YEHAA BOB is a HOOT!!! By Tamela Hansen

     Nestled between the foyer and Boatwright's at Port Orleans Riverside Resort is a quiet lounge.  River Roost Lounge is a quiet place to talk and have a drink until Wednesday night rolls around!  From Wednesday to Saturday you can find Yehaa Bob rock'n his wacky piano and singing songs we all know.

     We love this resort but I think the biggest reason is because Yehaa Bob is a Hoot!  Bob will have you singing-a-long to your favorite song, doing the Hand Jive, laying in the floor kicking your feet in the air, running around the room and a lot more shout'n and hoot'n!  Bob knows how to help everyone get out of there comfort zone and ready to show your DisneySide!

     River Roost is a great place to meet up with friends and family specially when Yehaa Bob is in the house!  He provides entertainment for all ages.  We have made Bob a "must do" for every Walt Disney World trip for the last 7 years.  When our family arrives Yehaa Bob knows Alabama is IN THE HOUSE!

     Bob knows how to take our favorite Disney songs and add his own Wacky twist to them!  We also love the good ole sing-a-long piano songs Bob's way!  Bob also sells CD's of his fun loving shows and his amazing piano music.  We have enjoyed his CD's.  They make wonderful conversation pieces for background party music.  Yehaa Bob is not only an entertainer he is a spectacular pianist.

     So if you are interested in laughing, singing, and even beating your chest like Tarzan get over to the Port Orleans Riverside or where ever he is playing on Disney property. He keeps a calendar on the internet so you can find him almost any day of the week.  Don't be surprised when you find yourself front and center performing with Bob!  So when he takes his hat off and asks "How's my Hair" you will be ready to say "What hair Bob"! 

     Schedule Yehaa Bob in for your next Walt Disney World vacation.  I know it will become a family "must do" for your family also!  Just don't forget to show your DISNEYSIDE!!!!

Guest Author Sunday

Welcome Back Tamela Hansen

As Disney lovers we all enjoyed planning our own vacations and many of us enjoy planning vacations for friends, family and the ones in the community.  When I plan our Disney vacations I do this in several stages.  First, I take time to plan the best dates for our family and the resort we choose to stay.  Second, I order maps and plan out which parks we will go to on each day.  Third, I make reservations and decide transportation from the parks toe my dining of choice. Then last but not least packing is part of our planning.

Choosing the best time for our family to go on a Disney vacation experience can be tricky.  We have to take into consideration the times that our children are out of school, my husband can take off work, and if we are going to take friends or family with us, a time that works best for everyone.  Also depending on what type of Disney vacation we are exploring we will consider the temperatures and weather that we may encounter during that time of the year.  We always make sure we plan our Disney vacation 8 months to a year before our arrival date.  This helps us with planning and also in budgeting.  Then of course this is what makes the Countdown begin!

Once we decide on a date now we have to decide on a resort.  The resort we pick will depends on our budget, the time of year, and the specials that are typically offered during those times of the year.  For our family if we are going to Walt Disney World during the summer we prefer to stay at a deluxe resort.  Since it may be very warm we can enjoy the pools and the, different amenities that the deluxe resorts offer.  If we are going with a larger group we typically stay at a value resort to make it easier on the budget for everyone included.  Then if it is just our family and there are nice dining or resort specials offered we typically stay at a moderate.  Through the years we have truly enjoyed all of the different resorts that we have stayed in at Walt Disney World.  Each and every resort has something awesome and amazing to offer to everyone.

When I am helping someone else planned an amazing Disney vacation I always help them start their Countdown by deciding the dates and the Walt Disney World Resort that works the best for them.  This is always a very enjoyable experience especially for those who are planning their very first Disney vacation!  Even though it is not my Walt Disney World vacation the excitement and the pure bliss of helping someone else planned their vacation is amazing for me!

Yeah! The excitement begins and the Countdown is on! Now to order maps and start looking at dining possibilities!  I always make a point to find out different foods that everyone likes and pick restaurant that will complement it.  Also, I always think about the dining experience because when you are dining at Disney it's not all about the food!  This is usually enough to keep us busy or family and friends busy until the next stage in our trip planning adventure!

When Everything Goes Wrong, Can Customer Service Make it Right?

I'm sure you have all heard the Disney Parks referred to as "The Happiest Place on Earth", but what happens when your dream trip turns into a nightmare? Allow me to share my story with you.

After 15 years of traveling to Walt Disney World with my children, my mother and I decided it was high time just us girls had a little get-away. We had always wanted to take a tour, but with kids along it just wasn't in the cards. This trip was providing the perfect opportunity, and seeing as we were going in December, there was no doubt we would do the Yuletide Fantasy tour. Mom wanted to try out a new resort too and liked the idea of getting to Downtown Disney by boat, so you guessed it, booked Port Orleans for our stay.

The only obstacle we saw, was Mom needed a wheelchair. I knew I could handle pushing her all weekend, but was the tour wheelchair friendly? I made our reservations, making sure the tour was handicap accessible  and to also let the resort know we needed a chair and a 1st floor room if possible.

Fast forward to our arrival. Checked in at Port Orleans and they had a wheelchair waiting for us. We drove down to our designated parking area and I helped Mom in the chair and grabbed the suitcases. Picture in your mind a crazy woman pushing a chair, dragging suitcases behind, circling the building over and over looking for the elevator, only to be told after my 3rd lap and much swearing, that the building only had stairs. Really?! Back to the front desk to hear "Oh I see you needed 1st floor. Our apologies". Back in the car and off to a new building, with a first floor room.

Port Orleans Royal Guest Rooms

 When I went to booked our room at Port Orleans Riverside last May for a weekend trip for just my husband and I and the Disney agent said I could upgrade to the Royal Guest Rooms for a little more then the regular room, I was so excited.  Now I don't have any little girls, I have two grown sons, okay I have two great daughter in laws, but no little princesses. My husband did buy me a sign for our room that says: "Because I am the Princess, that's why", and that is how he treats me, he was okay with staying in the Royal Guest Room and in fact he was the one going around the room taking all the photos. 

Bathroom Sinks and Dressing Area