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

[andrewilley]

thanks!! it is kinda hard to tell from the pictures i have seen. and there is room on the boat for wheelchairs??

Absolutely, there is an area of fold-away seating just behind the driver specifically designed to accommodate wheelchairs.

Andre

 

[Carrie772]

Does anyone know the real reason that 5 can stay in POR AB and only 4 can stay in POR Mansions? I just love the mansions, but we were blessed with 3 children, so no go for us.

 

[tripplanner2]

Does anyone know the real reason that 5 can stay in POR AB and only 4 can stay in POR Mansions? I just love the mansions, but we were blessed with 3 children, so no go for us.

I have often wondered the same thing. I also want to know why only AB at POR and not Caribean Beach where the rooms have more square footage. I just think it is a way to contain and controll and that is how they are doing it. But I would love to hear a better explanation.

 

[Gummie Bears]

This is our 1st trip to wdw and have a question about pools. We'd like to use the pool at pofq since it has the theming and my young kids would probably like it better. There's 5 of us so I know we'll be staying in Alligator Bayou.
Could we walk to the pool from AB? Is it a far walk? Or can we take the bus to that side of the resort?

 

[Missytara]

This is our 1st trip to wdw and have a question about pools. We'd like to use the pool at pofq since it has the theming and my young kids would probably like it better. There's 5 of us so I know we'll be staying in Alligator Bayou.
Could we walk to the pool from AB? Is it a far walk? Or can we take the bus to that side of the resort?

From AB, it is about a 15 minute walk or so; maybe twenty if you are at the far end of AB.

Not all the buses go from POR to POFQ. At busy times of day, they do share, but not always.

However, the water taxi goes from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm; every 20 minutes until 4 pm; then every 10 minutes until closing. It always stops at POFQ on every trip from and to DTD to POR.

 

[Missytara]

Does anyone know the real reason that 5 can stay in POR AB and only 4 can stay in POR Mansions? I just love the mansions, but we were blessed with 3 children, so no go for us.

Because of the exiting requirements per the local fire marshal.

The AB buildings are only two story and much smaller than the Mansions (less rooms, so less capacity).

Therefore, the capacity is adjusted fairly, if ALL the rooms in the AB had 5 people staying in them (worst case scenario), every one could safely exit from the stairwells and aisleways in case of a fire.

You can also have one additional child under the age of three in any of the rooms. But it is assumed, under the fire codes, that a parent or older child would hold the infant while exiting in case of emergency.

 

[DISNEYNY]

This is our 1st trip to wdw and have a question about pools. We'd like to use the pool at pofq since it has the theming and my young kids would probably like it better. There's 5 of us so I know we'll be staying in Alligator Bayou.
Could we walk to the pool from AB? Is it a far walk? Or can we take the bus to that side of the resort?

When we used the POFQ pool we took the water taxi.

 

[lollisfamily6]

Does anyone know the real reason that 5 can stay in POR AB and only 4 can stay in POR Mansions? I just love the mansions, but we were blessed with 3 children, so no go for us.

I think another reason you can have 5 in the Alligator Bayou rooms is b/c of the Trundle bed. That way if it is a party of 5(2 in each bed, and 1 in the trundle). That is where we stay and love it.

 

[Missytara]

I think another reason you can have 5 in the Alligator Bayou rooms is b/c of the Trundle bed. That way if it is a party of 5(2 in each bed, and 1 in the trundle). That is where we stay and love it.

Actually that is incorrect; the trundle bed was placed in AB, AFTER the local fire marshal determined that the building could accommodate a family of 5 in EVERY room in EVERY building by exiting safely in case of an emergency.

 

[snykymom]

I have often wondered the same thing. I also want to know why only AB at POR and not Caribean Beach where the rooms have more square footage. I just think it is a way to contain and controll and that is how they are doing it. But I would love to hear a better explanation.

Actually that is incorrect; the trundle bed was placed in AB, AFTER the local fire marshal determined that the building could accommodate a family of 5 in EVERY room in EVERY building by exiting safely in case of an emergency.

Right - square footage in the room itself is only part of the equation. The larger part is the capability to get a full capacity crowd out of every building and far enough away for safety and for the ability of the fire crew to do their work.

 

[Missytara]

Right - square footage in the room itself is only part of the equation. The larger part is the capability to get a full capacity crowd out of every building and far enough away for safety and for the ability of the fire crew to do their work.

Good catch; I had seen the question about the square footage of the room as well.

It is correct that it corresponds to the width of aisleways and number of exit stairs, corresponding to the number of people in the building, if every room was at its full capacity.

