All this negative talk about POR

[anny_c_99]

has almost made me regret getting reservations for there in June.

Now "I Am Worried", that we will not like it....Do you really have to

request shampoo and soap? I think i will call our travel agent on

Monday and request another resort. Better yet, maybe i'll just

cancel everything and make reservations off site..especially since

EE has been taken away..what could possibly be the perks of

staying on site? I am down and out with all the negative talk and very much discouraged...

Anny

 

[turls401]

I have a post that is just a little earlier than yours and have reservations for May at POR and offsite - will probably decide the week before I leave. I feel the same way. I was so excited until I read these discussion groups. In one way, they "burst the Disney bubble" I've had since I last visited WDW in 1988. However, I'd rather know now than be disappointed later. It seems a lot has changed since WDW was just MK, Epcot, the CR, Poly, FW, and Golf Resort (SOG). My DH has always been skeptical about WDW, having never visited, so I want to make this a special trip for him. However, we know that if we have to spend twice as much as we're paying for POR to stay at a deluxe that will provide us the most basic amenities that we get staying at the cheapest motels, than we'd be disappointed.

I think it was the "no soap in the room" post that really got to me. If this happened to me on my first day at POR, I'd probably check-out and spend the rest of my trip outside of WDW. The "whole package" of visiting WDW is that important to me - not just the rides and attractions. I have many happy memories of WDW as a child and don't want to ruin them. True, you're not staying in the room most of the time, but when you are in the room, it would be nice to have a few creature comforts to get you up and ready for the day ahead.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Although we haven't stayed at POR since June, 2001 (before the closure), we loved it there. I was booked to stay there in January, 2002, and was very disappointed when they moved me. I just love walking around the resort, feeding the ducks, sitting in the gazebo outside Magnolia Terrace. I must admit, I don't miss Bob the Piano player, or even the boat to DTD! But it's such a beautiful resort. In 5 trips staying there, I've never once had to ask for soap or shampo. I did have to ask for a shower cap once, and housekeeping left me 2! Just my opinion, but I think you'll love it there, and it would be a major mistake to change your ressies.

 

[Trekker]

We have never had trouble at POR, we love that resort. I think if you search you will find negative about every resort at Disney. People just have differing expectations - and remember there are some folks that are never happy, they only see the negative.

I bet there are as many positive post about POR as there are negative......

 

[Kteacher]

we've stayed there twice, the last time was last April, and we loved it . We never had to ask for soap, although they did have a combination body wash/shampoo in bottles as well as the bar soap. My kids love this place. The only reason we are staying some place different this year is we wanted a change of pace. We would definitely go back to POR.

 

[Limmer]

If something as minor as having to request soap would make you check out of a beautiful resort (and keep in mind this was 1 post out of many) I think you will be disappointed no matter what. Maybe you are setting your sights too high? Try to look at the bright side of things and you will have a nice vacation no matter where you stay.

 

[mmexpress]

Have stayed at POR and POFQ Both are great resorts.
Eventhough the boats are not running it's a great resort.
As for the soap and shampoo it was always there.
No complaints here, and we'll be there again 4/30-5/4

 

[turls401]

I'm sorry about the comment about the soap - I didn't mean for it to be the one thing
that people pick up on - and this isn't even my post, but Thanks for the reality check..

It's just so easy to get wrapped up in people's posts and worry about their situation happening to you - like the one about the room not being cleaned and housekeeping not coming by with clean towels so they can take a shower. I guess that can happen anywhere, but I was so surprised to read about that happening at a Disney resort.

 

[cottontail]

We stayed in port orleans riverside, when it was called dixie landings, it was so beautiful we were in awe, the landscaping, the gazebos, the bunnies running around.

I know a few years ago it won awards for the horticulture aspect of the resort, maybe they have still won awards I'm not sure, I have not been following that anymore.

I still have a bag of mickey soap, that I collected during our stay there. They were never skimpy. If I was missing soap or anything else, I would call housekeeping. If it happened twice I would go and speak to a manager about it.

Who knows why this happened, maybe it is a one time thing.

Also when our next stay was at the poly, we came back to the foodcourt at port orleans, cause it too, is nice and reasonabley priced, with things my kids would eat.

Have you looked at the sites with pics of the resort?

Deb.

 

[turls401]

The pictures of the resort are great - I've done nothing but research and web surf since we decided to go three weeks ago. As I mentioned earlier - I was so excited
about visiting POR - it was my first choice for the moderates - until I read the negative posts - all from people who just got back during this month and February. Granted there were some positive posts. I guess I'll keep monitoring the posts until 5 days before I arrive, and
then decide which reservation to keep.

 

[SeaSpray]

I have never stayed at POR, but my son has and he said it was VERY nice, he was in a Mansions room.

I have to say, a year ago I was planning my family's first BIG trip to WDW. My husband and I had decided to stay at CBR because we both liked the tropical theming. Then I came here and read a MILLION negative posts about CBR. But there were those few people who kept saying that CBR WAS a nice resort. Well I did so much research on CBR, as well as other resorts, and kept reading these boards, that at one time I thought we had made a mistake too. But then I realized that CBR appealed to us so much (just by the pictures we'd seen), that I knew we'd enjoy it and make the best of it. No other resort has had so much negativity attached to it as CBR has in the past, and my family and I experienced absolutely NO negatives on our vacation. If I had let all of those negative CBR posts make me change my reservations, we would've missed out on staying at our favorite resort, all for nothing.

