Port Orleans Riverside FAQ thread --- 2012, Part Two --- NOW CLOSED

[DisneyCayley]

Two weeks from today we check-in to POR for the first time! So excited!!!!! We have stayed at All Star Movies three times but this is our first moderate. Will be faxing a few days before we leave that we would love AB 2nd floor. We have garden view.

 

[tink2007]

My girlfriends and I are considering staying at POR for the Princess Half Marathon. I stayed at ASSp last year by myself and actually really enjoyed it. The only problem I had was the bus line AFTER the race. It was as long as the EPCOT parking lot! I stood in the rain for more than 45 minutes after running for almost 3 hours.
My family stayed at POR in 2008 and loved it. I've read about and seen the pictures of the renovation. There are 3 in our group so I think the fold out bed would come in handy. I'm only 4'10 so I think I could fit on that little thing.
Any previous racers who have stayed at POR, can you give us your opinion.

 

[appplel]

How is the storage in the mansion buildings? I have seen quite a few posts about not having much storage space in AB rooms. Do the mansion buildings have drawer space?

Thanks! (13 days to our first POR stay!)

 

[lizzytizzy]

Hi, I was going though the posts and gave a question. We will be staying in a standard room. Is there a building or location that you can recommend? Thanks!

 

[maggiemayca]

Hi not sure if this is the best place to post this.We stayed at POR Aug26-31 Our Grandson went on the Pirate Cruise Adventure and Treasure Hunt on Aug28 we didn't get any pictures of the parade they do at the resort was wondering if anyone else may have had their kids on it and may have some pictures you could share I would appreciate it.If there is another spot I should post this on let me know.Thanks.

 

[andrewilley]

Booked POR for me and my wife for December 9th-15th 2012. Booked just a standard room nothing special and have no plans of requesting a room or building. Is there any way someone will know where we might be located.

Could be almost anywhere to be honest. Officially you will most likely get a parking lot facing room if you booked Standard View, but that could mean either of the mansion buildings (80 or 85) or any of the outer Alligator Bayou buildings. You probably won't be in AB buildings 14, 15, 18 or 27 though, as those are reserved as Preferred Locations. Without any advance requests to go by, you will probably be allocated a suitable free room from the pool of available rooms at the time you check in (when you made the booking has no bearing on the room location by the way).

But you never know, pixie dust upgrades can happen!

I'm still stressed about room assignments. Normally I don't care but it will be hard if we are way out in AB somewhere while the rest of our group is in a Royal Room.

As long as your bookings are linked in the system, you'll be fine, they won't put you too far apart. If you're still worried, send them a fax a few days before you arrive reiterating your request.

How is the storage in the mansion buildings? I have seen quite a few posts about not having much storage space in AB rooms. Do the mansion buildings have drawer space?

There is definitely more (wider) drawer space in the mansion buildings, and also some space under the luggage seat which you don't get at AB.

Andre

 

[tkbbmom]

We are booked for Dec 10-18 at POR in 2 Royal Rooms - Garden View for our family of 6. I have a couple questions since it's been a long time since we've stayed at POR.

1) Is there an area/building we should request? Are there any of the Royal Garden View rooms that are somewhat close to the dining and/or bus-stop?

2) Our travel agent asked if we were celebrating anything - I told her we were because for us we are celebrating, but the events are not actually the time were at Disney - is that okay or should I tell her we aren't celebrating? By that I mean that dh's b-day is the day before we leave for Florida and we're having our ds's baseball team that evening for their Christmas party. So, the kids wanted to have dh's b-day at Disney. Then ds graduated from college last May but we couldn't celebrate bec we were in the middle of caring for my mom who was dying from pancreatic cancer. I didn't realize that there was anything actually put on our reservation that were celebrating and that Disney "recognized" the celebrations in any way - I thought she was just being nice and asking why we were going.

3) Our kids don't really like to share beds so I was going to take an airmattres that we have for our youngest - we did this three years ago when we stayed at CS but we took the airmattres down every morning. Can we just leave it blown up and placed out of the way for housekeeping?

 

[PrincessAlways]

1) Is there an area/building we should request? Are there any of the Royal Garden View rooms that are somewhat close to the dining and/or bus-stop?

I'd be interested in knowing this too. I have a Royal garden view room in Oct.

 

[melmathis]

Two weeks from today we check-in to POR for the first time! So excited!!!!! We have stayed at All Star Movies three times but this is our first moderate. Will be faxing a few days before we leave that we would love AB 2nd floor. We have garden view.

me and my family love this resort. it is so peaceful and relaxing, especially after the busy days in the parks. even at times when the weather is hot, you will find plenty of areas that will be cool. it is a very big resort but has a small feel to it.

