Port Orleans Riverside Resort in Walt Disney World is a moderate resort. It is themed to reflect the antebellum south along the Mississippi River (in this case it is the Sassagoula River). The Resort commercial center which contains registration and the restaurants is themed as if you are booking passage with the Sassagoula Steamboat Company. Boatwright’s Dining Hall is themed as a boat building factory, Riverside Mill features an operating cotton press and there are signs listing Steamboat destinations decorating the registration desks. There is also a huge water wheel located on the outside of the building.
Sister resorts with Port Orleans French Quarter
Price: $246-$344
Room size: 314 square feet
Buildings: Alligator Bayou or Magnolia Bend
Sleeps: Some rooms sleep up to 5 adults (rooms that have a pull down murphy bed) plus a child under 3 in the room. It is a $15 charge per adult (first 2 are free).
Room count: 2048 in 2 sections… Magnolia Bend (plantation-style mansions) and Alligator Bayou (rustic lodges).
Room features: Most rooms have 2 queen size beds, but there are single king size bed rooms too. Each room has 2 sinks, flat screen tv, 2 chairs and a table and a small refrigerator.
You can also book a Port Orleans Riverside Royal Room.
Food options: There is a quick service, table service, lounge and pool bar.
Riverside Mill food court is open from 6 am to midnight.
Boatwright’s sit-down restaurant is open from 5 pm to 10 pm; room service from 4 pm to midnight.
The River Roost Lounge is themed as a cotton exchange and offers a full bar as well as light appetizers. This is where you will see Ye-Haw Bob who puts on an excellent and exciting show.
The Muddy Rivers Pool Bar is located on Ol’ Man Island and offers drinks and light snacks from noon until dusk.
Pools: 6 pools with Ol’ Man Island being the most popular that features a 95 fb water slide and a geyser. It is also home to a kiddie pool, wading pool and spa.
The other pools are quiet pools and are located in different sections of the resorts.
Store: Fulton’s General Store carries popular Disney souvenirs, basic health and beauty items, snacks and items specific to Riverside resort.
Activities: Movie at the Courtyard (check the schedule for nights); Daily Pool Party at 2:30 pm; Poolside activities from 1-4:30; Campfire with Marshmallow Roast (check the schedule for nights); Bike and Surrey Rental ($); Guided Fishing Excursions ($); Catch and Release at the Fishin’ Hole from 7 am to 3 pm; Carriage Rides ($); Arcade ($); Fishing Hole ($); Butterfly Garden at the Acadia House
Playground: Located on Ol’ Man Island.
Amenities:
24-hour front desk
atm
check-in and guest service
childcare service
complimentary wifi
daily mousekeeping
designated smoking area
dry cleaning
fridge
gift shop
hair dryers
handicap accessible rooms
ice machine
ironing boards
irons
kiddie waiting area in lobby
laundry facilities
luggage service
Magical Express
mail services
merchandise delivery and pickup
online check-in
outdoor smoking areas
resort airline check-in
safe
wake- up call service
Official Dog Policies: Guests of this resort may bring their dogs for an additional $50/per night, limit 2 dogs per guest room.
Overnight parking is $19 per vehicle.
Transportation: bus to the parks or take a boat to Disney Springs. There is also an internal bus that runs between the bus stops.
The resort has the following bus stops:
- French Quarter and Riverside South
- West
- North
- East
Distance from parks by bus:
- Animal Kingdom – 9 miles
- Hollywood Studios – 5 miles
- Epcot – 1 mile
- Magic Kingdom – 5 miles
Address: 1251 Riverside Drive, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
Phone: 407-934-6000
Featured Reviews:
This review comes from my reader Kim…
Port Orleans Riverside was originally called the Dixie Landing’s Resort. However, after several legal battles over the name they decided to change it to the second Port Orleans Resort Riverside. This resort is by far my favorite of all the resorts. There is just something about it. It has a great dining room call Boatrights dining hall which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Breakfast there is a huge yes every time we go there. Their food court offers some amazing dishes as well and sits right along the river. They only offer inside dining, however. This is the first stop with the boat service to Downtown Disney. Along with these fabulous amenities they also offer horsedrawn carriage rides, a game room, a fishing hole where you use hot dogs and bamboo poles to fish, a pool bar with a killer pool, and a general store where you can find goodies not found at other places throughout the Disney resorts. The resort is massive. It is divided into two areas, Alligator Bayou and Magnolia Bend. Magnolia Bend is southern plantation style buildings each with its own unique style and beautiful courtyard at the front. Alligator Bayou is my favorite. They are rustic style buildings built among swamp lands. These are all the same. The Alligator Bayou rooms do not have elevators but the Magnolia Bend rooms do. They are actually renovating a portion of the Magnolia Bend rooms to offer a Princess and the Frog theme. All the rooms are the same at this time. They offer one king bed or two queen beds with a trundle bed. The decor in the rooms very much mimic Old Key West and the southern style. There are also several “quiet” pools located throughout the property along with laundry facilities at each pool. From this property you can also walk to Port Orleans French Quarter. The great thing about this property too is that it is the first stop on the Port Orleans Busses and they offer 4 different stops at this resort. So you don’t have to all go to the front to catch a bus. Here are some stock photos and some personal photos I have aquired for this resort. If you ever get a chance I would totally recommend it.
