Staying at Port Orleans Riverside

[Blueeyes101817]

Hi Guys--we just found out we are staying at port orleans riverside in january..should we request anything in particular? what are the differences? Thanks!!

 

[GlennandAnn]

We were just at POR 10-13 thru 10-18. We stayed in room 1444 which is in Alligator Bayou, on the second floor. It's a corner room with 2 full size beds and a trundle. There is a lovely view of the Sassagoula river, and ducks congregate right there too. This is a great building because it is very close to the main building and bus stop.


Ann

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Ann, have all the rooms been renovated or is there still work going on? Did your room have a fridge?

I prefer the look of the AB area, but since we don't need a trundle I don't know if that is even an option.

Thanks, T&B

 

[patsvette]

i just posted pics of the mansion rooms and a pic of the outside of aligator bayou also.


http://community.webshots.com/album/207673222wDQBtZ?806

 

[GlennandAnn]

I'm not sure if our room was recently renovated, because this was the first time we had stayed in AB. I can tell you that the beds were definately new. They were very, very comfortable. We did not have a refrigerator. We did not specify that we needed a trundle bed, but we did ask for building 14. I think all the rooms in that building have trundles whether you request them or not.


Ann

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Thanks Ann! I will call in the request of an Alligator Bayou renovated room when I call today to try and get a couple more nights added somewhere at the end of my December visit.

You said that you did not specify that you needed a trundle. Did you use the trundle and, if so, I assume that you were not charged for it? I ask because I made the ressie for my 4yo and myself, but there is a chance that my mom and sister will join us for a couple nights. If so, it would be nice for my 4yo to have the use of the trundle, but we would only have 4 people in the room, so it's not as if we'd have to use it (we'd more than likely have the extra adult charge, anyway, since we'd have 3 adults in the room, but that's a different matter).

Even if my mom and sister did not join us, I can imagine that my 4yo would like sleeping in the trundle, but I wouldn't want him doing so if there would be an extra charge involved.

Thanks, T&B

 

[GlennandAnn]

I did end up using the trundle bed one night- my son tossed and turned in the bed with me, so I pulled it out and slept on it. It was surprisingly comfortable, but a little short, I think it's more child sized than adult sized, and I'm only 5'3''!! There was no extra charge for using the trundle and mousekeeping made it up every day.


Ann

 

[bavaria]

I must have posted this somewhere else - oh well!

I used to be a HUGE fan of the mansions, but a while back stayed in Alligator Bayou and got upgraded to a riverview room, with all the ducks etc.

If you pay for a standard room, I was in 1529 for about 8 days in September, and it was perfect. It has a very quiet little courtyard area in front, and only about 4 rooms along that side of the building. Parking was steps away, but not visible from the room (ie not a parking lot view, like some rooms)

The building was 2nd closest to the main building, but walkways made it very very quick to the main building and especially the main bus stop.

It was a trundle bed room, as are many at Alligator Bayou.

And for someone who spends up to 160 nights/year in hotel rooms (usually 4 star) the new beds were the BEST I have had, even better than those beds advertised by some of the other chains.....

I didn't have a fridge, and the desk was very snippy about not giving me one, but I went back to my room 5 minutes later and called housekeeping, who were delighted to send one up immediately.

I am still on my quest to find a room at POR (fingers crossed please) for early December, and I will be requesting this room or similar.

 

[carbur]

I stayed there when it was called Dixie Landings. I loved it. Any room is good but try not to get a parking lot view.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

The only AP rate room I could get was a water view (I would have preferred standard because of the cost difference) so at least I know I won't be looking at the parking lot.

I called today and requested an AB room, so that is noted. I also told the lady that it will be my birthday (Happy Birthday to me! ) on 12/4 (I'm not expecting anything, but figure it won't hurt to tell them). I also made a ressie for Pop Century 12/12-14. I could have had an AP rate at any value or moderate, I guess because it's a Sun/Mom stay. I will probably keep Pop as opposed to upgrading to moderate, but haven't decided for sure.

So Bavaria, maybe you shouldn't try to hard to stay at POR in Dec...if you're too close to my 4yo you might get to post on the "Screaming Kids" thread about my son. Have you found out which days are a problem with getting AP rates? How about splitting a stay of you're able to get POR for part of your time?

Our middle week will be at an off-site timeshare that my mother has, so we won't be staying onsite the whole time, but I can't beat the cost!

I'm starting to get so excited!

T&B

 

[bavaria]

I am going to book 12/5 2 nights POR AP rate just because I want to actually see Tigger&Belle in person!

Actually, I just booked my flight - going first class on points so the looooooong trip from the west coast will be in luxury.

Going to play the hotel booking game this week so lets see what happens.

Tigger&Belle, when I booked my birthday trip for Sep, the res agent was great, and he puts notes all over my reservation. Nobody noticed at check in or mentioned it.

My friend gave me my present early (since it had a lot of Bath and Bodyworks items for the trip, as well as other treats) so I had a 'happy birthday' gift bag sitting out in my room. That night I came back to find a birthday card with a photo signed by all the main characters! I think that the room attendant must have tipped someone off, since it was actually 4 days before my birthday.

