Nervous about POFQ

[lmnholds]

We have a 4 night trip booked for late Sept. We are staying at POFQ. Last Sept. we stayed at the Poly and LOVED it. I'm nervous that we are going to be dissappointed with a moderate. I've never stayed in a motel before and i don't know what to expect with the outside entry. My husband says we should upgrade but it's just so much more $ and since we just went last year i'm trying not to spend too much. My Dad is coming with us and he's a smoker who hates the heat and walking a lot so I'm also nervous that the POFQ will be inconvient for him. Am I being crazy??? Also when O booked this trip there were no stanerd rooms available at the WL what are the chances that 2 will open up?
TIA,
Lynn

 

[MEK]

Lots of people love this resort. I never stayed there, but I did stay at POR. Since I run everyday on vacation, I visited POFQ a lot. The last time I was there everything was under renovation. I could literally walk into an open room and explore every part of the resort. Everything is close and compact and walking is easy. The resort is attractive. Yes, it has outside entrances, but just think of it as a new experience. It certainly doesn't look like any "motel" I have ever stayed at. If you were going to pick a mod, but prefer deluxes, this is the right choice for you. Remember, there is also that nice boat ride to DTD. That was very enjoyable and a unique part of this property. The pictures of the room renovations on Allearsnet are really good. You should look at them. Relax, after all you will be at Disney. I hope you surprise yourself and love it.

____________________________________________________
Max is my favorite cat!

 

[cjsmom5]

POFQ is the smallest of the moderates. Everything is close within only 2-5 minute slow walk from the bus stop, food court, main lobby and pool. The outdoor corridors aren't that big of a deal to us. They are very clean and the atmosphere is quite quaint with the cobblestone streets and PO streetlights. Your dad if he is a smoker will be able to smoke in the courtyards outside the rooms or in his room if he gets a smoking room. You won't have a balcony but all the courtyards which many rooms face have benches so you can linger out there. There is a boat between FQ and Riverside as well as a lovely walk along the river. That being said, FQ does not have a sit down restaurant...you must go to Riverside to Boatwrights but both have food courts which offer a variety of foods -- cafeteria style.

The beds are only doubles and not queens which is different than the deluxes. We didn't notice a difference in the towels but some say there is ... we typically stay at POFQ and then move to AKL. The rooms are smaller than those at deluxes ... keep in mind that the Poly has some of the biggest rooms on property so these are no way close to that size. They were all just recently redone with new spreads, carpet, furniture and refrigerators in each room. The bathrooms are not completely separate from the rest of the room like the deluxes. Your toilet and shower are in one area with a door. In the other area are two pedestal sinks with a long clothes rack on one wall (no closests like in deluxes) with a shelf above the closet rail that follows the wall. There is now a curtain you can pull between the sinks and the bedroom area to allow for more privacy and to block out the lights.

Out of all the moderates we prefer the FQ since it is smaller and we enjoy the "clean" New Orleans theme. I dont' think it will be inconvenient for your dad but it is definitely different than the deluxes ... of course there is also a difference in price.

It is definitely not a motel. I would equate it to a 3 star property with a few extras.

 

[Kathy5]

Our first two Disney stays were at Deluxes. Then, our older, no longer stay-at-home daughter wanted to join us, and I knew we'd need two roomsfor the bathrooms annd the space. I didn't want to spend the money for two deluxes, and so we booked two rooms at the French Quarter. For the first day or two we were there I kept thinking nasty thoughts in my mind (the staff isn't as nice, the rooms aren't quite as clean, these outside doors aren't as safe), and then I got hold of myself. The pool was great, the French Quarter was nicely themed. The hotel area was small (no long walks) and quaint. We had a wonderful time. Not that things can't go wrong on a Disney trip, but I believe that many of the complaints that are posted are a state of mind. This was one of the nicest Disney trips we had. As for your dad and heat-September can still be hot at Disney. If HIS state of mind isn't good, your trip could be ruined. Best wishes.

 

[lmnholds]

Thanks everyone. I think i'm just being paranoid. As long as the rooms are clean(I am an extremely anal clean freak) it should be fine. When were the rooms rennovated??? As for my dad; he's cranky in general so I'm prepared for that. Hopefully he'll suck it up and enjoy his grandchildren!!!

 

[cjsmom5]

Grandchildren tend to bring the best out in grandparents. We travel every year with my parents and they absolutely love going with my son (and of course my husband and I). The rooms were rennovated about a year ago, I think. Not that long ago. Everything in them is completely new. As far as clean, some mousekeepers are better than others. Be sure to call housekeeping if you find something unacceptable. They will correct it. POFQ is really nice and very quaint. We like it.

 

[WDWBetsy]

We have a 4 night trip booked for late Sept. We are staying at POFQ. Last Sept. we stayed at the Poly and LOVED it. I'm nervous that we are going to be dissappointed with a moderate. I've never stayed in a motel before and i don't know what to expect with the outside entry. My husband says we should upgrade but it's just so much more $ and since we just went last year i'm trying not to spend too much. My Dad is coming with us and he's a smoker who hates the heat and walking a lot so I'm also nervous that the POFQ will be inconvient for him. Am I being crazy??? Also when O booked this trip there were no stanerd rooms available at the WL what are the chances that 2 will open up?
TIA,
Lynn

When we stayed at POR back in October 2003, my DH and I both thought the exterior corridors were like big porches. No, they don't have private balconies, but you can walk right outside your room and stand at the railing taking in the view. As for the motel fear, it's not like it's a scary rinky-dink motel near a truckstop.

I guess that could be a idea for a future themed resort though! The Haunted Truckstop Motel!

You'll be at Disney World, and the theming around you will more than make up for the lack of interior hallways. I'd much rather walk outside my room to see lush landscaping, fountains, and occasional ducks & bunnies then to have to walk down a boring hallway.

