Port Orleans Riverside Q&A Thread 2014 (Please read first post for FAQs!)

[Venomhatch]

Hi everyone! Brand new member, 1st post - SIA for any newb-ish behavior!

I am starting to plan for our first family trip to WDW and am in love with POR. In a email conversation with a TA today I was told that she couldn't book us into POR as a family of 5 due to the age of our children. I assured her that I had done a ton of research (including on this board) and found the measurements of the small bed to be more than adequate for my VERY petite daughter.

Does anyone know if there is a "restriction" based on age for a family of 5 staying in POR rooms? TIA

I see the rest of your post has been answered. But I wanted to welcome you into the thread!!!

 

[ocalla]

Best Breakfast choice: the quick serve area? Sit down restaurant? or POFQ?

Pool Area: towels provided? Pool bar drinks AND food? or drinks only?


Counting down the days!!!

 

[dansdad]

Best Breakfast choice: the quick serve area? Sit down restaurant? or POFQ?

We prefer POR food court to POFQ. Boatwright's, sit down restaurant, does not serve breakfast.

Pool Area: towels provided? Pool bar drinks AND food? or drinks only?

Towels are provided at the feature pool, not provided at the quiet pools. Muddy Rivers, pool bar, only serves drinks. However, there's a phone next to the pool bar that you can use to order a pizza and they will deliver it to you at the bar.

 

[Venomhatch]

We prefer POR food court to POFQ. Boatwright's, sit down restaurant, does not serve breakfast.



Towels are provided at the feature pool, not provided at the quiet pools. Muddy Rivers, pool bar, only serves drinks. However, there's a phone next to the pool bar that you can use to order a pizza and they will deliver it to you at the bar.

I usually just ask on the first day for extra towels with the room tip and carry those to the quiet pools. If you also can catch someone in Mousekeeping as your leaving in your building area, ask them to leave more of the big towels in your room and anything else you may need.

 

[dansdad]

I usually just ask on the first day for extra towels with the room tip and carry those to the quiet pools. If you also can catch someone in Mousekeeping as your leaving in your building area, ask them to leave more of the big towels in your room and anything else you may need.

We do that too. Hi Venon!

 

[Venomhatch]

We do that too. Hi Venon!

Hey there dansdad, Good morning!

 

[DisneyDanielle85]

I just switched my reservation to POR-R last night!!! It saved us over $200 to stay here rather than CBR! I'm excited as I've stayed at POFQ and loved it! So I hope Riverside is just as good! My dates are 11/5-11/12

 

[ocalla]

We prefer POR food court to POFQ. Boatwright's, sit down restaurant, does not serve breakfast.



Towels are provided at the feature pool, not provided at the quiet pools. Muddy Rivers, pool bar, only serves drinks. However, there's a phone next to the pool bar that you can use to order a pizza and they will deliver it to you at the bar.

OOHHHH, I would feel so OO7'ish!!!! LOL

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

Thank you for the warm welcome - and the back up! My family thinks I'm an over-planning nut but I really feel like my TA should know more about WDW than I do if I'm trusting them to help me organize this.

Yep, you probably need a new TA. As you have learned, it pays to do your research.
Here's a TA horror story for everyone... For our upcoming trip (we decided 10 DAYS before our arrival date!) DW and I dropped by the AAA travel office to see what deal they could find for us. I had already thoroughly researched the prices on Disney's site so I knew what to expect going in. We told the TA what we were looking to book and she gives us a price $400 above Disney! I started to rise from my chair and she quickly refigures, finding me a price that is $250 less than the Disney site. Hmmm... I did not appreciate someone taking a shot at me like that. We did book the trip through her, but I would never go back to her and will always remember to do my research if I want to use AAA again.

Best Breakfast choice: the quick serve area? Sit down restaurant? or POFQ?

Pool Area: towels provided? Pool bar drinks AND food? or drinks only?


Counting down the days!!!

I would recommend going to the POFQ food court for breakfast at least once just for the biegnets. They are quite a treat!

 

[andrewilley]

I really feel like my TA should know more about WDW than I do if I'm trusting them to help me organize this.

Indeed they should, especially if they are proclaiming to be a Disney Specialist agent.

Although to be fair they might know more about WDW in general - but will you trust that their knowledge in other matters is better than yours (or ours)?

Andre

 

[klynch222]

We are going to Disney in 61 Days! My 5 year old Daughter's first time! We are staying in a POR Royal Room! Any experience with these? I have also booked a breakfast at Epcot .. what is the best way to get there from POR? I haven't been to Disney on almost 20 years!!

 

[disdream]

Thank you for the warm welcome - and the back up! My family thinks I'm an over-planning nut but I really feel like my TA should know more about WDW than I do if I'm trusting them to help me organize this.

Welcome to our little family of posters. I love to research and plan my Disney trips. My friends and family feel I need therapy but I tell them that planning IS my therapy because I enjoy it so much. lol I always book my own trips because I like to be in control. No offense to TA's but if I find a discount or special deal, I want to call Disney right then to obtain it. Sometimes, travel agents are busy and get to it later when they have time. Some discounts don't last very long at all so I don't like to take chances on waiting for someone else to do what I can do myself.

