Resort Thread Disney's PORT ORLEANS RIVERSIDE Resort

[Eeyore's My Favorite]

If you have a room only reservation they will charge your card the cost of your room on the day of check-in. Anything else charged to your card will be charged on the day of check-out, and an itemized receipt will be e-mailed to you.

We always do room only & nothing is charged to our card - we pay cash at check in for our balance due.

 

[Luvamouse]

Is it easy to drive around in WDW? Are the road signs easy to follow? Was it easy to find a parking close to you building upon return from the park at night?

We found it very easy to drive around the WDW property, I thought the signage quite adequate, but for Heaven's sake, don't exit the Disney Springs area if you don't mean to! On our first trip we missed the last Downtown Disney parking lot and ended up off property on Apopka Vineland. I nearly had a stroke. Ended up out on Rte 4 next by mistake. I panicked we'd end up on a toll road with only our KTTW cards for money So Disney property itself? Piece of cake, but we are experienced travelers with someone helping to navigate always. (Mind you, we have driven some serious miles, but in real life we live on a farm way up in the woods in a relatively rural area in RI. I know it sounds like an oxymoron, but it does exist...) I do recommend looking up the path you need to take either on the Disney Map or Google Maps so you understand where you're going, I do it for any unfamiliar area I travel to.

We never had issues parking at POR when we returned. The parking lots are long and shallow and run along essentially the whole perimeter of the resort. We drove there last at New Year's and had no issue. Where we had trouble finding parking was when we stayed at the Poly and GF. After the first two years of never finding parking at the Poly when we'd return, we discovered a less used lot to the left right after the gates. Helped that our longhouse was very close. At the GF, we valeted. The popularity of the monorail resorts to other resort guests, relatively small lots and unfortunately some "breakfast and all day parkers" take spots guests could use. On that same note, I think so many people fly to WDW and use ME that there is ample parking at POR. As Prossome Sauce said, the bus system really is quite efficient and I also recommend it. We just really love the quiet time from the park to the resort, as well as driving around to look at other resorts after a park.

 

[RustManFan]

you can also head over to FW in your rental car, park at the general parking lot and take an internal bus to explore the area near Pioneer Hall and Settlement Trading Post....also horse barns

 

[NewbieMouse]

Staying at POR for the first time in May, and was just wondering if anyone gads any suggestions for building requests (I know they are not guaranteed). We have a Garden View booked and want to be close to one of the quiet pools and not too far from Ol Man Island and the central area. I was thinking about requesting Building 17, 28, or 39 - any thoughts? Definitely would prefer Alligator Bayou. TIA!

 

[siskaren]

Staying at POR for the first time in May, and was just wondering if anyone gads any suggestions for building requests (I know they are not guaranteed). We have a Garden View booked and want to be close to one of the quiet pools and not too far from Ol Man Island and the central area. I was thinking about requesting Building 17, 28, or 39 - any thoughts? Definitely would prefer Alligator Bayou. TIA!

Just ask for that.

 

[mocame]

We have an evening free one day during our trip and I was looking for something relaxing to do. Is it possible to walk up and get a carriage ride or do they book full well in advance? I wanted to leave that evening open to what we might feel like doing and thought of a carriage ride as an option.

 

[DonaldDuck77]

On April 11th, my wife and I will be visiting Walt Disney World at your Port Orleans Riverside resort for my wife’s birthday celebration. We have booked a king room, and realize that this category of rooms are spread throughout the resort with any possible view. Our primary request would be for the room to be located as closely as possible to the food court. Secondary request preferences in order would be river view, pool view, Alligator Bayou section, ground floor, corner room, and room available as early as possible. We understand that these are requests, but if you can help us make this the most magical vacation we would really appreciate it. We look forward to arriving at your resort very soon. Thank you.

Does this look good for the fax? I know some of those secondary requests are contradictory, but I just listed preferences in order, and didn't want the fax to get too wordy.