This review comes from my reader Ashley…
My husband and I stayed at Port Orleans Riverside in March 2009 on our second trip to Disney World and our first stay on-site. After going back and forth a hundred times, we finally decided on POR for its extensive landscaping and relaxing atmosphere. We stayed in the Acadian House on the Magnolia Bend side of the resort. The room was not exactly large, but it was fine for the 2 of us. The décor was subtle and designed to reflect the antebellum south. The grounds were very clean and well kept, and the “Mousekeeping” was great. The closest bus stop was about a 2-3 minute walk to our room, and I don’t believe we ever waited more than about 15 minutes. The only downside was that the buses also ran to Port Orleans French Quarter, however that is a very small resort and it never really created a problem. One of my favorite things about POR was the ability to take a boat to Downtown Disney. This was such a wonderful alternative to the sometimes crowded buses, plus it was very peaceful. We never ate at the restaurant, Boatwright’s, but we did eat at the food court quite often. The selection was typical of any food court, but the Create-Your-Own Pasta was my favorite. I liked it so much, in fact, that I ate it almost every night of our stay. It was WONDERFUL! For dessert my husband and I split a Magic Cookie Bar almost every night, although I could’ve easily eaten a dozen by myself! It was absolutely amazing!! We also ordered pizza in our room a couple of times, and although a little pricey, it was also very good. (Plus it came in a cute box!) The resort had a lot more to offer besides the good food though, like surrey bikes, fishing, boat rentals, and horse-drawn carriage rides. It is a large resort so there can be a lot of walking, which could be a problem for some. The main building was probably a 10 minute walk from our room in the furthest mansion, but it didn’t feel like it at all. The landscaping was so beautiful that I actually enjoyed the quiet walk along the river every morning to get my coffee and breakfast. In fact, that’s actually one of my favorite memories of the trip. Everything from the staff to the landscaping was top-notch, and I just can’t say enough great things about POR! I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this resort to anyone!
This review comes from my reader Chris…
* Why did you choose this resort? I chose POR because it looked like it belonged in Gone with the Wind and we were going for my 40th birthday.
* What were the resort rooms like? Were they big enough for your family? Did you find them to be acceptable? The rooms were great! We were in the mansions section, in Partierre Place, with a view of the river. The beds were big enough for all four of us to fit comfortably and we weren’t bumping into each other. The refrigerator came in handy because we brought our own drinks. The beds were comfortable and Mousekeeping had done a great job.
* What were the amenities of the resort like? What was your favorite one? There were several pools that DS enjoyed several times along with bike rental, fishing, boat rentals, and carriage rides. My favorite amenity was the boatride to DTD. It was super relaxing and we got to see the Treehouses up close. We were going to Rainforest Cafe for lunch because I love it, but when we were on the boat going there, the smell of the BBQ from House of Blues totally changed my mind!! Those ribs were great!!
* What was the food court like? Any favorite foods? We ate at Boatrights when dining at the resort. The service was lacking a little, but the food was great and I loved the decor. We had breakfast there and everything we had was great!
* How were the resort buses? What was your walk to the bus stoplike? How were the resorts bus stops at the parks? How far was the
walk to the gates? How crowded were the buses at any given time? Our walk to the bus stop took us out our room door, across a bridge, and around the side of the lobby. It was maybe 3 minutes if walking slowly but POR is so relaxing that we would find ourselves walking slower just to take it all in. The most we waited for a bus was 5 minutes and we only shared buses with POFQ one time but even then it wasn’t crowded. The bus stops at the parks were not crowded and the buses were there already when we got there. The bus stops were not on the end so it was not a long walk.
* Would you stay at this resort again? If not, please provide a reason. Absolutely!! Every time we need a relaxing trip, it’s POR for us!! It’s DH’s favorite resort by far!
Learn more about the Walt Disney World Resorts and contact Destinations in Florida to help you book your perfect resort.
We were just there in March! What a beautiful property! I was so much more impressed with Port Orleans Riverside than any other moderate properties.We were unexpectedly assigned to Oak Manor in Magnolia Bend – the Royal Rooms! The rooms in this section are furnished in amazing details – fiber optic fireworks on the headboards, tiaras hidden in the bedspreads, Aladdin’s magic carpet on the floor, Mrs. Potts as the sink faucets, Ariel’s tail as the hook on the back of the bathroom door, the Beast’s ottoman and so much more I couldn’t even register. The boat to Downtown Disney is so quick and convenient – those in our party who took the bus instead regretted their decision. If we go with a moderate resort again, we will choose Port Orleans Riverside every time!
