For The Love of Disney - More pics, less talk

2Tiggies

Near to Tigger's House
Joined
Sep 21, 2009
It's taken me a while to get around to this!

Yes, I name all my trips when I book them :lmao: and the above title was the one for this year. For the first time I didn't keep a daily journal this year so I'm doing this one a little differently and instead of reporting day by day, I'm doing it by park, the resort and of course, MNSSHP (all three of them!) deserve their own attention too :)

I used to post a lot - yes a LOT - more than I do now, so for those of you who don't know us, here is the cast:


Untitled by 2Tiggies, on Flickr

This year, courtesy of a school trip the exact dates of which were unknown at the time of booking, we went about a month earlier than we have before. We spent 18 nights at our favorite resort, Port Orleans French Quarter and as always, it did not disappoint!

Part One coming up: The Resort
 
I'm not sure exactly what time we arrived at our resort but it was somewhere around 5.30 pm. It would have been earlier but as we experienced last year, the luggage belts were closed for about half an hour due to thunderstorms so we had to wait.

We finally arrived, having had no wait for Magical Express and being the second stop and only guests getting off the bus here. I stepped in and felt like I'd never left :)


Entrance foyer by 2Tiggies, on Flickr

I was glad I took the above photo when I did. Days after checking in it was surrounded by screens and undergoing maintenance and remained that way for our entire stay! A few oddities regarding power supply while we were there this year too which was strange, but more on that further on.

The Flickr title on this next one says it all - so I shall keep returning until I get a decent shot of this! :rotfl:


Always take this photo and it never comes out nicely! by 2Tiggies, on Flickr

We had our request granted and were allocated a room in Building 5, which is my preference for various reasons. This is the third year in a row we returned to the same building. They offered us a room with a garden view but I requested to change it to be closer to the food court. I'm a serious coffee guzzler :lmao: and DD's patience wears thin with my numerous trips to the food court and now opts to wait in the room if she is busy doing something so I prefer her to be where she could step out of the door and see where I am if she wishes. So we were given a room above the one we had last year on the third floor. This was a constant source of amusement to DD as I don't think a day went by where I did not attempt to enter last year's room by forgetting about the last flight of stairs :lmao:


Guess which one was ours ... by 2Tiggies, on Flickr


Down the corridor by 2Tiggies, on Flickr

I love the theming and atmosphere of this resort. It is strange because it's really not at all my usual taste in decor but there is something about the mood and atmosphere and the warmth of the cast members here that just brings it all together and makes me feel at home. There is something so serene about the grounds and all the attention to detail is just awesome!


All in line by 2Tiggies, on Flickr


Downtown Disney? by 2Tiggies, on Flickr
 
The first time we stayed at POFQ was in 2010, which was a surprise trip for DD as some of you will remember. As with most kids, the pool is a big draw and she is no exception. I promised her more pool time this year and broke most of our days into park hops so that we were back between parks for about 2 hours most afternoons - or at least half of them. Oddly on the first day we went out to the pool we must have been there no more than 20 minutes when the lifeguards blew the whistle and had everyone get out. All the pumps were switched off and the music in the kids games area switched off. Apparently it was some sort of power issue, but that's all they said about it. I have no idea how long it was off for but when we left for the next park over an hour later there was still no sign of life. I took some photos of the pool area and only when I viewed them at home did I realize how strange it was to look at the still water in broad daylight!

I took some photos at the time with my phone which give a better picture, but they are probably too low res to be worth posting on here. It was SO weird!


Play me a song by 2Tiggies, on Flickr


Waterslide by 2Tiggies, on Flickr


POFQ Gators by 2Tiggies, on Flickr


Sea Serpent by 2Tiggies, on Flickr


My Jester by 2Tiggies, on Flickr
 


These photos are quite large. I see I can post them smaller if that is better for some of you so please let me know. (Okay I know I can post them smaller but had to try see where the option was :rotfl2:) I used to use Photobucket and Flickr has taken a bit of getting used to so I can find my way around!

