Port Orleans experts - Riverside or French Quarter??

[briannesmom]

We have finally narrowed down our resort choices to Port Orleans. Now we need to decide on Riverside or French Quarter. Our group will be me, DH and DD 2 1/2. Tells us your pro and cons and help us decide. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks!

Amy

 

[mjh8955]

We stayed at Port Orleans French Quarter last October. We chose it over Riverside because it is smaller and not as spread out. We could get to our car easily, we especially liked how close the boat dock was and getting to Downtown Disney was a breeze. Our kids, 8 and 13, liked the pool and we were able to get a room just where we wanted; first floor, near the pool. Loved the theming, loved the music. We ventured over to Riverside to check it out too, the resort is very nice but quite spread out. We had stayed onsite at the Beach Club twice before and one night at the Poly. We were all kind of surprised at how small the rooms were. Have fun whichever you choose!

 

[KYmommy]

My family (myself, DH, DS 5) stayed at FQ in June for the first time and I dont think we will stay anywhere else. We loved the resort. It was small, beauitful, quiet. We got all of our requests and the bus service was good too. We asked for building 5 and were close to the river, pool and just a very short walk to the bus.
The bus usually picked us up first and dropped us off first. In the evening after a long day in the park there was usually a bus for each resort.
Riverside looked nice, just very big. We have never stayed there, but we LOVED FQ.
And our DS loved the pool. It has a very cool slide and I dont think Riverside has one.
Someone wrote a very good report about their experience about FQ a couple of days ago on this thread. If you look through here, I'm sure you can find it. It would be worth your search.
Have fun.
Kris

 

[Tiffany]

We have finally narrowed down our resort choices to Port Orleans. Now we need to decide on Riverside or French Quarter. Our group will be me, DH and DD 2 1/2. Tells us your pro and cons and help us decide. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks!

Amy

Where it is just the three of you I would go with POFQ. It is the smallest of the moderates and therefore not as spread out. It is also the first stop on the bus loop with POR. go with POFQ and enjoy.

 

[*Fantasia*]

I chose POFQ too! For the same reason that was already mentioned. It is a very pretty quaint resort. It is a fun, relaxing and romantic resort. Which ever you choose.. enjoy!!

 

[Disneyfan63]

Hi,

The places at which I stayed and will stay (God willing) are in my signature. Here are some of my pros and cons of Port Orleans French Quarter.

PROS:
1. At 1,008 rooms in seven three-story buildings in the southern part of the Port Orleans resort, it is the smallest and most compact of the moderates. No room is more than a ten-minute walk to the main check-in building, laundry, pool or hot tub.
2. Beignets in the Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory food court.
3. The guestrooms were renovated from the second half of 2003 to the first quarter of 2004. The beds are considered to be among the most comfortable in Disney.
4. Nightly carriage rides make this among the most romantic Disney resorts. The themeing of an idealized New Orleans French Quarter is very authentic.
5. Doubloon Lagoon, the main pool with its serpent slide, is great for kids. Guests at either French Quarter or Riverside can swim in any of the complex's seven pools.
6. Port Orleans Riverside--and Boatwright's Dining Hall, IMHO one of the best sit-down restaurants (at least for breakfast) on property--is a scenic 10-15-minute walk along the Sassagoula River. The path is located behind the main pool.
7. The boat ride to Downtown Disney Marketplace, which drops passengers at the dock in front of Ghirardelli's Chocolate Shoppe, is a twenty-minute ride which passes the old Disney Institute and its now-vacant treehouses.
8. The music from the check-in building, at times other than Christmas, is some of the best jazz music ever.
9. French Quarter is the first bus pickup in the resort.
10. If any moderate has the feel of a deluxe, French Quarter does.

CONS:
1. A food court, not a sit-down restaurant. I would like to have tried the late, lamented Bonfamilles.
2. Guests staying in first-floor rooms have little privacy, and the other floors have wrought-iron railings, not balconies.

My $.02.

Jim

 

[disgram]

the FQ is my personal favorite...small and intimate...not a long walk to anything you would want to go to...the food court, while not the best I have ever eaten in, it has one thing that the others don't....BEIGNETS!!!!!!!!!

 

[tlynk]

the FQ is my personal favorite...small and intimate...not a long walk to anything you would want to go to...the food court, while not the best I have ever eaten in, it has one thing that the others don't....BEIGNETS!!!!!!!!!

I feel silly to ask, but what is a Beignet? Sounds interesting.

