Port Orleans Riverside Q&A Thread 2014 (Please read first post for FAQs!)

[NokOnHarts]

We were going to bring a "puddle jumper" life jacket for our 2 year old. Are they allowed to use these on the water slides? I assume it's fine in the pool to use one?

 

[GrandCalifornian]

We were going to bring a "puddle jumper" life jacket for our 2 year old. Are they allowed to use these on the water slides? I assume it's fine in the pool to use one?

Yes and yes. While life jackets are available from the resort for free, you can bring and use your own. Our daughter loves her puddle jumper and we bring it.

 

[NokOnHarts]

Yes and yes. While life jackets are available from the resort for free, you can bring and use your own. Our daughter loves her puddle jumper and we bring it.

Thank you!

 

[jas0202]

Hey Everyone! t-minus 37 days until we check in for our first stay at POR! Just wanted to get some info on the current "best for your money" water and/or grocery delivery service. Is garden grocer still the go to source? and isn't there someplace online that will deliver water for cheap? It's been four years since we did this...

 

[totebagg]

I can't believe that in 26 days, we will be returning to WDW. Our first trip was last October and we had reservations at POR but changed to CBR because of free dining. I was crushed since I was so looking forward to POR - I had done a lot of research and found Andre's site which is fabulous and it made me so excited to stay here. So I convinced my husband that we should go down one day earlier and stay at POR and we booked a RR. It was beautiful, but we didn't get to the resort until 11:30 pm and checked out by 9:30 am - short stay!
So last year, we booked a BB for POR arriving 9/27 and it seemed like it would take forever for us to return, but here we are. I am so excited to finally stay here and really just wanted to extend my thanks and gratitude to all of you on this thread - especially to Andre and venomhatch, you guys are wonderful and so kind to give of your time and advice!
I do have one question which I haven't seen answered. On our brief stay, we used the quiet pool outside of the RR and it was nice - much nicer than the ones at CBR. Are all the quiet pools the same at POR or are they themed differently? TIA

 

[mommyjam]

Hey Everyone! t-minus 37 days until we check in for our first stay at POR! Just wanted to get some info on the current "best for your money" water and/or grocery delivery service. Is garden grocer still the go to source? and isn't there someplace online that will deliver water for cheap? It's been four years since we did this...

For water delivery, if you sign up for staples rewards they will deliver for free.

 

[andrewilley]

I am so excited to finally stay here and really just wanted to extend my thanks and gratitude to all of you on this thread - especially to Andre and venomhatch, you guys are wonderful and so kind to give of your time and advice!

I do have one question which I haven't seen answered. On our brief stay, we used the quiet pool outside of the RR and it was nice - much nicer than the ones at CBR. Are all the quiet pools the same at POR or are they themed differently? TIA

You're very welcome, I'm glad we could help (by the way, has anyone heard anything of Venomhatch recently? I PM'd him five days ago to see if we could meet up while I was in WDW as he says he works at the deluxes at the moment, but although his DIS account shows regular logins I never heard anything back, and I'm back home now)

The two quiet pools in the mansions are very different themes from the three Alligator Bayou ones - the mansions are square and more formal, the AB ones are curved and much more interesting, with more vegetation around to provide shade. I far prefer the AB pools, unless you just want to swim lengths of the pool of course.

Andre

 

[Venomhatch]

You're very welcome, I'm glad we could help (by the way, has anyone heard anything of Venomhatch recently?

Andre

I am deeply sorry Andre,

So much has been going on. I have been very busy lately. I haven't been as active lately, I do log in but I don't get PMs on my phone, and that is all I have had available to me lately. My PC's Main board had to be sent in because it was cutting off randomly while using it. I do deeply apologize for not being more punctual than I have been in the past. My phone logs in randomly with the app I have so when I am not on it says I am on. I have noticed a slow down in date postings, and PMs about room faxes anyways lately so that has happened luckily while my comp was down. On top of that my MIL has Lymphoma Cancer now and that has been the focus when offline. Will try an be more active once again soon.

*By all means anyone needing advice for room requests or dates.

 

[phoebec]

We stayed at POR 3 years ago and loved it. We got a great deal on BC in August and decided to give it a try. Let me say that outside of location, I felt POR was better in every way. Not having a food court stunk, the interior hallways and rooms were very very tired and beat up looking. Depending on the location of the room you could walk 10 min to the lobby. I would have rather made that walk on the beautiful paths of POR. I know people complain about bus service at POR, but buses to the MK at BC was a nightmare. I did love the location of BC and the pool was great. It almost seemed too big to manage, though, with 3 little ones. Overall, I wish we would have booked POR

 

[thumper*]

I've posted the September recreation activities and movie schedules for POR and POFQ on my site today, you can find them both at http://www.portorleans.org/recreation-activites-schedule.php.

