Disney's PORT ORLEANS RIVERSIDE RESORT Information & Questions

[cakebaker]

Looking forward to our first stay at POR in late September! We had a short trip planned to see the last Illuminations show but I just couldn’t resist tacking a few days on the front end. We normally stay deluxe, but was looking to cut costs a little and POR seemed to be a good choice amongst what was available with the AP discount. The extra days will just be me and my grandson, 5 days at POR, then 3 at the YC when the rest of our group joins us.

I booked a preferred view. I’m not too concerned about bus transportation issues. We started using Uber a lot on our trip last week and I love the convenience. Looks like the south depot would be closest for us and if there are issues, I’ll just start using Uber.

My main concern with location is proximity to the food court and main pool. Should my request be that or should I ask for a specific building? Above all though, I’d prefer a renovated room. Am I right in thinking all the preferred buildings are done?

 

[Wood Nymph]

My main concern with location is proximity to the food court and main pool. Should my request be that or should I ask for a specific building?

There are four buildings and building 14 is the closest one to the food court and pathway to the main pool. But none of the four preferred buildings is very far away. Our favorite request to make when staying at POR is a corner room. The corner rooms have an extra window and one less neighbor.

 

[cakebaker]

Thanks! So now availability has popped for for a royal room either pool or garden, so trying to decide if I want to make the switch. Looks like those are not yet renovated or are in the process, so not sure I’d want to deal with that.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Thanks! So now availability has popped for for a royal room either pool or garden, so trying to decide if I want to make the switch. Looks like those are not yet renovated or are in the process, so not sure I’d want to deal with that.

The preferred rooms are closer to the main building than the royal rooms. I'm not sure that there are plans to renovate the royal rooms since they are already decorated in a special theme.

 

[cakebaker]

The preferred rooms are closer to the main building than the royal rooms. I'm not sure that there are plans to renovate the royal rooms since they are already decorated in a special theme.

I went ahead and switched to the rr pool view. Seems there’s a bridge close by so the walk shouldn’t be too bad and removing the chances of opening my door to a parking lot is good. Surprisingly, my grandson was thrilled with the idea of the rr. I do like the mansions area better I think. The availability on the AP discount is just being strange. Every time I check, availability is different. Who knows what I’ll finally end up with. lol

 

[LSUmiss]

Have the rooms been remodeled like POFQ or is it still the same as pictured on Disney’s website?

 

[OfCourseTheresAlwaysMyWay]

Just booked my first stay here, and in one of the Royal rooms no less!

Super excited as this will be my first time at a Moderate. I usually stay at Pop Century.

I've given myself plenty of extra resort time. What would you do first if you were me?

 

[Wood Nymph]

What would you do first if you were me?

We usually take the boat to Disney Springs for lunch when we arrive at Disney Springs. It is a great way to relax.

 

[HizMinnie2015]

Good morning Dis'ers!!! We are booked here June 28th-July 4th, 2020... In a Pool View 5th Sleeper. Looking forward to all the information I can soak up!

 

[HizMinnie2015]

I have a question about transportation - If we are flying in a day early and staying near the airport; would it make more sense to travel back to the airport for MDE in the morning or using Lyft or Uber to get to Riverside?

 

[andrewilley]

I went ahead and switched to the rr pool view.

Good choice, as you say all the Royal Pool View rooms are close to that bridge to the main building, and some of them are probably closer to the main building than some of the Preferred rooms. Walk to the main pool isn't too bad, and there's a quiet pool right next to you (obviously ).

The only downside is that the Royal rooms probably won't have been refurbished by then, but quite honestly so far I've preferred the pre-refurb rooms in a lot of ways (staying in a Royal Room at the moment by the way, and it's lovely).

Andre

 

[cakebaker]

Good choice, as you say all the Royal Pool View rooms are close to that bridge to the main building, and some of them are probably closer to the main building than some of the Preferred rooms. Walk to the main pool isn't too bad, and there's a quiet pool right next to you (obviously ).

The only downside is that the Royal rooms probably won't have been refurbished by then, but quite honestly so far I've preferred the pre-refurb rooms in a lot of ways (staying in a Royal Room at the moment by the way, and it's lovely).

Andre

Thanks, I did look at the refurbished rooms and while they are nice, they just aren't interesting. Another question- Is it a very long walk to FQ from there? My grandson wants to try out the pool and I'm dying for beignets!

