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

[CDolacki2003]

Venom we are praying for you and your family, esp FIL during these times of need.

I have MB ordered, have changed color 3 times, LOL. Fastpasses all ordered and now just waiting 50 more days

 

[merentha]

I completely agree - magic bands should have been tested first, and then after all the kinks were worked out, the CMs were used to magic bands, the repeat guests were used to magic bands, and they had become standard, then start testing FP+. Less troubles, smoother change over, happier guests and workers.

All magic bands at this point are part of the test. You aren't required to us them. They have been testing on and off for a year.

I've read waaaay to much about MBs on these boards in the past couple months. And in truth besides the random bad experience, overall it seems to be a really positive experience for most people.

 

[Venomhatch]

Venom we are praying for you and your family, esp FIL during these times of need.

I have MB ordered, have changed color 3 times, LOL. Fastpasses all ordered and now just waiting 50 more days

Thank you very much! The MB area sounds like me also. Id order them ten change them a few times lol. Maybe I like the green one, No maybe I want the Pirates of the Caribbean one, hmmmm....

 

[andrewilley]

All magic bands at this point are part of the test. You aren't required to us them. They have been testing on and off for a year.

As of now, all guests checking in at Riverside will be getting them. You will also have a KttW card which can be used as a backup, but unless you actively refuse the Bands you will get them (it doesn't matter whether or not you selected them online in advance - if you didn't, you'll just get gray ones).

And no, they have not been testing for a year. The RFID payment system with KttW cards didn't start at POR/FQ until Jan 29 for example, and Magic Bands and FP+ have only been in any sort of end-to-end guest testing since mid-June (and those were simultaneous tests, rather than MB first and FP+ later).

Andre

 

[DonaldDuck77]

As of now, all guests checking in at Riverside will be getting them. You will also have a KttW card which can be used as a backup, but unless you actively refuse the Bands you will get them (it doesn't matter whether or not you selected them online in advance - if you didn't, you'll just get gray ones).

And no, they have not been testing for a year. The RFID payment system with KttW cards didn't start at POR/FQ until Jan 29 for example, and Magic Bands and FP+ have only been in any sort of end-to-end guest testing since mid-June (and those were simultaneous tests, rather than MB first and FP+ later).

Andre

Is there any reason to think that November check-ins will not have MB/FP+? It seems that so far the 60 day point is not opening up anything yet, but I believe that was also true for September and October check-ins.

 

[merentha]

As of now, all guests checking in at Riverside will be getting them. You will also have a KttW card which can be used as a backup, but unless you actively refuse the Bands you will get them (it doesn't matter whether or not you selected them online in advance - if you didn't, you'll just get gray ones).

And no, they have not been testing for a year. The RFID payment system with KttW cards didn't start at POR/FQ until Jan 29 for example, and Magic Bands and FP+ have only been in any sort of end-to-end guest testing since mid-June (and those were simultaneous tests, rather than MB first and FP+ later).

Andre

Well I had meant all the new tech stuff together for all resorts, I wasn't meaning POR specifically. And I meant since last year, not a full year. This all still is a Test though. You aren't required to us e Bands and your not required to use FP+. You still get kttw card

I didn't mean to sound negative before. It's just that so many people are down about all the new Disney tech coming , but in seriousness not that many people have had a bad experience. I come from a tech background so am probably a little biased! Didn't mean to offend.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

Is there any reason to think that November check-ins will not have MB/FP+? It seems that so far the 60 day point is not opening up anything yet, but I believe that was also true for September and October check-ins.

We are 80 days out and I have butterflies in my stomach about all of this magic band stuff. I would like to know what to expect. I have read that we will be getting them and I have read that they will put everything on hold through the holidays. Does anyone know for sure?

 

[bumbershoot]

I asked on the Transportation board and read the POR site, but... For DH and DS to get to Disney Quest by boat from POR, they catch the boat and it lets them off near RFC, right? Then they walk or take a red-flagged (?) boat over to the Cirque area where DQ is? Then they go back over to meet me for dinner, and if we're done with dinner when the boats are still running we go to the same dock where they were let off?

