Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort is a moderate resort themed after the colonial South. Featuring over 2000 guest rooms, it’s one of the largest resorts at Walt Disney World. The resort is so large that it’s divided into two sections: Alligator Bayou and Magnolia Bend. Alligator Bayou is themed to a swamp-like setting and champions the beauty of nature at its best.

Meanwhile, Magnolia Bend is a perfectly manicured section with a row of buildings themed to resemble mansions. The mansions sit overlooking Disney’s Sassagoula River. Below, you’ll find a list of articles we have related to Port Orleans Riverside Resort.

The Basics of Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside

• Check-In (3:00 p.m.)
• Check-Out (11:00 a.m.)
• Self-Parking (Complimentary)
• Free Wi-Fi Internet
• Address: 1251 Riverside Drive, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

History

Disney’s Port Orleans Resort (as a whole) first opened in May of 1991. It was inspired by New Orleans and the French Quarter. In time, the resort’s room count reached 1008 rooms.

Down the river, another resort, Dixie Landings, opened in 1992. At the time, Dixie Landings solely consisted of what we know today as the Alligator Bayou section of Port Orleans Riverside. Phase two of the resort, Magnolia Bend or as some people call “the Mansions” was built shortly thereafter. Once completed, the resort offered 2048 rooms between both sections.

Later, in 2001, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort and Disney’s Dixie Landing were combined, and their names were changed to Disney’s Port Orleans Resort-Riverside and Disney’s Port Orleans Resort-French Quarter. The resorts sit on over 325 acres and feature 3056 guest rooms.

For this guide, we’ll focus specifically on Port Orleans Riverside. We have a separate resort guide for Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter Resort.

Resort Benefits

Guests of Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort can participate in Disney’s early theme park entry, a perk extended to all Walt Disney World Resort guests. This perk allows resort guests to enter any Walt Disney World theme park 30 minutes before officially opening to the general public. This early entry provides several advantages:

1. Lower Crowds: Being among the first to enter the park allows you to experience popular attractions with shorter wait times. This will help you to check off must-see rides and experiences ahead of the crowd.
2. Photography Opportunities: If you love capturing the magic of Disney, the early hours provide a fantastic opportunity for photos in front of iconic landmarks with fewer people in the background.
3. Cooler Temperatures: Morning hours are often cooler, making outdoor activities more comfortable. But if you visit during cooler weather, don’t forget a jacket!

Buildings at Port Orleans Riverside

Port Orleans consists of two sections: Alligator Bayou and Magnolia Bend. Alligator Bayou is home to small buildings grouped together around a quiet pool and laundry area. The buildings in this section of the resort are all two stories and do not have elevators. So, if you receive a second-floor room assignment in Alligator Bayou, you’ll have to take the stairs. However, this area of the resort is especially gorgeous for those who enjoy the woods or consider themselves outdoorsy.

Magnolia Bend is a refined area that’s reminiscent of the old charm of the South with manicured green laws and giant oak trees. The buildings in this section of the resort are called mansions and have three stories. All of the mansions have an elevator in the center of each building.

• The Mansions of Magnolia Bend
  • Parterre Place
  • Oak Manor
  • Magnolia Terrace
  • Acadian House
• Alligator Bayou Buildings

We have a comparison post of the Alligator Bayou and Magnolia Bend sections that goes into the differences you can expect. This will help you discern which room type might be best for your family. You can’t really pick between the two sections. But your room choice will largely sway which area of the resort you are assigned.

Room Options

Guests at Port Orleans Riverside can choose from a variety of rooms. Room categories include:

• Royal Guest Rooms: A room type with extra princess furnishings and a headboard that lights up.
• Standard Guest Rooms: A room with two queen beds with a view of landscaping or a parking lot.
• Rooms with 5th Sleeper: A room in the Alligator Bayou that has two queen beds and an extra single pull-down trundle bed.
• Preferred Rooms: These rooms are close to Sassagoula Steamboat Company, dining, shopping, main bus depot, and boat dock.
• King Bed: These rooms offer views of the landscaping, courtyard, garden, bayou, river, or courtyard.

