Port Orleans

[g1rbw]

Sorry me again! Still undecided on location to stay. (we are 9 adults and 1 infant)

Having only stayed at WDW in GF and BW before, what is the Port Orleans hotel like. Is it hugely different from say the boardwalk?

I note that there is the boat to Downtown Disney, does that mean acess to DTD is good? Is transportation an issue, we are going in September so crowds should be lowish.

Is there a particular buidling to ask for? All comments welcomed

Basically we are wondering since Mum is paying for most of the rooms, is the extra cost at BC or BW worth it over say the PO.

Thanks

[pluto]

I have only visited the PO and not stayed there, but on face value it looks a lovely resort. The boat runs to DTD but I do remember hearing it is seasonal (well it was a year or so back when Disney was cutting back on everything) My wife stayed there before we met and loved it and we are thinking of staying there on our next visit.

[PaulaK]

One thing to bear in mind is that the moderates have outside corridors so you'll probably find it a bit different. We stayed at CBR and we really hated the set up. Just a thought!

[BevW]

Transport at POFQ is great. I love this resort. I've never minded the outside corridors, but that's just me. The rooms are a nice size and the boat to DTD is very convenient.

[JuniorMickey]

I haven't stayed at POR but I have stayed at POFQ and LOVED it. I'd stay there in a heartbeat

[Keith]

We really like POR! now I prefer hotels that are "all in one" so to speak, so I don't even like the polynesian with its outside buildings.... BUT having said that, the newly upgraded rooms at POR are very nice and the beautiful landscaping/river really makes the walk through the resort a pleasure.

The boat to DTD is wonderful but you can always get the bus to whereever you're going too. Nice big food court, great piano player :) it's a great resort

[Bec]

Has anyone got any photos of the newly refurbished rooms?

Staying in POR for wedding trip -booked a water view king room anyone give me a run down on what the room will be like?

[Keith]

I'll try and dig one out but we had a great room overlooking the river and it was just wonderful to wake up to that view. We'd walk over the bridge, get the boat to DTD. Really had a great time there and it's kinda replaced All stars for us.

[rjbarker]

g1rbw,

My boyfriend and I went to WDW for the first time in January 2004 and we stayed in Port Orleans-Riverside and WE LOVED IT!!!

I've only stayed in Alligator Bayou so I don't know much about the Magnolia Bend part but THE WHOLE RESORT IS BEAUTIFUL and my boyfriend and I absolutely adored our water-view room in Alligator Bayou that overlooked the Sassagoula River and was about 20 feet away from the main pool, bus stop, and the Sassagoula Steamboat Co. (the main check-in/shopping/eating building)!

Therefore, my suggestion is to request to be close to the main pool, a bus stop and the Sassagoula Steamboat Co. (the main check-in/shopping/eating building) because being close is very nice and you can't go wrong with the section.

By the way, we stayed in Building 14 (my suggestion!) in the room in the corner of the first floor overlooking the river (1416?). It was an awesome room with a great view! I can't stress it enough how much we loved it!

Have a great time!

[rjbarker]

Also, the boat ride is great! Especially in September because in January it was too cold in the nighttime but September is pretty warm so it should be a beautiful ride.

[Bec]

Thanks for that, I've heard that photos of the resort just don't do it justice.
Do you know if they put fridges in the rooms now?

[PaulaK]

They were definitely already in at POFQ in December. :)

[Keith]

yep fridges in POR in dec too.... they'd made nice cabinets for them too :)

[Bec]

great!! Got to get champagne chilled for wedding night!!!
Thanks guys.

[Big Al]

I feel sorry for you if you decided to stay here. Stayed in building 14 of Alligator Bayou (I believe room number was 1426 on the second floor) this past summer of 2004. Worst WDW hotel I've ever stayed at. The outside walkways were dirty (gum, dried soda, beer cans), "spooge" everywhere in general, room carpet was stained, main pool murky and dirty. I would never stay at another WDW resort again based upon this place. To add insult to injury WDW never even had the decency to address my complaints when I mailed my letter in.

I'll stay offsite in my condo from now on. POR? PeeYoo!!!

[Keith]

Amazing how two people can have such a completely different experience of the same place :) but I agree, if that had of been my experience, I wouldn't be staying there again either!

[BevW]

Hey Big Al, sorry you had such a bad experience at POR.
We've never had a bad experience at any WDW resort we've stayed at. but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

[Big Al]

You know, I can understand trimming operating budgets and letting things go just a little below par so that more attention can be devoted somewhere else. Hey, I picked the wrong resort. I had no business trying to fit five people in that kind of a room (325 sq ft.). My wife and I were cramped, my two older daughters couldn't find a place to sit (they are 12 and 9 yrs) but my little one (5) loved jumping back and forth between the beds. I can tell you, from experience, that an adult could sleep on the trundle bed because that's were I had to sleep the one night we stayed there (my feet hung off the end though). I wasn't being punished or anything but I didn't want to wake up either my wife or 5 year old when I came back from my investigative walk around the resort. As you can tell, I was disgusted by what I saw. And to think, 20 years ago, when the Club Lake Villas were still in existence, they used to send a maintenance crew every night to power wash the walkways around the villas. How time and poor leadership take their toll. Cleanliness is always the first thing to go when an owner tries to cut corners. In my opinion POR fell victim to that budget crunch.

But it was the human factor that aggravated me the most. We checked out two nights early and no one was even curious at the front desk why. The cashier didn't know how to process a refund, not her problem - perhaps she was not taught that in training. She asked her supervisor for assistance. Now here is where it all breaks down. Instead of the manager level person being proactive and talking to me about why we were leaving two days early (Business reasons? Personal reasons? Perhaps a sudden illness? 'Can I help you make any other arrangements sir?') this person was more interested in processing me through the line and getting me out of the way so the next customer could pay. What happened to the 'have a nice day?', or 'did you have a nice stay?' I hate to say it but there are other hotel chains out there that do go the extra "customer service" mile. Case in point. I complained about another resort once the year before on our Hawaiian vacation. The hotel's manager called me personally to discuss the issues I listed in my letter. I couldn't take advantage of the free stay on a return trip but the food basket and flower arrangement were a very nice touch.

Disney used to do this. Disney used to care - no more. Oust Michael Eisner and get some fresh blood in there with some new ideas and then maybe things will turn around.

Sorry for being long winded. Have a Disney day!

[Bec]

That all sounds awful. So sorry for your experience. Will let you know what we think.

[windbag]

Keith, can I ask you if you have a preference to which area/building number at POR you go to. We are considering this for our next trip as we love the idea of the smaller pools near each building (i presume this is in River side and not FQ). Any recommendations??

[JuniorMickey]

I'm staying at POR later this month. I stayed at POFQ in May '04 and LOVED it. I'm looking forward to my POR stay

[windbag]

In Magnolia Bend are all the mansions non smoking or is there smoking ones that I should avoid