Port Orleans French Quarter Q&A Thread, New for 2012 (Read first posts for FAQs)

[tinytinkmom]

Thanks for all of the great info! We have only stayed at POP and FW, and I was torn between AoA and POFQ for our upcoming trip... Seeing pics and reading these posts make me feel good about the decision!

[andrewilley]

Originally Posted by dsnyfan608

We plan to check in late in the evening, well after dinner. Do we have a better chance of getting our room requests if we do online check in? If we don't like our location and decide to do online check in, how easy is it to switch rooms?

Online check-in does not actually make a difference to your room location. Unless a room has been pre-blocked due to special requests or a multi-room booking, your actual room number is normally assigned from the pool of currently available rooms when you walk up to the desk. The main advantage of OLCI is that all the paperwork/etc should be done and ready for you, which speeds up the process at the front desk - they just need to activate your keycard.

And yes, if you're not happy with the location they have given you, you can still ask for it to be changed. Obviously the later in the day you arrive, the less choices may be available though. I'd suggest faxing 3-5 days before you arrive, letting them know that you are checking in very late and asking if they could pre-assign your room request in advance. Online checkin does not make any difference to their ability to do this.

Andre

[Jillianv29]

I also have an 8am Bfast here. What time would you recommend leaving the hotel. How long did it take you to walk from the entrance of Epcot to Akershus??

Originally Posted by beautifullily

Yep, 15 mins late for a 8am ADR at Akershus one morning. Waited 20 mins for the bus, it left POFQ and then decided to turn around and go back into POR. We were as much to blame though for not allowing enough time.

Was there at the beginning of June and have to say I thought the buses were excellent, had no problems at all really, shared sometimes, didn't others. 9.9 times out of 10 they picked up and dropped off at FQ first.

Loved POFQ and for everyone who's not been before you're in for a treat

[andrewilley]

Originally Posted by Jillianv29

I also have an 8am Bfast here. What time would you recommend leaving the hotel. How long did it take you to walk from the entrance of Epcot to Akershus??

From the bus drop-off at Epcot, through security, and to Akershus is at least 20 mins in itself. Plus it's nice to take advantage of the empty park to get some pictures while you walk.

To be safe, I would give yourself a good hour from when you get to the POFQ bus stop to getting to the restaurant podium.

Andre

[andrewilley]

Oops, wrong thread...

[slyster]

quick ? for you POFQ experienced travelers. The boat ride to Downtown Disney. Does it pick up from Riverside first or is it a separate boat that picks us up? we have dinner reservations at 6:30 our first night and we would love to take a boat ride there. Not sure how much time we need to give for that.

Is it a long wait to get on the boat especially at dinner time? Thanks in advance...

[mamamary]

Originally Posted by slyster

quick ? for you POFQ experienced travelers. The boat ride to Downtown Disney. Does it pick up from Riverside first or is it a separate boat that picks us up? we have dinner reservations at 6:30 our first night and we would love to take a boat ride there. Not sure how much time we need to give for that.

Is it a long wait to get on the boat especially at dinner time? Thanks in advance...

It picks up from Riverside first. I know at lunchtime we had to wait for another boat as the first one filled too quickly. I'd give yourself plenty of time - better to be early.

[tinkerbella16]

Originally Posted by slyster

quick ? for you POFQ experienced travelers. The boat ride to Downtown Disney. Does it pick up from Riverside first or is it a separate boat that picks us up? we have dinner reservations at 6:30 our first night and we would love to take a boat ride there. Not sure how much time we need to give for that.

Is it a long wait to get on the boat especially at dinner time? Thanks in advance...

It is a separate boat to DTD. POFQ takes a little less time, since POR is further and passes POFQ on the way to DTD. The boat is usually 15 minutes from POFQ and 20 minutes from POR, but you should allow at least up to an hour to get anywhere in WDW just incase. 45 minutes earlier might work too!

[beautifullily]

Originally Posted by andrewilley

From the bus drop-off at Epcot, through security, and to Akershus is at least 20 mins in itself. Plus it's nice to take advantage of the empty park to get some pictures while you walk.

To be safe, I would give yourself a good hour from when you get to the POFQ bus stop to getting to the restaurant podium.

Andre

I'd agree. Think we were at the bus stop at 7.15am, but like I said it just wasn't enough time. Akershus were very good though with our late arrival and we still joined the queue to meet Belle pretty much straight away.

[DisBamaGirl]

Does anyone know if the Pop Warner football events normally impact POFQ?

[taylor3297]

Originally Posted by DisBamaGirl

Does anyone know if the Pop Warner football events normally impact POFQ?

If depends if POFQ is one of the mods at which they are staying.

We went during Pop Warner week, but stayed at the Poly. So we didn't really notice them.

[DisBamaGirl]

Originally Posted by taylor3297

If depends if POFQ is one of the mods at which they are staying.

We went during Pop Warner week, but stayed at the Poly. So we didn't really notice them.

That was what I was wondering. I didn't know if they normally stay at POFQ or not. How were the crowds during Pop Warner week?

[jalpert]

Quick question. We have only been to WDW once and stayed at CSR. Had we know parking was so easy, we probably would have rented a car.

We want to rent a car this time around, but we're ready for a change. How is the parking at POFQ? Can I expect to park close to our room, and expect finding a spot not being an issue?

We are going in the middle of January. I searched this thread but had a hard time sorting through the hits. Thanks.

[Planning fanatic mom]

Originally Posted by jalpert

Quick question. We have only been to WDW once and stayed at CSR. Had we know parking was so easy, we probably would have rented a car.

We want to rent a car this time around, but we're ready for a change. How is the parking at POFQ? Can I expect to park close to our room, and expect finding a spot not being an issue?

We are going in the middle of January. I searched this thread but had a hard time sorting through the hits. Thanks.

I guess it would depend upon which building you were in as to how close you are to your car. If it is important to you, then you might want to add a request of a building that has a back to a parking lot. We stayed in Building 4. Although we were facing into the resort and a courtyard, the back of the building faced a parking lot where we parked our van. It was so easy. There were plenty of spaces and this was in June.

The map at the beginning of this thread should give you an idea of what buildings to request.

[taylor3297]

Originally Posted by DisBamaGirl

That was what I was wondering. I didn't know if they normally stay at POFQ or not. How were the crowds during Pop Warner week?

Crowds weren't bad at all. Our longest wait was 20 minutes. The Pop Warner kids tend to go the parks in the evenings and when they have been eliminated.