Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside in Orlando, FL

Review – Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside Our experience at this hotel was deeply disappointing and far below the standards one expects from a brand like Disney. We arrived on January 4th at 10:30 p.m., after spending the entire day visiting two parks, traveling with our three young children, all of whom were already asleep and completely exhausted. It is important to note that this day was also my daughter’s birthday, which made this moment especially meaningful for our family. From the very first interaction, the lack of service and empathy was evident. Upon arrival at the entrance, no one made the effort to open a door, despite the fact that there were three staff members outside and three inside, gathered and talking, showing no concern whatsoever for the guests who had just arrived. It was an extremely uncomfortable situation and completely contrary to what Disney claims to represent in terms of hospitality and guest experience. The check-in process was cold and devoid of any human judgment. With no consideration for the late hour, the visible exhaustion of a family traveling with children, or even a basic gesture of hospitality, we were assigned one of the farthest rooms on the property: building 36, room 3619. No alternatives were offered, no questions were asked, and there was no attempt to ease our arrival. Absolutely zero empathy. I have over 20 years of professional experience in the hospitality industry, which makes this situation even more surprising and frustrating. This is not about requesting special treatment, but about basic common sense—understanding that the guest experience begins the moment a guest arrives, especially late at night and with children. What we experienced reflects a lack of leadership, insufficient training, and a complete disconnection from the concept of service. A brand like Disney should not allow situations like this to occur, as they seriously undermine the trust and family experience that the company actively promotes. Unfortunately, this hotel did not live up to its name or to the expectations it creates. I sincerely hope this review encourages a serious review of nighttime service protocols and, above all, staff attitude toward guests.

We had a good time staying in Disney world. Even though they were overbooked and moved us to another hotel, we enjoyed it. It was clean, well maintained and the staff was very attentive. Lots to do there.

My adult daughter and I stayed at Port Orleans Riverside for a two night trip. We found the grounds to be amazing. It felt like we were out in the wilderness and was incredibly quiet. The room was very clean and well-appointed with very consistent theming to the background story of Port Orleans. Like all Disney resorts, everything was in perfect condition with no signs of wear and tear. The layout of the room is not unlike the budget resort rooms. The toilet and shower/tub were in a separate space (a bit small) with the double sink and open closet in a separate space. There was a room darkening curtain that pulled across the sink area, so that you could move about without worrying about like waking someone else in the room. There were only two downsides. It would have been nice if there were an outside place to sit and eat. There are lots of benches along the paths, but the only tables are around the pool area. We found the food options a bit limited, but loved taking the boat over to Disney Springs. It is a lovely ride and a nice change from the buses. While it feels far removed, the bus service is dedicated to that resort and is a short trip to Epcot. It is so lovely and relaxing walking around in the resort and makes a wonderful break from the intensity of the parks.

My husband stayed here and it was comfortable with lovely water views. He said everyone was extremely helpful, and they even gave him an extra hour in the room on our wedding day so he had a little bit more time to get ready and organized. As always, Disney has the best Customer Service and the prettiest resorts. Thank you so much! I am so glad he enjoyed his two nights there.