Staying at Riverside : Show me pics, get me excited!!

[McKelly]

These pictures are great!! We are going to WDW for Christmas Week and right now I have WL booked, but it is very $$$$$. I am considering staying at POR instead. I have seen a few pictures of POR at Christmas and they seemed to be in the lobby area. Is that basically the only place for Christmas decorations, or do they decorate around the grounds as well. Thanks for any tips!

 

[Bethy Lou]

This thread has me so excited about our trip in September! Our anniversary will be the week before but we will also be taking the baby for the first time, I cannot wait!

 

[Booknut]

This thread has me so excited about our trip in September! Our anniversary will be the week before but we will also be taking the baby for the first time, I cannot wait!

We're taking our baby for the first time too although we have longer to wait, 9 more months!!!

We debated staying off-site our second week (we're at WL first week) but after seeing these photos we're already in love with the place, it looks like a great place to take Matilda for walks in the evenings to help her get to sleep

Anyone have any more photos of the various quiet pools in Alligator Bayou?

 

[kxmeeh]

It is only the lobby that is decorated. near the pool, they play jazz versions of christmas songs to help to get you in the mood. You will also see people who decorated their rooms, maybe lights going around the window. We picked up a door hanging that I taped to the door, along with our tree. With a corner room, you could see the tree and lights from either direction walking towards our room. christmas at disney was the most magical thing I could have done for my family.

 

[kxmeeh]

pool at building 39

wow, sorry that came out so big, not 100% sure of photobucket yet.

 

[REL1203]

anyone ever rented fishing poles and things of such? how much and was it fun?

I am curios about this as well... Someone has to have some insight

 

[surfergirl602]

Leaving in 10 days for POR

First ever WDW Family Vacation Me DW DS(9) DD(6)
Getting very excited now!!!!

Thanks for the pics.

Same here!!!!

 

[disneymom727]

This thread has me so excited about our trip in September! Our anniversary will be the week before but we will also be taking the baby for the first time, I cannot wait!

I saw this post and thought it could have been written by me. We are going in Sept. a week after our 11th anniversary. We are also taking our daughter for the first time. We will be celebrating her first birthday!!

 

[Bethy Lou]

I saw this post and thought it could have been written by me. We are going in Sept. a week after our 11th anniversary. We are also taking our daughter for the first time. We will be celebrating her first birthday!!

Congratulations on your upcoming anniversary and daughter trip! You are going to have so much fun with her! We plan on going every year around this time and I am really looking forward to next year when she will be one also!

We stayed at POR for our honeymoon and I really wished we could have stayed in the Alligator Bayou then, it looks really awesome. I will keep my fingers crossed that we will be able to do it this year, I really love the beds! haha

 

[Jakesmom1]

I am so excited

We are going for our 15th anniversary trip and I cant wait.

We have stayed at POFQ and one night we took the boat over to POR to have dinner at Boatwrights and I just fell in love with theming.

We are hoping for a room in the mansions, they just look so romantic to me.

Seeing all these pictures makes me want to go now.....

49 more days , feels like a lifetime

 

[Googelibear]

POR - our very favorite resort. So lush and green. Staying on the second floor makes you feel like you are in a tree house. Beautiful.

Thanks for posting all of the amazing pictures

 

[Googelibear]

As the above poster mentioned, I've just completed a room location advice page on my www.portorleans.org site, including what I hope should be an easy to read map for working out room locations.

Please let me know if it helps, or if there's anything you think I should add/change.

Have a great stay at my favourite WDW resort.

Andre

that is such a great site, Andre. I just saw the link to it a few pages before. I had to post it on another Disney forum, just to let all of us POR lovers see it.

 

[Googelibear]

Thanks to everyone for posting these pictures! DH and I were originally staying at POFQ but after seeing all of your beautiful pictures I called reservations and switched to POR. This is our first time staying at a "real" disney resort (before that I had stayed at the S&D and WDW Hilton) so I really don't have anything to compare the resorts to. However, Dh & I do not have any children yet and themeing of POR seems a little more adult oriented compared to the Mardi Gras themeing of POFQ (I think its cute, DH thinks it looks tacky). Anyway can't wait to go! Keep the pictures coming!

