Port Orleans Riverside Q&A Thread 2014 (Please read first post for FAQs!)

[Koh1977]

Is it 5-7 days before check-in that we should send a fax?

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[Venomhatch]

Is it 5-7 days before check-in that we should send a fax?

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Yes

 

[LisaTC]

DS (6, as of yesterday) and I will be staying at POR in December. I'm a little worried about the buses, but love the look of the resort and the Royal Rooms! We can't wait.

If you aren't going Christmas week (we went the week prior) and we never had bus issues. You do have to be a bit strategic. If you are going to MK at 8am, well, yeah, it's going to be a bit busy, bus wise. We didn't have an issue. We also have gone the week prior to Halloween and same thing. Breathing helps! lol

 

[Octoberbeauty]

Thank you. We will be there the 2nd week of December.

What time do the buses start running? We have an 8:10 am reservation at MK one day. I want to make sure we make that one!

 

[siskaren]

Thank you. We will be there the 2nd week of December.

What time do the buses start running? We have an 8:10 am reservation at MK one day. I want to make sure we make that one! ��

The buses start running at 6:30 am every day.

 

[Dittz]

I was just looking over Andre's maps of POR Oak manor. We have 2 royal rooms booked for Sept/Oct and was just wondering if anyone had any experience in being beside housekeeping storage. Is it noisy in the morning when they are getting their supplies, or do you even notice it?

 

[scmbaby]

We really didn't have any issues with crowds during breakfast time.

 

[Octoberbeauty]

The buses start running at 6:30 am every day.

Awesome! Thank you.

 

[LUVDisney1975]

Hello! We have 36 days until we arrive at POR for our very 1st trip to Disney World!!!! We can't wait!!!

My question is this: We booked a land and sea package, everything is paid for and ready to go. My girls and I decided yesterday that we wanted to upgrade from a standard room to a Royal room. My travel agent got right on it this morning and called Disney and was told they have no RR available. Even though I can go online and see there are rooms open for when we will be there.

Long story short, since we booked a land & sea package through the cruise line they are only allowed to book standard rooms. My travel agent is trying to work every angle she can to get us a RR. What I don't understand is if we want to UPGRADE and pay MORE money, why can't we just get the room we want if they are still available?

Sorry to rant. I'm just wondering if my travel agent can't get them to upgrade our room is, there any thing else we can try? I would love any suggestions. We can't wait for our trip!!!

Hello everyone!!! 3 weeks and then we'll be at POR!!!
I wanted to give you an update: After MANY calls and much frustration we have a royal room! My travel agent was given different stories from the cruise line but LONG story short they absolutely can not upgrade a room. So if any of you are ever going to do WDW and a cruise, don't do the land and sea package if you want a specific type room. They are only allotted certain rooms and they cannot change them. The resort could not, although they really wanted to help, change my reservation. WDW reservations were amazing also but couldn't touch my reservation. So the cruise line graciously cancelled my Land part of the package, waving the fees for doing so. Thank you cruise line Then I called up WDW and got a reservation for our Royal Room with a garden view. All that for a difference of $100.00 But we have the room we wanted. None of our plans were messed up and we are leaving in 21 Days!!!

Lesson learned: If we ever are blessed with another chance to go to WDW and a cruise, I will book everything separately. Thanks for listening

 

[Koh1977]

Hello everyone!!! 3 weeks and then we'll be at POR!!! I wanted to give you an update: After MANY calls and much frustration we have a royal room! My travel agent was given different stories from the cruise line but LONG story short they absolutely can not upgrade a room. So if any of you are ever going to do WDW and a cruise, don't do the land and sea package if you want a specific type room. They are only allotted certain rooms and they cannot change them. The resort could not, although they really wanted to help, change my reservation. WDW reservations were amazing also but couldn't touch my reservation. So the cruise line graciously cancelled my Land part of the package, waving the fees for doing so. Thank you cruise line Then I called up WDW and got a reservation for our Royal Room with a garden view. All that for a difference of $100.00 But we have the room we wanted. None of our plans were messed up and we are leaving in 21 Days!!! Lesson learned: If we ever are blessed with another chance to go to WDW and a cruise, I will book everything separately. Thanks for listening

20 days for us!!

