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

[shan23877]

Just back from a week at POR- Royal room. Beautiful resort, and I can't say enough about the great location of our room (booked standard view). I really appreciate all the work that has gone into such an informative and friendly thread. Because of it I felt 100% at ease upon arrival.

To speak to a PP question, while on the boat to DTD one evening we noticed a couple wearing magic bands. My husband asked a few questions, they were staying at POR and had been chosen to test them. As other threads have indicated, they were allowed to "work" both systems. Using their magic bands to use FP+ and use traditional FP.

If anyone has any questions about our recent stay feel free to ask!

BTW we did have a refrigerator for the duration of our stay.

 

[MommaBearof4]

Just back from a week at POR- Royal room. Beautiful resort, and I can't say enough about the great location of our room (booked standard view). I really appreciate all the work that has gone into such an informative and friendly thread. Because of it I felt 100% at ease upon arrival.

To speak to a PP question, while on the boat to DTD one evening we noticed a couple wearing magic bands. My husband asked a few questions, they were staying at POR and had been chosen to test them. As other threads have indicated, they were allowed to "work" both systems. Using their magic bands to use FP+ and use traditional FP.

If anyone has any questions about our recent stay feel free to ask!

BTW we did have a refrigerator for the duration of our stay.

We're heading down the end of August and staying in a Royal Guest Room. What building were you in? We've also booked a standard room, but I wouldn't want to be too far away from the food court or transportation. Any info or advice would be appreciated.

 

[andrewilley]

If your looking for AB area rooms look at Andre's Site: www.portorleans.org

All this talk about AB room photos prompted me to (finally!) sort out and upload a bunch of Alligator Bayou room photos that I've had sitting here in my pending folder for ages. There's now about 80+ AB photos (including some King Bed room shots) at www.portorleans.org/gallery-POR-AB-Rooms.php.

A few examples:

Andre

 

[soma27]

I thought I had read that you could not guarantee a room type, unless you specifically select a preferred location.

However, when I go to book a room for 5 on the Disney site (2 adults, 3 kids aged 6-11) it lists the POR resort as an availabe option. Since 5 people are only allowed in the AB room - does this in fact guarantee me that room type? I can't imagine they would let me book the room for 5 and than not have it available on check in.

This would be my first time staying at POR, so can one of you vets help me out.

 

[dansdad]

Since 5 people are only allowed in the AB room - does this in fact guarantee me that room type?

Yup.

 

[kddisney502]

I thought I had read that you could not guarantee a room type, unless you specifically select a preferred location.

However, when I go to book a room for 5 on the Disney site (2 adults, 3 kids aged 6-11) it lists the POR resort as an availabe option. Since 5 people are only allowed in the AB room - does this in fact guarantee me that room type? I can't imagine they would let me book the room for 5 and than not have it available on check in.

Yes, you'll get an AB room for 5 people. Unless someone really wants to sleep on the floor

 

[mad hatter fan]

Before the refurb, I remember families posting that a family of 5 booking into one AB room needed to have one family member under a certain age. I guess for fitting on the trundle bed. I never asked personally because our youngest was under the "Disney Adult" age on our past stays there. He is 10 now. Will Disney have a problem booking all 5 of us in one room now?

 

[ALD85]

Before the refurb, I remember families posting that a family of 5 booking into one AB room needed to have one family member under a certain age. I guess for fitting on the trundle bed. I never asked personally because our youngest was under the "Disney Adult" age on our past stays there. He is 10 now. Will Disney have a problem booking all 5 of us in one room now?

Infants aren't included in the final head count.

 

[joeswife1109]

All this talk about AB room photos prompted me to (finally!) sort out and upload a bunch of Alligator Bayou room photos that I've had sitting here in my pending folder for ages. There's now about 80+ AB photos (including some King Bed room shots) at www.portorleans.org/gallery-POR-AB-Rooms.php.

A few examples:

Andre

OMG thank you so much! This helps us to see what we will be seeing in 3 weeks! Now we are more excited than ever!

 

[shan23877]

We're heading down the end of August and staying in a Royal Guest Room. What building were you in? We've also booked a standard room, but I wouldn't want to be too far away from the food court or transportation. Any info or advice would be appreciated.

We were in Oak Manor room 9411. We had booked standard view. Upon online check in I requested ground floor and corner room (and neither were honored ) What we did get was a room on the river side of the H shaped building that technically looked at the roof of the 'side of the H' closest to us. If you turned your head slightly, it was a gorgeous view of the courtyard and river. The location was close to the stairs and elevators in our building, close to the foot bridge to the main areas, close to the quet pool, and a very pretty but admittedly longer walk to Old man Island. We used the South bus stop almost exclusively since we like to fill our mugs on the way out each day. We had early breakfast reservations so we were leaving much earlier than most folks, so we didn't ever have a problem getting a seat on the bus. On the one day we went to TL at 8:30 am the bus stops were a mob scene. DH remarked that he's very glad I make the early ADR and force us out before the crowds form at the bus stops.

I'm not sure what to tell you other than we got lucky with a great location and I hope that you do too. I really don't think that even the strict parking lot view rooms would be too far away from anything. It was a short walk, and a lovely one.

