Reviews of Port Orleans French Quarter (Moderate Resort)
Reviewed by jengrey Review Date: 04/05/2015
Rating: (10) Recommended
I really can't think of any negative aspects of Port Orleans French Quarter. I guess I'm biased because it's the only resort I've stayed at (I will be there for a third time this Fall), but it truly is a great place.
One thing that many like about this resort is how compact it is. No matter what building you're in, you're close to pretty much everything. Even if you're in the building furthest from the pool, quick service restaurant, store, etc. you're really not that far. It's only a pleasant walk away.
The theming is also wonderful. The street lamps and gates definitely add a nice touch. It's right on the Sassagoula River and you can take a very pleasant boat ride to Downtown Disney. If you can afford more than a Standard View room, try to get the River View.
The food court isn't bad, but it's not wonderful. It's quick service and they have the usual Disney fare...they DO have beignets, which are a tasty treat if you have a sweet tooth. If you want a sit-down meal but don't feel like traveling far, you can stroll over the Port Orleans Riverside and dine at Boatwright's.
Bus transportation to the parks is good. I think the longest I waited for a bus was maybe 8 minutes. French Quarter guests are picked up before Riverside guests, so you do have a few stops before you get to the parks. In my experience, the buses I've been on have never stopped at Riverside because there were no guests there waiting. I guess it was just the time of day, though.
Overall, this is a wonderful little resort. I highly recommend it if you want to stay somewhere that feels a little more intimate than some of the other more spread-out resorts.
Pros:
Size, theming, busesCons:
NoneReviewed by stephaniecoops77 Review Date: 02/24/2015
Rating: (8) Recommended
We stayed at POFQ in from 9/14/14 to 9/20/14. My husband and I, our 2 year old son, and my father in law were in a double queen room together. The room was plenty large for all 4 of us. I had checked in online prior to our arrival and as we got off DME, someone was waiting for us with our name on an iPad. The check in process was very smooth and was done in the lobby on a bench so we could relax after a long morning of traveling. The gentleman handing out Mardi Gras beads helped to keep my son entertained while I checked in.
We were in the 4th building, second floor, as requested. The only request that was not granted was a corner room (not a deal breaker). There was a pack and play in the room with sheets available. It fit easily between the bed and the front wall and my son did not have a problem sleeping in it at all. The curtain between the sink area and the room allowed more than enough privacy so that I didn't feel uncomfortable changing with my FIL in the room. The only thing that would have made it better is if the door to the commode/tub was outside the curtain so that someone else could shower or use the facilities while someone else is changing.
We did not have any issues with the MagicBand throughout the week (with the exception of some operator errors!). We ate in the food court for breakfast most days and the food was pretty good. Would have liked more variety, but again, not a deal breaker. It was nice to have the TV in the dining room playing classic Fab Five cartoons because it helped to keep my son still in his seat while we got things ready for the day.
Building 4 was really close to the bus stop and we never had a long wait for the buses. On more crowded days with EMH, 2 buses would come back to back for MK and EP, which was really nice.
One snag in the trip, which I don't think went anywhere when I called and I will probably make a follow up call soon - I wear Toms shoes in the parks often - cute, easy, comfortable. It was raining on the morning we were leaving and I was walking down the steps with my son on my hip and my feet slipped on the steps I ended up with some pretty gnarly bruises on my hip and leg. Considering how often it rains, they should definitely consider adding some anti slip strips on the stairs.
Pros:
Room size, accommodations for toddler, ease of check in, awesome decor, small size, ease of busesCons:
SLIPPERY STAIRS!!!Reviewed by sreynolds5 Review Date: 02/20/2015
Rating: (10) Recommended
Just got back from a quick 3 night/4 day visit. This was our 2nd stay at POFQ and, as with the first visit, the room was wonderful -- beautiful, clean, ready upon arrival (which was 3 p.m.). We were in building 7 on the ground floor. Our room faced a nicely landscaped courtyard and the walk to the main building/food court/bus stop was pleasant. We were able to park nearby in the lot just opposite our building.
Staff at the resort were all helpful and friendly -- every one of them! (Previously, we've run into a few grumpy Disney employees, but this trip everyone seemed not just helpful, but happy to be helpful. The one exception being the parade crowd control staff in the Magic Kingdom. We were a teensy bit afraid of them 🙂
Our room was well cleaned each day and plentiful soap/shampoo refills and towels were left for us. The beds were very comfortable.
We were there over the President's Day holiday weekend, but did not wait more than 10 minutes for a bus our entire stay. We only had to stand on the bus once. A wonderful visit!
One caution: The bathroom floor tile was very slippery in sock feet. My 17 yr. old daughter was the first one to discover this -- we were in the room all of 2 minutes when she kicked off her shoes and hurried to the bathroom -- not running, just rushing. Her feet went out from under her and she fell hard on one hip. She laughed about it and was OK, but we were very cautious about the tile floor after that.
