Port Orleans Riverside or Pop?

[Partyof8]

It's time to make reservations for our June 2012 trip and I can't decide! Dh & I will be traveling with our three girls (14, 7, and 5) plus a baby. Our choices are 2 rooms at Pop or a single room at Port Oreans Riverside. We enjoy Pop, but I wonder how the bus stops compare. Also, we are from Louisiana, so the Port Orleans theme isn't as attractive to our family as it might be to someone from another state. Definitely not a dealbreaker though . Any thoughts?

 

[silmarg]

Pool is far better at POR. You will have two baths at POP. So there are pros and cons with each.

We've stayed at both. I prefer the busses at POFQ as it generally less crowded and there is more than one pick up point at the resort.

Sounds like you have stayed at POP before. I say give POFQ a shot.

If you have a chance, see Yehaa Bob at the River Roost lounge. Really excellent kid friendly entertainment... Enjoy... u cant go wrong either way.

 

[Karen_DisneyFan]

I love, love love PO-Riverside. However, the 2 bathrooms at Pop get my vote... especially with a teenage daughter and 3 little ones. If you've stayed at Pop before and want to try something new, why not one of the family suites at All Star Music? Or you could book one of the family suites at the brand new Animation Resort - it opens in May!

 

[Tricia's mom]

When I saw this post I thought ..Hands down POR... I am not a huge fan of POP... But with all those people in one room.. yes it will sleep everyone BUT If you stayed at POP you would have 2 Bathrooms.. 2 BATHROOMS ! Thats worth it getting out and at them early in the AM...Think about it. That would be the only reason I would stay at POP..Other wise. POR !!!

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

While we found POR to be lovely, the bus stop situation was a nightmare. One bus with five stops - if you were unlucky enough to be in a building at the last stop, good luck getting on a bus. Swore off the moderates after that trip - the jump in the cost doesn't justify the miles of walking to the room and lack of buses.

 

[joncorr3]

2 rooms at POP, definitely.

 

[onejellyshelly]

I just returned tonight from 5 nights at POR and we had a wonderful time. POR is one of our favorites. The food court is yummy, the grounds are gorgous, and we did not wait longer than five minutes for a bus. I have stayed at POP also, and I would choose POR in a heart beat.

 

[Partyof8]

The more I think about sharing one bathroom with three girls, the more attractive two rooms at Pop becomes! Is the bus really problematic at Riverside? We would be in the Alligator lodge section. (hope I got the name right)

 

[HeatherLassell]

It's time to make reservations for our June 2012 trip and I can't decide! Dh & I will be traveling with our three girls (14, 7, and 5) plus a baby. Our choices are 2 rooms at Pop or a single room at Port Oreans Riverside. We enjoy Pop, but I wonder how the bus stops compare. Also, we are from Louisiana, so the Port Orleans theme isn't as attractive to our family as it might be to someone from another state. Definitely not a dealbreaker though . Any thoughts?

I'm actually going through this right now. I'm currently booked at POP but keep looking at POR. Only thing I have read that makes POP stand out is that it has its own bus whereas POR shares with POFQ.

 

[poohfriend]

many of the renovations will be completed at POR. 2 queen size beds and what's reported to be a murphy bed vs 4 -- count them 4 double beds.

Stayed at both. Have a family of 5. I'd choose POP every time. Like queen beds and the rennovations, but the space, space space makes me choose POP. Oh yeah...the bathroom. lol.

you didn't say how long your trip is....so maybe if the trip is shorter I'd go for the moderate and have the fridge included and the queen beds.

Ahhh but a big consideration is always price. POR may run you significantly less. (Only you know how much the extra bathroom is worth!)

 

[canopynut66]

It's time to make reservations for our June 2012 trip and I can't decide! Dh & I will be traveling with our three girls (14, 7, and 5) plus a baby. Our choices are 2 rooms at Pop or a single room at Port Oreans Riverside. We enjoy Pop, but I wonder how the bus stops compare. Also, we are from Louisiana, so the Port Orleans theme isn't as attractive to our family as it might be to someone from another state. Definitely not a dealbreaker though . Any thoughts?

we like POP best and bus service there is best of any Disney property and we have stayed deluxe and moderates for 59 trips now. POP has three pools and do dances and games and have movies. we get two rooms connecting (has to be adult registared to each room of 18 or older) but is cheaper than a suite and we not cooking on vacation or making coffee so works for us. the new Art of Aninmation suites will be open in June or some will and it sits behind POP and is to have largest pool of any Disney property is over 11,000 sq ft of pool our favorite moderate was POR but was always walking to a bus stop or waiting on a bus over there..then they make several stops. POP has dedicated bus you get on out front and go direct to park you chose.