 

[WDW1979]

FYI to all, this central call center is who picks up even if you are calling the front desk button on your resort room. About 18 months ago my then 5 year old was jumping on the bed in Kidani and fell off (not making excuses, but we had a 2 bedroom and I was in the other room, otherwise that kind of crazy is not allowed! ), pretty much put her teeth through her lip. I called the "front desk" for help figuring out how/where to get to an ER as we didn't have a car. After 5 minutes of ums, ahs, and being put on hold, I scooped her up and went to the lobby to just grab a taxi.

Wow, that is shocking! I knew about the "front desk" line really being an offsite call center, but the offsite call center should have a "button" to push that immediately connects the room to the real front desk when there is an injury to a guest.

 

[mad hatter fan]

Before the refurb, I remember families posting that a family of 5 booking into one AB room needed to have one family member under a certain age. I guess for fitting on the trundle bed. I never asked personally because our youngest was under the "Disney Adult" age on our past stays there. He is 10 now. Will Disney have a problem booking all 5 of us in one room now?

Infants aren't included in the final head count.

Infants? My question doesn't have anything to do with infants.

 

[ALD85]

Infants? My question doesn't have anything to do with infants.

Sorry, I was trying to say anyone who is above infancy will be included in the 5. Your 10 year old is able to be part of your 5. There are 2 queen beds and a Murphy bed.

 

[Venomhatch]

All this talk about AB room photos prompted me to (finally!) sort out and upload a bunch of Alligator Bayou room photos that I've had sitting here in my pending folder for ages. There's now about 80+ AB photos (including some King Bed room shots) at www.portorleans.org/gallery-POR-AB-Rooms.php.


Andre

Thanks for setting this up for them! Hope your having a great night!

 

[babydoll65]

I'll be going 11/11-11/17 were staying in a standard room with roll in shower. Not sure what section we will be in but I assume I will need to fax something to let them know my mom will have a scooter. How does the buses work. Everything iv read shows they pick up at pofq first then make there rounds around POR. Which bus stop works better if you have someone in a scooter. I mean how are the buses not crowded all the time when the buses can only hold two or three scooters? If for some reason we were at the last pickup, how are the buses not always filled with scooters. Seems like we could be there all day. (I know I'm exaggerating)

 

[Missytara]

Infants aren't included in the final head count.

Not entirely correct. One infant is not included, but a second or more are included. So if you are two adults, three children over the age of three and twins under the age of three, then you are considered a family of six.

It is based on fire codes and the way parents would gather children to exit them in case of a fire.

 

[sweetnjmom]

I'll be going 11/11-11/17 were staying in a standard room with roll in shower. Not sure what section we will be in but I assume I will need to fax something to let them know my mom will have a scooter. How does the buses work. Everything iv read shows they pick up at pofq first then make there rounds around POR. Which bus stop works better if you have someone in a scooter. I mean how are the buses not crowded all the time when the buses can only hold two or three scooters? If for some reason we were at the last pickup, how are the buses not always filled with scooters. Seems like we could be there all day. (I know I'm exaggerating)

I'm going the exact same dates!!

We booked a river view room, requesting a mansion building (hoping odds are good, since only 3 AB buildings have river views).

 

[babydoll65]

I'm going the exact same dates!!

We booked a river view room, requesting a mansion building (hoping odds are good, since only 3 AB buildings have river views).

I'm assuming I'll be in one of the mansions but not sure what I should be requesting. I know my mother wants a top floor but other than that I don't really mind where we end up. I don't mind walking, don't care what view is out my window since I'm not in the room much.

 

[LRAINYB]

I just wanted to tell my experience at PO Riverside. It is a beautiful resort. We are a family of 5 (2 adults and 3 children, 13,10,6) and we stayed in the Alligator Bayou July 13-20. We had a first floor garden room, 2 queen size beds and a murphy bed. My 10 year old and my 6 year old took turns sleeping on it. I knew about the refrigerator from reading the boards. When we got to the resort we asked about a fridge in the room and they told us yes and it was working. Wrong!! Yes it was running but not cold. We went to Walmart and bought food luckily not a lot of refrigerated items. We called and was told we were supposed to be told when we checked that they were disconnected. After we told them it was running so we figured it was not affected so we put food in it. Well we got a $175 room credit for the fridge because we were supposed to receive a letter about it in our packet. Nothing was given. We even bought 3 cases of water because we drink a lot of water. LOL!! Anyway we kept it cold be putting a few bottles on the air conditioner. It was freezing cold water. I keep refilling ice buckets and putting the ice in Walmart plastic bags to put the food and creamer for our coffee and left it in the fridge on a towel so the bag wouldn't leak and it stayed cool. We just had to eat the food everyday as a snack or use the turkey to make sandwiches to take to the park for lunch.

 

[DrewMouse]

I was looking at several people on the schedule thread and noticed that many are starting their trip in the middle of one week and ending the middle of the next. Is there a particular benefit to this? Like is staying the entire weekend particularly awesome?

My normal time-off would be a Mon-Fri (easier for several reasons) but I might try to swing it differently if it's important enough to do so.

Thanks for any info,