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

[star04]

We check in next weekend, so I get to send my request fax next week! However, I will be paying for most of our bill with gift cards, and I didn't see that option for the online check-in. Can I not do online check-in? It's fine either way. I just thought I'd save a little time and was worried about our fax. Thanks!

 

[farrahalex76]

Any with car seats at all? DD is 3. Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

When I was at ASMU I got the bell hop to call a cab with car seats. They sent a van with boosters and a car seat. This was 2 years ago and things might have changed.

 

[kbuck]

Me too!

Yay

 

[littlelovebug]

We check in next weekend, so I get to send my request fax next week! However, I will be paying for most of our bill with gift cards, and I didn't see that option for the online check-in. Can I not do online check-in? It's fine either way. I just thought I'd save a little time and was worried about our fax. Thanks!

I believe you have to have a credit card on file, but you can have them apply the gift cards to your room once you actually check in. We did that about halfway through our trip last time. Have a wonderful trip!!

 

[andrewilley]

Thanks! So should I ask for building 16 or 17 specifically or keep it more generic - I've read that we should give detail for what we want, not necessarily ask for a specific building??

I always suggest letting them know why you want a particular request rather than just giving them a list of building numbers (otherwise for all they know you could be asking because it's your lucky number). So let them know what sort of features you are looking for, and then add something like "for example, buildings 16 or 17 would be absolutely perfect for us".

Has anybody done a split stay with POR first then moved to another resort? How easy was the transfer?

Yup, very easy indeed. We tend to get our bags picked up by Bell Services for transferring, then check-out and go to a park for the day, and come back and check in to the new resort and have our (now transferred) bags brought up to the room. You'll pay two lots of tips that way of course, but it's just so easy and there's no hanging around waiting between check-out and check-in.

Hmmm...garden, pool, or preferred? I want the AB section for the extra Murphy bed anyway I think. Would like to be close to bus stop and quiet pool, 1st floor for ease of stroller.

Personally I'd suggest Preferred. That ticks all your boxes (including guaranteeing a murphy bed) and none of the preferred rooms are very far from a quiet pool (and one building actually overlooks it).

However, I will be paying for most of our bill with gift cards, and I didn't see that option for the online check-in.

Check with them when you arrive and make sure they do not apply your main room charge to the card but instead take it on your gift cards while you are there. If you want to be doubly sure, just don't do the online checkin at all and sort it out when you get there - the line might take a little longer to move, but there's very little in it to be honest.


Andre

 

[dixiegirl]

We don't check in until mid-Oct for our annual visit but wanted to subscribe. POR (DxL to me forever) is home for us and we are always excited about our annual trips. I've lost count how many times we've stayed at POR. Seems like there are some really amazing POR fans here. This year is a bit different as DH and I have an additional 2 couples coming along for the ride. Should be fun and interesting!

 

[ateam79828592]

Hoping for FD in late October. Will be traveling with my family (5 + inf) and possibly my DM. If DM comes, we would like to have connecting rooms. We hope to book AB Preferred.

Does it make any difference on getting those connection rooms if we do 1 reservation with 2 rooms or 2 reservations with 1 room each?

Anyone have any trouble booking POR Preferred for Fall (Oct/Nov) FD? Since we are 5+inf...our resort choices are limited and we'd REALLY like preferred to keep our walk to food court / main pool as minimal as possible.

 

[swade95]

While it is not our first trip to DW it will be our first stay and POR and I really enjoy reading all the tips and the reviews for this resort. Looking forward to our stay in September. Hoping for good news about FD.

What are the must do's at POR?

 

[Precmom1967]

Our family's must do is a visit to the River Roost to take in Yee Ha Bob Jackson. He performs a more than lively piano show where audience participation is mandatory. There is no hiding in the corner when Bob is around. His talent and energy level attracts all ages. Check out his website yehaabob.com.

 

[pixleyyy]

I'm just joining here. Our last trip was in 2009 and I was all prepared for POR, but when we got there we had some issues and were instead sent to CSR for our stay. It turned out well but I'm looking forward to hopefully staying at POR this time around. We're going last week of October (and first week of November, offsite) and, like most, we're hoping for free dining.

 

[MudQueen22]

When we book, we want to get an Alligator Bayou room with a king size bed. It's a $25 up charge for the king bed.
If we wanted a preferred room ($25) with a king bed, would it be a total of $50 extra over base rate, or would it simply be categorized as one or the other, and only $25 extra?

 

[dansdad]

When we book, we want to get an Alligator Bayou room with a king size bed. It's a $25 up charge for the king bed.
If we wanted a preferred room ($25) with a king bed, would it be a total of $50 extra over base rate, or would it simply be categorized as one or the other, and only $25 extra?

You can't book a Preferred King. You can either book a King and request Preferred or book Preferred and request a King. I would book whichever one is more important and then request the other.

 

[Marsheliz]

Where are the preferred rooms located? I don't like the style of the AB rooms... We wanted to stay here last October but good booked at CBR with free dining when POR got too full... Trying to find a room for weekend in June but all that's left is preferred, garden, river and royal rooms.

 

[GigiDisneyfreak]

Where are the preferred rooms located? I don't like the style of the AB rooms... We wanted to stay here last October but good booked at CBR with free dining when POR got too full... Trying to find a room for weekend in June but all that's left is preferred, garden, river and royal rooms.

Preferred are in AB

 

[buzznina]

We check in next weekend, so I get to send my request fax next week! However, I will be paying for most of our bill with gift cards, and I didn't see that option for the online check-in. Can I not do online check-in? It's fine either way. I just thought I'd save a little time and was worried about our fax. Thanks!

FWIW I would suggest skipping online check-in, because you will need to go to the counter anyways to process your GC's. Plus; the 2 times we did it, they had already charged the balance to our CC on file by the time we arrived. I know this does not always happen, but it did for us.

 

[buggy2727]

I always suggest letting them know why you want a particular request rather than just giving them a list of building numbers (otherwise for all they know you could be asking because it's your lucky number). So let them know what sort of features you are looking for, and then add something like "for example, buildings 16 or 17 would be absolutely perfect for us".

Wonderful! Thanks Andre!

 

[siskaren]

You can't book a Preferred King. You can either book a King and request Preferred or book Preferred and request a King. I would book whichever one is more important and then request the other.

According to http://portorleans.org/room-requests.php, you would have to book King and request preferred because they fall under the King booking category.

 

[LisaTC]

Where are the preferred rooms located? I don't like the style of the AB rooms... We wanted to stay here last October but good booked at CBR with free dining when POR got too full... Trying to find a room for weekend in June but all that's left is preferred, garden, river and royal rooms.

As PP noted, preferred are in AB. You could book a garden view and then fax a request for the Mansion buildings (Magnolia, near the footbridge) to get you a nice location. I think those rooms are often just as great as RF.

 

[jhaig]

I recently booked a river view room for POR in September. I am planning on being put either in Magnolia or Acadian in the mansion section since we are not doing a Royal room. Are those two buildings our only two choices for a River view room? Should I still fax a room request the week prior to our trip if I prefer a top floor room?

 

[LisaTC]

Nope...the Alligator Bayou section also has River View. Check out these maps:

http://portorleans.org/alligator-bayou.php

http://portorleans.org/magnolia-bend.php

If you click on the buildings, you can see room numbers and type.

If you have your heart set on the Mansions, that would be appropriate in your fax request., ie. magnolia bend, 2nd floor