Port Orleans Riverside Q&A Thread 2013 (Read first posts for FAQs)

[ohnowewontgo]

[QUOTE=SRUAlmn;47583911]We rarely make ADRs, too much structure for me! I'm a teacher, and my life is SOOOO structured, so on vacation I like to be able to do what I want, when I want We had BOG reserved for our trip planned for last November, and ended up canceling it ( I know, GASP ) But we realized we really just wanted the atmosphere. Most of the lunch choices were more appealing to us, and it's the same atmosphere, so saving some beaucoup bucks was a no brainer, and we're doing lunch instead!



We're going to do the same thing. Quick service lunch at BOG seems a lot more feasible than BOG for dinner ressies. I attempted, but there were none available....and lunch would already be paid for. So, no brainer.

[ohnowewontgo]

Originally Posted by andrewilley

No particular category gives much of an advantage over any other on that score (other than Preferred meaning AB-only, and Royal meaning mansion-only). Just choose what category you want and put in a request for the location you prefer, and keep your fingers crossed.





Andre

Thanks Andre! I'm going to book garden view and hope for the best! Either way...I'll be at Disney World so it shouldn't really matter.

[hcoker1]

Hi everyone!

We are staying off-site this visit but plan on taking the boat from DTD to POR for the ride. Once there DS and DH would like to rent one of the little speed boats like we did on our last visit. Can we do that if we aren't resort guests?

Thanks for your help!

[cheer25mom]

Just wanted to post to say we hit double digits today. 99 days to Disney!! I am really enjoying reading this tread and hearing about everyone's experiences at POR. Keep it coming!!

[Cinderumbrella]

Originally Posted by Megsmachine

I have been mulling over the whole request thing. We are booked preferred and as much as I would like Building #14....I am just thrilled that we are going to Disney!

Venom so kindly emailed me the doc for room request. I know it says to give detail. DH and I are going to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary and are leaving our 5 boys at home. We haven't been away for more than a night or two by ourselves in well over 10 years! Like I told Venom before you all think we are meanies for leaving the boys home, they are happy for us (they asked that we bring back a present for them of course ) and we are hoping/planning on staying at the campsites at Fort Wilderness early 2014, as a family.

BUT, Venom and Andre, do you think the people/person that gets these requests ever gets annoyed with all of the requests? I mean, usally everyone has a really good reason for going to Disney...

I for one do NOT think you are a meanie at all!!! DH and I celebrated our 15th last year in Maui while DS went with his grandparents to AoA for the week.

There is nothing wrong with some alone time. Happy Anniversary and have a great time!!

Originally Posted by blackacex2

Who on this thread would choose a royal guest room river view over the swan and dolphin?

That would be a tough call for me. We are staying Royal Room in June but will probably stay at the Swan in November simply for the walking proximity to EPCOT for F&W. I agree with PPs that the Swolphin doesn't quite have the "Disney" feel to it (but to some that isn't necessarily a bad thing).

[firstwdw]

THANK YOU ANDRE for the live feed!!! It just happens to be school vacation week for us and our DS found out this week we are headed to POR for the first time in 64 days. We have been obsessed with watching the webcam this week! He wants to rent boats, rent bikes, take the boat to DTD. He even likes watching the golf carts go by and the runners. We just have it on in the background while we play games, bake cookies etc. Thank you!

[Chuckers]

Originally Posted by andrewilley

Did it a couple of days ago, it worked out very well. We picked up from the bakery counter at the Riverside Mill. We had a 10" vanilla cake with fruit mouse filling and a TinkerBell picture on the top, with flowers. It was very light and tasty, the mouse offset the sweetness of the icing nicely. It was quite big - we still have a few slices left. It was yummy!

Andre

I hope you meant 'Fruit Mousse' filling.. because a Fruit Mouse filling at Disney World would be kinda cannibalistic and demented...

[pktbMouse]

has anyone every been to POR in May before? how busy was it??

