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

[LisaTC]

But there are rooms that fit 5 right??

Yes, Alligator Bayou has the drop down bed. Here is the layout:

Where the banquette bed is is where the bureau would be in the Mansion rooms, so you do lose that storage space. There are two drawers under the banquette, but obviously, could only access those when nobody is sleeping!

Here is the link to the page with the layout as there is a zoom around photo you can click on to view the room. Very handy.

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

 

[LisaTC]

Is anybody else thinking about staying with POR despite the lack of free dining? We think our girls will love the Royal Rooms and are having a hard time giving it up in favour of another moderate w/fd.

I would, definitely. I'm kind of over FD after having done it twice primarily based on our family of 3 (me, DH, DD10) we would do better with a room discount cost-wise. It was a lot of food for us. Did I enjoy it, yep! Would I do it again if our older boys had been along as they are food vacuum cleaners, yep...but our current status, I'll take the room discount. Having said that, we booked our previously trips with no discount, rack rate and FD came along. If we can figure out the work/job scenario...we're headed to POR if possible discount or NOT! It is a great resort. There are online calculators for you to check out the dining plan to see how it pans out for the way you dine. Buy some Disney giftcards between now and your trip and use those for dining if your heart is set on POR. It is quite lovely.

 

[andrewilley]

Is anybody else thinking about staying with POR despite the lack of free dining? We think our girls will love the Royal Rooms and are having a hard time giving it up in favour of another moderate w/fd.

Well I am, but I guess I'm biased.

For those who are still waiting, I don't think POR or POFQ are likely to be added to the offer any time soon. I've just checked with one of my contacts in the resort's management team, and he has confirmed that they were only told yesterday that Port Orleans is not going to be included in the FD offer this year.

Forecasted Occupancy levels are monitored regularly by Disney, and offer details can be changed with very little notice if they think they need to promote a particular resort which is not selling well, but unfortunately (for us anyway) Port Orleans' average occupancy level is dramatically higher than either CBR or CSR, so there is not much need for Disney to offer incentives to stay there.


Personally, I think there are better offers if you shop around than free dining. We actually tried the Quick Service plan for the first time last year, and at the end of our two week stay we had 20 counter service credits left to burn, having used up all of our snack credits in the first week. Sadly I don't think the system is anywhere near flexible enough for it to work for us, if we could have converted to give less counter services and more snacks, I'd have been much happier.

Andre

 

[Orangeman98]

This was my first visit on a Disney Property, and we were at POR Riverside in a RR from 4/27 - 5/2. Just a few observations:

1) I now feel silly for ever worrying about walking distance from lobby to room. We stayed at Parterre Place, and I literally counted 330 steps from the food court doors to our room (garden view). It's a very enjoyable 5-minute walk.

2) Adjust your walking style (gait) for the food court. This place is a zoo (especially around the soda stations). Be ready for some quick stops as people jockey for limited space. The seating capacity is 450, and it seemed close to that between 8-10 most days.

3) While I'm on the food court, the Create-Your-Own-Pasta is great (the cinnamon rolls are also recommended as they are both warm and flaky).

4) What is that smell? There is a plant that is throughout the resort (and other places) that smells a little like BO? Anyone else smell it?

5) The busing system at the South Depot is a little like the Wild West: During peak times (maybe 8:30 - 10), I did see a CM out to direct. For other times, you weren't quit sure where the line starts as people were spread out. If you weren't going to MK, you weren't sure what park people were waiting for as there were no clearly defined areas to stand. The bus arrival screen didn't work either. Let me clarify, I did see a CM turn it on and the arrival times were shown, but it cut off after about ten minutes. That being said, we never waited longer than 20-25 minutes.

6) Further comments on busing: If you're going to MK in the morning, you MUST go to the South Depot (IMO). Those buses filled up right away, and the buses aren't going to make any additional stops once they are filled. I would also suggest returning at the South Depot: we would bring our mugs and stop by the food court on our way back to our room for convenient refills.

7) Bounce Back Offer: We didn't get anything when we arrived, and I inquired about this on our check out day. The CM I spoke to had offers that were for 2014 only I was hopeful that Disney would give it's guests a 12-month window to return, but only 7 months??? I guess they will say it is because 2015 prices haven't been determined yet, but it's still disappointing.

8) The most important thing -- I feel -- I did to insure I got the room I wanted was to fax 4-5 days before arrival. I had requested very specific details (e.g., corner room, upper level) in that fax that I had not previously mentioned. I was thrilled to learn all my requests were met. Thank you Andrew and Venom for the template!

9) I had a hard time even discerning there was construction going on at the property -- this is true for Disney in general as there is construction taking place at MK as well.

10) I just wanted to echo the same sentiment a lot of people have previously made: the grounds are a perfect oasis from the mass of humanity that is at the park.

 

[Disuser]

Is anybody else thinking about staying with POR despite the lack of free dining? We think our girls will love the Royal Rooms and are having a hard time giving it up in favour of another moderate w/fd.

We booked 5 rooms for Christmas. There are 12 of us going. I considered jumping ship with many others because of no dining discounts but I'm glad I didn't. It sounds like a nice resort. We're also in the Royal Rooms and I think the children will love them. Question: Is the Ol' Man Island Pool heated in the winter? I read that it is and if so I want to tell the others to bring a swimming suit.

