The New and Updated Port Orleans Riverside FAQ Thread for 2008 --- NOW CLOSED

[Sue M]

We'll be at POR Aug 20th for 7 nights. Does anyone know if part of Magnolia Terrace will be open, or do they close the entire building till it's all done with the reno? Hope I get a new room.

 

[andrewilley]

We'll be at POR Aug 20th for 7 nights. Does anyone know if part of Magnolia Terrace will be open, or do they close the entire building till it's all done with the reno? Hope I get a new room.

We've yet to see what they do at Riverside, but at POFQ they basically closed whole buildings at a time - with a few exceptions where a whole floor might have been opened up before the rest of the building was fully completed.

Andre

 

[Missytara]

We'll be at POR Aug 20th for 7 nights. Does anyone know if part of Magnolia Terrace will be open, or do they close the entire building till it's all done with the reno? Hope I get a new room.

If they do the elevator refurbs at the Mansions during the regular refurbs, they will have to shut the entire building down by the federal regulations with the Architectural Accessibility Board.

It states that you cannot "take away" something that you have already provided by accessibility. So they could not keep open the 2nd and 3rd floors w/o access via the elevators. They could keep the first floor open, since rooms would be accessible, but I doubt they would want to bother guests going past them all day to get to the upper floors. Just a thought (I do this for a living).

The AB buildings are about the size of the FQ buildings, so I would think, professionally it would behoove them to do one complete building at a time.

 

[anorman]

In October we had a top floor room in Acadian House which directly overlooked the river and a smoking area, but we didn't once have any sort of problem with smoke - and we sat outside the room quite often.

I did notice a little bit of a smoke smell sometimes when we walked along the footpath (below) though, so I guess if you were on the ground floor and the wind was blowing your way it could be an issue.

Andre

I have requested a top floor so, if you were directly over a DSA and had no trouble, I'll stop worrying about it. Thanks!

 

[anorman]

Exactly. I've been married too long to find the idea of a double bed charming!

I laughed when I read this.....we have been married for 22 years and last year we stayed at POFQ and had double beds. We have always had a queen bed at home but it kind of takes over the bedroom. After staying at POFQ, we discovered that we were quite content in a double and when we bought a new bedroom set, we downsized! As it turns out my DH still has the same amount of space but I can't spread out quite as much.....it's just cozier!

 

[jen42002]

We'll be at POR Aug 20th for 7 nights. Does anyone know if part of Magnolia Terrace will be open, or do they close the entire building till it's all done with the reno? Hope I get a new room.

We will also be at POR August 20-27 Definitely keeping an eye on this thread and hoping for a rehab room, too!

 

[peaches00]

I just saw on andres great site that one of mansion pools will be closed till may 27...the day we get there.is anyone there now who can tell me if it is being done now?do they usually get done on schedule? I

 

[Iron Mouse]

Hmm after seeing the map I am a bit nervous about being around any designated smoking areas since they are so many. I have numerous health issues so I called and made a request not to be around any of them as well as an accessible room on the first floor. The CM made a note but I wanted to know how likely will it be to get all of our needs met when we get there since I have heard of people not getting everything they asked for. We will be going there for the week of Thanksgiving in November. Should I call the week of once again to make sure or just wait until we get there since the CM said they made a note about my needs. Oh yes also we will be a family of 5 traveling...

 

[Sorahana]

Planning to stay there for our honeymoon since DF isn't a mega WDW fan but he likes this resort . Of course we're doing WDW but we're going to try and do other things too (Seaworld, etc).

 

[kaffinito]

Hmm after seeing the map I am a bit nervous about being around any designated smoking areas since they are so many. I have numerous health issues so I called and made a request not to be around any of them as well as an accessible room on the first floor. The CM made a note but I wanted to know how likely will it be to get all of our needs met when we get there since I have heard of people not getting everything they asked for. We will be going there for the week of Thanksgiving in November. Should I call the week of once again to make sure or just wait until we get there since the CM said they made a note about my needs. Oh yes also we will be a family of 5 traveling...

Since you will probably be placed in the AB section, there is a DSA on the path going in front of building 27, and there are DSA's in the quiet pool areas, and there is also one you might want to avoid by the driveway entrance to Fulton's.

Other than that, you should be able to avoid the DSA's at POR.

