Just Back - POFQ - My two cents.

[summersalt]

This was my second stay at FQ. It was me, my mom and my daughter celebrating her sweet 16. FQ was my favorite resort until this visit. The things that made it my favorite before were no longer there this trip so I'm not sure that I will stay here again. I'm not saying that we didn't have a great stay or a fabulous time because we did. I'm just saying that I couldn't see the value in it like I did during my first trip. Let me explain...

The Resort - It is lovely. The grounds are absolutely beautiful. Love the small compact feeling of it. However, it wasn't the quite, peaceful place that I remember from the first visit. It was loud. There were tons of people everywhere. Power blowers being used on SUNDAY morning at 9:00am sharp. Really? It's the weekend for crying out loud. At least wait until Monday!

The Room - It was nice. Loved the queen beds. Hated the bugs. There were tons of them. Both dead and alive.

Mousekeeping - Did an excellent job. Nothing bad to say about that.

The Room Location - Perfect!!! I booked a standard room view and requested building 4 ground floor. My mom is a recent cancer survivor so I figured ground floor would be best for her. We got room 4134 and were only steps away from the food court and the buses. Even though it was a standard view, it was still a lovely view!

Food Court - It was ok. Not as good as All Stars in my opinion.

Pool - It was ok. Served it's purpose.

Transportation - IT SUCKED EVERY SINGLE DAY!!!! Both the buses and the boats. The buses were packed to the fullest every single time we got on one. It stopped at every single POR bus stop every single time we went any where!! I am not lying!! This never happened to us during our first visit. Both resorts were full to capacity so why on earth would they feel the need to share. The boats to DTD weren't any better. They only took 5 -10 people per boat from FQ after going to POR first. Still can't figure that logic out!

Final thoughts - FQ is a nice resort. We had a lovely stay. But... I don't think I will pay the difference to upgrade to moderate next time. Our stay in January at Sports and our stay at Music in April were just as lovely without the higher price tag.

 

[KatieKat]

Thanks for your review! We've never stayed at POFQ but have always walked around over there during our stays for POR just to look around and eat lunch there. I agree that their food court isn't that amazing, especially compared to the values and even POR. Their pool isn't to exciting and the theme isn't my favorite. Especially the big Burger King looking mask in the food court *shudder*!

 

[*Fantasia*]

I'm sorry your stay wasn't magical. I love POFQ and will continue to love this place. I will accept the fact that the bus transportation may not be good at times.. even for the whole duration of the trip (which hasn't happened to us, but I know this can happen at any resorts at any given time at any level-value-moderate-deluxe).

The only time I will stop staying here is when the room is falling apart stay after stay.. or the service is poor, stay after stay, or if the price has escalate to the price of a deluxe resort, then I will probably stop staying at moderate resort, and just do the values.

I hope your stay at the All Star will be better.. and I hope the transportation during your stay will be better too.

 

[Sue M]

Thans for your review. POR-Riverside is our fav, because it does have the better pool, plus quiet pools, and more selection in the food court too.
I think it's quieter, because it is more spread out, and not as compact.

Maybe you'd want to give that a try. We have walked around FQ, to check it but I love the POR landscaping. It's just a beautiful resort.

 

[KELLY]

The last 2 times we stayed at POFQ we had the opposite problems. We had bad housekeeping 2 years in a row. Then we tried pop and the rooms were nice and clean. So we figured we might as well save our money now.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

I've never stayed at POFQ, but I did want to mention that the power blowers and noise may be a trend at all the resorts. We stayed at Pop (it was my 2nd time there) at the end of January and I mentioned to my husband, who had never stayed onsite before, that it used to be that you never saw workers doing landscaping, cleaning, etc. I think they are so overwhelmed now and possibly understaffed for what needs to be done that they are doing stuff ALL THE TIME.

Every morning there were loud power cleaners spraying the pool deck, bushes being trimmed, grass being cut, and TONS of maintenance vehicles all over the sidewalks. I just chalked it up to there being so many things that need to be done that they cannot possibly do them at times when people aren't around?

