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

[zabache]

Andre: Thanks for your link. what have you heard about rider swap while using the FP+ ?
We have our son that will be 2 1/2 yr when we go in April and there will be some rides we will use the swap.
I have read that one parent can reserve a FP+ and get a ride swap tick at the ride. I've also read you have to both get a FP+ and since you have the 1 hr window you won't get a ride swap tick.
Sorry if it's confusing.

 

[zabache]

I am so excited! Originally I wanted to book a Royal Room, but I couldn't justify paying an extra $40 a night for a room I would barely be in. I booked a Standard Room instead. Now, with the latest Cheaptickets deal that is out, I was able to book a Royal Room - Garden View for the same price as my Standard Room through Disney! I am on hold now to cancel the reservation through Disney. This will be my first trip to POR and I am very excited for it! One of my best friends just came back from there and didn't really like it that much. She said the room decor was just "ok" (she stayed in AB) and the resort was too spread out. I'm taking that with a grain of salt though because I've read such great things here!

Cheap tickets deal? Do share

 

[MinnieIV]

I don't mean to be dismissive of your post, but after spending 9 days there, I think all the rooms are equally romantic! You don't really sit in your room and look outside anyway. What we found romantic celebrating our 30th was the grounds: The beautiful trees, river, landscaping. The bridges and dim nighttime lighting. It was romantic just to walk hand in hand or sit on a bench.

We got a royal room which was fun, but not necessary.

I guess I am trying to say that the room was a room. What is romantic in the room is not the room. If you know what I mean.

But the resort itself makes a big difference and I thought POR was the most romantic resort. Walk, especially at night, sit on a bench, take a carriage ride, boat ride.

May you have a wonderful anniversary and may you love each other more than yesterday but not as much as tomorrow - for the rest of your lives.

Not dismissive at all! that's such a relief to hear! We just wanted something more intimate and adult feeling, as well as beautiful, which is why we stretched our budget as far as we could to stay at POR, rather than a value per say. Thank you so much for the advice!

 

[MinnieIV]

You're very welcome, glad we can all help. For the record though, I occasionally might get a tiny little bit techy when a question was already answered within the last few posts, but so far I seem to have got away with putting it down to being British, hope my luck holds!




Yes, I think the mansions would be a good choice for you, perhaps a corner room in Magnolia Terrace as close to the river as possible?

You could even mention in your fax that it's your Anniversary, and that you'd have loved to have been able to book one of the King Bed corner rooms overlooking the river but that your budget just couldn't quite stretch the extra, so somewhere in that general area would be nice... You never know, if the resort isn't too busy maybe someone might find a bit of extra pixie dust lying around?

Andre

That would be amazing! I will have to make a few drafts of a request letter, we really are just excited to be at POR at all pixie dust would just be an amazing bonus. we originally didn't think staying on property would be within budget, nonetheless a moderate! We are college students who study full time and work part time and are funding the vacation entirely ourselves, so we thought for our anniversary we should treat ourselves! (Our anniversary which is one day before my birthday! Ha!)

 

[MinnieIV]

Cheap tickets deal? Do share

Don't mean to piggy back but cheap tickets has an extra 25% off promo code that ends today and applies to some Disney hotels orbitz I believe has a 22% promo code that works on more property hotels

 

[lillykat]

I still walked to the room early and found it ready when I got to it, then 4 hrs after we got into the room we all of a sudden got the text.

How did you know what room to check? I only ask because in the past they told us our room and circled it on the map so we could find it. At POR though they said they do not give out room numbers. Here is a map, when you get the text that your room is ready they will text you the number. You look on the map and find the building and room that way. There was a computer glitch that day so we never got the text. Just wondering if that changed.

Finally down to 96 days. We are supposed to get more snow tomorrow. So nice to read this thread and see photos. This trip we will be celebrating our 10th anniversary and both kids birthdays!

 

[Yellowstonetim]

Not dismissive at all! that's such a relief to hear! We just wanted something more intimate and adult feeling, as well as beautiful, which is why we stretched our budget as far as we could to stay at POR, rather than a value per say. Thank you so much for the advice!

You will not be disappointed! I think you made a wise decision. I haven't stayed at all the resorts, but I have visited them all and stayed at both value and moderates. The values are wonderful, CBR is great, but none of the other moderates, values, and even deluxes can compare to the beauty and romantic setting of POR! (In my humble opinion.)

If you can get the corner room river view that would be awesome, but I think you will love it regardless.

