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

[Backstage_Gal]

It makes sense. Disney now doesn't have to have someone fill the machines with change or empty them out. They don't have to deal with broken money acceptors or with people wanting change for their 100 so they can do laundry. Less labor for them.

Not to mention the many machines that have been stolen over the years all over WDW with the cash inside, and just to replace the machine is $2,500.

Plus, FQ now has nice new machines and a new tile floor

 

[siskaren]

Thank you so much for your help. I love this board. BTW, have you stayed at POFQ and do you prefer it to RS? I lament over our choice but as it was free dining and seems a bit more quiet, I thought this is the one for us.

I've stayed at both, and it's a tough call. Like a lot of people, I do like that POFQ is so compact (one of my trips I was in room 7103, which is probably the furthest you can get from the lobby, but it still wasn't that far to walk.) On the other hand, I love the theming in POR (especially the AB side), and I don't mind not being particularly close to the lobby because it's quiet and the grounds are beautiful. I do like the decor of the POR food court better (it's not that I don't like the Mardi Gras masks, I just really like the rustic decor on the POR side), but POFQ has beignets. Not that you can't go to POFQ for beignets if you're staying at POR, of course.

 

[nydancemom]

My daughter (celebrating her 24th birthday) and I just returned from our first ever stay in a Disney resort (have always stayed off property but used AAA discount and decided to really celebrate) and LOVED POFQ! I chose this resort based on reading many posts on this disboard because it sounded like the perfect resort for me (I have a bad back, and often suffer from tendinitis in my hip, so have difficulty walking so liked the idea of a small resort). I had requested building 7 third floor, and had paid for garden view, hoping for a quiet stay. We were upgraded at check-in to river view, corner room, #7341 (two queen beds). It was absolutely the room I would have requested if I'd wanted to pay extra for the river view, so to be upgraded was such a treat The room was beautiful, we loved the decor, and it was very clean and we were well taken care of by mousekeeping. We loved seeing the boats pass by and loved our ride to POR, loved hearing the horses clomping by with the carriages, loved the pool and even with my back issues, which usually prevent me from doing any waterslides, I could even enjoy this one, my daughter loved her beignets, we watched Tangled on the lawn one night which we had never seen, toasted marshmallows at the campfire, ate lunch one day at POFQ and dinner one night at POR. Overall we loved everything about this resort! I'll definitely stay there again

 

[andrewilley]

Actually I think the new RFID resorts have already been doing this and paying with thier KTTK cards/bands. I willing to bet you can use your KTTK card to pay and then pay cash when you pay for your room (if you have charging privliges).

At the moment you can't use KttW cards to charge laundry facilities to your room, just credit or debit cards.

I gather this is a six month test period though, and there are currently no immediate plans to install the same equipment over at Riverside, so maybe they'll be able to take guest reactions into account? With Magic Bands just around the corner (although it does seem to be a somewhat longer curve than expected at the moment...) you'd think room-charge payment would be an option to consider; maybe the technology isn't ready to be left as a stand-alone unit, without CM supervision, yet?

Andre

 

[skriegerjr]

This is not good news. Guess we won't be able to do any laundry if we happen to need to. I don't like bringing credit cards with me.
It makes no sense to not be able to pay by cash.

I think it's great news. I hate having to carry cash. Being able to carry a single card with me is much more convenient! We're rapidly becoming a cashless society, and moving to this type of technology just means Disney is willing to change to stay current with the times!

You could always bring your bank card, so that you could still do laundry!

Sent from my rooted Samsung Galaxy SIII using the DISBoards app

 

[labfan]

I guess I'll just wash some stuff in my room if I need to.
I don't like carrying or using credit cards or debit cards. Too easy to spend more than I need or want to. Easier with cash on hand. What I have with me is what I have to spend.

 

[labfan]

Just remembered that I have Disney Gift Cards - are the washers and dryers set up to accept these or do you have to use a credit/debit card?

 

[skriegerjr]

I guess I'll just wash some stuff in my room if I need to.
I don't like carrying or using credit cards or debit cards. Too easy to spend more than I need or want to. Easier with cash on hand. What I have with me is what I have to spend.

All it takes is some self restraint, set yourself a limit and stick to it. I do it all the time!

Sent from my rooted Samsung Galaxy SIII using the DISBoards app

 

[bookgirl]

Just remembered that I have Disney Gift Cards - are the washers and dryers set up to accept these or do you have to use a credit/debit card?

Andre said that right now it is Debit/Credit card only.

