Such a lot has modified at Walt Disney International within the ultimate 5 years and is slated to switch within the subsequent 5. We’ve misplaced vintage points of interest, added thrilling new E-Tickets, and can have blockbuster expansions that come with Monstropolis, Tropical Americas, Piston Height, and Villains Land.
Then there are the inns. Many have noticed dramatic transformations that come with large-scale reimaginings and modernizations. The upside is that these kinds of lodge redos had been tasteful and well-themed. The drawback is that there are towers that, effectively, tower over the extra stout and sprawling houses, together with Caribbean Seaside, Coronado Springs, and the Polynesian. Toughest hit of all is Citadel Desert, which is able to quickly “welcome” Disney Lakeshore Hotel to the group.
The checklist is going on and on. There’s been various development and development, however a large number of the resort development–or a minimum of the places of the additions–had been doubtful at highest. Given what a nostalgic and mawkish position Walt Disney International is, it may be jarring. Thankfully, there’s one position the place time has successfully stood nonetheless. When you’re having a look to step again in time to twenty years in the past, one lodge has you coated.
Now not a lot is assorted at Port Orleans as in comparison to a decade in the past. And even 20 years in the past. Every so often the most efficient issues at Walt Disney International are the constants. Probably the most consequential adjustments got here long ago in 2001, and it’s been most commonly the established order since then. A minimum of, as contrasted with the initiatives that experience took place at different motels, and particularly different Average Lodges, all through that point.
A minimum of, no longer a lot is assorted with the bones of the Port Orleans Lodges as an entire, their not unusual spaces, and the entirety that fanatics love. Fortunately, the rooms had been refreshed a number of occasions all through that span. The most recent still-in-progress overhaul at Port Orleans Riverside lately wrapped up its first section, revealing new rooms in our favourite segment of the lodge that are actually to be had for reserving.
Port Orleans Riverside Room Redo Timeline
The primary section of the Port Orleans Riverside room refurbishment is unofficially completed. This challenge was once at the beginning slated to finish in 2026, however as we famous within the 2026-2027 Walt Disney International Resort Building & Refurbishment Tracker, that was once all the time an unrealistic timeline since it is a tough items overhaul.
Overdue ultimate yr, the paintings was once prolonged from its authentic finish date to August 2027. On the other hand, this isn’t in fact a unmarried challenge that was once behind schedule via over a yr. It’s two levels, and just one was once put at the calendar at the beginning.
The primary section of this challenge up to date all the Magnolia Bend rooms, and is now finished. That incorporated each the usual rooms and the Royal Rooms. Probably the most extra consequential adjustments is that now most effective Construction 95 (Parterre Position) properties Royal Rooms.
Best the usual rooms are coated right here, however sadly, the redone Royal Rooms seem nearly indistinguishable from the usual rooms. That’s a unique matter for a unique put up, regardless that.
Alligator Bayou is receiving the following spherical of room redos, and crews will quickly transfer to that facet of the lodge. That had no longer but took place all through our keep, and it’s my working out that part of the challenge received’t get started till past due summer season.
There’s no reputable date, however Riverside is without doubt one of the particular Cool Children’ Summer season inns, and that runs thru September 8, 2026. Talking of which, take a look at the unfastened lodge room facilities to be had for younger households at Riverside, each for this summer season and on an enduring foundation.
There also are deep reductions on make a selection Riverside rooms that run thru August 15, 2026. Each have indubitably been a large spice up to summer season occupancy, so we’d be expecting the Alligator Bayou paintings to start after one or either one of the above wind down.
Regardless, creating a room request for Magnolia Bend will mitigate publicity to the second one section of this challenge. Even within the absence of development, we choose the mansions in Magnolia Bend over the extra rustic however fascinating Alligator Bayou. (Simply don’t e-book a fifth sleeper room if you wish to have a brand new room.) See Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Hotel Room Reimagining Prolonged via Yr-Plus to 2027 for extra at the Alligator Bayou overhaul.
Now let’s head within the reimagined common Magnolia Bend visitor rooms at Port Orleans Riverside…
Inside of Reimagined Riverside Common Rooms
This room redo at Port Orleans Riverside is a difficult items refurbishment. For the ones unfamiliar with this time period, it’s most often a gut-job all through which the furnishings, floor, fixtures, and different components are changed. We refer to those as room reimaginings, as they generally lead to materially-different rooms.
In between tough items refurbishments, there are comfortable items refurbishments to increase the lifetime of a selected room design, and to present them a contemporary glance that takes good thing about business tendencies and inventions in design. Comfortable items refurbishments most often contain updating furniture, together with however no longer restricted to wall coverings, floor, linens, decor, and a few furnishings.
