POFQ Obvervations from a Deluxe Snob

DISR

DISR

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
After many deluxe stays, I decided to give PFOQ a try for a couple of days to see the difference for myself. The grounds were beautiful as expected (but I've been there before). The resort still feels large and spread out to me, even though I know it is the smallest moderate....I would probably hate the larger ones. The pool is OK, but seemed a bit small for the number of people using it...I think this can be an issue at any of the Disney resorts in summer though.

What really blew me away were the rooms. I expected a step down, but not as big as it was. I really felt like the room would not have been out of place at any Motel 6 in the country, and a Hampton Inn would be a very large step up. It was clean and functioned fine, but it was a very basic room. Maybe I have a high bias against doors that don't open into internal hallways, but everything felt very cheap once I was in the room. I also think the Deluxes give you the feeling that the common areas can function as an extension of your room. When you open the door to the outside the feeling isn't the same. I also hated that the only windows looked onto a walkway. There wasn't a lot of foot traffic on the third floor, but I tended to keep the drapes closed.

All of that said, it is still important enough to me to stay in the bubble and have access to room charging, transportation and 60 day FP reservations, that I will likely choose a moderate before considering an off-site hotel.
 
H

Hockey89

Well-Known Member
DISR said:
After many deluxe stays, I decided to give PFOQ a try for a couple of days to see the difference for myself. The grounds were beautiful as expected (but I've been there before). The resort still feels large and spread out to me, even though I know it is the smallest moderate....I would probably hate the larger ones. The pool is OK, but seemed a bit small for the number of people using it...I think this can be an issue at any of the Disney resorts in summer though.

What really blew me away were the rooms. I expected a step down, but not as big as it was. I really felt like the room would not have been out of place at any Motel 6 in the country, and a Hampton Inn would be a very large step up. It was clean and functioned fine, but it was a very basic room. Maybe I have a high bias against doors that don't open into internal hallways, but everything felt very cheap once I was in the room. I also think the Deluxes give you the feeling that the common areas can function as an extension of your room. When you open the door to the outside the feeling isn't the same. I also hated that the only windows looked onto a walkway. There wasn't a lot of foot traffic on the third floor, but I tended to keep the drapes closed.

All of that said, it is still important enough to me to stay in the bubble and have access to room charging, transportation and 60 day FP reservations, that I will likely choose a moderate before considering an off-site hotel.
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It's not like the rooms are 5 star at Deluxe either... You are paying for location…. While Deluxe is better it's nothing special at all...
 
D

Disorbust

Well-Known Member
For us it's about the value and really after staying at Bonnet Creek it makes it hard to stay at any of the onsite resorts for the money. We have a car so the location is really not an issue. As much as I love YBC pool and location I no longer can justify the cost after staying at Bonnet Creek.
 
Communicora

Communicora

Premium Member
Everything you say is accurate, but my experience was a bit different than yours. I was rather wary of POFQ and then pleasantly surprised when I got there. I loved how compact the resort felt and found the rooms better than I expected. I appreciated the laminate flooring, plentiful outlets and the layout of the sinks.

The team at the resort was great too. My sister was hit on the head by a heavy door shoved open by a CM at Animal Kingdom and I got a call from POFQ's manager offering any assistance they could provide. My sister was OK, but it was nice that he reached out.

I do agree about the windows on the walkways because it would be nice to have some light in the room, but that can't really be helped with most Disney moderate rooms.
 
durangojim

durangojim

Well-Known Member
DISR said:
After many deluxe stays, I decided to give PFOQ a try for a couple of days to see the difference for myself. The grounds were beautiful as expected (but I've been there before). The resort still feels large and spread out to me, even though I know it is the smallest moderate....I would probably hate the larger ones. The pool is OK, but seemed a bit small for the number of people using it...I think this can be an issue at any of the Disney resorts in summer though.

What really blew me away were the rooms. I expected a step down, but not as big as it was. I really felt like the room would not have been out of place at any Motel 6 in the country, and a Hampton Inn would be a very large step up. It was clean and functioned fine, but it was a very basic room. Maybe I have a high bias against doors that don't open into internal hallways, but everything felt very cheap once I was in the room. I also think the Deluxes give you the feeling that the common areas can function as an extension of your room. When you open the door to the outside the feeling isn't the same. I also hated that the only windows looked onto a walkway. There wasn't a lot of foot traffic on the third floor, but I tended to keep the drapes closed.

