Our Walt Disney World Vacation: Port Orleans Riverside Resort

Disney Port Orleans Riverside resort

We planned for our WDW vacation for months and decided to stay in Port Orleans Riverside Resort as it was one of the few resorts which can sleep 5 in a room. WDW has several tiers of resorts ranging from value to deluxe. They also have campgrounds. The value resorts would have roomed our party of 5 in a suite which would end up costing more than our chosen moderate resort. We also chose Port Orleans Riverside over Caribbean Beach Resort as it had water transportation as well as the bus.

We arrived in Orlando on a hot and humid July morning and the Disney Magical Express shuttle took us to our hotel. The special luggage tags were mailed weeks before and got our checked in luggage straight to the room—we didn’t even have to worry about it!

Disney's Magical Express: Airport shuttle

The Disney Port Orleans Riverside resort was just awesome—a wonderful resort which made you feel like you were in Louisiana! There were two sections of rooms—Magnolia Bend and Alligator Bayou. The Magnolia Bend area was just beautiful with its colonial style mansions, but only in Alligator Bayou did they have the rooms which could sleep all of us. If you are willing to pay extra, they have themed rooms just like in the other Disney resorts. In Port Orleans Riverside, the themed rooms were of the Princess and the Frog.

Alligator Bayou rooms: Disney Port Orleans Riverside resort

Alligator Bayou rooms: Disney Port Orleans Riverside resort

The kids enjoyed swimming in the pools and they even had a daily party at the main pool, Ol’ Man Island. We only got to check out 3 out of the 5 pools in the resort. Apart from swimming, there were tons of activities within the resort—you can go fishing, biking, and ride on horse-drawn carriages. In the evenings, there were bonfires and movies. You can’t get bored in this place!

For meals, you can get pizza delivered to your room, lounge in Muddy Rivers pool bar, have a table service dinner at Boatwright’s Dining Hall, or just do quick service meals (like what we did the whole time here) at the Riverside Mill food court.

Mickey waffles for breakfast! Disney Port Orleans Riverside resort

From this resort, you can access the water taxi to get to Downtown Disney or take the bus to the parks. Service was superb and we felt that the cast members really went out of their way to make our vacation enjoyable! Would not hesitate to go here again!

Disney transport to the parks

Vietnamese in London: dinner at Quynh Nhi Vietnamese Restaurant

Quynh Nhi Vietnamese @ London,ON

We tried out this family-run Vietnamese restaurant at London,ON, for dinner. Don’t be fooled by the exterior and the very simple décor inside. The food was quite delicious. Now, it was not as cheap as the Vietnamese restos in the GTA, but pretty good.

Closed on Sundays, we were lucky to catch this place open. The dinner service was almost full but we managed to get a table. Service was friendly and wait time was just okay—not quite the fast food, but not too bad.

We got all sorts of Pho and Grandma had her favourite Shrimp Fried Rice.

Shrimp Fried Rice at Quynh Nhi Vietnamese @ London,ON

The girls shared Seafood Pho with shrimp, squid, fishball and crab.

Seafood Pho at Quynh Nhi Vietnamese @ London,ON

While Hubby had the Spicy beef noodle.

Spicy Beef Noodle at Quynh Nhi Vietnamese @ London,ON

I got the Sate Beef Noodle soup, one of the spiciest soups I've had in a long time. It was burn-your-tongue good.

Sate Beef Noodle Soup at Quynh Nhi Vietnamese @ London,ON

The seafood for the girls and beef for hubby and me were quite substantial. The noodles could be better. The broth was just delicious. 

They apparently also serve some pretty good Pad Thai. If you are ever in the area, this place is worth trying! Or if you want to spend a little bit more for some ambience, they also have a higher-end restaurant called,Tamarine. 

Take me out to lunch and a ball game: Sightlines restaurant at Rogers Centre

Toronto Blue Jays @ Rogers Centre

Am not really a baseball fan. However, I decided to check out my first game (and the Jays’ attempt at an 8^th straight win for the season) with my co-workers while having lunch at Sightlines restaurant.

This open-air buffet restaurant offers a great sports experience with field views spanning the entire outfield. You only pay for the buffet but you get to watch the game at the same time from just below the Jumbotron! How cool is that? It is not for everyone, though, being priced from $70-$80pp. However, with cheapest tickets at under $20 and call it a little over double for better seats, a buffet of about $20-30 is within the usual range of all you can eat prices.

Sightlines Restaurant @ Rogers Centre

They served salads, seafood, pasta, carved meats, cheeses/deli, fruits and veggies, and of course, desserts.

It was not too bad, but not something you also go out of your way for. It is place to go to mainly for the experience while getting food--not hotdogs and popcorn. What’s even better? Seeing the Blue Jays win their 8^th straight win! Sweep!

and it's a Sweep! Go Blue Jays!

Visiting the King in London: Rei Dos Leitoes (King of Pigs) at London, ON

Rei Dos Leitoes @ London, ON

We have realized that there is no better way to enjoy Portuguese food than to eat in a Portuguese restaurant with Portuguese men watching a Portuguese league soccer championship game. The experience is incomparable! After all, with a statue of a pig in a soccer uniform to greet you outside, what did you expect when you walk in?

We went for lunch at Rei Dos Leitoes (King of Pigs) before heading home from our trip to London, ON. We managed to squeeze into a long table along with a group of bikers which made for some very lively ambience!

House Hot Sauce at Rei Dos Leitoes @ London, ON

We got some chicken and baby back ribs with fries. Service was pretty fast and quite friendly—that was if you manage to hear the servers amid all the excitement from the game. The chicken was delicious—juicy and the skin was rubbed with flavourful spices. With the house hot sauce, it was even better. It was not too extraordinary, though. It could have very well come from a local grocery rotisserie, IMHO.

BBQ chicken at Rei Dos Leitoes @ London, ON

The baby back ribs were on the dry side. Definitely not fall-off-the-bone. It was tasty, though, and again, the house hot sauce made it better. I would prefer the ribs to be more tender and juicier.

Baby Back Ribs at Rei Dos Leitoes @ London, ON

So if not for eating while being in a fun (albeit loud) party, I would not be able to recommend going out of your way for this joint. I will most likely give it another try, if I am ever in the area again, for a second chance. Am hoping that my ribs got overcooked ‘cause the chef was watching the game! 

Prices were as expected for any ribs/chicken place. Full rack at $20+ and half a chicken about $12+. They also offer Sunday buffet at $23pp.

We were not able to experience an explosion for a goal (as the game was 0-0 as we left), but I can swear I felt some tremors when we were at the 401. Found out later on that the popular (and Portuguese-restaurant-goers-supported) Benfica/SLB won their 34^th title and first back to back since the 80s.