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

[scottmel]

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

OHHHH now I get it. FINAllY!!! THank you. I was considering preferred as riverview - now I completely get it.thank you!

 

[maxiesmom]

Does anyone have any pictures of the changing rooms/shower area by the pools? I was giving some thought to using that area as a back up area to get ready in the mornings.

 

[Midnight Tboy]

thanks all again - now I'm laundrette initiated Virtually.

Will get some pop up baskets, and probably just use the suitcases, or carrier bags on the stroller etc.

Will stick with buying the powder in the laundry room - thanks for letting me know its cheaper than buying it in the store....and I'm not that tight to insist on carting my own box all the way from US.....I'm sure the powders will be fine for skin etc

 

[andrewilley]

Does anyone have any pictures of the changing rooms/shower area by the pools? I was giving some thought to using that area as a back up area to get ready in the mornings.

Here you go, only at the feature pool on Ol Man Island though:

There are lockers too, great idea for a lazy swim after you've checked out from the resort but before your flight.

Andre

 

[Backstage_Gal]

Andre, is there anything you DON'T have pictures of, LOL?

 

[TwiddleDeeTwiddleDum]

If you make laundry time your "happy hour" you probably would be amused at yourself if this did happen on your way to the laundramat.

We do pool & adult beverage happy hour when we take an afternoon break to do laundry at WDW. Tends to make the task at hand a little more fun

 

[twokids0204]

What building would you suggest I request to get as close to the front of the resort as possible, with Queen beds.

We are arriving Aug 18, and have booked Standard Rooms.

 

[3sweetpeas]

What building would you suggest I request to get as close to the front of the resort as possible, with Queen beds.

We are arriving Aug 18, and have booked Standard Rooms.

It depends on which section you would like to be in. The Mansion section is more southern plantation and the Alligator Bayou is more rustic and woodsy. If you are in the mansion section, I think Magnolia would be a good building to request. There are only 2 mansion buildings now that are not Royal Rooms. Magnolia is right next to the bridge to the pool and then on to the main buildings. Acadian is right next door and not that much further.

In AB, I like building 16. The four buildings closest to the main buildings are in the preferred category and you would need to pay for that. Building 16 is directly behind the preferred buildings and I thought it was a great location. Close to the buses and the main buildings

If you have booked standard, you will most likely get a parking lot view. If this is not to your liking you might want to upgrade to a garden view which is the next least expensive category and I think gives you more options maybe.

Happy planning!

 

[nfggirl5454]

Hey! So if I book a water view room, do I have any chance of it being a view of the river? And do you think if I request Magnolia, I'll get that or am I much more likely to wind up with Alligator Bayou? If I'm going to have the rustic room, I'd rather do the preferred room instead of the water view. If it helps at all, the dates are July 12-17. Thanks!

 

[closetmickey]

We are staying in a royal room next month. I was wondering if turndown service is ever available in the evenings. We just feel so spoiled by that.. Thanks!

 

[andrewilley]

Hey! So if I book a water view room, do I have any chance of it being a view of the river? And do you think if I request Magnolia, I'll get that or am I much more likely to wind up with Alligator Bayou?

Water views are normally of swimming pools, but they'll sometimes upgrade people to river view if capacity allows. If you request Magnolia Bend, there's a pretty good chance you should get what you want - although Water View is a fairly small category, so that might limit their options a bit.

We are staying in a royal room next month. I was wondering if turndown service is ever available in the evenings. We just feel so spoiled by that.. Thanks!

Nope, you need to pay Deluxe money for that. I never really get the point of it myself as I seem perfectly able to get into my own bed as a rule - well, apart from the free chocolate on the pillow anyway.

Andre

 

[andrewilley]

For anyone who wants to know, Alligator Bayou buildings 17 and 24 are now complete and should be re-opened, and buildings 15 and 28 are now undergoing refurbishment. See http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php for updates.


Oh, and I've just done a big update to the info on my site about room booking categories, location preferences, making requests, etc. to reflect all the various changes that have happened of late. The amount of questions on the subject warranted a page of its own rather than just a few entries in the FAQ section. I've not linked to it from the menu yet, but if anyone here would care to take a look and let me know what you think, and if I've missed anything obvious, it's at: http://www.portorleans.org/room-requests.php. Thanks!

Andre

 

[scrdofbugs]

These question is for Andre or anyone else who can help me. My family and I love the feeling of the swampy room views in Alligator Bayou so we reserved a preferred location for our Oct Trip. We are so excited about this resort.

