A Royal Stay at Port Orleans

Another fun hotel in our room block is Port Orleans - Riverside. My mum, Brian, and I stayed there last month when we visited Disney for our planning session. Most of the rooms have been recently renovated and so has the lobby. This is a great option if you want something a bit fancier than All Star Movies with a moderate price tag. 

This is where Disney's Magical Express drops you off. To the right is the lobby.

The resort is lush and set on the Sassagoula river. The atmosphere is peaceful and relaxing, with lots of landscaping around the buildings. The resort is split into two sections, the rustic Alligator Bayou which has rooms that can comfortably sleep a family of 5, and Magnolia Bend which has a mansion feel. Everyone here was very friendly and the woman at the front desk even went to search out "Engaged" buttons for us. If you need something while staying here, just ask. 

We stayed in one of the Magnolia Bend buildings in a Royal Guest room. It was full of Disney details and made our stay quite magical. I recommend upgrading to one of these rooms if you want feel like a Princess at Port Orleans. We loved the room and they just opened in March, so they are quite clean. These rooms should also be discounted, though they will be more than the standard rooms.

The headboards actually had fireworks animation!

The central pool on Ol’ Man Island includes waterfalls and a water slide. The waterslide was pretty fun, and the pool was large. There are also quiet pools near the buildings, which would be better for lap swimming or a relaxing soak close to your room.  There is a Jacuzzi and a pool bar on Ol’ Man Island. It’s a short walk from most of the buildings, on its own island.

The hotel features both a restaurant (Boatwright’s Dining Hall) and a food court. There are a variety of options at the food court, and you can purchase a refillable mug that you can use for your entire stay there. Boatwright’s takes reservations, so I would recommend making one in advance if you know you want to eat there on your trip. It is only open for dinner. 

You can see the water wheel from the food court dining area.

For more options for shopping and eating, guests can take the boat to Downtown Disney. Brian took the boat and said it was a nice trip with a lot of nice sights. There is free bus transportation to all of the parks (and to the airport with Disney’s Magical Express). It’s also possible to get to most anywhere on property for less than $15 by cab if you are in a hurry. This will be one of the hotels where our buses will pick up guests for the wedding events. 

Guests can indulge in horse-drawn carriage rides around the resort and there are pirate cruises on certain days for children. The Medicine Show Arcade has tons of games and guests can also rent bikes or fishing poles. 

Our rates start at $162.00 including taxes. It is $15 extra per person per night for more than 2 adults in a room. I recommend booking soon if you want to stay here for the wedding, as the rooms will fill up quickly. Just call 407-827-6799 and tell them you are attending our wedding to book with our rate. Let me know if you have any questions.