 

[zabache]

Don't mean to piggy back but cheap tickets has an extra 25% off promo code that ends today and applies to some Disney hotels orbitz I believe has a 22% promo code that works on more property hotels

what is the promo code?

 

[TeachTink]

what is the promo code?

The CT promo code is CHEAPTASTIC. It ends today.

I booked through cheaptickets and then cancelled my reservation through disney. I saved a lot of money (still paying the same price overall, but got a more exprensive room for the price). Everything else is the same: Magic Band, EMH, DME, FP+, etc. Nothing changes except the fact you book through cheaptickets instead of Disney.

Here is a thread all about it. I wouldn't have known about it if I wouldn't have seen it here! http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3217882

It only includes certain resorts... but POR is one of them. I see in your signature you are staying in a Royal Room. You can probably get a substantial savings on that. I booked a Royal Room through Cheaptickets at the same price as a Standard Room was through Disney.

 

[zabache]

The CT promo code is CHEAPTASTIC. It ends today.

I booked through cheaptickets and then cancelled my reservation through disney. I saved a lot of money (still paying the same price overall, but got a more exprensive room for the price). Everything else is the same: Magic Band, EMH, DME, FP+, etc. Nothing changes except the fact you book through cheaptickets instead of Disney.

Here is a thread all about it. I wouldn't have known about it if I wouldn't have seen it here! http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3217882

It only includes certain resorts... but POR is one of them. I see in your signature you are staying in a Royal Room. You can probably get a substantial savings on that. I booked a Royal Room through Cheaptickets at the same price as a Standard Room was through Disney.

Thanks for the info. I currently don't have the $ to pay in full so I can't use the promotion. We also want the Dining Plan which I can't add with them. It's good to know these things though for future reference.
Thanks again

 

[CareHeartsDisney]

I've not really gone into too much detail about the whole FastPass+, Magic Band, My Disney Experience, MyMagic+ area on my site - apart from some specific News Updates as things occurred - as it all seemed more of a general WDW thing rather than anything Port Orleans specific. However now that it's all become so integrated, I thought I'd better at least discuss the basics.

So I've just added www.portorleans.org/mymagicplus.php, which I hope should provide all the essential information needed by a forthcoming visitor to Port Orleans, but without going into hundreds of pages of intricate detail (which to be honest sites like the DIS probably do a lot better anyway).

I'd appreciate some feedback from the folks here as to whether I've covered everything I should, but without over-complicating it. And as I've never actually used any of it as yet, I want to make sure I've got all my facts straight too!

I really wish I could think of more positive points to make about FP+, but everything I wrote just made me realise that there are probably a lot more cons than pros at the moment (unless you are a full-on Type-A planning obsessive anyway, and even then it's tricky).

Andre

This is excellent information, Andre! Thank you so much for this and for everything that you do! I didn't realize that the MBs could be used at the security gate. I also didn't realize that more FP+'s may (depending on availability) be able to be added after the preselected ones have been used. That's great to know!

 

[Venomhatch]

How did you know what room to check? I only ask because in the past they told us our room and circled it on the map so we could find it. At POR though they said they do not give out room numbers. Here is a map, when you get the text that your room is ready they will text you the number. You look on the map and find the building and room that way. There was a computer glitch that day so we never got the text. Just wondering if that changed.

Finally down to 96 days. We are supposed to get more snow tomorrow. So nice to read this thread and see photos. This trip we will be celebrating our 10th anniversary and both kids birthdays!

Well in the past they usually write your room number into a folder with your welcome packet. So that is why I knew what room to go to.

So thats how we knew what room Id have. Also being a cast member I also knew.

 

[andrewilley]

This is excellent information, Andre! Thank you so much for this and for everything that you do! I didn't realize that the MBs could be used at the security gate. I also didn't realize that more FP+'s may (depending on availability) be able to be added after the preselected ones have been used. That's great to know!

As I said, MyMagic+ is all new territory for me, so I'm still partly checking all the facts.

Someone mentioned a while back that you can use MBs to gain access at the front vehicle entrance gateway, but I'm not sure quite how you hang out of the window to do it if your band is on the wrong arm...

And again, my understanding of FP+ is that once you have used your first pre-booked slot then you can rebook for another ride (if anything worthwhile is still available, and within the tier limits), but still only having three booked at any one time. I think. But the thing is still in such a state of flux that I can't say for certain, or I may be completely wrong! [Edit: actually, that may well be out of date. You could do that during earlier testing, but now it seems to be a hard limit of three per day. I've updated the page accordingly]

That's why I'm hoping someone could check my wording for me.

