Port Orleans Riverside FAQ thread --- 2012, Part One --- NOW CLOSED

[KDilly]

We are home! I cant believe I got everything unpacked and put away and even doing a load of laundry lol

We tried booking a bounceback but wasnt eligible for Feb. 2013. We booked a RGR Riverview for 2/14 for 10 days....once the rates for 2013 come out we will book the package deal.

I love love love POR. It was one of the most peaceful resorts I've been to in a while. I will be honest...I wasnt a fan of the food court but I did love their coffee. There are those new coffee makers in the room and I did try to get one of the old ones but they said they dont have them anymore. The coffee pods are kinda gross in my opinion which is why the food court coffee was much better in my opinion. The pool is awesome and so are the quiet pools. I didnt get a chance to walk around AB but Magnolia Bend is sooo pretty. The walk wasnt bad at all no matter which mansion you are in.

I know there are somethings I will definitely do differently. I got a notebook with all kinds of different ideas already lol I'm rambling and probably not making much sense because I'm so darn tired lol

Now you need a vacation from your vacation lol

-KD

 

[summerlady]

What did they say when you asked them about it? They should have moved you straight away, or refunded you the extra $10/night at least.

Andre

I've got a RGR GV booked for October, I'd really not be happy with a parking lot view after paying for GV. Do you think I should just change to standard view and hope for the best? I'd really rather not have to get cranky at check in if the room's not GV and have to get a refund or whatever.

 

[NokOnHarts]

Yes they do. In fact, even the refurbished King Bed rooms in AB have a murphy bed - but there's no way to book one of those rooms for three people as yet.

Since the AB section is the only area at POR that can sleep five, parties of that size have to be prioritised into the Bayou rooms first. However unless there are a heck of a lot of 5-people groups there at any one time, there are bound to be smaller families allocated there too. There are 1,024 AB rooms compared to 512 regular mansion building rooms, so otherwise you stand about a 2:1 chance of getting Alligator Bayou anyway - and if you're really determined, just book a Preferred Location room and you'll definitely be in AB even if there's only one of you.

Andre

Thank you Andre. Kinda figured the info. I was given was wrong on that point. We're booked under a pin code and there is no longer any preferred rooms available, boo! So guess we're just gonna have to request AB and hope there is availability. Thank you for the stats on the number of rooms, that helps to know our chances!

 

[ttcl516]

So one of my main draws to POR was the AB rooms. I really think my DS 8 would like the rustic look over the mansion rooms. But we are only a family of 3. Is their any standard rooms with no murphy beds? How can I guarantee we get one? Or is their no guarantee??

 

[Elissajoy]

Hello all. We are going in Sept. 2012. Free dining is the best. We have stayed at both AB and MB and fell so in love with AB, MB-not so much ! I love POR, does anyone have suggestions on how to get a room at AB over MB ?

Our me (old), DD 16, DD's BFF 16, DS 10 (he will be having a b'day while we are there). My older DD 21 is going as well, but her and her boyfriend are staying at ASM.

Thanks !

 

[bobbigrl27]

Me too!!!! Tomorrow I can say "We're going to Disney this month!!!" I can't wait to see POR!

I told my daughter this exact thing today!

 

[browneyedgrl4282]

Hi everybody!

I've been on planning detox for a few weeks so please forgive me if these questions has come up recently and I missed it.

I do recall talk of new coffee makers in the rooms. Pod style? What type of pods so that I may purchase and bring? Thanks.

Also, we will have a three year old & twin just-turned-two year olds. Can someone comment on space for two pack n plays? I've looked at room pics and I can see that moving the table over is a possibility but room for two?

Cheers!

182 days....although my detox officer says that knowing that number really isn't helping

We have 3 year old twins and a 2 year whenever we did two Pack N Plays we would put one where the table is the other inbetween the wall and the one bed!

 

[ejrj]

We have 3 year old twins and a 2 year whenever we did two Pack N Plays we would put one where the table is the other inbetween the wall and the one bed!

Thank you! Glad to hear there is enough floorspace for them both.

 

[ejrj]

Been there, done that, and boy is it an exhausting life! BUT VERY REWARDING!!! I had 4 kids in 2-1/2 years (including twins) and even though you hear "enjoy it" you don't really realize how special these years are until they are all grown! It is wonderful you are taking them all to WDW, they will remember those special times forever! Mine are all grown now, 31,31,29, 28 and they now have 9 grandkids for us to enjoy! We are ALL (19 of us) going on a Disney cruise in May and we can hardly wait! Have a fantastic trip!

Sorry, had to get OT for a second...now back to the wonderful POR thread!

Thank you. You're very sweet. And it has been a VERY long week with my girls as my husband as been away, so I really appreciated those special smilies this morning.

 

[songkat]

I'm so excited I just can't hide it!!!

Me too!!!

