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

[mouselovenfamily]

9's & 10's???? YIKES! Oh well we kinda expected that....and yes we are wishing for non stop sunshine. We are gonna go again next year but in Feb during president's day week. Where can I find the crowd report calendar?

There are several of them around the web....and none of them look good at our time frame!! If you Google it, several will appear

 

[joannalh]

Does anyone have a RGR booked for their upcoming trip? I'd love to hear what you think.

I have one booked in 2.5 weeks. Will report back!

 

[yolie912]

I have a quick question. Do I really have to book in advance the carriage rides or can I just wait till I get to Disney to do it.

Thanks!

 

[TwiddleDeeTwiddleDum]

I forgot to mention, Denise over at MouseSteps has recently uploaded a nice new photowalk of Riverside featuring 180 or so photos of every part of the resort with some accompanying notes. It can be found at: http://www.mousesteps.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=761&Itemid=49

Just as well she didn't go any closer to Oak Manor than this or she might have triggered the secret Royal Room defences...

Andre

Thanks so much for this tidbit of info

I took the virtual walk with Denise scrolling through the photos - from all the maps I would have never guessed you could walk from bldg 38 to the last mansion in just 8 minutes - it looked further than that. This is certainly encouraging. Gee, I hope it works out we'll be able to book POR for our trip!

 

[Stan Solo]

I'd go for the 8.30am tour. The first bus to Epcot should get you there in time (it's only a 10 minute ride) but you could always try for one of the character meal buses if you're worried, as they run earlier.

Personally I always try to get to Epcot around 30 mins before my Segway time to allow me to get a few nice photos of the front area of the park with no guests. You can get some fabulous photos during these tours by the way.

Andre

Thanks Andre. The photos in an empty park is one of the perks I'm looking forward to before and during the Segway tour.

Do I have to register for the character meal bus anywhere or do they just arrive at the resort like any other bus?

 

[CalicoSky]

Yeeha Bob does a very funny and family freindly entertaining show 5 nights a week in the bar at POR. The show is free and people come and go as they please. When we went all I ordered was a coffee and my DD had a tall glass of milk. He tells jokes and sing songs that are know by just about everybody. The best part of the show is the audience participation. His show is defently a must do for our next trip!

You can search him on YouTube but what you see on YouTube does not do his show any justice at all.

Just returned yesterday from my second stay at Riverside. The first visit we didn't see Bob's show. That's a mistake I won't be making again! He was wonderful--kids and adults alike were having a grand time. Bob has more energy than a room full of kindergarteners and really engages the audience. The music ran from Beatles to disco to cartoon themes and, of course, Disney classics. As Stan said, the best part is the audience participation. You can listen from the lounge area or the hallway (or if it's the right point in the show, you'll hear it from Boatwright's and even the food court!), but it's worth it to sit in the main bar area.

 

[HeatherLassell]

Just returned yesterday from my second stay at Riverside. The first visit we didn't see Bob's show. That's a mistake I won't be making again! He was wonderful--kids and adults alike were having a grand time. Bob has more energy than a room full of kindergarteners and really engages the audience. The music ran from Beatles to disco to cartoon themes and, of course, Disney classics. As Stan said, the best part is the audience participation. You can listen from the lounge area or the hallway (or if it's the right point in the show, you'll hear it from Boatwright's and even the food court!), but it's worth it to sit in the main bar area.

I'm looking forward to seeing this!!

Did you see Chelsea the Port Orleans greeter? She wears a pretty dress a hat and welcomes you to the resort? I watch all her videos on youtube!

 

[Cinder-Belle]

Are the royal rooms worth the extra $$$ would love to know if anyone has stayed in them

we arrive on march 10th. The rooms are due to be ready on the 9th!

So excited about the trip in general. Will be interested to see how the rooms turn out. This is our first time at POR.

my daughter will love the royal room no matter what. She is five.

I will be sending pictures as soon as I can.

what are the rules on that once the rooms are open? Does anyone know?

 

[HeatherLassell]

we arrive on march 10th. The rooms are due to be ready on the 9th!

