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

[Venomhatch]

Well, at least I know I'm not the only anxious one! I'm really trying to be patient & wait for the phone call, but it's so hard! Every time the phone rings, or an email pops up on my phone, I jump on it, thinking it's the TA. Then I get disappointed each time, you'd think I'd learn, haha. I think I'd feel better if I knew what method they were using, then I could at least guesstimate when a call would come. It's so exciting hearing about what everyone else is getting though! I've been on this thread non-stop just looking for any updates, so I appreciate everyone posting!

Well with a new week hopefully it is filled with calls for the last amounts of guests needing placement.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

You don't need any reservations. I've seen it operate in both the day and the night but it would be better in the night in my opinion. I love the resort in the evening. The lighting and and areas become secluded. It takes you around the resort starting at the mill and working across the bride and then on around the magnolia area and then turns at the bridge again and back around the resort until you reach the boat area/mill again.

Thanks!

 

[princessbride6205]

I hope that lots of calls go out tomorrow!

 

[Brookie1972]

Here now...thought we were getting rooms with queens according to garden view description...it said queen rooms in the description. Ours are doubles. I am disappointed because if they were not completely done with refurbishment they should not put that in their description. Every other category has doubles listed. Other than that it is a nice relaxing resort. We stayed here in 92 when it was Dixie Landings. We are in 9424 and 9423 right by a pool.

Ours stated it was a garden with 2 Q also, not there until Mar 30, but afraid the same thing might happen. Did you tell them that you wanted the queens that it said?

 

[GetGlowing]

All of the rooms with two queen beds will also have a Murphy bed, yes.

Has anyone stayed in a refurbished King bed room in AB yet to be able to say what the furniture arrangements are like there?

Andre

I was thinking about the new King rooms the other day. If there's no trundle, where will they put the tv? And where will the storage be? I'm anxious to see pictures of a refurb'd King room to find out. We stayed in a non-refurb'd AB King in September.

(Are there Kings in the Mansions?)

 

[Animal]

Ours stated it was a garden with 2 Q also, not there until Mar 30, but afraid the same thing might happen. Did you tell them that you wanted the queens that it said?

Be sure to bring the printout of the room parameters that you were presented with when you reserved the room. My Garden View reservation specifically says, "2 queen beds". If I was happy with 2 double beds, I would have considered CBR or considered booking POR Standard View. If I wasn't presented with a "2 queen beds" option when I booked POR, I would have booked POFQ.

So what to do? Be sure to request a specific building on your reservation - a building you know has been renovated. Be sure to bring a list of renovated buildings with you to checkin. When the CM tells you your room number, ensure it is on the list. If it is not, politely request a room consistent with the description in the reservation. If not successful, pursue a range of tactics including: i) asking for a complimentary upgrade to a riverview or preferred room (depending on your preference), ii) asking for a renovated king room, iii) asking to check on availability of a room in the Garden View category at POFQ, and iv) asking to speak with a supervisor.

Two queen beds is not a request; it's a guarantee. If Disney chooses not to invest in sufficient quality control of their reservation system, let them know about it.

 

[andrewilley]

Makes complete sense to me.....I think everyone is just anxious for their calls....lol!

To be honest, I guess this is partly our own fault.

In the "good old days", Disney would just have gradually phoned round their list over a few days/weeks, and everyone would have got a pleasant surprise at some point. Now though, the moment that the first phone call has been made it's all over the internet in seconds, and then everyone knows and is panicking and clamouring for blood.

I guess that's just the way the world works these days, though - it's impossible to do anything quietly any more.

Andre

 

[andrewilley]

I know this is probably in the thread somewhere but I can't find it. What is the size of the refrigerators at POR, how much can they hold, how cold do they get, etc?

Just a small fridge, no ice box. Works well enough, and generally stuff gets colder at the back of the fridge.

Andre

 

[andrewilley]

Two queen beds is not a request; it's a guarantee. If Disney chooses not to invest in sufficient quality control of their reservation system, let them know about it.

