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

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Regarding bed covers:

Why is it all or nothing? Why can't they get a thinner blanket and do away with the huge bulky bed cover that is not easy to put anywhere. Why can't the blanket be colorful to match the room decor and then include a colorful shoe protector (or whatever they call those things that just go over the end of the bed)?

You could make it colorful and fit the decor. Maybe this will be the plan long term but they needed to get rid of the covers for some reason.

Everyone needs to let them know that the stark white takes a lot away from the decor and they might do something about it.
 
There will be colorful scarves at the end of the beds (eventually) as Andre said, along with the colorful throw pillows
 
I know your kidding, but why not!? They may
have them piled up somewhere. Maybe they'd give you one if you asked. Certainly couldn't hurt!

It's funny. We just returned from AofA and when we walked into our room, my husband looked suspiciously at the beds and said "Where's my bedspread?"

All weekend he kept asking about the bedspread. He missed it. He didn't believe me when I said it was gone. He kept saying, "You mean forever???" :rotfl:
 


Maybe in the fax I can request an old bedspread for my Royal Room. :rotfl2:
I'm actually kind of serious about this! :thumbsup2

Ha ha too funny!

There will be colorful scarves at the end of the beds (eventually) as Andre said, along with the colorful throw pillows

Well so perhaps it may settle some, have you seen concept art to reflect what it could look like and Disney would allow to be posted here?
 


Aren't throw pillows harder to clean than the blankets?

Oh, I'm pretty sure those throw pillows aren't gonna get cleaned very often! And now they'll be placed directly on the pillows your head will be on all night long. So, this isn't "more sanitary" for the guests, just easier for Disney. Less laundry and less time for mousekeeping. I'm pretty sure most people aren't going to actually sleep with the throw pillows, so they'll spend most of the time on the dirty floor.....and then on your "clean" bed.

I'm much more concerned about not having a fridge. I asked before, but I'll ask again... Does anyone know what size fridge will fit in the cabinet or whatever? I am willing to bring my own, but I don't want it out in the middle of the floor.....
 
1. I'm nervous about transferring from GF to POR on Friday. Does anyone know how that works? Will we need to get a taxi or will there be some sort of Disney transportation?

2. I'm a Southern girl, so I completely understand that there isn't "normal" weather. There's always an exception. I also know that the pools are heated, but the outside air isn't. Is it really going to be warm enough to swim in February?

1. Disney will transport your luggage from GF to POR, but it won't get there until afternoon. What you can do is check out of POR, head to a park, and then take the bus to GF and check in then. If you weren't planning on going to a park on that day, then yes, a taxi would be the way to do it. (You can't take luggage on a Disney bus.)

2. Really, the only answer is maybe. Cheshire Figment (who wrote the ticket sticky on the Theme Park Attractions and Strategies board) is a CM who works at the water parks, and he says that as long as it's sunny and there's no breeze, it's comfortable to swim even when the temperature is in the 60s. (I checked the February crowd calendar at easywdw.com (http://www.easywdw.com/category/calendar/02-february-2014-crowd-calendar/), and it says that average highs in February are high 60s, low 70s.)
 
Ha ha too funny!



Well so perhaps it may settle some, have you seen concept art to reflect what it could look like and Disney would allow to be posted here?

No, but a scarf is the standard for all rooms, it will be there sooner or later
 
I like when they put the comforter inbetween the sheets at certain hotels. They sheets are, of course, changed with every guest and you get a fluffy comforter to sleep with!
 
27 days!!!! Woohoo! Anyway, I have done online check-in for our reservations but I can't do my IL's, even though they are linked. Is there any other way to do this, e.g., can I call and check-in? I also don't think I have any special requests on our reservations because when I changed our reservation from CBR to POR I had to do it so quick that I didn't give any special instructions.

You can still call with your reservation number and add requests, yes. Online checkin doesn't have a phone-call equivalent though, it's just on-line or on-the-day. Any requests you missed can be sent by fax, but that still won't create an online checkin I'm afraid.


I'm nervous about transferring from GF to POR on Friday. Does anyone know how that works? Will we need to get a taxi or will there be some sort of Disney transportation?

I'm a Southern girl, so I completely understand that there isn't "normal" weather. There's always an exception. I also know that the pools are heated, but the outside air isn't. Is it really going to be warm enough to swim in February?

(P.S. Andre - for what it's worth, I completely agree with you. I actually have a letter on file with my daughters' schools stating they are not allowed to use hand sanitizer. They have sinks available to wash hands. There's no point in using that crap that is just going to end up in their tummies killing off the good bacteria.)

Transferring between Disney resorts is easy, on check-out day, before you leave your room get Bell Services to collect your bags for transfer to your new hotel. They'll tell you when they should be delivered (but do allow a bit of time, it's not an instant process). When you check in to your new resort, again contact Bell Services and your bags will be bought to your room.

Swimming in Feb is a very variable thing. We were there during a cold snap in Feb 2010, yet we still managed an afternoon swim or two when it was low-50s, as the water is nicely heated. It's a bit of a mad dash to get back to the room in the cold air afterwards though! Mind you, I'm British, that might make a difference! :) There were only a few mad Brits and one Canadian in the pool at the time, and no slide/water features working, or lifeguards.

And off-topic on the hand sanitisers thing... yes, apart from specific medical requirements for anti-bacterial washing in hospitals, good old soap and hot water gets rid of a lot more nasties from your hands then either trendy foaming handwashes or special hand gels (I guess partly because it makes you do more actual washing and scrubbing in order to build up a lather).


