates that food court

I actually really like the Pepper Market. My whole family does! Everything we ordered was very good! I don't know why it gets such a bad rap.

 

[DJFan88]

I actually really like the Pepper Market. My whole family does! Everything we ordered was very good! I don't know why it gets such a bad rap.

Totally agree --- We all loved it!

 

[saskdw]

I actually really like the Pepper Market. My whole family does! Everything we ordered was very good! I don't know why it gets such a bad rap.

Us too! I find it to be a step up from most of the other food courts at WDW. Good quality and made fresh right in front of you.

For some reason the setup seems to be mentality challenging for some people. I personally prefer the setup to traditional food courts.

 

[Jarvis23]

Me too! I love the Pepper Market. I miss some of the old entrees but it is still good. I read its run by the same company that runs the mexican restaurant at Epcot.

 

[luvthemouse71]

HAHA I have a good time where ever I go!! I just keep seeing people mention the convention guests as a deterrent to staying here and was wondering if there was more to it than just the fact that they are not there on a vacation. Seems a little silly to me that those guests would ruin a person's stay just because they happen to be there for a convention or meeting. To me it sounds like they would make the resort better. I doubt they are using the buses or the pool areas as often as the regular guests, so that should alleviate some crowding. Plus, if Disney wants to make the rooms at CSR a little nicer than the other moderates to attract convention guests than fine by me!!

I agree, give me a business person any day over a drunk tourist(s) who lets their kids run amok,lol.

I've never stayed at CSR but it's on my list.

 

[mevelandry]

I actually really like the Pepper Market. My whole family does! Everything we ordered was very good! I don't know why it gets such a bad rap.

I don't know... I think it's because of the stamp system.

We got lunch there once and was pretty good but the breakfast was kinda gross. Therefore, I'm not crazy about it.

 

[quickcat]

I don't know... I think it's because of the stamp system.

We got lunch there once and was pretty good but the breakfast was kinda gross. Therefore, I'm not crazy about it.

Yes, that might be it. That's kind of weird but I also didn't like how you have to walk thru it, then walk back again and then decide what to have. I felt like I was bothering people by walking around. It just didn't seem as organized, for lack of a better word, as a 'regular' food court.

I actually did like everything I ate there. I thought the food was fine, just not the layout of it at all.

 

[saskdw]

Yes, that might be it. That's kind of weird but I also didn't like how you have to walk thru it, then walk back again and then decide what to have. I felt like I was bothering people by walking around. It just didn't seem as organized, for lack of a better word, as a 'regular' food court.

I actually did like everything I ate there. I thought the food was fine, just not the layout of it at all.

The idea is that you get hot fresh food and can then go directly to your table to eat it. At a regular food court you get your food, sometimes been sitting for awhile under a heat lamp, then wait in line to pay for it while it gets cold and then go find a table to eat. I'll take Pepper Market anyday over most of the resort food courts.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

You get two kinds of reviewers who don't like CSR:

Conventioners who are used to a higher level of hotel amenities than a Disney resort typically provides; or

Vacationers who don't like that the place is full of conventioners (usually of the vein that "I want to see other families, not a bunch of adults wearing matching khakis, polos and lanyards")

The good part is that the conventioners are not for the most part crowding up the buses to the parks.

If you're good with all that, go for it.

 

[Spacedog1975]

CSR is awesome. I heartily recommend it to anyone.

 

[plumsiren]

I'm curious: people keep saying that CSR isn't over-the-top Disneyfied, but really, which resorts are, besides the Values? The original 3 are iconic because, well, they're the original 3, but is there anything that overtly says 'Disney' about the other Mods or Deluxes? From what I've seen, the least Disneyfied resorts are DVC ones like OKW and SSR.