I just returned home today from a 7 night stay in the Port Orleans French Quarter (1st night in Port Orleans Riverside) and I am so bothered by my experience. First let me say I have been to Disney 7 times since 2000 and have only stayed 1 time onsite which was last year in a 2 bedroom at OKW. I have always been intrigued by staying onsite but always had a difficult time spending so much money when you can get such beautiful accommodations elsewhere for so much less. I always rent a car so the Disney transportation was not critical to me. All that being said my family and I decided to spend a week at the French Quarter. I have been told this is one of the nicest moderate resorts. Based on what I have seen this will be my last time ever on Disney property. For the amount of money a moderate resort costs (175 - 199 per night for my stay) it needs to be much more current. From the old look of the rooms, lack of ac controls, (still like an older motel with just a window unit with no wall mounted digital thermostat), and just the general upkeep of the room. I was in building 1, room 1207 and the location was fine. Everything is a short walk and the grounds are very pretty. Once again though if I were to be picky there are cigarette butts all over the ground. I feel they put a lot of care and maintenance into the landscaping and walkways but miss the little things like cleaning up old cigarettes. Considering you can get an offsite hotel for a similar price that has a much more modern feel that also has the beautiful grounds a Disney hotel can offer I will choose to do this next time. I am not kicking Disney for their parks, grounds, cast members, or transportation. They have gotten that down to a science, but take a page from Marriott or Hyatt's book and get current with the rooms and make it feel like a "Resort" room and not a 1980's motel room. I am sure some of you may disagree and tell me I am missing the "theme" that French Quarter is trying to achieve but I do feel you can still offer a "theme" and the luxuries of a more modern room.
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Home today from French Quarter so disappointed!
- Thread starter eddie4545
- Start date
davidpw97
Well-Known Member
I have not stayed on site in many years and can't speak about POFQ. However I do work at a Hampton Inn which I would equate with being a more moderate than value type hotel. We have curved shower rods, microwaves and fridges in every room, and lap desks for work/computers. It surprises me that for the amount of money people pay to stay on property they don't offer the same ammenities that people can find offsite and for less money. Maybe its the difference between being a hotel that caters mostly to tourists versus a hotel that caters mostly to business people. I wouldn't write off all hotels on property just because of this one bad experience but next time I would definitly do a little more investigating to make sure the resort you choose matches what you are looking for.
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CAPTAIN HOOK
Well-Known Member
Sounds to me that your complaint is based upon a few cig butts on the floor and the fact your AC unit wasn't digitally controlled.
Case dismissed
NEXT !!!!!!
Case dismissed
NEXT !!!!!!
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scorp111
Well-Known Member
Sorry to hear about your experience. I haven't stayed at POFQ, but have stayed at all the other moderates. I would actually rate Coronado Springs as the most modern.
The mousekeeping issues, no real excuse for them, and to be honest, I have been lucky enough to avoid them on my stays in WDW hotels. Your trip was also during the busiest time of the year, and that may or may not have had an impact. (Not to imply that it "should", but anyone that has worked in a service industry with peak periods, knows that it does).
You are correct however, when you say that Disney's middle and lower tier results compare less favorably on a dollar-per-dollar comparison to off-site hotels. I spend anywhere from 125-150 nights per year in hotel rooms, and would agree that within the 4 walls, 80 percent of Hampton Inns beat the moderates (and almost always at a lower rate). At Disney however, you are also paying for a few other major "plusses":
1. Overall theming of the resort (although POFQ just didn't seem to really "fit" what you )
2. Extra Magic Hours at the parks (whether you use them or not, they are definitely a perk.)
3. Location, Location, Location! (on-site, close to the parks, and within the disney transportation system (which you indicated was not important to you))
It is a trade-off for those staying in values and mods, what is more important to them? Clearly, on a regular basis many guests find the trade-off acceptable. Because not only do first-timers fill WDW hotel rooms, but many many returnees do as well.
It is also a decision for those staying in deluzes, how much are they willing to spend to get luxury or almost luxury at a WDW resort?
I stayed at a couple of Fairmont hotels (Lake Louise and Jasper) last fall for well under than what the rates are for the Contemporary and AKL during our next trip. But, because where we stay is important to my family (moreso to me), we are fortunate enough to be able to stay at Deluxe resorts on "most" of our WDW trips. We also bought into to DVC last year, so the large expense then, means that we can continue to stay at nicer on-site properties.
The mousekeeping issues, no real excuse for them, and to be honest, I have been lucky enough to avoid them on my stays in WDW hotels. Your trip was also during the busiest time of the year, and that may or may not have had an impact. (Not to imply that it "should", but anyone that has worked in a service industry with peak periods, knows that it does).
