Port Orleans resort

[halopet]

Ok booked flights - accommodation next and its been sooooo hard deciding where to stay on site! they all look so lovely, anyway Port Orleans French Quarter is looking likely, anybody stayed there and have any opinions or would Riverside (dixie landings) be better?

just another quick question - our flight is to Sanford how easy is it to get transport direct to the resort i know it is further up north than International but ive heard its easier even though longer journey up to 40 mins more!!- how much is a taxi likely to cost? or there a special Disney resort drop off bus running regulary?

all your expert thoughts would be kindly appreciated.

halopet
x :D

[wdwgrandma]

Congratulations! A trip to WDW is always worth celebrating.

We've stayed in both PO-FQ and Riverside. And asking which one is nicer/better, etc., should get you many different answers and opinions. My preference is for Riverside - specifically the Magnolia Terrace buildings. Others prefer Alligator Bayou.

FQ is nice, also.

[Charlenne]

I love Riverside, I've stayed there three times (only three times I have stayed on site) and am going back in July. I have only stayed in Magnolia Terrace so I don't know how the other buildings are, I am hoping to get an Alligator Bayou building just to try something different - does anybody have any suggestions on requesting specific buildings?

[halopet]

Hi Charlene

It must be good if you been three times! did you see the French Quarter bit? The riverside looks lovley but more buildings so I thought it might be very big to walk everywhere if you know what I mean. Im going at beginning of July just for 7 days this time because of expense. are we mad going in July when everyone will be visiting to celebrate the 4th July!! i guess it will very very busy but atomospheric I suppose.

Anyway have a lovely time, any tips on resort would be appreciated


Tracey
x

[wdwgrandma]

One of the more pleasant parts of Riverside is that it IS spread out a bit! The landscaping is wonderful! I loved getting up every morning and walking to the food court across two small bridges! The trees and the river were so serene. We'd often see rabbits and ducks on our walk. The bus stopped right behind our building, so we didn't have far to go for that. But it did take a pleasant 5 minute (more or less) stroll to get to the food court. I used the opportunity to relax a bit before heading to the parks where we would be in the midst of crowds. I also found it a good time to take some gorgeous photos!

You are correct, tho, that FQ isn't quite so spread out. Cozier, if you know what I mean! More like the closeness of the houses in the French Quarter in New Orleans. Streets, with little signs similar to those you'd find in New Orleans, lead you to your building. We didn't use the pool at FQ, but we did walk over and check it out and take a few photos. The kids were really enjoying the dragon slide! I loved the alligator statues (a few squirt water) that can be found near the pool.

We stayed at FQ early in December while all the holiday decorations were up. It was neat the way they combined masks and beads and feathers and sequins and Christmas ornaments to make unique and beautiful holiday decorations.

The food court reminds me of a Mardi Gras parade warehouse - full of typical parade memorabilia. And if they are still serving beignets, be sure to have some fresh and hot in the morning! They used to ring the bell and holler "Hot beignets!" Yum! wish they served chickory coffee, tho... The beignets at FQ reminds me of Cafe du Monde.

Visiting WDW in July? Hot, humid, busy - fun!

[JuniorMickey]

I've stayed at both and I perfer FQ. Simply because it is smaller. To walk to the food court is short, to walk to the pool is short. I stayed there last May just after it reopened after rehab. I was not dissapointed at all.

That said, I stayed at POR this past February in Maglolia and it was beautiful. We were really close to the main area and the resort was really quiet and beautiful. Having Boatwrights right there was nice also. It's a tough decision. If I had to make it, I'd flip a coin ;)

[Charlenne]

We have always gone during July/August, but never during July 4th weekend so I have no idea about that, this year we are going to be there July 8th-15th. I did see the French Quarter part, we actually ate in the cafeteria there several times, very good food. I thought it was absolutely beautiful, and from what I have been told and what I saw it is a bit closer together then the POR, sometimes you have quite a good walk at POR and when you are tired from a day at the parks that's not always fun, but if you just take your time and enjoy the scenery it's wonderful, it is absolutely gorgeous.

I really can not wait to go again.

If you do stay in Riverside I can tell you that Magnolia Terrace is very close to a bus stop, adjacent to a quiet pool and not that far of a walk from the main pool and the cafeteria.

[halopet]

Thanks Charlene for tip about Magnolia buildings....Have a lovely time when you - i cant wait either !!:)

[halopet]

Hi Junior Mickey

I see youve been to AKL too! I want to go there really but its just too expensive at this time. Thanks for your comments

Tracey

[halopet]

Thanks for your comments and insight - its really difficult deciding on which side to stay on but Im leaning towards the French Quarter....

