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

[andrewilley]

A couple of bullet point news updates:

Fridges: Both POR and POFQ are at around 40%-50% working fridges. Medical requests are all being granted, and general requests are still being dealt with on a case-by-case basis (they are even moving fridges around to try to help guests, but there are no guarantees at present). 500 more are expected at the end of this month which will make the situation easier again, and the remainder hopefully by early November.

Magic Bands: These are hopefully coming fairly soon now (not quite this month though) and I'll be able to post more information, and hopefully some dates, when I get home at the end of this week. I can confirm that Riverside will be first though, with French Quarter and month or two later.

RFID Mugs: The actual mugs will probably start to be issued to new guests from today, but the equipment to use them won't be activated until 19th Aug. I assume this is so existing guests won't be forced to swap their mugs when the system goes live.

Andre

 

[Srbright]

Magic Bands: These are hopefully coming fairly soon now (not quite this month though) and I'll be able to post more information, and hopefully some dates, when I get home at the end of this week. I can confirm that Riverside will be first though, with French Quarter and month or two later.

we are at POFQ at the end of Sept, starting the 19th. Hope is bleeding away..

Stacy

 

[freckles04]

Discouraging that it may not be complete until November! I hoped that by October it would be squared away. We own a mini fridge and are driving, so we might bring it with us. It WOULD take up a lot of room in our car, though, so it would be nice not to deal with that. I'll check back on the fridge situation closer to trip time. I don't suppose there is a way to find out a day or two beforehand if your room has a fridge or not. I'm sure the resort does not have time to answer phone calls about that sort of thing.

 

[Missytara]

Discouraging that it may not be complete until November! I hoped that by October it would be squared away. We own a mini fridge and are driving, so we might bring it with us. It WOULD take up a lot of room in our car, though, so it would be nice not to deal with that. I'll check back on the fridge situation closer to trip time. I don't suppose there is a way to find out a day or two beforehand if your room has a fridge or not. I'm sure the resort does not have time to answer phone calls about that sort of thing.

You never call the resort directly for the reason you mentioned; the front desk does not have time.

You call a CCC and many people have reported those CM's do not even know there is an issue with the fridges.

 

[Pirates life for me]

Hello POR lovers and experts...I seek your knowledge...first time to a moderate so obviously first to POR...I have read a lot so far but I do ask advice on room selection...currently in a standard and would like to know and I know it is a matter of opinion which would be best for our family...for us closest to a bus stop and I would prefer not to be in a room where the bus comes full I have young ones...we are Nov 15-21...maybe I should go to preferred I am not sure how much more it is and I also know if not preferred no guarantees.

Thanks for all the help.

 

[Missytara]

Hello POR lovers and experts...I seek your knowledge...first time to a moderate so obviously first to POR...I have read a lot so far but I do ask advice on room selection...currently in a standard and would like to know and I know it is a matter of opinion which would be best for our family...for us closest to a bus stop and I would prefer not to be in a room where the bus comes full I have young ones...we are Nov 15-21...maybe I should go to preferred I am not sure how much more it is and I also know if not preferred no guarantees.

Thanks for all the help.

I have had one of my favorite locations in a standard room in Acadian House. We had two connecting rooms with 5 adults and two youngsters on the corner opposite the bus stop. You can see the location on the map. We were a wonderful walk to the main building in the morning and we took the bus back in the evening at our stop and were at the quiet pool within 10 minutes. I do not think we saw 5 people walk past our rooms all week. It was so quiet. The little ones slept through the entire night with no problem.

 

[Yellowstonetim]

On the other hand guests are ingenious - I did hear of one guest who somehow filled the bathtub with ice and had their drinks arranged in it!

Andre

Haha! I can just imagine! Forget the showers for a week, we need to keep the drinks cold!


Thanks for all the info, btw. Excited to hear about the dates, when you get home. Go have some fun!

 

[shoes99]

A couple of bullet point news updates:

Fridges: Both POR and POFQ are at around 40%-50% working fridges. Medical requests are all being granted, and general requests are still being dealt with on a case-by-case basis (they are even moving fridges around to try to help guests, but there are no guarantees at present). 500 more are expected at the end of this month which will make the situation easier again, and the remainder hopefully by early November.


RFID Mugs: The actual mugs will probably start to be issued to new guests from today, but the equipment to use them won't be activated until 19th Aug. I assume this is so existing guests won't be forced to swap their mugs when the system goes live.