Looking through the pics from the great website: http://www.portorleans.org/gallery-POR-AB.php

What buiding in in Image 24??

Is building in 24 near this bridge in image 25?

In image 47, the building in the back in the trees??

What building is in image 79??

Thanks in advance for helping me!!!

 

[twokids0204]

It depends on which section you would like to be in. The Mansion section is more southern plantation and the Alligator Bayou is more rustic and woodsy. If you are in the mansion section, I think Magnolia would be a good building to request. There are only 2 mansion buildings now that are not Royal Rooms. Magnolia is right next to the bridge to the pool and then on to the main buildings. Acadian is right next door and not that much further.

In AB, I like building 16. The four buildings closest to the main buildings are in the preferred category and you would need to pay for that. Building 16 is directly behind the preferred buildings and I thought it was a great location. Close to the buses and the main buildings

If you have booked standard, you will most likely get a parking lot view. If this is not to your liking you might want to upgrade to a garden view which is the next least expensive category and I think gives you more options maybe.

Happy planning!

Thanks... alot of good info.

 

[twokids0204]

The amount of questions on the subject warranted a page of its own rather than just a few entries in the FAQ section. I've not linked to it from the menu yet, but if anyone here would care to take a look and let me know what you think, and if I've missed anything obvious, it's at: http://www.portorleans.org/room-requests.php. Thanks!

Andre

Awesome Andre... thanks.

 

[andrewilley]

What buiding in in Image 24??
Is building in 24 near this bridge in image 25?

They were taken six years ago, but from memory... looks like building #14, probably taken from the bridge which you mentioned seeing in image 25 (which is located between buildings #14 and #15, on the pathway from the parking lot to the quiet pool).

In image 47, the building in the back in the trees??
What building is in image 79??

I think image 47 was taken from building #14 too, so I think the one in the background would be building #18.

The building in image 79 is one of the high thirties - somewhere around #36 to #38.

.... but WHY?!

Andre

 

[scottishgirl87]

For anyone who wants to know, Alligator Bayou buildings 17 and 24 are now complete and should be re-opened, and buildings 15 and 28 are now undergoing refurbishment. See http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php for updates.


Oh, and I've just done a big update to the info on my site about room booking categories, location preferences, making requests, etc. to reflect all the various changes that have happened of late. The amount of questions on the subject warranted a page of its own rather than just a few entries in the FAQ section. I've not linked to it from the menu yet, but if anyone here would care to take a look and let me know what you think, and if I've missed anything obvious, it's at: http://www.portorleans.org/room-requests.php. Thanks!

Andre

Thanks for that, Andre. I was about to ask a question relating to this kind of thing but your new page has answered all my questions!

We're hoping to stay at POR next September/October and will be requesting Magnolia Bend nearer the time. As a party of 2 adults fingers crossed we get it as I really prefer the look of the mansions to Alligator Bayou

 

[Midnight Tboy]

me again - no laundry questions this time

Just looking at doing the online checkin thing now....and was thinking about whether to request or take pot luck........so did a little digging and found sites like this

gotfreefax.com

can send up to 3 faxs per day, with no adverts added....handy for people like me that have no access to a fax machine anyway

Now to just decide what area I want to be in!!

I originally hated the decor in the AB rooms, but the refurbed rooms do look very nice, probably nicer than the Magnolia ones IMO.

hope its ok to link sites like that ^

edit: had to remove the www from link as I'm not a high poster on here

 

[scrdofbugs]

They were taken six years ago, but from memory... looks like building #14, probably taken from the bridge which you mentioned seeing in image 25 (which is located between buildings #14 and #15, on the pathway from the parking lot to the quiet pool).



I think image 47 was taken from building #14 too, so I think the one in the background would be building #18.

The building in image 79 is one of the high thirties - somewhere around #36 to #38.

.... but WHY?!

Andre

Thank you so much!! We were thinking of requesting a certain building out of the preferred ones. Sorry for all the bombard of questions. We really like the one by the swampy pond and bridge so if I understand correctly, it should be 14 right?

 

[Stan Solo]

Andre, is there anything you DON'T have pictures of, LOL?

I believe that a few rabbits, a squirrel or two and a bunch of birds were born since Andre's last visit, but he will get photos of them in August.

While your at it Andre you should try and get that shy lizzard you missed on your last visit.