Ok, that was really long just to say that I think the power blower issue you had may be occurring at other resorts too! I have a way of drawing things out...

 

[*Fantasia*]

I think the power blower issue you had may be occurring at other resorts too! I have a way of drawing things out...

I remember it was around 8am at CBR, they were already fixing the outside, making the grounds beautiful. Yep the blower was going and there was one time, they were hosing the ground. But I didn't mind because it's just part of their job to keep the ground manicured.

 

[TinkerwithDis]

I personally never cared for FQ. Just never like the look of the place and the tiny food court. POR has much more to offer. id give that a try next time you want a moderate.

FWIW ive heard the blowers at Pop and other resorts too early in the morning.


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[crazymomof4]

Had to laugh when I read your report. Here's why...
Last Nov we were staying at Marriott's Ocean Watch Resort in Myrtle Beach. A pretty high-end establishment. Around 8am the grounds crew began at least a 30 min clean up of the main courtyard/pool area using a very loud power blower. Because this pool area is surrounded on 3 sides by tall towers of resort rooms, the loud, annoying sound totally echoed up to all of the 9+ stories of balconies facing the pools. I was aghast at this intrusion of my quiet morning coffee on the balcony.

Here's the funny part- As I am one who compares everything to Disney I said: "You'd NEVER see this happening at a DISNEY resort!!!!!"

I guess I was WRONG!!!

soooooo we're staying at POFQ for the 1st time this Sept. I'm wondering what "bugs" you encountered? I hope not bed bugs or roaches! Did you report it to guest services? If so, what was their response?

 

[BearcatsFan]

I was also wondering about the bugs. You say there were "tons of them, dead and alive" when you describe the room ... yet you say Mousekeeping was "excellent." How can Mousekeeping have been excellent if you had dead bugs all over your room?

And as PP mentioned, did you tell management about the bugs, and what was their response?

Thanks for your short report/review! Any other details you want to add?

 

[bitohoney]

I was there this past Christmas week, busiest week of the year, and I thought it was quite empty and quiet. It was a welcoming place before and after crowded days in the parks. The food court was awesome and there were no bugs in our room. Buses we never had a problem with unless we shared with POR but that was rarely.
There's always bad experiences at every resort, sorry you had one. But I wouldn't hesitate staying at POFQ again. I loved it.

 

[Missytara]

Transportation - IT SUCKED EVERY SINGLE DAY!!!! Both the buses and the boats. The buses were packed to the fullest every single time we got on one. It stopped at every single POR bus stop every single time we went any where!! I am not lying!! This never happened to us during our first visit. Both resorts were full to capacity so why on earth would they feel the need to share. The boats to DTD weren't any better. They only took 5 -10 people per boat from FQ after going to POR first. Still can't figure that logic out!

If you notice, the water taxis run POR, POFQ, DTD, POFQ, and POR. So they cannot fill up the water taxi at POR and then not let POFQ on. They need to reserve places for patrons at each stop.

You might also note that you cannot take a round trip; you must exit at POR and then get in line to make the return trip. That is to prevent people from tieing up seats for the day just riding on the water taxis when people legitimately want to get over to DTD or back to the resort.

There is perfect logic to it.

 

[summersalt]

The bugs weren't bed bugs. I'm not sure if they were roaches or not? They were small, skinny brown bugs with tiny pinchers for legs. Kinda looked like silver fish only brown. Mousekeeping would get up the dead ones every day during their cleaning but more dead ones would show up after she left. I did report the problem to management. What else could they say except we have a pest control contract to handle them? I believe this is why there were so many dead ones every day. At least they are trying to get rid of them. I live in the south and on the coast so I am all too familar with bugs and how hard it is to get rid of them. I am not grossed out too much by them. I was just expecting the resort to match up to my first visit and it didn't. The bugs didn't bother me as much as the transportation. This was totally something that could have been prevented. With both FQ and POR full to capacity, there was absolutely no need to share between the two resorts.

