Disapointed with PORiverside!!

[Laugh O. Grams]

"As someone else mentioned, a hidden gem of POR, that you won't find in the information packet you get when you check in is the piano player at the River Roost (the resorts cocktail lounge). If you are into singing along to oldies, standards, and campfire style songs, and have no inhibitions about doing silly things in front of people you will never see again, his shows are a laugh riot. One night when it was getting cold outside, we went to see his first set, ordered up some terrific nachos, and wound up staying for all three of his sets that night. I mean he rocks that piano, quite literally."


Yep, this is the guy I was talking about. He truly was fantastic and I'd come over from any resort to see him!




**I'm editing my post completely because I may have taken a response to a earlier post as condesending, and maybe, hopefully, it wasn't. Better safe than sorry, I always say.**

 

[minijeanie]

here is my take on the whole deluxe vs moderate thing,

it is really not the size of the room but rather that deluxe's have inisde corridors and moderates do not. also, if you want to get something to eat or drink you can do so in a delxue without going outside..
with a moderate, you can't...which really is annoying when it is raining or late at night

so for me, I stay at a deluxe because I am on vacation and that is what I want.
but for other people this is not an issue, so be it

this is what makes the world go round and the reason I love these boards

 

[epcotfan]

We did not like AKL at all, and felt it was just the opposite.

Same here. My trip was soured by the rude guests at AKL. That's the only hotel we've had a bad experience with other guests. I don't think it matters how much you spend on vacation. Rude and obnoxious guests can be found anywhere.

 

[melscuba]

Just poking around and HAD to reply to Port Orleans. I must say we were disappointed. I have stayed at the All-Star Sports Resort for 6 years in a row with an annual event I attend. We decided to "step it up a notch" for the family vacation and stay POR. Not much difference except in my wallet. We sprang for two rooms... one for the kiddies and one for us (connected of course). The rooms had a distinct scent reminiscent of must. Our sheets were not only stained, but torn. Our blankets were the same... torn. Our shower could have used flip-flops. I am not so big on fancy.... just clean. Besides, our fun is really at the parks or the pool. But, I do want to know that my head is on a clean pillow. I can't say we'll be back. We stayed in the AB section in building 17 if that makes a diiference. They were painting and touching up, but it just didn't make up for that icky feeling. We're headed to WL next year! Sorry to sound like a snob. I just don't want anyone disappointed if they're on the fence.

 

[DisnyMama]

POR AB is our favorite. We stayed at WL last August and although it is very nice, I just feel more relaxed and that homey feeling at POR. In fact, at WL we never got any personal touches such as towel critters and housekeeping even forgot to make our beds one day and some days just not even bother to empty the trash. I did let the front desk know! They would change the towels and that was it. At POR we always had great housekeeping. We looked forward to coming back into the room at night to see what kind of fun things we would find.

 

[mybgirl]

HI MY FAMILY AND I STAYED AT POFQ JUNE 2004 VERY HAPPY , THIS YEAR JUST MY DS AND I , POFQ , I GOT A SUPER RATE AND WITH MORE MONEY TO HAVE FOR OTHER THING'S , , I AM SO HAPPY JUST TO BE ABLE TO GO, MY DREAM WITH MY SON ,

TAKE CARE

MARY

 

[magicmouse2]

I loved POR. The landscaping is the best on any WDW property and the playground and pool are excellent too. You just have to get used to the rustic theme of the place, which I found very cosy.

 

[DMRick]

People here are cold, distant and not friendly for sure.

I resent that, and find it insulting. I'm from the north, and I talk to everyone. We love POR and have never run into cold and distant people...at POR or here at home. We travel with our RV all around the great northeast, and I couldn't disagree with you more. If you are finding nothing but cold distant and unfriendly people, perhaps they are responding to you. We have an on-line business, and I deal with people all day from all over the US, and I could never say one area was less friendly than another area.
You went from a deluxe, with breakfast in bed, to a mod. The size of the beds is listed...so that shouldn't have been a surprise. We never have asked for a refurbished room, however, they are in the middle of being refurbished..that too, has been announced on this board. Some will have older rooms. If you don't want to take that chance, then this resort may not be for you. For me and mine, I can't think of a single bad thing to say about it. I wish I was staying there on my next trip..but I'm all booked there for May. Disney has different resorts for just this reason..so people who want different experiences, can have them.

 

[ColoradoBelle1]

I think this thread just shows that you can have the whole gamut of experience from horrid to great no matter where you stay.
I loved staying at POFQ...Has a corner room on the river, king size bed and it was really much nicer than a moderate....we always stayed at Polyl since we got engaged there so I am kinda spoiled.

But then, last time at POFQ was 1999...so its been awhile.
As for AKL...stayed there this December and really did NOT have a good experience. We paid for savannah view and expected to see some animals. Instead our room faced onto a PEN that was 'in case there is an emergency...not sure if they would herd people or animals in it, but that is all we saw, this empty pen, for 3 days. I was upset but was told that the rooms were auto assigned and the front desk could do nothing...and ya know I really hate to be lied to. So, I didn't complain at all, but I won't stay there again.
We also had difficulty in getting maid service before 5pm each day...we'd leave our room by about 10 am and return at 4 to unmade beds. Unacceptable in my opinion for a delux resort and for the first time EVER in my adult life...I didn't leave a tip.
However...the central rooms and porches and restaurants were all lovely.
The other than front desk CMs were all quite sweet.