Andre

Thanks I needed that. LOL

I really appreciate all your help on this board and your website was a huge help in planning.

You and Venomhatch ROCK. Thanks guys for all you help.

 

[germ539]

I am deeply sorry Andre,

So much has been going on. I have been very busy lately. I haven't been as active lately, I do log in but I don't get PMs on my phone, and that is all I have had available to me lately. My PC's Main board had to be sent in because it was cutting off randomly while using it. I do deeply apologize for not being more punctual than I have been in the past. My phone logs in randomly with the app I have so when I am not on it says I am on. I have noticed a slow down in date postings, and PMs about room faxes anyways lately so that has happened luckily while my comp was down. On top of that my MIL has Lymphoma Cancer now and that has been the focus when offline. Will try an be more active once again soon.

*By all means anyone needing advice for room requests or dates.

So sorry to hear about your MIL, sending good thoughts and prayers your way.

 

[Venomhatch]

Thank you both for kind words... Its just been very hard lately to think. I go to work and no one guest would ever know what I am feeling at that time, and you never would look at me and see something is bothering me. But above all Disney has been very understanding.

 

[NokOnHarts]

Thank you both for kind words... Its just been very hard lately to think. I go to work and no one guest would ever know what I am feeling at that time, and you never would look at me and see something is bothering me. But above all Disney has been very understanding.

This makes me sad. I remember having to do the same thing when my family went through a crisis, it's so hard to put on a happy face when you're hurting. So sorry to hear this and I will say a prayer for your MIL!

Thank you for all you do for us on the boards, you have been a great help to so many of us!

 

[dsmith72]

We will be at POR Oct 12-19. We just paid for a standard room. It is me, DH, DS13 & DS11. I really need to be in AB so we have the murphy bed, oldest son is very tall and boys don't want to share a bed. I don't really care where we are in AB but don't want mansions. I put in AB request when making reservation and I will send a fax a week before. What is my chance of getting AB or should I pay for a preferred room? Again, don't care where, just need Murphy beds!

 

[ALD85]

We will be at POR Oct 12-19. We just paid for a standard room. It is me, DH, DS13 & DS11. I really need to be in AB so we have the murphy bed, oldest son is very tall and boys don't want to share a bed. I don't really care where we are in AB but don't want mansions. I put in AB request when making reservation and I will send a fax a week before. What is my chance of getting AB or should I pay for a preferred room? Again, don't care where, just need Murphy beds!

A preferred room should "only" cost about $100 roughly more so if you're that concerned, I would do it.

 

[dobirdsmommy]

Well we started this Nov trip at Carribean, than went to Yacht. I just switched this am to POR for a savings of 900 even with paying for "free dining at Yacht". We went last time in Oct-Nov 2012 for 12 days for our sons 10th bday. This time it will be my 33rd Bday.

Here is to hoping we will love it this time!

Only thing available was Garden View... that part scares me

Anything has to be closer than building 35 of AB right?

 

[andrewilley]

Only thing available was Garden View... that part scares me

Anything has to be closer than building 35 of AB right?

Garden view rooms are scattered all around the resort to be honest, the category just ensures you don't get a parking lot view. You won't be in buildings 14, 15, 18 or 27 though (which are Preferred Locations) or 90/95 (Royal Rooms). Put in a request for close to the main building (16 or 17 are good choices) and keep your fingers crossed.

Andre

 

[Venomhatch]

This makes me sad. I remember having to do the same thing when my family went through a crisis, it's so hard to put on a happy face when you're hurting. So sorry to hear this and I will say a prayer for your MIL!

Thank you for all you do for us on the boards, you have been a great help to so many of us!

Thank you, so much. It is the second time dealing with this once with the FIL now the MIL. Its so trying with my feelings and more. I truly hope and will share more thoughts and prayers for others going through this as well. I can say I know their pain as well now.

 

[keahgirl8]

Thank you, so much. It is the second time dealing with this once with the FIL now the MIL. Its so trying with my feelings and more. I truly hope and will share more thoughts and prayers for others going through this as well. I can say I know their pain as well now.

I am so sorry to hear about your MIL. I will pray for you and your family. Thank you for all that you do.

 

[Venomhatch]

I am so sorry to hear about your MIL. I will pray for you and your family. Thank you for all that you do.

Thank you. I think maybe I might need some time before break down to regroup my thoughts. May need to take the Fam to POR just to play pretend tourist again, just to give our thoughts a vacation.