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

[disneydiva1979]

Thanks wdwnut61! Counting down the minutes till my magical trip

 

[pwdebbie]

One year ago today I booked our Nov. 2010 trip because my mil, who died that day, wanted us to go to WDW after she died and not wait until our planned April 2012 trip. She said you just don't know what the future holds and not to put off our trip. We had a great trip in 2010. Today I booked our 35th anniversary April 2012 POFQ trip. April 16 to 27 (driving, so we leave the 15th and get home the 28th).

 

[NYEmomma]

Hey guys! We're slowly inching closer to our vacation & I just took a look at all of our plans & ADR's for the first time in a month or so. We have some early-ish ADR's for breakfast a couple of days -- 8:20 a.m. in Akershus and 8:50 a.m. at Chef Mickey's (I say early because DD usually sleeps until 8 a.m.).

I'm wondering, all you experienced POFQ'ers, what time would you plan on being at the bus stop?

*bump*

Wondering if anyone could provide any insight?? (I know the last post on the page always tends to get lost/overlooked in the shuffle so figured I'd try again )

Thanks!

 

[mommy2mrb]

*bump*

Wondering if anyone could provide any insight?? (I know the last post on the page always tends to get lost/overlooked in the shuffle so figured I'd try again )

Thanks!

I would give yourselves at least 45-60 min for Akerhaus since you have to walk back to Germany that takes extra time...for Chef Mickey at least 45 min if your taking the bus to MK and then walking over to the CR

 

[taylor3297]

Regarding the Purex laundry sheets...I brought some samples to Pop Century last year and found that they didn't work very well. When I used the sheet in the dryer, it left oil spots on some of our shirts. I was able to get them out later at home.

I use these all the time when I am on vacation and have never had any issues with oily spots on our clothes.

 

[davebon23]

Have a great time to everyone who just went and is leaving today or tomorrow. We will be there in 6 days!!

 

[caira01]

We stayed at CBR last time & enjoyed it. I prefer port Orleans (either side) but if the discount was big enough we'd stay at CBR again. Its beautiful also...just in a different way. They have a thread too...go check it out & then decide. . Either way you are in Disney!

Firxt of all, thanks so much for your advice. We decided to go ahead and book a pirate room at CBR & just before I paid my balance, I wanted to check one more time for a FD @ PORFQ & found it. Now, if only it is available in the am when I can talk to a Disney cm.

Both resorts will be awesome. We just have younger kids & hiking to the pool doesn't sound fun, plus I was really excited about FQ. It just seems so beautiful & peaceful & the queen beds in refurbished rooms are icing on the cake!

I am amazed at how busy this board has been over the past 10 days! Took me a while to find my last post!

 

[mimzkat]

We're 10 days out today and I just did our online check-in. I have a feeling the next 10 days are going to go so slow and so fast at the same time! I was looking at the Disney memories photos on the Disney website and getting all emotional in anticipation of being there! I'd better have tissues ready for that first sight of the castle!!!

 

[taylor3297]

Though we have 27 more days, it is starting to feel more real. Placed our Garden Grocer order today.

 

[lsherry]

Though we have 27 more days, it is starting to feel more real. Placed our Garden Grocer order today.

Thanks for reminding me about Garden Grocer, I need to place my order. I hope I remember to do it tomorrow.

 

[Pixiedust34]

We just returned from a 10 night stay at POFQ and loved it!

We paid for a standard room and our room request was "top floor in Building 6 or 7." We were granted our request with a top floor room in Building 6, and it was a corner room! We were in room 6301. The renovated rooms are fantastic! The beds were comfortable. We brought an air mattress for dd and it fit well between the bed and door.

The bus service was OK overall. There were a couple of times we must have just missed a bus and waited over 20 minutes, but most times we waited 10 minutes or so. The DTD boat was crowded at night though we did ride it several times.

The resort activities are fun! We played the pool games at 3:00 on several days. Every night there is a campfire with marshmallows and we stopped by for that once. There is also a movie at 9:00 every night. We watched Bambi, The Princess and the Frog (it was really cool to watch this movie while sitting at POFQ as it perfectly matched the setting of the movie!), and Monsters, Inc. We did laundry 3 times, and the laundry room is convenient to the pool. The laundry room was clean and every machine we used functioned well.

Cast members were friendly, and the door greeter was a lot of fun. The one thing we didn't do was catch Elliot Dyson's show, but we did see him in passing and he looks like a good performer. We did do Bob Jackson's show at the River Roost, a favorite for us.

The food court was pretty good and a lot less hectic than the one we visited over at POR a couple of times.

We're staying at a value resort next year, but would like to stay at POFQ again for another trip sometime!

Any questions??

 

[pooh2001]

Kelly - thank you for your review..
"We just returned from a 10 night stay at POFQ and loved it!
We paid for a standard room and our room request was "top floor in Building 6 or 7." We were granted our request with a top floor room in Building 6, and it was a corner room! We were in room 6301. The renovated rooms are fantastic! The beds were comfortable. We brought an air mattress for dd and it fit well between the bed and door."


We too will be spending 10 nights at POFQ next June/July and using a twin areo bed for our DD. We also requested a standard room but building 4 or 5, no floor. We just want to be close to the bus stop.

How is it walking to the top floor ?
Did you ever mind it ?

Did you bring your own luggage up to the top floor room ?

thanks!

 

[pwdebbie]

Kelly - thank you for your review..
"We just returned from a 10 night stay at POFQ and loved it!
We paid for a standard room and our room request was "top floor in Building 6 or 7." We were granted our request with a top floor room in Building 6, and it was a corner room! We were in room 6301. The renovated rooms are fantastic! The beds were comfortable. We brought an air mattress for dd and it fit well between the bed and door."


