Wife and I haven’t been to Disney World since we were teens and our kids (17 and 13) have never been. Looking at POR or Coronado for last week of March. Any advice or opinions would be appreciated. Open to off site too or other on site options we may not be thinking off except the All Stars
.
Yes, I know its spring break craziness but it’s the time we can go and we have survived multiple trips to
Disneyland for spring break and always had a blast. Plus with flights, hotel and tickets World is cheaper than DL even though we are west coasters.
Thanks in advance!
1. If you are looking to stay in March 2025, then #1 look at what is still available with the discount offers.
2. Both POR Riverside and Coronado are large resorts. The grounds are pretty, but then you lose a fair bit of time walking back and forth. This is especially true if you buy the refillable mugs but don't want to carry them all day. Bringing them back to your room can cost quite a bit of time, at least if you plan to take the bus to the parks.
3. At WDW, time is money. The way WDW works in 2025, you don't want to waste time, especially in the morning. You want to get to the parks quickly in the morning. It is good to arrive at the parks in time for Early Entry. (to get one short wait ahead of the crowds) Even if you can't manage to arrive that early, the park crowds continue to build up until 11am or so. So even if you arrive for the end of Early Entry, it still helps a great deal. You'll still arrive before many other people. During late March, crowds build quickly though. Unless you don't care all that much about long waits/how many rides you ride. (that is also a valid way to vacation)
Waits for some attractions go from zero to 120minutes very quickly in the first 5minutes of EE, and they go higher again at official park opening. Even with LLMP, you will end up in some standby waits
So IMO, Port Orleans French Quarter and Coronado in the tower are your best bets. I haven't checked recently, but I think it is still the case that if you stay at POFQ you can still swim at POR. You can also always eat at both PO food courts. At Coronado, I really like the new Tower. If that doesn't appeal to you, then I highly suggest a preferred location room (if available). If that isn't an option, then just plan accordingly. In some cases, paying for a ride share makes a lot of sense over buses, because of the amount of time saved.
The CSR tower and pool are very attractive.
If you want offsite options, and will have a car, then I really like the options in Flamingo Crossings. The only downside is the pools aren't very fancy. Mos tof the hotel over that way are rather new, and many are bigger suite-style. There's also a small target over that way for groceries and a number of quick serve dining options. I like the Lime Mexican restaurant over that way. The only other downside is most the hotels now charge a parking fee, and shuttle options are very limited.
Another sorta onsite/sorta offsite option is the Swan/Dolphin and Swan Reserve. They get some of the perks of onsite, but cost a bit less. I don't know if they cost less than the two you listed, but at those you get the bonus perk of the extra evening hours 2 nights/week. (usually Mondays and Wednesdays) they are rather late, but it is an extra opportunity to go on the biggest rides, often with a not bad wait. they are walking distance to both Epcot and HS, so that also saves quite a bit of time.
I don't know your travel style, but since you are booking late, a split stay might also be a good option. It is also way to save $. We often stay at Flamingo Crossings the first night, get some drinks/snacks/sunscreen, eat dinner offsite that first night, then change to onsite hotel and hit the parks early the next morning. With Online check-in, you can go directly to the parks for early entry. You can easily save over $100 w/ that option.
If you are thinking about any offsite options, and don't already have AAA, I suggest looking into it. The savings is usually enough to pay for the AAA membership. But look carefully to avoid the non-refundable rates! Look for regular AAA rates.
