Port Orleans Riverside FAQ thread - Royally Refurbished for 2011

[grover]

Not all of the corner rooms have king beds, when I was younger my family of 4 would always request a corner room for more light and I'm they were always able to honor that request with 2 doubles. I do know many of the king rooms are corners, not sure if all are or not.

our last trip we had a corner room with double beds.

 

[Stan Solo]

Not all of the corner rooms have king beds, when I was younger my family of 4 would always request a corner room for more light and I'm they were always able to honor that request with 2 doubles. I do know many of the king rooms are corners, not sure if all are or not.

our last trip we had a corner room with double beds.

We have 2 adults in our party. We are not paying for a king bed room. (Isn't that an upgrade?) At CBR back in 2007 I reserved a standard room and ended up in a corner, king bed room.

There don't appear to be many corners in the MB buildings, so if we request a corner for more light, we'd probably end up in AB by default.

On the flip side of your only two and getting doubles, the vast majority (all?) families of 5 will be sent to AB.

I was thinking of requesting the Magnolia Terrace building.

Thanks for the info. I wasn't sure if the corner rooms were all kings or not. Now my dream room is a refurbished, corner room, with two beds on the top floor.

In truth all we will really need is a pillow and a shower...I'm thinking a working air conditioner is most likely a must as well. It's still fun to dream though.

 

[disneylovr1]

Stan Solo, that's so close to my perfect room. Now once the refurb is done my perfect room will be garden or river view, upstairs, outside corner room in Alligator Bayou. It used to be buliding 27, but I'm not willing to pay more just to be closer so maybe building 28.

Be careful when requesting a corner room, and specify outside corner. once they stuck us in an inner corner, tucked away with very litle light and no view. We even waited to check in to get that room, and then had to go back and change.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

Thanks for the info. I wasn't sure if the corner rooms were all kings or not. Now my dream room is a refurbished, corner room, with two beds on the top floor.

In truth all we will really need is a pillow and a shower...I'm thinking a working air conditioner is most likely a must as well. It's still fun to dream though.

My dream room would be relatively close to the main buildings. The floor doesn't matter so much to me. I'd like a corner room for the extra light, but I don't look out the window much, so view is not a big deal.

I guess I should just request a refurbished room. I'm sure that everybody will be doing that though. I wonder if checking in early in the day on a Sunday will help my chances.

In the end, though, I'll likely be happy with any room. I just like to obsess over something I have very little control over.

 

[Stan Solo]

Stan Solo, that's so close to my perfect room. Now once the refurb is done my perfect room will be garden or river view, upstairs, outside corner room in Alligator Bayou. It used to be buliding 27, but I'm not willing to pay more just to be closer so maybe building 28.

Be careful when requesting a corner room, and specify outside corner. once they stuck us in an inner corner, tucked away with very litle light and no view. We even waited to check in to get that room, and then had to go back and change.

Thanks for the tip. OK add outside corner to my list

My dream room would be relatively close to the main buildings. The floor doesn't matter so much to me. I'd like a corner room for the extra light, but I don't look out the window much, so view is not a big deal.

I guess I should just request a refurbished room. I'm sure that everybody will be doing that though. I wonder if checking in early in the day on a Sunday will help my chances.

In the end, though, I'll likely be happy with any room. I just like to obsess over something I have very little control over.

Three reasons I'd like a top floor A) Won't have somebody stomping/playing basket ball above me B) Better view and 3) I have a huge fear of alligators and snakes the further away I am the better

I would think the checking in time would not be all that much of an advantage. Unless you are willing to wait for one to be ready, but one would think early would be better then late.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

Three reasons I'd like a top floor A) Won't have somebody stomping/playing basket ball above me B) Better view and 3) I have a huge fear of alligators and snakes the further away I am the better

I would think the checking in time would not be all that much of an advantage. Unless you are willing to wait for one to be ready, but one would think early would be better then late.

I never thought I would like first floor. I got one at CBR and loved not having to climb stairs, especially at the end of the day. Also, the foliage out the window was nice. I lucked out with my upstairs neighbors; I don't actually think I had any. My other visits have all been 3rd (top) floors.

I think the chance of an alligator waltzing into my room is slim.

I am willing to wait for a room to be ready. I would not even expect a room to be ready at 8 or 9am. We will be driving in the day before and spending a room-only night at one of the All Stars. We could, in theory (but probably not reality! ), get up, check out of ASM, check into POR, and make rope drop at the Magic Kingdom.

 

[disneylovr1]

We would always arrive at WDW in the evening after driving from PA, stay offsite the first night and check in around 8 AM the next morning. We new the room would not be ready, we had a long request list and wanted to have the best shot at getting as many of them as possible. It always worked well, as long as you don't mind waiting for the room. They would often offer us a room that early, but we would choose to wait for our request. Only once was the resort so full that we couldn't get what we requested. Now we fly, and have less time, so we just check in when we get there.

We used to always ask for a ground floor so we didn't need to walk Around to the stairs, but once decided to try upstairs and enjoyed the fact that there was less foot traffic. Now that we have a stroller we may rethink that since AB doesn't have elevators.

