Port Oleans - Riverside - want your reviews!

[wdwluv]

We are planning a one day visit to MK on May 15th for my 40th birthday. (doing the beach for the rest of our Florida stay) I HAD booked an off site property, but checked into staying on site. The PROBLEM is we are a party of five, which makes our options SO limited. I thought the only "cheap" option I would have would be a value, and a family suite at all star music...BUT I found that Port Orleans French quarter has a trundle bed in the room. SO booking there, with the current offers is nearly the same as the off site we had booked.

ANYWAY - I'm looking for your input. I feel like maybe I've read that one of the Port Orleans isn't so great - but for just 2 nights stay, maybe I can suffer with it? Fill me in please!

[DVC2004]

I always stay DVC or Deluxe- so I wasn't expecting alot but we stayed at POR Riverside in December and I was pleasantly surprised. It was very nice- the theme was nice, it felt alot like a Deluxe to me. we stayed in the Mansions but I know the trundles are in the Allgator Bayou area. A more rustic theme but still looked nice. Food court was OK- we didn't eat there alot but it got crowded in the morning. The transportation was smooth. Overall it was very nice and I would recommend it to anyone. Our room felt spacious too. I would much rather stay at POR than offsite.

[jenperich]

I LOVE PO-Riverside. It's a great resort! I have stayed in the mansions and in Alligator Bayou. They are both wonderful. I thought the food court was great...although we usually only ate breakfast there. You'll love being able to take a peaceful boat ride to DTD. Have a great time!

[svarhall07]

Port Orleans Riverside was my first moderate resort. We've always kind of thought either go cheap or go all out, but POR changed that perspective. The resort is very elegant, very clean, and carries an old Southern feel. The food court is a decent size, bigger than Deluxe but much smaller than the value resorts. The bus service runs smooth, there are many stops throughout the resort, so you don't have to walk a long distance to one main stop. You also have the connivence of the the boat to downtown disney. The rooms are also larger in the moderate resorts, so you might not feel as cramped. I think any family would enjoy a moderate if a deluxe wasn't an option. You have to stay on property!!!! Its the only way to do Disney right! Have a great trip!

[deedeebee]

We love POR too:thumbsup: In July we stayed at the Poly, my kids missed POR! We have stayed at many on-site and off-site, always look forward to going back.

[tazlikesrobots]

POR was our first experience staying onsite and we absolutely loved our stay. The resot is very quiet and the grounds are beautifully landscaped. Not to mention the river cruise to DTD was an added treat!

:mickey:

[retiredfigment]

POR was our first onsite resort. I loved it. Just sitting here, I can remember how beautiful the grounds were and how good they smelled. We have stayed in one of the mansions and twice in Alligator Bayou. Like the latter better, though farther from the food court. The food court can get crowded, but many more choices than at the Deluxes.

[tinxmom]

Just returned from our first stay at POR. The Alligator Bayou rooms have trundle beds - making it a fit for a family of five (like us!). We loved it. We did request building 14 or 18 (and got 18) which was very key as they are close to the food court and bus stop. It is a VERY large resort with beautiful grounds - very restful atmosphere.

[wdwluv]

Oh I'm so glad to hear all your reviews! Sounds perfect! So good to hear someone else had a family of 5 fit well in the room! Everything is so designed around families of 4!!! And tinxmom I'm thinking of following your lead with the building numbers...though are they near the pool?...we are actually going to have a car, so the bus is probably not going to be necessary?...

[azcavalier]

Family of five here. Once our youngest turned 3, we had to start staying at POR. We really enjoy it. Love the pool, liked the food court better than the ones at the Value resorts (though I hear that the food court at POFQ has some tastier options). The bus service has always been good. Love the grounds. Big gift shop (if you're into that).

The *only* complaint would be that it can be a long walk to the main building. That's it. But that's certainly not unique to POR.

[mom2morgan]

I really like POR! We are a family of 4, but my kids can't stand to share a bed, so my 16 year old slept on the trundle and was perfectly comfortable.

