Help me choose please?

[robin09]

A little about us: Our daughter is 9 (will be 10 in October) and has aspergers, ocd, adhd, sensory problems and a sensitivity to color dye. I've booked value the last 3 years at disney. (Yeah free dining!) Disney has always been good and given us a fridge for her problems. We've been to Movies, Pop and then music. I loved MOVIES, wasn't happy really with Pop, and content with Music. So Jenn needs a place where at times she can get the quiet she needs, but with activity and a pool. (she thinks she can swim, but still can't even with 6 years of swimming lessons).

I've been having a difficult time with walking in the last year or two, so I'd rather have less time to walk. We would stay more at a resort than at the parks. We just went to Universal this February and the times in the park are less and less. Jenn can't deal with lines, waiting and we usually get a GAC for her.

I'm sorry this is so wordy, if you made it this far, thankyou!. I just need to let you know what we need so you can guide us if I make bad choices! I was thinking of CBR this time, but then looked at all the walking, and I don't think I'm capable of it We've been deciding between POFQ and POR... Can someone tell me the differences? And in your expert opinions would either be good for us?

 

[Liljam]

Both resorts are so nice!! I prefer POFQ myself, but I only stayed at POR one night when we arrived a day early. I think that for sensory purposes, POR would be more laid back. It's got the more rustic, homey feel while POFQ has the Mardi Gras theme that could be bright and overwhelming after returning from the parks (depending on how sensitive she is.) That said though, both have great quiet pools and calming theming when away from the main area. I think walking is about the same and you can always hope to get a request of something near the main area. One thing to mention is that the buses pick up all the POFQ guests first when GOING to parks so this could be a deciding factor if you want to be sure to get a seat. The buses drop off POFQ guests last though when returning from the parks. I hope this helps out some. I would probably go with POFQ just based on how much I enjoyed it last year and having worked in the mental health field for 9 years before switching to the family business, I think that either resort is the best mod. choice for your daughter. If she likes music, the main area at FQ had some pretty nice and calming jazzy blues playing which mellowed both my husband and myself out after a long day! Good luck and let us know which one you do choose!

 

[momtwoboys]

Hello, just to give you our perspective! We've stayed at POR and POFQ, and well I have to say that the amount of walking at the French Quarter is MUCH less. The walks aren't so bad if you are in some buildings of Alligator Bayou. My younger son has just about all the same issues that your Daughter does so we know how it can be. My boys still prefer the values! WE tried to book POFQ, when my son looked at the pictures he said that it looked scary, creepy, and dirty??? No way will he stay there. He was a baby last time, and these weren't issues that we knew were coming! The rooms are a bit dark, I guess. This is just one opinion, hope others chime in. Sorry its so long!

Jenny

 

[SGMCO]

I think you may really Enjoy POFQ because of its small size.
It is also a very relaxing resort (has a calming effect).
Compared to the Value Resorts you will see a tremendous
difference and I am sure you will love it!!
POR is also VERY nice and relaxing but it is much larger.
You may be able to request a building that is closer to the
Main building.

 

[momtwoboys]

If your Daughter is anything like my son, the food court area decorations were scary also!. I guess I would choose POR and request to be in the Alligator Bayou section in a building close to Main area. The boat ride to Downtown Disney is the BEST part of staying there. Very calming. We just would ride down there for no reason. Those shops at DTD were a sensory nightmare, don't know why? My son is still crying because we're not staying at POP this time. Rituals, rituals

 

[robin09]

Hello, just to give you our perspective! We've stayed at POR and POFQ, and well I have to say that the amount of walking at the French Quarter is MUCH less. The walks aren't so bad if you are in some buildings of Alligator Bayou. My younger son has just about all the same issues that your Daughter does so we know how it can be. My boys still prefer the values! WE tried to book POFQ, when my son looked at the pictures he said that it looked scary, creepy, and dirty??? No way will he stay there. He was a baby last time, and these weren't issues that we knew were coming! The rooms are a bit dark, I guess. This is just one opinion, hope others chime in. Sorry its so long!