We too will be spending 10 nights at POFQ next June/July and using a twin areo bed for our DD. We also requested a standard room but building 4 or 5, no floor. We just want to be close to the bus stop.

How is it walking to the top floor ?
Did you ever mind it ?

Did you bring your own luggage up to the top floor room ?

thanks!

Not Kelly, but I can answer this for you.

We found the stairways at POFQ to be very easy -- a very gentle rise, not steep. There is an elevator but you would probably expend more time and energy getting to and from the elevator unless your room is not near the main building. We are in our 50s and didn't mind the stairs.

If you are going to handle your own luggage, then use the elevator and try to do it all in one trip. Or let the bellhop get it for you -- well worth the $10.00 tip we give him/her in our opinion.

 

[disneygal58]

One year ago today I booked our Nov. 2010 trip because my mil, who died that day, wanted us to go to WDW after she died and not wait until our planned April 2012 trip. She said you just don't know what the future holds and not to put off our trip. We had a great trip in 2010. Today I booked our 35th anniversary April 2012 POFQ trip. April 16 to 27 (driving, so we leave the 15th and get home the 28th).

Lovely. And incredibly wise. Enjoy.

 

[Mom2aJessieGirl]

Not Kelly, but I can answer this for you.

We found the stairways at POFQ to be very easy -- a very gentle rise, not steep. There is an elevator but you would probably expend more time and energy getting to and from the elevator unless your room is not near the main building. We are in our 50s and didn't mind the stairs.

If you are going to handle your own luggage, then use the elevator and try to do it all in one trip. Or let the bellhop get it for you -- well worth the $10.00 tip we give him/her in our opinion.

We stayed on the second floor and didnt mind the stairs at all. We do have a two story home so we are accustomed to stairs.

We always use bell service at Disney. It's just so darned convenient! Plus, I never want to carry a whole case of water up a staircase to my room. I'd rather they do it for me.

 

[Smileybug]

I have been following this thread for a while. All of the info is wonderful. Our first stay at POFQ is Nov. 2012. But.....After constantly reading about all of the great things about this resort. Hubby and I decided we needed a short trip this year to try this place out. You know.....Just to try it out and make sure that we will like it for next year. Ya'll have done your job very well. And I thank all of you from the bottom of my heart.

 

[kmb584]

I decided to brave WDW with my then 14-month-old alone in June 2010 [I'm a single parent] and chose POFQ because of the size; we had a truly magical stay there and I couldn't have selected a better resort.

Our room was on the top floor of building 3, and a 2 minute walk to the main building, 4 minute walk to the bus stop. We also had a fantastic view of the Sassagoula River and my daughter LOVED seeing the horses trot by in the evening while out on carriage rides.

It's a small resort and since it was just the 2 of us I loved that. No matter where we needed to go we were able to walk to a specific location within minutes, the only exception being to Riverside but for that we enjoyed the boat rides. There's only 1 bus stop, perhaps a deterrence to some, but not me. FQ guests were picked up before Riverside and I never had an issue getting a seat / stowing her stroller.

This past April we stayed at Coronado Springs for 7 nights and while a lovely resort, I never would have been able to navigate it alone with an active toddler [thankfully on that trip my parents and aunt accompanied us]. If you're seeking a peaceful resort, POFQ is absolutely one of the top picks in my book.

 

[pooh2001]

I decided to brave WDW with my then 14-month-old alone in June 2010 [I'm a single parent] and chose POFQ because of the size; we had a truly magical stay there and I couldn't have selected a better resort.

Our room was on the top floor of building 3, and a 2 minute walk to the main building, 4 minute walk to the bus stop. We also had a fantastic view of the Sassagoula River and my daughter LOVED seeing the horses trot by in the evening while out on carriage rides.

It's a small resort and since it was just the 2 of us I loved that. No matter where we needed to go we were able to walk to a specific location within minutes, the only exception being to Riverside but for that we enjoyed the boat rides. There's only 1 bus stop, perhaps a deterrence to some, but not me. FQ guests were picked up before Riverside and I never had an issue getting a seat / stowing her stroller.

This past April we stayed at Coronado Springs for 7 nights and while a lovely resort, I never would have been able to navigate it alone with an active toddler [thankfully on that trip my parents and aunt accompanied us]. If you're seeking a peaceful resort, POFQ is absolutely one of the top picks in my book.

So sweet. Lovely story. Thank you for the advice

 

[kmb584]

So sweet. Lovely story. Thank you for the advice

Thank you. I debated for quite some time over reserving a room at Contemporary, for the convenience of the monorail, or POFQ and couldn't have been more pleased with my decision. It's such a quaint resort and hard to not fall in love with.

 

[Pixiedust34]

Kelly - thank you for your review..
"We just returned from a 10 night stay at POFQ and loved it!
We paid for a standard room and our room request was "top floor in Building 6 or 7." We were granted our request with a top floor room in Building 6, and it was a corner room! We were in room 6301. The renovated rooms are fantastic! The beds were comfortable. We brought an air mattress for dd and it fit well between the bed and door."


We too will be spending 10 nights at POFQ next June/July and using a twin areo bed for our DD. We also requested a standard room but building 4 or 5, no floor. We just want to be close to the bus stop.

How is it walking to the top floor ?
Did you ever mind it ?
Did you bring your own luggage up to the top floor room ?

thanks!

We were OK with the stairs and used bell services. I have ankle issues and because of that I'd use the elevator once in a while, but otherwise we opted for the stairs.

I liked that there was no one over us to make noise. One downside to our room was that it was a connecting room and at 7 AM the kids next door decided to laugh loudly and bang on the door! My dd's head was only a few inches from that door and none of us appreciated the rude awakening. Other than being stuck with inconsiderate neighbors (which can happen at any resort at any room location), we had no noise issues.