We are a family of 5 and kids are growing the up. We have stayed all over the place from deluxe to value to off property. But Riverside is perfect. Doesn't feel cheesy or cheap, but yet affordable. Great pool, slide, food court, fun nighttime bar, boat ride to Disney Springs and can sleep 5. You have 3 types of rooms to choose...Alligator Bayou is more rustic and close to food court, Magnolia feels more classy, and the Princess Room is amazing if you have young daughters (the fireworks above the bed!!!)
We just returned from WDW and Port Orleans - Riverside. We stayed in a Royal Room and it was fantastic. The detail in the room was great and we would find new things each day. The resort grounds were beautiful and our location in Parterre Place was fairly close to the main lobby, bus stop and dining hall. The main pool was nice and big and the water slide was a great addition. The kids loved it! I had a blast on it too. Our usual go-to resort is Pop Century (Value Resort) but we have stayed in other moderates before. This is a great resort and we will be back. I would have given this resort 5 stars if only the bus pick-up/drop-off was better. That's one of the things we loved about Pop Century. The buses were numerous and they only made one stop. The main lobby bus stop at Riverside is the last stop/pick-up. It seems like it should be the first. We waited for at least 45 minutes for a bus to arrive for Animal Kingdom and it's usually publicized that buses run every 15-20 minutes. I can say that the 15-20 minutes were broken every time we rode the bus. We also waited quite a while for pick-up at the parks.
We stayed here for part of our honeymoon, in a royal bedroom, (my husband said since I am a princess, I needed a princess room). It was wonderful! When we arrived our room wasn't ready, but thanks to a wonderful CM, she changed our room so we could get settled in :) We got a letter from Tiana when we checked in, saying that she was so happy we were there. It was a cute touch. The room itself was very pretty, clean, and cozy. The sinks were like genies lamp, and the shower curtain was Little Mermaid themed. The fireworks on the headboard were fun to watch but they didn't stay on very long. Our room had a river view (we didn't request that, but it was very pretty) and we could walk to the main building. It's a beautiful resort, and the CMs were very helpful. We used the Magical Express when we left because we flew to the rest of our honeymoon from Orlando International. It was really easy to get there from our room, and the whole system was really well done. I would stay here again and again!
My husband and I are both seniors and go to WDW once a year. We have stayed at Port Orleans Riverside 4 times and are staying there again this November! We love the atmosphere at Riverside. We always stay in Alligator Bayou. We love the secluded tropical pathways with little bridges and surprises at each twist and turn. There are beautiful quiet pools tucked away in each area. They are never crowded and just beautiful and peaceful. We have never felt the need to visit the main pool, though it looks like a lot of fun for someone younger:) The rooms are nice and have never had a problem with housekeeping. We are always able to walk to our bus stop without problems. No matter which building we stay in, we always feel secluded and surrounded by wilderness and the tropics! The Mill has a great selection of counter service food. We always eat there several times. It has a quaint setting with the huge water wheel cranking the huge beam in the main area. We especially like the make your own pasta bowl and salad bowl that they have. You can just wander down the hallway past the "Roost" lounge to the main entrance, registration, arcade, and the general store. I love browsing around their well stocked Disney general store for treats and gifts. I am going to surprise my husband with a carriage ride this time, as it looks like so much fun. We always take the boat to DTD several times. It's a beautiful ride in the evening with the lights and gentle breezes. It's a nice alternative to the buses to DTD. We have never stayed in the Mansions, but they look absolutely stunning and elegant. So, if you like the elegant look of the Mansions or the tropical laid back look of the Bayou, this resort is for you. The bus system at POR gets slammed frequently on Disney sites. However, we have ridden the buses at all hours of day and night for several trips, and have never had to wait over 10 or 15 minutes for a bus. The wait usually was under 10 minutes. One night upon returning from HS after fantasmic, we had to wait for a bus back to the resort for 30 minutes, but so did all the other resorts. It was just slow getting out of there. For us, POR is our home away from home. I know I'm "on vacation" when I step off the ME and enter the main building! Yes, the fun has begun! I would recommend this resort to anyone. It is a huge resort, so if you don't want to walk a lot, it may not be for you. We both have mobility issues so we always request and get a room close to everything.
This is one of the best themed resorts on the property. I spent an afternoon and evening exploring Riverside and French Quarter. There is boat service between the two resorts and Downtown and the skippers are always great. The food courts are typical WDW quality. The food court CMs were great. I almost choked on the powdered sugar on the FQ beignets (that's a good thing if you've ever been to the real New Orleans). My room was spacious with an unusually large bathroom. The theming was fun, with old-time shipping crates as furniture. The resort itself is very quiet and peaceful. They even have a fishing hole but I did hear someone who was fishing ask a CM if anyone actually caught any fish there. The bus service on this trip was very good to all parks and they even had a screen with estimated wait times at my stop. Here are my very minor complaints: Like most hotel chains, Disney has a problem with sinks. The stopper was non-functional and the sink was very shallow. Almost useless for shaving. There was no separate power switch for the very loud bathroom fan so it couldn't be turned off. I used the 'go right to your room' option and my old runDisney MagicBand opened the front door. But there was no welcome packet in the room. A map would have been nice. In spite of those minor complaints I highly recommend Riverside.
Port Orleans Riverside has been our "Resort of Choice" going all the way back to when it was known as Dixie Landings. To me it has a Deluxe Resort feel in the Moderate price range. The buses don't seem as crowded as some of the other resorts and the boat to Downtown Disney is very convenient as well as a pleasant ride with great views. The Ol' Man River pool is lots of fun for the kids and there are a few quiet pools for the adults to enjoy. The food court is a perfect place to get some breakfast before a long day at the parks, or for lunch or a late supper after the parks. The resort also has a restaurant for those nights you want to just relax and enjoy an "evening in". Also, for entertainment, “Ye Haa” Bob puts on a must-see show on the piano which is great and gets the audience involved. While the resort is massive and walking to the pool/food court can be tedious, there are certain areas that are centrally located close to the bus stops and also to the food court to cut down on the walking. Overall I would recommend this resort for anyone looking for a beautiful resort with Deluxe-style amenities at a fairly affordable price.
