Port Orleans- does it feel like a motel?

[ChicagoJ]

I’m a hotel snob and have been considering poly or even swan for our Nov trip. But we can save so much money by switching to POR, or stay an extra night and still save $100. So I’m leaning toward switching our res to POR. What turned me off to the moderates initially is I don’t like that they are all motel style with the doors to the room going straight to outside. Does POR rooms feel motel-ish? If we stay an extra day, we’ll schedule a midweek resort day. Is POR a nice place to relax in Nov? Likelihood of being able to use the pools that time of year? We have a 6 yo dd. Do you think if I request a recently renovated room we’d get it? Is POFQ or POR nicer? POFQ is full our dates so it’s moot I guess but just curious. Thanks friends! Oh and we’re doing mostly MK with one day at Epcot.

 

[Sue M]

Por is one of my fav resorts. We like the mansion section. The grounds are beautiful. So pretty and lush. I love walking along the river path. And it has a few extras like boat to Disney Springs, carriage rides, and fun entertainer in the evenings in lounge, appeals to all ages. The mansion rooms are comfortable. The only thing motel like is the outside door.
Our fav location is either Acadian House or Magnolia Terrace. I request a room location close to Old Man Island foot bridge.
Good food court too. Love the make your own pasta.
I’ve had many deluxe stays and always enjoy POR.

Pools- weather in Nov can be unpredictable. Mid day is best/warmest time for enjoying pool. And there’s a hot tub. I’ve gone swimming some trips in January.
We were in WDW late November 2017 for 10 days, there were many afternoons warm enough to swim. Early mornings and evenings it cools down.

 

[tommygunn]

I second sues post. Love the por! Mansion side is the best and ask for an upper floor corner room. And don’t miss yehah bob performing at night. I actually prefer the por to the swan/dolphin even at equal pricing. The poly, however, is definitely superior and the access to the monorail can’t be beat. But in my experience the price is 2x.

 

[paradesintherain]

It absolutely didn't feel like a motel to me. The grounds are large and beautifully landscaped and the river running through it all is extra special. I spent lots of time just walking the paths.

It's also nice to have the boat transportation to Disney Springs.

The pool is really nice, but weather can be unpredictable. Though, as a kid I wouldn't have cared about colder weather - I always wanted to swim. Plus, I think the pools are heated.

The doors do face the outside, so only you can determine if that's a deal-breaker. Personally, I prefer POR to Polynesian, though both are fantastic.

 

[disny_luvr]

Por is one of my fav resorts. We like the mansion section. The grounds are beautiful. So pretty and lush. I love walking along the river path. And it has a few extras like boat to Disney Springs, carriage rides, and fun entertainer in the evenings in lounge, appeals to all ages. The mansion rooms are comfortable. The only thing motel like is the outside door.
Our fav location is either Acadian House or Magnolia Terrace. I request a room location close to Old Man Island foot bridge.
Good food court too. Love the make your own pasta.
I’ve had many deluxe stays and always enjoy POR.

Pools- weather in Nov can be unpredictable. Mid day is best/warmest time for enjoying pool. And there’s a hot tub. I’ve gone swimming some trips in January.
We were in WDW late November 2017 for 10 days, there were many afternoons warm enough to swim. Early mornings and evenings it cools down.

@Sue M - I haven’t been to POR since it was Dixie Landings, so a long time ago. I’m going to request Magnolia Terrace. We are booked in a standard view. Would it be appropriate for me to request near foot bridge, too, or are there no standard rooms in that area of Magnolia Terrace? Thanks!

 

[loves to dive]

I'm a deluxe resort snob but do split stays with a moderate for the first day or two and then switch over to the Epcot resorts. I loved my stay at POR and the only thing that I didn't like was there is no "view" per se because it does have outside corridors so it's not like you are going to be sitting looking out your window since all you will see will be the railing and the people walking by can see in your window. In that way, yes, it is like a motel. Other than that it is a beautiful resort and has all sorts of great little hidey hole places to sit and relax. The main pool is great and there are a number of quiet pools located throughout. I felt POFQ looked and felt a whole lot more motel like to me. I stayed in Magnolia Terrace, which at the time was a standard room, I loved it because there was a bus stop right behind the building. It was a short walk to the bridge to go to the main building and short walk to the bridge to go to the pool.

 

[Disneylover99]

It feels like an upscale motel. Beautiful grounds. Great pools, a hot tub. Restaurant/foodcourt. Boat, etc....
You should try it.

