Port Orleans Riverside Q&A Thread 2013, Part Two [Thread now FULL and closed]

[brios86]

I don't see why you couldn't keep it in your pocket.

Or use the KTTW? Isn't it the same thing with the RFID in it?

 

[PrincessKyleigh]

Yaaaaaay!!! Hope you have a fantastic vacation!!!

Glad you finally made it. Have a fantastic vacation.

 

[lmhall2000]

Or use the KTTW? Isn't it the same thing with the RFID in it?

YES! THis!! I would love this!! Thanks to all you savvy travelers, I just placed our fast pass ressies at MDE (My Disney Experience). I messed up, or it was too slow, then too fast and I accidentally re-did a day...I thought it was odd that at first I was offered 9:20/10:20/11:20....then when it redid it, it jumped to 9:30/10:30/11:30...and if I tried to go individually and change the time the earlier one never popped up again..just curious if they are really limiting the number of families that can go per 10 minute section? I plugged it in within a 2 minute window and then got the later bumped up time...just wondering how their system is orchestrated On other days, I would like to try to go back in and get some earlier times that it would not give me, just no time tonight to keep messing with it
And what's up with the Jungle Cruise? We have been to Disney 3x in 12 years and ALWAYS that ride has been under refurbishment...are they doing away with it or is it just our bad luck to never get that ride

 

[maltdizzy]

Can't get FP+ to work for our November stay.

I believe FP+ reservations will be only 60 days in advance, even when it rolls out completely.

 

[delgrec]

The end of May we were in 8778 and my parents were in 8779, it was quoted as a garden view (we were upgraded from standard view) and we couldn't see any parking lot from either room when we looked out.

Yes, that would make sense because 8780 is literally the first room after you turn the corner from your hall. So our angle ends up towards the parking lot. That is why I figured it probably was a garden view because you can see bth garden and oarking lot. When DH asked on the phone, he wasn't complaining, just confirming they did in fact give us a garden view. That is why I thought it was nice that they so quickly offered to remedy the situation. They could have said "yup, it's a garden view. Have a nice day".

 

[andrewilley]

I was asked to hold back on posting this until today, but Magic Bands will be issued to all Port Orleans Riverside guests for stays commencing 3rd September onward.

Emails and letters will start going out today to inform guests arriving in 18 days that they can pre-book their FastPass+ times (up to 60 days out in fact) and customise their Magic Bands (colour and name) via the My Disney Experience site. It may not be possible for Disney to contact all guests (e.g. those who have booked via some travel agents) but the new system will still apply to everyone regardless.

Continental USA guests should be able to get their Magic Bands mailed out in advance, others will need to pick them up at the Front Desk when they check in. Key cards will still be issued as a backup for the foreseeable future.

While this is still officially classified as a "test", the general expectation is that unless there are major problems this will most likely remain permanent from now on.

French Quarter will follow within the next few months.

Andre

 

[Kimmers127]

Oh my gosh, exciting!! I'm at POR checking in 9/29, and FP+ just showed up on my MDE. Since you're saying this may now be permanent, should I expect that I will NOT also be able to get paper FPs?

Also, I don't have a Magic Band tab so how would I choose colors and sizes and all of that?

 

[wdwmom0f3]

I was asked to hold back on posting this until today, but Magic Bands will be issued to all Port Orleans Riverside guests for stays commencing 2nd/3rd September onward.

Emails and letters will start going out today to inform guests that they can pre-book their FastPass+ times and customise their Magic Bands (colour and name) via the My Disney Experience site. It may not be possible for Disney to contact all guests (e.g. those who have booked via some travel agents) but the new system will still apply to everyone regardless.

Continental USA guests should be able to get their Magic Bands mailed out in advance, others will need to pick them up at the Front Desk when they check in. Key cards will still be issued as a backup for the foreseeable future.

While this is still officially classified as a "test", the general expectation is that unless there are major problems this will most likely remain permanent from now on.

French Quarter will follow within the next few months.

Andre

Thank you!! We are going in November and I am so excited!! I heard that we can book our FP+ 60 days out. Is this true? Those of you going soon need to help the rest of us out!!

 

[Disney Diva Mom]

So excited!!! Check in on Sept 20th to POR. I will be checking today to see if I can get bands.

 

[andrewilley]

Sorry Andre if this has already been asked (possibly multiple times) but ... Is there a limit to how many times you can refill your mug with soft drinks/juice?

As often as you like, but there is a built in delay between each fill to stop people filling mugs and quickly transferring several drinks into other receptacles.

So you will be able to use your mug at multiple locations now and not just at your own resort, or do this mean of you have split stays it will be programmed for the other resort?

You will be able to use your mug at any resort hotel during the validity period of the mug (i.e. your length of stay at Disney).

I have a few "what time can I be at the bus stop and still make _____ ?" questions. Not sure which of the 2 royal buildings we will be in, so it will be either South or East depot.

While it's not possible to answer for every possible permutation, the general guidance is that buses start running about 6:30am, but the full "at least every 20 mins" service does not start until one hour before each park's opening time.

I would be at the bus stop at least an hour before the time you want to be at the park turnstile, or 90 mins to be safe if transferring to another resort hotel.

Which bus stop to use depends on the park that you are going to and the route the bus takes. For MK, buses normally pick up at East before South, but for Studios and Epcot it's the other way around.

