POR Garden View or River View?

[mom22boys]

Hi! We are debating about which room type to book at POR. The last time we stayed in a garden view and were in AB near the west depot. We loved how lush the AB was and our proximity to the west bus stop. We did have a little hike to the lobby, food court, etc., but it wasn't really that big of a deal.

This time, however, we are debating about reserving a river view. Any thoughts? Have you stayed in a river view room and loved your location?

I was also wondering, has anyone ever requested a garden view and been placed in one of the mansions?

Thanks!

 

[Liv4Dis]

We were once magically upgraded to a river view room before oak manor in the mansions were royal rooms. It was so awesome, not for the view, but when we would go to the main building or got off the boat from Disney Springs we could walk along the pathway and our room was so close to the path. Excellent location for tired feet.

Also we have stayed at POR, I think 4 times, garden view, and have been placed in AB once and the mansions three times. We are a family of 3.

 

[mom22boys]

We were once magically upgraded to a river view room before oak manor in the mansions were royal rooms. It was so awesome, not for the view, but when we would go to the main building or got off the boat from Disney Springs we could walk along the pathway and our room was so close to the path. Excellent location for tired feet.

Also we have stayed at POR, I think 4 times, garden view, and have been placed in AB once and the mansions three times. We are a family of 3.

Thank you! How neat that you stayed in mansions 3 times with your garden view. Funny, I just thought of the lushness of AB being more garden view! Which do you like better AB or mansions? Thanks again!

 

[CinderellaDream]

We prefer the look (inside and out) of the mansions but the daybed in AB is nice even though we only have 4 in our family. Having said that, we have stayed in garden view, river view and royal rooms and would not book river view again unless it was the only thing available. If we're going to pay more, then I would rather pay more for the royal room.

 

[Sue M]

We always request the mansions. Have had Garden views and also have been pixie dusted to river views in Parterre Pl (my least fav location) and Acadian House, My fav location). Have also had pool view.
We love the mansions, and walking along the river path. All the buildings Front the river. While I've enjoyed river view rooms, it's not something I'd pay for. I always book Garden view.

 

[loves to dive]

I wouldn't pay for a view at any of the moderates or values, it's not like you are going to be sitting in your room with the curtains open trying to peer over the rails while people walk by. You can step outside your room and see those views from any of the rooms. As far as being close, I stayed in Magnolia Mansion and loved it. Bus stop right behind the building, lots of places to sit outside and enjoy the place, not a bad walk to either the pool or the main building. I didn't ask for any view and I think mine was a standard view, my room sort of faced the little green space between buildings if you looked straight, the parking lot if you looked left and the river if you looked right. I never even opened the curtains the entire time I was there but boy did I take advantage of all the benches and gazebos scattered around.

 

[mom22boys]

I wouldn't pay for a view at any of the moderates or values, it's not like you are going to be sitting in your room with the curtains open trying to peer over the rails while people walk by. You can step outside your room and see those views from any of the rooms.

Excellent point!

 

[raddisneyfan]

I don't think I would request a specific view at any of the moderates. I am more interested in building location. Mods have outside motel-style walkways in front of the rooms--not really into enjoying the view with people walking by. For POR I liked my AB room with the great vegetation--wouldn't pay more for a river view or a royal room.

 

[disneyseniors]

We've been going to POR for several years, always stay in AB section. Love the secluded tropical feel. We always request AB garden view, and have always got it until this last February. They put us in the Mansions. They are beautiful, don't get me wrong, but we prefer the AB section. We requested an AB room, and the CM got us one. We always request garden view. I guess I want to look at the greenery when we get up and when leaving the room. I know you don't stare out the window all the time, but it's what we like. One time we were next to a jungle like area, bldg. 26, far side. I swear that bigfoot lived there, along with gators, wild cats, etc...............LOL. Just our preference, no one is wrong

 

[Liv4Dis]

Thank you! How neat that you stayed in mansions 3 times with your garden view. Funny, I just thought of the lushness of AB being more garden view! Which do you like better AB or mansions? Thanks again!

I think I would say we like the mansions better because we love walking along the river path and seeing the boats from Disney Springs (I keep typing Downtown Disney and then have to correct it ). We also like that the mansions have more storage because they don't have the murphy bed. That being said, we booked a pool view this year on a bounceback and I am going to request AB. Last year our garden view room was close to the east depot at the back part of Magnolia Terrace and not close to the river and we felt a bit disconnected from the resort because we were always walking to our room through the parking lot. Sometimes we would get off at the South Depot just to enjoy the beauty of the resort.

 

[AliceNDinah]

Hi all on this thread!
We are booked at the Riverside next week!!!! I'm dating myself, but the last time I was in Walt Disney World was 1998, if you can believe it. Yes, overdue for a vacation here! I believe we are booked into a Garden Room....do both AB and the Mansions feature them? Sorry to be kind of clueless here! I also requested to be as close to transportation as we can---there are two adults and a five year old ;--) Hopefully all goes well, we are EXTREMELY excited!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for any replies.

 

[Liv4Dis]

Hi all on this thread!
We are booked at the Riverside next week!!!! I'm dating myself, but the last time I was in Walt Disney World was 1998, if you can believe it. Yes, overdue for a vacation here! I believe we are booked into a Garden Room....do both AB and the Mansions feature them? Sorry to be kind of clueless here! I also requested to be as close to transportation as we can---there are two adults and a five year old ;--) Hopefully all goes well, we are EXTREMELY excited!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for any replies.

Both AB and Mansions have garden view rooms scattered throughout. The difference is that AB rooms have the murphy bed. You should check out portorleans.org -- it has great information for Riverside and FQ.

 

[LovesTimone]

For us we pay for a king bed, then request a building, really anywhere at POR is good, I know some face the parking lots, but my friends prefer this view as it puts them close to their SUV, which they use like a closet/storage when traveling, they put their stroller in at night so they have more room to move around in the resort room. They like being closer to the bus stop as well. It's all about what important to you. As a suggestion, I would pull up the map and see what area would make sense for you and your family.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

We are early evening pool dwellers so we always book pool view and request AB. The River views are nice and right on a trail closer to the main buildings but having the pool right there is a plus for us.

 

[Disneylovingmomof2]

I was under the impression that the pool views in the royal rooms almost guaranteed a better location to a footbridge leading to the main building. So I wouldn't necessarily book for the view but more the location (but I also have young kids).

 

[SL6827]

I got an upgrade from a standard to a river view at POFQ, but this was at POFQ. It was nice, but a bit of a walk. Don't know if I would take an upgrade like that if I were staying there for more than a night or two. It just makes me wonder how they get people to pay that extra for that walk.

 

[Liv4Dis]

I was under the impression that the pool views in the royal rooms almost guaranteed a better location to a footbridge leading to the main building. So I wouldn't necessarily book for the view but more the location (but I also have young kids).

Very true. Booking a royal room with a pool view puts you in either Parterre Place (I believe there are only 2 pool view rooms) or Oak Manor which is right across from the footbridge, which takes you to the main building and it is not too far from the main bus stop (south depot). Another bonus to this location is that it would be the closest location to walk to French Quarter which has a great new splash pad for kids.