Disney's PORT ORLEANS RIVERSIDE RESORT Information & Questions

[AyrshireGirl71]

We make our room requests via the TouringPlans website. Disney has changed their policy with room requests, now taking faxes 30 days in advance. TouringPlans has a room finder tool that shows you most of the views from the rooms. You can have them fill out a fax for you and they will send the room request for you. It works for us pretty well.

If you call Disney they may note your desire for Magnolia Terrace. We have stayed at all 4 mansions and much prefer Oak Manor or Magnolia Terrace. Oak Manor are royal guest rooms so that would not be a garden view fit. Both are close to bus stops and are also close to bridges that lead to the resort center.

Since it is your first time, i would highly recommend Andre Wiley's terrific website www,portorleans.org. He is the author of the two DIS posts on both Riverside and French Quarter. The information on his website will fully answer all of your questions and is an invaluable tool if you stay at either resort.

Thanks so much for your reply. I will have a look at the website

 

[DisneyFave]

Here now and paid for a preferred room, knowing that that can include parking lot views. But I’m bummed I have that view! What would you say to try to change?

 

[Mome Rath]

Here now and paid for a preferred room, knowing that that can include parking lot views. But I’m bummed I have that view! What would you say to try to change?

Preferred is location, not view. However, you can go down to the front desk and just nicely ask if there is another preferred room available with a different view. Sometimes you may have to wait a day, or sometimes they are so full they can't move people around, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

 

[keahgirl8]

Preferred is location, not view. However, you can go down to the front desk and just nicely ask if there is another preferred room available with a different view. Sometimes you may have to wait a day, or sometimes they are so full they can't move people around, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

This exactly. I did this last year and they moved me the next day. It’s not guaranteed, but they’ll usually accommodate your request if they can and it’s in the same room category.

 

[goofyinohio]

Hello everyone. We just switched our room from a standard view 5th sleeper to a Pool view. I'm assuming this includes a 5th sleeper, but I don't see it listed. Has anyone stayed in a Pool view room that has the 5th sleeper?

I can't imagine it would let me book it with 5 people if it didn't, but I was concerned it wasn't listed.

 

[sponica]

Hello everyone. We just switched our room from a standard view 5th sleeper to a Pool view. I'm assuming this includes a 5th sleeper, but I don't see it listed. Has anyone stayed in a Pool view room that has the 5th sleeper?

I can't imagine it would let me book it with 5 people if it didn't, but I was concerned it wasn't listed.

If you have 5 people over age 3 on your reservation it will only show you rooms that accommodate 5 people.

Are all 5 people listed on your resort reservation?

 

[TheInvernessie]

Hello all,
I'm currently trying to book a last minute (well..month ahead) trip just to see SSE before it closes for refurb. I've never stayed at POR or POFQ, and its been a little while since I've stayed at a Moderate resort. Would anyone who has been there recently be able to tell me if, like the value resorts, there are shampoo/conditioner/body wash amenities on the walls of the shower like there are in the Value resorts? I haven't seen anything definitive in photos, and I'm curious to know!

 

[dansdad]

Would anyone who has been there recently be able to tell me if, like the value resorts, there are shampoo/conditioner/body wash amenities on the walls of the shower like there are in the Value resorts? I haven't seen anything definitive in photos, and I'm curious to know!

Yes.

 

[goofyinohio]

If you have 5 people over age 3 on your reservation it will only show you rooms that accommodate 5 people.

Are all 5 people listed on your resort reservation?

They are. 4 Adults and 1 Child (13). I figure I'm good to go.

 

[kengquist]

Staying at POR in Aug 2020. Stayed at POFQ four years ago with two young daughters and loved it. We love the small resort because the bus system was so easy and never a long wait. That said, I‘ve heard and read terrible experiences with POR bus transportation. We are staying in a royal room in magnolia bend. If we were to stay in building 90-95 would it be worth the short walk to POFQ to catch the bus there instead? Has anyone done that? Does anyone have tips on navigating the bus system if we stay in one of those two buildings to alleviate the pain?

 

[atkinstogram]

Staying at POR in Aug 2020. Stayed at POFQ four years ago with two young daughters and loved it. We love the small resort because the bus system was so easy and never a long wait. That said, I‘ve heard and read terrible experiences with POR bus transportation. We are staying in a royal room in magnolia bend. If we were to stay in building 90-95 would it be worth the short walk to POFQ to catch the bus there instead? Has anyone done that? Does anyone have tips on navigating the bus system if we stay in one of those two buildings to alleviate the pain?

We stayed at POR in Building 85, and in 14 days of schlepping around on the buses, we only had problems twice - once where the phantom bus just never showed up on the way to DHS, and once when buses back from MK were just packed. In the first instance we just got an Uber. In the second, we jumped on a bus back to POFQ and walked up. Even though we were on the 'furthest' end of the resort from POFQ, it was still a very pleasant walk back.

As for buses, we always found it easiest to take buses to the park from the East Depot, right behind the Mansion buildings. On the way back, however, we'd get off at the South Depot and walk through - by the time it had gone South > West > North > East we'd usually be in our room...