Port Orleans Riverside has special meaning to my husband and me. We stayed there on our postponed Honeymoon back in 1993 when it was known as Dixie Landings. We had saved up to stay for 7 nights and it was SO worth it. We had requested one of the Mansions in Magnolia Bend and stayed in Magnolia Terrace, right near the bridge crossing to Ol' Man Island and only a short walk to the main building. It was my husband's first visit to WDW and my first stay in a Disney resort. We thought we had died and gone to heaven. Fast forward 21 years and we are getting ready to spend our 23rd anniversary there in October. I have lost count of how many times we have stayed at Port Orleans Riverside but it's definitely more than we have stayed in any of the other Disney resorts, and we have stayed in many, but we never tire of it... in fact, we seem to find more hidden treasures every time we stay there. We have stayed in both the Mansions and the Bayou buildings... building 14 of the Bayou and Magnolia Terrace being our 2 favorite buildings, basically for convenience. We have watched Port Orleans grown in it's beauty as the trees and foliage has matured over the years. It is our comfortable home away from home. We never tire of sitting on the deck of Muddy Rivers with a cocktail watching the kids enjoy the activities at the pool on Ol' Man Island. We discovered for the 1st time when we stayed there in June that they offer Marshmallow toasting at the new fire pit next to Muddy Rivers nightly, weather permitting. We have taken advantage of so many of the offerings this resort has to offer. We have used the water transportation, as well as the boats for rent, many of the pools and the hot tub. We have spent many nights singing along with Piano Bob in the River Roost Lounge and playing the games in the arcade. We hope to finally take that ride in the horse drawn buggy this trip. The rooms are very comfortable and nicely appointed and the property is spotless, The Castmembers are truly some of the best on property. Bus and boat transportation are convenient and the waits are never very long. Overall, this is the diamond in the crown of Walt Disney World Resorts.
This has to be one of the prettier resorts. Great buildings. Loved the food court, had a variety of choices. we went in November, so it was a little too cool to swim for me, the kids did and loved it! The only thing I did not like was our room location. We were at the complete opposite side of the resort from the food court/pool. it was an obstacle course to get to the "hub" of the resort. We loved being on the "river" and even took the boat to DTD. That was an AWESOME ride. Very relaxing!!!
I've stayed at all 4 disney moderate resorts, and this was the best one by far. The food was AMAZING! We ate all meals there (unless at a park) and everything was homemade, plenty of options, and the desserts were incredible. It was beautifully themed. I loved walking everywhere and taking the boat to downtown disney. There were plenty of activities like fishing (cheap) and movie under the stars (FREE). We sat in a beautiful courtyard and they gave us something to lay on. Definitely do this when you go!!!!! The buses weren't that big of a deal like most are saying, in my experience. The only complaint I have was that the main pool can get pretty crowded and you have to get there early to get a chair, but there are plenty of other pools that were a good size and weren't that busy. It is a pretty big resort but that didn't bother me. I loved it and can't wait to go back! I would definitely recommend this to a friend!!
We stayed in a standard room in the alligator section of rooms. The room was great and our housekeeper was fun as she posed our toys and towels in fun ways. The room was comfortable and clean. The atmosphere was quiet and relaxing. It really looked like the bayou. The bus stop was close. The pool was a decent but fun walk. The food court was a long haul but we only ate there once so it was ok to me. We would definitely stay here again.
Inconvenient, dated, royal rooms are not worth it. The food court is a far walk and then a madhouse when you get there. The busses are long. The royal rooms have a few extra frills but are tiny and not worth the price. The grounds and the main pool are great. That is the only positive I have. Would not stay here again. I would stay out of the park at a nicer hotel than this resort
After being unable to get an AP rate at my favorite resort, POFQ, my fiancé and I stayed at Riverside in May 2013. The grounds are simply beautiful - this is one of the most immersive WDW resorts I've stayed at (including 5 deluxe, 3 moderate and all value resorts, plus 2 DVC resorts). Be prepared to walk, though - it is a hike to get to many of the buildings (we were in 36) and it can be confusing. I'm pretty sure we didn't walk back to the main building the same way twice! We used the main bus stops each time because we were eating or shopping, but there are several bus stops throughout. In a fairly busy time of year (the weekend we went was extremely busy), we did not have bus problems at all. Food is good in the food court...about what you expect from a moderate (better than value, even POP). We didn't use the pool, but it was busy whenever we passed and had great ambience (including hammocks that we wish we could have used!). CMs were very friendly and helpful, and overall I'd say that POR became my second-favorite WDW resort (after POFQ). Just a great combination of theming, amenities and price (well, price compared to other WDW resorts...moderates were $99 a night with a pass holder discount just 4 or 5 years ago, now they're twice that, if you're lucky).
We have lost count of our stays in this resort. We have stayed at All Stars once and AKL three times, but Port Orleans is our favorite. There is nothing about this resort that we would improve. We are in good physical shape so the size of the resort and its grounds is not an issue with us. The grounds are incredibly beautiful and the water taxi that runs from POR to POFQ to Downtown Disney is a real bonus in our opinion. This resort gives us everything we wish in our Disney vacation but that may be due to the fact that we are more familiar with this resort. We have been at Port Orleans when some dance groups or cheering squads have also been guests, but we have never had a negative experience with any of these groups. The food court offers a wide variety of choices beginning with breakfast all the way up to closing time. It has been said that Port Orleans is a moderate resort with a deluxe feel and we find this to be true. Nothing is more beautiful than gazing at the Magnolia Bend area from across the Sassagoula River or cruising by the mansions in the boat. The horse and carriage rides add to the serenity of this resort. We enjoyed the Royal Princess rooms, but we certainly do not require a royal room in order to enjoy our stay here. The Royal rooms actually are more appealing to the children. The movies offered at night are another plus. If you are staying in for the evening rather than in the parks, you might find it most comfortable to sit out on the lawn and enjoy a Disney movie with other guests. Since there are 5 quiet pools at this resort (in addition to the main pool Ol' Man Island) there are always opportunities to enjoy a quiet swim or conversation apart from the music and recreation offered at the main pool. The ONLY dislike I have with this resort is that the food court bakery no longer offers pecan pralines. At one time this was the only place in Disneworld where you could purchase these delicious edibles.
I'm a senior citizen and brought my two grown sons and 13 and 17 year old grandchildren to Port Orleans Riverside. We stayed Garden View, Alligator Bay and had a wonderful vacation. Everything was perfect! Would recommend Port Orleans to everyone. Staff was very efficient, friendly and Disney took care of all our needs. Food was good, too. We went swimming, fishing and took the boat rides. Buses were always timely to everywhere we wanted to go. We had no problems. Overall, we would stay at Port Orleans again in a heartbeat!
