Disney; Port Orleans Riverside, and four parks + Universal (updated w/ pics)

Still here now. Having a good time. My first time dealing with magic bands, a meal plan and fast pass plus.

Some observations --

Animal Kingdom has the best snack values by far.
Lot's of good food, from Pork sliders to Baked Macaroni with shrimp to excellent falafel and an awesome pimento cheese BLT.

Port Orleans is spread out, but only scooter people should find it a pain.

Also I think disney needs to make either paths for scooters and stroller or a path they can't use. It has gotten insane.


I for sure made some mistakes with fast pass scheduling but I was able to ride every single rid in the park (all four) by 1pm on the third day (not counting Tea cups and variations on Dumbo)
The App IS GREAT. Had a Fast Pass to Dinosaur ( a ride I enjoy) and the que was short so it was nothing to grab a new fast pass. Though a huge grip I have is limiting selections to one park until you used the three advance picks. That stinks for park hoppers.

A huge help to us was Space Mountain breaking down so much. Yesterday walking into MK we were handed multiple fastpass+ Experience cards from groups leaving. On our walk through main street we score a whopping 18 fast passes without even asking. Just because people were so generous. This allowed us to get on any ride except Minecars and Peter Pan (why the latter is so popular escapes me).
Between 8:30 pm and 11 we were able to ride nine rides, and I gave a lot of the fast passes away.

So thanks Space Mountain for breaking down. (I never was a SP fan, Big thunder is much better. )


Okay, so the review.

Checking in is simple. By the time I drove up I already had my room assignment and drove straight to my building. I have a "pool view" room, but there isn't really a view of the pool, but I am only a room away from the walkway to the lobby, which is great.

The on site food court has some good choices, but I haven't tried many. As I type I still have 2 QS meals 1ts meal and 11 total snacks to burn. Using the meal plan up seems to be hard. Though a trip back to the excellent earl of sandwich tomorrow will help out.


So we got in around 1pm, and no text so we went to the outlets for an hour then I got the text, and we drove in.



Port Orleans has a very serene layout. I had a really good location near the bridge to the lobby.









I can see how people further away would have issues. If you want to be close you need to get building 14 or 15 in Alligator Bayou, or Pool view in the princess suites.

There is a lot of Magnolia and Oak trees so it feel like home. It reminds me ofa Disney version of Natchez, next to a Disney New Iberia.





I was in 9075, which faced the "quiet pool" in a royal suite. It was a suite in name only. The fixtures were nice but it was a standard two bed hotel room.

It was nice for the girls, but we spent very little time there and I think Alligator bayou with it's extra bed and smaller buildings is a better bet.



All the Princess suites are in Oak Manor and Parterre place.

The lobby and restaurant are designed to resemble a steam boat depot and a water mill. The decor is nice. The only thing I didn't like as much was the pool. French Quarter has a much better pool



party barge ferries take people from Port Orleans to Disney Springs every 10-15 minutes. A nice relaxing ride.



My building was Oak Manor, it like the three other mansions are very stately looking from front and back, you almost don't notice all the exterior doors.




Review continued on page 3.

(or you can read discussion while at park between then)