Campfire on de’ Bayou- Port Orleans Riverside

[an_evans]

Anyone ever attend this?

I found a little info at:
http://www.portorleans.org

 

[Briar Rose@]

Sorry I haven't, so I don't have a review for you. But thanks for that website link. That's great!

 

[KJ Luvs Pluto]

I hope when you go you will have a great time. When we went it was a JOKE. The three people who were "hosting" it didn't know how to build a fire. Then two of them left and the girl that remained said she was supposed to tell stories but didn't know any and asked if anyone knew any stories - no one did. Then she said let's sing some songs. Well, she started to sing a couple of songs but couldn't remember how to finish any of them, actually - barely started any of them. She was very friendly, but clearly out of her league here. Plus, it seemed like she had been drinking prior to coming out to do this (not that I cared, but she was sitting so close to the wood that she was trying to start on fire that when she poured some lighter fluid on it I thought she was going to go up in flames). The fire never did get started enough to really toast the marshmallows and the stories and songs never got going. Those of us who stayed tried to just talk with her. I felt bad for her. They needed someone who knew what they were doing.

 

[an_evans]

This was a cast member? I really wanted this to work out but We might have to head to Fort Wilderness.

Anybody have any good stories?

 

[IndianaJ]

It was OK. My family bought the marshmellow, graham crackers, and chocolate pack. It was a lot more expensive than we would have paid for it otherwise, but that is what I expected.

The people in charge I guess were cast members, but they were having a private conversation, and we felt uncomfortable. When we were finished, we left quickly. Not worth it IMO.
If we had planned to be in the resort just for this event, I probably wouldn't have been happy at all. Since it coincided with a trip to the pool, it was OK. With all the wonderful things you can do in Disney, this wouldn't make my top 50 list, LOL!

 

[KJ Luvs Pluto]

This was a cast member? I really wanted this to work out but We might have to head to Fort Wilderness.

Anybody have any good stories?

These were cast members who worked at POR. We were going to go to Fort Wilderness. But since we were staying at POR, it just seemed easier to try the campfire there. But after that experience I really wished that we would have taken the extra time to go over to the other one. But someone else may have had a great experience - it probably depends on who is in charge that particular evening. Like I said - the person was nice enough - just no idea how to start a fire or get the party started, on top of probably having had one too many after finishing her regular job. She was telling us exactly how much money she made (and how that wasn't nearly enough for what they did) and what they talked about in staff meetings, how they all felt about their bosses etc. If it was a private conversation between just two of us, maybe, but there was a small group of maybe 10 people so, personally, I felt the conversation was inappropriate. But, this is just my opinion, others may feel differently and that's okay.

 

[LPNmom]

Staying at POFQ, hoping someone else has had a better experience. Would like to try this on our next trip!

 

[andrewilley]

What a shame it was such a shambles for you. I've never been able to get to see this campfire operating (we go during the summer) but it does sound like they did not devote any proper resources to it - unless it was just an off day, anyway. Very few people seem to have done it or reported on it, I do have a couple of photos from one guest but I don't think they rated it as anything very special either.

It's a shame, we've been to the round-the-fire setting at Animal Kingdom Lodge and that one is excellent.

Andre

 

[Emme]

Then two of them left and the girl that remained said she was supposed to tell stories but didn't know any and asked if anyone knew any stories - no one did. Then she said let's sing some songs. Well, she started to sing a couple of songs but couldn't remember how to finish any of them, actually - barely started any of them. She was very friendly, but clearly out of her league here. Plus, it seemed like she had been drinking prior to coming out to do this (not that I cared, but she was sitting so close to the wood that she was trying to start on fire that when she poured some lighter fluid on it I thought she was going to go up in flames).

OH MY~~ I am sorry but the way I am envisioning this is too funny. HER asking you all if you knew any stories? Not knowing any songs...It must have been too much!

 

[andrewilley]

Emme, could you maybe pop along during your trip and let us all have a first-hand report on whether this was a one-off or a general issue with this event?

Andre

 

[Emme]

Andre I'd be happy to but we are three adults (me, dh, and 20 year old ds) traveling would it seem odd that we went to the sing along campfire?

 

[andrewilley]

Grin, you could always walk past and take a quick nosey - or hide in the bushes with a camera.

Andre

 

[Emme]

Grin, you could always walk past and take a quick nosey - or hide in the bushes with a camera.

Andre

You got it

 

[KJ Luvs Pluto]

It was very funny actually. I'm glad it was just my niece and I because if my husband was there he would have had a field day with her. Not in a mean way, but he would have really given her a hard time about it all. He seems to be able to do that in a nice, funny kind of way. And she seemed like she would have taken it pretty good too. During all of this we did laugh about it but it was kind of sad too since stories and songs would have been nice and we all were kind of looking to the CM to get the whole thing going. I did want to offer to build the fire for them since I do this all the time, but I wasn't sure if I would offend them by implying they didn't know what they were doing.

I hope it was just an off night and that others who have gone have had a great time. It is such a nice idea and if it works out well then they will keep it going for everyone.