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

[gipcrew4]

Okay guys. I have a 7:50 am ADR for OHana's next week. We are staying at POR. It won't be possible to make that using the bus. I'm just now looking at it and realizing this. We are driving so we COULD drive ourselves. How feasible is that? Or should we take a cab?

 

[Silverscreen]

Okay guys. I have a 7:50 am ADR for OHana's next week. We are staying at POR. It won't be possible to make that using the bus. I'm just now looking at it and realizing this. We are driving so we COULD drive ourselves. How feasible is that? Or should we take a cab?

We have the same exact adr/time next week, and also have a car, BUT we decided to cab it. None of us want to deal with monorail/ferry traffic at MK close

 

[merentha]

We have the same exact adr/time next week, and also have a car, BUT we decided to cab it. None of us want to deal with monorail/ferry traffic at MK close

How much is a cab from POR to Poly?

 

[Skjhjb]

I would personally move it up a week. I've been there at all different times in May. This past May we were there the week leading up to Memorial Day Weekend. My favorite week we did was April 28-May 6th. The weather was very nice and the crowds were a low/moderate level... VERY Pleasant!!! The year we went the week you're currently booked for it was more crowded and it poured buckets all day every day 6 out of the 7 days we were there.

Thanks! From the crowd calendar I saw online, the week going from the 3rd to the 9th is lower crowds than our booked week, and its rated the 5th best week to go! So I'm feeling better about it for sure.

Plus, the weekend at the tail end of our current booking starts Star Wars weekend, and we aren't sure we want to be there for that anyway.

DH is cool with the date switch, so now to chat with my travel agent!

 

[Silverscreen]

How much is a cab from POR to Poly?

according to taxi fare estimator ~$14.00 +tip

http://www.mearstransportation.com/taxi-services/taxi-fare-estimator/

 

[OneBadApple]

Well we leave for our disney trip in 24 hours!

So looking forward to WDW and especially POR, a BIG thanks to everyone on here for all their helpful information - especially Andre and Venom.

Not looking forward to the travelling though - one hour to the airport, 15.5 hours from Sydney to Dallas a 4 hour stopover and another 2.5 hours from Dallas to Orlando!

Wish us luck!!!

Have a safe and magical trip!

 

[lmhall2000]

Well we leave for our disney trip in 24 hours!

So looking forward to WDW and especially POR, a BIG thanks to everyone on here for all their helpful information - especially Andre and Venom.

Not looking forward to the travelling though - one hour to the airport, 15.5 hours from Sydney to Dallas a 4 hour stopover and another 2.5 hours from Dallas to Orlando!

Wish us luck!!!

We, too!!! Leaving in 15 hours now Will be there tomorrow night...sooo super excited!! I just have to go teach 3 writing classes in the am, then shoot off to airport and get ready to sing Disney lyrics ad nauseum!!! I may just beat you, our flight leaves at 3:00..gets to ORlando an hour later and we'll be at Raglan Road by 8:00 hopefully!!

Thanks so much for all the folks helping! I'm sure I've asked more than a fair share of repeated questions!! Bet this thread will be starting anew soon, hope to post pics and will let you know what our first stay at POR is like!! Kids are sooo super excited!! The last time they were there they were 6,7, & 9..Now they are 8 years older and it'll be a whole different experience

Now, I have to go pack!!!!! EEK!!

 

[andrewilley]

We arrive at POR in 10 days. We have free dining and so no preferred rooms were available for us. Is it possible to request ( and pay for) a preferred or Riverview room at check in or via fax?

As I always say, what have you got to lose by asking? Fax them 3-5 days before you arrive (no earlier than 5 days) saying that the booking system would not allow you to get the room type you really wanted, and you'd be more than happy to pay for an upgrade if one has become available in the meantime. Chances are that if they can upgrade you, they might not even charge you - but if you go into it letting them know that you expect to pay then you won't come over as asking for something-for-nothing.

I don't think that half hour would give us enough time (considering I hear always give yourself an hour). How much would a cab be from POR to DTD?

No more than $10-$15.

Not looking forward to the travelling though - one hour to the airport, 15.5 hours from Sydney to Dallas a 4 hour stopover and another 2.5 hours from Dallas to Orlando!

Wish us luck!!!

Good luck! have a safe journey, and watch out for the jet-lag too!

Okay guys. I have a 7:50 am ADR for OHana's next week. We are staying at POR. It won't be possible to make that using the bus. I'm just now looking at it and realizing this. We are driving so we COULD drive ourselves. How feasible is that? Or should we take a cab?

It's very feasible, and a short and easy drive.

