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

[germ539]

Keeping you in our thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery Venomhatch!

 

[KenyaSierra]

Hi Everyone,

I've been a lurker on this thread for years but I am now coming out from the shadows because I need advice. I am on my way to WDW Feb. 19-March 1. I booked right after the Late Winter Room Offer came out and the only room available at that point was a Royal Guest Room (garden view) which I booked. But I am an Alligator Bayou girl at heart and really want to get over to that side. I've been checking daily for two months now and POR is completely sold out on the WDW website. For another $100 dollars or so I could book a Preferred Room on Orbitz. Do those in the know think if I request a room in Alligator Bayou that request would be honored? Or should I book the room via Orbitz? Any downsides to booking though an outside venodor? I think I would lose all my dining reservations if I do that which is a consideration but not the end of the world. Any advice you can offer would be appreciated! Thank you!!!!

 

[andrewilley]

I booked right after the Late Winter Room Offer came out and the only room available at that point was a Royal Guest Room (garden view) which I booked. But I am an Alligator Bayou girl at heart and really want to get over to that side. I've been checking daily for two months now and POR is completely sold out on the WDW website. For another $100 dollars or so I could book a Preferred Room on Orbitz.

Tricky. Switching to Preferred Location is the only way to definitely guarantee you an Alligator Bayou room (apart from having a booking for five people that is). Any other regular room booking at POR could place you in either section - although you can put in a request for AB of course.

You can also request a downgrade of course, ideally by fax no more than five days before you arrive as they don't tend to process discretionary category swaps until the last few days. They may look on it favourably as they could give your Royal Room to another family as a pixie dust upgrade. If you do request that, it would be a good idea to make it clear you are not asking for any money back (although they might do that anyway) and mention that you would like to donate your Royal Room booking to another family in exchange. Make them aware that you tried to book for Alligator Bayou in the first place but the system would not let you.

You shouldn't lose your dining reservations by the way, I think you can even cancel the hotel reservation completely and any ADRs that you have made will still show in your My Disney Experience account. You don't need to be a Disney hotel guest in the first place to make an ADR booking.

Andre

 

[Donnainnj]

Hi Everyone,

I've been a lurker on this thread for years but I am now coming out from the shadows because I need advice. I am on my way to WDW Feb. 19-March 1. I booked right after the Late Winter Room Offer came out and the only room available at that point was a Royal Guest Room (garden view) which I booked. But I am an Alligator Bayou girl at heart and really want to get over to that side. I've been checking daily for two months now and POR is completely sold out on the WDW website. For another $100 dollars or so I could book a Preferred Room on Orbitz. Do those in the know think if I request a room in Alligator Bayou that request would be honored? Or should I book the room via Orbitz? Any downsides to booking though an outside venodor? I think I would lose all my dining reservations if I do that which is a consideration but not the end of the world. Any advice you can offer would be appreciated! Thank you!!!!

Are you using the 15% off code on Orbitz to get the preferred at $100 more. If not make sure you look around for the code.
Happy planning, Donna

 

[WDWRids]

Venomhatch - speedy recovery wishes your way!! Glad things are ok!!!

We will be arriving on Saturday and I can't wait!!!! Done alot of looking but no posting lately- all the information posted in this group has been great and I think we are prepared!

Just faxed in our request for any building in the Magnolia Bend area. Hubs and I have had a tough year that added strain to our marriage. Hoping we get this romantic setting to set a perfect background to our trip. We need some pixie dust our way foresure!

Thanks again to all of you for great information! Anyone going Saturday???

 

[Sue M]

I'm amazed no one has ever commented that I never got around to writing proper detail pages for the two shops - those 'work-in-progress' pages have been there for about 7 years!

You've embarrassed me into fixing that now anyway, both shops now have their own pages (largely similar admittedly, but there's not a lot extra you can say, they're shops! ).

Andre

Haha! Guess I never noticed because I've never been interested in eatting there before .