 

[OThopeful35]

My daughter (celebrating her 24th birthday) and I just returned from our first ever stay in a Disney resort (have always stayed off property but used AAA discount and decided to really celebrate) and LOVED POFQ! I chose this resort based on reading many posts on this disboard because it sounded like the perfect resort for me (I have a bad back, and often suffer from tendinitis in my hip, so have difficulty walking so liked the idea of a small resort). I had requested building 7 third floor, and had paid for garden view, hoping for a quiet stay. We were upgraded at check-in to river view, corner room, #7341 (two queen beds). It was absolutely the room I would have requested if I'd wanted to pay extra for the river view, so to be upgraded was such a treat The room was beautiful, we loved the decor, and it was very clean and we were well taken care of by mousekeeping. We loved seeing the boats pass by and loved our ride to POR, loved hearing the horses clomping by with the carriages, loved the pool and even with my back issues, which usually prevent me from doing any waterslides, I could even enjoy this one, my daughter loved her beignets, we watched Tangled on the lawn one night which we had never seen, toasted marshmallows at the campfire, ate lunch one day at POFQ and dinner one night at POR. Overall we loved everything about this resort! I'll definitely stay there again

Glad you enjoyed your stay at POFQ!! We love it there and DS10 who is not a strong swimmer loves the slide

 

[CalicoSky]

I guess I'll just wash some stuff in my room if I need to.
I don't like carrying or using credit cards or debit cards. Too easy to spend more than I need or want to. Easier with cash on hand. What I have with me is what I have to spend.

A Visa/MasterCard gift card might be an option to consider. It's preloaded with a specific amount to avoid the risk of overspending but otherwise works just as any credit card would. I've seen them available to load with amounts as small as $20.

 

[andrewilley]

Andre said that right now it is Debit/Credit card only.

I don't know for sure how WDW gift cards work though... some mall gift cards for example are effectively pre-loaded payment cards which work like a debit card except you are limited to the balance on the card only.

Andre

 

[pwdebbie]

Actually I think the new RFID resorts have already been doing this and paying with thier KTTK cards/bands. I willing to bet you can use your KTTK card to pay and then pay cash when you pay for your room (if you have charging privliges). If not then you might check and see if you can pay using a gift card.

I usually use cash to pay for the washers as well but if not then I'll make do.

Here now with the Guest Update in front of me. Quote:
Key To The World cards are not acceptable forms of payment.

Doesn't get any clearer than that and I don't think they would lie. I saw one lady try to use her KTTW card yesterday and it did not work.

I took pics of averything but won't be on my desktop for another week.

 

[labfan]

A Visa/MasterCard gift card might be an option to consider. It's preloaded with a specific amount to avoid the risk of overspending but otherwise works just as any credit card would. I've seen them available to load with amounts as small as $20.

Totally forgot about these.
I can get a few of these to go along with my Disney gift cards to use for the laundry if needed and at any non-Disney places.
Going down the end of May and keep rethinking what I'm going to need to have.

 

[skriegerjr]

Glad you enjoyed your stay at POFQ!! We love it there and DS10 who is not a strong swimmer loves the slide

POFQ is our home away from home, both our kids, DS9 (we'll be celebrating his 10th at WDW in November) and DD5 both love the pool and slide, as well as the boat to DTD!

Sent from my rooted Samsung Galaxy SIII using the DISBoards app

 

[middlesista]

We are thinking about changing the dates we plan to spend at POFQ by about two weeks in January 2014. We have room only reservations and plan to add a package when they are avail this summer.

My family has their heart set on staying at POFQ again and I do not want to disappoint. We have only stayed at the FQ once before and I well understand how popular this resort is. If we do change the dates - does it make sense to change the room only reservation now and is there a fee associated? Or, does it make sense to wait until the package plans are avail and change everything then? My family is worred if we wait until booking the package to change the dates - rooms might no longer be avail at POFQ for the new dates.

What are the chances of a discount such as FD being avail at POFQ? Last time we were making our plans in January of 2012 - one of the reservations folks told us we could only have the FD if we moved to another moderate while another CM from reservations added the FD and did not require us to switch resorts (thank goodness)

Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[andrewilley]

If we do change the dates - does it make sense to change the room only reservation now and is there a fee associated?

If you definitely want to change your dates, do it now anyway. There is no charge from Disney.

You can then see what offers come out closer to the time - but if any do get released, jump on them quickly as POFQ does not always have as much availability as other resorts.

Andre

 

[andrewilley]

The work will be on the check-in lobby only, and will be from 15 May until around mid-July.

Just to let everyone know, the start date for the POFQ Lobby Refurbishment will be Monday 13th May (not the 15th). Starting on a Wednesday always seemed an odd choice to me in the first place.

Andre

 

[mya174]

We had a fantastic stay back in January! It was our first family visit and we have Disney fever now. We are a family of 5 (the youngest was 2 at the time of our visit). Planning our next visit for late 2014/early 2015. Will we be able to return FQ with our boys (ages 10, 7 and 4)? We used an air mattress at our last stay for one son because the youngest wouldn't use the pack n play.

 

[Sgt. Tibbs]

Any recommendations on rooms/buildings for first timers here? Not first timers to Disney, but will be our first stay at the FQ. We are going to have 4 adults and 2 children (children will be 6 and 9). I am already going to request connecting rooms which does make things difficult to get a better view when asking for an upgrade at check-in. Seems like a few of you have gotten upgrades without even asking which is nice. Anything special I should request? For repeat visitors, where did you find you liked being the most on property?