I have put more orchids to thier demize trying S/H than I care to remember.
I finaly have success, this a Noid cattlaya.This has been in S/H for almost a year and now I'm rewarded with blooms.
Ray,
I think the main thing I learned was matching the size of the plant to the depth of the S/H pot.
Phal's like a shallower pot and they must have new root growth.
Catt's are more forgiving and as long as they have some form of new growth they will adapt.
Don't want to burst your bubble "Lucky", but that, by itself, is not a complete answer.
I have phals in tall pots and squat pots. The issue is the balance between wicking and evaporation, which is really more about your conditions than the pot size or shape.
However, you're right - in all cases, new roots just forming is definitely the key to a good transition.