Don't follow the main Disney signs though. When you leave the Port Orleans grounds, turn RIGHT onto Bonnet Creek Pathway, and then at the next set of traffic lights turn LEFT onto Vista Boulevard and drive past Fort Wilderness (this is the same route that the WDW buses take to/from the MK). Follow the road as it bends to the right, past the MK parking lots, and then turn LEFT at the traffic lights onto Seven Seas Drive. The Poly will be ahead of you, the turn is to the right immediately after the TTC drop-off area. It's very easy, we do it all the time.

We have the same exact adr/time next week, and also have a car, BUT we decided to cab it. None of us want to deal with monorail/ferry traffic at MK close

You could valet park at the Poly, but the price would be about the same as a cab.

How much is a cab from POR to Poly?

About $15. Make sure the driver knows the back route past Fort Wilderness (see above).

I was very surprised at the numbers of grey bands at POR and the number of people that had no clue about them. They obviously aren't DISers

I don't know if the percentages have changed as more guests have been arriving, but during the first couple of days of the Magic Band launch at POR last week, around 60% of the arriving guests had already set up MDX accounts before their arrival, but not all of those had customised their Magic Bands. Overall, the proportion of arrivals who had got already-customised bands was very close to 50%. Considering this is a brand new scheme and is still in testing, I think that's a remarkably high take-up rate.


Andre

 

[Mom2six]

Only four more days until we leave to drive to POR. We'll be stopping overnight and arriving Sunday.

I know I have asked this before but I can't find the answer! What time do buses start running to MK? We have an 8:15 at CRT and I want to get there early. What time should we catch the bus and does it matter which stop we use?

I usually drive at WDW because of my son's issues but I a taking my DD and 2 young nieces to breakfast. I know about parking but nothing about buses.

 

[andrewilley]

I know I have asked this before but I can't find the answer! What time do buses start running to MK? We have an 8:15 at CRT and I want to get there early. What time should we catch the bus and does it matter which stop we use?

Buses start at around 6:30am, but the full regular services are closer to an hour before park opening. I would suggest being at the South bus stop no later than 7:15am to be safe, maybe a touch earlier.

Andre

 

[Patience]

Only 4 more days until we are at POR! Since I no longer have a fax machine, I sent my fax request yesterday using gotfreefax.com and it worked just fine. Now I just need to start packing.

Thanks to all on this thread offering advice and answering questions but especially to Andre and Venom!

 

[Ashlander]

Anyone know what the chances are of being able to check in early? ( a few hours). I know there's no guarantee, I was just curious if others have had good luck with being able too. We leave in 3 days.....woohoo!!!

We check in early every trip - normally around lunchtime and every time our room has been ready. I'm not worried if we can't get our room right away, but it is nice to unload and then go to the parks!

 

[justakrazymom]

We arrive in about 52 hours.. can not believe its almost time to be back "home"... I will post to let everyone know if we have a fridge ( anyone know if they are still giving the $15 credit?? if no fridge) but that's about it..once we are there we are in the Disney Bubble..but if anyone sees us say hi!!!

 

[andrewilley]

(anyone know if they are still giving the $15 credit?? if no fridge)

They probably won't offer it, but if you have asked for a fridge and they cannot find one for you, then it's worth asking if they can compensate you and see what happens.

Andre

 

[Ashlander]

When we booked the Free Dining pin for November there were no preferred rooms available - though I see if I do not use the pin there are rooms. There are 5 of us so we are definitely in the AB. I didn't think we would be able to call and switch to a preferred room and keep the pin, but would they let us upgrade (if available) when we check in? My kids love going to the main pool and filling up their mugs at the food court so I was trying to do less running around.

 

[andrewilley]

I didn't think we would be able to call and switch to a preferred room and keep the pin, but would they let us upgrade (if available) when we check in?

Same answer as a few posts back:

As I always say, what have you got to lose by asking? Fax them 3-5 days before you arrive (no earlier than 5 days) saying that the booking system would not allow you to get the room type you really wanted, and you'd be more than happy to pay for an upgrade if one has become available in the meantime. Chances are that if they can upgrade you, they might not even charge you - but if you go into it letting them know that you expect to pay then you won't come over as asking for something-for-nothing.

Andre

 

[alicia080979]

can someone tell me if you are using a stroller as a wheelchair if you can still take the boat to DTD without removing the child(ren)?

 

[alicia080979]

.

 

[lazer]

We've kept our kids in their stroller on other Disney boats, I assume you can on the DTD boats too.

 

[Alice515]

Hey POR experts, how much is a cab from CR to POR? And from POR to the Outlet Mall on Vineland?

I am trying to weigh the cost of a rental car($150 for a week) vs taking a cab a couple of times and using buses the rest. In my last few trips buses have been fine except end of the night after MNSSHP. I was thinking of using cab those nights.

TIA

We just took a cab from POR to CR on Saturday morning, including the driver tip (we gave him $5) it was $21.00