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

[CopperWife]

Here now -sitting outside my room while the kiddos nap during our midday break. We checked in on this past Saturday, a little later than the time I had noted on our online check in, but it was not a problem. Our room was ready which I was pretty excited about, after spending 19 hours in a car The CM at check in did not mention it, but it seems we were upgraded from a standard view to a garden view - all I had requested was AB. Very nice. Our building is a bit of a walk from the lobby so it has been a bit of an inconvenience not having a fridge. I asked about getting a fridge the second day we were here and they asked (politely) asked why I needed one. I said we would like one for breakfast for the kids - for the milk, to save money, you know? - and they said they would try to get us one, but it might take a while. I inquired about a credit instead and was given one without incident.

Food court has been great - food is fresh and delicious. I am not a fan of how the ice dispensers are now giving you one ice cube at a time (I like me some ice ), but it is what it is.

The grounds are lovely. So glad to be here

 

[kittyab]

Pool Hours for today:

Pools at Disney's Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
7:00AM to 11:00PM

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/r...iverside/pools-port-orleans-resort-riverside/

 

[minniemous]

Hi noticed that some of you have stayed at POR many times and hoping i can get some advice. Going to disney is 28 days!! Very excited but want to make room requests and I am truly having trouble deciding what to request. I think my 4 year daughter will like the styling of the mansion rooms more than the bayou but I really like the location of those preferred bayou rooms. I know these requests are just that and there are no guarantees but I just want to make the best request I can and be fully informed when I do so. I changed my request to The Magnolia building with a river view if possible. Does Magnolia have princess rooms and if not does Oak building have them on the river side of the building? Has anyone ever been upgraded to a royal room river view from a garden view room? Any advice or info would be very much appreciated! Thanks.

 

[Rainy29]

You should go ahead and reserve your scooter now. The list is on the Disabilities forum.

Call the main reservations people. I'm on hold with the rundisney people right now to make sure they have the medical request for a fridge on our reservation. Normal reservation people couldn't do it yesterday b/c it's a different sort of package, ugh. (yay, the Winnie the Pooh music is on!)

I had been debating reserving a scooter for weeks now. But, the horrible pain I felt last night after being on my feet for only a few hours got me to make my reservations for a scooter last night. I want to enjoy my trip and not have to worry about the doctor yelling at me and me not being able to keep up with my group.

Also, I called the reservation line to put a note on my reservation and the CM told me that if your checking in today or any day after that all the fridges have been replaced. I wonder how good her info is.

Thanks for the help! Andre too!

 

[Venomhatch]

Staying on the scooter is not as safe for that person as it is to get into a seat. If they CAN move, if they can sit in a seat, it's safer for them. And for anyone near them just in case the bus driver messes up with the tie-down and the scooter *and person* end up falling over.

Now there is a seat belt to keep them in the scooter I have seen it at least on some models. Disney would not have them falling out the scooter. That would be too big of a lawsuit. I agree with you I don't want anyone to fall out of their scooter and get hurt.

 

[dansamy]

Know there is a seat belt to keep them in the scooter I have seen it at least on some models. Disney would not have them falling out the scooter. That would be too big of a lawsuit. I agree with you I don't want anyone to fall out of their scooter and get hurt.

Most of the bus drivers are kind of terrible at tying down scooters. It's NOT safe for the guest to remain on the scooter. I'm sorry that means there are 4 fewer seats for each scooter guest, but safety comes before convenience. Period.

 

[Venomhatch]

Most of the bus drivers are kind of terrible at tying down scooters. It's NOT safe for the guest to remain on the scooter. I'm sorry that means there are 4 fewer seats for each scooter guest, but safety comes before convenience. Period.

Yes, I rather everyone be safe as well.

 

[dansamy]

The seat belt on the scooter isn't there for use while the scooter is tied down on the bus. It's for use while the rider is using the scooter. Some people have poor muscle tone & a weak core muscles. They need the seat belt in order to remain safely seated on the scooter.

 

[andrewilley]

So while i saw it - wasnt impressed because really the test will be can they keep to that schedule.

The screens won't give you a 'timetable' as such (I don't think there really is one, the system is adjusted based on time of day and current demand) but they should at least show guests when the next bus for a given park is likely to arrive, based on its current GPS location and speed. It works in much the same manner as your car sat nav which can predict your trip time once you have started your journey.

Walk in registration was shorter than online ch in line

That does not surprise me, remember that there is far less to do for guests who have already done online checkin - so while their line may indeed have more people in it, it should move faster too.

did anyone happen to get a description of the breakfast flatbread?!

Bready and flat? This is what the photo on the menu screen looks like (heavily cropped portion from a camera phone picture):

We were thinking the East Bus Stop looked like a good option, however, is there a reason why we would want to try to get on the bus at the South Stop instead?

Also, we would love to have a room with a view of something besides the parking lot?

The East stop is fine, but being near to that could make you further from everything else. The buses do all the stops, but sometimes the ones that go to South then West>North>East can be a bit full by the time they get to East. They don't all do that route though, the MK buses do the South stop last.

Your Garden View booking will ensure you don't get a room overlooking the parking lot. There are floorplan maps of all the buildings at www.portorleans.org/maps-and-directions.php which show you how the room categories work.

Main pool hours are supposed to be limited to lifeguard hours starting today. I wonder if POR and POFQ are implementing this, putting fences or barriers up, or what.

