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

[Ismo]

No fan in the royal rooms. I am often hot but I was very comfortable in our room. AC worked well no complaints.

Agreed. The first night we put the AC on too low and neither one of us wanted to get out of bed to turn it down in the morning! You should be fine

 

[Marsheliz]

Preferred, as mentioned is in Alligator Bayou. I just looked for June 7th-13 and poolview is available and it is the same rate as Preferred. You could, then, fax a request for Poolview, mansions, near Old man's island bridge. Just a thought.



Ok, that is a good idea. How close would this be to the food court, do you know?

I was also looking this morning and a royal room is available.. It is only a few dollars more than preferred... Is it worth the RR since I am already paying for preferred? I have two boys but they are young and wont mind the princess part.. If anything, I think they would enjoy the fireworks..

Is the RR in a good location?

 

[GigiDisneyfreak]

Our stay is from May 30-June 5. I just called to see how much it would be to add an extra night on the 29th. I don't want/need an extra day of dining because we would arrive late that night, so I would book room only. The CM told me that I couldn't be guaranteed the same room for the 29th and the rest of the stay if I booked room only. What are the odds that I would have to switch rooms on the 30th?

I don't know for sure, but I did this same thing and didn't have to move. I had a reservation for a long time and about a month before arrival I called to see if I could add one more day. They said sure and added it on. I asked if I would keep the same room and they said yes. When I got to POR I never had a problem and didn't have to move. Good luck!

I could be wrong but it sounds like KelleyK75 added on to an existing reservation. Which would not cause her to possibly have to switch rooms. Tabm01 sounds like you are going to make a room only reservation for the 29th, but have a package for the rest of the trip. If this is the case that is technically 2 different reservations. That is why they tell you you may have to switch rooms. Trust me they will do everything possible to keep you in the same room. I imagine that not having a lot of requests increases the chances that they would not need to move you. I only had this problem once. It was at POR. I was there for Pop Warner but because I wanted to extend my vacation it was under 2 reservations and they told me the same thing but I was able to keep my room.

 

[LisaTC]

Preferred, as mentioned is in Alligator Bayou. I just looked for June 7th-13 and poolview is available and it is the same rate as Preferred. You could, then, fax a request for Poolview, mansions, near Old man's island bridge. Just a thought.



Ok, that is a good idea. How close would this be to the food court, do you know?

I was also looking this morning and a royal room is available.. It is only a few dollars more than preferred... Is it worth the RR since I am already paying for preferred? I have two boys but they are young and wont mind the princess part.. If anything, I think they would enjoy the fireworks..

Is the RR in a good location?

RR standard could be farther from the dining court (but I just checked and saw that was unavail) and some garden view rooms could be farther, as well, but RR Riverfront could, in theory, be closer (mostly - some on the furthest wing of Parterre can be viewed as a hike to some folks) and some RR Pool view rooms, as are nicely located. If it isn't that much of a price difference and your boys don't mind, the royal rooms are kinda cool. We were in Royal Riverfront in Oak Manor not too far from the 2nd foot bridge which dumps out behind the lobby/registration. It was a 5 minute walk, max for us each morning. That said, we were in Pool View in Acadian one year and that was a quick walk to the foot bridge near Ol' Man Island which takes you around the main swimming pool to another bridge right by the food court. So, in Acadian, poolview, we were closer to the Main pool & obviously quick access to the quiet pool and a tiny bit further from the food court and in Oak Manor we were a bit further from the main pool (quiet pool was fairly close) but easy access across the bridge to the Main building.

For me, unless you are standard view looking at a parking lot or at the very back of Alligator Bayou, I don't think you are very far, but that's just me. Some think there's too much walking at POR. Well, it's all perspective, I guess. As much as I walk at Disney, the resort didn't seem that overwhelming to me. I just looked at Andre's maps and decided location (not room number but location of desired room numbers) and made my request according. The maps he has are quite handy!

 

[Marsheliz]

Ok.. I called Disney around 11:30 to double check and it is still available...

The RR rooms are just gorgeous and it is exactly $8.56 more than preferred...

The boys won't mind.. They are only 2 and 5. They just care about the pool and MK. LOL

So, if you were me, would you do the RR over the preferred? I'm not that concerned about walking, etc as this is just a weekend trip.. We just went in October for a big trip and we are going back at end of next February. We were just going to do POP since it's such a quick weekend but decided since that Friday is a "down day at resort " I would rather stay at a nicer resort and it will give me a chance to check it out for our spring trip with our friends that have never been!

I am just torn.. I would have rather just did standard but got to take what is available, of course. Thanks for your help!

 

[LisaTC]

Ok.. I called Disney around 11:30 to double check and it is still available...

The RR rooms are just gorgeous and it is exactly $8.56 more than preferred...

The boys won't mind.. They are only 2 and 5. They just care about the pool and MK. LOL

So, if you were me, would you do the RR over the preferred? I'm not that concerned about walking, etc as this is just a weekend trip.. We just went in October for a big trip and we are going back at end of next February. We were just going to do POP since it's such a quick weekend but decided since that Friday is a "down day at resort " I would rather stay at a nicer resort and it will give me a chance to check it out for our spring trip with our friends that have never been!