Andre

 

[andrewilley]

Well in the past they usually write your room number into a folder with your welcome packet.

They usually only give out the actual room number once the room has been confirmed as yours and it's ready for you to move in. Otherwise, Mousekeeping could find an issue during cleaning that takes the planned room out of inventory in the meantime for example, or they needed to do a last-minute switch for some specific reason. The often let people know the expected building in advance though.

But as you say, your knowing the right people would most certainly be another way to do it but that's not an option open to everyone.

Andre

 

[CareHeartsDisney]

As I said, MyMagic+ is all new territory for me, so I'm still partly checking all the facts.

Someone mentioned a while back that you can use MBs to gain access at the front vehicle entrance gateway, but I'm not sure quite how you hang out of the window to do it if your band is on the wrong arm...

And again, my understanding of FP+ is that once you have used your first pre-booked slot then you can rebook for another ride (if anything worthwhile is still available, and within the tier limits), but still only having three booked at any one time. I think. But the thing is still in such a state of flux that I can't say for certain, or I may be completely wrong!

That's why I'm hoping someone could check my wording for me.

Andre

I'll report back after my trip in a couple weeks to let you know what my experience is.

Thanks again!

 

[lillykat]

Well in the past they usually write your room number into a folder with your welcome packet. So that is why I knew what room to go to. So thats how we knew what room Id have. Also being a cast member I also knew.

That was what they did in the past at other wdw hotels but on check in this time the CM insisted that you only find out your room when texted and that was a disney policy. So maybe it was the CM not a policy thing. It is nice to know where you are going ahead of time. It is nice to be excited when you find your room is ready to go straight there rather than trying to find what building it is in on the map.

Off this topic. POR guests can use the POFQ pool right? My girls love the POR main pool and slide. Would the dragon slide be a let down.

 

[UpstateMick]

Well...10 days until we head for 10 day (much needed) Disney World vacation. My DD is 9, so we have been going every Feb. break (we are teachers) for the past three years (we have 5 total trips under our belts) We have stayed at POFQ, CS, and CBR ( which is our favorite). When asking my daughter where she wanted to stay this year, she suggested a RR at POR. So, needless to say, here we come! We are so excited for everything that POR seems to offer. We reserved a PoolView RR, so we think we will be in Oak Manor. So many of you have been so incredibly helpful in planning our visit. I can't sleep (too excited). Already packed (too excited). And overall...just excited!

If anyone has just come back (or is there now...lucky) can you give me any updates on construction (I heard roof work at Oak Manor). Is it terribly obstructive and is it on the pool side view? And a bus question...where is the best depot to catch busses and how is the bus service?

Thank you all for all of your help!

 

[KaChow]

Hi friends! Can anyone help with a split-stay question? We arrive on the 5th for one night at AoA, then finish off four nights at POR Riverside. Our tickets and free dining are attached to the second reservation. We were sent two sets of magic bands, one for each reservation. We would like to go to MK for the early opening on the 6th, and also have a reservation at Crystal Palace for breakfast. Do we need to go to POR in the wee hours and check in, or can our bands be activated at AoA for our park tickets and dining? Thanks!

 

[GigiDisneyfreak]

Hi friends! Can anyone help with a split-stay question? We arrive on the 5th for one night at AoA, then finish off four nights at POR Riverside. Our tickets and free dining are attached to the second reservation. We were sent two sets of magic bands, one for each reservation. We would like to go to MK for the early opening on the 6th, and also have a reservation at Crystal Palace for breakfast. Do we need to go to POR in the wee hours and check in, or can our bands be activated at AoA for our park tickets and dining? Thanks!

I haven't experienced this but I did read another thread in Disney Resorts called "Can you check in before you check out"
http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3229832
They are saying you have to go to the resort that tickets are attached to. Maybe you want to take a look at that thread to help you out.

 

[andrewilley]

POR guests can use the POFQ pool right? My girls love the POR main pool and slide. Would the dragon slide be a let down.

Yes you can use it (although the POFQ pool is closed at the moment, until around 28 Feb). The POFQ slide is great fun to look at, but in fact is quite a mild ride compared to the POR one which is twice as long. But hey, take a stroll over there, have a swim and get some beignets for afterwards, everyone should be happy!

Andre