Can't decide on Port Orleans Riverside or French Quarter...

[jelo]

Good Morning everyone!

I was awake for hours last night, I'm so confused! I need help from those who have been

We have stayed off site, All Stars and Pop Century, we are looking at a moderate this time as our daughters are older. We haven't been to Disney in 10 years and so much has changed!

We've narrowed it down to Port Orleans Riverside or French Quarter, and we are vacationing with another family. Can someone who has been give me any tips to decide which resort would best fit us?

Our Family, dh 54, me 51, dd 24, dd 15....both daughters are vegetarian, so hoping the food court has something.….sigh....

Friends Family, Dad 54, Wife 43, dd 14, dd 12...their dd is vegan...so much more difficult!

We are looking at October 2019 Saturday to the following Sunday...

I've been reading that the busses at Riverside have very long waits?

We won't need connecting rooms, but next door to each other would be better..

Preferably a quieter spot, but close enough that the 3 younger girls can find their way to the pool!

I will probably have more questions, but those are the ones keeping me up last night!!

Thanks everyone, so excited!!

 

[mn51]

Good Morning everyone!

I was awake for hours last night, I'm so confused! I need help from those who have been

We have stayed off site, All Stars and Pop Century, we are looking at a moderate this time as our daughters are older. We haven't been to Disney in 10 years and so much has changed!

We've narrowed it down to Port Orleans Riverside or French Quarter, and we are vacationing with another family. Can someone who has been give me any tips to decide which resort would best fit us?

Our Family, dh 54, me 51, dd 24, dd 15....both daughters are vegetarian, so hoping the food court has something.….sigh....

Friends Family, Dad 54, Wife 43, dd 14, dd 12...their dd is vegan...so much more difficult!

We are looking at October 2019 Saturday to the following Sunday...

I've been reading that the busses at Riverside have very long waits?

We won't need connecting rooms, but next door to each other would be better..

Preferably a quieter spot, but close enough that the 3 younger girls can find their way to the pool!

I will probably have more questions, but those are the ones keeping me up last night!!

Thanks everyone, so excited!!

We have stayed at both many times. French Quarters is small and easy to get around. The food court has great food. The resort has one pool. Riverside is larger. We prefer the Royal Rooms as we much prefer to be in the mansions as opposed to the more rustic Alligator Bayou. There is one large pool and several smaller quiet pools throughout Riverside. The food court is very good. The good thing is you can walk between food courts (maybe a 10 minute walk). We have had both great luck and not so great luck with buses as both resorts. Although a much larger resort, you may have better luck getting rooms nearer each other at Riverside. Honestly, both resorts are wonderful. We have stayed more times at Riverside because I love the Royal Rooms. Also, there are boats that go to Disney Springs from both resorts which is a nice benefit to staying at Port Orleans. Riverside has great entertainment with Yee Haw Bob. Again, you could walked over from French Quarters if you wanted to do so. Riverside is larger, but it is still easy to get around (in my opinion). Not sure if this has been any help. Have a great time!

 

[Gehrig1B]

We like the landscaping and beauty of Riverside. Others like the intimate atmosphere of French Quarter. There is more to see and do at Riverside but, as mentioned, FQ is but a 10 minute walk if you wish to use Riverside's amenities. We too have not experienced bus problems at Riverside. Every bus stop is within 5 minutes walk of each other so you can choose which depot to utilize if one has an advantage over the other. We have stayed both Magnolia Bend and Alligator Bayou and like the bayou a little better. I really enjoyed the walk each morning to the food court for coffee through the lush vegetation along the trails. The quiet pools are nice and never seem to be crowded. You can't go wrong with either in my opinion.

 

[cdunn03]

I have stayed at Riverside and loved it. The atmosphere is lovely. We have booked at French Quarter in March for the first time. I don't think you could go wrong with either one!

