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

[MissElizabeth]

We just changed dates and therefore had to switch from POFQ to POR.

I like the look of the magnolia style buildings and rooms. Which building should I request to be a reasonable distance from both a bus stop and the main building?

Also, they told me on the reservations line that there is a refurb scheduled, but the lady was like "I think it will be done by the time you get here, but let me check" (October 1) then came back on the line and said its not guaranteed to be done until spring 2012. Any idea what the actual time line is?

 

[dsnydaddy]

Oak Manor and Magnolia terrace are the closest in my opinion. Although some of Acacia is close as well. Partierre is the furthest out and I didn't like it at all.

You're in the same position as I, the refurb may or may not be done. If I get moved somewhere else I'll not have a big problem with it.

 

[mom2taylorandemily]

I wish we could of said we had 5(where only two) LOL, I want AB,I requested AB building 14,18 02 27,have pay the pefered room,and the room with a water view but will not know fushure untill we get there. Always makes me nervous when i am not gurantted

If you paid for the Preferred Room, you are going to get one of those buildings, as they are the Preferred Buildings. Just sayin.....

 

[seadd67]

Ya thats what I hered,but untill you get there you never know? it its just one more thing in the back of my head to wonder!!. Why the mouse cant talk to me!!!

 

[Mufasa&Simba]

We're making use of Garden grocer (first time using it) when we go in May. I would like to know what we can all fit in the room fridge. I know you can fit a half gallon of milk in there and I've seen the pics at the portorleans.org website, so that helped, but does anyone else have pictures of what they could all fit in the room fridge?

 

[SV24]

Is there more than a 15 minute walk from any point to another @ POR? We didn't request special rooms (and don't plan to). Do they automatically give you a distant room if you don't request anything or is it random? I was just wondering because we plan to walk to a more convenient bus stop if we are roomed near the final stop. Will that be a hideously long walk or not too bad? Is the main pool pretty central? Thanks! We are staying in Mid May if that makes any difference.

 

[andrewilley]

Is there more than a 15 minute walk from any point to another @ POR?

No, less than that to be honest. Around 10 mins max from the furthest point I'd say.

Of course if you want to walk from the outer room of Parterre Place to the opposite bus-stop in Alligator Bayou you might make the walk more than 15 mins, but you'd never need to do that.

Andre

 

[dsnydaddy]

Is there more than a 15 minute walk from any point to another @ POR? We didn't request special rooms (and don't plan to). Do they automatically give you a distant room if you don't request anything or is it random? I was just wondering because we plan to walk to a more convenient bus stop if we are roomed near the final stop. Will that be a hideously long walk or not too bad? Is the main pool pretty central? Thanks! We are staying in Mid May if that makes any difference.

The only time I neglected to make a request, I was placed in Partierre Place. That was a bit of a walk to everything. But nothing like 15 minutes. It just made getting a refillable mug about useless.

 

[SV24]

No, less than that to be honest. Around 10 mins max from the furthest point I'd say.

Of course if you want to walk from the outer room of Parterre Place to the opposite bus-stop in Alligator Bayou you might make the walk more than 15 mins, but you'd never need to do that.

Andre

Thanks! Yeah I don't think we will be walking to the farthest bus stop. If our room is near the last bus stop then we might wander over to the next one over. But I don't see us wanting or needing to walk to the first stop. I'm just hesitant to board on the final stop because I'm sure it fills up by then.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Joining in... I was booked at POFQ for a second visit, but do to a cancellation from a not so friendly family member, we are now a party of five who will be partying at POR for my DS's 16th. birthday this August.

Fair warning, lock up your teenage daughters (only kidding)

I actually sat and read the whole thread last night. Sometimes I wonder if I really do have a life.

Did anyone else book in August, knowing they would be in AB, and were told that they would have queen beds. I was. I tried to correct CM, but she was insistant. I take no faith in what they say at reservations, but she was reading from the script on her screen, so at least we know that has been updated.

I am glad to be a member of the thread and get to know you all!

Any other beginning of August travelers?

 

[Missytara]

Joining in... I was booked at POFQ for a second visit, but do to a cancellation from a not so friendly family member, we are now a party of five who will be partying at POR for my DS's 16th. birthday this August.

Fair warning, lock up your teenage daughters (only kidding)

I actually sat and read the whole thread last night. Sometimes I wonder if I really do have a life.

Did anyone else book in August, knowing they would be in AB, and were told that they would have queen beds. I was. I tried to correct CM, but she was insistant. I take no faith in what they say at reservations, but she was reading from the script on her screen, so at least we know that has been updated.

I am glad to be a member of the thread and get to know you all!

