Port Orleans French Quarter Q&A Thread, New for 2012 (thread now FULL and CLOSED)

[CarolinaBlue]

 

[CarolinaBlue]

 

[Princesca]

We just got back from a trip at the end of April - it was my first grownup trip to Disney, and we stayed at Pop Century. It was okay... no complaints about the room size or anything like that, but wow, it was chaotic, and we weren't even there in a peak week! In fact, **************.net listed our week as one of the ten best to go. I think Pop is popular (pardon the pun) with big families, because it's more affordable, and I think in a lot of those cases, the parents are outnumbered and have less control over the kids, which adds to the havok. (Not all, mind you - I've known some big families who had angelic children.) Anyway, my DH and I don't have kids at present, so the theming was sort of lost on us, and the food court was at pretty much all times of the day.

Anyway, DH, who was a terrible WDW curmudgeon about the trip, decided he had a fantastic time and that we can go back, so I'm setting my sights now on POFQ in November 2013. We popped over to see what all the POFQ fuss was about, and we LOVED it! We had jambalaya, and beignets, and a moonlit stroll along the riverwalk. It was a much different atmosphere than Pop, and much more US. Even if we had kids, I think we'd want where we rested our heads to be more peaceful and romantic, a respite from the chaos of the parks.

So now I just have to figure out how to convince him to go, almost a year and a half after our last trip. Suggestions?!

 

[2Tiggies]

Welcome back CarolinaBlue

Thank you for posting the photos. I think this new thread needs some more visuals on it I especially like the one you took of the boat in the twilight. What camera do you use?

 

[andrewilley]

I think this new thread needs some more visuals on it I especially like the one you took of the boat in the twilight. What camera do you use?

This thread is really meant more as a Q&A / FAQ (hence the title) and generally not so much for trip reports and vacation pictures (as nice as they are). There is already a great separate thread for POFQ photos though - http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1849928.

Andre

 

[pwdebbie]

We just got back from a trip at the end of April - it was my first grownup trip to Disney, and we stayed at Pop Century. It was okay... no complaints about the room size or anything like that, but wow, it was chaotic, and we weren't even there in a peak week! In fact, **************.net listed our week as one of the ten best to go. I think Pop is popular (pardon the pun) with big families, because it's more affordable, and I think in a lot of those cases, the parents are outnumbered and have less control over the kids, which adds to the havok. (Not all, mind you - I've known some big families who had angelic children.) Anyway, my DH and I don't have kids at present, so the theming was sort of lost on us, and the food court was at pretty much all times of the day.

Anyway, DH, who was a terrible WDW curmudgeon about the trip, decided he had a fantastic time and that we can go back, so I'm setting my sights now on POFQ in November 2013. We popped over to see what all the POFQ fuss was about, and we LOVED it! We had jambalaya, and beignets, and a moonlit stroll along the riverwalk. It was a much different atmosphere than Pop, and much more US. Even if we had kids, I think we'd want where we rested our heads to be more peaceful and romantic, a respite from the chaos of the parks.

So now I just have to figure out how to convince him to go, almost a year and a half after our last trip. Suggestions?!

I'm sure you will love staying at POFQ. It is definitely, as you said, a respite from the chaos of the parks. I don't think I could take the visual intensity of the value resorts. I sometimes wonder if the sensory overload there might even be too much for children.

My "I'm only going to WDW because you've asked for years and I'm finally saying yes because I want to do something special for you for your birthday" husband was the one to say, "So, when are we coming back?" as we pulled out of POFQ to head home in 2007. We went back eighteen months later and eighteen months later and eighteen . . . oops, that one got canceled, shooting for 2013 now. Dh won't consider staying anywhere other than POFQ even though we've visited WL, GF, POR, Poly, YC, BC, Contemporary, and AKL.

 

[JerseyDevils]

What is the earliest your room has been ready? We are arriving on a Sunday morning and planning to head straight to the park after checkin. But, just curious, if there is any chance our room might be ready - thanks.

We arrived at POFQ at around 9:30am and our room was ready. we did online check in about 4 days b/f arriving. We received our request of adjoining rooms and were also pixie dusted up to a river view.

 

[Bearybear]

My "I'm only going to WDW because you've asked for years and I'm finally saying yes because I want to do something special for you for your birthday" husband was the one to say, "So, when are we coming back?" as we pulled out of POFQ to head home in 2007. We went back eighteen months later and eighteen months later and eighteen . . . oops, that one got canceled, shooting for 2013 now. Dh won't consider staying anywhere other than POFQ even though we've visited WL, GF, POR, Poly, YC, BC, Contemporary, and AKL.

Funny! Before our last trip in February, my husband said it would be our last trip. While we were there, he said next time we should stay for 7 days (that was our shortest trip- 6 days). So now we're going back next year! We've stayed at AKL and CR, but my husband & I like POFQ better. It is so small compared to those resorts! And the beds are so comfy!

 

[lisadisney2003]

Just purchased our airline tickets for a crazy good price ($181 each) so there is no changing this trip now. POFQ here we come - in 113 days.

 

[CarolinaBlue]

Welcome back CarolinaBlue

Thank you for posting the photos. I think this new thread needs some more visuals on it I especially like the one you took of the boat in the twilight. What camera do you use?

Thank you! That was just my little Kodak point and shoot.

 

[Houston86]

We arrived at POFQ at around 9:30am and our room was ready. we did online check in about 4 days b/f arriving. We received our request of adjoining rooms and were also pixie dusted up to a river view.

So happpy for you!!! We have 104 days to go

 

[CarolinaBlue]

We will be there at the end of August. We are extremely excited about POFQ!