 

[Skampigirl]

We have an evening free one day during our trip and I was looking for something relaxing to do. Is it possible to walk up and get a carriage ride or do they book full well in advance? I wanted to leave that evening open to what we might feel like doing and thought of a carriage ride as an option.

Hi everyone,

Just this morning I called Disney Recreation to book a carriage ride for our arrival day (May 5th). It hadn't occurred to me to make a reservation until I started hearing how popular the rides are. On a solo stay in 2013 I had the coveted second floor Magnolia Terrace King Corner room facing the river and heard the delightful clip clop throughout the evening. I felt like Scarlett O'Hara! So with my BF joining me this trip, the carriage ride is a must-do. The CM I spoke to said the carriage rides are very popular and they are already filling up quickly for May. So I definitely recommend booking in advance. You have to leave a credit card number to guarantee the reservation, but payment isn't due until you check in (and at that point they only accept cash and MB payment). If you need to cancel, you must do so 24 hours in advance or pay the $45 charge for the ride. Call 407-939-7529 to book.

Enjoy!

 

[mocame]

Hi everyone,

Just this morning I called Disney Recreation to book a carriage ride for our arrival day (May 5th). It hadn't occurred to me to make a reservation until I started hearing how popular the rides are. On a solo stay in 2013 I had the coveted second floor Magnolia Terrace King Corner room facing the river and heard the delightful clip clop throughout the evening. I felt like Scarlett O'Hara! So with my BF joining me this trip, the carriage ride is a must-do. The CM I spoke to said the carriage rides are very popular and they are already filling up quickly for May. So I definitely recommend booking in advance. You have to leave a credit card number to guarantee the reservation, but payment isn't due until you check in (and at that point they only accept cash and MB payment). If you need to cancel, you must do so 24 hours in advance or pay the $45 charge for the ride. Call 407-939-7529 to book.

Enjoy!

Great! Thank you for letting me know. We are down the same time as you!

 

[Skampigirl]

Great! Thank you for letting me know. We are down the same time as you!

We'll wave to you from our carriage ride! Can't wait to see POR in its glory. There is still snow on the ground up here in the north!

Now if Disney would just give us some info on Rivers of Light, life would be perfect (but that's a whole other thread!)

Have a wonderful time!

 

[EpcotBill]

On April 11th, my wife and I will be visiting Walt Disney World at your Port Orleans Riverside resort for my wife’s birthday celebration. We have booked a king room, and realize that this category of rooms are spread throughout the resort with any possible view. Our primary request would be for the room to be located as closely as possible to the food court. Secondary request preferences in order would be river view, pool view, Alligator Bayou section, ground floor, corner room, and room available as early as possible. We understand that these are requests, but if you can help us make this the most magical vacation we would really appreciate it. We look forward to arriving at your resort very soon. Thank you.

Does this look good for the fax? I know some of those secondary requests are contradictory, but I just listed preferences in order, and didn't want the fax to get too wordy.

I think it's too long. Too many possibly confusing secondary requests. The room assignor will stop reading about halfway through. I would keep it short and sweet. Of course that is just MHO, YMMV.

 

[mocame]

We'll wave to you from our carriage ride! Can't wait to see POR in its glory. There is still snow on the ground up here in the north!

Now if Disney would just give us some info on Rivers of Light, life would be perfect (but that's a whole other thread!)

Have a wonderful time!

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Disney announced today that ROL is postponed. They will only announce more information around mid to late May. Unfortunately, ROL will not happen while we are there.

 

[andrewilley]

On April 11th, my wife and I will be visiting Walt Disney World at your Port Orleans Riverside resort for my wife’s birthday celebration. We have booked a king room, and realize that this category of rooms are spread throughout the resort with any possible view. Our primary request would be for the room to be located as closely as possible to the food court. Secondary request preferences in order would be river view, pool view, Alligator Bayou section, ground floor, corner room, and room available as early as possible. We understand that these are requests, but if you can help us make this the most magical vacation we would really appreciate it. We look forward to arriving at your resort very soon. Thank you.