When we are not staying at one of the villas using our DVC points, my family of 5 stays at Riverside. We love the accessibility using the water taxi, the trundle bed is my son’s favorite with his own little bed, and the ala carte dining is fantastic! My DH and I absolutely love the build your own pasta! I truly believe their one order can serve 2-1/2 people easily. The cast members are always busy making everything look just right or giving my kids a smile. The pools are always clean and well stocked with towels. The barkeeper makes superb drinks! I have never had a problem asking for extra blankets. Just a great Welcome Home!
We stayed at this resort in the summer of 2010. It was amazing. We had visited Disney about 10 times before this trip as I grew up. This resort has all of the charm of the south. One of the major attractions for this resort were having the two bus stops. My children were small and in the summer it is very hot. The bus stop and the the pools were awesome. My 4 year old daughter loved the small kid friendly water slide.
The dining accommodations were also impressive. We had the dining service and never had to pay out of pocket for meals or snacks. This resort had many meals that were kid and adult friendly. The staff at this resort was very kind as well. My daughter fell and cut her foot, the front desk staff helped calm her and bandage her foot. They even gave her extra Mickey stickers for being a Mickey kid! I know this resort is one that I will continue to stay at again and again because the staff and atmosphere are above and beyond what I expected.
Why did you choose this resort? It was the best price for us and I’ve had friends who stayed there and recommended it.
What were the resort rooms like? Were they big enough for your family? Did you find them to be acceptable? The rooms were plenty big for the 6 of us. We have 4 children and our room came with a trundle bed for our older son and we brought a pack-n-play for the baby. We didn’t spend a lot of time in the room, but when we were there it didn’t feel crowded at all.
What were the amenities of the resort like? What was your favorite one?
What was the food court like? Any favorite foods? We only used the food court for breakfast the last day. We had one meal left on our plan and picked up a big breakfast that had something for each of us until we could stop somewhere along our way home. We also used the pool one day and the kids liked it, but it wasn’t anything spectacular – just somewhere to cool off.
How were the resort buses? What was your walk to the bus stop like? How were the resorts bus stops at the parks? How far was the walk to the gates? How crowded were the buses at any given time? We had a bit of a walk to the bus, but it wasn’t bad – we found shortcuts along the way instead of taking the main trail. The bus stops were good and the buses came very regularly – I don’t think we waited more than 10 minutes on any day for the bus we wanted. The bus rides back to the resort were the most crowded – standing room only most days, which is difficult with 4 kids, but we managed.
Would you stay at this resort again? If not, please provide a reason – We did like the resort and would recommend it to anyone going to Disney, However, they don’t have rooms that accomodate our family any longer. The next time we go there will be 7 of us.
We just returned from our first trip that was June 5-June 16. We had a great time and stayed at Port Orleans Riverside
■Why did you choose this resort? We were traveling with a family of five and felt this was the best bang for our buck.
■What were the resort rooms like? Were they big enough for your family? Did you find them to be acceptable? We stayed in the Alligator Bayou and the rooms had a distinct rustic look. The rooms were big enough but we would have liked to have more storage. There were four drawers in the armoire and a shelf over the clothes rack and a table. We carry alot of stuff with us and would have liked to have more shelfs. We used an over the door organizer and hung it up in the closet and that helped keep some of the smaller stuff organized. The rooms were always very clean and everything taken care of. There were a couple of days that we did not receive Mickey soap but we still came home with a lot of stuff.
■What were the amenities of the resort like? What was your favorite one?
The kids loved the quiet pool and with the laundry right there it is very convient. They also loved the arcade and the boat ride to Downtown Disney was great.
■What was the food court like? Any favorite foods? We used the food court very little but did enjoy its fresh fruit selection.
■How were the resort buses? What was your walk to the bus stop like? How were the resorts bus stops at the parks? How far was the walk to the gates? How crowded were the buses at any given time? The buses looked like they ran at a regular rate but we didn’t ever use them we drove to the parks each day. We never had a hard time getting a spot in front of our building each time.
■Would you stay at this resort again? If not, please provide a reason
We would stay here again if we got a great pin. Next time we go we should just be a family of four so we won’t need the extra bed so it would need to be a great pin to get us here again.
■ We have stayed at the POR during our last four vacations to Disney. We stayed offsite for our first few and when deciding to stay the first time in the resort, I just loved the look of the landscape and buildings. We have looked at other resorts and would love to stay at them but each time it came time to decide we were reminded of the the great atmosphere here.
■ Most recent trips (2009) I know too long ago, we needed two rooms. We got connecting rooms Husband, daughter and myself and Daughter, Son-in-law and granddaughter in the other. I felt the rooms well decorated and roomy enough at least for three people.
■ I really enjoyed the 6 quite pools at Riverside. It was a great relaxer coming back the rooms at midday for a refreshing dip without a huge crowd and so close to the room.
■ We only ate at the food court on a few occassions as we had the meal plan and wanted to use that to experience many of the great food choices throughout the parks. However, we thought the food was great in POR food court.
