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Port Orleans Riverside Resort Address:
1251 Riverside Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL, 32830
407-934-6000
Maximum persons per room: 4 (plus child in crib)
Total Number of rooms: 2048
Room size: 315 Sq Ft.
Price per night: Resort Rates
Port Orleans Riverside Resort Review
 Pros: At the Port Orleans Resort guests have access to seven different pools and two waterslides. In addition to the bus transportation, resort guests can use the water taxi to make their way to the Downtown Disney Marketplace. The overall southern theme and beautiful landscaping sets it apart from any other moderate resort on Disney property.
Cons: This is one of the largest resorts on Disney property and depending on where your room is located there could be lots of walking involved. Our room was in the Alligator Bayou section at the back of the property and we had a 10-15 minute walk to the Main Pool/Lobby area.
 Disney’s Port Orleans Resort Riverside, formerly known as Disney’s Dixie Landings Resort, opened on February 2, 1992. This resort is themed around the antebellum “Old South” as a riverboat landing and it is divided into two sections, Magnolia Bend and Alligator Bayou.
There are four, two and three story Plantation-style mansion homes in Magnolia Bend that are all connected by bridges to the Ol' Man Island pool and fishing area. Spectacular gardens and fountains are found throughout this section where you will encounter gorgeous live oak and magnolia trees as well as azalea, camellia, and rose bushes. Elevators are only located in the Magnolia Bend area.
 In the Alligator Bayou, you'll find 16 two story heavily wooded Cajun-style, rustic buildings. These are set amidst a dense pine forest and swamp.
One of the main focal points is the Sassagoula River that winds through the property and connects both the Riverside and the French Quarter sections of Port Orleans to Pleasure Island and the Downtown Disney Marketplace. This man made river is approximately two and a half miles long and is themed after the mighty Mississippi River. Sassagoula is the Native American word for Mississippi.
 Check In:
Check in was painless and the process was complete in under 10 minutes. Much to our surprise, we were able to check in at 8:45 am, and the room was ready! Please understand that this is rare and you should never rely on an early check in time. The lobby is called the Sassagoula Steamboat Company, which is themed after the inside of an actual riverboat. Along the ceiling you will see the names of certain cities near the Mississippi river such as: Gretna, Baton Rouge, Vicksburg, and Helena.
 The Room:
During our stay, we were in the Alligator Bayou section of the resort. The room has a rustic feel that includes an unfinished wooden headboard, quilt-style bedding and a ceiling fan for those humid southern nights. As with most moderately priced resort rooms, the rooms at the Port Orleans Riverside are 314 square feet. A typical room has 2 double beds, an armoire, a nightstand, a small refrigerator, a TV, a small table with 2 chairs, and a luggage rack. The bathroom has two pedestal sinks with mirrors that are in a vanity area separate from the tub and commode. The flooring in front of the vanity is a dark slate with a built in border that resembles a bathroom rug. A retractable curtain separates the bedroom from the vanity area for added privacy. Some rooms are available with a king size bed. Another special feature, found only at the Port Orleans Riverside, are the trundle beds. These are small beds, just big enough for a child under the age of 9 that pull out from underneath a larger bed. These are available in the Alligator Bayou section only.
 Dining Options:
The food court, Riverside Mill, is arguably one of the best at Walt Disney World. An old Southern cotton mill is the theme of the food court; it has working gears powered by an authentic reproduction of a 35 foot water wheel. This is a spacious eating area with approximately 450 seats. In addition to the indoor seating there are tables outside with a view of the Marina and Magnolia Bend. If it is raining or too hot to sit in the direct sun, choose one of the tables located on the front porch. We dined here during our stay and enjoyed watching the people and birds pass by. Food court hours are 6 a.m. to midnight. You'll find baked goods, pizza, pasta, fresh fruit, hamburgers, a carving station, create-your-own salad and full breakfasts.
