What's with the hate towards POR?

[Missytara]

I love POR. We are going again in August and this will be our 4th time staying there. We have stayed there because we had 5 people and wouldn't stay deluxe. I just couldn't justify the cost. This year there will only be 4 of us but we are still staying there. I will admit that it is a huge resort, so this time I am paying for a preferred room.

Just to be sure you realize, the preferred rooms are only in AB - 14, 15, 17, and 27.

If you like the mansion like I do, I stay in Oak Manor and find it to be just about as close as those buildings and I like the convenience of having the elevator if I am on an upper floor.

 

[mommykds]

I have been following along with all the comments & figured I'd throw in my 2 cents.

We are a family of 5 so POR is the only choice in the moderate category for us. We have stayed there twice & quite honestly I just don't care for it. Having said that, if they refurb the rooms maybe we would stay there again due to the lower price than deluxe & the fact that it is the only Mod that accommodates 5 people. Unfortunately for us it is the cheapest option onsite for our family. If any other Mod would take 5 we would rather stay there than POR.

Why?
-Layout is just too big. Paths are winding & (for us) just not that easy to navigate the property. Being in the farthest building from the food court is just not convenient.
-Rooms are in need of refurbishment.
-Double beds. Just too small.
-No elevator. Not great when you have strollers, sleepy kids & an upper floor.
-Trundle. Mattress is under the bed. It lays on the floor. How often do they vaccuum under that bed? From the looks of it (both times) not too often. Just freaks me out with all the dust under there & the dirty mattress cover we encountered (both times) Solution to this is bring an air mattress as the trundle is also very short & made for younger kids.
-Buses. Yes you can have slow bus service anywhere but the worst (again just our experience) was at POR both times.
-Foodcourt - overcrowded for the size of the resort

So this is just how our family feels about POR & YMMV.

BTW I have stayed at POFQ, CBR, & CSR & really loved them very much & would stay at any of them if they allowed 5.

 

[BDL]

Congratulations Proud Mom 3 Boys. You are the 100th post. And congratulation on being a mom of 3 boys. My mom had her hands full with just me and my sister.

 

[BDL]

It seems to me that 2 most common complaints/criticisms of POR seem to be that it is spread out and some people find it a hassle to get to the main building and the bus service. As for the 1st issue, I cannot think of anything that might help short of putting vending machines that will take money and meal plan cards along with refill soda fountains in select locations near the outer lying buildings.

As for the second issue... The busses. I have never had a complaint about the busses. They are what they are. Having to rely on public transportation in a couple of major cities, just to get around, the Disney busses are a treat. But, and I do not have any contacts to pass this on to, but instead of the 1 bus that stops at all 4 depots, during the peak season or when POR reports that all the rooms are occupied, why not creat the POR-A bus for 2 depots and POR-B for the other 2 depots.

Maybe not to all locations. I don't think the water parks or DTD would need 2 busses. And maybe not AK (that kills 2 birds since the AK bus does Blizzard Beach and DTD does Typhoon Lagoon). But for parks such as MK, Epcot and MGM (still can't call it Dis Hollywood), this could be and option. Even if they only run them every other hour to deal with the over flow.

If anyone likes this idea and knows who to pass it on to, please feel free.

 

[lizzyb]

I stayed there last year and althought the theming isnt my favourite I thought it was a nice resort and I had no issues with cleanliness.

 

[BDL]

As has been posted on a few sites as well as a few threads here, the 1st refurb pics for POR should be available sometime May/June.

If your problem with POR was the decor, or the rooms, I hope that you will give these pics a glance.

If you're like me and can't wait for my next stay at the POR, I'm very interested in what they'll do as far as refurbs go.

One thing that I am surprised that I hadn't heard anything about, is that Disney didn't try to set up a block of rooms with a Princess and Frog theme, like some of the other resorts have done (Little Mermaid, Nemo, PotC). As soon as the movie came out, I thought for sure that would be the case, since it takes place in New Orleans.

