I just got back and while we were at WDW we decided to check out the resorts.I must say DH and Myself are impressed with Port Orleans Riverside..WOW What a layout and how beautiful.We are so mad we missed this one before.After being Beach Club regulars we have decided to make this one out next stop for sure.The picures do not do it justice!:)

These are what I have visited and how I rate them..lol if anyone cares..
Port Orleans Riverside-9 for the grounds and main area.(did not see room)
Port Orleans French Quarter-7
Coronado-7
POP-lol dh would not even exit the car...
Wilderness-8 for atmosphere
AKL-8
Beach Club-8
Yacht Club-9 very upscale
Grand Floridian-9
Poly-8 for view and lobby alone
Contemporary-5 not my thing..so plain
Boardwalk-9 layout is a bit looooong
Swan/Dolphin-7 not a Disney feel at all

I also decided after riding the monorail that I would rather not stay at a monorail resort..It was a bit much getting to and from Epcot and very crowded.

You know... you might want to enter in a resort review on the MP Review Pages. (http://www.mouseplanet.com/cgi/reviews/do/find.cgi) while your recent trip is fresh in your mind. And if you have any additional info about your past visits, you might want to add them in as well.

It's interesting each viewpoint differs. Details on why the higher rating for POR vs POFQ, please? Usually it's the other way around-'though both have their fans. Looking at both the PO resorts and CSR for dh and I.

I loved the public areas of POP-the additional landscaping, the circuit around the lake, the icons-totally appreciated the pizza delivery in a vw bus(that's nostalgia-we had one has early married folk)-and the '57 Chevy golf carts.

AKL-while impressive in alot of ways was too dark for me.

Found the Beach Club to have a snobby air-and couldn't wait to get out of there

Contemporary-agree with you. Definitely not my cuppa tea-but oldest ds adored it and he can't wait to stay there(yeah, son-check with me when you're paying the bills, k?:))

Here's mine:

7 - Carribean Beach Resort - the 1st Disney resort I ever stayed at. I know this resort gets bad reviews, but we loved it. I thought the resort was beautiful, very tropical. The themed pool was really wonderful. I didn't notice a problem with the busses but it was a long time ago. Yes, it was a lot of walking from room to main area. I didn't like the food options at all. I didn't have much to compare it too at the time. It was much nicer than the Days Inn we stayed at prior. :cool:

7 - Fort Wilderness Resort - cabin - We came with my father so we needed someplace that could fit 5 comfortably. I really loved the campground. It was great to be able to go grocery shopping and cook a little. The pools were nothing special but fine. Loved the Hoop Dee Doo Review. The girls went pony riding. The bon fire and smore roast each night was great. I think they showed movies too. Quinn spent the entire trip looking for Chip & Dale. They actually rode the bus with us once. The cabin was very comfortable. The biggest downfall is the transportation. You have to take a bus to the main transportation center at the campground, then take another bus or the ferry to whichever park you are going to.

9.5 - Beach Club - Love, love, love the Beach club. I have stayed there three times counting the stay in the villa. The pool is just incredible. You are in walking distance to the Swan, Dolphin, Yacht club, Boardwalk and Epcot. This gives you an incredible array of restaurant and entertainment options that you can walk to. It is beautiful, the view across the lake (especially at night) is stunning. This is my favorite resort. I find the busses are usually good, but occassionally you can find yourself waiting for a bit. They need a bus to MGM. When it's crowded, the ferry can take a long time.

8.5 - Animal Kingdom Lodge - This is a stunning resort. Plan a day just to explore the resort itself. They have a lot of activities to offer and the lobby alone could take an hour or two just to see the sights. Watching the animals is very cool. I just sat on the balcony with a cup of coffee and watched. I thought the service here was especially great. We only stayed here for two days but it was really worth it. Some of the rooms are very, very far away from the elevators. The busses can be slow.

8 - Beach Club Villas - I toured a 1 bedroom when it was brand new and I loved it. I would definitely stay there given the chance. I stayed in a studio and I was not impressed. I thought both rooms (the first room had wet carpets, a huge fan in it and smelled strongly of deoderizer) looked a little run down and would be too small for my family of four.

9 - Polynesian - An incredible resort. I had heard some negative reviews but didn't have any problems. The beach and pool lay out is very nice. Loved the electric water pageant and Wishes from the beach. I love the theming of the Polynesian. It is beautiful. I thought the transportation was the biggest plus with the resort. The monorail IMO is the easiest mode of transportation. The busses seemed quicker here too.

It's interesting each viewpoint differs. Details on why the higher rating for POR vs POFQ, please? Usually it's the other way around-'though both have their fans. Looking at both the PO resorts and CSR for dh and I.

I loved the public areas of POP-the additional landscaping, the circuit around the lake, the icons-totally appreciated the pizza delivery in a vw bus(that's nostalgia-we had one has early married folk)-and the '57 Chevy golf carts.

AKL-while impressive in alot of ways was too dark for me.

Found the Beach Club to have a snobby air-and couldn't wait to get out of there

Contemporary-agree with you. Definitely not my cuppa tea-but oldest ds adored it and he can't wait to stay there(yeah, son-check with me when you're paying the bills, k?:))
Port Orleans has a wide layout with a river running through the entire resort,bridges connect the islands to the main building area and pool.Found it a natural looking place.Not too overdone,like you were in the country for real.French Quarter is tight and I did not care for the pool as much as POR.

