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

[1stvisit0909]

Originally Posted by snarfblatt

Hi- new here

Looking to change our res from a preferred room at POR to a Garden View at POFQ but have a few questions


Are busses just the luck of the draw? I mean, it POFQ always first pick up , last drop off? I see POR has many stops...


Also are there certain buildings I should request to be closer to the buss/ main building? Or since it is a smaller resort are they all pretty comparable?

According to the info I read in the FAQ (thanks!) Port Orleans French Quarter features a single bus stop right outside the main lobby area with free Disney bus transportation to all of the Disney theme parks, water parks and the Downtown Disney area. Buses run at least every 10-20 minutes from one hour before park opening until 1.5 hours after each park closes. Note: you cannot get to the other resort hotels very easily and will need to plan enough time to change at a theme park or at Downtown Disney.

The bus service is sometimes shared with Riverside, but the French Quarter stop is normally the first pick-up and the first drop-off, which makes for great bus access with less chance of having to stand. Separate services for the two resorts usually run at peak times, and the Magic Kingdom almost always has separate buses.

So, it sounds like in normal situations POFQ is first, but there could always be exceptions. I will be there in peak, so I hope *fingers crossed* we get dedicated bus service.

[Hootch]

Originally Posted by snarfblatt

Hi- new here

Looking to change our res from a preferred room at POR to a Garden View at POFQ but have a few questions


Are busses just the luck of the draw? I mean, it POFQ always first pick up , last drop off? I see POR has many stops...


Also are there certain buildings I should request to be closer to the buss/ main building? Or since it is a smaller resort are they all pretty comparable?

commenting bus service because it may change by time of year. It has even changed for the same month over the years.

We go in June usually and sometimes July. The first trip the two resorts shared buses in the morning. POFQ had its own bus in the afternoon and evening. The past couple of trips we have have had dedicated buses for POFQ. (That doesn't mean there aren't issues. It seems we always have one time where we have to wait a long time for a bus during every trip.) There is probably sharing in lower attendance months.

We did have to share one last trip. They shut down the ferries to and from DTD due to lightening and strong winds. The bus service from DTD to POR and POFQ are apparently sparse. We waited over an hour for a bus to arrive. By that time the line was quite long and required two or three buses. The bus went to POR first and then POFQ.

We have stayed in Buildings 2,3,4 and 5. None have a long walk. 3 and 4 are near the parking lot with 4 having a slight advantage for the bus stop. The landscaping makes the parking lot almost invisible from the rooms. We prefer 2 and 5. Short walk to pool, food court, bus stop and parking lots. But really the resort is so small that any building is convenient.

[snarfblatt]

Thanks guys.

We are going the week of THanksgiving. So not sure the pool will be an option... But Mother Nature is her own enemy.


I have stayed in All Star, so I'm sure the busses can only be a step up...

We are only there 4 1/2 days, so the added 'activities' at POR, although nice... we probably won't see them.


NEXT QUESTION--

Is it really worth the $$ to pay for a Garden View over a standard. Looking at the picture post... the grounds are all garden and beautiful.

[Queila]

Originally Posted by snarfblatt

NEXT QUESTION--

Is it really worth the $$ to pay for a Garden View over a standard. Looking at the picture post... the grounds are all garden and beautiful.

I really dont see the point of paying extra for a view in a moderate. You have to get out of your room to be able to enjoy the view anyways.

I was there last week and I did see some people with chairs outside of their rooms enjoying the river view but other than that I just don't see the point.

Maybe I am missing something.

We asked for standard view and ended up in building #1 with a "view" of a beautifully kept courtyard and a fountain. Really not sure of the difference a garden view would have made. Unless we were "upgraded" to a garden view and I was not aware of it.

Enjoy POFQ! I miss it already.

[spacemountainmom]

Originally Posted by alicia080979

Thank you so much for this info. That is tempting to just ship our clothes, extra shoes, toiletries, etc. down ahead of time and not even worry about checking a bag. I never even thought about not using a box. How big/what kind of totes do you use? Do you know about how much it cost to do each way? I would have to get everything ready and in the mail by the end of this week I think since we arrive next Thursday. Just trying to figure out what is going to be best.

I am sorry, I haven't been back on this thread.

We are a family of four so checked bags cost $100 each way. We ship two large totes. They look like plastic foot lockers. We use tape and zip ties to help keep them securely closed. We usually put the clothing in one and the toiletries and such in the second. The last time we went it cost about $65 to ship them down and about $75 to ship home. It is easier and less expensive than having to deal with checked bags.

[pwdebbie]

Returning from a park one night in Nov. 2010 (might have been MK), our bus went around POR first, never stopped at what I would call the "main" stop and then went back to POFQ. Thing is (1) we waited for another bus because we need to be seated and (2) dh desperately needed to get to the bathroom.

