Why I Hated Por!!

[nygrl]

Well where shall i start?? how about the 3 mile walk to the food court..Ok i was in AB 24 just about the furthest you can get from the main building..we requested close to the main building! now the walk would have been ok if when we got there it wasnt pouring... that is a long walk with luggage in the rain... and it was not pretty... i dont know what everyone talks about saying how beautiful the grounds are I didnt find anything beautiful about it... it was dirty and buggy and lizards crawling all over... maybe i am just not the outdoors type but i like my doors on the inside of a building so at night 5 thousand mosquitos dont come in my room when i open the door!!!.. ok by now you are probably saying why did i stay here in the first place... well i didnt have a choice we went with a large group for a baseball tournanament and after rteading some reviews on here it sounded great.. well not so.. next i will go on about how nasty and EXPENSIVE the food was in the food court!! how they have the nerve to call the pizza pizza is beyond me!! and the prices were outrageous for a food court... i spent about 50 dollars on breakfast and that was not a huge breakfast.... i know it is disney but i thought the food court would be somewhat reasonable.....now the pool...O man island... well i lost sight of my son within the first 30 seconds there are so many obsticals that it is nearly impossible to keep track of your kids... after about 20 minutes and me being bitten by some kind of bug we went to the quiet pool by our room, which was filthy but i could keep track of my kids...
Now about the cell phones... if you are counting on using one to communicate forget it because there is absolutly no cell service!!! if you step outside your room you may get 1 bar but it wont last.. like i said we were with a large group and were really relying on cell phones and what a nightmare that turned out to be!!!..I felt like i was trapped in the woods
so i guess by now you know i absoulutly will never be returning to POR>>> I will give you my few bright spots... laundry was convient, Bob Jackson was GREAT!!! and boatrights was also good but crowded and expensive...
Not to sound snooty or anything but i guess i am just a deluxe kind of girl... this was our first and im sure last trip to a mod!!! My dh kept saying get me out of here and take me to the dolphin!!! sorry this was so long but i just wanted to let people know my feelings... im sure many of you love POR but for those of you deciding if you are not the outdoors type then stay away..

 

[WDWBetsy]

I'm sorry POR wasn't for you. I agree, it would not be fun if it's pouring down rain and you have to run between buildings. We were lucky and didn't experience that.

We enjoyed our stay at POR back in 2003 and thought the landscaping, theming, food court, and rooms were great. Our room as clean and comfortable. Staff were wonderful.

I thought the food court prices were reasonable and everything we ordered tasted good and was the right temperature. Breakfast ended up costing the two of us about $6/day since we split a breakfast platter and refilled our mugs (purchased when we arrived for about $12).

As for cell phone service, we have Verizon and didn't have any problems with our service at all while we were there.

Thankfully there are so many resorts to choose from - not everyone is going to like what everyone else likes, not everyone can afford the same thing, and the different amenities/facilities are something everyone should take into consideration. Thank you for your review - it is nice to hear the good and bad, and not everyone is going to experience the same thing. Sorry your stay wasn't better.

 

[*Fantasia*]

As for cell phone service, we have Verizon and didn't have any problems with our service at all while we were there.

Isn't Verizon wonderful!! I love my Verizon! Our works anywhere in WDW.. and outside WDW. It works all the way in Hawaii too!! To the OP is yours Verizon? I know this part cannot be Disney's fault as far as not getting any signals on your cell phone.

Mosquitos... bugs.. love moistures...love after it rains. So mosquitos will be everywhere, especially after it rains. It's probably like that everywhere too and not just at POR. And POR being very lush and has lots of ponds and the river being there... there will be mosquitos there.

Yes.. taking a long walk to your room with your luggages in the rain is no fun.

Yes... the food can be pretty expensive. We've been there plenty of times.. and so I am not too shocked anymore with their prices... I'm used to it.. but still hate to pay. The food is also expensive at the deluxe and value as well.

Nothing wrong with sticking with the deluxe resort. Whatever works best for you. At least now you know that moderate is not for you.