I was reading the "Unofficial Guide" last night and there were comments about the shared buses with Riverside being a "nightmare" because of all the extra stops. Something about up to an hour trip back and from the parks.

Please someone tell me this is not true.

Okay, so here's the experience that we had this week. On Sunday, we went to the Studios and didn't share a bus with POR. We only waited a few minutes for the bus to arrive at POFQ and we were on our way.

Monday was a completely different experience. This was Epcot day for us. No EMH that day. Park opening was at 9, so we arrived at the resort bus stop at 8:10 a.m. At 8:30, the Epcot bus finally arrived and we were on our way....to POR. After making the complete loop of POR, we were finally on our way to Epcot. We arrived a the park at 9:00 a.m. That's right....50 minutes from the time we reached the resort bus stop to reaching Epcot. Of course because they no longer do the rope drop at Epcot, everyone was already at Soarin' when we were walking throught the turnstiles. When we got there, it was already a 20 minute wait, something that we are not accustomed to. We are always at the park at least 20-30 minutes prior to opening.

Tuesday, was MK day for us. We did not share buses with POR that day. Everything went smoothly that day, even when we were leaving the park that evening. We could see the bus sitting there, lights going off, and we just knew that it was going to pull away just as we walked up. Thankfully, the dear bus driver saw us coming and waited for us.

So, that was our experience with the buses. I guess it's hit and miss with the sharing part. If you want to be there before park opening, I'd advise you to be at the bus stop no later than one hour before the park opens, just in case.

 

[JerseyDevils]

Our bus exp. was great!! During the 10 days that we used the buses we only shared with riverside 3 times...1-a midday trek out to HS, 2&3-returning to POFQ from DTD. we were at the POFQ bus stop and half hour b/f park opening everyday and every day made it to the park 5 or so mins b/f opening.

the only issue that we had were the 2 times that we took buses back from DTD to POFQ...the bus goes to POR first in these cases. Makes no sense to me really. why keep the resort that has only one stop for everyone waiting when in all likely hood if you are staying at POR you would be waiting more thatn one stop for yours anyways.

but all in all the buses were wonderful.

 

[2Tiggies]

I'm bumping this thread because I don't think it belongs on page 2

 

[RHMH]

Hello Fellow Disney Diser's- Only 54 more days until we grace the doors of POFQ and the Wonderland of WDW.

 

[Queila]

Okay, so here's the experience that we had this week. On Sunday, we went to the Studios and didn't share a bus with POR. We only waited a few minutes for the bus to arrive at POFQ and we were on our way.

Monday was a completely different experience. This was Epcot day for us. No EMH that day. Park opening was at 9, so we arrived at the resort bus stop at 8:10 a.m. At 8:30, the Epcot bus finally arrived and we were on our way....to POR. After making the complete loop of POR, we were finally on our way to Epcot. We arrived a the park at 9:00 a.m. That's right....50 minutes from the time we reached the resort bus stop to reaching Epcot. Of course because they no longer do the rope drop at Epcot, everyone was already at Soarin' when we were walking throught the turnstiles. When we got there, it was already a 20 minute wait, something that we are not accustomed to. We are always at the park at least 20-30 minutes prior to opening.

Tuesday, was MK day for us. We did not share buses with POR that day. Everything went smoothly that day, even when we were leaving the park that evening. We could see the bus sitting there, lights going off, and we just knew that it was going to pull away just as we walked up. Thankfully, the dear bus driver saw us coming and waited for us.

So, that was our experience with the buses. I guess it's hit and miss with the sharing part. If you want to be there before park opening, I'd advise you to be at the bus stop no later than one hour before the park opens, just in case.

Thank you for the info. I guess it could go either way...

 

[andrewilley]

Thank you for the info. I guess it could go either way...

That's the problem, and it's why I tend not to offer anything too specific advise wise.

Imagine you have been waiting 30+ minutes for an Epcot bus, and when one finally turns up, someone else happens to stroll up to the bus stop and just steps straight on. They are going to tell their friends how wonderful the Disney buses are, whereas you might have a slightly different story...

The truth, as ever, is somewhere between the two.

Andre

 

[Princesca]

Hey everyone... we're looking at PO for our next stay, and I had gotten the impression that people tended to like POFQ a little more than POR. For those of you who have stayed at both, I wondered what caused you to prefer one over the other?

 

[SRUAlmn]

Hey everyone... we're looking at PO for our next stay, and I had gotten the impression that people tended to like POFQ a little more than POR. For those of you who have stayed at both, I wondered what caused you to prefer one over the other?

We, personally, enjoy POFQ because the size of the resort is smaller than POR and there's only one bus stop, as opposed to the multiple stops at POR. We also enjoy the theming of POFQ more. We live in SC, so the POR theming is sort of similar to the "decor" where we live, however, those new Tiana rooms have me thinking about giving POR a try in the future

 

[2Tiggies]

That's the problem, and it's why I tend not to offer anything too specific advise wise.

Imagine you have been waiting 30+ minutes for an Epcot bus, and when one finally turns up, someone else happens to stroll up to the bus stop and just steps straight on. They are going to tell their friends how wonderful the Disney buses are, whereas you might have a slightly different story...

The truth, as ever, is somewhere between the two.

Andre

This is so true! In 2010 we spent 15 days at POFQ and only once ever did we wait more than 10 minutes for a bus, coming back from DHS one night. Most of the time we just seemed to hit perfect timing and usually found ourselves running to get to a bus that was already waiting. When we got back I was reading reviews on another website from POFQ and there were streams of them from guests who had stayed over the same 2 week period as we had. Guess what the major (and in some cases ONLY) complaint was? Yep, they said the transportation and wait times were unacceptable. I think there is an element of luck involved as well