More on POFQ in the next part :goodvibes
 
This is wonderful! I am all for the more pictures less talk :) I think pictures can describe something so much more beautifully than words...

"A picture's worth a thousand words" isn't a saying for nothing right? Lol

Can't wait to read, or should I say 'see' more about your trip :)
 
This is wonderful! I am all for the more pictures less talk :) I think pictures can describe something so much more beautifully than words...

"A picture's worth a thousand words" isn't a saying for nothing right? Lol

Can't wait to read, or should I say 'see' more about your trip :)

Thank you :goodvibes I struggled to keep up with my previous TR and never did get round to adding the last 2 days! The 2 things that take the longest are uploading photos to a sharing site and typing out the report. I have enough photos uploaded to Flickr now that I feel I can manage to keep up with this one, but I didnt' want to commit to doing the whole essay over a 19 day trip - I just know it would never get finished!
 


Great HDR pics Lee :thumbsup2
Looking forward to more
I have processed a few select ones of mine but I am shocked by file sizes :scared1:
Keep 'em coming :goodvibes

P.S. Think your ticker needs updating!! :rotfl2:
 
LOVE the TR so far. You have captured POFQ really beautifully, I've never been to this resort but I think I might have to suss it out on our next trip! What a novel way of doing a TR, I really really like it! Can't wait to read more! :thumbsup2
 
Great HDR pics Lee :thumbsup2
Looking forward to more
I have processed a few select ones of mine but I am shocked by file sizes :scared1:
Keep 'em coming :goodvibes

P.S. Think your ticker needs updating!! :rotfl2:

Thank you Nigel :goodvibes Actually, I don't have any HDR software or have a clue how to do it or what it entails aside from needing multiple exposures and raw files :upsidedow I downloaded a Lightroom trial last month (trial is over now and I am going to buy it) and the POFQ reception photo and the one of Building 2 were a cheap knock off of HDR with the clarity slider :lmao:

Yeah, I haven't had the heart to take my old ticker off yet. Too soon to book and I'm not used to not having a ticker. I usually replace expired ones with a new one within a couple of weeks ..... Feeling LOST :rotfl:

LOVE the TR so far. You have captured POFQ really beautifully, I've never been to this resort but I think I might have to suss it out on our next trip! What a novel way of doing a TR, I really really like it! Can't wait to read more! :thumbsup2

Thank you :goodvibes

It wasn't any cleverness on my part - more like laziness. I just didn't bother with the daily journal and this is the only way to do it. Hopefully it will make easier reading for those who don't have much time :)
 
Wow love this TR already! Your photos are really lovely, such vibrant colours :thumbsup2 We stayed at POFQ for our first ever visit when I was a kid so I remember what a great place it was and your pics really show it. Hope to go back and stay there some day! :goodvibes
 
Wow love this TR already! Your photos are really lovely, such vibrant colours :thumbsup2 We stayed at POFQ for our first ever visit when I was a kid so I remember what a great place it was and your pics really show it. Hope to go back and stay there some day! :goodvibes

Thank you Sarah
As you'll see, I feel no need to justify my love of this place. I think going back again a few years in a row also adds a bit of a sentimental element to a place that I already loved to begin with :goodvibes
 
We spent more time enjoying the grounds of the resort this year than we did before. I don’t know that we actually spent any more time here than we had on previous visits, but we did a bit more strolling around and generally soaking up the atmosphere. Well I did ... DD spent a good deal of her time in the merchandise store! :cool1:

I love the French Quarter gators positioned around the main area between the main building and the pool. I know some folk think they are a bit creepy looking but I can’t help taking photos of them every year :hyper:


Drummin' around by 2Tiggies, on Flickr


Sing! Sing! Sing!! by 2Tiggies, on Flickr


Nice hat by 2Tiggies, on Flickr

I mentioned a power issue in one of the previous posts. It was very strange :confused3and I never found out what the reason was behind it but there were a few days – I recall it being 4 or 5 – where the main buildings, including the gift shop were practically in darkness, lit only by natural light where it could creep through by day and some small lamps at night. Out the back, just as you exit the main reception area into the courtyard, we would return from the parks after midnight and there was a little (noisy) generator thing cabled in at some point with a huge light attached to it. Resort rooms were unaffected as seemed to be the lights in the actual corridors but the walkways and main buildings and the pool area were all in total darkness. It was quite eerie one night as this thick fog seemed to be rising out of the ground with a very strange soft lighting effect. More creepy than pretty but interesting nonetheless.

