Which Moderate resort do you recommend?

[DWlover]

Hi all! We are heading back down to DW the last week of Oct. This will be our fourth trip and plan on upgrading to a moderate resort. (We've always stayed at POP on previous trips). Anyway, just curious which of the four moderate resorts is recommended. We will only need a regular room (not a suite) since it will just be two adults, one 11 year old and a two year old.

I'm also curious about the dining plan. We've also never taken advantage of it before, but are looking into doing it this year. I've seen a few posts about people not liking the changes. If we've never used this option before will the change be a big deal to us? Or is it just a change for those used to using that plan?

Questions, questions. I feel like the more we go to DW the more questions I come up with each and every time I plan the trip. LOL!!

Thanks to all the experts out there!!

 

[disneytopdog]

Port Orleans French Quarter: NO QUESTION

1. compact size(very little walking after a long day in the parks)

2. Great food court

3. Excellent pool

4. Water taxi to DTD

5. One bus stop.

6. Bar & lounge with live music

7. Bengiets!!!!!

8. Short walk to a sit down resturant(Boatwrights) Strawberry/banna French toast

9. Great theme and grounds.

10. Did I mention small size!!! The best reason

 

[Pioneer Hall]

I also like Port Orleans French Quarter because of its size and theme. I don't think you will be disappointed staying there. If you haven't used the dining plan before then you probably won't notice the changes. You get a little bit less food (no appetizer) and have to pay the gratuity. Overall I still think that you get a good value if you want to eat in a sit down place every day. If you have any questions or need some more help please feel free to drop me an email at evan@kingdomkonsultant.com

 

[joanna71985]

I love staying at Port Orleans. The last couple of times I stayed there is was at Riverside, but I love the pool at French Quarter.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

I really love the Caribbean and Coronado Springs. The Caribbean pool might not be done with the rehab when you go. But it had a great pool, variety in the food court and we always had good bus service.

The Coronado might actually have the edge for me over the Caribbean. It had a bigger pool (awesome theme with the pyramid), busses seemed to run faster/more regularly, it had a lounge to have a relaxing nightcap, and the food court had great food and a lot of variety. The only con about the food court was the extra fee for sitting there because it had quasi table service. But you can avoid the fee by getting food to go and sitting at the lounge tables.

I visited Port Orleans FQ and Dixie Landings and they seemed okay, but personally I didn't like the theme of the FQ pool and the Dixie one was okay. Just not my style, I guess.

33 Days for me!

 

[SeaBreeze]

I'm going to add another vote for POFQ. I remember staying there when I was 10 and 11 and loving it so much. The pool was my favorite The past few years we stayed at Coronado and I grew to love that as well but it's HUGE. You will probably have to do a lot of walking, which might not be what you want with a 2 year old. FQ is much easier to get around, as previously said. I went back there this past year and FQ is my favorite once again! The location of FQ also makes it easier to move around WDW... Coronado isn't nearly as central.

Have fun:wave:

 

[LeeSeeBabe]

I think most of the Mods are great! I'm going to have to add another vote for POFQ. I'm not going to list any reasons why, as they have already been stated above.

Last summer, I stayed at Coronado Springs for the first time. I really enjoyed it! Definitely more of an adult-type hotel...Horray for room service!

The only Mod that I don't really care for is Caribbean Beach. But, I've only stayed there once and it was when I was like 10 or 12 or something like that. I just found it extremely boring at that age.

 

[maryszhi]

Port Orleans Riverside is what i reccomend. i luv how it reminds me of the south...especially new orleans
its fun. rest. yummy...pools is pretty and fun...nice rooms for when we choose moderate instead of dvc or delux

 

[accord99cutie]

My vote is for Coronado, With a young child I would request either Cabanas 8A to be close to the pool and a bus stop with a short walk to the main building, or Cabanas 9B to be close to the pool and main building AND bus stop. The resort is huge, but if you are in the right buildings then the walks arent long at all. ( I personally like long walks so choose a building further away) Anyway, the pool is AWESOME! the food court is great, and the theming is great! it is such a beautiful resort and being right on the lake is such a beautiful site! also, Coronado offers different rentals to go out on the lake, or rent the bikes to go around the resort, Port Orleans doesnt have the water rentals I dont believe. oh, and the bus rides are the shortest over all to each park, it is very centrally located, 5-10 minutes for Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and DHS, with about 10-15 for Magic Kingdom. ANyway... that was alot, but I am such a fan of this resort that I had to put in my opinion!

 

[miles1]

Still another vote for POFQ, for all the reasons listed by DISNEYTOPDOG above. I'll add that the bus service was really outstanding (you're the first to get picked up and first to get dropped off for all of Port Orleans), and mousekeeping left elaborate towel animals for DD every single day. (Probably helped that we left a tip every day).

