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

[asa disney]

I would say yes it is. Maybe even closer to the bus depot and food court.

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

 

[Bingham2]

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

I check in Sunday, so I've been reading the live trip reports and sounds like crowds are not bad. Yay!

 

[Mrs. Buzz Lightyear]

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

Have fun!!! We check in next Saturday

 

[HeatherLassell]

Have fun!!! We check in next Saturday

Us too!!! Should be there around 1pm.

 

[andrewilley]

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?!

I think that's what I'd suggest to be honest, that would make the day a lot more relaxing and pleasant all round and would probably be nicer for a 7-year-old. If you do rope drop you'll get a lot done in the morning, then leave around 2pm-3pm (just before parade) and spend a few hours back at the resort, and then drive over to the Poly (no bus stressing) and watch Wishes from the beach if 7-yo is up to it - but don't push it if she's tired.

Andre

 

[LisaTC]

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.

We went in October last year had a car, BUT ALWAYS took the BUS to MK and NEVER had a problem with buses at POR. We left MK late at night, just eeking out before Wishes ended and it started to get crowded, but 2 POR buses showed up at once. I wouldn't worry. We got on a the south depot by the gift shop and got off at the north depot to walk to our room in the evenings.

 

[siskaren]

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?

Standard rooms mostly face parking lots, so I think you may be out of luck there. The last time I was there I was in building 25 which is close to both a quiet pool and the west depot bus stop.

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.

There's no standing on the ME buses, so that will never be an issue. It seems strange to me though that you had to run to catch your flight since ME picks you up 3 hours before your flight; something must have happened that was out of the ordinary.

 

[TandLMommy28]

Ugh - scary! We are arriving Friday. Which bus stop were you using at POR?

Thanks,
Apple

We were using east but it is always last so we started hiking up front to South (at the main building) and its been much, much, much better since we started doing that! East has to be the worst stop.

 

[TandLMommy28]

We had the same experience in March. We had some days it was OK, and some that were TERRIBLE. We said we would never stay again....but like you said, it was so quiet and nice. We just rebooked for April because I cant choose the resort based on just busing, the rest of the resort got an A+. We had booked POLY for the monorail- but then realized we could stay twice as long at POR- so we did that and just realized that we have 11 days, so theres no hurry

You are so right. The resort itself is so wonderful. We really love everything else about it. And we finally realized that if we walked to the moan bus stop, we would be better off. Since we started walking over there, things have been a million times better.

Also, we had no problem at all getting a bus back from MnSShP last night right at midnight. So I really don't know why Sunday night was soooooo bad. It was like dispatch just wasn't sending POR buses. Things have been much better since that bumpy start.

 

[crazy4wdw]

Received my magical express packet today!!! Only 32 more days until I check-in at POR!

 

[andrewilley]

I think I finally fixed the POR registration lobby panorama. Here are a couple of fairly high quality versions (best to right-click and download the files I suspect):

Flash: http://www.portorleans.org/images/panoramas/POR-Main-2012-6436-pano360.swf

Quicktime: http://www.portorleans.org/images/panoramas/POR-Main-2012-6436-pano360.mov

Andre

 

[Venomhatch]

I think I finally fixed the POR registration lobby panorama. Here are a couple of fairly high quality versions (best to right-click and download the files I suspect):

Flash: http://www.portorleans.org/images/panoramas/POR-Main-2012-6436-pano360.swf

Quicktime: http://www.portorleans.org/images/panoramas/POR-Main-2012-6436-pano360.mov

Andre

The quicktime glitches a lot when moving around. But the Flash one is beautiful!

Great job!!!

 

[kenvan]

Thinking I will request building 35 or 36 garden view room in the Alligator Bayou section. Please let me know if a quiet pool and transportation are close by.

 

[Missytara]

Thinking I will request building 35 or 36 garden view room in the Alligator Bayou section. Please let me know if a quiet pool and transportation are close by.

There is a map on the first page of this thread and on Andre's website that shows the building nos. and the locations of the pools and the bus stops.

Building no. 37 would be closest to the north depot and building no. 36 would be closer to the pool.