I have stayed at the POR 3 times with the latest stay being Easter 2013.Each of the three times has been with my family who are all aged between 47 and 22. The resort is beautiful, set in beautiful grounds with a tranquil atmosphere. Each time we have stayed at the resort we have stayed in the Magnolia Bend building 85. The mansion style buildings are grand and create the perfect backdrop against the river. The rooms are spacious and are decorated well to meet the theme of this part of the resort. The rooms have two double beds, fridge,small table and chairs, storage, en-suite with bath, shower, toilet and two sinks. Having stayed in these rooms last time with three adults there is enough space and storage to hold the clothes, Disney purchases and baggage of three women! The Alligator Bayou section of the resort is nice however not of my families taste, suited I believe to families with young children. The dinning area is large and has food for all taste. We have eaten here for many breakfasts and have never found a problem. Travelling at Easter ( Spring Break) can mean busy queuing but this is to be expected. The shop is stocked with everything you may need and the bar area both inside and by the pool are worth a visit. There are a number of pool areas around the resort, we have always used the smaller pool near Magnolia bend for a quieter swim. The resort provides two methods of transport, the Disney buses and the boat to Downtown Disney. The Boat is a must do, it provides a scenic, peaceful route to Downtown Disney with a chance to take a nosey at some of the things along the river. The buses are frequent with 4 bus stops around the resort area, we always used the one closet to our room and never waited more than 20 minutes for a bus. I love Disney and would return every year if funds allowed, returning to POR is a pleasure and is a highlight to any Disney trip. As a family who are now all adults, the laid back atmosphere is a welcome break to what can sometimes be a busy trip in a fantastic place.
Let me start off with saying this resort is beautiful. My wife and I went on our honeymoon to disney and stayed here. It is very large and scenic, perfect for taking nightly strolls along the river. Great food court for a breakfast or lunch (would not recommend for dinners). The main pool was nice but very crowded with bratty kids, but on the upside there are side pools all over, one was right outside our room and they are usually empty or have 2-3 people there (at least on our experience). It seemed perfect until we tried going to the parks. We thought wow we are right by a bus depot for the parks, we quickly found out it that spot was the last pickup, they stopped at french quarter first then every stop in riverside before they hit ours. If we could fit in, we were standing very uncomfortably and on more then one occasion the buses ac was not on! So we figure we would just take the very long walk to the main depot and was pretty much packed everytime we went. There is no close park to this resort so every trip took forever. We left an hour an 15 min. a head of our reservation for sci dine in theater at hollywood, and was late to our reservation! Luckily they still could fit us in but we had to wait an additional 40 min because we were late! The boat to downtown disney also took forever. I don't know if this was just an isolated incident bc we only rode it once but we sat at the french quarter on the boat for a half hour waiting to fill up the boat. In conclusion, was a very nice resort but for the fact that we did not get to a park once with out an issue is why I am giving this resort a lousy rating. After all I am paying this much to be mainly at the parks not the hotel!
Stayed in Oak Manor in February 2011. Nice room, but definitely could use a refurb (hopefully PORS is next on the list). Very good location - close to parking and a bus stop, and not too far from the lobby. The resort grounds were really beautiful, and we enjoyed the boat to DtD more than we expected to - sure beat taking the bus! We're going to try other moderates before returning to PORS, but we'd stay there again.
I was surprised by how much I loved this resort. I've stayed at several deluxe resorts before, so I didn't think this would live up to the usual dose of Disney magic, but it did. Honestly, the registration area looks like it belongs in a deluxe resort. I first stayed here in February 2012, in a Magnolia Bend building (Acadian House) right after the refurbishment was finished. The room was beautiful and large enough for 2 adults. In May of 2013, I stayed here again in a Royal Room in Paterre Place. For 3 adults, it was a slightly tighter fit, but it was never uncomfortable. The dining options are great here. In addition to Boatwright's (which was excellent), we went to Riverside Mill a few times, and even at busy meal times, there was plenty of space in the seating area. The food was great, and we especially enjoyed the make-your-own salad section. People say this is a large resort. It is, but it's not as spread out as I was afraid it would be. Once you kind of figure out where everything is, it seems a lot closer. Also, we had a rental car, so transportation wasn't a problem for us. We drove from Paterre Place to the main building for restaurants and to take the bus to Magic Kingdom. The bus service can be a bit time consuming, but as long as you plan for it in advance, it's not a problem. The boat to Downtown Disney can't be beat. It's a much better option, in my opinion, than either driving and parking there or taking the bus. It's a relaxing ride to and from the Marketplace side of DTD. My only issue with the boat service is that the boats don't start running till awhile after DTD stores open. I was surprised by this because it seems Disney transportation typically starts running before opening time to the parks. Keep in mind that if you plan on taking the boat to DTD, you won't be there first thing. However, we found that sitting in the rocking chairs by the dock for a half-hour was extremely relaxing, even if it did set back our plans a bit. We never did use the main pool, although it looked really nice. The quiet pools in Magnolia Bend were closer and emptier than the main pool. The only problem with the quiet pool is that apparently, you're supposed to bring towels from your room. Another guest told us that once I realized I couldn't find the towels (there was a bin to throw used towels, but no new towels). The guest said she asked, and she was told there's a note in the guest rooms about bringing your own towels to the quiet pool. I ransacked my room after that and still couldn't find this note. So essentially, I would stay at Riverside again in a heartbeat, and the only things I would do differently are not plan to be at DTD when it opens and bring my own towel to the quiet pool. All in all, those aren't exactly dealbreakers!
This is a beautiful resort, and it offers many amenities for families and groups. The food court is excellent, and the bus service is quite good. The river running through the resort makes it all feel beautiful and peaceful. There can be some rooms (especially on the west side of the resort) that can be quite far away from the main buildings and restaurants. The boat to DTD is especially nice. But, and this is a big but, Disney tends to put large high school groups into the larger Mansion buildings 80 and 85. DO NOT request those areas. They are often unsupervised groups of teens that scream, shout, bang around, slam doors, and generally make noise until well after 1:00 am every night. Buildings 90 and 95 which used to be my favorite are now themed Princess rooms, so are no longer available to the standard visitor. That leaves the cottages to the west. I've stayed here three or four times in the past couple years when French Quarter has been fully booked, and 2 of the 4 trips I had to request a room change to get away from unruly teenage groups. Riverside has been very accommodating, but that 1:30 am trek to another building ruins the experience overall. If you want a quiet, relaxing experience, be sure that Disney does NOT shuffle you off to 80 or 85.
We just got done staying at POR it was one of the best places to stay anywhere. We liked the boat ride to down town. Also the overall hotel was nice and so were the workers. They have good food.
