Port Orleans Riverside FAQ thread --- 2012, Part One --- NOW CLOSED

[crazyboutdisny]

We were at MK yesterday in the rain, not very busy. Today when we arrived at Epcot around 10:30 we were surprised at how few people there seemed to be, however by the time we left at 3:30 the park was much busier. We've been here at this time 2 years ago, and it seemed busier then. Having said that we come frequently, and our boys are still too little for the major attractions, so we have different touring plans. Maybe others can provide more input....

Thanks! We have some what of a touring plan. I am basing it off info from EasyWDW.com.
Enjoy your vacation and the new rooms! Would have loved to stay in one but we have 5 in our group.

 

[Backstage_Gal]

Hotdogdncrs, also dont forget to get pics of the couryard at night. Look at the Oak trees too for some spooky faces. Also note the special touches for the Housekeeper costumes.

 

[songkat]

Peeking my head in to say hello...newbie here. I've stayed at this resort three times before, and will be returning in April. I've enjoyed reading this thread and look forward to the fun ahead. It'll be interesting to see what changes have taken place at this resort since my last stay in 1995.

 

[Stan Solo]

Peeking my head in to say hello...newbie here. I've stayed at this resort three times before, and will be returning in April. I've enjoyed reading this thread and look forward to the fun ahead. It'll be interesting to see what changes have taken place at this resort since my last stay in 1995.

Hello and to our friendly little thread! If you have any questions about POR you came to the right place. Also be sure to check out Andre's web site http://www.portorleans.org/ for even more information.

 

[Stan Solo]

OK, über-geeky question here... but in this photo of a standard (i.e. not Disability Accessible) Royal Guest Room borrowed from the excellent AllEars...

... could someone confirm whether that entrance doorway recess modification has been applied to other Royal Guest Rooms too? All the photos I've seen so far have been facing into the room, rather than towards the entrance door.

I know they've done this for the new style Disability Accessible rooms (to allow more space for access around the new queen beds) but I'd have thought it would have been a pretty major (and costly) undertaking to have done it for the whole building...

[Edit] In fact, if you look at the ceiling on the far-left of this photo that I was sent earlier, this room is the same too:

Which begs the question, are all of the rooms like this (with more floor space!) and if so how do connecting doorways fit in with this layout?

Andre

Hey Andre, is it possible that this was an accessible before the remodel to a royal room? Or maybe they did this just incase they decide later they need more accessible rooms. I wonder what floor this is on?

I find it interesting that the beds a so close to each other. The other photo you posted of an actual accessible room had more room between the beds.

 

[Venomhatch]

Thanks for the info, I thought it wouldn't be all of the rooms. Perhaps the one in question in Deb's post was NEXT to an Accessible room, and thus needed to have the same wall/door configuration?

Don't forget to gets lots and lots of pictures of all the details (including the new coffee maker ) before you leave! Have you found the Hidden Mickeys yet, there are several shots of where to look for them in the AllEars photos.

Oh, and watch out for the new TV channels appearing tomorrow....

Andre

Hey Andre or BackStageGal, did they stop doing the chairs out front? Or only certain time of the year?

 

[DitzyMom]

My Fairway Villa's room type is gone and replaced by Royal Guest Room, River View!! Not sure what happened, but when I went to call today, everything on my conf. was fine!

I have been looking about pics of the RGR.... why do some look like twin beds and some like queens? Aren't they all queens?

 

[songkat]

Stan Solo

Thanks for the warm welcome, and I will!

 

[GetGlowing]

Another question - we're booked in Water View (not River that I thought before) RGR. My dad uses a scooter but there were no accessible rooms available. I think it should go through standard doorways all right, but will there be room for it overnight? Maybe in the sink area? Or where the footstool is?

Thanks everyone (especially Andre )

 

[andrewilley]

Hey Andre or BackStageGal, did they stop doing the chairs out front? Or only certain time of the year?

Chairs outside rooms is a guest thing - take your room chairs outside and sit (presumably with a cool adult beverage of your choice in hand ) and just watch the world go by. Those recessed alcoves are actually great for that, as they mean you don't block the walkway.