So...it all comes down to the particular experiences encountered during a trip.
I agree that I could never compare my view for example from the Poly lagoon front...but know for a fact that there are other resorts with nicer rooms (tho probably not larger rooms) We all have different tastes...and that makes it fun to explore the different themes of Disney.
You say tomahtoes I say tomA toes. And it all works out!!!

Peace out.
Colorado Belle

 

[MiJo]

I certainly hope it wasn't my post that you thought was condescending, because it wasn't meant to be.
I will always defend our "home" resort.
With that said, and hopefully it wasn't my post, does this look familiar?

You can also find Bob's Website at:
Bob Jackson's Website

 

[BevS97]

I do think that going from a Deluxe to a Moderate is a mistake, if we have to split a trip, we always try and end on a high note. Saying that, we also stayed in Building 24 of POR-Alligator Bayou recently and I wasn't happy there - the room was clean, but I really didn't like the location, it was MILES to the food court, and we never even saw the main pool - way too far away. I think at POR the building you stay in can make a huge difference to your experience.
I am also not a fan of the theming, but I accept that's a personal thing, I just don't like the Rustic thing, I prefer to feel like I am somewhere a bit special, not somewhere rustic - I had booked POR hoping for a Mansion and I think I would have had a different opinon

 

[llrain]

Even the attitude of resort's guests changed for the worse. From smiling and happy, nodding and saying hello as you passed each other in the hallways, to no looking up, no smiling, nothing. C'mon people, we're still at WDW, right?!?

imho the delux patrons are very snotty people who think the world is owed to them. Like the guy at the brewery at the boardwalk who complained that his cosmopolitan didnt taste the way he wanted so he had a manager at his table and was saying how much his waiter sucked.
thats the disney spirit right?
have only stayed at one deluxe but we spend alot of time visiting all the deluxes. AKL is actually a pretty calm one...but the yacht club forget about it...also the beach and boardwalk are pretty much the same....Head on over to the floridian and it gets worse.....

no looking up no smiling nothing...are u sure u werent still at the akl..
the moderates happen to be where more "normal" "families" go who arent snotty and seem to be more happy and content rather than complaining about the bad batch of cosmos they got from their waiter...

we have more interaction with other families at moderates than any other because they are more down to earth

 

[G&J's Mom]

I love both AKL and POR. We are more than likely staying at ASMo in May. I will get my Disney fix any where I can

Denise

 

[DisneyMomx7]

I think it's all a matter of what you get used to. You also get what you pay for. We stay at GF. AKL rooms would seem way too small to us! That being said I think POR is the best of the moderate resorts. The landscaping is gorgeous and they have a lot going on for families. If you research your resort you would have known the POR has double beds and deluxes have queens. I also don't think that any resort has friendlier guests than others. Some people who have never stayed at GF think the people there are stuffy. We were on a POR bus to MK (long story - didn't end up staying, switched back to GF) and the people couldn't have been friendlier. People gave up their seats for the kids and were very friendly. We switched because we missed the monorail and ferry and a balcony, not because there was anything wrong with POR. I actually thought it was a beautiful resort.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Even the attitude of resort's guests changed for the worse. From smiling and happy, nodding and saying hello as you passed each other in the hallways, to no looking up, no smiling, nothing. C'mon people, we're still at WDW, right?!?

imho the delux patrons are very snotty people who think the world is owed to them. Like the guy at the brewery at the boardwalk who complained that his cosmopolitan didnt taste the way he wanted so he had a manager at his table and was saying how much his waiter sucked.
thats the disney spirit right?
have only stayed at one deluxe but we spend alot of time visiting all the deluxes. AKL is actually a pretty calm one...but the yacht club forget about it...also the beach and boardwalk are pretty much the same....Head on over to the floridian and it gets worse.....

no looking up no smiling nothing...are u sure u werent still at the akl..
the moderates happen to be where more "normal" "families" go who arent snotty and seem to be more happy and content rather than complaining about the bad batch of cosmos they got from their waiter...

we have more interaction with other families at moderates than any other because they are more down to earth

For the record, in my original post, I was complaining about some of the negative aspects that I, personally, discovered at POR and why I wouldn't go back. Obviously, for the extra money, AKL's amenities are supposed to be "Deluxe".

The only thing I directly compared was the attitude of the guests that I, personally, found. I found no "snotty/think that the world is owed to them" type guests at either resort and found "normal familes" at both, although I don't exactly know what you mean by "normal" unless you mean just like your own family, which is different for everyone. While on vacation, I look and say "hi" or Good morning" to everyone at the resort (can't do that at home -NYC!) and I found that everyone, everyone, at the AKL returned the salutation. Only one person at POR said hi back. That was my personal experience.