It is a great resort for the first time staying with Disney. That's we got hooked on "staying on property". Simply fantastic

 

[Eyore126]

Hello,
Sorry to repeat previous posts, but No3 son keeps asking me about fishing, and I wondered about the poles (catch and release seems favourite for a 'first time' for him)!!

 

[wdwdasiy]

We have never done the fishing but I do seem to remember that it closes early, maybe around 3pm. DS5 wanted to do this one afternoon and it was already closed for the day.
This is also our favorite resort. I had to talk DH into it 4 years ago but this will be our 4th time there and we just love it! Love the "welcome back" from the CM's at check-in!!
Many of you have asked about room views and we have never asked for anything but a standard view and always had an outstanding view. One time we were on the parking lot side but had lots of trees between. I've never felt crowed or that there were too many people about. We also try to avoid times when the food courts are more active. We eat breakfast in the rooms and are out and about by 7am-7:30. We also make sure if we eat dinner that we eat at an off time.
One of the best times we have had was "dinner" at the Roost with Bob. Our kids had a great time singing and dancing. I even got to do the bunny hop with my Tween daughter (and lots of others) and she wasn't crawling under a table We had good finger foods (nachos, wings and such) and adult and child beverages. One of our best evenings. DH has already said that he wants to do this again our first night as we will be checking in midday and don't want to hit a park until the morning.
We will be checking in May 29th and there until June 5th. Anyone else going to be there then? Wouldn't it be fun to have a DIS night at the Roost

 

[Nancy for Disney]

Nancy - We stayed at Port Orleans Riverside last year as a family of five for 13 nights. My kids were 14, 11 and 8 at the time. We fit just fine, I seem to remember everyone fighting for the trundle bed. We worked it out so that the kids rotated who slept in the trundle - we didn't realize how popular sleeping in the trundle would be. Even my BIG 14 year old son looked forward to his night on the trundle.

I'm not sure how neat you keep your rooms when you visit hotels, but I made sure all the luggage was under the table or next to the TV, the trundle pushed in when not using it, and clothing/snacks/toys put in the appropriate spot. This all helped to create a little bit more room for us. Having 2 sinks in the room helps in the mornings, also.

We really enjoyed Port Orleans - so much so that we are coming back for another 2 weeks this Summer - I know you'll love it.

One other thing - Don't miss Bob Jackson's show. He's in the Bar Area (River Roost?) several times a week playing piano - a very kid friendly show that we'll see a couple times while we are there. He's another reason we are heading back to Port Orleans...

Mike

Thanks for the help. I am feeling much better. How could I be feeling bad? I am finally going to Disney !!!!! I hope we have time to go to the lounge too. It is our families first trip and we are planning a lot of park time with rest at the pool in mid day. It sure does sound like fun though. I already talked my husband into adding one extra day. Do you think I could get another??????????

 

[MommyBuzz909]

What kind of fish are they...just little guppy looking things??

 

[kxmeeh]

I want to make sure I don't miss the show in river roost again. I know somewhere in the disboards is the website for his list of shows, but I can't seem to find it. Anyone know what it is?

 

[allicat1214]

Good morning all .....

Everyone has been so kind sharing info with me, I wanted to give something back.....

I'm headed to POR THURSDAY!!! Is there anything specific you want to know? Is there anything you want a picture of that hasn't been posted yet or want to see a recent photo?

I should have some time one day while our band kids participate in a 2-3 workshop to roam the resort and check things out!!!

Just let me know!

I won't be bringing my laptop as I have too many other things to keep up with on this trip (and it will be my first without my DH to help me carry things!!). So I'll post reviews/pics after we get back next week.

Allison

 

[Chuck65]

From what I can remember about the fishing area is, it's across the main bridge and to the left heading away from the food court. They have a dock with a railing around it that you can fish from. I've never fished there, but I would guess that the main species of fish you would catch are bluegill and bass.