The Port Orleans resorts were constructed on the banks of the Disney-created Sassagoula River, a gentle 2½ mile waterway which winds its way through the woods, past the old Treehouse Villas and the Saratoga Springs Resort, to Lake Buena Vista and the Downtown Disney shopping, dining and entertainment complex.
The fictional steamboat haulage company which plies the waters around the Mississippi delta also operates a range of very real water craft in Florida. Some are available for hire - see the rentals page - but the biggest gem is the Sassagoula Water Taxi rivercruise service which takes guests from their resorts all the way down the river to the Downtown Disney/Pleasure Island shopping, dining and entertainment district. The fleet consists of 14 boats in regular service, all decked out in a lively brightly-coloured yellow and blue livery.
The boats run three separate routes so be careful to catch the right one when you board at the Downtown Disney Marketplace dock, which is located next to the Rainforest Cafe:
The rivercruise service linking Port Orleans Riverside and Port Orleans French Quarter commences at Riverside at 9am, running back and forth between the two resorts until 11am, after which time the boats continue onward to provide the full Downtown Disney service. The service runs every 20 minutes up until 4pm, and then every 10 minutes from 4pm until 11pm.
The return rivercruise service from Downtown Disney commences at 11:30am running every 20 mins, and then from 4:30pm it switches to a 10 minute schedule finishing at 11:30pm. After that time you will need to use the free bus service, which runs until 2am, to return to your resort.
The Downtown Disney local water taxi service operates from 4:30pm until 11:30pm, with stops at Downtown Disney Marketplace and Downtown Disney West Side every 15 minutes.
The journey time between Riverside and French Quarter is about five minutes and the onward trip to Downtown Disney takes another 15-20 minutes. The boats have a limited seating capacity and are very popular, especially later in the afternoon, so please allow plenty of time for your journey just in case you don’t manage to get onto the first boat that comes along. Wheelchair guests can be accommodated and the boat pilot will attach a ramp to help you embark and disembark safely.
Please remember that the boat service only operates subject to local water and weather conditions, and will cease operating if lightning storms are forecast.