POR OR POFQ

[casjen]

POFQ definitely. We love to stay here. It is small, well themed, and the buses are fabulous. In a week we'll share a bus with POR once at the most. The POR food court and amenities are a quick 10 minute walk or peacefully boat ride away. The food court at POFQ is small but I love that about it. Anything at POFQ is only a 5 minute walk and at night after a long day of walking it is nice to be in your room so quickly. It is our second home when we go to the world.

 

[buzznina]

These are our favorite Mod resorts, as a matter of fact, our last 4 trips have been split 2 and 2 between them, and POFQ has now edged in front of POR. With DDs agreeing with DW in picking POFQ slightly over POR as their favorite. BTW; no way would I pick a resort based on their mattress. We have been in 2 different rooms at the same resort and the mattress's felt different, heck, we had rooms with 2 queens and they felt totally different as well.

 

[SwanVT2]

These are our favorite Mod resorts, as a matter of fact, our last 4 trips have been split 2 and 2 between them, and POFQ has now edged in front of POR. With DDs agreeing with DW in picking POFQ slightly over POR as their favorite. BTW; no way would I pick a resort based on their mattress. We have been in 2 different rooms at the same resort and the mattress's felt different, heck, we had rooms with 2 queens and they felt totally different as well.

Thank you for the reassurance. Yeah, we will stick with POFQ. I can't think of any hotel I've been at where the mattresses were so bad I couldn't sleep.

 

[callmecal]

French Quarter is the best of the moderates. It's quiet and compact, yet with the ability to use all the amenities afforded to POR. It's single bus stop is much preferred to the POR's 4 stops and during high season, the French Quarter will not stop at POR to pick up passengers. The only drawback at POFQ is the lack of a table service restaurant.

 

[DizDaD7]

French Quarter is the best of the moderates. It's quiet and compact, yet with the ability to use all the amenities afforded to POR. It's single bus stop is much preferred to the POR's 4 stops and during high season, the French Quarter will not stop at POR to pick up passengers. The only drawback at POFQ is the lack of a table service restaurant.

And also a Nice lounge w/ YeeHaw Bob's, & an adult themed pool..POFQ is more geared to the kiddish side....Also much more shade at POR too.

Just my $.02

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

Have only stayed at POFQ and LOVE it! While POR is pretty, it's the bus situation and size of the two resorts that makes me stay at POFQ. POFQ has one bus--get on and go directly to the parks! POR has 4 stops--you have to make the rounds coming and going. Yes, they will very occasionally share buses. That's how I know what it's like to make the rounds at POR and don't want to do it every single time!!!! Once or twice doing that was enough for me. And as others have said, there's not a bad room location in all of POFQ. No matter where you are, you're a quick walk to transportation, food court, pool, gift shop, etc. Love how handy it is when I just want to refill my mug at the food court without traipsing all over the place.

 

[DG24]

I have been to both and I prefer POR. Mom sister prefers POFQ. Now that we are older and away from home mom sometimes takes us on seperate vacations. She will take me to,POR or my sister to POFQ. She explains it this way. I like excitement, there is more excitement at POR, more people, bigger pools, horse carriages, lounge heehaw Bob. My sister likes quient, quiet. My mom says she feels relaxed and rested after her stay at POFQ. She feels energized and ready to go back to work after a stay at POR. She says size of bed, mattresses and buses are even, really no problem. So I ask which she prefers, she says she prefers them both, because when she wants and upbeat, energizing vacation she calls me and we go to POR. When she needs some down time to relax and refocus she calls my sister and goes to POFQ. When she wants a family vacation including my dad, she goes to BC.

 

[andrewilley]

On the mattress front, there are three different brands in use at Port Orleans at the moment (because vendors get switched regularly, based on where the best deals are, I assume). There's no way to predict which you'll get though, and some rooms may even contain two different types.

Andre

 

[Disnsyncey]

POFQ, the size, you don't have to trek across the world if you get an outlying room, and beignets! If you need the largeness, go right ahead to POR.....but I always seem to be SO FAR away from anything when I book any other mod! Even on a close room at POR we seemed so far away....

