We stayed there for 10 days in a preferred Alligator Bayou room. Within quick walking distance to the front bus stops, the pool and main lobby. Phenomenally thsmed rooms. We liked the quietness and theming of this resort the most out of any as we are just 2 adults without any kids. Reasonably priced as well.
As a family of 5, when we took the kids for their first visit in 2013, we stayed in Alligator Bayou and loved it. We have stayed at a lot of resort since, but that has included at least two more stays at Riverside, including this latest trip, in Feb, 2023. Now that first time, our kids were 5, 5 and 8. This time they were 14, 14, and 17, and instead of using the pull down, we had a twin air mattress in the spot where the door to the joining room is, but if you plan on spending most of your day out and about, and you all get along pretty well, it’s still doable. While Princess and the Frog is my favorite Disney princess movie, my FAVORITE part of staying at Riverside is the east access to go see Yehaa Bob at the River Roost lounge. By far and away, the best kept (or not, given how early you have to get in to claim a table) secret at Walt Disney World.
I have stayed at both French Quarter in 2014 and Riverside in 1997 at one of the Plantation style rooms (back when it was called Dixie Landings). Overall I much prefer French Quarter for it’s smaller size and charming atmosphere - and less rooms, meaning less people at the pools, etc. Also when we stayed there it seems most of the time the resort buses stoped at French Quarter first then went over to the three stops at Riverside, and it always seemed much more crowded and guest were left waiting because the buses were full by the time they got to the last stop.
Love that Disney is getting it and theming the rooms while still giving them a cleaner look (and with the underbed storage). This room looks great! And you have a towel Mickey!! I havent seen one of those in years.
We just stayed at Riverside last week. We loved it and enjoyed the thematic elements that it includes. The bathroom curtain and shower curtain are beautiful.
I prefer French Quarter for its compactness and faster bus service, but I’m glad to see they kept Riverside’s charm in the latest refurb. They’re both beautiful resorts. I’m still 50/50 on the carpet. The vinyl is more hygienic, but the carpet added theming and also kept the noise down.
My hotel rankings are as follows: Delux - Polynesian Moderate - Riverside Overall - Riverside Riverside, in my opinion, outranks even the Deluxe hotels simply because it is just situated so perfectly, has the best food court in the entire resort world, and is simply beautiful to look at and walk around. Nothing beats this place. It’s been my favorite since the mid 90’s (1994 I think) when my family first stayed there. Buses and boats make it so easy to move around, but for me, that food court and its simplicity to walk to, is the main reason this place is so perfect. That and it’s charm and ambiance. I absolutely love Polynesian, Contempo, and Wilderness Lodge, I also really love Beach Club. And I have had very nice experiences inside the Tree Houses and French Quarter (all the others including Animal Kingdom Lodge are fine but I did not care for them personally), but only Polynesian comes close (almost ties) Riverside!
It makes me really happy to see Port Orleans rooms looking this good. We stayed at Riverside under its former name on our first ever family visit in 1996, and I have stayed at French Quarter a few times since. It has the most wonderful vibe of all the resorts and these rooms look wonderful.
Only stayed at POR once, initially I wanted the "plantation style" rooms next to the river, but was told those were extra (and they were refurbing a lot of them at the time, double beds replaced with queens to give you an idea of how long ago that was). But the room we had was perfectly fine for it's purpose, we didn't have kids at the time, it was a place to sleep, a place to recoup after a long day in the parks, and we weren't terribly far of a walk away from the bus stop although parking was free at the time for resort guests even in the parks parking lots so we didn't use the bus very often, which is the only negative I had about the resort really.
8:19 Mybest guess on the meaning of LHMC is that the M and C refer to Musker and Clements the directors of Princess and the Frog. The L and H could then refer to two of the actors in the film Jenifer Lewis and Terrence Howard.
Tom, I completely agree with you Port Orleans Riverside is great! I stayed their for 8 of the 20 straight years that I did the January half marathon. One thing did break my heart for the resort was when they got ride of Boatwright's breakfast during the recession. Hands down one of the best Eggs Benedict I have ever had. I'll be at Wildness Lodge the last week of April and would like to buy a round at Territory Lounge for you and anyone else that can make it. Eric M. and I exchanged 1 email a couple of months ago and I will follow up with him at the end of this week.
My major complaint about Riverside is the transportation. It's a VERY big resort; so multiple bus stops. it often shares with the other resorts in the area; even Old Key West, which also has 5 bus stops. By the time a bus gets to you, often it is almost completely full. For guests like my wife and I, who both use mobility scooters, this becomes even more of a problem. That's a big plus to French Quarter, in my opinion; only one single bus stop in a much smaller resort.