[kiltedwarrior]

We stayed at POFQ last Nov/Dec and absolutely loved it :bigsmile: Very well set out and the theming is great. Rooms were spacious and had plenty of amenities inc. mini fridge. Food court had a large variety of choice at all times of the day, facilities were excellent and there was plenty to do nearby. One of the best plus points was that it was very quiet and serene. Id highly recommed it to anyone heading across to stay at WDW.

[cm2k]

I too prefer the Riverside.

However when i was there in January a Disney Cast Member on the ferry told me, that when they upgraded all the rooms at the French Quarter recently, each room had it's own individually placed Hidden Mickey! :eek:

[dturcott]

stayed at riverside a couple of years ago in july (very crowded). Loved the hotel. PO was totally closed for remodelling then. Riverside was great , the ladscape and rooms were cool, but I kept getting lost!! :hehe:
the buildings are very similar

[boo28]

We got back from Riverside 2 weeks ago and thought it was excellent. We had access to FQ as they are sister resorts. We prefered the space at Riverside and the way every 2 blocks of rooms had there own pool. The main pool that was just a walk down the river and over the bridge away.


We are already planning to go back next year and the riverside is a definate no-brainer.:wiggle:

[tweenie123]

Hi,
We've stayed at Riverside twice and love it. The grounds are so well laid out and spacious. We've always stayed in Alligator Bayou (building 34) as it's really quiet. It's about 10 minutes walk from the food court but it's such a lovely walk that we enjoy it. The small pools are great - never crowded and the boat trip to Downtown Disney is a definite plus. The only downside is that the dining quarter can get crowded at breakfast time but that's too be expected with so many guests. The resort is lovely - have a great time!

[LiamFan!]

We LOVE Port Orleans French Quarter! We stayed there several times, and someone else already mentioned here that it's much easier to get to the food court at the FQ resort than at the River one. (We stayed when it was still Dixie Landings.)

We love the beignets at the food court...yum!

If you can get a corner room on the second floor, try to do that...it's a great room, good view -- you'll love it.

One of my favorite Disney World memories is watching the Space Shuttle takeoff from Port Orleans...it was a night launch and you could see the fiery tail of the rocket streaking through the sky from the resort. Very cool.

[Scoootch]

Okay, you really can't go wrong with either as they're both wonderful but...FQ has a slight edge IMO because :

A. It's more compact. Even the furthest out blng. is still pretty close to the main bldng.,Food court,pool and bus stop.

B. The buses stop at FQ first before heading over to POR and then out to the parks (almost always guaranteeing you a seat) and also they stop at FQ first again when returning from the parks. Which makes it great if you're tired and it's late at night...which goes back to the nice short walk to the room too;)

As for the rooms themselves, FQ was just referbished not long ago and so was POR. Both are equally wonderful. And you can use the ammenities and pools at both since they're sister resorts.

But for the slight edge reasons I mentioned, FQ would be my first choice.

Enjoy!:wave:

[Big Al]

If cleanliness is not an issue for you go to the Alligator Bayou where I was last year - it was the pits. My opinion ... bulldoze the resort and start again. Building 14 was, (once again) in my opinion, NOT well cared for at all. Public areas messy (gum smashed and dried on the ground, spilled sticky soda, cigarette butts and other fluids on the walkways and in the vending areas). And then I heard that this "lovely" resort shares the same housekeeping crew as does the Caribbean Beach and the Corrinado Spings. No wonder why they called us up at 9AM to find out when we were leaving the room... so they could clean it! But the pool was it for me. Murky, cloudy water that was so horribly unbalanced I told my kids to get out of it. We went to Blizzard Beach instead. I work with pools and that one needed to be closed for cleaning and scrubbing. YEEK!!!! A river would be cleaner.

[pluto]

Sounds like you had a bad experience.... but I wouldn't be put off.. so many people here and elsewhere say what a lovely resort it is... im sure that it includes being clean also...shame you had a bad stay BIG AL

[Bec]

We loved Riverside a good room is in Parterre Place, Magnolia Buildings close to lobby and bus stop.

[BigThunder]

I've stayed at Riverside twice & I personally love it there. I have only swam & eaten at FQ but it looks very nice too. I like the looks of PO-R better but I do like the idea of PO-FQ being smaller. Plus I think it's first on the bus route which might ensure a seat rather than standing on the usually overcrowded busses they share.
Can't help you on the driving questions, sorry.