Jenny

Oh my! I didn't even realize there were anything scary there. I'm going to have to go search now for pictures and see if she can deal with his! Thankyou for warning me. She gets frightened so easily... I really think her imagination is very vivid.. She hates cartoons, Tom & Jerry are to violent for her...

momtwoboys... also big thankyou for pointing out the food court decorations.. ughhh this is really going to be tough...

liljam... she loves music, it's very soothing to her... both her and her dad love jazz... as long as it isn't too loud!

Thankyou to everyone for responding so quickly! I thought I had this all thought out! Apparently not.. book to researching!

 

[Taja]

robin09, you mentioned you're having difficulty walking.

Would it be possible for you to rent an ECV from an offsite company to use both at your resort and at the parks (when you go)?

I've been walking wounded at WDW three out of six visits in recent years, so I can sympathize and empathize with anyone having mobililty issues. I did not rent an ECV, but wish I had at least one of the three visits! *LOL* The last one I would have had more trouble getting on and off an ECV that it would have been worth. Injured the quadraceps on both legs two days prior to our holiday. *eek*

 

[Fionasmommy]

POFQ!!! We stayed at POFQ for my DD's fifth birthday and it was wonderful! It's very small and compact, has a wonderful pool for small children, has the boat to DTD, and it's the first stop on and off the bus. The buses are usually shared with POR so they can get full - being first on means you'll get a seat before the POR guests fill it up, and being first off means you won't have a long ride home after you leave the parks. It's perfect!

My DD didn't find the food court scary at all.

 

[breebella]

I've been having a difficult time with walking in the last year or two, so I'd rather have less time to walk. We would stay more at a resort than at the parks. We just went to Universal this February and the times in the park are less and less. Jenn can't deal with lines, waiting and we usually get a GAC for her.
:

Hi there,
I'm just wondering, you said that you went to Universal in February, I was curious if you stayed on-site at one of the Lowes hotels? One of the perks at staying on-site @ Universal is your room key gives you front of the line access to all of the rides. Since you mentioned that your daughter has a difficult time dealing with lines, this might help you the next time you go. This won't help you with your next Disney trip, but if you ever decide to go to Universal again, you may want to consider this.

 

[NYMomof4]

The decorations at POFQ are Mardi Gras themed with large jesters, masks, ect...if I remember correctly, in the main food court area. Oddly enough, my 12 yr old DS called them scary. We have a tradition of staying at POR every summer for at least a few days because the kids (and adults) love the laid back feel to the resort. We prefer AB and always request a room near the main building, many times when I travel alone with the kids. If walking is a problem, ask them to note that on your reservation.

POR is definitely larger and we enjoyed visiting POFQ while there but we prefer the quiet at POR. Of particular note is that my kids like the "quiet pools" at POR (each section has a smaller pool) and many times we felt like we had the pool to ourselves.

Ultimately, you know what might be best for your family but hopefully the posts from others will help make the decision easier.

 

[DisneyFan83]

I LOVE POFQ! It's very quiet & peaceful, and the pool is nice & fun. Also, there's not much walking to do there since everything is in fairly close proximity. You might have to walk 5 minutes (if even that) to the farthest rooms. It's a really nice resort, and there is plenty of shade in the bus waiting area. Good luck

 

[Reginak]

I know that this is completely different direction but have you considered staying at the BC. It is very peaceful expecially in the villas. Everything is decorated in pastels and you could spend time at the beach while your daughter plays in the sand. They also have a quiet pool and SAB has a zero entry area with sand (but I don't know how quickly it gets deep). OKW is the same way. It is spread out but has inner resort transportation and quiet pools. If you rent points from the DVC board the rates can be quite reasonable especially if you book a Sun - Thurs night stay.

Also, consider traveling during the value season - when we go there are virtually no lines for the rides and you can get fast passes for the rides that are in higher demand (although these rides may cause sensory overload).

Go to allearsnet.com to look at extensive pictures of each resort (look under accommodations).

Good luck,
Regina

 

[karibritt01]

Coronado Springs is another moderate you may want to consider. It is big, but they provide internal transportation. Also, the buses run in a loop with the main building being last, so you can hop any bus to go to the main building. To get back to your room, hop the DTD bus.

The resort is very laid back, and has a mexican theme. The have mexican music playing throughout the resort, but it is very low-key and relaxing. They have a great pool with a water slide. Colors are earth tones and pastels mainly. The entire resort is very quiet. Buses service only CSR, so they are rarely crowded.

