Port Orleans Riverside FAQ thread --- 2012, Part Three --- NOW FULL / CLOSED

[Venomhatch]

Hello!

Wow, I read the whole thread. You guys kept making it longer while I was reading, though!

Wow, that's really cool, what you do for people!

Yeah that is a lot of reading. Thank goodness you didn't come in at the 245 page mark.

I just like to see people get the most they can from there visit.

 

[Corrine 1973]

Unfortunately, the Standard Royal Guest Rooms tend to be some of the furthest away from the main building and main bus stop (although you might be closer for the East bus stop, but even that is not necessarily true).

I would suggest you contact WDW's Special Assistance line on 1-407-939-7807 and discuss your needs and ask them to arrange the most suitable room for you. You might even end up getting a category upgrade to improve the location of your room, you never know.

Andre

Thank you very much Andre, I will definatly be doing that ASAP.

 

[andrewilley]

Drat! No lotion?

What sort of lotion would you like?

Andre

 

[livinlife25]

How much more of a walk is it Royal room standard view vs a non royal room river view. I'm having a last minute freak out that I really made the wrong decision choosing a Royal room with a standard view and thinking I should have done regular river view.

 

[danicaca]

How much more of a walk is it Royal room standard view vs a non royal room river view. I'm having a last minute freak out that I really made the wrong decision choosing a Royal room with a standard view and thinking I should have done regular river view.

Feeling the same way, here, and would like to know too! When I called to apply the Visa discount, I decided to upgrade, but the CM said only standard was available for the discount. Really want Oak Manor, close to the bridge - gotta have my Diet Coke! I really don't think the view matters, and it can't really take that much longer to walk from a standard to the bridge than a river? We are all able-bodied, so that is not the issue. I just see myself going to the food court a lot to get my soda!

 

[livinlife25]

Feeling the same way, here, and would like to know too! When I called to apply the Visa discount, I decided to upgrade, but the CM said only standard was available for the discount. Really want Oak Manor, close to the bridge - gotta have my Diet Coke! I really don't think the view matters, and it can't really take that much longer to walk from a standard to the bridge than a river? We are all able-bodied, so that is not the issue. I just see myself going to the food court a lot to get my soda!

Same here! And the word "royal" got to me I guess. I'm not sure how much longer it can take. I'm having trouble imagining. Based on the map, it definitely is the furthest away. I haven't stayed at a moderate before. I was thinking of trying to switch, but there is nothing the first night we are there :/ The rest of the time there is a lot open, but I don't know if I would be charged more because of not having the discount.

 

[andrewilley]

How much more of a walk is it Royal room standard view vs a non royal room river view.

Feeling the same way, here, and would like to know too! !

It depends on where your room is located within the buildings. You could get a river view RGR right at the extreme end of Parterre Place which is a bit of a trek, or a standard non-Royal room near the middle of Magnolia or Acadian which could be much shorter walks. Take a look at the map in the first post, or use Google Earth's ruler feature if you want to work out the options - but the very furthest rooms in the resort are no more than 500 yards from the food court door.

Just put in a request for as close to the food court as possible, rather than trying to out-think the room assignment teams with specific locations.

Andre

 

[bumbershoot]

How do you pronounce "Parterre"?

And regarding the arcade at POR, is it one of the arcades where the games give tickets that you can redeem for little "prizes"?

 

[eeyore29]

It depends on where your room is located within the buildings. You could get a river view RGR right at the extreme end of Parterre Place which is a bit of a trek, or a standard non-Royal room near the middle of Magnolia or Acadian which could be much shorter walks. Take a look at the map in the first post, or use Google Earth's ruler feature if you want to work out the options - but the very furthest rooms in the resort are no more than 500 yards from the food court door.

Just put in a request for as close to the food court as possible, rather than trying to out-think the room assignment teams with specific locations.

Andre

In the past we've done preferred rooms at the All Stars so we've had pretty short walks for buses, food, and soda refills. Would you be able to compare the distance/walk for a POR royal standard room? As much as I'd love to give them a try, but not if it's 3-4x further away.