We booked a king bed room for our honeymoon (4/22-4/28) and it was all that we had hoped for- lush landscaping, friendly service, and our room in the Arcadia section was fantastic. Mousekeeping was great- we called for extra towels & they literally arrived 2 minutes later. We were treated to different towel animals every day. The fridge in the room wasn't very cold- but we were prepared for it with a cooler. The main pool was usually pretty busy, with a nice 8 person hot tub. The quiet pool as usually just that- nice, clean & quiet. We weren't impressed by the food court- ice cold burgers anyone? Bus transportation wasn't an issue until the last day or two- provided that we waited for a bit in Epcot after Illuminations to get lined up for the bus back to POR. The last 2 days, the bus routers seemed to be sending all kinds of duplicate buses (2 in a row for AK, etc) & none for the park we wanted. All in all, we wanted the vacation to last forever- UNTIL the invasion of horrid, unsupervised throngs of rowdy, loud and obnoxious teens from cheer competitions/band competitions. The teens were loud at all hours,blew ciggy smoke at us as we walked (and swore at us after we asked them not to), crowded all attractions/shopping areas like roving packs of zombies with no concept of "there's other people on this planet besides cheerleaders"- and they swore at us as we tied to take a picture outside. We were forced to endure a bus ride from hel with a pack of cheerios who screamed chants the whole ride back to POR- after three other cheerleaders cut in line for the bus that night.The quiet pool was really loud even at 11pm, and the only supervising adults that I saw were 5 r 6 ladies that were drinking beer by the pool at about 2 pm on the day they arrived, chatting about the cheerios.The cast members seemed to be getting the rough treatment from these brats, too- one manager said that she was threatened by a girl who asid that "heads will roll if anything happens to my luggage",amongst ther charming behaviors. I get the fact that Disney/ESPN hosts these monster every year- but WHY GIVE THEM THE RUN OF A VERY NICE RESORT AT A GROUP$$$ DISCOUNT RATE IF THEY ARE GOING TO RUIN THE RESORT FOR EVERYONE ELSE?? The fountains were even turned off just as these kids arrived- no doubt based on prior misbehaviors. PLEASE WDW & POR- DON'T LET THESE BRATS STAY AT POR & RUIN IT FOR ALL THE OTHER GUESTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Both times we've stayed here we have enjoyed our visit. The first time was with adults and the second time with kids. It's an especially perfect pick in Spring, because of the great attention to landscaping. The property is bursting with flowers. There are plenty of activities and the river allows for some extra things to do that you can't find at other resorts. The Riverside food court has huge variety, much bigger than French Quarter. Although, FQ has beignets and poor boy sandwiches which are worth the walk over for, at least once! The sit down restaurant is also worth a visit, although the service was slow. Have only waited a significant time for a bus once. The boat to Downtown Disney is a nice amenity.
Well next year will be our third stay at PORS,have prev stayed at POFQ and CB,but we fell in love with the ambience,tranquility,the open grounds,the food court,infact everything.Cant wait to see the new refurbishment,not that we spend lots of time in the rooms,infact in our two week vacation i reckon we spend about 30 mins in the morning getting ready and one hour at night before noddin off,all the fun is out there in the parks.An average day consists of alarm set for 6.30am,breakfast at 7.00am,and hop on a bus for 7.30 (talk about being organised,)back for lunch and a dip in the pool around 1.00pm.Up to the room for change of clothes and back out untill midnight.Once we get back home to Scotland we hibernate for the rest of the year.
We stayed Dec 2-11, 2010. It was our fist visit to POR and we will be going back again, we loved it that much. We enjoyed the boat to Downtown Disney...what a nice, relaxing, pretty ride. We were in the Alligator Bayou section. The room was very neat and clean, no issues what so ever. Every night upon returning to our room our daughters (5 and 7) were delighted to find their stuffed animals arranged in different poses on their bed and sometimes on ours. The further into our trip the more stuffed animals were added to the bed. Each girl had gift cards and bought 2 stuffed animals each so the opportunity for poses from Mousekeeping were almost endless. We have a picture of each pose and the girls just love looking at that and telling everyone how excited they were at the end of the day to return to their animals. It was like they had been caught playing!! It was too cold during our visit to use the pools but we did walk around the resort and are looking forward to using the pools on our next visit. The girls just loved the playground. The food court was nice and the cast members extremely friendly. It was Pop Warner week and we had a lot of cheerleaders there with us so the food court was very busy but easily manageable. We added a day on to the end of our trip and were going to have to change hotels. My husband checked with the front desk for an opening and there weren't any. Two days before we were to check out he checked with them again and they were able to keep us there but we did have to switch rooms. We were thankful we didn't have to switch resorts. Such a beautiful resort. We can't wait to go back. Oh, I neglected to mention the bar and the singer. Right now I forget his name....but he was brilliant. He was so funny. What a crowd he gathered on the nights he played. The whole place was packed and people were standing in the hallway from the lobby to the food court just to get a listen / view.
Three weeks ago we arrived at our hotel (at 3am, no less!) and checked in. We've stayed at a few of the resorts, so we knew the routine....drive around to get to your building cluster, hike through several paths and buildings to find yours, and then cart your 8 suitcases up the steps. That's all well and good...but upon entering our room, we were thinking...YUCK!! I don't care for all the rustic wood bedposts and room design-creepy backwoods look. The carpet felt damp and dirty. NOTHING had been dusted!! Nothing!! The armoire had a layer of dust on the molding that was glued on. Behind the beds was dirty. Couldn't seem to get our plugs in half the outlets. And even though the landscape is lush and beautiful, it keeps your room very dark...no sunlight!! And the worse part is what they consider a bed for the 5th guest. A nasty pull out from under the bed that isn't even a real mattress. With a family of 5 this is the only cheaper hotel that accepts 5. Besides that, you have to go to suites, vacation villas, deluxe resorts, or two rooms. So it's the only economical choice for 5, but really a letdown. This is one of the only resorts that will allow
We stayed here in March '10 and really did not care for the resort. The themeing did not impress us, the staff was not as "Disney" as we were used to, and our room, seemed very old, dirty, and dark. The beds had a horrible gap between the frame and where the bed actually sat, there was no where convenient for the coffee pot to sit (I found this odd...) the extremely small counter space by the sinks hardly held all of our normal bathroom things and rug seemed very worn and was not very soft on my hurtin feet after a long day in the park. I was looking forward to trying this resort out since there were so many great reviews for it, but unfortunately for us, it did not live up to our expectations, and we walked away dissapointed.
