Hi Tammy,
My family and I have stayed at Port Orleans Riverside several times and we just love it, the grounds are just beautiful and we enjoy the relaxing boat ride to Downtown Disney.
POR has 2 main sections the Mansion buildings and the Alligator Bayou buildings, they vary quite a lot in their theming and I suggest you visit a great website
www.portorleans.org to view in detail both sections. There is also a great frequently asked questions section including a map of the resort.
Once you've decided if you prefer the Mansions or AB you can send in your room request, please remember it is only a request and not guaranteed. For the Mansion section we have stayed in both the Acadian and Magnolia buildings and they were both only a short walk from the food court and main pool. I have never stayed in the AB but the closest buildings are 14, 15 and 18.
The best way to request your room/building is to send a fax to 407-934-5777 roughly 3 days before your arrival. Make sure not to include too many requests and to put them in order of preference, also being polite will help. If you find at check-in that your requests haven't been honoured and you are unhappy with your room location simply ask if there are any other available rooms!
Have a great trip,
Jo