 

[marikujawa]

We love both, and have just returned from a stay at Riverside. The main difference between the two is the size. French Quarter is smaller and much easier to find your way around, especially for children. Riverside is sprawling, but very pretty. These resorts were originally planned as a single-themed resort (Dixie Landings), with Port Orleans (now French Quarter) representing the New Orleans City vibe, then giving way to the stately mansions, ending in the wilder back country called Alligator Bayou. Best themed resorts on property in my opinion.

 

[ErinBoBerin]

At the food court at Riverside, you can "build your own" pastas and salads, so they can control exactly what goes into them.

 

[Mome Rath]

We have stayed off site, All Stars and Pop Century, we are looking at a moderate this time as our daughters are older. We haven't been to Disney in 10 years and so much has changed!

Both Port resorts will be much more "laid back" than All Stars or Pop (I've stayed at all of them many times). FQ is my favorite resort overall, but I also love the others for various reasons.

Our Family, dh 54, me 51, dd 24, dd 15....both daughters are vegetarian, so hoping the food court has something.….sigh....

Friends Family, Dad 54, Wife 43, dd 14, dd 12...their dd is vegan...so much more difficult!

I've read good things about the chef(s) at FQ's food court as far as making sure there are vegan options available (don't be afraid to ask to speak to a chef), and of course there are the fresh vegan (and gluten free) beignets at FQ as well. I highly recommend both families check out; Vegan Disney World website. You can search for both hotels to see what is specific options at each, though I believe they like FQ's options more than Riverside.

As others have said, it's great at either Port hotel because you can share the pools and the restaurants.

I've been reading that the busses at Riverside have very long waits?

The main difference in buses is this; FQ has one stop, Riverside has 4. Buses at any Disney hotel can be hit or miss, I've never really had a consistently longer wait at either hotel.

We won't need connecting rooms, but next door to each other would be better..

Preferably a quieter spot, but close enough that the 3 younger girls can find their way to the pool!

FQ is so compact it is really easy to find your way around. I'm not a big pool person, but I would suggest just looking up pics of each pool. FQ has Scales, the sea serpent slide, and Riverside has a much more spread out pool area.

In short; FQ is a little more quiet than Riverside, it is also the smallest Disney hotel. Both have a great atmosphere, music, carriage rides, etc... Look at the menu's for each food court. Also check out Andrea's page if you haven't yet; here.

Honestly you can't go wrong with either place! Hope you have a wonderful time!

 

[marikujawa]

Also, as someone pointed out above, the resorts are connected by a beautiful walkway along the river. It's an easy 10-minute (max) walk between food courts. We use both food courts when we stay at the Port Orleans resorts.

 

[MulanMom]

We love both, and have just returned from a stay at Riverside. The main difference between the two is the size. French Quarter is smaller and much easier to find your way around, especially for children. Riverside is sprawling, but very pretty. These resorts were originally planned as a single-themed resort (Dixie Landings), with Port Orleans (now French Quarter) representing the New Orleans City vibe, then giving way to the stately mansions, ending in the wilder back country called Alligator Bayou. Best themed resorts on property in my opinion.

Actually, the resorts began as separate. First to open was Port Orleans French Quarter. Dixie Landings opened around the same time with its mansions and bayou sections. When it was determined that Dixie Landings should be renamed, they then combined the two resorts under the Port Orleans name, with the former Dixie Landings referenced as PO Riverside. Only reason I know is we stayed at POFQ for my first visit to WDW...and that was shortly after it opened. The following Spring we stayed at Dixie Landings. If I recall correctly, the Bayou section was already opened and they were doing a shake down for the mansions.

To OP, our initial stay at POFQ was the start of a long time love/obsession/addiction with WDW. We didn't enjoy our stay at POR as much because we were placed in the bldg that was furthest from the food court and there were no coffee makers or refrigerators in the room back then. We did stay in the Magnolia Bend section a few years ago when my daughter's dance school went as a group and really enjoyed that location. The resort has gotten prettier with the landscaping maturing over the years. The walk to the food court and bus stop was fine.

