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

[LuvLuvLuv]

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

Great review!! I'm really enjoying your site!! I have to admit I've had some nervous feelings about our upcoming stay--and I see that I have nothing to worry about!! ((OT: your club 33 meal looked fantastic!!!! i would loveee to have that opportunity for an anniversary someday!))

 

[modegard]

We arrive at POR on Saturday morning (our first trip to Florida!), and have three Water View Royal Rooms booked (there are 11 of us). My TA has assured me from the start we can get a roll away bed in one room. My sister is booked in with my Aunt and Uncle right now because two of our kids are booked in with my parents - but my sister will really be staying in my parents room on the cot.

So, the problem is I am now seeing on this thread there is no room for a cot in the new Royal Rooms because of the queen beds. Has anyone tried to get one yet and been denied? I spoke to my TA yesterday and she called the resort and they still tell her I can get a cot (but we all know how reliable the info from some of the Cast Members are ). If we arrive on Saturday and do not have a spot for my sister to sleep but the floor, that will be a problem.

I have always booked my own vacations when we went to DLR but this time used a TA since I did not know much about WDW, I think it was a mistake. We have not received our documents yet (so no ME tags), it is just a mess. Next time I do it myself again, way less hassle.

 

[scrdofbugs]

It is indeed smaller than the poly day bed.

Thanks!!

 

[scrdofbugs]

Can you point me to the pic you saw? I haven't seen one of the murphy beds with anyone on them yet. I did hear that they are 5ft in length.

I think the beds at Poly/Contemp are more twin daybed size.

Here's the link to the review that shows the picture with the child in it.
http://www.portorleans.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=682

 

[disney*mom*82]

Hello from POR. We arrived here Saturday around 11am, it was the worst check in we had here ever, but we finally got into our room and it is a refurbished, lower level AB room and a corner room close to the parking lot. So, I was happy with that. We love the refurb, think they look great!

A few things:

1. The AC/heat unit now has a wooden box over it and it does block the air. It took our room about 24 hrs to get to the temp we wanted, but it has stayed there since. The maintence men came down and said that is the problem and offered to take off the box if it didnt get better soon. But, it looks cute and we waited.

2. The murhpy bed is so much bigger than I expected. I was scared my DD12 would be too big. She is just under 5 foot and around 115lbs. She has plenty of room and says it is comfortable enough, a little hard, but not too bad. And again, it is so cute!

3. As far as the storage areas... the 3 drawers under the murphy bed hold quite a bit. I let each of the kids have a drawer and whatever didnt fit I hung up. (called and asked for extra hangers too). There is also a shelf unit next to the fridge that DH and I used and again what we didnt fit on there we hung.

4. There is room between the bed and wall closest to the bathroom that fits our suitcases in between. Makes the person on the side next to the wall not able to get off the side of bed, but also keeps the suitcases out of the way.

5. I just checked the channels here and yes, we do have the channels added that Andre mentioned. Im watching the Bio channel now.

6. There is some painting going on on the outside of many AB buildings this week, no color changes of course, but just an update. Lots of work around the resort, but nothing that seems to get in your way or wakes you or anything.

7. The weather has been BEAUTIFUL except Sunday. Sunday was our MK day and it rained ALL DAY. But, it did also keep MK less crowded and we were able to ride everything we wanted, barely needing to use the GAC since wait times were low. It has been so nice, a good breeze keeps you cooled down, yet the sun is shinning!

8. Have had several problems with CMs and the GAC we have for our DD with heart problems and who is on a monitor. I wont go into details, but this has beent he worst with it all. Nothing to make me not want to come to WDW, but I have been a little soured this trip.

Anything else you want to know...ask away. Ill check back on here later today or tonight.

 

[crazyboutdisny]

Hello from POR. We arrived here Saturday around 11am, it was the worst check in we had here ever, but we finally got into our room and it is a refurbished, lower level AB room and a corner room close to the parking lot. So, I was happy with that. We love the refurb, think they look great!

A few things:

1. The AC/heat unit now has a wooden box over it and it does block the air. It took our room about 24 hrs to get to the temp we wanted, but it has stayed there since. The maintence men came down and said that is the problem and offered to take off the box if it didnt get better soon. But, it looks cute and we waited.

2. The murhpy bed is so much bigger than I expected. I was scared my DD12 would be too big. She is just under 5 foot and around 115lbs. She has plenty of room and says it is comfortable enough, a little hard, but not too bad. And again, it is so cute!

3. As far as the storage areas... the 3 drawers under the murphy bed hold quite a bit. I let each of the kids have a drawer and whatever didnt fit I hung up. (called and asked for extra hangers too). There is also a shelf unit next to the fridge that DH and I used and again what we didnt fit on there we hung.

4. There is room between the bed and wall closest to the bathroom that fits our suitcases in between. Makes the person on the side next to the wall not able to get off the side of bed, but also keeps the suitcases out of the way.

