Disney's PORT ORLEANS RIVERSIDE RESORT Information & Questions

[Casens-mom]

Busses and Bus Stops
This is a topic that gets a lot of run around here and it always seems to vary from horrible experiences to "oh we never waited more than 5 minutes." We utilized the Disney Shuttles for all of our travel to and from the parks (except for the day we spent at Universal. More on that later). Since we were in Magnolia Terrace, we utilized the East Depot which was about a 5-10 min walk from our room. I don't think I ever saw more than 10-15 people waiting at a time. I think the longest we ever waited for a bus was 20 minutes. It was our very first wait on Monday morning waiting for Magic Kingdom. One thing I noticed at the East depot is that the busses tend to show up in bunches. There won't be any and then all the sudden, you'll see one heading to each park all lined up together. We loved it. Here are some things I noticed about the other depots. The West and North Depots are similar in nature when it comes to crowds but they are farther outlying. Then there is the South depot which is in front of the main entrance. The South depot was PACKED every morning when we arrived (if your bus is not full at the East Depot, you go around to the South Depot to fill up). One morning I heard a lady say they had been waiting over an hour to get on a bus for EPCOT. So my advise, avoid the South Depot in the early mornings. The return trips from the parks were not that bad. The Port Orleans depots fill up with people the fastest but you usually see a bus pretty quick and they are big on packing those things as full as they can get them. All in all, for a complimentary service, I thought it was more than acceptable.

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This worries me .. really an hour for a bus at the south depot . We have a preferred room booked in AB April 2-8 with a 75 yr that had surgery four mnths ago & a toddler. We booked a preferred for less walking to the bus stops and food courts but if we are having to stand & wait for a long I may second guess my decision.

 

[Casens-mom]

http://www.portorleans.org/

 

[sbsmommy]

We are planning to go to Boatwrights Saturday night and then see Yee-Haw Bob. What time should we go to River Roost to get a table and do we need to order food or drinks there as well?

 

[kyle3423]

We are planning to go to Boatwrights Saturday night and then see Yee-Haw Bob. What time should we go to River Roost to get a table and do we need to order food or drinks there as well?

I recommend getting there pretty early. Bob starts his show at 8:30 but part of that is spent meeting with bar patrons. The place fills up FAST. We got there a little before 8:00 and ended up getting the last table clear back in the corner. I don't think there is anything like a drink minimum at River Roost, but you'll start to have so much fun you'll end up ordering something. They do have some small appetizers like Nachos and Sliders that actually looked pretty appealing, but we had just eaten at Bubba Gump so we were stuffed.

 

[Marlyn]

Can someone please provide a link or more info on "Andre's" site?

http://www.portorleans.org

 

[siskaren]

This worries me .. really an hour for a bus at the south depot.

I'd say an hour is highly unlikely. This was according to someone that the person you quoted overheard and some people have their own concept of time. I once saw a post on the Transportation board where the person said that someone who arrived at the bus stop after she did complained to the bus driver that he had waited something like half an hour, and the poster said something like, "Gee, that's funny, I only waited 10 minutes and you arrived after I did."

 

[sbsmommy]

I recommend getting there pretty early. Bob starts his show at 8:30 but part of that is spent meeting with bar patrons. The place fills up FAST. We got there a little before 8:00 and ended up getting the last table clear back in the corner. I don't think there is anything like a drink minimum at River Roost, but you'll start to have so much fun you'll end up ordering something. They do have some small appetizers like Nachos and Sliders that actually looked pretty appealing, but we had just eaten at Bubba Gump so we were stuffed.

Thanks! We have the dinner reservation at 6:10, we'll plan to head in there between 6:30 and 8:00 then.

 

[Marlyn]

I've decided to rent a car this time around. Last visit we stayed at WL and we had some long waits for buses, especially water park buses. I also didn't like having to stop at other resorts on the way. It was usually either Fort Wilderness or the Grand Floridian depending what park we were going to.

My understanding of POR is that it shares bus with POFQ sometimes. And when it does it goes there first. I have booked preffered so I understand that is not the first stop. I assume bus will be full often by the time it gets to main bus stop by lobby. Is this correct?

That's why I opted for car.

 

[Eeyore's My Favorite]

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This worries me .. really an hour for a bus at the south depot . We have a preferred room booked in AB April 2-8 with a 75 yr that had surgery four mnths ago & a toddler. We booked a preferred for less walking to the bus stops and food courts but if we are having to stand & wait for a long I may second guess my decision.

