First time Staying at POR

[Tinkerbella16]

So we will be going on another vacation to the world in November. We usually stay at POP, but came to an agreement to stay at POR. It will be our first time at Port Orleans Riverside. I just wanted to get any info i can from anyone who has stayed there.
What are the bus stops like?
The pools?
Foodcourt?
How are the rooms?
The atmosphere?
Is it much different from staying at a value? Since its what we are used to.

I'd appreciate any info at all from those who have stayed there. thanks a lot!

 

[pinkrose]

So we will be going on another vacation to the world in November. We usually stay at POP, but came to an agreement to stay at POR. It will be our first time at Port Orleans Riverside. I just wanted to get any info i can from anyone who has stayed there.
What are the bus stops like?
The pools?
Foodcourt?
How are the rooms?
The atmosphere?
Is it much different from staying at a value? Since its what we are used to.

I'd appreciate any info at all from those who have stayed there. thanks a lot!

We really like POR. There are many bus stops in POR. They are covered and have benches. Here's a map with the bus stops marked on it.
http://www.allearsnet.com/acc/pomap1.jpg

There are several quiet pools and then the main pool (Ol' Man Island) with a slide. The kids really like it. http://www.allearsnet.com/acc/dxlw11.jpg

The food court has many different offerings. There is also a table service place (Boatwrights). We've always enjoyed the breakfast there. We finally tried them for dinner one night and were pleasantly surprised. You can find photos here..... http://www.allearsnet.com/acc/g_dxl.htm Food court menus... http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/men_ccmb.htm , http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/men-ccld.htm,

The rooms are larger than Pop. The decor depends on which section of the resort you are staying in. Alligator Bayou has a rustic feel and Magnolia Bend has old southern charm. The atmosphere is very relaxing.

The boat ride to DTD is very nice. It's a great way to relax a little.

 

[KYMouseFan]

We like it very much. There are multiple bus stops depending on where you are staying within the resort. We used the bus in 2002 and had no problem. We drove last year and are driving again this year (in 9 days! :sohappy: ). Pool is real nice. Good slide for the kid plus you can go to POFQ and check out there pool too. There are also quieter pools next to the laundry facilities which are nice to if you do want the hustle and bustle of the big pool. Rooms are nice and sufficient for a family of 4-5. Very nice gift shop and arcade. I think the food court has a great selection and variety for it's size. You can do lots of rentals out of the marina which is fun. Take the boat to DTD which is about a 20 minute ride. Last but not least check out the guy at the piano bar singing. Enjoy your stay!

 

[Tinkerbella16]

thank you very much! Sounds really great. I am so excited to stay somewhere new for a change. I will definately be using those links to check everything out. Very helpful

KYMouseFan...have a fun and safe trip!!

 

[pinkrose]

We like it very much. There are multiple bus stops depending on where you are staying within the resort. We used the bus in 2002 and had no problem. We drove last year and are driving again this year (in 9 days! :sohappy: ). Pool is real nice. Good slide for the kid plus you can go to POFQ and check out there pool too. There are also quieter pools next to the laundry facilities which are nice to if you do want the hustle and bustle of the big pool. Rooms are nice and sufficient for a family of 4-5. Very nice gift shop and arcade. I think the food court has a great selection and variety for it's size. You can do lots of rentals out of the marina which is fun. Take the boat to DTD which is about a 20 minute ride. Last but not least check out the guy at the piano bar singing. Enjoy your stay!

He's great! We love to go see him.

 

[Momx3]

We're staying there in 9 days!! According to the Unofficial Guide it has the
2nd best pool in all of the WDW Resorts behind the Beach Club. We've never stayed there before but everyone says it is beautiful!! We are planning to take the boat to DTD and rent the Sea Raycer too.

 

[Kadee]

POR is amazing! We LOVE it and have stayed there multiple times. You won't be disappointed. Be sure to take time to stroll around the grounds. The landscaping is the best on Disney property, IMO.

 

[JDM]

It will be our first time at Port Orleans Riverside. I just wanted to get any info i can from anyone who has stayed there.
What are the bus stops like?
The pools?
Foodcourt?
How are the rooms?
The atmosphere?
Is it much different from staying at a value? Since its what we are used to.
quote]

We just stayed at POR last month for our first trip to WDW.

Bus stops are great and bus service is quick and easy. We never waited more than 10 minutes for a bus and most times it was less than 5.

Pools: Ole Man island is crowded, but still roomy enough. It has a slide and a nice pool bar. There are also several quiet pools around the property AND you can swim in the Dragon Pool at French Quarter if you wish. Not a long walk.

Foodcourt: Large. No problem finding a table for breakfast or lunch (we never ate dinner there.) Expected a bit more selection, but this is true of Disney in general. Very clean, if a bit noisy (like most food courts). You didn't ask this, but the table restaurant, Boatwright's, is also very nice and we ate dinner there twice.

Rooms: Plenty big for the 2 adults/1 child we had in the room. Clean, with decent housekeeping. (we had a VERY loud air conditioner, though).

Atmosphere: Very pretty, laid back southern charm. Beautiful grounds. Mostly quiet. Many amenities, including the free boat to Downtown Disney.

Have never stayed at a Value, but have seen POP from the outside as our bus dropped some people off there one time. Offhand, I would say the decor and atmosphere at POR are a bit more "grown-up" than POP. It looks and sounds like POR is also more upscale than the Value resorts (which of course, is the idea).

I would stay at POR again in an instant and I think you will love it. (It's also my travel agent's favorite resort and she's stayed at a lot of them)

ENJOY!

