Some questions about Port Orleans Riverside.

[BillSears]

I'm considering staying at Port Orleans Riverside this summer for the first time. I'm a 44 year old paraplegic who has been using a wheelchair for 25 years. I function fine at daily life, transfers on and off of rides and pushing the chair long distances. In other words I handle everything fairly well I just can't walk at all so stairs do become a problem.

So here are some questions I hope you guys can help with:

Are the boats from Port Orleans to Downtown Disney wheelchair accessible?

Do you think that Riverside has wheelchair accessible rooms with 2 beds and a tub(not roll in shower)? I'll be traveling with my daughter so a single bed won't work.

Does anyone have any comments about this resort? I've never visited it so I don't have any idea how tough it will be to get around. I'm considering here or the Wilderness Lodge depending on if I can find a really good rate at WL.

I'm sure I'll have lots of other questions as time goes by. It's been 5 years since my last WDW trip and I'm really thrilled about going back again.

 

[doombuggy]

BillSears, I don't have many answers for you, as I am in a similar boat. I am taking grama who has Parkinson's and she requested a h/c room at Riverside. I did call the resort last weekend and they told me that all the h/c rooms have a king size bed.

 

[Talking Hands]

Bill i didn't find this resort very accessible. You have to get past the toilet to enter the tub there is no room for a wheelchair in a regular room. Also depending on where you are placed you may have to go over a bridge to get there and it is like going over a corregated washboard. Ouch. Rooms can be a far piece from the food court as well.
Believe me I far prefer All Star for its accessibility and 2 levels available. There you can get a 2 bed room with accessible tub bath.

 

[pugdog]

the boats are accessably and not all of the rooms have king beds in them, just ask. the rooms that have 2 beds usally have tubs with grab bars. they bridge does suck some but is manageable.

 

[Scrapping Shawn]

Bill-
I traveled wilth my five year old son who is wheelchair bound and needs assistance for everything. We requested a handicapped room with two double beds. I will have to look up the number we were in, but it was very easy access from the parking lot, located on the first floor. Our room did have a tub in it. Since I carried him to the tub I did not have to bring the wheelchair into the bathroom. I would say you would be able to, but it would not be a lot of room. The room was nice, but average to me. The rest of the resort was themed very nicely. We did have a small walk to the food court, but it was not to bad. It was very easy with the wheelchair. If you want more turn around room for your chair it will work, but it will be a very tight squeeze and make you feel crowded in the room. It did with me and my son has a wheelchair that is smaller than an adults. You may want to try a resort with bigger sq. footage, if you can. We are returning in Jan. 2004 and I am going to stay at the WL, or the CR if I can find a great deal.

 

[tinksfriend]

Hi Bill,

We stayed at PO-R in Nov. My DH has MS and uses an ECV at WDW. We had room 1501 which had 2 queen beds in it & a crib & we still had room to get the ECV in. We had a roll in shower though, so I can't help you there.
Our room was across the Parking lot from the Bus Stop and the Lobby (2 mins tops)

Hope this helps.

 

[SueM in MN]

Here's the phone number for WDW Resort Special Reservations:
(407) 939-7807
(407) 939-7670 [TTY]
They should be able to help with your questions.
Good luck and hope you have a great trip.

 

[BillSears]

Thank you all for your replies.

I probably will be staying at POR. I've been wanting to stay here for about 6 years. Since it looks doable even though it's not perfect I will plan on staying here unless I get a good deal on the Wilderness Lodge...of course maybe I'll get a great deal on the Polynesian and I'll stay there(hey I can dream).

SueM, that is great information about the special numbers. I've never seen that before and I'm sure it will make this trip easier. Thanks.

 

[SueM in MN]

Good luck on your trip.
We stayed at PO-Riveerside many times, but it was when my DD was little, so pushing her little wheelchair oveer those bumpy bridges was not a big deal (besides, she was a kid and thought the bumps were fun).
It is a really well themed and pretty resort. We still go there once a year to eat in the food court (try the calzones, they are really good).