 

[nygrl]

guess what guys... my dh and i both have verizon along with most of the people we were with and NO service!!... I dont mind paying for food if it is good... the best thing at the food court was the grits... I love grits...but $2.25 for a cup of coffee that is nuts!!!... i also didnt find the grounds lush... there was dirt everywhere and dead leavs and overgrown bushes... maybe we just stayed at the wrong time ..... as for the mosquitos and bugs they were so abundant we had to run into our rooms and we didnt have much rain except for the first day!!! i know so many of you love POR and i was looking forward to going but i was SO dissapointed....

 

[jann1033]

you may have needed to call them( verizon) as we have to change our phone signals and down load updated "somethings' to get better service sometimes depending on where we are( it allows you to contact some towers)

i thought all the food courts were similarly priced...at least when we were there and from the all ears menus, maybe a few cents but not that much difference.

to bad you didn't like it but to me the dolphin seems kind of weird ( plus it smelled like a nursing home last time we went to see it, very odd smell which i couldn't stand ) so to each his own

 

[madge]

wow! I'm sorry you didn't enjoy your stay at PO-R. We stayed there (a split stay with the Swan) a few weeks ago and really enjoyed ourselves. I'll agree that the building you're in makes a big difference--we were assigned a room in one of the furthest away buildings, and I politely asked for something closer. It was a smoking room in bldg 18--housekeeping came and "sanitized" it (sanitized=spray lysol )and we were fine. No one in our family has severe allergy issues, so we we lucky & thankful to accept the closer building.

We had the same problems at the pool--keeping up with everyone. After a few trips over to the pool, we were much more familiar with it, and keeping up with everyone became easier. We had a similar issue with the Swan/Dolphin pool area. Neither of those resort pools are a place to relax if you have little ones, LOL!

Once we left the Swan, we tried not to compare it with Riverside. It's apples and oranges, IMO. We love both resorts, for very different reasons. It sure was hard, though...we love the heavenly beds and the indoor hallways!

 

[dcgrumpy]

A lot of the things you are complaining about don't sound like they are POR's fault. If you don't like doors that open to the outside, you have to stay in a deluxe. it's not a secret that all mods and values have outdoor corridors. I have cingular and never had a problem with service at POR. I'm pretty sure you would find the same mosquitos at all of the resorts. As far as the food court and coffee being expensive, the prices are the same all over WDW not just POR. I don't find Boatwright's expensive at all, but that's JMHO.

 

[kathylovesdisneyworl]

A lot of the things you are complaining about don't sound like they are POR's fault. If you don't like doors that open to the outside, you have to stay in a deluxe. it's not a secret that all mods and values have outdoor corridors. I have cingular and never had a problem with service at POR. I'm pretty sure you would find the same mosquitos at all of the resorts. As far as the food court and coffee being expensive, the prices are the same all over WDW not just POR. I don't find Boatwright's expensive at all, but that's JMHO.

I would have to agree. And as far as the resort being lush and green, it sounds like your room was in the bayou section and they are designed to be overgrown. It's a shame you didn't enjoy your stay.

 

[DVCJEN]

Disney is great but they can't control the weather or cell phone reception or every bug in nature. I am sorry you didn't have a good time but I agree with other posters who said that the majority of your complaints were in no way Disney's fault. As for prices at PO food outlets they are less expensive than at the Deluxes so I am a little puzzled that price was an issue if you say you are a "deluxe girl".
Hope your next trip is a better one.

 

[maxaroni]

I'm sorry you didn't enjoy your stay. As far as the inside corridors, you knew you didn't have them at a moderate (or value), not POR's fault. Honestly, we were at POFQ in August '05 and didn't find a problem with mosquitoes and if anyone would get bitten, it would have been me. We love POFQ & POR...gorgeous grounds. I love the lush and green. I"m not an outside gal nor do I like bugs but I'd never think this to be a problem at WDW. Cell phone service, I have Cingular and the only place I couldn't use the phone was in the room. However, I used DH's phone (Nextel). Once I stepped outside, my phone was fine. Again, not POR's fault. Prices??? Yes, they may be a bit expensive but it's in a resort area. In our experience, all resorty places are a bit higher. We have eaten at Boatwrights, no complaints there. We had no problems at the POFQ food court, either.

