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

[lisalonglash]

The latest info on fridges is that the end-of-August batch must have gone mostly to POFQ, meaning that about 90% of the rooms at French Quarter now have working fridges. They expect to be at 100% within a couple of weeks.

Andre

Awesome news, thanks Andre!

 

[wdwguy50]

The latest info on fridges is that the end-of-August batch must have gone mostly to POFQ, meaning that about 90% of the rooms at French Quarter now have working fridges. They expect to be at 100% within a couple of weeks.

Andre

Thanks Andre for staying on top of this and keeping everyone posted. Your diligence in this matter relieved some anxiety on a lot of people I am sure.

 

[DisneyDreamersAreWe]

Nope! I'm excited to have one more trip without the FP+ madness. I am really worried about how FP+ and my family are going to get along. We are not uber planners and don't even like making a ton of ADR's so I can't imagine that DH is going to be happy about having to chose ride times in advance.

I am going to enjoy this trip....with freedom. Then I will start wrapping my brain around all of this FP+ stuff for next years trip.

Hi there! DH and I are going to POFQ the day after Thanksgiving.

But something you said above scares me...
I know I haven't stayed up to date on the new tech that Disney is implementing. I've read up some on the Magic Bands they're using now, instead of the good ole' plastic cards. And I know a little about Fast Pass (although we've never had a need to use them before).

But what is this Fast Pass + thing? What do you mean by "...having to choose ride times in advance"? When we go to the parks, we just walk around and get in line for whatever ride we want to get on. I hope and pray you're not saying we will now need to get a reservation to get on a ride????? Like, making ADRs for dining now applying to rides as well? Sorry if I'm just being stupid.

 

[Mousemommy1]

Hi there! DH and I are going to POFQ the day after Thanksgiving.

But something you said above scares me...
I know I haven't stayed up to date on the new tech that Disney is implementing. I've read up some on the Magic Bands they're using now, instead of the good ole' plastic cards. And I know a little about Fast Pass (although we've never had a need to use them before).

But what is this Fast Pass + thing? What do you mean by "...having to choose ride times in advance"? When we go to the parks, we just walk around and get in line for whatever ride we want to get on. I hope and pray you're not saying we will now need to get a reservation to get on a ride????? Like, making ADRs for dining now applying to rides as well? Sorry if I'm just being stupid.

Sorry to scare you!

But yes, that is basically what FP+ is. It gives you the ability to "pull" fastpasses 60 days in advance (by scheduling a "reservation"). I don't know all of the ins and outs, but apparently you are limited to 3 per day and only 1 park per day. There will still be a standby line that you can use and apparently the regular FP system should still be in place, at least for on-site guests. I don't think anyone knows for sure exactly how this will play out until it actually does. But that is the basic gist as I understand it.

 

[DisneyDreamersAreWe]

Sorry to scare you!

But yes, that is basically what FP+ is. It gives you the ability to "pull" fastpasses 60 days in advance (by scheduling a "reservation"). I don't know all of the ins and outs, but apparently you are limited to 3 per day and only 1 park per day. There will still be a standby line that you can use and apparently the regular FP system should still be in place, at least for on-site guests. I don't think anyone knows for sure exactly how this will play out until it actually does. But that is the basic gist as I understand it.

Okay, i feel a bit better now at least. Wow, thanks for the super-fast response!

So it sounds sorta like it's basically the old FP, except that you can get some (3/day) in advance. Being that it's so limiting, i'm assuming that these are mostly for the bigger, most popular rides then. I was thinking that I needed a FP+ ticket for EVERY ride. (Ha, stupid I know).

As long as they don't REQUIRE a FP+ ticket and they still have the plain ole' regular lines, I'm okay with that. (that IS correct, right?)

EDIT: No apology needed! It is all on me and my lack of staying current.

 

[ihearthatter]

Sorry to scare you!

But yes, that is basically what FP+ is. It gives you the ability to "pull" fastpasses 60 days in advance (by scheduling a "reservation"). I don't know all of the ins and outs, but apparently you are limited to 3 per day and only 1 park per day. There will still be a standby line that you can use and apparently the regular FP system should still be in place, at least for on-site guests. I don't think anyone knows for sure exactly how this will play out until it actually does. But that is the basic gist as I understand it.

Not sure if I'm replying 'correctly' (long time subscriber, first time responder) but this wasn't my feeling about the new system at all. There are still regular lines for all the rides but FP+ let's you pick your FP rides in advance. We were there three days and picked our rides while getting ready in the morning with no problems. It gives you a couple different scenarios and you pick which works best and that's it. Plus it threw in a bonus 4th FP for at least one of the options given. Very user friendly and last minute planner friendly from my experience.

 

[Mousemommy1]

Not sure if I'm replying 'correctly' (long time subscriber, first time responder) but this wasn't my feeling about the new system at all. There are still regular lines for all the rides but FP+ let's you pick your FP rides in advance. We were there three days and picked our rides while getting ready in the morning with no problems. It gives you a couple different scenarios and you pick which works best and that's it. Plus it threw in a bonus 4th FP for at least one of the options given. Very user friendly and last minute planner friendly from my experience.

