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

[AmyKat]

Thanks for the pictures! I understand the reason behind the new bedding. But what's the point in replacing the pictures? I really liked the pictures that went with the resort. My kids would be happy with anything and, if I didn't know what had been there before, I think I would really like the new stuff too. I just don't understand the change.

 

[firstwdw]

I agree. I'm not loving this new look and am a bit disappointed.

so disappointing-looks beyond horrible and unfinished. Seems like a waste to refurb all those rooms within the past year and then take away all the bedspreads.

 

[emsmommy323]

It actually makes me glad we didn't splurge for the Royal Room, it's not looking so royal in there anymore.

 

[Three cats]

Thanks for the pictures! I understand the reason behind the new bedding. But what's the point in replacing the pictures? I really liked the pictures that went with the resort. My kids would be happy with anything and, if I didn't know what had been there before, I think I would really like the new stuff too. I just don't understand the change.

I though the same thing....why the pictures too?

 

[TDDisney]

No more bedspreads. Hopefully a runner at the foot of the beds are still to come.

Yuck! So glad we had them when we were there oct 5-12! Have they changed the photos on their websites? Can you imagine all the ppl who don't know this, saw the pics online when booking the room, then walk into this hospital bed look?

 

[Venomhatch]

I agree, doesn't look that royal anymore.

 

[jerseygirl81]

I hate to do this but I was thinking about bringing a small cooler just in case we don't get a room with a fridge. DS doesn't do well with the crowds in the food court in the morning so it's easier to just have cereal in the room most mornings we also drink a lot of water. My question is how are the ice machines we don't usually use them but I seem to recall seeing them by the soda machines? I was thinking others may be doing this as well with the shortage of fridges. Thanks, Linda

 

[Tarheel Mom]

It actually makes me glad we didn't splurge for the Royal Room, it's not looking so royal in there anymore.

Uggg, makes me regret that we DID splurge for the Royal Room

 

[ferret42]

My understanding was the pics were changed a while back and the reasoning given was that it was incongruous for the princesses to all be together, as they are from different time periods...

 

[bumbershoot]

Is there a blanket underneath the top sheet or is it literally just sheets?

I'll repeat that question. It's a good one! I've been assuming they are switching to the "triple sheeting" thing where there's a duvet/comforter/thick blanket between two flat sheets. But that looked really flat to me!



Fridge: I requested one through runDisney, with whom I had booked. I mentioned the medical need for the fridge again in the fax I sent.

It's entirely possible one had been moved to our room, but at some point in there we were upgraded from a standard room to RR; maybe this was done by the room people, but maybe it was done by the CM at checkin; not sure! Anyway, there was no fridge in the room.

I had the need to head back to the front desk not too long after I got there, so I went on in and talked about the fridge situation. She asked if I had mentioned it to the CM at checkin, and I don't think I had. Or maybe she asked if the CM at checkin had called someone? I know they hadn't done that. Anyway, she got on the phone right then with someone (housekeeping? bell services? can't remember, so sorry!) and got it taken care of.

She indicated that even if you've requested it, you have to do that part, too, to make sure they phone someone to get the request totally made.

That would be more helpful if I knew who they called, but oh well.

 

[Venomhatch]

I hate to do this but I was thinking about bringing a small cooler just in case we don't get a room with a fridge. DS doesn't do well with the crowds in the food court in the morning so it's easier to just have cereal in the room most mornings we also drink a lot of water. My question is how are the ice machines we don't usually use them but I seem to recall seeing them by the soda machines? I was thinking others may be doing this as well with the shortage of fridges. Thanks, Linda

There are at least two ice machines to a floor of each Mansion Building. AB buildings have one ice machine to a floor. Yes there are soda machines with each ice machine also. But at the price of each 20oz bottle, I'd buy 2 liter. Its cheaper by far!

 

[Mom2G]

It actually makes me glad we didn't splurge for the Royal Room, it's not looking so royal in there anymore.

We did and I'm regretting it already! Also extremely disappointed about probably not having a refrigerator in November. We never stay at a hotel without one-I think Costco would sell them some!

 

[Backstage_Gal]

My understanding was the pics were changed a while back and the reasoning given was that it was incongruous for the princesses to all be together, as they are from different time periods...

This! Disney Imagineers had a fit. Why they didn't before the first set went up is a mystery.

 

[Backstage_Gal]

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 didn't say it was generic for all Resorts. For example, All Star is different (old bedspread pattern) from Coronado. I don't know what it will look like at Port, but it's not the same for all Resorts.
Take a deep breath, Andre

 

[ksboyd20]

I have a Garden View Royal Room booked for Jan 2-7. If I upgrade to a River View, will it be a shorter walk to the main pool, café, busses?