I'm still waiting for confirmation of what's happening about pool hours. I did ask a Recreation Manager a few days ago, but the answer was that they are "looking at adjustments to the current pool operating hours across property", but the details were still being looked at so she didn't have anything concrete right now. Is there a thread discussing this on the DIS?

Personally, I would have thought it would be bonkers to forcibly close the main pool when the life guards are not on duty, when there are five other pools at the resort which are open pretty much whenever anyone wants to use them and don't have any lifeguards at all, but we shall see. I too enjoy the idea of returning from a park at 11pm or midnight and being able to take a dip or relax in the hot tub. (I wonder if the Health & Safety nazis have found something new to get their teeth into if they've run out of new places to stick ugly metal fences and un-themed steel tubular railings?)

Andre

 

[ALD85]

Whoa whoa whoa.....please tell me this breakfast flatbread compares to their old breakfast pizza that was amazing that they no longer have.

 

[andrewilley]

I'm still waiting for confirmation of what's happening about pool hours....

In the meantime I've just received some further info from another (non Port Orleans) source which indicates that the story could indeed be true:

Over the coming months, we will implement new operating and lifeguarding hours for feature and other popular pools at Walt Disney World Resort, Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort and Disney's Vero Beach Resort.

Lifeguards will be present at guarded pools during all hours they are open. Quiet pools will remain available to Guests 24 hours a day and will continue to be unguarded.

Implementation will begin with Disney's Art of Animation Resort, Disney's Pop Century Resort and Disney's All-Star Resorts on Sept. 29 and is expected to be complete in November.

There's also a Q&A which includes some of the most meaningless nonsense that I've ever read from a PR department, such as:

Why are you making these changes? These changes make it easier for Guests to understand when our pools are open and when a lifeguard is present.

Erm, I hope no one got PAID to write that? If I was told that as a guest I would feel insulted.

Andre

 

[andrewilley]

Whoa whoa whoa.....please tell me this breakfast flatbread compares to their old breakfast pizza that was amazing that they no longer have.

The Breakfast Flatbread is a new item, it did not replace anything from the previous menus but added to the existing offerings. As far as I know there has been no 'breakfast pizza' offered for at least five years, since I've started collating the menus anyway.

Andre

 

[ALD85]

The Breakfast Flatbread is a new item, it did not replace anything from the previous menus but added to the existing offerings. As far as I know there has been no 'breakfast pizza' offered for at least five years, since I've started collating the menus anyway. Andre

I know it didn't replace anything, I was just hoping someone could compare

The breakfast pizza was AMAZING and was there as long as it was Dixie Landings. I think they rid of it around the time it became POR.

 

[hippsmom]

I have an 8:30 reservation for the Keys to the Kingdom tour and don't want to be late . If I get myself to the bus stop by 7:30 do you think that is early enough? Thanks.

 

[andrewilley]

I have an 8:30 reservation for the Keys to the Kingdom tour and don't want to be late . If I get myself to the bus stop by 7:30 do you think that is early enough? Thanks.

Should be OK. Maybe make it there by 7:15 if you are really paranoid, as they usually want you there 15 mins early.

Andre

 

[Just Love Disney]

The East stop is fine, but being near to that could make you further from everything else. The buses do all the stops, but sometimes the ones that go to South then West>North>East can be a bit full by the time they get to East. They don't all do that route though, the MK buses do the South stop last.

Your Garden View booking will ensure you don't get a room overlooking the parking lot.

Andre

I just wanted to say thank you for all the assistance you've provided! Oh, and the google maps at the bottom of the link you provided are AMAZING and really put everything into perspective for me - Thanks Again!

 

[Katelly]

I just wanted to say thank you for all the assistance you've provided! Oh, and the google maps at the bottom of the link you provided are AMAZING and really put everything into perspective for me - Thanks Again!

I agree. Thank you Andre! It was your site that sold me on POR. The maps are great, especially the google one. I'm checking out the food court menus, looking at all the photos and really enjoying all the info. It's been extremely helpful in planning our stay!

 

[mickey1968]

You have to remember that your school system only does this for 2 trips a day. Also I believe there may be an issue with the Florida disablility laws that would prevent Disney from doing this.

Good point about only running the extra buses twice a day. But I still like there might be a better system than the current one. I know! Maybe the new double-jointed long buses that they are supposed to be bringing in can have the scooters and wheel chairs and their families load up on one of the bus sections and let the rest of the guests load up the other bus. Then it seems like more people would get to have a seat on the bus and everybody be happy!

 

[Srbright]

Do you have to have a smartphone to change fp+ on the fly, or do they have kiosks at the parks for this?

There are kiosks in the parks.

The ones I remember:

MK - the tunnel thing between adventure land and frontier land by the dole whip place.

EP: Future World, by Guest relations.

HS: By little mermaid

AK: didn't see one.

We didn't notice them much because we had smart phones.

Stacy

 

[andrewilley]

There are kiosks in the parks.

When they roll out FP+ to all day guests too, and everyone in the park has access to it, they must eventually convert the existing FastPass system into a subsystem of FP+. So I would expect that at some point we'll see the existing FP machines either go away completely, or more likely be replaced with FP+ terminals that let guests walk up to the ride building and (try to) get a same-day booking, in much the same way that you do now but using RFID tickets. I would hope that they would set it up so that any terminal can make bookings for any ride, but we shall have to see.

Andre