Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside

I stayed here when it opened with my family in 1992 - the 25th Anniversary I believe. I have been to WDW several times since. This time it was with my son and his family - their first visit. I appreciated how the flora and fauna had grown and delighted in walks to the meal area. The room was quiet overall. No car noise, as I was facing the pool area. The doors are quiet and the curtains good to block the light. My only complaints would be hearing people peeing in the morning, literally and flushing. The cleaning was okay. They need to drop the price or make the beds every day. I don't go on holiday anywhere and have to make my bed every other day. The staff were remarkable in all areas. I only came across one that I wouldn't bother chatting with again. I stayed 9 nights and wouldn't do that again. The food got a repetitive after that long. Breakfasts were great but didn't use most days as we grabbed a bite in the parks.

We stayed at Port Orleans- Riverside for two nights. We paid a little extra for an upgraded room and it was absolutely worth it! We saw wild bunnies every day we were there. The resort is beautiful and the grounds are well maintained. There are a few options for dining, although I recommend taking the boat to Disney Springs for a better dining selection. The main pool is super fun for kids and features a little water slide. We also took a bus to the parks which is super convenient. We will be staying there again!

Having previously stayed at the deluxe Disney resorts, Wilderness Lodge and Beach Club, I was extremely pleasantly surprised by how wonderful Port Orleans Riverside is, given it is one of the “moderate” resorts. I had a lovely, immaculately clean room in building 80 Magnolia Bend. It wasn’t one of the recently updated ones but was still very beautifully appointed, comfortable and quiet. The thing I loved best about the hotel is the atmosphere. It is all based around the beautiful river which runs through it and really does have a New Orleans bayou vibe to it. It has a Wilderness Lodge feel to it as it is very “one with nature”. Unless you have a car I would definitely request a room close to reception as some of the buildings are a good 5-10 minute walk away. The boat to Disney Springs is a lovely and useful perk. The buses to the parks were frequent and fast. I would suggest getting on at the west or north bus stops at busy times of the day, to make sure the bus isn’t full when it gets to you. |All in all, I would definitely recommend this hotel for a Disney holiday. I think it’s fantastic value for money and we will 100% be returning.

This resort is so nice. It's quiet. Well kept. Very clean. The resort restaurant and food court is within walking distance to our room. Staff was nice and very helpful. My only complaint is the gift shop has a very strong floral scent that can give you a headache. We will be staying here again

This was our first Disney resort stay and it was incredible! The resort grounds are impeccable, the staff was outstanding, and the theming is so immersive! The Riverboat transportation to Disney Springs was a huge perk - it was so convenient and a much more enjoyable way to travel than taking the busses. We did the horse and carriage ride and it was such a great experience - very unique and memorable for our last night! We had a couple of issues with our room but I contacted Disney and they handled the situation professionally and prompt. Less than 2 hours after we got home, I booked another stay for later this year with the bounce back offer! LOVE that bounce back, and we CANNOT wait to come back! I could honestly spend a whole day at this resort and never leave - it’s a huge property and they have different dining options (quick service and sit down), plus 5 pools and one massive pool in the middle of the resort! I HIGHLY recommend this resort for your next Disney resort stay!

Gorgeous! ||Smells beautiful, looks beautiful. ||We had a great time. Smells and looks clean in room and in main lobby. ||We ate in the food court most days, have no complaints at all. All staff we encountered were friendly and happy to help. ||Buses can be busy and full, we did use Minnie van a few times as a treat! ||We would stay here again! ||We were in alligator bayou building 16.

We recently stayed in a Royal Guest Room at Port Orleans Riverside and were impressed by the theming—Disney really nailed the princess aesthetic. The headboard with its fireworks display was absolutely beautiful and added that special magical touch we were hoping for. We had requested a corner room and were happy to find that our request was granted. It gave us a bit more space and natural light, which was a lovely bonus. The only downside to our stay was an issue with the air conditioning unit, which leaked and made one side of the carpet wet. We reported it, and to their credit, the cast members responded quickly. However, the issue persisted throughout our stay. Thankfully, the wet area wasn’t in our walking path, so it didn’t disrupt us too much. That said, the room could benefit from refurbishment, which I understand is already in progress. We noticed some rooms had hardwood flooring—hopefully, that will become the standard, as we personally prefer that over carpet. On a more positive note, the lobby experience was wonderful. After a long journey, we were greeted immediately by friendly cast members, and our room was ready by noon—well ahead of the usual check-in time, which was a very welcome surprise. Despite the minor maintenance issue, we still had a magical stay. I’d happily return—especially once the refurbishments are complete.

Nice moderate level resort at Disney on the river with access to French quarter as well. Something to be prepared for here is it is a very large compound so you will do some walking most likely from parking lot to room, room to pool, room to dining, etc. it’s not really that much walking but after a 20k step day in the park it really seems like a lot of walking especially if your just visiting the fountain machine. Rooms were nice but small All the staff was great Quick service dining was good but not really blown away by anything. Mobile ordering is not up to date with what is offered in the food court (more options in person than mobile ordering) didn’t eat at the table service place but it looked nice The river roost bar/lounge and main pool are the stars of the show. Most of the week they have wacky bob jackson as the entertainer from 830-0000 and he is fantastic. Kids are welcome in the lounge and the bartenders were great. Large pool with slide and could usually find a spot to sit but it’s crowded most of the day. Some other amenities available we didn’t have time to try during our stay. Very beautiful grounds. Probably won’t stay here again with other resorts available but it’s a good place to stay if you are in the market for a moderate resort. Only transport available is buses to park. They have boats to Disney springs and French quarter

What a lovely place to stay! The look and feel of this resort is so romantic. The beautiful water and bridges, the Louisiana theming on all the buildings and in the rooms. It was very magical and the theme was so consistent. We loved the Ferrys, water wheel, and just everything. There are quick service and sit down places on resort which was convenient. Would def get breakfast on site before heading to a park! They have four bus stops that take you to parks and they come often. A few times they would be full for rope droppers, but there was usually space. Our room was large and had great theming. Big tv, comfy beds, lovely view. We didn't have kids with us and I felt like this was a great spot for an adult only stay because it was romantic and relaxing without being too cheesy.