Just a thought... Good luck!

 

[LSchrow]

Coronado Springs is another moderate you may want to consider. It is big, but they provide internal transportation. Also, the buses run in a loop with the main building being last, so you can hop any bus to go to the main building. To get back to your room, hop the DTD bus.

The resort is very laid back, and has a mexican theme. The have mexican music playing throughout the resort, but it is very low-key and relaxing. They have a great pool with a water slide. Colors are earth tones and pastels mainly. The entire resort is very quiet. Buses service only CSR, so they are rarely crowded.

Just a thought... Good luck!

exactly what i was thinking
while POFQ is a beautiful resort, the mardi gras decor might very well be frightening (something you don't want to find out after you arrive ).
definately consider CSR tho.
buz2001 has great info & pics:
http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1734215

hth
laurie s

 

[robin09]

Wow, Thankyou for all the advice, still sitting here hemming and hawing!

ReginaK:I know that this is completely different direction but have you considered staying at the BC. It is very peaceful expecially in the villas. Everything is decorated in pastels and you could spend time at the beach while your daughter plays in the sand. Great idea, we happen to want one day in the future to stay here >> BUT.... $$ is a major problem. I'm stretching it by going to a MOd we usually do values. But the walking at the values has gotten to be a little too much for me. I also want to spend more time at the rooms and relax more. It has gotten to be more of a "look" vacation. Jenn doesn't like most of the rides, so we stroll and enjoy the views. Our favorite park is epcot.. between getting her "passport" and Soarin, it's a perfect day!

Breebella: We didn't stay at the Universal Hotels, we stayed at the Sheraton villages (sorry, mind went blank). Again, price keeps us from the higher priced hotels. But one day we definitely will! We do get a GAC for the rides, but as mentioned before, we don't do many rides Why we go to these places I have no clue.. I must be crazy! We purposely go to the Universal parks so we do the Mardi Gras, Jenn adores that and prepares herself. She wears headphones there, so the noise isn't as bad, but she loves catching the beads. The day of Mardi Gras we spend at the hotel, in the pool, relaxing. We don't get to the park until an hour or so before the Parade begins and we get our usual spot.. to the left of Mels' Diner across from Preferred people! Same routine each year... We need to keep our habits!

KariBritt01 & Lschrow: I looked at Coronado Springs.. Isn't that more of a Convention Place? I also have to think of DH, who just obliges me with my Disneyness! He loves Jazz music so maybe music will calm this beast? lol

I really want to thank all of you who replied, as you can tell I am really bad at quoting! Still decisions to be made. I know I need to do my dining yet, and Jen will just flip to do bibbidi (sp) and get the Hannah look! Off to plan some more, just keep the hints coming! YA

 

[skipperkim]

It is possible to stay at POFQ and not go to the food court.

If you decide you want to stay at CSR, keep in mind it's a big resort. Your DH can do what I plan to do one night on my Dec stay, visit POFQ for Elliot Dyson who preforms at Scat Cats Wed-Sun.

 

[momtoBrandon&Jacob]

I would also suggest POFQ for you. You do not have to take your daughter to the food court - it takes too much time in there anyway. What we usually did is either me or dh would go to the food court in the morning and pick up some cereal (we're not big breakfast eaters) and we'd eat in the room while getting dressed and stuff. There is a table and chairs in each room. Also, the masks in the food court are on the ceiling so it's not like you would be looking at them the entire time. Have fun!

 

[karibritt01]

KariBritt01 & Lschrow: I looked at Coronado Springs.. Isn't that more of a Convention Place?

It is... but that adds to the appeal for me. Because of the conventions, meetings are going on in the far corner of the resort from AM until mid-afternoon. The meeting facilities are very much removed from the recreational areas, so you don't feel as if you are in a convention resort at all. Because of the meetings, the pool is not crowded until later in the day. The food court gets crowded during "peak" times, but if you go early or late to lunch, its not bad at all. Food is cooked to order and delicious, BTW! Other pluses because CSR is a convention resort... the rooms are nicer than the other mods. They tend to refurbish them more often, they have central AC instead of a window unit, added amenities similar to the deluxe resorts. You should check out the pics on www.allearsnet.com. Can you tell we're hooked on this resort?