Our upcoming trip will be at POFQ, where it all began. (We've been DVC in the intervening years) We're looking forward to it! I don't think you can go wrong with selecting either POFQ or POR.

 

[Mome Rath]

Yes, the two resorts finally became one formally in 2001; they actually always had the same management team, so were considered sister resorts then merged into one. We got to stay at Dixie Landings as well, but have always slightly preferred FQ (or as we still tend to call it; Port). Makes me "homesick" talking about them... lol

 

[disneyseniors]

OP, my husband and I have stayed at both resorts. Our home resort is POR with many stays there. We love the theming of the AB side with the tropical pathways, quiet pools close to each section, and of course the big pool. Our kids/grandkids preferred the quiet pools to the big one. They were never crowded when we were there and just gorgeous with their tropical setting. We prefer the Mill at POR over fQ's food court. There is more of a selection and of course the before mentioned pasta and salad bowls which are great.
We have never had a problem with the buses at POR. We don't go during the most busy times, so maybe this is why?

We stayed at POFQ for the first time last March, and are going again in 2 weeks. Yea! We switched to FQ because of mobility issues with my husband and myself. It is a nice compact resort, but we miss POR. There is really no difference that we noticed in the bus situation at POFQ from POR. Buses can be good or bad at any resort, IMO. We are not fans of the NO atmosphere, or food, but it is a small resort and easy to get around for us.

Hopes this helps! Either way, you can't go wrong.

 

[Animal]

FYI, Art of Animation food court has interesting veggie options. With dietary constraints like that, I would go with Riverside with its larger food court.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Yes, the two resorts finally became one formally in 2001; they actually always had the same management team, so were considered sister resorts then merged into one. We got to stay at Dixie Landings as well, but have always slightly preferred FQ (or as we still tend to call it; Port). Makes me "homesick" talking about them... lol

They are one resort? I don't think so. Still two separate resorts, like the three All Stars. But they share a name and are considered "sister" resorts so you can use pools at either resort. POR allows dogs, POFQ does not. Both resorts have their own bus stops and front desks.

 

[Babsy]

With the ages of your girls, i would stay in POR. The pool at POFQ seems better suited to smaller kids (IMO) and there isn't much else to do unless you walk to POR or take a boat to DS. There is also only the one small food court at POFQ.

If you book POR in a Royal Room pool view, your rooms will be near each other. The quiet pool is right next to the RR PV rooms. Also, the laundry is right there, if you find that you need to use it - so convenient. There is a small bridge to the food court area and you are very near the POFQ if you want to go over there. The RR are the best themed rooms after those at AoA, IMO, with the light up fireworks headboards and little Disney touches everywhere. POR has lots of activities with a nice themed pool, catch and release fishing, surrey bike rentals and carriage rides. There is a nice TS restaurant called Boatwright's where I have had a couple of specially prepared vegan meals that were delicious! The chef's have been very accommodating at Boatwright's in my experience. Also, the food court at POR had lots of selections that suited us.

The other room choice that would work is the preferred rooms in the Alligator Bayou section. These rooms are really near the main pool and the food court.

POFQ's main advantage is its small footprint with one bus stop. If that is important to you, then it is really the only moderate that fits the bill. All other moderates are larger and more spread out.

Whichever you choose, you are able to use the amenities of both. It is really a matter of personal preference.

Enjoy!

 

[Mome Rath]

They are one resort? I don't think so. Still two separate resorts, like the three All Stars. But they share a name and are considered "sister" resorts so you can use pools at either resort. POR allows dogs, POFQ does not. Both resorts have their own bus stops and front desks.

