-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Best Moderate
- Thread starter atterris
- Start date
DPN
Member
Well we haven't stayed there yet (not til 2018) but I've asked the same question and done my own research and came up with Port Orleans Riverside in my opinion for the size, things to do, attention to detail, food and for us the big one was water taxi to Disney Springs! Good luck!
Upvote
0
Andrew Appleby
Active Member
Personally we love Port Orleans French Quarter. It's small, great pool, water taxis, themed lovely and just seems perfect to us.
Upvote
0
graphite1326
Well-Known Member
Yep French Quarter for me too. It's small and quiet. Great for just a couple. Although when my boys were teenagers they liked it also.
Upvote
0
popcenturylover
Well-Known Member
We liked FQ for it's size, the boat ride to DS, & it's quietness. We also liked CB for it's tropical feel & the use of two hot tubs. We liked the pools & kid's splash areas at both resorts.
Upvote
0
For a moderate I go with either Riverside or Coronado springs. If you have kids, go with Riverside. If it's adults only, do Coronado.
Pam
Pam
Upvote
0
DarthsMom
New Member
I know there is a 2 year construction project at Coronado Springs, but I think Coronado is the hidden treasure of the moderates. It's like getting a deluxe resort at a moderate price. They even use real silverware in the quick service area, lol! There is a fitness center... one of the only ones on property... and the food selections are much nicer, IMO. You can also get a business class room! (which has some of the perks of concierge rooms, with breakfast in the morning and wine/beer/snacks in the evening) The grounds are beautiful and the pool is really fun... and much more themed than Riverside. (Which would be my #2 moderate)
Upvote
0
jasmine217
Member
I'm a POR lover - I like the boat to DS and I prefer the theming to FQ. However, I have contemplated staying at Coronado and may have done so if it wasn't unavailable for our stay this summer.
Upvote
0
ParentsOf4
Well-Known Member
The following is something I wrote over 4 years ago. It's a bit dated (especially with the major changes happening at CBR and CSR) but should be of some interest to this thread.
WDW has four Moderate Resorts (MRs):
Note: Although the Cabins at Fort Wilderness were reclassified as "Moderate" in 2008, these still are part of the unique Fort Wilderness campgrounds and don't fit neatly into any traditional Disney resort category. Therefore, they are not listed as an option in the poll.
Below is my attempt to rate the 4 resorts. Please feel free to use whatever criteria you like.
Theming - All four resorts are extensively themed and well executed. Theming is consistent throughout the common areas, with plenty of lush vegetation. Which theming is 'best' primarily is a matter of taste. I award 1.0 point to each of the 4 MRs for this category.
Layout - POFQ is by far the smallest MR with all amenities within easy walking distance; 1.0 points. Although, POR is significantly larger, it's centrally located pool means it's a relatively easy walk from most rooms while the main building and food are still far from most rooms; 0.5 points. With large central lakes, most rooms are distant for the main facilities, 0.25 points to CBR and CSR.
Transportation - Compared to Deluxe or Value Resorts, bus transportation at the MRs are weak. However, accordingly to 'The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World', CSR has the best bus service of the four; 1.0 points to CSR, 0.5 to the other 3.
Pool - CSR and POR have large, interesting main pools with good water slides for children; 1.0 points to these 2 MRs. The main pool at CBR is slightly smaller and slightly less exotic; 0.75 points. The main pool at POFQ is significantly smaller with a water slide that's exciting for only the very young; 0.25 points.
Dining - POR has an excellent food court with a varied food selection and ample seating. POR also offers a good Table Service (TS) restaurant. 1.0 points to POR. CSR and CBR resort also offer good food court and TS options, although not as extensive; 0.75 points. POFQ has the smallest food court and no TS option; 0.25 points.
Rooms - All 4 MRs have identically sized rooms (314 sq ft) with nearly identical layouts. POR gets the slight advantage because its standard room can accommodate a 5th guest; 1.0 points to POR, 0.75 points to the other 3 MRs. (CSR offers suites but the prices of these go well beyond the typical price associated with MRs.)