I think the rating of this resort really depends on which building you are in. This time we were in Arcadian Manor. It is not updated to princess theme and has very very minimal princess and the frog theming. I was pretty disappointed after describing to my sister that she was about to experience what a room looks like if it threw up princess. We were just here for one night for the Dopey marathon, so it wasn't the end of the world, but I still wish I could show her what the princess theming looks like. We took the boat to Disney Springs and that was pretty neat. This is not an efficient way to travel though, especially if you are at the French Quarter. The boat starts at Riverside and goes to French Quarter before going on to Disney Springs so people at French Quarter were often stuck waiting for the next boat after us. We were lucky and always made it on the first boat, so I don't know how long it would have been before the next boat came. The trip to Disney Springs took around 20 minutes. As long as you have time and you view this as a leisurely way to travel, it is fun. I hate waiting though, so I'll probably skip it because I don't want to be stuck if I don't make the first boat. My thoughts about the rest of the resort still stands from my first review. I do like how this place has a ton of parking though, so that's never an issue if you're driving.

We chose to stay at Port Orleans Riverside because of the decent price, heard good things and we've tried pretty much all of the other moderate resorts. We went to the lobby to check in they surprisingly had a room ready for us at 9:30 AM. We were located in the Alligator Bayou which was a short 5 minute walk from the lobby. The resort itself was very nice. It kind of did feel like we were in the Bayou. I was shocked to find out that our building (and many of the others) did not have an elevator despite being two levels. Felt pretty bad for having my luggage delivered so I made sure to tip the employee well. Our room was pretty standard and clean with nice decoration. Really no complaints here. It was comfortable for the 3 nights we stayed. Our building was close to a bus stop and there were multiple stops around the resort to make things easy. The boat to Disney Springs gave us an extra transportation option aside from the bus. The Riverside Mill Food Court was convenient but the food was ok. Friendly staff from what we experienced. Not too bad of a stay. If I'm being honest, I loved the French Quarter (just visiting) a little better but Riverside is still a solid option.

Absolutely loved this resort. Worth it to go here instead of a value. There's a bar, full restaurant, and awesome grounds. Quick scenic walk to the smaller sister resort of French Quarter which has a splash pad for 4-8ish year olds and a little jazz club and beignet walk up stand. Horse and carriage rides available as an extra touch. The royal room locations are worth the premier room price, but those rooms themselves are outdated so I wouldn't suggest upgrading to them unless you want to be close to the lobby and pool. If you don't mind a walk, just go with the regular rooms.

The royal princess the room was great and we had the full dining plan. We used unreal credit for counter service here since the breakfast is huge! We also went and picked up beignets! Also huge and well worth it! Room was quiet and comfy. Word to the wise there are NO usb PLUGS! Yes this was a big issue.

We travel to Disney World a couple of times throughout the year. Instead of staying at Fort Wilderness cabins (no availability) or Reunion Resort - we decided to come to Riverside. The scenery here is incredible, their staff is amazing, their dining hall has multiple options (think of it like a giant cafeteria) and the rooms are cute - they have a princess room which we stayed at. We also have access to the bus system to travel to the parks. Lastly, they have a great store for merchandise. However, this place isn't perfect and there are a few things that don't make it 5 stars. We have had a couple snafus with the bus transportation. They were either taking way too long (to the point where we had theme park staff give us updates) or the driver wasn't pleasant. The rooms are pretty small and the walls aren't too thick. Meaning, we could hear the family next to us. They were very early risers and we were not. There also isn't a microwave so plan on eating all your meals out. So although this place is pretty awesome, it's not perfect. And maybe we got unlucky with the bus drivers and our neighbors - however we still had a really great time.

This is our second stay at Port Orleans Riverside. The property is beautiful, the kids love the pool, and I like that the grounds aren't too big for walking around to everything. The room is nice but ours had no microwave. I also wish the bathroom was slightly larger. We enjoy taking the boat over to Disney Springs. The location of this resort is great too because it's a very short bus ride to all of the Disney parks. The food in the cafeteria is good for a Disney hotel, fairly standard. My son enjoyed some fishing before heading to the parks. I also saw people on a horse drawn carriage ride, which I would have loved to do!

I love everything about this resort. The laid back atmosphere, the quiet, the amount of pools, the fishing hole, and the fact that you can bring your dog :) If you want direct access to the parks this isn't your hotel but if you are ok with a more low key vacation then you found it. It's fantastic! I highly recommend renting a surrey to ride around on... the kids loved it but the parents get a workout. Food apps at the bar area were TERRIFIC but the food court food isn't my favorite.

My husband and I spent our honeymoon here. It's such a romantic and relaxing straight away from the loud parks. We got stuck here during Milton and the accommodations were unlike anything I have ever experienced. I will be staying here every time

This is one of our favorite hotels in terms of ambiance and decor. It's not crowded while walking around but the bus stop was crowded, which is why I took a star off. We had to wait 45 minutes to get to Disney Springs and could not take the boats since there were already too many people. The royal rooms were super cute! You could definitely see some wear and tear on them. We love the landscaping and the fountains. The main pool was crowded but we were able to get chairs. The quiet pool was less crowded.

