French Quarter vs Caribbean Beach

[CbosEsq]

I’m booking a trip for March 2022 and can’t decide between Port Orleans French Quarter and Caribbean Beach. We will be doing Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios. My biggest concerns for our stay are quality of room and ease of transport. I’ve heard the sky liner is a huge plus but that buses to MK can be a nightmare from Caribbean Beach. What is everyone’s thoughts? TIA!

 

[Haley R]

I would always pick French quarter over CBR. I love the theming and the small size of the resort. I also like that you can walk over to POR to use their dining and pools. I think the rooms at CBR are super dingy and dated but that’s my personal opinion. You’ll only have buses at POFQ but the resort is so small it shouldn’t be an issue

 

[sdk1231]

I've never stayed at either, but have visited both with an eye to a potential future stay. CBR resort is large. POFQ is tiny (but with access to Riverside, which is large). I like the ambiance at both. I took the boat from Disney Springs to POFQ - quick and easy. I took the bus from POFQ to MK - quick and easy. CBR's strong suit as you mentioned is the Skyliner, which is awesome. Skyliner shuts down during thunderstorms and the line seemed long when I visited, but seemed to be moving quickly. Both resorts have room size of 314 sq ft. If I ever have a future stay at a Moderate, I'd probably choose POFQ. When I visited there with my daughters I literally turned to them and said "I could definitely stay here". Really great theming, very pretty grounds, small resort footprint. CBR seemed huge and a tad overwhelming.

 

[sponica]

I feel like those two are at two very different ends of the moderate resort coin.

Of the two, I've only stayed at POFQ but I've had 2 stays booked at CBR that didn't occur for different reasons (trip 1 was when it was still under substantial renovation and trip 2 was 2020).

Pros to POFQ --> IT'S SMALL, SUPER SMALL, NOTHING IS FAR FROM ANYTHING. It is bus only to everywhere and is fairly close to everything by bus (I have a Brooklyn definition of close by bus though). The rooms just had a refurb completed in 2018?

Pros to CBR --> Skyliner to International Gateway. The main pool looks awesome. But the size of the resort can be a negative to some people. Unfortunately I don't have first hand experience at this resort and it is on the list of places I'd like to stay at some point in time.

 

[NicoleLarson]

I've stayed at both and would choose POFQ in a heartbeat. I'm not the biggest skyliner fan, note that if it is raining or lightening in the area the skyliner will not be running and it rains often in the spring. So then you are stuck with buses anyways. Also there's no notification that the skyliner is not running so you could find yourself walking all the way to the skyliner, just to find out that it's not running and then have to walk all of the way back to the buses at the front of the park.

 

[cutigerlady]

I just got back from CBR and I had no issue with buses to MK. I was in the Jamaica section and it was super convenient to use the Skyliner and a quick walk across the lake to the main pool/dining areas. We also used the internal shuttle on days we were super tired. I would stay here again and I have stayed in the past and wasn't a fan of this resort. I also thought my room was fine. They are repainting the outside of everything now.

 

[revdon64]

I've only stayed at POFQ of those two, but if forced to choose one of them I'd go to FQ again. Yes, all transportation is by bus, but most often they're dedicated busses. At CBR there are multiple stops inside the resort and if you're at one of the last stops there's a chance the bus is full by the time it gets to you. As noted by others, the skyliner is a plus and can be a minus as well. FQ has a better food court, smaller footprint, nicer theming.

 

[westie55]

I've stayed at both, CBR several times and POFQ once. They are both lovely resorts. Advantages to CBR are the skyliner (I LOVE the skyliner but my husband is afraid of it) and Sebastian's (I like having table service at my resort). The big negative is the size of the resort but to be honest it never really bothered me. POFQ has one bus stop which I prefer so you never have a full bus drive by you. The pool is cute but the water slide is very short. Perfect for small kids, but not so interesting to anyone else. Quality of the room is the same IMO. Both are nice.

 

[EpcotPhoenician]

French Quarter, without a doubt.

 

[Tigger's ally]

I love the skyliner and the time of year we always go (early December) have never had it shut down. That being said, the way the wifey and I tour, the boat to springs trumps the skyliner as we go over there basically every night for drinks, dinner and a nightcap. That is also why we stay at OKW a lot. So convenient.

 

[Esmerelda]

I have stayed at Port Orleans/FQ. I have visited CBR. The issue I have with CBR is size and also no elevators. My husband is a disabled vet and could not do 3 flights of stairs if necessary. I like the compactness of FQ, plus the beignets…….you can’t pass up a beignet!

 

[dansdad]

POR and POFQ used to be our go to Moderates until our first stay at CBR and we haven't gone back.