Just got back. Here is the first photo uploaded into the mac. I will post subsequent photos on the other pics thread. Thanks for all the well wishes and support. Venom..thoughts and prayers go out to you and hope your doing well.

Riverside Arches by KC MikeD, on Flickr

Ahhhhh there's the photos I know & love .

 

[KCmike]

Thanks Sue! Your way too kind.

 

[Sue M]

Thanks Sue! Your way too kind.

I really do enjoy your photos

Andre couldn't edit my post lol. Guess either IPad or web is being glitchy. I didn't mean eatting at Fultons, lol. but was playing around with the tabs to see if all were working on my 5.

I've been pouring over maps for R.R. Location!! I think I've settled on Oak, River courtyard. They have GV rooms along the sides, and I like being close to river path. 42 days to go!

 

[pennyg]

I think I must be opposite of everyone else. We have two garden view Royal rooms reserved but we want to be as close to the parking area as possible without being moved to a parking view. We always drive our own cars to the parks and prefer that shorter walk to the rooms especially if we have to carry our sleeping girls to the room. We are traveling with family and are wondering how likely we will have connecting or adjoining rooms if we request them.

 

[ALD85]

Sorry not POR specific but since it's s DTD resort and I'm headed there next month I decided to ask here...DTD...anyone know if it's a mess down there?

 

[Venomhatch]

Ok so I hope all are well. I am home know try to recover so missing things will be on soon!

 

[disney*mom*82]

Just wanted to share my excitement! I leave in 8 days for 13 nights at POR! We will be there for Christmas and New Years! POR is our favorite resort, it is so beautiful and well kept. I cant wait to get back there!

 

[KCmike]

The Bridge Home by KC MikeD, on Flickr

 

[KenyaSierra]

Just wanted to say thank you for you very helpful post about getting me over to Alligator Bayou!

 

[ncc1701]

Sorry not POR specific but since it's s DTD resort and I'm headed there next month I decided to ask here...DTD...anyone know if it's a mess down there?

Depends on how you get there. We stay at PORQ last month and took the boat. Lots of walls up but it didn't cause us any problems getting to our destinations. We went there 5 days on a 6 day trip for 4 dinners and lunch on arrival day. Had no problem shopping and getting ice cream at Ghiradelli.

 

[Kirby]

Sorry not POR specific but since it's s DTD resort and I'm headed there next month I decided to ask here...DTD...anyone know if it's a mess down there?

It's not bad. Can get congested around the Disney store but I think that is probably normal. You can feel like you are walking through a tunnel over towards the restaurants but it's okay. We rode the boat and the buses last week and had no problems.

 

[Sue M]

I think I must be opposite of everyone else. We have two garden view Royal rooms reserved but we want to be as close to the parking area as possible without being moved to a parking view. We always drive our own cars to the parks and prefer that shorter walk to the rooms especially if we have to carry our sleeping girls to the room. We are traveling with family and are wondering how likely we will have connecting or adjoining rooms if we request them.

The room assignors really try hard to give you your requests. Out of my stays at ️POR only once I didn't get my requests.
I'd also fax ️POR around 4 or 5 days ahead of arrival. If you want you can add a room near parking lot. If you look at Andre's room maps, you'll see GV rooms toward back of Royal buildings.

Ok so I hope all are well. I am home know try to recover so missing things will be on soon!

so glad you're home!! Bet you are too!

The Bridge Home by KC MikeD, on Flickr

Wow Mike!! That's beautiful! Looks just like a painting! . 40 days for me untill I'm walking over that bridge, but who's counting
How's your son?

 

[pennyg]

The room assignors really try hard to give you your requests. Out of my stays at ️POR only once I didn't get my requests.
I'd also fax ️POR around 4 or 5 days ahead of arrival. If you want you can add a room near parking lot. If you look at Andre's room maps, you'll see GV rooms toward back of Royal buildings.

Thank you for answering. Fingers crossed it all goes well.

 

[KCmike]

He's doing so much better. Thanks Sue for asking.

 

[KCmike]

A River Runs Through It by KC MikeD, on Flickr