Andre

We have an accessible room booked for arrival on 9/12. Would we have to put a request for a frig in our room with CRO or do you think they replaced the accessible rooms first.

 

[mrsmomo]

Horizons shelf stable milk boxes. I travel with these a lot. They don't have to be refrigerated until opened so they travel well and can sit out till needed. If your child doesn't need cold milk you're set. If they do want cold then ice it down in the ice bucket surrounded by ice or put it in an ice filled ziplock until chilled. You can wrap it in a towel if needed. I've done both cooling tricks when I didn't have a fridge.

Do they make a lactose free version...that's the biggest issue I have if not I could go down and just buy it everyday

 

[4myboyz]

Do they make a lactose free version...that's the biggest issue I have if not I could go down and just buy it everyday

I'm in the same boat. Need lactose free milk. I put in a request for a fridge stating I have 2 kids with 2 different kind of special diets. NOT medical necessity just would really be way more convenient.

 

[bookgirl]

Do they make a lactose free version...that's the biggest issue I have if not I could go down and just buy it everyday

OHHH yeah that would pretty much be a NO. In fact I even googled it and it seems no one sells single serve/shelf stable lactose free milk or milk powder.

However Almond Milk comes in single serve shelf stable varieties, do think he would drink it? If not there is always soy or rice milk as well. Seems crazy that lactose free does not have this version but all the others do.

Hopefully there will be fridges and it will be a moot point but hope you find a backup.

We're planning on a walmart run and doing a small disposable cooler just in case.

 

[mrsmomo]

OHHH yeah that would pretty much be a NO. In fact I even googled it and it seems no one sells single serve/shelf stable lactose free milk or milk powder.

However Almond Milk comes in single serve shelf stable varieties, do think he would drink it?

Nope lol my sister-in-law always has that @ her house 4 her kids....he spits it out! Says eeew that's not milk mommy lol

 

[bookgirl]

Nope lol my sister-in-law always has that @ her house 4 her kids....he spits it out! Says eeew that's not milk mommy lol

HaHa. I feel that way about soy milk.

Cow and Almond are the only two I've found acceptable.

 

[seider519]

Can infants/toddlers ride on the boat to Downtown Disney?

Yes

 

[bartleby1]

Just checked in. Unfortunately, no fridge and none of our requests from our reservation or fax were honored. But, we will be switching rooms tomorrow to at least get connecting rooms for the rest of our trip. I wish I could unpack but since we will be moving tomorrow...

Otherwise, the resort is beautiful as always!

 

[CaraMiaBelle]

HaHa. I feel that way about soy milk.

Cow and Almond are the only two I've found acceptable.

Have you tried coconut milk? It is sweeter.

 

[cluex]

for those without a fridge --- are they reimbursing for it?

 

[lmhall2000]

Just checked in. Unfortunately, no fridge and none of our requests from our reservation or fax were honored. But, we will be switching rooms tomorrow to at least get connecting rooms for the rest of our trip. I wish I could unpack but since we will be moving tomorrow...

Otherwise, the resort is beautiful as always!

I am sorry! Hoping when you switch rooms you will get one and a nice view! I just checked our ressies (MDE has been down so long I could never get access!) and we booked Standard, so likely we will be at the mercy of what is available..with Free Dining, I bet it's going to be booked our week since POR is one of the most economical places for the Free Dining. It will be our first trip at POR, is this yours? Share your experiences! We leave in about 5 weeks, sooo excited and nervous at the same time, too much to get done in a short time!!

 

[luvdisney00]

I just went to the desk and got the credit for no fridge. $15 a night but you have to ask for it .

 

[bookgirl]

Have you tried coconut milk? It is sweeter.

I haven't tried coconut milk. I do know that I don't like the sweetned flavored alternative milks at all (soy, rice, almond). I drink fat free cows milk (1% in the ss boxes) or I will use unsweetned almond milk with no flavoring on my cereal/oatmeal or in coffee/smoothies.

Those little shelf stable boxes are so great when traveling expecially on road trips. Often I can only find 2% or whole milk and I'm really not fond of either one. I love milk in my coffee or in the evenings with a snack so having them is great when I don't know if I'm going to have a fridge or if I'm going to have easy access to my prefered milk choices.

Last year at Disney I was split staying a lot and didn't want to buy a half or whole gallon due to not being able to keep it cold right away. So I just bought quarts as I needed them at the resort. I had to buy 2%, hopefully this year if I have a fridge I'll buy a half gallon when I shop but if we don't have a fridge I'll buy the small shelf stable to keep in a cooler of ice as I need them.