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

[HiHoOffWeGo]

Yah!!!!! 3sweetpeas and bravo! There is no one who has a FAQ like Andre with information and pictures. He answers questions in a timely manor from a totally different time zone across the pond. The English (or Britts if you prefer) have a different way at looking at things as we have a local teacher from England and it took a little learning.
Andre needs no one to look out for his well being but this is my way of thanking him for all he does.
To bad happygal unsubscribed before a few of us showed our displeasure for her rudeness. happygal - ?????

 

[Koz]

Listen, Andre's British, or he at least resides in the UK, and we need to prepare ourselves for the acerbic humor from time to time. Trust me, I work with a bunch of 'em and Andre appears to be a wealth of information so he's good people in my book.

We can't have this thread turn to **** now, not with my travels just a few months off.

Came to find out today, that POR is indeed the overflow property for Pop Warner and not CBR. What I'm wondering is whether, since we're due to arrive on Dec 8th, and Pop Warner ends that date, if disruption should be minimal?

Our previous stays were at WL, CBR and Pop, and I'm very much looking to trying out this property.

 

[scottmel]

Looking at main map.I booked RIVER VIEW Rooms. I don't want AB and see some of these rooms are preferred. Are all river view rooms considered preferred? Or could you get a riverview room in any part of AB (preferred or not). I would like a mansion so I am safe to assume a riverview puts me in the front secion of the mansion overlooking the river. There is no preferred area for mansions correct? thanks!

 

[3sweetpeas]

Looking at main map.I booked RIVER VIEW Rooms. I don't want AB and see some of these rooms are preferred. Are all river view rooms considered preferred? Or could you get a riverview room in any part of AB (preferred or not). I would like a mansion so I am safe to assume a riverview puts me in the front secion of the mansion overlooking the river. There is no preferred area for mansions correct? thanks!

River View rooms are now they're own category. The preferred buildings are all in AB. You can indeed get river view in the mansion section. If you go a few pages back, I think there is are some posts discussing some favored river view rooms in Mansions.

I would add a request to my reservation requesting the mansion section.

 

[mb187143]

Looking at main map.I booked RIVER VIEW Rooms. I don't want AB and see some of these rooms are preferred. Are all river view rooms considered preferred? Or could you get a riverview room in any part of AB (preferred or not). I would like a mansion so I am safe to assume a riverview puts me in the front secion of the mansion overlooking the river. There is no preferred area for mansions correct? thanks!

we had river view rooms in Parterre Place in Sept. 2011. One of the mansions. not all river view are in the AB section.

 

[scottmel]

River View rooms are now they're own category. The preferred buildings are all in AB. You can indeed get river view in the mansion section. If you go a few pages back, I think there is are some posts discussing some favored river view rooms in Mansions.

I would add a request to my reservation requesting the mansion section.

thanks i will be sure to note that on my request. curious though for future info, when you look at the map for ab and it shows clusters of rooms called 'preferred" rooms - is every room in here riverview or could riverview at ab side be in a NON preferred building? Or is preferred implying riverview for all?

 

[HiHoOffWeGo]

On page 46 #690, Andre answers the preferred part of your question.

 

[HappyGal]

Fair enough, we obviously have differing opinions on the netiquette of how long is customary to wait for a response to a question - I guess after more than 30 years of using electronic communications (going back waaaaaaay before the internet ever existed) my ideas might be a little old fashioned in this instantaneous twitterised world. Please feel free to pop back if you ever want any Port Orleans information though.

Andre, I do apologize for my snipiness last night. I had a rough day and took it out on you and I'm sorry. I sincerely appreciate your dedication to this thread and the work it involves.

-Monica

 

[andrewilley]

Listen, Andre's British, or he at least resides in the UK, and we need to prepare ourselves.

LOL. Sorry, but I don't think there's a cure.

Mind you, you should hear what some Brits say about the Americans... [or maybe not...]

Andre

 

[andrewilley]

Andre, I do apologize for my snipiness last night. I had a rough day and took it out on you and I'm sorry. I sincerely appreciate your dedication to this thread and the work it involves.

No hard feelings, it happens to us all - me too (as I said, maybe I overreacted too, it's just different viewpoints on things). Thanks for the kind words about the thread.

Andre

 

[andrewilley]

when you look at the map for ab and it shows clusters of rooms called 'preferred" rooms - is every room in here riverview or could riverview at ab side be in a NON preferred building? Or is preferred implying riverview for all?

River View rooms and Preferred Locations are two completely different and unconnected categories.

Preferred buildings are simply the four Alligator Bayou lodges which are closest to the main facilities area and main bus stop (the buildings shown in blue on the map) and Disney charges a premium for the convenience of that location.

River View rooms are, well, any rooms with views overlooking the river (some are a little set back in the case of the mansion buidlings, but they all give a view of the river).