I also think that the poster (Limmer) who said that if you look for things to be wrong, you'll definitely find something you can complain about, was right. My opinion is, if you really, really like the theme of POR, like the pictures you've seen, know the layout of the resort so you can choose the right area to stay that will suit you and your family, then you can't go wrong. So what if there's no soap in the room? Make a phone call. Still no soap? Make another phone call, and this time be firm, and ask to speak to a manager. Something like that would not upset or bother me. These things happen, and they can and do happen anywhere. Just knowing ahead of time what could happen, and knowing ahead of time how you would handle them, should put your mind to rest. The CMs at Disney World really are there to make your stay as special as possible. No one there is out to ruin anyone's vacation. Keep a good attitude and I bet you will love POR!

 

[CTPacky]

I got back from POR yesterday. I have stayed there many times, and found the amenities and service to be equal to any previous trip. We had soap, shampoo, and towels. The room was clean. Housekeeping did up the room every day, guessing around lunchtime. We got washcloth animals. We requested an iron and board in the evening, went to dinner, and they were there upon our return. The DD boats were not running, and Bob was not playing the piano. There were however water mice in the marina. (They weren't offered when the ferries were running, probably a space in the canal issue.) The resort was at 90% capacity with all buildings open, and everyone working there seemed happy.
What else ya wanna know?

 

[turls401]

Thanks SeaSpray and CTPacky for your advice and positive posts! CTPacky,
how did you find transportation to the parks? Did you eat breakfast in the food court?
If so, how early does it open? How's the sit-down restaurant? Did you stay in the
mansions or bayou?

 

[anny_c_99]

Maybe this helps a little bit, with all of your comments.

And no, I am not a negative person, i usually have a positive

outlook on everything, and look for the postive and good in

everyone,but i truly want this to be a special

vacation. Its our first trip to Disney, and yes, my "expectations

are high", after all, "its Walt Disney World", a magical place,

a magical place, a magical place. Maybe i'll just keep repeating

that.

Anny

 

[sneetch]

I made reservations for POR for 5/29-6/03. I too was skeptical about POR. I looked at the pictures of the resort, and decided that I didn't like the way it looked, plus I was very disapointed to find out that they got rid of the boat. So I ended up calling CRO last night and changing my reservation to CS. I think think that I will be a lot happier at CS, but that's just me, everyone has different tastes.

 

[CTPacky]

We had a rental car. However my daughter uses the transportation for her souvenir hunting. She managed to leave CBR after dinner on the bus, go to DD, transfer to Grand Floridian, hit every resort on the monorail for a towel, back to DD, and then back to POR in the time it took me to have a couple of beers at CBR and drive back to POR in the car. The 2 resorts are about a mile apart. I'd have to say it works pretty well!! We didn't eat at the sit down restaurant, although the menu looked good. We were in the Bayou section bldg. 15. 14, 15 and 18 are the closest to the main bldg. if that's what you are looking for, 27 is good too.

 

[skyhog]

POR is also one of my favorites and a delight in many different ways. I am aware that things can and do go wrong, though I have never found so much willingness to help a guest have a good time as I do at WDW... for me it is a sure thing, even if not always perfect.

I think there will be a 'problem' of omissions and shortcomings as new people are trained in the wake of cutbacks which left veterans looking elsewhere for work after 9/11. This has been a NATIONAL tragedy in many ways, and a vast number of great people had to move on when visitors deserted WDW and other destinations in fear. I think the greatest threat to a wonderful vacation is another attack and the resultant uncertainty... certainly not soap or shampoo. We are not immune or invulnerable to the ills of the world, and the price of this awareness has been heavy and has left us all longing for NORMALCY... it will come if we work together. Those that do the grunt work at WDW need our support as much as we need theirs.

A point to remember and something I have picked up on in the boards, is the practice of leaving notes in the room for requests. Make sure you call Housekeeping- ALWAYS- many of our most willing and enthusiastic workers in Florida are immigrants with a limited speaking ability in English, and NO ability in writing/reading english.

Not everything is the same, but everything is good at WDW... actually, GREAT if you take into account the happennings since 9/11... I have ressies at POR for 6/6,7,8,9 and AKL for 5/2,3,4,5... and stayed Christmas 12/22,23,24,25,26,27... my money is where my mouth is.

If you decide there are no perks for staying onsite, so be it. But do yourself a favor and don't visit any of the WDW resorts, at least not with your family... REGRET is a word that comes to mind...

Whatever your choices , I WISH you and yours a wonderful vacation, and hope you excuse the soapbox style of my response... it addresses a large number of concerns not entirely espoused by you but endemic since 9/11.

Magic is not only where you find it, it is also where you make it...

 

[SeaSpray]

skyhog:

I agree with you 100%:

"Magic is not only where you find it, it is also where you make it..."

 

[DMRick]

I actually had started the post about POR...wondering if I had made a mistake..and because of everyone's POSITIVE attitude about POR, I'm excited all over again. I wish it had more theming, but a new experience will be fun.
I never gave the lack of soap in a room a second thought..I would have just figured it was overlooked...unless it was missing everyday LOL!
My grands have seen all the pics, and they are very excited..and that's what's important to me right now. We are also five, so that limits our choices. Even that tiny little trundle bed has my grandson all excited.
I can't complain about the price..we are going in May, and I paid $94 plus tax, and an extra $15 a nite for the third adult. We even got free mini golf for all of us because we had the Disney Card.

 

[OzFan]

Where do I begin, first I LOVE PO. When my family stayed there last April, we had a GREAT time. I think for me was the quiet relaxing walks my husband and I took around the grounds at night. When we all got up for EE it was so peaceful walking over the little bridges hearing the ducks. As for the theming, I'm from the south and since have moved up north, it brings me back to what I feel the south is all about. The food court I feel is one of the BEST Disney has to offer. I hope you won't let negative reports bother you. Disney is a MAGICAL place. Once you get there you become part of that magic no matter where you stay. Hope this helps! I can't wait only 43 more days!! We are staying there again.