Port Orleans Important Info!!!

[Simba's Mom]

Gotta put in my plug for DVC here! I was "displaced" from POR in the winter of 2001-2002. That prompted me to take a second look at DVC and take their tour-I was staying at ASMusic and looking for something that wouldn't close on me like POR had. This just gives me another reminder of why I'm glad we joined! Otherwise we probably would have been "displaced" from POFQ this May just like a lot of other people. Instead, DVC here we come!

 

[DisneyFreaks]

RescueRanger you said exactly what I am feeling right now. I am so upset over this. After learning yesterday that there is no spectro magic parade or fantasy in the sky fireworks the first week of May I am about ready to just call this whole vacation off and go somewhere else. I am not interested in the other moderate resorts, nor do I have tons of money to pay extra to upgrade to a deluxe for the three rooms we have booked.
Also, does anyone know if Disney leaves a number for us to call them back if we're not here when they do call? We both are at work all day but we do have an answering machine.

 

[raidermatt]

I wouldn't get too hopeful for an upgrade without paying for it...

In the past, when CBR closed, free upgrades were only given if no moderates were available (probably an exception here and there, but not many).

 

[benebire]

Raidermatt,
I agree they may have to pay but..... when this happened in October of last year for CBR, We ended up being given the Poly for $22 a night extra. I think alot of people would jump on the chance to stay in a deluxe for another 22 per nite. Hang in there POFQ folks you may end up being offered Deluxes for a great price. We were also offered other moderates for the same price we had. We opted for the Poly. Good Luck!

 

[Cindabella's Mom]

I just knew I had made the right choice for us with the POFQ. Let me see if I've got this right - they're offering switching reservations to other moderates, correct? Now I've got to decide between the Carribean resort, Coronado, and that's it right?? Also, I booked through a travel agent (know better the next time). Should I call her to contact Disney or wait for Disney to contact the TA?

Also, I saw references to a post by Luckytso on this thread, maybe pertaining to a call to the CRO and what they were offered??? I might be blind, but I promise I can't find it.

 

[luckytso]

Tonya,

No, you aren't blind

I did post earlier and then realized no one else is getting what I got. So I decided to delete my post so that I won't cause any more trouble.

I think when I called, I was told that they just came back from a meeting telling all the CMs about all the happenings with POFQ.

The first CM I spoke to was scrambling to find an extension # to transfer me to, I waited a LONG time on the phone and finally got hold of another CM. She did not seem to be familiar with everything either and was going through her paperwork and finally told me the deal.

But since no one else was told the same thing, I figured I should just let Disney do their things and I wish you luck. I am confident that they will take care of it.

 

[DisneyFreaks]

You weren't causing any trouble luckytso. I found your post to be very helpful. I'm happy that someone got something good out of all this. I am keeping my fingers crossed that some of the rest of us fair as well as you did. We are arriving May 3rd so they should be calling us soon. I just hope they leave a message on our machine with a number to call them back because no one is home here all day. Have a wonderful time at BC!

 

[pixiedust519]

KHawk,
The beignets are only sold at FQ and not at Riverside. They used to be sold at both of the food courts but starting around October or November of 2002 they sell them at FQ exclusively. I LOVE them!!!!

Alyssa

 

[Cindabella's Mom]

Thanks Luckytso. I was beginning to wonder about myself!

Guess I'll just wait and see what happens.

 

[Cris]

Originally posted by RescueRanger
Debbie, I think you may be on to something. I find it hard to believe that WDW just decided out of the blue to renovate one of its resorts. There was no warning when I made ressies the other day.

The reason they didn't warn you is because they didn;t know there self. The castmembers of the resort didn;t even know until today.

 

[seashoreCM]

Could it be...

WDW wants to open Pop Century and is closing French Quarter to free up staff? (If PC pans out, then sections of All Stars might be closed for renovation?)

It is time for full renovation at Port Orleans? On these boards there have been sporadic but not to infrequent complaints of mildew, shabbiness, etc. at Riverside. (Why the renovations were not done during the last FQ shutdown I don't know, except see below.)

Toxic black mold has been discovered? This can force major renovations and therehave been isolated cases in the news, at least one in the Boston area, about people having to essentially tear down their homes and rebuild. Increasingly these days, insurance companies are adding toxic mold to their exclusion lists, this is therefore becoming an uninsurable casualty.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[lindamg]

I am going to choose to remain optimistic about this news. When FQ closed in 2001, the renovations were done on the Food Court and the outside of the buildings. I happened to check in to FQ on the day it reopened after the last closing and while the outside of the buildings were beautiful my room could only be described as shabby. This is my favorite moderate and I have stayed there several times since. Each time my room ranged from "needing a little facelift" to just plain "used" looking. I am going to eagerly anticipate this renovation and hope that the inside of the rooms will now match the beauty of the inside of this resort. If that happens, FQ could well become the "most bang for your buck" resort on property!

 

[welovedis]

Well, after first reading this I was pretty upset, but am trying to look at things optimistically for our situation. This surprise trip to POFQ was for DH & I only. We are only staying 2 nights and I have already paid the hotel in full.

