Port Orleans – Riverside is a hotel at Walt Disney World in the moderate category. The hotel, along with the neighboring French Quarter, is in the Disney Springs area. A lovely boat ride down the river connects Port Orleans to the entertainment, shopping and dining district. Riverside has been around since 1992 and is themed to the areas outside of New Orleans right along the, you guessed it, river. In this post, we’ll review the hotel’s rooms, amenities, atmosphere and value.

There are many words to describe all 21 of Walt Disney World’s hotels. I enjoy (at least aspects of) all of them but quiet and tranquil aren’t words that can describe many of them. A few of the offerings give off a relaxing vibe, Animal Kingdom Lodge and Wilderness Lodge specifically for me. But when it comes to quiet and tranquil, Port Orleans – Riverside stands alone.

Location and the sprawling nature of Riverside have a lot to do with the quietness. There isn’t as much activity going on in that section of Walt Disney World and it’s easy to get swept away in the secluded feeling. Being by a river never helps too, especially when Chris Farley isn’t yelling about his van down there.

But other WDW resorts are in (relatively) remote places and offer sprawling grounds while not giving off the feel of Riverside. Old Key West comes to mind. I like that hotel pretty well, and it has other assets that Riverside doesn’t but there’s not as much romanticism to it. Tall trees block most of the outside world views in Port Orleans, so guests are left with paths that go beside water or wander back into the different buildings.

Speaking of buildings, they range from southern style mansions to Bayou looking cabins. Wandering around them in the still night, or finding a shaded path during the day, is a nice respite from the busy parks. Strolling around the grounds once the sun has gone down is downright charming and a wonderful way to spend half hour of an evening. There aren’t many hotels in Disney World that can offer that peaceful setting.

That is the strongest offering Port Orleans – Riverside has and that is enough for some. Heck, even when I’m not staying at the hotel I like taking a bus there from a theme park, walking around for a bit and then getting on the boat to Disney Springs. But does that wonderful, quiet atmosphere make up for other areas?

Let’s take a look at the rooms first. Above is a standard room. It has a similar layout to all Disney moderate hotel rooms. I like the touches of blue throughout and the light fixtures are pretty unique. This room isn’t the best of the resort offerings but it does have some character.

Like all WDW hotels, there’s a TV and mini fridge. This room has space for a small table at the end.

Here’s the pullout sleeper twin under the TV. Always enjoy seeing Louis pop up, as I’m a fan of large-tummied animals. I have no reason to believe this twin is smaller than others and I don’t remember thinking anything of it when we stayed here but it does look tiny in the photo!

You can see the bathroom here, complete with my right arm in the mirror. Please refrain from making a large-tummied animal joke! The blue accents are met with some pink in here along with wood tones. It’s a little bit of mishmash but nothing that throws off the balance of the room.

The Princess and the Frog theme stretches into the bathroom with this shower curtain. For those wondering, no Ray (the firefly) is not on the other side of the curtain watching you shower. Hoping I alleviated some fears.

As a whole, I like the rooms at Riverside but don’t love them. The color palette is up my alley but I wish there were a few more details. Having a few more touches would save this room from feeling a little too bare bones. That said, I don’t see the room as a deterrent to staying here.

The swimming area and other recreation is on ‘Ol Man Island, invoking Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer. The pool itself has a few cool water features and a slide that isn’t great, but hey, it’s still waterslide! I would likely rank this main pool last among the Walt Disney World moderate pools but that’s a surprisingly strong group to compete against. Again, not a deterrent but not great.

‘Ol Man Island is a fantastic idea as a whole. There are hammocks throughout if guests want to relax for a while. A catch and release fishing hole is also around (for an extra charge) as well as a pool bar. The area is well done and embraces the theme of the resort nicely.

Port Orleans – Riverside features a counter-service and table-service restaurant, Riverside Mill Food Court and Boatwright’s. YeHaa Bob regularly performs at River Roost, the bar attached to the lobby. Sitting down with a drink (or four) and watching him perform is well worth it and one of those aspects that makes the hotel unique. The restaurants follow what I’ve said about the pool and rooms – good but not great.

As far as location and transportation goes, Riverside is okay. I already mentioned the boat to and from Disney Springs, which is an undisputed highlight of staying here. That ride is one of the most pleasant of any WDW transportation. After that, things get more grim. The sprawling nature of the hotel grounds do hurt here as it takes a while to get picked up or dropped off. Riverside is relatively close to Epcot and Hollywood Studios, so the actual rides aren’t bad. Busses here can be frustrating but I’d put location/transportation in the middle of the pack in terms of Disney World offerings.

Where does that leave Port Orleans – Riverside? If you’re booking a place based on wanting somewhere quiet that offers a nice break from theme parks then it should be near the top of the list. But based on everything else, the hotel is just okay compared to others in the moderate category. Generally, Coronado Springs offers slightly cheaper rooms than Riverside but they are comparable. If you can find this hotel for around $200 per night, I think that’s a pretty good deal.

Port Orleans – Riverside ranks low on our list of Walt Disney World hotels but I do find the grounds very alluring. Unfortunately, the rest of what the hotel offers can’t quite keep up with the atmosphere. If you’re looking for a place to take a romantic, quiet stroll though then Riverside is a great option.

Overall Rating – 8/10

Have you experienced Port Orleans – Riverside? Let us know your thoughts or questions below in the comments! Planning a trip to Walt Disney World? Check out our planning guide for help! Looking for discount tickets? Check out this site! If you enjoy what you’re reading here on Wandering in Disney, please subscribe to the blog and like our social media pages. You can do both of those things on the right side of this page. Thank you for reading, we really appreciate it!