 

[Kelmag]

Being a long time Dixie Landing's fan (still not used to calling it Riverside!) I have to vote for POR. The food court is so much nicer and the grounds are beautiful. Plus, if you prefer the FQ pool, it's not that far of a walk - depending on which building you are staying at. But I think the POR's pools are great, especially the 'quiet' ones.

 

[Tinkaroo]

I feel silly to ask, but what is a Beignet? Sounds interesting.

A Beignet is a pastry specific to New Orleans - it is like a puffed doughnut, covered in powder sugar. Very tasty!

 

[minnie56]

French Quarter without a doubt!!

LOVE IT much more than Riverside..

 

[briannesmom]

Thanks for all the replies. I told DH I will decide tonight.

Thanks!

Amy

 

[J Lynn]

Port Orleans.........I'm concidering it, but I was wondering if they overdo the Mardi Gras theme a bit? We're going during Mardi Gras week next year to get away from it and I don't want to be in my room and look out the window just to see a parade going by . However the atmosphere and the beignets will feel like home away from home

 

[dawgfan]

j lynn don't worry they do not overdo it. I worried about the theme before I went but had a great time. This is our favorite place now.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

POFQ all the way....in our opinions, it would be silly to stay at POR...no flames, please...just how we feel...

Pros of POFQ

1. Very, very small resort
2. Exceptionally quiet, relaxing, and romantic resort
3. Offers a comfortable environment for couples, but also those with children
4. Grounds are outstanding
5. Rooms are clean, comfortable, and newly refurbished
6. Food court is wonderful and convient
7. Soft, pleasing jazz music is pumped throughout the resort, but not so loud you hear it from your room or conversation is limited
8. Beignets, beignets, beignets! )
9. Wonderful gift shop
10. Lovely sassagoula river flows along the edge of the resort...you can take a boat to Downtown Disney from here as well as participate in fishing excursions if you sign up through Disney recreation
11. Doubloon Lagoon Pool...has a serpent and King Triton from The Little Mermaid sitting on top of him...this is the pool's large water slide...the pool is in a swirvy shape and very nice
12. Scat Cat's Club...a lounge with regular jazz performers
13. Nice arcade for recreation
14. Pizza delivery until 12 midnight; bakery open until midnight
15. Pool bar open until dusk
16. Horse Drawn Carriage rides
17. In walking distance of POR so you can walk or take transportation there to use their restaurant or bike rentals
18. Caring staff
19. Excellent mousekeeping service
20. Comfortable beds with fresh sheets

And perhaps one of the *BEST* reasons to stay at POFQ....

21. YOU GET PICKED UP BY THE BUS FIRST!!!!!!! This alone is worth its weight in gold. POR and POFQ share transportation except for late nights at Magic Kingdom. POFQ guests will be picked up first and then driven about two minutes to POR to pick up more. If you stay at POR, you may not always get a seat...something of concern for a person with a little one. You also get DROPPED OFF FIRST! So, after a long day at the parks, you get dropped off and then POR guests go on their merry way. We have vowed never to stay at POR because of this transportation issue alone.

Good luck!

 

[J Lynn]

NikkiBell, thanks for the tip about the buses. I don't want any hassles when it comes to transportation. I thought the POR might be more serene than POFQ. But the bus alone will help make my decision.

 

[*Fantasia*]

Thanks Jim for putting the pros and cons! You must try beignets! It is sooo good! I even brought some home! But of course, it didn't last.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

NikkiBell, thanks for the tip about the buses. I don't want any hassles when it comes to transportation. I thought the POR might be more serene than POFQ. But the bus alone will help make my decision.

Not a problem! I really would suggest POFQ because of this issue, plus it is just so incredibly relaxing of a resort. You will have a grand time here!

 

[WDW LifeLong Fan]

I chose POFQ too! For the same reason that was already mentioned. It is a very pretty quaint resort. It is a fun, relaxing and romantic resort. Which ever you choose.. enjoy!!

 

[Lizzybee]

Well I have only stayed at POR but I did visit POFQ while we were there. I preferred the atmosphere of POR over POFQ, to me POFQ looked more 'hotel' like while POR felt like good ole fashioned laid back southern charm. Also, Boatwrights at POR's is fabulous for breakfast. I guess you really have to decide if you like a more Mardi Gras theme in a compact resort or a Tom Sawyer like feel in a more spread out resort. While it is spread out we never walked more than 5 mins to anywhere. It's also a beautiful pleasant walk among lush landscaped shady trails. As far as "you can't go wrong features" that both resorts share are the boats to DTD and the legal pool hopping between the two doubles your "main theme pool" options.