It all depends on the architectural style you like.
The mansions are styled after the graceful, southern mansions of the past. There are 4 mansions. They were described nicely above. My only additional comment is that the mansion buildings are huge! Room placement is very important and some sections of the mansion are 3 stories (there are elevators in the 3 story sections). We were in Patierre Place about 3 rooms from the river on the 2nd floor. It was a good placement and about a 5 minute walk to the food court.
The bayous are smaller, more intimate buildings that are grouped in clusters of 5 around quiet pools. The rooms are more rustic in that they are a bit darker in color and the furniture is a more rustic style. The rooms are the same size as the mansion rooms and have the same amenities. The bayou buildings are 2 stories (no elevator) and the vegetation is lush and full. Some may consider it overgrown, but that's the way it is in the bayou. The bayou buildings have 2 big points in my opinion. First, the double rooms have a trundle bed under the first bed. If you are traveling with children, the trundle bed can be a wonderful thing for separating cranky siblings at night and these rooms do sleep 5 (the only moderate rooms that do so).
Second, in the first cluster of bayou buildings, Buildings 14, 15 and 18 are the closest to the main Riverside building complex. In fact, some of the rooms in 14 are so close to the food court that you can smell the food cooking!!
One thing to consider during your stay, is to split your stay between the mansion and bayou rooms. That way you can figure out your architectural preference. My building preferences would be Bayou Buildings 14 or 15 and Magnolia Terrace.
If you go to
www.wdwinfo.com you can pull up a map of the resort which will help determine exactly what buildings you do not want to be in because of the distance.
