POR -what's the appeal?

[minnie-mouse]

I am debating between Swan/Dolphin or a moderate. I always see so many posts about POR. Why does it seem like everyone's favorite? Isn't it really too large to walk around?

[Cjsmom1811]

Hello,
S&D is surounded by concrete paths, it doesent feel like you are at Disney World. I have been there for conventions. I think it has a more adult, cosmopolitan feel. They have upscale restaurants.
POR is homey, it has the feel of a resort with winding paths and beautiful scenery. It is much more family oriented, with the Disney imprint .
You can certainly walk the property, I have walked from POR to POFQ. There are walkers and Joggers there at all times of day.
S&D is nice but I dont get the same vibe as staying at POR. Ilove the boat to DTD and the piano player( Bob) in the lounge at night.
Someone will come along shortly and say how beautiful S&D is but I just feel that it is a huge cement building that is not Disney inspired.

[twinboyz]

Even though we are now DVC members, we'll hold POR dear to our hearts. Was completely our favorite resort until we bought into DVC. Gives you a little bit of the Disney feel, but also helps you feel like you are on vacation. The boat ride to DTD is a definite plus. The carridge ride is romantic or also fun with kids. The pools are great. The rooms have always been clean and ready. The River Roost lounge :marg:and Piano Bob are fantastic fun for the whole family. I guess it may seem a little spread out, but the landscaping is beautiful along the Sassagoula. It doesn't have a hotel atmosphere as you are not piled on top of one another. Really your preference.:thumbsup:

[brownie]

Yes, it is big but it also has great landscaping. You really feel like you're somewhere else when you get into Port Orleans.

[#1donaldfan]

POR Riverside is very shaded, very lush vegitation which provides a cooler feel for needed relaxation after a long hard day at a park. :mickey:

[SBETigg]

I've been to both and I felt far more Disney at Swan-Dolphin simply due to location. It's an awesome location, boat to DHS or Epcot (or walk). Lovely rooms, comfy beds, 24 hour quick service place plus restaurants and a great pool area. We were not very happy at POR because we just didn't feel like we were really at WDW, which is a feeling we get from being close to parks. The view from my room at the Dolphin was the Tower of Terror. We usually stay monorail deluxe, but I was as happy at the Dolphin as I was at the Beach Club.

[minnie-mouse]

How are the food-restaurants and pool at POR? Bus service? Also, we usually stay at Poly and like the beach to relax on at night. Is there a place like that at POR to relax at night and let the kids play and run around?

[MissMaryPoppins]

I've stayed there many times and it's one of my favorites. They had a food court that's pretty big with a lot of choices. There's a pool near the food court where they have an outdoor bar that's open at night and a little playground for your kids to play at. There's a lot of trees so there's a lot of nice shady spots. We always had relaxing vacations there, I'd recommend it.

[The Hitchhiking Ghost]

How are the food-restaurants and pool at POR? Bus service? Also, we usually stay at Poly and like the beach to relax on at night. Is there a place like that at POR to relax at night and let the kids play and run around?


There isn't anything like the beach at the Poly. At POR you have Old Man Island which is kind of a central area between the Food Court/Check in area, the Alligator Bayou section and the Mansions. This is where the main pool is and Muddy Waters bar and a small playground. I think you can swim any time, but life guards and the small water slide I want to say close at 10:00.

POR I believe still shares its bus service with POFQ. There is one stop at POFQ and if I recall 4 stops at POR. Are there times the buses can get cramped or you might have to wait for the next one? Yes. But not so that it was a deterent for us not to return for a 2nd stay.

POR is a moderate while Poly is a deluxe, so you can't quite expect the same amenities for that big of a price difference. I love strolling thru the Alligator Bayou section. Some feel it's too big and too far away, but I like the relaxing stroll and the landscaping is great.

Food courts is great, it can get crowded at peak times, but a very good selection of food, not just the plain burgers and pizza. Also the River Roost is a good place to have a drink and listen to Yeeha Bob. Boatwrights is also a sit down restaraunt, although we've never dined there.

[mom2morgan]

I am debating between Swan/Dolphin or a moderate. I always see so many posts about POR. Why does it seem like everyone's favorite? Isn't it really too large to walk around?

I can not compare because I've never stayed at the Swan (which I hear is very nice, but doesn't appeal to me because of lack of theming), but I do LOVE the POR. The theming to me really feels special, and the size of the resort doesn't put me off - we've always enjoyed the stroll through the lovely landscaping to get to the pool or main building. We enjoy the boats to downtown Disney, we think the food court is great and love to sit by the water wheel, my daughter used to enjoy walking by the "river" and feeding the birds early in the morning. My fave is a drink in the lounge listening to jazz music, or just browsing in Fulton's gift shop. So I can't say it is "better" than the Swan, but that explains the love for us :-)

[Buttercup]

My goodness, no, it's not too big to walk around. It's wonderful! You walk through gardens and past waterways... it's very very peaceful around there.

Dolphin/Swan just seem like bland hotels to me. Yeah, they're upscale, but there's basically no real "theming" - it's just a hotel. In fact, my sister went to a character meal there and said it was terrible. Like, the character's costumes were old, and one guy was clearly doing all the characters -- just stepping in to the back room to change them coming out as someone else. The place was apparently deserted. Not really "Disney" feeling.

You gotta try POR or one of the more "Disney" type resorts. You don't know what you're missing if you stay at Swan & Dolphin!:thumbsup:

If you want a place to relax and watch the kids play, there are many park benches along the waterways, and especially in the "Mansion" section, there are lovely courtyards with fountains, etc. In warmer weather, sit by the pool and listen to some good music while the kids swim! And there are playgrounds throughout the resort too which are great for kids that want to burn off some energy!

[Mitzie]

We have stayed at the Dolphin and POR and each has it's pros and cons. Yes Dolphin/Swan has the location advantage. It has interior hallways. The room was clean and our view was of the water and Epcot in the distance. There are nice resturants there. POR is a mod. level resort. It is our favorite mod. We would not pick POR if location and being close to the action was important to us. If it were we would never had made it to AKL which is also more remote, and that would of been a shame. It comes down to what factors about a resort are most important to you and then what theme appeals to you.

[Auntie B]

POR has something for everyone. Fun pools, good food selection, Yeehaw Bob, bike rental, carriage rides, boat to DTD and multiple bus stops. Loved everything about it and did not find it "too big" at all. It is definately a place we will stay again.

We have also stayed at S/D before and while the location can't be beat, it just did not have the "Disney" feel I get at POR.

[gokatgo]

We just had our first stay at POR and loved it. We had a preferred room in Alligator Bayou so we were close to everything. Some of the things we loved were the walkways winding through the resort, the boat to DTD, and the pool. We also did the carriage ride around the resort, fished at the fishing hold and roasted marshmallows at the bonfire, oh and saw a movie under the stars on night. The food court was busy but they had make your own yogurt parfaits or oatmeal for breakfast and make your own pasta for dinner. We loved both of these. I thought the selections were really good and the atmosphere in the food court was nice. The bar was also great and we enjoyed the piano player. And finally - the price was great!