Looking forward to going May 20-26 and staying at Riverside! Very excited...going with my daughter who will be graduating from college two days earlier! Any suggestions on which building to stay in? Does it really matter in regard to transportation or close proximity to food court area?

Thanks...

Ok-thanks for that. I really like the smaller layout of FQ-but I like the room pix of AB. We'll see where we end up.

Forgot to include the resort I spent the most time at-CBR. Really, really liked it. Like the laid back theme, the village pools and the lighter, more airy feel of the rooms. Loved having breakfast by the fountain. The hammocks and the small beaches were nice. I took a beach chair up to outside our room(ground floor) so to enjoy my coffee in the morning and a glass of wine at night-:) I would have liked to see a more Carribean flavor-as in a choice or two-for counter service. And the main pool was always jammed. Buses came in a timely manner for the most part-though, yes, having to stop at other bus stops seemed to add to transport times-rather than going immediately off to the Parks. In reality-it's probably not that much more time added.

Another vote for Riverside over Port Orleans. I really enjoy the mansions overlooking the Sassagoula River. I've spent a bunch of time in the real New Orleans. And while the Port Orleans decor is much nicer than the real thing, I still just can't get the grunge of the city out of my mind when staying at the hotel. It's probably my least favorite of the moderates (but hey, I'll happily stay there if that's all that's available!).

Kathy, I merged your threads of similar nature.
Thank you.

Looking forward to going May 20-26 and staying at Riverside! Very excited...going with my daughter who will be graduating from college two days earlier! Any suggestions on which building to stay in? Does it really matter in regard to transportation or close proximity to food court area?

Thanks...

I made dh take a photo of the best location..of course he took it from far away so I can't read the sign but as I remember its Magnolia #8500 section..I believe its called Mansions.Great Location!;)

1. Grand Floridian---Definitely the most beautiful of the WDW resorts and the first one I visited which may bias me a bit. I love the smell of flowers in the lobby and the piano player entertaining us with Disney tunes. My son was only 6 when we first stayed here and the lobby's little seating areas with movies were a great convenience while we checked in. CMs have always been gracious and wonderful to us. They've really gone above and beyond. One time,the concierge gave us water to take into the parks. Another time they drove us back to our room at the Wilderness Lodge.The pools are beautiful and the rooms are very comfortable and airy. I've had a concierge room and a room with a fabulous view of the lagoon and Magic Kingdom, both upgrades! Every restaurant on the property is excellent. We love the buffet at 1900 Park Fare and the food at Narcoosee's and Citrico's. The location is perfect for us as we prefer to be on the monorail and near the lagoon. The electric water pageant is so much fun at night and you can watch the MK fireworks from the dock.To me, the GF will always be "Magic Central"

2. Animal Kingdom Lodge---the lobby of this resort is so fascinating that you could spend a day just looking at all the different African artifacts and crafts. And that's before you view the Savannah and the many wonderful animals. The landscaping is great---some really clever Hidden Mickeys--- and the staff is very friendly. The food at Boma is delicious and different. Rooms are pleasant and comfortable. Even though transportation from here is a bit of a pain, if you rent a car, this resort is fabulous. Obviously, access to the AK is easy.

3. Wilderness Lodge---Design of the lobby is somewhat similar to the AKL, but the feel is a little darker. Rooms are not special, but the pool and surrounding landscape is stunning. The views from the pool are gorgeous and the geyser is a great addition to the atmosphere. The boat transportation is pretty good, but not as convenient as the monorail.

4. Polynesian ---My husband thinks this one should be number 3, but he always puts convenience over aesthetics and the Polynesian is as convenient as it gets to MK and the transportation center. Like the GF, it is adjacent to the lagoon with great views.The recent renovation has made a big difference in this property and the new rooms are large, well-appointed and beautiful. The CM who greeted us last time was a little snippy. ("Shouldn't your son be in school?" No, actually, there was no school that week and what business was it of hers?), but the CMs at Kona Cafe were friendly and helpful.

5. Coronado Springs---This was one of my son's favorites when he was small. He loved the "pyramid pool." The bus service was convenient and frequent and the rooms were comfortable enough, though a bit small. The lake as a focal point and the touches like the bicycle rental were nice. A major drawback here is the food court which is ridiculously expensive for what it is. The spread out design of this resort can be a pain if it rains.

As for the rest of the WDW properties, I'm looking forward to exploring them. Next time, I get to stay on property, I hope to stay in the Boardwalk Area---either at the Boardwalk Inn or the Beach Club.

The CM who greeted us last time was a little snippy. ("Shouldn't your son be in school?" No, actually, there was no school that week and what business was it of hers?),

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: I am shocked that a CM would say that? I mean, all schools have different schedules, some go year round with periodic long breaks. Heck, you could be home schooling or from a different country....

It was the last week in August. New York schools don't open until after Labor Day, so we like to visit WDW that week because it is slightly cheaper. I guess Florida and other states go back to school earlier. (We stay in session until the last week in June, so it evens out.)Also, I would imagine lots of folks take their kids out of school to visit Disney. Even though I am not among them---I'm a teacher---I think CMs should refrain from commenting!