Disney World Moderate Resorts (& which we think is best)

Want a pretty Disney World resort that won’t empty your bank account? Then the Walt Disney World Moderate resorts might work out well for you.

Beautiful landscaping, some themed rooms, and moderate prices are what you can expect at Moderate resorts.

Sound like a good fit? Check out the info below.

In this article

Disney World resort categories

The Walt Disney World Resort is huge, and outside of its 4 main theme parks, 2 water parks, shopping district, and sports facilities, it is also home to over 2 dozen different resorts with over 30,000 rooms.

All of those resorts and rooms means you have a ton of options to choose from when planning your vacation.

When trying to decide which resort is best for your family, many people start by looking at average prices and resort amenities.

While most hotels and resorts in destinations outside of Disney World are grouped and designated by “stars” (such as 3-star hotels or 4-star hotels), Disney World instead groups their resorts with similar prices and amenities by the following terms:

Value
Moderate – you’re here!
Deluxe
Deluxe Villas

Disney World Moderate resorts are an excellent choice for anybody looking for a pretty resort with a few more amenities than you might find at a Value Resort.

VIDEO: Ranking the Moderate Disney World resorts

List of Disney World Moderate resorts

Disney World has 4 main resorts at the Moderate level:

Disney also includes the Cabins at Ft. Wilderness in the Moderate category, though those rooms are very different from the other resorts and are really kind of their own unique thing.

Moderate resort room sizes

The average room size for a standard Moderate room is approximately 314 square feet.

Want to see how that stacks up against other resort categories?

Check out the comparison chart below.

Disney World resort average standard room size chart

As you can see, the Moderate rooms are right in the middle of rooms in the other categories.

Themed rooms

Two of Disney’s Moderate resorts – Port Orleans Riverside and Caribbean Beach Resort – offer themed rooms that are some of the most fun in all of Disney World.

At Caribbean Beach Resort, you’ll find Pirate Rooms.

At Port Orleans – Riverside, there are beautiful Royal rooms.

These rooms are in buildings that are some of the furthest from the resort’s main buildings, but the special theming may make it worth it for many.

All rooms are accessible via exterior hallways

If you take away all the pretty theming of the exteriors, you’ll see that the buildings themselves resemble motels like Super 8 and that the rooms are accessible via exterior hallways and corridors versus interior hallways.

Moderate resort prices

Disney World Moderate Resorts are right in the middle of the price range for Disney World resorts, starting around $232 during regular seasons.

That price point is a huge selling factor for many families, particularly those with 5 per room since a couple of Moderate resort rooms will allow up to 5, while only the suites at the Value Resort level are large enough to accommodate more than 4.

Discounts at Disney World Moderate resorts

Most Moderate resort rooms are eligible for discounts, though availability may be very limited.

Most people don’t realize that just because a discount is out and the resort you plan on staying at is eligible to have that discount does not mean you will automatically get the discounted price.

Discounts have to be applied (either by initially booking under the discount or modifying an existing reservation to include it), but once the number of rooms that Disney has made available to be booked under a discount has been secured, that’s it.

More availability for rooms at a discount won’t open up unless somebody cancels or Disney decides to release more rooms.

Moderate resort theming

The theming at Moderate resorts is pretty, but not very “Disney” per se.

With gorgeous landscaping and theming based on various beautiful locations, the Moderate resorts are certainly lovely, though.

For that reason, families with little ones who want more fun theming might want to consider a Value Resort.

Swimming pools at Moderate resorts

Unlike the Value resorts, the nicely-themed pools at the Moderate resorts have slides.

Moderates also have quiet pools available.

The best swimming pool at a Moderate resort is definitely Coronado Springs Resort, which has a 50-foot Mayan temple at the center of its main pool.

Dining options at Moderate resorts

Each Moderate resort offers a food court, Table Service restaurant*, a lounge bar, and a pool bar.

Pizza delivery is also available.

In many ways, these dining options are the most convenient for all kinds of groups who may want something quick for one meal and the option to have a sit-down meal at another.

*Port Orleans – French Quarter doesn’t have its own Table Service restaurant, but it’s a quick walk or bus stop away from Riverside if a nearby sit-down meal is what you want.

Transportation at Moderate resorts

If you want to leave the driving to Disney, bus transportation is the main Disney transportation option from the Moderate resorts.

With lots of internal bus stops at the Moderate resorts (except for French Quarter), transportation is also one of the biggest drawbacks for staying at the resorts in this category.

Each time you hop on a bus, you have to wait for it to stop at the other bus stops along the way.

Compare that to Value Resorts that have just 1 bus stop per resort, and the Moderate resort buses can end up taking much longer to get you to/from places at Disney World.

The two Port Orleans resorts also have a boat option to get to/from Disney Springs.

Have your own car? Moderate resorts can actually be really great (as long as you don’t mind the parking fees, but more on that below) because you can park near your room.

In addition to buses, guests at Caribbean Beach Resort – as well as Pop Century and Art of Animation, which are Value resorts, and Disney’s Riviera, which is a Deluxe Villa resort – have access to the Disney Skyliner.

Parking

Although parking at Disney World resort hotels used to cost a nightly fee for resort guests, Disney has changed their policy so that parking is now free for all on-site resort guests. This change was implemented on January 10, 2023.

Complimentary standard self-parking is also available for non-resort guests exploring dining, shopping, entertainment, and other experiences during the day.

We have a complete Walt Disney World parking guide you can browse.

Pros and Cons for Moderate resorts

We love each of the Moderate Resorts for different reasons, but we also know that each resort has some drawbacks, too.

Here are some things to think about for each:

Caribbean Beach Resort

Caribbean Beach has great staff, beautiful landscaping, a view of fireworks over at Epcot from the beach areas, the ability for families of up to 5 to stay, and a new main building and restaurant.

Plus, it is home to the Disney Skyliner, which is a handy way to get to and from Hollywood Studios and Epcot.

However, it’s also logistically difficult to get around here with 7 internal bus stops, and external buses to the other parks can be cumbersome.

Coronado Springs Resort

Coronado Springs definitely has a more grown-up feel than other resorts, particularly because it’s a convention hotel that caters to that group more than families.

The Preferred Rooms here are a fairly good value but don’t put you close to the main pool.

And, the new Gran Destino Tower is a lovely option but is a short walk away from any of the dining options.

This resort has extra amenities that are not offered as other moderates such as an on-site salon, health club, and is the only Moderate Resort to offer Club Level rooms (available only in the Tower).

Port Orleans French Quarter

This resort’s small size means that everything is more convenient, but it doesn’t offer as many amenities as a larger resort.

But the things it lacks (such as an on-site restaurant) are easily made up for by heading next door to Riverside.

There’s only 1 bus stop here, which is often convenient, but buses are sometimes shared with Riverside.

Port Orleans Riverside

Port Orleans has a lot to love with a good value for their Preferred Rooms, the ability for families of up to 5 to stay here, and the boat to Disney Springs. Plus, they also have both a good food court and on-site restaurant.

The reputation for transportation being difficult here is well-deserved, though.

People with a car will find it even more convenient, but we don’t recommend driving to Magic Kingdom since the buses can deliver you to the front of the park.

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There you go! Hopefully we covered everything you’d want to know about the Disney Moderate resorts. Did we leave anything out? Let us know in the comments.

Disney World Moderate Resorts