 

[Shanti]

I’m a hotel snob and have been considering poly or even swan for our Nov trip. But we can save so much money by switching to POR, or stay an extra night and still save $100. So I’m leaning toward switching our res to POR. What turned me off to the moderates initially is I don’t like that they are all motel style with the doors to the room going straight to outside. Does POR rooms feel motel-ish? If we stay an extra day, we’ll schedule a midweek resort day. Is POR a nice place to relax in Nov? Likelihood of being able to use the pools that time of year? We have a 6 yo dd. Do you think if I request a recently renovated room we’d get it? Is POFQ or POR nicer? POFQ is full our dates so it’s moot I guess but just curious. Thanks friends! Oh and we’re doing mostly MK with one day at Epcot.

If you're really a hotel snob, I think you'll only be happy in a deluxe resort. I recommend Animal Kingdom Lodge, which is one of the best deluxes, but it's also the least expensive deluxe if you select a standard-view room.

I haven't stayed at a moderate, but I stayed at a value once and while the lobby and grounds were great, the room itself was like Motel 6. When people describe what they like about the moderates, pay attention to if they're describing the resort room itself, or the parts of the resort outside of the room (grounds, restaurants, location, pool). Often it's the latter.

I recommend that you look at pictures online of the moderate rooms, and read Trip Advisor reviews, to get an idea if you'd really be happy with them. You might, or might not.

If you do decide on a moderate, I recommend a POR royal room, since you have a 6 year-old daughter.

 

[JediGina]

POFQ does have the exterior corridors, but that isn't a big deal to me because you are in a gated resort, not a motel just off an interstate. They have also just renovated the rooms! The small size and never being far from the transportation and lobby is great. Still, I have stayed at Yacht Club, and it is not deluxe caliber... but it is lovely!

 

[SL6827]

It is one of Disney most beautiful resorts.

 

[tvsdisney]

I'm a deluxe resort snob but do split stays with a moderate for the first day or two and then switch over to the Epcot resorts. I loved my stay at POR and the only thing that I didn't like was there is no "view" per se because it does have outside corridors so it's not like you are going to be sitting looking out your window since all you will see will be the railing and the people walking by can see in your window. In that way, yes, it is like a motel. Other than that it is a beautiful resort and has all sorts of great little hidey hole places to sit and relax. The main pool is great and there are a number of quiet pools located throughout. I felt POFQ looked and felt a whole lot more motel like to me. I stayed in Magnolia Terrace, which at the time was a standard room, I loved it because there was a bus stop right behind the building. It was a short walk to the bridge to go to the main building and short walk to the bridge to go to the pool.

I completely agree with this. We stayed there once just for two nights before we checked into BLT and going in and out of the room felt a little like a motel but the grounds are beautiful. I will say I like the deluxe because of the balcony and there is something about opening a balcony and getting fresh air into a room that I like. Motels just feel very stuffy to me. With that said POR is my fav out of all the moderates.

 

[sbd78]

We check in to our first stay at POR in a week from today! If you are worried, I'd watch some Youtube video tours of the resort. There are tons of them and the resort looks absolutely beautiful. Yes, it has exterior doors but the grounds and pools are far superior to any "motel." Heck, I've stayed at 5 star all inclusive resorts in the Caribbean that had exterior doors. Like a PP stated, I think the fact that it's a gated resort on Disney property takes away most of the security issues that typically come with exterior doors.

 

[vacationer1954]

We stayed in POFQ twice back when it was Dixie Landings Alligator Bayou (so about twenty years ago) so my view of it is a bit old. I can tell you that back then we didn't have a second thought about it with regard to being motel-like. We thought of it as a resort with lodge buildings with exterior hallways. We're older now and the WDW resort overall has changed a lot, and like the OP I think we've become more hotel snobs than we were at middle age. Exterior entries are now a deal-breaker for us.

 

[AngiTN]

I'm actually surprised someone who describes themselves as a hotel snob even finds a Disney Deluxe satisfactory. They are not Deluxe hotels by industry standards by any means.

I guess my question would be do you find the Disney Deluxe resorts meet your standards completely? or barely? If completely then I'd say POR would barely meet them and if Deluxe barely meet them then no way would POR come close.

Though I guess on the other hand I can't wrap my brain around poo-pooing a resort based on it's doors opening to the outside. What's so wrong with that? I guess I'm not fancy enough to understand the issue.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

I'm actually surprised someone who describes themselves as a hotel snob even finds a Disney Deluxe satisfactory. They are not Deluxe hotels by industry standards by any means.

I guess my question would be do you find the Disney Deluxe resorts meet your standards completely? or barely? If completely then I'd say POR would barely meet them if Deluxe barely meet them then no way would POR come close.

Though I guess on the other hand I can't wrap my brain around poo-pooing a resort based on it's doors opening to the outside. What's so wrong with that? I guess I'm not fancy enough to understand the issue.