 

[Patience]

In looking at the pics of the Royal Room with the triple white sheeting, I think the rest of the room decor is too dark for it to look right, even if they put a bed scarf at the foot of the bed. We stayed in a RR in September and liked it but I thought the room was a little dark due to the dark colors in the room and the direction our room faced (interior courtyard). The white bedding looks better in rooms with lighter colored decor, I think. The bedding may look ok in the regular mansions rooms once they get a bed scarf on the bed for color.

 

[andrewilley]

Thought I wouldn't mind the sheet look but it is awful, especially in the Royal rooms- the decorator at Disney who made that call should be fired.

so disappointing-looks beyond horrible and unfinished. Seems like a waste to refurb all those rooms within the past year and then take away all the bedspreads.

I didn't say it was generic for all Resorts. For example, All Star is different (old bedspread pattern) from Coronado. I don't know what it will look like at Port, but it's not the same for all Resorts.
Take a deep breath, Andre

Trying to take a deep breath.... and relax...

If the new top bedding isn't finished yet and will eventually be designed to match with the room decor and colouring then I will have absolutely no problems with it; I'm in the "throw the heavy bedspread on the floor overnight" camp too, it's just too hot in Florida for so many thick layers. And I can appreciate the cleanliness issues too.

However, as the look stands at the moment (with or without a trendy strip of coloured material draped over the end of the bed) I really think that stark white completely detracts from the overall look and theme of the room. Pure white should really never be a part of any artistic palette.

I'm reminded of Disney Imagineering's own guru of colour, Disney Legend John Hench, who was getting exasperated with the CEO of United Technologies (the original sponsor of EPCOT Center's The Living Seas) who wanted the exterior of the new attraction to be "... White. Bright White. Blindingly White.". John got so frustrated at this lack of artistic understanding and design subtlety that he replied bluntly, "I have 33 different shades of white in my palette. Which is your personal favorite?"

Thanks for the pictures! I understand the reason behind the new bedding. But what's the point in replacing the pictures?

The reasoning was an artwork policy one. There has been a long established Disney tradition that artwork should never imply that characters from different eras/countries/stories/etc can exist together, or should be shown as actively interacting with each other. For example Belle from middle-ages France, Tiana from 20th Century New Orleans, Jasmine from ancient middle-eastern culture, etc. None of these should ever exist within the same image framework. I assume the Port Orleans building backgrounds (which I loved too) met with the same resistance; only Tiana really fits with that theme, and even then she should really be in French Quarter rather than Riverside.

To be honest, the first time I was told the storyline of the Royal Guest Rooms (the whole "Tiana invites her other princess friends to stay and they leave gifts" concept, fun though it is) I wondered how the heck it ever got approved beyond the drawing board stage in the first place. I suspect it got swept along with the whole "Disney Princess" (TM)(R)(C) franchise bandwagon, which itself broke a ton of old-school character integrity guidelines.

I also think I prefer the more traditional rendering style too, I agree that the new 3D look artwork just doesn't seem to be quite so honest to the original source material. It's also a shame that the princes were omitted from the new artwork, as that helped reinforce the 'Royal' element and distance the theming from the general consensus that these were merely "princess" rooms.

Andre

 

[andrewilley]

I have a Garden View Royal Room booked for Jan 2-7. If I upgrade to a River View, will it be a shorter walk to the main pool, café, busses?

Generally speaking, yes.

However you need to be aware that there are still quite a few Garden View rooms which could be closer to the main areas than some of the River View rooms are. However River View does give you the best chances from those two types (apart from Preferred Location of course, which is normally cheaper than River View - have you considered that option?)

Andre

 

[Patience]

It's also a shame that the princes were omitted from the new artwork, as that helped reinforce the 'Royal' element and distance the theming from the general consensus that these were merely "princess" rooms.

Andre

I meant to mention this when we returned from our stay at POR in September. The silhouettes of the princes were in our Royal Room. We had the new princess portraits and the 3D picture of Tiana but we also had the princes. They were hung above the table and chairs.

 

[andrewilley]

I meant to mention this when we returned from our stay at POR in September. The silhouettes of the princes were in our Royal Room. We had the new princess portraits and the 3D picture of Tiana but we also had the princes. They were hung above the table and chairs.

The prince silhouettes on the pennants have been around since the Royal Rooms first opened, but they are rather more subtle designs than the main artwork. I have both versions as panoramas on my site for comparison by the way, at: http://www.portorleans.org/panoramas-rooms.php.

I guess the bedding changes mean that I'll have to shoot all of the panoramas again on my next trip too. That last one took ages to composite and colour balance too.

Andre