Port Orleans French Quarter FAQ thread - Refurbished for 2011 - Now CLOSED

[pwdebbie]

We'll probably arrive early enough to spend the day at Epcot, so I'd love to hear about positive bus experiences!

Gee, just one night? Seems like you have an ambitious plan for just a one-night stay! As for buses, you will read a variety of reports about them. I suggest getting to the bus early in the morning (will you be there that early?) so you are on one of the first buses to the park and can be at Epcot for rope drop. Our personal experience has been that these early buses are not crowded nor do they make the POR loop. But we haven't been at a peak time either. We never experience crowding when we return to the resort after lunch and head back out in the late afternoon. However, the return buses at night were full. If you don't want to stand, wait for another bus (we choose to wait as dh has balance issues and I'm too short to reach the bar above).

 

[Sydnerella]

It's sometimes hard to convey to new visitors just how compact and easily navigated French Quarter really is. To be honest, no room is more than a few minutes walk to the main areas.

This is not true of Riverside, which is much larger, but sometimes I find it a little amusing when I see people agonising over the perfect building to choose. Unless you have a specific medical or practical need, there aren't really any bad locations - even most of the dreaded 'parking lot' views really aren't bad, such as these in building 1:

Andre

I was wondering if there are only specific buildings and floors that offer connecting rooms or is they are on each building and each floor... I would love a ground floor room in building 4 facing the courtyard (gardenview ressie) but my first priority is to connect with Grandpa and Grandma. So, where are connecting rooms at POFQ?

Thanks,
Sydnerella's Mama

 

[Missytara]

I was wondering if there are only specific buildings and floors that offer connecting rooms or is they are on each building and each floor... I would love a ground floor room in building 4 facing the courtyard (gardenview ressie) but my first priority is to connect with Grandpa and Grandma. So, where are connecting rooms at POFQ?

Thanks,
Sydnerella's Mama

Connecting rooms are scattered throughout all of the resorts, including POFQ.

If connecting rooms is the most important, I wouldn't make any other requests. It is hard to get connecting rooms. Make sure your reservations are "linked."

 

[pixarmom]

Gee, just one night? Seems like you have an ambitious plan for just a one-night stay! As for buses, you will read a variety of reports about them. I suggest getting to the bus early in the morning (will you be there that early?) so you are on one of the first buses to the park and can be at Epcot for rope drop. Our personal experience has been that these early buses are not crowded nor do they make the POR loop. But we haven't been at a peak time either. We never experience crowding when we return to the resort after lunch and head back out in the late afternoon. However, the return buses at night were full. If you don't want to stand, wait for another bus (we choose to wait as dh has balance issues and I'm too short to reach the bar above).

Thanks so much for your response! We frequently get an early start with our drive from the beach, whether we're staying at WDW for a week or doing our one-night "on the way to the airport" routine. Our APs expired earlier this year, so we've enjoyed a lot of park time over the past couple of years and I'm envisioning this as a relaxing day at Epcot. We'll see!

I'm hoping we're out at the bus stop by 8:30am or so for a 9am rope drop. Good to know that's one of the better times of day! And we'll be prepared for the bus ride back - thanks for the tip and the assessment. My husband suggested a cab back from BC to POFQ as another alternative - does anyone know the cost?

Also, hello chimo2u! We were at BC CL at the same time in February! If you're still around this thread, just wanted to mention something about your post way back on this thread. We haven't stayed in a moderate for years, but I've switched from deluxe to value to moderate to deluxe, etc. Because of the size of our family, it's been deluxe for several years, and we do rotate between CL and non-CL. For example, in 2011, we did CL at BWI and at BC twice, but we did non-CL at AKL, Poly and Dolphin. I can tell you that we love CL, but we don't miss it one bit when we stay non-CL. We just have a different schedule for non-CL trips, so it doesn't matter. I'm very confident about our POFQ decision - hope you're happy with yours, too!

 

[chimo2u]

Thanks Pixarmom! As you know by now, I've switched to BWI Deluxe room which gives us CL access.....I think it is the best choice for us, as my 2 teens are coming on this trip....it gives us room, the CL ammenities we all love and a fabulous boardwalk view I feel very settled about my choice now, but in the future if I do either a solo or girls only trip, I think I may just try POFQ and even upgrade to deluxe dining for that trip! POFQ is still very much on my radar as a resort I'd love to try I hope you enjoy your time at POFQ....when are you going back again?? This will be my first OCT trip...I've gone in Jan/Sept (labour day week)/ and February....this time I wanted it to be warm enought to swim, and I wanted to try MNSSHP along with a taste of F&W.....so I am excited, but also nervous to see what October holds! I hope the crowds are bearable...that's the only thing that could put a damper on the trip!
Have Fun!!!

 

[disneydreamer75]

We are staying for the first time at POFQ December 17-28th. We are sooo excited! I've heard so many good things about the resort on this thread. Thanks everyone for sharing!!!

 

[pwdebbie]

I'm hoping we're out at the bus stop by 8:30am or so for a 9am rope drop. Good to know that's one of the better times of day! And we'll be prepared for the bus ride back - thanks for the tip and the assessment. My husband suggested a cab back from BC to POFQ as another alternative - does anyone know the cost?