Just got back from a 9 night/10 day stay. (12/9 to 12/18) While this wasn't a horrible resort, it just wasn't great either. The grounds and Christmas decorations were pretty, our location (Oak Manor) was decent as well. They had the room ready for us when we checked in at 11am, which was great. The rooms were okay, defintiely in need of some updates. Housekeeping left a lot to be desired. Left a tip every day, but no frills, just beds made and new towels. No towel animals or anything special at all. The room looked like it had not been dusted in quite some time, the shelves/tv were pretty bad. I'm not a clean freak, but the dust was pretty bad. One of the days we were actually able to use the pool, came back at 3pm to take showers and head back to the parks. Housekeeping still wasn't there. She showed up while I was in the shower and hubby told her to come in a bit. She never showed up, room had not been cleaned and no towels to use for the next morning. Although the front desk was very friendly/apologetic and helpful with sending new towels out in the am. Transportation was HORRIBLE. We expected it to be busier since it was a larger resort than what we're used too, but this was much worse than what we expected. The buses were almost always full, standing room only. (no matter what stop we used) And most defintiely didn't run consistently every 20-30 minutes. A lot of waits were longer than that...no matter what time of day we headed off to the parks. The lines coming home were even worse, once again, not mattering what time of day we left the parks. It became a pain if wanted to come back to the resort mid-day for a break, because it took so long to get to and from. The staff was friendly, and the pool was good, my 8 year old daughter really enjoyed it. But overall, nothing special, and with the transportation issues, and mediocre housekeeping, we won't be staying here again. We have stayed at POFQ in the past and thought this would be nice to try something new. Apparently we have been spoiled by POFQ with their small size, decent housekeeping, and fairly few transportation issues.
Stay - 11/06/2010 Aligator Bayou Upon check-in (~5:30 pm) I was informed of my room location (shown on a map) and was told that the room was very close and that I could walk there. No bellman was suggested, OK, no big deal, I don't mind walking. So I walked, and walked, and walked. Upon arrival the room smelled bad, like a mixture of mold and chlorine and I noticed the floor (carpet) was dirty with what appeared to be small pieces of leaves, straw/pine needles, and other debris. It was late and I wanted to get to the parks so I left my bag there and off to the Magic Knigdom I went. I got back to the room at ~ 2:30 am because I took advantage of the Extra Magic Hours and was really tired but I decided to take a better look at the room. It was still dirty and smelly, there was only one cake of soap, half a bottle of shampoo, one pack of decaf coffee (I eventually found the pack of regular coffee in the coffee maker it had been used and never removed), no room safe, and a small fridge that made noise. Not even all the lights worked. I was going to demand a room change but by this time it was 3 am and all I wanted to do was rest. So I got a few hours sleep and was at the front desk bright and early. I informed a person at the desk about the room conditions and there seemed to be no surprise or concern, I was simply told "we could send someone over to tidy things up for you, would that be OK?". My reply was "no, I wanted a different (clean and restocked) room over in Magnolia Bend" which I got.
Stayed one night before a wonderful cruise on the disney wonder. At Port Orleans the grounds are fine but the room was musty dirty and so warm the air conditioning kept going on and off that when we removed the bed coverings the blanket was full of hair. The bathroom was only usable if we wore our shoes. I love Disney and have stayed at many other resorts but this was bad. PS we were told no other rooms available and would report it to the am crew but we had to leave by early am for the cruise. On the night before going home cancelled my reservation and stayed at the Hyatt in the airport $40 cheaper with breakfast and clean.
DH and I stayed there in February 2005 and had a great time. The rooms were clean and a good size for what we needed. The food at Boatwrights and at the Riverside Mill was great. We didn't wait any longer than 15 minutes for a bus and the staff was pleasant and very helpful when my DH had to be taken to the hospital in the middle of the night (kidney stones) and Disney paid for the ambulance. We have stayed at POP century and Coronado Springs since then and they don't even compare. We are heading back in August to stay Riverside again. I can't wait.
This is by far the best place for couples to stay while at WDW. It is quiet and relaxing. The pools are strategically placed not to be loud late. The food court has variety. The bus stops are all over and easy to get to. Have stayed here more than any of the resorts. Our second home at WDW!
I stayed in alligator bayu and it was terrible. It took forever just to walk to our rooms and we had a terrible view. I am 4 foot 11 inches and if i were just a few inches shorter i would have needed a step ladder to just sit on the bed, i don't see how kids get up there. The electric sockets in the wall did not work, every night we tried to charge are camera's and the plugs would either fall out of the sockets or not fit, but no matter what they did not go in right.The bathrooms were pretty bad to, why are the sinks outside the bathroom it makes no sence. Also the tiles in that bathroom were terrible we talked to a women who's 7 year old grandaughter almost cracked her head open when she slipped in the bathroom because of how slippery the tiles get. The pools were terrible too. They were open untill past midnight which is both annoying since our room was by the one and extremly dangerous,and the one almost never had a life gaurd on duty. Then the one time i went to the pool a kid had thrown up there like 10 minutes ago and it still hadn't been cleaned up and the pool was still open. I came back like an hour later and the puke was still there. The resorts only redeming quility was the boat to downtown disney
We have been to WDW 11 times in the past 12 years,.....would have been more but kids where born. We have stayed at Riverside 5 times and have loved it each time! Just make sure you ask for a room as close to the food court as possible. you will love the look and the feel of the place!
Based on glowing reviews, we decided to stay at Riverside during August of 2008. We have stayed at Caribbean Beach, AK Lodge and Wilderness Lodge. The grounds are fabulous and the food court was great. But the management is the worst ever. First our water view room was facing the parking lot. We were then moved to a totally tree obstructed view. During our stay, they decided to completely remove the tree and all the bushes using bulldozers at (I'm not kidding) 6:30 am. This went on for 3 days. Considering we're on west coast time, that was the equivalent of 3:00 am. There were no advance notifications of our room area being under refurbishment and I had done my homework ahead of time. Management had nothing but excuses and straight out lied that the work was being done because of the hurricane - yet another staff member explained that they had hired the contractors several months in advance of the work. Mgmt did not offer to move us or satisfy us in any way. A room credit was provide by the Travel Company, not the resort. A room credit did not make our stay pleasant. In fact, we had to ARGUE with management about the time and finally had to provide them with video proof! Horrible experience! On the other hand, we moved ourselves to Wilderness Lodge and had the BEST time, BEST service and a terrific QUIET room. I'll never stay at the Riverside again. I want to relax on vacation, not fight with castmembers.
We stayed at Dixie Landings for our Honeymoon in 1997. Since then we have stayed at French Quarter, All-Star Sports, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Old Key West, Boardwalk and Coronado Springs. All were nice and enjoyable with great service, but we will not stay at the All Star resorts again due to room size and food court choices. Dixie Landings/Riverside is the best choice for value in a resort. The rooms are comfortable in size, the food court has nice choices with a great water wheel, the pool was very enjoyable and the resort was easy to navigate. We have toured nearly all of the other resorts on our visits and feel that the walking distance from rooms to central buildings or transportation is not terrible. You really feel right at home in the resort and the price range is just perfect for the accomodations. Our next trip we will be staying at Riverside. Coronado Springs was a close second, however the pool is a very long walk from many rooms and the main building.
