PO riverside vs French Quater

[dianemb]

We had planned on staying at the POR for our trip in DEcember but we couldn't get it trough AAA. She has offered us French Quarter. Does anybody have any info on this one? My husband originally wanted to stay here but I wanted riverside, so I had my heart set on that. Any info would be great, like best rooms, and walking distances. I see they both use the same resturaunts. What about the bus service.

Thanks!!!!!!

 

[londonpenguin]

Dianemb:

I was about to ask pretty much the same question: POR v. POFQ. Out of curiosity, why did you have your heart set on Riverside, and why did your husband think FQ would be better? I don't know enough about either side of the resort to make a decision yet.

 

[kathylovesdisneyworl]

Although I like both hotels, we prefer to stay at FQ whenever we can. I like the fact that it is smaller. If we want to eat at a sitdown resturant at the hotel we just walk over to RS. It only takes about 10 min. if that. Since they share buses the service is the same, except that they seem to pick up FQ first and drop off first. The food court at FQ is smaller than RO, so if you plan on eating alot of times there that could be a problem. Overall we liked Riverside alot just a little far for us to walk whenever we needed to go somewhere.

 

[DisneyElf]

I stayed at the French Quarter from 8/27/04 to 9/7/04 (the extension was due to Hurricane Frances).

First -- I would take the reservation at FQ - for a couple of reasons.

1. Walking distance -- FQ is by far the smallest moderate resort that Disney has. No matter what building you are in the farthest walk to the main building is under 3- 4 mins.

2. Both sections of Port Orleans have food courts, only Riverside has sit down dinner.
3. You can catch the water taxi to DTD from both.
4. At Riverside - you will walk anywhere from 8 to 15 mins. to get to the main building.
5. The pool at FQ is a little smaller - but fun - with a hot tub out front and a children's wading pool.
6. If you want to go to the Riverside themed water park - you can - about a 6 min. walk to it - there is a path beside the river to it.

Definitely would stay there again!

 

[Christy]

We stayed at the WL on our last trip, and although we LOVED the WL, we'll probably end up staying at POFQ to save money on our next trip.

 

[Bama mom to 3]

We had planned on staying at the POR for our trip in DEcember but we couldn't get it trough AAA. She has offered us French Quarter. Does anybody have any info on this one? My husband originally wanted to stay here but I wanted riverside, so I had my heart set on that. Any info would be great, like best rooms, and walking distances. I see they both use the same resturaunts. What about the bus service.

Thanks!!!!!!

Okay, this may be a dumb question but why couldn't you get it through AAA? We want to stay at POR when we go next year and we are AAA members so Im just curious.

 

[liquidsky88]

We stayed at the FQ for NYE. We enjoyed it because it was the smaller of the two resorts. We we're 2 minutes from walking to the pool, food court and boat shuttles. It was great. Plus I prefer the FQ theme over Riverside.

 

[KS Jeff]

We've stayed at both and prefer POFQ mainly because of the size of the resort vs. the other moderates. It just feels less crowded.

If we're staying elsewhere we always make it a point to visit the food court once or twice. There's nothing like fresh beignets to start your day.

 

[yecats]

FQ v. RS. Both are great resorts in their own way and both have the Southern feel to them. FQ is the smallest, most compact of all the moderate resorts and as you can tell by the above responses a lot of people perfer the smallness of it, especially after a day walking the parks. It is very easy to walk from your room to the bus stop (which is picked up first before heading to RS to pickup), boat to DTD, food court and pool. FQ also has a very romantic feeling about it as well.

RS - yes, I do perfer this resort over FQ. Maybe its because I live in N.O. and see the FQ everyday. I love to stay in the mansions but think that the bayou homes are very cute as well. I find the mansions to be centrally located with at most a 5 minute walk to the main area/bus stop out front. In my opinion, I love the pool and slide at RS a lot better than the one at FQ. Boatwrights dining hall has very good breakfast (try the french toast - it's huge) and can have waits so you may want to make ressie's. The foodcourt is relatively about the same as the FQ but RS has a few more options. I love the gardens at RS, roses all year long. This part of the resort is certainly larger than FQ but you don't have to walk a far distance everyday unless you really want to walk. There is also Bob Jackson's show which plays the Riverroost lounge toward the weekend and it is a must see and tons of fun. The same boat picks up hear as it does at FQ and brings you to DTD. The walk between the two resorts is maybe 10 minutes. Should you decide to stay at FQ you can take the bus to RS and get off to visit. You can also use the main and quiet pools at RS if your staying at FQ.