 

[andrewilley]

How do you pronounce "Parterre"?

And regarding the arcade at POR, is it one of the arcades where the games give tickets that you can redeem for little "prizes"?

I've always pronounced Parterre just as it's written, as in the French - i.e. "par-tear" ("par" as in golf par, and "tear" as in "to rip", not as in to cry ). Not sure what other ways there are to say it to be honest?

The arcades are mostly games machines, rather than prize-win gambling machines:

To be honest, the only time I have ever stepped in there was to take photos, as I can think of a lot better things to do in Disney World than play video games - but some kids seem to love them.

Andre

 

[bumbershoot]

I've always pronounced Parterre just as it's written, as in the French - i.e. "par-tear" ("par" as in golf par, and "tear" as in "to rip", not as in to cry ). Not sure what other ways there are to say it to be honest?

The arcades are mostly games machines, rather than prize-win gambling machines:
....

To be honest, the only time I have ever stepped in there was to take photos, as I can think of a lot better things to do in Disney World than play video games - but some kids seem to love them.

Andre

Thanks! I was thinking how you said it, but I was also thinking the E might actually be said, like par-tear-eh. I didn't take French; I took Spanish and Japanese, where all the sounds are said and not dropped, so French mystifies me.

Glad to know that about the arcade! My 8 year old gets a LOT of enjoyment out of them, and I like it when he enjoys himself.* If he's allowed a little arcade time, he is so happy it translates into joy for hours and hours. Cheap way to get even better behaviour. But I like the arcades where he can get some little plastic ring, or something like that, because it's something tangible we get for the "investment". Yep, makes me happier to spend $10 for enjoyment AND a plastic ring, than for just enjoyment.

Anyway, knowing that about the POR arcade means we can play one or two games during our one big day at POR, and save longer arcade time for later in the trip after the cruise, when we can take the time to go somewhere like All Star Sports or AOA for their arcades.


That's a lot of words about an arcade.




*To get to the mental state where I can handle the videogame thing, I have to channel my inner-pre (and young)-teen, who spent quite a bit of time each summer at the local ice cream place, playing PacMan, Frogger, and Asteroids. And the ice cream place was on my way home from junior high and high school. So my brother and I might have stopped in after school, too.

 

[tinkerbell1984]

Any tips on getting the MK for an early 8:20 breakfast adr via the buses from POR?

I read this on the portorleans website

generally the early morning buses departing from the South Depot do not then continue on to service the East, North and West Depots, instead heading straight onward to their destination. Other buses will serve the outer three Depots. After 10:30am, all of the resort buses follow the entire route starting at French Quarter, then going around all four Riverside Depots in turn before heading on to their final destination. This can have an impact on overall journey times.

Therefore I should definitely plan on going only to the South Depot stop (never stayed at a resort with multiple stops) probably around 7:30ish?

 

[Sunshine1987]

I have noticed a lot of discussion about room requests on the board. While it is a long way off for us, I have been thinking...

What would be better to request:
1.) a top floor room or a room closest to the foot bridge to the lobby/food court area? (I have reserved the Royal Guest Room-Garden View)

I would love to have both but I know the less complicated the request, the more likely it would be honored. My dh and I love the views from a higher floor and dislike the noise from having footsteps above. We don't mind walking but seems like from a lot of the discussion here, it would be a really long walk!

Speaking of the long walk, can you POR experts estimate.... 2.) how long of a walk at average pace is it from the furthest garden view Royal rooms (top floor) to the Riverside Mill, south bus depot, and the east depot?

 

[Venomhatch]

I have noticed a lot of discussion about room requests on the board. While it is a long way off for us, I have been thinking...

What would be better to request:
1.) a top floor room or a room closest to the foot bridge to the lobby/food court area? (I have reserved the Royal Guest Room-Garden View)

I would love to have both but I know the less complicated the request, the more likely it would be honored. My dh and I love the views from a higher floor and dislike the noise from having footsteps above. We don't mind walking but seems like from a lot of the discussion here, it would be a really long walk!

