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

[robinb]

Yes I'm sure, this is the case for normal guests. However I've read that DVC members ARE allowed to pool hop if the pool is not too busy.

You're right. DVC members staying at a DVC resort on points are allowed to pool hop to all pools except Y&BC and AKL and then only when it's not busy. Black-out dates are posted on the DVC website (like Spring Break, 4th July week, Christmas and New Years, etc) when we can't pool hop at all. I'll be at SSR for a few days before we go on our 4-day cruise and then move over to POR .

 

[bdiddy]

Well, I guess we aren't downgrading from POR to POP. I called today and they said nothing is available for the free dining at any of the value resorts.

I have to admit I'm a little relieved! I never wanted to move but thought it made sense financially but now that the decision is made for us we'll just deal with it. I'm happy to be staying at POR though.

I did try to move our water view room to a standard room based on what a previous poster said and suggested but they said no standard rooms are available either but I could try back.

Boy - it sounds like the whole place is really going to be booked/crowded if there are no more available rooms. Do you guys find that the free dining period gets more and more crowded as more people find out about it each year?

 

[klj27]

One of the things that I love about POR is that the resort can be totally booked and based on your room location you may never see any other guests!

 

[teddygurl28]

Well, I guess we aren't downgrading from POR to POP. I called today and they said nothing is available for the free dining at any of the value resorts.

I have to admit I'm a little relieved! I never wanted to move but thought it made sense financially but now that the decision is made for us we'll just deal with it. I'm happy to be staying at POR though.

I did try to move our water view room to a standard room based on what a previous poster said and suggested but they said no standard rooms are available either but I could try back.

Boy - it sounds like the whole place is really going to be booked/crowded if there are no more available rooms. Do you guys find that the free dining period gets more and more crowded as more people find out about it each year?

i think the common misunderstanding here is that there are probably a whole bunch of standard rooms available-they just arent linked to the free dining promotion-same with the value resort-you could probably easily downgrade to a value but it would be without the free dining promotion. so im sure there are still plenty of available rooms at the resort waiting to be boooked just without free dining promotion ....atleast thats how i understood it from the CM i spoke too.....someone could easily correct me if im mistaken

 

[Mickey's Sister]

i think the common misunderstanding here is that there are probably a whole bunch of standard rooms available-they just arent linked to the free dining promotion-same with the value resort-you could probably easily downgrade to a value but it would be without the free dining promotion. so im sure there are still plenty of available rooms at the resort waiting to be boooked just without free dining promotion ....atleast thats how i understood it from the CM i spoke too.....someone could easily correct me if im mistaken

I think you are correct. I wanted to use my postcard code for a Wilderness Lodge room but all of the 'code' rooms were booked for our November trip - except courtyard view with bunkbeds, which we didn't want. I could have reserved a room at the regular rate because there were still rooms available, just not discounted 'code' rooms. Only so many rooms are allotted to these different promotions. But happily, there were still code rooms available at POR!!!

 

[mom2munchkins]

Dh and I finally agreed on a resort. I thought it would never happen. He likes the mansions and I like AB. Either will be good I think. My question is I can't seem to find where a good place to be in the mansions. My biggest goal is to not have to carry a sleeping 5 year a long distance back to out room from the bus. Which is the best ? I was thinking Magnolia Terrace? But I'm not sure. If you don't request a place ust close to the buses which section are you likely to get? I saw that Bldg 14 in AB was close to the buses it that right? This is our first family trip and I want everything to be great.Any help would be greatly appreciated! TIA

 

[DJ Disney Kid]

Magnolia Terrace and AB 14 I believe are both the closest to the food court and main bus stop, but there are other bus stops that are closer to the rooms that are farther out as well. And as you probably know, all you can do is request, but theres no guarantee your going to get it. I wouldn't worry about it too much though, we were in an AB room that was the farthest from the food court a couple years ago, but there was a quiet pool and bus stop right outside our room, so we only had to walk far in the mornings for breakfast. On the way back from parks, we would get off at the main bus stop so we could be right by the food court.

How bout some more pics anyone? I leave for POR in 8 days and can't wait to get back! I'll be taking lots of pics!

 

[hogwartsdropout]

I just love the huge fan on the ceiling.

