Recommend a hotel for us in WDW [honeymoon trip]

[Matterhorn Eric]

So my fiance and I will be making our first trip the the WDW resort for our honeymoon in late august or early september, and we need some recommendations for hotel choices. Based on reading some reviews and looking around price wise, we have started to look at either Coronado Springs or Caribbean Beach Resort. We are DLR veterans and while we are going to spend time at the Magic Kingdom, we will definitely want to spend a lot of time checking out the other parks. With this in mind, which hotels are located in a good spot to get around the resort with ease?

[buzz2001]

I'd recommend CSR! Besides having a great main pool area, CSR also offers many deluxe amenities at a mod price (they also have suites).

The resort is very romantic and perfect for honeymooners.

CSR has a fitness center, spa, tanning beds, a sauna, salon, full menu room service and its own dance/night club.

CSR has a sliding wooden door separating the sink area from the room instead of a privacy curtain.

CSR has queen beds and the rooms have been recently renovated and are gorgeous.

CSR has the same toiletries as the deluxes (except GF). CSR has separate shampoo and conditioner instead of the shampoo/conditioner combo at the other mods and values (a small thing, I know, but it means I don't have to pack shampoo and conditioner).

CSR has the largest hot tub of the mods and one of the longest pool slides on Disney property. The pool, slide, arcade and playground area are great to have in this area as well.

CSR has terrific transportation that is not shared with another resort.

You'll definitely want to check out my CSR website below.

[Drince88]

Any of the resorts (especially the mods) are going to be about the same for transportation to the parks. Note that Coronado and French Quarter will have Queen beds in the standard room config, Carib Beach and Riverside are still Full, though Riverside will be transitioning soon. If you reserve a King room, it won't really have an impact for you, though!

Coronado and Carib Beach both are fairly spread out, CB has an internal bus loop, even, but I think the size helps you feel a little more isolated, especially with the hammocks at all the individual beaches.

Really, though, for those two choices, I'd just go with whichever theme you like better. Personally, I really dislike the quick service restaurant at Coronado, but others love it. Also Coronado is going to be a smidgen more expensive.

[WdwGurl4life]

I also recommend CSR out of the 2 you mentioned. Having said that.. make sure you get a preferred room. If you want to relax and enjoy your trip..I would ask for one.I know that I have had GREATT experiences @ CSR but also one that didn't quite hit the spot, and when I look back on it, it is because of my room location. CSR is a BIGGG resort, and depending on what you want out of the hotel, the room location could be huge.

For me,I like being close to the main building, but also semi close to the Gym Facility and their mini pool.I love building 3. BUT if you are more concerned with the big pool, swimming, and the room isn't much of importance to you, then i would chose one closer to the main pool.

I really love CSR- there are less Children- which might be huge for you considering this is a honeymoon. I would also suggest the dining plan. I know that when I go on relaxing -enjoyable trips with Just the d"future"h, we love to enjoy our food, and the dining plan really does save up money, and we are not wasting time deciding where to eat-if there's availability and such. Also, the Pepper Market @ CSR is pricey for fast food, and with the dining plan, it makes that less stressful also.

again JUST MY THOUGHTS

[mom22gls]

Assuming that you are sticking to the moderate category, you may want to reconsider Port Orleans French Quarter. It has boat transportation to Downtown Disney, which is a nice thing in the evenings, for dining and shopping. You can also easily catch a bus to another resort from Downtown Disney, if you have a dinner planned at a hotel restaurant. It's a pretty resort, and more compact than others, so there are not multiple bus stops. If you can stretch your budget, either Animal Kingdom Lodge or the Wilderness Lodge will give you another level of amenities, and both hotels are significantly less expensive than other Deluxe hotels. Both have excellent, and very romantic table service restaurants, and are beautifully themed. Even if you don't stay there, I recommend you plan a dinner at Jiko, at Animal Kingdom Lodge, and check out the views of the Savannah from different vantage points of the hotel lobby and the observation deck by the pool. In fact, I would plan several dinners at some of the excellent hotel restaurants-the "dress codes" are not fancy, just not a casual t-shirt and shorts type of place. Your wife can just pack a simple dress and sandals, and khakis and a collared polo shirt are fine for you. When we ate at the California Grill, my friend forgot to pack a nicer outfit, but she managed to dress up a pair of city length shorts and a nicer top and looked just fine.

[tappenfeat]

I have to agree...Port Orleans French Quarter is also a wonderful Mod. Resort.

It's small, quaint and quiet! It can also be Romantic...the bus systems are top notch as well as the ferry/boat that runs to DTD (which is a GREAT place to visit for couples and to dine there one evening). The ferry ride is lovely.

You can also visit the sister Resort, Port Orleans Riverside by foot or ferry and they offer carriage rides in the evenings (reservations highly recommended).

[danyoung]

So Eric, are you getting the idea that everyone has their favorite? My favorite moderate by far is the Coronado Springs. They call this a convention resort, but the conventioneers have their own area, and don't really impact on the regular guests. Look around online, find some pictures, and pick the theme that works for you. All of the moderates are terrific!

And as far as location, there are very few options for walking to the parks, and no single resort that is right next to all of the parks. That said, they're not really spread out THAT much. Disney runs a comprehensive transportation system, which includes monorails, boats and busses. It's pretty much bus transportation from the moderates, but that works very nicely. A lot of people, myself included, will rent a car from the Orlando airport. That takes care of your transportation to and from the airport, and gives you more options for travel within the World.

Feel free to ask any more questions you might come up with - we loves to help!!!

[WdwGurl4life]

I totally agree danyoung.

I would suggest looking @ the link buzz2001 has.
It really helped me through my decision years ago, and I am in LOVE now*
It's a great site that shows you a great view of a great hotel.

