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

[andrewilley]

Well if anyone was sleeping in an old Alligator Bayou double-bedded room last night, you would have been among the last few. The final two AB buildings (26 and 35) today go down for refurbishment, so the last of the old rooms (and those old double beds & trundles) will have gone away forever.

So currently, buildings 25, 26, 34 and 35 are down for refurbishment. Two of them (25 and 34) are due back within a week, and the final one (26) should be completed in about four weeks. It really doesn't seem like nearly two years since this all started at POFQ does it?


Meanwhile, in the Riverside lobby, work is drawing to a close on the refit there too. The construction walls are due to come down tonight, and front desk/check-in services should be operating from their new desks on Monday morning. Just for tomorrow only, concierge services will remain at their temporary River Roost location, and these will be moved over during Monday night and on Tuesday morning everything should be complete (barring a few very minor finishing touches apparently). Can't wait to see what it looks like!

Andre

 

[Selket]

I went back and read the first post - and it says there are "cup style" basket coffee makers in the rooms at POR. I swear I read that they had a different sort of coffee machine in there now - like pods or k-cups.

Did I dream that?

We'll be in one of the Royal rooms.

 

[Gorechick]

The new coffee makers are pod style not k-cup.

 

[phoebec]

We reserved a preferred room in late November. Is it possible to get a riverview room when you have a preferred location? I know you can reserve riverview but then you are not guaranteed preferred. Would it just be a request? What are the chances of getting it?

Thanks for any help. Can't wait to get back to POR

 

[Stan Solo]

We reserved a preferred room in late November. Is it possible to get a riverview room when you have a preferred location? I know you can reserve riverview but then you are not guaranteed preferred. Would it just be a request? What are the chances of getting it?

Thanks for any help. Can't wait to get back to POR

Yes, you would be correct. You would have to book a preferred room then request a river-view. If your request is made you would be in any preferred building except for building 15.

 

[cjsm&d]

Well if anyone was sleeping in an old Alligator Bayou double-bedded room last night, you would have been among the last few. The final two AB buildings (26 and 35) today go down for refurbishment, so the last of the old rooms (and those old double beds & trundles) will have gone away forever.

So currently, buildings 25, 26, 34 and 35 are down for refurbishment. Two of them (25 and 34) are due back within a week, and the final one (26) should be completed in about four weeks. It really doesn't seem like nearly two years since this all started at POFQ does it?


Meanwhile, in the Riverside lobby, work is drawing to a close on the refit there too. The construction walls are due to come down tonight, and front desk/check-in services should be operating from their new desks on Monday morning. Just for tomorrow only, concierge services will remain at their temporary River Roost location, and these will be moved over during Monday night and on Tuesday morning everything should be complete (barring a few very minor finishing touches apparently). Can't wait to see what it looks like!

Andre

Sorry if this has been answered before. We are planning a trip next spring and picked POR because my sister in-law has 3 kids. We were hoping for a trundle for one of the little ones. Are they eliminating them?

If not, my mother in-law will have a permanent guest in her room for the length of the stay, which would not necessarily thrill her. She was planning on letting each grandchild have a night with her, with the other 3 nights alone.

Also, if there is no trundle, I'd prefer the mansions to AB. I've done both and prefer them.

 

[Gorechick]

The trundle has been replaced by a Murphy bed. Check the FAQ at the beginning of the thread, I think there are photos.

 

[Selket]

Anyone know if the new coffee pods are any good - or better than the coffee that used to be in the rooms?

 

[Phatoomch]

LOL, not exactly everything. For example I still don't know exactly where the old butterfly garden was located. That bugs me (no pun intended ).

Andre

There is something you don't know?!?! I am shocked ... truly

Ok, I shall help you with that mission .... we will find out where it was located and THEN you will know everything

Maybe no pun was intended with 'that bugs me' but still very funny

 

[Phatoomch]

Andre - I found a reference saying there was one behind Acadian house ... then I found this pic, saying "This butterfly garden was planted at the base of the bridge which leads to the mill:"

Butterfly Garden

Now do you know everything?

 

[crazy4wdw]

Meanwhile, in the Riverside lobby, work is drawing to a close on the refit there too. The construction walls are due to come down tonight, and front desk/check-in services should be operating from their new desks on Monday morning. Just for tomorrow only, concierge services will remain at their temporary River Roost location, and these will be moved over during Monday night and on Tuesday morning everything should be complete (barring a few very minor finishing touches apparently). Can't wait to see what it looks like!

Andre

I can't wait either! Hope there are some pics posted soon!

 

[andrewilley]

We reserved a preferred room in late November. Is it possible to get a riverview room when you have a preferred location? I know you can reserve riverview but then you are not guaranteed preferred. Would it just be a request? What are the chances of getting it?

The Preferred Location category gets you a standard or garden view room in Alligator Bayou 14, 15, 18 or 27. The River View rooms in buildings 14 and 27 are actually classed under River View rather than Preferred.

So you could book River View and then request a room in 14 or 27 and legitimately get that request, but if you booked Preferred Location and asked for a view over the river then technically you'd be getting an upgrade. Not saying you might not get it, but that's the 'official' way the categories work.

Andre - I found a reference saying there was one behind Acadian house ... then I found this pic, saying "This butterfly garden was planted at the base of the bridge which leads to the mill:"

Butterfly Garden

Now do you know everything?

