Port Orleans French Quarter Review
When mom and I went to Disney back in January, we opted to stay at Port Orleans French Quarter. We had Annual Passes so we had a little extra money to spend on this trip since we were not buying tickets. So we decided to stay moderate in the end. With the construction at Caribbean Beach Resort and Coronado Springs, those were not an option. I have already stayed at Port Orleans Riverside, and the cabins at Fort Wilderness do not appeal to me. So that left Port Orleans French Quarter (POFQ). I have actually always wanted to stay here, so it worked out. And we were able to get a discount using our AP.
While this is probably the smallest resort I have reviewed, I think it is the most extensive review I have done. So much so, I truly wonder where to start. But I think the best place to really start will be the room. Then I will elaborate on all of the other aspects of this great resort.
Room
When we first arrived to Orlando, our room was not yet ready. You can read all about that in my day one trip report. So we did not visit our room until later that evening. The room type was correct (Garden View), but neither of my room requests were met (corner room, ground floor). Overall this wasn't a big deal, but it can be frustrating. Our room requests are rarely met in all of our visits to Disney. Either way, the room was ideal for just the two of us. It was large enough that we could easily take Melody and still have plenty of room.
Our room was in Building 5, Room 5238. It was located on the second floor and provided a view of a garden, and in the distance, we could see the water too. The pictures below aren't the best because I took them at night, but they still give you an idea of the view.
When we first entered the room, a table and two chairs were found on the right side. We only used this at night if we snacked, but it was nice to have for this purpose. If we had Melody with us, this would have been good place for her to eat her breakfast and snacks.
On the left side were two queen beds. This is something I love vs the value resorts {queen beds instead of full beds). This isn't a huge deal when just mom and I travel because we sleep in separate beds anyhow. But if Brad and I ever bring Melody to this resort, it will be nice to have the bigger beds.
Next to the table and chairs was a dresser. It had three drawers and a door that contained the refrigerator and a coffee maker. On top was the TV along with a few cups and an ice bucket. Unlike most trips, I didn't fully unpack my suitcase, so we never used the drawers. I slept in the bed on the left, so I stored my suitcase next to my bed. I had everything sorted and organized, but I left everything in there for the most part. There was a bench on the other side of the dresser that my mom stored her suitcase on. We did use the refrigerator throughout the trip to store a 2 liter coke we bought from the gift shop. It worked well but would freeze our drinks sometimes.
The bathroom area was separated from the rest of the room with a curtain if needed. Another bonus about this moderate room vs a value is that there are two sinks. This is huge for us when getting ready in the mornings! There was also an iron and ironing board, hangers, and a safe.
The bathroom itself wasn't anything fancy, just a tub and toilet. And I was happy to see the same toiletries we found at the Yacht Club back in December. It is hit or miss if the toiletries are the same. Sometimes they use a cheaper version at moderate and value resorts, at least based on my past experience.
Below are the new room occupied signs that you have in your room instead of the do not disturb sign. We only used it one day (our departure day). While it was up, we did not receive any disturbances. That doesn't mean too much since it was our departure day, but it is still something I wanted to share.
The room reminded me a lot of a deluxe resort room as far as decor goes. It isn't over the top cheesy like you will find in the value resorts. It was toned down and looked very "grown-up". This may not always be appealing to families with younger kids who may like the cheesiness of value resorts. While I am not opposed to the cheesiness, I like the extras you get by staying moderate vs staying value (queen beds; more room options; double sinks, etc.).
Bus Stops
At POFQ there are two bus stops next to each other. You have bus stop A and bus stop B. A provided buses to Animal Kingdom, Epcot, Blizzard Beach, Disney Springs, and Typhoon Lagoon. B provided buses to Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. Unlike value resorts, you do not have a separate line for each bus. This can be good and bad. I have never noticed an issue for the most part with the set up like this. It is rare that a bus will fill up to the point everyone doesn't get a seat during the off season when we go. I suppose this would be more difficult during the busy seasons, but I don't have any experience with that time in the recent years at least. Some deluxe resorts split up stations similar to this. Some will just have one station with multiple places the bus can stop. So you just have to watch for your bus. The values are truly the only ones I have experienced that have a strict line for each park.
