Once you’ve worked out when you’ll be taking a vacation to the Walt Disney World Resort, you’ll need to start making some decisions as to where you’ll be staying. When deciphering Disney’s resorts the first logical step is to determine how much of your vacation budget you’d want to spend on the resort stay. If you’re looking to splurge in comparison to Disney’s value resorts, but you can’t quite seem to justify spending the money for a deluxe, the moderates (approximately $165 – $350/night) can be the perfect fit!
The solo traveler: Disney’s Coronado Springs and Caribbean Beach Resorts
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For the solo traveler who may be feeling a bit self conscious about spending time in Walt Disney World alone, Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort will help break the ice and feel the least awkward. As a convention resort, Coronado Springs typically has plenty of guests who are also traveling alone on business, so you shouldn’t feel too left out with constantly seeing guests spending time with their families. Of course, worries over societal expectations of vacationing alone should never keep you from a trip you’re looking forward to taking! If you can’t help but feel a bit uncomfortable at the idea however, Coronado Springs should help to ease your nerves– you’ll be able to plan your trip around exactly what you want to be doing, while either blending in or getting to know other solo guests in the process.
If you’ve already gotten over the apprehension of vacationing alone, and are just looking for the ultimate retreat that won’t put too much of a strain on your wallet, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort can be a great option. The theme of the resort being laid back and tropical can take off some of the pressure of being alone, and with an excellent pool bar and quick service dining options you’ll be sure to enjoy hanging out at Old Port Royale when you’re not doing everything you (and only you) want to do at the theme parks. Splurging on the pirate themed rooms while vacationing solo may not be as “worth it” as it would be to share the in-room experience with a family, so you may even save a few extra bucks when booking your stay.
All about the kids: Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
Fuentes del Morro Pool at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. Image: Disney
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort offers the perfect mix of island themed details for the grownups in the family along with fun extras like a pool with water cannons and two slides for the kids. The main pool area, known as the Fuentes del Morro Pool, is themed after a Spanish fort with a splash play area and shorter slides for the younger kids and an 82 foot long water slide for the big kids. Standard Disney resort poolside trivia and games are offered daily, and whirlpool hot tubs along with some island-themed drinks from the pool bar make hanging out at this resort fun for adults too. This main pool is also located right by Old Port Royale, the area of the resort which includes the quick service dining area, table service restaurant, and gift shops.
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort also scores major points in the “families with kids” category for the pirate themed rooms. If you’re vacationing with some tot-sized mateys the pirate rooms at this resort may be just the thing to add a little extra special magic to your trip. But landlubbers be warned — though the pirate rooms come with a whimsical theme and unique features (like pirate ship-shaped beds!) they also come a fair distance away from the rest of the resort. Should your family settle on a pirate room be prepared to make do some “island hopping” or jump on the nearest bus to get around the resort without wearing the kids out.
The kids’ runner up: Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
Royal Room at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort: Riverside. Image: Disney
Another great option for a moderate resort the kids in your family will love is Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside. This resort draws inspiration from the upscale mansions and gorgeous architectural elements found throughout rustic outskirts of the New Orleans area. Like Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Port Orleans Riverside features an elaborately themed pool with waterslides that are sure to please any kid, or kid at heart. The true “wow” factor of this pool area however is Old Man Island, which includes a catch and release fishing area.
Where Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort has the option of choosing a pirate themed room, Port Orleans Riverside offers a similar amenities in the form of “royal rooms” designed around Disney’s best-loved princesses. If you’re looking to treat the family to a vacation fit for a king on a commoner’s budget, these rooms may be something to consider.
For the honeymooners: Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
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Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter offers the ultimate honeymoon experience on a moderately priced budget. The general atmosphere of this resort is filled to the brim with romantic touches, where couples can wander through iconic French Quarter-style streets with gaslights and wrought iron decor, share a batch of beignets or enjoy live music with a one man band at Scat Cat’s Club.
While both Port Orleans resorts are loaded with recreational offerings, the ambience of Port Orleans French Quarter makes it the perfect resort to relax with your significant other on a horse-drawn carriage ride or with a surrey bike rental. The grounds of the resort are truly a classy representation of the historic Mardi Gras spirit and should definitely be explored during your stay. Like its sister resort, the French Quarter side also has the boat that goes between the resorts and Disney Springs, which offers excellent nightlife for the couple looking to have a night out away from the parks.