Darn, I still don't know anything --- darned DIS-filters. That must have been a really, really naughty site you quoted - I'm sure they wouldn't have simply blocked the competition's website or anything like that... If you could maybe hint at just the name of the site in question, and I'll rebuild the full link for myself.

Andre

 

[Phatoomch]

Darn, I still don't know anything --- darned DIS-filters. That must have been a really, really naughty site you quoted - I'm sure they wouldn't have simply blocked the competition's website or anything like that... If you could maybe hint at just the name of the site in question, and I'll rebuild the full link for myself.

Andre

seriously! ok, the naughty place is fort fiends (take the space out) and then you have the rest.

Thing is, this picture doesn't seem to be behind Acadian House ..... so still a kind of mystery!

 

[Phatoomch]

Ooooh, how about this?

http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/staying-style-resorts-hotels-walt-disney-world/129046-riversides-butterfly-garden.html

Apparently not a specific garden, just a collection of flowers that attracts butterflies which became known as the butterfly garden?

Mystery solved? *raises one eyebrow*

 

[hollygolitely93]

we are going late November. Woo hoo! I have three rooms for my party of 10...and have two questions.

Where to park a double stroller? For one of the Royal Rooms (we requested Magnolia) the parents will have a double stroller. Last year at GF they told us to park in the hallway and they guaranteed it (would buy you a new one if stolen.) Is the same policy true for PO?

Where to park a scooter? One of the non-Royal Rooms (we requested new Magnolia, like Oak) has my mom in it who will have a scooter. Where would she park this? She has enough mobility that she is not in a handi-accessible room and can walk short distances.

Thank you and sorry if answered before. I saw similar questions but did not find the answers.

Just bumping my question...as I know the news of the lobby trumped it If anyone can answer that would be great! Thanks!

 

[hunmcbunny]

Just bumping my question...as I know the news of the lobby trumped it If anyone can answer that would be great! Thanks!

There are no hallways in Port Orleans only the deluxe resorts have hallways...you should be able to fold up the stroller and bring it in the room with no problem...same thing with the scooter.

 

[crazy4wdw]

The Preferred Location category gets you a standard or garden view room in Alligator Bayou 14, 15, 18 or 27. The River View rooms in buildings 14 and 27 are actually classed under River View rather than Preferred.

I'm glad I saw this info. I have a preferred veiw/location reserved for my upcoming October trip. Wonder if I need to request a garden view room? I would prefer not having a parking lot view.

It looks like there are pool view rooms from building 18. Would these be considered water view or preferred?

 

[momofmikey]

Hello POR experts! Thanks for such a great thread. I have a question. We have a standard view room as part of a bounceback offer for this coming August. I wanted to add an extra night to the package, and my options are only:

1) pay $426 more (including an extra night of free dining) to be in preferred - standard view as a package is no longer available

2) pay $161 for room only - standard view

We stayed in building 39 last year, and although it was a bit of a walk, it didn't bother us at all. However, once I add the cost of paying OOP for a sit down and a counter service, the price difference is less than $100. So, I'm now wondering if for a different experience, we should do preferred. According to the map, it looks like only one building would give us a parking lot view, so in one way, doing preferred may give us better odds of having a "nicer view".

I'm assuming all the preferred rooms are renovated as well by now, or will be by the time we get there (August 24)? We had been contemplating trying the Wilderness Cabins b/c it's our 15 year anniversary, and we were going to splurge, but then decided we didn't want to take the chance of not liking it, and we really love POR. So, now I'm thinking, if we do a preferred section, it will be a different experience, different quiet pool, etc.

Any thoughts from the experts? Thanks so much!

 

[Selket]

Just bumping my question...as I know the news of the lobby trumped it If anyone can answer that would be great! Thanks!

It seems there is a good amount of space near the window in the rooms with 2 beds. Some rooms (all rooms? I have no idea) have a connecting door so they leave that spot clear. We used to park our stroller there - of course it wasn't double.

You could ask on the disAbilities board - especially about the scooter.

 

[BDL]

Hello POR experts! Thanks for such a great thread. I have a question. We have a standard view room as part of a bounceback offer for this coming August. I wanted to add an extra night to the package, and my options are only:

1) pay $426 more (including an extra night of free dining) to be in preferred - standard view as a package is no longer available

2) pay $161 for room only - standard view

We stayed in building 39 last year, and although it was a bit of a walk, it didn't bother us at all. However, once I add the cost of paying OOP for a sit down and a counter service, the price difference is less than $100. So, I'm now wondering if for a different experience, we should do preferred. According to the map, it looks like only one building would give us a parking lot view, so in one way, doing preferred may give us better odds of having a "nicer view".

I'm assuming all the preferred rooms are renovated as well by now, or will be by the time we get there (August 24)? We had been contemplating trying the Wilderness Cabins b/c it's our 15 year anniversary, and we were going to splurge, but then decided we didn't want to take the chance of not liking it, and we really love POR. So, now I'm thinking, if we do a preferred section, it will be a different experience, different quiet pool, etc.

Any thoughts from the experts? Thanks so much!

I have never minded being far from the main building. I enjoy the serene walk to the main bus depot. I LOVE taking in the scenery. And, at the end of the day, the walk back is peaceful and calming (or is that the drink or 2 at the River Roost? ). But if my feet or knees are hurting (10 yrs of football, 4 yrs of rugby, 12 yrs of laboring), I just ride the bus to the depot nearest to my room.

That's my 2 cents.