******************************
sorry for the derail here...

Well I had meant all the new tech stuff together for all resorts, I wasn't meaning POR specifically. And I meant since last year, not a full year.

.....but in seriousness not that many people have had a bad experience.

All magic bands at this point are part of the test. You aren't required to us them. They have been testing on and off for a year.

I've read waaaay to much about MBs on these boards in the past couple months. And in truth besides the random bad experience, overall it seems to be a really positive experience for most people.

You're combining the overall changes that have been going on since November-ish and the newer MBs. So I'll combine it too.

The overall experience for many people has been anything but positive. For many it hasn't even been neutral.

2 HOURS to put charging on our cards because of the new system back in February. (and we were only putting charging on our account to access money SSR had given us to make up for something else)

We had 8 people in our room and went through 32 KTTWs. Two sets because they magically stopped working before anyone had actually tried to open a door (they called us while we were at a park to tell us there was a problem), even though my KTTW had just opened *the gate* to get back into SSR. Third set after we moved rooms b/c of the problem. Then another all new set after they finally got charging on the room, even though only 2 of those 8 cards were going to have charging on them.

Before that, the long walk to and from our room at Kidani because our KTTWs didn't open the door. Then I had a CM check it out; it didn't work, so more cards were made. Those worked.

And before that, at POR, we had to do almost all of the checkin process *that we had done online* because almost none of it came over in the system. Had to give CC info, set up PINs, etc, because that info got lost in the ether.

(PINs and CC info showed up half the time at actual checkin, even though I'd done online checkin before, where all that info was REQUIRED to be given)


And that's in Feb, after nearly 3-4 months of peoples' constant posts on the Dis of "my ADRs are gone!" "where are my resort reservations" and error messages *without appropriate MESSAGES* galore. Day after day, week after week, of being unable to do things online. Can't get the 180+10 ADR to work off and on; many people still cannot get it to work, and have to call. This is a problem for the high stakes restaurants because online opens up at 6am while the call centers open at 7 for ADRs.

For me personally the lack of appropriate error messages is what has irritated me the most, and IMO has caused the most panic. If, instead of "there are no reservations on your account" they said "we're doing maintenance and can't access it", they would have gotten tens of thousands of fewer phone contacts. While those contacts made CMs' lives interesting and kept them in jobs, those sorts of calls are serious soul-suckers for CS people and were really very unnecessary in the first place, if they had worked out proper messages for errors.

As for MBs, I don't see how my process so far is anything beyond neutral. I saw a message to do stuff with MBs and FP+s for probably 2 months before the links that were showing up for me would DO anything. How is THAT OK?

DH and I met while working for a big company that had (since the late 90s) a website that is a few days in the future. That site is where they do all the work. And it's not made to the current day until it's all worked out. I remember maybe 3 days of site outage since I worked there in '99. That's all I've ever experienced or heard of (it makes the news, typically), and I know it's because they have this future site. That is scads better than doing all this work on a LIVE site, showing inappropriate things to people, showing wrong error messages, showing lies, basically, and panicking people.

It's still happening, too.

As for magicbands, maybe *after the fact* it's been positive. But that hardly makes up for the near-year-long series of frustration and problems and hair-pulling-out irritation that many, many people have had with all the changes they have been making and continue to make.


And I wonder if they've figured out a way to keep the lock covers on the resort doors from falling off yet? Happened to us in Feb and I just recently read about it continuing to happen, so I doubt it, but still. That's just wrong.

 

[andrewilley]

And I wonder if they've figured out a way to keep the lock covers on the resort doors from falling off yet?

Nope, ours fell off a number of times last month. We nearly brought it home as a souvenir as Disney obviously didn't want it.

And for your questions on boat transport, you are spot on, that's exactly how it works. See my page www.portorleans.org/ferryboats.php for more info.

My big worry about MM+ is not so much the current testing phase, but that when it does go live for all WDW guests, the whole system won't be able to cope (as you say, it's struggling now even with limited testers on it).

And don't get me started on how the various databases and interfaces don't talk properly to each other - as an international guest, I know this only too well! There are just too many variables in the way guests book and plan their vacations, and it's already proving almost impossible for the system to cope with all those variations (different ticket types, varying lengths of stay for different guests in the same party, guests who don't even have computers and yet still must have their own online accounts before the party leader can book FastPass+ for everyone, etc).