Listed here are the newly-reimagined rooms at Port Orleans Riverside post-hard items refurbishment. Those function a contemporary coat of sunshine blue paint that brightens the room–or makes it overly bland, uninteresting, and beige–relying upon your standpoint.
The floor has modified as soon as once more. In the past, there was once a directly association of wooden floors. It appeared excellent, however possibly quite dated. Now the ground is a herringbone trend, very similar to different new rooms at Walt Disney International.
I don’t have a robust opinion in this floor alternate. That is lovely very similar to a number of different recently-redone rooms at Walt Disney International. The argument may well be made that it provides somewhat of texture to the gap, however I discovered the former floor completely effective. It was once extra vintage.
Probably the most largest variations of the Riverside room redo as opposed to French Quarter is that the bench seat alongside the wall has been dropped in choose of the extra conventional desk and chairs.
That is just a alternate should you’re contrasting what we might’ve anticipated right here in accordance with the French Quarter template. It’s actually extra of a go back to commonplace for Average Hotel rooms, with POFQ now being the outlier.
The chairs are picket with a yellow padded seat and a blue paisley floral trend at the again. All of this furnishings feels considerable, and suits the theme of the reimagined rooms.
From what we perceive, visitor comments at the bench seats at French Quarter was once combined, at highest, resulting in this being dropped from the Riverside redo. It seems that the seating was once awkward for a large number of visitors.
Our it seems that unpopular opinion is that the bench seating was once higher. A minimum of for our younger circle of relatives. It was once simply in a position to seat either one of us with a child in between, which was once best for us. Stylistically, that seating additionally added somewhat of aptitude to the room by means of its colourful trend. I am getting the court cases, regardless that.
Just like the brand new rooms at French Quarter, the brand new Magnolia Bend rooms at Riverside even have a Princess and the Frog motif. There are 3 prints above the desk and chairs, that includes Tiana over time, from adolescence to maturity.
Throughout from the beds and adjoining to the desk and chairs is the cloth cabinet, with the tv fastened at the wall above that. There are a number of USB-A and USB-C ports at the cloth cabinet, however I nonetheless desire a devoted software for quicker charging.
The most important alternate concerning the cloth cabinet is that it’s longer and slimmer. It doesn’t stick out so far as the previous cloth cabinet, and extends all of the approach to the wall that abuts with the toilet. This implies quite extra garage and ground house.
The brand new cabinets above the espresso maker upload space for storing, and somewhat of colour with the yellow paisley trend. The espresso maker is of the bizarre Cuisinart selection in a position to creating a unmarried cup or two cups at a time, with Joffrey’s packets equipped.
The beverage cooler is hidden in the back of the screened door within the cloth cabinet of the console. Word that those are the norm in resort rooms at Walt Disney International, and also you’re technically no longer meant to retailer milk or different dairy merchandise in them.
Since I love to live to tell the tale the wild facet, I all the time retailer yogurt and extra perishable merchandise in them. No problems so far–knock on picket. Right kind mini-fridges are most effective in DVC rooms or actually previous rooms.
The headboards above the beds substitute the previous picket body, and lengthen to the ceiling.
The higher portion options bayou paintings, which I guess is from Princess and the Frog, however in truth, I don’t take into account. It would simply as simply be Bambi or another movie I’m forgetting. That wouldn’t make quite a lot of sense in a room that’s another way PatF, however Disney has made stranger choices.
Those apply the template established via French Quarter, albeit with a couple of twists. For one, there’s a real mural right here versus a trend. Each paintings effectively. The mosaic trend is sublime, however the mural actually pops and offers this room a way of existence.
Those are paying homage to the headboards at different new rooms, with BoardWalk and Grand Floridian coming to thoughts for me. There’s great intensity and measurement to those, with an upholstered house proper above the pillows after which the bayou mural, with a white body that is helping it distinction with the sunshine blue paint of the wall itself.
There’s additionally a brand new lights sconce in between the beds (versus above the headboards at POFQ), in addition to fold-out studying lighting fixtures flanking every facet of every headboard. For me, those are enhancements over what was once there ahead of, giving extra persona and pops of colour to the rooms to counter the tasteless/uninteresting/beige grievance, whilst additionally classing them up somewhat.
If the sheets, mattresses or pillows are assorted, we couldn’t inform. One underrated room development of the decade has been extra plush pillows and mattresses, and that continues to be true with Riverside’s reimagined rooms. (It’s the similar in any respect Average Lodges, to the most efficient of our wisdom.)
Longtime readers of the weblog know that I used to be a large bedrunner proponent, lamenting their loss lengthy because the resort business as an entire has moved clear of them. However bedrunners have in large part been long past for nearly a complete decade at this level, so it’s mindless to fixate on them.
