Port Orleans Riverside Questions

[pfeifer1990]

Our trip is planned for 2020. Trying to decide on a resort. We've never stayed at Port Orleans. I have some questions.
Are the beds queen?
Has or will Riverside rooms be updated in the next year?
How are the buses to and from the parks?
How is the quick service food? Do they have salads and/or vegetarian/vegan options?

Thanks for any and all help in advanced.

 

[Haley R]

Our trip is planned for 2020. Trying to decide on a resort. We've never stayed at Port Orleans. I have some questions.
1. Are the beds queen?
2. Has or will Riverside rooms be updated in the next year?
3. How are the buses to and from the parks?
4. How is the quick service food? Do they have salads and/or vegetarian/vegan options?

Thanks for any and all help in advanced.

1. Yes the beds are queen beds.
2. According to https://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php, they will be starting some room refurbishments in late July of this year.
3. The buses aren't too bad, but keep in mind there are multiple stops so that can add to the total travel time to and from parks. They also don't have designated lines for each park at the bus stops so some people may try to budge in front of you to get on the bus. No one really forms a line at the stops.
4. We only tried breakfast at the food court and it was pretty terrible. We have biscuits and gravy and eggs. That was last year, though, so it could have changed since then.

 

[tommygunn]

I'm a huge fan of the riverside so can help a bit.

The beds are queen. I really prefer the look of the mansion side vs the bayou so I always request that. I also request a corner room on an upper floor as they tend to be a bit brighter.

I don't believe the rooms are scheduled to be updated.

People complain about the buses but I've never had a problem. Sometimes you do have to wait a bit, but that's true at any Disney resort.

The food court there is tip top. Lots of vegetarian options. The sit down restaurant isn't the greatest, but Yeehah Bob is a fantastic perk that should not be missed.

I've heard complains that this resort is "too big". I've never understood that. I actually like how large the resort is, lots of nooks and cranny's to explore and discover. And you walk so much at Disney anyway, what's the big deal about a few more steps near the hotel. I love the Riverside. Book and enjoy!

 

[TOBS2010]

We stayed at POR just a few years ago and liked it so much we decided to stay there again this summer. We never had an issue with the buses. At the end up the night bus lines are long in general for all the hotels returning---especially after the fireworks. You can consider hanging out in the park if it is still open afterwards till the crowds die down a bit. During the slower times of the year/day POR may share a bus with the French Quarters---but this was never the case with our experience---especially later in the day for the non-water parks.

We ate several times for breakfast, lunch and dinner once in the food court at POR. It wasn't anything crazy fancy where I would go out of my way to eat there. However, it got the job done when we needed to eat. Breakfast included eggs, pancakes, mickey waffles etc. They also have grab and go items like fresh fruit, yogurt and cereal. Lunch and dinner they had a make your own pasta, make your own salad, burgers, chicken tenders, pizza, etc. Last time we went, I was pregnant with an aversion to chicken so was eating lots of vegetarian meals----I always remember easily being able to find options there. You can check out the menu online to see what they offer and the price points. I would say that all the food courts on property seem pretty much the same to me.

Keep in mind that you are only a boat ride away from DS with TONS of food options too.

 

[Wild4Walt]

POR is a family favorite and we stayed here 3 years ago. It was the 1st time we didn't have a car with us and relied on Disney transportation.

We stayed in early May for 10 days - the transportation was wonderful and had no problems with it at all. We did take the laid back approach though and didn't overplan. We did dinner one day at a different resort so we cabbed it to avoid having to transfer busses. Busses were full and about 50% of the time we had people standing - it was that full. Only 1 time did we make a stop at both POFQ before going to POR. All in all, we found it a good experience but if I was going during busy season I'd probably rent a car.

We had both breakfast and dinner at the QS and found both to be good. The food ( except for 1 meal ) was fresh and well prepared. ( we had a burnt flatbread that had taken some time to cook so I ate what I could vs. asking them to remake it ). We also had dinner at Boatrights which we were both pleasantly surprised with. It was a desperate moment where I didn't want to eat in the food court again and I was able to get a table at walk up. I couldn't believe how much it had improved over my previous visit.

The pool area at POR is awesome as well. If you have kids, I like how the porch area is set up so you can relax up there and still keep an eye on your kids.

We're fans of the Bayou section but both are very nice.

 

[SarahC97]

I stayed at POR twice last year and loved it. The beds are queen and my husband and I thought they were super comfy.

The buses aren't any better or worse than any Disney resort we've stayed at. I always request to stay by the first bus stop (west) simply because I like being able to nab a seat on the way to the parks in the morning and I like being the first drop off.

The food court is pretty good. I'm not sure about the vegan option, but they did have quite a few vegetarian options. You can always email dietary services at Disney in order to get a full breakdown of what is available for special diets like that.

Riverside is only due for a "soft goods" refurb, so the rooms themselves won't be changing but the bedding and stuff may be.

Overall, I would stay at POR every time if I could. It's a great resort with great theming and great amenities.

 

[buzznina]

Our trip is planned for 2020. Trying to decide on a resort. We've never stayed at Port Orleans. I have some questions.
Are the beds queen?
Has or will Riverside rooms be updated in the next year?
How are the buses to and from the parks?
How is the quick service food? Do they have salads and/or vegetarian/vegan options?

Thanks for any and all help in advanced.

Yes queen beds
https://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php
They have 4 stops, other then that buses are good and bad at all resorts and do not factor into our decision.
We think it's one of the best. We love the create your own pasta bar. But not a lot for vegans. https://www.portorleans.org/riversidemill.php
POR is one of our favorite resorts from the 2 themes, the food and activities, the pool layout, boat to DS and you can go next door to POFQ and eat or play there.

 

[Babsy]

Beds are queens and comfortable, IMO. We stayed here for three nights last Jan and were happy with the condition of the furnishings and rooms. The Buses are fine in our experience.
Buses:
WE have had good and bad experiences at all the Disney resorts with transportation. It seems to be the luck of the draw to me. There are four stops at POR, which bothers some people, but we like that it means that there are bus stops close to all the rooms so you never have far to walk to get to one. If you prefer to go straight to the parks, you can walk to the last stop at the resort or if you want to be assured of a seat on the bus, you can walk to the first pick up bus stop. We simply use the closest stop to our room and have never had a problem. The bus stops do not have roped off queues, but they have shelter and some seating. A few people may rush to get on board ahead of you, but most are courteous and proceed calmly to board. Not a problem in our experience, but (full disclosure) we are pretty laid back and are not rope drop people so rarely use buses at peak times.
QS/restaurants/Vegan:
We only eat at the resort for breakfast and a few dinners. We often eat at theme parks or DS restaurants or even other resort restaurants. I eat oatmeal with vanilla soy milk, raisins and cinnamon for breakfast most mornings. Sometimes fresh fruit and yogurt and a coffee as well. There are some salad and pasta options, but not a lot available for vegans. The good news is that I have found the people working there to be quite willing to put something together for you. AT Boatwrights' they made a vegan stir fry specially for me that was absolutely delicious. I was very impressed by the kindness and flexibility to prepare a meal not on the menu that would fit my vegan requirements and palate. You will find vegan options at most restaurants, although not often the variety or necessarily the type of meal that you would prefer. Fortunately, you can plan ahead by looking at online menus before you make your dining reservations. Usually, you will know what you can have before you go. If they change the menu, they will usually work with you.

Enjoy POR !! It is a gorgeous resort! We love staying there!