Disney's PORT ORLEANS RIVERSIDE RESORT Information & Questions

[limegreenmonorail]

Best location for a River View room for proximity to bus stop and main building, main pool? 14, 27 or 38? Looks like 38 could be closer to the north depot? would north depot be better than south depot or doesn't that really matter? We want to be on the top floor and looks like the mansions don't have many top floor river view rooms.

Since you said you want a top floor room, just thought I'd mention that the Alligator Bayou buildings do not have elevators. In case that affects your room requests.

 

[The Foolish Mortal]

So my partner and I are planning our first ever stay at this resort later this summer. We wanted to try something different than the usual resorts we stay at and she loves the look of the Royal Rooms, so PO Riverside it is! I read the first post of this thread, which has great information. But are there any other essential tips or tidbits we should know about for forst time visitors? Thanks!

 

[firstwdw]

How are you all getting from the airport to Riverside? Any recent reviews of Mears Connect? How many stops before arriving at Riverside?

 

[bigmac5]

How are you all getting from the airport to Riverside? Any recent reviews of Mears Connect? How many stops before arriving at Riverside?

We are going in the fall and watching this closely. We are thinking Uber/lyft and making a stop at a store to pick up groceries and adult beverages. But going back to airport may take a bus. I am currently hearing some iffy things about Sunshine Flyer

 

[Ensusieasm]

How are you all getting from the airport to Riverside? Any recent reviews of Mears Connect? How many stops before arriving at Riverside?

I’m using Mears Connect standard for $32 round trip. It’s the same busses and drivers that were used by Magical Express. I used Mears before Disney’s Magical Express was offered. It was nice to get Magical Express free for 15 years. Now I’ll pay for it once again. Check out the Dis transportation forum for more info and reports from recent guest experience.

 

[bigmac5]

I don't mind paying but I truly miss the luggage handling

 

[pigletto]

We’ve booked a Standard view room for our May trip ( not a 5th sleeper).
What would be a good area/building to request? We know that requests aren’t guaranteed. I think I would like to try for a room as close to the main building as I can be with a standard view room. Being close to the buses isn‘t a big deal for us as we will have a car.

We’ve stayed in a royal room before and a AB room many years ago. Either area works for us if it’s not a very long walk to the main building.

 

[Wood Nymph]

We booked a standard view room and requested a room close to Old Man Island. We were given a room in Magnolia Bend that was close to the bridge to the island and a quick walk to the lobby. We got lucky and the view was of the grassy area between the quiet pool and the parking lot. It was a great location and a good view for a standard room.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

Our Mears experience was exceptional. When we arrived our standard booking was the first dropped off to POR. We were picked up today at exactly 9:50 which was our pick up time. Better than DME for us. They send a text with boarding pass and bus location map about 30 minutes before they get there.

 

[bigmac5]

I see that as part of the activities there is tie-dye t-shirts. I was wondering if they had Pooh sized shirts and if not could you bring your own?

 

[maybethisyear]

How are you all getting from the airport to Riverside? Any recent reviews of Mears Connect? How many stops before arriving at Riverside?

We took Mears to the resort, but not returning (we had family that drove us back).
The ride there was quick and easy. Although we were on a bus with several resorts, we only stopped at French Quarter first. That was a really quick stop. I would definitely do it again for the price point.

 

[maybethisyear]

We’ve booked a Standard view room for our May trip ( not a 5th sleeper).
What would be a good area/building to request? We know that requests aren’t guaranteed. I think I would like to try for a room as close to the main building as I can be with a standard view room. Being close to the buses isn‘t a big deal for us as we will have a car.

We’ve stayed in a royal room before and a AB room many years ago. Either area works for us if it’s not a very long walk to the main building.

Our previous visit at POP, they honored our exact room request. Literally the exact room. At POR, they ignored every single request. Every. Single. Request. haha

Once I got the room text, I went to the desk and asked to be reassigned. They were only able to grant one of our requests with a new room, but it was better than nothing.

 

[andrewilley]

Our previous visit at POP, they honored our exact room request. Literally the exact room. At POR, they ignored every single request. Every. Single. Request. haha

You do know it's the same team that handles room inventory allocation for all WDW Resorts don't you? There is nothing in terms of pre-assignment done at a local resort level now, the entire team is now based remotely at Team Disney (although a lot of their CMs have been working from home during COVID times).

Andre

 

[DLM22]

Hoping someone can answer this! We are returning to our beloved Riverside this August (whoo!). We have not been to WDW since 2019, so I know a lot has changed. However we were hoping that Riverside would be as comforting as always. I just read, however, that the Disney Springs Area resorts have changed buses. Does anyone have any recent experience with the new shuttles? Can you tell me if they still just service POR and POFQ or if they go to other resorts now? We always loved easy/direct access to the park on our previous trips.

Thanks in advance!

 

[browneyedgirl1683]

Hoping someone can answer this! We are returning to our beloved Riverside this August (whoo!). We have not been to WDW since 2019, so I know a lot has changed. However we were hoping that Riverside would be as comforting as always. I just read, however, that the Disney Springs Area resorts have changed buses. Does anyone have any recent experience with the new shuttles? Can you tell me if they still just service POR and POFQ or if they go to other resorts now? We always loved easy/direct access to the park on our previous trips.

Thanks in advance!

We just stayed at POFQ and our bus stopped at Riverside in the afternoons. POFQ was the first stop, then we'd make the loop around POR.

 

[CJK]

 

[DLM22]

We just stayed at POFQ and our bus stopped at Riverside in the afternoons. POFQ was the first stop, then we'd make the loop around POR.

Great, thanks!

 

[MidnightMeeko]

What has the housekeeping been like recently? I know every other day towels and trash removal is what is advertised. Is that what is happening?

 

[Ensusieasm]

What has the housekeeping been like recently? I know every other day towels and trash removal is what is advertised. Is that what is happening?

During my 5 night stay at POR in late January 2022 there was no trash removal or fresh towels. I had chosen no housekeeping, but I thought trash removal would still happen. I was mistaken.

 

[bigmac5]

During my 5 night stay at POR in late January 2022 there was no trash removal or fresh towels. I had chosen no housekeeping, but I thought trash removal would still happen. I was mistaken.

Did you get a gift card for opting out? or is that a thing of the past?