[elmjimmlm]

We are a family of 5 and have stayed at POR every year...I really don't want to stay anywhere else...It has the best pools and food court...The grounds are beautiful and very laid back and quiet...It is our home away from home...:mickey:

[forever a child]

We love Riverside! It is very beautiful and peaceful. You will enjoy it so much more than being off-property! There are 4 (or 5) quiet pools as well as the main pool and you can also visit the pools at POFQ since they are sister resorts! Have fun!:mickey:

[Mousemates]

we liked POR very much...however, I don't really get the trundle bed fascination that is so often sited when folks give their reasons for liking this resort ...its essentially a bad mattress that pulls out from underneath a real bed...and that put the child sleeping on it in a good spot to be stepped on by someone getting up to go to the bathroom at night....I ( and most kids (mine for sure) too I think) would prefer to sleep on a quality air mattress...so anyway, we do recommend POR, but certainly wouldn't let the trundle beds be a decision maker.

[crltkcagle]

Nothing but great things to say about POR. We love it!

[mickeytravel]

Last December i was able to sneek in a quick trip. We usually stay at WL and love it so I was a little worried to book the Riverside but we were only there for 3 nights so i did it. We loved it. The limited time we had was great when we used the boat to downtown disney. I would do it again in a minute if it meant i could stay onsite. No regrets at all.

[Ksmith75]

It is a great resort, you will love it. And Happy Birthday (early)...that is my birthday too...I will be 35! DH and I will be in disney end of april-through early may, and we are staying at the por (3rd time at that resort) - we love it!

[Frog]

you will love it!
dont forget to use the boat if you decide to head to downtown disney for the night!!

[Soph and Han's Mom]

our first on site resort as well...we had many happy stays in alligator bayou. we have since discovered that we love staying at monorail resorts for transportation, but i would not hesitate to stay at por for any reason!

[wdwluv]

Thanks so much everyone! I'm SO excited to hear all the great reviews!!! I was so excited to find this option for our "uneven" party size! Staying at the family suite at All Star Music would have been a good bit more and would have sealed the deal for an off site location. We are soooo excited that the trundle bed gives us the option of staying on property at a decent price.

We will definitely have to fit in a boat trip to DTD

Happy Birthday to you as well Ksmith75!!!! If you see a stressed out buy happy mom of 3 chasing a 3 year old around say hello! LOL!!

And Soph and Han's Mom I sure hope we can afford to stay at monorail resorts someday!! That would be my first choice! Ever since going as a kid - age 5/1975 - I've dreamed of staying at the original monorail Disney Resort - Contemporary!

:mickey::mickey::mickey:

[1DisneyNut]

we liked POR very much...however, I don't really get the trundle bed fascination that is so often sited when folks give their reasons for liking this resort ...its essentially a bad mattress that pulls out from underneath a real bed...and that put the child sleeping on it in a good spot to be stepped on by someone getting up to go to the bathroom at night....I ( and most kids (mine for sure) too I think) would prefer to sleep on a quality air mattress...so anyway, we do recommend POR, but certainly wouldn't let the trundle beds be a decision maker.

The trundle beds are cited as a decision maker because this is one of the very few resorts where a family of 5 members can stay on site at an affordable price. In my opinion this is one area WDW should look at because I would imagine they are losing customers whose family is 5 or 6 members to off site locations simply due to the cost of those type rooms on site.

[Soph and Han's Mom]

we definitely sacrifice to stay at the monorail resorts, let me tell you!! we cut back on a lot of other things (souveniers, etc) so we can stay at our favorite places. now that my kids are a little older (8 and 14) we find that we spend a lot more time just relaxing by the pool, and less time at the parks. don't get me wrong, we spend a ton of time park hopping, but we love to come back and chill out poolside.

becoming passholders helps alot too...sometimes we come across pretty deep discounts! your travel times need to be a little flexible, bot that isn't always a big deal for our family.

have a great trip, and maybe we'll run into you at the cr in the future;)