Where there is an overlap (such as a river-facing room in an otherwise Preferred building) the room is classified as River View.

For more discussion on all the room categories, see the Guest Rooms page on my site: www.portorleans.org/rooms.php.

So if you don't want Alligator Bayou, put in a request for a mansion building (Acadian House or Magnolia Terrace). The 'end of wing' riverfacing rooms in Magnolia Terrace are especially nice, and give very short walks to the main areas.

Andre

 

[rascooby]

The only information I can find is it will be November 30-Dec 8th and they usually stay at All Star resorts with a Moderate as an alternate but no information about that is available so far that I can find personally.

Thanks. That was all I could find too.

I was having a hard time planning around the Parade taping and Pop Warner, so I just booked Nov. 11-18. That solves both problems. I booked a preferred room, but we'll see if I end up changing my mind about that later. Now I just need some kind of discount and I'll be all set!

 

[teentoddlermom]

Hooked on PORS since my trip in Feb 2012. The saga of the Garden View Queens had me asking lots of questions to the folks on this thread back in January. Well, the trip was great! We got a renovated queen room in Acadian house and loved it. My first annual pass is burning a hole in my pocket, so I booked a GP room only rate for PORS for 7 days in August, but when the AP rates came out yesterday, I changed to a RGR Garden View for only about $10 more a night! I also played around with dates and rates with a nice CM and found a great AP rate for AKL and decided to take 5 days at POR, and 2 at AKL. Haven't been to AKL for many years, so thought it would be a nice change. But I am so looking forward to PORS! Our Feb trip was busy, and I didn't get to spend a whole lot of down time at the resort, so I am looking forward to PORS this time, and I want to be able to enjoy the pool, and the overall beauty of the resort this time!
Thanks for a great thread, and a great unofficial website. I've even encouraged a friend to join us for this trip! Another fan in the making!

 

[Stan Solo]

For those of you that are wondering/asking about river view this was our view from Acadian House second floor when we stepped out of our room.

We just loved this location it was just a short walk to the bridge that takes you to the main building.

 

[ohnowewontgo]

Good morning all you happy Dis'ers! I think everyone needs to give everyone else a break! Everyone involved has legitimate points. The new PP who asked the original question had no idea how long he was supposed to wait for an answer. He's new! (WELCOME!). On the other hand, sometimes questions do get lost in the shuffle because the right person with that answer may not be online in that time frame. Andre specifically, uses his personal time to carefully answer any question that the rest of us can't answer and he's very consistent. Andre is very valuable here.

This thread is very kind and helpful and I hate to see it slammed.

Having said that, this is an excellent lesson in that when we say something on the net, people can't see our faces or hear our inflections so it's easy to misinterpret.

Love POR and love this thread! Don't hate me for sounding like a mom.

well said

 

[Fire14]

Just home from Second vist to PORS. WE had 2 Standard royal rooms but I personally think we got garden View. I personally found WIFI fine but when it's 11p or later I probably was on less busy end of use. WE loved our Royal rooms and the queen beds but do agree the A/C will freeze you out, I told BFF tip of putting towel over vents and she said it helped, DH just turned his room's temp up at night I guess.

 

[Midnight Tboy]

hi again,

ok so this is quite a saddo question.....about laundry ,....makes me feel like a student leaving home for the first time

I've never been to a laundrette in my life 2 adults and 2 kids (7 and 4) staying for 21 nights, so either these suitcases are going to weigh enough to stretch my arms til my knuckles scrape the floor, or we'll have to do a mid holiday wash or 2.

I've read then, that there is a laundrette at each of the pools......$2 for wash, $2 for dry, and around $1 for some powder......but....

1) Are they easy enough to use for the uninitiated/idiot like me (well probably the other half )

2) Are you able to pick up some sort of basket to use to kart your clothes to and from there? Wouldn't fancy carrying a family pile of week old smellie undies, bundled in my arms, under my chin, dropping a trail of them as I go along

3) How much stuff can you fit in then? Are they huge heavy duty things, or more just like a regular load of washing back here in the UK (so would probably need a couple on the go if lots to do)

4) How long is the wash cycle on them around abouts?

5) Presume they're fed quarters?

6) Is the powder they supply any good, or worth getting own/alternative/preferred to use, like non-bio and suchlike?

End of stupid question *hangs head in shame*

cheers

 

[Grumpy Grandma]

hi again,

ok so this is quite a saddo question.....about laundry ,....makes me feel like a student leaving home for the first time

I've never been to a laundrette in my life 2 adults and 2 kids (7 and 4) staying for 21 nights, so either these suitcases are going to weigh enough to stretch my arms til my knuckles scrape the floor, or we'll have to do a mid holiday wash or 2.

I've read then, that there is a laundrette at each of the pools......$2 for wash, $2 for dry, and around $1 for some powder......but....