Technically they are one resort "Port Orleans" since 2001. You have Port Orleans French Quarter, and Port Orleans Riverside two regions of a merged resort. That's one of the reasons why a moderate (FQ) doesn't have a table service restaurant, as Boatwright's is part of the complex that serves both regions. Two separate choices when making rezzies, and different prices, but the complex was officially merged. As Andrea says on his page, "On 1st April 2001, Port Orleans and Dixie Landings officially merged to form one large resort. In fact, the two sections had always shared the same management team but this process completely removed all vestiges of the old Dixie Landings terminology, even down to changing some of the road names." The history is here; Port Orleans - History. It's why Disney officially calls it Disney's Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter or Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Technically they are one resort "Port Orleans" since 2001. You have Port Orleans French Quarter, and Port Orleans Riverside two regions of a merged resort. That's one of the reasons why a moderate (FQ) doesn't have a table service restaurant, as Boatwright's is part of the complex that serves both regions. Two separate choices when making rezzies, and different prices, but the complex was officially merged. As Andrea says on his page, "On 1st April 2001, Port Orleans and Dixie Landings officially merged to form one large resort. In fact, the two sections had always shared the same management team but this process completely removed all vestiges of the old Dixie Landings terminology, even down to changing some of the road names." The history is here; Port Orleans - History. It's why Disney officially calls it Disney's Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter or Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside.

The table service restaurant at FQ was gone long before they changed the names. We stayed at Port Orleans, now POFQ, in 2000 and the table service restaurant was already closed. It's more like Disney decided the name Dixie Landings was racist and they changed the names that had any reference to that. Like we no longer get to see Song of the South which was a really nice movie.

 

[Mome Rath]

The table service restaurant at FQ was gone long before they changed the names. We stayed at Port Orleans, now POFQ, in 2000 and the table service restaurant was already closed. It's more like Disney decided the name Dixie Landings was racist and they changed the names that had any reference to that. Like we no longer get to see Song of the South which was a really nice movie.

Bonfamille’s Café was closed about 7 months prior to the full merge, which was a shame, we always loved having the option of eating there. We always preferred Port over Dixie Landings, but we were bummed when they changed the name and merged them. The backstory for both flowed together well.

 

[focusondisney]

Technically they are one resort "Port Orleans" since 2001. You have Port Orleans French Quarter, and Port Orleans Riverside two regions of a merged resort. That's one of the reasons why a moderate (FQ) doesn't have a table service restaurant, as Boatwright's is part of the complex that serves both regions. Two separate choices when making rezzies, and different prices, but the complex was officially merged. As Andrea says on his page, "On 1st April 2001, Port Orleans and Dixie Landings officially merged to form one large resort. In fact, the two sections had always shared the same management team but this process completely removed all vestiges of the old Dixie Landings terminology, even down to changing some of the road names." The history is here; Port Orleans - History. It's why Disney officially calls it Disney's Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter or Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside.

No, they are still 2 separate resorts. Having the same management team does not make them the same resort. Yacht & Beach clubs are sister resorts, linked physically by shared public spaces, including the feature pool complex. They have the same management team. But they are separate resorts, advertised, booked & billed separately. Same as FQ & Riverside. Riverside’s bayou & mansions are 1 resort but could appear as separate. But FQ & Riverside are still considered sister resorts.

Having the same P.O. name doesn’t make them the same resort either. Just as the All Star resorts are all separate resorts, despite all starting with “All Star”.

 

[marikujawa]

It’s just meaningless semantics. Two resorts for booking purposes but one concept and theme underlying both.

 

[Mome Rath]

No, they are still 2 separate resorts. Having the same management team does not make them the same resort. Yacht & Beach clubs are sister resorts, linked physically by shared public spaces, including the feature pool complex. They have the same management team. But they are separate resorts, advertised, booked & billed separately. Same as FQ & Riverside. Riverside’s bayou & mansions are 1 resort but could appear as separate. But FQ & Riverside are still considered sister resorts.

Having the same P.O. name doesn’t make them the same resort either. Just as the All Star resorts are all separate resorts, despite all starting with “All Star”.

Disney considers them one resort... so I'll have to go with that. The split started out much like the other example you give; what I mean is, they were indeed sister resorts when they started out but Disney merged them. Anyway, that's OT from the OP's post, sorry for the off-topic jaunt.