[Venomhatch]

Originally Posted by Megsmachine

BUT, Venom and Andre, do you think the people/person that gets these requests ever gets annoyed with all of the requests? I mean, usally everyone has a really good reason for going to Disney...

Well I have spoken first hand with the Room Assignment Team they are not at all close or even overwhelmed by room requests so you will be fine. Don't read too far into it. We thrive to make it as magical as we can.

[firstwdw]

Do they have helmets avail for the kids for 2 wheeler bike rentals? If so, is that an extra fee for the helmet?

[~Tinkerella]

I love the planning process ~ keeps things exciting for the trip.

[granite500]

Does anyone have any experience with crowd levels at POR the first week in June? Just curious as it seems the resort is generally pretty peaceful.

98 days until we check in at Riverside!!

[ttcl516]

Sent my fax request this morning!!! Can't believe we are in the home stretch!!!

[KittyKat1978]

Just called to update my ressie from RR - standard view to garden view. I think I have a better chance of getting close to the bridge with a garden view room.

I also request not the first floor as I am travelling solo.

[bumbershoot]

Originally Posted by pktbMouse

I may be wrong but the pool area looks a little quieter than CBR which may be a good thing.CBR was a little too rowdy for my 4 yr old, he was scared to death of the big dunk tank on the pirate ship and wouldnt go anywhere near it. The alligator rooms do look lovely but then the other magnolia rooms do look closer. I guess I really dont mind which ones we get. We will know within the next few days if we can afford to do this ( hopefully we can) dont get me wrong...a value resort is better than no resort but I dooo prefer a mod resort. I take it the food is all the same at the food courts at the mods?

I can only compare an about-to-be-freezing early December at CBR to a thankfully warmer February (though there were some cold days later) at POR, but the POR pool was pretty wild. BUT there were cheerleaders around from what I understand, and therefore teen boys as well, and it might have just been that causing the rowdiness.

But like I said before, there are shallow areas, and the bigger kids when I was there were NOT hanging out there. Also, we went after the lifeguards were already gone, so if you guys swim during lifeguard hours, the rowdy teens will have some level of control over them, if they are present. Anyway, you would be swimming with the 4 year old anyway, I assume, and can keep him away from wildness.

Isn't the dump thing at CBR in a special area off from the pool? I wasn't able to check that out because DS was already too tall (and it was dark when we swam there), but I don't think it was actually in the pool, was it? Regardless, the main POR pool is big with lots of spaces for you to find with your little one. I wouldn't worry.

As for food, POR has a create your own omelet which I don't remember *at all* at CBR, and later they have a create your own pasta which I don't remember from CBR. There is also a pizza window at POR, and create your own salad, and other things. I don't remember anything like that from CBR, though I might be misremembering or they might have changed it. I bet the menu pages here at wdwinfo.com or at allears.net could help you out with that. All I want to say is that in my memory POR's food court is far better than CBR's, but I'm no expert at all.

Originally Posted by blackacex2

Who on this thread would choose a royal guest room river view over the swan and dolphin?

I got to see a room at the Dolphin (my cousin and her family didn't want to drive home during a visit, so we were able to snag a room for her there) and it was *lovely*. In the daytime it was literally a dumpster view, but at night they got to see fireworks from their window, which was pretty cool.

We also returned our car to the Dolphin's National people and go to see the lobby, and my son said "we have GOT to stay here!", so there you go. It's a lovely lobby and the employees there seem nice. An apparent janitorial guy took the time to walk us down a hallway and specifically show us which way to go to the walkway to Epcot, which I found to be very nice. Combine that with the awesome beds that Sheraton and Westin have (I think Dolphin is Westin and Swan is Sheraton?) and you've got a pretty good option.

I hear the "Swolphin" has AMAZING pools, too. Depending on the sort of trip I had planned, I think it would be a hard choice between the two!


All that said, our river view room had a lovely view, very peaceful and calm (and quiet).