Disney's PORT ORLEANS RIVERSIDE RESORT Information & Questions

[andrewilley]

Does anyone know if there are showers in the restroom by the main pool?

Yes, and also lockers.

Andre

 

[Precmom1967]

So excited for our third trip to POR...just 60 days away. DD will be participating in the Disney College Program and we will be visiting to celebrate her 21st birthday and our wedding anniversary. Big thanks to Andre for all his invaluable info on his site and all hints here from fellow Disers.

 

[Dbkjb5]

I would plan much more time to get to POR from landing at the airport. It can take a couple of hours. Are you renting a car or using Magical Express? Of the many times I've stayed at POR, magical express shared with Old Key West, Saratoga Springs, POFQ and POR- with Riverside being the 4th drop off. If you are renting a car, then you have to leave time to get your bags from baggage claim and the ride to WDW from MCO is about 40 minutes. You will have to check-in and go right to MK if you are taking the boat over to Fort Wilderness. We always do the 6:15pm show, and we leave the resort by 4:30-5pm the latest to get there. You just never know how long it will take for a bus and the boats. I really hope you arrive at POR early enough. You might want to take a cab to skip the boat and all of that. Also when you arrive to POR, you can go to the Concierge desk and they will print your ticket for HDDR so you won't have to when you get to Pioneer Hall.

Thank you for replying yes we are taking magical express and I believe we are online checking in and then picking up tickets at hotel. Would a taxi take me straight there or do I still have to take internal bus? Am I better off taking taxi to MK and then taking the ferry over ? really looking forward to it. My best Disney memory when I was a kid on my first and only trip!!

 

[Dbkjb5]

You may be cutting it close for this reservation. It could take up to 2 hours to get from the airport to POR. If your flight is delayed, you may not make it over to Fort Wilderness by the time the show starts. The airport transportation usually makes several stops at different Disney resorts and POR may not be the first stop. I don't think I'd plan Hoop De Do on an arrival day due to the possibility of missing the show and losing money spent on tickets.

What if we received tickets at check in? Would taking a taxi get us there on time ?

 

[Wood Nymph]

Thank you for replying yes we are taking magical express and I believe we are online checking in and then picking up tickets at hotel. Would a taxi take me straight there or do I still have to take internal bus? Am I better off taking taxi to MK and then taking the ferry over ? really looking forward to it. My best Disney memory when I was a kid on my first and only trip!!

What if we received tickets at check in? Would taking a taxi get us there on time ?

We went to HDDR and never picked up tickets. They had our names on a list and had no problem getting into the show. The fastest way to get there would be to take a taxi to FW. You will still have to take an internal bus to get up to Pioneer Hall, but all three internal buses go there, so it shouldn't take too long via internal bus. Do not go to MK and try to take the boat. It is always filled with people trying to get to FW and you might have to wait for a second boat. That happened to us.

But to tell the truth, I would either move your HDDR reservation to another night or to the later show. Even if your plane lands on time, it takes awhile to taxi to the gate and for the plane to empty. The drive from the airport to WDW is about 40 minutes on the highway and that doesn't include time to walk to the Magical Express from your gate at the airport and for the bus to pull out. You would enjoy the show a lot more on another night, when you aren't tired from traveling and stressed from trying to get to the campground from POR.

 

[tinkerbella16]

But to tell the truth, I would either move your HDDR reservation to another night or to the later show. Even if your plane lands on time, it takes awhile to taxi to the gate and for the plane to empty. The drive from the airport to WDW is about 40 minutes on the highway and that doesn't include time to walk to the Magical Express from your gate at the airport and for the bus to pull out. You would enjoy the show a lot more on another night, when you aren't tired from traveling and stressed from trying to get to the campground from POR.

This is what I was going to suggest... the 8:30pm show would have been better and they would not have to worry about timing and all of that. Taking a boat from MK would be no issue with the last show.

 

[tinkerbella16]

Thank you for replying yes we are taking magical express and I believe we are online checking in and then picking up tickets at hotel. Would a taxi take me straight there or do I still have to take internal bus? Am I better off taking taxi to MK and then taking the ferry over ? really looking forward to it. My best Disney memory when I was a kid on my first and only trip!!

You will still have to use the internal bus, taking the taxi. And you can get a taxi there so much faster than getting on a bus and then a boat. The cabs are out front of POR just waiting to be called on, so you can be on your way quickly. Fort Wilderness is actually really close to POR, believe it or not. I think you should go with the taxi if you are going to stick with that night and time for the show.

 

[Dbkjb5]

You will still have to use the internal bus, taking the taxi. And you can get a taxi there so much faster than getting on a bus and then a boat. The cabs are out front of POR just waiting to be called on, so you can be on your way quickly. Fort Wilderness is actually really close to POR, believe it or not. I think you should go with the taxi if you are going to stick with that night and time for the show.

Thank you yes we chose that night because are other days are booked solid and have little ones so was worried about the later time. I'm def going to take taxi and internal bus thanks!!!!

 

[Anne5555]

If we want to take the water transportation from POR to downtown disney to see La Nouba, how long should we allow?

Also, after a short day at the animal kingdom, would you recommend eating at the resort, then going downtown, or eating dinner at downtown Disney?

Thanks!

 

[Wood Nymph]

If we want to take the water transportation from POR to downtown disney to see La Nouba, how long should we allow?