■ We were there in August and found the buses at the resort packed half the time. They should consider adding more buses so they wouldn’t have to do all 4 stops in POR. Our walk to the bus depot was never more than 5 minutes away. It seems funny that the buses for POR always seemed to the farthest awayin the parks. Maybe my imagination. There never seemed to be a low capacity time on the buses. Always filled but noon and evenings were very crowded coming back. No so much of a problem heading out in the morning or after midday.
■ Yes, I would stay here again. Even after 4 stays, it doesn’t bore me. I love the walkways throughout. Mousekeeping is great and have never had a bad experience.
When we went on vacation in September in 2009 we knew we wanted to try a moderate and Port Orleans Riverside had my husband’s favorite theming by far. The kids weren’t excited when they were checking the website with me. They loved the over the top atmosphere of All Star Movies and were not sure of this grown up looking hotel. They changed their minds when they got there! They loved the pool, especially the slide. It became our nightly routine that I would take our two small children to bed and my husband would take the two older to the pool and he could relax in the hot tub. He loved being able to unwind while they had fun. They also spent some time watching Yeeha Bob perform in the River Roost Lounge. I am going to make sure I get to see his show this time since I missed it last time.and they all kept talking about how much fun they had watching him.
Our last night there we took the boat over to Downtown Disney. Wow did I wish we had tried that sooner. It was such a nice ride over and there are so many food choices there. We ate at Planet Hollywood and loved it but there are so many more restaurants I want to try next time! The shopping is great too and when everyone was tired and ready to go back we got to get on our little boat again and be driven back to our resort, watching the glowing lights of Downtown Disney hitting the water.
The rooms were fine, nothing amazing but a fine place to sleep at night. We went to the food court a couple times and it was also fine, nothing amazing but nothing I disliked either. And again, nothing spectacular when it comes to the buses. Some days it was very cramped from picking us up, then the French Quarter guests. Some days I appreciated the many stops around the property. I figure those two averaged themselves out.
Although we do plan on going back there were a few cons. This trip we do not have any reservations at Boatwrights. The food wasn’t very good there (my husband actually really disliked it) and we have all the restaurants at Downtown Disney a short boat trip away, so why settle?The only other thing was the endless walk. Now I admit I lack direction sense. Any direction sense. The walkways leading to our room in Magnolia Terrace were more than a little daunting after a long day hitting the parks. Luckily most nights my husband was there to lead the way but the one night I tried to walk two of the kids to the room myself? It was an embarrassingly long walk.
I would rate this resort a solid A. It had something to appeal to everyone and touches of Disney magic everywhere. We are looking forward to our next trip in September!
We stayed at the Riverside in June 2008. It was absolutely beautiful! I loved the double sinks in the restroom – a big help when everyone is getting ready at one time. We chose this resort because of the beautiful landscaping and buildings. We stayed in the Magnolia Bend section. The rooms were spacious and very clean.
We loved Boatwright’s for breakfast! I don’t think that they are open for breakfast now. The kids loved the HUGE Mickey pancake. Everything they served was wonderful. I loved their smoothies. The food court had a great selection of food, but we didn’t eat there much because of other reservations.
The buses have to be the one thing that would discourage me from staying there again. We always had to wait. Sometimes we waited for over an hour. We were even late for dining reservations when we were there in plenty of time to catch the bus. They were almost always crowded and we usually had to stand. We shared buses with the French Quarter and there were 4 stops just for POR.
As pretty as the resort was we probably would not stay here again unless we get a really good deal.
I choose to stay at POR because it was a quick 2 day trip for my birthday with girlfriends and I had never stayed on property before. It looked awesome online and I had a friend who works there get me a discount, so it was perfect!
It was 3 adults in the room, and we had a blast. There was tons of room for all our stuff and more. They were clean, comfy and our door faced the river which was fun to look out and see.
We loved the boat to Downtown Disney, we ate there our first night at the hotel and really enjoyed the boat ride and the Rainforest Cafe. We walked around the grounds a bit but spent most our time in the parks. (In fact, we hit all 4 parks in one day! It was intense, but super fun!)
We did use the buses and had no problem, they weren’t empty but they weren’t packed. We were down there in November, right after Thanksgiving so not a peak time. The buses were great and we loved not having to worry about parking and remembering where the car was at each park we went to.
Would totally stay again, it was reasonable, nice and loved being in the magic of Disney.
I added to your review with the pictures that you were unable to add. Please enjoy!
http://savingsfordisney.com/2011/06/15/port-orleans-riverside-review-featured-on-couponing-to-disney/
We stayed at POR in the alligator bayou section and thought it was great. We loved the rustic look of the rooms. It felt like we were at a state park at a cabin. We also loved the landscaping and how they made it look like bayou areas except for the clear water. We jokingly said the water should have been darker and greener, but hey that was our only complaint. We liked the food court even though it was quite busy and noisy at peek hours, but what do you expect. We went to eat at non peek times and enjoyed it more. When we stayed here we wanted to take a few days and relax before my mom came down and we went to the them parks and here we were able to relax and enjoy life. We did do the catch and release fishing. We didn’t catch anything, but we thought where else can you fish with a cane pole? We also enjoyed the boat ride to Downtown Disney. That was so enjoyable. The only thing we wish we would have down is ride the boat back instead of taking the bus.