So excited about the trip in general. Will be interested to see how the rooms turn out. This is our first time at POR.

my daughter will love the royal room no matter what. She is five.

I will be sending pictures as soon as I can.

what are the rules on that once the rooms are open? Does anyone know?

You can take and post all the pictures you want once you're staying in the room. Or once the rooms are open. It's just right now while they are under construction that they don't want guests sneaking around.

 

[CalicoSky]

Did you see Chelsea the Port Orleans greeter? She wears a pretty dress a hat and welcomes you to the resort? I watch all her videos on youtube!

No, we didn't see her. But we were so intent on getting to the check-in area that anyone short of Mickey Mouse himself probably wouldn't have caught my attention!

We reserved a Garden View room and had left our room location up to Fate (i.e. no requests) and were placed in Building 37. We were very happy with it--refurbed room, right next to the North bus stop, and though it's not anywhere near the main building, the walk is a very pleasant one.

 

[CamoMama]

Hello all! My two teen daughters and I returned from our first trip to WDW on 12 February. We stayed in a pirate themed room at CBR and had a great time. On the flight home my youngest daughter and I began planning our next trip, which we would like to be at POR.

I read this entire thread (and a couple of others), over the span of a couple of days, and while it seems some folks have had some pretty major issues, it also seems as if that is isolated to the time frame and will be fixed by the time we want to go. It also seems that some of the most knowledgeable folks hang put here, I was on the edge of my seat for a while reading about the RGR debacle and how that would work out with the upgrades. So glad everyone got what they wanted on that and crossing my fingers for everyone who has issues with the queen/double beds.

I'm planning for my youngest daughter's 16th birthday in late March 2013, so I have plenty of time to plan. We want to stay in a royal room. I am military, so we get a 40% discount on the room and the 4 day stars and stripes tickets. I'm trying to figure out what the best deal would be, and since the prices for next year won't be out for some time yet (and CMs won't hazard a guess until they are) I was hoping I could get some help around here. If I get the room only + DDP with our military tickets, can we still qualify for free dining if it's available? I know that stacking of discounts is not permitted, but we do get the dining plan even when we don't purchase the tickets through Disney because of the military thing, and I don't know if that affects the promotion or not. I'm trying to decide if it will be less to pay full price for the room to get free dining, or full price for dining to get 40% off the room. Dilemmas!

I want to do a whole Princess theme vacation if possible, my girl is a major tomboy, so it will be a fun change. We plan to get her all dolled up at BBB (do they have larger dresses? She's small for her age but this is a year away) and then have a dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table with the cake and tiara package.

I appreciate any help that any of you folks can give, and hope to chat with all of you more often between now and our trip.

 

[andrewilley]

I have a quick question. Do I really have to book in advance the carriage rides or can I just wait till I get to Disney to do it.

I think that one was just answered yesterday, let me check.

Yes, see a few pages back, around http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=44072056#post44072056

Andre

 

[hunmcbunny]

I want to do a whole Princess theme vacation if possible, my girl is a major tomboy, so it will be a fun change. We plan to get her all dolled up at BBB (do they have larger dresses? She's small for her age but this is a year away) and then have a dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table with the cake and tiara package.

I appreciate any help that any of you folks can give, and hope to chat with all of you more often between now and our trip.

Just wanted to let you know that BBB is only for girls ages 12 and under....kinda sucks for us older "princesses".

 

[Queenscoroots]

All the buildings in AB that have been refurbished have murphy beds, because they are allowed to have an occupancy up to 5.

You are only guaranteed the murphy bed if you are a family of 5 or you book preferred, which is the first four closest buildings to the Main Building.

You can request being located in AB in a refurbished building and you would get a murphy bed.

Thank you MissyTara for the info!

 

[crostorfer]

Just wanted to let you know that BBB is only for girls ages 12 and under....kinda sucks for us older "princesses".

Adults can do the BBB. There is a poster here on the Dis that has pictures in her siggy of having it done, I think it's PrincessGina. Unless they've changed policy, I've seen adults in there before getting all done up. They, of course, just don't have costumes.

