Which is better, French Quarter or Riverside?

I love them both, but POFQ has a slight edge over PO-Riverside for me. I love the smallness of POFQ, and everything is just a 3-5 minute walk within each other (i.e., foodcourt, swimming pool, gift shop, hot tub, etc.,). Another big plus for me is the buses. The resorts share buses, but POFQ guests are the first to be picked up and the first to be dropped off. :)
 
POFQ is a comact, small resort, while POR is spread out over many acres. The pool at POFQ is samller, and the slide is more baby-ish if you have teenagers.

We have stayed at both, liked FQ better because it required less walking, but both are really nice moderate resorts.
 
I have stayed at both and appreciate the beauty of each. POFQ is much smaller and has a food court but no sit down restaurant. I love the quaint atmosphere of POFQ. Both offer boats to Downtown Disney. We found the bus transportation to be easier at POFQ although is is shared with PO. When 5 of us travelled we stayed at PO in the Alligaotr Bayou section. When we have less than 5 we choose POFQ. PO has quiet pools as well as the main pool, but POFQ has one main pool. Since the two resorts are connected by a walkway, you can use the facilities at both resorts also. Hope it helps! :thumbsup2
 

I agree. POFQ is much easier to get around. Busses were great. They even had a very nice gift shop.
 
I've never stayed at POR, but have stayed at POFQ several times and loved it. The themeing just appeals to me more, and I love the small size. I never had to wait very long in the morning for a bus and never had a problem getting a seat.

The only downfalls are since Disney merged the two resorts into one FQ is lacking a sit down restaurant and things like the bike rentals. They used to have those at the FQ when it was just Port Orleans, now they are only at Riverside.

Either way you can't go wrong. I was thinking of trying Coronado Springs on my next trip this fall, but ultimately chose to return to POFQ.
 
They are similar resorts, you are looking more at theming and size of the resorts. POF is very small, POR is larger - the pools are different, the food courts are different, the atmosphere is different. POR has more of the recreation and a sit-down restaurant. You can walk between the two resorts and use either pool/recreation.

I have about 100 photos between the two here: http://www.mousesteps.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=23&Itemid=49

No room photos, but walking around the resorts. I prefer the POF, but because I'm very big on anything French themed. :)
 
The resorts share buses, but POFQ guests are the first to be picked up and the first to be dropped off. :)

When I was there in 2002, they didn't always share. At openings and closings they had thier own buses. We stayed at POR but once took the POFQ bus at the MK closing because the line was shorter.
 
I've heard the restaraunt at Riverside is one of the best hotel restaraunt out there. But if its covering for two hotels is it always crowded? Do you think we could just walk up and get a table or should I make reservations first?
 
They are similar resorts, you are looking more at theming and size of the resorts. POF is very small, POR is larger - the pools are different, the food courts are different, the atmosphere is different. POR has more of the recreation and a sit-down restaurant. You can walk between the two resorts and use either pool/recreation.

I have about 100 photos between the two here: http://www.mousesteps.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=23&Itemid=49

No room photos, but walking around the resorts. I prefer the POF, but because I'm very big on anything French themed. :)

I checked out your photos Denise, very good eye BTW. I guess sense the two resorts are so closely linked to oneanother its only a matter of taste as to which one is best. But your pictures made me think of one thing. I know the misquitos are pretty bad in Florida, but with all that water surrounding the two hotels, are they worse around there, or does Disney seem to do a pretty good job at keeping them down?
 
I've heard the restaraunt at Riverside is one of the best hotel restaraunt out there. But if its covering for two hotels is it always crowded? Do you think we could just walk up and get a table or should I make reservations first?

I don't know that I'd say that it's one of the best hotel restaurants. There are a lot of nice restaurants at the deluxe resorts - Boma, Kona, Ohana, CA Grille, etc. It's a moderate restaurant, it has been fine when I've eaten there before.

I have passed by it at varying times when it didn't look crowded during the day, but I'm not usually there in the evening to see how crowded it normally gets.
 
I checked out your photos Denise, very good eye BTW. I guess sense the two resorts are so closely linked to oneanother its only a matter of taste as to which one is best. But your pictures made me think of one thing. I know the misquitos are pretty bad in Florida, but with all that water surrounding the two hotels, are they worse around there, or does Disney seem to do a pretty good job at keeping them down?

Thank you! Very closely linked, yes - by a walking path. And it's been a number of years since I've noticed any real mosquitos (lots of resorts have water - including Fort Wilderness, all the deluxe and moderate resorts except for the AK Lodge (just the pool). 3 or 4 years ago I remember both mosquitos and MANY palmetto bugs (roaches) at FW, but that was an unusual year - it was like they stopped spraying. But I haven't noticed much on other years. You can always bring some Off wipes, just in case.
 
Mosquitos, and really any other bugs, were no existent during our stay at POR last June.

I choose POR over POFQ. People tend to like the smallness of POFQ, but I personally like POR better because it is a larger resort. There is a lot more to explore. Plus I think everyone is spread out more, and the resort never feels crowded.

When compared to the parks you just spent the entire day walking around, the resort is not that big. I know folks don't want to be walking around after a day at the parks. But really, the percentage of walking you would end up doing at POR is no where near what you do at the parks.
 
When compared to the parks you just spent the entire day walking around, the resort is not that big. I know folks don't want to be walking around after a day at the parks. But really, the percentage of walking you would end up doing at POR is no where near what you do at the parks.

For me, it's the same - the resort is sort of like a hub with spokes. The spokes are the bridges and paths that go to each area from the food court/main building. I don't find POR that large, but it is certainly much bigger than POF, and while I try to add extra walking before or after a day at the parks - not everyone does. I do think it's a well laid out resort. (I like POF for the French theming, but I do walk between the two for extra exercise).
 
The pool at POFQ is smaller, and the slide is more baby-ish if you have teenagers.

Is there a slide at the pool at Riverside? Is it better?

Our DS13 and DD7 are both excellent swimmers, and the pool atmosphere is pretty important to us.

We've never been to either Port Orleans resorts, and wanted to try them this year. We really love Coronado Springs, and we also enjoyed Caribbean Beach. We just wanted to try something different this year.

Can anyone tell us more about the pools? We love the slide and pool at CSR. Any comparison?
 
Keep in mind that FQ used to be the only "Value" Resort at Disney before the All Stars. Somehow it managed to sneak it's way up to a moderate.
 
DH and I have stayed at both Riverside and FQ and I'd have to go with Riverside. We stayed in the mansions section and really liked it. FQ was too compact for us and the landscaping seemed liked something we'd see back home. We wound up walking to Riverside most of the time. Loved the food court there and have eaten at Boatwrights a few times. Plus, a lot more activities close by. I may also be partial to Riverside because Boatwrights has banana stuffed french toast at breakfast:goodvibes
 
POFQ is more compact so I prefer it for smaller kids, the slide is more themed to kids too. POR is more spread out and beautifully landscaped and has a playground ideal for older kids. POFQ rooms are nicer as they were more recently renovated, and are more upscale. In all I prefer POR and the AB section with the bayous and bridges and waterlillies.
 
I've stayed at both. My entire family prefers POR. FQ is to compact for us. We stay in the AB section of POR. It has a very leidsurely pace that we love. That being said my DSis and her entire family prefer FQ. They like that everything is close. I just find POR to be more relaxing.
 
I think it depends which room you get !

At PORFQ we had a great room with short walks to the playground, pool, food court... and we even walked over to POR for breakfast once...
at POR our next stay our room was out in timbucktoo and it took forever to get to anything (except the small no slide having no fun pool)
 





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