We stayed at POR for the first time in November 2007. I absolutely fell in love with this resort. We were put in Alligator Bayou section, Building #24. The only downside was that the room was very far from the main building, but it was no big deal. The rooms were so cute, larger than the values, had a small fridge, the beds were really comfy, loved the rustic woodsy decor of the rooms...very cozy, POR is very quiet for its size, foodcourt choices were great for breakfast and a late night snack (since those were the only times we ate at the foodcourt). We had no problems with the bus service...didnt really know what to expect with the reviews that we read about POR and FQ sharing busses and having long waits. Mousekeepers were great, and our rooms were always cleaned when we came back in the afternoon from the parks. I really love how POR and FQ have boat transportation to Downtown Disney...it was really nice and relaxing to get away from the busses. We used to boat almost every evening, since the parks closed a little earlier...we'd go to DTD to shop, have a drink, and relax. Port Orleans feels like a staying at a "mini-deluxe resort", without having to dish out all that extra money for an actual deluxe. Our stay was very pleasant, and would definately stay here again. This year we going the same time in Nov and will be staying at French Quarter, since it is a lot smaller we may not have a far room, I am really looking forward to our stay there.
We stayed at Port Orleans Riverside in August 2007. It was first trip to Disney and was very impressed with this resort. It is so beautiful and peaceful. I loved the river. We paid extra for a water view room. We got a view of the river, however the only time we saw it was when we left our room or came back. We realized we spent such little time in our in room it was not worth the extra money. We ate at restaurant at the Grand Floridian and found that resort a little stuffy for our taste. Port Orleans Riverside has such a relaxed atmosphere . We rented a bike and took our kids on a bike ride around the resort which was a wonderful way to see it. We also booked a carriage ride however it started to storm before we got to go so we did not get to enjoy that, but i'm sure it would have been great. I think its a wonderful resort and price for it is terrific. We will be staying there again when we go back.
I took my first trip without my family in December 2008. My boyfriend a I stayed at Port Orleans Riverside for 6 nights. Words cannot descibe this resort. It is absolutly BEAUTIFUL!! I have visited a lot of the resorts that are more expensive than this one and arn't even NEAR as nice!! I don't know how much families would like this resort because I haven't been with my family, but if you are looking for something quiet, relaxing and romantic this is definatly a resort you should try!!
We stayed at POR 4/30-5/9 - we had a lovely, waterview, king-bed room in Magnolia Terrace. Our overall experience was TERRIFIC! - Check in went smooth, Magic Express brought our bags in record time, food at the counter service section was good and there were plenty of selections for both breakfast and lunch. We had ADR's for dinners at various other restaurants. Our room was clean, well tended too by mousekeeping and we had towel animals left a couple of days. We were there to celebrate my husbands birthday and he was given a B'day pin and everyone wished him happy birthday and we even enjoyed a few "freebies" in the parks on the day he wore his pin. The grounds at POR are exceptional and the grounds crew was hard at work most days that we were there, planting flowers etc. Bus service was good. The pool was terrific, the quiet pools even nicer. We just had an absolutely wonderful trip and would definately stay at POR again!
lovely, reminds me of plantations in louisiana...best moderate resort
I found this resort to be one of the most beautiful places I have had the honor to see. My family and I stayed here during our Aug 2007 vacation. The landscaping and buildings are very realistic. The rooms was comfortable for my family of four.
This is more of an observation really.As a visitor from the uK I have been really heartened to read the reviews of the Port Orleans resort and know that it hasn't changed at all. Still the same excellent service and what a great resort!.We have stayed a number of times at the POR (when it was good old Dixie Landings)last stayed at POR at Christmas in 2001.In 2003 we stayed at the Carib.Beach but visted the POR and we were really sorry that we hadn't stayed with what we knew.CB was ok but not a patch on the elegance and service of POR.Magnolia bend is my favourite and in the early hours of the morning watching the rabbits and other wildlife play on the beautifully manicured lawns. We haven't been back to Orlando since 2003 but have had the opportuntiy to vist the Paris and Los Angeles resorts ...Orlando remains the best. We are coming again at Christmas for 3 weeks and although we are staying for a few nights at Hard Rock Hotel Universal there was no contest when it came to the Disney hotel and for 18 glorious nights we will be coming home to the POR.....36 nights to go ..I just cannot wait! Will post a review when we return
This will always remain Dixie Landings for me. (Before just plain Port Orleans merged with it and became Port Orleans French Quarter.) This is a great trivia question 'cause it identifies veterans of WDW. The staff is typical Disney helpful. Never a frowning face. The carriage ride, though pricy, is memorable.
An adorable resort nestled near Downtown Disney. With the bayou theme and Ol' Swimmin Hole pool, the kids will love it. I've seen multiple kids marvel at "dat big wheel." (Actually a working cotton mill water wheel.) This is the only moderate that can accomodate 5 persons - one kid in a trundle bed. The food court has the best mick n' cheese in WDW and the landscaping is gorgeous on the hoity-toity Scarlet O'Hara side of the river called Magnolia Bend. Think of classic antebellum plantation houses and then sanitize them. Alligator Bayou on the other, far-flung in is more motel-style but also somewhat rustic and spotlessly clean. Beautiful flowers throughout. The bus service is so-so. The boat launch to Downtown Disney makes for a fantastic Girls' Night Out. This is definitely among my Top 3 Resorts.
I had previously reviewed our stay for 2006, but I wanted to review this resort again for our 2007 trip. We stayed at the resort from Jan 4th - 14th. We requested AB section but where given the mansion section. (last time we requested mansion and got AB) The grounds were beautiful again this year. Our room was on the top floor of Magnolia Terrace. The resort was full due to the Disney Marathon. Room - Clean, quiet and close to an elevator. Busses - Once again we walked to the main bus stop (SOUTH) and never waited longer than 10 minutes. Laundry - I used the laundry room next to the quiet pool. $2.00 per load No one else was using the pool or laundry room at that time so I would sit by the pool and read. Very Peaceful! Staff - Very helpful. I requested that the concierge desk hold a PAL MICKEY for friends that would arrive at a later time. They were quite accomodating and my friend's family was suprised with the Pal Mickey and 1st timer buttons. During checkin, we again requested AB section and told that it was full due to the marathon, but they would give us our pick of rooms in 2 days when the marathon was over. After finding our room we decided not to move. Food Court - During our stay the food court was being refurbished. They had a make-shift set up with hot meals at breakfast and dinner and grab & go items for lunch. I would have to say that the staff pulled this off quite nicely. Overall a very pleasant experience for our 2nd stay at WDW. I would highly recommend it.
