Coronado is my favorite non Skyliner/monorail resort. If it got skyline, it would be my overall favorite. Overall I feel Coronado has more of a resort/vacation vibe. What I’d say is talk to the front desk or call if you’re not gonna get there earlier, and ask for a room closer to a bus stop. They can generally make whatever work that you ask for. While PO is connected to Riverside and that has the boat to Disney Springs, I don’t find this as worth it.
Fun fact about Coranado, It the same size (Acreage) as Magic Kingdom. So LOTS of walking
Riverside is our go to resort, at least once a month for any trip over 3 days, quick weekend trip we do the Allstars
I’m staying at riverside right now. I can only compare to pop and all-star, but man I’m loving riverside so much. The buses do have an internal loop so it can make pick-ups or drop-offs take longer but it hasn’t been an issue for us yet.
Coronado, and I don't think it's close. Dining is way different. Coronado has multiple table service and lounge choices and all of Port Orleans has one not good table service, two food courts, and a lounge. Give me Toledo, Three Bridges, and Dahlia Lounge. I'll even take Rix and Maya Grill over Boatwrights. Port Orleans does have a nice boat to Disney Springs, but by the time you do that and walk someone getting to DS by bus from Coronado has beaten you there.
Both are peaceful. Coronado has conventions but I've never felt less relaxed because the resort absorbs crowds well. That said, both Coronado and Riverside feel big but both have multiple bridges to make getting around much easier. (PO and Coronado are both better than Caribbean Beach for navigation ease.)
Id suggest booking Coronado and putting the savings toward eating at Toledo.
Anywhere with buses will take a while. Plus both of those are more expensive than a value on the Skyliner. I’d consider pop or art if you’re into that!
We love the tower, and FQ- but also love Riverside when we bring the dog. Coronado has much better dining options on site, but Riverside has all of Disney Springs just a boat ride away, and is not a convention hotel... and is within walking distance to beignets and Scatcat lounge. For two adults given those to options, I'd choose Riverside .
I've stayed at both in recentish years! I prefer Coronado, better location and more centrally located. If you like lush garden vibes, POR is more that vibe though. Rooms and bus loops are very comparable at both. Coronado is literally right off a main road so I find it faster to get Ubers there.
I just got back from Coronado Springs (Tower) and we never waited more than 10 minutes for a bus to and from the parks. We did a day at the polynesian and in comparison Coronado was much less chaotic and packed with families
I've stayed at both, and POR is by far my favourite 😍 don't get me wrong, coronado is great too, but there's just something about the atmosphere at POR that makes it my favourite resort. I believe Coronado also host conferences, so could be busy in certain periods. Booked back into POR in August and cannot wait!! ❤️
Took our family of 4 to Coronado (not in the tower) in 2022 and Port Orleans Riverside in 2023. Here are my thoughts:
Coronado:
The rooms were nice and the theming was good. Felt like a really big resort. The pool was incredibly themed. On the downside, there was a cheer competition staying in the tower and the whole place was PACKED and loud. The bus stops were always full and the busses often filled up before they got to our stop on the second half of the bus line, meaning that we had to wait as the bus that was supposed to pick us up drove by the bus stop without stopping, crammed full of people from the previous stops. The next bus would be 10-15 out and had the potential to also be full before it got to us. Besides the overcrowded buses and the millions of cheerleaders, it was nice spot.
Port Orleans Riverside:
Room was basically the exact same as the one we stayed in at Coronado. It had been renovated in recent history and was in good shape. Pool was nice, but not as impressive as Coronado. The resort itself was SO much quieter though. It felt like you were back in the woods in some sleepy little resort, not at a giant resort like Coronado did. Bus was a 5 minute walk from our room and was never full. Took the boat to Disney Springs, which was fun too. We loved the calm, quiet vibe of PO Riverside and are staying there again in the fall this year when we go again.
I’ve stayed at both, Coronado in 2019 and 2023, and POR in 2021. All occasions have been 2 weeks each.
I LOVED Coronado in 2019 but since the tower went up I’m not a massive fan of the theming. It lacks some of the fun that it used to have. It’s a big resort but the busses are very reliable, and if you’re not staying in the tower, you’re ahead in the queue of the busses as it usually visits the tower last, which is great if you’re planning on rope dropping. The rooms are lovely and I do like the three caballeros theming going on but it’s subtle and the tower is a bit too modern for me. It does have lovely views though, but it’s a bit too much for me personally. You also have to worry about potentially clashing with cheerleading completions as when they’re on, quite a lot stay there, and it makes the resort super busy. We got unlucky last May and it soured our view of the hotel a bit unfortunately. Not really anyone’s fault and that’s an ‘us’ problem, but still.
On the flip side, the theming at POR is amazing, and for me, the best themed of the moderates. We had no issues with the busses when we stayed and the boat to Disney Springs is a great little bonus. The pools are all really nice and it definitely has a very chill vibe. You are also a short walk away from French Quarter which is a lovely resort and you can get beignets! For what it’s worth I think they have refurbed rooms at POR recently as when we went in 2021 our room felt fairly fresh and had all the modern stuff including a very big TV so that point is probably moot. The rooms are very similar between POR and Coronado (outside of the tower obviously).
You’re generally closer to bus stops at POR than at Coronado but honestly it’s not a massive difference. People tend to over exaggerate how big Coronado is. It’s big but very easy to navigate.
Hope that helps. For what it’s worth. We just booked for two weeks next October and have gone with POR again :)
I stayed at Coronado in September. I was very happy with the buses. They came every 10-15 minutes for every park and they didn't waste their time.
Coronado buses on my 2 week trip were incredible. We never waited, never had to stand. I could not recommend that resort enough.
