We just returned from an 8 night stay at POR in a Royal garden view. We absolutely loved the resort to the point I'm seriously conflicted about our next trip (considering a family suite at AoA - since there might be 5 or 6 of us).
I thought I'd provide a review with some ideas for anyone traveling with knee issues or little kids. I dislocated my knee a few months before our trip
We stayed for 8 nights (6/20-6/28) - my mom, my daughter (age 4), my son (age 2) and me. We had 6 park days (but returned mid-day almost everyday for some pool time) and 3 days that were primarily resort days (while I was at a conference). The resort had a great balance of disney theming and less stimulation. The kids really benefited from early park days with a mid-day break (even though my son napped in his stroller most days) - it was nice to go to the quiet pool or the kid pool at the main pool area to cool off and chill out. They never melted or had issues at the parks when we took breaks. Every kids different but this strategy worked really well for us. It was also nice to have a sit down meal 1x per day - my kids are used to it and this gave us a nice cool down and eat together period. We found the quick service meals (no matter where they were) to be a bit chaotic and tougher with my sons dairy allergy. We did a bunch of character meals - which also served well since my kids loved them and it kept us from having to wait in long hot lines in the parks.
Mouse-keeping and the resort staff were great with us (kids loved the towel animals we got the first few days) - our room was chaotic with stuff but they did a fantastic job cleaning. On our departure day - my daughter came down with a 24hr stomach bug and she threw-up outside near the ME bus area. The greeter was fabulous at trying to make her feel better and help us clean-up (she was really upset getting sick in public).
Room organization - I can't say enough about bringing hanging shelves, pop-up hamper and laundry bag. They worked wonders. We did laundry 1/2 way through the trip. Easy and convenient with the hamper and laundry bag. Little kids go through a ton of clothes in this type of heat. I packed clothes for each day in a ziplock for each kid. Made getting ready for early park days a cinch. My mom commented that she thought I was a nut when she first saw them a then changed her mind by day 2. Lol. Being able to hang out at the quiet pool and do laundry made it bearable and easy.
Transportation wise - we had a mixed bag. Loved the boat to DTD and FQ. Serious draw for me with the kids. The buses - while convenient most of the time - are tougher for those traveling with multiple strollers. In my opinion - easy and manageable with older kids and adults. Little stroller bound kids - a bit painful. You have to constantly collapse strollers and try to juggle kids and stuff into a busy bus. We rented a car for part of our trip (due to my offsite conference) and I was very happy that we did. I planned to take the buses more - but it was often easier and faster to drive. I rented from the on-property Alamo - pretty inexpensive ($185/wk) and easy shuttle to and from the resort. I would definitely rent again until the kids are older. We brought their carseats with us (flew southwest - free and doesn't count towards baggage). The other plus was we had a number of table meals at other resorts and I didn't have to stress about getting there on time or factor 60-90 min of travel time which is hard with toddlers.
One last item (in this really long post) - is if you have mobility issues - do not hesitate to visit guest services for a guest assistance card. It was worth its wait in gold and they are so helpful. I was worried about perceptions with the recent abuse of this service and brought a note from my doctor (did not need it). I'm in a knee brace and have a difficult time with stairs, moving walkways and standing for long periods - being able to use the wheel chair entrance made all the difference in this trip. I also had a case of instant ice packs shipped to the resort in advance (along with water, soy milk, and diapers - great idea). Taking breaks and being to apply an instant ice pack made it possible for me to do the parks and push a stroller.
If anyone traveling I similar circumstances has questions feel free to holler - we had a great trip - due in large part to the advice I got through the boards on mobility, allergies, and traveling with small kids. We can't wait to go back - I already want to plan our next disney adventure.
