Port Orleans Riverside Q&A Thread 2013, Part Three (NOW CLOSED, see 2014 thread)

[Sandyt05]

If you were booked for a Royal Guest Room (garden view) in May and requested in the Oak Manor bldg, would you be concerned with the construction that will be taking place? Is there a better location that I should request instead? We would like a corner room that is quiet. Thanks!

 

[Mama Steph]

I'm very sad to be leaving this thread. I was so looking forward to staying at POR next month. My mom has decided that she will be coming from Jacksonville to join us on this trip which is awesome. However, in order for us all to stay together, we have to leave POR. we will be staying in a cabin at FW which I'm sure will be great. It's just a bit of a letdown since I've been planning on POR. I have no doubt we will all love the cabin though and the living room is a great bonus. I'll miss my new POR friends. Hopefully I'll bd back next year!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[SarBear]

Just booked today for a May 4-10 stay at POR. This is our first non-Value resort trip and I am super excited!!

 

[racefans44]

Just booked today for a May 4-10 stay at POR. This is our first non-Value resort trip and I am super excited!!

Congrats! I'm sure you'll love it!

 

[DanInMN]

Just booked today for a May 4-10 stay at POR. This is our first non-Value resort trip and I am super excited!!

You are going to love it! It is so beautiful, fun pool with nice teen CMs to entertain little kids, great landscaping, hot tub, sit down restaurant, boat to DTD, Yehaw Bob... you may never go back to a Value again!

 

[lhqueenbee]

This is my first post here. I can officially say I have read this whole thread now!!
23 days till we leave for a 7 night stay at POR!! This will be our 4th time staying at POR and my 9th visit to Disney World overall. So I guess you could say I have some experience, but I still love reading every bit of info and can't say how much I have enjoyed all the fabulous information shared here and appreciate the expertise of Venom and Andre. It's a great feeling to feel prepared!!
This trip is a little different for us. Typically it's just my husband, myself and our two girls (4 and 7) travelling. However, my parents have decided to join us as well as friends of ours and their three girls (4, 4, & 9) We are really looking forward to it, but a small part of me is nervous with a big group. We have planned ahead with reservations and which park when, so that should be helpful.
Thanks again everyone for providing me with the info needed to feel like we are prepared for all the changes!!

 

[annieb727]

Hey everyone...so much info here...I love it.

I just returned home from WDW a couple weeks ago. It was me and my two boys (ages 9 and 11) and it was amazing. We stayed at Pop century. They love the icons and the fun of it all. Though after 10 straight days in a little room at pop century, I am ready for some ME time...

So...I am in grad school...and my spring break does not match up with theirs - Mine is in March theirs in April. So I am thinking I need a solo vacation to Disney (I have an AP because I went in July with a friend and knew I would be bringing my boys December). I booked a King room at POR! For March 6-17. I am so excited. I love doing things on my own. And I have done disney solo before and I love it.

I have mobility issues and need to rent an ECV...so I know I have to make sure I get a ground floor room. I am hoping for the AB section ground floor in building 14, 15, or 18. While I have the use of an ECV, it's good for me to walk some, and being close to the food court would make it possible for me to walk there at times rather than the ECV. Also...do all the rooms have fridges yet? I have some dietary restrictions so it's important for me to have a fridge, or at least a way to keep some food items cold.

Anyway, I am really excited. I have stayed at POP several times. Contemporary ONCE (for two nights back in 2002 and barely remember it). And I have stayed off site. I am really splurging on myself for this trip...I am excited about how it sounds to be more luxurious than the value resorts. The theming sounds great.

I got a great military rate -- that saved me over $200 above the annual pass holder rate! I think it was right at $2,000 for a King room for those 11 nights with all the taxes included. Yay for discounts!

 

[alan_renfroe]

This is my first post here. I can officially say I have read this whole thread now!!
23 days till we leave for a 7 night stay at POR!! This will be our 4th time staying at POR and my 9th visit to Disney World overall. So I guess you could say I have some experience, but I still love reading every bit of info and can't say how much I have enjoyed all the fabulous information shared here and appreciate the expertise of Venom and Andre. It's a great feeling to feel prepared!!
This trip is a little different for us. Typically it's just my husband, myself and our two girls (4 and 7) travelling. However, my parents have decided to join us as well as friends of ours and their three girls (4, 4, & 9) We are really looking forward to it, but a small part of me is nervous with a big group. We have planned ahead with reservations and which park when, so that should be helpful.
Thanks again everyone for providing me with the info needed to feel like we are prepared for all the changes!!

Welcome lhqueenbee! I'm sure having your parents and their children along will be a bit more difficult, but you definitely sound like you're a "planner", so i think you'll be fine!

 

[Loopner]

Question (and I apologize if it's been asked before).....

Are there ornaments for POR? I mean specific ornaments that say POR on them and not just generic WDW 2014 ornaments?

We love to buy a resort ornament each time we stay on property. Last October, we stayed at All-Star Sports (first time in a value) and I was so disappointed that they didn't have a resort ornament.