Enjoy your planning,
Karen

 

[disdream]

We are getting very close to our 180 day mark. Can't wait until Saturday so we can book our dinning reservations. Then it's six more months of waiting until my first stay at POR.

 

[Venomhatch]

We are getting very close to our 180 day mark. Can't wait until Saturday so we can book our dinning reservations. Then it's six more months of waiting until my first stay at POR.

Yeah as are we getting close also that is for our annual stay at our vacation home lol.

 

[dansdad]

We are going to Disney in 61 Days! My 5 year old Daughter's first time! We are staying in a POR Royal Room! Any experience with these? I have also booked a breakfast at Epcot .. what is the best way to get there from POR? I haven't been to Disney on almost 20 years!!

We have not stayed in the Royal Rooms but have stayed in those rooms before they were changed to the Royal Rooms and liked the location and style of the Mansion section.

The best way to get to Epcot using WDW transportation is bus from POR to Epcot.

 

[DJFan88]

Welcome to our little family of posters. I love to research and plan my Disney trips. My friends and family feel I need therapy but I tell them that planning IS my therapy because I enjoy it so much. lol I always book my own trips because I like to be in control. No offense to TA's but if I find a discount or special deal, I want to call Disney right then to obtain it. Sometimes, travel agents are busy and get to it later when they have time. Some discounts don't last very long at all so I don't like to take chances on waiting for someone else to do what I can do myself.

Enjoy your planning,
Karen

I totally agree and everything goes smooth. I guess I just don't understand what they do. Other than me waiting on the phone occasionally if I change anything, which I then know Is right and don't have to make even more calls calling an agent if they don't have it right. Also with the MDE on computer I just change ADR;s or whatever FP's, etc., Would the TA have to do that to? Yikes if yes. Anyway,why would I pay them and take all the fun away?

 

[DJFan88]

Best Breakfast choice: the quick serve area? Sit down restaurant? or POFQ?

Pool Area: towels provided? Pool bar drinks AND food? or drinks only?


Counting down the days!!!

Just wanted to add that the main pool is very close to the Food Court, so that is pretty easy to just get something there.

Also, we LOVE the food court, but there are slightly different options at the POFQ so if you are looking for something like chocolate chip pancakes,......

 

[Venomhatch]

I totally agree and everything goes smooth. I guess I just don't understand what they do. Other than me waiting on the phone occasionally if I change anything, which I then know Is right and don't have to make even more calls calling an agent if they don't have it right. Also with the MDE on computer I just change ADR;s or whatever FP's, etc., Would the TA have to do that to? Yikes if yes. Anyway,why would I pay them and take all the fun away?

I am sorry no offense to the good TAs out there, but I used to use an AAA TA for our vacation planning, but now we don't unless we want her to just give us the booklet of vouchers. But honestly I am with you DJFan88, I don't need a middle person going back and forth for us. I love TAs for everything else. But the ones I have encountered do not stay up on their Disney Info.

Again I am not hating on TAs, just people who don't want to take the time and do research!

 

[keahgirl8]

I am sorry no offense to the good TAs out there, but I am jumping on the ANTI TA band wagon. I used to use an AAA TA for our vacation planning, but now we don't unless we want her to just give us the booklet of vouchers. But honestly I am with you DJFan88, I don't need a middle person going back and forth for us. It especially got frustrating back in 2012 POR refurb falling behind. It took forever to get everything strait. I had to go over her head and deal directly with everyone actually at the resorts and that was when I was still a regular guest there, before becoming a CM. Only with me doing so I got everyone info that was booked around that time relocated to Deluxes of their choice with the right people to talk to. It was probably a very bad time for TAs during that who had booked POR Royal Rooms. I love TAs for everything else. But the ones I have encountered do not stay up on their Disney Info. Again I am not hating on TAs, just people who don't want to take the time and do research!

Same here. I am too much of a control freak. 8 would rather just do it myself!

 

[ElsaColon]

I haven't stayed at any other moderates. I am always afraid I will wish I was at POR!

From my experience, I will always choose POR if I am looking for a moderate.

Don't get me wrong I LOVE Fort Wilderness Cabins but it is is in a whole other category for me because I like to go with family during 4th of July or when I'm I know I'm with people who don't want to hit the parks too hard. It's a great resort to to just stay in and enjoy.

The only other moderate I really loved was CSR but that was before I experienced POR. It does not have boat transportation and the rooms aren't as nice. The views aren't as nice either. I do LOVE the Maya Grill and to me it's one of the most underrated Disney restaurants. The resort is beautiful and I have found it's much better to stay in the cabanas rather than the casitas. But it doesn't have carriage rides! lol Not that I have ever paid for that as I own my own horses but I just love strolling around POR and seeing that big beautiful draft horse walk past me.

I have never stayed at CBR and I have never been interested in doing so but the recent MUCH NEEDED room refurb has peaked my interest.

POFQ is fine but there is no table service and I don't like the mardi gras theme as much as I like the Riverside theme and pool (that dragon kind of scares me ). Honestly, all I want there are beignets so I'll just walk there or drive there on our way out.

This is just my opinion of course.