 

[Leota]

I'm a deluxe kinda gal who fell in love with a moderate (CSR) especially when the bill for 5 nights at CSR was equal to less than 2 nights deluxe conc. with a great AP rate!
The moderate I stayed at was not remotely Motel feeling. I have visited POFQ before they removed the restaurant Bonfamilies. It was a beautiful resort & I'm really looking forward to my stay there, even tho I will miss my favorite Dolphin (took advantage of free dining)
I doubt you will be disappointed unless you look for the bad & it doesn't sound to me like that's what you are planning to do.

 

[magicmouse2]

We loved POFQ, and we stayed there after we stayed at the GF SL concierge. The room interiors are very nice and quite upscale I have lots of photos. We requested a water view and stood at the railings wtching the river boats go by.

 

[sanibelover]

Let me say I did not love POFQ, BUT for the money (In Disney terms....)it is quite nice. Walking should not be a problem as it is a small place. Also, there is not much going on there so it should be quiet. Traveling with children, you probably aren't looking for much in the way of nightlife, but if you are used to the hustle and bustle of the Poly, this will be different. The pool was fine - the children there seemed to enjoy the water slide.

We did enjoy breakfast at Boatwrights at POR, but dinner was kind of OK. We were close to the bus and never saw much of a line - we always drove - much more convenient. I would stay here again with kids, but not if I were alone with hubby. I would want something (anything) to do in the evenings.
I think you will find that POFQ will be fine for your vacation - our room was very clean and new looking - recent renovation - mousekeeping was excellent - never saw them really, but all items restocked, etc. every day by noon. The fridge in the room was nice. We couldn't hear our neighbors or the toilets through the walls. The grounds are lovely. Have a good trip.

 

[Kaitysmom]

I love POFQ - it is one of the prettiest resorts IMO, both the rooms and outside atmosphere. We never heard any noise at all from other rooms - so quiet - even on the ground floor level and this was over the Fourth of July weekend and the resort was packed. I too prefer to stay deluxe, but we didn't consider it a step down at all when we visited last month. I wouldn't hesitate to stay there again.

 

[Drizzo67]

As a person who spent every trip to WDW as a child at CR I was delighted with POFQ. I loved the quaintness of the resort. There is plenty of shade if you chose to relax that way and since it is small there was never a long walk to anywhere.

That being said we would have enjoyed having a sit down restaurant but I going to POR by boat was nice too. (to go to Boatwrights)

 

[chyam]

I love POFQ - it is one of the prettiest resorts IMO, both the rooms and outside atmosphere. We never heard any noise at all from other rooms - so quiet - even on the ground floor level and this was over the Fourth of July weekend and the resort was packed. I too prefer to stay deluxe, but we didn't consider it a step down at all when we visited last month. I wouldn't hesitate to stay there again.

I agree with you 100% and this is from someone who has stayed no where else but the WL the last 10 years! This past April I could not get a room at the WL so booked POFQ with the thought that something will open up at the WL, I was still calling 2 days before leaving so I was "stuck" with POFQ. I absolutely loved it, it has a great walking/jogging trail ( I do 6 miles everyday, regardless of vacation or not) the food court has a lot of choices, actually I think alot more than Roaring Forks at the WL and you can always walk to Riverside to use their food court too, or take the boat to DD to dine.The grounds are beautiful and the rooms are all "new" , it is quiet and tranquil, the outside hallways did not bother me at all I am a single woman usually travelling alone and never have I felt unsafe anywhere at Disney. Will I return to the WL? probably since it reminds me very much of my last home up north (woodsy) and I get tired of the FL decor. But right now I am booked in Oct. for POFQ for a week, I can't complain about anything I found there. One day I did have a mousekeeping problem but called and it was taken care of immediately. There are issues in every resort, and sometimes you just cannot possibly make everyone happy. As posted before your dad will have beautiful areas to have a cigarette , the courtyards are very pretty and well lit in the evenings. Quit stressing and have a wonderful time.

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

Our first Disney on site vacation was at POFQ and we have since stayed at the Poly. As much as I loved the Poly I would have no problems going back to POFQ. It was very quiet, small and easy to get around, easy walking distance to PORS, and while you lose the volcano pool slide we still enjoyed POFQ pool. What I would miss is the transportation options. The monorail was great as well as the boat if you were not in a hurry to get from point A to point B. I would say try it; I don't think you'll regret it.

 

[Leota]

Magicmouse - Thanx for the pictures! They are wonderful & making me very excited about my upcoming POFQ stay!

 

[kgkmom]

Have to agree here. We stayed at POFQ a few years ago, and loved it. It was quiet, peaceful, my DD love the slide at the pool, and we had the bonus of the wildlife right outside our door (birds and bunnies). We had a river view, which was lovely. The boat ride to DTD was wonderful, and the walk from the bus queue to the rooms was very short.

POFQ is the smallest resort, and it never seemed crowded. It also seemed to have an older crowd, I think because there isn't as much extra stuff to do for kids or teens, other than the pool with the dragon slide. We liked the food court very much, and didn't really care that there wasn't a sit-down restaurant onsite.

If you like lots of hustle and bustle, and thrive on the energy of little kiddlies running around, this will not be the place for you.

I would certainly go back. It's lovely.

 

[dimimi]

We stayed at the Poly for our first trip to Disney and loved. The second trip was last minute and at POFQ. We were afraid we would be disappointed and we were NOT! We loved POFQ, the grounds are very pretty and the food court was very convenient!

 

[wld]

As someone who stayed at the Poly lately and wasn't that thrilled with it, I have to say we loved POFQ. The only thing we thought Poly had over it was Kona Kafe and Ohana.