Port Orleans Riverside FAQ thread - Royally Refurbished for 2011

[andrewilley]

Hey Andre, what lenses can I use to achieve the 360? In the royal room. I know you mentioned 10-20mm but if I can't get one of them before going. I need an alternate, can it be done with 18-55?

Yeah, 18mm would be just fine. The problem is dealing with the distortion and parallax issues at the edges of the images, so you'll need to allow plenty of overlap. For interior/close detail shots, the nodal point of the lens on the tripod comes into the equation too - see http://archive.bigben.id.au/tutorials/360/photo/dig_film.html or Google "panorama nodal".

As I've said before, try it at home first. If you really want to get serious, get a pano head for your tripod, such as the Panosaurus which is not too expensive and does the job very well: http://gregwired.com/pano/Pano.htm

Andre

 

[andrewilley]

Very nice...is that second one looking toward Arcadia house?

Alligator Bayou. Looks like a view of building 18 taken from the northern bridge to Ol' Man Island.

Andre

 

[wdwcraz]

Don't know if this has been asked already or not. I am planning a trip for next November and was wondering about the royal rooms. Can you choose which type of room you want? I only ask because if we can't get a Tiana room it wouldn't be worth the extra money. Thanks in advance.

 

[andrewilley]

Can you choose which type of room you want? I only ask because if we can't get a Tiana room it wouldn't be worth the extra money. Thanks in advance.

There is only one type of Royal Room. If you have booked it, that's what you'll get. It's not specifically Tiana themed, there is detailing from lots of different films:

Andre

 

[ejrj]

I would love (for my daughter) to have a princess room w/ queens & murphy but unless one of you all knowing experts knows otherwise, I understand that the princess rooms are in the mansion buildings and on the AB buildings are getting q/murphy.

 

[Venomhatch]

Got visions of paparazzi-style holding camera up against darkened windows to glimpse the celebs inside cars...

Andre

Yeah had the same visions also in my head lol.

Wow you must have just popped on and went ohh crap I have a lot of replies lol.

Thanks for the Camera stuff I am doing the research now.

 

[Venomhatch]

I would love (for my daughter) to have a princess room w/ queens & murphy but unless one of you all knowing experts knows otherwise, I understand that the princess rooms are in the mansion buildings and on the AB buildings are getting q/murphy.

Yeah about that sorry, but the royal rooms are only in parterre and oak buildings and they don't have the hid-a-way beds.

 

[pianoronni37]

I hope you are right! She was so certain of herself, though. You truly never know who you are going to get when you call. The one I talked to the other night sounded like he had been smoking a doobie before he came to work, but I sure know where to stare for Hidden Mickeys...and that Mufasa lives now. I'm not joking. Best. call.ever. and I gave him a stellar survey for making me laugh

Oh, man - let me tell you about "guest services!" When my husband and I were on our first trip to POR, we were put in Oak Manor. I was happy, since I was in love with the "mansion" side of POR. However, when we got to our rooms, low and behold, there were two double beds! Well, it was our first anniversary and that was not going to do. Also, we had paid for a King bed.

I called Guest Services from the room, and was lectured that one does not PAY for a King Bed. I said "it's on my reservation" calmly, and Guest Services proceeded to tell me that you cannot pay for a request or a bed type. I told her that the best part of POR was that you COULD pay for bed type - and I paid for a King Bed. She said "you paid for waterview, not a King Bed, ma'am, trust me, I've been doing this a long time."

Wow! Maybe new training was in order.

I was fed up with her, and hung up. My husband and I went down to the front desk, they looked at our reservation, and said "oh! yes! you paid for a King Bed! The only one left is in AB, is that okay?"

Sigh. Guest Services...

 

[Venomhatch]

Oh, man - let me tell you about "guest services!" When my husband and I were on our first trip to POR, we were put in Oak Manor. I was happy, since I was in love with the "mansion" side of POR. However, when we got to our rooms, low and behold, there were two double beds! Well, it was our first anniversary and that was not going to do. Also, we had paid for a King bed.

I called Guest Services from the room, and was lectured that one does not PAY for a King Bed. I said "it's on my reservation" calmly, and Guest Services proceeded to tell me that you cannot pay for a request or a bed type. I told her that the best part of POR was that you COULD pay for bed type - and I paid for a King Bed. She said "you paid for waterview, not a King Bed, ma'am, trust me, I've been doing this a long time."

Wow! Maybe new training was in order.

I was fed up with her, and hung up. My husband and I went down to the front desk, they looked at our reservation, and said "oh! yes! you paid for a King Bed! The only one left is in AB, is that okay?"

Sigh. Guest Services...

Wow I read that whole thing and I felt really bad for you. I would have done the same thing. Maybe even took it up a notch. Sorry you could not get a king in the mansions.

 

[pianoronni37]

Wow I read that whole thing and I felt really bad for you. I would have done the same thing. Maybe even took it up a notch. Sorry you could not get a king in the mansions.

You know something? I was absolutely fine with it - at first I was disappointed being put allllllll the way in the back - but I fell in love with the curvy, windy, romantic, hidden paths in AB! Husband and I haven't stayed anywhere else since!

And I'd be just as happy in the Mansions... I think.

We'll see where the luck of the draw has our "garden view, 2 queen beds" option puts us in January!