But I DID get Hurricane Jeanne for my birthday! I celebrated by walking over to POFQ after the curfew ended and buying myself a piece of birthday cake - all my friends were at the GF and we were not allowed to leave our resorts that night.

 

[reedycreek]

we just got back from POR last week and stayed in Magnolia Bend (the mansions). i called 2 days before our arrival and asked for a room with some kind of view besides a parking lot, a non-smoking room, a mansion room, and something renovated. we got everything we asked for when we checked in--plus we had a beautiful garden view. unfortauntely they didnt have a king or water view available, but i didnt really care.

the renovated room was very nice...clean, comfortable, and new! definitely ask for one, although i believe all the mansions are now.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Originally posted by bavaria
I am going to book 12/5 2 nights POR AP rate just because I want to actually see Tigger&Belle in person!

LOL, except I check out on 12/5 to stay at the time share for a week.

I will have my lime green ribbons and my Home Depot Mickey heads on the stroller, backpack, fanny pack, etc, etc, though. If you spot us either at POR before check-out or in the parks we'll stand out...me, my almost 5yo son, my sister, who is old enough to be my mom (I don't think she is, but it is a joke of ours) and our 81yo mom. We're a loud, fun-loving group who just wanna have fun.

That's sad about your birthday and Jeanne! Maybe next year (reason to go back!).

T&B

 

[bavaria]

Last year birthday I spent the day in my room at CSR with my laptop, frantically trying to get some work done! But at least I was at WDW!

And that's funny re the screaming kids thread - last stay there was a large family on either side of my room, and the kids would run back and forth day and night to visit Grandpa. Not annoying, just being kids excited to be at WDW.

I moved resorts on my last night to WL (since I knew that Tigger&Belle would be checking in ) and the family was playing outside as I left. The little girl asked 'where you go?! where you go?!' and before I could answer, Grandpa said 'she's running away because we were so noisy all week!'

But I AM going to book that POR room, and then just keep trying to get one day earlier/later added. I always have good luck with AP rates - one year I was on a payphone at 7am at BW with fingers crossed, and managed to book a room after weeks of 'sold out'.

 

[bavaria]

Oh, and a word of warning to anyone staying in AB! keep your map, or learn your way. Last May I was SOAKED during a sudden rainstorm at about 855pm at Epcot, and instead of meeting TLinden16 at Jellyrolls I decided to go back to my room.

Well, it was dark, and raining, and I parked somewhere I don't normally park, and I spent - not kidding - 35 MINUTES walking around in the dark trying to find my building.

The walkways do get a little confusing around there.... of course, it's always the young kids who will be able to lead you back to your room, right?

 

[Tigger&Belle]

If it's possible to get lost at POR (or anywhere else) I will. I've never been to WDW by myself, never driven there by myself, stayed at a hotel by myslef, etc, so this will be an experience. Well, I'll have Jake with me, so not totally alone, but I will have to be the responsible, paying attention adult. YIKES! And my mom and sister will be there eventually (they're driving so I don't know what day they are coming yet and my lucky sister is on vacation in China, the world traveler, so I don't even have her to discuss dates with) so I won't be alone the whole trip, but I will have to get from the airport to WDW and around the resort. Jake has a good sense of direction, though (like you said about kids) so he'll help me.

Poor you being in between a family. It was probably better than the family we were next to, though. That lady was SO noisy late into the night. Of course I had problems in the mornings when I was going past their door. hehehe

T&B

 

[MEM]

Just back November 1st from a 5 night stay at POR. I can highly recommend it to anyone! It is now my favorite moderate. It has the best of the Old South. We were in AB Lodge #15 -- I had requested an AB room, non smoking as opposed to smoking optional and second floor. Received them all. Had a parking lot view but that was not a problem -- it was closer to the bus stop and path to the Food Court. A trundle was included and we used it although were not charged for it, nor did we request it. I called the front desk for a complimentary fridge and it was brought up in 5 minutes. They don't have enough fridges to go around yet, we were told, thus the need to ask for one. Our mousekeeper was awesome. The best in 6 stays at WDW. She made towel animals after our second night -- one day we returned from the parks to find our pillows stacked up to look like a iceberg, with my son's Wheezy the penguin sitting on top, accompanied by two bunny-like towel animals. The towel animals got larger each day, some made with hand towels. I always tip regardless and never expect anything special like this.

The food court was good, nothing spectacular. It is beautiful to dine in, except for this weird, dirty-looking carpet with a bullrush kind of pattern. The busses ran very often, although we had to share with POFQ. Only problem with the bus was one night after Illuminations. Waited 30 minutes!! Driver had trouble with the wheelchair lift. They eventually sent other busses, but by then the line was humongous.

Riverside and its sister French Quarter also had a Halloween night "Hootenanny" with contests, trick or treating and a campfire. The campfire was by reservation only and we did not find out about it until too late.

Would love to stay there again.

 

[Cinderellagrl]

Does anyone know which rooms are connecting rooms? We're leaving on Saturday and staying at POR. I called & asked if they assigned our rooms yet, but they told me they don't assign them until we arrive. We did request adjoining rooms b/c there are 6 of us and b/c of the children we need them. I was just wondering where we will be located.