The brand new development of throw pillows is an ok substitute for mattress runners, so I’m going to claim victory over bland bedding. This teal pillow with floral patterning provides every other pop of colour to the another way sterile mattress. Between this and the headboards, the mattress appears to be like about as great as may also be anticipated.
Adjoining to that mattress, there’s a brand new barn door to the toilet that replaces the former curtain that separated the spaces. The deeper blue colour stands proud effectively, and the trend mirrors the throw pillow.
One minor distinction is not any paintings to the suitable of the door. That might’ve been great to look, particularly since this identical house at French Quarter has a work. However it additionally most effective has two above the bench, so nonetheless the similar quantity total.
There’s additionally a small shelf flanking the headboard closest to the toilet for a telephone. The middle bedside desk will have to suffice for this for the opposite mattress, and provides extra charging ports.
The center is the place you’ll additionally to find the divisive Alexa ‘Howdy Disney!’ software, which is now in all rooms at Walt Disney International. I’ve come to realize this for the Soundscapes. Between that and the AC at complete blast, out of doors noise isn’t a topic for me.
The toilet has been utterly up to date, with a modernization in step with different inns round Walt Disney International.
Right here you will have two sinks, illuminated rest room reflect, and makeup reflect. Numerous shelf house and garage has additionally been added. In my opinion, I’d be keen to industry the ones cabinets to the suitable for extra counter house so it’s more uncomplicated for 2 folks to get able directly.
The toilet ground has additionally been redone and now includes a mosaic trend within the colour scheme of all the room, tying the entire redesign in combination. This appears to be like incredible, and once more is helping the room counter the tasteless/uninteresting/beige accusations.
There’s additionally a pull-out step stool that’s cleverly built-in into the design. I didn’t correctly recognize this in the past, however our daughter loves this, and with the ability to wash her fingers all via herself. We’re large on unbiased handwashing at the present time. Some say it’s essentially the most amusing that may be had in a resort room.
I didn’t do the most efficient task of taking pictures it, however there’s a full-length reflect within the nook, subsequent to a cupboard house with cabinets and an ironing board.
Throughout from the cupboard house is an open closet with hangers and a baggage rack that’s sufficiently sized for an open carry-on suitcase. Most likely a greater answer than having my bag out in the course of the room. Above this is additional linens, in case you want extra as a result of your partner cranked the AC to drown out noise from the out of doors international.
A pocket door ends up in the toilet, the place the bathe has additionally been redone, similar to different Average Hotel bogs.
As you’ll see, ours was once a standard walk-in bathe. For many who need or desire a tub, the ones also are nonetheless to be had. If that’s necessary to you, we’d suggest creating a request all through on-line check-in after which confirming with the entrance table ahead of coming into the room.
As ahead of, the shampoo, conditioner, and cleaning soap are equipped by means of wall-mounted dispensers fairly than the small particular person bottles. That is not anything new from the previous design, however those are new dispensers.
Disney got the rights to the components for the H2O tub merchandise ultimate yr, so those are actually non-public label–however similar to ahead of. (See Walt Disney International’s Tub Logo Ended, However Its Smell Spirit Lives On.)
Right here’s a video excursion of this newly-reimagined common Magnolia Bend room at Port Orleans Riverside:
We adore those redone rooms and consider them as an improve from the previous Riverside rooms, a minimum of the common non-Royal ones. The former rooms had been starting to display their age and had been by no means exemplars of themed design within the first position. There are sufficient pops of colour and main points that upload texture, intensity and measurement that those rooms paintings for us.
From our standpoint, those do sufficient to handle considerations about generic or uninteresting rooms. This received’t fulfill each Walt Disney International diehard, however for us, this room reveals the very best heart floor between bland and busy. Perhaps they might’ve used a coat of extra brightly-colored paint on every other wall or every other piece of artwork, however they in large part paintings.
On the subject of each serve as and shape, I recognize what Disney has carried out right here. Those rooms really feel increased, have various garage, and are straight away recognizable as Disney resort rooms versus one thing from a random Marriott in Springfield. On the identical time, they don’t overdo it. It’s great to have a center floor resort room that’s calming and comfy, and no longer an attack at the senses.
How those rank amongst Average Rooms comes right down to style and priorities. Unsurprisingly, the Riverside rooms are very very similar to the redone rooms at Port Orleans French Quarter. The most important distinction is the desk vs. bench seating. I desire the latter, however choose the full glance of the Riverside rooms.
When touring solo, I actually just like the Coronado Springs rooms, that have held up properly regardless of ultimate being refurbished a decade in the past. In the meantime, the usual rooms at Caribbean Seaside, that have been redone a lot more lately, are appearing their age and glance overly bland.
Our favourite of all is the upscale and underrated ‘Beneath the Sea’ rooms, and I actually hope to look that non-standard taste applied in different places.
The reimagined common rooms at Port Orleans Riverside don’t reinvent the wheel.
