Port Orleans Riverside FAQ thread - Royally Refurbished for 2011

[KCmike]

Fantastic shots cherylsmike! Really enjoyed them.

 

[mgdisney]

We stayed at POR for our first WDW trip. We adored it. We had some problems with our first room so they upgraded up to a river view. It was so peaceful and pretty. We hardy saw anybody else when we were close to our room (Oak Manor). I am hoping to stay there with the kids this December. It is worth the gamble for queen sized beds and an upgraded room for quiet beauty that is POR. I thought y'all might enjoy these...

These pictures are beautiful!!

 

[mskermit]

If you do a search of my old posts you'll find a review I did when we stayed at PORS a few years ago with my mom. She has to have an ECV down there and bus service at PORS was absolutely terrible that week, if you were in an ECV. The bus stops first over at POFQ, then makes the rounds over at PORS. The problem wasn't that the handicapped seats already had ECVs, but that the bus drivers would not ask people sitting in those seats to move. The sign over them says you will be asked to move if they are needed for the handicapped, but the bus drivers we had all that week refused to ask anyone to move. Every single time we were told someone was sitting in those seats, so we had to wait for the next bus. Either that or we were repeatedly told the lift was not working. The evening we were going to MNSSHP we sat through four MK buses, at which point I called and complained. All of them had room, but had able bodied people sitting in the handicapped seats and the drivers would not ask them to move. It took us over two hours to get to MK. We missed our ADR at the Wave that night, even though we allowed well over an hour to get there. We just had some horrible bus drivers that trip that didn't want to deal with an ECV and found any reason not to. If it wasn't for the ECV the bus service would have been fine though. With the ECV, it was so bad that my mom swore she'd never go back to WDW.

If you do choose to stay at PORS with an ECV, make sure you catch the bus at the first bus stop.

Oh if there is one thing i wont put up with is this!! My big mouth would be running the first time it happened!! i have never had problems with the buses ever. we have always gottent on first and the drivers have always been great. one time we got on a loaded bus and someone was told to move out of those seats. well, he had a fit and was so rude about it, standing up and saying nasty things. he should have been thrown off the bus!! i had to do everything I could to keep my mouth shut! I would never ever complain about moving to accomodate someone in a wheelchair or scooter. I have even given up my seat to an elderly person, a child who looked exhausted at the end of the day, or a mom holding a sleeping little one. what is the world coming to...

 

[LovingDisny]

This picture makes me want to be there right now and go swimming!

Me Too!!!!

 

[Disneyfreak616]

Love the new thread! I cannot WAIT for the royal rooms! I want to stay in them so bad!

 

[Missytara]

More great pics Now if we could just find someone there now to post pics of the renos I so hope to get a new room in Acadian House

If no one gets them before I go, I will use my old "I'm an architect/construction manager" line to see if I cannot get into the construction area some early morning.

 

[tink15823]

Oh if there is one thing i wont put up with is this!! My big mouth would be running the first time it happened!! i have never had problems with the buses ever. we have always gottent on first and the drivers have always been great. one time we got on a loaded bus and someone was told to move out of those seats. well, he had a fit and was so rude about it, standing up and saying nasty things. he should have been thrown off the bus!! i had to do everything I could to keep my mouth shut! I would never ever complain about moving to accomodate someone in a wheelchair or scooter. I have even given up my seat to an elderly person, a child who looked exhausted at the end of the day, or a mom holding a sleeping little one. what is the world coming to...

Sad to say there are some people that just are RUDE!!!! I was so proud of our kids when they got up to offer seats to others that needed them. We have traveled with 2 ecv and people are not always nice . On the other side I have also ran in to kind people. More good hearted than not so I will keep looking on the bright side. In our case when we traveled with booth scooters if the bus was full they just radioed for anouther bus.

 

[ShhhQ]

In our case when we traveled with booth scooters if the bus was full they just radioed for anouther bus.

That is what happened to us at DTD last year, the bus that came up was kind of full and they said they were calling for another.

 

[LovingDisny]

We are fans of the bus service. I know there are issues sometimes and many people have had bad experiences, but luckily my family has not really experienced that. We were at POR last summer from 6/4-6/12 and the busses were great. We have never regreted not getting a car. We only had one night that was an issue for us, and it was not a service issue. Fantasmic had just let out at HS so just about everyone in the park hit the bus lines at the same time. Each resort had multiple busses waiting but there were sooooo many people. My husband took one look at the POR line (which was the longest I have ever seen) and ran to get us a cab. Our 4 year old was asleep and we were exhausted so the $15.00 bucks was a no brainer. My husband and I talked about it later and have decided that getting a cab once or twice a trip is something we are willing to do. Much cheaper than renting a car and you can get a cab from any of the parks on the spur of the moment if it seems like the wait for the bus is going to be longer than you are willing to wait. We even went to the Beach Club one morning for breakfast, took the HS bus, then transferred to the boat to BC. Our kids enjoy the bus rides & the boat rides so it really was not bad for us. It DOES take longer though. so you have to plan enough time to make your ADR. I know some people who would just rather have more control over their transportation. So mostly it is personal preferece I think. I also agree with the pp who said that sometimes problems with the busses or boats is perception. We walked up to our north depot bus stop at POR at the same time as another family. We were only at the bus stop for 15 min, but every time a bus came that was not the one the other family was waiting for they got more & more agitated. I know we all stand there with anticipation & kind of go "awww man" when the first one comes and its DTD when your waiting for MK, but these people were down right UPSET... Again we truly were not at the stop for more than 15 min, but I think if you asked them, they would say it was much longer. Patience is a virture

 

[Missytara]

Better yet, what about the people who stand in the roadway, at the Main Depot.