When I saw we were going around POR first, I told him we'd just get off at the first stop and then walk down to POFQ after he used the facilities. But the driver skipped it. I assumed he would hit it last and then go to POFQ but he never even stopped there. Then, instead of using the internal roads to get to POFQ he went out to the main roads and back in to POFQ through the front gate.

I actually think he forgot that he was supposed to do POFQ. I don't know when it dawned on him. Maybe when he was back out on the main road and realized his bus was still half full?

However, I would say that this is NOT the norm.

[bookgirl2632]

When we stayed at POR, I don't recall ever stopping at POFQ. We were down during free dining in September. It wasn't crazy busy during our stay. But coming back from the parks, we never stopped at POFQ. I guess they had dedicated busses at that time.

[strmtroopr96]

Originally Posted by Danascraps

Hi everyone! Just got back last night from DisneyWorld... back to the real world. We had a wonderful time, and LOVED POFQ, would definitely stay there again. Here are a few thoughts.

Hotel is lovely. Grounds are beautifully maintained and so clean.

Pool was great. Perfect size and never too crowded (we went to the Riverside pool once and it was packed!).

Room was terrific. Really clean and plenty of space for the 4 of us. Mousekeeping did a great job. I left a tip in an envelope every day, a few times with a note on the envelope for special requests... which were always fulfilled. Great service.

CMs at gift shop, food service and desk were super friendly.

Bus service was wonderful! After hearing all the complaints I was worried. We only waited more than 10 minutes one time for a bus (from Downtown Disney, around 20 mins.) Only shared the bus with Riverside twice, coming home from TL and DTD. Busses were mostly full, but the waits were short. Magical Express was on time and super easy to deal with.

Food at FQ was fine. Breakfast was very good, lunch was fine. We prefered to eat elsewhere.

We love Disney, but boy are we tired!!

Which building did you get? We were there at the same time and were in building 2, room 2332. It was an awesome room, corner so 2 windows with one overlooking the slide and the other overlooking the river/boat dock. I did NOT want to leave!! LOL

[Sue M]

Originally Posted by Queila

I really dont see the point of paying extra for a view in a moderate. You have to get out of your room to be able to enjoy the view anyways.

I was there last week and I did see some people with chairs outside of their rooms enjoying the river view but other than that I just don't see the point.

Maybe I am missing something.

We asked for standard view and ended up in building #1 with a "view" of a beautifully kept courtyard and a fountain. Really not sure of the difference a garden view would have made. Unless we were "upgraded" to a garden view and I was not aware of it.

Enjoy POFQ! I miss it already.

Sounds like you were upgraded to garden view or you'd be looking at a parking lot.

I agree for me it's not worth booking water or river view at a mod, because of lack of balcony, but I do book garden view, because I don't want to back onto a parking lot, and have the noise of cars coming and going, at all times, esp the horn beep when door locks!

[Sue M]

Originally Posted by bookgirl2632

When we stayed at POR, I don't recall ever stopping at POFQ. We were down during free dining in September. It wasn't crazy busy during our stay. But coming back from the parks, we never stopped at POFQ. I guess they had dedicated busses at that time.

I think they may pick up at FQ first in the morning? At park closing they may have dedicated bus service. I noticed at MK there are 2 separate stops, one for Riverside and one for FQ.

[ncc1701]

Originally Posted by Sue M

I think they may pick up at FQ first in the morning? At park closing they may have dedicated bus service. I noticed at MK there are 2 separate stops, one for Riverside and one for FQ.

During our last trip we went to the parks without a stop at POR when we were going 1st thing . It was when we went to/from a park mid-day early evening that we shared (& even then not on every trip).

[MJ6987]

Hi,
My wife has read on a couple of Trip Advisor reviews that the corner rooms are bigger - is this right? If so, by how much? And, are they premium rooms or just a request thing?

I have never heard of this before.

Thanks.

[andrewilley]

Originally Posted by MJ6987

Hi,
My wife has read on a couple of Trip Advisor reviews that the corner rooms are bigger - is this right?

No, they are not bigger, although they can feel a bit more spacious due to more light coming from that extra window.

The only rooms that do have any difference in overall floor space are the few in which they have 'bumped out' the indented alcove next to the front door. This was done for Accessible rooms where they needed to accommodate an additional wardrobe plus the new queen size beds, but still allow space for a wheelchair. However the practical layout of the resort means that if one room of a pair was modified, they also needed to do the same with the next-door room - so on rare occasions you might find yourself in a regular room which also has the extra bumped out area (next door to an Accessible room). It's not a massive difference, but it does add a few square feet to the room.

Andre

[Hootch]

experience with late check-out? I am trying to plan our trip next summer and wonder if a late check-out is doable.

[dansdad]

Originally Posted by Hootch

experience with late check-out? I am trying to plan our trip next summer and wonder if a late check-out is doable.

It's possible, but it is up to Mousekeeping. You will have to call them that morning and see if it's possible.