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

[keahgirl8]

Thank you. I think maybe I might need some time before break down to regroup my thoughts. May need to take the Fam to POR just to play pretend tourist again, just to give our thoughts a vacation.

Sounds like a plan.

 

[MNtwinsplus1mom]

Well we started this Nov trip at Carribean, than went to Yacht. I just switched this am to POR for a savings of 900 even with paying for "free dining at Yacht". We went last time in Oct-Nov 2012 for 12 days for our sons 10th bday. This time it will be my 33rd Bday.

Here is to hoping we will love it this time!

Only thing available was Garden View... that part scares me

Anything has to be closer than building 35 of AB right?

We love garden view at POR & are staying in one again this November. Can't wait! When we travel we want a quiet room and sometimes rooms near pools can be noisier. I hope you love it as much as we have. We actually like bldg. 37, which is a short walk to the N bus stop and is an okay distance to everything we want to do. Walking around the pretty grounds is a highlight of staying there for me, so for the sake of a quiet room and short walk to bus for early morning trips to the parks, we love it.

 

[BellaEarth]

We are booked for POR for Feb presidents week/mardi gras week....wish me luck lol. We are booked a standard room for 4 adults and one 8 year old...do you know if that is an automatic AB room?

 

[keahgirl8]

We are booked for POR for Feb presidents week/mardi gras week....wish me luck lol. We are booked a standard room for 4 adults and one 8 year old...do you know if that is an automatic AB room?

Should be. I think that is the only one that sleeps 5.

 

[BellaEarth]

Should be. I think that is the only one that sleeps 5.

Thanks! And does all the rooms have mini fridges? Lat time we stayed at CBR in the pirate rooms and we lved it except for the really really long walk to the lbby and food court. Are the AB rooms near the lobby/ food court?

 

[siskaren]

We are booked for POR for Feb presidents week/mardi gras week....wish me luck lol. We are booked a standard room for 4 adults and one 8 year old...do you know if that is an automatic AB room?

Yes, because those are the only rooms that can sleep 5, except when one of the five is a child under the age of 3.

Thanks! And do all the rooms have mini fridges? Lat time we stayed at CBR in the pirate rooms and we loved it except for the really really long walk to the lobby and food court. Are the AB rooms near the lobby/ food court?

All rooms at all the resorts have mini fridges. The closest AB rooms to the lobby/food court are preferred, but some non-preferred ones aren't too far. Check out the map at Andre's site to see where the AB buildings are located:

http://portorleans.org/room-requests.php

 

[MC0810]

We are taking the big leap from our home resort POP to stay at POR! We are SOO excited. Any chance the christmas decorations will be up at POR by Nov 9-11? when have they gone up in previous years. We are going to the MVMCP on Nov 10th!

 

[RustManFan]

I went about the same time a few years ago and there were no decorations up yet at POR. For me that was a blessing as Disney seems to start holidays too far in advance for my taste. Halloween starting at 9/1? Craziness

 

[wizneather78]

What are the odds that a room is available before 3pm? We arrive on the 16th of this month and are hoping to head straight to MNSSHP right after we check in and get our bags in. We are driving from NC, so we may leave an hour or two earlier to see if we can't get our room early. I have checked us in online for 3pm, but I'd love to get in around 1 or 2. We have a 4 year old, so I'd like to get settled in the room before we go off for the rest of the day.....have beds set up, clothes out, bathroom set up, etc. Anyone have experience with rooms being ready earlier than you thought or anticipated?

 

[ALD85]

What are the odds that a room is available before 3pm? We arrive on the 16th of this month and are hoping to head straight to MNSSHP right after we check in and get our bags in. We are driving from NC, so we may leave an hour or two earlier to see if we can't get our room early. I have checked us in online for 3pm, but I'd love to get in around 1 or 2. We have a 4 year old, so I'd like to get settled in the room before we go off for the rest of the day.....have beds set up, clothes out, bathroom set up, etc. Anyone have experience with rooms being ready earlier than you thought or anticipated?

With online check in you can provide an ETA, I would make it for earlier in the day to increase your chances. In Oct we arrived before 11 am and out room was ready.

 

[andrewilley]

I have checked us in online for 3pm, but I'd love to get in around 1 or 2.

Re-do your online checkin with an arrival time of 1pm and I should think it's very likely you would be able to get your room then (but not guaranteed of course).

Andre

 

[andrewilley]

Thank you. I think maybe I might need some time before break down to regroup my thoughts. May need to take the Fam to POR just to play pretend tourist again, just to give our thoughts a vacation.