All of that said, it is still important enough to me to stay in the bubble and have access to room charging, transportation and 60 day FP reservations, that I will likely choose a moderate before considering an off-site hotel.
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I'm a deluxe snob as well but I love POFQ. As for it being spread out, the GF and Poly are much more spread out, and after having stayed at the Boardwalk last week, I can say that is the longest walk that I've ever done at a resort. Our room was the last one on the end of the wing and accoring to Google maps, walking from our room, to the lobby, back to the ESPN club which was what our room was behind was basically a quarter mile. Why they don't include a door out to the Boardwalk at the end of the wing is a mystery to me. Anyway we prefer deluxe resorts but I think POFQ is a beautiful resort and a big step up from a motel 6.
 
durangojim

durangojim

Well-Known Member
dmw said:
I've stayed at only two deluxe resorts: Savanna view at AKL and standard view at Poly. I've also stayed at POP, CSR and POFQ. AKL to me is more of a deluxe resort than the Poly. I was a bit underwhelmed by the Poly. Rooms are nice and large, and the balcony option is nice (our view was of trees, monorail, etc. - we liked it). But, the inside hallways meant nothing to us and while the main pool was nice, to me it was not that much better than POFQ or CSR. Having the monorail and security check at the resort was a big plus at the Poly, as is the view of the fireworks at night. But... not for the price. Personally, I prefer POFQ to the Poly. I also think POP is a great resort - basic room, basic pools. AKL is better value than other deluxe resorts because of the views and the savannas, but I just can't see spending the money for any other deluxe.
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We used to love staying at the Poly in the Tokelau buildings. The rooms were huge. After they changed so many buildings to DVC and got rid of the larger newer rooms, we stayed there again. The rooms were dark, ceilings low, and the resort felt dated unfortunately. We'll never stay there again and it was extremely disappointing.
 
S

StarshipDisney

Well-Known Member
We prefer the deluxe resorts ourselves but we did try Port Orleans Riverside during our last trip (December 2018). I really had no complaints about the room; but what we did not like was the long walk to a bus stop and the busses in general being very crowded and sometimes standing room only after the first stop (if not completely full). We learned after just 2 days that it was much better to drive while staying at POR vice take the busses. Our room was very close to parking so driving was actually much more convenient.

That said, we are going back to Contemporary next year but we are also planning to try Coronado Springs the following year. I think the moderates are okay except for the drop-off in transportation. We will stay at Coronado Springs with plans to drive and avoid the busses. Other than that I think it will be fine.
 
Club Cooloholic

Club Cooloholic

Well-Known Member
While I like the room sizes afforded by Duluxes and some of the special things they can provide like AKL (savannah), I think people kid themselves when they think they are a "smaller" layout than mods. I think most require even more walking. Rooms are similar in terms of furniture.
 
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durangojim

durangojim

Well-Known Member
StarshipDisney said:
We prefer the deluxe resorts ourselves but we did try Port Orleans Riverside during our last trip (December 2018). I really had no complaints about the room; but what we did not like was the long walk to a bus stop and the busses in general being very crowded and sometimes standing room only after the first stop (if not completely full). We learned after just 2 days that it was much better to drive while staying at POR vice take the busses. Our room was very close to parking so driving was actually much more convenient.

That said, we are going back to Contemporary next year but we are also planning to try Coronado Springs the following year. I think the moderates are okay except for the drop-off in transportation. We will stay at Coronado Springs with plans to drive and avoid the busses. Other than that I think it will be fine.
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We stated at Riverside in 2009 and vowed never to do it again because of the long walks and horrible bus service.
 
Jon81uk

Jon81uk

Well-Known Member
Have previously stayed at POR and POFQ but then our most recent trip was Wilderness Lodge.
The bus service felt the same everywhere really, from Wilderness Lodge the bus would often stop at the Contemporary and sometimes the Poly too, so this felt almost as bad as the long bus trips round all the PO stops.
 
Kevin_W

Kevin_W

Well-Known Member
DISR said:
Maybe I have a high bias against doors that don't open into internal hallways...
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It's interesting. Outside of WDW I definitely have a bias against doors that don't open into internal hallways. But at WDW, I probably prefer exterior doors (i.e values and mods) to the internal doors of the deluxe resorts (though the rest of the deluxe resorts are obviously better). I'm not quite sure why that is.
 
Nottamus

Nottamus

Well-Known Member
Truth be told....even the deluxe resorts are changing the inside of the rooms to be a bit more generic.

We are DVC and home resort AKL....and even over the last few years, someone the room decor has gone from darkly themed, to a bit more (dare I say) universal with other resorts

I don’t hate it! Still a great place, just brighter

We visited POR when friends stayed there, and the rooms were nice. I thought they were pretty good sized, and themed.

Coronado was our first onsite stay, and will always be another favorite. Walking and all.

I love how we can all walk 10 miles a day in a park, but hate walking to room.
 
John park hopper

John park hopper

Well-Known Member
Stayed at POFQ in May I prefer the external doors. Had a pool view with the granddaughters and could just open the door and watch them swim. Rooms were adequate in size as we don't spend much time in the room it's plenty big enough.
 

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