You are correct however, when you say that Disney's middle and lower tier results compare less favorably on a dollar-per-dollar comparison to off-site hotels. I spend anywhere from 125-150 nights per year in hotel rooms, and would agree that within the 4 walls, 80 percent of Hampton Inns beat the moderates (and almost always at a lower rate). At Disney however, you are also paying for a few other major "plusses":
1. Overall theming of the resort (although POFQ just didn't seem to really "fit" what you )
2. Extra Magic Hours at the parks (whether you use them or not, they are definitely a perk.)
3. Location, Location, Location! (on-site, close to the parks, and within the disney transportation system (which you indicated was not important to you))
It is a trade-off for those staying in values and mods, what is more important to them? Clearly, on a regular basis many guests find the trade-off acceptable. Because not only do first-timers fill WDW hotel rooms, but many many returnees do as well.
It is also a decision for those staying in deluzes, how much are they willing to spend to get luxury or almost luxury at a WDW resort?
I stayed at a couple of Fairmont hotels (Lake Louise and Jasper) last fall for well under than what the rates are for the Contemporary and AKL during our next trip. But, because where we stay is important to my family (moreso to me), we are fortunate enough to be able to stay at Deluxe resorts on "most" of our WDW trips. We also bought into to DVC last year, so the large expense then, means that we can continue to stay at nicer on-site properties.
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Hotel rooms are governed by the same rules as any other real estate:
Location, Location, Location!
I have had much nicer rooms than any WDW property while paying less.
However, I have paid more for rooms that are far worse than anything on WDW property, solely because they were close to someplace I had to visit, or were the only hotel in town.
Anyone who has done a college search in the Northeast in the summer/spring break, and had to stay near a campus, would know what I'm talking about. :lol:
Location, Location, Location!
I have had much nicer rooms than any WDW property while paying less.
However, I have paid more for rooms that are far worse than anything on WDW property, solely because they were close to someplace I had to visit, or were the only hotel in town.
Anyone who has done a college search in the Northeast in the summer/spring break, and had to stay near a campus, would know what I'm talking about. :lol:
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Pumbas Nakasak
Heading for the great escape.
Ive stayed in some fantastic places, however what put me on site was the drive in from the Haines City area which some how was classed as kissimmee. :shrug: So I said never again.
That said If I have a problem, rare, I ask to be moved or the problem resolved. The HRH gave me breakfast voucher's one trip.
That said If I have a problem, rare, I ask to be moved or the problem resolved. The HRH gave me breakfast voucher's one trip.
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danpam1024
Well-Known Member
Agreed!!! It's not Disney's fault people are rude and litter. $200 a night is peak pricing, it is what it is when you go during spring break! Sounds like you didn't like it and didn't even look for the good :shrug: POFQ is a charming little resort that has always been good to us, if there was anything wrong, management has always made the best efforts to fix the problem.
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nibblesandbits
Well-Known Member
I'm sorry to hear that you did not enjoy your hotel on Disney property. That is a huge disappointment and I would be disappointed too if I were you b/c truth be told, if you aren't satisfied with where you're staying, you're not going to fully enjoy your trip.
I don't know if you did this, but I always check out the hotel room pics for whatever place I'll be staying at. Whether it's on the company's website or on a different fan based website for Disney (Allearsnet.com has great pics of the rooms). Since I do this every trip, I have a better idea of what the room I will be staying in looks like. For me, the reason I haven't stayed at PO is b/c the rooms are definitely not in my tastes. They do not appeal to me specifically. So, I stay elsewhere.
The second thing I would have done was to contacted managment. I definitely would not have let the untidyness of a room slide. That to me, is my number one concern.
The other things that you listed are a lot less important, but maybe you would have been happier with the shower in a handicapped room? I had one my last stay by pure accident and it the shower might have been a bit better for you b/c it is wider as there is no tub wall. (However, the trade off on that was that it did feel a bit like a gym too...but that's a tiny price to pay).
The movie thing...I don't believe any Disney hotel has movies either on-demand or for rental purposes. And I've never heard that they ever have. If that was really important to you, you might wanted to have stayed somewhere else. Personally, I don't rent movies at a hotel. I find the cost to be too much for my tastes. (That and I'm happy watching Top 7 all the time. :lol: ) Or you might have wanted to use a portable mini DVD player. That is one of my staples on trips.
Once again, I'm sorry to hear you had a bad stay...but I would definitely let Disney know. :wave:
I don't know if you did this, but I always check out the hotel room pics for whatever place I'll be staying at. Whether it's on the company's website or on a different fan based website for Disney (Allearsnet.com has great pics of the rooms). Since I do this every trip, I have a better idea of what the room I will be staying in looks like. For me, the reason I haven't stayed at PO is b/c the rooms are definitely not in my tastes. They do not appeal to me specifically. So, I stay elsewhere.
