Port Orleans Riverside FAQ thread - Royally Refurbished for 2011

[Stini228]

I love all the pics! POR has a certain smell and I can almost smell it looking at the pics!

Yes! I agree 100% Its like a pine/wood/fresh air smell...nuttin' like it!

 

[Ashmanarion]

If I requested a first floor room in Magnolia, would that be a decent position? With the 1 year old and a stroller, I don't want to be too far away from anything but still have some quiet.

 

[Missytara]

I know EXACTLY what you mean. I can't pinpoint what it is, but I could recognize it anywhere!

My favorite is looking at the picture of the water taxi as it is coming down the Sassgagoula River. I have it on my background on my computer.

I stare it and close my eyes and can almost hear it coming up the river to the marina.......

 

[Missytara]

If I requested a first floor room in Magnolia, would that be a decent position? With the 1 year old and a stroller, I don't want to be too far away from anything but still have some quiet.

That is a perfect building to meet your needs.

It is close to the bridge over to the main building (you cross through Ol' Man Island to the food court side). It does have very nice quiet areas that face the trees. You will love it!

 

[Missytara]

I hope it's true.....

But for anyone staying the late in the week after Thanksgiving and the first week in December, someone on the Pop Warner thread called Disney Travel and asked what resorts they are staying at......

And they said the moderate this year is CBR!

Hope they don't change their minds.

Okay - a little story from last year. The Saturday I leave is the day Pop Warner "officially" arrives. Some start as early as Thursday. I was not feeling well that day (ended up with a head cold when I got home) and decided to spend the morning on one of the rockers that was just outside the door by the concierge desk. Wife and son are outside, looking at the water taxi, Dad and daughter are checking in (she was a cheerleader). Picture this conversation after husband walks out:

Husband: Honey, we gotta go out front and catch a bus.
Wife: But we want to take that boat to Disney.
Husband: Honey, we have to take a bus; it is out front, we have to go.
Wife: But we want to take the boat to Disney.

Husband pulls wife aside, out of ear shot of kids (basically went like this):

Husband: You won't believe it, we are IN Walt Disney World. This hotel, IN Walt Disney World. And there are more hotels, they are everywhere and like a hundred restaurants. And there are FOUR parks, four of them. And TWO water parks. And there is someplace called Disney Downtown. You wouldn't believe it. And there are buses to go everywhere. You don't have to do anything around here. They do it all. (Pause) You wouldn't believe how f***ing big this place is.......

Wife: But we want to take the boat.
Husband: Later, just follow me.

Obviously, had not only never been to Disney, but didn't really know about it either!

 

[Venomhatch]

I hope it's true.....

But for anyone staying the late in the week after Thanksgiving and the first week in December, someone on the Pop Warner thread called Disney Travel and asked what resorts they are staying at......

And they said the moderate this year is CBR!

Hope they don't change their minds.

Okay - a little story from last year. The Saturday I leave is the day Pop Warner "officially" arrives. Some start as early as Thursday. I was not feeling well that day (ended up with a head cold when I got home) and decided to spend the morning on one of the rockers that was just outside the door by the concierge desk. Wife and son are outside, looking at the water taxi, Dad and daughter are checking in (she was a cheerleader). Picture this conversation after husband walks out:

Husband: Honey, we gotta go out front and catch a bus.
Wife: But we want to take that boat to Disney.
Husband: Honey, we have to take a bus; it is out front, we have to go.
Wife: But we want to take the boat to Disney.

Husband pulls wife aside, out of ear shot of kids (basically went like this):

Husband: You won't believe it, we are IN Walt Disney World. This hotel, IN Walt Disney World. And there are more hotels, they are everywhere and like a hundred restaurants. And there are FOUR parks, four of them. And TWO water parks. And there is someplace called Disney Downtown. You wouldn't believe it. And there are buses to go everywhere. You don't have to do anything around here. They do it all. (Pause) You wouldn't believe how f***ing big this place is.......

Wife: But we want to take the boat.
Husband: Later, just follow me.

Obviously, had not only never been to Disney, but didn't really know about it either!

Just a little lost. I must have missed something there. But I got the conversation part.

 

[andrewilley]

I've just posted the September Recreation Activities Schedules for both Riverside and French Quarter, see http://www.portorleans.org/recreation.php#Schedule for larger images.

Andre

 

[Missytara]

Just a little lost. I must have missed something there. But I got the conversation part.

For the past several years, POR has been the moderate resort for Pop Warner. Usually I go the week after Thanksgiving and they begin arriving officially the following Saturday (the day I leave), but some do start arriving on Thursday/Friday.

One year, I made the mistake of going the following week and ended up smack-dab in the middle of Pop Warner. It was a nightmare.

I was just letting everyone know that if they are concerned about that week this year, Disney Travel stated that the moderate this year for Pop Warner is CBR. So we are all in luck. I would suspect it has to do with the refurbishments and most likely, next year, they will move back to POR. But you never know.

 

[Disneynut5]

For the past several years, POR has been the moderate resort for Pop Warner. Usually I go the week after Thanksgiving and they begin arriving officially the following Saturday (the day I leave), but some do start arriving on Thursday/Friday.

One year, I made the mistake of going the following week and ended up smack-dab in the middle of Pop Warner. It was a nightmare.