Honestly, I think you should aim to be waiting for the bus by about 8:00. If you get there at 8:30 and the bus doesn't come for twenty minutes, then you won't be there for rope drop.

 

[ols386]

No, they don't have preferred location rooms, because there is really no need for them. Even if you get in the farthest out rooms, it's still only about a 5 minute walk to the bus stop and food court. That's one of the reasons we like to stay there. Even if you would get none of your room requests granted, you're still in as good of a position as you would be with a preferred location at most of the other resorts.

Thanks for that info. Appreciate it
Leaving tomorrow.

 

[pixarmom]

Honestly, I think you should aim to be waiting for the bus by about 8:00. If you get there at 8:30 and the bus doesn't come for twenty minutes, then you won't be there for rope drop.

We always aim for the bus stop, boat dock or start walking an hour before rope drop (monorail 45 minutes before) but POFQ looked so close to Epcot that I thought it might be different. As a POFQ newbie, I really appreciate your advice and we'll do just that! Now that I think of it, we always either enter through the International Gateway at rope drop time or arrive at the front entrance in the afternoon, so rope drop from the front entrance will be new for us, too! Thanks again!

 

[pixarmom]

I hope you enjoy your time at POFQ....when are you going back again??

Thanks! October is at the top of my list of new months to travel to WDW! So far, our trips have covered the months of December, January, February, March, April, May, July and August. We usually go in February, and we're planning a February 2013 full-week trip again, but the weather is so unpredictable. I hope you love October and BWI!

Our PFOQ stay is just two of the five of us - just one night this upcoming April on the way from my parents' condo at the beach to the airport (with a day at Epcot in between!) Actually, our BWI stay prepared me for the PFOQ stay - I used to avoid BWI based on the clown slide and I was a little unsettled by the photos of the mardi gras masks at PFOQ. Turns out the clown slide at BWI didn't bother me (or the kids) a bit - so I'm thinking it will be the same with the mardi gras masks!

 

[MrsHockey]

we are headed to FQ this week....can't wait!!!

For the ones that have gone recently....are the blow dryers in the rooms of good quality? Do they work? I really need a blowdryer but I hate packing it as we are flying.

Thanks!

 

[summerlady]

we are headed to FQ this week....can't wait!!!

For the ones that have gone recently....are the blow dryers in the rooms of good quality? Do they work? I really need a blowdryer but I hate packing it as we are flying.

Thanks!

Well, the hair dyers aren't the greatest, Sunbeam, if I recall, but it did the job and got my shoulder length, thick hair dried. Shouldn't have even bothered though, the Florida humidity pretty much undid it.

 

[bookgirl]

The dryers are not great but I have short fine hair and they worked for me.

I did the other half of my split stay at FQ and I loved it. The menu at the food court was completly workable the walks were short and the rooms were very nice (although now that they have queens the space between the wall and bed and the space between the two beds is really really small). I was very comfortable there.

I have a reservation for POFQ for next October, (kinda hopeing for a BC discount) it's my first choice if I can't get BC.

 

[Piglets Mommy]

One more week, till I get to POFQ!!! I am soooo excited!!! If anyone needs me to get pictures of anything, or has any specific questions you need me to ask while I'm there, just let me know!

 

[jamiesmom07]

We check in two weeks from today!!!!! I Can't wait!

 

[kcsspartan]

We leave tomorrow - Yeah, will try and post on my phone during the trip

 

[wdwnut61]

We leave tomorrow - Yeah, will try and post on my phone during the trip

Have a great trip


This time next friday we'll be in our beds at POFQ sleeping at Disney

 

[Piglets Mommy]

We leave tomorrow - Yeah, will try and post on my phone during the trip

YAY!!! Have fun!!!

Have a great trip


This time next friday we'll be in our beds at POFQ sleeping at Disney

I am so excited already that I can't sleep...I have so much to do, too, it feels like next Friday night in WDW may be the next time I get any sleep!

 

[bitohoney]

Hello POFQ lovers! I just recently switched my Christmas trip from OKW to POFQ due to money (thanks to Congress for not passing a FY12 budget yet ). I just couldn't come up with the extra $1,200 difference for OKW.
So now I'm wondering if I made the right choice. It will be just me and DD18, December 23-30...Christmas week!
Will the resort be super crowded? Will buses be an issue? Is it nicely decorated for Christmas?
We do plan on being at rope drop every day.
Anything I need to know to make staying at POFQ Christmas week pleasant, please let me know! Thanks!

 

[pwdebbie]

I have friends that will be there at POFQ from the 26 to 30, so if you see a couple with three little girls (4, 3, 1) say Hi to them. Heather loves to talk to people. As for your questions, I'm surprised that you were even able to get a room there at this late date. I thought for sure the resorts were all booked by now. I've never been in December, let alone Christmas week, so I have no wisdom to offer you. (I'm feeling a might bit sorry for my friends as this is their first trip there and the trip was planned as a family Christmas gift by her mother-in-law who knows nothing about WDW -- they will be part of a group of 17 staying there. I've been trying to give her as much advice as possible so that they can enjoy their trip. You've got the first -- and best -- piece of advice down already -- Get to the parks are rope drop.)