You're a good man, Tom, but you should never have to explain/apologize for liking POR. Anyone who doesn't understand the appeal doesn't deserve to. I suspect the vast majority of us are with you on that opinion. I went to WDW once around 72 or 73. It took me until 2019 to finally return, and when I did, I came back in style. Three weeks of resort hopping, a couple of nights here and there. I stayed in every resort except for two. Of all the resorts, POR was my favorite. Also, I did a lot of research before going on this trip. I made sure to come here on the first two nights and kick things off by seeing Yeeha Bob. This is truly the moderate that feels like a Deluxe. I enjoyed the bayou room more than the park-facing room at the top of the Contemporary. Yes, more than that! Anytime someone says they hate POR but prefer Saratoga Springs or Key West I look for the flat spot on their head from when they were dropped as a baby.
How sad that all of the resort rooms at WDW look identical to any other hotel/motel rooms you can stay in on any interstate highway in the USA. All charm and character has been removed from the rooms due to cost saving by management. 😢 I don’t know why he is going on about how good they look. 😂 We have been going to WDW since 1974 and have stayed in all the resorts except animal kingdom. The changes are sad and not to be celebrated and praised. All the personal touches that made the Disney resorts charming are long gone. It’s all generic blah decor now.
We stayed there for 10 days in a preferred Alligator Bayou room. Within quick walking distance to the front bus stops, the pool and main lobby. Phenomenally thsmed rooms. We liked the quietness and theming of this resort the most out of any as we are just 2 adults without any kids. Reasonably priced as well.
As a family of 5, when we took the kids for their first visit in 2013, we stayed in Alligator Bayou and loved it. We have stayed at a lot of resort since, but that has included at least two more stays at Riverside, including this latest trip, in Feb, 2023. Now that first time, our kids were 5, 5 and 8. This time they were 14, 14, and 17, and instead of using the pull down, we had a twin air mattress in the spot where the door to the joining room is, but if you plan on spending most of your day out and about, and you all get along pretty well, it’s still doable.
While Princess and the Frog is my favorite Disney princess movie, my FAVORITE part of staying at Riverside is the east access to go see Yehaa Bob at the River Roost lounge. By far and away, the best kept (or not, given how early you have to get in to claim a table) secret at Walt Disney World.
I have stayed at both French Quarter in 2014 and Riverside in 1997 at one of the Plantation style rooms (back when it was called Dixie Landings). Overall I much prefer French Quarter for it’s smaller size and charming atmosphere - and less rooms, meaning less people at the pools, etc. Also when we stayed there it seems most of the time the resort buses stoped at French Quarter first then went over to the three stops at Riverside, and it always seemed much more crowded and guest were left waiting because the buses were full by the time they got to the last stop.
Love that Disney is getting it and theming the rooms while still giving them a cleaner look (and with the underbed storage). This room looks great! And you have a towel Mickey!! I havent seen one of those in years.
Alligator Bayou is the best resort hands down. We love riverside!
We just stayed at Riverside last week. We loved it and enjoyed the thematic elements that it includes. The bathroom curtain and shower curtain are beautiful.
I prefer French Quarter for its compactness and faster bus service, but I’m glad to see they kept Riverside’s charm in the latest refurb. They’re both beautiful resorts. I’m still 50/50 on the carpet. The vinyl is more hygienic, but the carpet added theming and also kept the noise down.
I love these Hotel Tours - Keep being as great as you all are✨😃
As usual, a great video 😄
My hotel rankings are as follows:
Delux - Polynesian
Moderate - Riverside
Overall - Riverside
Riverside, in my opinion, outranks even the Deluxe hotels simply because it is just situated so perfectly, has the best food court in the entire resort world, and is simply beautiful to look at and walk around. Nothing beats this place. It’s been my favorite since the mid 90’s (1994 I think) when my family first stayed there. Buses and boats make it so easy to move around, but for me, that food court and its simplicity to walk to, is the main reason this place is so perfect. That and it’s charm and ambiance.
I absolutely love Polynesian, Contempo, and Wilderness Lodge, I also really love Beach Club. And I have had very nice experiences inside the Tree Houses and French Quarter (all the others including Animal Kingdom Lodge are fine but I did not care for them personally), but only Polynesian comes close (almost ties) Riverside!
Thanks for bringing me back. Stayed in these rooms last July. My favorite resort by far.
POR is the first Disney resort we ever stayed in. It is definitely our favorite moderate resort.
