Port Orleans Riverview?

[DisneyAmyC]

Is it worth the upgrade price (+$235 compared to standard rate) to have Riverview?

Also, are the riverview rooms far from the buses/food? Would I be better off asking for Preferred rather than riverview? Thanks!!

 

[POOHsie]

Port Orleans is my "home" resort. In my opinion there is no value in getting a waterview room at Port Orleans. The rooms don't have balconies, just public corridors outside the rooms. The water is so close to every room, you only need to go a few steps outside your room to see it. Save your money for nice dinners and wine. The waterview rooms are interspersed among the many buildings and don't have an advantage or disadvantage to bus service and food court.

You would be better off to request a standard room.

 

[DisneyAmyC]

Port Orleans is my "home" resort. In my opinion there is no value in getting a waterview room at Port Orleans. The rooms don't have balconies, just public corridors outside the rooms. The water is so close to every room, you only need to go a few steps outside your room to see it. Save your money for nice dinners and wine. The waterview rooms are interspersed among the many buildings and don't have an advantage or disadvantage to bus service and food court.

You would be better off to request a standard room.

Thanks! It did seem from the pictures that the water was close in most rooms. And yes, I would much rather spend the money elsewhere ! I will book a standard room then.

 

[scooterpej]

We had three standard rooms last year and they were all great overlooked a little fountain and were close to the bus stop. We had a corner room which seemed really nice! Close to food court , river. Very clean rooms.

 

[POOHsie]

It sounds like you are not familiar with Port Orleans. There are two sections: Alligator Bayou and Mansions. Alligator Bayou Buildings 14 and 15 are my preference because they are closest to the food court and the main bus stop. Acadian House and Magnolia Terrace would be my choice in Mansions.

The website below has maps, pictures, and good info about the resort. While you are visiting, walk or boat down to French Quarter. I find that resort charming. It is a sister resort to Riverside and has different food at its food court, including Beignets. As I say, POR and POFQ are my favorite resorts. I will be there again in September. Don't miss Bob Jackson's sing-along show at the River Roost, 8-12am, Weds-Sat. Enjoy your stay.

http://www.portorleans.org/

 

[DisneyAmyC]

We had three standard rooms last year and they were all great overlooked a little fountain and were close to the bus stop. We had a corner room which seemed really nice! Close to food court , river. Very clean rooms.

Sounds beautiful!!

 

[DisneyAmyC]

It sounds like you are not familiar with Port Orleans. There are two sections: Alligator Bayou and Mansions. Alligator Bayou Buildings 14 and 15 are my preference because they are closest to the food court and the main bus stop. Acadian House and Magnolia Terrace would be my choice in Mansions.

The website below has maps, pictures, and good info about the resort. While you are visiting, walk or boat down to French Quarter. I find that resort charming. It is a sister resort to Riverside and has different food at its food court, including Beignets. As I say, POR and POFQ are my favorite resorts. I will be there again in September. Don't miss Bob Jackson's sing-along show at the River Roost, 8-12am, Weds-Sat. Enjoy your stay.

http://www.portorleans.org/

Thanks for all of that great information !! I am not familier with Port Orleans beyond what is on the Disney website. I have always stayed at POP but am ready to make the upgrade. I was going to go for CBR but kept coming back to POR. I thought about POFQ, but don't care for the room decor. I am really excited for POR !

Will I be able to request the buildings you suggested with a standard room rate, or are they preferred rooms? Do you always book standard?

Thanks again!

 

[dsnydaddy]

This is the problem. No one knows what the definition of a Preferred room is. I booked a Standard because, I too, do not think that the water view is worth the extra money. But now they've thrown in a Preferred room category and of course the River view category. I'd love to know the definitions of these. (at least with DCL you can see the reasons that you are paying extra for a room) I can see them charging extra for a closer room to the amenities. But its a bit of a rip-off to pay that extra for a close room with a view of the parking lot. Whereas someone else pays the same price for a view of a fountain that is far from the amenities. And How about the River Views. $240 extra for that (7 night stay in Oct) Now does the person with a river view pay the same for a river view at Magnolia as they do at Partierre? I'd dare say the one who got the Magnolia river view got far more for the money.

I'm not complaining, per se. Just I really want to know what I'm spending my money on. Because If the extra $$ gets me into a room that's worth it, I'll pay. But if I pay it and get a room that feels like a cheat, well, that's really not good customer service.

 

[Sue M]

We love POR. It's a beautiful resort, but I wouldn't pay for a river view either. As mentioned, no balconies, just exterior walkways, so you only really see the view when leaving your room Not worth it.
We prefer the mansion section, and love Magnolia Terrace bldg.

 

[auntfrannie]

Thanks for all of that great information !! I am not familier with Port Orleans beyond what is on the Disney website. I have always stayed at POP but am ready to make the upgrade. I was going to go for CBR but kept coming back to POR. I thought about POFQ, but don't care for the room decor. I am really excited for POR !