 

[Emilylou]

Is there a place at the resort my DH can watch the football game Sunday night, and Monday night?

I will be trying to get the kids settled but his team plays on Sunday night.

 

[Missytara]

Is there a place at the resort my DH can watch the football game Sunday night, and Monday night?

I will be trying to get the kids settled but his team plays on Sunday night.

Yep, the lounge.

Yee-hah Bob performs Wednesday through Saturday; Sunday through Tuesday, all the TV's are on sports!

 

[3sweetpeas]

Thinking I will request building 35 or 36 garden view room in the Alligator Bayou section. Please let me know if a quiet pool and transportation are close by.

Hi kenvan, I would like to share my thoughts if you don't mind. First, I'm wondering if this is your first visit or your first stay in a Disney resort. On our first visit, we stayed 2 nights at POR and were given a room that was far out. I never ventured out to walk anywhere and that was a huge mistake. Since then, my whole family feels like the resort is part of the experience. We also have 3 kids and stay in AB. I'd like to make 2 suggestions. Last year, I wanted to experience AB and also the mansion section so we chose building 38. It was a wonderful choice. It was right on the river and such a nice walk to the main pool and food court. It also gave us the option to use the mansion quiet pools, which I liked a great deal. (more sunny and less trees) Don't get me wrong , I also like AB pools but it gave us options. It was a very short walk to the North depot which was never crowded by the way. The quiet pool is also very close. The map I think, makes things look farther away than they actually are. Here is where I wish I knew your kids ages for their walking abilities. It is the closest building out of that group to the main area which I strongly urge you visit. Building 37 would be my next choice for you because it's right next to the North Depot. The year before, we stayed in building 16, which remains one of our favorite spots. It is right next to a quiet pool and such a short walk to the food court (which is great by the way) and pool. You can literally walk across the parking lot and through a path to the South Depot. The walking path to the main areas is lush and tropical and very relaxing. When my kids were little they would hop and play all the way and I think enjoyed the walk as much as we did. I think that both of these buildings are great and help you get the POR "experience" I hope I haven't confused you more!

 

[Gorechick]

Tell me more about building 16, considering an AB room for our next trip and that building looks appealing without paying for preferred.

 

[LisaTC]

We are playing around with some options for another trip next summer and while I'd love to stay at another deluxe, not sure our budget is going to allow for it. The only moderate we've stayed at was CSR, and while we did like it there, we'd like to try someplace new and my two teen girls want to stay in the princess themed rooms. So my question to anyone who's stayed in the Royal Guest Rooms (std vw or garden vw), how far of a walk are these rooms from the main building and pool? Not concerned about buses as we would have a rental. TIA.

I was wondering about this as well. We have a Std Royal booked, but wonder if I shouldn't up grade...????

I just can't seem to make up my mind. Currently I have a reservation for waterview but am now thinking maybe the possible noise from any pool we are put by might keep us awake at night. Thought about changing to riverview but saw where someone mentioned the passing boats were loud and then there is the prefferred area. Maybe it would be nice to make sure I'm near the main hub of things. There are just too many decisions. I booked waterview hoping to be near a pool so we could easily without a long walk take the kids for a swim at night after the parks. I've been to POR one other time and we were in a garden view mansion area, I think it was Oak but it was before the refurbs, it was nice and the area was quite at night and not too far to the main hub of things. To those of you who have stayed in other areas were the quite pools loud at night? Did anyone else notice the loud boats or is that the opinion of one person? Please help me make up my mind, lol.

We booked waterview last year and were in Acadian near the quiet pool. It was great. Close enough to quiet pool, but far enough that you didn't hear much. I thought it very quiet. We were on the first floor...I think 8067 or something like that. If you look at this map: http://portorleans.org/maps-and-directions.php and click on Acadian House you can see where...

 

[Nurse_Mommy4]

Tell me more about building 16, considering an AB room for our next trip and that building looks appealing without paying for preferred.

My BFF stayed in Bldg 16 last year and my family was in blg 14. Bldg 16 was about a one minute walk from bldg 14 and not even five minutes to the food court. What I liked about her bldg was it was really close to the quiet pool next to bldg 18!