My 50th Birthday Planning - POR or FQ?

[iankh]

This August comes the big 50 for me. For a while there was much deliberating as just how to celebrate this, a party, a dinner?

After much consideration, I have decided to throw myself a birthday party in WDW. The deal is, friends join us down there for a vacation, and I throw a dinner party on my birthday.

I have invited my friends to join myself and my other half in Disney World (we have been going down there about every other year for 20 years).

I have about 10 friends who have decided to come and now the process of booking is underway.

We like to stay at Wilderness Lodge, but to as a compromise and to make it a bit more affordable for everyone, have opted for a moderate resort.

I have narrowed it down to Port Orleans (I have stayed at the Carribean before and did not care for it).

The big question is do we choose Riverside or French Quarter. These will be all adults, no kids.

What are your suggestions or thoughts?? I appreciate your advice.

(Note: I also have to plan the birthday party/dinner, but have posted that under restaurants as I think it's probably more appropriate to that thread)

 

[RachelTori]

What a GREAT place to spend your 50th birthday!!

I didn't care for CBR either - way too spread out and the theming is not to my liking! Adults only, I would say POFQ - smaller, quieter; seems to attract lots of "adults w/out kids". POR is huge. I think your group would be happy at either resort, but my 1st choice would be French Qtr. Have fun!

 

[n2mm]

ME TOO, ME TOO!!! I don't have any real advice for you, but had to post that I am doing the exact, almost exact, same thing. My birthday is EXACTLY 2 months after DL, so will be there in September to celebrate.....Aren't we lucky that the theme parks are all throwing US a party. If you're like me, I plan to buys lots of merchandise celebrating 50 years!

We have only invited our family and I presently have 2 rooms reserved at the CR. I plan to offer a scholarship to a few financially strapped kids that we want to be there. I think part of our family will be staying at Pop. Since hubby is a CM, I had to book my rooms early to get the standard rooms at the CR at the discounted rate. Plan to book some other rooms for family and friends, but decide later who'll use them. It's easier to cancel than to book last minute.

Don't have a clue what we're doing in terms of plans yet, just trying to take care of the logistics right now.

Have fun planning!

BTW, I would go with both or either of PO. Dixie Landing is still my favorite moderate, but the convenience of a sit down restraurant wins my vote every time.

 

[sue1013]

Since you are adults only I would say POR. POR has quiet pools, POFQ does not. We travel without kids at times and love the quiet pools. Also POR has the sitdown restaurant and a food court. POFQ is smaller but I'd rather walk an extra 2 minutes and be able to enjoy the pool and sit down restaurant. I've seen people post of walking 10-15 minutes to the food court at POR. We've stayed there many times, we've been in one of the farthest buidling in AB and no way was the walk more than 5 min.

 

[bjakmom]

Can't help with your resort question, but wanted to wish you a great birthday celebration - I did the same thing last January - took the whole family (including my then-new 5 mos old GrD!) - we stayed BWV 2 br b'walk view from Sat- Fri, then moved over to HRH for long MLK weekend. Friends and family came and went during the week, making it even more special - some of the highlights for me were our 'immediate family' (just DH and the kids and GrD) dinner at O'Hana's with a table right next to the window and a perfect view of Wishes as dessert was served, breakfast at Chef Mickey's on the morning of my birthday, and dinner with 17 of my family and dearest friends at Mama Della's that evening. Be sure to get and wear your birthday button - it was fun that CMs and guests alike were calling out "Happy Birthday" all day long - and I was called to the phone in front of Little Mermaid to receive a b'day call from Goofy - it also didn't hurt to have really handsome young CM's calling me "Princess" (I'll take it anywhere I can!) - I hope your birthday celebration is fun and full of magic - just being with all of your friends is a great start !!