Review - Port Orleans French Quarter Resort

By Jennifer Stuart

Port Orleans French Quarter is a moderate-cost resort located at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. This review covers a standard room at Port Orleans French Quarter Resort.  It includes room photos,  a look at the amenities, pros and cons of staying at the resort and thoughts about staying at Port Orleans French Quarter during your Walt Disney World vacation.

The Location

Port Orleans French Quarter is located next to the Port Orleans Riverside Resort between Epcot and Disney Springs in the Disney World resort area. The resort is linked to Port Orleans Riverside by a free boat service along the canal or "river".  The boats continue on to Disney Springs as well, connecting to Saratoga Springs and Old Key West Resorts.  There is also free bus service to all 4 theme parks as well as Disney Springs.

This is the smallest resort at Disney World and it is surprisingly quiet.  We were staying in the building farthest from the main lobby and were able to walk there in minutes.  We were never bothered by noise in our room and even walking around it was always pretty peaceful.  The busiest areas were of course the pool and the restaurant but even those did not feel overcrowded and we were able to find a table fairly easily.

The Theming 

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The theming of the resort is unsurprisingly the French Quarter of New Orleans and Mardi Gras.  Entering the lobby of the main building you immediately feel that theming with a lovely fountain and a glass and ironwork ceiling.   This is theming that we really liked.  The ironwork on all the buildings is really nice.  The details aren't ignored as it is different from building to building and even floor to floor.  The fountains are also carried throughout the resort and add a pretty and tranquil touch to the courtyards.  The whole resort feels leafy and shaded which is nice in the Florida heat.

An odd and whimsical touch are the musical alligator statues that dance their way between the pool and the main lobby building.  These colourful gators quickly became family mascots and offered many fun photo ops.

The Rooms

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There are 7 buildings in Port Orleans French Quarter that house the rooms.  All buildings have 3 floors, the top 2 being accessible only by stairs. (If you have to wrestle with a stroller you may want to request a ground floor room). Rooms are priced differently based on the view.  There are standard view (which usually means parking lot view), garden view, river view and pool view.   The maximum number of people a regular room can sleep is 4. The rooms were basically identical other than location in the resort. The only major difference being if you happen to get a corner room you have two windows instead of one.  The beds were very comfortable and the bedding was fairly standard for this level of hotel.  The coverlet is lightweight and there is extra bedding available in the closet area if needed -- our visit was in a chilly and damp February and we still had no need of it.

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Our room included 2 queen sized beds with space to walk around on both sides (other rooms are available with a single king sized bed).  There is a large set of drawers across from the beds that has a flat screen TV, and a coffeemaker and drinks station (glasses and ice bucket).  Also in this unit is a small bar sized refrigerator (with no freezer section). 

The bathroom area contains a toilet and a tub with shower in a separate room with a door, while the double-sink vanity and closet are in an alcove off the bedroom.  This area can be curtained off from the bedroom for privacy or to allow you to get ready in the morning without waking the people you are with. A hairdryer is provided  under the vanity.

The toiletries provided are H2O brand.  As per changes in most Disney World resorts last year,  shampoo, conditioner and body wash are in dispensers attached in the shower.   Hand cream and soap are still provided in individual smaller travel size containers.

There are very subtle Disney details throughout the room with a subtle elegance.  The theming is based around the Princess and the Frog.  The artwork in the room reflects this.  Other fun touches include a hidden Mickey made out of Mardi Gras beads on the table.

Rooms also include a bench with boathooks above it and a small table with 2 chairs.   In the closet area rooms include a safe that is easily big enough to hold a laptop. The picture shows the safe with an iPad  mini inside for a size reference.

The Amenities

Doubloon Lagoon

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There is one large pool at Port Orleans French Quarter called Doubloon Lagoon, it’s Mardi Gras themed. There is a 51-foot-long snaking sea serpent  water slide,  a water play area, a whirlpool spa and the Mardi Grogs  pool bar.  

Guests also have access to the pools at the sister resort, Port Orleans Riverside.  This includes the smaller and usually quieter pools and the water complex at Ol’ Man Island pool complex. This 3.5-acre area includes a swimming pool with waterfalls and a rustic 95-foot waterslide fashioned after an old mill, a whirlpool spa and a kiddie pool.  Port Orleans Riverside is accessible by either walking or by taking one of the boats from the boat dock on the river behind the pool area.
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There are many other amenties that you would expect to find at a moderate Disney World resort such as free wifi, laundry room, bars and an on-site shopping location. There are also other recreation options available such as carriage rides and movies under the stars.  Some of these are included in the price and some are an extra charge.  Check out their website here for more information on all of the available amenities and recreation options.

Important to  note: Effective for new reservations made March 21, 2018 and thereafter, standard overnight self-parking is available to registered guests for a fee of $19 per night (sales tax included).

Food

Mickey beignets

The quick service dining location at Port Orleans French Quarter is called Sassagoula Floatworks. It is located in the main lobby building.  We found the busiest time was defiintely breakfast but never had to wait long and didn't have trouble finding a table. This is also where you can purchase and refill your Resort Refillable Mugs.  Here is a link to the menu for Sassagoula Floatworks.  One must-try item is the Mickey Beignets which are available with a choice of different dipping sauces.

The Extras

There are many wonderful extras that come with staying at a Disney World Resort (see their website for more information) but by far the best perk for those visiting the parks is the ability to take advantage of an earlier booking window for both your pre-selected fastpasses and making advanced dining reservations.  This is an advantage that is not to be underestimated, particularly in busier times. Another perk is the ability to take advantage of extra magic hours at all of the theme parks.  These are extended hours for Disney Resort Guests only.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Smaller resort with no need for internal busses.
• Ability to make fastpass selections 60 days in advance.
• Close to Epcot.
• Boat connection to Disney Springs.

Cons

• Only 1 pool (although there is access to the pools at Port Orleans Riverside if you don't mind a longer walk or taking the boat). ​
• Only quick service dining available (there is table service available at Port Orleans Riverside). 

Final Thoughts

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We really enjoyed our stay at Port Orleans French Quarter and would definitely recommend it to others.  I can see if being especially appealing to adult guests who wanted a moderate level resort that was close to Epcot to take advantage of the festivals such as Food and Wine or Flower and Garden. That being said our family certainly didn't feel out of place and particularly enjoyed the smaller scale of this resort.

If you enjoyed this post you may be interested in some of our other Disney posts.

Photos by Jennifer Stuart

Comments? Questions? We would love to hear from you.