Price - Although the MRs are priced similarly, the small POFQ tends to have the fewest, least aggressively priced discounts offered; 1.0 points to CBR, CSR, and POR, 0.75 points to POFQ.
Other - All four offer various forms of entertainment for families; 0.5 points to each resort. POR also offers water craft rental, water transportation to DTD, and Bob Jackson at the piano bar, an additional 0.5 points to POR. POFQ also offers water transportation to DTD, an additional 0.25 points to POFQ.
Summary
Adding the above, the results are:
WDW has four Moderate Resorts (MRs):
- Caribbean Beach Resort (CBR)
- Coronado Springs Resort (CSR)
- Port Orleans French Quarter (POFQ)
- Port Orleans Riverside (POR)
Note: Although the Cabins at Fort Wilderness were reclassified as "Moderate" in 2008, these still are part of the unique Fort Wilderness campgrounds and don't fit neatly into any traditional Disney resort category. Therefore, they are not listed as an option in the poll.
Below is my attempt to rate the 4 resorts. Please feel free to use whatever criteria you like.
Theming - All four resorts are extensively themed and well executed. Theming is consistent throughout the common areas, with plenty of lush vegetation. Which theming is 'best' primarily is a matter of taste. I award 1.0 point to each of the 4 MRs for this category.
Layout - POFQ is by far the smallest MR with all amenities within easy walking distance; 1.0 points. Although, POR is significantly larger, it's centrally located pool means it's a relatively easy walk from most rooms while the main building and food are still far from most rooms; 0.5 points. With large central lakes, most rooms are distant for the main facilities, 0.25 points to CBR and CSR.
Transportation - Compared to Deluxe or Value Resorts, bus transportation at the MRs are weak. However, accordingly to 'The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World', CSR has the best bus service of the four; 1.0 points to CSR, 0.5 to the other 3.
Pool - CSR and POR have large, interesting main pools with good water slides for children; 1.0 points to these 2 MRs. The main pool at CBR is slightly smaller and slightly less exotic; 0.75 points. The main pool at POFQ is significantly smaller with a water slide that's exciting for only the very young; 0.25 points.
Dining - POR has an excellent food court with a varied food selection and ample seating. POR also offers a good Table Service (TS) restaurant. 1.0 points to POR. CSR and CBR resort also offer good food court and TS options, although not as extensive; 0.75 points. POFQ has the smallest food court and no TS option; 0.25 points.
Rooms - All 4 MRs have identically sized rooms (314 sq ft) with nearly identical layouts. POR gets the slight advantage because its standard room can accommodate a 5th guest; 1.0 points to POR, 0.75 points to the other 3 MRs. (CSR offers suites but the prices of these go well beyond the typical price associated with MRs.)
Price - Although the MRs are priced similarly, the small POFQ tends to have the fewest, least aggressively priced discounts offered; 1.0 points to CBR, CSR, and POR, 0.75 points to POFQ.
Other - All four offer various forms of entertainment for families; 0.5 points to each resort. POR also offers water craft rental, water transportation to DTD, and Bob Jackson at the piano bar, an additional 0.5 points to POR. POFQ also offers water transportation to DTD, an additional 0.25 points to POFQ.
Summary
Adding the above, the results are:
- POR - 7.00 points
- CSR - 6.25 points
- CBR - 5.50 points
- POFQ - 5.25 points
Upvote
0
aw14
Well-Known Member
We (@awheartsdw ) have stayed at quite a few.
Coronado (2x)
Caribbean Beach
POFQ
I would say French Quarter was our favorite. It was small and quite, with nice bus access. Everything was well within reach
Coronado (2x)
Caribbean Beach
POFQ
I would say French Quarter was our favorite. It was small and quite, with nice bus access. Everything was well within reach
Upvote
0
YourHumbleServant
New Member
Only stayed at POR for mod. It's nice. Pool area is great. I love the main building--just wish it wasn't so far from most rooms (makes that refillable mug a pain to use).