I was just letting everyone know that if they are concerned about that week this year, Disney Travel stated that the moderate this year for Pop Warner is CBR. So we are all in luck. I would suspect it has to do with the refurbishments and most likely, next year, they will move back to POR. But you never know.

I hope this info is accurate. We are checking in to POR the Saturday Pop Warner starts. Kind of upset that they get the queen size beds while we get a double though. But for a family of five like us, POR is the cheapest options and I do not like paying a lot for a hotel when I am out in the parks all day/ evening. I hope we like POR as much as we loved POFQ when we were a family of four.

 

[skater]

Thanks for the schedule Andre! We're heading down next week and it just makes me that much more excited .

 

[webstah]

If things go on schedule, this time tomorrow we'll be pulling up to the terminal at MCO getting ready to board the Magic Express!

 

[Missytara]

If things go on schedule, this time tomorrow we'll be pulling up to the terminal at MCO getting ready to board the Magic Express!

I am so jealous; we still have almost 12 weeks.

 

[webstah]

I am so jealous; we still have almost 12 weeks.

We've been waiting 352 days for this!

 

[ProudMomTo3Boys]

Just got back from POR late last night. We were there for 8 nights. Everything was great. We had a couple issues with busses but nothing terrible, except for one. Mostly we just missed the bus to the park we were going to, so the wait was a bit longer than we would have liked. Didn't let it get us down. However on Sunday the 28th, we were going to AK. Got to the bus stop at 8:15/8:20. Watched as 6 MK busses and 2 Epcot busses got there. There was a cast member there writing info down so I casually asked after about 10 minutes if there would be an AK bus soon. He said it was on time and would be there shortly. Another 10 minutes and it finally showed up. Well instead of going to AK, the driver drove to Epcot. She pulled almost all the way to the bus stops there before she realized where she was and turned around and finally went to AK. We didn't get to AK until about 9:10.

 

[skater]

Just got back from POR late last night. We were there for 8 nights. Everything was great. We had a couple issues with busses but nothing terrible, except for one. Mostly we just missed the bus to the park we were going to, so the wait was a bit longer than we would have liked. Didn't let it get us down. However on Sunday the 28th, we were going to AK. Got to the bus stop at 8:15/8:20. Watched as 6 MK busses and 2 Epcot busses got there. There was a cast member there writing info down so I casually asked after about 10 minutes if there would be an AK bus soon. He said it was on time and would be there shortly. Another 10 minutes and it finally showed up. Well instead of going to AK, the driver drove to Epcot. She pulled almost all the way to the bus stops there before she realized where she was and turned around and finally went to AK. We didn't get to AK until about 9:10.

Oh, that's frustrating. Sounds like some bad luck.

 

[andrewilley]

Oh, that's frustrating. Sounds like some bad luck.

Sounds more than bad luck to me. The driver (or their computer system) should at least know where the bus is going!

Last week we were on a direct bus back to Riverside from a park, and the driver pulled into the French Quarter area and drove right past the FQ lobby before realising that the bus should be going to Riverside. At least he didn't stop there and look puzzled when no-one got off.

Andre

 

[nkereina]

If I requested a first floor room in Magnolia, would that be a decent position? With the 1 year old and a stroller, I don't want to be too far away from anything but still have some quiet.

I think this is a good location. The mansions do have elevators, unlike AB, worst case scenario if you can't get a first floor room. If you don't mind taking the elevator, the top floor may even be a quieter option.

 

[bfamily5]

Ok so it's September 1st, which means we go to Disney THIS MONTH!!!! Wow that has a nice ring to it!!!!

 

[Venomhatch]

Just got back from POR late last night. We were there for 8 nights. Everything was great. We had a couple issues with busses but nothing terrible, except for one. Mostly we just missed the bus to the park we were going to, so the wait was a bit longer than we would have liked. Didn't let it get us down. However on Sunday the 28th, we were going to AK. Got to the bus stop at 8:15/8:20. Watched as 6 MK busses and 2 Epcot busses got there. There was a cast member there writing info down so I casually asked after about 10 minutes if there would be an AK bus soon. He said it was on time and would be there shortly. Another 10 minutes and it finally showed up. Well instead of going to AK, the driver drove to Epcot. She pulled almost all the way to the bus stops there before she realized where she was and turned around and finally went to AK. We didn't get to AK until about 9:10.

I am sooooooo sorry to hear this, If I were you and no kids around I might have had something choice to say to them.

If things go on schedule, this time tomorrow we'll be pulling up to the terminal at MCO getting ready to board the Magic Express!

Yeah I am soooo jealous, What airline you flying? I love the first ride in Orlando, the airport monorail. I also hate this ride at the end also.

 

[webstah]

I am sooooooo sorry to hear this, If I were you and no kids around I might have had something choice to say to them.





Yeah I am soooo jealous, What airline you flying? I love the first ride in Orlando, the airport monorail. I also hate this ride at the end also.

We fly Southwest non-stop out of Manchester New Hampshire.
It's smaller than Logan, and the parking is cheaper.
Either one is an hour ride for us, so we'd rather go smaller and have less crowds.
Flight is scheduled to leave at 6:40am and land at 9:50am
That last monorail ride at the airport going home really is a bummer isn't it?
With luck, we'll get a bounce back offer, and have next years trip scheduled before we go home.