I have never stayed here but I am so thankfull for this post today. I have been looking at booking our first trip for the first week in March and when looking at the website this seems to be the cheapest with the 5 of us going. Even cheaper than a value so I am very excited and will probaly book it within a week or so. So super excited to give this surprize to my kids at Christmas. :)
We stayed at POR last summer and loved it! Agree with the other reviews – rooms are comfortable, grounds are beautiful, great food choices onsite. We chose it because we were a family of 5 that needed a place that was reasonably priced. Our youngest was 4 and the trundle bed was perfect. He loved it! We also liked having a fridge in our room. We didn’t have a car so we used one of the grocery delivery services and our food was delivered on the 1st day. It was nice having milk, juice, yogurt, snacks available for the times we were in the room – mostly 1st thing in the morning and at night. We also liked the boat ride that takes you to Downtown Disney. Would definitely stay there again! Only downside was that we didn’t plan enough free time to enjoy the resort!
Why did you choose this resort?
-POR is our ALL TIME FAVORITE resort! The atmosphere is so peaceful yet fun, and it really feels like a true “getaway” for us. We’ve stayed there on 5 different vacations. It’ll always be “Dixie Landings” to us!
What were the resort rooms like? Were they big enough for your family? Did you find them to be acceptable?
-They were always clean and nice. The Alligator Bayou rooms are a little more “famliy” style than the mansion rooms, but both are very nice. They were fine for the five of us, we had 6 in an AB room one year and still worked great. My only complaint- they once put us in a second story and it was a pain in the rear to get the double stroller up and down the stairs EVERY time we came or went from the room.
What were the amenities of the resort like? What was your favorite one?
-We love the pool, how it’s sort of hidden away. Love having a fridge in the room, it always gets a ton of use.
What was the food court like? Any favorite foods?
-The food was always good, we think POR has some of the better options of the resorts we’ve visited. We LOVE sitting in by the big water wheel. Love the whole “look” of the building, too.
How were the resort buses? What was your walk to the bus stop like? How were the resorts bus stops at the parks? How far was the walk to the gates? How crowded were the buses at any given time?
-We’ve only been on a super crowded bus a handful of times in all those vacations, and they were usually the late at night ones at park closing or leaving DTD. We’ve never been placed in a room super close to a bus stop which has been kind of difficult at times, but when we’re in Disney we expect to do a lot of walking anyway. We did always feel like the POR bus stops were at the end at every location! POR seems to have the best bus drivers, too…they were always very friendly and interacted with everyone else on the bus, singing songs and telling jokes!
Would you stay at this resort again? If not, please provide a reason.
-Absolutely. We love the whole atmosphere, the theme of the resort, waking up to the quiet and being able to look out on the water and see so much GREEN. We recently stayed at CBR and while it wasn’t awful, it just didn’t compare to POR for us.
I cannot believe I didn’t mention one of the reasons we love POR more than any other resort…the boats to DTD! That is a HUGE plus for us. We love the relaxing boat ride, and having a non-ticket option for afternoons and evenings!
I choose this resort because I had never stayed here for more than one night and it looked like it had a lot of things to do for my two boys. I took into consideration the pools and at the time, I could only afford to stay at either a moderate or a value. I understand people like staying at the more expensive hotels, but I really think most of the cost is for the location of the hotels. So moderate and value hotels are the way to go, especially if you plan to go every year.
The rooms were spacious enough for my family of four. We don’t spend much time in the rooms though. Just for sleeping. I remember them being quiet though – which was well needed since I was in my first trimester of pregnancy and giving up caffine beverages so I needed to lay down.
We rented bicycles and boats which were fun. I also signed the kids up for the pirate adventure at the hotel and they loved it. Plus it gave me and my hubby an hour and half to ourselves.
The food court was like any other food court at WDW. Lots of selections. I do love the pizza.
I actually did not use the buses much. Everytime we went toward them, there was a line of people. We ended up driving, which probably took the same amount of time. I think the buses also go to the French Quarter so I don’t know if that effects it. But I’ve stayed at Caribbean Beach and they have 6 stops, and that was ok.
I found this hotel very peaceful. It seemed like a home away from home. It is very beautiful, and serene. The boat ride to downtown disney at night is great – the kids enjoyed it. The kids loved the pirate adventure and the pool. And we loved the cabana bar next to the pool. I would definitly stay here again.
Maybe it was me, but we just stayed here in Feb. 2011 and I wouldn’t say our stay was “magcial” My mother came with my husband, I and our 2 small children, so we got 2 rooms. I called ahead of time (several times, I might add-3 times to the reservation number, and 1 time to the actual hotel the week of the reservation PLUS I stated it on our online check-in form!) to make sure we had conjoining rooms due to the baby needing a nap and also trying to get a room close to the front. I understand they were just requests, but after standing in line for 30-45min. to check-in (I did online check-in so all I needed was the keys!) No one bothered to tell us that are request have not been met! This resort is MASSIVE we were in the very back of the hotel and to our surprize our rooms did not connect. I spent the next several hours of first day trying to get this figured out! I was on the phone during our dinner at Crystal Palace – very disapointing! After several phone calls we were able to switch rooms after the first night. This required us to load up our suitcases before we went to the parks, store them and then when we got back LATE we had to go back to the reservation desk wait in line for 20 min. (they had no clue of our situation or that I had talked to the night manager!) We finally made back to the room and then we had to wait for the luggage to get there and it made for a very late night and very tired kids.