5. I just checked the channels here and yes, we do have the channels added that Andre mentioned. Im watching the Bio channel now.

6. There is some painting going on on the outside of many AB buildings this week, no color changes of course, but just an update. Lots of work around the resort, but nothing that seems to get in your way or wakes you or anything.

7. The weather has been BEAUTIFUL except Sunday. Sunday was our MK day and it rained ALL DAY. But, it did also keep MK less crowded and we were able to ride everything we wanted, barely needing to use the GAC since wait times were low. It has been so nice, a good breeze keeps you cooled down, yet the sun is shinning!

8. Have had several problems with CMs and the GAC we have for our DD with heart problems and who is on a monitor. I wont go into details, but this has beent he worst with it all. Nothing to make me not want to come to WDW, but I have been a little soured this trip.

Anything else you want to know...ask away. Ill check back on here later today or tonight.

I am curious about why your check in was terrible?? My friend just mentioned to me that we could do online checkin but I dont think we will. Still hoping for queen beds and I dont want to mess with anything, plus we will be arriving after midnight so I dont think there will be a big rush at the checkin desk

 

[BDL]

Here's the link to the review that shows the picture with the child in it.
http://www.portorleans.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=682

Can't tell from the picture. Myabe it's just my old eyes. The Louis mural in the murphy bed... Is that just paint or are the fireflies fiber-optics like in the RGR?

 

[disney*mom*82]

I am curious about why your check in was terrible?? My friend just mentioned to me that we could do online checkin but I dont think we will. Still hoping for queen beds and I dont want to mess with anything, plus we will be arriving after midnight so I dont think there will be a big rush at the checkin desk

We called before arriving, we knew we were early, we called the POR number, asked for room assignments persons and asked if our room would be ready early, we were told yes, so we kept driving and got there around 11-11:15. I did not do online check-in and the regular check in line moved much fater than online. We check in and were told our room wasnt quite ready, bout would be in a few minutes, she took our cell number and said she would text us our room number. We go get our mugs and get a drink, then lunch, then shop, over an hour later and no text, we go back up and check...was told any minute. We explained our needing our room (DD4 has heart monitor and had to rest due to heart condition and her heart monitor recordings were full and we needed to use phones and such to download, etc, DS14 suffers from migranes and now has had one for over an hour, needs to lay down and rest.) Again we wait 30 min, an hour, plus. DH asks again, now he is told it may 4-5pm I look at our reservations, it does say check-in is at 3, not 4 or 5? So again, we wait, we are now in the area there by the gift show where there is comfortable chairs, DS14 is having to lay on the couch for a rest, Im still not able to properly care for DD4 and her heart monitor, etc. 3pm rolls around, I go up there, was told its not ready, I explained we have been waiting since 11am, how much longer??? She says she will call the building housekeeping manager, comes back and says within 30 min. 10 min FINALLY we get the text our room is ready. Im wondering if our room wasnt ready before that? IDK, it was HORRIBLE, we did get our room just after 3pm, but we did ask ahead if it would be done early, we also were told at 11-11:15 it would be ready before 12. It sucked.

 

[blueeyesrnc]

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

Great report and pics. Thanks so much.

 

[THERESA522]

We called before arriving, we knew we were early, we called the POR number, asked for room assignments persons and asked if our room would be ready early, we were told yes, so we kept driving and got there around 11-11:15. I did not do online check-in and the regular check in line moved much fater than online. We check in and were told our room wasnt quite ready, bout would be in a few minutes, she took our cell number and said she would text us our room number. We go get our mugs and get a drink, then lunch, then shop, over an hour later and no text, we go back up and check...was told any minute. We explained our needing our room (DD4 has heart monitor and had to rest due to heart condition and her heart monitor recordings were full and we needed to use phones and such to download, etc, DS14 suffers from migranes and now has had one for over an hour, needs to lay down and rest.) Again we wait 30 min, an hour, plus. DH asks again, now he is told it may 4-5pm I look at our reservations, it does say check-in is at 3, not 4 or 5? So again, we wait, we are now in the area there by the gift show where there is comfortable chairs, DS14 is having to lay on the couch for a rest, Im still not able to properly care for DD4 and her heart monitor, etc. 3pm rolls around, I go up there, was told its not ready, I explained we have been waiting since 11am, how much longer??? She says she will call the building housekeeping manager, comes back and says within 30 min. 10 min FINALLY we get the text our room is ready. Im wondering if our room wasnt ready before that? IDK, it was HORRIBLE, we did get our room just after 3pm, but we did ask ahead if it would be done early, we also were told at 11-11:15 it would be ready before 12. It sucked.

So sorry you had such a bad check-in experience. It is so frustrating when they tell you to expect something and then they don't come through. You did everything right (calling b4 getting there, asking multiple times, etc), so I don't blame you for being upset. I hope the rest of your vacay is filled with pixie dust!