I am just torn.. I would have rather just did standard but got to take what is available, of course. Thanks for your help!

ETA: Since you are having a down day and checking it out, do that...check it out, wander around...it, to me, is fab!


Your boys will love the POR pool, I think. There is a cool slide. I'd definitely take the RR over preferred, but that's me. IF you don't care for the vibe of Alligator bayou, you will definitely like the Royal rooms. I think you will find the grounds and the boat to DTD just great. They show movies outside, too. I think for 8.56...I'd bite!

 

[Marsheliz]

OK!! Anything I should know about in terms of requesting? We generally love a ground level/corner room...

So, you're saying you think it would only be a 5 min or so walk to the food court and/or pool? I guess it's not a huge deal, as this is only a weekend visit but still just wondering.

Thanks a lot Lisa!!

 

[Candlelady]

We'll be checking in to POR on Friday, 5-2.
My daughter and granddaughter will be joining us, but not arriving until Sunday, 5-4. (so darned excited for my little princess to see the castle for the first time!)

Should I still check in online?
I will need to go to the desk to have a few days of the extra adult charge taken off the reservation anyway.
So not sure online check-in will actually save me any time or if it will screw up the issue.

Thanks for your help

 

[LisaTC]

OK!! Anything I should know about in terms of requesting? We generally love a ground level/corner room...

So, you're saying you think it would only be a 5 min or so walk to the food court and/or pool? I guess it's not a huge deal, as this is only a weekend visit but still just wondering.

Thanks a lot Lisa!!

So, did you book Royal Garden View, pool view? That would help me help you with your fax request.

We'll be checking in to POR on Friday, 5-2.
My daughter and granddaughter will be joining us, but not arriving until Sunday, 5-4. (so darned excited for my little princess to see the castle for the first time!)

Should I still check in online?
I will need to go to the desk to have a few days of the extra adult charge taken off the reservation anyway.
So not sure online check-in will actually save me any time or if it will screw up the issue.

Thanks for your help

If you have changes anyway, online check may not be for you. I'm on the fence with online check-in. Have done it, they couldn't find it. Haven't done it and it was just as quick. I don't know. That was no help, was it??

 

[maryj11]

Has anyone walked up to the carriage ride and been able to ride without reservations ? If so how did you go about paying for it ?

 

[dansdad]

Has anyone walked up to the carriage ride and been able to ride without reservations ?

We have walked up twice and were able to ride both times.

If so how did you go about paying for it ?

First time cash. Second time credit card.

 

[LisaTC]

Has anyone walked up to the carriage ride and been able to ride without reservations ? If so how did you go about paying for it ?

Here is the info about the carriage ride. I know they do take walk-ups, don't know how much availability there would be for busier times...maybe somebody else does. We did the one at Fort Wilderness (the Haunted Carriage Ride - Sleepy Hollow type deal)and I booked ahead.

http://portorleans.org/recreation.phphttp://portorleans.org/recreation.php

 

[maryj11]

That's good ! Thanks you two for the info

 

[Marsheliz]

So, did you book Royal Garden View, pool view? That would help me help you with your fax request.



I haven't changed it yet but I was just going to do a standard RR.

 

[Candlelady]

If you have changes anyway, online check may not be for you. I'm on the fence with online check-in. Have done it, they couldn't find it. Haven't done it and it was just as quick. I don't know.
That was no help, was it??

Lol, no, but thanks for trying!

 

[Venomhatch]

Off Topic and Sorry Andre, but Allears.net is now showing videos with actors on the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. So that means very soon to be open for guests!!!

Here is the link to the Youtube of the Ride with Actors on it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8crnslaatc

 

[Candlelady]

Off Topic and Sorry Andre, but Allears.net is now showing videos with actors on the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. So that means very soon to be open for guests!!!

Here is the link to the Youtube of the Ride with Actors on it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8crnslaatc

Thank you!
Hope it's open when we get there in 9 days. Been checking, but no FP+ yet on MDE. Keeping my fingers crossed we can snag one for the 4 of us.

 

[buggy2727]

So I'm getting ready to fax in my "request" and have a question. People suggest getting a 1st floor if you have a stroller but I think we'd actually prefer a 2nd floor room since I would think those would be more "quiet". Am I going to regret this when I'm lugging up a stroller? My youngest is almost 5 so they can walk up themselves if that matters! TIA!

 

[Eeyore's My Favorite]

Has anyone walked up to the carriage ride and been able to ride without reservations ? If so how did you go about paying for it ?

We made our reservation the day we arrived & got the time we wanted. Paid cash. Check with concierge you might be able to charge to your room.

 

[Skjhjb]

Is there a workout room at POR?

The reason I ask....DD (16) just had her time off sheets signed by teachers. Her phys ed teacher is giving her a rather difficult time because she will be missing the weight room session while we are away. So she has to track all physical activity while we are away. And if there is a weight room in any of the hotels we stay at she is to check them out as well.

If there isn't, no biggie....we plan to get her a cheap pedometer so all her walking is tracked!