Port Orleans French Quarter or Riverside?

[bsmandi]

I am trying to make reservations for May and can't decide which hotel. I had my heart set on the French Quarter after reading such great posts about it. We have a 5 year old and the resort seemed smaller and easier to get around in. However, a friend who is a cast member is making the reservations for us and the best rate she could get it 124.00 a night! She can book Riverside or Coronado Springs for 99.00. We are staying 5 nights, is is worth the extra 125.00 to stay at the French Quarter? I thought maybe someone who knows alot more than me about Disney could help with this decision. This is our first trip, but I'm almost obsessed with these boards and researching! Thanks for your help!

 

[weluvpluto]

I would book Riverside, you can request an area near the main pool and food court, and you can always go visit and use the pool at FQ as they are sister resorts. There is a boat that runs between POFQ and POR and DTD.

 

[mickeyholic]

They both are Great!!! I would probably choose Riverside. I like the idea of saving $$$$, and you will be able to go over and have access to French Quarter. The landscaping at Riverside is beautiful. The serpeant slide at French Quarter is fun for kids. Good Luck!

 

[dallastxcpa]

My vote is for French Quarter. If you have ever been to New Orleans you will love it. It is a very romantic atmosphere and the pool/slide can't be beat.

 

[bsmandi]

Thanks for your advice! One more question, I believe these rates are for preferred location, what does that get at Riverside or Coronado Springs? I thought for the French Quarter it meant a room near the water? Any ideas what I should request for room location? Thanks!

 

[Hnymoon@Dixie]

That's where we honeymooned & one of our favorites! plus, there are soo may pools scattered around the property, if one is full you can go to the next one!

 

[estnh]

I love both POR and FQ, but for $125.00 difference, I would take either one of them over the other--there is simply not that much difference. They are sister resorts, and the experience is very similar.

 

[3mickeys&me]

We stayed at Riverside before, on our last trip in 02. It was awesome, not sure about the French Quarter. The themes are a bit different thats all.

 

[Jalva22]

I booked POFQ because of the smaller size (my kids are 5 & 9). However, if there had been a price difference I would easily have picked the less expensive one. I can still carry the 5 yr old on my shoulders for a pretty good stretch if need be! Since there are no private balconies, I was advised to not pay extra for a water view at a moderate. So, we just booked standard view. A water view could easily end up being a far-off glimpse of the river instead of a pool location. If you pay for water view and want a pool view, specifically request that. Of course, as Disney always says, there are no guarantees.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

We stayed at Riverside last May and thought it was beautiful! We took the boat once to DTD and had to stop at POFQ, and just the overall look of the place wasn't my "style" it was very colorful where as Riverside is much more "fresh" looking (can a place be fresh looking? ) Anyways my vote is for Riverside.

 

[msteddom]

I really love both resorts! I think you should stay at Riverside to save the money. $125 is a considerable amount. You can always check out Frech Quarter while you are there, it is an easy walk between the two resorts.


Melissa

 

[maroonmom07]

We were at Disney last week, and one day drove around to visit resorts. Maybe it was a bad day, but the Riverside did not look well kept...trash and paper about. Coronada Springs looked much better...

 

[estnh]

We were at Disney last week, and one day drove around to visit resorts. Maybe it was a bad day, but the Riverside did not look well kept...trash and paper about. Coronada Springs looked much better...

We have stayed at POR four times, and each time the grounds have been immaculate--we have never seen paper and trash anywhere. The resort is beautiful. We have stayed at Coronado Springs, which is great, but we like POR much better.

 

[Katy]

We have stayed there many times and are going back in two weeks!! Last year we chose Coronado Springs and enjoyed it but not as much as Riverside. The landscaping really is quite spectacular. It has always been clean when we've visited. The food court tends to get messy during peak breakfast and dinner hours but they try and keep up with it. I'm looking forward to going back after trying other Disney resorts.

 

[grodgers49]

If you decide on POR, I would request a building close to the food court and pool. POR was nice but the last time we stayed there it was a looong hike to the pool. You can put in your request when the reservations are made.

 

[ReninDetroit]

IMHO, the French Quarter is the moderate hotel closest to a deluxe that Disney has. I STRONGLY recommend it. We stayed for 2 years there and saw both Riverside and FQ, I much prefer FQ.

Riverside has FOUR bus depots, French Quarter has one. If you're at the French quarter, which is considerably smaller, you're much more likely to be a short walk from the main building and the pool, where at POR you may be a 15 minute walk from the main building.

I have relatives that stayed at Riverside and they liked it alot, but they said that after a while they got really sick of the long walk. They stayed at French Quarter the next year and liked it much better.

Also, the food court at POFQ is really really good. They have beignets most mornings and I got to be very friendly with the beignet guy and he told the cashier not to charge us for the half dozen plate on our last morning!