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| Fast
Facts |
| Resort Address: |
1251 Dixie Drive,
Lake Buena Vista, 32830 |
| Resort Phone: |
(407) 934-6000 |
| Resort Fax: |
(407) 934-5777 |
| Number of Rooms: |
2048 |
| Resort Category: |
Moderate |
| Resort Location: |
Downtown Disney Resort
Area |
| Check In Time: |
3:00pm |
| Check Out Time: |
11:00am |
| Room Types (maximum
capacity): |
Standard Room (4)
Note: some rooms in Alligator Bayou
up to 5.
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| Room Service: |
Pizza and Snacks Only |
| Valet Parking: |
No |
| Laundry Service: |
Yes |
| Fully Handicapped
Accessible: |
No |
| Semi-Handicapped
Accessible: |
Yes |
| Wheelchair Roll-In
Showers Available: |
Yes |
| Hearing Impaired
Conveniences: |
Yes |
| Non-Smoking Rooms
Available: |
Yes |
| Room Safes: |
Most Rooms |
| VCR Available: |
No |
| Data Port Available: |
Yes |
| Coffee Maker Available: |
No |
| Microwave Available: |
No |
| Refrigerator Available: |
Yes, Fee |
| Full-Kitchen Available: |
No |
| Concierge Service: |
No |
| Monorail Service: |
No |
| Table Service Restaurant(s): |
Boatwright's Dining
Hall |
| Character Meals: |
No |
| Counter Service
Restaurant(s): |
Colonel's Cotton Mill:
Acadian Pizza & Pasta, Blue Bayou Burgers &
Chicken, Cajun Broiler, Riverside Market and Deli,
Southern Trace Bakery. |
| Lounge(s): |
Cotton Co-Op Lounge,
Muddy Rivers (pool side at Ol' Man Island) |
| Services (Salons,
etc.): |
No |
| Shopping: |
Fulton's General Store
sells character merchandise, souvenirs, and sundries
and provides film developing service and is usually
open from 7:00am - 11:30pm. |
| Pool Description: |
The resort's five
pools include the feature pool on Ol' Man Island,
in the middle of the Landings complex, is a throwback
to the old swimming holes that Tom Sawyer and Huck
Finn surely enjoyed. Besides beautiful landscaping,
the pool includes a nice slide. The other five
pools are unthemed quiet pools. |
| Children's Clubs,
Programs: |
No |
| Fitness Center: |
No |
| Other Recreational
Facilities: |
Biking, Kayaks, Canoes,
Rowboats, Canopy Boats, Pontoon Boats, Children's
Playground, Fishing, Medicine Show Arcade. |
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Overview
Port Orleans Resort - Riverside is themed
as a riverboat landing on the Sassagoula River from the old pre-civil
war South. The rooms of the hotel are made up to be like an ante-bellum
mansion, in the "Magnolia Bend" area or the more proletariat
homes of "Alligator Bayou". The restaurant and entertainment
area of the hotel is themed to be the riverboat landing itself.
In fact, when you check in to the hotel, you are made to feel like
you are booking passage on a riverboat heading south down the mighty
river. This is a very large resort, only slightly smaller than Caribbean
Beach, but since it's broken up into the two areas, it's size is
quite so overwhelming as it's slightly older sibling.
Room Description
Since Riverside is themed into two areas, "Magnolia
Bend" and "Alligator Bayou," you'll find that the
rooms in the two sections are also different. In general,
the main difference is the theming, but there are some other differences
worth noting, too. Magnolia Bend is made up of several very
large buildings that represent the plantation homes of the ante-bellum
South. The Alligator Bayou buildings are more rustic, and
are intended to reflect the more humble lives of the South's middle
class.
Most rooms have two double beds (as at most resorts,
though, some king beds are available). The rooms have a pair
of pedestal sinks along with the standard bathroom/lavatory arrangement.
Of course, you'll also find a TV, dresser, and table with two chairs.
There are some rooms (all of them in Alligator Bayou) that can accommodate
five people with a trundle bed! If you need to handle a family
of five, this is a great option for you (versus paying significantly
more at one of the deluxe resorts).
The room views include water view and standard view.
Frankly, the additional cost for the water view (which may be the
river or a pool) is hard to justify.
Preferred Room Locations
I
personally think that Magnolia Terrace is the best compromise room
location in all of Riverside. it is directly adjacent to a
quiet pool and a bus stop, and is just a short walk (over and across
Ol' Man Island) to the restaurant and entertainment areas at the
landing. Another great feature (in my opinion) in favor of
Magnolia Terrace is that it is a non-smoking building.
In Alligator Bayou, buildings 14, 15 and 18 are closest
to the landing and a quiet pool, but all three are quite a hike
from a bus stop.
If you're looking for seclusion (and you can definitely
get that at Alligator Bayou) you might want to consider requesting
buildings 18, 26, 27, 38, or 39 as they are all "inside"
of the other buildings and furthest from the vehicle roads and parking
lots.
Food and Drink
Riverside has a food court and a full-service restaurant.
"Boatwright's Dining Hall" has a fairly extensive menu
and provides top-notch service. Boatwright's now offers a
buffet breakfast, which is a tremendous value if you want to get
a later start in the parks. The porterhouse steak dinner topped
off with bananas Foster can't be beat as a
fantastic dinner combination.
The resort also has a couple of lounges, one at the
landings and one on Ol' Man Island.
Activities
While not as extensive as River Country, "Old
Man Island", located in the middle of the resort, is a pool
area themed as an old watering hole in the deep south. It's a fun
place to swim, and it's convenient to the guests at the resort.
There are several other pools scattered about. Fishing, boating
(on the Sassagoula River), an arcade, and other activities are available.
Riverside also has it's general store to purchase sundries and souvenirs.
Disney Transportation
Buses are the main mode of transport for Riverside
guests. However, a boat is also available to carry guests to the
French Quarter or to the Village Marketplace.
The buses run every fifteen to twenty minutes, and
get full very quickly in the early morning.
Other Comments
Riverside gets my vote as the best themed resort in
all of Walt Disney World. It has just the perfect combination
of atmosphere and landscaping to make you feel like you're living
150 years ago.
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