We recently stayed at Port Orleans Riverside for a weekend staycation with some friends and my sister. We had two rooms that were adjoining. We did specifically call and ask for that, we were told they would do their best but not guaranteed. This is one of their moderate resorts so the prices can be very reasonable at times. This resort is located in the Disney Springs area so it is close to Disney Springs. It is also the sister to Disney Port Orleans French Quarter. Riverside is more of a country living resort, with plantation houses and magnolia court. Its very peaceful and quant. I absolutely love it and have been staying here since I was young. My sister and I actually had a blast reminiscing of when we stayed as little girls. Check out is standard, 11 am, but you can ask for a late check out. And check in is at 3pm. We actually got there around 8 in the morning and our rooms were not ready, we easily left the luggage with bell services for them to bring it over to the room later. Our room was ready around 10:30/11 but we were at the park. Our friend's room was not ready till around 4/430pm and they were upset with that. It is really nice to have your room ready as soon as possible and earliest as possible but I know this is a very large resort and if there are a lot of check outs, it will take them longer to clean. If this happens to you, I would just suggest calling the desk or better yet, if you are not at a park, going to the front desk. For us, I think it was because we asked for adjoining rooms and one was not ready. The resort itself is very large. There are lots of walking paths, and river views. They also have lots of different buildings. What I really appreciate is that they have multiple bus stops throughout the resort so if your building is further away from the main stop, you are not having to walk so far at the end of the night. They also have a quick service food hall serving breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as snacks and drinks. They also have a sit-down restaurant with table service. They also have a few pools around the resort with the largest pool by the main building. They also have different recreational activities such as bike rentals and boat rentals and my personal favorite, the horse drawn carriage rides at night. These are all an additional cost but so worth it if you are trying to spend time at the resort. My favorite thing about this resort is the boat transportation to French Quarter and Disney Springs. The boat ride is so peaceful and quiet. My husband and I will sometimes just take the boat around when we visit Disney Springs. The rooms themselves are very nice. They have a nice table with chairs and either two "queen" beds or a king. The queen beds are smaller more like a full. They also have a tub/shower and sink area with 2 sinks. They have a nice curtain as well so someone can be changing while someone else is in the shower. Some of their rooms have been converted to princess rooms which offers a more beautiful room with decorations. The other really nice thing is the mini fridge in every room. This is a really nice additional touch. Most of the buildings are two story and I did not see an elevator. You should ask for first floor if you cannot do stairs. All in all this is a great resort! It has beautiful rooms, beautiful views, lots to do, different types of transportation and just an overall lovely stay. I would highly recommend staying here. Great job Disney!

Had a lovely stay at this beautiful resort! The property is absolutely stunning. Lobby is lovely and clean. Boat service available to Disney Springs and is fun to take! Buses are also available for Disney Springs and all of the parks! Our room was so clean and when it was cleaned by house keeping it was also very tidy when we came back. The room is so immersive into the Bayou theme. Definitely a lot of fun and worth staying at this resort. Cast members here are lovely.

Port Orleans Riverside is a wonderful hotel choice for families taking a trip to Disney world. Free bus transportation onsite will cover all your park transportation needs and there is free boat transportation (about a 15 minute ride) to Disney Springs. Riverside allows requests for early check-in and our room was ready for us by 9:30am the day of arrival. They also held our luggage after check-out on our final day so that we could go do things prior to our evening flight. The property consists of 3 dining options, a small convenient store, a pool with a water slide, playground, daily scheduled kid activities, bell service, disney character appearances (we met Snow White!), walking trails, and friendly staff willing to help with absolutely everything you need! My daughter loved staying in the princess themed royal room and enjoyed the in-room 'Hey Disney" device that entertains kids with stories and adults for room service needs. We will definitely be back again

Port Orleans Riverside is a pretty good "moderate" level resort owned and operated by Walt Disney World. Staying here will qualify you for "on property" benefits, including early entry into parks. The resort is centrally located and is fairly close to EPCOT (although there's no way you could walk there), Hollywood Studios, and Disney Springs, and about equal distance from Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom. Bus transportation is the main way to get to all but Disney Springs, and we had good luck with busses running on time based on the app. While there are relatively minor upgrades to the actual rooms at moderate resorts compared to value resorts, the main difference is the shared amenities. Port Orleans Riverside has some really cool and unique "moderate" level amenities, but also has a few so/so amenities as well. The grounds are nice, although super spread out, so you might have a long walk to/from the lobby (there are multiple bus stops though). The main pool is fairly large and has an ok theming, with a smaller waterslide and an ok pool bar. There's other pools spread throughout the resort, but they are not really remarkable at all. The main lobby is comfortable but, again, nothing special. The sit-down restaurant is just a so/so option compared to restaurants at other moderate resorts; you can read reviews about it on its own yelp page, but the point is that I would not choose to stay here based on the food. The main food court is also just so/so, and while the breakfast was fairly good, the lunch and dinner options were only moderately appealing. There are some fairly unique amenities at this resort that many others do not have. First, you can rent both normal bikes and "surley" bikes (the kind that sit four people where everyone pedals); it's a nice ride around the resort. There's also a fishing area, where you can rent poles and bait for a fairly small fee. We didn't catch anything, but it was fun to do as a family. There are horse and carriage rides every night; they are pricy, but we saw a lot of people doing them. The playground is also cool, and the resort has character meet and greets every day. Also, they have a live piano player in their main bar, but only 5 nights per week. There's a boat that will take you (for free) to Disney Springs, and this is a really nice boat ride, especially near sunset. We took it twice and enjoyed it both times. Our room itself was fine; it was not special by any means, and barely better than a value room, but it was clean and everything worked. Be warned, most buildings have elevators, but not all of them. All in all, this is a fine option as a place to stay at Disney, especially if you can find a room in a lower price range than other moderate resorts, or if the unique amenities here appeal to you.

Warning: no elevators. Be sure to request first floor if you need stroller/wheelchair access. I wish I knew this ahead of time. This is the reason for my four star. I wish they informed us in an email or something before our arrival. Our room was on the North side, somewhat far across the other side of the lobby, which was on the south side. We walked around our building to look for an elevator. Had to take all of our bags, kids, and strollers up the stairs. Stayed there for two nights until they were able to switch rooms for us. Thankful for that. Bell boys can help too. I feel bad for those who have to bring things up and down the stairs. They don't have microwave in rooms but May request one. They also have microwave in cafeteria. They have hot water available. As a vegetarian, the breakfast is good. Of course not great quality but it does the job. Hard to find options for lunch and dinner. Best to go out to Disney springs. They have 3 boats running every 10-15 minutes to Disney springs. Love this option. They have 4 bus stop locations to take you to the parks. Pools are open from 10-10 i believe. They have a kiddie pool that's 1 feet high. They offer life jackets. Even has a water slide. Pretty fun. It's heated but still a bit chilly for me since it was cold out. They even have a little playground for the kids to play. Customer service is great. The place has a cute vibe. Pretty scenic. I couldn't hear anything from next door so either the walls are thick or there weren't any kids next to us. We heard everything upstairs though. The toilet flush is very strong so we heard all of our neighbors flush each time. They have "golf carts" driving around all the time and it's loud. Probably the 2nd floor guests calling the bell service to help bring stuff up and down :D. Bad if you're sensitive to sound. They have bikes to rent, including multiple person bikes. You can ride a horse carriage around. Pretty cool options. Overall loved my experience besides staying upstairs.

