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

[P&F]

Thanks for the pics Rekenna! They are amazing.

I can't wait to be back in WDW. This will be the first time at POFQ, many times at POR, but not FQ. Only two days left!

 

[aubriee]

Usually, the ME bus will stop at SSR, OKW, POFQ, and POR. I *think* POFQ is usually the 3rd stop, it that could vary too. There may be no one on your bus for SSR and OKW.

Once our loop was OKW, POFQ, then PORS and the next time it was SSR, POFQ, and then PORS. Maybe we've been lucky, but we've never had four stops, only three.

 

[aubriee]

The rooms facing the parking lot are standard rooms. Book something other than standard and you will get a room facing the interior of the resort.

But not all standard rooms face the parking lots; in fact, in at least 5 or 6visits there we've booked standard every time and have never faced a parking lot...... most have been garden view, once was pool view, and another time it was courtyard view. !

True! I always book standard rooms and request first floor courtyard view. Only once did I not get it. Even then with the shrubs in front of the room it wasn't bad.

30 more days before we're there! Can't wait!

 

[Pixiedust34]

Yeah that is what I was thinking. In the past the bureaus had quite a few drawers. We will be 4 adults. I don't think we will have enough room to unpack the suitcases.

This is one part of the upgrade I don't like. The kids and I spent 9 nights at CSR in Sept. and there was barely enough drawer room for our clothes for just the 3 of us. The furniture at CSR looks similar to the furniture in the new POFQ rooms.

This time, dh will be with us and the four of us will be sharing 3 drawers. It isn't enough drawer space for a long trip. I wish they had picked furniture with 4 drawers.

Otherwise, the new rooms look great and I can't wait to be there!

 

[disneyfan61]

This is one part of the upgrade I don't like. The kids and I spent 9 nights at CSR is Sept. and there was barely enough drawer room for our clothes for just the 3 of us. The furniture at CSR looks similar to the furniture in the new POFQ rooms.

This time, dh will be with us and the four of us will be sharing 3 drawers. It isn't enough drawer space for a long trip. I wish they had picked furniture with 4 drawers.

Otherwise, the new rooms look great and I can't wait to be there!

I guess I will be requesting more hangers & I can hang up my shorts & t shirts. I will give the drawers to my sons & DH.

 

[jeanylaser]

this will be our first time in POFQ i will love it!

 

[mom2taylorandemily]

This is one part of the upgrade I don't like. The kids and I spent 9 nights at CSR in Sept. and there was barely enough drawer room for our clothes for just the 3 of us. The furniture at CSR looks similar to the furniture in the new POFQ rooms.

This time, dh will be with us and the four of us will be sharing 3 drawers. It isn't enough drawer space for a long trip. I wish they had picked furniture with 4 drawers.

Otherwise, the new rooms look great and I can't wait to be there!

I guess I will be requesting more hangers & I can hang up my shorts & t shirts. I will give the drawers to my sons & DH.

I am very concerned about this with the upgrade as well, I have 2 teen daughters and me, then the Clothes Hog in our house (my DH!!! ). So, I got a sweater stacker that hangs in the closet from Target. I bought the one that had metal hooks to hang on the bar, vs. the velcro type, because if the clothes are heavy the velcro gives way and the whole thing will wind up on the floor. So, we are using the stacker for shorts and t-shirts and tanks, sox and undergarments are going in the drawers and asking for extra hangers for nicer shirts. I'm hoping that this works out for us. Last year we stayed at CBR and we were really tight on drawers. We had 4, but they are smaller now with the refurb that they did a couple of years ago, and lets face it, when you go for 7+ days, you carry a bit more. I don't enjoy doing laundry on vacation, so we take what we need.

 

[Rekenna]

Hope y'all have a great time and the rain stops. I want that mickey throw!! Can you find out how long they'll be on sale?

I checked and it's one of those "while supplies last" sort of thing-so hopefully they still have plenty when you get here!

 

[Rekenna]

Yeah that is what I was thinking. In the past the bureaus had quite a few drawers. We will be 4 adults. I don't think we will have enough room to unpack the suitcases.

There are 3 drawers, but they are very large and deep. I think each adult would have plenty of room, especially if you have hang up items-of course someone will have to share, but really there is a lot of room. (We stayed at POP on our last trip and those rooms have been newly refurbed and there is absolutely NO drawer space-so POFQ felt rather luxurious in that department!)

 

[bakerjay]

We just got back from a 5 night stay at POFQ. LOVED it! I liked how small and intimate it was, POR is SO big! Loved the pool area, the food court had decent offerings for what they were, buses were timely and came frequently and were easy to get to.

