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

[ratcatshell]

I recently booked POR with the river view category. I requested to be in the AB area. I really don't like the Mansions part of POR (based on internet pictures) and I know that AB is just a request. Looking at the map of POR it appears that most of the river view is the preferred rooms in AB and the mansions. Would I have a better chance of getting AB if I requested a garden view room? It would appear there are more garden view rooms than river view in AB. I didn't want to book preferred because it might be a view of the parking lot and being close really doesn't matter to me. We are a family of 3 adults. Your thoughts? (we are going December 9 - 14)

 

[hunmcbunny]

I don't know them to do that in the season during April. They may still do it the month of March because it is still a second tear pricing, not peak but still more than value. Id say March is a good chance but the peak season before it aka Feb will get it. That time of the year always does.

Thanks ... We booked for April 1-10th but we are gonna wait and see what becomes available as far as FD goes and will adjust our dates if needed.

 

[DisneyMom5]

Just out of curiosity, I looked up the price difference between 2012 and 2013 for the lowest value rates in a standard room at POR.
Weekdays went up $3, weekends went up $5.
[All Stars went up a $1 a weekday, $5 weekend.]

 

[hunmcbunny]

duh OMG I feel like an idiot! Now I know why there's a big price difference...my MIL is going with us lol

 

[momtwoboys]

just booked for april 2013 too! we requested Bld 17 upper floor, as we do NOT want to be in the mansion section. The rooms look creepy ( to us!) there seem to be many rooms in the resort so hoping that we get that request. For now I booked with a AAA discount on the room only, if something better comes along I will call back, but for now I took it! april 13-20th here we come!

 

[Phatoomch]

duh OMG I feel like an idiot! Now I know why there's a big price difference...my MIL is going with us lol

love those moments

 

[andrewilley]

Looking at the map... river view would seem to get me closer to Ol Man Swimming Pool than reserving a preferred room. Do you agree?

Yes, River View would be your best option. And you never know, you might even get allocated a room in buildings 14 or 27 anyway, which are close to the main buildings too.

The pools are all heated to 82 degrees. Even when it's very cold, being IN the water is not really a problem - it's being OUT of the water afterwards, and walking back to your room wet, that gets you! If it's especially cold they will close the slide anyway.

Interesting, when you go out for 2013 bookings now they still say double beds on the regular rooms, anyone know why? I thought with the refurb done they would say queen?

I'm sure it will say that - in time. It took them six months to get the incorrect "queen beds" wording taken out of the Garden View description last year though, so don't expect it to happen soon. Don't worry about it though, there are no double-bedded rooms in either of the Port Orleans resorts any more.

Looking at the map of POR it appears that most of the river view is the preferred rooms in AB and the mansions. Would I have a better chance of getting AB if I requested a garden view room?

Garden View could be mansions or Alligator Bayou, so that won't help you much. If you booked Preferred Location that would guarantee you an Alligator Bayou room though. If you did book River View, you might get rooms in 14, 27, 38 but also 80/85, so roughly even chances of getting an AB room. And if you request AB that should help of course.

Andre

 

[Sherrkel]

just booked for april 2013 too! we requested Bld 17 upper floor, as we do NOT want to be in the mansion section. The rooms look creepy ( to us!) there seem to be many rooms in the resort so hoping that we get that request. For now I booked with a AAA discount on the room only, if something better comes along I will call back, but for now I took it! april 13-20th here we come!

I'm used to booking with AAA because we book so many rooms in our grand gathering it's easier to have them take care of the ressie, and then I keep an eye out for promos and we cancel and re-book the package.
I asked them if they have a room-only discount and they said no , they only have discounts on their packages (although in my experience AAA packages are not really less than Disneys non-discounted packages), they just a few things in).

Did you book with Disney online or over phone to get the room-only AAA discount, and do you mind me asking what % off you got off the 2013 rates?

Thanks!

 

[tink68]

No one knows when FD for 2013 Winter may be announced.
Last year it was announced in Aug. [Edited to add: Aug. 3rd, to be exact, for the general public sale. Per Mousesavers.]
I'm waiting to hear about it too!
Hope you get it, and it comes out soon!


That's the way I was leaning, but didn't know if I was shooting myself in the foot saying a bldg. number. Appreciate you time looking that up.
You rock!

