Port Orleans Riverside FAQ thread --- 2012, Part Three --- NOW FULL / CLOSED

[macadoo]

I have to agree with the pool views; I wanted pool view and got first floor one year at Oak Manor. I thought it would be great, for a solo trip, to just walk out anytime, day or night and sit by the pool. There is a lot of foot traffic going to the back of the building, especially in the evenings and it was a lot busier than I expected.

The following year, I was on the other side of Oak Manor facing the woods, and I was about halfway down the wing on the 3rd floor. I actually preferred that room much more. It was so quiet; I didn't hear anyone around me.

I think i now know my ideal location Few minutes walk from the food court with a room at the back of the building near our hire car on the ground floor ) and a few steps round the corner to the quiet pool perfect

 

[Missytara]

I think i now know my ideal location Few minutes walk from the food court with a room at the back of the building near our hire car on the ground floor ) and a few steps round the corner to the quiet pool perfect

That would definitely be Magnolia Terrace, on the side facing Acadian House!

 

[macadoo]

That would definitely be Magnolia Terrace, on the side facing Acadian House!

Just had a look at the map, location looks great . Can i just ask, presuming we are at the back of Magnolia Terrace by the car park how long did it take you to walk from there over to the main pool and food court? Sorry so many questions.

 

[Missytara]

Just had a look at the map, location looks great . Can i just ask, presuming we are at the back of Magnolia Terrace by the car park how long did it take you to walk from there over to the main pool and food court? Sorry so many questions.

Normal pace, 5 - 6 minutes.

Last year, we did it with a 14 month old who wanted to walk so it was more like ten or twelve, but he was a happy camper!

There are never too many questions to ask a person who loves POR the way we do.

 

[Gorechick]

Years and years ago (when POR was Dixie Landings) I was in a standard view in Parterre on the parking lot side. It was near the center of the building on the 2nd floor. At the time, I thought it was far, I don't even think we went to Ol Man Island cause I thought it was a long walk. However, after being in Parterre again in August, being in a standard on the parking lot side closer to the center of the building would be a pretty good location.

 

[iwanttogoback]

We are leaving for POR AB in 7 days. I have did online check in and am thinking about sending a fax with a building request. We have 3 rooms with a total of 12, one room will have 5 so I feel sure we will get AB section. We need a building close to food court since we eat breakfast there every morning. We also go in shifts and need to make our minutes count. What building should I request? How should I word the request? As with everyone on their final countdown week I am a nervous wreck. We have spent so much time and $$$ on this trip we want our stay to be as magical as possible.
Open for any advise.Thanks

 

[Missytara]

We are leaving for POR AB in 7 days. I have did online check in and am thinking about sending a fax with a building request. We have 3 rooms with a total of 12, one room will have 5 so I feel sure we will get AB section. We need a building close to food court since we eat breakfast there every morning. We also go in shifts and need to make our minutes count. What building should I request? How should I word the request? As with everyone on their final countdown week I am a nervous wreck. We have spent so much time and $$$ on this trip we want our stay to be as magical as possible.
Open for any advise.Thanks

If you didn't book preferred, you can look on the map on the first page and see the two buildings right behind the preferred section are still pretty close to the food court.

 

[portocall]

We are leaving for POR AB in 7 days. I have did online check in and am thinking about sending a fax with a building request. We have 3 rooms with a total of 12, one room will have 5 so I feel sure we will get AB section. We need a building close to food court since we eat breakfast there every morning. We also go in shifts and need to make our minutes count. What building should I request? How should I word the request? As with everyone on their final countdown week I am a nervous wreck. We have spent so much time and $$$ on this trip we want our stay to be as magical as possible.
Open for any advise.Thanks

Best way to have a good time is to relax and go with the flow. Especially with so many people on your trip with you.

 

[Kevin1281]

Hi, been reading pages and pages of this thread over the last few weeks and notice a lot of people have booked garden and water views. We have booked to stay here for the first time next August just a standard room so presuming we will probably have a car park view? Can anyone tell me their experience of staying in a standard room?

It won't really matter as we are at Disney but just want to get an idea of what to expect

I have been reading these threads for a couple months now myself, as I am in the beginning stages of planning a family vacation. I finally decided to register to ask some questions and join in on the Disney chatter. My first question was going to be pretty much exactly what you have asked. I was planning on booking a river view, but a co-worker of mine who is a Disney nut told me that it would be silly if we are looking to save money (which we are). He has been to POR numerous times and said the standard rooms are just fine. He said, "Do you really plan on standing in your room and gazing out the window at the river? You are going to get back to your room and crash." Having been to Disney a number of times years ago, I know all I want at the end of the day/night is a comfy bed. What to do!?