The problem is that it's not a guarantee at the moment, and until August it cannot be - there simply aren't enough queen-bed rooms yet for the amount of Garden View bookings they've taken. Of course the front desk staff will be trying to help out where they can though, as this is Disney's error.

It was a simple mistake in the wording on the website which really should have been caught months ago - it should always have said double beds, just like all the other POR room categories do, up until the point when the refurbishments have been completed. Then any guests who did get queen beds would have been pleasantly surprised but no one would have been disappointed. Of course the wording on the website was then repeated by the phone operators, compounding the problem.


The really amusing (OK, ironic) thing is that the wording for POR Garden View rooms is still wrong today (although the resort management team are trying to get the online team to fix it) but the POFQ Garden View description is now blank...

POR website description today:

POFQ website description today:

What's the betting someone has pulled the wrong entry while they check the wording? Gotta smile haven't you?

Andre

 

[bunkkinsmom]

The problem is that it's not a guarantee at the moment, and until August it cannot be - there simply aren't enough queen-bed rooms yet for the amount of Garden View bookings they've taken. Of course the front desk staff will be trying to help out where they can though, as this is Disney's error.

It was a simple mistake in the wording on the website which really should have been caught months ago - it should always have said double beds, just like all the other POR room categories do, up until the point when the refurbishments have been completed. Then any guests who did get queen beds would have been pleasantly surprised but no one would have been disappointed. Of course the wording on the website was then repeated by the phone operators, compounding the problem.


The really amusing (OK, ironic) thing is that the wording for POR Garden View rooms is still wrong today (although the resort management team are trying to get the online team to fix it) but the POFQ Garden View description is now blank...

POR website description today:

POFQ website description today:

What's the betting someone has pulled the wrong entry while they check the wording? Gotta smile haven't you?

Andre

As much as respect your knowledge on POR, I must respectfully disagree on this one. I totally understand that it is a mistake on the website, HOWEVER, it is a mistake that has been there for quite a while. And yes, CM's have been repeating it for months. I booked a room through the Disney Travel Company that was described at the time of my booking in print as 2 queen beds. IMHO, that's a guarantee. It is still described that way this morning. Being a part of these boards and knowing that I would most likely be assigned a non renovated room when I arrive in a few days, I have called requested certain building numbers. I have copied the description that I booked and emailed to myself so in case they change it between now and then I can show that I booked 2 queens. If I arrive and am assigned a room that is 2 double beds, I will politely explain that I did not book 2 double beds. I will politely and firmly push for 2 queens.

You are right, if it had not been changed then it would be a pleasant surprise when we arrived (had a chosen to book it), but it was changed and that's what I booked. I doubt we will have an issue, but I believe that Disney will do all they can to honor our request or make it right somehow.

 

[Venomhatch]

To be honest, I guess this is partly our own fault.

In the "good old days", Disney would just have gradually phoned round their list over a few days/weeks, and everyone would have got a pleasant surprise at some point. Now though, the moment that the first phone call has been made it's all over the internet in seconds, and then everyone knows and is panicking and clamouring for blood.

I guess that's just the way the world works these days, though - it's impossible to do anything quietly any more.

Andre

I agree, I found out the day before everyone else along with another member that found out a little ahead of me. By next day noon everyone almost knew here. It didn't take long at all.

 

[andrewilley]

I totally understand that it is a mistake on the website, HOWEVER, it is a mistake that has been there for quite a while. And yes, CM's have been repeating it for months.

Quite. I've pointed this out a number of times since the new description first went live. e.g. from Oct 2011:

What is not yet 100% clear is whether they are only selling the new 2012 garden view categories for room inventory which has already been refurbished, as that would imply a rolling program of availability, which sounds a bit complicated. I would have thought it is more likely that all the "garden" view rooms will have been pre-defined on the room matrix, and you will simply get any one of those - which initially could mean some older AB rooms with double beds rather than queens. After July the issue goes away anyway, as by then the whole resort will have been refurbished.

