Which Disney Moderate resort??

Just priced out a disney vacation for November with the free dining. It seems like a good deal. Now I need to pick one of the moderate hotels. So I need the help of all you Disney experts out there. Pros/Cons to the moderate hotels.

Message edited 8/7/2011 2:19:43 PM.

Re: Which Disney Moderate resort??

I have stayed at all 4 and in my order of prefence...here goes:

Port Orleans Riverside
Port Orleans French Quarter
They are sister resorts which share amenities and buses. They are close to downtown disney with a boat that will get you there -- a nice change of pace from taking buses.

I prefer POR slightly because it has a sit down restaurant and larger pool area. They have a sing a long piano player in the lounge a few nights a week...he's a hoot! POR is going to start having themed rooms - these are usually rooms in the least desirable locations meaning far from the main building, pool or food court.

POFQ is much smaller so there are no long walks to anything at this resort. It's the first pickup/drop off on the bus routes. So it's easier to get a seat headed to the parks but you have to ride the bus loop at POR.

Next up is Coronado Springs.
It's a large sprawling resort but has a nice promenade around a lake. All the rooms have queen sized beds. (I think the other moderates are getting room upgrades which includes queen sized beds but I don't know where they are with that). The main pool area is kind of crowded but it has a big slide, playground area and snack bar where you can get burgers, hot dogs, etc. They have a weird quick service place called the Pepper Market. You are seated by a hostess and a waitress will bring you beverages but you go to different station to get your food. They charge a 10% service charge/tip but it counts as a quick service meal on the dining plan including the tip. I thought the food here was horrible but I know a lot of people on Disney forums love the variety. I liked that they had a food option on both sides of the resort. They have a nice outdoor sitting area near the pepper market with out outdoor bar. They have a grab & go place where you can get sandwiches, pizza, snacks, etc. They also have Club Rix..I didn't go but it's one of the very very few over 21 only places on property (after 9pm I think). It's a convention resort so you might see lots of business people walking around. Some people think it makes the resort feel less Disney-like. Other people will say -- that means less people on the buses.


Last and least is the Caribbean Beach Resort.
It is very large and sprawling. Even in the grand scheme of walking at Disney, everything felt very far away. The pool, gift shop, food court and restaurant are all in one location. The food court has several stataions with some nice options but each station had their own cashier so you end up waiting on line a couple of times if you want different food then your travel companions.

I hope this helps...obviously the rankings are my opinion and others will feel the exact opposite.

Enjoy your trip!

Re: Which Disney Moderate resort??

Port Orleans French Quarter. It is a gorgeous resort, small and very relaxing. Loved our room. Great location. The food was all right.

I loved Caribbean Beach too. It is large but so scenic that it isn't a "hike" to get anywhere. I loved the relaxing walk along the beach and over the water to get to breakfast. Bet way to start the day. the food court was large and had good variety. Busses are ok depending on which building you r staying in.

Coronado Springs was HORRIBLE and the only WDW resort I've stayed in that I never would again. It is so large, much more so than CBR, and sterile. not really any themeing. The food place is ridiculous - the servers take your order and bring your drinks (unless you get a coffee drink, then you have to get your own) yet you HAVE to pay 10%. you have to get your food, and mine was cold by the time I got back to my seat. Ate there once - never again. Ironically, the fast place had EXCELLENT food but it was so pricey.

Haven't stayed in Riverside, but I have heard good things about it. It is an easy walk/boat ride from FQ, and I believe they share alot of amenities.

Have a great trip!!!

Re: Which Disney Moderate resort??

Port Orleans French Quarter gets my vote!

I've stayed there 3 times. This year I decided to try something different and switched to Port Orleans Riverside. Not only was it wayyyyyyyy too spread out for me (it was at least a 10 min walk to the main area/lobby/cool pool), but the buses took longer, and the boat took longer (they all stop at FQ first). Also, the room was kind of dingy. The furniture was really dated and I found, what I SWEAR was a bedbug on the bed (my mom didnt think so...).

We walked back to the front desk and switched over to FQ. So much for trying something new!

Oh! And the room we had at FQ was definitely updated and nicer than the one we had at Riverside.

But I will say this. The Riverside is BEAUTIFUL, well-maintained, and has real southern charm.

Message edited 8/8/2011 2:01:55 PM.

Re: Which Disney Moderate resort??

My personal favorite is Port Orleans French Quarter.

As others have noted it is a small resort compared to the others which makes it very easy to navigate - especially with small children. This is a big plus for my clients and my own family too.

The resort has completed a recent renovation that really sets it apart from the others though. While the rooms were being freshened up, queen-size beds were added, which are a big improvement over the doubles located at Port Orleans Riverside and Caribbean Beach. While Coronado Springs has queen beds also, this is a convention resort and you never know how crowded the public areas will be due to several large groups being onsite.

Hope that helps!

Bob
Mouse Tales Travel
888.883.7940
www.MouseTalesTravel.com

"LIFamilies Vendor Since 2008"

Re: Which Disney Moderate resort??

Thank you all for repsonses. I was leaning towards the POFQ and hearing your reviews cemented it for me. I am a small resort person so I think this fits the bill for our family.