It makes me really happy to see Port Orleans rooms looking this good. We stayed at Riverside under its former name on our first ever family visit in 1996, and I have stayed at French Quarter a few times since. It has the most wonderful vibe of all the resorts and these rooms look wonderful.
Miss Riverside so much ❤ the location of my College Program
My favorite too. Especially a corner room with double windows.
I like the little touches. It gives us another option. It would be nice to have themed pillows. Good view.
Been going here since the mid 90s when I was a young kid when it was called Dixie Landing!…still coming here with my family now. Love this place
Only stayed at POR once, initially I wanted the "plantation style" rooms next to the river, but was told those were extra (and they were refurbing a lot of them at the time, double beds replaced with queens to give you an idea of how long ago that was). But the room we had was perfectly fine for it's purpose, we didn't have kids at the time, it was a place to sleep, a place to recoup after a long day in the parks, and we weren't terribly far of a walk away from the bus stop although parking was free at the time for resort guests even in the parks parking lots so we didn't use the bus very often, which is the only negative I had about the resort really.
Love Alligator bayou 💖 quiet and cozy.
8:19 Mybest guess on the meaning of LHMC is that the M and C refer to Musker and Clements the directors of Princess and the Frog. The L and H could then refer to two of the actors in the film Jenifer Lewis and Terrence Howard.
Good catch
Tom you are 100 percent correct. Port Orleans Riverside and French Quarter are 2 of the best resorts and that includes the deluxe ones.
This where we are looking to stay in December! It’s the only 5th sleeper that has a military discount as well.
Tom, I completely agree with you Port Orleans Riverside is great! I stayed their for 8 of the 20 straight years that I did the January half marathon. One thing did break my heart for the resort was when they got ride of Boatwright's breakfast during the recession. Hands down one of the best Eggs Benedict I have ever had. I'll be at Wildness Lodge the last week of April and would like to buy a round at Territory Lounge for you and anyone else that can make it. Eric M. and I exchanged 1 email a couple of months ago and I will follow up with him at the end of this week.
I take home the coffee cups and the napkins also🙋🏼♀️😂
Riverside is king and i call the resort dixielandings. Looks the same as 1996 time whem our family first visited.
I’ve heard LHMC = Long Haul Mileage Calculation, which makes sense for a shipping crate prop.
My major complaint about Riverside is the transportation. It's a VERY big resort; so multiple bus stops. it often shares with the other resorts in the area; even Old Key West, which also has 5 bus stops. By the time a bus gets to you, often it is almost completely full. For guests like my wife and I, who both use mobility scooters, this becomes even more of a problem. That's a big plus to French Quarter, in my opinion; only one single bus stop in a much smaller resort.
Good stuff! Thx🌟👍
I thought they did start out as 2 separate resorts, Port Orleans and Riverside? We liked Port Orleans as we had young children then
You're a good man, Tom, but you should never have to explain/apologize for liking POR. Anyone who doesn't understand the appeal doesn't deserve to. I suspect the vast majority of us are with you on that opinion.
I went to WDW once around 72 or 73. It took me until 2019 to finally return, and when I did, I came back in style. Three weeks of resort hopping, a couple of nights here and there. I stayed in every resort except for two. Of all the resorts, POR was my favorite. Also, I did a lot of research before going on this trip. I made sure to come here on the first two nights and kick things off by seeing Yeeha Bob. This is truly the moderate that feels like a Deluxe. I enjoyed the bayou room more than the park-facing room at the top of the Contemporary. Yes, more than that!
Anytime someone says they hate POR but prefer Saratoga Springs or Key West I look for the flat spot on their head from when they were dropped as a baby.
😂
I stayed in a five sleeper in building 27, room 2734 (march 1st-3rd)
Who remembers when this side was called Dixie Landings and the other side was just called Port Orleans?
I have dreams of this resort. I could book a trip to wdw just to stay here for a week and not even visit a park
Are there microwaves in these rooms?
Is it just me or does anyone else find this room depressing? Thanks for the tour Tom.
We stayed there for one night in one of those rooms and it is much better in person.
How sad that all of the resort rooms at WDW look identical to any other hotel/motel rooms you can stay in on any interstate highway in the USA. All charm and character has been removed from the rooms due to cost saving by management. 😢 I don’t know why he is going on about how good they look. 😂 We have been going to WDW since 1974 and have stayed in all the resorts except animal kingdom. The changes are sad and not to be celebrated and praised. All the personal touches that made the Disney resorts charming are long gone. It’s all generic blah decor now.
The 5th sleeper is in a crate and there’s a washboard on the sink, what theme do you think is missing from the room that was previously in it?
Wow what a horrible take 😂 these room are beautiful