Welcome to one of my newest favorite resorts on WDW property! I knew NOTHING about this resort prior to my visit and I was so pleasantly surprised! The theming is so peaceful! I loved having that separation from the hectic-energy of the parks! This moderate resort is much quieter than that of a value resort, where you are more likely to experience guests in large tour groups/sports teams. I found myself eager to wander the beautiful grounds Port Orleans Riverside had to offer! The pool was also very nice! The Riverside Mill Food Court was INCREDIBLY accommodating when it came to our group's food allergy! The head chef was kind enough to come out from the kitchen and introduce himself. He also gave us some tips on how to navigate an allergy in the parks! We were very grateful to him. In the spirit of trying new things, we booked a "Royal Guest Room"- or as we called it, the Princess Room! The theming was SO CUTE! I know that you typically don't spend a lot of time in your room when at Disney World, but the details put into this make the experience so worth it! I'd especially recommend it if you have a little one who really likes the princesses. My only wish? More transportation. Caribbean Beach (another moderate resort) is spoiled with the Skyliner! Overall, I would recommend this resort to anyone looking for a Moderate level property!

STOP DELETING THIRDS POST SECOND POST - FIRST WAS DELETED This resort was the worst I have ever stayed at. Our first night there we ordered dinner through Uber Eats. It was almost 200.00, as we sat at the table in our room a roach crawled up the wall. I killed it and called the front desk. Dolly who answered asked me if I wanted someone to come kill it. LOL no I took care of that what I want is a clean room. They said they would exterminate the following day. They did not. The next day they exterminated, I guess we were not there. The room was so dusty everyone left stopped up. Pictures and videos attached. I spoke to a manager who said that was not acceptable and she would get with another manager and someone would contact me. Never happened. I know if there was 1 roach there was a family somewhere, and our room could not have been the only one. During check in I asked if the pool was heated and as told "Unfortunately not" it was. So my child did not have the opportunity to enjoy that amenity. I also asked the same lady for a late check out since our flight was in the evening. She said "no problem" yet house keeping barged in our room at 9:30. Regular check out is 11:00. So we had to rush and get out of the room and sit around until we could go to the airport. This resort was a complete waste of money. Holiday Inn would have been a better option. The first picture is where I killed the roach on the wall, the second picture is the dust under the bed and the third picture is the dust on the headboard. Before giving my review, I gave the manager time to talk to me and make the situation better but they failed. I am one person and my complaint might not mean anything to them, but DO NOT WASTE your money at this resort. Reading other reviews its obvious they dont clean and have roaches, nor do they care. The staff was extremely unfriendly and unhelpful. Stay clear from this dump.

We recently stayed at Port Orleans Riverside for a weekend staycation with our friends and my sister in law. Riverside is more of a country living resort, with plantation houses and magnolia court. The resort itself is very large. There are lots of walking paths, and river views. What I really appreciate is that they have multiple bus stops throughout the resort so if your building is further away from the main stop, you are not having to walk so far at the end of the night. Another thing they offer is that have a quick service food hall serving breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as snacks and drinks. They also have a sit-down restaurant with table service. Other things that are offered are a few pools around the resort with the largest pool by the main building, different recreational activities such as bike rentals and boat rentals and a favorite, of my wife the horse drawn carriage rides at night. These are all an additional cost but so worth it if you are trying to spend time at the resort. Back to our experience though. We had two rooms that were adjoining. We did specifically call and ask for that, we were told they would do their best but not guaranteed. Check out is standard, 11 am, but you can ask for a late check out. And check in is at 3pm. We actually got there around 8 in the morning and our rooms were not ready, we easily left the luggage with bell services for them to bring it over to the room later. Our room was ready around 10:30/11 but we were at the park. Our friend's room was not ready till around 4/430pm and they were upset with that. It is really nice to have your room ready as soon as possible and earliest as possible but I know this is a very large resort and if there are a lot of check outs, it will take them longer to clean. If this happens to you, I would just suggest calling the desk or better yet, if you are not at a park, going to the front desk. For us, I think it was because we asked for adjoining rooms and one was not ready. The rooms themselves are very nice. They have a nice table with chairs and either two "queen" beds or a king. The queen beds are smaller more like a full. They also have a tub/shower and sink area with 2 sinks. They have a nice curtain as well so someone can be changing while someone else is in the shower. Some of their rooms have been converted to princess rooms which offers a more beautiful room with decorations. The other really nice thing is the mini fridge in every room. This is a really nice additional touch. Most of the buildings are two story and I did not see an elevator. You should ask for first floor if you cannot do stairs. All in all this is a great resort! It has beautiful rooms, beautiful views, lots to do, different types of transportation and just an overall lovely stay. I would highly recommend staying here.

Port Orleans was my first resort stay at WDW in the 90s and I was so glad to revisit it in October of this year. We stayed for four nights. The linens and mattresses were comfortable. The bathroom has a makeup mirror. :) A Princess Tiana curtain divides the outer bathroom from the sleeping area. Definitely turn on the bathroom light so you can see her illuminated. Our room had framed wall art of a riverboat. I'd like to see what artwork the other rooms feature. Beyond our room, we appreciated the water wheel, the landscaping, the mansion looks, the Spanish moss-draped trees. We visited the Mercantile on our last day. It's a Disney merch shop as we remembered them from our respective visits in years past. I swam in the pool only briefly. The water was fine, but the air was chilly, and I'm more fair-weathered now than I was then. The boat to Disney Springs is a functional attraction. We rode by Fort Wilderness and I don't recall which other resorts. We took this boat twice and the second time it was raining. Disney cast members at the boat dock offered us towels. Isn't that so nice? Room for improvement: have less stuff on the shared nightstand as it's so small. And a little more space between the bed and the bathroom wall, please, as people have difficulty getting off the bed on that side.

Our go to resort for Disney. They are very accommodating and service is great. Mouskeeper we had was nice and very talkative while cleaning our room. This is the only resort we stay at.

