Port Orleans- does it feel like a motel?

[Disneychick75]

I’m a hotel snob and have been considering poly or even swan for our Nov trip. But we can save so much money by switching to POR, or stay an extra night and still save $100. So I’m leaning toward switching our res to POR. What turned me off to the moderates initially is I don’t like that they are all motel style with the doors to the room going straight to outside. Does POR rooms feel motel-ish? If we stay an extra day, we’ll schedule a midweek resort day. Is POR a nice place to relax in Nov? Likelihood of being able to use the pools that time of year? We have a 6 yo dd. Do you think if I request a recently renovated room we’d get it? Is POFQ or POR nicer? POFQ is full our dates so it’s moot I guess but just curious. Thanks friends! Oh and we’re doing mostly MK with one day at Epcot.

I'd choose POR over the Poly. Last week, I decided to splurge and surprise my family with a Poly stay. We drove up about 10:30 pm. There was a family ahead of us who got out of their car, gave the keys to the valet, and went inside. We sat and waited about 20 minutes and no one from either bell services or the valet came to see if we needed help. Finally, my daughter got out of the car and began unloading luggage. I had to go to the bell service desk and ask for help. There were 5 cast member standing around talking. The bell service guy loaded our luggage and I gave him the keys to my car. He said to leave it running. We went to our room. After the kids settled about an 1.5 hours later, my daughter and her wife went to walk around the resort. They walked back to the main entrance where they saw my car was still running, had the windows down, and the keys were on the console! It had been storming. Thank goodness, the interior of my car did not get water. She spoke to the valet who ranted and said no one told him the car needed to be parked. Then, he made the comment that valet cast members had lost 4 sets of keys during the past week!
DD and DIL came back to the room and told me what had happened. When we woke up, I went to check out after barely sleeping and happily, the cast member gave me zero problems. We went to the MK. While at the Crystal Palace, a manager, Tony, called. He was very professional and apologized profusely. He offered incentives for us to return. I told him that I really appreciated his offers but I just would not feel comfortable at the Poly after our experience. Anyone could have walked up and driven away in my car.

BTW, the monorail access at the resorts is nice but with all of the people visiting for meals, waits of 20-30 minutes are not usual. It really is not all that it is cracked up to be. I definitely would not let this be the deciding factor on a resort stay. If you plan to spend a lot of time at the MK, book either the CR or BLT. It's an easy walk from these to the MK.

 

[MomOTwins]

I'd choose POR over the Poly. Last week, I decided to splurge and surprise my family with a Poly stay. We drove up about 10:30 pm. There was a family ahead of us who got out of their car, gave the keys to the valet, and went inside. We sat and waited about 20 minutes and no one from either bell services or the valet came to see if we needed help. Finally, my daughter got out of the car and began unloading luggage. I had to go to the bell service desk and ask for help. There were 5 cast member standing around talking. The bell service guy loaded our luggage and I gave him the keys to my car. He said to leave it running. We went to our room. After the kids settled about an 1.5 hours later, my daughter and her wife went to walk around the resort. They walked back to the main entrance where they saw my car was still running, had the windows down, and the keys were on the console! It had been storming. Thank goodness, the interior of my car did not get water. She spoke to the valet who ranted and said no one told him the car needed to be parked. Then, he made the comment that valet cast members had lost 4 sets of keys during the past week!
DD and DIL came back to the room and told me what had happened. When we woke up, I went to check out after barely sleeping and happily, the cast member gave me zero problems. We went to the MK. While at the Crystal Palace, a manager, Tony, called. He was very professional and apologized profusely. He offered incentives for us to return. I told him that I really appreciated his offers but I just would not feel comfortable at the Poly after our experience. Anyone could have walked up and driven away in my car.

BTW, the monorail access at the resorts is nice but with all of the people visiting for meals, waits of 20-30 minutes are not usual. It really is not all that it is cracked up to be. I definitely would not let this be the deciding factor on a resort stay. If you plan to spend a lot of time at the MK, book either the CR or BLT. It's an easy walk from these to the MK.

Actually, I kind of second this. I must have missed the part where the OP said they were looking at the Poly. The Poly is the ONE deluxe resort we had a bad experience at (flooded room due to burst pipe in ceiling; took them more than 24 hours and multiple hours wasted repeatedly following up with management to move us; because nobody could seem to remember our room was flooded; replacement room was in an inferior category but no compensation; and this was at CLUB level). I know people love it but I can't believe we paid twice for the Poly what we paid at WL and AKL, both of which were FAR superior in every way.

 

[disneyfantotheend]

I think the set up of exiting to an exterior common area is the same for all Disney Moderates, but I could be mistaken. So that part definitely its your motel description. But it is a beautiful resort with a lot to do.

 

[vacationer1954]

I think the set up of exiting to an exterior common area is the same for all Disney Moderates, but I could be mistaken.

They're building a tower building at Coronado Springs.

 

[Haygar2]

We have stayed POR (our first visit to the World), Ft. Wilderness Cabins, Coronado Springs, and Animal Kingdom Lodge. POR is a second but only to AKL. The view of the animals were very hard to beat. I never got the "motel" feel at POR. The grounds are spectacular. We stayed in Alligator Bayou and I loved walking to get drinks every morning. It is so peaceful.

 

[DaisyDuck001]

Stayed at the contemporary. Absolutely amazing service, monorail flies through the lobby

So that's what they call those bugs at the Contemporary that show up for a week or two in fall, "monorail flies"? I'd heard they were called love bugs, but whatever.