 

[Cupcake Princess]

Just wanted to join the party! We are leaving for POR in 29 days! I stayed at POR on my very first visit to WDW way back when it was Dixie Landing. I am excited to go back!

We are going with some friends who are desperately trying to get a refurbished room, but we don't care! I requested AB because we are a party of 5- even tho the twins don't really count since they are considered infants. In reality I don't care where we are- I am just happy to be at WDW!!

 

[GetGlowing]

The typical person checking into the resort knows zero about the refurbs, so I doubt they'll be requesting refurb'd rooms.

 

[meggydoodle]

We are staying at POR for our honeymoon from October 31 - Nov 6..... anybody recommend where we should request to stay on the grounds?

Thank you to everyone in advance!!!!

 

[Stan Solo]

I think the chance of an alligator waltzing into my room is slim. :laughing

A slim chance is still a chance. I know it's silly of me but I do fear opening my door and their he is >*==== (poor alligator graphic)

We would always arrive at WDW in the evening after driving from PA, stay offsite the first night and check in around 8 AM the next morning. We new the room would not be ready, we had a long request list and wanted to have the best shot at getting as many of them as possible. It always worked well, as long as you don't mind waiting for the room. They would often offer us a room that early, but we would choose to wait for our request. Only once was the resort so full that we couldn't get what we requested. Now we fly, and have less time, so we just check in when we get there.

To get your long request list did you use the online check in or did you check in once you were there.

We are going with some friends who are desperately trying to get a refurbished room, but we don't care! I requested AB because we are a party of 5- even tho the twins don't really count since they are considered infants. In reality I don't care where we are- I am just happy to be at WDW!!

Thats what I keep telling myself...but I sure would like one of them shiny new rooms.

The typical person checking into the resort knows zero about the refurbs, so I doubt they'll be requesting refurb'd rooms.

That's what I'm counting on. When I requested a refurbished room the CM told me everyone is requesting that.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

A slim chance is still a chance. I know it's silly of me but I do fear opening my door and their he is >*==== (poor alligator graphic)

To get your long request list did you use the online check in or did you check in once you were there.

I love your alligator graphic! Well, I hope you get an upstairs room!

I am also wondering about online check in versus checking in upon arrival with a real human being. I've done the online check in once before, but I'm not sure if one is preferable to the other for getting the room requests you want.

 

[Monorail Bob's dd]

Hello, all. I am considering booking a royal room for next August and I have some bussing questions. It sounds like Oak Manor is a more desirable location than Parterre Place - is this true? Where is this location on the bus route? I am hoping not to be at the last stop as I know there is a danger of the bus filling up at earlier stops. The one complaint I have heard about POR is the bussing so I am hoping to minimize bussing issues as much as possible. Thanks for your help!

 

[Venomhatch]

Hello, all. I am considering booking a royal room for next August and I have some bussing questions. It sounds like Oak Manor is a more desirable location than Parterre Place - is this true? Where is this location on the bus route? I am hoping not to be at the last stop as I know there is a danger of the bus filling up at earlier stops. The one complaint I have heard about POR is the bussing so I am hoping to minimize bussing issues as much as possible. Thanks for your help!

Yeah I believe the Oak Building is probably nicer location for the royal theme rooms. But it is just a short hop over the bridge and your at the main bus stop which buses to the parks go to first, aka South Depot. I just walk over there from Oak when I stay in the mansions.

 

[stephmarty]

My family of 5 is booked for the first week in April 2012. We have 3 young girls--ages 10, 8, and 4. Booking a Royal room was not an option since they don't include the trundle bed. Any chance they would let us upgrade to one by phone or upon arrival? The girls could easily share a queen bed as we did at the Poly before. Or is five in a room made for four a definite no-no?

 

[OrlandoUnited]

I stayed in one of the refurbed rooms in the Magnolia Terrace building this past weekend. We were the first guests to stay in the room.
Any questions?

the Princess and the Frog murals on the headboards were great.

 

[Venomhatch]

I stayed in one of the refurbed rooms in the Magnolia Terrace building this past weekend. We were the first guests to stay in the room.
Any questions?

the Princess and the Frog murals on the headboards were great.

Is that what is in the plain refurbs?

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

I stayed in one of the refurbed rooms in the Magnolia Terrace building this past weekend. We were the first guests to stay in the room.
Any questions?

the Princess and the Frog murals on the headboards were great.

Will you be posting pictures??

 

[Smile4Me]

I stayed in one of the refurbed rooms in the Magnolia Terrace building this past weekend. We were the first guests to stay in the room.
Any questions?

the Princess and the Frog murals on the headboards were great.

Princess and the Frog headboards? Haven't heard anything about these! Any pictures? How were the beds? Did you feel like the queen beds overwhelmed the rooms?

 

[OrlandoUnited]

The queen bed sizes were fine. Mattresses were nice, but the pillows were awful - they really needed to be broken in.

I'll post some pictures tomorrow. I only had my iPhone, so don't expect the best quality.