We got reservation at PO Riverside for April 7-11, 2007. Originally wanted PO FQ/Caribbean/Pop Century, but all value & moderate resort has sold out, so I have no choice but to book Riverside for now. I'm not sure what to expect w/ Riverside.
Would other non disney hotels in the property like Hilton, Double Tree, etc offer the same convenience as Disney Resort Hotels?
It seems like posts that I read only mention either WDW resort or outside hotels.
I'm considering Hilton, as they have the extra magic hours.
What's the pros and cons?
This will be our first trip to WDW (2 adults & 2 kids).
Any suggestions would be appreciated. THX!

In the middle of planning our first trip with the kids too!

disboards.com and allearsnet.com have both helped a lot. Check out the reviews on your hotel on both sites.

If you don't stay at a WDW property, you cannot purchase the meal plan. I am not sure if you were interested in it but it looks like it will have us money.

Also, I don't know if you are renting a car. WDW will provide airport tranportation and transportation to all of their parks/properties. I know off-site hotels provide park transportation as well but I have heard that it is not as frequent as WDW's. The last thing you want is to be standing around for an hour waiting for a bus.

One more thing, are you SURE that the hilton has extra hours? And we were told to AVOID the park with extra hours and go to another park because the other parks will be less crowded.

Enjoy!

mmm sounds like I better stick to POR
I don't think we can get the dining plan, since we bought ticket through hubby's company, not as a package.

thanks!

My understanding is that anyone staying at a resort can buy the meal plan, but it *must* be purchased for every member of your group. We stayed at "Riverside" back when it was called Dixie Landings and it was quite pleasant. I would choose it over an offsite property, as it just gets you more in the spirit of the whole experience. I realize that for some, that may not be an advantage, but we always like to be part of the whole Disney "alternate universe" when we are there.

Check the section on disboards.com for renting points at Disney Vacation Properties. Members have points for resorts such as Boardwalk, Key West etc and they are allowed to rent the points out, usually $10 a point. Two years ago we rented a great studio condo at Boardwalk that was cheaper than a room in a mid-resort. Be sure to read the tips section first. I used paypal so I had a backup if there was any issue. Also check out mouseplanet.com for trip reports and hotel reviews.

socialworker, you are right.

PO is nicer than Pop and just as nice as Carribean. Stay on site. My only advice is to request a room near the lobby/restaurant area. These hotels are two floors so the buildings are looong. The walks are nice in morning but long in the evening when you are tired. Gardens are pretty to stroll. The bottom line is that all moderate hotels are the same just different themes, the same for value. It would be nice if you could get a good deal at Animal Kingdom or Wilderness. The kids would love that! Keep checking the rates. I originally booked the Portofino in Universal for $269, kept checking and got down to $194 the next week.

With regard to the dining plan -- you can still add the dining package to your reservations. (Your room only reservation will change to a package.) However, in order to add the dining plan you would have to buy a one-day base ticket for every member of your party. You can save that ticket for another visit if you wish.

Obviously, you have to factor in the cost of purchasing the one-day tickets (that you don't really need) to see if adding the dining plan is cost effective for you.

We spent a long weekend at Riverside in February 2006 and just returned there for a week last month. The grounds are very nicely landscaped and the resort is beautiful. The pools are very nice and the quiet pools don't seem to get much use. We had them practically to ourselves every time we used them. We didn't use transportation a lot because we had our own car but when we did use it it was fine. Parking at the theme parks is free for resort guests so that saves you $10 a day. The boat that you can take from Riverside to POFQ to Downtown Disney was very pleasant. It is part of the Disney transportation so there is no charge.

My kids are 17 and 20 now but I've taken them to Disney at a variety of ages and would be happy to answer any questions. Have fun!

socialworker, mikesmom,
Regarding the dining plan, exactly how do I add the package/plan to my reservation? I've been emailing disney about it but their answer was rather vaque to me. We are planning to visit Blizzard Beach, haven't bought the ticket yet. Can this count as 1 day ticket?

mary1007, thanks for your advice! I dreaded the long walk at the end of the day since dd can't stand heat.

thanks all!

We are staying at Riverside in July. We were told to stay near the lobby/front area or you have to walk forever. Especially told not to get put in Alligator Bayou as it is so far away.
The hotel can't place us until we check in, but they do allow us to request a certain building. Looks like Parterre Place or Oak Manor are good locations.
Has anyone stayed in these sections, or can anyone comment on a convenient section of the property?
thanks!

Go to this site http://www.allearsnet.com/acc/faq_dxl.htm it gives you info about this hotel, in particular best building to stay in.....

jujuba, if you have a confirmation # for your reservation, I think you can just call the central reservation phone # and have them explain the dining plan and add it to your room reservation. At least that is where I would start.