 

[kmg1107]

Thanks, I did look at the refurbished rooms and while they are nice, they just aren't interesting. Another question- Is it a very long walk to FQ from there? My grandson wants to try out the pool and I'm dying for beignets!

Andre, any peek at the Magnolia Bend renovated rooms yet? I’m curious. Hope you’re having a great stay!

 

[ncc1701]

Thanks, I did look at the refurbished rooms and while they are nice, they just aren't interesting. Another question- Is it a very long walk to FQ from there? My grandson wants to try out the pool and I'm dying for beignets!

Not a far walk . We stay at POFQ and walk up to POR multiple times a trip. A FYI the Disney Springs boat stop at both resorts until 4:00 ish so you can always us that. After 4:00 ( or so) they each have a separate boat to DS .

 

[cakebaker]

Not a far walk . We stay at POFQ and walk up to POR multiple times a trip. A FYI the Disney Springs boat stop at both resorts until 4:00 ish so you can always us that. After 4:00 ( or so) they each have a separate boat to DS .

Thanks, I completely forgot about the boat. We'd be doing it in the mornings, I am definitely trying those pumpkin spice beignets!

 

[MarBee]

Booking a package soon and was looking for a room recommendation. I was hoping for something refurbished and very close to the main pool. I will have a standard view room.
Any suggestions are welcome.
Thank you in advance!

 

[MarBee]

Thanks, I did look at the refurbished rooms and while they are nice, they just aren't interesting. Another question- Is it a very long walk to FQ from there? My grandson wants to try out the pool and I'm dying for beignets!

I’ve done the walk from POFQ to the pool at Riverside quite a few times. We are not particularly quick, and I would say it took about 10 minutes.
You can also grab a boat from one resort to the next. The POFQ boat stop is right by the pool and beignet spot.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Booking a package soon and was looking for a room recommendation. I was hoping for something refurbished and very close to the main pool. I will have a standard view room.
Any suggestions are welcome.
Thank you in advance!

We booked a standard view room the last time we stayed there. I faxed a request for a nice view and close to the main pool. We got a room in Magnolia Bend that faced the quiet pool and was close to the walkway to the main pool. It was very convenient to the food court, too. It was probably a three minute walk to the main pool and five to the food court from that room. I would definitely request it again.

I don't know if they are finished with the refurbishment of the mansion buildings yet, though.

Whenever we book a standard view room I request a nice view, no matter what resort I am staying at. I've gotten some really nice views that way.

 

[disny_luvr]

We booked a standard view last year and requested Magnolia Bend near the footbridge. In reference to the post by @Wood Nymph, we were on the opposite side of the building from the quiet pool. When looking out the window, we had a view of the gardens, but the parking lot was just to the left. We liked the location because we were about a five minute walk to the pool/food court and about a three minute walk to the bus depot.

I believe they are working through the refurbs on the mansion buildings right now. If you are on FB and follow portorleans.com (on FB) I believe the person who runs the FB page and website is at POR right now and they were able to take a picture or two through the windows of the refurbed rooms. They are partly finished with building 80 (I don’t know the name) and have started on building 85, Magnolia Bend.

 

[cakebaker]

We booked a standard view last year and requested Magnolia Bend near the footbridge. In reference to the post by @Wood Nymph, we were on the opposite side of the building from the quiet pool. When looking out the window, we had a view of the gardens, but the parking lot was just to the left. We liked the location because we were about a five minute walk to the pool/food court and about a three minute walk to the bus depot.

I believe they are working through the refurbs on the mansion buildings right now. If you are on FB and follow portorleans.com (on FB) I believe the person who runs the FB page and website is at POR right now and they were able to take a picture or two through the windows of the refurbed rooms. They are partly finished with building 80 (I don’t know the name) and have started on building 85, Magnolia Bend.

Found the FB page, thanks! According to them they will be re-doing the royal rooms, but not before we get there late next month. This is our first trip so I'd kind of like to see what they currently look like. Hopefully any refurbishment won't affect guests too much. I'm planning on asking for Oak Manor, close to elevator (would appear almost all the rr's pool views are there?) and doesn't appear anything will be going on there during our stay. Our AKL stay was a mess due to construction so I'd like to get one in without issues!