Staying on property at any Walt Disney World resort truly caps off the magic of your visit, regardless of which resort you pick. But some Resorts or rooms have a little extra enchantment, which brings me to my favorite Moderate resort hotel – Port Orleans Resort – Riverside!
The Resort grounds here look like a locale right out of the Princess and the Frog movie. With sweeping, mossy trees, mansion-style “homes” and the Sassagoula River within view, you may think you’ve left Florida and transported to Louisiana-bayou heaven.
POR – Riverside has two distinctive areas- Alligator Bayou, which has more of a rustic-bayou feel, and Magnolia Bend, which has the mansions. This is where you’ll find the Royal Guest Rooms located.
Our room was 9797, and it was a fair trek from the lobby/check-in area, especially if you’re not quite sure exactly where your headed. Once we got to our building, or “mansion”, we did have to figure out the maze to get to our room. But once we got to it, we could easily and quickly make our way back and forth to the main lobby. We were on the second floor, and they did honor my request for a “corner” room. I prefer a corner room & always request one when we stay at a moderate resort because this means you’ll usually get 2 windows in your room instead of 1, allowing for extra light in the room. We also could see the Sassagoula River when we walked out of our room and looked to the right, which we only booked in the “garden view” room category, so I thought that was an added bonus, as River View is sometimes an extra cost.
The headboards behind the pillow light up with an LED display when you push a button! Your little Princess will absolutely love this. Or, perhaps you’re like me & your inner princess’ heart will skip a beat. This room is a little on the darker side, with furnishings, etc., so even with two windows and the curtains open, this was the best lighting I could get my IPhone 7 to take. But, suffice it to say pictures, even the ones on WaltDisneyWorld.com, don’t do this room the justice it deserves. It is absolutely beautiful, and I hope they never get rid of this category room! The beds & linen were like butter, the pillows were amazing, and everything was so clean. The theming is BEYOND & totally worth it, if you’re still on the fence! TIP: The lights overhead the bed, the ones that are on in my pictures, turn off of course.
Tiana left the cutest message for her Royal Guest Room guests!
I got a shot of the two windows that come standard in a “Corner Room”, above, should you ask for and/or get one. In most rooms, only the front window by the door will be standard, not the window to your right. Just like the pictures of the beds had too little light, I could only get the pictures looking towards the “window corner” to come out too light. Oh well, you get the idea, and I mean look at those royal curtains! Aren’t they TDF? Also, Tiana leaves behind the sweetest wishes for your family vacay!
Entryway 
An in-depth look at our floor layout
I love that every Princess is represented here! No matter who’s your favorite , she’s left something behind in your Royal Guest Room for your family to enjoy. I love that Jasmine left behind Aladdin’s Magic Carpet & the Genie’s Lamp in the bathroom! There are so many other surprises from the other Princess’, & I’ll let you find the rest when you stay there! It’s half the fun looking for the little details of the room! It’s like an attraction in itself.
The blue granite is so gorgeous! Don’t forget to check out that shower curtain for some visual surprises!
Total Hidden Mickey leaf we found! The famous Horse-Drawn Carriage in the background 🙂
If you have some down time, Gary and I can’t recommend enough strolling through the gardens and pathways that Port Orleans is famous for. The landscaping is among some of the best on property, and boasts pretty fountains and unexpected surprises. I actually met a friend on our stroll, one of the beautiful horses that pull a horse-drawn carriage! The driver was so kind and stopped so I could meet & pet the horses nose. It gave me all the feels of being Belle & talking to Phillipe in “Beauty and the Beast”. That was the closest I’d ever been to a horse. What a fun experience! You never know what magic awaits you and your family on a Walt Disney World vacation! We’re always amazed. Sometimes its the small, magical experiences and theming that keeps us not only coming back for more, but its why we became Disney Vacation Club members in the first place!
Disney Springs looking from the boat on the Sassagoula River
We only stayed here one night this trip, but we packed in so much in so little time, it felt like we were here for two night! We made the most of this stay by going to Boatwrights Dining hall to share QS, River Roost where we enjoyed Yehaa Bob Jackson’s piano show https://disneyworld.disney. (we love him, never leave) for longer than we should’ve, and walking those spectacular grounds that gave us all the Louisiana feels. It was incredible how easy going this stay was, too, considering it was the second stop of a 4 night trip. I was definitely relaxed and happy at Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort. I even ran the Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekends 5K the morning after we checked in, then came back for some R&R before checkout. It was great! The night we checked in, we took the boat to Disney Springs for a fun night of pasta and shopping, and it was so easy! I would recommend this property based on A.) Ease to Disney Springs and B.) Feeling like Disney Springs and Disney Parks are a million miles away, but right there at your finger tips! In Disney’s World, this property is a gem as it’s an affordable, comfy and fun option for your family!
