Port Orleans - Riverside or Beach Club?

[tazzgonzo]

So after putting all the numbers onto paper, I’m getting cold feet about paying so much for the Beach Club in Dec. We can definitely afford it, but moving over to Port Orleans would save us about $1200....that’s nothing to sneeze at.

I go back and forth between the convenience of being able to walk to two parks and the $1200 cost difference.

It’s just me and my partner. The occasion is my birthday and (ironically) celebrating getting out of debt this year...maybe that should be my North Star?

Our current itinerary has quite a few meals in the evening at Epcot, but we can always head over there from the other parks and then head to POR for the rest of the evening after dinner.

But then again, it’d be nice to just walk to our resort after dinner at Epcot each night.

Any help or thoughts?

 

[glocon]

My theory is this: because you are out of debt, you can afford to do more things, and stay at nicer places. That is a benefit for being debt free. You worked hard to get to this place and now you can do more and do nicer things... as long as it doesn’t put you back in debt. Staying out of debt is key. If you can do BC without debt and that’s what you really want, go celebrate being debt free and your birthday!

 

[tazzgonzo]

My theory is this: because you are out of debt, you can afford to do more things, and stay at nicer places. That is a benefit for being debt free. You worked hard to get to this place and now you can do more and do nicer things... as long as it doesn’t put you back in debt. Staying out of debt is key. If you can do BC without debt and that’s what you really want, go celebrate being debt free and your birthday!

What a great perspective! I had never thought about it this way. You’ve really made an excellent point here. Thank you

 

[glocon]

We’ve been out of debt for more then 10 years, don’t want to go back there. So we do what we can afford without debt and enjoy every minute of the hard earned vacation. Life is so good being debt free!

 

[Disneylover99]

I’d take the $1200 over walking convenience.

Yes, it’s nice to walk in and out of Epcot whenever you like, but I prefer to take the bus to HS from a resort rather then the walk from the BC.

When are you going? You might want to consider a Gondola resort like CBR.

 

[WishICouldSpeakWhale]

I debated POR vs Yacht Club for our August trip and decided to stay at POR. We have already stayed at both. At POR, we loved the big food court with lots of choices, and the grounds are beautiful. We will stay in a preferred room again this time because I don't want a long walk to the main building. POR was cheaper too, which is always nice. Buses were good there, and we didn't seem to share with other resorts.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Our current itinerary has quite a few meals in the evening at Epcot, but we can always head over there from the other parks and then head to POR for the rest of the evening after dinner.

But then again, it’d be nice to just walk to our resort after dinner at Epcot each night.

We love both these resorts. We have had some very nice stays at POR. But we really love staying at the Beach Club in December because of all the extra Christmas activities in Epcot. So any month except December would be good for POR for us. There are more special things to do in Epcot in December than at any other time of the year.

But it is a quick bus ride to POR from the parks, too. As long as you stay away from park closing, it isn't too bad to stay at POR. We have had some extremely long bus lines trying to get back to POR at park close. So if you don't plan to stay late then you should be alright. These kinds of questions about whether or not the money is worth it is a very personal decision.

 

[Tammy A]

Beach Club had always been my favorite resort but I stayed with my boyfriend 2 years ago in a royal room at Port Orleans Riverside and he loved it even more than the Poly. I'd say that Port Orleans Riverside is now our favorite. So pretty and way better quick service than the Beach club. It's true you can walk into Epcot from Beach Club but I love the boat ride from PO Riverside to Disney Springs.
What can You do with $1200? A lot. But in the end, you have to do what makes you happy.

 

[DisLiss]

Wow, such a tough one! These are my 2 favorite resorts! I love Epcot and we go there often, so an Epcot resort certainly is nice in that regard, especially if you are there during a time of year when you're not melting during any outdoor time.

But POR is very quiet and pretty and it just seems calm to me. I love the boat ride to Disney Springs.

I think I'd ask myself what I would do with the $1200 if I didn't use it at BC. Are there any other experiences that you might like to do, but left out of this year's plans due to not wanting to add any more expenses to it? Would you like to add those in if you stayed at POR? Or might you opt to put the money towards another getaway in the near future if you saved it? Something you'd like for your home? Those would be reasons that might make me lean in the position of POR. But if you're not spending just to not spend it, then maybe you're just in need of time to get used to the idea that now that you've kicked your debt to the curb you have more spending money available to enjoy.