 

[LuvDaisy&Minnie]

We have stayed at both. I prefer the one bus stop at POFQ. Other than that, Riverside wins out for me. To me, POFQ feels like just a regular hotel and Riverside more like a resort. The food options (counter and table) were better at riverside too. I dont love the theming at French Quarter, perhaps because I live close to New Orleans and have been there many times...so maybe i'm comparing it to the real deal too much. Preferred room at riverside is my vote. However, you would have a great time at either.

 

[IsThatYouTigger]

I feel like the decision between POFQ and POR is such a tough one! As others have posted, each has it's pro's and con's. My husband prefers POFQ because it is more compact, only has 1 bus stop (and even if you do share with POR you are picked up and dropped off first), and we enjoy the bar inside (Scat Cat's). Both pool bars are great...I do like the ambiance of POR's main pool area better. If I had to choose between the two I would go with POR but I honestly think that the fact that we were engaged in the gazebo outside of Magnolia Terrace during a carriage ride is what puts POR above POFQ for me. The GREAT thing about these resorts is that you can easily go back and forth between the two, either by boat or a nice walk. I don't think you can go wrong with either!

 

[wdw71]

I have stayed at both, POR first (2008) then POFQ. POFQ (2013) would be my pick over POR. When staying at POR I loved it but after staying at POFQ I just loved it a little more.
At POR we were in building 85 which was (as far as mansions go) convenient to the main pool and food court but even at that it always felt like a pretty long walk (and no- I'm not lazy) probably 7-8 minutes give or take a minute. If we forgot something either in our room or at the main building, Argh another 15-20 minute round trip. While we were staying at POR we laughed the entire 7 days about how we could never easily get to our room. The mansion buildings are pretty large, and it never felt like we could get a route down pat. I know it is probably just us but we could never remember if we should turn right or left at the next corner. The building felt like a maze.
We usually got on the bus at the depot outside our building and it was the last stop on the POR bus route. The wait for the bus felt long at times, with 4 stops we were always the last picked up and always the last dropped off. At the time I don't think I thought much of that but with the hindsight of having since stayed at POP , WL and POFQ I'm sort of spoiled by the one bus stop resort. We never shared a bus with POFQ for our stay. The grounds at POR are very very pretty and the food court is good. We never ate at Boatwrights.
At POFQ we were in building 2 opposite side from the pool. It took less than a minute to walk to the pool and probably under 2 minutes to get to the food court and bus depot. I walked the entire resort and even the farthest river view rooms are probably within a 3 minute walk of the main building. As some others have stated, I didn't find the POFQ beds uncomfortable. The bus service was great here, and we never shared buses with POR. I like the look and feel of the grounds and was fine with the food court overall (even the creepy masks on the ceiling).
I wouldn't tell someone not to stay at either because they are both very nice. I just prefer the small compactness of POFQ.

 

[MagentaMulan]

I really love POFQ because of the size and quietness. I never stayed at POR or visited but from the photos I've seen, it's too big. There are 4 bus stops - FQ only has 1 stop. If the buses are shared, FQ is usually the first to be picked up and dropped off.

Food: I liked the beigents and didn't have a problem with the food options at FQ, but you can always walk to POR and eat the food court there or Boatwright's.

 

[andrewilley]

There are 4 bus stops - FQ only has 1 stop. If the buses are shared, FQ is usually the first to be picked up and dropped off.

The shared bus services don't always work that way. I've recently updated the routing information in http://www.portorleans.org/buses.php#Routes with information I received from the resort, in case that helps.

Andre

 

[ZoZo]

Although I like both, I prefer Riverside. It has a much better food court and is so much prettier. Liked the quiet pools with their own laundry. One drawback at Riverside, though, was the long hike back to our room at the end of the day - the bus stop seemed really far from our room.

Didn't like the food court at FQ - very limited menu. But I did like the "compactness" of FQ - much easier to get places quickly. Liked being able to run next door for a quick refill of soda - at Riverside it much more of a hike. And the bus stop was so close!

So each has its own merits and drawbacks - for me, Riverside was better.

 

[nkereina]

Riverside. While it's easy and quick to navigate the small grounds at POFQ, we found it felt busier and more crowded than POR. POFQ had a true city feel, which might be intentional with the French Quarter theme. We also found the food court to be small and lacking, and their one bus stop was always crowded. POR also has the best food court on property, IMO.