Any other beginning of August travelers?

There are a few things we do know.

The refurb is expected to take about 12 - 15 months, much longer than POFQ because the site is so much bigger (farther to walk from parking lots with materials) and the elevators are being refurbed as well.

We do know that they filed the building permit for Parterre Place with an awarded contractor, but NO start date.

It is assumed they will start in May, and if they proceed the way they did at POFQ, they would stay and finish the mansions, before moving onto AB. I would suspect it would be awhile for AB to get started, since the Mansions are larger and will take longer due to the elevators.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

There are a few things we do know.

The refurb is expected to take about 12 - 15 months, much longer than POFQ because the site is so much bigger (farther to walk from parking lots with materials) and the elevators are being refurbed as well.

We do know that they filed the building permit for Parterre Place with an awarded contractor, but NO start date.

It is assumed they will start in May, and if they proceed the way they did at POFQ, they would stay and finish the mansions, before moving onto AB. I would suspect it would be awhile for AB to get started, since the Mansions are larger and will take longer due to the elevators.

Thanks, I did read that. I was just wondering if anyone else was told they would be getting a queen bed when they booked for August. My CM insisted we were and wouldn't go off cue (I am assuming that is what her screen said).

 

[Missytara]

Thanks, I did read that. I was just wondering if anyone else was told they would be getting a queen bed when they booked for August. My CM insisted we were and wouldn't go off cue (I am assuming that is what her screen said).

The training for the CM's is not the best. You might have another CM tell you the same thing, but that does not make it fact until someone either releases the exact information from Disney or someone reports on the boards they were in AB and had two queen sized beds.

Then I would believe it was true.

 

[mom2taylorandemily]

I don't know about anyone else, but the anticipation of the room refurbs is about to kill me!!!! I want so badly to see what the mansions are going to look like and AB as well. I'm so curious to see how they will handle the trundle bed thing. It is so exciting to see a finished product, I just wish they'd hurry up and get started already!!

 

[splashmtnfan]

We are going June 2-16... Sooooo wish they would be done!

 

[splashmtnfan]

I need the help of all you POR veterans and experts. We have a grand gathering going in early June. We have a total of 5 rooms. Everyone else called and reserved preferred rooms. When I called to upgrade ours (2 rooms) there were no more preferred rooms (unless we wanted to lose our 25% discount, no thanks). So my question is: How close are the standard buildings to the preferred. The CM said that since we are a GG, we will be placed as close as possible to the preferred. Is there a building I should request that would be best? Would it help to upgrade to waterview? That was available. Say for example the preferred part of our party gets put in 18, how close is 16? On the map it doesn't look like 37 and 38 would be all that far from 27. Any ideas or suggestions on requests to make this work out the best it can? I now requests aren't guaranteed. The CMs I spoke to gave me a headache and I figured I'd get better answers here.

Thanks!

When we go as a GG we always have been in the same building... only a couple rooms over... IF you are registered as a GG they should put you close to the others in your GG!

 

[splashmtnfan]

I know I'm going to sound like a wimp but here goes, what's the lizard action like? I'm petrified (yes, WIMP) of lizards, one would think I was born in the Carib, and lived in FL for almost 20yrs I'd be somewhat immune to them, but they still make my skin crawl. If they're outside, I'm somewhat (key word somewhat) OK with them, but inside, I'm screaming like a girl! and a very girly girl at that! Help?

We did notice a couple near the pool... in the groundcover... but NONE ever close to our room!

 

[splashmtnfan]

We will be staying in Alligator Bayou in May. Can anyone tell me if we will be able to fit a blow up twin matress in the room (along with the trundle bed)? The kids REALLY don't like to sleep in the same bed. I know it would be really tight, but is it even possible? Thanks

Have you considered the small inflatable bed? Like a Cars or ToyStory one... the kind with built-in sleeping bag? We used one of those until DD was like 9! easy to inflate(even blew it up myself when we forgot the pump!) and a LOT smaller to place in the room. The 6 yr old should fit on it for a couple of years and it rolls up into a small tubular bag with a strap.

 

[splashmtnfan]

Well, the FD pin got me and we are booked at POR June 11-19!!! I don't have much time to plan this time!!! Woohoo!

We will be there June 2-16 with our 11 yr old DD! Maybe they will meet at the pool! We are staying in bldg 14 I think as we need an accessible room. Also her BFF is going to be there 10-17!

 

[splashmtnfan]

I am just the opposite... this is our 1st time at POR and really want to stay in AB but need an accessible room for DM.

We are going to be in AB accessible as far as CMs tell us. We have 5 in our room so I am pretty sure they are putting us in building 14 in AB.