You have based your opinion of an entire group of people on one person who didn't like his cocktail. To turn it into "people who can afford deluxes are snobs who believe the world is owed to them" vs. "people who can only afford Moderates are salt of the earth, good, normal people" is pretty ridiculous. I can afford deluxes and I'm complaining that people didn't say "hi". Wow! That's really snobbish! Sweeping generalizations and predjuduces are dangerous and I would suggest you check yourself before you post them.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

I certainly hope it wasn't my post that you thought was condescending, because it wasn't meant to be.
I will always defend our "home" resort.
With that said, and hopefully it wasn't my post, does this look familiar?

You can also find Bob's Website at:
Bob Jackson's Website

Nope, it wasn't your post. I realized that I just misread the intentions. No worry's!!! And hey, I mentioned Bob in my original post. Loved him!

 

[goofy4tink]

While I haven't,yet, stayed at AKL, I have stayed at POR and others. Yes, they are very different. And lets keep in mind that AKL isn't on a par with the GF, Polynesian or the other deluxes. Rooms are smaller, transportation is only by bus. So, how have our deluxe stays compared with other resort stays? I have found mold on the shower curtain at the Polynesian, body hair around the toilet area at Polynesian. AllStarMusic was probably the cleanest room to date, with the exception of our DVC stays. We love POR. We did find a small amount of mold on the shower wall on one stay. I find the biggest difference is the fact that the mods don't have that interior hallway and smaller beds. But, all this I knew before booking.

Obviously there is something for everyone at WDW. In every price range, every theme. Please don't denigrate those who choose to stay at POR and love it. I know of several people who will never stay at AKL again. They had yucky (their words) rooms, rude/curt CMs. But I will try it out one day. The worst CMs I've ever encountered? At the Polynesian. And that is close to sacriledge on these boards. But, that was MY experience. Others will have their own. ANd they will vary from mine.

I would hate for someone to miss out on a resort they would have really liked based on a 'bad' review here. I think that if we can just state the facts, without the emotion, we will be better off. Different people will have different views. Just give me the facts, let me make up my own mind and don't try to make me feel like an idiot if I choose a resort you didn't particularly like. So, this being said...we are going from BCV in June to either POR or AllStarMovies for the last two nights of our trip. Now, that will be a difference in resort!!!!

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

While I haven't,yet, stayed at AKL, I have stayed at POR and others. Yes, they are very different. And lets keep in mind that AKL isn't on a par with the GF, Polynesian or the other deluxes. Rooms are smaller, transportation is only by bus. So, how have our deluxe stays compared with other resort stays? I have found mold on the shower curtain at the Polynesian, body hair around the toilet area at Polynesian. AllStarMusic was probably the cleanest room to date, with the exception of our DVC stays. We love POR. We did find a small amount of mold on the shower wall on one stay. I find the biggest difference is the fact that the mods don't have that interior hallway and smaller beds. But, all this I knew before booking.

Obviously there is something for everyone at WDW. In every price range, every theme. Please don't denigrate those who choose to stay at POR and love it. I know of several people who will never stay at AKL again. They had yucky (their words) rooms, rude/curt CMs. But I will try it out one day. The worst CMs I've ever encountered? At the Polynesian. And that is close to sacriledge on these boards. But, that was MY experience. Others will have their own. ANd they will vary from mine.

I would hate for someone to miss out on a resort they would have really liked based on a 'bad' review here. I think that if we can just state the facts, without the emotion, we will be better off. Different people will have different views. Just give me the facts, let me make up my own mind and don't try to make me feel like an idiot if I choose a resort you didn't particularly like. So, this being said...we are going from BCV in June to either POR or AllStarMovies for the last two nights of our trip. Now, that will be a difference in resort!!!!

Please, PLEASE, understand that I do NOT, in any way, want anyone to think that I am puting down people, or calling them idiots based on their opinions, or anything of the sort. I'm just expressing my opinion based on my recent experience, that is all. I hope that no one takes personally anything that I have said regarding the resort or my personal experience. As I said earlier, to each his , or her , own. That's why enjoy coming to these boards. Sharing, and sometimes, debating, pros and cons of all things Disney.

 

[Princess Dot]

I don't have a problem with you sharing your experiences. I agree that it is what makes these boards so great to read! Thanks for the post!

 

[HANDYMOM]

Do yourself a favor, especially if your doing it for something special, like an anniversary, and spring for the Deluxe. You will be so much happier.

What a lot of people don't consider when reading a post like this is that most people do not have the ability to easily double their vacation cost. That's exactly what going from a moderate to a lower cost deluxe does.

That being said, If I had the money I probably would "spring" at least once in my lifetime. This is probably not going to happen for me and I am thrilled to hear all about it from those who can like Laugh.

POR is my favorite of the three resorts I've stayed at (CR, CBR and POR). We loved it. We stayed 7 nights and really didn't have enough time at the resort. Next visit (May 2006) we'll stay 10 nights (like Laugh did at AKL) so we can spend some more time at the resort to just enjoy it's amenities, and to allow us time to go see some other resorts!

I have expensive taste in general, but I keep it under control (many, many reality checks daily and a penny-pinching hubby whose a cop helps!) and I have never been disappointed so far. In fact I started planning a return trip to POR the second we pulled out of the drive to head home.