 

[ThinkTink721]

So we will be going on another vacation to the world in November. We usually stay at POP, but came to an agreement to stay at POR. It will be our first time at Port Orleans Riverside. I just wanted to get any info i can from anyone who has stayed there.
What are the bus stops like?
The pools?
Foodcourt?
How are the rooms?
The atmosphere?
Is it much different from staying at a value? Since its what we are used to.

I'd appreciate any info at all from those who have stayed there. thanks a lot!

We stayed at POR last summer.
We loved it!
It was very quiet, even in June, & very scenic.
There are several pools.
If you have kids, try to visit the pool w/ the dragon slide at POFQ next door.
The food court is call Rivermill Food Court.
We did not eat there, but I heard it is good.
They also have a TS restaurant called Boatwright's Dining Hall.
They have a nice souvenir shop.
We stayed in the Aligator Bayou section.
The rooms there are nice.
They have more of a rustic feel to them.
I loved the atmosphere...very laid back.
You can fish at the Fishin' Hole.
You can ride bikes.
You can take a carriage ride.
You can even take a boat ride to POFQ or DTD.
You can't go wrong w/ POR!
:wave:

 

[PSUMike]

POR is my family's favorite resort. The landscaping is beautiful and it is much quieter and more relaxing than the value resorts. The bus service is a lot less crowded than the values as well. I've been staying at POR for years and usually make 5-6 trips/year there. I'll be going for my birthday in 2 weeks and another trip in the beginning of August. I always stay in the mansions since I find them more charming than the alligator bayou rooms.

The main pool is great for kids and they'll like the slide and waterfalls.

Bob is the piano player. He's fantastic. His shows are 8:30 to midnight Wednesday through Saturday. It's a singalong and my daughter absolutely loves him. It's free and the only show of its kind at a Disney resort.

 

[DisneyPirate85]

My then GF, now beautifull wife, stayed at POR last July and it is amazing! I have stayed at several resorts on and off property and POR is really romantic.
Food Court is nice and the Pizza is really good for a quick meal, and Boatwrights is pretty good, try the cornbread. They offer Horse drawn carriage rides, last year was $35.00 dollars for half hour, will take you all over Riverside and over to French Quarter, Make reservation by calling the Disney Stables, IT IS AWESOME!! Suggest right at dusk then into sunset very nice. Staff was extremely helpfull, everyone we encountered was from LA, the state not city, and most were Cajun Being from Indiana, except for a few short years in Mississippi, the southerN Hospatality is very Charming and Refreshing.
Ole'Man Island was fun even for (2) 30 something adults, Nice pool slide and pool, and a nice little poolside bar for a "refreshing beverage". The Hottub is small and can get crowded but HECK your at Disney theres always something else to do.The bus's run pretty well, there was an issue tho coming back from MK can get pretty crowded and there was a wait to get back to POR but no more then anywhere else I suppose and the stops are covered and there is several of them HOWEVER you share the bus's with POFQ so keep that in mind,
Enjoy yourself and have a great time,

31 MORE DAYS TILL WE'RE BACK!:sohappy: :sohappy: :sohappy:

 

[Tinkerbella16]

Wow! Nothing but good reviews. I am even more excited. I do not have kids, but will be going with my Aunt, Uncle, cousins (3 & 8), sister, and friend...so the pool sounds great for the kids. We are also trying out the dining plan for the first time...so we are excited about that too. Food gets verrry expensive so it should be well worth it.
Thanks for the info everyone! To those leaving soon, have as safe and magical trip :wave:

 

[KYMouseFan]

We're staying there in 9 days!! According to the Unofficial Guide it has the
2nd best pool in all of the WDW Resorts behind the Beach Club. We've never stayed there before but everyone says it is beautiful!! We are planning to take the boat to DTD and rent the Sea Raycer too.

Looks like we had the same idea about the Sea Raycer. I've always wanted to do that. See you at the POR on Sat. :wave:

 

[redfive13]

I think POR is the BEST moderate resort. Much better than POFQ. You made an excellent decision, you'll love it!

 

[summergirl32]

POR is the most peaceful resort at Disney. I have stayed there twice. Once in AB and once in MB. The landscaping is beautiful especially with the river going through the middle of the resort. There are several bus stops and quiet pools. Sometimes we would be the only ones in the pool. The lobby is beautiful. I cannot imagine anyone being disappointed with this resort. Have a great trip.

 

[SallyShine]

The only real down side to POR (which could be said about all moderates) is the walking. Depending on where your room is, you're walking quite a distance to the bus stop, foodcourt and front desk. It's really not a huge deal as long as you know what to expect. Other than that, it's a great resort. We're going to try POFQ in September, just for a change of pace.

 

[dixiegirl]

He's great! We love to go see him.

Yes definatly go see piano man Bob....he's great!!!!

 

[Kadee]

The only real down side to POR (which could be said about all moderates) is the walking. Depending on where your room is, you're walking quite a distance to the bus stop, foodcourt and front desk. It's really not a huge deal as long as you know what to expect. Other than that, it's a great resort. We're going to try POFQ in September, just for a change of pace.

We've discussed doing that, too. I just LOVE POR so much, it is hard to stay anywhere else. Let me know how you like it and how it compares to POR.

 

[Nemo14]

Another vote here for POR! It's definitely our favorite resort, and we've stayed at many. Breakfast at Boatwright's is amazing! We love the mansion side, the rooms are big and the whole atmosphee is sooooo peaceful!

 

[eroyee]

:wave: The BEST moderate hands down!! Be sure and stroll around the grounds. Its so beautiful and peaceful. enjoy.........:sohappy: