Port Orleans Riverside Thoughts

[Porsche4]

I know that I am going to get lots of people saying stay at POFQ but I wanted to get some thoughts on people who have stayed at Riverside. First off I will say that the size of Riverside and the extra walking involved does not bother me at all. I know everyone raves about FQ saying that they love how small and intimate it is but for some reason I am more drawn to the look of Riverside. I really like the look of the reception and lounge areas more than FQ and as an early riser looking for somewhere to sit waiting for other party members to rise it looks like it might offer more for me. As far as I can tell the look of the rooms (other than the Princess rooms) all look pretty much the same. I am happy to give the buses a try but am also quite happy to grab a taxi or Uber to the parks if they don't work out. I would love to hear peoples thoughts on Riverside and any experiences they have had there.

 

[HairyChest]

I’ve stayed at Riverside a few times and visited French Quarter as much. Riverside was amazing! None of the issues I read was an issue when I stayed. The expansiveness was a plus for me because it meant more beautiful grounds to walk in and enjoy. There is nothing like the beautiful buildings, greenery, and waterways at Riverside. The theming is the real reason most of us pay the extra at Disney resorts. French Quarter has its charm but not the way Riverside does. To me, French Quarter is more for people who want a place to sleep to get to the parks quick, since what you mostly hear from people that love staying there is the smallness and quick walk to your room and efficient bus service. That should tell you that it’s more about a place to sleep then to enjoy It’s beauty vs the reviews people give of Riverside that always mention the beautiful grounds. Stick with your gut and enjoy Riverside, and visit French Quarter.

 

[CynBeth]

We stayed there a few years ago in a Royal Room with a river view and loved it!

 

[KittyKitty]

Riverside is my favorite moderate resort. It is beautiful. I do miss the variety in the menu, and the live entertainment because of covid.

 

[Stuck31]

If youre planning on spending time in the hotel, Id definitely say go with Riverside. It has a nicer feel, but its a tiny bit less convenient.

With that said, if you only plan to use the hotel to sleep for a few hours and head to the parks, FQ is probably better.

 

[DisneyMommy77]

I’ve only stayed at Riverside and visited FQ. Riverside appeals to me so much more! I don’t mind walking either, in fact, I like it!

It’s a great resort!

 

[Haley R]

I love them both in their own ways. I love the theming and charm to POFQ but riverside is nice for walking around and I like the pool better there too. The awesome thing is they’re so close you can walk to either one and enjoy it. If riverside appeals more to you then I would stay there

 

[sponica]

I like both for different reasons. FQ is perfect for strollers. But Riverside is the first moderate I stayed in, I prefer alligator bayou as it feels more rustic. I was also in a preferred room, so I was only about 5 minutes from the restaurant/lounge/etc. I don't remember the buses being an issue, but at the time I was accustomed to being on a packed city bus that moved slower than I could walk....

 

[dez1978]

I have not stayed at FQ but our very 1st trip we stayed at Riverside in Alligator Bayou bc I wanted 3 sep beds. The only thing I had much of an issue with was the walking. Mostly at night after the parks when my kids were exhausted. And we didn't know bell services would take our luggage from our room on departure. opps

 

[Meriweather]

We loved Riverside.....always stayed there until we bought DVC.
We stayed at FQ once when Riverside was closed. It was okay, but we preferred Riverside.

 

[LoveMugsNPins]

I love Riverside! I have stayed there twice. It being a huge property is a plus for me. I love walking around and the lobby/cafeteria area is nice. I wake up early and walk up and have coffee and mayyyyybe a choc croisant while the rest of my family is still sleeping.

 

[KCMA]

Stayed there once in 2018... Royal Room.... we absolutely loved it and will stay there again when we need to (are DVC now).. we read the complaints about excessive walking and slow buses etc... did not have any issue with either.. food court was great.. restaurants just as good.. can’t wait to stay there again

 

[Lumpy1106]

LOVE POR! By far my favorite MOD. The pool is FAR better than POFQ, and I love running the path around the "river" early in the morning - one of the best on property for that. QS is great, both have the boat ramp to DS. It looks more spread out but in reality, not by much. There are short paths out to the bus stops that are well spaced. The quiet is unmatched.

 

[loves to dive]

Another fan of POR. I've stayed a couple of times. The grounds are beautiful and I'm a morning walker so I love all the room to walk. There are couple of little tucked in areas that are great to sit in and just be quiet. Each section (on the mansion side I've not stayed on the other side) has a cute little courtyard with places to sit that are great in the early morning hours to sit with a cup of coffee and just enjoy the peace. I'm another one that the size doesn't bother me, even after a long day at the parks it never seems like a lot of walking to me.

 

[disneyseniors]

Another person who loves Riverside. We have always stayed there in the Alligator Bayou side. We loved the tropical feel of the bayou side with it's winding trails with small footbridges and lots of tropical plants. The quiet pools are great for a relaxing dip. We have never had a crowded quiet pool, which we prefer over the main pool. We stayed preferred and it was a short walk to the Mill and main building. Their QS restaurant, the Mill, has fantastic theming with a big waterwheel outside. The food selection is really good. They have a TS restaurant which is good too, but we prefer the QS to it.
Their resort store is the best of any moderate on property. It is huge and really has everything.
People complain about the buses, but in all our years of visiting POR, we have never had a problem with them.

Sadly, due to mobility issues, we had to change to POFQ. I have never liked the mardi gras theme, even though I have come to kind of like it, LOL. The food court is small but good, as is the resort store. However, we go to POR alot for their QS and store while at POFQ. There is a nice path between the resorts that is about a 10 minute walk along the River. They offer carriage rides which you reserve in advance. They are a great way to see the resorts and grounds.
Even though we stay at POFQ, we prefer POR and miss it. If we were able to walk better, we would definitely go back to our home resort, POR>

 

[rotlex]

Guess I'm the first to say we hate it there. Stayed there once a few years back and never again. We were in a mansion building and honestly, it was the most non Disney Disney Resort we have ever stayed at. Loved the food court, but that's about it. I'd much rather stay at French Quarter or CBR.

 

[Porsche4]

I like both for different reasons. FQ is perfect for strollers. But Riverside is the first moderate I stayed in, I prefer alligator bayou as it feels more rustic. I was also in a preferred room, so I was only about 5 minutes from the restaurant/lounge/etc. I don't remember the buses being an issue, but at the time I was accustomed to being on a packed city bus that moved slower than I could walk....

Thanks for the input. You are right I think sometimes people have really skewed expectations when they visit WDW, I have no problem with a packed bus ride (obviously not at the moment in Covid times) because once I get off and see the gates of the parks ahead of me everything is just perfect.

 

[Porsche4]

I’ve stayed at Riverside a few times and visited French Quarter as much. Riverside was amazing! None of the issues I read was an issue when I stayed. The expansiveness was a plus for me because it meant more beautiful grounds to walk in and enjoy. There is nothing like the beautiful buildings, greenery, and waterways at Riverside. The theming is the real reason most of us pay the extra at Disney resorts. French Quarter has its charm but not the way Riverside does. To me, French Quarter is more for people who want a place to sleep to get to the parks quick, since what you mostly hear from people that love staying there is the smallness and quick walk to your room and efficient bus service. That should tell you that it’s more about a place to sleep then to enjoy It’s beauty vs the reviews people give of Riverside that always mention the beautiful grounds. Stick with your gut and enjoy Riverside, and visit French Quarter.

Thanks for the reply. Coming from Australia we usually stay for a couple of weeks and split our stay between a couple of resorts. This gives us more time to relax and not have to tour in a commando style although we do always hit rope drop but then we like to return to the hotel early afternoon for a rest before returning to the parks in the evening. That's why its important to me to have a nice resort and grounds to enjoy. I think we will go with Riverside and visit French quarter.

 

[Porsche4]

I love Riverside! I have stayed there twice. It being a huge property is a plus for me. I love walking around and the lobby/cafeteria area is nice. I wake up early and walk up and have coffee and mayyyyybe a choc croisant while the rest of my family is still sleeping.

Yes that is exactly what I do and I think from all the photos Riverside will offer me some better places to sit and write my diary early in the morning. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[hereforthechurros]

We stay deluxe often but POR is for sure our favorite moderate. We love the pool area, the river, the boats to Disney Springs, the lounge (Yehaa Bob!), and even enjoy Boatwright’s. The sprawling grounds are part of its charm IMO. We prefer it over POFQ but would happily stay at either place.