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

[LINYMOM]

I have a question about Buildings 4 & 5. The rooms that face the designated smoking areas, is it really crowded and does the smell come up to the rooms? I wanted to request one of those buildings but then saw the backs of them overlook the smoking areas.

 

[MickeyMirth]

Andre your pictures and information truly do keep the magic alive for me between visits "HOME". Thank you. Got my own bit of magic today when the room type I required became available at POFQ. Absolutely amazing how quickly I cancelled my reservation at a different resort

 

[taylor3297]

I've now completed the final versions of all the panoramas I shot last week (including higher quality files for downloading) and they are all viewable at www.portorleans.org/panoramas-POFQ.php.

If you'd prefer Quicktime versions (iPad user maybe?) you can see the full download list at www.portorleans.org/panoramas.php. There are also details there of how to view them 'stand-alone' rather than in a webpage.

Enjoy!

Andre

Thanks! I emailed the web address to her.

 

[danceintherain]

I have a question about Buildings 4 & 5. The rooms that face the designated smoking areas, is it really crowded and does the smell come up to the rooms? I wanted to request one of those buildings but then saw the backs of them overlook the smoking areas.

From the looks of the map, there aren't a lot of places that aren't directly adjacent to smoking areas. I think you'll have an equal chance in any of the buildings, so you may as well request what you want, and ask to change if the smoking area is too close. Alternatively, you could call and request to be put in a room away from the smoking areas as your first request.

Hopefully someone else will have a definitive answer for you!

 

[andrewilley]

Alternatively, you could call and request to be put in a room away from the smoking areas as your first request.

That would be a good idea.

To be honest, the smell of smoke doesn't really get up to the rooms as there's a bit of a gap between the buildings and any of the smoking areas - not not mention a nice sturdy door of course.

Andre

 

[NightAngelX]

Hi all! I am subbing to this thread!

We don't have our trip booked yet and will probably end up at an All Star due to low funds but I'm hoping for a good special offer (or pin) so we can afford to stay at POR or POFQ! I think I prefer POFQ due to its small size, decor and overall atmosphere I get from pictures. DH will love the food too. Also DH needs an ECV at WDW so the fact they pick up FQ first is a plus there too.

Can't wait to hear about all of your experiences!

 

[NightAngelX]

I hate to double post but I noticed today that POFQ was not listed as being 'on sale' with the current promotion. Not that I am booking now, but is POFQ not usually included with promotions? Thanks!

 

[karly05]

I made my first stay at POFQ just last month (loved it), and I know that the room-only discount from Disney for February was little or nothing (I think it was maybe 5%?). Luckily, I had been able to get a 20% AAA discount when I booked. If you are an AAA member, you might want to look at that option (you do not have to book through AAA to get an AAA discount on room only).

I think POFQ is less likely to have a good discount from Disney than a lot of resorts, because it is smaller and they don't appear to have trouble filling the rooms.

 

[sunsetbeachgal]

We just booked POFQ for our mid-June stay. We were orginally booked at POP, but then Orbitz ran a 20% off promo so we upgraded resorts with the savings! We are really looking forward to this trip...

 

[Sue M]

I have a question about Buildings 4 & 5. The rooms that face the designated smoking areas, is it really crowded and does the smell come up to the rooms? I wanted to request one of those buildings but then saw the backs of them overlook the smoking areas.

No, we stayed in bldg 4 facing food court, we were in that corner room on 3rd floor across from smoking section and never smelled anything.
Only when the person below me decided to smoke outside her room, then the smoke sure came up, but I told front desk, and it put an end to it.

I do wish they would change that smoking location, cause you have to pass it to get into food court. When we were there usually there were some people in the morning smoking.

 

[kfelaco]

Our first ever on property stay, we were booked at Pop. We arrived late in the evening and I was so disoriented. The cm was super weird at check in and kept going back and forth to speak to someone. Finally she came back and told me how they would like to extend an offer for a complimentary upgrade to a deluxe resort. We then were asked what our favorite park was... and we were shipped over to YC.

Didn't ask... didn't expect... but it was the pixie dust of a lifetime for sure!

And I really thought this was just a Disney legend.....that is an awesome blast of pixie dust!!!! I could only hope for that.....a girl can dream, can't she?

 

[Sue M]

I have read about upgrades that include a moderatre to a deluxe resort, a larger room, better view, etc. Seems to vary.

Most of the resort changes happen at the values which sometimes get over booked, and they are offered SSR or OKW.
I've heard of it happening once at POR, when Royal Rooms were booked, but weren't finished in time.
I have gotten upgrades in the past at POR to Pool view and River view. And have gotten view upgrades at deluxe resorts in the past too.

These upgrades don't seem to be happening as much lately as they once were.
I book what I can live with, and any upgrade is a bonus.

Our first ever on property stay, we were booked at Pop. We arrived late in the evening and I was so disoriented. The cm was super weird at check in and kept going back and forth to speak to someone. Finally she came back and told me how they would like to extend an offer for a complimentary upgrade to a deluxe resort. We then were asked what our favorite park was... and we were shipped over to YC.