 

[tazzgonzo]

Thanks everyone for all of the insights here! Ultimately, I went with a preferred room at POR because $1200 is a lot, and the resort DOES look gorgeous. Besides, that extra money can buy a lot of Minnie Vans if we really needed them

 

[TOBS2010]

Besides, that extra money can buy a lot of Minnie Vans if we really needed them

I was just going to comment to say that I would pick POR over the Beach Club to save that much money. If you are adults, you can use a Minnie Van to get to and from places a little faster than the buses. And if you are planning on spending alot of time at Epcot, you can walk over to the Beach Club faster from the International Gateway and catch an Uber/Lyft for even cheaper versus walking all the way back to the front of the park. We have stayed at POR twice and it is a relaxing nice place to be. Plus you have boat transportation to DS from there---which if you are looking for restaurants, I think there are some better ones there compared to Epcot.

 

[tazzgonzo]

I was just going to comment to say that I would pick POR over the Beach Club to save that much money. If you are adults, you can use a Minnie Van to get to and from places a little faster than the buses. And if you are planning on spending alot of time at Epcot, you can walk over to the Beach Club faster from the International Gateway and catch an Uber/Lyft for even cheaper versus walking all the way back to the front of the park. We have stayed at POR twice and it is a relaxing nice place to be. Plus you have boat transportation to DS from there---which if you are looking for restaurants, I think there are some better ones there compared to Epcot.

oh my goodness, in all the anxiety, I forgot about the boat perk to Disney Springs! Maybe our plans change from dinner at Epcot every night to a mix of Epcot and DS! Thank you!

 

[mjdis17]

oh my goodness, in all the anxiety, I forgot about the boat perk to Disney Springs! Maybe our plans change from dinner at Epcot every night to a mix of Epcot and DS! Thank you!

I was going to say, the boat ride from POR/POFQ is THE best. Even though we usually stay value, we still take a bus over to either resort to ride the boat to Disney Springs once a trip because we love it so much.

 

[marchingstar]

oh my goodness, in all the anxiety, I forgot about the boat perk to Disney Springs! Maybe our plans change from dinner at Epcot every night to a mix of Epcot and DS! Thank you!

regardless of where we stay, i always think it’s special to tailor our trip to the resort, at least a little bit. i think each resort on property has something (on many things!) that make it unique and special.

at POR, there are lots of nice walking paths and quiet pools. plus the boat ride to DS. i would definitely agree with your idea and shift at least some of your dinners to DS to really enjoy what makes POR special.

1200$ is a lot of money to save. you could put it towards a super fancy meal, some special merch, unique experiences, and still start saving for your next visit!

 

[kniquy]

I go back and forth between the convenience of being able to walk to two parks and the $1200 cost difference.

It’s just me and my partner. The occasion is my birthday and (ironically) celebrating getting out of debt this year...maybe that should be my North Star?

I would go with your gut. It sounds like it is telling you to save the money. I would probably stay at POR, which is a very nice resort and a lovely boat ride to DS.

Maybe set aside some of that savings and do one special extra -- maybe a fireworks dessert party or go to a more expensive restaurant (Cali grill) Book a tour or after hours event. I think there are plenty of things you can add on and not spend all hat money. Or even if you intend on spending the money I would actually buy discount disney gift cards (you can get from target with the red card), then use that to buy your meals or souvenirs. I feel these will create more memories than spending $1200 on a bed to sleep in.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

Port Orleans and Yacht Club (essentially the same as Beach Club) are two of our favorite resorts. Our first few trips to Disney we stayed at Port Orleans, then eventually moved over to Yacht Club and have stayed there our last few trips. Both are great but I give a definite edge to Yacht Club for a couple of reasons, primarily the pool and the convenience of being able to walk/boat to Epcot and Hollywood studios. Plus I like the dining options better at Yacht Club--some good options at the resort and Boardwalk area and you can walk to Epcot for meals as well. One note of caution--we stayed at Port Orleans for 1 night our last trip and tried to take the boat to Disney Springs for dinner, but after standing in line for 30 minutes and being told we probably wouldn't be able to board for another 20 minutes or so we ended up taking a cab. Haven't had that experience before at Port Orleans but the boats can get crowded. Ultimately $1200 is a lot of money so I'd just do what feels like the best call to you.