The hotel was beautiful, on the outside. The rooms were not super clean, lots of dust and cut corners. We have be to and stayed on disney properties for many years and definately would say the standards have came down. Which is disapointing.
One other negative thing I say would be lines for the bus were out of control, I would say we went on an off peek time. “Value Season” and the resort was completely full! They would usually send more busses but you still would really would have to wait. Time is money!
The nice things about staying at such a larger resort are the amenities that you get with a large hotel, really nice pools, great views, beauitful landscape, kids activites, playground.
I can’t sy that I wouldn’t stay here again, but I would wait to the kids were much older! My suggestion if you are planning on staying at this resort would be to spend the extra ~$25 for a PREFERED ROOM!!! Your feet will thank you!
The next time we go we are planing on staying in a Bay Lake Tower in a Villa, much closer to Magic kingdom, plus it has the monarail. No need to worry about conjoining rooms!
This is my first post on this site. I’ve been a follower for quite awhile now, but don’t usually leave posts on sites, but am making an exception this time.
I love the Port Orleans Riverside resort at Disneyworld and would recommend it to anyone and everyone. It’s just a beautiful resort with lots of scenery to look at while walking from the room to the pool, or restaurants. It’s just so serene. I feel like I’m the princess when I stay there. The rooms are beautifully decorated and have plenty of space for a family of 4. We have eaten at both the food court and Boatwrights and have had wonderful food at both. I truly feel that anyone would have a wonderful experience at Port Orleans Riverside.
Why did you choose this resort? 2006 trip was planned sort of last minute and there was availability at Riverside. We wanted a step up from the value resort but did not have the money for the deluxe. So it seemed like a good fit.
What were the resort rooms like? Were they big enough for your family? Did you find them to be acceptable? The rooms were plenty big for the four of us (2 adults, 2 kids). The room was always clean, towels available at all times.
What were the amenities of the resort like? What was your favorite one? The landscaping was beautiful and walking along the river was very peaceful. The boat to Downtown Disney was a nice peaceful evening trip as well vs. the busy buses.
What was the food court like? Any favorite foods? I can’t remember any specific foods, but I know there was a lot to choose from no matter which meal we were there for.
How were the resort buses? What was your walk to the bus stop like? How were the resorts bus stops at the parks? How far was the walk to the gates? How crowded were the buses at any given time? This was the deal breaker for me. The buses were always EXTREMELY crowded. It was difficult to get a bus from any of the parks back to the hotel as they were always full. We always walked to the main lobby pick up, based on where our room was located, and there was always a crowd of 40+ waiting. When we were lucky enough to get on a bus, the driver would continue to try to pick up more than the bus probably should have held. It was very frustrating. My husband even approached a bus supervisor regarding the bus schedule & availability and just got shrugged shoulders. The wait times were 20-30 minutes at all of the parks for a return bus to the hotel.
Would you stay at this resort again? If not, please provide a reason.
Difficult to say as we had so many problems with the buses. The hotel it self was wonderful, the accomodations were wonderful but the bus situation made for a difficult trip.
Myself and family enjoyed a great stay @ Port Orleans Riverside Resort, staying in their ‘Alligator Bayou’ rooms. Accommodation was clean, spacious and reasonably priced, and there was more than enough to keep the kids entertained for our long-weekend trip.
Would highly recommend it.
We stayed in this resort when I took DH for his very first trip to WDW. We chose this resort because we wanted a quiet restful place in the middle of all of the madness b/c I was worried that DH would be overwhelmed, so we went here because I had heard that it was very quiet and peaceful.
The rooms were just your average hotel room. But for two people, it was fine, especially considering how little time we stayed in the room. We stayed in Magnolia Bend and the rooms didn’t have the trundle bed. It was always clean and mousekeeping did a fantastic job.
We did enjoy the beautiful gardens and landscaping, spending a bit of time just walking around the resort. This resort is absolutely beautiful. The boat ride to Downtown Disney was the best. It was so much fun and such a relaxing way to travel. It was an especially peaceful way to travel, versus the buses which can sometimes seem chaotic. We saw all kinds of animals on the boatride, ducks and turtles and various other local birds. It was also nice to have the quiet pool very near to our room. It made it easy to take a quick afternoon swim without having to walk down to the main pool. Also, there were less kids at the quiet pools b/c of the fun draw of Ol’ Man Isle at the main pool. It was a nice way to relax in the afternoons.
We didn’t eat at the food court, but did enjoy Boatwright’s a couple of times while we were there. It was very good food and reasonable for the price. The restaurant was never too busy.