 

[Missytara]

I have been reading these threads for a couple months now myself, as I am in the beginning stages of planning a family vacation. I finally decided to register to ask some questions and join in on the Disney chatter. My first question was going to be pretty much exactly what you have asked. I was planning on booking a river view, but a co-worker of mine who is a Disney nut told me that it would be silly if we are looking to save money (which we are). He has been to POR numerous times and said the standard rooms are just fine. He said, "Do you really plan on standing in your room and gazing out the window at the river? You are going to get back to your room and crash." Having been to Disney a number of times years ago, I know all I want at the end of the day/night is a comfy bed. What to do!?

I have had every view imaginable and I can say I have loved them all for different reasons. I am definitely not a go back to my room and crash kind of person; I see Disney as a lot more than that. I try not to listen to people that say the resort is just a place to flop, IMHO. I immerse myself in the resort. If I were going to just flop somewhere, I would stay out on International Drive.

I was very lucky to have a riverview room one year on a solo trip which was 8 days, all resorts, no parks, so I spent a lot of time at the resort. I was in Parterre Place and wasn't 30 feet from the river. I was on the end of the wing, so no one ever walked by my room. I pulled my chair out into the alcove of the door and watched the last few water taxis go by each night. I could actually hear it from my room. It was heavenly.

I have had pool view, where you can walk out to the pool day or night; I did walk out at 3 am a few times and it was so cool.

I have had woods view that is very tranquil and private.

I have had standard view that is also quiet and close to the outer bus depots. I had seen maybe 4 or 5 cars in the lot. It was a drop-off point for the Mousekeeping staff, but they were always quiet and respectful. I do so when my traveling companions are tied to a specific budget and it works out just fine.

I have had courtyard view that is just wonderful for taking leisurely walks back from the main building in the evening.

Whatever view you eventually chose, you will not be disappointed.

Hope that helps!

 

[kelleigh1]

I have been reading these threads for a couple months now myself, as I am in the beginning stages of planning a family vacation. I finally decided to register to ask some questions and join in on the Disney chatter. My first question was going to be pretty much exactly what you have asked. I was planning on booking a river view, but a co-worker of mine who is a Disney nut told me that it would be silly if we are looking to save money (which we are). He has been to POR numerous times and said the standard rooms are just fine. He said, "Do you really plan on standing in your room and gazing out the window at the river? You are going to get back to your room and crash." Having been to Disney a number of times years ago, I know all I want at the end of the day/night is a comfy bed. What to do!?

Let me start by saying that we haven't yet stayed at POR.

We usually book a standard view, but when Disney added the garden view, we thought we'd book that so we wouldn't get a view of the parking lot. Honestly, your co-worker is right. What are the chances you're going to spend any significant time looking out the window? We stayed at Yacht Club on our last trip and I kept thinking that a full balcony was important to us. We went out on it twice...the day we arrived to check it out and the day we left just because I felt we should go out there again since we hadn't used it. And our "garden view"...I think we looked at it all of 3 times and it wasn't anything special.

If you're looking to save, in my opinion, standard view is just fine.

 

[Missytara]

Let me start by saying that we haven't yet stayed at POR.

We usually book a standard view, but when Disney added the garden view, we thought we'd book that so we wouldn't get a view of the parking lot. Honestly, your co-worker is right. What are the chances you're going to spend any significant time looking out the window? We stayed at Yacht Club on our last trip and I kept thinking that a full balcony was important to us. We went out on it twice...the day we arrived to check it out and the day we left just because I felt we should go out there again since we hadn't used it. And our "garden view"...I think we looked at it all of 3 times and it wasn't anything special.

If you're looking to save, in my opinion, standard view is just fine.

I can see your point with deluxes that have interior doors and you are walking down a corridor to get out to the amentities.

But POR is a bit different. Half the beauty of the different views are the walks through the different landscaped areas to get to the pools, marina, etc. The moderates are that way; the different views present different ways of getting back and forth to the amentities and the rooms, and to really enjoy the entire resort and its landscaping.

I agree; if you look to save money, standard view is just fine.

At POR, it has its own rewards as stated in my PP.