 

[hunmcbunny]

Adults can do the BBB. There is a poster here on the Dis that has pictures in her siggy of having it done, I think it's PrincessGina. Unless they've changed policy, I've seen adults in there before getting all done up. They, of course, just don't have costumes.

The policy was just recently changed. The ages are now 3-12

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/tours-and-experiences/bibbidi-bobbidi-boutique/

 

[HiHoOffWeGo]

HAPPY!!!
Mardi Gras

 

[dimndgal1]

Hello all! My two teen daughters and I returned from our first trip to WDW on 12 February. We stayed in a pirate themed room at CBR and had a great time. On the flight home my youngest daughter and I began planning our next trip, which we would like to be at POR.

I read this entire thread (and a couple of others), over the span of a couple of days, and while it seems some folks have had some pretty major issues, it also seems as if that is isolated to the time frame and will be fixed by the time we want to go. It also seems that some of the most knowledgeable folks hang put here, I was on the edge of my seat for a while reading about the RGR debacle and how that would work out with the upgrades. So glad everyone got what they wanted on that and crossing my fingers for everyone who has issues with the queen/double beds.

I'm planning for my youngest daughter's 16th birthday in late March 2013, so I have plenty of time to plan. We want to stay in a royal room. I am military, so we get a 40% discount on the room and the 4 day stars and stripes tickets. I'm trying to figure out what the best deal would be, and since the prices for next year won't be out for some time yet (and CMs won't hazard a guess until they are) I was hoping I could get some help around here. If I get the room only + DDP with our military tickets, can we still qualify for free dining if it's available? I know that stacking of discounts is not permitted, but we do get the dining plan even when we don't purchase the tickets through Disney because of the military thing, and I don't know if that affects the promotion or not. I'm trying to decide if it will be less to pay full price for the room to get free dining, or full price for dining to get 40% off the room. Dilemmas!

I want to do a whole Princess theme vacation if possible, my girl is a major tomboy, so it will be a fun change. We plan to get her all dolled up at BBB (do they have larger dresses? She's small for her age but this is a year away) and then have a dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table with the cake and tiara package.

I appreciate any help that any of you folks can give, and hope to chat with all of you more often between now and our trip.

Just so it isn't a surprise, I believe the military discount ans special salute tickets are only valid through September of this year. While there is a good chance Disney will offer some discount to the military, it may differ greatly to what is currently being offered. I think they tend to publish the military offer July/Aug time frame usually

Also, BBB did change requirements recently as PP has said. I had it done with DD two years ago but now the cur off is 12 years. Hoqever, DD could do the glitz Makeover at the Main street Barber Shop - color streaks and confetti sprinkles. Like a mature princess look.

 

[crostorfer]

Just so it isn't a surprise, I believe the military discount ans special salute tickets are only valid through September of this year. While there is a good chance Disney will offer some discount to the military, it may differ greatly to what is currently being offered. I think they tend to publish the military offer July/Aug time frame usually

I'm not expecting them to extend our Military Salute tickets another year. I'm going to bet that whatever they come up with isn't going to be as good as those $135 Park Hoppers. It's one of the reasons I pushed back to September from December. We still have 3 of our 12 allotted tickets to use before Sept. 30th.

And to the previous poster that this poster quoted, the discount for moderates is 35%, not 40. And no, you cannot add free dining if a pin comes out, you have to purchase their tickets at full price for free dining.

 

[CamoMama]

I'm not expecting them to extend our Military Salute tickets another year. I'm going to bet that whatever they come up with isn't going to be as good as those $135 Park Hoppers. It's one of the reasons I pushed back to September from December. We still have 3 of our 12 allotted tickets to use before Sept. 30th.

And to the previous poster that this poster quoted, the discount for moderates is 35%, not 40. And no, you cannot add free dining if a pin comes out, you have to purchase their tickets at full price for free dining.

They've done the Stars and Stripes tickets for several years, why would they stop now?

Also, I didn't say anything about a pin, we did not have a pin, we used the military discount (which was 40% on the moderate), bought Stars and Stripes tickets and had the dining plan. I'm not asking if I can use the military discount and free dining or a pin and free dining, I'm asking if I can purchase Stars and Stripes tickets and get the free dining plan.