Port Orleans Riverview?

[dsnydaddy]

I think it is pretty obvious to me that by saying you are close to the main building, registration, dining and the resort amentities (which is the big pool and the marina), if you look on the map, that would clearly be Oak Manor in the Mansions and Buildings 14, 15, and 18 in AB. Those are definately the ones that people always indicate they request, when wanting to be close to everything.

The Poster did get these descriptions directly from the website - I have been looking to book my trip for next year already.

If you look at a map and you read the descriptions carefully, the "closest" buildings would be Oak Manor in the Mansions, and 14, 15, and 18 in AB.

They are closest to the main building, registration, dining, the pool and the marina (which is what I interpret as resort "amentities").

I think that Magnolia Terrace could be considered preferred too. It's right by the bridge to the pool and then just another jump to the food court. My concern for this is that "preferred" rooms in the mansions would also be those with a river view, however one must pay another $40 for a river view. Seems to me it would make paying that $40 for the river view Moot. (based upon a weeks stay)

?? We stayed at POR in March and when we walked out of room, we had a wonderful view of nothing but a parking lot. There was very little mature landscaping. It was the corner of Building 15.

That's what I remembered as well. Standing in the Parking lot I saw plenty of windows. I'm assuming that if I can see them, they can see me.

I stand corrected...you are looking at 2011 dates. Sorry.
The thing that confuses me is that those 'preferred' rooms have a limit of 4 as far as occupany goes..which leaves out AB. The vast majority of those rooms hold up to 5 due to the trundle bed. And bldg 14 is so close you can almost reach out and touch the food court back wall. And that bldg has the trundle beds.
I think Disney is getting carried away with their bldg views. It would make much more sense to just say bldgs 14 and 15 are 'preferred'. Disney isn't stupid....huge numbers of guests want these two bldgs..heck, so did I when I was there the last time.
I think Disney is really reaching on this one.

My point exactly. I'm not real happy about this change in policy. I really just wish they had defined what a preferred room is.

 

[BrerMama]

I booked a preferred room with 5 people. I was not given the "trundle bed" option under requests... it was grayed out. From that, I was assuming all the preferred rooms are in AB. Mostly likely 14, 15 and maybe 18 because those seem to be most requested. I was disappointed when we got building 38 last time. It didn't turn out so bad, and in fact, my husband wanted me to request it again, but I decided the chances are too great that we'd get stuck out in the boonies and went with the preferred. We were in building 15, parking lot view, our first trip and we loved it.

 

[Donut23]

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.

We generally begin our trips to WDW at POR. We just love the feeling of this place, beautiful landscaping and buildings. It's a nice resort to just walk through. Our first day is travel (O'Dark 30 flight before the birds are awake), get DTD disney out of the way.....afternoon nap and stay up till midnight at YeeHaw Bob's show in the Roost!

I will agree with everyone that when you open your curtains of a water view room you have the same privacy of a standard room....people will be walking by because there are no private balconies.

It's a beautiful resort.....BIG resort so the 2,000 + rooms (and people inside these rooms) are spread out well.....you never really feel crowded.

I say save your $$ for another splurge during your vacation.

Have a GREAT trip.

 

[pianoronni37]

I do have to say, I'm a bit concerned as well.

I booked a King Bed room, and those of us that want a King Bed, we don't have any other options.

I don't mind, because I'll take anyplace in the resort, but I don't want to be stuck with the very back of the resort and a parking lot view, just because I want a King Bed.

A King Bed room is the same price as Preferred or Waterview, but I don't get the option of either of those. So I'm hoping that the King Bed rooms that they are using are dispersed throughout the entire resort.

I suppose only time will tell...

 

[steelerfan87]

I remember reading somewhere that Oak Manor was smoking. Does this mean that Oak Manor is the only mansion that has smoking rooms? Is all of oak manor Smoking or does it also have non smoking rooms?

I am planning for out next trip and was really looking at requesting Oak Manor but if it is all smoking I guess I would go with Magnolia Terrace.

How do the two compare as far as bus stops, pool, and food court?

 

[dsnydaddy]

Facing the front of the mansions. (with the river to your back) The left side of Oak Manor and all of Magnolia Terrace and the Right side of Acadian would be very Convienent to the East Bus Depot. Magnolia and Oak are both in front of bridges that cross the river. Magnolia's leads to O'l Man Island which makes a quick walk to the Main Pool from there the Food Court is just another Bridge away. We found this to be quick and convienent. Oak's Bridge will take you directly to the Main Building on the Check-in Lobby side. So you will be close to the Food Court but farther from the Main Pool. I would say that both the left side of Magnolia and Right side of Oak are equidistant to the Food Court. I can't say about Smoking or not. But I thought that all Resorts were now completely non-smoking.

 

[BrerMama]

The resort is now non-smoking, and I'm pretty sure all the rooms have gone through a rehab since they were smoking (although I'm not 100% on that). There are smoking areas scattered around the resort, but they are all outdoors. They were all non-smoking before our 2007 trip, so any traces of smoke should be long gone. Request what you want without worrying about it.

 

[snykymom]

I remember reading somewhere that Oak Manor was smoking. Does this mean that Oak Manor is the only mansion that has smoking rooms? Is all of oak manor Smoking or does it also have non smoking rooms?

I am planning for out next trip and was really looking at requesting Oak Manor but if it is all smoking I guess I would go with Magnolia Terrace.

How do the two compare as far as bus stops, pool, and food court?

The resort is now non-smoking, and I'm pretty sure all the rooms have gone through a rehab since they were smoking (although I'm not 100% on that). There are smoking areas scattered around the resort, but they are all outdoors. They were all non-smoking before our 2007 trip, so any traces of smoke should be long gone. Request what you want without worrying about it.

All Disney resorts are 100% non-smoking rooms. There may be an outdoor Designated Smoking Area (DSA) near Oak Manor, but smoking is not allowed anywhere in the building itself.

 

[snykymom]

duplicate post; sorry!

 

[kaytieeldr]

A King Bed room is the same price as Preferred or Waterview, but I don't get the option of either of those. So I'm hoping that the King Bed rooms that they are using are dispersed throughout the entire resort.

Right. Even when there were fewer categories, Guests could only book one. You could/can request others - e.g. book "king" and request water view - but there are no combination bookable categories. You can still do that. And yes, all bookable categories are distributed throughout the property.

I remember reading somewhere that Oak Manor was smoking. Does this mean that Oak Manor is the only mansion that has smoking rooms? Is all of oak manor Smoking or does it also have non smoking rooms?

All resort rooms and balconies have been non-smoking for a couple of years, minimum. See the sticky thread at the top of this (Resorts) forum - only place resort smoking may be discussed (not argued ).

 

[Missytara]

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.

The definitions are right on the Disney website.