Thanks for the info! I will just keep looking. We will not be buying the package because we just do not eat that much food but if it is offered for free I will take it! We will just stuff ourselves.

 

[hunmcbunny]

After crunching numbers & checking the school calendars for school vacations & tons of emails between hubster and I we finally decided this...

We are going April 1 - 10. Princess will only miss 3 days of school. We decided its more important to go when she's on school break. Even though its a bit more without the FD we will have more time to pay it off.

The price difference between Feb 14-24 with FD and April 1-10 without FD is about $1,400. Again since we booked directly with Disney we can make payments. Going in April gives us 6 weeks extra to pay it off.

Soooooooo. Who's going at the same time????

 

[momtwoboys]

I called disney direct and asked for a room only with the AAA rate. I believe it was only 10% off...7 nts, came to 1,383.14 for april 13-20th.

 

[DisneyMom5]

Thanks for the info! I will just keep looking. We will not be buying the package because we just do not eat that much food but if it is offered for free I will take it! We will just stuff ourselves.

The way I look at it, Free Dining is all good for us.
We have to eat any way, we have a BIG family, so paying for tips at a place like Le Cellier is still a little cheaper then us all getting a meal at a counter service...and we get to have filet mignon instead of burgers or chicken nuggets.
For us, it IS the best deal, and a real no brainer.
Disney is evil, though. They've got us!
Because we've eaten at some really good restaurants at WDW, we are now spoiled, and dh refuses to go without the dining plan (and also refuses to pay for it.)

 

[Venomhatch]

I called disney direct and asked for a room only with the AAA rate. I believe it was only 10% off...7 nts, came to 1,383.14 for april 13-20th.

I just checked today they have packages available for March, tickets and hotel. No Free Dining Plan

 

[People Mover]

So now my brother was just added to our trip, we now have 3 adults, 2 kids. We moved to aligator buouy of course. I put on my reservation (without it being perferred) that I would like to be in building 16....is that a good choice to be close to bus/food court?

 

[heatherbynum]

So we have officially decided that we will be staying here in October 2013. We can't wait! Does anyone have pictures of the hot tub at riverside and kiddie pool?

 

[hunmcbunny]

I just checked today they have packages available for March, tickets and hotel. No Free Dining Plan

CM told hubster that any specials, discounts and FD will probably be posted in early August.

 

[hunmcbunny]

So we have officially decided that we will be staying here in October 2013. We can't wait! Does anyone have pictures of the hot tub at riverside and kiddie pool?

I dont have pictures of either however the kiddie pool is HUGE...its a big round kiddie pool...lots of room for little kiddies to play.

The hot tub is a BIG disappointment. There's only one and is small. It will fit about 6-8 adults. However there are some parents who let their kids play in it jumping around and splashing people. Its nice to sit in as long as there arent any rude kids whose parents just dont care.

I wish POR would put one in each of the quiet pool areas.

 

[Sherrkel]

I called disney direct and asked for a room only with the AAA rate. I believe it was only 10% off...7 nts, came to 1,383.14 for april 13-20th.

Hmmm, I'll be calling AAA now and ask them nicely why I didn't get a discount on my room only (what they quoted, is the rack rate on Disney site today), and if they can't give it to me, then I'll be calling Disney to book it with 10% off ! Thanks, I'm so glad you posted that!!!

 

[Venomhatch]

CM told hubster that any specials, discounts and FD will probably be posted in early August.

Ohh you make the hubster do it like my fiance makes me deal with it lol.

 

[tink68]

The way I look at it, Free Dining is all good for us.
We have to eat any way, we have a BIG family, so paying for tips at a place like Le Cellier is still a little cheaper then us all getting a meal at a counter service...and we get to have filet mignon instead of burgers or chicken nuggets.
For us, it IS the best deal, and a real no brainer.
Disney is evil, though. They've got us!
Because we've eaten at some really good restaurants at WDW, we are now spoiled, and dh refuses to go without the dining plan (and also refuses to pay for it.)

You do have a big family it looks like. Beautiful too. There are just the 4 of us and I always send bottled water and snacks ahead so we could actually eat breakfast in our room, split a lunch and then only have 1 ADR for dinner. My family is all about a big dinner. Rest of the day we eat light. We always have dining points left over and last time traded them all in for snacks to take home. So it is a no brainer for us to only get it if it is free. Pixie Dust for all of us!