In the pic I used earlier, someone had obviously forgotten to put the chairs back inside the room.

Andre

 

[andrewilley]

Hey Andre, is it possible that this was an accessible before the remodel to a royal room?

Unlikely, I think this change was only implemented in the recent refurbs (to allow enough space for disability access for two queen beds).

Another question - we're booked in Water View (not River that I thought before) RGR. My dad uses a scooter but there were no accessible rooms available. I think it should go through standard doorways all right, but will there be room for it overnight? Maybe in the sink area? Or where the footstool is?

Yeah, access through the doorways should be fine. You should be able to work out somewhere to store it - at worst, you could move the tables/chairs overnight. Ask again for an Accessible room closer to your stay in case anything comes up. If you fax the resort a few days before you arrive, they might even be able to find you something that's perhaps in a different RGR category of room for example? Can't hurt to ask anyway.

Andre

 

[ugadog99]

I know the info I need is in this thread, but I'm on my way to work and don't have time right now to look for it. So.....be patient with this question, please. The only category available to us for our March 29-31 stay was preferred. Is AB 14 the only preferred building to have completed rehab?

Thanks!

 

[Toy Story]

My Fairway Villa's room type is gone and replaced by Royal Guest Room, River View!! Not sure what happened, but when I went to call today, everything on my conf. was fine!

Where do you see the room type on your reservation? I can no see it online or on any of the emails I have had sent through

 

[hunmcbunny]

I know the info I need is in this thread, but I'm on my way to work and don't have time right now to look for it. So.....be patient with this question, please. The only category available to us for our March 29-31 stay was preferred. Is AB 14 the only preferred building to have completed rehab?

Thanks!

according to this 14 is the only one done http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php

 

[Missytara]

Chairs outside rooms is a guest thing - take your room chairs outside and sit (presumably with a cool adult beverage of your choice in hand ) and just watch the world go by. Those recessed alcoves are actually great for that, as they mean you don't block the walkway.

In the pic I used earlier, someone had obviously forgotten to put the chairs back inside the room.

Andre

On my last solo trip in 2010, I got a riverview room. That was back when it was just waterview and could have been anything from a fountain up.

I was on the far wing at Parterre Place and wasn't 30 feet from the edge of the water. I had my last drink every evening when the last water taxi would go by. That was one of my best locations ever.

 

[Missytara]

I don't suppose anyone knows yet if the Pop Warner kids are going back to POR this year? We wanted to book a 2 weeker but one of the weeks was that one and I'm wary of staying at POR then.

Until it is either posted on the Pop Warner website or announced by the Disney Travel dept. such as last year, it is anyone's bet.

I would speculate (and I hope this doesn't suddenly become gospel - it always happen when one speculates) that it is possible that POR would NOT want to have Pop back so soon after a major refurb.

But it is anyone's guess. When we accidently stayed there during their week in 2006, we were told they had signed a 10 year contract with POR.

 

[ugadog99]

according to this 14 is the only one done http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php

Thanks, that's what I thought. Darn....limits my chances of rehabbed room. I sure do wish some other category would open up!

 

[crusoe2]

according to this 14 is the only one done http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php

Thanks for this info. For some reason I thought they were going to be finished with all of the preferred buildings by the time of our trip on June 2. Not sure where I got that.

At any rate, we're booked for a preferred room the first week of June. So now my question is - should I call back and specifically request a refurbished room and/or bldg 14? Looks like they'll be working on (possibly just finishing up with?) the other preferred bldgs while we're there. Does that mean that those bldgs probably won't be in use at that time and we're pretty much guaranteed a room in bldg 14?

 

[amy-bee-0]

That's my question as well. We're booked in a preferred room May 6-13. I don't know whether to call and ask specifically for building 14 or try to adjust my reservation to a standard room and request a refurbished room? Any suggestions? This is our first time at POR.

 

[deej696]

We stayed at Riverside last weekend...the last of the Disney resorts I had yet to visit. As I packed the car to head home, I couldn't help but wonder why I hadn't done it sooner. A great experience, and I'm an admitted hotel snob. Here's my full review