Unfortunately I came down with the most dreadful flu a week into our trip and it didn’t get much better until the last few days, but by that stage I had all but lost my voice. :faint: Much can be said for the good American over the counter/off the shelf cold and flu remedies however :thumbsup2 I spent the best part of the next 10 days taking the maximum dose and aside from a two occasions where I felt so bad we actually had to leave a park early, I was able to carry on as usual.

We seemed to eat more meals at the resort this year than we did before as well. I think part of this was down to trying to break the day mid afternoon so that DD could swim and it was often easier to just grab a bite before we left for the next park so dinner was over and done with (or in some cases, we would return for a late lunch at 3 pm). I believe we were only back at the resort before midnight on about 3 occasions. This was down to doing morning EMH/rope drop and evening EMH/park closing pretty much every day of our trip. We like the food court here and despite the odd complaints that it is small and limited, we don’t find this to be the case at all. I did take food pics but didn’t bother uploading them to Flickr as I think there are plenty of those around on the DIS


Where the grub is found by 2Tiggies, on Flickr


Sassagoula Floatworks - Look up by 2Tiggies, on Flickr


Sassagoula Floatworks by 2Tiggies, on Flickr

We did have one humorous food court incident when I had a Dory moment ..... DD said she felt like cookie dough icecream and asked if I would like to share a 2 scoop bowl with her. She was busy with something in the room so I went down and got it. Food court was empty but for CM’s and I ended up chatting with them until one of them pointed out that the icecream was starting to melt. Back up in the room we were almost finished our frozen treat when I froze. I looked at DD with that look that gets and immediate “WHAT?” response. Erm, I was chatting away and didn’t pay for it :scared1: :rotfl2:

Back I went and explained to the cashier that I owed for an icecream. I briefly explained what had happened (well actually I didn't; I asked to pay for it and she asked where it was and I told her I'd eaten it :rotfl2:) She was laughing so hard she didn’t want to charge me but was eventually persuaded to take the snack credit for it. I felt so silly!

This was my one of the best parts of my day: Standing outside with my coffee first thing in the morning as it was just starting to get light. It is SO peaceful!


Morning coffee view by 2Tiggies, on Flickr

We didn’t have Mousekeeping in every day as it’s not really necessary for just the two of us, but we did return from the parks one day to find our toothbrushes had relocated


Our cute towel animal tooth brush holder by 2Tiggies, on Flickr

It’s the little things Disney does that make you smile. There is no question about it, we will be returning to the French Quarter on our next visit!

Next up is one of the four parks. Where shall we start? :goodvibes
 
Iv just noticed this TR lee so have started to subscribe. POFQ is a lovely resort and your photos do it justice. Looking forward to more

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards
 
More lovely photos! :thumbsup2
Not very nice being ill when on holiday. It's a blessing that you didn't get the more severe form called "man flu" :rotfl:
Amusing story about the ice cream. Just make sure it doesn't happen again when you are in a camera shop :rolleyes1
 
Thank you Alison x The next instalment will follow over the weekend :)

Amusing story about the ice cream. Just make sure it doesn't happen again when you are in a camera shop :rolleyes1

:lmao: With the purchase of that rather pricey wide angle I bought, I don't think I can afford to go into a camera shop for a while :crazy2:


Any requests for which park to cover first, or shall I just pick the first folder in the Flickr collection?
 
:)Loving your trip report. Your pics are fab and you have a great sense of humour which makes fun reading. Thanks Catherine :)
 

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