 Boatwright's Dining Hall is themed around shipbuilding and has a large boat hull, in the process of being built, that hangs from the ceiling. The partially built sailboat is a reproduction of a flat bottom “New Orleans Lugger” that sailed the Mississippi River in the 1820s. Boatwright's is open for dinner from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The dinner menu features steaks, prime rib, seafood, and Cajun specialties. Due to an unpleasant review from our resident dining guru, Kevin Klose, we opted not to eat at this dining establishment. Click Here for a review of Boatwrights.
 The River Roost lounge offers appetizers such as beef nachos and buffalo chicken nuggets. The lounge features live entertainment by Bob Jackson Wednesday through Saturday evenings. It is a piano sing-a-long comedy routine. Bob has the energy of 10 eight year old children and does not take a break until an hour and a half into his show. It’s quite lively and extremely entertaining for the whole family with tons of audience participation. The place fills up quick, so get there before the show starts at 8:30pm. He’s been doing this at Port Orleans Riverside since 1997 and you can find his schedule on his website. http://www.yehaabob.com .
Room service is limited to pizza, salads, soft drinks and beer which are available from 4 p.m. to midnight.
Common Areas/Resort Amenities:
 The main pool area is found on Ol' Man Island. Legend has it that the island was settled in 1835 by a young man who made the island his home. It was a quite country bayou, but eventually the island was settled and it was discovered by the children in the town. The bayou became their playground where they explored the beautiful world that had been created. Here you'll find a 158,000 gallon pool with a water slide (95 linear feet), numerous waterfalls (the most of any Disney resort), a spa, a kiddie pool and a playground. It is the only pool on the property with a towel issue station and lifeguards. Muddy Rivers is the full service pool bar where you can enjoy a cocktail, frozen drink, or a seasonal draft beer. The huge Live Oak tree on Ol’ Man Island was relocated from the current site of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park. It is the largest living Live Oak tree ever to be transplanted.
Five quiet pools are spread throughout the resort area and even though they have a towel return bin, towels are not available at these pools. However, there are changing rooms, restrooms, and laundry facilities at each pool. Guests of Port Orleans Riverside are welcome to use the pool facilities at its sister resort, Port Orleans French Quarter, located right next door.
 Besides swimming, there are many other "water-related" activities to be found at Port Orleans Riverside. You can fish for bluegill and perch at the Ol’ Man Island Fishin' Hole (a fully stocked catch and release pond) between the hours of 7:00 am and 2:30 pm. You can rent individual cane poles for $4.26 per half hour or you can choose the Family cane pole fishing adventure, for up to 6 people that costs $13.32 per half hour.
Kids between the ages of 4 and 12 years old can go on the Sassagoula River Adventure Cruise where the pirate, Captain Jean Lafitte, lost his treasure when his ship sunk of the coast of Key West. It is a two hour boat excursion that includes lunch. All ages can book a guided fishing excursion.
 Boat rentals are also available. Choose from kayaks, Sea Racers, the Boston Whaler, and the Sun Tracker. The rates are based on a 30 minute time period and they range from $6.93 for the kayak to $31.95 for the Sea Racer and $47.93 for the Boston Whaler or Sun Tracker. Fishing excursions are available. Rent a bicycle or Surrey bike to tour the riverside path to Port Orleans French Quarter or to help you make your way around the Riverside resort. Surrey bikes are $20.24 per 30 minutes of riding and the bicycles are $9.59 per 30 minutes of riding or rent one for the whole day for $19.17.
The Hair Wrap station is located next to the Marina. They are open from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm everyday. The cost is $2.00 per inch of hair and beads are available for an extra fee.
