Main Street Dreamers

Choosing a hotel for your Walt Disney World holiday can be incredibly difficult. With 29 Disney World properties to choose from, choosing the perfect hotel for your family can feel like an impossible decision. With this series ,we’ll share some insider knowledge on our favourite Disney World resorts, and why they keep us coming back again.

To begin, we will discuss a hotel that we’ve stayed at many times, and quite possibly our favourite moderate resort on property – Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside resort. With it’s mix of southern charm and lush grounds, it can be the perfect place for your WDW holiday. Here are 4 reasons we would recommend this hotel for your next family holiday, and one we would not.

1. Room choices

Here at Port Orleans Riverside, you will find a great choice of room options that are sure to satisfy your needs. Choices range between one king bed, two queen beds and fifth sleeper rooms throughout this large resort. Room categories also differ depending on your needs. Standard rooms are cheapest, but may give you a parking lot view. If this is something that doesn’t worry you – great! However, for those that might be spending more time at the resort, there are a few different options.

• Preferred rooms – These rooms will place you closest to the main amenities (Lobby, food court, Old Man Island). This is perfect for those that don’t want to be far from the action, or those with mobility issues. IMPORTANT – For those with mobility issues, be aware that Alligator Bayou rooms do not have an elevator for the second floor, you will need to request a room in the Magnolia Bend section.
• Pool View – With this room, you will get a great view of the … you guessed it, the pool! Be aware – this hotel features 4 quiet pools, so these rooms do not guarantee a room near the lobby.
• Royal Guest Rooms – If you are celebrating a special occasion, or just want to feel like a princess, these rooms are perfect for you! These rooms are grander and feel that tad bit more magical. (Fun tip – check the bed’s headboard for a special surprise)
• Room sections – As I have written above, there are two main areas that you will find rooms in Port Orleans Riverside.
• In Magnolia Bend, you will find the grand stately manor look with beautiful courtyards. Over at Alligator Bayou, you will find a more rustic, lodge feel for your rooms. You can’t choose a certain section while booking, but can always request a specific area (remember this is not guaranteed).

2. Dining Options

The largest food option you will find at Port Orleans Riverside is the Riverside Mill. This will be your quick service / food court. Here you will find everything from a mickey bounty platter, to omelettes to overnight oats before you head off to the parks. In the evening, the choice is just as varied from jambalaya, to pizza and pasta, and your standard burger and fries. There is sure to be something to satisfy everyone in your travel party.

Top tip – Don’t forget to buy your refillable mug from the food court. These cost $22.99 and can be used during the whole duration of your stay, a great deal!

Table service – A 10 second walk from the food court, you will find Boatwright’s dining hall. Historically, this restaurant hasn’t received the best reviews, however in recent years this place has really turned itself around. A real highlight seems to be the all you care to enjoy platter that will give you a sampling of many Southern staples for you to enjoy. Note – this restaurant is only open for dinner, so cannot be enjoyed during breakfast and lunch.

Muddy rivers pool bar – No, this place does not offer a plethora of dining options. However, if you find yourself peckish while at the pool, this is the place to get a mickey pretzel and one or two other quick grab and go options to enjoy. Don’t worry, the Riverside Mill is an incredibly short walk from Old Man Island, so there is so much to choose from there during your pool day.

River Roost bar – At the moment, you won’t find any dining options at this hotel lounge. However, we include it because historically we have enjoyed some really great treats from here and hope they return. For now, enjoy great cocktails, mocktails, beer, whisky and more in a relaxing atmosphere.

Note, this hotel bar will not always be relaxing. Be sure to stick around between a Wednesday and Saturday night to see the wonderful Yeehaw Bob performing here. It is sure to be a lively and entertaining show. We promise you will not be disappointed!

