Port Orleans Riverside (Dixie Landings) Turns 20

[gccgrad1996]

Wonderful Resort

We also love the Riverside. The whole "Dixie Landings" resort, it is still that to me is the best of the moderates. The last two years we stayed at the French Quarter because of the smaller size, but we walked over to the Riverside each year to eat in its wonderful food court and swim in the pool. It is a beautiful walk. We did stay at Riverside in 1999 and absolutely loved it. This year to save a little money we will be at Pop, but plan on being back at Riverside next year. It will probably be our yearly resort now that we have three kids.
Happy Birthday Riverside!!!

 

[gccgrad1996]

April boys

Happy Birthday Riverside!!!We went there for the first time back in 2005 before our daughter was born and we've been back every summer since.My daughter turns 5 very soon and she has been to Riverside since she was 5 months old.This year my wife is having our second child in the end of april..its a boy..So he will have his first trip to Riverside this summer.We also always drive from upstate ny:hammer: actually we really enjoy the drive, we take our time and stop at a couple hotels along the way.Can't wait to get back HOME!!!

We finally had our little boy April 15th of last year, can't wait to share Disney with him this summer with his two older sisters. We too have been going since our girls were a year old. We weren't brave enough to take him down last summer as an infant, so we are even more excited to get back this summer to our HOME as well. We also drive, but from PA, and we make a great trip out of it! Have a wonderful time!!

 

[MickeyPeace]

My first stay at Dixie Landings was in 1999. Favorite memories were walking past the water wheel and getting breakfast in the building. Also riding the boat to DTD.

My second stay will be Feb 27 of this year but I'll be staying in French Quarter. Can't wait.

 

[njDizFan]

Why oh Why is the breakfast at Boatwrights gone . One of my favorite on property, still a great little resort.

 

[dixiegirl]

AHH Happy Birthday Dixie Landings!!( hence my screen name) Yes it'll always be dixie to me! Went there for our honeymoon in 96 and well ,gone every year since, and always stayed there up until 06 when we finally became DVC members...I was'nt sure if I was gonna even like our home resort of SSR just because there was so much I loved about POR!!! I mean the Grounds are breathaking, the Dining hall is so nice and big, great arcade for our kids, love the general store and who the heck does'nt like Bob the piano man? There is so much to love about this resort, and our fav area, love Aligator Bayou!!
Although I now am totally a convert of our home SSR, Dixie will always be special to my family and myself.. I mean how can it not, its where I started my obsession for Disney!!

 

[dixiegirl]

Why oh Why is the breakfast at Boatwrights gone . One of my favorite on property, still a great little resort.

OH they had the best Banana stuffed french toast!! Pair it with a mimosa, oh yeah yumminess!!

YOu know I miss too when they use to play the cajun music around theresort as well..AHhhh the good old days...
I also miss when they use to sell the cheese and fruit platters in the dining hall, (yes they sell something similar but not the same) I knew once they started changing the food in the fridge area that something was up..

ooh miss the chocolate covered crossant too!!!!

 

[Computer Magic]

I used to really love that place (although I can't imagine spending every trip there) ... back when it was Dixie Landings ... back when they had amazing food at Boatwright's including dinners that came with never-ending salad bowls with an amazing homeade chipotle ranch dressing ... and the best breakfast on WDW property ... and a food court that made great burgers freshly, tasty pizza too ... and great theming throughout.

Now ... well we do have those MAGICal princess rooms on the way because when I think of the South in the 1800s I think or Cindy, Aurora, Belle and what's the name of that other one?

I don't like the rooms changing to princess, priates or any other character of the month.

I also miss the merchandise being delivered to the rooms.

As I learn more over the years, I realize the hotels were so great because they were new. They wanted to hook guest like me going on their first trip for their honeymoon.

Twenty years later they cheapen it by tryin to cater to my kids, which I don't have. So fail for turning away adults w/o kids.

 

[Tuvalu]

Does anyone remember the M&M cookies they used to sell at the bakery in the food court? The cookies were brown sugar-based and unique to Dixie Landings~ you could not buy them anywhere else on property. They were my absolute favorite and even when we were not staying at Dixie Landings, we made a special trip over to the resort to purchase a half dozen to bring home.

Sadly, the cookies seemed to disappear around the time of the name change to Port Orleans Riverside. And the white sugar cookies with M&Ms now sold in some locations (Caribbean Beach food court comes to mind) are nowhere near as good.

 

[DisneyWeather!]

Anyone have a scan of the property map when it was Dixie Landings? Did the section names change? I can't remember.

A beautiful lodge experience. You can fish with your own poles there, too. One of the few things at WDW that is actually free (if you bring your own poles, that is).

This is the kind of reason that I like staying on special places like this on WDW property. The tranquility amidst the chaos.

Paul

Really? You can fish in the river? I was wondering if you would be asked not to if you brought your own. You could see big bass in the lake at C. Beach from the bridge, but the water at POR is so dark, I haven't been able to spot any fish. I know you can rent a cane pole there, too, but we haven't tried it.

 

[WDW1974]

I don't like the rooms changing to princess, priates or any other character of the month.

I also miss the merchandise being delivered to the rooms.

As I learn more over the years, I realize the hotels were so great because they were new. They wanted to hook guest like me going on their first trip for their honeymoon.

Twenty years later they cheapen it by tryin to cater to my kids, which I don't have. So fail for turning away adults w/o kids.

Well, that's just it. The resorts used to be themed to REAL times/places in Disneyesque ways. Now, the point is to theme everything to the Disney BRAND. We really can't have anything that doesn't incorporate Obvious Mickeys into everything and then have blondie on The Disney Parks Spinning Propaganda Blog telling the fanbois how MAGICal it all is, right?