The second thing I would have done was to contacted managment. I definitely would not have let the untidyness of a room slide. That to me, is my number one concern.
The other things that you listed are a lot less important, but maybe you would have been happier with the shower in a handicapped room? I had one my last stay by pure accident and it the shower might have been a bit better for you b/c it is wider as there is no tub wall. (However, the trade off on that was that it did feel a bit like a gym too...but that's a tiny price to pay).
The movie thing...I don't believe any Disney hotel has movies either on-demand or for rental purposes. And I've never heard that they ever have. If that was really important to you, you might wanted to have stayed somewhere else. Personally, I don't rent movies at a hotel. I find the cost to be too much for my tastes. (That and I'm happy watching Top 7 all the time. :lol: ) Or you might have wanted to use a portable mini DVD player. That is one of my staples on trips.
Once again, I'm sorry to hear you had a bad stay...but I would definitely let Disney know. :wave:
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I didn't see you mention speaking to a manager at all - did you bring it to the attention of management?
In most cases, management can and will attempt to make things better for a guest if the guest is making a complaint - especially if the guest is using the appropriate tone.
Waiting to get home and posting your complaints on multiple internet forums doesn't do anything positive for anyone.
Bringing bad service to the attention of management as soon as it is discovered can do wonders for making your experience a much better one.
In most cases, management can and will attempt to make things better for a guest if the guest is making a complaint - especially if the guest is using the appropriate tone.
Waiting to get home and posting your complaints on multiple internet forums doesn't do anything positive for anyone.
Bringing bad service to the attention of management as soon as it is discovered can do wonders for making your experience a much better one.
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smk
Well-Known Member
Disney can charge more because people pay more to stay on site. As long as people are willing to shell out the money to stay on property they have no incentive to lower their prices. The room being dirty on the other hand, I would have called management right away and asked for a room change or a new mousekeeper come and clean.
The thing I think that upset me the most was not the carpet, or the butts or the shower curtain, BUT the PILL on the floor?? What if your child picked it up and put it in their mouth and you never knew? How scary would that be, have something happen to your child and you would never know what it was that they ingested? That pill would have thrown me over the edge of reason, I would not have stayed until the entire room was cleaned, or asked to be moved to another resort, room, whatever they could find. Pills on the floor of a room and kids in the same room (I don't care where you are, home, hotel, neighbors house) are such a potentially dangerous thing.
I would call the hotel manager right away (if you have not already) and explained why you got a bad impression. Like some other posters already said, if enough people comment maybe the problems cans be fixed. I hope you next trip is better.
The thing I think that upset me the most was not the carpet, or the butts or the shower curtain, BUT the PILL on the floor?? What if your child picked it up and put it in their mouth and you never knew? How scary would that be, have something happen to your child and you would never know what it was that they ingested? That pill would have thrown me over the edge of reason, I would not have stayed until the entire room was cleaned, or asked to be moved to another resort, room, whatever they could find. Pills on the floor of a room and kids in the same room (I don't care where you are, home, hotel, neighbors house) are such a potentially dangerous thing.
I would call the hotel manager right away (if you have not already) and explained why you got a bad impression. Like some other posters already said, if enough people comment maybe the problems cans be fixed. I hope you next trip is better.
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sweetpee_1993
Well-Known Member
I think it's hit or miss with Mousekeeping at any resort: value, moderate, or deluxe. I've never made any bones about it, we had cleaner rooms when we stayed at Pop our 1st 4 trips vs. what we had at the Contemporary on our 5th trip in December. It was tough to swallow considering a difference between $59/night (what we got at Pop in past years) and $444/night for the tower/MK view at Contemporary. We had thick dust on shelves and underneath the desk & vanity. We had crumbs, crud, and junk swept around the edges of the beds and under things. We had someone else's underclothes left in a drawer. I don't even want to talk about the condition of the toilet or the walls of the potty room. Icky poo! We made a long list of what needed to be addressed and had the front desk handle getting the room corrected while we went out to our first dinner after arriving. It seems Mousekeeping has good and bad days no matter what resort it is. I'm thinking it may just be a luck-of-the-draw thing whether or not you get a good Mousekeeper. LOL! Either way, I wouldn't stay off property. Being on property is part of the adventure and has too many perks. I just let the powers-that-be know what's what and do the best I can.