 

[AmyinNC]

I've wondered this myself regarding the trundle beds only being available in AB at POR. I think because it doesn't sound like the best place. I mean, if you look at the mansions and then the rustic look of AB, most people would choose the mansions. (It's only later that I read the insides of the rooms were the same.) But to get more people to request AB, they started making it available for families with 5. We love AB. The first year we stayed, we had 2 rooms at Pop. The next year (with the free dining offer), we couldn't get in to Pop but were offered 1 room in AB. It was actually a hard decision. We went from 2 bathrooms to one and everyone in one room. And DH and I were no longer by ourselves BUT, we LOVED POR! So last year we booked there again. This year our oldest will not be going with us so we are going to CBR to see if we like it too. DH says he will never go back to a value since being at POR.

But that's my theory about the trundles. Because I also don't think it makes sense that POR/AB is the only resort that can have a trundle and not pay extra.

Amy in NC

 

[mskermit]

Absolutely, there is an area of fold-away seating just behind the driver specifically designed to accommodate wheelchairs.

Andre

thanks so much for the info!!!

 

[Carrie772]

Because of the exiting requirements per the local fire marshal.

The AB buildings are only two story and much smaller than the Mansions (less rooms, so less capacity).

Therefore, the capacity is adjusted fairly, if ALL the rooms in the AB had 5 people staying in them (worst case scenario), every one could safely exit from the stairwells and aisleways in case of a fire.

You can also have one additional child under the age of three in any of the rooms. But it is assumed, under the fire codes, that a parent or older child would hold the infant while exiting in case of emergency.

Actually that is incorrect; the trundle bed was placed in AB, AFTER the local fire marshal determined that the building could accommodate a family of 5 in EVERY room in EVERY building by exiting safely in case of an emergency.

Right - square footage in the room itself is only part of the equation. The larger part is the capability to get a full capacity crowd out of every building and far enough away for safety and for the ability of the fire crew to do their work.

Good catch; I had seen the question about the square footage of the room as well.

It is correct that it corresponds to the width of aisleways and number of exit stairs, corresponding to the number of people in the building, if every room was at its full capacity.

Thanks everybody for clearing that up. I always wondered why they didn't add trundles to CBR or CSR. It sure would have been nice, but I understand the reasoning.

 

[anorman]

Is there any way to speed up time? I'll be at POR in 91 days (not that I'm counting or anything) and that seems like a horribly long time to wait! I'm done tweaking my reservation.....changed from POFQ to POR, all my ADRs are done, and just this week upgraded the age of my DD8 to 10 years of age to place her on the adult dining plan (she's very excited!). Now, it's all over except for the waiting!!! Come on August!

 

[NOLAdisneymom]

Is there any way to speed up time? I'll be at POR in 91 days (not that I'm counting or anything) and that seems like a horribly long time to wait! I'm done tweaking my reservation.....changed from POFQ to POR, all my ADRs are done, and just this week upgraded the age of my DD8 to 10 years of age to place her on the adult dining plan (she's very excited!). Now, it's all over except for the waiting!!! Come on August!

Considering my 205 days to go, I'm extremely jealous of your 91 days..

 

[ValinWV]

Does anyone know the real reason that 5 can stay in POR AB and only 4 can stay in POR Mansions? I just love the mansions, but we were blessed with 3 children, so no go for us.

I don't know the reason. However, last summer when we went with our family of 5 they let us stay in the Mansions. I asked, because my son was too big for the trundle bed and he wasn't willing to sleep with one of his sisters 4 and 6. So we brought an air mattress for him and I asked since we wouldn't be using the trundle bed, could we please stay in the mansions buildings. The CM went to check and sure enough since we had our own air mattress it was ok. I really staying there.

This year we will only be at POR for a couple of nights so I am going to tell my son he is just going to have to deal with sharing with one of his sisters for a couple of nights.

 

[KCmike]

We will be there tonight!!!!
Hoping for 1st room floor in AB, closest building, and lots of fun!

 

[jen42002]

Is there any way to speed up time? I'll be at POR in 91 days (not that I'm counting or anything) and that seems like a horribly long time to wait! I'm done tweaking my reservation.....changed from POFQ to POR, all my ADRs are done, and just this week upgraded the age of my DD8 to 10 years of age to place her on the adult dining plan (she's very excited!). Now, it's all over except for the waiting!!! Come on August!

91 days for us too! August 20th can't come soon enough!

 

[mom2taylorandemily]

91 days for us too! August 20th can't come soon enough!

We'll be there on Aug. 21!! We are so excited and can't wait either!