I still feel they are trying to implement far too much at the same time, and a staged approach would have been much better with each stage tested and approved before ever starting on the next one. But given the money that has been poured in so far, I suspect this is a juggernaut which isn't stopping for anyone.... probably driven by high-up VPs on an agenda which does not allow them to listen to what their technical staff might be saying.

Anyway, it's certainly proving to be an interesting if bumpy ride, I just hope it's worth it in the end.

Andre

 

[bumbershoot]

Nope, ours fell off a number of times last month. We nearly brought it home as a souvenir as Disney obviously didn't want it.

And for your questions on boat transport, you are spot on, that's exactly how it works. See my page www.portorleans.org/ferryboats.php for more info.

My big worry about MM+ is not so much the current testing phase, but that when it does go live for all WDW guests, the whole system won't be able to cope (as you say, it's struggling now even with limited testers on it).

And don't get me started on how the various databases and interfaces don't talk properly to each other - as an international guest, I know this only too well! There are just too many variables in the way guests book and plan their vacations, and it's already proving almost impossible for the system to cope with all those variations (different ticket types, varying lengths of stay for different guests in the same party, guests who don't even have computers and yet still must have their own online accounts before the party leader can book FastPass+ for everyone, etc).

I still feel they are trying to implement far too much at the same time, and a staged approach would have been much better with each stage tested and approved before ever starting on the next one. But given the money that has been poured in so far, I suspect this is a juggernaut which isn't stopping for anyone.... probably driven by high-up VPs on an agenda which does not allow them to listen to what their technical staff might be saying.

Anyway, it's certainly proving to be an interesting if bumpy ride, I just hope it's worth it in the end.

Andre

That would have been an interesting souvenir!

The mention of since 2009 worried me on your site, about the boats and the flags, but then I realized that you're pretty up to date on changes so I shouldn't worry. Figured it's best to make sure, though! Even though we've been to WDW a few times it all still feels so NEW. DTD still feels like a mystery because it's so busy and frantic, and we're spending money which makes me annoyed, and for some reason it still all feels so enormous, just as enormous as the very first time we went. The very first time was during the infamously cold December of 2010 and we didn't get the vastness of DTD. Parked at Cirque; thought "wow, what an empty parking lot!" Yeah, because Cirque was closed that night so no one was down that way. Walked, in the nighttime, in the COLD, along that water and froze ourselves. And then, of course, had to walk all the way back a couple hours later. It still feels cold and big and mysterious to me. Probably doesn't feel that way to DH and DS but I'm the planner not them, and they tend to follow me. (literally, they follow behind me...I've not-so-happily "joked" for years about me being their landmine-finder, but they have yet to get the hint that I don't like walking around like a mama duck with ducklings behind her)


I'm still trying to figure out what "attention" one of my reservations needs! I've got the rundisney POR package for October that's all checked in online and paid off, and I've got a DVC reservation in January. But it has told me, in bold red, for weeks now that "one of your" reservations needs attention. Click into them, no attention needed.


Maybe 2 years from now we'll all "remember when", in a weirdly nostalgic, though spoken of with a shiver (much like December of 2010), way about all of this. Maybe MBs and FP+s and all this will be a fabulous thing. Maybe the MBs won't *make us* all overspend (some feel the MBs will cause people to overspend, though I can't see how it's easier with MBs than it was with KTTWs!), maybe PINs will be good and remembered (I don't know what our PINs from Feb were, but I can't change them until we get to POR!), maybe it will be great.

But that doesn't actually make all of *this* worth it. There are better ways. They just aren't doing those ways.



31 days!!!!

I'm so excited. Standard room instead of Royal, I don't care, I'm really looking forward to this stay! The 2 nights (though our first night we checked in after 1am) in Feb were not enough at all!

Oh hey, does the store there sell distilled water? I remember that they do, but DH says no.

 

[bumbershoot]

Oh, another question about standard rooms...

What are the chances that a family of 3 would get the Bayou? It's probably a good idea to send a fax requesting Magnolia or Acadian if that's what I truly hope for, right?