 

[justakrazymom]

I have been reading these threads for a couple months now myself, as I am in the beginning stages of planning a family vacation. I finally decided to register to ask some questions and join in on the Disney chatter. My first question was going to be pretty much exactly what you have asked. I was planning on booking a river view, but a co-worker of mine who is a Disney nut told me that it would be silly if we are looking to save money (which we are). He has been to POR numerous times and said the standard rooms are just fine. He said, "Do you really plan on standing in your room and gazing out the window at the river? You are going to get back to your room and crash." Having been to Disney a number of times years ago, I know all I want at the end of the day/night is a comfy bed. What to do!?

Only once have I booked anything besides a standard view. That was for this past Sept at pofq and only because in order to get FD I had to book garden view. For me the view is moot.. I'm in Disney.. i want a bed and AC..lol

 

[kelleigh1]

I can see your point with deluxes that have interior doors and you are walking down a corridor to get out to the amentities.

But POR is a bit different. Half the beauty of the different views are the walks through the different landscaped areas to get to the pools, marina, etc. The moderates are that way; the different views present different ways of getting back and forth to the amentities and the rooms, and to really enjoy the entire resort and its landscaping.

I agree; if you look to save money, standard view is just fine.

At POR, it has its own rewards as stated in my PP.

But if we're talking just the view from the room, for us personally, it's not worth it to pay for a different view. We would much rather walk around the grounds and explore the resort on foot than to stand and look out the window of our room. So that is why I think that standard view is just fine.

So it sounds like we agree about enjoying the views around the resort, but I would rather do so up close and personally and not sitting inside and looking out a window.

 

[Kevin1281]

I have had every view imaginable and I can say I have loved them all for different reasons. I am definitely not a go back to my room and crash kind of person; I see Disney as a lot more than that. I try not to listen to people that say the resort is just a place to flop, IMHO. I immerse myself in the resort. If I were going to just flop somewhere, I would stay out on International Drive.

I was very lucky to have a riverview room one year on a solo trip which was 8 days, all resorts, no parks, so I spent a lot of time at the resort. I was in Parterre Place and wasn't 30 feet from the river. I was on the end of the wing, so no one ever walked by my room. I pulled my chair out into the alcove of the door and watched the last few water taxis go by each night. I could actually hear it from my room. It was heavenly.

I have had pool view, where you can walk out to the pool day or night; I did walk out at 3 am a few times and it was so cool.

I have had woods view that is very tranquil and private.

I have had standard view that is also quiet and close to the outer bus depots. I had seen maybe 4 or 5 cars in the lot. It was a drop-off point for the Mousekeeping staff, but they were always quiet and respectful. I do so when my traveling companions are tied to a specific budget and it works out just fine.

I have had courtyard view that is just wonderful for taking leisurely walks back from the main building in the evening.

Whatever view you eventually chose, you will not be disappointed.

Hope that helps!

Trust me. I plan on immersing myself in the resort. We will have my 1.5 -year-old son with us, so we will be going back to the resort for naps daily I would assume. In the end, like you say, whatever view we choose we will not be disappointed. It's Disney!

 

[ShesAPirate]

Just booked this morning! We've never stayed at POR before, so I'm looking forward to reading this thread over the weekend. Woohoo, so excited!

 

[Gorechick]

Just booked this morning! We've never stayed at POR before, so I'm looking forward to reading this thread over the weekend. Woohoo, so excited!

Check our portorleans.org too!

 

[macadoo]

Normal pace, 5 - 6 minutes.

Last year, we did it with a 14 month old who wanted to walk so it was more like ten or twelve, but he was a happy camper!

There are never too many questions to ask a person who loves POR the way we do.

Thank you I can handle 5 - 6 minutes

 

[portocall]

I've said it before, we just didn't look out the window enough to justify the cost. We love exploring the resort and it's beauty, but the view wasn't something we even noticed when we were in the room so this time we are hoping standard equals parking lot. Everyone vacations differently though and while the actual view was stunning of the river, we just forgot to look. As I type this the car is being packed by all my boys and we are about to head out. Excited doesn't come close to how we are feeling right now.

 

[macadoo]

I've said it before, we just didn't look out the window enough to justify the cost. We love exploring the resort and it's beauty, but the view wasn't something we even noticed when we were in the room so this time we are hoping standard equals parking lot. Everyone vacations differently though and while the actual view was stunning of the river, we just forgot to look. As I type this the car is being packed by all my boys and we are about to head out. Excited doesn't come close to how we are feeling right now.

I know we won't be in the room long enough to enjoy any view so quite happy with a car park view, would prefer to be nearer a quiet pool with no view and preferably not too far to the drinks refills

So exciting for you have a brilliant time