1) Are they easy enough to use for the uninitiated/idiot like me (well probably the other half )

2) Are you able to pick up some sort of basket to use to kart your clothes to and from there? Wouldn't fancy carrying a family pile of week old smellie undies, bundled in my arms, under my chin, dropping a trail of them as I go along

3) How much stuff can you fit in then? Are they huge heavy duty things, or more just like a regular load of washing back here in the UK (so would probably need a couple on the go if lots to do)

4) How long is the wash cycle on them around abouts?

5) Presume they're fed quarters?

6) Is the powder they supply any good, or worth getting own/alternative/preferred to use, like non-bio and suchlike?

End of stupid question *hangs head in shame*

cheers

I'm not going to be much help but I'll try with a couple of suggestions. Transporting dirty clothes .... could you throw them all in one of your suitcases and just wheel it to the laundry, bring a folding laundry hamper or as a last resort use a pillow case? As for the laundry powder .... my last few trips I've been using the Purex laundry sheets .... they look like dryer sheets but have the detergent in them and then you just throw them in the dryer. I just put some in a baggie and bring them with me .... weigh almost nothing and don't take up any room.

 

[tjbjrjaj]

hi again,

ok so this is quite a saddo question.....about laundry ,....makes me feel like a student leaving home for the first time

No shame here...

1 - Washer Ease of use. You just select your cycle type (gentle, regular etc) and the temp of water (hot, warm, cold), put your soap in, insert your 8 quarters into the slots (they stand upright) and push them in hard. The machine will start automatically (I think but there might be a start button). Most of the laundry rooms on property have at least 1 front load washing machine. These load the soap a little differently in a drawer or on the top. I prefer to use this one because I think it gets more water out of the clothes making drying time shorter.

Dryer Ease of Use similar to the washer but they are stacked. In the middle area between the two dryers is the control panel. notice that there are arrows pointing up this one controls the top dryer and down this one controls the bottom dryer. most people are confused by this.

Sometimes the dryers take forever so I split the washer load into 2 dryers. If you are staying for 21 days I am sure you will notice that some dryers dry better than others. Also, make sure that you clean the filter. Some people don't do it when they remove their clothes.

2 - basket - I have 2 collapsible baskets from the dollar store. We sort dirty clothes when we are done with them so that if I have the time I don't have to sort before I can wash. I have seen people using suitcases and the large plastic Disney shopping bags too. I sometimes use a large tote bag. I use my stroller to haul my baskets to and from the room.

3- they are like regular washing machines here in the states. No heavy duty commercial washers/dryers.

4 - The wash cycle is about 30 min. to wash and 30 min. to dry. sometimes I think the dryer goes longer. It is possible to stop a dryer and remove some clothing then restart it again. I usually do this as quickly as possible. I don't know how much "time" they give you but it is possible if you don't take forever.

5 - I have done laundry at probably almost every Disney resort and almost all use quarters. I was surprised to see ones that took a credit card or your room key at the Contemporary in the garden wing. That was really nice.

There is a change machine in the laundry room or you can get quarters at the front desk or the store. I usually have a ziptop bag with extra quarters in case the machine decides to not take one of my dollars.

6 - I have never purchased the powder I usually bring my own either the purex sheets (i cut the fabric softener strip off) or a Pod of some sort. I believe one of the powders that is available is Tide (a name brand one here)

One more question that you didn't ask. When is the best time to wash? or when are the laundry rooms the most crowded? I have found that during the morning or mid day is the least crowded. at night when everyone has left the parks and come back to the resort is the worst time.

There are no stupid questions.

 

[andrewilley]

ok so this is quite a saddo question.....about laundry ,....makes me feel like a student leaving home for the first time

A few additional comments from DW:

From a UK point of view, the machines look rather more industrial rather than the small front-loading domestic washers you'll be used to. Domestic machines wouldn't last very long with this level of use. More like the machines you'd find in a laundrette - or so I've been told... There are instructions provided.

Get your powder from the laundry rather than the resort shop, it's cheaper there. If you or you kids have especially sensitive skin, take your own preferred brand with you; no point in risking an unknown name.

Payment is in quarters. While there is a change machine in each laundry room, it's best to go prepared. Keycard payment was looked into (probably a better option all-round, and from the loss aspect too) but apparently would have been prohibitively expensive to retro-fit.

We take a big mesh bag with us, and dirty clothes go straight in there and so its easy to take for washing later. The same bag can be used to bring the clean items back to your room, and it can be used to separate any dirty clothes when you pack your bag to come home too.

There is an iron and ironing board in your room, if you wish to use it.

Oh, and you might away well make good use of the pool while the washing is going round, it's a very well thought-out arrangement.

There are larger versions of those photos in the Aug 2008 section of http://www.portorleans.org/gallery-POR-AB.php if you want to read the text, etc.

Andre