The honeymooners’ runner up: Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
For a more classic “honeymoon” resort option while at Walt Disney World, consider booking a room at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. The laid back island feel of a resort themed around Aruba, Barbados, Jamaica, Martinique, and Trinidad can be just the relaxing getaway you crave in the middle of a theme park vacation. With the two whirlpool spas and one of the best pool bars at Walt Disney World, Old Port Royale can easily become the perfect couples hangout spot during a stay at this resort.
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort also offers a table service dining option (for dinner only) that fuses classic American dishes with the flavor of the Caribbean. Though casual, Shutters is a fun place to kick back with some refreshing tropical cocktails and enjoy the company of your loved one while savoring fresh island eats.
Grandparent getaways: Coronado Springs
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For the grandparents looking to get away from it all during a Walt Disney World vacation, Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort should have you covered. With the theme of Spanish Colonial Mexico, and beautiful Mayan accents weaved throughout the resort, the property feels a bit more refined than many of its moderate resort counterparts. On top of this, as a convention resort Coronado Springs comparatively tends to be more of a business/adult centric resort meaning that there may be less kids here than the other moderates.
With pool amenities that do cater to all members of the family, like one of the best waterslides of any Walt Disney World resort at the Mayan pyramid of the Dig Site pool, older generations will appreciate the relaxation offered by Coronado Springs’ hot tub– the largest of any Walt Disney World resort, holding up to 22 guests! As a business-focused resort, Coronado Springs is also the only moderate resort that is home to a 24-hour fitness center and the La Vida Health Club and Spa which offers a myriad of spa treatments and beauty consultations.
The grandparents’ runner up: Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
The grounds of Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter. Image: Disney
Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter provides an alternatively themed yet just as relaxing experience for the older couple looking for some relaxation during their trip. For similar reasons as its honeymoon perks, this resort appeals to couples of any age with its romantic horse-drawn carriage rides and bike rentals. The boat to Disney Springs is another benefit of staying at this resort, as the boat ride is relaxing in itself never mind the peaceful strolling through shops and stopping for drinks and snacks that an afternoon at Disney Springs can entail.
Port Orleans French Quarter is also the least spread out of all of the moderate resorts, making it an excellent choice for the guests who may not want to spend too much time on their feet. Whichever building your room is located in at this resort will never be a far walk from the lobby, pool, bus stop, or dining area, and you’ll never need to wait on a bus to get to different parts of the resort.
For the budget conscious: Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
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Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort may not be the first moderate level resort to come to mind when you hear the term “budget conscious” but a closer investigation actually shows some convincing evidence for this case. Though often somewhat pricier than other moderate resorts, consider the added amenities that come with a stay at Coronado Springs. This resort is the only one in the moderate level that has a spa and 24 hour fitness center. In addition, it has one of the best pool areas of any moderate resort, a table service restaurant, and comparatively larger resort rooms, with additional rooms having king-sized beds compared to the other resorts. It may not seem like the first logical choice, but given the extra amenities guests can enjoy at Coronado, this resort is actually the best value for you money especially when choosing to stay at a moderate resort over a deluxe. Suites at Coronado Springs can get quite expensive, but choosing a standard room, or other equal counterpart to the other moderate resorts should work out to be a nice value).
The budget conscious runner up: Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
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Where Coronado Springs offers the best deal in terms of value for any Walt Disney World moderate resort, Port Orleans Riverside generally offers the best price. Though this may fluctuate occasionally and vary between discount, if there is any kind of special offer or promotion being offered the deal tends to work well with a stay at this resort. Holding all other aspects equal to the other moderate resorts, chances are this is where you’ll be able to find the best deal without dropping down to the value tier. As a tip, when checking resort prices particularly through special offers, be sure to compare the same resort room type. Availability varies between what can be offered with the discount and it’s important to make sure you’re looking at the correct room for your needs.
For the family who needs the most space: Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground
Kitchen/living area of a cabin at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground. Image: Disney
The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground are by far the best option for larger families looking for a moderate resort. In terms of the amount of space offered by the cabin, the next closest alternative would be a deluxe villa which obviously does not fit a moderate budget. At an average cost of about $320 per night, the cabins are the most expensive moderate resort option, however it is still only a fraction of what its deluxe counterpart would cost
In addition to in-cabin conveniences like a kitchenette, Fort Wilderness also has a pool with a waterslide, and one of the most beloved Disney family traditions– the Hoop Dee-Doo Musical Revue! The area is also home to some fan-favorite restaurants like Trail’s End Restaurant and the character dinner-show, Mickey’s Backyard Barbecue. Outdoor recreational offerings that are fun for the whole family can be found at the campground as well, including archery, horseback riding, and fishing, just to name a few!