 

[ProudMomTo3Boys]

Just to be sure you realize, the preferred rooms are only in AB - 14, 15, 17, and 27.

If you like the mansion like I do, I stay in Oak Manor and find it to be just about as close as those buildings and I like the convenience of having the elevator if I am on an upper floor.

We have never stayed in the mansions, I just want to be close to everything. AB is what I am used to and love it, someday maybe we'll stay in the mansions.

 

[ProudMomTo3Boys]

Congratulations Proud Mom 3 Boys. You are the 100th post. And congratulation on being a mom of 3 boys. My mom had her hands full with just me and my sister.

Thank you lol. I do have my hands full but that makes it very interesting. I come from a family of 3 girls and all of us have only boys, 8 in all ( so far ).

 

[Hawk]

POR is a dreadful resort.

1. The bus system is the worst.

2. The food court is awful, especially the make your own pasta.

3. Bob the piano man is absolutely vile

4. The pools are dirty and frigid – all the time.

5. Old Man Island is full of snakes.

6. Ken, Kathy and Lee at Muddy Waters Pool Bar can’t make a decent drink.

7. The grounds are unkempt and need mowing.

8. The CM’s are frightful.

9. You never get towel animals.

10. The theming at the Mansions is worse than the parking lot.

11. The theming at Alligator Bayou is ghastly.

Oh by the way, did I mention we will be there in 27 days!!!!!

ALL THE MORE FOR US

 

[midnightlouise]

POR is a dreadful resort.

1. The bus system is the worst.

2. The food court is awful, especially the make your own pasta.

3. Bob the piano man is absolutely vile

4. The pools are dirty and frigid – all the time.

5. Old Man Island is full of snakes.

6. Ken, Kathy and Lee at Muddy Waters Pool Bar can’t make a decent drink.

7. The grounds are unkempt and need mowing.

8. The CM’s are frightful.

9. You never get towel animals.

10. The theming at the Mansions is worse than the parking lot.

11. The theming at Alligator Bayou is ghastly.

Oh by the way, did I mention we will be there in 27 days!!!!!

ALL THE MORE FOR US

I adore your adjectives...and your subtle plotting

Seriously, this thread made me go check out pics....I said I wasn't interested in staying there, but now that I have looked at the pics...hmmm....

 

[kinggoofy]

POR is a dreadful resort.

1. The bus system is the worst.

2. The food court is awful, especially the make your own pasta.

3. Bob the piano man is absolutely vile

4. The pools are dirty and frigid – all the time.

5. Old Man Island is full of snakes.

6. Ken, Kathy and Lee at Muddy Waters Pool Bar can’t make a decent drink.

7. The grounds are unkempt and need mowing.

8. The CM’s are frightful.

9. You never get towel animals.

10. The theming at the Mansions is worse than the parking lot.

11. The theming at Alligator Bayou is ghastly.

Oh by the way, did I mention we will be there in 27 days!!!!!

ALL THE MORE FOR US

I love it !!! Well played !!!

I like your way of thinking. Reverse phsychology !!!

Over-under on how many posts its gonna take for someone to agree with you ? I say 7

 

[BDL]

I love it !!! Well played !!!

I like your way of thinking. Reverse phsychology !!!

Over-under on how many posts its gonna take for someone to agree with you ? I say 7

More importantly, how many posts before someone looks at the post, picks up the ball and runs with the points half way through and then say...

"If you got all those problems with it, why are you staying there? " And legitimately be (ahem) peturbed at the fact?

My guess: 4

 

[defendthehill]

We will be at POR in June for our first stay at POR. Looking forward to it!!! I have traveled extensively across this great globe we live on. I have stayed in hotels for weeks on end. Everyone of them has a benefit and a drawback. None of them are HOME. POR is at Disney so, to me, I will have very little to complain about. But if the bed is not like mine at home, or the food is not acceptable, or if the decor of the room is not to my liking, then I just need to remember it is a hotel....not my home. Then go ride Dumbo again with my kids and realize why I really am at Disney..........to show my kids a good time! Not to teach them to complain about a hotel!

