My Very Honest Review of my Least Favorite Disney World Resort
Over the years we’ve stayed at several different Walt Disney World Resorts. Each resort has positives and negatives and some resorts are just not for everyone. In this post, I’ll share my experience at our least favorite Disney World Resort.
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In January 2024, I visited the Port Orleans Riverside Resort at Disney World with a friend. We were spending the week resort hopping so we could experience and review several resorts during our time at Disney.
Not a Great First Impression
We arrived at Riverside in the late afternoon after spending a day in the parks. Thankfully our luggage was delivered to the resort for us since we were staying at a different Disney Resort the night before. The luggage transfer service was wonderful.
There was some miscommunication or misunderstanding about how we could get our bags to the room. First, we were told that someone was available to drive us. This sounded great! We were pretty tired and we knew that Riverside was a larger resort.
However, once we had our luggage we were told that someone different could drive us but we would have to wait 20 minutes. They told us the walk wasn’t too long so we decided to bring our bags to our room ourselves.
The walk to our room was pretty long (especially when dragging luggage along). The walkways were fine and the scenery was very pretty, so that was nice but it was tricky to figure out find our way to our room.
No Elevator
We finally to our building and realized that we were on the 2nd floor… and there was no elevator in this building!
This was a pretty big staircase. At this point, we didn’t know what to do. Several years ago I literally broke my back, so carrying my own heavy luggage up the stairs was a no-go.
We looked around for a cast member but didn’t see anyone. I thought about walking back to find help but my sweet friend, Diana offered to try to bring the bags up the stairs.
Thank you Diana! She truly saved the day!
We got into our room, which was lovely. You can read my full overview and review of Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort here.
Important Notes
Please know that we are aware that we could have done things very differently and this is not necessarily any Cast Member’s fault. I am always so thankful for the hard-working cast members! I could have communicated my concerns more clearly in the moment or we could have found a cast member to help or waited for the ride to our room.
Besides the issue with the luggage and 2nd-floor stairs, there are other reasons Port Orleans Riverside is just not the resort for me.
Looking for a smaller resort with a whole lot of charm? Read my review of Port Orleans French Quarter Resort here.
Long Dark Pathways
The grounds at Riverside are very nice, but also very dark at night. One night we walked to the bus stop and both noted how dark it was and how as women traveling along, I didn’t think I would want to walk alone. Please note: I know that Disney World is a very safe place, I also know that bad things can happen. Also, there is plenty of wildlife in the area that I would really prefer not to meet on a dark walkway alone.
Large, Spread-out Resorts are Not For Me
One thing I learned is that I prefer a smaller resort. After a full day of walking miles in the parks, the last thing I want to have to do is walk more than I have to at the resort. Port Orleans Riverside is a very large, spread-out resort.
How to Avoid the Alligator Bayou section at Port Orleans Riverside
If you are like me and do not don’t prefer being in the bayou (lots of trees, greenery and darker walkways.) There is another option… Here are my tips for avoiding the Alligator Bayou area:
- Book a Royal Guest Room in the Magnolia Bend area.
These mansion buildings house several different room categories but they are the only buildings that house the Royal Guest Rooms. The only way to guarantee to be in the mansions is to request a Royal Guest Room at Port Orleans Riverside. These rooms are located in the two southernmost mansions at Magnolia Bend, Oak Manor, and Parterre Place (buildings 90&95). Just note that these two buildings are still a distance from the main buildings.
2. Do not book any Preferred room or a room with a 5th sleeper. These rooms are only available in the Alligator Bayou area.
3. If you do not want to pay the premium pricing for the Royal Guest Rooms you can take your chances by booking one of the room types below.
** Remember – there is no way to guarantee this unless you book a Royal Guest Room.
I’ve put the room types in the order that I think will give you the best chance at being in the Mansion buildings.
- Woods View Room: 2 queen beds with views of Landscaping, the courtyard, or the Bayou.
- Standard Room: 2 queen beds.
- River View Rooms: 2 Queen beds with views of the Riverfront
- King Bed Room: 1 King Bed with views Views of the Garden, Bayou, Courtyard, or Riverfront.
4. You can also add a room request for the specific area you would like. Your request is NOT guaranteed, so chances are you might still end up in Alligator Bayou.
Would I Ever Stay Here Again?
While my first time at Port Orleans Riverside Resort wasn’t a great experience, I know that many people love Riverside and it’s a great resort if you have 5 people in your group. Thankfully there are lots of other resorts to choose from and we can all have different opinions.
To be honest, when I go back to Port Orleans Resorts again I’ll be staying at Port Orleans French Quarter because of the size, the pool, and the Beignets! You can see my Review of Port Orleans French Quarter HERE.
Have you stayed at Port Orleans Riverside? What did you think? I’d love to hear your honest thoughts below in the comments.
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