If you don;t stay @ Port Orleans, try to get over there one night, and take the horse drawn carriage ride. I did this for the d"future"h on our Anniversary a few yrs back. it's relaxing and personal time for the two of you I loved the scenery and the mood !

[thepoohguy]

I agree with CSR. My DW and I just got back from a 7 night trip and we stayed at CSR. Totally loved it!

We have no kids, so it is always just the two of us when we go. CSR in a preferred King bed was quiet, peaceful, and just great! Close to the spa and quiet pool.

The resort itself is just great to walk around and have a great time. Beautiful and Romantic!

[wishiwasthere]

Can you tell us what you are looking for in hotel besides location?

CSR is a little bit more money than the other moderates. It is also a big resort. I found it to be very romantic at night, but it is really big. I also wouldn't stay here unless I was on the DDP (Dining Plan). The food court is pricey, but a great value if you are on the plan. CSR also has a lounge and bar area which is nice if you are looking for a place in the evening to sit back a relax with a few drinks. No kids are allowed in there either. It is a convention resort though so you can see people in suits (or hiking get-ups if you are there when the park ranger convention is going on!) which bothers some people.

For a honeymoon if I were to stay at the moderate resort level, I would stay at Port Orleans French Quarter. I stayed there in October when my boyfriend and I got engaged. So romantic. It is dimly lit at night so it is nice to stroll along the Sassagoula River. You can also take a horse drawn carriage ride along the river. I would also get a King Bed here instead of paying at CSR. The hotel is small too, so you are never far from the main building.

Caribbean Beach is HUGE. I never, ever want to stay there unless I had a car.

[Matterhorn Eric]

Thanks for all the great suggestions. For us, we are so used to DLR and even then, we stay offsite at the Candy Cane Inn everytime, so a smaller feeling hotel might work out better. (Although we did always stay at the MGM Grand in vegas, which is one of the most spread out hotels.)

We really don't have a good idea of how things are laid out and how to get around WDW, so there are still a million things to check out. As far as room wise, we are mostly looking for a comfortable bed without a lot of noise. A decent pool would be nice, but it doesn't need to be extravagant because we will probably hit up the water parks anyways.

[Samrain]

As Dan mentioned, everyone has their favorites and it really does depend on what you're looking for in terms of amenities, size, etc...during your trip.

Because you're on your honeymoon, my vote is for French Quarter. It is the smallest moderate resort and has a more romantic, intimate setting, not to mention the carriage rides are a great option. Most of the moderates are centrally located and will have comparable transportation options.

I enjoyed CBR, but the hotel is so large that there are internal bus stops at the hotel, not just the typical one stop at the lobby.

In any case, you really can't go wrong - just work with your preferences

[tappenfeat]

As Dan mentioned, everyone has their favorites and it really does depend on what you're looking for in terms of amenities, size, etc...during your trip.

Because you're on your honeymoon, my vote is for French Quarter. It is the smallest moderate resort and has a more romantic, intimate setting, not to mention the carriage rides are a great option. Most of the moderates are centrally located and will have comparable transportation options.

I enjoyed CBR, but the hotel is so large that there are internal bus stops at the hotel, not just the typical one stop at the lobby.

In any case, you really can't go wrong - just work with your preferences

Again, I agree with the French Quarter. For the same reasons above.

Everyone had great suggestions and I'm sure whatever you decide on will be lovely!!!

[cbarry]

If you're used to smaller resorts, you really might want to go for the French Quarter. It's not truly small at around 1,000 or so rooms, but it's half the size of any moderate and feels much more intimate than the rest.

I do think the Sassagoula River boat offers the one thing that the other moderates do not have and that is a major plus. The ride to Downtown Disney and Riverside offers a super convenient and very pleasant way to get around, see some of the other sights and easily offers up many more dining choices. Not to mention at night, the boat ride can be pretty romantic. Someone else said it before, but the horse and carriage ride through Riverside and French Quarter is super romantic. We rode with the three kids and they were all lulled to sleep and my wife and I just enjoyed the quiet night and the sound of the horse clop clopping. It was pretty nice.

I've always been a major fan of the Port Orleans resorts. I prefer them over Caribbean Beach, but I have yet to stay at Coronado. Not to confuse you, just throwing these other two moderates in for thought. If you're considering the others, you should weigh this one in as well.

[dopeyd73]

My DH and I did the Caribbean Beach Resort. It was a "compromise" since I had wanted to go to Jamaica for our HM and he wasn't a "sit on the beach" person at the time (although that's changed now that we're older! LOL). It was great! We did the paddle boats and loved the resort. We still talk about our HM to this day as one of the best trips we've had!

[mzloolue]

So, eric have you made a decision yet?

I too agree with everyone else and immediately thought of coronado or french quarter.

You did not say what month you would be there, but...

Port Orleans french Quarter is lovely and romantic.
The landscaping is full and mature.
But although the swimming pool is colorful and interesting, it is also small.
My kids, old teens and young adult aged, refused to even get in it.
When asked why, they just said, "too much kid pee".

On the other hand they really love the Dig Site pool at Coronado.

And if one needed to stay at a value resort ... DH and I had a room in Pop Century that was very close to the lake and with the right mindset watching the sunset over the lake was romantic.

[ericles]

As members of the Dixie Landings Honeymoon club, our vote is for Port Orleans Riverside

lovely theme, lovely grounds, very relaxing. boat to DTD, walk to POFQ

[Matterhorn Eric]

As of now we have decided to go with Port Orleans French Quarter. I was able to get an AP rate as well, which is great because we will be upgrading to the premier pass when we arrive.

Oh, and we are going in September.