They are waiting for the bus, then when it comes around the corner, they motion for their party to jump up and get in line. Some will push their way past people walking over to the depot, leisurely.

 

[3pletprincesses]

We love POR and I'm really desappointed that I can't afford it next month as it's just the girls and I, we will give Movies a try. My girls call POR home and I hope dearly they won;t miss it as they are asking if we will be staying home. We are planning another trip for our 10 wedding anniversary next May and we will be staying at POR but I read another thread that POR will be eliminating all the 5 people rooms in the AB. Has anyone heard of this? I would hate to not be able to stay at POR in the future.

 

[Missytara]

We love POR and I'm really desappointed that I can't afford it next month as it's just the girls and I, we will give Movies a try. My girls call POR home and I hope dearly they won;t miss it as they are asking if we will be staying home. We are planning another trip for our 10 wedding anniversary next May and we will be staying at POR but I read another thread that POR will be eliminating all the 5 people rooms in the AB. Has anyone heard of this? I would hate to not be able to stay at POR in the future.

Right now, if you look at their website for 2012 bookings, they still list the trundle bed in some AB rooms.

But they show them as keeping the double beds. So right now we are just not sure.

 

[LovingDisny]

Missytara...

Oh yes, we have seen that as well. I truly think some of the biggest issues with the bus service, has nothing to do with the service, but the people being serviced... Wait, not sure that sounds right.. I love it when I get on the bus and see people giving up their seats for the elderly, tired babies or Mommy's to be. My husband and I always do that. We plan to be one of the aforementioned elderly one day so I just figure we are paying it forward. We are all on vacation & anxious to get somewhere, so lets be polite to each other people, spread the love and Disney magic

 

[Sue M]

Missytara...

Oh yes, we have seen that as well. I truly think some of the biggest issues with the bus service, has nothing to do with the service, but the people being serviced... Wait, not sure that sounds right.. I love it when I get on the bus and see people giving up their seats for the elderly, tired babies or Mommy's to be. My husband and I always do that. We plan to be one of the aforementioned elderly one day so I just figure we are paying it forward. We are all on vacation & anxious to get somewhere, so lets be polite to each other people, spread the love and Disney magic

You're right, it is nice seeing people being polite on busses, and giving up seats to elderly, and people carrying babies, or young tired children.

I always taught my daughters manners and to give up seats for adults, moms & babies, etc. It makes me mad to see able body teens keeping their seats while older people stand. Common curtesy seems lost these days.

And found when least expected. I was on the monorail (I'm in my 50's) and a young man all dressed in alotta Bling, pants around his ? the gangsta look
And here he got up insisting I take his seat Wow, I sure didn't expect that! Didn't really want a seat, but gracioulsy took it anyway. His mom taught him right And taught me not to judge!

 

[Sue M]

If no one gets them before I go, I will use my old "I'm an architect/construction manager" line to see if I cannot get into the construction area some early morning.

I'll be there 1 month exactly from today. If i can figure out how to post pics I will, lol.
For sure I'll be snooping.

 

[LovingDisny]

You're right, it is nice seeing people being polite on busses, and giving up seats to elderly, and people carrying babies, or young tired children.

I always taught my daughters manners and to give up seats for adults, moms & babies, etc. It makes me mad to see able body teens keeping their seats while older people stand. Common curtesy seems lost these days.

And found when least expected. I was on the monorail (I'm in my 50's) and a young man all dressed in alotta Bling, pants around his ? the gangsta look
And here he got up insisting I take his seat Wow, I sure didn't expect that! Didn't really want a seat, but gracioulsy took it anyway. His mom taught him right And taught me not to judge!

That is a great story!! I think we should always share our stories of courtsey and kindness we find at Disney, hopefully it will catch on.

 

[DWGal210]

I booked my first POR stay today! It's for my bday in Feb 2012. I'm very very excited!!! I'm joining in here, lots of good info so far!!

 

[KELLY]

Just read alot of this thread. We are headed to CBR this year. But next year I'm hoping for a Royal room. One of my girls wanted the pirate room the other didn't beacuse of the curtain. So we just went with a standard room at CBR. So next year I'm really hoping for a themed room.

 

[LovingDisny]

I am hoping for a royal room in 2013. I have two boys, so I wasn't sure if they would want to do it. I showed them the pictures and they were excited Even the 13 year old! he was saying " hey isn't that the carpet from Aladdin?" so I think they will be ok. The oldest will be 15 then so he may not let me tell anyone he knows that he stayed in that room so obviously everyone on the thread is now sworn to secrecy.

 

[LovingDisny]

I booked my first POR stay today! It's for my bday in Feb 2012. I'm very very excited!!! I'm joining in here, lots of good info so far!!

What a great birthday present! I hope you have a magical time.