Meet Me in the Middle: Disney World’s Moderate Resorts
You’ve heard this expression, right? Meet me in the middle? It usually has something to do with compromise. Maybe it’s a dollar amount you’re trying to hit. Or perhaps it’s a distance you’re willing to go, literally or figuratively. It’s been on my mind a bit lately, as I’m trying to trudge through a list of unpleasant tasks this month. Won’t somebody meet me in the middle? Pretty, please? After a whole lot of “NO” this morning supported by repetitive and unpleasant on-hold music, I decided to think about a happier middle: Disney World’s Moderate Resorts. Any of these properties show that meeting “in the middle” doesn’t necessarily mean compromise. In fact, it can be pretty great. Today’s post provides an overview of Disney World’s Moderate Resorts.
Overview
Let’s start with a quick introduction to the “moderate” category, just in case it’s new to you.
Disney divides it’s lengthy list of resort options into three primary cateogies. The highest on the list, in terms of price and overall amenities is the “deluxe” classification. The lowest, also in terms of price and included amenities is the “value” tier. The “moderate” resorts are, you guessed it, right in the middle of these other two.
The five moderate resorts at Disney World currently include: Caribbean Beach, Coronado Springs, Port Orleans Riverside, Port Orleans French Quarter and the Fort Wilderness Cabins. Rates for standard rooms run about $200-300 per night (before discount!) depending on the season. The six-person cabins at Fort Wilderness run closer to $400.
How to choose
Overall, the Disney World moderate resorts have a lot in common. All offer subtle theming, multiple pools, a range of dining options and transportation to the theme parks. Most are also large properties with outdoor room access and a variety of room types. Thanks to massive renovations over the last three years, almost all of the moderate resort rooms also feature recently updated decor.
Of course there are some things that make each of the resorts unique too. The theming, although consistent in the quality of execution across all of the properties, varies significantly in the resulting feel of each resort. There’s the warm peppy vibe of Caribbean Beach for example or the understated elegance of Port Orleans Riverside. Beyond personal preferences for the theming there are also a few pros and cons that set each resort apart. The rest of this post will explore these features individually.
Just in case you’re considering a meet in the middle too.
Caribbean Beach
There are quite a few new perks to staying at Caribbean Beach these days. First, the two new Disney Skyliner stations on property offer guests direct gondola transportation to Epcot or Hollywood Studios. This is in addition to the traditional bus service for all four parks.
Second, the entire resort received a facelift in the last few years. Guests can now enjoy a new lobby, freshly painted buildings and multiple new dining options in addition to the updated rooms they can also find at the other moderates.
Third, Disney recently reduced the size of Caribbean Beach in order to accommodate the construction of the gondola stations and nearby Disney Riviera Resort. I’m including this as a “perk” because the resort’s massive size (and SIX internal bus stops!) has traditionally been its biggest drawback. I can’t really say it made the resort small (1500+ rooms), but it did drop Caribbean Beach a few spots if you were to rank order the moderate resorts by size.
Other perks of Caribbean Beach include the super-fun pirate themed pool and the also-fun-but-not-quite-as-conveniently-located pirate-themed guest rooms (located in the Trinidad section of the resort map above).
Coronado Springs
Similar to Caribbean Beach, Coronado Springs also received a major overhaul in the past few years. The biggest change was the addition of a new 15-story tower called Gran Destino. The new tower is a major upgrade for Coronado Springs guests, offering more room styles, more dining options and a more luxurious feel than the other moderate resorts. It’s the only property in the category, for example, that offers interior corridors for its guest rooms and roof-top viewing of some of the parks’ evening shows. You can read more about Gran Destino in my previous post.
Another major change to the property was the addition of a new lake-top restaurant, entitled Three Bridges Bar & Grill. This welcoming new space is fun on its own, but the real benefit here is the accessibility throughout the resort that the new pathways to the restaurant provide. Similar to Caribbean Beach, Coronado’s size has traditionally been it’s biggest drawback. The new walkways and added offerings help to address this issue, at least a little.
The new walkways also mean that at Coronado Springs you could literally meet in the middle (of the lake).
Speaking of meeting, Coronado Springs is also a convention hotel, which means it offers a unique set of amenities (gym, spa, room service, suites, more bars…) among the moderate tier. Of course the trade off is you may run into convention attendees during your stay.
Port Orleans Riverside & French Quarter
Port Orleans is actually two different moderate resorts in one. Riverside is the larger portion of the resort and themed around the Louisiana bayou and stately southern mansions. French Quarter is significantly smaller and styled after the famous section of New Orleans with the same name. Guests at either resort can use all of the amenities of both properties (bus depots, pools, restaurants, etc.), which means you’re really getting two resorts in one.
Although the perks at these locations are not quite as new as those at Caribbean Beach or Coronado Springs, they are still significant. One of the biggest for both Port Orleans locations is the direct boat access to the newly expanded Disney Springs entertainment complex.
Another perk is the extra activities, like horse-drawn carriage rides at Riverside, art classes at French Quarter or boat excursions from both. French Quarter’s compact size and one bus stop make it a strong contender for those seeking a smaller resort feel within the moderate category. Riverside offers five-person accommodations, princess-inspired rooms and a quirky entertainment option with Yeehaa Bob. You can read more details about Riverside and French Quarter in my previous posts.
Fort Wilderness Cabins
Last but not least within the moderate category is the unique Fort Wilderness Resort. Nestled throughout a wooded landscape, these cabins accommodate up to six guests via a queen bed, twin bunks and a pull-out sofa. The only thing really similar between the Fort Wilderness Cabins and the other moderate resorts is its massive size (750 total acres, including camping sites). Similar to Caribbean Beach, however, this size may change in the next few years as Disney adds the new Reflections resort nearby.
The biggest benefits of the Wilderness Cabins are clearly the capacity and functionality (mini-kitchens!) of the rooms. The resort’s close proximity to Magic Kingdom and related boat transportation are other major marks in the plus column. The downsides include the main pool, which offers a fun slide but isn’t quite on par with the pools at the other moderates, or the potential for long commute times to other parks. Some guests choose to rent golf carts to carry them from their cabins to the bus depots to address this.
Summary
So that’s it, an overview of Disney World’s Moderate Resorts, including a look at the unique benefits each has to offer. Choosing which one is best for you really depends on personal taste. Do you want to bask in the sunshine of the Caribbean or soak up the tranquility of the great outdoors? Does the size of the resort matter to you or are you all about the amenities the resort provides? Answering these types of questions will assist your decision.
Fortunately you can’t really go wrong with any of these choices. Perhaps meeting in the middle at Disney World’s Moderate Resorts could work for you too.
Add a little magic to your world!