Bus service for Port Orleans?

[CherishL]

So the deciding factor for us to stay at Port Orleans is transportation to and from the parks. Naps are necessary for our 5 year old. We have never experienced the skyliner.
So my question is…how is the bus service for transportation? The only resort we have to compare it to is Pop and we went before the skyliner was available.
Thanks so much!

 

[KLedford90]

I stayed at Port Orleans French Quarter in 2018 and it was amazing. I've stayed at AKL DVC, Key West DVC, and CS but PoFQ has been my favorite resort. It's a smaller resort so less walking which is amazing after a long day at the park, the food in the food court area was amazing, and we never had any issues with the buses.

 

[Ross Kratter]

French Quarter's buses are much easier than Riverside's, in that there is only one stop at French Quarter.

 

[The WDW 3]

The bus service always sucks IMO, regardless. I really hope that they bring back the Minnie Vans before we go again.

 

[Sweettears]

I've stayed at the FQ a few times using the buses exclusively. I found the service to be quite good. As PP mentioned the resort is smaller than most which leads to smaller lines for the transportation. The few times the bus stopped at Riverside FQ was first so no problem getting seats.

 

[sponica]

Bus service is always variable, no matter where you stay. I don't recall ever having problems at Port Orleans Riverside, my memory has also *forgotten* there is more than one stop there. Midday/midafternoon occasionally the resorts share a bus, or at least they did when I stayed at FQ.

Any chance they'll nap in a stroller? going back/forth can be a time vortex. (Going out to the bus, waiting anywhere from a couple to 15 minutes for the bus, the bus ride, then the walk to the room.....then going in reverse)

 

[jimmymc]

The bus is normally shared between one stop at French Quarter and 3 stops at Riverside. It's a similar schedule but less walking when compared to Pop Century. FQ especially has a shorter walk from the bus stop to the rooms.

 

[Mle8308]

So the deciding factor for us to stay at Port Orleans is transportation to and from the parks. Naps are necessary for our 5 year old. We have never experienced the skyliner.
So my question is…how is the bus service for transportation? The only resort we have to compare it to is Pop and we went before the skyliner was available.
Thanks so much!

Are you staying at French Quarter or Riverside? As others have said FQ has one bus stop and is a smaller resort, bus transportation was as good as it will get for a Disney resort. Riverside is larger and a lot more spread out, and I believe there are about 3 or 4 bus stops, so it can take longer to get to the parks or return due to the additional stops. It is a great resort, my favorite moderate (FQ).

 

[RileyJames]

When we stayed there the bus service was really good. It was easy to get on a bus and the drop off location was convenient.

 

[CarolynFH]

So the deciding factor for us to stay at Port Orleans is transportation to and from the parks. Naps are necessary for our 5 year old. We have never experienced the skyliner.
So my question is…how is the bus service for transportation? The only resort we have to compare it to is Pop and we went before the skyliner was available.
Thanks so much!

Keep in mind that you may or may not have to wait for a bus - it's only luck as to whether you get there just as one is pulling up as opposed to having just left before you got there. Buses are supposed to run roughly every 20 minutes, but many of us have waited longer than that. The Skyliner loads continuously, and in the middle of the day (nap time) there's no line or wait to speak of. Pop has the advantage of Skyliner to two parks and then is bus to the other two - POFQ is bus to all four parks. Personally, I prefer the Skyliner to buses and would pick Pop when transportation "home" for naps is important.

 

[bas71873]

I'm in the same boat trying to decide between POFQ and Pop. And it's just me and my 19yo, so no naps. My fear is choosing Pop and then the skyliner being out of service. The price difference between Pop & FQ for our dates is only about $200, so not a real deal breaker. I think we are going to keep FQ for the smaller resort and hopefully better food options. AND two real beds vs. a pull out/murphy bed!

 

[Skippyboo]

I'm in the same boat trying to decide between POFQ and Pop. And it's just me and my 19yo, so no naps. My fear is choosing Pop and then the skyliner being out of service. The price difference between Pop & FQ for our dates is only about $200, so not a real deal breaker. I think we are going to keep FQ for the smaller resort and hopefully better food options. AND two real beds vs. a pull out/murphy bed!

When are you going? The Skyliner will go out of service when there’s thunderstorms so that’s going to be a more common thing in the summertime. FQ you get a more adult resort and boat access to DS so way more dining options. Skyliner is nice but it’s only for 2 parks. So still have to deal with buses for AK & MK.

 

[CarolynFH]

AND two real beds vs. a pull out/murphy bed!

