[Question] Port orleans help!

[minidibs]

Just a quick question.
I was looking to go to port orleans next year and was wondering whats the difference between,
French quater and riverside?
thanks (Y)

[yoyoflamingo]

Re: Port orleans help!

Just a quick question.
I was looking to go to port orleans next year and was wondering whats the difference between,
French quater and riverside?
thanks (Y)

The French Quarter is themed to New Orleans French Quarter - it has 1 pool, 1 bus stop, and fewer rooms.

Riverside is themed to the plantations and bayous along the Mississippi River...there is one themed pool, as well as several quiet pools scattered around the resort. It also has one table service restaurant - Boatright's Dining Hall. The amenities- biking, boat rentals, etc., are available for both resorts, but are centrally located at this resort. Also, due to almost twice as many rooms and a more sprawling layout, there are 4 bus stops throughout the resort.

Here's the info for French Quarter and Riverside

I have stayed at both, and I prefer French Quarter due to its size. It is more intimate, and having only one bus stop and fewer rooms helps to alleviate the crowding at the bus stops.

However, either one is a great choice.

[aimster]

Re: Port orleans help!

I've stayed at both Riverside and French Quarter. I liked the theming better at Riverside (I stayed in the Alligator Bayou section), but I liked the smaller feel of French Quarter (also helped my building was right by the bus stop).

[Thorpeedo]

Re: Port orleans help!

I've only done Riverside, we picked this over other moderates based on the look of the theming. I wouldn't be influenced by the number of bus stops. Each bus stops at them all anyway. Do you want to be first pickup, and then know you've got stops before you get to a park? Otherwise you could be last pickup and go direct to the park, but potentially have to stand up. You are also consequently first or last drop off at night accordingly.
Resort choice will depend upon the 3 key distances and the theming. We chose theming first, and then looked at the maps and made a room request to try and get the 3 key distances reasonable. It's always a matter of what you personally consider acceptable as a walk to any facilities. We were in the north side of building 85 and were acceptably close enough to all 3 facilities (bus, pool and food court.)
Talking to other families gave us the impression that where people had tried both resorts, they prefered riverside (though that would tend towards a self selecting audience as those prefering french, would have been at french, unless this was their first riverside visit.)

[corey154]

Re: Port orleans help!

French quarter is a smaller resort, for me it's more of a relaxed atmosphere and also first stop for the boats when coming back from down town disney. Even if you're staying at french quarter you can easily get to riverside and eat or even swim.

[NeverNeverland]

Re: Port orleans help!

I loved the French Quarter. Everything is really close, and it's so peaceful and relaxing. Riverside is a lot more spread out.

But it does have a better pool area and a bigger gift shop.

[ecdlanddude]

Re: Port orleans help!

I'm not a fan of French Quarter. Something about the theming just doesn't do it for me.

OTOH I love Riverside and maintain that it's the best bang for your buck on property.

To each their own though, either way you're at WDW!

[MadameGracey73]

Re: Port orleans help!

I love the Alligator Bayou section of Riverside but the entire Port Orleans Resort is really great. I would choose Riverside or French Quarter based on your need for amenities - do you prefer to have a sit down restaurant in your hotel in addition to the food court? Do you want a large pool or a smaller side pool? In all reality, the hotels are so similar, you could also just pull up pictures of the hotels and choose which one you like visually the best

[minidibs]

Re: Port orleans help!

Thankyou all!

Ive booked and im going to Port orleans riverside (Y)

Only 10 months ;D :L

[yoyoflamingo]

Re: Port orleans help!

Thankyou all!

Ive booked and im going to Port orleans riverside (Y)

Only 10 months ;D :L

Congrats! Honestly, all the moderates are wonderful. While there, I would suggest heading to the French Quarter to look around, and judge if you would stay there in the future....Same advice I would give if you were staying at French Quarter regarding Riverside.

[tukogirl]

Re: Port orleans help!

Regarding bus service...

