If you’re looking for a way to add a little more royalty to your next stay at Walt Disney World, it’s time to consider the Royal Rooms at Port Orleans Riverside Resort. As one of only two kinds of Disney World Princess Rooms on the property, if you have a little princess in need of something special, staying at Port Orleans Riverside may be the ticket. As the royal guest room at Port Orleans Riverside comes with an upcharge, here are all the Pros and Cons of the Port Orleans Riverside Royal Rooms.
On our last stay at Walt Disney World, we opted for Port Orleans Riverside Resort for several reasons. The atmosphere promised calmer seclusion than we would find at the Value Resorts, and the price was nicer than the Boardwalk Resorts. And while we don’t love the limited transportation options here, we knew Disney Springs was a must-do for us this trip and loved the easy boat ride to and from the shopping center.
Staying in the Princess rooms at Disney World is perfect if you’re looking for something special. So, to make this trip a little extra, we chose to upgrade to the Royal Rooms at Port Orleans to see what all the fuss was about. After a magical stay at the Little Mermaid Rooms at Disney Caribbean Resort, we wanted to see if the Royal Rooms at Disney’s Port Orleans were up to par and worth the cost! So, we booked a Royal Guest Room with a wood view and walked in with our fingers crossed.
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Royal Room Types
The Princess Rooms at Port Orleans come in a few options regarding view. Riverview Rooms give you a Sassagoula River view. Garden View Rooms offer windows that look out into the garden, lawn, or fountain area. Pool View and Standard View Rooms typically look out over the pool or other green spaces. That said, all rooms have an external entrance, like a motel, so any “view” you may have will literally be across that outdoor hallway. As such, paying extra for a view isn’t necessary. It’s not like Boardwalk Inn, where you get a balcony and a view. There are no balconies here, so Port Orleans Riverside Room Types shouldn’t be a big deciding factor in your stay.
Royal Room Theme
As expected the Royal Rooms at Port Orleans Riverside are all about Disney Princesses. While there are some photos of their respective princes, done in a silhouette style, a little prince may feel the room “too girly” for his liking. But essentially, this is one of the Port Orleans Disney Rooms that feels more like Disney than the rest of the resort.
Sometimes considered the Princess Rooms at Port Orleans Riverside, these rooms also include portrait photos of each princess. Ariel, Jasmine, Belle, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Tiana, Aurora, and Snow White are all represented here. But the theme doesn’t stop there, you can find royal touches throughout the room.
Royal Room Decor
The Royal Rooms at Port Orleans Riverside are all about Classic Castle theming. Heavy dark wood furniture, moldings, and a wallpaper border featuring princess friends in a faux wood grain make these rooms castle-like. Unlike a room that is simply decorated these Royal Rooms are heavily themed. From the heavy wood bed frame to the heavy wood dresser filigreed with gold swirls, there are distinct touches here you won’t find in other rooms. In addition to the Princess and Prince portraiture throughout the room, you can also find several other “Royal” touches. A grand light fixture, decorated encased television box, patterned carpet that includes a faux throw rug, and more are part of this theme.
Aladdin’s Lamp Gold Faucet
A tasteful addition to the Royal Room design is found in the water faucet in the bathroom area.
Light Up Headboard
Featuring a fountain scene that looks like it came out of the Princess and the Frog, this headboard features a light show, when you turn on the light switch next to the bed. This short light scene fills the headboard with glittered lights.
Royal Letter Inlaid Tabletop
The seating in this room includes a pedestal table with two velvet chairs. The pedestal table is covered in a printed tabletop that includes a letter welcoming you to the room.
Tapestry Curtains
Covering the window are heavy tapestry curtains with a gold fringe that really make the room feel more regal.
Royal Room Amenities
Just like any Moderate Resort at Disney World, you can find a coffee maker and beverage cooler in the Royal Rooms at Disney’s Port Orleans. Complete with built-in shampoo, conditioner and body wash, the bathroom is separated from the sink area. Unlike recently refurbished rooms at other resorts, only a curtain separated the sink area from the bathroom. The beds have queen mattresses, but no under-bed area for suitcases due to the bed design. And the television is also a smart tv that allowed for casting from your own device. always a plus when you’re ready to settle in with your favorite show.
