Moderate Tier

Image: DisneyDisney only lists five resorts in the Moderate Tier, and two of them share the same name and (general) location. Another is an extension of a resort mentioned earlier. The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort is different from its Value Tier companion. It HAS real rooms, not just campsites for tents and RV connections. These Wilderness Cabins are quite lovely, but they’re not for everyone. As such, I’m taking this property out of consideration for best or worst resort in the tier.

The worst one comes down to a discussion between Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. Since this topic is so divisive, I approached it from two perspectives. One is my personal opinion, and the other is the hotel’s overall ranking on TripAdvisor.

Image: DisneyWe lined up completely on Moderate Tier, as voters on that site deem Caribbean Beach and Coronado Springs as two lower tier hotels overall in Orlando. Both of them finish in the bottom half of the 344 lodgings in the city. My gut instinct was that Coronado Springs is the worst, and that’s the opinion on TripAdvisor as well. This situation should become clearer as Caribbean Beach is undergoing renovations that will make it a much better resort. Coronado Springs is also undergoing renovations, but they are more cosmetic.

The best hotel in the Moderate Tier comes down to a simple question. Which Port Orleans property do you prefer? The choices are Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside and Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter. Mathematically, you’re much more likely to stay at the former property. It has more than twice as many hotel rooms available…and that’s why I prefer French Quarter. The theming is better here, and the atmosphere is much more intimate. I would go so far as to say that it’s possibly THE most intimate hotel at Walt Disney World. TripAdvisor voters seem to agree, as it’s ranked higher than several properties in the next category…you know, the MUCH more expensive one.