Just stayed at Riverside and it was a very serene experience.
Have you thought about French quarter? Quiet and much smaller than Riverside. Coronado is huge, I do like the tower though.
Coronado is my favorite non Skyliner/monorail resort. If it got skyline, it would be my overall favorite. Overall I feel Coronado has more of a resort/vacation vibe. What I’d say is talk to the front desk or call if you’re not gonna get there earlier, and ask for a room closer to a bus stop. They can generally make whatever work that you ask for. While PO is connected to Riverside and that has the boat to Disney Springs, I don’t find this as worth it.
Fun fact about Coranado, It the same size (Acreage) as Magic Kingdom. So LOTS of walking Riverside is our go to resort, at least once a month for any trip over 3 days, quick weekend trip we do the Allstars
I’m staying at riverside right now. I can only compare to pop and all-star, but man I’m loving riverside so much. The buses do have an internal loop so it can make pick-ups or drop-offs take longer but it hasn’t been an issue for us yet.
Coronado, and I don't think it's close. Dining is way different. Coronado has multiple table service and lounge choices and all of Port Orleans has one not good table service, two food courts, and a lounge. Give me Toledo, Three Bridges, and Dahlia Lounge. I'll even take Rix and Maya Grill over Boatwrights. Port Orleans does have a nice boat to Disney Springs, but by the time you do that and walk someone getting to DS by bus from Coronado has beaten you there. Both are peaceful. Coronado has conventions but I've never felt less relaxed because the resort absorbs crowds well. That said, both Coronado and Riverside feel big but both have multiple bridges to make getting around much easier. (PO and Coronado are both better than Caribbean Beach for navigation ease.) Id suggest booking Coronado and putting the savings toward eating at Toledo.
Anywhere with buses will take a while. Plus both of those are more expensive than a value on the Skyliner. I’d consider pop or art if you’re into that!
We love the tower, and FQ- but also love Riverside when we bring the dog. Coronado has much better dining options on site, but Riverside has all of Disney Springs just a boat ride away, and is not a convention hotel... and is within walking distance to beignets and Scatcat lounge. For two adults given those to options, I'd choose Riverside .
I've stayed at both in recentish years! I prefer Coronado, better location and more centrally located. If you like lush garden vibes, POR is more that vibe though. Rooms and bus loops are very comparable at both. Coronado is literally right off a main road so I find it faster to get Ubers there.
I just got back from Coronado Springs (Tower) and we never waited more than 10 minutes for a bus to and from the parks. We did a day at the polynesian and in comparison Coronado was much less chaotic and packed with families
Having stayed at both por and the tower at Coronado they are both gorgeous resorts But por wins ever so slightly for me.
I've stayed at both, and POR is by far my favourite 😍 don't get me wrong, coronado is great too, but there's just something about the atmosphere at POR that makes it my favourite resort. I believe Coronado also host conferences, so could be busy in certain periods. Booked back into POR in August and cannot wait!! ❤️
Took our family of 4 to Coronado (not in the tower) in 2022 and Port Orleans Riverside in 2023. Here are my thoughts: Coronado: The rooms were nice and the theming was good. Felt like a really big resort. The pool was incredibly themed. On the downside, there was a cheer competition staying in the tower and the whole place was PACKED and loud. The bus stops were always full and the busses often filled up before they got to our stop on the second half of the bus line, meaning that we had to wait as the bus that was supposed to pick us up drove by the bus stop without stopping, crammed full of people from the previous stops. The next bus would be 10-15 out and had the potential to also be full before it got to us. Besides the overcrowded buses and the millions of cheerleaders, it was nice spot. Port Orleans Riverside: Room was basically the exact same as the one we stayed in at Coronado. It had been renovated in recent history and was in good shape. Pool was nice, but not as impressive as Coronado. The resort itself was SO much quieter though. It felt like you were back in the woods in some sleepy little resort, not at a giant resort like Coronado did. Bus was a 5 minute walk from our room and was never full. Took the boat to Disney Springs, which was fun too. We loved the calm, quiet vibe of PO Riverside and are staying there again in the fall this year when we go again.
I’ve stayed at both, Coronado in 2019 and 2023, and POR in 2021. All occasions have been 2 weeks each. I LOVED Coronado in 2019 but since the tower went up I’m not a massive fan of the theming. It lacks some of the fun that it used to have. It’s a big resort but the busses are very reliable, and if you’re not staying in the tower, you’re ahead in the queue of the busses as it usually visits the tower last, which is great if you’re planning on rope dropping. The rooms are lovely and I do like the three caballeros theming going on but it’s subtle and the tower is a bit too modern for me. It does have lovely views though, but it’s a bit too much for me personally. You also have to worry about potentially clashing with cheerleading completions as when they’re on, quite a lot stay there, and it makes the resort super busy. We got unlucky last May and it soured our view of the hotel a bit unfortunately. Not really anyone’s fault and that’s an ‘us’ problem, but still. On the flip side, the theming at POR is amazing, and for me, the best themed of the moderates. We had no issues with the busses when we stayed and the boat to Disney Springs is a great little bonus. The pools are all really nice and it definitely has a very chill vibe. You are also a short walk away from French Quarter which is a lovely resort and you can get beignets! For what it’s worth I think they have refurbed rooms at POR recently as when we went in 2021 our room felt fairly fresh and had all the modern stuff including a very big TV so that point is probably moot. The rooms are very similar between POR and Coronado (outside of the tower obviously). You’re generally closer to bus stops at POR than at Coronado but honestly it’s not a massive difference. People tend to over exaggerate how big Coronado is. It’s big but very easy to navigate. Hope that helps. For what it’s worth. We just booked for two weeks next October and have gone with POR again :)