Once more, they’re iterative to French Quarter, and convey some stylistic prospers from the redone rooms at BoardWalk, even though with out just about as a lot element. Even if we don’t love the BoardWalk rooms, that’s reward on this case, as Port Orleans Riverside is significantly more economical.
They aren’t the head of themed design at Walt Disney International, however they’re lovely excellent for a Average Hotel. This makes me look ahead to seeing how the overhauled Alligator Bayou rooms end up, and I am hoping Disney places extra sunlight between the ones rooms and those. (Perhaps that’s the place the ‘Beneath the Sea’ room means is followed?!)
Falling Again in Love with Riverside’s Romanticism
We’ve got a large number of non-public historical past at Port Orleans Riverside. I take into account staying right here as a child (albeit as Dixie Landings) when Sunglasses of Inexperienced was once overbooked and we needed to be relocated. It’s the place Sarah and I stayed all through our engagement in November 2007. It’s the primary lodge we did all through our daughter’s first Walt Disney International commute in 2024.
On the other hand, this was once our first keep at Riverside in over two years (a decently very long time for us). And in truth, it reminded us of why we fell in love with this lodge just about twenty years in the past and the way great it’s to in fact be there. It’s in reality like nowhere else at Walt Disney International, with a serene atmosphere that oozes allure and romantic environment all over the ultimate sprawling, unspoiled Average Hotel.
As I’ve discussed in our Scores of All Hotel Inns at Walt Disney International from Worst to Absolute best, we’ve booked Riverside much less and no more over time. We’ve discovered that we like the thought of the lodge greater than in fact staying right here, which breaks my middle just a little.
On the subject of purpose suggestions to first-timers, Riverside’s decreased rating is justified. Visitor comments is lovely transparent at the extra sprawling inns. However on the identical time, this was once an out of this world keep at Riverside and one who makes us wish to go back ceaselessly.
The bigger format and a couple of bus stops didn’t hassle us the least bit, and maximum was once simply triumph over with a room request. We had been in Construction 85, which was once best. A brief stroll to the Ol’ Guy Island function pool, recreational pool, bus forestall, and major foyer. The again part of this development is non-preferred rooms, and extremely suggest this as a room request.
With regards to puts to be, not one of the Average Lodges grasp a candle to the Port Orleans Lodges. Arguably, no different lodge at any tier does, length. Whilst many different motels at Walt Disney International have had DVC added or different ill-advised enlargement shoehorned in, Port Orleans stays true to its authentic design.
If the rest, Riverside has elderly like a effective wine, with bushes maturing and natural world returning because the lodge has elderly. Port Orleans is almost definitely extra lush than another lodge, which makes the stroll no longer simply extra bearable because of colour, however downright pretty.
We’re suckers for early morning and past due night time walks round inns, and Port Orleans is #1 for those non violent promenades. It’s only so romantic and undisturbed. Port Orleans is the only lodge advanced that point forgot now that Citadel Desert has Lakeshore Hotel towering over it.
Even if Port Orleans doesn’t have any trendy flagship function just like the Skyliner or adjoining towers including upmarket facilities, it’s no slouch in terms of facilities! The Port Orleans Lodges have horse-drawn carriages, Mickey beignets, cherished midnight leisure, and the Sassagoula River Cruise to Disney Springs. They’re additionally simply underrated settings with impressive setting.
When evaluating Port Orleans Riverside and French Quarter, it depends on whether or not you wish to have a sprawling lodge to discover or one thing compact with just one bus forestall. For some time, we went with a “highest of each worlds” means, staying at Port Orleans French Quarter so we’d be with reference to the bus forestall once we had been in a rush, and in a position to stroll over to Riverside once we sought after to decelerate.
That’s nonetheless the optimum means for many informal visitors, however we may reconsider that with our subsequent commute, as this was once an out of this world keep within the new rooms at Riverside that made us fall in love with the lodge far and wide once more.
Making plans a Walt Disney International commute? Find out about motels on our Walt Disney International Inns Opinions web page. For the place to consume, learn our Walt Disney International Eating place Opinions. To economize on tickets or resolve which kind to shop for, learn our Guidelines for Saving Cash on Walt Disney International Tickets put up. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys put up takes a novel have a look at suave pieces to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney International Trip Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the most efficient position to start out is our Walt Disney International Travel Making plans Information for the entirety you want to understand!
Your Ideas
Do you compromise or disagree with our take at the reimagined rooms at Port Orleans Riverside? Assume this redesign threads the needle on bland vs. busy? Any adjustments you favor or dislike about those rooms? Are you keen on Riverside, or do you like much less sprawling inns? Agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we will be able to mean you can resolution? Listening to your comments–even whilst you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please percentage your ideas under within the feedback!