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colleen2997
Member
Complainers.... Just don't go back if hated it that much. Every hotel I have ever enjoyed, be it Disney or not, has been complained about somewhere on the internet, when in reality the hotel was perfectly fine. Maybe my standards aren't as high, but nobody ever said the POFQ was the Four Seasons. I have been to Mods and never saw Cig butts laying arond so that is not a regular thing, I am sure they would have been cleaned up immediately if brought to CMs attention. You are paying to be on Disney property during peak season. Also, I do believe the POFQ is supposed to be a "dated" look due to theming.
I am one of those that is willing to pay more just to be immersed in 24/7 Disney while down there, so staying off-site is not an option for me...But someone who wants more of a luxurious experience and less of a Disney experience should definitely stay off-site.
I am one of those that is willing to pay more just to be immersed in 24/7 Disney while down there, so staying off-site is not an option for me...But someone who wants more of a luxurious experience and less of a Disney experience should definitely stay off-site.
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wvdisneyfamily
Well-Known Member
I'm very sorry for your bad experience. I love POR. I have never stayed at POFQ.
I agree that Coronado would have been better. I also agree that POFQ was NOT the best moderate choice.
I hate to hear this because we were planning to stay there next time we go. You won't believe this but our room at All Star Music was much nicer than our room at Caribbean Beach was. ASM had just redone them so every thing was nice and clean. The beds and bedding was better than I had expected from staying at an All Star resort before and they even had a curved shower rod for you. We were very pleased with everything. I hate going somewhere expecting it to be really nice and end up disappointed. I may have to rethink where we should stay, but we have heard so many great things about it. :shrug:
We loved POR! All of the bad reviews scared me to no end, but it turned out wonderful! Don't let the opinions of others put a damper on your excitement.
I heart Magnolia Bend! Oh I loved that place! :kiss:
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Carolyn1717
New Member
You are going to pay a premium to stay on property. But if you want to compare apples to apples, Marriott World Center & Hyall Regency, then you have to step up to the Deluxe Resorts. Also, the Disney resorts are themed, so your not going to see a "modern" looking room at what is suppose to be the French Quarter. Modern would be the Contemporary. In the moderates, Coronado Srings is Southwestern, beautiful resort, newest of all the moderates but again not a modern theme. Don't give up on the Disney Resorts, just try another one. Again, if you stay in the moderate range, try Coronado. There is really nothing like being right on property. Just a reminder, when you stayed at OKW...the vacation club properties are considered "deluxe", so there would obviously be a difference. For every step up you take, the more amenities your going to find.
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davidpw97
Well-Known Member
Just because the resort is themed, it shouldn't mean that the rooms should be subpar ammenity wise. If the resort was truly themed to the French Quarter there'd be strippers, drunks, and bars all over the place. How does throwing in a curved shower curtain rod and maybe a fridge or a microwave hurt the theming? I understand that there are different levels of resorts on property but why would Disney not want to atleast keep their resorts comparable to the same level of resort you could find off-site? There's really no good reason why you shouldn't be able to find the same type of ammenities at a Disney moderate resort that you'd find at an offsite moderate resort. I guess the fact that people will come regardless of what is offered will keep the rooms from being what they could be.
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Grumpy-Fan
Active Member
That`s why we stay in FW, we bring/drive our own accommodations. We have stayed there many times and have never been disapointed. I`ve never been a big fan of hotels, too many variables involved.
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No I didn't contact the management. After witnessing 2 rooms (POFQ and Riverside) in similar shape I assumed it is what it is. Secondly, I think posting my complaints on as many Disney forums as possible is absolutley critical. That is the whole point of message boards to share with people your positive and negative experiences. This is why so many people use these boards.
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People keep mentioning modern in their replies. I am referring to updated. New linens, clean rugs and bathroom tiles. I am not looking for flat panel tv's or that type of modern.
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mousermerf
Account Suspended
I get what you're saying - and i understand why you posted around the net. People tend to get protective of Disney, as if pointing out the flaws are somehow insulting them personally. When i got checked into an uncleaned room recently at Pop i knew i had to take photos to show how bad it was lest i come back here and say it was bad and be torn to pieces as just being a negative nelly.
Don't feel bad for reporting a bad experience. If it was bad, it needs to be known so that improvements can be made.
Back to your desires in a room - Coronado seems to have been a better fit for you. It has everything you're asking for, even the updated air conditioning system, same for Pop Century at a lower price point with a few less amenities. The only thing that pretty much not happen at Disney is getting pay-per-view, Disney just doesn't do it. High end rooms do come with DVD players and access to a Disney film library though.
I hope you don't write-off all Disney resorts based on this experience. If anything, for the most bang or your buck at places nearby WDW bidding on priceline for the Resort category will get you the Omni, Hilton, or Gaylord (rare occasions the Swan and Dolphin). Sometimes as low as $60 a night at the Hilton, which has many of the perks that come with a Disney-owned resort.
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