Disapointed in Port Orleans River side

[lmhall2000]

I read your post wanting to hear another report about POR, we have a family of five and are limited on rooms that allow 5. I've always preferred Deluxe's (and highly lucky that I've always landed great room rates 40% off and greater) and will probably stay there again.

But I did want to back up something another poster said...you're fairly new to these boards and there is a different mindset here. It's generally accepted that you "get that special feeling" when you visit Disney...and standards need to be re-evaluated. If you had asked me "Would you pay $$$ a night for this hotel room?" Just looking at the room and comparing it to hotels I've stayed at in other states/countries for the same money...I'd say "NO WAY!" But I estimate that 40-60% of the cost of any Disney hotel is related to the conveniences and "magic" that make the entire trip just a little more special. We have stayed off-site before...and know the difference...most of that difference is in the expressions on our children's faces...heck, even my husband who vowed never to stay off-site after our first on-site stay.

All this to say, WELCOME! to these boards and THANK YOU for taking the time to share your experience. Having jewelry stolen is horrible...although it's just a material item...I still cringe when I think of the maid walking around with my Mickey bright yellow jacket stolen from my closet....but a part of me hopes that it keeps her warm on a cold night. I just hope that you did feel that Disney fun and had some happy moments that you shared with your dear wife. And next time you travel...wait for those great discount codes...it makes you feel much better about what you paid for!
Tara

 

[Brytsun]

I am new to this board and appreciate all of the great and not so great hotel reviews. Everyone is going to have a different Disney experience and I'm sorry for your diappointments. If there's any consulation, you'll make me more on guard for sure when it comes to what I'll leave out and place in the safe during my stay. And it reminds me to never let your guard down even if you're staying at the happiest place on earth.

I'll be at POFQ in December and hope all goes well. If it does, the board will hear about it and if it doesn't, the board will hear about it hopfully with an open mind. All read experiences have helped me properly plan my stay. Thank you for sharing your experience.

 

[smjj]

Vacations are what you make them out to be. Just because you are at WDW does not mean you leave common sense behind. We stayed in AB14 and loved it and the CM's but still put our valuables in the safe. People are people even at WDW. The room condition would have upset us. The internet, well on my vacations, I leave the real world behind. Nothing is that important that it can't wait. We let our family know where we are and go so the internet is not an issue with us..smjj

 

[Mymatisse]

Originally posted by TDC Nala
Please folks, don't leave cash and valuables out in the room. Use the safe.

You would think that with the kind of tips the housekeepers are getting (for a non-tipped position) they wouldn't have to lift people's stuff.

Not that anyway should steal, and I believe most employees don't, I hope you aren't implying that housekeepers are getting rich from tips? There are certainly enough people who don't tip and housekeeping is sometimes nasty hard work.

I do agree that valuables should be locked up or at least out of sight. Being careless like that can lead to not only items being stolen but items being MISPLACED.

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Originally posted by Brytsun
I'll be at POFQ in December and hope all goes well. If it does, the board will hear about it and if it doesn't, the board will hear about it hopfully with an open mind. All read experiences have helped me properly plan my stay. Thank you for sharing your experience.

Welcome! I hope your stay at POFQ does turn out to be magical I'll also be staying there in December - my 2nd stay at this resort. I was not crazy about the decor last time - found it too dark - but the CM's were as gracious at the ones at GF.

I decided to try POFQ again because the Resort has just completed a refurbishment and I like clean and new! Also, it is rather quaint there and nothing is too far. The boats (while a slow easy ride) are a nice addition.
Do let us know how it goes!

 

[Brytsun]

Originally posted by BaciBecky
Welcome! I hope your stay at POFQ does turn out to be magical I'll also be staying there in December - my 2nd stay at this resort. I was not crazy about the decor last time - found it too dark - but the CM's were as gracious at the ones at GF.

I decided to try POFQ again because the Resort has just completed a refurbishment and I like clean and new! Also, it is rather quaint there and nothing is too far. The boats (while a slow easy ride) are a nice addition.
Do let us know how it goes!

Thanks for the welcome I'm really looking forward to this first time experience!!! I think I'm more excited than my kids We are coming from San Diego and have done Disneyland a zillion times so I'm anxious to see the bigger side of Disney!

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Originally posted by Brytsun
Thanks for the welcome I'm really looking forward to this first time experience!!! I think I'm more excited than my kids We are coming from San Diego and have done Disneyland a zillion times so I'm anxious to see the bigger side of Disney!

My best friend is from San Diego. Years ago I lived north of Santa Monica. I LOVE Disneyland - will always be my favorite. First time I went was 1958!!!

Be prepared that everthing is bigger at WDW - Main St buildings are taller etc...and the Lands are different. It's huge!

It will be so much fun...of coruse, you know about the boat from POFQ to Riverside and to Downtown Disney? Also, FQ is frisnt on and off the buses - which a real plus.

Have fun!!! When will you be there? Are you taking the kids to MVMCP??
Christine

 

[Purrrrfecta]

I do not want to flame this poster for saying for attacking something that they totally felt when they were at Disney.

I can remember staying at a Holiday Inn forone night on 192 and I left my hopper passes in my filofax in the room. Yes, it was not the right thing to do, and yes I forgot it.
However, when I remembered I called the hotel from Disney. They had their security team right on it. I got my filofax and passes back immediately!

I am wondering if Disney was agressive about getting to the truth as the Holiday Inn was for me.

I was also thinking about some of the rooms that are cleaned when mousekeeping use the metal door lock to keep the door open while they are working on the rooms. That could have happened in this case, and someone else other than mousekeeping could have stolen the items.

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by Purrrrfecta
I was also thinking about some of the rooms that are cleaned when mousekeeping use the metal door lock to keep the door open while they are working on the rooms. That could have happened in this case, and someone else other than mousekeeping could have stolen the items.