Does this look good for the fax? I know some of those secondary requests are contradictory, but I just listed preferences in order, and didn't want the fax to get too wordy.

I'd say it's rather too complicated, and all being in one long paragraph doesn't help. You can definitely delete the bit about 'room available as soon as possible' as that would mean getting whatever is free from the Ready Room inventory when you get there, rather than being pre-assigned a room.

I also wonder if referring so specifically to "primary" and "secondary" requests sounds rather too formal, as if you've just read a FAQ on the internet... You are also asking for conflicting things (e.g. river views close to the food court in AB, when you have a King Bed booked, are not easy to find - see my floorplan maps).

I would suggest something more along the lines of "We would love an Alligator Bayou room fairly close to the food court if you are able to arrange that, and also if possible to have a nice view, such as a corner room overlooking the river or a pool." You could give a few room numbers too, but only use them as examples of the sorts of room you would like (if you make them all ground floor, perhaps someone might even take a look to see if any of those happen to be free?).

Andre

 

[DonaldDuck77]

I think it's too long. Too many possibly confusing secondary requests. The room assignor will stop reading about halfway through. I would keep it short and sweet. Of course that is just MHO, YMMV.

I'd say it's rather too complicated, and all being in one long paragraph doesn't help. You can definitely delete the bit about 'room available as soon as possible' as that would mean getting whatever is free from the Ready Room inventory when you get there, rather than being pre-assigned a room.

I also wonder if referring so specifically to "primary" and "secondary" requests sounds rather too formal, as if you've just read a FAQ on the internet... You are also asking for conflicting things (e.g. river views close to the food court in AB, when you have a King Bed booked, are not easy to find - see my floorplan maps).

I would suggest something more along the lines of "We would love an Alligator Bayou room fairly close to the food court if you are able to arrange that, and also if possible to have a nice view, such as a corner room overlooking the river or a pool." You could give a few room numbers too, but only use them as examples of the sorts of room you would like (if you make them all ground floor, perhaps someone might even take a look to see if any of those happen to be free?).

Andre

Thanks.

Ha. I thought I was making it short. And changing it from the FAQ

I will just skip ground and corner and go with this:

On April 11th, my wife and I will be visiting Walt Disney World at your Port Orleans Riverside resort for my wife’s birthday celebration. We have booked a king room, and we would love an Alligator Bayou room fairly close to the food court if you are able to arrange that, and also if possible to have a nice view, such as a room overlooking the river or a pool.

 

[Monique113095]

Any reviews on the rooms in Alligator Bayou?

 

[Skampigirl]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Disney announced today that ROL is postponed. They will only announce more information around mid to late May. Unfortunately, ROL will not happen while we are there.

Yes, sadly I heard the bad news. Been crying in my tea all morning Seeing the video preview actually made the disappointment worse! Though on the bright side, I will HAVE to plan another trip once they sort out all of the bugs Now they need to add May dates for Symphony in the Sky to make up for it!
Oh well, the Riverside is beautiful, I will be with my BFF, there will be no snow and life will be good.

 

[mocame]

Yes, sadly I heard the bad news. Been crying in my tea all morning Seeing the video preview actually made the disappointment worse! Though on the bright side, I will HAVE to plan another trip once they sort out all of the bugs Now they need to add May dates for Symphony in the Sky to make up for it!
Oh well, the Riverside is beautiful, I will be with my BFF, there will be no snow and life will be good.

I've been hoping and wishing they would extend the dates of the SW fireworks into May.

 

[juliebee]

Think they will let me refill my 1995 Dixie Landings mug on my next trip?

 

[Deborah Lewins]

Think they will let me refill my 1995 Dixie Landings mug on my next trip?

Not a chance but we all love a truer !

 

[Deborah Lewins]

Not a chance but we all love a truer !

Tryer even !