Pros of the Royal Rooms at Port Orleans Riverside
If you have a little princess of your own, it will be easy to see why these princess rooms at Disney World are a good idea. With princess touches all over the room feeling like royalty is a given.
- Princess-Themed decorations
- Higher quality furniture and chairs
- Moderate-level amenities
- Two queen-sized beds
Cons of the Royal Rooms at Port Orleans Riverside
While the Royal Rooms at Port Orleans Riverside are nice we did find a couple of cons worth mentioning.
- No under bed storage for suitcases
- A curtain instead of a sliding door to the sink area, unlike recently refurbished rooms at Pop Century and others
- The darker decor made the room feel dim
- Elements like a wallpaper border, and a loud air conditioning unit made the room feel dated.
Royal Rooms Cost
Port Orleans Riverside is one of the best Moderate Resorts at Walt Disney World, save for the lack of easier park transportation ( like the Skyliner or Monorail.) As such, the regular rates for a standard room stay range between $220- 450/per night. A Preferred Room in general comes with an average $35 per night upcharge. Royal Rooms are closer to an additional $60/ night upcharge. This cost may or may not be a hindrance for you. For our money, if we’re paying the higher cost, we’d rather look at Animal Kingdom Lodge with its views of animals on the savanna or Boardwalk Inn with easy access to the Skyliner, but then neither of them has princess rooms.
Are the Port Orleans Royal Rooms Worth it?
For us, there were several pros and cons to the Royal Rooms at Disney’s Port Orleans. Mind you, we’re bringing our experiences from staying at all levels of resorts at Disney World and may be a bit biased when it comes to expectations. If you or your little one loves Princesses, then yes, they just might be! If you’re looking for something more modern, then it might be worth looking into other options.
Royal Rooms Location
Where are the Royal Rooms at Port Orleans Riverside? Found in the Magnolia Bend area of Port Orleans Riverside, the Royal Rooms are specially located for easy access to the bridges that cross the river. And thus keep you within decent walking distance of the restaurants, gift shops, and boat dock. There are 512 Royal Rooms that have been decorated and themed at this resort, spread across two buildings. Royal Guest Rooms at Riverside Resort are located in Oak Manor building 90, and Parterre Place, building 95.
Given the expanse of this resort, it’s very important to have a room within manageable walking distance. Know that you can simply request a Magnolia Bend room without the extra cost of a Royal Room if the distance to amenities is a priority for you.
Riverside Resort Map
Riverside Resort Transportation
In terms of location, the Port Orleans riverside royal guest rooms are within walking distance of the South Depot Bus station. This is also the Main Lobby location of the resort. Know that the South Depot location for buses is the closest to the Magnolia Bend buildings, and is the LAST STOP on the way to and from the parks among the four bus stops at Riverside. That said, sometimes the bus will already be full by the time it reaches the South Depot. And in the evenings when you’re returning home, you’ll have to wait through 3 other bus stops before you reach your stop. While this wasn’t a huge issue during our stay, it’s good to know if you’re traveling with small children.
The transportation options at Port Orleans Riverside were more of a sticking point than we realized on this trip and may have colored our review here. Mainly because we have been spoiled with Disney Resorts within Walking Distance of the Parks on the last few visits. That said, the Royal Rooms at Port Orlean’s Riverside are an excellent choice if you’re curious to see what an “extra” Disney room looks like, and aren’t keen on venturing to the All-Star Resorts.
Royal Rooms at Disney’s Port Orleans
The Port Orleans Royal guest rooms are a perfect option if you’re looking for something special for the Disney Princess fan. Complete with Disney Princess portraits and castle vibes, this room is sure to please any kid looking for royal treatment. If you’re a Disney adult trying to justify the price of this royal room, then we’d recommend considering another Disney Moderate Resort instead. The rooms at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and Pop Century Resort are both great options with rooms that have been updated and are still super fun for kids.
Rochelle Mariah is a writer, designer and photographer. Determined to make Planning a DIY Disney Vacation easier she makes lots of lists and drinks lots of coffee. When not designing apparel at Polka Dot Pixie Shop, she's watching old movies and planning the holidays. She has been traveling to Disney destinations since 2010.
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