Bob Jackson Entertains at Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort

Are you ready to try something new on your next trip to Walt Disney World? If you’d like to do something fun without having to purchase a special ticket, check out Bob Jackson – who leads a great boogie-woogie sing-along at the River Roost Lounge in Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort. 

Here’s what to expect:

• Expect a tall man in brightly colored pants (yellow, the night we were there) playing a ragtime piano and leading songs that everybody knows –  songs like Hey, Jude; Piano Man; I Got You, Babe; Sweet Caroline, and The Addams Family theme song.  He’s an energetic performer with a gift for encouraging audience participation.  
• The atmosphere is fun and energetic. It might not appeal to the very dignified but is probably perfect for people who enjoy a good time and who don’t take themselves too seriously. You’ll get to beat your chest and yell, “Charge!” at the end of a bugle call, and you might get to do the hand-jive, or swing your arms in your best Elvis style.
• Bob signed autographs, posed for photos, and seemed genuinely interested in every person who came to say hello during the intermissions.
• The show is family-friendly. The night I was there, there were several kids present until about the second intermission. The River Roost has a bar but I didn’t observe anyone in an intoxicated state. The wait staff are available for drink orders but there was no pressure. I purchased two sodas over the course of the evening and that didn’t seem to be unusual. It is probably a good idea to tip very generously if, like me, you are there for several hours. There is a no smoking policy at the River Roost.
• Cost: no admission charge, no cover charge. My husband & I spent about $10 on beverages over a 3 hour period – it was a fun date for not much money.
• If you want to take the fun home with you, there are five different CD’s available for $10 each.
• Schedule: Bob is usually at the River Roost Lounge Tuesday through Saturday nights and plays from 8:30PM – Midnight but the schedule is subject to change.  He posts his schedule on his website at the beginning of each month. 
• You can team this up with the Campfire on de’ Bayou story time & campfire sing-along that is being offered on Thursday nights at Port Orleans Riverside’s Ol’ Man Island Fishin’ Hole from 6:30 – 8:00PM through March 2009.  This activity is also offered on Sunday nights but Bob doesn’t perform then. 
• You do not have to stay at Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside resort to enjoy these activities. If you drive, just tell the gatekeeper that you’re going to be visiting the resort for a few hours and they’ll direct you to the visitors parking area.