 

[lisam427]

we are here at riverside now and are having a great time. we are in magnolia terrace very close to the main pool and a smaller pool/laundry area. this is the first time we have stayed in the mansions. i love the new rooms and love the mansion area although dd prefers the bayou. we did online checkin and our room was ready early (12 noon). the transportation here has been amazing. we have never waited longer than 10 minutes to go anywhere. even magical express we had a short wait. the main pool is really fun and we love the water slide. the food court is good. yesterday we had the create an omelet and the night before we had burgers. everything was yummy!! i dont want to go home!!!! i highly recommend por. out of all the mods i have stayed at this resort is my favorite.

 

[melmathis]

This chair reserving happens at all resorts and vacation destinations. Even 5 star resorts. People feel the need to reserve their chair ( afraid they won't have one). They drop a towel on a chair on their way to breakfast and may not return until late afternoon or not at all. This is just plain selfish and rude but it happens at every resort in Mexico and the Caribbean and especially at the Deluxe Disney Resorts. These are the same people who make multiple ADR's etc. I don't let it ruin my vacation. We just take things in stride and hope people will learn to be more relaxed and charitable to others. We try to lead by example. After all,our children are watching and learning from us.
Overall, we find POR the most relaxing of all the resorts and the CM's at POR are the best.

you are so true.

 

[JStiffler]

I'd be interested in knowing this too. I have a Royal garden view room in Oct.

Same here!!!

 

[PrincessAlways]

we are here at riverside now and are having a great time. we are in magnolia terrace very close to the main pool and a smaller pool/laundry area. this is the first time we have stayed in the mansions. i love the new rooms and love the mansion area although dd prefers the bayou. we did online checkin and our room was ready early (12 noon). the transportation here has been amazing. we have never waited longer than 10 minutes to go anywhere. even magical express we had a short wait. the main pool is really fun and we love the water slide. the food court is good. yesterday we had the create an omelet and the night before we had burgers. everything was yummy!! i dont want to go home!!!! i highly recommend por. out of all the mods i have stayed at this resort is my favorite.

Great to hear you're loving POR!!! Sounds like you're having a wonderful trip!

 

[jerseygirl81]

I wanted to thank those who answered my question about the size of the resort! . I was searching to find which bldgs have garden view rooms but came up empty is it just the mansions or does ab have garden view rooms also. Thank you, Linda

 

[g3pak]

We arrive at POR in 2 1/2 weeks. Our family's first time at POR. Another family of 4 traveling with us for their first time to WDW.

We both booked Royal Guest Rooms- standard views. Any tips on where those rooms may be?

 

[wendow]

I was searching to find which bldgs have garden view rooms but came up empty is it just the mansions or does ab have garden view rooms also. Thank you, Linda

Linda, We have a garden view room booked and we will be in AB. But I have no idea where those rooms might be.

 

[Googelibear]

The only resort we have ever stayed in and love so very much.
* subscribing *

 

[webstah]

The downside is that the Alligator Bayou section is a bit sprawling, with 16 smaller buildings which are somewhat spread out. If you happen to get one of the furthest-away rooms, it could be as much as a maximum 500 yard walk back to the food court. Most rooms are much closer though, and you can always book a Preferred Location to avoid the problem completely.

Andre

We just got back from POR tonight. We were in AB Building 24, room 2405, facing the end of parking lot, about as far as you can get from the food court. I timed the walk, and it only took 6 minutes. It was VERY convenient to the west bus stop.

 

[andrewilley]

I was searching to find which bldgs have garden view rooms but came up empty is it just the mansions or does ab have garden view rooms also.

Garden View rooms are available in all sections of Port Orleans. I'm quite surprised a search didn't work for you, as when I Googled "Port Orleans Garden View" and "Port Orleans Garden View building", the first three or four results (all of which were from portorleans.org ) contained the info you need. I'd suggest the best page to check for further info would be http://www.portorleans.org/room-requests.php.

We both booked Royal Guest Rooms- standard views. Any tips on where those rooms may be?

You will be in Oak Manor (90) or Parterre Place (95), and a Standard View booking would most likely be located on the far (parking lot) side of the building.

Andre

 

[Victoriasmom98]

Andre, (or anyone) I know you'd know the answer to this one: What is the absolute closest room to the Riverside Mill in the AB section, preferred location 14??? I have paid for preferred and requested building 14 so I'm just curious. Thanks!!!