Also, after a short day at the animal kingdom, would you recommend eating at the resort, then going downtown, or eating dinner at downtown Disney?

Thanks!

The boat to DTD docks at the east dock, which is as far away from La Nouba as you can get. You will either have to walk to it from the boat dock or take a second boat over to the west dock. And you might not get on the first boat ride from POR to DTD. When we visited the resort last April the line was very long for the DTD boat and it was about an hour wait in order to get on it. I would recommend eating dinner at DTD. That would give you plenty of time to get there and spend some time exploring the area.

I would give yourself about an hour to get to DTD via boat and then another half hour to get to LaNouba.

 

[Anne5555]

Thank you, Sue! That's a long time to get to DTD! I guess if we're running late that day would could maybe take our car and park there, but I've heard that's a pain. We thought the boat ride would be a nice, relaxing experience!

 

[Wood Nymph]

Thank you, Sue! That's a long time to get to DTD! I guess if we're running late that day would could maybe take our car and park there, but I've heard that's a pain. We thought the boat ride would be a nice, relaxing experience!

Actually, one of the reasons that the line for the boat to DTD was so long is because non-resort people are parking at POR and POFQ and taking the boat to DTD. They are trying to avoid the huge parking mess over there. We had a very nice chat with a Florida couple who lived nearby while we were waiting for the boat to DTD from POFQ. They frequently park at the resorts when visiting WDW.

 

[Anne5555]

Actually, one of the reasons that the line for the boat to DTD was so long is because non-resort people are parking at POR and POFQ and taking the boat to DTD. They are trying to avoid the huge parking mess over there. We had a very nice chat with a Florida couple who lived nearby while we were waiting for the boat to DTD from POFQ. They frequently park at the resorts when visiting WDW.

I hope that doesn't mean we will not have parking for our car near our building (Royal Guest Rooms-not sure what exact building.) I thought that if you are not staying at a resort you can't park there longer than a few hours to eat or see the resort. And that if you want to park at a monorail resort for longer than 2 hours you have to valet park if you are not staying at that resort. I guess they only enforce it at the monorail resorts.

 

[crazy4wdw]

I hope that doesn't mean we will not have parking for our car near our building (Royal Guest Rooms-not sure what exact building.) I thought that if you are not staying at a resort you can't park there longer than a few hours to eat or see the resort. And that if you want to park at a monorail resort for longer than 2 hours you have to valet park if you are not staying at that resort. I guess they only enforce it at the monorail resorts.

I've been wondering what the new process is now that Disney is not giving resort guests parking passes to put in your car's window. Now you just use your magic band to get into the resort parking lot. How is security going to know which cars belong to guests staying at the resort vs guests just visiting?

 

[buzznina]

I hope that doesn't mean we will not have parking for our car near our building (Royal Guest Rooms-not sure what exact building.) I thought that if you are not staying at a resort you can't park there longer than a few hours to eat or see the resort. And that if you want to park at a monorail resort for longer than 2 hours you have to valet park if you are not staying at that resort. I guess they only enforce it at the monorail resorts.

POR has tons of parking spots, so you do not have to worry.
We like visiting the rail resorts during Christmas time and we have never been given a pass or told to valet if staying over 3 hours. So, they really do not enforce it there either. I think CR may be the only one that might during busy times.

 

[Sue M]

Thank you for replying yes we are taking magical express and I believe we are online checking in and then picking up tickets at hotel. Would a taxi take me straight there or do I still have to take internal bus? Am I better off taking taxi to MK and then taking the ferry over ? really looking forward to it. My best Disney memory when I was a kid on my first and only trip!!

You can't take a taxi to MK. They drop off at TTC then you'd have to take monorail or boat to MK, then boat to Ft Wilderness.
You'd be better off taking taxi to Ft Wilderness and internal bus, or Taxi to WL, and grabbing the resort boat over to Ft Wilderness. There is a resort boat that just loops around WL, CR & FT W. Or take POR bus to MK & grab Ft W boat.

 

[Eeyore's My Favorite]

I've been wondering what the new process is now that Disney is not giving resort guests parking passes to put in your car's window. Now you just use your magic band to get into the resort parking lot. How is security going to know which cars belong to guests staying at the resort vs guests just visiting?

We got a parking pass in January at POR and again in April at BWI. I've never had my MB scanned at any resort so far.

 

[andrewilley]

You can't take a taxi to MK. They drop off at TTC then you'd have to take monorail or boat to MK,

True, but you could take a taxi to the Contemporary and either get the boat from there or walk over to the MK dock.

Andre

 

[Sue M]

True, but you could take a taxi to the Contemporary and either get the boat from there or walk over to the MK dock.

Andre

Yes that works too!! Many ways . We have breakfast ADR for Trails End in August. Since we'll be at Poly I plan on taking monorail to either MK or CR to get FW boat. Then walk off breakfast along the lake trail to WL before WL bungalow construction wrecks it. So pretty, you'd never know you're in WDW. I've seen deer. But yet to see an Armadillo. It's my mission to see one lol. And I love walking around WL! Then take boat back, which ever one comes first! MK or CR.

 

[disneyjr77]

Our friends land at 6:35 pm. We have an adr at Boatwright's for 8:05. Will that be enough time for them to get to the resort and get to dinner? They're using magical express amd picking up their luggage, so they don't have to worry about it arriving in the room too late.