Why do you love POR?

[disneypanda11]

I think the grounds of POR are beautiful and honestly rival the ambiance of some of our favorite deluxe hotels. The activities offered are also really great-- for example, we took an evening carriage ride that was really romantic and also rented surrey bikes which was so much fun (and tiring!). The boat to DTD is wonderful too- there is a lot of transiting around Disney, and this felt more like a ride than a hassle of getting from point A to point B.

 

[Disney Khaleesi]

The boat to DTD, the resort is gorgeous, the staff is great, and honestly there's just something about it.

 

[daisy_77]

Thank you for this thread! I love reading all the posts. Our next stay will be our first at POR and I am so excited!

 

[Livelovedance]

I love POR! I would stay again if my boys didn't insist on trying something new.
For all the reasons everyone else already pointed out are obvious reasons why. We were sprinkled with pixie dust & upgraded to a RR pool view. The grounds were breathtaking along w/the benches that sometimes we just wanted to stop and sit to take it all in.
Pole Fishing! My boys loved this!!! They went 3 or 4 times during our stay.
Food Court! We never found it too crowded & always got a table. The food was the BEST QS of the trip hands down.
Quiet Pool! Was right outside our room & we took advantage of it late every evening. Seemed like the only ones who used it.
Such a GREAT Resort!!!!

Did you receive an upgrade after asking, or was it just offered? I've heard a lot of people mention upgrades but I never understood how they work.

 

[soniam]

Thank you for the replies! They're definitely helping me get even more excited for our next stay! We're not staying in a royal room but I'm planning on putting in a request for a mansion building. Any ideas on the best way to do this?

If you go to portorleans.org or the Port Orleans resort thread, they have a form and directions for faxing in room requests.

 

[rteetz]

Did you receive an upgrade after asking, or was it just offered? I've heard a lot of people mention upgrades but I never understood how they work.

Usually upgrades are just offered because the room that the guest was supposed to get isn't available. Sometimes but not often asking can do it as well.

 

[rteetz]

My last two stays were in Alligator Bayou at POR and I loved the resort. The entire feel is just fantastic. It has a great food court and CMs were fantastic everywhere. We had a broken hairdryer and they came and fixed it right away.

If you get the chance talk to the old doorman Birdie he is great. He gave me a POR coin (plastic) and told us how he used to be in a band that traveled all over the Midwest including stops near where I live. He also told us about the two kids he takes care of and how he loves taking them to the parks all the time.

 

[DJFan88]

Of course there are a million reasons which others have said. But something that's harder to describe is just how you feel when you're there. Just being there, walking around and everything about it. When I am home, I can still hear the Dixie music that is piped in.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I love POR! We enjoyed the boat to DTD, the surrey bikes, the food court, and just the beauty of the grounds. I think what really explains it for me is that I feel like I'm "in the South", not just at a theme park. It's just such a relaxing resort!

 

[momofboyz3]

Did you receive an upgrade after asking, or was it just offered? I've heard a lot of people mention upgrades but I never understood how they work.

I'm soooo sorry, I just saw this... No, I didn't ask for the upgrade. BUT, a few days prior to our stay I sent a simple fax. I did not follow any of the examples that were shown or recommended in some threads. I wrote maybe half a page. Expressing my excitement as this was our first wdw vacation & had taken me yrs to save as a single mom. I asked if they had any advice on how I could make this vacation a little more magical. I never got a response. But, our room location & upgrade showed that someone actually did read the fax... Or it was a major coincidence

 

[Pookaloki]

We have stayed just once at POR. We were in a mansion room. It's such a lovely resort. I loved walking along the river and all the beautiful plants and trees. There was something very peaceful about it. After a crazy loud day in the parks it was nice to come back and feel like we got away from it all. OHHHH and my personal fav... They have the Magic Cookie bar in the food court.

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

DW and I will be returning to POR 2016 for three nights leading up to a DCL Dream cruise. This is the first time we have returned to a WDW resort. We normally try a new resort each stay but chose to come back to POR to hopefully stay in Alligator Bayou. But the resort is great; love the river, the boat to DTD, the theme, walk to POFQ, horse-drawn carriage ride, walking around the resort early in the morning with a cup of coffee before the resort wakes up. Really looking forward to it!

 

[Order66]

POR was the first moderate we stayed at. Our first trip we stayed at SOG. While quite nice, it lacked the disney experience for me. Our next couple of trips, the boys were young, and we stayed at ASSP. We spent most of our time in the parks and I thought, who'd want to pay more for a place to "sleep and shower". The pool was fine at their age and with limited time really spent there, they were entertained. The resort is cute enough and the food was good. I enjoyed our stays there.

Then I booked a 10 day trip. I was looking for a place we'd spend a little more downtime at. The theme of POFQ and COR don't appeal to me. CB looked pretty, but big. So I chose POR. My kids were actually disappointed. LOL It's pretty, relaxing, the pool was better.....and IMHO because the entire pool deck isn't baking in the sun, there is actual shade! For the kids, it was bigger and had a slide. Bus stops with seats and shade. The staff was excellent. Not that they were bad at other places, I just found POR a cut above. The food court is great. I loved sitting by the river in the AM with my coffee. We just had a great time there. We stayed mansions the first time and AB the next.