3. Pools and recreation

One of our favourite places to explore at the resort was Old Man’s Island – the resort’s main pool. This pool boasts a great waterslide, lots of seating, and a great hot tub to enjoy. This resort pool opens at 10am, and has lifeguard supervision all day. Here you will also see fun games, trivia and activities for children around the pool deck. Top tip –If you prefer an earlier swim, or want a quieter experience, the resort boasts 4 quiet pools around the resort for you to enjoy. These do not include a pool bar or lifeguards, but can be a good choice for a quieter experience.

You will also find many other activities around the resort. This is one of the only resorts that offers surrey bike rentals. If you prefer a nice relaxing activity, your family can rent these bikes to enjoy a tour around the resort. These will usually set you back around $18 for the day. Here you will also find movies under the stars, where you can enjoy a great movie while the sun goes down. You will find the movie choices on the directories around the resort.

If you are a keen fisherman, Port Orleans Riverside is one of only 2 resorts that offer dockside fishing. You come up, rent a pole and bait and go straight to fishing on the dock. It’s a great choice for those looking for a relaxing activity, without paying a large amount for a guided fishing tour.

One of Port Orleans Riverside’s most beautiful options are the carriage rides around the resort. For around $55, you can enjoy an incredible horse drawn carriage ride around the resort as the sun goes down. As you can imagine, these rides are only offered in the evening hours, to ensure that the horses are comfortable and not in any distress. These also sell out quickly, so be sure to keep an eye out to reserve them.

Another great option for a rainy day is the medicine show arcade. You can find this right off the hotel lobby, with many games to choose from. Air hockey, pacman, basketball and many other games ensure that kids (or big kids) can be entertained all afternoon. You purchase your game card from the machines at the arcade and get right to the fun. There are also massage chairs for those of us that want to relax while the kids have a good time.

4. Transportation

There are two main transportation options at Port Orleans Riverside resort. The first, and the one that will take you to most Disney locations is the bus service. There are 4 main bus stops at this resort – East, West, North and South depots. This means that you are never far from your bus stop. Note – If you find yourself at the last stop (South depot for most) you may find that your bus is full by the time it gets to you, as this is such a large resort.

Another way to travel in this resort is by boat. Right outside the back of the main lobby, you will find the boat dock that will take you to Disney Springs. This is a great option for those that enjoy the shopping and dining options that Disney Springs offers, and will be spending a lot of time there. NOTE –Once again, this isn’t the quickest transportation option. Once you are on the boat, the journey will take between 20-25 minutes, so do not take this if you’re in a rush to get to a dining reservation.

5. Why you may not want to stay here

We personally love this resort, and we find that the pros far outweigh the cons. However, there may be some priorities for you, that you feel you will find more at another resort. Here are some of the main points to consider before booking this resort.

• Resort size – This is a large resort, and paying more money for a preferred room can be a big ask. If you receive a standard room at the far end of the resort, you could find yourself with quite a walk to the main lobby. If this is a serious concern for you, maybe their sister resort (Port Orleans French Quarter) might be a better option for you.
• Transportation – As we mentioned earlier, with 4 bus stops, the resort buses can become quite full quite quickly. This may mean that you will have to stand on your way to your Disney parks which again can be difficult for those with mobility issues. Also, during quieter times you may find yourself sharing a bus with those from Port Orleans French Quarter, which also adds more time to your time to the parks.
• Gym – There are no hotel gyms at moderate resorts (With the exception of Coronado Springs resort). For us, we walk enough during our park days so it doesn’t bother us. However, if you’re travelling with someone who really finds a gym important, this could be a deal breaker. Consider looking at the deluxe resorts if a gym is your non-negotiable. Just consider that this comes with a price.

In conclusion, we love this resort, and we would stay here over and over again. The staff have always been nothing but wonderful, the grounds are serene and relaxing, and a great plus for us are the many quiet pools for a relaxing dip. We would really recommend this resort for families who want that little bit more space without the deluxe prices. Also, for couples and Disney Springs lovers, who would really make use of that great boat transportation. If you choose this resort for you Disney World hotel, we promise you will not regret it!

-The sisters behind Main Street dreamers