A Photo Perspective of a Serene Port Orleans Riverside Resort

During the past twelve years or so, we’ve stayed at Port Orleans Riverside several times. To date, those stays have been in the Royal Rooms, Magnolia Terrace in Magnolia Bend, and our most recent visit was to check out Alligator Bayou. Given the amount of stays and many day trips, we’ve accumulated a good deal of photos. Sometimes, the best way to tell if you’ll like a resort ahead of time is through the eye of a lens. So, we’ll continue with approximately 100 photos of Port Orleans Riverside. I’ll provide some light commentary about what you’re seeing, but we’ll mainly let the photos do the work for this post. I hope you enjoy them, and if you do, please take a moment to let me know at the very bottom of the post in the comments section. Your feedback is invaluable.

Port Orleans Riverside from the bridge with the sun shining brightly. — Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside at

We’ll start at the resort’s lobby entrance and work our way from the hub to Ol’ Man Island, Alligator Bayou, and Magnolia Bend before circling back to the resort’s lobby and entrance.

The Riverside Mill with wet concrete after the rain — The Riverside Mill

The Riverside Mill is the resort’s food court and primary quick-service restaurant offering. Inside, you’ll find a working mill.

the Riverside Mill, a bright blue building with brown, white, and gold trim

Boatwrights is the resort’s table service restaurant.

exterior entrance to Boatwright's Dining Hal

Boatwrights is a tall two-story building with tan paint and brown trim with red accents

We’ll continue across the bridge momentarily to Ol’ Man Island.

a view of the hub or Port Orleans Riverside standing from a nearby bridge

The resort’s boat dock is on the opposite side of the resort’s lobby. You can see it from the bridge.

a view of the Port Orleans Riverside water taxi dock standing from a bridge

The Sassagoula River Cruise offers water taxis that travel to Port Orleans French Quarter Resort with continuous service to Disney Springs. You can also take a bus to Disney Springs. Remember this tip if you stay at Riverside and take the bus to Disney Springs. Often, when you get to the bus stop, the sign says “Disney Springs: Take the Boat.” So guests think they have to take the boat. But they do not. The bus runs to and from Disney Springs AND stops at Port Orleans French Quarter. It doubles as an alternative internal bus and method of transportation to Disney Springs and the French Quarter.

a water taxi docked at Port Orleans Riverside

The Riverside Levee sits in front of the boat dock and offers a variety of activities, including bicycle rentals.

a blue building with a sign above it that says Riverside Levee bicycles for hire

the entrance to the river cruise at Port Orleans Riverside — Entrance to the River Cruise at Port Orleans Riverside

bicyles and a couple of Surrey bikes in bright green, pink, and blue — Surrey Bike and Regular Bicycle Rentals

Cornhole

Here is a map of the running trail. Riverside is one of the best places to run a long distance at Walt Disney World without having to double back for some time.

a map of the running trail at Port Orleans Riverside — Running Trail

Horsedrawn carriage rides are available most evenings.

a sign that shows specifics for the Horsedrawn Carriage Rides at Port Orleans Riverside — Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides

We’ll continue to Ol’ Man Island.

a blue building with a red water wheel sitting next to the river

the large red water wheel that sits outside of Riverside Mill — Water Wheel at Port Orleans Riverside

the bridge that crosses from Ol' Man Island to the resort lobby area — Bridge from the Lobby to Ol’ Man Island

a pretty view of Port Orleans Riverside in the Spring

the walkway leading to Ol' Man Island — Entering Ol’ Man Island

Port Orleans Riverside is spread over 325 acres (including French Quarter Resort), so it has a good deal of ground to cover. Ol’ Man Island alone is 3.5 acres.

The sign below reads, The Legend of Ol’ Man Island: Settled in 1835 by a young man, the island became his home in the solitude of the Bayou Country. Years later, as Riverside was settled and prospered, Ol’ Man Island was discovered by the children of the town. They would steal away to play on the island where a wondrous world had been created. The island is a tribute to the old man and the happiness he gave the children and all of Riverside’s neighbors.

a sign that says Ol' Man Island — Ol’ Man Island

You can continue directly to the feature pool, which sits in the center of the island, or take either walkway around the pool.