Speaking of the long walk, can you POR experts estimate.... 2.) how long of a walk at average pace is it from the furthest garden view Royal rooms (top floor) to the Riverside Mill, south bus depot, and the east depot?

I prefer top floors to limit how many guests go by my window and potentially disturb us sleeping or noise.

Id say approximately 5 minutes to 6 perhaps from the location you mentioned.

 

[5mouseketeersforus]

Woooohoooo just changed our flight to a morning arrival rather than the original flight which had us checking in @ POR sometime after 9pm!!! More time at WDW!!!

 

[ShesAPirate]

Okay, this may sound weird, but... I'm having resort-choice jitters. While I'm excited at the prospect of staying somewhere new, I just got a little sad at the idea that we won't be at AKL this trip. We won't walk through the lobby smelling that firepit every day.

Can everyone tell me how amazingly awesome POR is so I get these silly jitters out of my head? Tell me why you love staying there -- any reason at all Thank you so much!

 

[princessand2princes]

Has anyone gone from POR to the Hess station across from DTD? How long would it take to get there and back? How long of a walk is it from DTD?

 

[skater]

Okay, this may sound weird, but... I'm having resort-choice jitters. While I'm excited at the prospect of staying somewhere new, I just got a little sad at the idea that we won't be at AKL this trip. We won't walk through the lobby smelling that firepit every day.

Can everyone tell me how amazingly awesome POR is so I get these silly jitters out of my head? Tell me why you love staying there -- any reason at all Thank you so much!

I've stayed at both, and it will definitely be a different experience for you. POR is wonderful, in fact, my DH prefers it over AKL. I'm still undecided and need to try them both a few more times .

Embrace the differences and you will love it. I think the food court at POR is much better than at AKL - the build your own salad is incredible and many people love the build your own pasta as well. Piano Bob is unique to POR and lots of fun if you have the time. The boat to DTD is like having a theme park attraction right at your resort - its worth doing even if you don't love DTD. Its a really pretty ride. Also, the landscaping is beautiful.

I just suggest going with an open mind and knowing that it is a moderate and will therefore be "different." But it is a very nice resort. If you were staying at one of the other mods, I would not be so positive about your choice. POR is just that unique and wonderful.

 

[livinlife25]

It depends on where your room is located within the buildings. You could get a river view RGR right at the extreme end of Parterre Place which is a bit of a trek, or a standard non-Royal room near the middle of Magnolia or Acadian which could be much shorter walks. Take a look at the map in the first post, or use Google Earth's ruler feature if you want to work out the options - but the very furthest rooms in the resort are no more than 500 yards from the food court door.

Just put in a request for as close to the food court as possible, rather than trying to out-think the room assignment teams with specific locations.

Andre

Thank you, I will do that! I guess I shouldn't have read the thread on sore feet at the same time I was worrying about room placement.

 

[ShesAPirate]

I've stayed at both, and it will definitely be a different experience for you. POR is wonderful, in fact, my DH prefers it over AKL. I'm still undecided and need to try them both a few more times .

Embrace the differences and you will love it. I think the food court at POR is much better than at AKL - the build your own salad is incredible and many people love the build your own pasta as well. Piano Bob is unique to POR and lots of fun if you have the time. The boat to DTD is like having a theme park attraction right at your resort - its worth doing even if you don't love DTD. Its a really pretty ride. Also, the landscaping is beautiful.

I just suggest going with an open mind and knowing that it is a moderate and will therefore be "different." But it is a very nice resort. If you were staying at one of the other mods, I would not be so positive about your choice. POR is just that unique and wonderful.

Thank you for the reassuring words! Like I said, I am excited, but I guess just a little nervous. Probably felt the same way the first time I didn't stay at CBR after 3 trips in a row.

I'm very much looking forward to the DTD boatride, and now I'm looking forward to the food court, too! Thanks again!

Anyone else, feel free to chime in with your favorite things about POR, too