Resort Thread Disney's PORT ORLEANS RIVERSIDE Resort

[Dis2016Can]

My personal opinion, I would just still send a fax in case. But that might be the control freak in me....

SO would I

 

[goofy Jr. 88]

wooooo.....we leave for POR in 9 days. I have a small dilemma. So obviously after being on here, I understand the process of sending a fax 5 days out to request certain rooms/areas/buildings. I checked in with my TA yesterday to make sure everything is squared away and mentioned that I was going to send a fax to request a certain location. She responded by saying, "don't bother. That's been taken care of." I have never really told her WHERE we want to be, just that we want to be in rooms that are close together (two parties going). I can't decide if I should trust my TA on this or if I should go ahead and send the fax.

Send a fax.

We have stayed at POR twice and sent a fax with a couple of room requests each time and had great success. On our second trip to POR last April, as we got off the Magical Express bus to our surprise there were two wonderful POR gals out front with a sign and our name on it to welcome us home.

Seeing this picture now still brings a huge smile to me.

 

[Christiaan]

If there's somewhere you really want to eat I would go online right away to make your dining reservations. Don't leave it for last minute or you will be disappointed!
Have a great trip!!

We arrive on Wed and dept on Sun. I have dinner plans made for Thursday and Friday so far. Still looking into Sat and Wed. Brekky and lunches we will prob do in the parks.
Thanks again!

 

[Dis2016Can]

We are staying at POR in a preferred room. Any suggestions for a "room request". Main floor? Second floor? Corner room?
And why?

Thanks

 

[Jcon]

We're scheduled to arrive at POR on May 2nd, staying until the 14th. We're very excited. This is our first stay at POR and have stayed at WL in the past.

I've been through most of this thread. Thank-you everyone who has contributed. A lot of my questions we were answered, even questions I didn't know I had!

We're booked for Garden View. I'm trying to decide between AB and MB. We have two boys, 2 and 6, and will be using a stroller. I think we want to avoid stairs.

I'm less concerned about the walk to the lobby.

A question that I have, which I couldn't find an answer too is about storage/drawer space. Is there a difference between AB and MB? It's hard to tell with Murphy Bed.

 

[siskaren]

We are staying at POR in a preferred room. Any suggestions for a "room request". Main floor? Second floor? Corner room?
And why?

Thanks

It depends on what you want. Do you not want to have to deal with stairs or the elevator? Then request first floor. Do you not want to have to worry about possibly having heavy walkers above you? Then request second floor. Do you like the idea of having a second window? Then request a corner room.

 

[keahgirl8]

My personal opinion, I would just still send a fax in case. But that might be the control freak in me....

I absolutely would, especially if you didn't even tell her what you wanted. Then again, I'm such a control freak, I don't even use a TA.

Building 14

Agreed. I'm here now. I timed myself yesterday and it literally took 2 minutes or less to get to the food court from my room.

We are staying at POR in a preferred room. Any suggestions for a "room request". Main floor? Second floor? Corner room?
And why?

Thanks

Depends! I generally like the top floor when I'm in MB, but there are no elevators in AB. If you don't want stairs, I'd pick ground floor.

We're scheduled to arrive at POR on May 2nd, staying until the 14th. We're very excited. This is our first stay at POR and have stayed at WL in the past.

I've been through most of this thread. Thank-you everyone who has contributed. A lot of my questions we were answered, even questions I didn't know I had!

We're booked for Garden View. I'm trying to decide between AB and MB. We have two boys, 2 and 6, and will be using a stroller. I think we want to avoid stairs.

I'm less concerned about the walk to the lobby.

A question that I have, which I couldn't find an answer too is about storage/drawer space. Is there a difference between AB and MB? It's hard to tell with Murphy Bed.

There really isn't storage in AB, because you have a Murphy bed instead of a dresser.

 

[Ensusieasm]

Send a fax.

We have stayed at POR twice and sent a fax with a couple of room requests each time and had great success. On our second trip to POR last April, as we got off the Magical Express bus to our surprise there were two wonderful POR gals out front with a sign and our name on it to welcome us home.

Seeing this picture now still brings a huge smile to me.

Nice memory, but those greeters are soon to be a thing of the past because Disney just made some sweeping cuts that will eliminate them. They are trying to save money at the expenses of Pixie Dust.

 

[andrewilley]

There really isn't storage in AB, because you have a Murphy bed instead of a dresser.

Well not completely true, there are three drawers under the bench seat, but I agree they are definitely not big enough to store the sort of luggage that a family of five might bring. There are some other shelves around too, and the hanging rail in the wash area, but overall storage is not as good in the AB rooms as it used to be.

Nice memory, but those greeters are soon to be a thing of the past because Disney just made some sweeping cuts that will eliminate them. They are trying to save money at the expenses of Pixie Dust.

