Hello James! Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel. Thanks for bringing your question to us - we're always happy to help.
Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside is an excellent choice for your family of five, and I'm glad to hear you'll be returning there for another magical stay. The pull-down Murphy-style bed is perfect for children. My own little guy loves having his own bed on vacation! The pull-down beds at Port Orleans Resort - Riverside are adorable and feature the lovable trumpet-playing gator, Louis, from the film
The Princess and the Frog.
I did a little investigating for you, and based on the category of room booked for your upcoming stay, your room will be located in the Alligator Bayou section of the resort, in any of the buildings not designated as preferred. The only buildings with pull-down beds designated as preferred are buildings 14, 15, 18, and 27. If you search for a map of the resort, know that you could be placed in any Alligator Bayou building with the exception of those four.
I suggest taking a look at a resort map online (a quick search should pull up plenty of images for you to look at) and viewing the possible locations for your resort room to determine if you would like to be guaranteed a room slightly closer to the lobby and
dining. Fortunately, all rooms at this resort are close to one of the four bus stops, so you'll never be more than a few steps away from catching a ride to the theme parks.
James, I have stayed at Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside in the past in a non-preferred room, and while most of the buildings are not far from the main lobby, food court, and feature pool, there are a few that would be quite a hike, especially with three children. If your children are small, I would consider upgrading to a preferred room. Now that I travel with small children, I value convenience more than ever, and it might put your mind at ease to be guaranteed a prime location. On the other hand, if you don't plan on frequenting the lobby,
Riverside Mill Food Court, or
Ol' Man Island feature swimming pool, then proximity to the main building won't be a problem, and you should stick with your current selection.
I hope that helps with your decision making, James. I don't think you can go wrong with any room category - you have chosen a lovely resort for your vacation. Have a wonderful time, and have some beignets for me over at
Scat Cat's Club at
Disney's Port Orleans Resort -French Quarter!
Bon voyage!
Betsy