Art of Animation Vs Port Orleans Riverside

[LittleMsMoxie]

I'm booking for a family of 6 and can't decide between POR or AoA Cars suite. We have two adults, and then kids age 10, 7, 2, & 1. We are staying 5 nights and 6 days in Sept, with the hope of getting in to Mickey's not-so-spooky Halloween party.

I've been doing research for a few days and I am just stuck between which would be best for us. The family suite would have more room at AoA, plus an extra bathroom. This is a bonus since we will be bringing a double stroller and are going to have to store it in our room at night. However, we really don't plan to spend too much time in the room and at an extra $700, it gives me a little pause. We could cover park-hopper and genie+ with just the extra to stay here compared to POR.

AoA does have the Skyliner though, which I've read we can bring a stroller on. If this is true, it's a big plus for trips to HS and Epcot, since we wouldn't have to break it down and carry two little ones onto a bus for those days.

I've also seen complaints about the walk to get to transportation at AoA and that skyliner waits can run up to 1.5 hours in the morning. We would be staying in a preferred room if we booked POR, but I'm not sure how long bus wait times are here. We really want to try and make the trips to and from the park as stress-free as possible. With this many kids, I want to minimize the waits and the complaints of sore feet as much as possible. I know it's impossible to avoid completely, but I'm trying to do my best to make this trip as magical as possible, since it's probably going to be a few years until we can go back.

If anyone has valuable insight into these, please let me know. I would just love some real world feedback. TIA!!

 

[Marionnette]

I'm booking for a family of 6 and can't decide between POR or AoA Cars suite. We have two adults, and then kids age 10, 7, 2, & 1. We are stay 5 nights and 6 days.

I've been doing research for a few days and I am just stuck between which would be best for us. The family suite would have more room at AoA, plus an extra bathroom. This is a bonus since we will be bring a double stroller and are going to have to store it in our room at night. However, we really don't plan to spend too much time in the room and at an extra $700, it gives me a little pause. We could cover park-hopper and genie+ with just the extra to stay here compared to POR.

AoA does have the Skyliner though, which I've read we can bring a stroller on. If this is true, it's a big plus for trips to HS and Epcot, since we wouldn't have to break it down and carry two little ones onto a bus for those days.

I've also seen complaints about the walk to get to transportation at AoA and that skyliner waits can run up to 1.5 hours in the morning. We would be staying in a preferred room if we booked POR, but I'm not sure how long bus wait times are here. We really want to try and make the trips to and from the park as stress-free as possible. With this many kids, I want to minimize the waits and the complaints of sore feet as much as possible. I know it's impossible to avoid completely, but I'm trying to do my best to make this trip as magical as possible, since it's probably going to be a few years until we can go back.

If anyone has valuable insight into these, please let me know. I would just love some real world feedback. TIA!!

Five nights with 6 people packed into a moderate hotel room sounds like a decade in hell to me. I know that you won't be in the room a lot but its primary purpose is to provide a place to sleep. I don't think you will get restful sleep with so many bodies on top of each other. Yes, I know that two of those bodies belong to toddlers but for such small people, their "stuff" sure can take up a lot of room! I think that in order to have an enjoyable 6 days, having a space where you can spread out a little will do a lot for everyone's sanity. My vote is for AoA.

 

[pigletto]

If you could comfortably spend the extra $700 I do think you would be much happier at AoA. Not just for the space ( and that will be a major plus) but the themeing at AoA is just so geared to kids and they would probably love it.

That being said, you know your family best and POR is a beautiful resort if you think you could manage the tight quarters.

There’s also the Allstar Music family suites or two rooms at any of the value resorts that might be worth considering too.

 

[SwanVT2]

How about the Doubletree at Disney springs which has suites and the Disney perks?

 

[LittleMsMoxie]

How about the Doubletree at Disney springs which has suites and the Disney perks?

It looks like the double suite there is $500 a night, unless I am doing something wrong. If that's the case though, AoA would definitely be a better fit for our budget. Already looking at nearly 7k with AoA, MNSSHP, Food, Gas to get there, and a little set aside for souvenirs.

 

[saraheliz]

Not even close, I'd go with AoA. We love both resorts but we have three kids and no way would we try to cram into one room at POR. We did it once with two kids and it was manageable but 4? No way.

 

[raddisneyfan]

Definitely AOA suite...I personally like the Cars theme the best.....no way could u have 6 in a room at POR...that would be craziness!

 

[3gr8boys]

Space matters! We stayed in an All Star Music family suite last month and were very pleased. The refurbished rooms are nice and having a real refrigerator is awesome. True, no skyliner and less exciting theming...but it was less expensive than AoA. I agree with the PPs that cramming into one room is less than ideal. We did 5 at POR when the boys were little. Even that seemed cramped.

I posted about our ASMu stay:

https://www.disboards.com/threads/d...t-information-questions.3042913/post-63922538

 

[LittleMsMoxie]

Space matters! We stayed in an All Star Music family suite last month and were very pleased. The refurbished rooms are nice and having a real refrigerator is awesome. True, no skyliner and less exciting theming...but it was less expensive than AoA. I agree with the PPs that cramming into one room is less than ideal. We did 5 at POR when the boys were little. Even that seemed cramped.