I was thinking, man, I should call them right away and then I thought about it again. I will patiently wait for them call me (our dates are 5/17-5/19) and see what they offer. Perhaps things will change but if they offer another mod I will probably tell them I'm not interested and see if they offer anything else. I don't mind paying a little more for a deluxe (if it is offered) if that is an option.

Hopefully things will work out for everyone.

 

[kdibattista]

The beignets are only sold at FQ and not at Riverside. They used to be sold at both of the food courts but starting around October or November of 2002 they sell them at FQ exclusively.

I was sooooo looking forward to these during my December trip. It's truly one of the things I look forward to. They are my favorite. I hope they start selling them elsewhere.

 

[denecarter]

Originally posted by luckytso
Tonya,

No, you aren't blind

I did post earlier and then realized no one else is getting what I got. So I decided to delete my post so that I won't cause any more trouble.

snip

But since no one else was told the same thing, I figured I should just let Disney do their things and I wish you luck. I am confident that they will take care of it.

I saw your post right before I sat on hold for 30 or so minutes. I was hoping it was a blanket plan for all changes, but oh well. We had a different code than you did initially... she specifically mentioned my code and all the rates she offered were for that code. I had just upgraded to a water vew a few days ago but that didn't affect my new rate... just the code.

Unfortunately, the ONLY moderate available for my dates was CSR... sorry, I have no interest in that whatsoever (I'm just not into Southwest). The cheapest upgrade was AKL for standard view... $200 more for 6 nights than my waterview, $300 more for 6 nights than standard view POFQ. WL would have been $100 more than AKL, Poly almost $700 more (6 nights about $1600).

Anyway, my choices for my dates were CSR and AKL standard... like I said, I don't like Southwest and if I can't have Savannah, I'm not that interested in AKL (plus it just seems out of the way). Rock and a hard place.

I just bought DVC, but did Magical Beginnings and sold this year's points back. I'm going check into borrowing for 5 nights at OKW and spend one night at AKL for curiosity sake (plus, it means 27 fewer points to borrow for my already scheduled Dec BCV trip).

 

[DisneyFreaks]

I hear you loud and clear denecarter. We had a bad stay at CSR and I promised myself we would never stay there again. I wasn't impressed with the southwest decor either. CBR is just too big. I have a leg problem and it is painful to walk long distances and chances of getting a building close to the food court and main buildings will probably be slim. I just don't know what to do short of cancelling all together. We are a very sad family today.

 

[luckytso]

I am surprised with this. I somehow remember that the CM gave me the info about the upgrades before she looked up my code. If I were you, I would hold on to that ressie at POFQ until they contact you to see what they will offer.

I told her I was only interested in POFQ and did not plan to move to any other moderates and asked about upgrades to the deluxe.

I think there is a separate department that handles this. So I am not sure the CM you spoke to really know all the details. I find that sometimes when you talk to different CM you get different answers.

 

[DebbieB]

Here is an article in the Orlando Sentinel:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busi...5,0,4850940.story?coll=orl-business-headlines

The renovations will also include closing POR a section at a time.

 

[BuckeyeBelle]

Well, I finally got through to the special line this morning and spoke with one of the relocation people. The agent cofirmed that POFQ will be closing 5/3, will remain closed at least through our 2003 vacation dates in August, and has no set reopening date. She said that POFQ would probably be reopened by June 2004, when we have another set of reservations there.

According to her, there is nothing doing with any reduced-price upgrades. She only offered me a moderate-to-moderate transfer to CSR, CBR or POR. We simply DO NOT want to stay at any of those resorts because of their size, plus I'm not crazy about the themes of the CBR or CSR.

I let our res. stay as is for now -- hopefully by the time they contact me officially about transferring they will realize that relocating guests from POFQ is resulting in a lot of unhappy campers. Until then I will be on the lookout for AP rates or anything that would make it possible for us to stay at AKL or WL. Even the Swan or Dolphin would do if we could get a good enough rate.

If I had never had a res. at POFQ to begin with, this wouldn't bother me so much. But this trip is just me and my daughter, and we wanted something that was both affordable (to us) and small enough that we wouldn't be doing a lot of long-distance walking around after dark. We have stayed at POR 3x when my husband was along, and I WOULD NOT be comfortable at a place that big without him. POFQ was perfect. We planned this trip believing there was a hotel that suited our needs in our price range. Now we already have our airfare and cannot back out or reschedule, not to mention I have promised this trip to my daughter and she is really looking forward to it.

In all our trips to Disney, I have never complained, asked for anything extra, or any expected special deals or upgrades, never ever. Now they are pulling the bait and switch on me and I am trapped into it. Very un-Disney if you ask me.

Sorry for the little rant ... ... I'm just feeling a little down about all this.

 

[DebbieB]

I would just hold on to what you have. When they closed CBR last year they said the same thing, no discounts to upgrade. Then a couple days later they started offering cheap upgrades to AKL or Polynesian.