Hi Nicholas,
Thanks for joining us here at the Disney Parks Moms Panel with your question!
I love celebration visits to the Walt Disney World Resort! They are some of the most fun and special trips I've had since my children were born.
Regarding your room selection question, I've given it some thought and here's my take on it. I absolutely love both of these resorts for many different reasons. Here are some ideas to help you decide: first, how much time do you spend in your room? Do you completely crash after a long day in the parks or do you enjoy your room for a bit longer and spend some quality time in there? For me, if you spend a reasonable amount of time in your resort room,
Disney's Port Orleans Resort-Riverside will likely give you a bit more space to spread out and enjoy. If you pretty much arrive in the evening and go to sleep, you may not have a chance to enjoy the decor and I'd say go for
Disney's Pop Century Resort.
Do you spend much time at the pool when you visit? My kids would just as soon skip the attractions at the theme parks in the afternoons and spend time at the pool, so the bigger the waterslide the better. The Hippy Dippy Pool at Disney's Pop Century Resort is the main pool at this location. It is quite expansive, but it does not have a waterslide. Ol' Man Island, the main pool at Disney's Port Orleans Resort-Riverside, includes a 95-foot waterslide. Note that beginning in Winter 2020, the Hippy Dippy Pool will be under refurbishment; it is unclear how long this will take at the present time.
Nicholas, my final point to consider is dining at your resort. Disney's Pop Century Resort has Everything POP for both shopping and dining. The dining area has a large variety of foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner on the
menu. Disney's Port Orleans Resort-Riverside has two restaurants to choose from-
Boatwright's Dining Hall only serves dinner in a casual dining setting. The
Riverside Mill Food Court serves all three meals with inspiration from Southern Louisiana. If you already have Advance Dining Reservations planned (with princesses, I presume), this may not play into your decision.
I hope I've given you enough information to make a decision about your resort choice. If budget is a factor, I'd choose Disney's Pop Century Resort and make plans for
Afternoon Tea at Garden View Tea Room or perhaps a princess makeover at the
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.
Best Wishes,
Amy S.