 

[zabache]

Yes, Alligator Bayou has the drop down bed. Here is the layout:

Where the banquette bed is is where the bureau would be in the Mansion rooms, so you do lose that storage space. There are two drawers under the banquette, but obviously, could only access those when nobody is sleeping!

Here is the link to the page with the layout as there is a zoom around photo you can click on to view the room. Very handy.

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

For our trip in August we put our son in the pack and play by the door to the connecting room next to the bed. We were a bit tight but we were only there to sleep. We also didn's have any need for the door to the connecting room.

 

[andrewilley]

Question: Is the Ol' Man Island Pool heated in the winter? I read that it is and if so I want to tell the others to bring a swimming suit.

Yes, all of the pools are heated to 82 degrees and are fine to swim in almost any time of year. However the surrounding air when you walk back to your room dripping wet is another matter, and a brisk dash might be in order if the weather is a bit cool.

Andre

 

[ebradley23]

Is anybody else thinking about staying with POR despite the lack of free dining? We think our girls will love the Royal Rooms and are having a hard time giving it up in favour of another moderate w/fd.

I didn't jump ship. I got in during the MM deal which include two day of park passes.i would have only saved $200 with FD, because the other deal was pretty good. I priced out a RO, and it would have been more. Thought about upgrading, but the royal rooms are too cute to pass up.

 

[maryj11]

Do the washers and dryers take coins , dollars, or credit card ?

 

[andrewilley]

Do the washers and dryers take coins , dollars, or credit card ?

At Riverside, it's coins only (there is a change machine though).

At French Quarter, it's credit/debit cards only, no cash or magicbands.

Andre

 

[Dittz]

Is anybody else thinking about staying with POR despite the lack of free dining? We think our girls will love the Royal Rooms and are having a hard time giving it up in favour of another moderate w/fd.

As much as free dining would save us money, I am too excited to stay at POR, As is my mother...we decided we are staying..CSR and CBR just don't make me as excited!!!!

 

[abmitch01]

newbie to staying onsite, friends told us how great this resort is. I looked at this thread thinking I'd do a little "light" reading I'll be obsessing for days!

 

[babygirlamg]

With the river and a lot of trees is there a lot more crawly bugs and flying bugs then at other hotels??

 

[Orangeman98]

With the river and a lot of trees is there a lot more crawly bugs and flying bugs then at other hotels??

I saw plenty of birds and a few tree frogs but few bugs. The only time I really noticed any mosquitoes was as we unpacked the car that first day.

 

[maryj11]

At Riverside, it's coins only (there is a change machine though).

At French Quarter, it's credit/debit cards only, no cash or magicbands.

Andre

Ok thanks

 

[utlegaleagle]

Andre, so I was sooo look in forward to heading back to POR. Our 2012 trip is still the benchmark that all other trips will be measured against. Then the suits decided to exclude POR from FD. The panic on Joe Black's DIS thread was evident, triggering a mass exodus from POR to CBR, CSR, and Pop. I was in trial Friday representing a wonderful young man (we specialize in child welfare law), so it was up to the DW to finalize our 12th anniversary trip. Alas, we are no longer headed for POR. Nor are we traveling with the crowd that engulfed CVR, CSR, and Pop. We will be at WL for 12 nights in Sept/Oct.

I feel like a traitor. I love POR. Just love everything about it. Maybe not the buses all the time, but that is one fantastic resort. I love that my wife's reasoning for switching to WL was the desire to take some of the transportation burden off of me (I am in control of the stroller, I drive, etc.) by placing is in a MK resort (we are currently in MK for 4 days plus the MNSSHP), but I am kinda bummin'. WL looks fantastic - don't get me wrong - but I just don't think I am a deluxe resort kinda guy. Obviously, if POR offers FD in the future (which is unlikely, IMO, given past history on FD), then I'll switch back in a heartbeat. But, until then... Maybe I can at least make it over to see Yee Haw Bob...

 

[zabache]

Is there anyway we can voice our disapproval of FD not being offered at POR?

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Is there anyway we can voice our disapproval of FD not being offered at POR?

What's the purpose of that? WDW offers the discounts in order to fill rooms. If a resort has a high enough percentage of rooms already booked, then they don't need to include that resort in the promotion. You can "disapprove" all you want, but it doesn't change the fact that WDW is not obligated to offer discounts on all their resorts. The only way you can voice your disapproval is to switch resorts, not go, or stay off-site.

 

[andrewilley]

Is there anyway we can voice our disapproval of FD not being offered at POR?

Well you can email their Guest Relations address, but it would only be the same as complaining to your local supermarket that their special promotion on one brand of breakfast cereals doesn't apply to all the other cereals in the store too.

Andre

 

[april727us]

I really can't understand why people are absolutely furious over PO being excluded from FD. I booked there and am choosing to stay there even without the FD because it seems like a deal within itself. It is a room that sleeps 5, is fairly reasonable in price, and is very beautiful. The only reason I can imagine is that people like to think they got something for nothing. If all people want is free dining, then where you stay isn't really an issue.