I know everyone has their own experiences, wants, desires, needs and opinions. I'm sorry yours was less than magical.

 

[skiwee1]

Sorry about your stay. Maybe you need to go deluxe next time! I hated doors leading right outside. About the cellphone, I don't understand why you couldn't get reception. We've had Verizon for a few years and have never had a problem anywhere at WDW or any other place we've been. I use my cell all the time while inside a Poly room with full reception.

 

[vacationwoman]

Wondering why you were "walking through the rain with your luggage".
We stay at POR often (and like it better than all the deluxes, except the Contemporary).
It always amazes me when we're there (POR) how many families I see struggling with numerous bags of luggage whether they are arriving or leaving. Why don't they use bell services? I have never carried my own luggage at WDW.

 

[sanibelover]

You are not alone. I agree - at least in part. While I didn't hate it (POR), it wasn't my cup of tea. I LOVED the Swan. I will admit it wasn't the grounds that I hated (although the Swan and Dolphin grounds were in much better condition than any on Disney property this last trip - Sept.). It was the doors opening to the outside and the very claustrophobic feel to the rooms - had to keep the curtains drawn so as not to attract peeping Toms. It was the throngs of people everywhere, it was the CMs who really didn't care about a room request, it was the feeling that if you aren't happy enough to come back, so what, there are plenty more poor fools who will pay the $$$. Also the Swan was peaceful and "adult". POR was all about the screaming, tired, temper tantrum throwing kids. Also there was NOTHING in the way of nightlife. The whole place closed up at like 6 pm. I know it is a moderate hotel, but guess what, the rate I got at the Swan was less than the rate I paid at POR. I guess to each his own. Hey, maybe we'll meet up at the Dolphin sometime....

 

[LiteBrite]

next i will go on about how nasty and EXPENSIVE the food was in the food court!! how they have the nerve to call the pizza pizza is beyond me!! and the prices were outrageous for a food court... i spent about 50 dollars on breakfast and that was not a huge breakfast.... i know it is disney but i thought the food court would be somewhat reasonable.....

Just curious - when you say you spent about $50 on breakfast, do you mean that literally, and if so, how many people were you buying breakfast for?

 

[vfb2girls]

We will be staying at POR for our March 2006 trip and I have a question about the luggage. I thought when you stayed at a moderate that bell services hauls your luggage for you. When we stayed at CBR we never had to carry any of our luggage and it was kind of cool to have someone else wait on us. So I take it that all mods have bell services?

 

[tjmouse]

Yes, all the mods have bell services. You just have to ask. Did you ask to be moved after you found out where your room was? I see that you requested it, but did you ask again after you got there? As for cell phone service, that's iffy anywhere depending on your carrier. Enjoy your next deluxe stay!

 

[Henlady]

To bad you "hated" PO-R. We've stayed there about 7 times since 1994 and it is the only place we stay. But that is why Disney has so many different types of resorts - something to fit everyone's desires. Some prefer value's, some mods, some deluxe, that is just the way life goes. Personally I couldn't justify spending $250-$350 for a night at a hotel.

Kris

4 days till we leave for our 30th Anniversary Tour - 4 nights on the Wonder and 3 nights at PO-R

 

[ahappydisneymommy]

I'm sorry you had such a bad time. I'm not surprised though. Anything that reminds me of New Orleans would have to be horrible.

 

[daisax]

I don't get why an indoor hallway is more appealing than opening your door and seeing the beautiful foliage. (Granted, I haven't stayed at POR -- but the views at Coronado are certainly more pleasant than any hotel hallway could be).

 

[skiwee1]

I don't get why an indoor hallway is more appealing than opening your door and seeing the beautiful foliage. (Granted, I haven't stayed at POR -- but the views at Coronado are certainly more pleasant than any hotel hallway could be).

\

Besides it being safer having an interior entrance there is the bug factor. I know at CBR the mosquitos were terrible right at the doorway because of the lights outside the door. As soon as you opened the door to enter or exit the bugs just flew in. Terrible! Anyway I get the beautful view of foilage off my private balcony at a deluxe.