Just wanted to know about POR's ornaments before I got there so I'd know ahead of time.

Thanks!

 

[EpcotBill]

I'm very sad to be leaving this thread. I was so looking forward to staying at POR next month. My mom has decided that she will be coming from Jacksonville to join us on this trip which is awesome. However, in order for us all to stay together, we have to leave POR. we will be staying in a cabin at FW which I'm sure will be great. It's just a bit of a letdown since I've been planning on POR. I have no doubt we will all love the cabin though and the living room is a great bonus. I'll miss my new POR friends. Hopefully I'll bd back next year!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

That doesn't mean you have to leave this thread. There's no rule that says you have to be booked at POR to participate in this thread.

 

[SarBear]

Thanks guys! My husband's one stipulation on another trip was "no Value hotels" so this is where we ended up. We used to go to New Orleans all the time before we had our daughter, and all the pictures I've seen just sucked me in. Looks beautiful. I have a feeling this is going to spoil us

 

[louisianab]

We leave in 14 days! It's -12 here in Michigan and my work is driving me insane. Can't wait to be on a Magical Vacation!

 

[RejoyceoverDisney]

We leave in 14 days! It's -12 here in Michigan and my work is driving me insane. Can't wait to be on a Magical Vacation!

Reports of -14 in my area today. I've not gone outside yet. LOL
I also heard FL is in this cold pocket as it has the whole East Coast. The temps are around 34 in FL. I feel bad for those that thought they were getting a warm week this week. It's suppose to get warmer each day but still.

Sure hope February doesn't get this cold.

 

[TangledUPMerida]

Arriving in POR January 22nd!! My husband and I and 2 girls are beyond excited. I saw the other day there are renovations going on. We have a Royal Guest room- river view booked....should I be concerned? Should I request a certain area?

 

[lotus14]

We're interested in possibly checking out the campfire on our Feb visit. How does it work? Do you need to be there at the start time, roast your marshmallow and then leave? Or does it last for a certain duration of time and you can drop in whenever?

Is there more going on there than just marshmallow roasting, meaning are we likely to be there more than half an hour?

 

[RnbwSktles]

I will be there in 2 days!!

I just sent in a room request fax for our second reservation (moving from RGR to regular Garden View, requested AB section), and ordered 2 cases of water from Staples! Yay for free shipping!

Now I just have to cross my fingers that all of the bad weather and canceled flights doesn't trickle down and affect mine on Thurs morning!

 

[buzznina]

We're interested in possibly checking out the campfire on our Feb visit. How does it work? Do you need to be there at the start time, roast your marshmallow and then leave? Or does it last for a certain duration of time and you can drop in whenever?

Is there more going on there than just marshmallow roasting, meaning are we likely to be there more than half an hour?

It normally lasts for 1 hour and currently it starts at 5pm daily. There will be 1 or 2 CM's giving you a long dowl stick and a marshmallow. You can come and go while they are there and roast as many marshmallows as you can eat.

 

[WDW1979]

We're interested in possibly checking out the campfire on our Feb visit. How does it work? Do you need to be there at the start time, roast your marshmallow and then leave? Or does it last for a certain duration of time and you can drop in whenever?

Is there more going on there than just marshmallow roasting, meaning are we likely to be there more than half an hour?

You can show up anytime during the Port Orleans Riverside campfire. They will give you marshmallows to roast and sticks on which to roast them, and you can leave at any time. There is not much to do other than roast the marshmallows and eat them, though the kids' playground is adjacent, if you have kids that would like to use it. It is a nice addition to the amenities/activities at POR.

The Fort Wilderness campfire program is a bigger deal, with a guitarist playing and singing songs on a small wagon stage with Chip & Dale standing by, and later a Disney Movie on a HUGE outdoor screen. Unlike the free marshmallows at POR, you need to bring your own marshmallows and sticks to the Fort Wilderness campfire, and they offer them for sale nearby.

 

[buzznina]

Arriving in POR January 22nd!! My husband and I and 2 girls are beyond excited. I saw the other day there are renovations going on. We have a Royal Guest room- river view booked....should I be concerned? Should I request a certain area?

From wht I understand they will start working on the Oaks Manor roof starting January 19th and doing 1 wing at a time. If worried, you can put in a request for Parterre Place.

 

[Katelly]

Question (and I apologize if it's been asked before).....

Are there ornaments for POR? I mean specific ornaments that say POR on them and not just generic WDW 2014 ornaments?

We love to buy a resort ornament each time we stay on property. Last October, we stayed at All-Star Sports (first time in a value) and I was so disappointed that they didn't have a resort ornament.

Just wanted to know about POR's ornaments before I got there so I'd know ahead of time.

Thanks!

I didn't see any POR ornaments while we were there last month. I was actually looking for a POR magnet but they didn't have those either. The only thing I found that was POR specific was a pin. It seems like they don't have much in the way of resort specific merchandise anymore.