Either way you can't go wrong.

 

[pumpkinfish]

Just got back from FQ! It was our first stay here, and we LOVE it! DH and I took a stroll over to POR a couple of times, and DH told me he wanted to stay there next time. That was until he and I visited POR foodcourt one evening after our stroll. We had worked up an appetite and decided to go ahead and stop in there for a bite. Wow. It was PACKED! I think it was around 7 pm or so. I had sat down, and it took DH almost 25 mins to get to me because they had sold out of several menu items he wanted. Maybe this doesn't happen often, but that was the determining factor to keep us at FQ.
Also, I love how close everything is to most of the buildings: food court (never more than a 10 minute wait), the bus stop, the pool, and parking. Like I said, we both love FQ!

 

[Lizzybee]

We have only stayed at POR so I don't know a whole lot about POFQ, we just walked over there on Easter to meet Minnie (special holiday thing, she's not there all the time ) and to swim. It looked smaller than POR but it also looked more hotel-ish to me. We love everything about POR, especially breakfast (blueprint omlettes and sweet potato pancakes were amazing) at Boatwrights. We loved taking the boat to DTD and seeing Bob Jackson the piano man...fun for the whole family. My daughter got her hair wrapped there and my kids both got characitures (sp?) there. We love the laid back Tom Sawyer feel of the resort. We liked both pools eqaully. I guess really you can't go wrong staying at either because you really stay at both. They are close enough either by boat or to walk (or if you are at POFQ, you can probably catch a bus to POR since the busses stop at POFQs stop first, just ask the driver - can't get back the same way though so you walk or catch a bus back).

 

[Laura's Dad]

We have stayed at both and like the French Quarter more. The size and decor are awesome. It feels like a deluxe at moderate prices. The bus stop at PO-FQ is picked up before it goes to PO-R and, if the bus fills up, by-passes Riverside all together. The French Quarter does not have as it down restaurant, but it is a short, scenic walk to Boatwright's if that is important to you. Which ever one you pick, don't miss Bob Jackson's show at the River Roost lounge at Dixie Landings (oops, PO-Riverside). Check out the photos of the rooms and see what you prefer. Either way, you can't go wrong.

 

[keys2kingdom]

Okay, this may be a dumb question but why couldn't you get it through AAA? We want to stay at POR when we go next year and we are AAA members so Im just curious.

I believe the OP means that they were unable to get the AAA discount at POR, probably just sold out for their time frame.

 

[dejavu]

I have just booked POR for DD & myself end of July. I was under the impression that they have remodeled all the rooms at this resort. I haven't been there since it was Dixie Landings does anyone have any info on this? Anything else I should know regarding any changes that have been made since the conversion?

 

[Bama mom to 3]

I believe the OP means that they were unable to get the AAA discount at POR, probably just sold out for their time frame.

Ahh, okay. thanks so much

 

[Lizzybee]

POR looked to be completely renovated when we were there over Spring Break. Part of the renovations included a hair dryer, fridge, and a coffee pot and the coffee fixin's. Everything was fresh and beautiful but had the same good ole country charm

 

[Loves2Travel]

How bout the room decor? Which resort has the best?

 

[Madi100]

I am so torn with this same decision. I've always wanted to stay at POR. Way back when it would have been my dream resort. I love the mansions and the decor. However, we decided on French Quarter because of what everyone has said here. It seems really nice and smaller. We will have two young children with us (4 and 8), and we don't want to make them walk a lot. And, in my mind when I picture my vacation at POR there is not a 4 and 8 year old with me That might be for an adults only trip.

 

[dianemb]

Spoke to my agent and she wasn't sure why there were no rooms with AAA except that we wanted two beds and they only had kings left.

 

[KarenAylwood]

I've stayed at POR about five times and have visited the FQ. I don't really like the smallness of it nor do I like the themeing. And I HATE the food court there. We've eaten there before and I didn't like food options nor did I like the decor. The food court decor made me feel... very ADD. (That's the only way I could think to describe it). I felt stressed out by the HUGE mardigras joker heads and whatnot.

I LOVE POR