Didn't ask... didn't expect... but it was the pixie dust of a lifetime for sure!

Awsome!!

 

[middlesista]

Most of the resort changes happen at the values which sometimes get over booked, and they are offered SSR or OKW.
I've heard of it happening once at POR, when Royal Rooms were booked, but weren't finished in time.
I have gotten upgrades in the past at POR to Pool view and River view. And have gotten view upgrades at deluxe resorts in the past too.

These upgrades don't seem to be happening as much lately as they once were.
I book what I can live with, and any upgrade is a bonus.

Awsome!!

Have to agree - any upgrade IS a bonus.

 

[middlesista]

I made my first stay at POFQ just last month (loved it), and I know that the room-only discount from Disney for February was little or nothing (I think it was maybe 5%?). Luckily, I had been able to get a 20% AAA discount when I booked. If you are an AAA member, you might want to look at that option (you do not have to book through AAA to get an AAA discount on room only).

I think POFQ is less likely to have a good discount from Disney than a lot of resorts, because it is smaller and they don't appear to have trouble filling the rooms.

I have read that POFQ does seem to have less discounts. Last time we went we ended up w/a great CM on the phone THE SECOND CALL who did apply the free dining plan for us - we already had reservations at POFQ w/package but had not included the dining plan. The first CM we spoke to (we called as soon as we saw the free dining promo) said we had to change resorts to have the free dining plan added which we did not want to do. Kinda makes me wonder why it was OK with one CM but "forbidden" by the other to add the free dining to our reservation at POFQ.

 

[danceintherain]

That would be a good idea.

To be honest, the smell of smoke doesn't really get up to the rooms as there's a bit of a gap between the buildings and any of the smoking areas - not not mention a nice sturdy door of course.

Andre

That's what I was thinking, but having not been there yet I wasn't sure. I know in my town, the anti-smoking laws require all smoking to be done more than 20 feet away from any entrance, which usually keeps it away from most buildings. The most frustrating thing about smoke, however, is that the wind carries it.

I hate to double post but I noticed today that POFQ was not listed as being 'on sale' with the current promotion. Not that I am booking now, but is POFQ not usually included with promotions? Thanks!

It depends. As one of the smallest resorts it often sells out without a promotion. The availability for every discount is determined on a case-by-case basis. If a particular resort or room category is already booked to a certain degree, then they don't put it on "sale." This is why many people don't recommend booking any room until a discount is released if that is a factor in your decision.

We were able to book a room at POFQ with the Armed Forces Salute discount, however, I found out that someone else was unable to secure one through the general public Spring discount, even though she had booked well before we did. In general, the more specific discounts have more availability than those available to the general public.

 

[sunsetbeachgal]

I understand that there is only one bus stop at POFQ...BUT that POFQ shares buses with the PO Riverside hotel...is this true all of the time or only in less crowded/off peak times? Is the bus situation good at POFQ? Read a few complaints that it was slow..but I understand that people like to complain...


Thanks!

 

[snykymom]

I understand that there is only one bus stop at POFQ...BUT that POFQ shares buses with the PO Riverside hotel...is this true all of the time or only in less crowded/off peak times? Is the bus situation good at POFQ? Read a few complaints that it was slow..but I understand that people like to complain...


Thanks!

I was at POR in the middle of January, no holidays - definitely a slow time. We never dropped off at POFQ on the way back from the parks, and I don't think we were with a POFQ bus on the way to the parks. Some have said that they shared during the late morning/early afternoon hours.

You'll read complaints about slow buses on the DIS for every resort, and often one poster will say, "They were slow" and another will say, "We were there at the same time and the buses were fine." I wouldn't judge a resort by its reputation about buses!

 

[andrewilley]

I understand that there is only one bus stop at POFQ...BUT that POFQ shares buses with the PO Riverside hotel...is this true all of the time or only in less crowded/off peak times?

It varies. Normally the MK has separate buses, while the other parks mostly share apart from the busiest times of the day (such as park closing). However the routing is controlled by a central computer system now, so it can change without notice. There is no perfect solution, but whatever happens it's better than some offsite hotels with a couple of buses each way per day.

Andre

 

[bookgirl]

I understand that there is only one bus stop at POFQ...BUT that POFQ shares buses with the PO Riverside hotel...is this true all of the time or only in less crowded/off peak times? Is the bus situation good at POFQ? Read a few complaints that it was slow..but I understand that people like to complain...


Thanks!

It does occasionally share but I've only had that happen twice. It's was at off peak times and I think one time may have been when we were going to AK and the other time it was DHS. I can't remember if we ever shared returning to a resort. My stays were in Sept and Oct. Both times had a pretty full resort but I really didn't think they were any slower than my other stays at value or deluxe level. (well I take that back, AoA was so so slow last Oct but it was a Sat night and the MK so that is just kinda par for the course)

The boat shares as well and I know they have sometimes said that it can get full up quickly heading TO DTD, as it stops at POR first but it saves some seats for POFQ, but sometimes you have to wait for a second boat.

 

[Hootch]

the summer, so a busy time. It has been a few trips since we had to share buses with POR.

The one exception was from DTD when the boast were shut down due to weather conditions.