Just to clarify something, Pop does not have a pullout (sofa) bed. The mattress on the Murphy bed that folds down over the table is the same mattress that’s on the stationary bed. So it’s a “real bed” too, on a platform just like the stationary bed.

 

[loves to dive]

The buses are the buses are the buses. POR has more than one stop so depending which section you are staying in you might be on the bus a tad longer. POFQ has only one stop but does share with POR every once in awhile. Pop is a value resort, which means real ques at the bus stop but they are not under cover, they have the sky liner which can and may go down in any kind of weather. PO is a moderate resort which means covered bus stops but no ques so it can be a bit of free for all. I've stayed at every single level of resort at WDW, including in a RV at the campground and have had good and bad bus service at every single one of them (including POR and Pop). Don't make your decision based on the buses unless you have your heart set on the sky liner. Go with either what you can afford, theming or even the fact that moderates have hot tubs and usually a TS restaurant over values that don't or something other than the buses.

 

[disneyseniors]

OP, we are veteran POR people. It is our favorite resort! We also stay at FQ now due to mobility issues we both have. A lot of guests with mobility issues stay at FQ it seems. It is smaller and has one bus stop. But that one stop (actually 2 bus stops side by side for different parks). Sometimes that bus stop gets a lot of ECV's due to easier mobility for guests.
At POR, which we prefer, we have never had bad bus service. We usually go during slow times(if there are anymore) so maybe that's why?
The buses at POR were not an issue for us at all, and we have been to Riverside many times. If it weren't for our mobility issues, we would not have left POR for POFQ. I am not a fan of the mardi gras theme at all, but love the laid back theme at POR. I hope this helps. You didn't say which PO resort you are considering, either POR or POFQ?

 

[Jadyreen1282]

I agree buses are buses too. You are never, in a mod, going to love your buses. We prefer POR regardless of the buses.

 

[bas71873]

When are you going? The Skyliner will go out of service when there’s thunderstorms so that’s going to be a more common thing in the summertime. FQ you get a more adult resort and boat access to DS so way more dining options. Skyliner is nice but it’s only for 2 parks. So still have to deal with buses for AK & MK.

Mid December. And we are just having a go with the flow trip. We’ve been numerous times, but never at the holidays so we just want to take it all in. Doing Epcot for CP and MK for hopefully MVMCP if that returns. If not, just a day at MK. And DHS just for the rides. LOL. I don’t even think we’ll do Genie+. We just don’t want to be on much a timeline. DD will also want to see her best friend who will be there on the Disney College Program.

 

[Skippyboo]

Mid December. And we are just having a go with the flow trip. We’ve been numerous times, but never at the holidays so we just want to take it all in. Doing Epcot for CP and MK for hopefully MVMCP if that returns. If not, just a day at MK. And DHS just for the rides. LOL. I don’t even think we’ll do Genie+. We just don’t want to be on much a timeline. DD will also want to see her best friend who will be there on the Disney College Program.

If you have time check out some of the Christmas decorations at the resorts especially the deluxes. Skyliner get shut down really should not be common occurrence in Dec.

 

[StageTek]

So the deciding factor for us to stay at Port Orleans is transportation to and from the parks. Naps are necessary for our 5 year old. We have never experienced the skyliner.
So my question is…how is the bus service for transportation? The only resort we have to compare it to is Pop and we went before the skyliner was available.
Thanks so much!

In my six stays at POFQ the bus service ranged from good to great.

I'm hoping my early December 2021 experience was due to just-reopened-issues and a busier than expected early December. Early morning heading to MK not nearly enough buses - one would arrive about 45min before early opening and fill up; the next one wouldn't show up for 20 minutes and it would fill up. Then the third would arrive 5 minutes before opening. So many people waiting an hour before they could get on a bus and not getting to MK for opening.

Middle of the day I waited at the park for a return trip for 40 minutes. I learned to take to POR bus and walk back because there were so few buses heading to FQ. Made it difficult to head back to the resort between Noon and 5PM.

I'm hoping they get it together and return to the past, better bus service. I have always been a "bus guy".

 

[a1tinkfans]

I'm in the same boat trying to decide between POFQ and Pop. And it's just me and my 19yo, so no naps. My fear is choosing Pop and then the skyliner being out of service. The price difference between Pop & FQ for our dates is only about $200, so not a real deal breaker. I think we are going to keep FQ for the smaller resort and hopefully better food options. AND two real beds vs. a pull out/murphy bed!

And take the boat down to Disney springs. A nice ride plenty of food and shopping options. The boat also stops at pofq so u can pop over to check it out too. Good bignets.