Also be aware: The boats to Downtown Disney will not be running if it is too windy. We were disappointed on our last day to find they were shut down because of wind. We rode the bus instead, which was fine.
Pros:
Another Wonderful StayCons:
NoneReviewed by bellebookworm9 Review Date: 01/20/2015
Rating: (0) Recommended
I had previously stayed at POFQ for one night in May 2012, so my experience was pretty limited. Both my mom and I had come to walk around the resort during other trips, and she really, really wanted to stay here. After many changes to our dates, room types, and discount codes, I was able to snag exactly what we wanted: a garden view room for 5 nights, 12/14-12/19/14. I had done online check-in and faxed in some general location requests.
We arrived by car just before 3pm on the 14th, so our room was ready. The check in process took very little time and we were in our room, #4106, by 3:10. We had gotten a first floor room, as requested, but not the location I wanted. As it turned out, that was fine. This room was 1 minute and 20 seconds from the food court, next to the parking lot, overlooked a nice courtyard (smoking) area, and if we stood outside and looked directly west, we saw the higher bursts from IllumiNations!
The room was plenty big enough for the two of us and pretty clean overall, but we did have some complaints. There just were not enough outlets, and the ones that did exist were inconvenient. We had an ECV for my mom and it would have fit perfectly between the bed and the front wall, but there was no outlet. Instead, we parked it near the bathroom and stretched the cord across the vanity entrance. To do this though, we had to move the bench under the coatrack.
Additionally, we wanted to decorate our window for the holiday season but the glass was just so dirty that nothing would stick! We eventually were able to make do by wiping it down with some napkins, and using a lot of medical tape in addition to our command strips and gel clings.
Our last minor complaint: Our Magicbands worked for everything EXCEPT letting us into the resort when we returned from the parks. We always had to stop at the guard station and show them our parking pass or have them scan one of the bands. The sensor at the gate just would not work.
We spent a lot of time in the room because I was very, very ill during the trip. As such, not a lot of time was spent exploring the resort. On our last day I was feeling better, so we rested by the hot tub in the morning. It was very quiet and empty. We also went for a walk around the grounds. Mom said she didn't like it there as much as she hoped, and she liked the theme and feel of the front building more than that of the resort as a whole.
The cast members were always friendly, even when they had difficulties with their computer systems. The lobby concierge desk was able to print my Hoop dee Doo tickets, and I stopped by the front desk several times to pay off my room charges with gift cards. My mom was able to get AAA batteries in the gift shop when her insulin pump unexpectedly went dead, but she was very letdown by the store as a whole. Other resorts have better ones.
We did use the food court nearly every day and had no problems. I saved the Mardi Gras beads we were given on our first day, that was a nice little touch. Had every intention of going to Riverside to see Yee Ha Bob but my illness took precedent and a trip to CentraCare was necessary instead.
Did not use the pool or any resort transportation. There were always handicapped parking spots available no matter how late at night we returned, which was great. POFQ is just a quick drive to all of the parks, except possibly Animal Kingdom, which we didn't visit this time.
I would stay here again but would like to give Riverside a first try before that happens.
Pros:
Nice theme, friendly cast members, compact resort, close to almost everythingCons:
Requests not met, not enough outlets, dirty windows, Magicband problemReviewed by lauriembs Review Date: 01/15/2015
Rating: (9) Recommended
My husband and I stayed at the Port Orleans French Quarter from Jan. 9 – Jan. 14th. We usually stay at an “off-site†hotel when visiting Walt Disney World but my husband had signed up to participate in the Disney Marathon so we decided to stay onsite. We absolutely LOVED this resort! The rooms were very nice and clean. I had requested a specific room in a specific building for our stay so we could be close to the bus transportation. We drove to Orlando (12 hour drive) and checked in at 9:00pm. While they could not accommodate my EXACT room request, they did give me the room I had requested – just one floor down. It was perfect! The beds were more comfortable than I had expected too which is always a plus. Everything was in close proximity to our room – the pool, the food court, ice/vending on each floor, the gift shop and the bus stop! I had read the food court at this resort was very bad but we had no complaints! We ate there for dinner the night of our arrival (9:00pm) and the food was just fine. We also ate breakfast there two mornings and really enjoyed it. Don’t miss the beignets! In the evenings, the restaurant has live music which we enjoyed. The staff was always friendly and ready to assist us with any requests we had. We also loved the boat transportation to Downtown Disney – what a fun experience! I would definitely stay at the resort again…in fact, I am not sure I would want to stay anywhere else – we LOOOOVED it!
