Cyndal BenulloWalt Disney World is home to all different kinds of hotels, so you’re sure to find one that fits both your family and your interests. If you’re looking for a more relaxing resort that still has lots of fun offerings, you might be considering booking Disney’s Port Orleans Resort. We’ve put together a complete guide to Disney’s Port Orleans Resort to help you decide if this hotel is right for you!
Disney’s Port Orleans Resort Overview
Disney’s Port Orleans Resorts sends guests down home to the famous New Orleans, Louisiana! Located near plenty of entertainment in the Disney Springs Resort Area, this moderate resort has some pretty unique features of its own! Technically, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort is separated into two resort resorts: Disney’s Port Orleans — French Quarter and Disney’s Port Orleans — Riverside.
Port Orleans – French Quarter transports guests down to Bourbon Street, New Orleans, and is the smaller resort of the two. The quaint yet lively Mardi Gras atmosphere of the French Quarter’s cobblestone streets vastly differs from its sister resort. Port Orleans – Riverside screams “southern charm,” sending visitors down the bayou and around Magnolia Bend through a much larger, quieter resort.
Both resorts are located on the Sassagoula River, with a sidewalk connecting the two that’s a roughly 15-minute walk.
Let’s break down the key differences between the two!
About Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — French Quarter
Disney’s Port Orleans – French Quarter is an excellent, small, budget-friendly option for guests who want more than a value resort offers without forking out too much per night. Here’s everything Port Orleans – French Quarter has to offer!
Accommodations
All 1,000 Port Orleans—French Quarter rooms offer the same amenities and are approximately 314 square feet. The only difference between the room accommodations at this resort is the views from inside the room. No moderate resort rooms have balconies, and all doors and hallways are on the exterior of the buildings.
All room options offer the same amenities, including a small table and two chairs, a coffee maker, a mini fridge, a safe, and ironing boards. Two sinks are positioned outside the toilet and shower room, allowing families to get ready in the morning with ease. Every room also offers two queen beds, except the King Bed rooms, which only sleep two adults.
The five room options listed from cheapest to most expensive are:
- Standard View – view of the parking lot
- Garden View – views of gardens around the resort
- River View – views of the Sassagoula River
- Pool View – view of the pool, closest to the lobby
- King Bed – random view
Because the resort is so small, there are no preferred room locations, as all locations are close to the main building.
Dining Options
Port Orleans—French Quarter offers a variety of dining options, but there is no full-table service dining option on this side of the resort. Instead, French Quarter offers quick service and bar/lounge options for guests to enjoy, fitting the moderate resort category.
Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory
Mardi Gras is in full swing at Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory, the resort’s quick-service dining hall. It is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Breakfast offers the standard quick-service breakfast that most Disney resorts offer, such as Mickey waffles, pancakes, omelets, breakfast bowls, and grab-and-go items like fruits and yogurts. Lunch and dinner offer the basic pizzas, burgers, and chicken. Some of the enhanced menu items cajun/creole style offerings like po’ boy sandwiches and smothered beef.
Mardi Grogs
Right outside the pool gates is Mardi Grogs Pool Bar, which serves specialty cocktails, beers, wines, and a small variety of prepackaged sandwiches, salads, and snacks for a poolside bite. Beers from the famous New Orleans brewery Abita Brewing are offered here and are pretty popular.
Scat Cat‘s Club
Scat Cat’s Club – Cafe is home to the famous Mickey-shaped beignets. Be sure to try out the Baton Rouge Beignets for the adults – they’re booze infused! You’ll also find a few specialty coffees here.
Connected to Scat Cat’s Club—Cafe is Scat Cat’s Club—Lounge. Open in the evenings, this lounge serves elevated specialty cocktails such as Sazerac’s and Whiskey Sours and a small variety of bar bites. Offerings include gumbo poutine, chicken wings, spinach dips, and pimento cheese fritters. Friday through Sunday, live jazz performances are held in the lounge.
Amenities & Recreation
Due to the resort’s size, the French Quarter’s recreation options are much less than those at Port Orleans—Riverside. However, the good news for guests staying at Port Orleans—French Quarter is that you can access all of Port Orleans—Riverside’s recreation options!
Pool
Doubloon Lagoon Pool puts guests right in the middle of the Mardi Gras action, with alligator band statues, a sea serpent waterslide, and a Mardi Gras float-themed children’s aquatic play area. The waterslide here is one of the smaller resort slides, coming in at only 51 feet long. But, it is a perfect option for those who may still need to get ready for giant slides!