 

[andrewilley]

(I don't know what our PINs from Feb were, but I can't change them until we get to POR!)

You can just "update" your Online Checkin to enter new PINs.

And if you request a Bayou room, your chances are fairly reasonable of getting one as there are nearly twice as many AB rooms as there are MB ones (non-Royal anyway).

Andre

 

[bigmac5]

We arrived at POR yesterday and it is beautiful, \i want to share with everyone our eventful stay so far.

We got to POR around noon. Our room was not ready but she told us we couldn't be moved because of the things on our request-fridge and microwave and located close to main and bus. We were told it was building 14. so I knew we were bumped up to preferred location. So we decided to go for lunch. Checked our carry on luggage at Bell Services. For lunch we went to DTD After lunch we walked around Then we got on the boat back to POR and the breeze picked up and it started to cloud over. We were then informed because of lightning in the area they were only going to french quarter.It started to pour rain. So there we were in the pouring rain stuck at french quarter. So we made our was to the bus and asked several buses if they were going to riverside before we got one. Finally got back to our resort at 4pm and the room was still not ready but we figured because we were going to get everything we requested it would be fine. Got our cups and went to get drinks and they would not fill. A CM tried and he could not get it to work so we had to see if it was registered and the cashier check and she said it was registered until Sept 30??? after several times we got our drinks. Finally our room was ready. WooHoo. We get to our room—fridge with a note no microwave . Had our checked carry-ons delivered as well as our delivery from Garden Grocer. So I went to the desk to see what was going on, but I was once again told I would get one. But in the mean time the CM came back with me to our room and got our perishables from Garden Grocers. Got ready for dinner at 'ohana. Went by bus to MK and then monorail to Poly. Had a wonderful dinner with lots of great food. We watched wishes from the beach and took the mono back to MK. While it was very busy, bus after bus came and the line went quickly. End of day 1



I was up at 730 got dressed and went and got coffee. We were ready to go so hubby was getting something out the safe and it would not open. I went to the desk and they said they would get the housekeeping manger to come and checked on the fridge and said we would have one immediately sent to our room. So back at the room we waited about 30 min and no one showed up so I called housekeeping and they were able to track down housekeepikng manager. Who finally came and she was unable to get it open so called someone else. So the other CM came and was able to fix it. When told about the fridges she finally got us one. Lots of CM's thought there was one already in the room.By this time it was after 10 so we went off to DHS. Got there around 11 and went right to Toy Story and it was a 60 min wait and FP time was 5:55. All the rest of the rides were just walk on. We went back to the room about 2 and had Bell service bring up our stuff from their fridge


but at the end of it all we got pixie dust and got up graded to prefered with all our requests

 

[babydoll65]

You can just "update" your Online Checkin to enter new PINs.

And if you request a Bayou room, your chances are fairly reasonable of getting one as there are nearly twice as many AB rooms as there are MB ones (non-Royal anyway).

Andre

Hi Andrew, I'll be heading down to POR in November (11-17) this will be my first time staying there and totally looking forward to it. As far as the magic bands go, not sure how to feel about it. Everyone here seems to be so excited but still not sure weather November will be getting them or not. I guess i would feel more comfortable if it's all or nothing. As much as I would like to be sporting a pretty bracelet, I would hate it knowing some have it and some don't. If it's a no go because they need to go over things during the holidays, I will still be happy with the regular fast pass. I need to do all that running around in the morning to burn off the calories from all those buffet breakfasts.

 

[Tikicristi]

How refreshing to get some questions which don't include Magic Bands or FastPass+ ! I hope your next trip is better than your last one turned out.

1) That would be a Pool View Royal Guest Room. If you look on the map in the first post, they are almost all located on the southern side of Oak Manor and are very conveniently located for getting to the main buildings via a footbridge, and also for the East Depot bus stop. In short, a very nice location indeed, and your daughter should love all the royal/princess details.

2) Currently about 50% of POR rooms have working fridges, but if your request is for medical needs then you should definitely get one. By then, the situation will hopefully have got a lot better anyway.