Pros:
Very nice accommodations/not super large propertyCons:
NoneReviewed by edwarddelbert77 Review Date: 01/07/2015
Rating: (9) Recommended
I stayed at FQ in 91 the first year it opened. It has aged well. Resort is beautiful. The size is a real highlight. We were in building 7, very far away from food court, but still not bad. I enjoyed my walk every morning to get coffee.
Kids loved the pool, although it is the only thing that is showing that it is close to 25 years old.
You can see why they are not offering discount on this resort, it sells itself for sure. Loved our stay there.
Pros:
Clean, food court options, smallest modCons:
Limited food court space, pool could use an updateReviewed by Carol Martin Review Date: 11/25/2014
Rating: (10) Recommended
I stayed at the FQ for my recent trip 11/15 to 11/22. I last stayed there a couple of years ago.
The front desk staff was very nice and helpful. When I arrived via the Magical Express, I was greeted outside and given my room information (which was ready early and fulfilled my special requests).
I had a nice garden view room in Building 3 on the 3rd Floor. It was very quiet and I loved that. Mousekeeping was fantastic. I went out each morning and no matter whether I returned at lunch or later in the afternoon, the room had been cleaned.
I found the food to be good and thought it was improved from my last visit 2 years ago.
The bus and boat transportation worked well during my trip and I didn't have significant wait times. The resort is convenient to a lot of things and I think that helps as well.
The size of this resort is what makes me select it over Riverside (which I really like as well). It is just nice to be able to get to the food and transportation quickly and without having to walk a long way.
I was sick the entire week. I had some medicine with me but needed additional items from the gift shop. When items were not stocked on the shelf, the staff were great about getting me what I needed quickly. Based on how I saw the medicine area change during my visit, I suspect I wasn't the only guest that was fighting some kind of illness! We kept them busy getting medications.
Pros:
Overall Resort, Size, StaffCons:
NoneReviewed by jaymie Review Date: 11/04/2014
Rating: (10) Recommended
This was our second stay at POFQ from Oct 22-29. Everything was great, room location was fabulous, Bldg 3 on main floor near food court. Movie Night was a great way for the kids to relax before bed and they had a blast in the pool every evening. It was never crowded.
Only hiccup was forgetting my bathing suit in the room. Working with lost & found now to see if they can track it down, but that was obviously my fault.
Pros:
Small Size, Quick & uncrowded bus serviceCons:
No table serviceReviewed by dano010 Review Date: 10/28/2014
Rating: (10) Recommended
My family and I stayed at POFQ from Oct 13th to the 23rd. The room was ready when we arrived. Souzana kept our room very clean and always brought extra towels. We were in building 6 with a nice view of the Sassagoula river and the boats plying it. The resort is centrally located making trips to the parks easier. The boats to downtown Disney are great except during busy times where the wait can get a bit long. We enjoyed a carriage ride and walks along the river path to PORS. The pool is fun for adults and kids. The slide is fun and I saw kids and adults using it (including us). They have movies every night in one of the courtyards. My wife stopped to watch the end of Cinderella on our way back to our room from getting hot chocolate. The jazz playing in the background enhances the laid back relaxed atmosphere of the resort. The food court is serviceable and the table outside add a cafe feel to the experience. For value and quality this has become our favorite resort.
Pros:
Intimate, cast member service, ambiance, poolCons:
no table service restaurantReviewed by megla791 Review Date: 10/16/2014
Rating: (9) Recommended
My husband and I stayed at the French quarter for our honeymoon on 10\12 to 10/16. When we arrived on the magical express, we were surprised to see a hotel staff holding an iPad with our names on it. She checked us in and everything was very quick. She gave us the happily ever after pin. Our room was in building 6, ground floor, corner room, facing the river. It was beautiful. Mickey and Minnie even left us a message saying congrats on getting married.
This is where everything started going down hill. We left the hotel to go to Hollywood studios. The lady never activated our park tickets so we had to wait in a long line at guest services. Their systems were down, so things took forever but it was finally fixed. Until we went to use the meal plan. The lady never had us set up a pin number. We had to pay for food and were told the hotel would pay us back. When we left the park and went to get everything solved we were told the computers were down we would have to wait for our money, but they could set up our pin number. We then received a credit on our account for all our problems.
Thought things couldn't go worse, but once we got to our room, we had another family's luggage and ours weren't there. We had to go back to guest services. They gave us another credit. So even though there were a lot of problems, the hotel did try to fix things for us.
The buses here are horrible. We waited over an hour one night for a down town Disney bus and half an hour another night for Epcot. Also, because they also service river side, it gets crowded.
Aside from all of that, we had a wonderful stay. The pool was great and unlike other Disney hotels I've stayed at, it wasn't over crowded. The people were friendly and the food court had good selections. The store was limited in the souvenir department, but that isn't a big deal. Everything was very clean, and we loved the marshmallows they have at the fire every night!