 

[mom2taylorandemily]

We'll be at POR Aug 20th for 7 nights. Does anyone know if part of Magnolia Terrace will be open, or do they close the entire building till it's all done with the reno? Hope I get a new room.

We'll be there the same time! Our dates are Aug. 21 thru Sept. 1!!! We are really hoping for a refurb too!! Please give us one!!!

 

[snykymom]

Hmm after seeing the map I am a bit nervous about being around any designated smoking areas since they are so many. I have numerous health issues so I called and made a request not to be around any of them as well as an accessible room on the first floor. The CM made a note but I wanted to know how likely will it be to get all of our needs met when we get there since I have heard of people not getting everything they asked for. We will be going there for the week of Thanksgiving in November. Should I call the week of once again to make sure or just wait until we get there since the CM said they made a note about my needs. Oh yes also we will be a family of 5 traveling...

You may want to call Disney's Guests with Disabilities phone number:
(407) 824-4321. They can help with medically necessary requests, and I'm sure you're not the first person with health reasons to avoid smoke!

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guests-with-disabilities/

 

[splashmtnfan]

Hmm after seeing the map I am a bit nervous about being around any designated smoking areas since they are so many. I have numerous health issues so I called and made a request not to be around any of them as well as an accessible room on the first floor. The CM made a note but I wanted to know how likely will it be to get all of our needs met when we get there since I have heard of people not getting everything they asked for. We will be going there for the week of Thanksgiving in November. Should I call the week of once again to make sure or just wait until we get there since the CM said they made a note about my needs. Oh yes also we will be a family of 5 traveling...

From what I have experienced and heard on here most accessible rooms are in building 14. We stayed in building 27 a few times and were near the DSA but with the area being really open and with us only encountering a couple people at a time smoking there we did not have issues... and my DD actually has to have all of the dye-free allergy free stuff put in the room... they also hepavac the room for her needs as she has very bad lungs. The smoking area was easy enough to walk around and like I said it was near 27 and I am almost positive there are no other ones even close to 14 where the majority of the accessible rooms are.

 

[Iron Mouse]

Thanks for all the replies everyone! I didn't have time to call the disability line today but I will definitely call tomorrow to let them know my questions and concerns.

Thanks @splashmtnfan for the heads up regarding the spaciousness of the DSA.

My nerves are slowly melting away as the days get closer

 

[Keke]

Do they give out the trundle bed rooms only by request or only when there are 5 people booked in a room? We have 2 rooms for the week before Thanksgiving. 2 adults per room and then one room will have a 2 yr old and the other a 4 yr old. I'm just wondering if that means they'll more than likely give us the Alligator section?

 

[andrewilley]

Parties of five in one room generally get automatic priority for Alligator Bayou, but obviously there probably won't be 1000+ families of five staying at POR at the same time so there's nothing to stop you requesting that section anyway if that's what you would prefer.

Andre

 

[seadd67]

So I have a kind of oppsit smokeing question, I personal dont smoke but my DS and his GF do and we requestd AB, 14,18 or 27. I would love 14 is there any smokeing between 14 and the main building?

 

[Sorahana]

DF and I will be at POR for our honeymoon, and I'm wondering are we more likely to be put in the bayou or in the mansions? I've only stayed in the mansions as a kid and DF stayed in the bayou as a kid (lol his stories about the trundle beds).

It's just the two of us and I'm hoping to make a room request closer to when we're going. We just have a standard room booked.
Thanks!

 

[andrewilley]

DF and I will be at POR for our honeymoon, and I'm wondering are we more likely to be put in the bayou or in the mansions? I've only stayed in the mansions as a kid and DF stayed in the bayou as a kid (lol his stories about the trundle beds).

Slightly greater probability of the mansions I guess, but you could easily be in either section (especially if you are there during the times when one of the mansion buildings is down for refurbishment).

Do you not want to book a King Bed?

Andre

 

[Sorahana]

Slightly greater probability of the mansions I guess, but you could easily be in either section (especially if you are there during the times when one of the mansion buildings is down for refurbishment).

Do you not want to book a King Bed?

Andre

I would love the king bed , but it cost extra so I just went with a standard room. It would be fabulous if they gave us a king anyway (I can hope for some Disney magic, lol).