POFQ is also an unique moderate resort in that it does not have multiple stops within its resort. At the other moderate resorts, they are so large they require multiple bus stops throughout the resort. They generally have 4-5 stops. This means the bus could easily fill up before it gets to you. This also adds a bit of time when trying to get to the parks. I loved that POFQ was small enough that we did not have the internal bus stops.
Food Court
I have already completed an entire post about the food court, so I won't elaborate too much. However, I will say, the food court was definitely a top 3 food court for me. I loved that it provided the different stations and truly felt like a food court, but in all the times we visited, it was never busy enough that we could not easily find a table. There were never any lines at the drink stations, and the lines at the registers were reasonable too. Other moderate and value resorts that I have stayed out have always had very crowded food courts unless you went during true non-peak meal times. The food was also very unique compared to others since it contained a lot of cajun options. Oh and the beignets!
Arcade
So mom and I didn't actually play any of the games at the arcade, but I did take lots of pictures for anyone interested in what they offered or what the current prices are. It contains games very similar to the ones Brad and I played last February at Art of Animation. It is not too expensive for Disney, and it never seemed to be crowded. You can access it both through the outside in the picture below, and there is an entrance near the front desk.
Shopping
Unintentionally, we visited Jackson Square shop every day, ha! We primarily visited for a 2 liter coke. It was only a quarter or two more than buying a 20 oz. And this trip we opted not to do the refillable mugs since we would not be at the resort too much. This worked out perfectly for us. I also bought some of the shampoo and conditioner because Brad and I love it so much. It was a nice shop. I liked that it was stand alone and not part of the food court like you see a lot of shops at the resorts. It had a good variety of things that you may need throughout your trip too.
Pool and Playground
While we didn't actually spend any time at the pool and playground, I did take a few pictures of both. I wanted to see it myself mainly in case we came back with Melody. And after looking, she would LOVE it! She is at an age where she doesn't love the pool because she isn't tall enough to reach the bottom. And she hates floats. So I am not sure if she will like the pool yet next time we go. But it was a very nice size pool and it contained a decent slide. There was also a pool bar nearby. I didn't get a picture of the menu though.
Now what Melody does love, splash pads. And she would LOVE theirs. It is the first resort we have stayed at that has had this and we noticed. I took a few pictures, but the picture really do not do it justice. It looked like SO much fun. She could spend all day there!
The playground was ordinary, but Melody would enjoy it I am sure. It is something nice to have for the kids for sure.
Boat Transportation
Another benefit at staying here is that you also have the option to take a boat to both Port Orleans Riverside and Disney Springs. We only spent one night at Disney Springs, but it was really nice to be able to take the boat. Especially because we ended our night near the boat dock, and it was easier to just grab the boat than walk all the way back to the bus stops. You can see some of the pictures from our trip FROM Disney Springs in my blog post about our first day of the trip. Below are some pictures of the boat stop at POFQ, however. Boats seem to run every 30 minutes or so. And it is a nice alternative to the buses.
Running Trails
So I plan to post a video of a walking tour of the resort soon. In the meantime you can view pictures of portions of the running trail below. But directly below you can find the details on a fun run they do at the resort as well as the details of the running trail.
Other Indoor Areas
Below are some of the other indoor areas that you may encounter or wish to know about. First off is the recreation guide. This changes monthly.
You can also find portable chargers in the lobby area.
Speaking of the lobby, here are some pictures of the lobby area.
Off of the lobby, there is a piano bar area, but we did not encounter it while it was active! You can also find the hours while we were there below too.
Other Outdoor Areas
The entrance is very festive at POFQ. Usually there is usually someone standing there to greet you decked out in Mardi Gras style gear.
You can find a horse and carriage going throughout the resort. We only noticed this in the evening, so I am not sure their schedule. But it was really nice.
During our last day, we took a walk around the resort. I videoed as much as I could, but in addition I took a lot of pictures. See those below, and I will post a video soon.
Final Thoughts
I am a really big fan of this resort. I would without a doubt say that POFQ is my favorite moderate resort by far. The size is perfect, and the location is great too. We made it to each park in a very reasonable amount a time with little waiting at the bus stop too. Out of ALL of the resorts we have stayed at, this is in my top 3. If we ever wanted to go to Disney and save a little money, I would not hesitate to stay here. The only negative is that it is harder to get a discount here, but it isn't impossible. My mom and I were able to get a room only discount using our AP, so it can be done. If you ever get a chance to stay here, I would highly recommend it!
