Just Booked POR...Will I be Disappointed???

[WDWChick]

I just booked a great rate at POR for $89.00 per night for The weekend of Sept 8th. My DH and I are used to staying at the WL or YC, but there were no FL discount rates for these resorts. So we are trying a moderate for the first time ever.

With Dh and my 2 kids, will we be disappointed? I LOVE deluxe hotels. ( We stayed every year at the Contemporary when I was little.) Please let me know that I've made the right decision!!!

All you POR experts, tell me all the good stuff, and what building I should stay in. My kids are 4 and 2. Which would they like best????

 

[Tiffany]

I just booked a great rate at POR for $89.00 per night for The weekend of Sept 8th. My DH and I are used to staying at the WL or YC, but there were no FL discount rates for these resorts. So we are trying a moderate for the first time ever.

With Dh and my 2 kids, will we be disappointed? I LOVE deluxe hotels. ( We stayed every year at the Contemporary when I was little.) Please let me know that I've made the right decision!!!

All you POR experts, tell me all the good stuff, and what building I should stay in. My kids are 4 and 2. Which would they like best????

As long as you are aware of the differances between the deluxe and moderate resorts and are okay with them then you should have a great trip. The rooms open onto a public walkway as they are set up like a motel. There are no balconies. Full room service and valet parking are also not offered. Let me know if you have any specific questions. As long as you go in with the correct expections you should be fine.

 

[tone.def]

No - you won't be disapointed. I love the POR (although I am spurlging on the Poly in December). I personally like the Alligator Bayou section, buildings 14, 15, 17 and 18 are closest to Boatwright's and the food court.

Downtown Disney is a short boat cruise away!

enjoy and have fun!

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

Hi,

We stayed at POR in 1997. Since then, we have stayed at Poly 4x, and also at Pop 1x and YC 1x. I have just booked POR for this Nov. Even after staying at Poly and YC, I am still looking forward to revisiting POR.

Sure I will miss the monorail like nobody's business, but look at the money we will save. I can't see spending 299 per night for Poly, like I used to, especially since DGS is going into first grade and the monorail isn't as necessary as when he was younger. For me, it's just too much to spend for deluxe, unless there are small children in your party. You got a great rate at POR and yippee, so did I.

I love the food court at POR. It's way way better than the one at Poly, imo, but we have a ton of fond Captain Cooks memories. The grounds are beautiful at POR. Maybe I'm just nostalgic about it, but I am looking forward to being there again and hearing the jazz music playing, even tho I'm not a big fan of jazz! lol

We stayed in the mansions before. I wanted to stay there again because they appeal to me, but decided to throw caution to the wind and let POR decide where we end up. Sure, the mansions would be nostalgic, but the bayoo section has been renovated and DGS might like the rustic look better than the mansions.

I am looking forward to:
1. Riding the boat to DTD
2. Swimming in Old Man River
3. Taking DGS fishing
4. Wandering over to POFQ if we feel like it
5. And yes, the foodcourt

Can't wait!
Tink

 

[ganggreen4jc]

Just got back from a stay at POFQ (7/6-7/13) and every morning I would go for jog from the far end of POFQ all the way over to POR and back. Each day, I coveted the beauty of the buildings at POR as I ran and said if I ever came back I would stay there. It is a beautiful resort. If you love the CR you'll absolutely be in heaven at POR. Rooms may be a tad smaller, but the scenery is among the best that WDW has to offer. The boat ride down the Sassagoula River is so relaxing and the rest of the amenities will more than meet your needs. I loved POFQ, but I dreamed of staying at POR!

Have a great time and just know that I'll be envious of you!

 

[okapi]

Are you staying at POR: FQ or Riverside?

If you absolutely LOVE deluxe hotels only then you might not enjoy the "roughing" it part - unless you're prepared.

1. Rooms at deluxe are 2 queens or 1 king, at the moderates they are 2 full-size beds or 1 king. Room sizes are smaller as well.
2. At Riverside esp. your walking distance to the main lobby, guest services, food courts and main pool can be much greater.
3. You cannot order breakfast in bed, unless your husband and kids bring it back to the room for you.
4. Only pizza is delivered after 11p.
5. Elevators are not always convenient, so you may find yourself using the stairs most of the time.

OK, now for the good parts:
1. YOU SAVE DOUGH$$$$$$ (or you have more to spend)
2. POR has a boat that takes you to DTD and back
3. POR has Food courts which for breakfast is more appealing than having to eat fancy for breakfast every day.
4. Staying there will give you a new theme to experience, stroll around and enjoy.