I had a family member stay here while visiting in town and it is so pretty! Disney Resorts always have restaurants, cafes, and many little shops in them, this one being that way as well. The store here was pretty well stocked with essentials if you forgot something on your trip, but there's also some nice extras as well like bottles of wine or mini champagne if you have something to celebrate in your room! The grounds are massive - there is a lot of walking opportunity, also very pretty out and about. There are several pools, if you want to walk that far to venture them all. There is a water taxi boat which is a really nice touch acknowledging that it may be a lot for some people to get around otherwise, also just a cute little option to really feel immersed in this other-worldly spot on property!

Although we only stayed one night and it poured rain, I still fell in love with this resort. The architecture, trees, plants, and waterways are such a beautiful southern vibe. Disney just knows how to perfect things. The added Spanish moss hanging in the trees truly makes you feel like you're in the south. We stayed in a deluxe princess room with water view and the little details were so fun. On the walls were photos of the princess and silhouettes of the princes. The headboards to the bed were pretty artwork that had built in lights that flashed like fireworks. Even the faucets were genie lamps. I woke early to walk the premises and it was so peaceful. Great place for runners with so many walkways and bridges. The food court was large and some supervision extras like gumbo and jambalaya. Just an overall dreamy resort

Had a nice stay-cation for my wife's birthday and it was a pleasure to stay there. The resort was nice and clean and quiet and felt like we were right in the middle of the country. I would give it 5 stars because we had an issue getting our room but at the end of the day we got it and enjoyed our weekend! We would still go there again in the future and I recommend it!

Absolutely loved our stay here! So peaceful and pretty. The grounds are lush with lakes, gorgeous trees and flowers. Our room was very clean and I am very picky with hard wood, low allergy, easy to clean floors. Coffee,tea,shampoo,conditioner,lotion,soap and body wash. Safe and mini refrigerator. Air conditioning was nice and cool! Just note: takes a while to get everywhere. We think it adds to the charm. We walked through the acreage and loved seeing all the pools, swampy areas, birds. Parking can be close to rooms. There are a few bus stops around the grounds but give yourself a good 30-40+ minutes between waiting for buses and getting to a park. The boat takes you to Port Orleans French Quarter(different resort) and Disney Springs. We love it but it can easily take over half hour. The lobby is very pretty with easy check in. The Riverside Mill cafeteria offered many options with reasonable prices for large portions. Boatwrights restaurant was delish and pretty with great service. Market and souvenirs on site, costly (one beer $10) but lots of options. Boat ride over to the French Quarter for beignets as well as the Scat Cat lounge for boozy beignets and sometimes live music! Several pools on site and the main watering hole is so much fun with lots of games and extras. Horse drawn carriages, surrey rentals and just the prettiest grounds. Really enjoyed our stay

I am thankful that I live close enough to Disney to be able to book mini weekend vacations at their resorts. This was the first time I stayed at Riverside. I have stayed at French Quarter in the past which is right next door and a quick walk along the river with beautiful views. Riverside felt more elegant and has a peaceful vibe. The property was quiet and I never heard any noises from other rooms. I was disappointed that the fan in my room wobbled and was so noisy that I was not able to use it. I called guest services and they were able to provide a box fan which was nice although, for the amount of money paid each night there should be no issues with amenities in the rooms. I have stayed at Coronado Springs which was about the same price but newer so therefore, more up to date than this hotel. I hope one day Disney will update the bathroom shower curtains and the curtain separating the bedroom from the bathroom vanity area to something more modern than a blackout curtain. I love the fact that you can take the waterway transportation to Disney Springs and that this resort has such beautiful walking areas. Overall I would stay here again but next on the list is Saratoga Springs!

If you are looking for a quiet WDW hotel with Disney vibes but not too much and is on Disney property, THIS IS THE PLACE. I was here from May 8th-12th, 2023 in room Alligatorory Bayou Lodge 34 (3412). *Keep in mind that Port Orleans is broken into two hotels (French Quarter and Riverside). They are both great but definitely have different vibes. French is more Mardi Gras themed and Riverside is old plantation mansions-themed and swampy/bayou themed. You can walk, shuttle, or boat between them. I was staying in Riverside. My group utilized the WDW app so that we could check into the hotel in advance and instead of physically going to the main lobby, we could go directly to the room. Your phone is the room key. We were right next to the West Depot bus pick up which was great since it is the first stop on the route so not busy. Tip: -On the app, ask for a room near a bus stop. It goes in a certain order- (West, North, East, South/Lobby) -If you have 3+ people, get the 5th sleeper room so then everyone gets their own bed/generally has more room -Walk the property as it is gorgeous -Riverside and French Quarter are considered "Disney Springs Hotels" as they are the closest to that. Make sure to take mini riverboats over to the shops and restaurants. Overall, a great trip!

I was kind of concerned at reading these reviews, as I'd already booked our vacation at Riverside. But we sucked it up and stuck with Riverside- and it was AMAZING. I don't want to downplay other people's experiences, but ours was flawless! Our room was wonderful, beds were comfortable, grounds were gorgeous, and food is good at the cafeteria! Took the buses all over to the different parks, and of course they're packed and stuff, but that's life! This is most definitely going to be our go-to hotel from now on!

Of the port orleans resorts, Riverside was not my favorite. Alot of the buildings are two story so there are no elevators. The nicer buildings are a long walk away from the main building. The grounds are beautiful to walk though. We had issues with this resort, our bands weren't pairing, our cards weren't pairing neither. Thankfully my app paired and opened the door. But after climbing the stairs with all our luggage after a long travel and park day, walking to the main house to pair everything was not in the cards that night. What annoyed me was that we checked in upfront, because this has been the one resort, where our room was not loading onto the app, so we had to go to the lobby. The CM who checked us in assured us that our cards and bands were linked. So when we trekked our way through the winding trail to our building then up the stairs, to our room, and found out it wasn't we were not pleased at all. Then next day our AC gave out in the early part of the night. They sent maintenance out, they had to replace the whole unit at 11pm. So we were up super late again while they went to go find a new unit, have it delivered and installed. Food offerings for the resort are not the best. Day 2 we tried the resort food, we got the roasted chicken, and it was still raw. So we were nervous the next 2 days of getting sick. We tried Boatwrights Dining Hall, it was terrible. The food had all the same seasoning, and it was really salty. Even the mac n cheese was topping with the seasoning. A benefit to this resort are the boats that take you to french quarter and disney springs. It is a relaxing ride with beautiful views. Another benefit to being at this resort, are the scurry bike rentals and the horse drawn carriages (those are an extra fee and booking). Sadly our horse carriage experience was canceled 5mins before due to upcoming thunderstorms. They do text you and keep you updated if there is a potential of being canceled. But you can still visit the horses, if it's raining, they will have the horse stay in the front underneath the overhang for loading until they are brought safety to the stables. Overall in comparison to french quarter and Riverside. French quarter was the better stay and overall experience in comparison to Riverside.