Exactly!

I've walked into my room, left "propped" by the housekeeper while s/he was in the bathroom cleaning, and they had no idea I was there.

Until someone is actully proven guilty, I hate to hear such a serious accusation. Housekeepers are not the only resort emplyees with access to rooms. Bell services, engineering, certain guest service people also have pass keys.

Anne

 

[Brytsun]

Originally posted by BaciBecky
My best friend is from San Diego. Years ago I lived north of Santa Monica. I LOVE Disneyland - will always be my favorite. First time I went was 1958!!!

Be prepared that everthing is bigger at WDW - Main St buildings are taller etc...and the Lands are different. It's huge!

It will be so much fun...of coruse, you know about the boat from POFQ to Riverside and to Downtown Disney? Also, FQ is frisnt on and off the buses - which a real plus.

Have fun!!! When will you be there? Are you taking the kids to MVMCP??
Christine

We arrive 12/19 so we;ll miss the MVMCP. I wish it went longer! Thatnks to this board I was able to get in a Princess Breakfast for my girls over at Norway. What else are must do's that I should book now?

First time I went to Disney was in 1966. I LOVE looking at all the old character costumes in our old photos. Remember when they had the Big Bad Wolf??? I loved Baloo too. I never see Baloo walking any more. Those were fun days. Remember the Indians? I loved them too.

 

[Rhonna]

We got our pictures with Baloo and King Louie from Jungle Book three years ago in the Animal Kingdom park.

We got there mid-morning and as soon as we got into the park they walked right up to us - no one else around. We got some great pictures.

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Originally posted by Brytsun
We arrive 12/19 so we;ll miss the MVMCP. I wish it went longer! Thanks to this board I was able to get in a Princess Breakfast for my girls over at Norway. What else are must do's that I should book now?

Ohhh, but you will arrive in time for the Christmas Crowds Disneyland does not have MVMCP? Wonder why??

How wonderful that you were able to get a Princess Breakfast for your girls! Do they know or will it be a surprise?

Have you made a PS for one meal in the Castle? Even if there are not characters it would be fun - just think, eating in Cinderella's Castle! We had Thanksgiving there a few yrs ago!! It was wonderful.

How about the Hoop-Dee-Doo? You'll have a great time! I have taken lots of people who were sure they'd hate it - turned out to be one their favorite memories. The easiest way to get there is take the Resort bus to MK and then the water launch to Ft Wilderness - the Hoop-dee-Doo is very close when you get off the boat. The kids will love it! Lots of silliness for them, but the adults laugh plenty!

One thing you'll love being at a Disney Resort is feeling a million miles away from the "real" world. Although this is more so at an MK Resort, you will still feel it to some extent - esp if you use the bus sytem rather than a car.

I'm so excited for you!!
Christine
I do remember the Big Bad Wolf and Baloo...they took away the Indians a number of yrs ago, right? Ohh, I do love Disneyland! I takes me to another time more than WDW - but I've not been back in several years.

 

[DutchsMommy]

I am sorry you did not have the best experience, however you chose the resort, you chose to go at a busy time, you chose to go to Universe of Energy, you chose a room with dial-up access, and you chose not to use the safe. Life if full of choices, and it looks like you made some bad ones. Life goes on. I do not understand why someone would join this board 3 days ago and proceed to post only negative things about your whole trip? Yes, it's crowded at this time of year, and POR is a moderate, and maybe Ellen is not everyone's cup of tea, but sometimes it's easier to just GET OVER IT and move on, rather than carp about your own mistakes.

 

[ricktib]

For the record, the POR food court has the best meatball sub I've ever had.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

First of all... I stayed at POR last March (Magnolia Terrace) and absolutely loved it. The atmosphere was great and the room was wonderful.

Second... How can so many people imply that the OP was somehow at fault for his wife's jewlery being stolen? It shouldn't matter if he strung up the jewelry from the ceiling like pinatas, NOBODY had the right to steal that jewelry from his room whether it was in the safe or not. It doesn't matter how magical or special WDW is, law and ethics still apply. As to who stole it, as others have said, it was not necessarily mousekeeping.

Third... There is no reason for POR to have checked the OP into the room if the room was not cleaned. That's just basic hospitality management that I would expect from the local Day's Inn, not to mention WDW.

Fourth... I think we can all be reminded (or perhaps learn anew) from this thread that we need to be well informed about where we are staying and what we plan to do lest we be dissappointed.

OK, stepping down from soapbox.


PS I hope that somehow you get the jewelry back!

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Zippa D Doodah,

WELL SAID!!!!

Thank you!!

 

[26555]

Originally posted by Zippa D Doodah

Second... How can so many people imply that the OP was somehow at fault for his wife's jewlery being stolen? It shouldn't matter if he strung up the jewelry from the ceiling like pinatas, NOBODY had the right to steal that jewelry from his room whether it was in the safe or not. It doesn't matter how magical or special WDW is, law and ethics still apply.

My thoughts exactly! It's not like the purse was left by the pool............

 

[sunkissed212]

I agree with the fact that the jewelry shouldn't have been stolen by ANYONE regardless of whether it was left out, locked up, strung up...whatever! The point is, though, that automatically implying that a mousekeeper took it isn't right either. I'm sure they aren't perfect but have you ever seen how many kids are around those places...I've seen kids walking around that look like their up to no good...you know the ones....always looking behind them and giggling...etc....it could have been someone that went into the room when the door was propped open like someone else previously said.

I guess if it were me, I might have a different attitude towards it but I guess I just think that you can NEVER be too careful about your valuables! They can get stolen at WDW, the local econolodge or trump plaza!!! Doesn't matter where you stay!