Hey all I have come to the right thread!! Moderates seem to be where I always end up!!!! I like all of the Moderates for the quiet and lovely atmosphere at all of them. As far as the individual resorts, here are some thoughts:
Port Orleans Riverside: I think that this is the most peaceful and laid back of the Moderates. The landscaping has won design awards and it is well deserved. The sit down restaurant there, named Boatwright's, serves breakfast & dinner (Not sure about lunch) The short version of that is this is the BEST breakfast on property!! I love the restaurant and will go to some rather extreme transfers to go here for breakfast and have done so!!! There is also a lounge here that seems to be pretty rocking every night with a live piano player who is quite good and literally rocks the piano. The quiet pools are lovely and overall it is a peaceful resort. Probably the nicest combination for me.
Coronado: More of an adult type of resort as it is a convention center. The atmosphere at this resort is Southwestern heat. The Main pool area is absolutely astounding. There are no words to explain the feeling I get sitting in the 22 person hot tub or just at the pool steps and watch the sun set behind a gorgeous 5 story Mayan pyramid which is the Pool's centerpiece. The lounge at this resort is a touch more social than the one at the Riverside but no entertainment. The Food court is adequate however they have a gratuity (I think it is 10%) that is automatically added to your bill for limited table service. The servers there get your drinks, provide you with silverware and not much else. The Maya Grill does serve breakfast ( Mostly American with a mexican twist) and dinner there. I do recommend the bufett in the Maya Grill as we spent almost the same amount in the food court and didnt find it to be outstanding. Plus my friend, Rich, doesnt do well at food courts! This resort is also a popular choice for me.
Port Orleans French Quarter: I believe this is closed for Rehab.
Carribean Beach: This resort was nice with a cute tropical Isle flavor. The Food court was certainly better than the Coronado, but I still prefer a sit down breakfast!! If there is a lounge I didnt see it in my 3 trips there, and they have only recently installed a sit down restaurant called Shutters. I have heard good things about this restaurant, however I havent eaten there myself. My understanding is that they only serve dinner though. I am usually too busy running in the parks to come back to the hotel for dinner!! I think the layout of this large resort is done very well to accomodate the bus transportation system. Although if you get a room in one of the far villages you may have quite a walk or bus trip to the main building which is where all the food courts & restaurants are located.
For all four resorts, I would encourage you to check out Deb Wills webiste
WWW.WDWIG.COM as she has a great many pictures and the map for the layout of allof the moderates. I have some pictures also, should anyone wish to see them, just E Mail me and Ill send them back!
In short, I dont think you can really go wrong at this level, it is more of a question of what theming you like and what amenities are more important to you. If I can be of any further help, please dont hesitate to ask!!! Belle