We came here to stay for our Diwali performance at Disney and our stay was not good. Upon entering the room there was trash on the floor, it was dirty and not clean at all. We also requested housekeeping one day because our sheets were wet and we had to wait 3 hours for the sheets to come and we had to put them on ourselves. When we checked in this rude lady named Annette did not help us at all. Disney created our rooms and they put 4 minors in a room, and that was against their policy. So we weren't able to check in that room but wanted to check in a room with an adult in it but she kept going back to the other room and Annette was not helpful at all. The manager also did not help us much but finally got us checked into our room.

I stayed here last September and thought that it was fantastic. The resort is very quiet and spacious. Depending on where your room is located you may have a long walk to the pool, guest services, dining, and transportation. Even in the 95 degree weather we enjoyed walking around. Our room was a good size for the two of us. It had two queen beds, but I think the room might have felt cramped if there were more than two of us staying in it. The bathroom was on the smaller side, but did have two sinks which was useful. The transportation is one of the big perks staying here. The bus is very convenient no matter which park you are traveling to, and there are multiple bus stops at the resort so you do not have to walk very far. They also have a boat that goes to Port Orleans French Quarter and Disney Springs. This was especially convenient on our off days from the park. With these two transportation options offered there is no need for a car (but you will need to get a taxi/ride share to the airport or outside of WDW properties). The food was pretty good. One of us is vegetarian and the other is vegan, and we felt that there were enough options for each meal period. They have pre packed overnight oats in the fridge that were delicious. Everything is clearly marked if it is plant based. Other amenities at the resort include an arcade (complete with guitar hero), a nice table service restaurant, a moderately sized store (Disney merchandise, some food and drink options, and toiletries), and pool. They even have horse drawn carriages you can book if you are interested. We plan to stay here again if we come back to WDW!

My husband and I loved our honeymoon stay at Port Orleans Riverside! We came to Disney right after our wedding and it made our getaway feel even more magical -- our room was ready way before we were expecting and not far from the bus stop. The food court is much bigger than the one in the French Quarter area, although the Mickey-shaped beignets are there and worth the short walk. We loved our horse drawn carriage ride and the boat to Disney Springs!

Just got home, so sad to end a vacation. We all had a blast. Loved the hotel, daughter absolutely loved the princess suite. Definitely worth the few extra $$ everyone was super friendly, very helpful. Very well kept and clean. Taking the bus to the parks we're super helpful, just be sure to know which stop you get off on (there are 4 stops) we'll plan better next time to enjoy more of the amenities around the hotel.

We have stayed at several WDW resorts, our go to's are usually resorts in the monorail but this time we decided to stay at a less expensive Disney resort. All I can say is you definitely pay for what you get. We wanted to like this resort and it was not too bad but it was missing something. The staff was kind, there is complimentary transportation via bus to the parks, and the grounds are beautiful and peaceful, but the hotel just didn't add up for us. I couldn't get past the rooms, which reminded me of a decked out Days Inn room. You pay for a view, but most of the time our curtains wound up closed because otherwise everyone passing by can see into your room. Unlike deluxe or resorts on the monorail line, these rooms have the door and window next to each other and an AC unit in front of the window. We paid for a river view, but what you see is the outside corridor and rails, some of the grounds and then the river in the distance, maybe 100 ft away. We opted for a Royal room with river view and let's just say the pictures online are quite deceiving. While it's decorated with Disney flare, the room was dark and dank. I don't know if our room was missing items or if that's how they all are, but in the picture you see beds with decorative pillow and runner and ours didn't have that. We were also missing much of the toiletries that we usually find in the WDW resorts except for the lotion. At night, the AC was loud and rackety, and you couldn't change the temperature or speed of the fan (you could try but it wouldn't do anything). The pro was that the grounds are so nice and quiet and the walk along the river is peaceful. If you get a royal room, the theme is pretty and the headboards have little light displays of fireworks. The cons are that it can get confusing finding your room in the grounds as there are multiple buildings and their respective parking lots. Everything felt far away. Our stay didn't feel as magical because it feels like we were somewhat catfished with the rooms, and they felt like revamped motel rooms. I did not like not being able to have privacy with our view.