We are from the UK and have been going to Disney for the last 7 years. We have to have our Disney fix each year and we are always sad when we have to leave. We have stayed at WL and POR and visited all other resorts to get some comparisons, but I have got say Riverside is by far our favourite, it is relaxing resort and a pleasure to walk through the grounds. The rooms are okay although not large and don't have balconies are nicely themed and plenty big enough for a family of 4. The food court has a variety of choice, from salads, pizzas, burgers, chicken etc which should please most people. Boatwright’s the restaurant also has good offerings (steaks etc) but the downside is you could have to wait up to 1/2 an hour for a table if you haven't already booked. Entertainment is excellent, Bob Jackson the pianist is there 4-5 times a week and believe me he is no normal pianist. He will have you clapping you hands, stomping your feet and singing your head off. Trust me you will have a great time if you choose this resort, we love it!!! Thanks for reading this. Regards Dave Hagley Worcestershire United Kingdom.
I've stayed at Port Orleans Riverside twice--although the first time it was still known as Dixie Landings--and I would recommend it to anyone. We have stayed at all the Value resorts, as well as Wilderness Lodge and Yacht and Beach Club, but POR is by far our favorite. We were in Alligator Bayou the first time; Acadian House in Magnolia Bend the second. Both locations were incredible. There was no noise whatsoever either time, and we had spectucular views of the Sassagoula River from both of the rooms. Mousekeeping kept the rooms IMMACULATE and even made a different towel animal every night of our stay. The rooms were also a very good size for a family of four. Sure, the rooms don't have balconies/patios like the pricier Deluxes, but the ambiance and overall feel of the place more than made up for it. The theming and attention to detail here is impeccable. Guest Services and all the cast members were always helpful and constantly had a smile on their faces--a welcome sight after a long summer's day at the parks. We never ate at Boatwright's, but what we did eat at the foot court was fantastic (for fast food). The lounge was also great. We LOVED all the quiet pools and Ol' Man Island. You have a choice between the big main pool when you want to go down the waterslide and the scenic smaller pools when you just want to relax. My only complaint is the consistently high water temperature (even though all of WDW's pools are heated). In the summer, when the mercury's rising, why do you need the pool to be heated? All of the additional activities here, like fishing and carriage rides, add to the quality. We especially enjoyed the boat to Downtown Disney. We rented a car the second time we stayed here, but the first time we utilized the bus service and found it to be extremely efficient even during the rush hours. Overall, the Port Orleans Riverside resort is INCREDIBLE. Great quality for the price, and in my opinion, the best moderate by far.
My wife and I stayed here for 3 weeks a few years ago, just 2 months before our first child was due. We had the most enjoyable and relaxing holiday we have ever had before or since. As my wife, Joanne, was 7 months pregnant we did'nt do our usual park hopping nearly everyday, we only visited the parks 4 or 5 times over the 3 weeks doing the more gentle activities. We spent most of our time at the hotel where, during the day, we lay at the pool or walked and cycled around the beautiful grounds including the French Quarter soaking up the wonderful atmosphere and enjoying the beautiful riverbank scenery. At night, there was music in the main building where a guy played piano and sang (mainly Billy Joel) and had a lot of entertaining chat between songs. We took the riverboat to Downtown Disney most days or nights (a great way to meet other guests) The food in the foodcourt was great, and the food in the restaurant was even better although a little bit more expensive. We have stayed at the All Star Resorts plus the Caribbean Beach resort and Coronado Springs resort and although they are good, they are not as good as Riverside. If you are looking for a hotel that is away from the usual noise and bustle this is the resort for you
This is an impressive resort. For half the price of the Deluxe resorts, you get all of the amenities AND a food court! The only things you give up (compared with Deluxes) are about 70 sq. ft. in your room and no patio/balcony - your door opens directly to an exterior walkway. Our room was spotless and mousekeeping kept it that way all week. The food in the food court and at Boatwright\'s was excellent. We made use of the pool, the marina, the carriage rides, and the fishin\' hole. All, except the latter, were a lot of fun. We had five fishing poles with worms at 9:00am one morning, but caught nothing. We rented a car and had no problem getting a spot near our room at any hour. My 7 year old and 9 year old sons traded off sleeping in the trundle bed (the 11 year old was too tall). They found it comfortable enough. This resort is an EXCEPTIONAL value for your money.
It\'s an oasis from the typical bussle of a WDW vacation. We moved there after one day at POP Century where the mobs of rude, swearing teens, who were there for whatever competition, were reminding me that I could be having a greasy, overpriced burger in the caffeteria at work without having to deal with all these screaming kids. Anyway, the first moments on the Riverside property let me know that WHATEVER it cost more than POP, it was going to be worth it. The setting is just the perfect place to unwind from a day at the theme parks. I LOVED the pool and found it to never be too crowded. The hot tub was too chlorinated and I had to get out because it burned my lungs to breath, but my fiance enjoyed it. She did have to save some little girl who had slipped into the bubbly depths and didn\'t come out on her own. The paths are wonderful places to be and I really didn\'t want to leave when the vacation was over. Our next trip will definately be centered around this resort.
We stayed here in January 2006 on our Honeymoon. We were hoping to stay in the mansions but instead were put in Alligator bayou building #28. We were pleasantly suprised how quiet and beautiful our surroundings were. We stayed in a king bed room and found it very clean. It had a small refrigerator, color tv w/cable, a table with 2 chairs and wired internet connection. The bed was comfortable. The chairs for the table did not allow for too much lounging as they were rustic wood and had no padding on the chairbacks. I would have added a small sofa for the room as the seating would be much appreciated. We never ate at Boatwrights, but frequented the food court daily for snacks or breakfast. Plenty of choices and hot. Our walk from the room to the food court was about 3-5 minutes long which was fine on a normal day, but I can see it being a drag if the clouds opened up for a florida rainstorm. The busses ran very quickly during our stay and we never had a full bus except when returning from park closings at night. Don\'t miss out on the boat ride to Downtown Disney. It\'s a nice little trip, but one you wouldn\'t use regularly as the busses seemed much faster. The resort staff was nice and informative, however we were not allowed to check our luggage at the desk for the flight home, even though our airline participated in the program (something about our last names not being the same). All in all it was a pleasant resort and we have already booked our next trip in january of 2007. And yes, we are staying in alligator bayou.
stayed in 99. We thought is was a great value for the money.
Stayed here in February of 2005. We were in the Acadian House (but I toured the entire grounds). It is all very lovely and beautiful. The only thing that I found that could use work was the main pool. I actually would have rather swam in our quiet pool or down at French Quarter then swim at Ol' Man Island. I highly recommend this resort!
Went in Aug 03 and going back in June. We love this resort, with the restaraunt plus the food court, its great. Didn't get to the pools last time, but definitely plan to this time. Altogether it is an awesome resort. Highly Recommend it!