Besides main building distance, you know what's annoying about POR? With one exception (I think AK)--and unless they've changed in the last few years--POR is the LAST FREAKING BUS spot at the parks. I'm really surprised that WDW hasn't tiered those in such a way that the Deluxes are closest, mods next closest, values furthest... Anyway, like I said, haven't been since 2014. So, it could have changed, but that's the way it was back then...
That being said, we're hoping to go in Sept and hoping for free dining at POR. (though availability at POR seems short--could it be because of the construction at CBR?).
Besides main building distance, you know what's annoying about POR? With one exception (I think AK)--and unless they've changed in the last few years--POR is the LAST FREAKING BUS spot at the parks. I'm really surprised that WDW hasn't tiered those in such a way that the Deluxes are closest, mods next closest, values furthest... Anyway, like I said, haven't been since 2014. So, it could have changed, but that's the way it was back then...
That being said, we're hoping to go in Sept and hoping for free dining at POR. (though availability at POR seems short--could it be because of the construction at CBR?).
Upvote
0
Weather_Lady
Well-Known Member
We've stayed at Coronado Springs (pre-refurb, in the Casitas), Caribbean Beach (preferred room in Martinique) and Port Orleans Riverside (Alligator Bayou), and loved them all.
The biggest downside to all of the mods except POFQ is the large footprint, meaning long walks (and multiple bus stops if you're relying on Disney transportation, although when we stayed at PORS we also shared buses with POFQ at times, so its small footprint didn't necessarily help with that aspect). Even so, we found the bus transportation at all of those mods to be just as good as (and even slightly better than, in terms of wait times) the bus transportation we had when staying at [deluxe] Wilderness Lodge. Also, be aware that because its small footprint and small room inventory makes it book up relatively quickly, POFQ is the one moderate that is often excluded from seasonal room discounts and other special offers.
At the end of the day, I'd pick the moderate resort that has the theming and room décor that appeals to you most (along with on-property restaurants and/or pools, if that is important to you -- and if visiting Disney Springs is on your "to do" list, then look especially hard at the two Port Orleans resorts, which offer convenient boat transportation there). As far as amenities at the moderates, they're all very similar and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised to find that staying at a moderate doesn't feel like a big downgrade from a deluxe. (At least, we haven't found that to be the case. Maybe the room is a few square feet smaller, with not as many types of toiletries provided, etc., but the rooms are still lovely, with coffemakers, fridges, ample storage, queen beds and privacy curtains/doors -- it's not like going from the Waldorf Astoria to Motel 6!)
The biggest downside to all of the mods except POFQ is the large footprint, meaning long walks (and multiple bus stops if you're relying on Disney transportation, although when we stayed at PORS we also shared buses with POFQ at times, so its small footprint didn't necessarily help with that aspect). Even so, we found the bus transportation at all of those mods to be just as good as (and even slightly better than, in terms of wait times) the bus transportation we had when staying at [deluxe] Wilderness Lodge. Also, be aware that because its small footprint and small room inventory makes it book up relatively quickly, POFQ is the one moderate that is often excluded from seasonal room discounts and other special offers.
At the end of the day, I'd pick the moderate resort that has the theming and room décor that appeals to you most (along with on-property restaurants and/or pools, if that is important to you -- and if visiting Disney Springs is on your "to do" list, then look especially hard at the two Port Orleans resorts, which offer convenient boat transportation there). As far as amenities at the moderates, they're all very similar and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised to find that staying at a moderate doesn't feel like a big downgrade from a deluxe. (At least, we haven't found that to be the case. Maybe the room is a few square feet smaller, with not as many types of toiletries provided, etc., but the rooms are still lovely, with coffemakers, fridges, ample storage, queen beds and privacy curtains/doors -- it's not like going from the Waldorf Astoria to Motel 6!)
Last edited:
Upvote
0