Ranking the Moderate's POST 2019 Improvements

[ontheuptick]

It feels like 2018-2019 is bringing a big change in the Moderate Resort landscape. Previously, POR and POFQ almost always received top marks. It feels like the landscape will be changing this year.

Caribbean Beach

• New Main Lobby, Restaurants, and Room Refurbishments
• Skyliner stops on two ends of the resort making transportation to Epcot and HS much easier
• Riviera resort opening which will provide more close dining options including the Rooftop restaurant

Coronado Springs also is getting the new Tower, restaurants, and recently refurbished rooms as well.

Am I wrong in feeling like Caribbean Beach may end up being the clear winner in the Moderate Category after this year is complete, with Coronado, and the Port Orleans' places trailing behind?

I'm planning a Thanksgiving week trip, and I've been looking at it I feel like I have to give CBR a shot. Am I missing something?

 

[dansdad]

It feels like 2018-2019 is bringing a big change in the Moderate Resort landscape. Previously, POR and POFQ almost always received top marks. It feels like the landscape will be changing this year.

Caribbean Beach

• New Main Lobby, Restaurants, and Room Refurbishments
• Skyliner stops on two ends of the resort making transportation to Epcot and HS much easier
• Riviera resort opening which will provide more close dining options including the Rooftop restaurant

Coronado Springs also is getting the new Tower, restaurants, and recently refurbished rooms as well.

Am I wrong in feeling like Caribbean Beach may end up being the clear winner in the Moderate Category after this year is complete, with Coronado, and the Port Orleans' places trailing behind?

I'm planning a Thanksgiving week trip, and I've been looking at it I feel like I have to give CBR a shot. Am I missing something?

CBR was at the top of our Moderate list before the upgrades. Now, the separation between CBR and our #2 (POR) is even greater. I doubt the awesome upgrades will change most of the haters minds though. They still bring up points that are no longer valid to validate their dislike.

 

[sbd78]

CBR has always appealed to me because I love the beach theme. We went to WDW last summer and were going to stay at CBR but switched to POR because the construction looked like a nightmare. I don't regret that decision, lol. No tents or trucks for food at POR. I did like POR, it was a beautiful resort and the I especially loved the horse and buggy rides. (We didn't go on a horse and buggy ride, but it added to the ambiance and I loved seeing them stroll by.) Theme wise though, the Caribbean theme is more appealing to me than the Southern theme. CBR's main pool always appealed to me more than the main pool at Riverside. I love zero entry pools, I believe they are the only moderate that has one and I like the pirate splash area. (My sons are huge pirate fans.) I love Caribbean music, it's my go to out by our own pool in the summer here in the tropical paradise of IL (lol) so I like that they play it everywhere at CBR. Now with free dining available this summer, I'm excited to give CBR a try. I've read a lot about the resort and it seems a lot of the problems were taken care of with the renovation. The check in area is no longer separate from OPR and the resort is no longer as big since a large section was demo'd to make way for the Riviera Resort. The new OPR looks great and I'm excited to try it out. The gondolas will only make it better, and I'm worried CBR will rise considerably in price once they open.

CSR looks good too, but we are a family of 5 so they are out. And the Caribbean theme at CBR is still my favorite theme out of the moderates.

 

[Disneylover99]

I just can’t/don’t love CBR, CSR or POR due to their size and multiple bus stops, no matter what they add to those resorts.

POFQ will always be my favourite.

I’ll give POR 2nd for the theming and CSR 3rd - I really didn’t love the main pool area. CBR is 4th cause I don’t like the Caribbean theming and I’m not a fan of the steel pan music I hear at CBR.

 

[Disneylover99]

CBR was at the top of our Moderate list before the upgrades. Now, the separation between CBR and our #2 (POR) is even greater. I doubt the awesome upgrades will change most of the haters minds though. They still bring up points that are no longer valid to validate their dislike.

Most of the complaints I hear about CBR are because of the size and multiple bus stops. I don’t think that’s changed.

 

[dansdad]

Most of the complaints I hear about CBR are because of the size and multiple bus stops. I don’t think that’s changed.

Actually both of those have changed.

 

[Disneylover99]

Actually both of those have changed.

I know there are fewer buildings now, but to me it’s still way too big. I’m assuming they got rid of the Barbados stop? How many bus stops are there now anyways?

 

[dansdad]

I know there are fewer buildings now, but to me it’s still way too big.

It feels smaller now. Now POR has rooms that are further from the Main Pool, food and lobby than CBR. I know a lot of people who don't like the bigger moderates like CBR, POR and CSR.

I’m assuming they got rid of the Barbados stop? How many bus stops are there now anyways?

Yup. And now there are 2 routes. One with 2 stops and one with 4.

 

[Disneylover99]

It feels smaller now. Now POR has rooms that are further from the Main Pool, food and lobby than CBR. I know a lot of people who don't like the bigger moderates like CBR, POR and CSR.

I always thought the main pool being next to the foodcourt area at CBR seemed like a plus to me over POR and CSR. I do prefer that.

Yup. And now there are 2 routes. One with 2 stops and one with 4.

Well that definitely sounds like an improvement.
I'm going to check out CBR next summer......in my car of course. More than one bus stop is still too many for me.

Question for you, cause I know you're in the know about CBR......Do you think bus service to Epcot/HS will completely stop once the gondolas are up and running? Or do you think there will be significantly fewer buses going to those parks.

 

[dansdad]

Do you think bus service to Epcot/HS will completely stop once the gondolas are up and running?

I'm definitely in the minority, but I don't think that will be the case.

Or do you think there will be significantly fewer buses going to those parks.

Depending on Gondola numbers, this is probably along the lines of what will happen.