The resort used to have an amazing and intricate backstory that was totally destroyed when they decided that sometime between opening the resort in the early 90s and the turn of the century that the word DIXIE was somehow as offensive as the words SHOW QUALITY and needed to be changed ... BTW, you should really view the Spirit when he puts on his one-man show as the Colonel bemoaning that fact they stole 'my cotton mill' complete in 1800s Southern Gentleman accent. It's a hoot, although I've been known to get some strange looks (but then I put my pants back on!:drevil

They have just Walmarted the resort so much. Sure, it's a nice place now ... but it sure isn't the special place it was back in the 90s.

~Unlimited salad with entrees included, AT WDW ... REALLY!!!~

 

[MadMax11]

My family bought in to the Disney Vacation Club literally the first day it was available. We used to enjoy driving over to Dixie Landings at night (from DVC - now called OKW) to swim at the pool and eat at the counter service restaurant there. We haven't done that in many years, but I'm adding on a couple of nights at POFQ on my next stay at OKW.

 

[barreloflaughs]

Some old Dixie Landing scans....

Anyone have a scan of the property map when it was Dixie Landings? Did the section names change? I can't remember.

Circa 1993:
http://barreloflaughs.smugmug.com/Family/Vacation/Disney-World-1993/73194_Vbv8xW#!i=2536423&k=s9ygD

Partial scan of The Sassagoula Times:
http://barreloflaughs.smugmug.com/Family/Vacation/Disney-World-1993/73194_Vbv8xW#!i=2536415&k=yQGfy

A postcard left in the room:
http://barreloflaughs.smugmug.com/Family/Vacation/Disney-World-1993/73194_Vbv8xW#!i=2536463&k=bC3j7

An official Boatwrights ruler:
http://barreloflaughs.smugmug.com/Family/Vacation/Disney-World-1993/73194_Vbv8xW#!i=2536426&k=Xx6Pb

good times........great memories...........

barrel

 

[dixiegirl]

We stayed there first in 1994 and still have the Dixie Landings coffee mugs that we bought them, and T-shirts, too. Now that I have DVC we tend to stay at the Deluxes, but still think most fondly of Dixie Landings and enjoy the boat ride occasionally just for fun. Happy Birthday POR.

We have a mug that says Dixie Landings as well as some beach towels...Last summer one towel went missing I kinda got frantic because they just don't make them anymore!! Needless to say a family member had it and thankfully returned it! (she did'nt realize the sentimental value!!)

 

[Computer Magic]

We have a mug that says Dixie Landings as well as some beach towels...Last summer one towel went missing I kinda got frantic because they just don't make them anymore!! Needless to say a family member had it and thankfully returned it! (she did'nt realize the sentimental value!!)

I have a Dixie Landing refill mug. Did you see the size of that mug compared to the mugs of today? It's like twice the size.

How I miss the days of Dixie Landings.

 

[dixiegirl]

I have a Dixie Landing refill mug. Did you see the size of that mug compared to the mugs of today? It's like twice the size.

How I miss the days of Dixie Landings.

Oh I know!!! I actually have (now that I think of it the big yellow and black ones they use to have back inthe day as well!) But I love my refillable mug, especially Dixie..I kick myself because many yrs ago I found a sign on ebay that said Dixie landings....should have bought the dam thing and notlisten tio my hubby saying "what are you gonna do with that?" I mean I bought a resort Riverside phone and a park banner flag..Did I need it ? Hell no! But very cool to have!

 

[Foolish Mortal]

18 stays already with 2 booked for this year. love Alligator Bayou.

 

[surfsupdon]

It was nice of Disney to announce the bday on a blog. I like when Disney acknowledges birthdays, anniversaries, and celebrations of their attractions/parks/ resorts.

Sadly it doesn't happen often enough.

I enjoyed my stay at Dixie Landings back in '94. Had only stayed there that once, but it was a nice place. Very pretty, and I remember reallyliking their arcade, Ol Man Island, and Boatwrights steak dinner.

 

[Tom]

Dixie Landings was our very first on-site resort back in the 90s. As a family, we repeated twice.

Then my brother and I took our own trip (or two) and stayed there. Then he and I took friends and we stayed there. Then we went with more friends and stayed there in 2006. Then my wife and I stayed there in 2008 for our Honeymoon. We bought DVC on that trip and haven't stayed at a non-DVC (except Poly in August) since.

We have a convention to attend in May, so we're going to re-visit POR for a few days afterwards.

The atmosphere there is simply amazing. If the rooms were bigger and they added a few of the amenities required, it could easily pass as a Deluxe in my book.

When I stay there, my mind is completely removed from the real world. It's so secluded, and the theme is so immersive - it just takes you someplace else.

If I were paying cash and staying on property, it would be at POR, hands down. Hard to believe it's been 20 years. Yikes!

 

[vjgraham]

Just booked our third trip to POR, we have stayed at numerous Deluxe resorts but still keep coming back to POR. Great place and by far the best of the moderates.

 

[WorldKey]

Dixie Landings was our very first on-site resort back in the 90s. As a family, we repeated twice.

The atmosphere there is simply amazing. If the rooms were bigger and they added a few of the amenities required, it could easily pass as a Deluxe in my book.

When I stay there, my mind is completely removed from the real world. It's so secluded, and the theme is so immersive - it just takes you someplace else.
If I were paying cash and staying on property, it would be at POR, hands down. Hard to believe it's been 20 years. Yikes!

Could not have said it better!! First on-site resort stay in 1994 as Dixie Landings....3 more stays since!!! Back to POR on March 1st! Can't seem to stray to another on-site.....