 

[MickeyEars]

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

I was also wondering the same thing. Nothing I have has the RGR on it.

Thanks!
Carla

 

[andrewilley]

I spoke to my TA yesterday and she called the resort and they still tell her I can get a cot (but we all know how reliable the info from some of the Cast Members are ).

Officially, the ability to add an extra roll-away bed at POR finished as from Sunday 11 March (when Parterre Place went down for its refurb, and so there are no more double-bedded rooms left in Magnolia Bend any more).

However I guess they may not have physically got rid of all of them yet, so you may get lucky if you contact the resort (NOT just the call-center people who will first answer your phone call) and ask them directly. As a backup plan, what about an air matress if they say no?

Andre

 

[andrewilley]

Can't tell from the picture. Myabe it's just my old eyes. The Louis mural in the murphy bed... Is that just paint or are the fireflies fiber-optics like in the RGR?

Just a picture, no special lighting effects. Would have been cute though, but I guess you've got to get SOMETHING for your extra $30 a night in a RGR.

Andre

 

[andrewilley]

but we did ask ahead if it would be done early, we also were told at 11-11:15 it would be ready before 12. It sucked.

Given that you were asking for a specific medical reason, and had already contacted them in advance to check (you did speak to one of the actual resort cast members didn't you, not just the remote call-center operators who first answer the phone?) then that really surprises me. And the 'Ready Room' system is meant to help prevent those sort of long delays from happening anyway.

The only thing I can think of would be that the room allocators had specifically blocked a room for you after your call (one that should have been ready nice and early, but for some reason it wasn't) and yet no-one took the initiative to relocate you. It can't have seemed a very 'Disney' welcome for you and your family.

Andre

 

[book_junkie]

I was also wondering the same thing. Nothing I have has the RGR on it.

Thanks!
Carla

Heya-
On our reservation, I have the email confirmation, and then when I click through to the actual confirmation, it says it right on there after the listing for the people on the trip:

Arrival Hotel Guests
10/14/2012 Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside 1,2
Royal Guest Room - River View

Maybe it's because we're room only? Although last year it had our room designation on there as well and we had a package...

 

[disney*mom*82]

Given that you were asking for a specific medical reason, and had already contacted them in advance to check (you did speak to one of the actual resort cast members didn't you, not just the remote call-center operators who first answer the phone?) then that really surprises me. And the 'Ready Room' system is meant to help prevent those sort of long delays from happening anyway.

The only thing I can think of would be that the room allocators had specifically blocked a room for you after your call (one that should have been ready nice and early, but for some reason it wasn't) and yet no-one took the initiative to relocate you. It can't have seemed a very 'Disney' welcome for you and your family.

Andre

Yes, I did talk to POR room assignments area. We told this to the people everytime we checked to see if our room was ready. It wasnt a HUGE problem, but it was upsetting, as we could of went to our friends house or DHs parents resort. But, we kept getting told it would be a little bit, etc (except for the guy who said 4-5pm) and by then we were already upset and decided to just park out in the lobby area.

Other than the check-in we have loved the resort, as always, our room is everything we were hopping for and mousekeeping is doing a good job.

DH did ask someone later that evening about the long delay, didnt get much of a response about our delay, but was told that the previous day was when RGR opened and it was a mad house, people trying to check in at 8-9am when the rooms werent going to be ready until 4pm that day and people mad, etc. We just happened to be arriving the same time as those rooms opening and also the resort was at capacity the day we checked in. Oh well.

 

[modegard]

Officially, the ability to add an extra roll-away bed at POR finished as from Sunday 11 March (when Parterre Place went down for its refurb, and so there are no more double-bedded rooms left in Magnolia Bend any more).

However I guess they may not have physically got rid of all of them yet, so you may get lucky if you contact the resort (NOT just the call-center people who will first answer your phone call) and ask them directly. As a backup plan, what about an air matress if they say no?

Andre

Thanks Andre! I hate to have to haul an air mattress, but we may have to. Too bad travel agents who call themselves 'Disney specialists' are less informed than we are. She promised me over and over a roll away would not be a problem. Oh well!

 

[MickeyEars]

Heya-
On our reservation, I have the email confirmation, and then when I click through to the actual confirmation, it says it right on there after the listing for the people on the trip:

Arrival Hotel Guests
10/14/2012 Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside 1,2
Royal Guest Room - River View

Maybe it's because we're room only? Although last year it had our room designation on there as well and we had a package...

Thanks for the info!!! I went online and checked our reservation and the RGR info is there now. I think it was because of the glitch they were having with the Moderates the past few days. Whatever it was I'm glad it's showing up correctly now!!!

Thanks again!
Carla

 

[goddesserika18]

hi disneymom was wondering how is the bus service there? crowded on time? im a lil worried about that with my stay, thanks

 

[Disney before Sally]

Disney mom, can you post pictures? Of the mug, coffee machine, refurb room?