HTH.

 

[kengquist]

Staying at POR in Aug 2020. Stayed at POFQ four years ago with two young daughters and loved it. We love the small resort because the bus system was so easy and never a long wait. That said, I‘ve heard and read terrible experiences with POR bus transportation. We are staying in a royal room in magnolia bend. If we were to stay in building 90-95 would it be worth the short walk to POFQ to catch the bus there instead? Has anyone done that? Does anyone have tips on navigating the bus system if we stay in one of those two buildings to alleviate the pain?

Thank you so much for the reply. It's very helpful.

 

[kengquist]

We stayed at POR in Building 85, and in 14 days of schlepping around on the buses, we only had problems twice - once where the phantom bus just never showed up on the way to DHS, and once when buses back from MK were just packed. In the first instance we just got an Uber. In the second, we jumped on a bus back to POFQ and walked up. Even though we were on the 'furthest' end of the resort from POFQ, it was still a very pleasant walk back.

As for buses, we always found it easiest to take buses to the park from the East Depot, right behind the Mansion buildings. On the way back, however, we'd get off at the South Depot and walk through - by the time it had gone South > West > North > East we'd usually be in our room...

HTH.

Thank you so much for the reply. It's very helpful.

 

[xavismom]

I am considering changing my POR Aug reservation to POP because of the skylift. Any thoughts or advice?

 

[keahgirl8]

@andrewilley I totally forgot about getting photos of the menus until after I'd left, but I can confirm that they had the carving station. It wasn't on the sign or on the Disney website, but every night I was there, it was available, as far as I know.

 

[PWDmom11]

I am considering changing my POR Aug reservation to POP because of the skylift. Any thoughts or advice?

I am in similar situation. I have a POP reservation for fall but was considering moving it to POR. Is the skyliner worth it for not as nice of a resort?

 

[Sue M]

Staying at POR in Aug 2020. Stayed at POFQ four years ago with two young daughters and loved it. We love the small resort because the bus system was so easy and never a long wait. That said, I‘ve heard and read terrible experiences with POR bus transportation. We are staying in a royal room in magnolia bend. If we were to stay in building 90-95 would it be worth the short walk to POFQ to catch the bus there instead? Has anyone done that? Does anyone have tips on navigating the bus system if we stay in one of those two buildings to alleviate the pain?

We stayed in Oak Manor and always used the East Depot. No problems. We enjoy that depot more than heading to the main one. Much more relaxing and less crowded. Returning we usually got off at the South (main depot) to fill our mugs before heading back to our room.

 

[disneycat321]

We are excited to return to POR for our Christmas/10th anniversary trip during Christmas week this year (12/19-12/28). We stayed there for our honeymoon in June 2010 (mansions section) and again in May 2013 (AB section), and we love the resort. Lots of changes have happened at the resort in the 7 years since we last stayed there!

As for buses, we always found it easiest to take buses to the park from the East Depot, right behind the Mansion buildings. On the way back, however, we'd get off at the South Depot and walk through - by the time it had gone South > West > North > East we'd usually be in our room...

Do the buses no longer go POFQ sometimes > West > North > East > South? I specifically remember walking back to the west stop after breakfast one morning in 2013 (we were staying in the AB section nearest that depot) because the south bus stop was so crowded going to the parks, since it was the last pick up and the last drop off. Do they now stop at the South depot first?

And another question - how worth it is Garden View as opposed to Standard View? We are clearly paying at the top of the rack rate price because of the week we are going already. Since we don't have a balcony, the sun sets early in December, and we don't plan to spend tons of time in the room during the day, I'm thinking maybe Standard is good enough? But is it louder in those rooms because they overlook the parking lot? I do care about noise.

 

[Sue M]

We are excited to return to POR for our Christmas/10th anniversary trip during Christmas week this year (12/19-12/28). We stayed there for our honeymoon in June 2010 (mansions section) and again in May 2013 (AB section), and we love the resort. Lots of changes have happened at the resort in the 7 years since we last stayed there!



Do the buses no longer go POFQ sometimes > West > North > East > South? I specifically remember walking back to the west stop after breakfast one morning in 2013 (we were staying in the AB section nearest that depot) because the south bus stop was so crowded going to the parks, since it was the last pick up and the last drop off. Do they now stop at the South depot first?

And another question - how worth it is Garden View as opposed to Standard View? We are clearly paying at the top of the rack rate price because of the week we are going already. Since we don't have a balcony, the sun sets early in December, and we don't plan to spend tons of time in the room during the day, I'm thinking maybe Standard is good enough? But is it louder in those rooms because they overlook the parking lot? I do care about noise.

My stays at POR the busses didn’t go to pofq except mid day at off peak times.
We stay in the mansion section and prefer to be close to the lake path so I pick garden view.

 

[andrewilley]

Don't forget that during the current lockdown situation, "Ye Haa" Bob Jackson is live-streaming his River Roost show LIVE from home on Sunday evenings at 6pm EST, see https://www.facebook.com/yehaabob

Andre