Disney's PORT ORLEANS FRENCH QUARTER RESORT Information & Questions

[joyjoy]

I am asking this here because we are staying at POFQ in 4 weeks and I am sure someone here will know the answer.

We have a package (hotel and tickets) booked, but no dining plan. We have plenty of reservations made.

We usually bill everything to our room. How do I pay our bill at the end using gift cards? Is this possible?

Or do I need to use gift cards while out for meals?

Thanks!

Use your magic band to pay for everything, including meals. Every couple of days stop by the front desk and pay current charges with your gift cards. It takes 5 minutes, depending if there's a line or not. Lines are shortest 11 am -2 pm but not really terrible anytime.

 

[cdnusagurl]

So I was going to cancel our reservation at POFQ in light of Disney's recent decision to extend EMH to Disney Springs' hotels. But then I got home and my husband waived the envelope with our luggage tags for magical express in my face, and suddenly all my anger about their decision disappeared as I started to daydream about us walking the banks of the Sassagoula River at sunset to find a nice spot for my husband to smoke his cigar while I sat down beside him with a Disney mug filled with cold lemonade and a good book in my hand to pass the time. And I thought about waking up on our non park days and strolling around the resort before taking a relaxing boat ride over to Disney Springs to explore the shops and eat at the restaurants our little town will never see. It was then that I knew I couldn't do it. I can't cancel our stay at POFQ. I haven't even seen it in person yet and I'm already in love.

 

[StageTek]

walking the banks of the Sassagoula River at sunset to find a nice spot for my husband to smoke his cigar while I sat down beside him with a Disney mug filled with cold lemonade and a good book in my hand to pass the time.

There's a little gazebo a few yards away from the boat dock. That's where I enjoy my cigar. It's something I look forward to on each visit.

 

[adelaster]

So I was going to cancel our reservation at POFQ in light of Disney's recent decision to extend EMH to Disney Springs' hotels. But then I got home and my husband waived the envelope with our luggage tags for magical express in my face, and suddenly all my anger about their decision disappeared as I started to daydream about us walking the banks of the Sassagoula River at sunset to find a nice spot for my husband to smoke his cigar while I sat down beside him with a Disney mug filled with cold lemonade and a good book in my hand to pass the time. And I thought about waking up on our non park days and strolling around the resort before taking a relaxing boat ride over to Disney Springs to explore the shops and eat at the restaurants our little town will never see. It was then that I knew I couldn't do it. I can't cancel our stay at POFQ. I haven't even seen it in person yet and I'm already in love.

Please use the designated smoking areas. It really bothered me when people disregarded that rule. They are very generous with the locations. Someone I saw flouting it not only walked around smoking but threw the remaining carcinogens into the river for the wildlife to ingest. I'm all for your enjoyment, just be mindful of everyone else when you do it to whatever degree possible. We're at a point in history where we know that even third hand smoke is dangerous, and some people are allergic and highly aggravated by it. Personally I don't mind cigars as much, but it really upset me to see some people smoking wherever they wanted. The smoking stations were set up with a purpose to encourage proper disposal of the "butts" as it were. Unfortunately most people do not dispose of them properly unless you shove a tray in their face.

 

[cdnusagurl]

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Please use the designated smoking areas. It really bothered me when people disregarded that rule. They are very generous with the locations. Someone I saw flouting it not only walked around smoking but threw the remaining carcinogens into the river for the wildlife to ingest. I'm all for your enjoyment, just be mindful of everyone else when you do it to whatever degree possible. We're at a point in history where we know that even third hand smoke is dangerous, and some people are allergic and highly aggravated by it. Personally I don't mind cigars as much, but it really upset me to see some people smoking wherever they wanted. The smoking stations were set up with a purpose to encourage proper disposal of the "butts" as it were. Unfortunately most people do not dispose of them properly unless you shove a tray in their face.

I will make sure he smokes in a designated area, however I don't smoke so you don't have to worry about me. Never have and never will.

Also last I checked there were a few spots near Riverside where smoking is allowed by the river so that's those are the places I was referring to before anyone gets upset.

 

[RocketCityMama]

wrong thread

 

[adelaster]

@andrewilley Do you know if they are holding back a lot of rooms in early 2018 for renovations? Is it possible more availability will appear at a later time?

 

[andrewilley]

@andrewilley Do you know if they are holding back a lot of rooms in early 2018 for renovations? Is it possible more availability will appear at a later time?

I doubt it, they are planning to keep the amount of rooms removed from inventory to a minimum at any given time, and while I assume this would have an impact of perhaps a few dozen rooms at a time, they wouldn't be added back into the system while renovations are going on anyway.

Andre

 

[RolloTomasi]

Just booked a trip at POFQ for the first weekend in November. It'll be my birthday that weekend and it's my friend's first trip to Disney so I'm looking forward to it. We're going right in the week between Halloween ending and the Christmas parties starting so we'll miss all of that but since we'll both be on budget that's fine. I'm assuming the Food and Wine Festival will still be going on so we'll have to make do with that (oh darn lol).

Growing up my family always stayed at FQ whenever we went to Disney so this is going to feel a bit like coming home.