 

[BillSears]

Port Orleans Riverside is looking better and better. The All Ears newsletter just had the following in it about the rehab of the pool:

"The main themed pool at Port Orleans Riverside, known as Ol' Man Island, has reopened after renovation. The island now sports a geyser that sits on a small island in the pool and shoots water through the pile of rocks and other "debris". As part of the enhancement, the Imagineers came up with a new twist to the storyline. The cranky "Ol' Man" was trying to stop the geyser from erupting and tried to block it up with anything he could find! While his efforts failed, it creates a different kind of water experience for kids.

The bridge that used to span the pool was removed for easier viewing by the lifeguards. The pool and spa surfaces were refinished and a transfer area (with handrails and steps) for guests in wheelchairs was created."

I've never been to a pool that had wheelchair access. This would make it alot easier then doing tranfers from the ground top the chair.

 

[SueM in MN]

I can explain a little about the steps since we loked at the similar steps at WL quiet pool. It's a set of steps that go up on the side the pool to about wheelchair seat height. One side is open for you to drive the wheelchair up, park and transfer over to the steps. The other side has a handrail to grab onto so you can bump down the steps into the water.
We haven't used them (DD has CP and can't transfer independently), but they would be useful for anyone with good upper body strength (just be careful not to scrape on the steps).
There are some pools also that have zero entry (a long sloping ramp to get into the water). I know there is one at OKW at Turtle Pond. I believe they also have them at GF and AKL. Maybe someone else knows for sure.

 

[BillSears]

That description sounds perfect. I thought that it would be a sloped ramp to roll your wheelchair into, which is better then just a normal pool. Since I don't want to get my chair wet I figured I'd drag myself down the slope. This will work out much better.

At home I have an above ground pool with a small deck attached. When I want to swim there I just transfer to the stairs and lift myself up one at a time to get to the deck. So this setup is very similar except I'm going down instead of up to get in.

 

[BillSears]

I have an update for those interested.

I called the WDW Resort Special Reservations number(407-939-7807) and spoke with Helen. She was wonderful. I reserved a room at POR for 11 nights at the end of July.

This is a wheelchair accessable standard view room with 2 double beds and a roll in shower. I used the AAA discount which I hope to improve on later with normal or AP codes. The rate was about 122 a night before taxes and 136.45 after taxes. The AAA discount saved me $265.

I can't wait till I'm back in WDW!!!!

 

[BillSears]

Oh, one other thing.

I was confused when she said that it would be a room with 2 double beds and a roll in shower since I thought all the wheelchair accessible rooms had king sized beds. She explained that they have been trying to upgrade rooms so that either the king sized beds or 2 double beds were avaiable for the accessible rooms. I think this is great! It's much better then trying to squeeze in a roll away bed and the bed is probably alot more comfortable then the roll away.

 

[Andrew Bichard]

Some late comments...

Zero entry pools can also be found at Polynesiam & Grand Floridian.

They have waterproof wheelchairs available, but you couldn't self propel with them. They look a bit like plastic garden furniture with wheels.

See my photo of wheelchair steps in photos section.

Andrew

 

[doombuggy]

BillSears:

i called this number the other day myself, and the nice lady who spoke with me told me that because there was only 2 of us on the ressie, that we would probably get a king bed. We would prefer 2 seperate beds, and i will do my best to get one when we go in May. She offered the rollaway bed, but i felt that was not necessary, and would take up valuable space (Gram is getting a scooter - I got a great rate from Walker).

Does anyone know if there are h/c accessable rooms in the Mansion section?

 

[BillSears]

Doombuggy,

I hope you get the room with 2 double beds. I still can't see why they insist on putting a king sized bed and a roll away in a room where we are trying to keep as much space as possible.

I'm not sure what part of POR the accessible rooms are in. I was so excited about making my reservation I forgot to ask. I'd prefer Alligator Bayou but I can live with Magnolia Terrace. Especially if it means getting the type of room I want.