Buses weren’t great. I’d have to say they were better the time that we stayed at POFQ, but I am by no means saying they were awful. It was just nice at POFQ having only one bus stop b/c it meant you were headed straight to your destination. At Riverside there are 4 stops, and we were closest to the 1st stop, so it meant 3 more stops before we could finally head to our park du jour. The buses were crowded during peak times (morning and evenings) but in the afternoons sometimes we’d be the only people on the bus.
We would most definitely stay here again and recommend it to a friend. The whole place is just very nice. Lots to do without ever leaving the resort.
We just got home today from a week at Disney and stayed at POR. It was wonderful! This was our second time and once again it did not disappoint. One of the main reasons we stay there is because of the beautiful and peaceful grounds. We used Disney transportation to and from the parks all week and did find that several nights we were waiting in a long line for our ride back to the hotel. The busses were very full during all of our trips but with over 2,000 rooms, what can you expect?! Our favorite transportation moment was the boat ride from Downtown Disney, it was one of our highlights. The rooms were always very clean and spacious enough for our family of four to stay in comfortably. We always recommend POR to family and friends that are going to Disney World.
We stayed at Port Orleans our first time this last fall. It was amazing. The food court has the best food and a ton of it. We ate there our last day and wish we’d eaten breakfast there a lot more during the week. The rooms were really nice. We have five in our family. There was a trundle bed and two doubles. It was very comfortable and close to the bus stop to get to all the Disney parks. We’re ready to go again this year. We had a very enjoyable to at the pool with the slide, and the kids loved it. The whole atmosphere is very pleasant and relaxing and Port Orleans is nestled in a bunch of trees.
■Why did you choose this resort?
My parents’ birthdays are 3 months apart, so we gave them a trip to Disney for their 50th birthdays. I lived in GA at the time and my mom invited me and my then fiance to join them on their trip so we could spend some time together. My grandmother offered to pay for the hotel, and asked me which moderate resort my mom would like best so that they could have a little bit nicer room, and this resort is totally my mother’s style.
■What were the resort rooms like? Were they big enough for your family? Did you find them to be acceptable?
The room we stayed it seemed huge. We fit with no problems, and felt like we had more space than we could use. We loved it.
■What were the amenities of the resort like? What was your favorite one?
There are some walking trails there and they also have the horse drawn carriage that goes from there to French Quarter and back. We opted to go for a ride one night, and I think that was my favorite thing. An evening horse drawn carriage ride with my fiance, and my parents were riding together. It was awesome.
■What was the food court like? Any favorite foods?
The food court was tastefully decorated, and not nearly as busy as French Quarter. Where FQ is a riot of color and fun, RS is very understated like the “slower” parts of New Orleans. All of the food was great. I don’t think I could pick a favorite.
■How were the resort buses? What was your walk to the bus stop like? How were the resorts bus stops at the parks? How far was the walk to the gates? How crowded were the buses at any given time?
The buses were awesome. Easy to get to, hardly any wait, and hardly ever crowded. We were there in February, so there were also not very many people at the resort, but the buses were still very convenient. The stops at the parks are sort of middle of the road on distance, but there were no real long distance hauls.
■Would you stay at this resort again? If not, please provide a reason.
I would definitely stay here again. The atmosphere is great, the rooms are great, I have nothing negative to say about this resort.
We recently returned from a trip in March and we stayed for 10 days at the Port Orlean Resort Riverside. We are a family of five so that limits the many less expensive rooms as they sleep only 4 and if you add more then 4 you have to add another room. (makes it not to economical)
The first impression you get from staying at the Port Orleans Resort is like walking into the down south, from the trees and shrubs, even to the squirrels and bunnies (yes bunnies one of my sons favorites) that would run around the pathways. It was relaxing and cozy yet fun and exciting. The pools with the slides and water fountains were magical, very “Disneyphere” (my combination of Disney and atmosphere wording that is the only way to describe anything Disney)
You would walk across this large bridge over the river from your hotel to the main lobby and food area where southern music and charm met you with the Disney smile. The food was delicious and not to “odd” for kids, (staying at the animal kindgom lodge was nice but the food was to authentic from my kiddos). There was pizza, and hamburgers but my favorite was the dinner plate which consisted of white turkey meet, mashed potatos, corn bread stuffing, vegtable and roll, it was good to have delicious food that I did not have to make myself.
There was many bus depots so you could catch your bus outside of your hotel or in front of the lobby. You can rent water boats, and bikes, fish for bass at the fishing hole and only in the “winter months” Sep-March they do a camfire with roasting marshmallows and stories. (We were able to experience the last night of this since they considered this a winter activity).
You also had the opportunity to take the boat ferry to downtown Disney which is a unique experience as only a few Disney resorts have this opportunity. I would highly recommend going to Port Orleans Resort, and hey if you go in March, we’ll see you there!!!
