We just got back from an impromptu weekend stay at PO-R. We booked a garden view room - did online check-in and requested higher floor near elevators. The day before our arrival, I called and requested a mansion room in Magnolia Bend. Upon check-in, we were given a room in Acadian House (room 8040) which was great - first floor, not so great.
My experience:
*The room was very clean, A/C worked very well, and mousekeeping was thorough.
*The grounds were beautiful, and it was a very pleasant walk to the food court via Ol' Man Island.
*I did not like that the smoking section was right on the main walkway along the river, because it smelled horrible even when nobody was actually smoking there - walking through a cloud of smoke was even worse. Normally, I don't have an opinion about a designated smoking area, because an effort is typically made to keep it away from the main areas. As a former smoker, I understand (and appreciate) the importance of having such an area! However, it was a huge turn-off to have it in such a prominent location.
*The beds were terribly uncomfortable. Cheap mattress - could feel (and hear) the springs. I tossed and turned all night, both nights, because I could not get comfortable. Awful.
*The bedside clock did not work - no display, and yes, I checked to see that it was plugged-in. LOL This was not a big deal, because I had my cell phone.
*Boatwright's Dining Hall - loud, loud, loud! We arrived 20 minutes ahead of our ADR time, and we were seated after a lengthy wait of 25 minutes. This wasn't a huge deal, because we were quite early. The hostess station had 3 people trying to work it, and it appeared to be rather disorganized. Our server was very pleasant, but he was not very attentive. The food was ok - not bad, but not great. DD and I had shrimp and grits - my mother had the pork chop. For what we paid, we definitely will not eat there again.
*Riverside Mill - We had two meals here - dinner and breakfast...
The dinner experience was good - we arrived at the perfect time, apparently, because the place was virtually empty! DD had chicken nuggets and fries - my mother had a BBQ pulled pork sandwich and fries - I had the create your own pasta. The chicken nuggets are the same as everywhere else on property, it seems - hot, fresh, nothing extraordinary, but better than most fast food restaurants (except Chick-fil-a LOL). My mom said the sandwich was ok - not sure what that meant, but there you have it. My pasta was very good - penne with alfredo sauce, broccoli, artichoke hearts, onion, garlic, and chicken. There was a TON of it, too!
The breakfast experience was terrifying - we arrived at a terrible time, because that place was packed wall-to-wall with irritated adults and screaming children.
There was no seating, so you had to wait for someone to clear a table and then book it over there before someone else got there first... all while carrying a tray of food. I saw a lot of people taking food back to their rooms - probably the smartest idea for that particular time of day. The food was typical QS breakfast foods - nothing extraordinary, but all hot, fresh, and ok.
Bottom line - this is a good place for a typical QS meal ***IF*** you can time it right!
*Bus service - We were closest to the North Depot, and every bus we took to the parks was standing room only. I can't even imagine how miserable it would have been if it was during a really busy time of year! The bus rides back to the resort, however, were fine - plenty of seats.
*My overall experience has led me to decide that this resort is not a good choice for me. It's lovely for many reasons, and I can truly see how it is a favorite for many people, but I would not choose to stay here again. Still, it was a good weekend, and we had a great time!
nothing wrong with saying you like a resort.