This is the problem. No one knows what the definition of a Preferred room is. I booked a Standard because, I too, do not think that the water view is worth the extra money. But now they've thrown in a Preferred room category and of course the River view category. I'd love to know the definitions of these. (at least with DCL you can see the reasons that you are paying extra for a room)

That's my biggest problem with the disney website! They are quite possibly the worst source for information on their own resorts. I get much better information from privately run sites like this one.

 

[iman]

No, it is not worth the extra money. POR is our favorite resort and is beautiful, but not worth paying extra $$$

 

[supersuperwendy]

I don't think we've ever even looked out of our window at POR actually! Since you have no balcony and it's a walkway and railing outside of your window the extra charge for river view isn't worth it in my opinion.

 

[MickeyEars]

Does this mean that unless we pay for the new "Preferred" category at Riverside that we won't get Alligator Bayou Buildings 14, 15, 18, etc.? We have booked our first ever stay at Riverside for May 27-June 5 and I don't want to pay another $250.
Do we even know what buildings are considered preferred yet? How do we find out? Forgive me for so many questions.

Thanks!
Carla

 

[DebbieB]

Does this mean that unless we pay for the new "Preferred" category at Riverside that we won't get Alligator Bayou Buildings 14, 15, 18, etc.? We have booked our first ever stay at Riverside for May 27-June 5 and I don't want to pay another $250.
Do we even know what buildings are considered preferred yet? How do we find out? Forgive me for so many questions.

Thanks!
Carla

I don't know if they have announced specifics but here is what the website says: "Close proximity to the registration building, dining, transportation and Resort amenities ". I think the chances are pretty high that those buildings will be preferred since they are the closest.

 

[pianoronni37]

No, don't pay extra! You'll have a beautiful view no matter where your room is - POR is a breathtaking resort!

Even DH and I didn't want the Bayou section, but we were placed there earlier this year - and we fell in loooove!!

It's gorgeous - our room was a bit from the front building, but easy access with the buses was great!! Also, the walk at night was gorgeous and romantic through the trees and little ponds... sigh, I love POR!

 

[dsnydaddy]

I have not been able to find any information as to what is consdered "preferred." I think that is what has me so annoyed. Water view is not really worth the extra money, but I might be coaxed out of sme extra cash if I kneww that I was going to get a room in an area that I wanted. But I don't want to spend the money and then find that I'm in an area that I don't want just because Disney defined it as "preferred." AB buildings 14,18,27 and 38 all have river facing rooms. But I daresay that I rather be in building 14 than 38 with a river facing. But according to the website I'll pay the same for both. Partierre Place has plenty of river facing rooms but the walk to Ol' Man Island is quite a bit more than you would have if you were in Acadian or Magnolia. If I were to guess, buildings 14,15 and 18 would all be considered "preferred" locations. but how happy would you be paying an extra $200 for that "preferred" room in building 15 with that parking lot view just because if was determined that your room was close to the amenities? Also the person who paid an extra $200 for the water view got a room in building 24 which is quite a hike to the amenities, but they paid the same amount for thier room as the one who got a room in building 14 next to a water feature.

Do you see my gripe with this new system? I'd like to have clearly defined boundaries as to what constitutes what BEFORE I pay extra. My hope is that no one pays the extra and Disney gets a clue that people don't want to pay for an unknown and lets us know what we're paying for.

 

[MickeyEars]

I don't think I'm going to pay for preferred either, we'll just have to walk!! It is Disney World afterall, there is going to be lots of walking!!
I'll save my $250 for shopping Downtown!!

Carla

 

[dsnydaddy]

Just got off the phone with Disney Reservations. They were just a vague as the website. For the mansions he did say that preferred would be water feature based and closest to the food court. (that's actually a joke because non-of the mansions would I consider to be close to the food court.) I'm with you though, I think I'd rather spend my money elsewhere.

 

[kaytieeldr]

It looks as if "preferred" is going to be all about location, and nothing at all about view. As stated several times in this thread, since the doors and windows at POR (and CSR, which is also adding a 'preferred' desigination) open onto public walkways and not private balconies, the view is going to lack privacy anyway. So if one's Preferred location room faces a parking lot, it faces a parking lot. Remember, too, that given POR's age, the landscaping is wonderful; simply because your room faces a parking lot doesn't mean you'll see a parking lot.

It's also possible that parts of some buildings will be Preferred, while other parts of those same buildings will have a different designation. The PP doesn't feel the Mansions should be Preferred, but really, parts of Oak Manor and Parterre Place? Why not? At Pop Century, any room within a 500 foot radius of Classic Hall (main building/food court/buses) is Preferred.

 

[sydneysmom]

POR is one of my favorites.... in all the times I've stayed there, I would never pay extra for waterview. Only because you don't have a private balcony....and really, you're probably not going to leave your window curtain wide open. ( because people are walking by your room to get to their room). I'd spend the money else where for sure.
You're going to LOVE POR though... it's simply gorgeous.