 The Horse Drawn Carriage ride is a great way to see the property at night and they are available from 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm. It is a 30 minute ride for $35.00 and the carriage holds 2 – 4 adults or 2 adults and 3 children. For advanced reservations call 407-WDW-PLAY (939-7529) and for same day reservations call 407-824-2832 (walk-ups may be available). We scheduled our ride for 7:00pm on the second night of our stay. It had been raining off and on for most of the day, so we were afraid the ride might be canceled, but our driver, Laurie, arrived right on time and picked us up at the Marina. It was a white, covered carriage pulled by a 12 year old, 1300 pound Clydesdale named Prince Charming. We rode along the Magnolia Bend path, made our way over to Port Orleans French Quarter, and then headed back to Riverside using the pathway along the Sassagoula River. The only other resorts that offers carriage rides is Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, and Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa. This romantic outing was the perfect way to end our stay.
 The Medicine Show Arcade is found in the main building. This is a large space with over 70 games that include classics like Pac-Man, air hockey, and ski ball, as well as, racing, sports, and grab games. There are only 7 violent games in this arcade and they are labeled with a yellow sticker. Many of the games are appropriate for all ages and they have a green label. Instead of using tokens or quarters you purchase “points” on a rechargeable card that is used to play the wide variety of games available here.
Campfire on de' Bayou is a seasonal activity for guests that takes place October thru February on Sunday and Thursday evenings from 6:30 pm - 8pm. The whole family can enjoy story telling and sing-a-longs around the campfire and remember children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult. This activity takes place behind the Fishin' Hole. S'mores kits can be purchased for $7.00 and they include graham crackers, marshmallows, chocolate and sticks. This event can be canceled due to inclement weather. We had hoped to be able to attend this event, but unfortunately we missed the mark by a couple of weeks.
 Transportation:
An incredible perk of being a guest of Port Orleans Riverside is the free Sassagoula River cruise to the Downtown Disney Marketplace. This cruise runs approximately every 20 minutes and takes about half an hour. This water taxi also runs between Port Orleans Riverside and Port Orleans French Quarter for those guests that may not be able to endure the 10-15 minute walk between the resorts. If you plan to use the bus transportation to and from the theme parks, Downtown Disney and the water parks there are 4 bus depots throughout the property (the North, South, East, and West depots). The South depot is the main bus stop at the front of the resort.
 Shopping:
Fulton’s General Store is your one stop shop for anything you might need during your stay. There is a small grocery section that sells everything from milk and beer to bug spray and deodorant to baby food and reading material. You will find all the typical Disney merchandise as well as some more unique items like the American soybean wax candles by Swan Creek Candle Co. They are available in four sizes and come in “down home” scents like Vanilla Pound Cake and Caramel Pecan Pie. If you enjoy the H2O body products, you will find those here also. There is no shortage of Port Orleans merchandise such as polo tees, beach towels, and prints of the resort that can be bought framed or unframed. The general store has a large selection of sweets including items from Goofy’s Candy Company, the Chip n’ Dale Snack Company, Minnie’s Bake Shop, and plenty of chocolates.
Children’s Services:
There is not a “kids club” located at the Port Orleans Resort. Guests needing such services will have to use The Neverland Club, Camp Dolphin, Simba’s Clubhouse, The Mouseketeer Club, The Sandcastle Club or the Cub’s Den. Reservations are required and you may do so by calling 407-WDW-DINE or by contacting your resort’s concierge. The service recommended by Guest services at Riverside is a company called Kid’s Nite Out (www.kidsniteout.com).
Tips:
For a room close to the main building/food court, ask for the Oak Manor or Magnolia Terrace in Magnolia Bend or Alligator Bayou buildings 14, 15, 16 or 18. For a room close to the main pool, (Ol' Man Island), ask for the Acadian House or Magnolia Terrace in Magnolia Bend or Alligator Bayou buildings 14, 18, 27 or 38. The closest buildings to the bus depots would be the Acadian House (North Depot) and Magnolia Terrace (East Depot) or Alligator Bayou buildings 24, 34 (West Depot) and 37 (North Depot).
If you find yourself lost in the Alligator Bayou look for the gray, cement “boardwalk” which will help lead you to the Sassagoula River.
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