3) Yes there's a slide at the main pool at POR, and it's twice as long and a bit faster/twistier than the one at French Quarter. There isn't a slide at the quiet pool right next to your room though (understandably enough, as it's meant to be a quiet pool).

Andre

Thank you Andre for your response, that was most helpful! Great news on my room and apparently it was the last room left for that weekend, so we lucked out. I did see the pics after I read your response and my DD is going to love the Princess & Frog theme!

Funny you should mention the armbands - my travel agent said we will be able to do it. I am hesitant as it sounds so new and the idea of scheduling a ride so far in advance is not that appealing to me. The regular FPs worked just fine for us last time and the days we are ding MK are low-crowd days. I might consider the bands for the new Fantasyland stuff though. But from what I've read here, it sounds like more of a pain.

I am really excited now! Thanks again!

 

[Venomhatch]

We arrived at POR yesterday and it is beautiful, \i want to share with everyone our eventful stay so far.

We got to POR around noon. Our room was not ready but she told us we couldn't be moved because of the things on our request-fridge and microwave and located close to main and bus. We were told it was building 14. so I knew we were bumped up to preferred location. So we decided to go for lunch. Checked our carry on luggage at Bell Services. For lunch we went to DTD After lunch we walked around Then we got on the boat back to POR and the breeze picked up and it started to cloud over. We were then informed because of lightning in the area they were only going to french quarter.It started to pour rain. So there we were in the pouring rain stuck at french quarter. So we made our was to the bus and asked several buses if they were going to riverside before we got one. Finally got back to our resort at 4pm and the room was still not ready but we figured because we were going to get everything we requested it would be fine. Got our cups and went to get drinks and they would not fill. A CM tried and he could not get it to work so we had to see if it was registered and the cashier check and she said it was registered until Sept 30??? after several times we got our drinks. Finally our room was ready. WooHoo. We get to our room—fridge with a note no microwave . Had our checked carry-ons delivered as well as our delivery from Garden Grocer. So I went to the desk to see what was going on, but I was once again told I would get one. But in the mean time the CM came back with me to our room and got our perishables from Garden Grocers. Got ready for dinner at 'ohana. Went by bus to MK and then monorail to Poly. Had a wonderful dinner with lots of great food. We watched wishes from the beach and took the mono back to MK. While it was very busy, bus after bus came and the line went quickly. End of day 1



I was up at 730 got dressed and went and got coffee. We were ready to go so hubby was getting something out the safe and it would not open. I went to the desk and they said they would get the housekeeping manger to come and checked on the fridge and said we would have one immediately sent to our room. So back at the room we waited about 30 min and no one showed up so I called housekeeping and they were able to track down housekeepikng manager. Who finally came and she was unable to get it open so called someone else. So the other CM came and was able to fix it. When told about the fridges she finally got us one. Lots of CM's thought there was one already in the room.By this time it was after 10 so we went off to DHS. Got there around 11 and went right to Toy Story and it was a 60 min wait and FP time was 5:55. All the rest of the rides were just walk on. We went back to the room about 2 and had Bell service bring up our stuff from their fridge


but at the end of it all we got pixie dust and got up graded to prefered with all our requests

Wow what a start... Let me know if you have any other issues. That is crazy how it took that long to get the fridge and get you into the room. I am glad you got into a nice location though.

 

[mad hatter fan]

Our room was not ready but she told us we couldn't be moved because of the things on our request-fridge and microwave and located close to main and bus.

How do you get a microwave? I didn't think any of the rooms had them?

 

[Venomhatch]

How do you get a microwave? I didn't think any of the rooms had them?

They have a limited number of them and you have to request them. That is an absolutely no guarantee on getting one of them. But you may always request one and as soon as one is available you will get one.

 

[LauraJean]

We check in 7am and have an ADR at 9. I can put all of our bags and suitcases somewhere like bell service correct? Don't really want to leave it in the rental car and that suv is going to be brought back right after our breakfast at Cape May anyways.

 

[mad hatter fan]

They have a limited number of them and you have to request them. That is an absolutely no guarantee on getting one of them. But you may always request one and as soon as one is available you will get one.

Is this something I should request on our reservation or just request at check in? We have already requested a 2nd floor room and to be close to the main bus stop.