If you’re in the middle of planning your next Disney World vacation, you may be stuck on where to book your hotel accommodations. For starters, Disney World offers a variety of resort categories under three main price points: Value, Moderate, and Deluxe.

We’ve already discussed the pros and cons of staying at a Disney World Value Resort, and today we’re going to take a look at the category just above: Moderate Resorts! These hotels offer mid-level amenities and mid-level prices (sort of like the “Goldilocks” of Disney World hotels).

Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of staying at the Moderate Resorts: Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort Riverside, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort French Quarter, and the Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort.

The Pros

The Price is Right

Let’s start off with one of the biggest pros when staying at a Moderate Resort: many guests find that the price point is “just right” compared to Value and Deluxe Resorts. Like we mentioned above, there’s a bit of a Goldilocks effect with Moderates where you’re experiencing upgraded amenities compared to Disney World’s lower-priced hotels, but you are still saving tons of money compared to what you would spend at their top-tier resorts.

These days, you’ll find Moderate Resorts’ per-night cost to fall typically somewhere in the $200-300 range.

More Dining Options

Compared to the Value Resorts, Moderates offer a wider variety of dining options. Value Resorts only offer quick service cafeteria-style dining, whereas the Moderates each typically have at least one Table Service Restaurant.

That way, if you’re looking for a nice sit-down dinner with the family, you won’t have to leave your resort in order to find it!

More SPACE!

Moderates also offer more elbow room with a bigger footprint in each of their guest rooms. This can be an invaluable perk if you have more than two guests per room (those Value Resort rooms can feel awfully tight!).

If you’re looking for even more space, the Cabins at Fort Wilderness Resort offer full kitchens and can sleep several guests in multiple bedrooms!

More Ways to Get Around

Some Moderate Resorts offer more convenience getting to the theme parks with multiple modes of transportation. Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, for example, is the heart of the Disney Skyliner, with easy access to both EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Disney’s Port Orleans Resorts (French Quarter and Riverside) offer boat transportation to Disney Springs.

(Sometimes Better) Amenities

The amenities at Moderate Resorts are also typically better than what you will find at the Value Resorts. For example, while the Value Resorts each have a pool, the pools at Moderate Resorts will often include water slides, play areas, hot tubs, and quiet pools.

Speaking of amenities, Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is a great way to get even more bang for your buck. Since it’s a convention hotel, you’ll find many amenities typically reserved for Disney’s Deluxe Resorts (where the other convention centers on property live) at Coronado Springs, including a full-service spa, fitness center, and business center. It’s kind of like a pseudo-deluxe hotel!

And finally, just like the other Disney World Resort Hotels, Moderates give its guests access to Early Theme Park Entry, which, gives on-property guests the ability to enter the parks thirty minutes early each day.

Click here to learn which Disney World hotels have the best views! 

The Cons

They’re SO Spread Out!

For some guests, the biggest drawback to the Disney World Moderate Resorts is their huge, sprawling layouts.

Particularly at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, guests can find themselves far away from the main amenities, with long internal bus loops adding to the total transportation time getting to the parks each day.

The Transportation Options Aren’t THAT Expansive

While some Moderate Resorts offer multiple transportation options, others are rather limited in how you can travel to the parks. This is important when you consider most Moderate resorts are kind of “out there” on their own a bit, compared to other resorts on property.

Coronado Springs’ only complimentary transportation option is the buses, and while the Port Orleans Resorts offer boat transportation to Disney Springs, your only complimentary transportation option to the four parks is also buses.

Your Food Options Are Limited to Your Resort’s Theme

Food options at Moderate Resorts may be less varied than you would prefer.

While there are Table Service options, if that particular restaurant doesn’t cater to your family’s preferences (they’re often heavily themed to their respective resorts), you may still find yourself looking elsewhere to dine regardless.

The Amenities You’re Missing

Outside of dining options, the amenities aren’t always stellar. For example, the room buildings at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort do not have elevators, making for what could be unpleasant trips up and down the stairs every day, especially if you have a stroller. For those cases, you may want to take the extra effort to request a room on the ground floor.

The outdoor walkways outside of the rooms can also be a bit undesirable; for the price that you’re paying, they can sometimes come across as more “motel,” especially the older buildings (a shared issue with the Value resorts).

It Still Doesn’t Come With the Deluxe Hotel Perks

Finally, since you would not be staying at a Deluxe, you would not have access to Disney’s new extended evening theme park hours.

Click here to find out which resorts our readers thought had the best food!

Disney World’s Moderate Resorts offer good mid-level amenities at a decent price. While these are not the cheapest hotel options on property, you’re paying far less per night than what you can spend on the Deluxe Resorts. And while Moderate Resorts don’t offer every top-tier amenity, there’s still enough activities and recreation to entertain you and your family if you’re looking to spend a day at the hotel. Be sure to follow along for more tips on what to consider when you’re deciding where to stay on your next Disney World vacation!