However until a week ago we could not be sure exactly how the Garden View rooms would be applied by the resort (they could, for example, have been intending to assign only refurbished rooms in the short term). In the end though it was exactly as I feared and it was an error in the descriptive text.

I absolutely agree with you that it's not right though, and it is definitely WDW's error that you have paid for something that they cannot deliver, but I find it difficult to see quite what the resort can do about it in the meantime if everyone starts asking for queen beds - they simply don't have enough queen-bed rooms to satisfy everyone until August, especially during busy periods and with some buildings taken out of inventory for refurbishment too.

Hopefully only a few people will have booked Garden View specifically based on the (incorrect) queen bed description. But I wouldn't mind betting that somewhere in the Disney small print is a little "E&OE" (Errors and Omissions Excepted) or whatever the US variation of this is, which would be their legal get-out clause.

Andre

 

[Stan Solo]

How hard could it possibly be for the IT team to word it "rooms have either two Queen-sized beds or two Double-sized beds?"

Then in August remove the word "either" and "or two Double-sized beds" part.

I think you are right Andre they edited the wrong resort.

Disney IT--->

 

[Phatoomch]

Caught my eye as we are going to RGR in December and I was absolutely glued to this thread last night! Watching the drama unfold then slowing seeing some of you get the amazing call. I'm reading thinking "whos next? whos next?"

Really hoping that MDChris, cassiopia419, stinkerbellsmommy get the call today!

And pmaurer74, fingers crossed the parents get upgraded with you - be polite but firm, this is their first trip, and get them that upgrade!

Is131ny - I am sorry you missed out on an upgrade as you booked through Expedia, however, I would not let it rest there! Call management at Expedia & Disney and one way or another, get your upgrade.

Fingers crossed for everyone .... I am lurking and won't settle til I know you have all gotten the call and are happy with the outcome

 

[cassiopia419]

Really hoping that MDChris, cassiopia419, stinkerbellsmommy get the call today!

Thanks for the good vibes! I know I'm going to be jumping even higher every time the phone rings today I'll definitely post the minute I hear anything.

 

[Tarheel girl 1975]

So I am getting really excited about staying at POR even though I still have months and months to go before our trip. The room decor had always kept me from staying here before, but I love the way the refurbished rooms look. I just finished looking at the picture thread again. We booked Garden View rooms for our September/October trip. I usually wouldn't pay extra for a view at a moderate, but I'll pay not to look at a parking lot. Do we know anything yet about what kinds of views to expect? Also wondering what kind of request we should make. I like the landscaping in the AB section, but I think we prefer the mansions a little bit more. I one building better than the others? Thanks!

 

[Phatoomch]

Thanks for the good vibes! I know I'm going to be jumping even higher every time the phone rings today I'll definitely post the minute I hear anything.

Seriously, I'm nervous for you

 

[pmaurer74]

Caught my eye as we are going to RGR in December and I was absolutely glued to this thread last night! Watching the drama unfold then slowing seeing some of you get the amazing call. I'm reading thinking "whos next? whos next?"

Really hoping that MDChris, cassiopia419, stinkerbellsmommy get the call today!

And pmaurer74, fingers crossed the parents get upgraded with you - be polite but firm, this is their first trip, and get them that upgrade!

Is131ny - I am sorry you missed out on an upgrade as you booked through Expedia, however, I would not let it rest there! Call management at Expedia & Disney and one way or another, get your upgrade.

Fingers crossed for everyone .... I am lurking and won't settle til I know you have all gotten the call and are happy with the outcome

Thanks for the good vibes. I did read a story on the resorts thread that someone's parents were upgraded too because they were the "babysitters". They were upgraded to yacht club... Feb. dates.

 

[jmskinner]

Had to come out here and subscribe so I can check out all the lastest pics of the refurb. Just booked our August trip, staying at POR in a Royal Guest Room. POR is our absolutely favorite resort!

 

[Phatoomch]

Thanks for the good vibes. I did read a story on the resorts thread that someone's parents were upgraded too because they were the "babysitters". They were upgraded to yacht club... Feb. dates.

I just read that too which made me excited for you