Our next trip I couldn't get POR and we stayed at CB. The theme was lovely. And while a very pretty resort, with a few things I did like better, like the garden sitting areas with umbrella tables, a lot of things I didn't like. The way check in/out works. Needing a ride to and from your room? We missed checking our luggage at the resort. Too much work! The distance to the restaurants and shops seemed so far. POR is spread out too, but this just seemed so much farther to get to anything. Maybe it's just that POR has more shade do to all the tall trees and CB more tropical foliage, but I just felt HOT all the time there. We also had disappointing weather, but that's hardly the resorts fault. This was before the rooms were updated and while it was OK, it just wasn't as well themed as the others we'd stayed at. We just didn't like it as much as POR.

Last year we stayed at POP for the first time. I took the kids by myself and this trip was planned to be budget. I liked that resort a lot too and wouldn't hesitate to stay again. My only real complaint is the closing of the pools too early. No late night after park swims at the values anymore. I put it in between the all stars and POR. Value price on the inside, but the outside quite nice and relaxing all along the lake side. It was a nice spot for morning coffee.

This year we are doing our first Christmas season trip over Thanksgiving. Looking forward to seeing everything I've only read about. I had POP booked originally, but had been checking and yesterday POR was available, so I switched. We're celebrating the boys 16 b-day (twins) and I'm surprising them with a stay back at their favorite resort. All decked out for Christmas I can't wait!

regards

 

[Rosey_Rosetta]

I've only ever been once, and I stayed in Alligator Bayou, as well. I absolutely loved it and so did the rest of my family. The whole resort was just beautiful and we liked that there were multiple bus stops around the resort.

 

[DisneyFansInNYC]

I love everything about POR! It is my "home" resort when going to WDW. I especially love the Royal Rooms! These are my favorite rooms I have stayed in on property so far. They are beautiful, comfy and the grounds in that area are just gorgeous and relaxing. We have stayed at all of the values and moderates and POR is our favorite food court, with lots of great options at any time of the day. We really love the boat transportation to DTD.. it is nice to get away from the buses for a change, and also very relaxing. I love how spread out everything is.. taking a walk or renting bikes. It is just perfect in my eyes.

Tinkerbella16: I know this post is from last year but I have a question for you since you have been to the POR many times. We are staying there this summer with an aunt in her 80s and walking far to the food court would be hard. We are celebrating our DDs birthday and she wants the RR rooms. Would we be better with a River view or a Pool view royal guests room in terms of walking or are they about the same? Also which rooms are nicer? Thanks for your help.

 

[tinkerbella16]

Tinkerbella16: I know this post is from last year but I have a question for you since you have been to the POR many times. We are staying there this summer with an aunt in her 80s and walking far to the food court would be hard. We are celebrating our DDs birthday and she wants the RR rooms. Would we be better with a River view or a Pool view royal guests room in terms of walking or are they about the same? Also which rooms are nicer? Thanks for your help.

The times I stayed in a royal room, I was booked in Garden View. I probably wouldn't book river view, since it is a $20 difference per night. My garden view room was only steps away from the river view rooms, and in Nov 2015, I was upgraded to pool view and that room was only steps away from river view rooms. I do make sure to request the river side of the building, and request building 90 Oak Manor. Honestly I would maybe book garden view, and request the river side of building 90. It is so close to the foot bridge, so the walk to the main building and south depot bus stop was only 2-3 minutes. Great location, I cannot say it enough!

 

[NuttyDisneyDad]

Ive been to WDW over 20 times and POR has been my home resort ten of those times... I just love the little things there. 1) the landscaping is beautiful 2)River Roost with Yeeha Bob

 

[DisneyFansInNYC]

The times I stayed in a royal room, I was booked in Garden View. I probably wouldn't book river view, since it is a $20 difference per night. My garden view room was only steps away from the river view rooms, and in Nov 2015, I was upgraded to pool view and that room was only steps away from river view rooms. I do make sure to request the river side of the building, and request building 90 Oak Manor. Honestly I would maybe book garden view, and request the river side of building 90. It is so close to the foot bridge, so the walk to the main building and south depot bus stop was only 2-3 minutes. Great location, I cannot say it enough!

Thank you so much for the response. It sounds like a good idea. I Will put in the same requests you did.

We can't wait to stay there. Thanks again!

 

[eeyoresmom]

crmscotland......did you steal my photos????!!!! I have almost exactly the same ones from my stay in May. We had the room on the top floor, to the very left side of your photo!!! Behind that tree!!!
Anyway.....what do I love about POR? It was my first resort back in '99. It was Dixie Landings back then. We were put way out in the back of AB....but it was lovely. The walk to get breakfast, by myself, was wonderful!! So quiet and peaceful. I love the landscaping there....each area has it's own charm. The food court is one of the best on-site.
I can't compare it with other moderates.....I love POR so much that I doubt I'll ever stay in a different moderate. I own DVC at both BLT and BWV....but I still like to stay at POR every few years. It's like comfort food for me.

We also own DVC so almost all of our stays are deluxe resorts. Every few years though, whenever I get the chance I stay at PO. Love both Riverside and the French Quarter. Beautiful, peaceful landscaping, the boat to DTD, great theme pool, the fact that you can share amenities at either resort,great food court (much better than any deluxe resorts), centrally located, YeeHaw Bob, friendly CM's. Besides the exterior corridors, which aren't a big deal to me and lack of balcony, I like PO as much as any deluxe.