A vacation can be as magical as you set out to make it and share in being present with loved ones. Planning well in advance and having a 5 year old ask with excitement every day for months when we were going to Disney, we assumed selecting a Disney Resort would help avoid any issues. After a 16-hour drive, we were excited to arrive at Port Orleans only to find Disney standards have greatly changed. The first room was filthy and also appeared to have what appeared to be bodily fluids clearly visible on surface areas. Assuming the room had not been cleaned (someone used the toliet and it had not been flushed) and an error, we called for a room change. We were told it would take a while for someone to get back to us, but we could go to the lobby and find help there. This took time and more waiting, but Tracy in the lobby was the only experience I had of someone polite and professional. She waited with me while a room change was permitted and was very understanding. No manager came to speak with me. We were given a second room, which was worse than the first when we got into it. At this point, I have a very tired five year old, and after the long drive, we just wanted a clean room. Again, the hold times and waiting, then told to wait even longer for a manager to call us back. (THE ROOM WAS SO DIRTY WE COULD NOT ALLOW OUR LITTLE ONE TO SIT ANYWHERE SO WAITED OUTSIDE) A manager finally spoke to me and appeared apologetic but talked "at me," not with me. I felt like I was being treated like I was trying to get a reduced price. All we wanted was a clean room to enjoy our vacation. This was confirmed when they put me on hold (or so they thought), and I could hear them laughing and talking. Finally, they said it would be another hour, but they would have the head of housekeeping personally inspect and get a room ready. The manager then insults me telling me she would leave a voucher for me for a meal of window food at the resort. When I asked if they had another resort opening, she used the words, "I can not reduce your cost, and you would have to pay more to go to another level resort (We were at their mid level). She treated me like I was simply being a bother, trying to get a discount and talked down to me. WE JUST WANTED THE STANDARD OF WHAT WE ASSUMED WE WOULD GET WITH A Disney RESORT, A CLEAN ROOM! Exhausted, when we finally got into the third room, I felt near tears when it held less visible stains, but dirt remained on the edges, and hair was in the tub along with soap scum. The resort grounds were well kept and location convenient. At this point, I decided to clean the room myself and make the best of it, trying to put aside the 1 star standard of clean we were paying for at a Disney Resort price. I did not call back a third time because of how insulted the manager left me feeling, and it made me very uncomfortable to be treated as I had experienced. When we ordered food one night on the way back from a park, I arrived to pick it up, and they told me they only made half because they were out of the barbaque sandwich. They were closing, and with it being late, I asked why they had not called me and let me know so I could order something else. They had no answer for me, just apologized and handed me the bag. The Disney magic that people expect to get at a Disney resort and standards will not be found here. Some of my laundry was stolen (I take accountability for having left it for a few minutes to use the restroom) when I did some laundry, just further giving an example of the negative experience you do not expect at a Disney Resort. We held a mindset to make the vacation memorable for our little one and stayed positive, but that required us excepting we were scammed by this Disney Resort, in modern times, a bully, so large this review will likely not change anything but hopefully help another family avoid this situation.

The lady at check in knew ZERO.She was nice but not useful. She finally said it's not her normal resort, but she also didn't know things about any of Disney. Like ?? I've never been here so between the app and size of the resort, I was lost. It wasn't that busy here even though it's holiday season. Guess I know why it's not busy Housekeeping gave us 3 rooms that were not fully clean or equipped. Not ONE had laundry bags and tags like required. One room had a dirty washcloth just sitting in the shower wet. One had no coffee at all. These are 3 identical rooms. Ok not a huge deal. I thought Disney was hugely regimented from what former cast members say online but maybe not. Ok. SO when I called for laundry service, the front desk had to ask housekeeping to bring me a laundry bag and tag. They kept saying it was coming, even though I called 4 times over a 90-minute period to keep requesting bags and slips. Nothing. Know what the front desk didn't tell me? That I could walk to the front desk and get them myself from there, fill out the slips, fill the laundry bag, and go bring it back up myself. At least it would be done! Anyway before I found that out, I spoke with the alleged supervisor Virginia who made things monumentally worse. I didn't ask to speak to her. Someone who was probably trying to be helpful transferred me. She was fake nice in a sarcastic way and basically refused to help. I was confused, which was my primary feeling from the moment I stepped foot here. Why did she start out like this? She wasn't helping at all - I almost wondered if I was talking to AI and I still think I may have been honestly. But the sarcasm? So maybe not. I asked her if she could have one of the bell team come up and I would be happy to tip them. I didn't want to leave my mentally disabled son in the connecting room alone so I could go retrieve the items myself. She said well I can't send bell services because they don't have the slips and the bags. I said but I was already told that they're also at the front desk and the bell services are 20 feet away. Can't you just ask them to do it? No, because they don't have the slips and the tags. Am I in a twilight zone? I said well why don't you just give them the slips and the tags and ask them to do it. I'll pay them. And she said well I feel like we're going back-and-forth. (Yeah because that's obviously what you wanted lady). She 100% slyly escalated things because she could. 90 minutes is fine to wait because life isn't immediate, but this conversation actually wasn't fine. She said well I feel like I've helped you the best that I can. Nah you did not. You helped me the least you could and made it worse on purpose. I wanted to go to sleep an hour ago, but I've been waiting 90 minutes and counting to resolve something that should have been in the room when I checked in. So. This is only day 2. Yay

This is my personal favorite place to stay in Orlando. I love the laid back atmosphere and the spaciousness of this resort. It's nice not having everything on top of each other. Also has easy access to Disney springs, French quarter and the busses that will take you to any other Disney property. Also, this resort is very kid friendly there's pools all over, play grounds and a short walk to the splash pad at French quarter.

Solid week stay. Like all moderate resorts, it's spacious so be prepared to do some walking. Although...I don't think it's spread out as Caribbean Beach Resort. To be honest, from our building to any of the amenities such as Ol Mans Island pool or to the check in lobby, the walk was only about 5-10 minutes. I preferred to stay at the Magnolia Bend section versus Alligator Bayou because I just love the mansion style and architecture....so gorgeous and classy looking. We stayed in building 80 Acadian House. The order of the four bus stops are as follows: West, North (building 80 & 81's bus stop), East and South (main entrance). We rope dropped on all our park days and buses were on schedule and frequent. And this is where the review went from 5 stars to 4. Upon entering our room....everything looked clean to the naked eye. But when I went to grab one of the hand/face towels after washing my hands, there was a short black coarse hair intertwined in the towel. Okay gross, might have been just a missed one the washing machines didn't thoroughly wash. But later on that evening after taking a shower and grabbing a body towel from the bathroom rack, there was a long piece of hair stuck in that towel!!!!! Now I'm beginning to assume housekeeping is being lazy and did not remove the unused towels from the previous guests. That or the laundry department is carelessly washing towels/linens. At least the rest of the towels we grabbed throughout the week was free of stains and hairs. We enjoyed taking the boat to Disney Springs....such a serene ride. Also enjoyed Ol Mans Island pool for our rest day. Special shout out to the life guards, they were diligently walking back and forth within their sections and one even saved a little boy from potentially drowning! He was so quick with his actions and quickly jumped in to save the boy all within a matter of 3 seconds! Loved every part of the pool area and the pool bar got some delicious drinks. All in all, the grounds here are kept beautifully and clean. We enjoyed everything Port Orleans Riverside had to offer. If the price was right, we will stay here again...no hesitations.