As we continue to the left, we run into a gigantic Oak Tree.

a tree on Ol' Man Island with a sign in front of it — Port Orleans Riverside Earth Day Oak Tree

This is a special tree to the resort. A sign sits in front of it that reads: On Earth Day, April 22, 1991, this majestic Live Oak was placed in its new home before you. This Oak and its companion at the entrance of Port Orleans Riverside each weighed 85 tons and were transplanted from a wooded location 13 miles away. Cypress boxes 22 foot square were constructed around and beneath each Oak, and after months of preparation, the transportation took three days. Ol’ Man Island was then constructed around this Oak as you see it now.

the sign tells how the tree was planted in honor of Earth Day

Here are a few other things you might want to take advantage of on Ol’ Man Island.

a playground on Ol' Man Island — Ol’ Man Island Playground

the feature pool with a mill theming at Port Orleans Riverside — Ol’ Man Island Feature Pool

The Fishin' Hole — Ol’ Man Island Fishing Hole

a sign that shows the types of fish you might catch at The Fishin' Hole — Types of Fish Guests Can Catch and Release

a side view of the Fishin' Hole building

guests fishing at Port Orleans Riverside — Fishing Dock at Port Orleans Riverside

Beyond the Fishin’ Hole, we run into a bridge to Alligator Bayou.

the wooden bridge to the Alligator Bayou from Ol' Man Island — Bridge from Ol’ Man Island to Port Orleans Riverside

From the bridge, we can see where the Alligator Bayou landscape changes in the distance to Magnolia Bend. You would not take this path to reach Magnolia Bend unless you were taking a leisurely walk around the resort. Another bridge sits on the opposite side of the island, which allows guests a shortcut to that resort section.

looking off the side of the bridge from Alligator Bayou to Magnolia Bend

But I did want to mention that nearly all of the resort’s buildings sit on the opposite side of the river. So, in most cases, you’ll cross over the island or the river to get to your room. Guests staying in a preferred room do not have to cross a bridge. They will be within a short distance of the resort’s lobby on the opposite side of The Riverside Mill.

a view that shows the circular path around the river

Once you enter the Alligator Bayou, you’re enveloped by the swamp-like retreat. Here are a few photos.

a moss covered pond in the bayou at Riverside — Mossy Ponds in Alligator Bayou

a small bridge crossing to a section of buildings

a path through the Alligator Bayou with a light pole on the side of it

a path through the woods with building 26 to the left side

a sign that has directionals to buildings and the West and North Depot

a lagoon shaped pond with shrubs and Magnolia Trees planted around it

a building in the Alligator Bayou that's tan with brick columns and sage trime

a small footbridge with landscaping and buildings in the backdrop

a thick wooded area in the Alligator Bayou

a concrete path that's poured to look like a wooden walkway through Alligator Bayou

stamped concrete that looks like pine needles — Stamped Concrete with Pine Straws

The Alligator Bayou section has three quiet pools. We have a separate guide with photos of the pools at Port Orleans Riverside.

a lagoon style pool in the Bayou section of Port Orleans Riverside — Lagoon Pool at Alligator Bayou

As we leave the swamp, we are again met by the walkway that loops around the resort. The river ends on this section of the resort. In the photo below, you can see how the path extends from Alligator Bayou around the river bend to the front of the resort.

the sun shining on building 27 in Alligator Bayou in the morning

Here is a view from the same spot in the opposite direction toward Magnolia Bend.

a view of the river bend at Port Orleans Riverside

We’re headed toward the mansions in Magnolia Bend.

a sidewalk that joins Alligator Bayou to Magnolia Bend

Here is the bridge to Magnolia Bend from Ol’ Man Island that I mentioned above. If you get a room assignment in a mansion close to this bridge, it’s a short, straight-away walk back to the main lobby for dining and such.

a bridge to Magnolia Bend from Ol' Man Island

Acadian House sits directly across from this bridge to the slight left. The mansions in Magnolia Bend are comprised of four sections. Each section has buildings with three stories and elevators. In our comparison post between Riverside’s resort areas, we discussed how Alligator Bayou buildings have two stories but no elevators.

a sign in front of the Acadian House section of Port Orleans Riverside

The main way I can tell each section apart is by the paint color of the railings. Acadian House has mint green railings.

