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

[Kathy Z]

I'm asking on this thread because I figure more of you are familiar with the busing to/from MK...

Our first full day at WDW (5 weeks from today!) we are headed to MK, which is also a MNSSHP day. We don't plan on going to the party that day (but later in the week). It's also DD's birthday. I figure we'll be at MK at rope-drop. We have lunch at CP at noon. I was figuring we'd then head back to POR to rest, then go back to MK for a couple of more hours, then hit our 6:50 ADR at Kona Cafe on the way back to POR. But now I'm wondering if we'll have enough time to make it worth our while to even go back to POR in the afternoon. What do those of you that are experienced in going back & forth from POR think? I can either keep on plan if the consensus is we'll have enough time, or stay at the park all day and try for an early ADR at KC - leaving out of the park around 4 or 5pm. We'll have a 16 month old with us, who will be the complete wildcard in all of this. TIA!!

I'm usually a few days behind in reading this thread. I just caught up and was surprised that no one had answered your question. We've never had a ticket for a special event in the MK but have been there on days when MVMCP is scheduled. I forget the time persons without tickets have to be out of the park. You need to learn that information to have a better idea how to plan for your family. I'm sure many of the folks here can answer that question. As to how your little "wild card" will play into that I wish you luck . I've read on the boards that many families can find a quiet place for little ones to rest in the child care locations at each park.

Happy Disney birthday to your DD!

 

[hokie98]

I'm usually a few days behind in reading this thread. I just caught up and was surprised that no one had answered your question. We've never had a ticket for a special event in the MK but have been there on days when MVMCP is scheduled. I forget the time persons without tickets have to be out of the park. You need to learn that information to have a better idea how to plan for your family. I'm sure many of the folks here can answer that question. As to how your little "wild card" will play into that I wish you luck . I've read on the boards that many families can find a quiet place for little ones to rest in the child care locations at each park.

Happy Disney birthday to your DD!

Thanks Kathy! I ended up asking the question as a new thread under the Resort forum and did receive 2 replies - both agreed that we'd have time for an after lunch break. All visitors without tickets for the party that night will have to leave MK by 7pm, which worked well for a Kona Cafe 6:50 ADR. The other 2 replies I received agreed that if we were there at rope drop, hit our Crystal Palace lunch at 11:40, and left the park around 1-ish, we should be able to get back to the park around 4, leaving a little after 6, allowing plenty of time to get to Poly. Of course one responder cited that she got lucky with the buses during her stay at POR, getting back and forth quickly. I'm hoping in 5 weeks to have the same luck, as opposed to the horror story posted above about the awful bus service recently!

 

[ksromack]

We called Disney to confirm a few things reservation wise, and ended up getting a room discount and upgrade!!! Went from a standard room at Port Orleans Riverside to a Royal Guest Room at Port Orleans Riverside and got back $127!!! Heck yea

That's very exciting.....how did all of that come about?

 

[andrewilley]

I'm hoping in 5 weeks to have the same luck, as opposed to the horror story posted above about the awful bus service recently!

If that was the norm, no one would stay at Disney World. There is no one answer unfortunately, and even the best systems can have off days. But do remember that individual resorts do not have 'special bus companies' for that location only, the entire WDW bus system is run centrally so while specific cases may vary, the overall system is very similar from one resort to another. We've never had delays of anything like what the earlier poster mentioned in almost 20 years of going to Port Orleans, but that's not to say it can't happen, just that it's unlikely.

That's the problem with the internet, it's all too easy to focus on the one or two bad issues, or even the one or two excellent ones... which completely misses those 10,000 times in between where everything went just fine so no one even made a comment.

My bigger concern would be after having an all-you-can-eat buffet lunch at Crystal Palace, how are you going to manage another full meal in the evening?! I'd never cope, a snack would be all I'd want for the second meal!

Andre

 

[Momloveshockey]

All of this bus talk has me nervous. I just reserved a car rental from Dollar for $124 with all of the taxes. I'm still conflicted because we took ME to and from the airport last time we were in Disney and I really liked it. However, with two young kids I'm thinking having a car may be easier than worrying about getting a seat for the kids on the bus or waiting at the end of the night. I was hoping to see some reports of good bus service so I could cancel the reservation.

I can say that when we went last Xmas (with a 6 year old), we had very little wait for the ME on the way to the resort and all of us had a seat. It was the trip back to the airport that has me scared about ME. We were the first picked up and last dropped off. Had to run to catch our flight. I do not wish a repeat of that come this March Break.

 

[lady_hlh]

All of this bus talk has me nervous. I just reserved a car rental from Dollar for $124 with all of the taxes. I'm still conflicted because we took ME to and from the airport last time we were in Disney and I really liked it. However, with two young kids I'm thinking having a car may be easier than worrying about getting a seat for the kids on the bus or waiting at the end of the night. I was hoping to see some reports of good bus service so I could cancel the reservation.

I loved POR but the bus service was not as good as CSR which we stayed at previously and really didn't like. If you're staying in the mansion section, you can take the POFQ bus back and walk back along the path and over the bridge which isn't a bad walk at night if you're pushing little ones in their strollers. We took the POFQ bus back quite a few times because it was never full and it came much more frequently.

 

[hokie98]

If that was the norm, no one would stay at Disney World. There is no one answer unfortunately, and even the best systems can have off days. But do remember that individual resorts do not have 'special bus companies' for that location only, the entire WDW bus system is run centrally so while specific cases may vary, the overall system is very similar from one resort to another. We've never had delays of anything like what the earlier poster mentioned in almost 20 years of going to Port Orleans, but that's not to say it can't happen, just that it's unlikely.