 

[helpmabob]

New to the forum but stayed at French Quarter every vacation since 2009. October 2018 will be at Old Key West as no availability at FQ

 

[vicb]

Hi all ! New to this thread, have read some basic info about POR FQ, thinking about staying here as price is so much better than S/D where we've been staying. I am curious as to the room rennovations I've read about on another board. Does anyone know the time line for rennovations? We are planning an early May 2018 stay.

Thought we would book Riverside but after looking at photos and video thinking FQ might be nicer in terms of size. Any thoughts on FQ vs. Riverside?

Also, anyone use Lyft to supplement bus transport, does that work ok at FQ?

Thanks!

 

[ncc1701]

Hi all ! New to this thread, have read some basic info about POR FQ, thinking about staying here as price is so much better than S/D where we've been staying. I am curious as to the room rennovations I've read about on another board. Does anyone know the time line for rennovations? We are planning an early May 2018 stay.

Thought we would book Riverside but after looking at photos and video thinking FQ might be nicer in terms of size. Any thoughts on FQ vs. Riverside?

Also, anyone use Lyft to supplement bus transport, does that work ok at FQ?

Thanks!

The renovations should be in the last weeks by May. If you go to www.portorleans.org they have the timeline. POFQ is more compact than POR . Some people prefer the more spread out grounds at POR personally we like the compactness at POFQ. I have read people using Lyft/ Uber with no issues. We just get a taxi when going to or from ADRS at other resorts. Otherwise we are fine with the buses ( or boat when going to DS).

 

[vicb]

The renovations should be in the last weeks by May. If you go to www.portorleans.org they have the timeline. POFQ is more compact than POR . Some people prefer the more spread out grounds at POR personally we like the compactness at POFQ. I have read people using Lyft/ Uber with no issues. We just get a taxi when going to or from ADRS at other resorts. Otherwise we are fine with the buses ( or boat when going to DS).

Wow thanks for that great link... what a wealth of information!! I think I will just request any building aside from 7 which won't have been completed at the time of our trip. We are planning a trip with our young adult children, I talked to both and they seem fine with staying at a moderate to save $$. We prefer two rooms for four adults so got to compromise. There are so many new restaurants at Disney Springs that we might make that more of a dining focus rather than Epcot (we have stayed at Dolphin last two trips).

 

[helpmabob]

We have been staying at French Quarter for the past 10 years. We come for 2 weeks and do all the parks, Disney and all the others. We just use Mears as they have taxis on the grounds, but know that Lyft/Uber are much cheaper.
July past we did a split week between FQ and Portofino at Universal, lovely resort but after a couple of days did miss FQ.
If you are hiring a car then Block 1 is closest to main car Park, but furthest from main buildings.
Sometimes depending on Park the bus will also go into Riverside, but mainly buses run straight to parks from FQ. If its a late return from parks usually they will double up, but FQ always gets dropped off first.
2016 They renovated the quick serve area, and personally feel it has lost that" little something", however, there are now Coke Freestyle machines, more food options and they also have a better "take and go" selection.
When my son was younger we made more use of the pool, which is a great place to relax after a heavy park day. The laundry is close by, so a great way to do laundry and enjoy a swim.
We had hoped to be back in October but FQ is so popular that nothing available for our dates.

 

[AngiTN]

For any who are curious, we came in last night, hung at the bar and ate, it was full on Christmas. Got up this morning, not a speck of Christmas to be seen. All cleared and put away overnight. So on 1/1 Christmas decorations and on 1/2 none.

 

[Disneylover99]

For any who are curious, we came in last night, hung at the bar and are, it was full in Christmas. Got up this morning, not a speck of Christmas to be seen. All cleared and put away overnight. So on 1/1 Christmas decorations and on 1/2 none.

Wow! They don't waste any time. It's even quicker than last year. Last year we woke up at POFQ on Jan. 3 to find Christmas was gone, and I thought that was a bit too premature.

 

[jlundeen]

For any who are curious, we came in last night, hung at the bar and are, it was full in Christmas. Got up this morning, not a speck of Christmas to be seen. All cleared and put away overnight. So on 1/1 Christmas decorations and on 1/2 none.

Similar to how Christmas went up when we were there the end of October....one day, Halloween, the next Christmas.... The parks took a little longer to make the switch, but it definitely was a pretty smooth transition!

 

[Gina Starr]

They are taking down the Christmas decorations earlier and earlier, in the parks and resorts. We went January 10th two years ago and decorations were still up everywhere. We arrive in just a few days so I'm sad we won't be able to see the tree. However, I do love the lobby scent when it's not Christmas so I guess that's a plus.

 

[AngiTN]

For the record the parks trees are still up today

 

[vicb]

We are a grab and go breakfast family, granola bars or muffins, yogurt or a banana that kind of breakfast in the room or waiting for the bus. New to POFQ, wondering if we can buy that stuff the night before at Sassagoula? I saw reference to having a "grab and go cabinet" there but that might have been an old article.

Also, anyone know the price of water bottles?

We have done grocery stop in the past with Tiffany Towncars but thinking of using Magic Express transport this trip so no grocery stop.

Thanks.