People who have stayed at both POR & CBR

[d'Isigny]

Which do you prefer and why?

I always stay at PORiverside...but I'm considering Caribbean Beach this year. I'm worried that it will be a downgrade. They have no lounge...they have no piano dude. And, with my luck...I'll be placed at the far end of the resort and have to take a taxi to the food court.

I mean, I like to walk...but 3 miles is a little too much at the end of the day to go to the food court...

 

[TheDisneyGirl02]

Personally, I like CBR. We've stayed there for many years now and I it feels like home to me when I'm at the parks. After traveling across the country this past summer and sleeping in a different hotel room each night, it was wonderful to finally come 'home' to CBR.

I love the rooms and the decor. I also love the kid's meals in the sand buckets!

TheDisneyGirl02

 

[mills]

The only thing I wouldn't like about CSR is that they don't let you get your own food at the food court

If I remember correctly, you get your own food at the CSR. They seat you and then take your drink order. Then you go up and choose what you want from the different food stations. I guess the automatic gratuity is for them getting you drinks

 

[d'Isigny]

Personally, I like CBR. We've stayed there for many years now and I it feels like home to me when I'm at the parks. After traveling across the country this past summer and sleeping in a different hotel room each night, it was wonderful to finally come 'home' to CBR.

I love the rooms and the decor. I also love the kid's meals in the sand buckets!

TheDisneyGirl02

Now see...that's how I feel about POR...it's like coming home.

 

[d'Isigny]

If I remember correctly, you get your own food at the CSR. They seat you and then take your drink order. Then you go up and choose what you want from the different food stations. I guess the automatic gratuity is for them getting you drinks

Right...you don't even get to walk around and select...PLUS, they take gratuities!

 

[surfsupdon]

Now see...that's how I feel about POR...it's like coming home.

You are very tentative to leave your home Resort, understandable. As I have mentioned many times, our favorite Resort was Caribbean Beach. We stayed at Dixie Landings in the mid 90s, and thought it was terrible. We kept comparing it to Caribbean Beach, and it never met our expectations as a result. Of course it does not ruin a vacation, but it does make you wish you were "comfortable" at your own Resort. Our next few vacations were right back at Caribbean.

Having said that, we decided to try Yacht Club. Have stayed here for the past 4 vacations now and haven't stayed at Caribbean for some years. So it's risky to try something new when you have gotten so accostumed to your favorite place, but you may just be pleasantly surprised at what you find. Or you may hate the change and go right back to Riverside.

Aruba 5256 to 5260. Second story, morning sunrise, unobstructed lakeview rooms. Best location on CBR property!

 

[relloron]

I like POR. We've stayed at both, and my dad likes the whole beachy theme, while my mom and I like the relaxing theme. POR has nice food, as well as a water launch to Downtown Disney. The pool is much nicer in my opionion. I suppose it depends how much time you stay at the hotel.

 

[figmentmom]

We've stayed at both, and liked them both very, very much. The atmosphere of each resort is quite different. All in all, we prefer POR Riverside, mostly because of its more central location and food court choices, but CBR certainly isn't a step down!

 

[WDWRLD]

One thing to consider about walking at CBR. The bridge that goes to the island thats a short cut across the lake used to close at sunset, not sute if it still does but used to be a big pain at night.

 

[colliera]

POR v. CBR

I stayed at POR in May '05 and CBR Jan '06 so rating the condition of the rooms is a recent judgment. CBR underwent a rehab within the last few years but it isn't any more sparkling new than POR.

I stayed in Magnolia Terrace at POR and liked it's location even though I had to cross Old Man Island/pool area to get to the food court. At CBR I was in Jamaica 45 which is a good alternative if you can't get into Trinidad North or Martinique.

The walk all the way from Magnolia Terrace to the food court would be about equal to getting into the center of the island at CBR. You are only about 1/2 way there.

We always though we would like staying at CBR and did last month but you can't under state the size of this resort. OMG if you get in Trinidad South! Was Trinidad South an add-on after though? The layout of the roads sure make you think so.

Having the front desk all the way out in the Customs House is a big inconvenience if you need to do paperwork with them. There IS an internal bus at CBR to get you around but you quickly learn to just grab ANY bus that is headed your way as long as it isn't going to exit out of the resort to one of the parks before you get to where you are going. Buses enter and exit at two points at CBR.