Yep, I've heard that too. I posted in my news article a week or so back that the curbside greeters are now a thing of the past (www.portorleans.org/news.php?first=140216) but at least those CMs have not been let go but reassigned to other positions. I gather from other sites that hours and overtime are being reduced all around WDW though, so I'm guessing that while no one may have technically been laid off, the overall pool of worked hours will have been reduced and thus many of the hourly paid CMs will be suffering. All of which does not make me feel especially warm and fuzzy towards the corporate bigwigs.

Andre

 

[5olearys]

Question about transportation! I have seen different hours posted for start time for busses to MK. We have a prepark 8:15 ADR, and we are not sure what time the MK busses actually start. We do have our car but I'd rather utilize Disney transportation if possible and avoid the TTC <<shudder>>. Hoping for any input from recent experience! TIA!

 

[dansdad]

Question about transportation! I have seen different hours posted for start time for busses to MK. We have a prepark 8:15 ADR, and we are not sure what time the MK busses actually start. We do have our car but I'd rather utilize Disney transportation if possible and avoid the TTC <<shudder>>. Hoping for any input from recent experience! TIA!

Buses start rolling at 6:30AM every day. Our friends are at POR right now and were on the bus to MK at 6:40AM Monday.

 

[Ensusieasm]

Question about transportation! I have seen different hours posted for start time for busses to MK. We have a prepark 8:15 ADR, and we are not sure what time the MK busses actually start. We do have our car but I'd rather utilize Disney transportation if possible and avoid the TTC <<shudder>>. Hoping for any input from recent experience! TIA!

They will let you in to MK at 7:45. You'll want to be at the head of the pre park opening ADR line so you want to be there no later than 7:30. Be at the bus stop at 6:30 so you don't miss the first bus. Magic Kingdom is a wonderful sight when it's empty. If your restaurant is BOG everyone gets in the restaurant at 8:00 and your leisurely picture taking stroll to Fantasyland will be worth getting up early. Also, 7dwarfMT opens early just for you so eat quickly and ride it 2 or three times before the crowds arrive (if it's a 9am opening). Have Fun!

 

[5olearys]

Thank you so much! I've heard 6:30 but it's posted as 7 in so many places it made me nervous. I am SO excited for prepark I cannot stand it!

 

[Ensusieasm]

Thank you so much! I've heard 6:30 but it's posted as 7 in so many places it made me nervous. I am SO excited for prepark I cannot stand it!

You should be excited, because it is AWESOME!
One tiny little problem can happen.....don't want to burst your bubble.... and it didn't happen to me..... But...... SOMETIMES Disney decides to open the MK an hour early for everybody. (I'm not talking pre scheduled EMH) just a sudden calendar change even days before....So keep your fingers crossed and watch the park times calendar. Hopefully the opening will not change from 9am because you would only get about a 5 minute head start.

 

[5olearys]

That has happened to me before!! Honestly if that were the case I would likely cancel it. Valuable park time!!!

 

[andrewilley]

Buses start rolling at 6:30AM every day. Our friends are at POR right now and were on the bus to MK at 6:40AM Monday.

Officially they start at 7am now (apart from possibly EMH mornings) but as I'm sure you know, bus routing at Disney is an inexact science at best...

Andre

 

[Ensusieasm]

Officially they start at 7am now (apart from possibly EMH mornings) but as I'm sure you know, bus routing at Disney is an inexact science at best...

Andre

Often they are earlier, so I always plan to be at the bus stop by 6:30 if I have an important enough reason too want to catch the first bus.

 

[andrewilley]

Often they are earlier, so I always plan to be at the bus stop by 6:30 if I have an important enough reason too want to catch the first bus.

I'd love to get some hard evidence of first bus times of the day please, but it needs to be current - i.e. no earlier than this month. I was told (via a copy of an official communication from the transportation team) that as from early December the bus service start times would be changed to 7am rather than the old 6:30am. However visitors do seem to be reporting otherwise.

Andre

 

[Ensusieasm]

I'd love to get some hard evidence of first bus times of the day please, but it needs to be current - i.e. no earlier than this month. I was told (via a copy of an official communication from the transportation team) that as from early December the bus service start times would be changed to 7am rather than the old 6:30am. However visitors do seem to be reporting otherwise.

Andre

On a January 29 2016 I got on a bus from Saratoga Springs at the second to last bus stop at 6:35am Could it be that POR is singled out to have its first bus not a minute before 7:00 am? Being at the stop at 6:30 just assures me that I will get on the first bus, and I don't mind waiting if I have a big reason to ride that first bus. Better safe than sorry.

 

[5olearys]

I'd love to get some hard evidence of first bus times of the day please, but it needs to be current - i.e. no earlier than this month. I was told (via a copy of an official communication from the transportation team) that as from early December the bus service start times would be changed to 7am rather than the old 6:30am. However visitors do seem to be reporting otherwise.

Andre

And this is why I am worried.