I can honestly say that some of the best days I've ever had have been at WDW and Port Orleans Riverside (I still prefere the name Dixie Landings though). Well furnished, not too hurried, quiet but not too quiet, great connections to the world, boat and bus. We've been going for 6 years now and the 'Al Bundy' lookalike who plays the piano in the bar never fails to amuse. Highly recommended. Going back in May 2005!!
love this place..even though they changed the name it will always be dixie landings to me!!!
This is by far my favorite of all the moderate resorts. The theming is absolutely breath-taking. The service is very friendly and helpful. The rooms are nicely decorated. The best part of this resort is the expansive grounds. They are beautifully maintained and romantic strolls are easily found at night. There are also numerous amenities offered for days in which a park is not visited. The food court is good. The only negative I can think of is that the food at the sit-down restaurant is pretty much a more expensive version of what is offered in the food court. I would recommend saving some money by by-passing this restaurant and just eating in the food court. Overall, this resort is great. I am going back for a second time in 2005!
I can't believe that in over 25 stays with WDW; I had never tried this resort. I was very pleased and plan to stay there again. It was a fantastic resort for $79.00 per nite. The food court was nice, with a nice selection for all.
Despite some needed renovations (we stayed 3/03)I found the grounds extremely beautiful and smelled wonderful! Just walking around the area was so relaxing! The buses ran great. The food court seemed very busy at the normal rush times and the restaurant had a very long wait list. The store offered alot of variety and the kids enjoyed the main pool area. Be prepared to take long walks for everything, unless you stay by the main lobby. I was thoroughly impressed with this "moderate" resort. I would definitely stay again.
We just returned from a 4-night stay at Port Orleans Riverside this last December. This Resort is the best of the moderates. The themeing is excellent. Food Court and Gift shop are first class. We had a mansion room and were quite pleased. The rooms did show a few signs of wear and tear, but that is expected with all the guests that pass through these rooms. Housekeeping during our stay here was the best I’ve seen in a long time from any of the Disney Resorts. Would I stay here again? Definitely!
My favorite hotel! It's an escape from all of the crowds! You feel very spread out. And the scenery is the best! I can't say enough about this resort! It is my family's #1 pick.
Crowed food court,pool, and buses.It must have been the busiest time for them. Room was small but nice. A nice place to stay but with so many GREAT places to stay at disney it's just average.
I have stayed here for each of my visits (6) and absolutely love POR (Dixie Landings always in my heart). The only compliant I have is that we always seem to get the farthest room from the main buildings and after a long day at the parks this is just an added frustration winding through the paths to get something to drink or head out for DTD. Other than that, this is the best place to stay. Great price, great service, great pools, and if you don't want to go to the parks there is enough to do here to keep you busy all day long
We stayed in alligator bayou and loved it. I would recomend getting a room in a building close to the lobby and food court. We stayed in building 28...not a tremendous walk but a little much after a day in the parks. We loved the quiet pool.
it may be just me, but I thought the rooms were quite small and the balconies barely hold one chair, let alone two for us honeymooners.
The Alligator Bayou section is the best of the Riverside resort. There are pools all over the place including one in the center of 'ol man island. Rooms on the corners of buildings have two windows. Most rooms also have two seperate standing sinks and a mirror for each. Just a nice touch to the remoteness of the hotel itself. It may take you a moment or two to get oriented with the area, tha paths and building layout make it seem like a maze inside resort.
To be fair my first impression of our room in Aligatoor bayou was that it was nothing special. And indeed it is like most hotels any where, clean moderately accomodated and well themed. However step outside and it was a whole different world. The grounds are simply beautiful nature is abundant. The food court was good but a little crowded if you left dinning till peak times. The best treat was the quiet pool. it was a delight to slip into the water at night after a hard days park pounding, and it was a popular pasttime as we were never alone. the water taxi trip to DTD is worth staying at this resort for alone, though the CM captaining the boat can make a big difrence to the trip. Rooms can hold up to 5 with a trundle bed making it very affordable for a family of 5, and contrary to CRO says there is plenty of room.
This resort is beautiful. The landscaping is some of the best I have seen from Disney. The food court is clean and the food is good. The quiet pools are very nice and they give you an alternate option from the main pool, which can be a bit crowded and loud. I love this place and would reccomend it very highly.
This is a nice quiet retreat from the crowds at the theme parks and it is full of southern charm. We enjoy the bikes and boats, but probably the greatest thing is so many swimming pools. The only thing I would change is the amount of walking, but everything else more than makes up for this.
Dixie Landings (why'd they have to go and change the name to Port Orleans- Riverside?) is the best moderate on property IMHO. The theming is great. I especially like the mansion section. Although there seems to be a longer walk out that way than in the Alligator Bayou section, the grounds are beautiful. The main pool is awesome, and its nice to have the quiet pools available as well. Having the boat to Downtown Disney is very convenient (especially after spending part of an evening at PI). The food court is excellent with tons of food options and Boatwrights is a good full-service restaurant available onsite. My only gripe would be the bus service. Sometimes it took ages for a bus to come and (I'm not sure they still do this...I think they just share with PO-FQ now) the buses had a tendency to also serve the all-stars (which is just annoying and adds tons of time to the trip).
PO is a wonderful place to stay. I have stayed there many times. The landscape is beautiful and for the most part this is a very quite relaxed resort. I would highly recommed this to anyone. When you just can't do another park, go back to PO kick back, relax, or take a Surrey Bike ride around the glorious grounds.
PO Riverside (Dixie Landings) is easily the best moderate resort at WDW. The theming is great. It has one of the best moderate swimming pool(s) and has a great marina. The facilities are great and I think the food court is the best on the entire property. Best valued moderate resort on property.
The Is One of the Best Resorts that I Have ever been to in the whole country! This is comparing it to resorts in Las Vegas, California and various National Parks. The Atmosphere is so relaxing and its sucn an enjoyable place to stay.
In my opinion Dixie Landings (Port Orleans Riverside :-p ) is far and away the BEST moderate resort. It can't be beat. The atmosphere is great,they even play Canjun music! They have the best food court at a resort. The resort is made up of two sections, the alligator bayou and magnolia bend. Alligator bayou is more rustic and even has beds made to look like they are made of rough hewn logs. Across the river is Magnolia bend, a bevy of antibellium mansions. We've stayed in both and prefer Alligator bayou for it's cozy feeling. There is a boat (or was, not sure if it's a victim of budget cuts) that takes you to Downtown Disney. It's a very nice cool ride, it's about 1/2 hour long.
This resort forever will remain Dixie Landings! The theming offers a wonderful atmosphere that just makes you feel at home. Transportation to Downtown Disney via Pontoon boat is one of the best facets of Dixie Landings. There's nothing quite like traveling down the Sassagoula River by Pontoon with the wind in your face at night. In all, Dixie Landings offers everything you could wish for in a Disney Resort. Dixie Landings provides a truly magical Disney Experience.