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[alan_renfroe]

I started a trip report that has a lot of Port Orleans Riverside photos. The link is: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3289594

 

[Millie12591]

Boats run every 20 minutes, switching to 10 minutes after 4pm. At busy times expect to probably not get on the first boat that comes along.

Getting to the parks from DTD is not very easy as there are no direct buses. I assume this was done to prevent people using DTD as an easier parking option for visits to the parks - although with the current construction at DTD I suspect it would more likely happen the other way around now!

You would need to go to a resort and then change to get to the park. For MK, get a bus to the Contemporary and walk from there direct to the park. Similarly for Epcot, get a bus to the Beach Club and walk via the International Gateway. Studios is a longer walk, but you could still go to the Swan/Dolphin and walk, but it might be quicker to just take a second bus. For AK I'd have thought changing at AK Lodge makes the most sense, but if another bus arrives sooner for somewhere along the general route (e.g. Caribbean Beach or Coronado Springs, or one of the Values) then you might want to jump on that.




It's not totally random, but it's not exactly predictable either, and it varies somewhat by park destination. Rather than repeating myself again, most of my understanding of the system (for what that's worth) can be found at www.portorleans.org/buses.php.

Andre

Thank you, Andre.

 

[atisikitabasket]

When we were last there in Nov 2013 our room still did not have a fridge. I saw on the FAQ page that all the rooms now have the replacement fridge but I wanted to see if they still don't have a freezer compartment. I wanted to bring crustables for my daughter it is one of the few things she will eat and it is a lot cheaper to bring them with then buy one at a time there but you need to freeze them I think. Plus they are a lot easier and quicker to grab than having to make a PBJ. This will be our first time with 3 kids at Disney so we are all about easy.

 

[andrewilley]

but I wanted to see if they still don't have a freezer compartment.

Generally no, they don't. With a couple of unexplained exceptions, these are all fridges-only, with no freezer compartments.

Andre

 

[AmyKat]

When we were last there in Nov 2013 our room still did not have a fridge. I saw on the FAQ page that all the rooms now have the replacement fridge but I wanted to see if they still don't have a freezer compartment. I wanted to bring crustables for my daughter it is one of the few things she will eat and it is a lot cheaper to bring them with then buy one at a time there but you need to freeze them I think. Plus they are a lot easier and quicker to grab than having to make a PBJ. This will be our first time with 3 kids at Disney so we are all about easy.

We had two room in February. One had a freezer and one didn't. However, we keep uncrustables in the fridge. They do fine in there for about a week before the edges start getting hard.

 

[Koh1977]

Any special things planned at the resort for the 4th of July?

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[atisikitabasket]

We had two room in February. One had a freezer and one didn't. However, we keep uncrustables in the fridge. They do fine in there for about a week before the edges start getting hard.

Thanks AmyKat! We will just keep them in the fridge.

 

[FungLu]

At POR, faxed in request 5 days out and got everything we asked: corner upstairs building 18 (paid for preferred) and even a view of the quiet pool. Perfect for 12 nights. Been here two days, buses and thunderstorms both running on time.

For those wondering about the pull down bed: our 13yr old is 5'3" and his feet barely clear the end if the bed and he loves it. Our 5'6" 15 yr old tried it last night and liked it as well. There might be a fight tonight....

 

[goofy Jr. 88]

Been here two days, buses and thunderstorms both running on time.

 

[Linda67]

So we have just returned to the UK following a wonderful 2 week vacation
Prior to our DCL cruise we stayed a POR for 2 nights and it was our first time staying there.
We are DVC members and usually stay in either Deluxe resorts or DVC villas
We had booked a room in the preferred category, so were situated in the AB buildings and when I get myself settled back at home I should be able to share our actual room number and location!
So our verdict? ..... AMAZING !!!!
Our only regret is that we only had 2 nights there!
My husband actually said, why are we DVC members if we can stay here?
Our room was perfect, spotlessly clean and in a great location.
CMs were delightful, facilities excellent and food delicious
I honestly can't praise this resort highly enough and it will forever sit alongside Wilderness Lodge as our favorite resort
Finally, thanks to this great thread for helping us to decide to stay at POR in the first place !!