While Disney's Magical Express will get your luggage to your room it is up to you to get your luggage back to Customs House for pickup. They DO make it clear that you need to get Bell Service to help you with your luggage for this if you need it in the in room literature but on vacation who reads all that stuff? They are suppose to tell you this at check-in but they don't always. I wasn't told. Luckily, I did read that notice in the room but I saw at least three families try to use the internal bus to get back to Customs House for DME pickup. They were all told they aren't allowed to bring luggage on the bus. Of the three only one family was flat refused boarding. They let the other two slide. I could only wonder about that one family and IF they were able to get Bell Service fast enough to make their DME pickup. I'm sure it is a safely thing. If a bus had to make a sudden stop I hate to think of big luggage fully loaded flying through guests.

The theming was as nice at CBR as POR but I wouldn't say it was any better. There was a small courtyard outside my room enclosed on three sides by other buildings that CBR had that POR didn't. I really liked sitting out there in the evenings.

The food at the food court at CBR I do not think is as good as at Riverside Mill. I can't compare Boatwright's to Shutters as I didn't try either.

One warning, CBR rooms have a design flaw like All Stars Movies. The room light switch is built into the door frame. While the door closing is dampened you sure can get your finger caught in the closing door while reaching back for the light switch. The door is solid and heavy.

To sum it up I probably won't go back to CBR but really liked POR.

PS - The Island/bridges at CBR do not close but they lock off the little paths that shoot off the sides of the main path at night.

 

[surfsupdon]

One thing to consider about walking at CBR. The bridge that goes to the island thats a short cut across the lake used to close at sunset, not sute if it still does but used to be a big pain at night.

The island does not close, but the secondary walkways and playgrounds on the island do close nightly. The mainwalk is open all hours, including the promenade.

 

[Ivan72]

We stayed at CBR a few times in the early 90's and really enjoyed it. We stayed at Barbados the first time and then tried to get it whenever possible. It was a bit of a walk or bus ride to the food court, but it was close to customs house if needed for business and we seemed to have better seats on the buses going to the parks. However, we did switch to POR (Dixie Landings then) because of the 24 hr pools. At that time CBR pools closed at midnight. We enjoyed POR many times until we started getting offers for great deals at AKL. But I and my family agree the bus service doesn't seem as good at POR. In fact we were there again 2/1-6. It was nice to be there, old home week. But the bus service still seemed lacking, but none the less, great to be at WDW any way you can. The POR Alligator Bayou Bldgs 13,14,15 etc. are fairly close to the food court and the main bus stop.

 

[d'Isigny]

You are very tentative to leave your home Resort, understandable. As I have mentioned many times, our favorite Resort was Caribbean Beach. We stayed at Dixie Landings in the mid 90s, and thought it was terrible. We kept comparing it to Caribbean Beach, and it never met our expectations as a result. Of course it does not ruin a vacation, but it does make you wish you were "comfortable" at your own Resort. Our next few vacations were right back at Caribbean.

Having said that, we decided to try Yacht Club. Have stayed here for the past 4 vacations now and haven't stayed at Caribbean for some years. So it's risky to try something new when you have gotten so accostumed to your favorite place, but you may just be pleasantly surprised at what you find. Or you may hate the change and go right back to Riverside.

Aruba 5256 to 5260. Second story, morning sunrise, unobstructed lakeview rooms. Best location on CBR property!

Thank you...if we decide on Caribbean...I'll ask for those rooms...

Yacht Club is a set up...

 

[d'Isigny]

I like POR. We've stayed at both, and my dad likes the whole beachy theme, while my mom and I like the relaxing theme. POR has nice food, as well as a water launch to Downtown Disney. The pool is much nicer in my opionion. I suppose it depends how much time you stay at the hotel.

I like the Main Pool at POR...I like the theme...

POR is Adventure land..CBR...Typhoon lagoon

 

[d'Isigny]

We've stayed at both, and liked them both very, very much. The atmosphere of each resort is quite different. All in all, we prefer POR Riverside, mostly because of its more central location and food court choices, but CBR certainly isn't a step down!