We also really liked the dining plan; we even paid for it last fall after getting it free the previous year. It probably isn't as good of a value this year with the changes, but we may do it again for other reasons. First, it fit our way of eating. We're not big breakfast eaters and prefer a large, early counter service lunch in the parks. Second, we really enjoy the WDW restaurants for their character. Having everything pre-paid eliminated my hesitance in going to the pricier ones, as I am a cheapskate at heart. Just make sure you make ADR's well in advance.

We have stayed at the CBR before, and we really weren't as impressed. It has a great pool area, but the food court is marginal at best and the theming isn't as nice as the POR. Also, one of the times we stayed there we were assigned a smoking room that was still smoking.

I can't comment on Coronado Springs. Most of those that have stayed there seem to have very positive experiences.

Hope this helps!

 

[melbabie24]

Which moderate???Coronado or Port Orleans-French Quarter

We too have stayed at Pop but want to try out a moderate resort when we visit in April. Originally I was interested in Caribbean Resort but do to the pool closing I will go somewhere else. What did sound attractive was bike rental to explore the resort. I have two kids 5 and 8. Does anyone know if Coronado or POFQ have bike rentals and watercraft rentals? Any recommendations or suggestions for each would be great.

Thanks,

Melanie:shrug:

 

[KHockett]

I would recommend either POR or POFQ. You can rent bikes at POR, and there is also a boat rental (this is open to POFQ guests too). Both resorts have an awesome feel - great pools, and aren't too big.
I have never stayed at Coronado, so I don't have thoughts, but CB is really spread out. Unless you pay for a preferred room near the food court and main pool, I didn't feel like we got the benefit of those because it was such a production to go there. You take an internal bus or it is a pretty long hike. For us, that and the hit and miss pattern of the buses (you don't know how the route goes, so sometimes you stop at all the stops, which is like six) aren't our favorites.
Just my thoughts, but as always, I don't really think you can go wrong anywhere at Disney.

 

[lentesta]

The latest reader survey from the Unofficial Guide asked WDW resort guests the following three questions:

1) Would you recommend this resort to a friend?
2) Would you stay here again?
3) How satisfied were you with this resort? (Five possible answers: Very through Not At All)

For questions 1 and 2, readers ranked the moderate resorts best to worst as follows:

a) Port Orleans French Quarter (roughly 95% said they'd stay here again)
b) Port Orleans Riverside
c) Caribbean Beach
d) Coronado Springs (~75% said they'd stay here again)

Full results should be in the next version of the book. Hope this helps.

Len Testa

 

[wvdisneyfamily]

One vote for POR here! :sohappy: I love everything about it. The walk doesn't bother me at all. I really don't consider it that long because it so pretty, peaceful, and quiet. I actually feel really at home there. POFQ looks nice, but it just doesn't have that POR magic for me. CS is too non-Disney if that makes sense. It seems geared toward business meeetings and what-not. CB looks like a great place for families with teens.

 

[Glasgow]

I found POR and CBR to be roughly the same in size, busses and amenities really --- just the theming was different. POR had more of a cozy feel with lots and lots of trees while CBR was more festive and playful. I could go on ... but you get the idea

 

[Figment25]

By far the POFQ is the best. Your the 1st picked up and the 1st off the bus. No matter what building your in your close to everything iam going in 11 days and thats where we are staying.

 

[DWlover]

Thanks everyone for your great input. I think you have really helped us make our decision....POFQ it is.

Thanks a bunch!!!

 

[wvdisneyfamily]

POR and buses

The bus situation depends on the time of day and year. Sometimes POFQ and POR share a bus; sometimes they don't. I was nervous about the bus situation at POR after reading all of the comments about it. However, the worry was for nothing. The buses worked out well.
The four stops were not that big of a deal. The bus system most always made sure enough buses were dispatched to handle the crowds with a reasonable wait. The bus drama surrounding POR is blown out of proportion. Every hotel has some bus problem.

 

[figmentmom]

We LOOOOOVE Port Orleans Riverside - our favorite resort. We also enjoy Port Orleans French Quarter, but the theming and amenities at POR make it a great choice.

 

[drp4video]

We used to stay at All Star Music, then POP when it opened. We decided several years ago to move on up, so we stayed at POR three times. This past December we decided to try the French Quarter. We fell in love. I loved the smallness of the resort, tried the beignets (yummy but got powdered sugar all over the place:lol, and I love the cobblestones with the street lamps, I just loved this resort.

Both POR have the boat to DTD, and I guess if you take the buses to the parks, they stop at the French Quarter first (we always rent a car). I highly recommend the Friench Quarter, althought the mansions at POR are very cool, and POR has sit down dining, if you are into that, and the Bar with Bob?, who is a hoot.

I would stay at PORFQ, and you can always visit POR as it is so close.