Port Orleans French Quarter Resort
The Walt Disney World Moderate resorts are good choices for those looking for more sophisticated theming and slightly larger rooms than are available at the Values, but who aren’t interested in all the luxuries of the Deluxes. Once you’ve decided that a Moderate resort is perfect for your traveling style and budget, it’s time to narrow down which resort in this category appeals to you most. Here is a basic overview of each.
CARIBBEAN BEACH RESORT
This resort, the first Moderate resort to be built, boasts 2112 rooms in bright, colorful buildings, each themed to a different Caribbean Island. Most standard rooms sleep 4, although some come with a trundle bed, and these rooms will sleep 5.
Most rooms feature two queen sized beds, and a limited number of rooms with a king sized beds are available. The popular pirate themed rooms feature two double sized beds. All the standard rooms, pirate themed or not, are approximately 300 square feet.
Dining options include a full service restaurant called Shutters, a food court called Old Port Royale, pizza delivery, and a pool bar. The pool is themed to a Spanish fortress.
The resort features one shop and transportation to all parks is provided by bus.
(Editor’s Note: At the current time, Caribbean Beach Resort is under a pretty large refurbishment project.)
CORONADO SPRINGS RESORT
This resort features 1967 rooms in three sections that evoke different areas on the Southwest. Standard rooms sleep 4 guests. Most rooms feature two queen sized beds and a limited number of rooms have a king sized bed.
Rooms here are approximately 314 square feet. Since this is the only Moderate resort that also features a convention center, it is quite popular with business travelers.
Dining options include a full service restaurant called Maya Grill, more casual restaurants called Café Rix and Las Ventanas, a quick service location called Pepper Market, and a few bars and lounges. Room service, though limited, is more varied here than at the other Moderates, which generally only offer pizza delivery.
There are quiet pools in each section of the resort and a large main pool themed towards a dig site. The resort also features one shop. Bus transportation to all parks is available.
PORT ORLEANS FRENCH QUARTER RESORT
This resort sits along a pathway which connects it to the Port Orleans Riverside Resort. It is themed to old New Orleans and offers 1008 rooms, making it the smallest of the Moderate resorts.
Rooms here are approximately 314 square feet and feature two queen sized beds, with a limited number of rooms with one king sized bed. Dining options include a food court called Sassagoula Floatworks and a couple of bars. Pizza delivery is available, but if you want a full service meal, you’ll have to go to the nearby Port Orleans Riverside.
The pool is themed to Mardi Gras floats and there is a small wading pool nearby. A shop offers gifts and sundries. In addition to bus transportation to all parks, a lovely boat ride takes you to Disney Springs.
PORT ORLEANS RIVERSIDE
This resort sits along a pathway which connects it to the Port Orleans French Quarter Resort. It is themed to the rural South and offers 2048 rooms in two sections: one themed to the sprawling mansions of the Old South and the other themed to rustic and cozy Bayou dwellings.
Rooms in the stately Magnolia Bend buildings sleep four with two queen sized beds, with a limited number of rooms featuring a king sized bed. Rooms in the quaint Alligator Bayou feature two queen sized beds, with many rooms also including a pull down bed sleeping an additional guest. Standard rooms in both these buildings are approximately 314 square feet.
For a special splurge, consider a Royal Room themed as guest rooms for Disney Princesses. These feature two queen sized beds and guests here will find special theming in their rooms.
Dining is available in the form of a full service restaurant called Boatwright’s Dining Hall, a food court called Riverside Mill Food Court, and a few bars. Pizza delivery is available.
The pool is themed to an old fashioned watering hole and includes a small wading area. Transportation to all parks is in the form of buses, and a lovely boat ride will take you to Disney Springs.
FORT WILDERNESS RESORT
Fort Wilderness always comes as a surprise to first time Walt Disney World visitors. When it first opened, it served as a campground for people who wanted to pitch a tent or pull up and RV and still get the perks of staying on Disney property. Those options are still available (and a heck of a lot of fun!) but more recently, Disney built rustic cabins to expand your choices in the Moderate range.
In addition to a little over 700 campsites (some of the nicest I’ve ever seen), there are 409 cabins. Each cabin features a full bed, a set of bunk beds, and a full sized pull down bed, and also comes with a full kitchen and a charcoal grill on the patio. Each cabin is approximately 504 square feet.
Many people chose to cook their own food, but there are other options at the Campground. There is a buffet called Trail’s End, a dinner show called the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue, a seasonal character barbecue called Mickey’s Backyard BBQ, and a couple of snack locations.
Two pools are available, and the campground has perhaps more recreational activities than any other Disney resort: a playground, arcades, tennis, bike and boat rentals, fishing…the list goes on and on.
Two shops offer not only gifts and sundries, but limited supplies of groceries in case you’d like to do some cooking in your campground, cabin, or RV.
Buses take you to all the theme parks, and a boat is also available to get to the Magic Kingdom. (This is a very pretty way to get to Walt Disney World’s original park!)
Which of the moderate resorts is your favorite? Share in the comments why.
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