Acadian House buildings have mint green railings and are three-stories with elevators

a view of the Acadian House buildings at Port Orleans Riverside

Next, we have Magnolia Terrace. We have stayed in a mansion room in Magnolia Terrace and enjoyed the location. The buildings have white railings with green trim.

Magnolia Terrace have white railings with green shutters

a view of the Magnolia Terrace Buildings at Port Orleans Riverside

a view of Magnolia Terrace from across the river

a decorative walkway leading up to Magnolia Terrace — Arch Walkway with Lights to Magnolia Terrace

a sidewalk with a gazebo to the right side — Gazebo

Next, we run into Oak Manor, which reminds me more of the Deep South than anywhere else at the resort.

the Oak Manor section of Port Orleans Riverside

these buildings are white with a turquoise trim and have brick accents

This area has turquoise railings with hidden Mickeys.

a close up of the railings with hidden Mickeys — Hidden Mickeys in the Railings of Oak Manor

But the rows of oak trees are astounding, and what makes this section of the resort so unique.

Oak trees surrounding the Oak Terrace section of Port Orleans Riverside

Lastly, we have Parterre Place, which is almost treeless. This section is comprised of Royal Rooms.

Parterre Place Mansions in a row along Magnolia Bend

the Royal Rooms section of Port Orleans Riverside

It’s a pretty area, but to me, it’s the most inconvenient section of the resort. That is unless you plan to walk to the neighboring French Quarter several times. If you do, this area might be worth your consideration.

Magnolia Bend has two sizeable quiet pools between the four mansions.

A separate bridge crosses the river near Oak Manor. So you don’t have to walk all the way back to the island to cross. An additional bridge is available at the end of Parterre Place. This is a car bridge for a road within the resort, but it has a separate pedestrian bridge to the side of it.

a bridge that connects Magnolia Bend to the rest of the resort

Here is a photo of the mansions in Parterre Place from the river walk.

a view of the mansions from across the river

a water taxi traveling down the river in front of the mansions — Water Taxis Traveling the Sassagoula River

Directionals indicate the path back to the lobby or Port Orleans French Quarter.

a walkway between French Quarter and Port Orleans Riverside

We’ve made it back full circle.

Before we wrap things up, here are a few photos from the lobby’s interior and front of the resort.

the entrance to the Medicine Arcade at Port Orleans Riverside — Medicine Show Arcade

the interior of the arcade with games — Arcade Interior

The interior lobby is tan with lots of white trim. It's a long lobby with traditional rugs and furniture. — Port Orleans Lobby

the old-fashioned ceiling fans in the lobby of Port Orleans Riverside — Old-Fashioned Fans

a rug with two miniature sofas and a table in between — Lobby Seating Area

the foyer to Port Orleans Riverside with decorative wood floor with marble center — Lobby Foyer Port Orleans Riverside

the light shining down into the lobby of Port Orleans Riverside

the entrance to The River Roost Lounge at Port Orleans Riverside — River Roost

the piano area where Yeehaw Bob plays at River Roost — Piano Bar at River Roost

a bar with bar stools — Bar with Barstools

part of the lounge seating area at River Roost — Lounge Seating

a charcuterie platter from River Roost — Charcuterie from River Roost

Boatwright's entrance — Boatwright’s Interior

the hull of a boat hangs over the main seating area in Boatwright's at Port Orleans Riverside — Boat Hull

The Riverside Mill food court interior — Riverside Mill Food Court Interior

seating areas at Port Orleans Riverside — Riverside Mill Seating

the working mill inside Port Orleans Riverside food court — Working Mill

Port Orleans Riverside port co-chere — Port Orleans Riverside Entrance

Fulton's General Store exterior with tan siding, green trim, and a metal roof — Fulton’s General Store

pretty picture of the resort with sun shining and trees in bloom

Again, I hope you enjoyed the photos of Port Orleans Riverside. It’s a beautiful resort with two distinctive landscapes. We enjoy staying here and think it’s a wonderful option if you favor the layout and style of the resort. If you would like to learn more about the resort, all our articles are listed in The Resorts Gal Guide to Port Orleans Riverside Resort. We’ve also recently added a similar photo post of Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter.

Here are a few more essentials you might want to read before planning a stay.

In the Comments

What did you think of this photo perspective of Port Orleans Riverside? Have you stayed there? Do you love this resort or like the idea of it? Let me know below in the comments.

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