That's pretty much what I said. But, there is the option to choose rides up to 60 days in advance, as well.

 

[ihearthatter]

Sorry to scare you!

But yes, that is basically what FP+ is. It gives you the ability to "pull" fastpasses 60 days in advance (by scheduling a "reservation"). I don't know all of the ins and outs, but apparently you are limited to 3 per day and only 1 park per day. There will still be a standby line that you can use and apparently the regular FP system should still be in place, at least for on-site guests. I don't think anyone knows for sure exactly how this will play out until it actually does. But that is the basic gist as I understand it.

Not sure if I'm replying 'correctly' (long time subscriber, first time responder) but this wasn't my feeling about the new system at all. There are still regular lines for all the rides but FP+ let's you pick your FP rides in advance. We were there three days and picked our rides while getting ready in the morning with no problems. It gives you a couple different scenarios and you pick which works best and that's it. Plus it threw in a bonus 4th FP for at least one of the options given. Very user friendly and last minute planner friendly from my experience.

 

[ihearthatter]

That's pretty much what I said. But, there is the option to choose rides up to 60 days in advance, as well.

Ah see, I did do it wrong
Posted twice and should have responded to the original question, not your response. Oh well

 

[Mousemommy1]

Ah see, I did do it wrong
Posted twice and should have responded to the original question, not your response. Oh well

It's ok! Practice makes perfect!

You did make me read my post 20 times again though. and I think the board is acting wacky, I've seen lots of double posts.

3 Weeks from Today I will be checking into POFQ!!!!.

 

[Lintasare]

15 days...I am uber excited.

Though I had a bad dream last night. As a budgeting tool for this trip I got a prepaid AMEX and have been putting money on it each payday for food and souvenirs. I had a dream that Disney didn't take AMEX and I know they do.

 

[sbarisch]

I'm hoping someone can help me. We'll be in WDW in 2 weeks and have a ADR for The Turf Club Bar and Grill at Saratoga Springs. Will the boat from SSR take us back to POFQ eventually, or will we need to change boats in Downtown Disney?

Thanks in advance!

 

[andrewilley]

I'm hoping someone can help me. We'll be in WDW in 2 weeks and have a ADR for The Turf Club Bar and Grill at Saratoga Springs. Will the boat from SSR take us back to POFQ eventually, or will we need to change boats in Downtown Disney?

No, you need to change at the Rainforest Café dock (where you will be dropped off from Port Orleans) for a boat over to the West Side dock, and then get a boat from there to SSR. From the marketplace end of DTD it might be quicker to walk or get the bus.

Have you eaten there before by the way? I hear less that stellar reports about it these days.

Andre

 

[LucyBC80]

I'm hoping someone can help me. We'll be in WDW in 2 weeks and have a ADR for The Turf Club Bar and Grill at Saratoga Springs. Will the boat from SSR take us back to POFQ eventually, or will we need to change boats in Downtown Disney?

Thanks in advance!

You have to change boats to the POR/POFQ boat at DTD as the boats are exclusive to the resort.

 

[sbarisch]

No, you need to change at the Rainforest Café dock (where you will be dropped off from Port Orleans) for a boat over to the West Side dock, and then get a boat from there to SSR. From the marketplace end of DTD it might be quicker to walk or get the bus.

Have you eaten there before by the way? I hear less that stellar reports about it these days.

Andre

Thanks! No, we've never been. Not to good lately, huh?

 

[andrewilley]

Thanks! No, we've never been. Not to good lately, huh?

I've not been myself, but a very recent WDW Today podcast (might have been #1236 last Monday?) really slated the Turf Club. But restaurants can be very subjective and visit-dependent, and reviews can vary a lot, so don't let that stop you if you want to try it. But if it was pin-in-the-map planning, you might want to try a new pin.

Andre

 

[sbarisch]

I've not been myself, but a very recent WDW Today podcast (might have been #1236 last Monday?) really slated the Turf Club. But restaurants can be very subjective and visit-dependent, and reviews can vary a lot, so don't let that stop you if you want to try it. But if it was pin-in-the-map planning, you might want to try a new pin.

Andre

Thanks. Haven't listened to that one yet, will have to check it out. What do you think of Raglan Road? I'm considering switching our ADR to there.

 

[utkscvol1]

Just Checked out but was able to book bb again next year for French quarter

 

[andrewilley]

Thanks. Haven't listened to that one yet, will have to check it out. What do you think of Raglan Road? I'm considering switching our ADR to there.

Again, not been, but have heard MUCH better reports about it.

Andre

 

[pwdebbie]

Thanks. Haven't listened to that one yet, will have to check it out. What do you think of Raglan Road? I'm considering switching our ADR to there.

We tried Raglan Road in April and really enjoyed it. Pricey, but then again, that's all of Disney. I'd recommend it.