My husband and I had such a wonderful stay at this resort. We decided to stay here because we love New Orleans. The property was huge, but very easy to get around. There's plenty of transportation to all of the parks and Disney springs, including the boat which was the best way to get to the other side of the property. They had live entertainment at the bar nightly and the Mickey beignets were the cutest and actually very delicious without any of the dipping sauces. I will add that if you have anyone who can't quit use stairs their is no elevators to get to the rooms. One of the best perks here is free parking. I'll end it with the view is breathtaking, it really makes you feel like you're in beautiful New Orleans.

Stayed here for about a week after coming off a Disney Wish cruise with the family. This resort is a great value. A very well run pool, with many smaller pools, a huge cafeteria, one decent restaurant, and a convenient general store. Transportation via slow boat or the bus shuttles - it doesn't get much better than this. For those who have trouble walking longer distances day after day - relatively speaking - I can see how this sort of layout could be a challenge.

Big fan of this resort if you are a nature lover! Also great backdrops for romantic photos. The boat takes you to Disney Springs and the shuttles go to the parks.

Loved our stay at Port Orleans Riverside!! I loved that the resort is spread apart but still very walkable from main building. They had smaller pools scattered around the resort. Our room was a quick walk to the bus stop to get to the parks. Loved that we could take the water boat to French quarters and Disney springs. Good pricing for what you get. I would definitely stay again.

My family of four stayed here for four nights at an average of $400 per night. Our room was Disney Princess's themed with Tiana as the main character. Our room faced the pool, which had an extra cost. The two queen beds and pillows were very comfy. No in room microwave, but refrigerator worked really well. The bathroom was very small, but there were two sinks. Water pressure was weak, but water was hot. There was an on-site general store/gift shop, restaurant, bar, and food court. The foods were not bad and were not expensive. Buses and boats were available to get to and from various Disney parks and attractions. The staff were absolutely wonderful and helpful. We had issues with our Disney phone app. The front desk was able to fix it quickly. Housekeeping was so friendly and prompt when we needed service. Extremely large free parking lot for those with own transportation. We were glad we stayed within the Disney complex, no regrets.

Nothing fancy. Has what you need and it's definitely nice to be within Disney and just hop on a bus to go to the parks. The rooms were spacious enough. Service was good. Not sure I would stay again but it's a somewhat more affordable option compared to other Disney resorts. I really liked the NOLA vibes.

We absolutely love Port Orleans Riverside. It is a huge resort, but the way it is laid out gives it a remote, smaller feel. We love the Alligator Bend side of the resort and the bayou feel. You can easily hop aboard the Sassagoula River shuttle over to the French Quarter to grab a few Beignets or continue on to Disney Springs for countless food and entertainment options. The regular shuttle to the parks is fast and convenient as well.

Use to love this resort until today when we were put in a building on the 2nd level with NO ELEVATOR like wtf how are people that CAN NOT physically walk up stairs supposed to get up to their room with ALL THEIR LUGGAGE!!!!

Many friendly staff. Very responsive housekeeping. The employees took care of us during hurricane Milton. Allergy friendly options were easy once we figured out to go directly to the allergen chef line. So wonderful to us. Pools were clean and safe. Rooms were small and need updating/steam cleaned.

This resort is a very cute and more affordable place to stay; at least in January ;) My sister picked this location since our kids are obsessed with Princess Tianna and it doesn't disappoint. The rooms are a little compact; we are on the Bayou side (Alligator Alley, or something like that). If you like your space for your family you might want to consider something different but considering we are only staying 2 nights; it works. Our room had 2 beds plus a pull down bed which was perfect for our family of 5. The bathroom space is a little tight; so it's definitely nice there is an area you can "close off" to change for some privacy. There are about 3 different food locations I have been able to find but if you get in late (which we did because of delays) be prepared to order out as everything officially closes at midnight. I will say one of the "characters" was very nice and gave us some salads, crustables and parfaits for the kids since we were not going to be able to feed them for the night and it was GREATLY appreciated. There is plenty of transportation to get around DISNEY World and even a boat that will take you over to DISNEY Springs; it's about a 20 min ride. I recommend taking the boat it's a nice experience and very peaceful ride with great scenery. Housekeeping kind of messed us over; with having to share such a small space housekeeping coming is very important. Now they did show up; we just hadn't left out the room yet but they said they would be back in 15 minutes and we said perfect we will be gone. Well we were gone for hours, til about 10 pm that night and came in to find out housekeeping never came. I called down but the hold was about 10 min (which was a smidge annoying) but they did send more towels while we were gone. Our bands showed up on the day we were checking out, so that sucked. It wasn't a big deal before we had kind of moved on and plus I was going to get a refund. Well instead of a refund they sent them here, but they're not good to me for what I wanted because we are checking out today. I will say the resort was nice and I would stay again. I am not sure I would stay on this Bayou room I would definitely try for bigger. The checkout was easy you just have to be out of your room by 11 am but I believe I read you can have them check your luggage in and charge to your room just in case you were still hanging out for the day.

We love coming here for dinner, dessert, or just to get some work done. It's a wonderful place to spend the evening after work.

We checked into Port Orleans Riverside yesterday (5/22/24) at 4pm... after a long day of traveling we walked into a dark dirty room. There was crusted ketchup stains on the table, food splatters on the floor, spit stains on bathroom mirrors and urine on toilet seat. I am extremely disappointed that the magical experience that I booked for my 5yr old was ruined.. we did not walk into a magical royal room with our names on the screen and a letter from Princess Tiana. That was the experience I paid for but did not receive. After going to the lobby to advise them and to use the lobby bathroom since ours was not usable.. they told me they would send housekeeping to clean the room. Why was I given a dirty room!! The woman I showed the pictures to seemed very concerned and walked me to the front desk where there was no sincere apology, just "we'll send housekeeping or change ur room", completely oblivious to the fact that they just ruined our first day at the "most magical place". If this is a "moderate" resort, I wouldn't want to see what the value resorts. I have every intention of taking my pics and videos to social media. This was such a disgrace. Hopefully the remainder of our long stay gets better.