I am disappointed that FQ is no longer my favorite. I really did want to love it like I did the first time.

Oh well... on to the Yacht Club in October.

 

[starousse]

The bugs weren't bed bugs. I'm not sure if they were roaches or not? They were small, skinny brown bugs with tiny pinchers for legs. Kinda looked like silver fish only brown. Mousekeeping would get up the dead ones every day during their cleaning but more dead ones would show up after she left. I did report the problem to management. What else could they say except we have a pest control contract to handle them? I believe this is why there were so many dead ones every day. At least they are trying to get rid of them. I live in the south and on the coast so I am all too familar with bugs and how hard it is to get rid of them. I am not grossed out too much by them. I was just expecting the resort to match up to my first visit and it didn't. The bugs didn't bother me as much as the transportation. This was totally something that could have been prevented. With both FQ and POR full to capacity, there was absolutely no need to share between the two resorts.

I am disappointed that FQ is no longer my favorite. I really did want to love it like I did the first time.

Oh well... on to the Yacht Club in October.

Other than Mousekeeping picking up dead bugs everytday, didn't they offer you a different room or maybe comp you for some of your time there? I remember years ago, we stayed at the CBR and there worms all over the place. In our bathroom, by the bed, on the dresser. Gross!!! We weren't even on the bottom floor. We complained, they said they were sending someone, but the problem never went away. When we went to checkout, the manager apologized and comped up for like 3 days off our bill.

 

[DJFan88]

Thanks for your review! We've never stayed at POFQ but have always walked around over there during our stays for POR just to look around and eat lunch there. I agree that their food court isn't that amazing, especially compared to the values and even POR. Their pool isn't to exciting and the theme isn't my favorite. Especially the big Burger King looking mask in the food court *shudder*!

You mean this guy? Ha Ha that is so funny. We also went to lunch to check it out and my kids were like "no way am I staying there!" When I told them we were staying at Port Orleans this year, I had to totally reassure them that the Riverside one is a different one!

 

[DisneyWitch]

Wow...now I'm worried. I had heard such good stuff about this resort, and now there's this thread on how crappy it is. I hope it doesn't ruin our vacation.

We're about to take our 2nd trip to WDW in October - first time in a Moderate and all 13 nights at POFQ. Maybe I should change?

 

[dawgsgirl]

POFQ used to be my fav too!! However, the recent popularity of the resort has negatively affected many aspects of staying there. More people means transportation suffers. More people means more noise. The public areas like the pool are much more crowded. So sad to see this happening to POFQ.

 

[DJFan88]

Wow...now I'm worried. I had heard such good stuff about this resort, and now there's this thread on how crappy it is. I hope it doesn't ruin our vacation.

We're about to take our 2nd trip to WDW in October - first time in a Moderate and all 13 nights at POFQ. Maybe I should change?

I wouldn't jump the gun and freak out. For every negative opinion, you will hear a positive about any place.
But, that being said, we usu. do 8 nights at any given place, and I think if I had 13, I may do a 7/6 split and try 2 different mods. After 7 days you may welcome the change of scenery and try something different. Plus, it wont' be inconvenient with that much time on your hands. POR is right next door.

 

[*Fantasia*]

Wow...now I'm worried. I had heard such good stuff about this resort, and now there's this thread on how crappy it is. I hope it doesn't ruin our vacation.

We're about to take our 2nd trip to WDW in October - first time in a Moderate and all 13 nights at POFQ. Maybe I should change?

I personally wouldn't change.. Her experience may not be magical.. But your experience may be different. I have stayed there 3x and so far all 3 stays have been excellent. We didn't have any problem with the bus service. The bus didn't always shared with the other resort. It just went straight to the park. We didn't have any boat problem.. It was smooth sailing.. We never found the ground crowded.. and even during summer time. Maybe because most of them are already out and about. And we did some resort time. Enjoy your stay there..

 

[bigmochick]

I appreciate your review. I hope that when we go in late November/early December the crowds are low enough that the transportation isn't an issue. I guess we can always rent a car if the first couple of days don't go so great.