We just got back from a week at Riverside. There seem to be no set pattern as to which bus stop was picked up first or even last. Also, several times The bus went to Riverside and then went to French Quarter and vice versa. I wouldn't plan anything around trying to be near a certain bus location for quick service - it really depended on the day and driver as to which order the pickups/drops were done.

[danyoung]

Re: Port orleans help!

I still think that it was one of the dumber moves for Disney to combine these two resorts into one. It's needlessly confusing to call them both Port Orleans Resorts. I can understand why they wanted to get away from the Dixie Landings name (even though I think it's a bit silly that some people are offended by the word Dixie). But there were thousands of other names they could have picked, and absolutely no reason to make anyone think that these were two areas of the same resort. Dumb.

[Thorpeedo]

Re: Port orleans help!

MAybet the fact they are adjacent....

[yoyoflamingo]

Re: Port orleans help!

I still think that it was one of the dumber moves for Disney to combine these two resorts into one. It's needlessly confusing to call them both Port Orleans Resorts. I can understand why they wanted to get away from the Dixie Landings name (even though I think it's a bit silly that some people are offended by the word Dixie). But there were thousands of other names they could have picked, and absolutely no reason to make anyone think that these were two areas of the same resort. Dumb.

I don't like that they did it, but the reason they did was cost cutting (of course). By doing it, they were able to close one restaurant and the marina/bike rental; I guess just those little changes (and probably the management as well) were the justification.

I still think Dixie Landings and Port Orleans though.

[danyoung]

Re: Port orleans help!

MAybet the fact they are adjacent....

But they were just fine as two separate hotels before. And while they could have been combined in bookkeepingland only, and money could have thus been saved, it wouldn't have cost them anything to name them as separate entities. They each have their own front lobby and check-in, so for my money they're still separate resorts. To name them similarly is just needlessly confusing.

[tinkerb]

Re: Port orleans help!

When staying at Port Orleans RIverside, don't miss the piano show in the lounge starring Bob Jackson. My family loves it. We have even made the trip over to see the show when ataying at other resorts! It makes for a fun night cap........

[Thorpeedo]

Re: Port orleans help!

But they were just fine as two separate hotels before. And while they could have been combined in bookkeepingland only, and money could have thus been saved, it wouldn't have cost them anything to name them as separate entities. They each have their own front lobby and check-in, so for my money they're still separate resorts. To name them similarly is just needlessly confusing.

I give you the All Stars..each with seperate checkins...
that said i'm just being argumentative...there is no reason you couldn't call riverside something else and still share ameneties. I think it would encourage people to check out the next door resort more, as it's somewhere else, not just part of this resort.

[danyoung]

Re: Port orleans help!

Thorpeedo, I actually have the same problem with the All Star Resorts. It would have been completely easy for them all to be named something unique, while keeping their identity as value resorts. But Disney in its overwhelming need to have cute marketing tie-ins whether they're needed or not, made a confusing mess of the values. It's not really a huge thing for me - just needless confusion for no real benefit.

[Thorpeedo]

Re: Port orleans help!

I agree there's no reason why they need to be the same. I don't think it's less of an issue with the all stars, they've always been the all stars. I think some of the added confusion comes from the renaming of the resorts.

[daniellbarnes]

Re: Port orleans help!

The one item that may have been overlooked was the walking distance from your room to the pool, food court, lobby, gift shop. The last time that I stayed at Riverside we were at the back of Alligator Bayou. There was a bus stop just around the corner, but the large pool was about a five minute walk and the food court, lobby and gift shop were about a ten minute walk. My children (9 & 11 at the time) were confused by the trails and got lost when they wandered off alone. The bugs were terrible in the fall since this resort has so much water and vegetation. My wife would never go back, but I loved the relaxed atmosphere, peace and quiet. My suggestion is to keep the kids close, locate a close bus stop, possibly take bug spray, and minimize the amount of trips to the pool, food court, etc. Enjoy!