We are just back today from POR - stayed in preferred building 15 - had no issues whatsoever for 4 days with the buses & we exclusively used the south depot. Most we waited was 5 minutes for any bus no matter what park we were going to. Even coming back mid afternoon they used the double bus & the wait at MK was maybe 10 minutes but everyone waiting got on the bus & it wasn't super crowded.

 

[Eeyore's My Favorite]

My understanding of POR is that it shares bus with POFQ sometimes. And when it does it goes there first. I have booked preffered so I understand that is not the first stop. I assume bus will be full often by the time it gets to main bus stop by lobby. Is this correct?

That's why I opted for car.

Just back after 4 days at POR & we had no bus issues at all. Also we didn't share with POFQ at all. Not even the boat to Disney Springs was shared. We only stood one time & that was coming back from MK yesterday afternoon on a double bus.

 

[Marlyn]

Just back after 4 days at POR & we had no bus issues at all. Also we didn't share with POFQ at all. Not even the boat to Disney Springs was shared. We only stood one time & that was coming back from MK yesterday afternoon on a double bus.

Good to know...but I'm going in July, peak season. I wonder if it will be as good then?

 

[balletomane]

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This worries me .. really an hour for a bus at the south depot . We have a preferred room booked in AB April 2-8 with a 75 yr that had surgery four mnths ago & a toddler. We booked a preferred for less walking to the bus stops and food courts but if we are having to stand & wait for a long I may second guess my decision.

I have stayed at this resort multiple times and have never waited for a bus for over 20 minutes.

 

[summerlady]

We are just back today from POR - stayed in preferred building 15 - had no issues whatsoever for 4 days with the buses & we exclusively used the south depot. Most we waited was 5 minutes for any bus no matter what park we were going to. Even coming back mid afternoon they used the double bus & the wait at MK was maybe 10 minutes but everyone waiting got on the bus & it wasn't super crowded.

Whew, good to know. We're staying preferred in September and I was concerned about the south depot. Thanks.

 

[Magical Mama]

DH and I stayed last month for the Princess races. We were in AB and never waited more than 10 minutes for a bus. We never shared with POFQ neither.

 

[andrewilley]

I have stayed at this resort multiple times and have never waited for a bus for over 20 minutes.

I always feel I might be biased when I step in on these bus-wait threads, but I too have never experienced anything like the delays that some people talk about (and we stay for two weeks in August every year). Disney Transportation usually seem to do a good job of adding extra buses when there is heavy demand in my experience. There can always be exceptions of course, I'm just saying I've never come across them - and for the past 4 years I've been logging all of our bus journeys at Port Orleans, from arriving at the bus stop to arriving at the destination and all the stops in between (I know, sad or what? ).

Andre

 

[Ensusieasm]

Can someone please provide a link or more info on "Andre's" site?

Click on page number one and start reading from the beginning of this forum thread.

 

[bigmac5]

I am Canadian( so our money isn't worth much at Disney) and I have bee planning our Jan. 2017 vacation for over 3 years now. I am getting really frustrated. I am seeing so many increases...tickets...dining...resorts...and now there is talk about a daily resort fee. Has anyone heard anything on this resort fee...apparently a survey was sent out

 

[Ensusieasm]

I am Canadian( so our money isn't worth much at Disney) and I have bee planning our Jan. 2017 vacation for over 3 years now. I am getting really frustrated. I am seeing so many increases...tickets...dining...resorts...and now there is talk about a daily resort fee. Has anyone heard anything on this resort fee...apparently a survey was sent out

So far just a survey, but often these survey ideas turn into
reality. Hopefully the answers people give (which I would imagine will be all negative) will help Disney decide not to do it.

 

[andrewilley]

Hopefully the answers people give (which I would imagine will be all negative) will help Disney decide not to do it.

Since when has a negative reaction to price rises ever stopped them? The only thing that would stop them is if the revenue and attendance fall as a result of the change, and that never seems to happen no matter how much we all complain.

My own opinion is that they are already charging a 'resort fee', but it's just hidden within the significantly higher rates that Disney hotels cost versus hotels with similar (or better) facilities in equally well located hotels such as the Hotel Plaza Boulevard and Bonnet Creek areas. That cost difference has always been justified by Disney for all the reasons that they have now mentioned in this survey as potentially requiring a 'resort fee' (Magical Express, magic bands, early access to the parks, transportation, free parking at the parks, etc).

But as I said, that won't stop them if they think there is a bit more blood to be squeezed out of us stones.

Andre

 

[balletomane]

Click on page number one and start reading from the beginning of this forum thread.

I had, but someone has kindly provided the link. Thank you, anyway. Didn't know who "Andre" was.