That's the problem with the internet, it's all too easy to focus on the one or two bad issues, or even the one or two excellent ones... which completely misses those 10,000 times in between where everything went just fine so no one even made a comment.

My bigger concern would be after having an all-you-can-eat buffet lunch at Crystal Palace, how are you going to manage another full meal in the evening?! I'd never cope, a snack would be all I'd want for the second meal!

Andre

Thanks Andre! To be candid, I'm not really worried about the buses. I understand that person A could feel like they hit the buses exactly right and the bus leaves immediately after he/she boards, while person b that comes along 2 mins later (and misses that bus), will report the buses being slow.

As for the meals, it may be alot for one day, and I wouldn't have ordinary done 2 TS meals (although they are 7 hrs apart), but I was trying to throw a little extra magic on a birthday girl's day (and having FD with TS meals to burn...)! We'll be well-fed!

 

[hokie98]

We called Disney to confirm a few things reservation wise, and ended up getting a room discount and upgrade!!! Went from a standard room at Port Orleans Riverside to a Royal Guest Room at Port Orleans Riverside and got back $127!!! Heck yea

That is great...although it makes me feel a wee bit like a sucker for paying the full rack rate (although FD takes away the sting)!

 

[andrewilley]

As for the meals, it may be alot for one day, and I wouldn't have ordinary done 2 TS meals (although they are 7 hrs apart), but I was trying to throw a little extra magic on a birthday girl's day (and having FD with TS meals to burn...)! We'll be well-fed!

LOL, could be. Although sometimes I think it's possible to overplan the fun for kids. If you ask your DD (at 7 years old) to choose between a meal at Kona and a while longer relaxing and playing games in the swimming pool, you might be surprised at her answer... I know that at 7 years, my DD would have been flagging by 7pm if we'd got to a park for rope-drop.

Andre

 

[hokie98]

LOL, could be. Although sometimes I think it's possible to overplan the fun for kids. If you ask your DD (at 7 years old) to choose between a meal at Kona and a while longer relaxing and playing games in the swimming pool, you might be surprised at her answer... I know that at 7 years, my DD would have been flagging by 7pm if we'd got to a park for rope-drop.

Andre

I know...but the problem with the getting free dining are the ADRs, and trying to figure out what to fit where (esp when you have young kids). Ultimately, I may change it if I can find another Kona ADR later in the week, or worse case, we don't go back to MK after our after-lunch nap break, but hang around the resort and then just drive to the Poly for our ADR. Playing in the pool will make us hungry again, right?!

 

[ksromack]

My bigger concern would be after having an all-you-can-eat buffet lunch at Crystal Palace, how are you going to manage another full meal in the evening?! I'd never cope, a snack would be all I'd want for the second meal!

Andre

Then you are probably really worried about how we're going to stuff some of that lovely french food from BOG (dinner) into our still full tummies from Le Cellier (lunch) 3 hours later!

 

[Bingham2]

My only concerns with buses were for our ADRs other than than I don't really care . If the POR buses have long lines we will take the FQ bus. We don't mind long walks. We love a good hike.

 

[kendo43]

That's very exciting.....how did all of that come about?

We called to check some reservations and asked if any deals where available, I wasn't expecting anything but the nice lady said yes. We had a standard room before, we got a room discount but the only available where in garden view and royal room. We decided on royal because we wanted to stay in one originally. And to top it off we are getting $126.55 back!

 

[summerlady]

Oh, now I am REALLY freaking out about the buses! I'm so used to the easy bus situation at POFQ...but I guess if it's that bad we can do as others have and take the POFQ bus and walk. Or get a taxi. Or something. Was thinking of renting a car but that's pretty much a pain at the MK and I'd rather not spend the extra money that I could be spending on more fun things.

Getting very excited now that we're under a month away and DH and I are doing our daily park planning. I do have a silly question that may be better posted at the restaurant board but I'll try here first: when using the dining plan has anyone been able to get a milkshake as a dessert with a CS meal at POR? I did that last time at POFQ, got a bottled drink, entree and a milkshake for dessert. The last milkshake at POFQ was rather meh, the ice cream looked ancient. Hoping POR is much better!

Also, one other thing is that DH and I quit smoking nine months ago, it'll be our very first trip as non-smokers in Disney World! No more searching for smoking areas and wasting all that time! YAY! (Plus, all the money we've saved since quitting has paid for a good part of our upcoming trip)

 

[softballmom3]

We stayed last thanksgiving week and never had any problems with any of the buses at POR. We did get on at north end but never a long wait.

 

[kenvan]

Looking to stay at POR next August so I'm looking for the best standard rooms. We have two adults and three kids so we will need the Alligator Bayou rooms. I want to be as close as possible to a quiet pool without paying extra for it and I would like a view other than the parking lot, but still close to transportation Being close to the main pool and food is not that important to us. Let me know what you think would be the best building for us?

 

[asa disney]

I believe (although I have not tried it myself) that a single air mattress will still fit in the space between one of the queen beds and the wall next to the door (i.e. where the connecting doorway is sometimes located). However as you say, a picture would be very handy.

Andre

Thanks, Andre.

 

[KristiKat]

To all that are worried about the buses. I know it's a hit and miss kind of thing and every resort has its bad days as far as transportation goes but if it makes you feel any better we have stayed at POR during President's Day weekend when the resorts and crowds are crazy and had no problems with the buses. Never waited more than 10 minutes at the park or at the bus stop. Good luck to you all.

 

[asa disney]

Thanks for the info. We'll see how it works out.

 

[jsw1114]

To anyone there now what r the crowds like? We check in saturday