A of A Little Mermaid of POR Royal room?

[MichieB]

Planning for FIRST trip for my family of 3. We have already booked the A of A room and 5-day tics for October 2014 but I am getting nervous about the hike to transp. If a free dining plan special is released for our dates I will want to change/upgrade to POR Royal Room! Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated. It will be me, my husband and our "Baby", she will be 6 1/2.

 

[wdwmagic]

Port Orleans is the better resort, no question. I wouldn't choose it based on the walking distance, just the fact that the rooms are better, the grounds nicer, and the food options better.

 

[wdwmagic]

PS - welcome to WDWMAGIC!

 

[Twhitty]

We have stayed at AOA. The walk to the buses are not bad. The food court is great and great themed pools. But AOA little mermaid has not been in a promotion yet, so Port Orleans is a good option.

 

[Kingdom Konsultant]

Port Orleans is the better resort, no question. I wouldn't choose it based on the walking distance, just the fact that the rooms are better, the grounds nicer, and the food options better.

I totally agree! and the fact that your "baby" will be in a Princess themed royal room!!

Pam

 

[slappy magoo]

Planning for FIRST trip for my family of 3. We have already booked the A of A room and 5-day tics for October 2014 but I am getting nervous about the hike to transp. If a free dining plan special is released for our dates I will want to change/upgrade to POR Royal Room! Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated. It will be me, my husband and our "Baby", she will be 6 1/2.

Honestly, I'd change now. The only reservation I'd have would be if your kid really likes The Little Mermaid, because the AoA rooms are so little-kid friendly. But then I'd think "I'm taking my kid to Disney World, it's already a pretty kid friendly place, if she's got a beef with the accommodations, next time she can pay for 'em."

 

[lebeau]

Planning for FIRST trip for my family of 3. We have already booked the A of A room and 5-day tics for October 2014 but I am getting nervous about the hike to transp. If a free dining plan special is released for our dates I will want to change/upgrade to POR Royal Room! Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated. It will be me, my husband and our "Baby", she will be 6 1/2.

I have stayed at both and there really isn't a bad choice. Odds are the Little Mermaid rooms will not be discounted. To date, they never have been. And I suspect it will be a long, long time before they ever are. You're more likely to get a discount at POR.

POR is huge. So I don't know that it will save you much walking. We walked more at POR than we did at AoA. Although we were in the LK suites at AoA which aren't quite as remote as the Mermaid rooms. At either resort, you are likely to walk quite a bit. But you're going to be walking at the parks too. Walking is just part of the experience.

Assuming you get a discount, POR will probably come pretty close in price to AoA. You will get more for your money at a discounted moderate than you will at an undiscounted value resort. Better accomodations and ammenities all around. The Royal Guest Room helps even out the kid-appeal of AoA. So assuming you get the discount and assuming the little extra isn't a deal breaker, I would give the edge to POR.

But it's your first Disney World trip. At the end of the day, it really won't matter. You're going to have a great time regardless of which resort you stay at. Have fun!

 

[CheshireCat12]

I think if your daughter loves Little Mermaid, keep your original reservation. If it doesn't make a difference to her, change to POR if the pricing works out.

 

[pixargal]

I would also consider the pool. Kids love swimming in the pools at the resorts and many times it's their favorite part of a Disney vacation. The pool at AoA has a walk in entry, it's also huge, and open. I think the pool at POR is fantastic for good swimmers. But for a little one, I would strongly consider the AoA pool.

 

[Tinkerbella16]

I am a POR Royal Room lover. Stayed in one in November and I literally cried when we left our room (I always cry anyway) but I really cried because my niece (7 y/o) had so much in that room, she really appreciated every little detail and she loved the main pool! It really made me fall in love with POR all over again. We were in building 90, garden view.. so our room was facing the river, the fountain where they show movies each night, and we were steps away from the bridge that you would take to the main building so it was a very short walk to the South Depot bus stop and food court. It was really perfect. I guess I am biased because I haven't stayed at AoA and I love Port Orleans so much. If the price and discount works out for you, then I would change it.

 

[brokedad]

The walk from the mermaid rooms are quite a walk, the princess rooms at pots are all in building 90, that means kind d of a close walk.i have stayed in both rooms are looking at and hands down it goes to pors.my 2 daughters also loved the princess room

 

[PartOfYourWorld]

I've stayed at both last year and by far I loved the Royal Room best because it has elements of all the Princesses! (Even though Ariel is my favorite). Just keep in mind though that some of the Royal Rooms can be a bit of a walk as well depending on where it's at. But I would go for the Royal Room at POR! Plus POR is a GORGEOUS resort!

 

[Violiav]

Looking at both neither really do anything for me (the AoA carpet looks pretty trippy though) so it'd be down to value based on cost (ie, pool quality and other amenities of the hotel).

 

[MOXOMUMD]

Planning for FIRST trip for my family of 3. We have already booked the A of A room and 5-day tics for October 2014 but I am getting nervous about the hike to transp. If a free dining plan special is released for our dates I will want to change/upgrade to POR Royal Room! Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated. It will be me, my husband and our "Baby", she will be 6 1/2.

I think you might want to consider how much time will you really be spending at the resort and your willingness to deal with buses making multiple stops.