 

[ChimneyJim]

We never gave CBR a chance because of the Double beds. Now that they have Queens I’m sure we will try it at some point. Having stayed at POR and CSR I’m not concerned about walking and bus stops.

 

[saskdw]

It feels like 2018-2019 is bringing a big change in the Moderate Resort landscape. Previously, POR and POFQ almost always received top marks. It feels like the landscape will be changing this year.

Caribbean Beach

• New Main Lobby, Restaurants, and Room Refurbishments
• Skyliner stops on two ends of the resort making transportation to Epcot and HS much easier
• Riviera resort opening which will provide more close dining options including the Rooftop restaurant

Coronado Springs also is getting the new Tower, restaurants, and recently refurbished rooms as well.

Am I wrong in feeling like Caribbean Beach may end up being the clear winner in the Moderate Category after this year is complete, with Coronado, and the Port Orleans' places trailing behind?

I'm planning a Thanksgiving week trip, and I've been looking at it I feel like I have to give CBR a shot. Am I missing something?

IMO CSR has always been the clear cut leader in the Mod category and the new improvements have just made the gap bigger. There's a reason why people call CSR the deluxe of the mods or deluxe lite.

CSR's new tower is part of the resort. It's the lobby and main entrance. CBR's new tower is a seperate deluxe resort.

The two biggest complaints about CSR were size and convention people. With the new 3 bridges going across the lagoon the walking times have been dramatically reduced. We spent about 75 nights at CSR from 2010 to 2016 and were never once bothered both convention people. We barely notice them.

These threads always turn into a big pissing match, not sure what you are after here?

 

[Rach3975]

Do you think bus service to Epcot/HS will completely stop once the gondolas are up and running? Or do you think there will be significantly fewer buses going to those parks.

I don't know how common this is, but my DH hates the idea of the Skyliner and refuses to ever ride in it. (He's not a fan of heights, dislikes flying although he'll do it when he has to.) I've heard other people express similar sentiments. I'm not at all in the know, but I'm wondering if there are enough people uncomfortable with the gondolas to ensure that limited bus service stays around.

 

[Disneylover99]

I don't know how common this is, but my DH hates the idea of the Skyliner and refuses to ever ride in it. (He's not a fan of heights, dislikes flying although he'll do it when he has to.) I've heard other people express similar sentiments. I'm not at all in the know, but I'm wondering if there are enough people uncomfortable with the gondolas to ensure that limited bus service stays around.

I hope the bus service (in some capacity at least) sticks around. Only time will tell. Right now, I’m too claustrophobic to even consider riding in a gondola, though my family looks forward to it.

 

[aoconnor]

For me it's easily CSR on top. The new rooms with wood flooring and majorly upgraded bathrooms are awesome, you can't compare it to the other mods IMO. Defintely not to POR/POFQ, as much as I enjoy the grounds there.

The new bridges across the pond will make walking around the resort much faster, and you'll have some new amenities with the new tower as well. A lot of CBR still feels kind of 80s to me, even after the upgrades.

 

[nkereina]

For me it's easily CSR on top. The new rooms with wood flooring and majorly upgraded bathrooms are awesome, you can't compare it to the other mods IMO. Defintely not to POR/POFQ, as much as I enjoy the grounds there.

The new bridges across the pond will make walking around the resort much faster, and you'll have some new amenities with the new tower as well. A lot of CBR still feels kind of 80s to me, even after the upgrades.

CSR is my favorite resort, but I'm worried about it once the construction is finished. The lagoon restaurant will be great and I am sure the tower will be beautiful, but they are adding all those rooms and not adding another pool or QS option. Those spaces can get crowded now, so I can only imagine what it will be like with a full tower.

 

[saskdw]

CSR is my favorite resort, but I'm worried about it once the construction is finished. The lagoon restaurant will be great and I am sure the tower will be beautiful, but they are adding all those rooms and not adding another pool or QS option. Those spaces can get crowded now, so I can only imagine what it will be like with a full tower.

The 3 Bridges restaurant is quick service. So there will be 3 QS options including the Digsite and 3 TS options.

Also the Rix Sports Bar and grill.

 

[nkereina]

The 3 Bridges restaurant is quick service. So there will be 3 QS options including the Digsite and 3 TS options.

3 Bridges will be in the tower? Akin to El Mercado (former Pepper Market)? I hadn't heard this yet, but if that's the case, then cool. I wouldn't put Café Rix in the QS category since its just grab & go, but a comparable QS to El Mercado in the tower will certainly help divert traffic. We've found it most busy in the mornings and sometimes when a convention is let out for lunch on their own.

 

[saskdw]

3 Bridges will be in the tower? Akin to El Mercado (former Pepper Market)? I hadn't heard this yet, but if that's the case, then cool. I wouldn't put Café Rix in the QS category since its just grab & go, but a comparable QS to El Mercado in the tower will certainly help divert traffic. We've found it most busy in the mornings and sometimes when a convention is let out for lunch on their own.

3 Bridges is the name of the restaurant in the middle of the lagoon. I honestly think there are plenty of food services there.

The tower has 545 rooms, but they also lost how many rooms from the Cabanas 9B demo? Than they added 1 QS and 1 TS. Plus I'm guessing some large conventions would have catered meals. I'm hopeful between all the options it might actually be quicker to get a meal.

 

[aoconnor]

CSR is my favorite resort, but I'm worried about it once the construction is finished. The lagoon restaurant will be great and I am sure the tower will be beautiful, but they are adding all those rooms and not adding another pool or QS option. Those spaces can get crowded now, so I can only imagine what it will be like with a full tower.

I think the food situation will be fine (adding 1 new TS and 1 new QS, plus another bar) but I agree it's insane that they didn't build another pool.