I actually tried to get into ASMu but the Disney system says that it's unavailable for the time we are going. It definitely would have been my choice if it had been available.

 

[3gr8boys]

I actually tried to get into ASMu but the Disney system says that it's unavailable for the time we are going. It definitely would have been my choice if it had been available.

If ASMu suites remain unavailable (which wouldn't surprise me), I vote for AoA. We don't go to WDW often, so to me it would be worth the extra money to be more comfortable and the little ones, I would think, would really like the theming. That said, we always get hoppers and I didn't hesitate to buy genie+ for our recent trip. If getting a suite means sacrificing something else, it's a harder decision.

 

[TOBS2010]

I love POR we stayed there with our kids twice when they were younger and it was wonderful. However, with that many kids it could be tight. When you have the pull down bed down there isn’t much walking room and I’m assuming you would get either a crib or pack and play for your youngest that with a stroller is going to take up more considerable space. I think AoA would be more comfor table with the extra room and bathroom for your family. Having the extra space could also reduce stress on you and I think on vacation that can be money well spent.

 

[LittleMsMoxie]

Thank you all! I went ahead and switched us to AoA Cars. I knew that this was probably the right decision, I just needed to be talked into it and you guys did that job! It's well worth it for the money, if it means we are all not going to want to cry (me especially) due to the close quarters.

 

[LeeLee'sMom]

Hands down AoA. Never had issues with waiting for transportation, skyliner is a HUGE game changer for us. POR is beautiful but for room, theming with kids, I say AoA all the way.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

Thank you all! I went ahead and switched us to AoA Cars. I knew that this was probably the right decision, I just needed to be talked into it and you guys did that job! It's well worth it for the money, if it means we are all not going to want to cry (me especially) due to the close quarters.

I def think you made the right choice. I have two kids and the mod rooms have never been a ton of space for a family of 4 but manageable, add two more kids and I'd say that's a definite no. It would be super tight for a pack and play with that many people. I realize two are babies but it's still not roomy enough imo. Also, you'll now be able to put the little ones down for naps and close a door so you and the others don't have to worry about being on top of them or waking them up.

 

[bffdisney]

I think you made the right choice as well but FYI you WILL have to fold the stroller for the skyliner. Side by side double you need to fold to fit.

 

[CarbonRiver]

Seconding others that you made the right choice, we spent one night in POR a few years back when our kids were in strollers and there were a lot of small steps to get to room or a long path around and we found it to be hard to navigate with wheels. Called guest services and they were able to switch us over to the Cars Suite (we stayed there our first trip) and it was MUCH better. POR seemed nice, but is just wasn't quite as family friendly. Buses at AoA were fine for us (few years back), had worse bus issues at AKL.

 

[Poohspaleeyore]

Thank you all! I went ahead and switched us to AoA Cars. I knew that this was probably the right decision, I just needed to be talked into it and you guys did that job! It's well worth it for the money, if it means we are all not going to want to cry (me especially) due to the close quarters.

Having stayed at both, you made the right decision. We stayed at AOA -Cars in 2013. We loved it. Its very close to the bus transportation and the Food Court and the Main Pool.

 

[CalOilerGurl]

Thank you all! I went ahead and switched us to AoA Cars. I knew that this was probably the right decision, I just needed to be talked into it and you guys did that job! It's well worth it for the money, if it means we are all not going to want to cry (me especially) due to the close quarters.

Awesome! I think you will have an amazing time and the kids will love the theming and skyliner

 

[Poohspaleeyore]

AOA would be my choice. We stayed at AOA is 2013 in the Cars section with a perfect view of the courtyard in the building closest to the Main Lobby. We rreally enjoyed our stay. The theming of the rooms and pools and lobby was fun and wonderful. The food court is not far from any of the family suite locations. The walk to everything except the little mermaid rooms was short. I cannot speak to the skyliner situation as it didn’t exist then but the rooms were spacious and nice with 2 bathrooms. The buses were efficient but could get crowded at park close. In November 2019, we stayed at BC club level (booked it last minute and with limited supply was the only room I could find With a discount). My adult daughter and her friend decided to spend the last night of our trip at POR Riverside in the Alligator Bayou section and the room was very small and dark. It would be difficult to have 6 people in one room. I had always wanted to stay at POR Riverside, but I changed my mind after seeing it. We spent nearly 500 dolllars for one night last minute and the room just isn’t worth the money in my opinion. Maybe the mansion area would be better than room they were assigned. My daughter stayed in a mansion room in 2017 on a Hosa trip and liked the mansion room a lot better and she liked the food court but overall said she wouldn’t care to stay at POR Riverside. I can understand it’s popularity in the past when you could get free dining and room rates were only 250 Dollars a night but now I think It’s overpriced. if you have 4 young children I think AOA is a better fit In regards to space and theming.