I am sure CBR is quite lovely...

but I'm afraid I'll miss the piano dude and the bridges...and I know POR so well...

 

[d'Isigny]

One thing to consider about walking at CBR. The bridge that goes to the island thats a short cut across the lake used to close at sunset, not sute if it still does but used to be a big pain at night.

Why would they close it?

 

[d'Isigny]

I stayed at POR in May '05 and CBR Jan '06 so rating the condition of the rooms is a recent judgment. CBR underwent a rehab within the last few years but it isn't any more sparkling new than POR.

I stayed in Magnolia Terrace at POR and liked it's location even though I had to cross Old Man Island/pool area to get to the food court. At CBR I was in Jamaica 45 which is a good alternative if you can't get into Trinidad North or Martinique.

The walk all the way from Magnolia Terrace to the food court would be about equal to getting into the center of the island at CBR. You are only about 1/2 way there.

We always though we would like staying at CBR and did last month but you can't under state the size of this resort. OMG if you get in Trinidad South! Was Trinidad South an add-on after though? The layout of the roads sure make you think so.

Having the front desk all the way out in the Customs House is a big inconvenience if you need to do paperwork with them. There IS an internal bus at CBR to get you around but you quickly learn to just grab ANY bus that is headed your way as long as it isn't going to exit out of the resort to one of the parks before you get to where you are going. Buses enter and exit at two points at CBR.

While Disney's Magical Express will get your luggage to your room it is up to you to get your luggage back to Customs House for pickup. They DO make it clear that you need to get Bell Service to help you with your luggage for this if you need it in the in room literature but on vacation who reads all that stuff? They are suppose to tell you this at check-in but they don't always. I wasn't told. Luckily, I did read that notice in the room but I saw at least three families try to use the internal bus to get back to Customs House for DME pickup. They were all told they aren't allowed to bring luggage on the bus. Of the three only one family was flat refused boarding. They let the other two slide. I could only wonder about that one family and IF they were able to get Bell Service fast enough to make their DME pickup. I'm sure it is a safely thing. If a bus had to make a sudden stop I hate to think of big luggage fully loaded flying through guests.

The theming was as nice at CBR as POR but I wouldn't say it was any better. There was a small courtyard outside my room enclosed on three sides by other buildings that CBR had that POR didn't. I really liked sitting out there in the evenings.

The food at the food court at CBR I do not think is as good as at Riverside Mill. I can't compare Boatwright's to Shutters as I didn't try either.

One warning, CBR rooms have a design flaw like All Stars Movies. The room light switch is built into the door frame. While the door closing is dampened you sure can get your finger caught in the closing door while reaching back for the light switch. The door is solid and heavy.

To sum it up I probably won't go back to CBR but really liked POR.

PS - The Island/bridges at CBR do not close but they lock off the little paths that shoot off the sides of the main path at night.

Good to know...thank you

 

[d'Isigny]

We stayed at CBR a few times in the early 90's and really enjoyed it. We stayed at Barbados the first time and then tried to get it whenever possible. It was a bit of a walk or bus ride to the food court, but it was close to customs house if needed for business and we seemed to have better seats on the buses going to the parks. However, we did switch to POR (Dixie Landings then) because of the 24 hr pools. At that time CBR pools closed at midnight. We enjoyed POR many times until we started getting offers for great deals at AKL. But I and my family agree the bus service doesn't seem as good at POR. In fact we were there again 2/1-6. It was nice to be there, old home week. But the bus service still seemed lacking, but none the less, great to be at WDW any way you can. The POR Alligator Bayou Bldgs 13,14,15 etc. are fairly close to the food court and the main bus stop.

Animal Kingdom lodge would be great...

 

[WDWRLD]

Why would they close it?

They did close it at night when it first opened but it has been many years since I stayed there. Our last stay there was around 94 or so. They used to close it at night I think because of the lack of lighting on the island and plenty of dark areas to "hide" in if you get my drift.

 

[d'Isigny]

They did close it at night when it first opened but it has been many years since I stayed there. Our last stay there was around 94 or so. They used to close it at night I think because of the lack of lighting on the island and plenty of dark areas to "hide" in if you get my drift.

you got caught once...didn't you?

 

[aklodge]

I would definately say POR. Better theming, just everything is better. IMO.