 

[canadianmom2three]

First trip, all 5 squeezed into CSR (had booked with the in-laws and were supposed to sleep one kid with them, but mil got super sick) - not so fun, since we didn't even have a proper bed for the kid who got the floor each night.

Last trip for us was two rooms at ASM with our 3 kids in one room, and the two of us in the second. It was amazing beyond words.

However, this time POR won out for us because of the $$ savings, and the regular free dining plan (versus quick service with value), so we are trying POR for our 9 day Christmas vacation. I hope we are all still speaking by Christmas day...really hoping for those queen beds, and the new murphy bed!!!

 

[Partyof8]

We will only be there for six nights. Pop IS Disney to my 14 and 7 year old. The oldest two girls went with me during a very nasty divorce/custody battle. That trip was magical. From the cm in bell services who made balloon flowers for them at midnight on the night we checked in to the mousekeeper would carefully arranged their stuffed animals and towel creatures in the bed or window each day, it was magic. I guess I'm unsure because the moderates look so much more spacious.

 

[Partyof8]

Canadianmom2three, I would be very interested in hearing your thoughts on the room with the Murphy bed after you get back!

 

[Tori 2001]

Hmmm.... I think I'd keep the fam in one room to avoid worries. I'm assuming the price would be better for one mod room than two value rooms. Are they taking rezies for Animation yet? A family value suite might be ideal for you.
You only mentioned the two hotels... isn't anything else available? Since the PO theme is too familiar for you, why not look at one of the other mods? We love Coronado, and Caribbean is fine also, and might be more enjoyable for you. Or maybe swerve entirely and look at a cabin at Fort Wilderness where the kids could ride ponies and so on? You have lots of time, so I wouldn't rule anything out. You can book what's available at a good price now, and keep an eye on availability and consider changing as things are listed.

Have a great trip!

 

[Partyof8]

One room is a plus for us. I'm a little worried that we will arrive and find out that our guaranteed connecting rooms at Pop (according to a cm at the call center) will be two separate rooms. Does anyone have experience with this?

 

[mb187143]

One room is a plus for us. I'm a little worried that we will arrive and find out that our guaranteed connecting rooms at Pop (according to a cm at the call center) will be two separate rooms. Does anyone have experience with this?

I think if you have more kids than adults in 2 rooms, the connecting rooms is guaranteed - but I'm not 100% on that. I read it somewhere on the dis before. That said, we stayed at POR in September, and never again. We had "linked" reservations in Sept, and despite that my fiance and I are 27 years old, were put into an adjoining room reservation with my parents... really unnecessary. And the resort was 100% full, so we couldn't move rooms. It was interesting...

I've been to disney 27 times in as many years, and the bus service was abysmal. We walked to POFQ for the bus and took the bus to POFQ at night, because the buses arrived at our stops already full at POR, or the line to get on the bus was already way to long leaving the parks. I can't imagine dealing with that with young kids. By contrast, i've heard nothing but rave reviews about the bus service at the Pop.

Lastly, if your 14 and 7 year old have a positive connection with Pop, that's something that will make the vacation special for them, and that can make a big difference with a 14 year old (i'm sure my mother could tell horror stores when I was that age on vacation...)

Either way, enjoy

 

[3LittlePirates]

Where are you in Louisiana? I am from the Shreveport/Bossier area. I also have a family of 5 children ages 7,5, and 3. We have stayed at every value resort and Pop was our favorite! Next month we are staying at POR.....the drawback for me is that I am also from Louisiana and the theming just wasnt too appealing. However I know lots of Louisiana people who love POR! I cant wait to see what we think of it! I know I am not helping much, but I understand!!

 

[BuzzLiteyear]

I am a self-diagnosed resort snob and I LOVE POR! It may be considered a large resort, but it does not feel that way. It is beautiful.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I much prefer POR to POP.

The pool at POR is nicer, the food court was better, the gift shop was better and it was just more soothing than POP.

POP just seemed to have a go, go, go vibe that I wasn't fond of. Also keep in mind that connecting rooms aren't guaranteed so if you go with 2 rooms at POP, you could end up having to have one parent in one room and the other parent in another room if you don't get connecting rooms. I'm sure someone has pointed this out before me though. LOL