 

[Sorsha]

Dh and I finally agreed on a resort. I thought it would never happen. He likes the mansions and I like AB. Either will be good I think. My question is I can't seem to find where a good place to be in the mansions. My biggest goal is to not have to carry a sleeping 5 year a long distance back to out room from the bus. Which is the best ? I was thinking Magnolia Terrace? But I'm not sure. If you don't request a place ust close to the buses which section are you likely to get? I saw that Bldg 14 in AB was close to the buses it that right? This is our first family trip and I want everything to be great.Any help would be greatly appreciated! TIA

We were in AB building 37 last September. it was a rather long walk to the main building but North Depot bus stop was literally RIGHT out our door. Don't forget about the other bus stops when you look at the maps, in actuality there are 4 of them. The main depot gets the most use, but the buses do stop at all 4.

Edited to add: If you are set on being in the mansions, it appears from my map that building 80 (Acadian House) is quite close to North Depot, but your best choice would probable be building 85 (Magnolia Terrace). East Depot appears to be *in* Magnolia's parking lot.
HTH!

 

[Sorsha]

Sign on our building

Interior workings of the water wheel at Riverside Mill

DD4 asleep on the trundle

DDs in front of building

DDs on porch, looking out

Sinks

Bed (not made, sorry)

Armoire, open to reveal TV

View of Mansions, from Sassagoula river boat

View of French Quarter, from Sassagoula river boat

Cool bridge, also viewed from boat

Front of Riverside main building, viewed at 4:30 AM, waiting for Magical Express (WAH! )

 

[klj27]

Another thought about the bus stops. I believe the main stop near the General Store is the last stop. You have better chances of getting a seat at one of the first AB stops.

 

[Davey-D-99]

Another thought about the bus stops. I believe the main stop near the General Store is the last stop. You have better chances of getting a seat at one of the first AB stops.

This was not always the case last week...At the South (main) depot, many times we were the first stop and then the bus went around to the others...sometimes the South stop was the last stop?
I could never, ever figure out if their was supposed to be a pattern...
Sometimes we shared with POFQ, sometimes it was direct to POR. Sometimes it stopped at POFQ first, then went to West depot at POR and around to the South. Sometimes it went straight to the South depot at POR? I do remember at Epcot and MK at night we never shared with POFQ and went to the South stop at POR first. Picking up and dropping off.
However, many times the bus was already almost full before it came to the South stop to pick us up.

 

[Sorsha]

This was not always the case last week...At the South (main) depot, many times we were the first stop and then the bus went around to the others...sometimes the South stop was the last stop?
I could never, ever figure out if their was supposed to be a pattern...
Sometimes we shared with POFQ, sometimes it was direct to POR. Sometimes it stopped at POFQ first, then went to West depot at POR and around to the South. Sometimes it went straight to the South depot at POR? I do remember at Epcot and MK at night we never shared with POFQ and went to the South stop at POR first. Picking up and dropping off.
However, many times the bus was already almost full before it came to the South stop to pick us up.

And last September, they were even doing it differently! Usually in the mornings South Depot was so crowded that it got its own bus! Then a separate bus would pick up West, North, and East Depots. Every morning, by the time the bus got to us at West, there were still only like 10 people on it.

Who knows how they do it, I think a lot of it is based on season, crowd levels, and time of day... they just adjust to fit needs.

 

[Mainyard]

Here are some of my POR pictures. I was there April 19-27.

The first is the courtyard of the building I stayed in ( Acadian Place, room 8215).

 

[DJ Disney Kid]

Love the pic from the mansion Mainyard! I like the green railings.

 

[kaffinito]

Beautiful photos Mainyard! It makes me "home"sick....

 

[Millie12591]

Great pictures from the boat! I loved seeing things from that perspective! Good job Sorsha! I wish I could stay there. But our next trip will be at the Pop, it's what we can afford. But! I think I'm going to plan a trip with just the kids or one of the kids before the big trip and possibly stay there for a few days, we'll have to see. I come here to slobber. And dream.

Sign on our building

Interior workings of the water wheel at Riverside Mill

DD4 asleep on the trundle

DDs in front of building

DDs on porch, looking out

Sinks

Bed (not made, sorry)

Armoire, open to reveal TV

View of Mansions, from Sassagoula river boat

View of French Quarter, from Sassagoula river boat

Cool bridge, also viewed from boat

Front of Riverside main building, viewed at 4:30 AM, waiting for Magical Express (WAH! )

 

[hogwartsdropout]

Bob

 

[HonnyDipp]

I LOVE this thread!

 

[shaunaday]

I am sooooo excited! I need a shower. Need to get some laundry done. But all I can do it look at POR and Disney pics!