Personally, at POR RIVERSIDE I prefer the antebellum side, even if I have to walk a little extra (exercise is good). Each of the themed mansion "motels" have a "story and history" - and their gardens/lawns are all a little different.
PO FQ is smaller and themed after the Old French Quarter in New Orleans: this resort is much more compact, but strolling the streets and reading the names during the day or night is not only romantic, but fun.
No matter where you stay, be sure to stroll to the other one, by taking the walking path along the Sassagoula River, so you get to experience both.

 

[Nolcrest]

You can read my POR review thread to get more detail on my thoughts about this resort.

I just want to add that WL is my favorite deluxe but POR is my favorite moderate. You should love it for the great price you got.

The boat to DTD, the carriage rides, make it feel a bit above a regular moderate. Your family may enjoy the variety of food offered at the moderate food court.


I feel that POR is actually quieter than WL. Even thought the resort was at capacity it felt like we were secluded. The rooms are very quiet and really not much foot traffic past our room in building 39.

The additional quiet pools make it very convenient to choose where you want to cool off.

So, like I said I love WL but I might Love POR a tad bit more. Both places gave me the rustic, relaxed feeling. I think I like all the wood of these resorts.

Have a great time.

 

[ptrbryant]

We had only stayed at WL before and were kind of braced for the "let down" of staying at a Moderate last May. Wow! We were really happily surprised and impressed by POR! The rooms didn't seem much smaller than WL (maybe because they have double beds instead of queens?), the rooms were newly redone, so all the linens and furnishings looked very new. Mousekeeping was great, even though we didn't get towel animals. The grounds were beautiful! I loved walking around in the evening...I do think the grounds were prettier than those at WL. We were only there 3 nts. and used the quiet pool instead of the main pool (for some reason, the main pool wasn't heated) and it was lovely. Barely used the food court, but it looked really good. As others have said, if you don't go into it expecting everything to be "deluxe", you'll be in for a positive surprise!

Karla B.

 

[WDWChick]

Thank you all SOOOO much for your great advice and wisdom. I knew I could trust you all!!!!! I feel much better about my decision, now that I've read all the posts.
I am now looking forward to our trip!
Thank you all again !!!!!!

Chris

 

[brando5111]

For our last trip in February 05' we stayed at WL Courtyard view and ya know what? We kept wishing we were at POR or CSR resort instead! We will never stay @ WL again. My husband had wanted to stay there for years, so we decided to stay on our last visit and he kepts saying how much better the mods were the whole time!!!! GO FIGURE!

Honestly, for all the extra $$ spent, we feel POR & CSR (especially) give you soooo much more bang for your buck! I don't know about you, but we work hard for our money and Disney is expensive. POR is so very nice, the resort itself is just lovely. You will be happy. We actually prefer not having the "hotel" feel with inside corridors as many speak about. Yes in the rain, I grant you it would be more convenient, but otherwise it's nice to just open your door and be outside meandering through plush landscape & gardens instead of stained carpeted hallways! (Sorry but @ WL the hallway carpeting was gross)...

Enjoy - you won't be disappointed!

Best,
Brando

 

[DISLOVE]

I know this isn't a popular opinion, but, I hated Port Orleans Riverside. We stayed there in 2003 and I was not pleased. We got a great rate but the whole time I kept thinking why didn't I just go with All Star? I am a huge fan of WL and try to stay there whenever I possibly can... but thought I would try POR to save a bit of money.

I wouldn't stay there again if it was the only hotel available... For our family, it's either value or deluxe. I'm happy at either place!

 

[okapi]

I know this isn't a popular opinion, but, I hated Port Orleans Riverside. We stayed there in 2003 and I was not pleased. We got a great rate but the whole time I kept thinking why didn't I just go with All Star? I am a huge fan of WL and try to stay there whenever I possibly can... but thought I would try POR to save a bit of money.

I wouldn't stay there again if it was the only hotel available... For our family, it's either value or deluxe. I'm happy at either place!

Where did you stay at POR? What happened? Was it the theme-ing? Not loud enough? Not enough buses? Please, give us a few details.

 

[mickeyholic]

You will love it!

 

[Aurora borealis]

DH and I are staying at Port Orleans FQ in May and I was already excited, but now I'm totally stoked! Thanks everyone for your fabulous replies.

I stayed at Dixie Landings (now Riverside) back when I was 9, but I remember very little besides that fact that it was pretty and I liked the bridge.