So sorry to hear about your MIL's illness, and I know how these things can take their toll on every member of the family. I hope you do manage to get a short break at POR sorted for the family though.

I've PM'd you separately (in case the notification does not get through again).

Andre

 

[wizneather78]

Re-do your online checkin with an arrival time of 1pm and I should think it's very likely you would be able to get your room then (but not guaranteed of course).

Andre

I'll certainly go try that! Thanks for the help to all those who answered!!

 

[Cyrano]

Heading to POR in the summer 2015 and the FAQ has been great to let the family see everything about the resort.
The portorleans.org is a great resource too

Our party is 11 strong and consists of 3 families (2, 4 and 5), with separate reservations.

If we have read the info right the family of 5 will be in the Alligator Bayou to get the room with the fold down Murphy bed.

We have booked standard view rooms.

What is the best blocks to request to try and ensure that the families are close by?
The party of 2 are grand-parents so they would preferable like us all to be together or at least with one of us

 

[andrewilley]

If we have read the info right the family of 5 will be in the Alligator Bayou to get the room with the fold down Murphy bed.

What is the best blocks to request to try and ensure that the families are close by?

Correct, the family of five (as long as everyone is aged 3+ anyway) will automatically be placed in an Alligator Bayou room with the fold-down bed. As long as the three reservations are linked on the system, they will normally try to locate such groups as close as possible to each other - but a 5-days-out fax never does any harm just to confirm.

The closest Standard rooms to the main facilities are in buildings 16 and 17, but if you do request those it might be worth mentioning that getting rooms in close proximity to each other is more important to you than the actual building locations.

Andre

 

[disindec]

I will be heading to Port Orleans Riverside in just 10 days for my Disneymoon! I saw the thread about faxing in room requests. I booked a king bed room but read online they are all through out the resorts. I would like to request a room with a nice "romantic" view if possible. I am just wondering if anyone has any advice on what I show request. I would be very grateful for any help!

 

[andrewilley]

I will be heading to Port Orleans Riverside in just 10 days for my Disneymoon! I saw the thread about faxing in room requests. I booked a king bed room but read online they are all through out the resorts. I would like to request a room with a nice "romantic" view if possible. I am just wondering if anyone has any advice on what I show request. I would be very grateful for any help!

I would request an upper floor Magnolia Terrace river view - there are some King Bed rooms there that directly overlook the water which are wonderful.

Andre

 

[soniam]

This will be our first visit to POR. We've booked a Garden View Queen room for March for 2 adults, 1 child. We would prefer something quieter. I am also curious about the corner rooms with 2 windows. Since the buildings have a lot of corners, it's difficult to tell what those are. I guess we don't really have any need to be on the first floor or near amenities. It looks like the garden view/queens for 3 are in Acadian and Magnolia. Any benefits to one building over the other? Which one is nearest the best bus stop? We will also have a car that we will use to some of the parks. Is there enough parking next to the buildings to park near them? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks

 

[andrewilley]

This will be our first visit to POR. We've booked a Garden View Queen room for March for 2 adults, 1 child. We would prefer something quieter. I am also curious about the corner rooms with 2 windows. Since the buildings have a lot of corners, it's difficult to tell what those are. I guess we don't really have any need to be on the first floor or near amenities. It looks like the garden view/queens for 3 are in Acadian and Magnolia. Any benefits to one building over the other? Which one is nearest the best bus stop? We will also have a car that we will use to some of the parks. Is there enough parking next to the buildings to park near them? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks

Garden View rooms are located all around the resort, not just in the mansion buildings, so you could just as easily be in the Alligator Bayou section. Upper floor rooms in the more remote buildings like 26, 28 and 34 would be some of the quietest on property, and quite close to the West bus stop (but more of a distance from the main buildings and the South Depot if you prefer to use that bus stop).

Parking is ample everywhere, but your room won't necessarily be directly adjacent to a parking lot (indeed, one of the purposes of Garden View is to avoid that outlook).

See the map in the first post for a better idea of how the resort layout works.

Andre

 

[DJWMom]

Here now. Our first stay at POR. Checked in on thursday, booked a standard view room and lucked into building 14. Not even a 2 min walk to the bus depot!

Kids are loving the pool and slide. I was happy to have the hot tub (all to myself even!) last night after a busy day running around at MK.

Took the kids to see Yeehaw Bob. My 7 year old loved it, the older boys not so much. Dh and I had a drink and enjoyed singing and dancing along with our youngest. Haha.

The habanero lime margarita at the river roost is to die for.