I totally agree! Deluxe means something totally different outside of Disney! If you go into this with the expectation that Deluxe = VIP $$$$$$$$ Fancy Schmancy Service and Footmen, hahahahahahaa no. They are Deluxe Disney hotels because they are within walking distance of the Park or they are on the monorail line, so you will be through the gates 15-20 minutes faster than someone who has to take the resort bus or Uber over. That is literally the only reason. You aren't going to get free valet, or free Bell Services, or chocolates on your pillows, or linens freshly pressed with lavender, or a complimentary visit to your room from a Character. Heck now you aren't even going to get free parking!

To answer your question: I think the Port Orleans properties are GORGEOUS and LOVELY and not motel-like at all. After all, they do have large restaurants, a gift shop and a very large front desk/foyer that you pass through each time you enter/exit the resort, so no, you are not walking out to your car directly from your room door. I mean you can sort of cut through if you wanted to, but the landscaping really tries to keep you on the path and walking properly through the grounds.

Riverside does now allow dogs though, so keep that in mind!!!

 

[AngiTN]

I'm a deluxe resort snob but do split stays with a moderate for the first day or two and then switch over to the Epcot resorts. I loved my stay at POR and the only thing that I didn't like was there is no "view" per se because it does have outside corridors so it's not like you are going to be sitting looking out your window since all you will see will be the railing and the people walking by can see in your window. In that way, yes, it is like a motel. Other than that it is a beautiful resort and has all sorts of great little hidey hole places to sit and relax. The main pool is great and there are a number of quiet pools located throughout. I felt POFQ looked and felt a whole lot more motel like to me. I stayed in Magnolia Terrace, which at the time was a standard room, I loved it because there was a bus stop right behind the building. It was a short walk to the bridge to go to the main building and short walk to the bridge to go to the pool.

I think that problem exists in the deluxe resorts too, on the lower floors at least. If you have a room that is along a walk way you will have people looking in your room as they walk by too. And I've never had a balcony I could sit on and not stare straight at the rail, due to my height I guess. I have to slouch in the chair or stand. Maybe that's why I don't get the issues folks have with doors that open to the outside.

Heck, there's one value resort with doors that open to the inside but I sure wouldn't consider it an upscale resort because of it.

 

[loves to dive]

I think that problem exists in the deluxe resorts too, on the lower floors at least. If you have a room that is along a walk way you will have people looking in your room as they walk by too. And I've never had a balcony I could sit on and not stare straight at the rail, due to my height I guess. I have to slouch in the chair or stand. Maybe that's why I don't get the issues folks have with doors that open to the outside.

Heck, there's one value resort with doors that open to the inside but I sure wouldn't consider it an upscale resort because of it.

You have a point about the ground floor rooms and while I'm height challenged I can sit and see over the balconies. I guess my point was more that POR is more motel like with outside corridors, which bothers some and doesn't bother some. I agree with the one value resort with inside hallways, no way would I pay the prices they ask for that just because it has inside hallways, I think the draw there is the suites, which I also wouldn't pay for. Given a choice between a Holiday Inn with inside corridors and a Holiday Inn with outside corridors, most of the time I'll pick the inside corridors, just a personal preference.

 

[officerjudyhopps]

We had the same issue last year when planning this year’s Trip. Originally booked at WL but decided to switch and stay two more days. Honestly worst decision I’ve ever made. POFQ is a nice resort I’ll give it credit then there but everything else was a nightmare. We hate doing the foodcourt, we heard everything our neighbors were doing, and waited over an hour to and from the parks for buses (and this wasn’t during rush hour either!). We hated that we were on top of everyone no matter where you went at the resort. It was to small. Definitely staying WL next time.

 

[evilqueenmindy]

I love POR, it is my favorite of the mods. However, just based on your itinerary, with your time mostly at MK and one day at Epcot, I would pick Poly for the transportation convenience. You have a boat or monorail to MK, and you can even walk to to the TTC to get to Epcot.
I find buses at the mods to be super crowded, because they are large and have so many rooms, so I would much prefer the transportation options at poly. (Plus a MUCH bigger room, a balcony, a nicer pool, and you can see the castle from the lobby)

 

[Shanti]

I'm actually surprised someone who describes themselves as a hotel snob even finds a Disney Deluxe satisfactory. They are not Deluxe hotels by industry standards by any means.

I guess my question would be do you find the Disney Deluxe resorts meet your standards completely? or barely? If completely then I'd say POR would barely meet them and if Deluxe barely meet them then no way would POR come close.

Agreed. That's why I said I don't think a hotel snob would be satisfied with a moderate.