As a DVC member, French Quarter vs Riverside for cash stay???

[DeeBee3]

We have no points left or to borrow...so we were thinking of doing an impromptu visit in August at a moderate that has the Disney+ discount. We have checked dates and these 2 resorts are some of the available.

We would probably do a Halloween party as the dates line up. However, our dates are flexible in August.

I also think we are crazy for paying cash for more rooms at Disney, but it does sound fun to do something unexpected.

It would be 2 adults, 2 kids under 10. Looking for suggestions as to which moderate you would suggest and specifically which of the Port Orleans...

Thank you!

 

[AdamsMum]

Personally, I love French Quarter. The resort is smaller and walking distance to the main building is short from any of the buildings. Which I think is a big advantage in the heat of August, getting that morning coffee, and getting back to the room after parks. The pool is also smaller but it has a fun slide for the kids. Sometimes they have complementary beads at check in. My kids thought that was fun too. And I loved the beignets in the food court, little fried lumps of dough covered in powdered sugar. I know it sounds gross but they are heaven.
I haven't stayed there since I became a DVC member, and now I know they are available in other areas.
I haven't stayed at Riverside, but I know people who have and they also enjoyed it. Riverside has a sit down restaurant. Seems that whichever one you stay at first, becomes your favourite.
Whatever you decide, enjoy!

 

[wnielsen1]

I love the smaller footprint of French Quarter.

 

[Sandisw]

I have only stayed Riverside once but I have family who stay French Quarter…there now..all the time and they love it.

 

[DeeBee3]

Would you all say it would be a "letdown" going from Deluxe DVC to a moderate or would the rooms stack up the same?

 

[DonMacGregor]

Riverside. The space is more open and relaxing, the main pool is awesome, you have Boatwrights (that even Pete has had a change of heart on), although I do think Riverside Mill takes second place to Sassagoula Floatworks for quick serve. You do have to go to French Quarter for beignets too, but it's a short walk/carriage ride/boat ride.

 

[heynowirv]

If you are used to staying in 1bedrooms yes. There will not be a kitchen or washer/dryers. What you get is a hotel room ,,,but the rest of WDW is still right there. Enjoy whatever you decide. We honeymooned at Port Orleans so there is a soft spot there for me.

 

[mort1331]

The one thing that is a bonus in the Mod resorts over a studio DVC,,,they have 2 sinks for getting ready in the am. Never thought about it until i had girls....lol...

 

[I Run Long]

Definitely French Quarter for all the reasons most have already mentioned. We're staying there for 4 days as a resort only visit prior to our upcoming Wish cruise. I don't think you'll be disappointed - yes it isn't DVC but you know that going in. It certainly isn't a deal breaker for me.

 

[shoegal9]

I love both. But we didn’t have points to stay this weekend and we booked French Quarter. I love that it’s quiet and small. No table service, but a quick boat ride to Disney Springs. I prefer the rooms at FQ, but both have the laminate flooring, fabric shower curtains, etc.

No, it’s not a deluxe room. But we still enjoy our stays in moderates as much as we do most of our DVC stays.

 

[WDWfantasy]

I personally like Riverside better. I do not like the main pool area at FQ at all. The theming is not my thing...to each his/her own. The pathway around Riverside and the grounds overall seem more shady and the rooms feel more private to me. I don’t mind a walk from the room to the main area...it’s beautiful. I like the larger food court at Riverside. I personally despise the digital drink refill setup at FQ. I am a simple gal . I definitely thinks it’s worth a walk to FQ for beignets during the trip. JMO

 

[disneyseniors]

I love both. But we didn’t have points to stay this weekend and we booked French Quarter. I love that it’s quiet and small. No table service, but a quick boat ride to Disney Springs. I prefer the rooms at FQ, but both have the laminate flooring, fabric shower curtains, etc.

No, it’s not a deluxe room. But we still enjoy our stays in moderates as much as we do most of our DVC stays.

Have fun at POFQ
We always stay there now. But our go to resort that we love will always be POR. I guess it's the ambience of the resort. We always stayed in the BAyou section and loved the tropical vibe. The manors are beautiful but too "fancy" for our part, LOL. You can get a carriage ride from POR, too. I love The Mill and we think it is the best QS restaurant in WDW. The Sascagoola QS at POFQ is smaller but has good food too, we just prefer the food and set up at POR. They have a huge gift shop which we always frequent, but I hear that they have cut some of the merchandise at this time. If you don't like the Mardi Gras vibe, then it might bother you. We both don't like the gaudy Mardi Gras vibe, but it is a lovely resort and everything is close. That helps for mobility disabled guests, such as my husband. There are a lot of mobility challenged guests that go to FQ for that reason. The bus stops can get a little busy with ECV's, but usually the wait isn't too long.
I think you will love FQ. It sounds like a report on POR, but had to mention it The walk between the resorts is about 10 minutes and is a beautiful walk in the evening. Even though we would have stayed with POR if we could, POFQ is a great resort.

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

You cannot go wrong with either. My non-DVC best friends call Port Orleans their "home resort."

 

[buzzrelly]

I always tell people that if we had stayed at POFQ before becoming DVC members, we might never have become DVC members. I love that resort, it's absolutely adorable!

 

[Brett Wyman]

Would you all say it would be a "letdown" going from Deluxe DVC to a moderate or would the rooms stack up the same?

For us its not the room quality as much as the space. We spend a decent amount of time resting in the room to keep our batteries charged and I couldn't think of doing it in a standard hotel room.

 

[Disney Spaz]

Add us to the POFQ group. We stayed at POR after buying DVC, we were out of points, and were very disappointed. The room wasn't bad but the distance from everything was not great. If you like OKW and SSR and the walking it wouldn't be as bad.

The CM's were awesome as always but POFQ always feels more welcoming, we even went there to eat our last trip a few weeks ago as it is our favorite Mod.

 

[The Jackal]

Depending on your children. PO Riverside has the Princess rooms. They are the most themed rooms on Disney property. No rooms even come close to the amount theming in those rooms.

 

[PsycProfPlum]

My first couple of visits were to POR and I loved it and thought I couldn't possibly like FQ more. Then I stayed at FQ and definitely prefer it. The small size means every room is like a "preferred" room. It's also the best bus experience I've had on property as it often has a dedicated bus and rarely is full given the small size of the resort. It also has my favorite quick serve on property. For kids, the splash pad is amazing... way better than many DVC and deluxe resorts.

 

[Nabas]

We have stayed at both. IMO, the smaller POFQ is better for couples. Its theming is somewhat romantic, and it’s much smaller than the other Moderate Resorts.

But POFQ has probably the worst Moderate Resort pool and a so-so food court.

POR has a much better pool and food court. But it also has more bus stops. Upgrade to a room close to the main building if you can.

Given your family’s mix (2 children under 10), I suggest POR.

 

[DeeBee3]

So for anyone who is still out there, would Gran Destino be nice? It is not much more money and the rooms look way nicer. I know it's not at all themed for kids but that's not a big deal. Just curious.