Daily poolside activities such as trivia, relays, and water games are held daily.
A hot tub rounds out the pool options, something that all moderate and deluxe resorts have, but not value resorts.
Cajun Campfire
The Cajun Campfire is held nightly between buildings 5 and 6, where guests can roast complimentary marshmallows or purchase s’mores kits.
Movies Under the Stars
Movies Under the Stars is available on select nights in the courtyard, and the film changes monthly. Check out the recreation calendar when you arrive to see the days and movies available!
Shopping
The Jackson Square Gift Shop is a small Disney gift shop that offers a selection of sundries, classic Disney apparel, and toys with a New Orleans twist. It sells items such as Tiana’s cookbooks and a beignet mix.
Arcade
Finally, South Quarter Games is in the main building. It is an arcade for the whole family to enjoy!
Full-service laundry facilities are also available for guests, with a vending machine full of supplies for purchase if needed.
About Disney’s Port Orleans – Riverside
Disney’s Port Orleans – Riverside is a large, relaxing, moderate resort that offers more than value resorts while staying relatively inexpensive. Step into the Bayou with us as we break down everything Port Orleans – Riverside offers!
Accommodations
Port Orleans—Riverside buildings are divided into two wildly different sections: Magnolia Bend and Alligator Bayou. The Magnolia Bend side houses 3-story “mansions” resembling old Southern manors equipped with elevators. On the other hand, Alligator Bayou rooms are settled back in the woods with a Southern 2-story cottage feel. Riverside comprises over 2,000 rooms which is double the number that the French Quarter has.
All room options offer the same amenities, such as a small table and two chairs, a coffee maker, a mini fridge, a safe, and ironing boards. Two sinks are positioned outside the toilet and shower room, allowing families to easily get ready in the morning. Princess and the Frog-themed curtains separate the bathroom and bed space areas. Additionally, all rooms, regardless of the room type, are 314 square feet.
Port Orleans—Riverside is a good option for families because two room categories offer fifth-sleeper rooms, which consist of two queen beds and one child-size pull-down Murphy bed. Most other rooms have two queen beds, while a few offer only a king bed.
Additionally, Port Orleans—Riverside offers a particular room type not offered at any other resort in Magnolia Bend: the Royal Guest Rooms. These princess-themed rooms make guests feel like royalty, with princess pictures and decor around the walls, a magic carpet, and even a light-up fireworks display on the headboards.
The room options listed from cheapest to most expensive are:
- Standard View – view of the parking lot
- Standard View 5th Sleeper – view of the parking lot
- Pool view – view of the courtyard pool
- Woods View – views of landscaping, courtyard, or the bayou
- Woods View 5th Sleeper – views of landscaping, courtyard, or the bayou
- River View – views of the Sassagoula Riverfront
- Preferred Room – closest to the lobby
- Royal Guest Room – views of parking, woods, or riverfront
Dining Options
Port Orleans—Riverside has a variety of dining options. With a mix of quick-service, bars/lounges, and table-service dining, everyone in your party will be satisfied!
Riverside Mill Food Court
Riverside Mill Food Court offers quick-service breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This building tends to be the mascot photo op for Port Orleans – Riverside, with a giant wheel mill outside operating a cotton press. It is the only breakfast option on the resort property.
Breakfast provides the standard quick-service breakfast that most Disney resorts offer, such as Mickey waffles, pancakes, omelets, breakfast bowls, and grab-and-go items like fruits and yogurts. Lunch and dinner offer the basic pizzas, burgers, and chicken. The menu also includes some Cajun/Creole-style offerings such as po’ boy sandwiches and smothered beef.
Additionally, grab-and-go offerings such as coffees, pastries, fruits, yogurts, and premade salads are available here.
Muddy Rivers
Right outside the pool on Ol’ Man’s Island is Muddy Rivers, the pool bar. It offers a full-service bar and specialty cocktails, as well as some premade dining options such as wraps and salads.
River Roost Lounge
Wanting some old-time Southern comfort? Head to River Roost Lounge, located inside the lobby. This evening lounge offers a full-service bar and a variety of small bites, and on select nights, you can catch Yeeha Bob performing a comedic music show.
Boatwright’s Dining Hall
Boatwright’s Dining Hall is the only table-service dining on either side of the resort. Here you can sample southern classics like shrimp and grits, Jambalaya, and pimento cheese fritters for some down-home New Orleans-style cookin’.