Maybe in the fax I can request an old bedspread for my Royal Room. :rotfl2:
I'm actually kind of serious about this! :thumbsup2

Sure, why not? Anything we do here will be a drop in the ocean compared to overall guest numbers of course, and once a corporate decision like this has been made it probably won't get changed by anything less than massive guest dissatisfaction, but why not at least let them know how disappointed you feel about bland corporate homogenisation anyway?

In my humble (OK, maybe not so humble :) ) opinion, this is just another example of the whole "Disney Parks" anathema. Symptoms include the phasing out of more and more speciality retail locations within the parks, more generic bi-costal merchandising generally, removal of all the resort-specific souvenir products, the ending of resort-specific Refillable Mug designs, etc. None of the above were positive changes, no matter how the PR people try to spin it.


Why is it all or nothing? Why can't they get a thinner blanket and do away with the huge bulky bed cover that is not easy to put anywhere.

Everyone needs to let them know that the stark white takes a lot away from the decor and they might do something about it.

I couldn't agree more. And I too wonder what the real reason behind doing this right now is? Given the delays to the (so-called) finishing touches, why start removing all the current items now and leaving hospital-look beds and a lot of dissatisfaction among guests? There must be an ulterior motive for the sudden rush.


I like when they put the comforter inbetween the sheets at certain hotels. They sheets are, of course, changed with every guest and you get a fluffy comforter to sleep with!

Or, in effect, a duvet cover. :) That would be my ideal solution too.


No, but a scarf is the standard for all rooms, it will be there sooner or later

Aiming for a look that is "standard for all rooms" is the complete antithesis of what Disney stands for though. Each hotel's room theme (of which the bedding is a major part) should be distinct and evocative of the period and/or place that it is intended to portray. Isn't that what Disney Imagineering is all about?

As I said, if guests wanted "standard" corporate chain hotel room styles, why wouldn't they just check into a Marriott, or the Swolphin, or a hundred other cloned variations?

Just out of curiosity, this new generic styling wouldn't by any chance be easier and cheaper to install and maintain across property would it? ;)


Andre
 
I'm not trying to make anyone feel dumb (sorry if anyone might take it that way - just remember I'm a Brit, we're odd!). I was really just pointing out what would happen if we took the argument to its logical extreme I guess.

I'm not advocating being unnecessarily dirty either of course, but I'm just concerned that what appears to be happening is somewhat "throwing the baby out with the bathwater".

Andre

I find nothing wrong with your comments. Corporate has made a stupid decision or at least executed the decision before they were ready to act on re-theming the room, which is again a stupid decision. Also, you don't have to be pleasant about everything. You are not a Disney cast member and have no need to tow the company line. I appreciate your honesty on how you feel.
 
Totally agree, Andre! I am 27 years old with two daughters and I was always taught that a little dirt won't hurt. I am not afraid of germs because they build our immunity systems. My girls are never sick and I think it's because we aren't constantly sanitizing. We do wash our hands but don't overdo it. Never even thought about the spreads until now, but I actually love how they make the room look. Our first trip to POR is in March and I told my husband I am kind of upset to see them go before we get to see them:( but he reminded me that we will be in Disney and our beds don't matter as long as we have somewhere to sleep lol

I used to be like this. From newborn age, my oldest two were passed around, played right on the ground/floor and I didn't stop them from putting "non dangerous" things in their mouths. We never used sanitizer and we let animals lick their faces. They aren't sick much. Then my 3rd son was born with an immune deficiency. Now I am the cray mom with bottles of hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes everywhere we go, constantly reminding the boys to not touch public surfaces and to wash their hands constantly, I am petrified of him getting sick on our trip. It is our first one ever!
 
Then my 3rd son was born with an immune deficiency ... I am petrified of him getting sick on our trip. It is our first one ever!

Medical issues are a completely different case of course. It might be worth asking if they can do a special deep clean of the room (VIP clean) before you arrive to reduce any possible infections for your son.

Andre
 
I find nothing wrong with your comments. Corporate has made a stupid decision or at least executed the decision before they were ready to act on re-theming the room, which is again a stupid decision. Also, you don't have to be pleasant about everything. You are not a Disney cast member and have no need to tow the company line. I appreciate your honesty on how you feel.

:thumbsup2

It's all well and good (seriously) to be happy about going to Disney, but let's not pretend it's a perfect place. Those of us who have been going for a long time (20 years on my part) have seen change--both good and bad. And if we can't make observations and/or politely express our displeasure with perceived negative changes then we're just deluding ourselves to the situation.

On an entirely unrelated note.....just found that the Disney Store now sells the great smelling Grapefruit Bergamot shower gel they have at some of the resorts. Got free shipping, and now a lovely reminder of Disney is on its way :)
 
Thanks siskaren & Andre! I will be in a meeting for most of the day on the day of transfer so DH will just be homeless with the 3 kids for a little while. I'm sure they will find plenty to do to keep them busy.

Anyone know how much the smores kits cost?
 
Thanks siskaren & Andre! I will be in a meeting for most of the day on the day of transfer so DH will just be homeless with the 3 kids for a little while. I'm sure they will find plenty to do to keep them busy.

Anyone know how much the smores kits cost?

Can't think of a better place to be homeless for the day. :)

I don't think they sell official smores kits any more, but there are free marshmallows for roasting at the campfires.

Has anyone got any pics of the refurbished Riverside campfire location by the way?

Andre
 
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