I have to say, though - I have had wonderful experiences with Guest Services, this was just one bad apple who was argumentative and poorly informed.

 

[Venomhatch]

"This was just one bad apple who was argumentative and poorly informed."

Yeah I agree with you on that. I have had my share of poorly informed ones. Thats why I say good day, hang up and call back again. lol.

 

[mgdisney]

Alligator Bayou. Looks like a view of building 18 taken from the northern bridge to Ol' Man Island.

Andre

Yes that's correct! I was standing on the brigde when I took the pic!

 

[ejrj]

Don't you find in life that it's always the most poorly informed who tend to be the most argumentative!

 

[Venomhatch]

Yes that's correct! I was standing on the brigde when I took the pic!

Well Very nice shot fellow member.

 

[Venomhatch]

Don't you find in life that it's always the most poorly informed who tend to be the most argumentative!

Yes I agree!

 

[ybeshsm77]

I have reservations for the last week of January 2012. I reserved a garden view room with two queen beds (is in the description on website and confirmed by the person who did my reservation). I also asked if this is refurbished room. She said yes. I just want to confirm on here that if you get a room with queen beds that it means it is refurbished? Did they put in queen beds before refurbishment or when they updated the rooms, they also added the queen beds at the same time?

-C

 

[andrewilley]

We'll see where the luck of the draw has our "garden view, 2 queen beds" option puts us in January!

"Garden View?" Garden View? I'm sorry ma'am, but there's no such thing as a garden view...

I have reservations for the last week of January 2012. I reserved a garden view room with two queen beds (is in the description on website and confirmed by the person who did my reservation). I also asked if this is refurbished room. She said yes. I just want to confirm on here that if you get a room with queen beds that it means it is refurbished?

All of the refurbished rooms will have queen beds (well, apart from the ones with King Beds, but you know what I'm saying). By late January, the current two mansion buildings plus four Alligator Bayou lodges should have been refurbished, so I'm guessing you will very likely get queen beds. Oak Manor and Parterre Place will probably both be closed for the Royal Room refits at that time.

I have been told that "garden view" will basically encompass all rooms which do not overlook parking lots, but don't fall into any other special categories (water, river, preferred location, etc). I believe they will be found in the mansion buildings and also the non-preferred lodges in Alligator Bayou.

What is not yet 100% clear is whether they are only selling the new 2012 garden view categories for room inventory which has already been refurbished, as that would imply a rolling program of availability, which sounds a bit complicated. I would have thought it is more likely that all the "garden" view rooms will have been pre-defined on the room matrix, and you will simply get any one of those - which initially could mean some older AB rooms with double beds rather than queens. After July the issue goes away anyway, as by then the whole resort will have been refurbished.

Andre

 

[mgdisney]

Well Very nice shot fellow member.

Thank-you!!!

 

[ybeshsm77]

I am the one who posted the question about garden view and the queen beds. I made a reservation for the garden view for late January 2012. If you go onto the Disney World website and look to see availabilty for rooms in December, all room choices for standard, preferred, and river water views say you will be getting two double beds. No garden view option comes up and no mention of queen beds. When you look for availabilty for the first week of January, garden view option turns up along with standard, preferred, and river view. The standard, preferred and river/water views all still say you get double beds. But the garden view says you get queen beds. So the only option with queen beds is garden view. That probably doesn't mean you wont get a chance at having queen beds with the other view options but you aren't guarenteed queen beds. Also you pay more for garden view. I am paying 33 more dollars per night vs the standard view. You pay more than 80 per night for preferred and water view. Now the thing that I don't get is that when I booked for the last week of January, the only rooms available when I booked were garden view. That must mean most people booked water view and preferred over getting queen beds guarenteed with garden view. Also people opted for standard over garden view because it was 33 dollars cheaper. Based on my research I would say I am definitely getting queen beds with garden view, meaning I am getting a refurbished room. What do you think?

 

[chip 'n dale rule]

I am the one who posted the question about garden view and the queen beds. I made a reservation for the garden view for late January 2012. If you go onto the Disney World website and look to see availabilty for rooms in December, all room choices for standard, preferred, and river water views say you will be getting two double beds. No garden view option comes up and no mention of queen beds. When you look for availabilty for the first week of January, garden view option turns up along with standard, preferred, and river view. The standard, preferred and river/water views all still say you get double beds. But the garden view says you get queen beds. So the only option with queen beds is garden view. That probably doesn't mean you wont get a chance at having queen beds with the other view options but you aren't guarenteed queen beds. Also you pay more for garden view. I am paying 33 more dollars per night vs the standard view. You pay more than 80 per night for preferred and water view. Now the thing that I don't get is that when I booked for the last week of January, the only rooms available when I booked were garden view. That must mean most people booked water view and preferred over getting queen beds guarenteed with garden view. Also people opted for standard over garden view because it was 33 dollars cheaper. Based on my research I would say I am definitely getting queen beds with garden view, meaning I am getting a refurbished room. What do you think?

I have NO idea, the entire thing sounds complicated to me but I sooooooo hope you're right!!! We have a garden view booked for the second week in Jan. and I was seeing the same thing on Disney's site with queen beds coming up for that category too. We really need the bigger beds and murphy bed because we're a family of 5 with DS's 13, 12 and 10. It is a tight squeeze but deluxe prices are outrageous in my opinion and we're only in the room to collapse at night anyway!