Boatwrights is one of the easier dining reservations to secure on the My Disney Experience app, and walk-up availability is subject to availability.
Amenities & Recreation
What comes with a large resort? A large amount of recreation! Ol’ Man Island is the hub for most recreational activities, a nearly three-acre island inspired by Tom Sawyer that connects the resort rooms to the rest of the resort.
Pool
The Ol’ Man Island pool is the main pool, themed after an abandoned sawmill. It offers a small splash pool for the smallest pool guests, a hot tub for anyone focused on relaxation, and a 95-foot waterslide built into the millworks, sure to bring family fun. Poolside activities such as trivia, crafts, relays, and games are held at this pool.
Additionally, five leisure pools are available throughout the resort grounds for those wanting a quieter pool vibe. Three pools are in the Alligator Bayou, while the other two are in Magnolia Bend.
Fishing
A catch-and-release fishing hole is located just outside the pool grounds. Time slots and equipment are available to rent. Be sure to get there earlier in the day, as the hole usually closes around 1:30PM.
Campfire
The Campfire on the Bayou is located just past the fishing hole. Nightly, it offers complimentary marshmallows and smores kits, which can also be purchased.
Playground
The playground is right next to the campfire. With its proximity to the pool, your kids can never be bored on Ol’ Mans Island!
Movies Under the Stars
Movies Under the Stars are held in the Magnolia Bend section on select nights. The movies change monthly, so check your recreation calendar when you arrive.
Horse-drawn Carriage Rides
Horse-drawn carriage rides are available for purchase outside the Riverside Levee Marina for $65 a ride. They fit up to four adults or two adults with three small children. Surrey Bikes are also available to rent.
Other Amenities
Both resorts have a jogging trail along the Sassagoula River. Medicine Show Arcade is open daily for guests of all ages. And, Fulton’s General Store is a large general store selling Disney merchandise, sundries, and items tailored to New Orleans, such as Princess and the Frog offerings, beignet mixes, seasonings, and cookbooks.
Transportation Options
As with most moderate resorts, guests have two transportation options from Port Orleans—French Quarter and Port Orleans—Riverside.
Guests can hop on the Sassagoula River Cruise boat service to get to Disney Springs. This small ferry boat transports guests between both resorts and is the sole transportation to Disney Springs. The leisurely 15-minute river cruise drops guests off on the Marketplace side of Disney Springs. In inclement weather, buses would run from to and from Disney Springs.
Guests staying at either resort can also use the Disney bus to access the four theme parks and Disney’s water parks via Disney’s complimentary transportation offerings. French Quarter has one bus stop at the front of the resort. While Riverside, due to its large size, has multiple bus stops around the resort.
Pricing
Since these resorts fall into the moderate category, their prices will be higher than those of value resorts but lower than those of deluxe resorts.
Port Orleans French Quarter rooms cost around $300+ per night, standard rooms are slightly less at $295+ per night, and pool view rooms cost around $330+ per night. Since the resort is small and all rooms are the same, the price difference is solely due to the type of view you desire.
Port Orleans Riverside rooms average slightly higher at around $330+ per night, with standard rooms being the same as French Quarter. The Royal Guest rooms can sometimes run over $400 per night.
Guest Benefits
As one of Disney World Resort hotels, you’ll be able to access some extra perks that make your vacation a bit more magical (and convenient). This includes:
- Free water park admission on the day you check in (coming in 2025)
- Early Theme Park Entry (allowing you to enter any of the four theme parks 30 minutes before
- Free Disney transportation
- Extended dining reservation window (60 days + the length of your stay)
- 7-day pre-booking window for Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Single Pass
- Ability to purchase a Disney Dining Plan
- Staying in the “Disney Bubble”
Who Should Stay at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort
So, is Disney’s Port Orleans Resort right for your family’s next vacation?
Stay at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort if you want:
- A small, charming resort atmosphere
- Proximity to Disney Springs
- A budget-friendly resort with additional offerings and options for larger families
- Reliable table service dining
- A room that sleeps up to 5
Pass on Disney’s Port Orleans Resort if you want:
- Multiple dining options within walking distance
- Short walks to resort amenities
- Access to more convenient transportation options like Disney’s Monorail or Skyliner
Comments
Have you stayed at either of Disney’s Port Orleans Resorts? Which do you prefer? Let us know in the comments!