Does anyone have a picture of the dresser drawers when open?

Actually I didn't take one of the drawers open. There are three, and they aren't really very spacious to be honest. No need to bring extra hangers with you, housekeeping will provide more upon request. You might want to consider bringing a fold-up hanging storage unit though (either for shoes or a bigger one for clothes) which can hang from the rail in the washroom area.

Can someone tell me how deep is the main pool in the low and deep end? How deep is the quiet pools, low and deep end? Thanks for all the help traveling with younger kids.

The main pool goes from 3ft to 5ft. The quiet pools in Magnolia Bend are the same, but the Alligator Bayou pools go up to 6ft in their mid sections.

I believe FP+ reservations will be only 60 days in advance, even when it rolls out completely.

Correct.

Yes, that would make sense because 8780 is literally the first room after you turn the corner from your hall. So our angle ends up towards the parking lot.

In the same way that some Garden View rooms at one end of the building can give a pretty nice sideways views of the river (especially some corner rooms in Alligator Bayou), equally some others must allow you to see parts of the parking lots. There's not much they can do about that other than build a three-story wall between the different view types.

Oh my gosh, exciting!! I'm at POR checking in 9/29, and FP+ just showed up on my MDE. Since you're saying this may now be permanent, should I expect that I will NOT also be able to get paper FPs?

Also, I don't have a Magic Band tab so how would I choose colors and sizes and all of that?

I don't know how long you will still be able to get regular FassPasses using your KttW card, sorry. I would guess for a while, as the system is still very much in its infancy and isn't even out of testing yet.

The only way to customise your bands is via the MDX website (and maybe the app?).

Andre

 

[mrsmomo]

Woohoo! Thank u Andre I was beginning to worry I made my fo+ selections but still nothing about magic bands...ppl in other threads kept talking about this being a glitch but I refused to believe it! Thanks 4 the info I just did the happy dance @ 8am and I am so not a morning person lol

 

[gterin1524]

Excited that POR is going to participate in fastpass +/magicbands, but bummed that my MDE still doesn't show it possible for me. I am within 60 days, I guess I will just keep trying. .

 

[brios86]

So no magic bands for my September 1 check in?

 

[acwaters]

I was asked to hold back on posting this until today, but Magic Bands will be issued to all Port Orleans Riverside guests for stays commencing 2nd/3rd September onward.

Emails and letters will start going out today to inform guests arriving in 18 days that they can pre-book their FastPass+ times (up to 60 days out in fact) and customise their Magic Bands (colour and name) via the My Disney Experience site. It may not be possible for Disney to contact all guests (e.g. those who have booked via some travel agents) but the new system will still apply to everyone regardless.

Continental USA guests should be able to get their Magic Bands mailed out in advance, others will need to pick them up at the Front Desk when they check in. Key cards will still be issued as a backup for the foreseeable future.

While this is still officially classified as a "test", the general expectation is that unless there are major problems this will most likely remain permanent from now on.

French Quarter will follow within the next few months.

Andre

Yeah, yeah, yeah!!! I knew you were going to give me good news!!! Thank You!

 

[andrewilley]

Excited that POR is going to participate in fastpass +/magicbands, but bummed that my MDE still doesn't show it possible for me. I am within 60 days, I guess I will just keep trying. .

Remember, still officially a test at this stage! It may take a while to settle down.

Andre

 

[Venomhatch]

Remember, still officially a test at this stage! It may take a while to settle down.

Andre

Yes your right. This just means testing has started to move around to POR. nothing is concrete yet.

 

[lmhall2000]

Thanks for the info on MBs! We travel in 4 weeks, had no problem adding Fast Passes...but now I am trying to be strategic about it...would it be better to get Fast Passes for morning or save them for later and take our chances that by getting there at rope drop we can race to our favorite rides? Then I think that many visitors leave the parks between 2-5 for rest/pool visits, so maybe the rides will be less during that time and then maybe we should set Fast Passes for evening? Any recent experiences on wait times for rides? Oh, the days of Disney travel are changing, aren't they??

 

[stickeymouse]

For those of us not arriving until 3-4 months from now, how far in advance can you customize your bands? Is it still limited to the 60 day mark? When I get on MDE, I see no indication whatsoever of being FP+ eligible.

 

[Kimmers127]

My MDE now shows FP+ and magic bands tabs... But when I click on manage magic bands I don't think I actually have any to manage. And when I try to schedule FP+ it just keeps saying there is no FP+ availability on this day. Help?

I check in at POR on 9/29 if that helps. FP+ and Magic Bands tabs both just showed up for me today.

 

[Blessedwith3boys]

Thanks for the info on MBs! We travel in 4 weeks, had no problem adding Fast Passes...but now I am trying to be strategic about it...would it be better to get Fast Passes for morning or save them for later and take our chances that by getting there at rope drop we can race to our favorite rides? Then I think that many visitors leave the parks between 2-5 for rest/pool visits, so maybe the rides will be less during that time and then maybe we should set Fast Passes for evening? Any recent experiences on wait times for rides? Oh, the days of Disney travel are changing, aren't they??

Yeah....I'm doing the same! I'm having a hard time thinking about where I will be at what hour of the day! I am a crazy planner, but these might be a bit to much for me! I'm just picking a couple of fast passes for where I know I want to start my day.