We stayed in building 5, corner room overlooking that grassy "bocce ball" court looking area. We requested the refurb room thanks to the advice of this board and so glad we did. Can't imagine having to share Double beds! We've never stayed there before so don't know what the new rooms are like in comparison but we were pleased.

Our only complaints were that the rooms are on the smaller side and that being on the first floor, we had to keep the curtains drawn a lot of the time, which made things very dark. But we were hardly in the room anyway so didn't really care about that.

Previously we stayed at the Swan and the Beach Club. I think I would choose to go back to POFQ before either of them again! Liked them both fine, rooms were somewhat bigger but honestly, for the price POFQ was great. I just wish it was located a bit more conveniently to some of the parks but that wasn't that big of a drawback in the long run. Even during Spring Break, we never waited long for buses and the only time it was standing room only was the night we stayed at DHS for Fantasmic

 

[Rekenna]

Okay, so another rainy day here again (3/31)-a washout so far. But, I was able to get some more pics of POFQ and the construction at Building 3.

I did want you guys to know, that I had an excellent day Tuesday-actually I was the first guest at MK if you can believe it-I got there at 6:30, I didn't intend for that to happen it just worked out that way-it was still dark when I got there that morning!!

Also, had a great day yesterday-Wednesday. I did the Backstage Magic Tour-if you haven't done this yet, you owe it to yourself as a DisDork to do so-it was alot of fun.

But, I digress-back to the resort!

3/31-Bldg 3 Work, you can see and hear it. They are working hard to get this done. Bldg 2 is complete so only Bldg 3 remains for refurb. You can hear the saws, hammers, drills and workers-but, nothing too distracting-they are doing a great job not enroaching on your POFQ experience.

Other Pics

That's my report for now-hoping the rain will let up a little. The good news is that tomorrow it is forecasted to be sunny and 81-great news b/c this is my Epcot day and my last full day at WDW.

Please let me know if you have any questions or need a pic of something in particular and I will try to accomodate before I leave.

The only negative, for me, with POFQ is the food court-it is very small and doesn't have all the options of a larger resort (POP has an excellent food court so I am a little spoiled there). This really is only an issue b/c I am being held hostage at the resort b/c of the pouring rain.

I wanted to finish up by saying this is a beautiful resort, if you are having any doubts about staying here-erase them from your mind. I couldn't be happier with the look, feel, ambience and service I have recieved here.

Bye!!

 

[jeanylaser]

thanks for the info and I think that POFQ is the hotel April Or May 2011!

 

[MickeyNicki]

Rekenna...thanks so much for the pics but I really thank you for the Bounceback info...it will fit some of my dates perfectly! Now I just have to wait until May to book them, hope the resorts I want and the discounts are still available by the time I get there

 

[itsalebeau]

Rekenna, thanks for the pictures! What a gorgeous place. That path along the river looks so lovely.

Bummer about the rain.

Um, since you offered... someone posted that there are now pin starter sets for sale at WDW that are only $15 for like 8 pins. Seen anything to confirm that? And no worries if you haven't.

 

[maggiew]

I just switched from AsMo to POFQ for our Aug. trip. It is only DH and I celebrating our 20th Anniversary. So I think the atmosphere at POFQ will be better!

I have a king room reserved. Any room requests I should make?

Maggie

 

[Pixiedust34]

I just switched from AsMo to POFQ for our Aug. trip. It is only DH and I celebrating our 20th Anniversary. So I think the atmosphere at POFQ will be better!

I have a king room reserved. Any room requests I should make?

Maggie

We'll be celebrating our 20th anniversary in August at POFQ, too! We'll have the kids with us, but that's fine.

As far room requests go, did you book a standard room or water view? You may want to decide if you want ground floor or top floor and if you want close to the food court.

 

[mana_liz]

How far is the POFQ bus stop from the entrance to each of the parks? In the past we've stayed at Pop and the All-Stars and they are always the last stops.

 

[JessicaW1234]

Rekenna,
Can you check if the gift shop or food court onsite at POFQ sells large cartons of Orange juice?
I was thinking of Garden Grocer, but if they sell large size OJ (not individual ones) and milk onsite, then maybe we don't need a grocery delivery for quick breakfast in the room...
Thanks!
Jessica

 

[TinkerbellLuvr7]

Thanks Rekenna!! I love the food court at POP too. We ate a few meals at FQ last week and thought it was fine. I can understand what you mean about being held hostage there. The one year we went, we stayed at WL and it rained a ton and we were so thankful we were at a great resort for all the rain to happen! We didn't feel like we were trapped in our room and could enjoy the huge lobby etc. I guess I just sucked up all the great weather last week and then it had to be bad this week..sorry about that!

 

[Carlyzmom]

Great report and pics Rekenna! Enjoy the rest of your trip!