 

[stephmarty]

So we arrived at POR today. I already love it here. We are in a refurbished room in building 38. I know some have expressed concern about drawer space. Andre was correct in his catch that there are none under the beds other than below the Murphy bed--3 drawers. However, you also have shelves next to the refrigerator, a shelf with pegs (to hang hats, maybe) on the wall, and the long shelf above the hanging garments by the sinks. This gave my family of 5 (4 females plus me) plenty of room to completely unpack our clothes for an 8-night stay. If you were in need of more space, you also have the bottom of the nightstand, the bottom open part of the double vanity, and a nice flat area atop the a/c unit that appears built for setting things. BTW, the shelf above the hanging garment area is lower than in most hotels--about eye level for an average adult. So you really aren't reaching up like I thought. The girls put their things in the three drawers under the Murphy bed and on the shelves by the fridge. My wife and I basically are using the shelf above the hangers. Hope this allays some fears.

On another note, the resort is MUCH more compact and walkable than I expected based on some posts I've read. There's plent of space to take a nice, long walk if you want. But from bldg 38, I can be at the main pool, lobby, dining and the North bus depot all in 5 minutes or less. I cannot imagine anyone who would struggle to walk this resort would have the stamina to walk the theme parks. I was literally envisioning things would be twice as far apart than they really are.

 

[hunmcbunny]

On another note, the resort is MUCH more compact and walkable than I expected based on some posts I've read. There's plent of space to take a nice, long walk if you want. But from bldg 38, I can be at the main pool, lobby, dining and the North bus depot all in 5 minutes or less. I cannot imagine anyone who would struggle to walk this resort would have the stamina to walk the theme parks. I was literally envisioning things would be twice as far apart than they really are.

I agree!

 

[PixiePoppins]

Me too!!!

Me three!! Now I can say we're going next month AND we just hit the 40s in the countdown!!

Love seeing recent trip reports and pics...please keep sharing!!

 

[andrewilley]

So one of my main draws to POR was the AB rooms. I really think my DS 8 would like the rustic look over the mansion rooms. But we are only a family of 3. Is their any standard rooms with no murphy beds? How can I guarantee we get one? Or is their no guarantee??

Hello all. We are going in Sept. 2012. Free dining is the best. We have stayed at both AB and MB and fell so in love with AB, MB-not so much ! I love POR, does anyone have suggestions on how to get a room at AB over MB ?

There are two ways to guarantee an AB room. The first would be to book a Preferred Location room, which will definitely give you a room in AB 14, 15, 18 or 27. The other way would be to have five people, aged 3+, listed on the resort booking, meaning that you would need that extra AB trundle or murphy bed to accommodate them... For dining plan/package bookings, remember that each person needs to take the same options (tickets, dining plan, etc).

Other than those, you stand a roughly 2:1 chance of getting Alligator Bayou anyway, and adding AB as a request would further help your chances.

I've got a RGR GV booked for October, I'd really not be happy with a parking lot view after paying for GV. Do you think I should just change to standard view and hope for the best? I'd really rather not have to get cranky at check in if the room's not GV and have to get a refund or whatever.

No need to get cranky with them, just politely ask at the front desk when you check in to see that the room you've been allocated is a Garden View (which it should be). If not, ask them to reassign you to the room category that you have paid for. It should be automatic of course, but I guess the odd mistake can happen.

Andre

 

[hunmcbunny]

ditto Andre...a little sugar goes a long ways. Save your emails you get from Disney about your room and bring them with you. POR CMs will do anything to make you happy. They are seriously the most helpful people ever!

 

[calidoc2006]

Hello! We will be at WDW in 9 days - hooray! We have booked a RGR river view room. Is there a particular room that is better to request (corner room, floor, certain area within the building, etc)? Thanks!,

 

[summerlady]

No need to get cranky with them, just politely ask at the front desk when you check in to see that the room you've been allocated is a Garden View (which it should be). If not, ask them to reassign you to the room category that you have paid for. It should be automatic of course, but I guess the odd mistake can happen.

Andre

I didn't mean that I'd get cranky-cranky nasty, I never do things like that. Well, hardly ever. Ok, I'll just wait and see and keep GV as my booking category.

 

[joannalh]

What did they say when you asked them about it? They should have moved you straight away, or refunded you the extra $10/night at least.

Andre

They refunded the difference. But they didn't say anything about it until I asked, just told me which room I was in and I looked at the paperwork and saw that it said Standard View, when I'd booked Garden View. They said they'd overbooked and there were no Garden View rooms left. It was one of several problems with our reservation. I had done online check-in and they had no record of that, and they had no record of our Magic Express reservation either. I was ticked.

 

[buzznina]

Duplicate post

 

[buzznina]

Hello! We will be at WDW in 9 days - hooray! We have booked a RGR river view room. Is there a particular room that is better to request (corner room, floor, certain area within the building, etc)? Thanks!,

I would put in a request to NOT have one behind the stairs. The room is on the riverside but are behind the mansion stairs. JMO