I forgot to mention that the rooms were spacious enough for all of our stuff and the five of us, (besides lets be honest your at Disney how long are your really going to spend inside your room :)
The cleaning service surprised us daily with a new “towel animal” which was fun for the kids, and I left them new lollipops (I brought from home) that they were great at putting on my kids pillows for me (I left them a note and asked if they would do that for me)
We stayed at POR Alligator Bayou in July 2010. It was our first time to WDW with our kids (we had been other times before they came along!), and we were very happy with the resort. There was plenty of room for me, my husband, and our 4 boys. We ended up not using the trundle bed, but it was nice to know it was there. There was also plenty of room for the 2 pack and plays we needed. Loved the landscaping, different pools (our kids preferred the quiet pool), and our favorite was the boat ride to DTD. We were close to a bus stop, and I think our longest wait for a bus was about 10 minutes. We ate pizza in the food court most evenings, and it was only $15 to feed our entire family. It was great having the refrigerator in our room for drinks and snacks. We also loved the general store. All in all, a great place to stay for a family.
You can actually take the boat to downtown Disney, which is an awesome ride…about 20 minutes I think.
Why did you choose this resort? We choose it because the price was right actually. It was cheaper under the deal than a value resort for some reason and it looked nice.
What were the resort rooms like? Were they big enough for your family? Did you find them to be acceptable? It was myself and my 18 year old god-daughter traveling and we had plenty of room. I also have health issues so I had a recliner delivered to the room as well a scooter rental that was in the room. We still had plenty of the room. The nicest thing for us was the double sink with mirrors that was outside the bathroom. We could do our make up at the same time!
What were the amenities of the resort like? What was your favorite one?
What was the food court like? Any favorite foods? The pizza was really good at the dining hall. I live in Chicago and everyone raves about Chicago pizza, this was up to par. Very good. They also had chicken strips, a sandwich place and some really good desert place too.
How were the resort buses? What was your walk to the bus stop like? How were the resorts bus stops at the parks? How far was the walk to the gates? How crowded were the buses at any given time? We were very close to our bus stop and have no complaints about the bus service. The buses were a little crowded in the morning, and there was a decent wait to get on at park closing, but other than that the bus service was good where we all had seats.
Would you stay at this resort again? If not, please provide a reason. Absolutely! And I recommend it to friends!!! It was great for the price and beautiful. We felt like we were actually in New Orleans. There were magnolias and everything. On some days, you can pay and have a horse drawn carriage ride.
I have stayed here on numerous occasions, and it is my “go-to” resort. Its beautiful, whether you are in the mansions or bayou. The food court is great and very scenic, and the dining option, Boatwrights, is great. They have the most amazing stuffed french toast!! I love that you can take the boat down the Sassagoula River to Downtown Disney, and that the buses are not too crazy to take either. I lovelovelove this resort and always recommend it!!
We have stayed at Port Orleans Riverside 3 times. Before staying there, we have stayed at Polynesian and Grand Floridian (years and years ago, back when my husband and I were both kids! He and I actually learned that we had been on one vacation at the same time, and could have maybe seen each other! :) and also at Animal Kingdom Lodge and Caribbean Beach. We would love to try other hotels, but since trying Port Orleans, we just keep coming back!! It is truly a moderate hotel – not cheap but not the cost of a kidney, spacious but not so spacious you’re not tripping over your kids stuff :)
We love many things about Port Orleans Riverside. The main pool is fantastic, my kids LOVE the waterslide! The food court has tons of choices (love the Mickey waffles, kids meals and the pasta bar!), and sitting near the water wheel is relaxing if you get there early in the morning before it gets too busy. In the same main building as the food court is a fire place, which my mom, MIL and I LOVE to sit in front of with our cups of coffee. We rent cars in Disney so I can’t vouch for the bus system and how well it works. The “campus” of POR is spread out, but it’s a beautiful walk with magnolia trees and the river. Closer to some of the rooms is a smaller pool, which is great if you have one kid that naps but another that doesn’t…one of you can stay back with the napper while your spouse takes the older one to the pool. :)
We think POR has everything we want in a Disney hotel. Not too expensive, big enough rooms, beautiful surroundings, GREAT pool (a BIG must for my fish children!), not too far from everything Disney…and call us crazy, but even in August we love sitting in front of that fireplace!
I think most people would like staying here, I can’t think of anything that’s not to like :)
I have stayed at Riverside 4 times, and I absolutely love it. The rooms were great. For the first 2 visits, we stayed in the Alligator Bayou which were a rustic theme. The second 2 times we stayed in the Magnolia rooms. Beautiful! This resort is very peaceful especially in the morning. The amenities were excellent, escpecially the ability to take the boat to Downtown Disney. Very romantic! The food court was delicious. We enjoy our meals at the “Colonel” is what my family likes to call it. The buses were good. They stop at four different stops throughout the resort. You just have to pick the one closest to your room.
I would most definitely state at Riverside again! It comes highly recommended!
We’ve stayed at this resort more times than I can count. We really enjoy the atmosphere and relaxing scenery. We’ve stayed in both sections and I can’t choose which is my favorite we just like to rotate each time!