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

[mistydoodles]

We were in Orlando for 2 weeks so we had a lot of stuff with us and honestly, I was worried about fitting. I was so surprised at how well it went. Our home is a pretty good size and everyone has their own space plus some so I fully expected a lot of complaining and aggravation and it just didn't happen. (in the past we have gotten 2 rooms but I can't justify that anymore). The room is well organized. Have a great time!!

Thank you. I am feeling better about staying there. Thanks!

 

[andrewilley]

Is POFQ always the first bus pick up for the Port Orleans resorts or are there ever buses going just to POR? ALso, do the POR buses always stop first at the main building & then loop around the resort to the other stops? TIA

It seems there are no hard and fast rules, only guidelines... Things change at different times of the day and (I assume) based on demand and where the computer tracking system decides needs to be serviced first. The drivers apparently just go where the system tells them.

If a bus does share, it will most often go to POFQ first, then the South depot at POR and then the outer three at POR stops. But that can vary. e.g. before 10.30am, the buses from South Depot normally head straight to the destination. The Magic Kingdom buses fairly rarely service both resorts.

Coming back from the parks (especially at busy times) there are usually buses directly to each resort - but again, it can change.

Andre

 

[mommycal]

Do the royal rooms not hold 5 people? 2 adults and 3 kids, age 8 and younger. We paid for a preffered room but wonder what/if this can be changed. If it can hold the 5 of us, looking for the closest royal room to the nearest stop and all the action/food court, AKA the least amount of walking, LOL. TIA

 

[Venomhatch]

Do the royal rooms not hold 5 people? 2 adults and 3 kids, age 8 and younger. We paid for a preffered room but wonder what/if this can be changed. If it can hold the 5 of us, looking for the closest royal room to the nearest stop and all the action/food court, AKA the least amount of walking, LOL. TIA

How old is the youngest? Under 3? If they are under 3 then the reservations system should let you move to a royal room. As to closest room to FC, well all royal rooms are in the Parterre and Oak Buildings so if you want the closest to FC then get a royal river view room. There may be a small upcharge for river view. Make sure you add that you'd want the closest to the FC in the royal rooms into the request. When you change the res you'll get the royal room and river view if you want that, but the part where you request "closest to FC" they cant promise that too much. But the sooner you check in that date you can re-ask them upon check in to see what they have available to be the closest to FC and they will look for you.

 

[mommycal]

How old is the youngest? Under 3? If they are under 3 then the reservations system should let you move to a royal room. As to closest room to FC, well all royal rooms are in the Parterre and Oak Buildings so if you want the closest to FC then get a royal river view room. There may be a small upcharge for river view.

thanks for the reply. The youngest will be 5. darn it. I want a royal room for our family, LOL

 

[Venomhatch]

thanks for the reply. The youngest will be 5. darn it. I want a royal room for our family, LOL

I am so sorry, the reservation system wont let us do that. My apologies. The only way to do that then would be to get two rooms. But between you and me they should give you the option if the kids could share the bed or not. But Disney's Res system wont let us, my apologies again.

 

[Bingham2]

Just got home tonight, from my first stay at Riverside, and I LOVED IT. It is the most relaxing place you feel totally emerssed (sp?) in the themeing. I stayed in Acadian house, and the walk to the main building and pool was no more than 5 min. if even that and this was at a very leisurely pace. Buses were very good, I only had to stand once and my stop was the north depot. I'm a POR lover now will be back in December with my daughter.

This makes me so excited!!! With two young kids I wanted something at a more relaxed feel. We are going in september! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Missytara]

Just got home tonight, from my first stay at Riverside, and I LOVED IT. It is the most relaxing place you feel totally emerssed (sp?) in the themeing. I stayed in Acadian house, and the walk to the main building and pool was no more than 5 min. if even that and this was at a very leisurely pace. Buses were very good, I only had to stand once and my stop was the north depot. I'm a POR lover now will be back in December with my daughter.

Many of my trips have been solo. My favorite building used to be Oak Manor; I always got water view and asked to be near the pool.

Two years ago, I was in Parterre Place in a riverview room and loved the location.

Last year, we had standard rooms in Acadian House and I absolutely fell in love with it. We were facing the parking lot, but it was good because we had smokers. We were near the bus stop, so it was great for coming back from the parks, getting right to the room, and then over to the pool. The walk to the food court each morning was breath-taking.

Now that Parterre Place and Oak Manor have royal rooms; and I am traveling with friends this year that cannot afford to go past a standard room, I am requesting Acadian House again. What a wonderful way to start the morning and end the day with such a wonderful walk through the woods and the greenery.

 

[Gorechick]

There's a feature on the Disney parks blog about the lobby remodel- http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/

 

[Mariep26]

thanks for the reply. The youngest will be 5. darn it. I want a royal room for our family, LOL

With 5 (all over 3) you will get the Alligator Bayou bed with the Murphy bed to accommodates the 3rd child. I want a royal room too but I will have to wait for a trip when we don't take my stepson...maybe for my DDs 5th bday!!