View Types at Port Orleans Riverside :

• Woods View: These rooms offer views of the woods, landscaping, or courtyard.
• Pool View: This will be a view of one of the resort’s quiet pools.
• River View: This room type offers views of the Sassagoula River.
• Standard View: This room usually will have a view of the parking lot.

We have a good deal of coverage of the rooms at Port Orleans Riverside. The articles listed below share multiple photos and video tours of each room:

• Magnolia Bend Room Tour
• Alligator Bayou (5th Sleeper) Room Tour

Dining Options

• Riverside Mill Food Court: This food court is open daily from 7:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For breakfast, you can find anything from Mickey-shaped waffles to burgers and pizza later in the day. They also have pretty delicious shrimp and grits!
• River Roost: This is the resort’s lounge, which has a pretty cool appetizer menu. We’ve enjoyed dining here and find you can make a meal out of most of their offerings. This is also where Yeeha Bob Jackson performs on select evenings.
• Boatwright’s Dining Hall: This table-service restaurant offers a full creole-inspired menu. You’ll probably want advanced reservations. But they do take walk-ups based on availability.
• Muddy Rivers Pool Bar: The resort’s poolside bar offers an array of specialty cocktails, beer, wine, and other beverages. But if you want something to eat by the pool, you’ll do better to place a mobile order at Riverside Mill Food Court.
• Refillable Mug Stations and Details for Port Orleans Riverside: This guide details everything you need to know for purchasing a Rapid Fill mug during your stay, including photos of the refill stations.

Related: The 4 Dining Options at Port Orleans Riverside

Pools

• Ol’ Man Island Pool: This is the resort’s feature pool that has a kiddie pool and hot tub. The pool is themed to an abandoned sawmill and features a 95-foot water slide.
• Quiet Pools Magnolia Bend: Two quiet pools are spread out between the mansion of Magnolia Bend.
• Quiet Pools Alligator Bayou: Three quiet pools are spread out among the Alligator Bayou.

Related: The Pools at Port Orleans Riverside

Recreation at Port Orleans Riverside

Here are a few of the recreation offerings you’ll find at Port Orleans Riverside. Several recreation calendars are posted throughout the resort.

• Fishin’ Hole
• Playground
• Movies Under the Stars
• Nightly Campfire
• Surrey Bike Rentals
• Medicine Show Arcade
• Horse and Carriage Ride
• Jogging Trail
• Riverside Levee Marina (Fishing Excursions)

Transportation

Bus transportation is provided from Riverside to the following theme parks and destinations:

• Magic Kingdom
• Epcot
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom
• Disney Springs
• Port Orleans French Quarter

You can also take a water taxi from Port Orleans Riverside to the French Quarter and Disney Springs. Our transportation guide for Riverside details how to get around the resort and the rest of Walt Disney World. You might also like a copy of our Riverside transportation map to help locate the bus stops.

Extra and Seasonal

• Port Orleans Riverside Review: Our resort reviews share detailed accounts of our stays and experiences. We pay out-of-pocket to stay at each resort hotel to provide an objective and non-biased overview.
• A Photo Tour of Port Orleans Riverside Resort: We recently took a photo tour of the Port Orleans French Quarter. This photo perspective shows the resort in a different light and what it has to offer.
• Fulton’s General Store at Riverside: This is the resort’s gift shop. Our photo post gives an idea of what you can expect to find, from souvenirs to groceries and other personal items.
• The Laundry Facilities at Port Orleans Riverside: Port Orleans Riverside has five laundry facilities spread out over its grounds. We have photos, locations, and details!
• Disney’s Port Orleans Resorts at Christmas: Come along on a photo tour of both Riverside and the French Quarter during the holiday season!
• Port Orleans French Quarter vs. Riverside: This article explores the differences between staying at Port Orleans Riverside and the French Quarter. Make no mistake—the resorts are near each other, but they couldn’t be more different!

Related Reading

Browse our articles related to the resort.

Other Moderate Resorts to Consider

If you’re still on the fence about Port Orleans Riverside, you might consider a few other moderate resorts:

• Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter Resort
• Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
• Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort