Solo Resort

[rickc77]

I made (3) solo trips in the last 7 years, and due to my wife not being
a disney nut as myself she has told me to feel free to schedule another
trip.

All of our trips either solo or not we have always stayed at the allstars.
Myquestion this time, is that I would like to stay at a moderate. I am currently
thinking about por, but I'd love to hear some of your views.

So my question is....what do you think is the best solo moderate, and why.

 

[spiceycat]

I love POR - but until it is complete open I would not stay there - I love the Mansion side (the side that is closed) and only like the AB side.

I would try the CSR - this has food that is a bit different. and a slide that is great!

CRB has their newly decorated rooms - and it is really close to the Studios. this resort also has the biggest rooms for a moderate on property.

 

[cassie]

I love the POR Riverside and am currently booked there for May. Alligator Bayou is my favorite. The mansions are beautiful, but I like the rustic theme of AB.

My only upset is with the boat to DD shut down. I really hope it will be running by May. If not I may just change ressies and stay at CBR. I'v heard many good things about that resort.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I've made 4 solo trips to WDW. POR is definitely my "solo resort of choice". In January when I went I got displaced and ended up at ASMu. Not the same. Then, AKL was gorgeous for 2 days, but for the money and food court, you can't beat POR, IMHO.

 

[Claudia Kellenberger]

I have stayed at POR 4 times, twice with my DH, and twice solo. I adore the rustic feel of the AB section.

My DH does not like to travel at all, and now that we have 2 cats, it works out well that he stays with the kitties, and I do my yearly trip.

Simba's Mom - I think it was you who called your solo trip a "Mental Health retreat" I think of mine the same way too.

This past Dec. I stayed at The Swan. That was great, too.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Yup, that was me-we high school teachers have to watch out for that mental health or some days we'll go batty!

 

[BobBrazeal]

My moderate of choice was always PO-FQ. I liked it since it was smaller than all the others and therefore less crowded in the foodcourt. Since it has always been a "sister" resort to POR before the official merger it was easy to walk over and take advantage of the POR food court and sit downs restaurant. I've stayed at all the moderates and after PO-FQ I'd choose POR and then CBR. Now I'm a DVC member at OKW and VWL so I haven't stayed at any of the moderates the last few trips but always enjoyed them for the many trips I did stay there.

 

[DeeP]

I have stayed at all the moderate resorts and like them all but CSR has the added advantage of having direct bus transportation to the Boardwalk. This comes in very handy for leaving Epcot after Illuminations and not having to wait in long lines for a bus back to your resort, giving a wide choice of restaurants to choose from at the boardwalk, YC/BC, Swan/Dolphin, and Epcot WS, it also gives you another way to get back from MGM after Fantasmic without waiting in long lines and it gives you access to the Boardwalk for nighttime entertainment. Jellyrolls on the boardwalk is a lot of fun. CSR also has in room coffee makers and an on site health club/spa and the largest hot tub at WDW.

 

[Claudia Kellenberger]

So - you would leave Epcot through
International Gateway, walk over the bridge to Boardwalk, and wait for a bus at the Boardwalk, that goes directly to CSR ? Right? That's pretty handy.

 

[TDC Nala]

Coronado Springs is my favorite. I prefer a room in the Cabanas but I'd try the Ranchos. Riverside is nice, too - I like the bayou section. I stayed at POFQ for one night and liked that also, but I don't know what it's like for the long term. I like CBR but I think it would be better with some company.

My favorite solo resort, though, is AKL - there's so much to do!

 

[HugsForEeyore]

I stayed at 3 of the moderates - POR (back when it was Dixie Landings), Carribean Beach, and Coronado Springs - all as a solo. On my next trip, I will be solo a few days so I picked Coronado Springs. POR is the only moderate I won't stay at again, and basically that was because I was told they would not allow solo people in the Alligator Bayou section - they only allow groups of five there. I really wanted to stay at AB, but was told I couldn't. I been put in the mansions twice there. After I got home, I put up a post about this, and it appears no one else ever had this problem - many people with small groups have stayed in AB . So I felt "singled out", so I won't stay there again. I prefer CSR or CBR - they have boat rentals for singles, and CSR has a huge pool so you don't feel you are elbow to elbow with strangers!


<img src="http://home.att.net/~swill70/hugsmall3.gif">

 

[Claudia Kellenberger]

HugsForEeyore
I'm curious about what time of year that they turned you
down for PoR AB section. Was it a very busy time of year?
We have always been at PoR somewhere during the first two
weeks of Dec., and we always got AB - just what we wanted.
We have no children. We were at PoR, AB twice together,
and twice I went solo. This reminds me of typical restaurant
seating. You may be solo, and you can get a bigger table if
it is not crowded. If it is very crowded, the solo diner will get
a very small table for one.

 

[TDC Nala]

No way they only allow groups of 5 at Alligator Bayou - a friend and I stayed there last December and we even had a room with a trundle. I bet you got some bad information. Try it again sometime!

 

[HugsForEeyore]

Hi, Claudia Kellenberger and TDC Nala,

Yes - I was told "only groups of five" can stay in the Alligator Bayou section of POR. I have stayed in the mansions twice. The first time in March 1998, I was with my parents and I did not argue when they placed us in the Mansions. I was hoping for AB, but mansions were fine. The second time (this was the solo trip) was the week before Memorial Day weekend, in May 2000 (I think the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights, so something like May 22-24). It was not actually near Memorial Day/Weekend, so the crowds were "medium" - it was not a holiday week. When I booked POR, I requested AB on my reservation. When I checked in, I was told I would get a room in the mansions. I then politely asked for AB instead, but the check-in CM would not even consider it. She did not even fiddle with the computer - just a firm "Sorry, AB is only for groups of 5." I got Parterre Place instead, which was fine, but it just left me with a nagging feeling. When I got back to the DIS, I found maybe only one other poster to ever been denied AB for this reason! It seems EVERYONE else with small groups got AB, but not me! I know this issue really should be no big deal, but I won't stay at POR anymore. Just no variety knowing I can never get AB. But maybe since 9/11 the rules have changed .... but I am done with POR.

Oh well - Coronado Springs is where I am going next!

<img src="http://home.att.net/~swill70/hugsmall3.gif">

 

[wdw1972]

Originally posted by Claudia Kellenberger
So - you would leave Epcot through
International Gateway, walk over the bridge to Boardwalk, and wait for a bus at the Boardwalk, that goes directly to CSR ? Right? That's pretty handy.

Heads up - They discontinued this, at least as of New Year's week. They still had a bus from CS stopping at BW, but no return bus. I finally asked a bus driver, and he told me it had been discontinued...I ended up walking to MGM to catch the CS bus from there.

In terms of best solo moderate - I see no reason why the "solo" distinction means anything in any of the resorts. A resort that's nicer than another is going to be nicer whether you're solo or traveling with someone else, in my opinion (having done both). That said, I'd rate the moderates as follows - highest to lowest. Coronado, PO Riverside, CBR, then PO French Quarter. Coronado & Riverside are very close quality-wise, although each beats the other in different ways. Overall though, I give the edge to CS....but I've stayed both places 6-10 times or so and wouldn't hesitate to book either one if I was looking for a moderate.