 

[JenSinMA]

DBF and I are staying at Port Orleans Riverside for one night only before we move offsite. We thought it would be fun to stay on property for at least one night. I haven't stayed at POR since it was Dixie Landings! Basically, if you were at POR for one night only, what would you defintely want to do? Basically the only thing that we have planned is to take the ferry to DTD in the evening. Last time I was at POR I was a little girl, so I'm not sure what the bar/lounge situation is. Is there one? Is it good? What else would you recommend??

We did the same thing in April when we came in a day before our vacation home rental started. I'll warn you--it'll be hard to leave POR after spending just one night! We checked in around 5, drove around to our room in Bldg 38 and admired our River view (thanks, Upgrade Fairy!!) and then walked across Ol' Man Island to the main bldg and ate in the food court. Then we took one of the river boats to DTD just to walk around for a bit. When we came back, we stopped & stood in the back of the lounge to listen to Yeeha Bob for a few minutes. We were planning to spend more time there, but decided we wanted to get in the pool & spa. Turned out, the pool was chilly and the spa was crowded and kinda annoying with kids jumping around and splashing. Not a relaxing, end-of-the-day experience. ;-) So if I had to do it again, I'd hang out longer in the lounge and take in Yeeha Bob's full show. There is also a pool bar and it was open but empty of guests both times we were there (before dinner and later that night.) That would be a good choice if you wanted a quieter place for a nightcap. Of course, in the summer months, it will probably be busier even late. We all slept great in the very quiet room, and even slept later than we planned. That's the first time I've stayed onsite and not been woken up early by families heading out to the parks. I wish I'd been up a little earlier so I could have walked around the grounds more and seen the mansions and more of the landscaping up close. It was a real joy to be there and we can't wait to go back! Have fun!

 

[andrewilley]

There's a feature on the Disney parks blog about the lobby remodel- http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/

Hmm, is it me or is the Disney Parks Blog layout broken? (looks like CSS issues to me).

Andre

 

[Mariep26]

Hmm, is it me or is the Disney Parks Blog layout broken? (looks like CSS issues to me).

Andre

Looks all wonky on my iPad too.

 

[tyzzle]

Okay, kind of a long question. We are have a ressie for RR garden view. We are requesting Oak. I know I won't get a river view, but is it okay to put in a request for the river "side" of the building so we are not on the side of the building that faces toward the parking lot?

 

[Gorechick]

Okay, kind of a long question. We are have a ressie for RR garden view. We are requesting Oak. I know I won't get a river view, but is it okay to put in a request for the river "side" of the building so we are not on the side of the building that faces toward the parking lot?

Try requesing fountain view. That would put you in a room in the inner courtyard on the river side.

 

[crostorfer]

Does anyone have pics of the pool slide specifically? I've only seen bits of it from odd angles. My daughter is trying to get a gauge on what to expect. The kid is a bit of a dare devil.

 

[Gorechick]

Look on Andre's site under February 2010. There were a couple good pics. http://www.portorleans.org/gallery-POR-Island.php

 

[Hitchhiking Ghost]

Does anyone have pics of the pool slide specifically? I've only seen bits of it from odd angles. My daughter is trying to get a gauge on what to expect. The kid is a bit of a dare devil.[/QUOTE

It's really hard to get an accurate picture. There is a bridge that crosses over the slide near the bottom, and between the bridge and all the foliage that is built up and around it, it's really hard to see much of the slide at one time from one location.

From a dare devil standpoint, using Blizzard Beach's Summit Plummit as a 10 on a 1-10 scale, the POR slide, while fun probably only rates a 3-4 on the dare devil scale. You get going pretty well, couple of nice turns, but it's open air so it doesn't feel too scary. Kids really love it though.

 

[Hitchhiking Ghost]

I am so sorry, the reservation system wont let us do that. My apologies. The only way to do that then would be to get two rooms. But between you and me they should give you the option if the kids could share the bed or not. But Disney's Res system wont let us, my apologies again.

Pretty certain its a fire code issue and not how many people can fit into a bed. We fall into the same boat, DW and myself and 3 dd that on our upcoming trip will be 10-7-5 and two of them easily can sleep in one bed, 3 if its a queen, but because we are 5 we are limited (if we only want one room) to POR-AB, or the value suites or upgrade to a deluxe. Fortunately we love POR so not a big issue for us and neither my DW or myself are that interested in the royal rooms.

 

[Venomhatch]

Pretty certain its a fire code issue and not how many people can fit into a bed. We fall into the same boat, DW and myself and 3 dd that on our upcoming trip will be 10-7-5 and two of them easily can sleep in one bed, 3 if its a queen, but because we are 5 we are limited (if we only want one room) to POR-AB, or the value suites or upgrade to a deluxe. Fortunately we love POR so not a big issue for us and neither my DW or myself are that interested in the royal rooms.

The reservation system had a loop hole at one point, stating because age 3 and under it would allow us to put five in there. Maybe because the kid could still be classified as a baby I don't know. But it is one that has been used a few times. Pretty sure it still lets us do that.

This is just a package I through together with one families ages I have seen on here.