By the way.....I love the sarcasm post...made me laugh.

 

[Sunshine1987]

We did a split stay at POR and Poly last year. We loved the POR. It was so peaceful and lovely. Our room was very nice. We are a family of five so we had to stay in the Alligator section. My kids loved the quick service dining and the pool. Not sure what all the negative fuss is about!!!! Although we did not use the bus transportation, we did take the boat to DTD and LOVED that as well!

Enjoy your stay!!!

 

[tlbwriter]

We really enjoyed POR - and that was after staying at GF! My only complaint would be the crowded bus service, but that wouldn't be enough to keep me away. Can't wait to see the refurb pics!

 

[juliebug1997]

We stayed there for our first anniversary last summer. My only complaint was the double beds. When we go this summer for our second anniversary, we'll be getting a king bed--made it part of our reservation. The only bus that I found almost unbearable was the one for DTD. But it was the same for the Polynesian too so that may just be DTD transportation.

 

[Missytara]

We stayed there for our first anniversary last summer. My only complaint was the double beds. When we go this summer for our second anniversary, we'll be getting a king bed--made it part of our reservation. The only bus that I found almost unbearable was the one for DTD. But it was the same for the Polynesian too so that may just be DTD transportation.

The refurbs will include queen beds, but not very many buildings will be completed by the time you go. You will enjoy the king bed rooms; I have been in them twice since I go by myself and have had corner locations with two windows.

The bus service for DTD is hit or miss at any resort; the advantage of staying at POR is that you have the water taxi and it runs on time always. It is much faster than the bus.

 

[LeafsFanNL]

DW loves this resort, so do I, although I prefer POFQ by the slimmest of margins. We stayed in Magnolia terrace in 2009, my next stay whenever it is will probably be at the AB section due to the proximity to the main bus stop and the food court, and the superior quiet pools

 

[OBChristine]

We stayed there in Aug 2008 and loved it so much that we are going to stay there again this Aug.

 

[WalkingintheFog]

And, also, they don't guarantee that you'll get to see any live alligators at AB...sheesh, why don't they change the name.

But I think there's something in the water.

POR is a dreadful resort.

1. The bus system is the worst.

2. The food court is awful, especially the make your own pasta.

3. Bob the piano man is absolutely vile

4. The pools are dirty and frigid – all the time.

5. Old Man Island is full of snakes.

6. Ken, Kathy and Lee at Muddy Waters Pool Bar can’t make a decent drink.

7. The grounds are unkempt and need mowing.

8. The CM’s are frightful.

9. You never get towel animals.

10. The theming at the Mansions is worse than the parking lot.

11. The theming at Alligator Bayou is ghastly.

Oh by the way, did I mention we will be there in 27 days!!!!!

ALL THE MORE FOR US

Sadly, the true worst thing for me at POR is that I can't seem to bring myself to book anywhere else.....must be something in the water!
Checking in in 8 months!

Nowhere is perfect, but my 2 stays at POR had so many enjoyable moments, I barely remember any negative moments....There were some, like being faced with steps instead of a ramp when leaving checkin reception, and breaking out with what appeared to be bites leading to allergic reaction (ultimately NOT BITES, but a reaction to environment, I suspect at the waterparks)....
I did stay at YC, and have so many more negative memories of that place, despite the draws of location, balcony, better amenities, etc.. that I'd have to think long and hard about choosing YC over POR (well if I could book it at same discounted rate as POR I would....)

The question I ask myself (and it's purely wistful thinking...) is IF ever booked in at POR and offered an upgrade to OKW or SSR (because they seem to be the place WDW offers if your resort gets overbooked), would I be shooting myself in the foot by accepting upgrade to one or other over POR!