Thoughts on Port Orleans French Quarter?

LindseyDisney

Member
Original Poster
Hey everyone! We're considering a trip to Disney at the beginning of November for a week and would love to hear your experiences or thoughts on Port Orleans French Quarter. I've stayed at Riverside before but didn’t get to check out the French Quarter (or try the beignets!!? WHAT!? Or the piano player) I’m also excited to go to both Christmas parties. Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and Jollywood Nights. Any tips or recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

The plan is to rope drope and see Christmas.
 

Ayla

Well-Known Member
It is, hands down, my favorite Disney resort. I've stayed at all levels of Disney properties and I LOVE POFQ. I have stayed there more often than any of the others. It is small, quiet, compact, one bus stop and has the boat to DS. I love the landscaping (magnolia trees everywhere! 😍) and the architecture, as well as the brick walkways.
 

mf1972

Well-Known Member
stayed there a few times. last time in 2022. it’s a great resort. as mentioned, it’s small & compact. very quiet also. the boat transportation to DS is very relaxing. good food options, & beignets. we’ve stayed in building 4 with a corner room king bed & it was a great location. seconds away from the food court & a very short walk to the lobby & bus stop.
 

Mireille

Premium Member
I love it. I stayed there in 2019 and it's just such a nice, compact resort. The trails are great for running and they had a 5k fun run on Sundays that was like $40 and you got beads and mardi gras stuff as well as an order of beignets. Love the boat access to Disney Springs and Riverside is super close for a walk if you want sit down dining or a change of view. If it had skyliner access I think it'd be the perfect resort.
 

DisneyRoy

Well-Known Member
It is our second favorite resort after only Yacht Club. The grounds are gorgeous. It's on the smaller side so less people. It has it's own dedicated bus stop.

Never been to Jollywood nights so I can't answer that one. The Christmas party was a once and done for us. The parade is ok. Fireworks are good. Snacks are very meh. Characters are just ok. It's definitely not even close to the Halloween parties as far as atmosphere and execution. But it's worth it once if you've never been to one.
 

DisneyHead123

Well-Known Member
As most have already said, the compactness is great. Lovely vibe, jazz music as you walk around, loved the cafeteria food (I’ve said before, cafeterias are a true moderate category perk. Actually a better range of food for a better price than the deluxes.) We didn’t do the jazz bar but I’ve heard that’s a highlight as well. Only negative thing I’ll say is that I tried the beignets and didn’t understand what the fuss was about, but I feel that way about pretty much all the most acclaimed Disney snacks. Churros, cheeseburger spring rolls, Werther’s caramel corn, Dole Whip, even avocado margaritas - I found them all completely underwhelming, so again, probably just me. Everything else though? Fantastic!
 

TrainsOfDisney

Well-Known Member
French Quarter has the smaller layout and one bus stop so a little more convenient. Also has the beignets!

Riverside has the piano bar with Yeehaw Bob, a sit down restaurant, and a more elaborately themed gift shop and food court (actual food options are pretty much the same).

I personally prefer Riverside but really enjoy them both. One negative for me of Riverside is I don’t care as much for the bayou rooms vs. the mansions and you can’t guarantee what you will get.
 

PUSH

Well-Known Member
Overall, it's a very nice resort. You can't go wrong with it, but whether it's better for you than other resorts depends on what you are looking for.

French Quarter is good if you're looking for a smaller resort, where everything is close by. There's only one bus stop, if you plan on taking the bus around property. The food options are all quick service, but they are good. The atmosphere is relaxing and quaint. There is just one main pool, so if you're looking for a smaller quiet pool, you won't find it there. However, you are free to use the quiet pools at Riverside, since they are sister resorts. You can also take the water taxi to Disney Springs, just as you can from Riverside. The rooms at French Quarter are nicely themed.

I actually prefer Riverside, but that fits my party's needs and personalities more. We like the larger resort and the theming better. However, we don't usually take the buses, which is probably the one major complaint at Riverside. But overall, you can't go wrong with French Quarter. It's still a great resort, and I would definitely stay there again.
 

JIMINYCR

Well-Known Member
When we go moderate we go POFQ. Having stayed there many times I can say its never disappointed us. We enjoy the quieter smaller resort with the option to walk to PORS if we want to enjoy what the sister resort has to offer. The boat access to DS is also a plus plus. The staff from the main desk to the maintenance workers have always been pleasant and helpful. We've enjoyed the evening entertainment which adds to our stay. The food court has plenty of offerings that please, although not the wide range of options PORS has. Bus service has improved greatly and is better now that you can see the timing of your service.
If you are seriously considering this resort I'd say with confidence that it will deliver for you. The only down side is that the resort does not have a TS restaurant like PORS has.
 

plutofan15

Well-Known Member
The Port Orleans resorts are our go to moderate resorts. We prefer Riverside over French Quarter but you cannot go wrong with either one. For us, the boat transportation to Disney Springs is a big plus. While Riverside is certainly larger, the vibe seems more laidback.
 
Last edited:

jprieur

Active Member
Best moderate, and with the recent room refurbishment the rooms are now a big step up and close to some of the more recent Deluxe offerings (obviously still smaller in sq ft). Out of our last 30 visits over the last decade, if we don't do deluxe we will do POFQ without hesitation!

Compact size and the one bus stop are the big factors for me, and the fact that location wise its a very short bus trip to all but AK. I do love the theming and intimate feel, and it's nice to come back to your resort after a 10 mile trek through the parks and have a short walk to your room. We typically do the short walk to riverside to change up the QS dining.

The only thing I don't like, and this is becoming a resort wide thing will all the room refurbs, is the low flow shower heads.
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom