Port Orleans French Quarter Resort Review
Port Orleans French Quarter is a Moderate Resort at Walt Disney World with a romanticized New Orleans theme. This hotel review features room photos, pros & cons, info on amenities, and our take on whether staying here offers good value for money.
Although Port Orleans French Quarter hasn’t always ranked highly on our list of the Best & Worst Moderate Resort Hotels at Walt Disney World, it’s undeniably charming and has a ton of appeal for many guests. In fact, the two of us don’t agree entirely on POFQ. Sarah loves it, whereas I far prefer Port Orleans Riverside.
French Quarter is popular among a lot of Disney fans because of its relatively compact size, which is–save for theme–its biggest distinction from the other Moderates. Whereas Moderate Resorts are typically the largest in terms of number of rooms and sprawling size, French Quarter has fewer rooms and a small footprint. Sarah and many other Walt Disney World fans appreciate this about POFQ–its size can save you some steps at the end of a long day!
Thematically, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter is the romanticized version of New Orleans that exists in the hearts and minds of many people. It evokes the spirit of the city and what so many love about NOLA.
Imagineering is really good at crafting charming and idealized versions of New Orleans. They did so at Disneyland decades ago with New Orleans Square, which is one of the very best theme park lands in the world. Port Orleans French Quarter is essentially the hotel take on that land.
As someone who thinks the actual New Orleans is a bit overrated by its many residents and fans, I actually prefer the Disneyfied version.
This won’t win me many friends, but it seems like many people put New Orleans on a pedestal, acting like it’s the only city in America with personality, history, or character. It absolutely does have all of those characteristics…but so too do dozens of other cities from coast to coast.
Sure, they are incomplete depictions that lack that lived-in feeling and true culture, but both New Orleans Square and French Quarter capture the romantic feeling of New Orleans. Moreover, they do so in clean, polished, and family-friendly way.
While French Quarter doesn’t hit the same thematic high notes as New Orleans Square, there is a lot to like about it. From the quaint promenades lined with gas street lamps to the fountains that serenade passers-by, French Quarter is a pretty romantic resort, isolated from the hustle and bustle of Walt Disney World.
Unfortunately, the Port Orleans Resorts accomplish that sense of isolation and serenity by not having the same degree of development or proximity to the parks. There’s no Skyliner, monorail, or non-bus transportation to the parks here. There’s also no flagship restaurant, character dining, or anything else that makes Port Orleans French Quarter a big draw for non-resort guests.
Personally, we don’t view any of this as a big loss. If you want to do character dining, that’s typically one-and-done, and not a good basis for choosing a resort. All of those restaurants are easily accessible from other hotels or the parks, anyway. The only real downside is the lack of non-bus transportation, but even that isn’t make or break. There’s no internal bus loop at French Quarter, so transportation is still incredibly efficient.
There are some places where French Quarter does look like a boxy, dressed up motel, but in most regards, the theme works, and in greater depth than is found at other Moderates.
I really like the theme at Caribbean Beach Resort, for example, but what I really like about this theme does not extend to the buildings of the hotel themselves. They look like hotel room boxes plunked down in the midst of the Caribbean environs.
This is not nearly as pronounced at Port Orleans French Quarter, where the buildings are dressed up to look like what you’d see in New Orleans, with the same style of wrought iron lattice common there.
They are still basic in style, but the buildings do a much better job of conveying theme than any other Moderate (except some of the buildings in Port Orleans Riverside), making the whole place more immersive. Suffice to say, there’s really a lot to like about the theme at Port Orleans French Quarter.
…And that’s before we even start talking about the house band of alligators that performs around the Doubloon Lagoon pool. Well, performs is a strong word since they are inanimate objects, but I still rather enjoy these gators (they’re much better than the animate kind that also inhabit Walt Disney World!).
They give the resort a sense of whimsy without overtly cartoonifying the theme, which I consider a big plus; I’m sure families appreciate these gators, too.
In addition to this swinging band, there’s also a giant snake-like creature that makes up the pool slide. This is a solid pool, and that 51-foot water slide is a big reason why. The location is convenient, the size is large, and it has a fun vibe. I’d say the only Moderate with a better pool is Caribbean Beach, and that’s only because I’m a sucker for forts with cannons.
Now, you might be asking, “why is King Triton riding a water dragon at a New Orleans-themed resort?” Well, actually, that ‘water dragon’ is actually a sea serpent, and ‘King Triton’ is actually King Neptune, God of the Sea. King Neptune is a popular figure in New Orleans, with a Krewe that honors him. I don’t know what ties the all-gator band has to New Orleans, but they are just awesome, so do you really need any ties there?
In terms of other amenities, French Quarter has a good slate.
The horse drawn carriages are perhaps the highlight in terms of uniqueness (and in further enhancing that romantic theme), but most guests probably aren’t going to pay for a carriage ride.
Other plusses include the high quality Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory, the Sassagoula boat transportation to Riverside, and the efficient bus transportation (no internal stops!). There are also some downsides to these amenities.
Sassagoula Food & Floatworks is good…but there’s no table service restaurant. The efficient bus service can become very inefficient during off-season times if it becomes shared with Riverside (which does have internal stops).
Given the close proximity of Port Orleans Riverside, either by walking path or boat service, you also effectively gain the amenities of that sister resort (which is why French Quarter no longer has a table service restaurant). This is nice in that it provides greater variety in terms of counter service meals, lounge, and shopping.
Now let’s take a look at the rooms…
In the last few years, Port Orleans French Quarter has received room refurbishments that change a number of elements and features. You can see how things have changed in our new Refurbished Rooms at Port Orleans French Quarter post.
I go back and forth on the rooms at Port Orleans French Quarter. On the one hand, I think they are classier than the norm, with a nice wood headboard, simple yet elegant carpet, and a bit of lattice.
The new design follows the trend of being more understated in design, but doesn’t go as far as other resorts. The plain white bedding without a runner or any accentuation looks just as sterile as everywhere else (I really wish Disney would rethink this), but at least the room has other New Orleans flourishes.
The biggest change is the carpet being replaced by hardwood flooring with an inlaid design, which looks classier in my estimation, and will also be easier to clean. The old carpet was really showing its age–and not just in terms of wear and tear. We had no issues with the floor being noisier, but your mileage may vary on that.
The beds are also now elevated and on wood frames, with space for luggage storage underneath. In the cramped Moderate and Value Resorts, this is a huge gain. I’m also pretty confident that the mattresses in these rooms are new—and they’re spectacular. Port Orleans French Quarter had good mattresses before, but this was even better.
The dresser now features a top panel with power and USB sockets, the chairs have been reupholstered, and there are new blinds. The classic Disney concept artwork—mostly New Orleans Square at Disneyland—also remains, and is lovely. The wall-mounted television is huge, and the backlit mirror illumination is another nice touch (as is the repositionable make-up mirror).
Like all other Moderates, the rooms feature a split bath, with double sinks outside and the toilet and shower/tub in a separate room. This separated setup is nice, save for the size of the bathroom. Ever heard the term water closet? Totally apt here, as this is roughly the size of a closet. Par for the course with Walt Disney World hotels below the Deluxe level, though.
The rooms at Port Orleans French Quarter certainly aren’t the epitome of luxury, but they are sufficiently spacious and comfortable. Moreover, the style is thematically tasteful and feels fairly sophisticated as compared to all other Moderate Resort rooms, save for Coronado Springs.
Overall, there is a lot to like about Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter, especially if you have sentimentality for New Orleans or prefer hotels with compact footprints. The latter is probably going to be a big deal for families, and is a huge selling point of Port Orleans French Quarter. Conversely, the biggest downside is likely going to be that there’s no novel transportation to the parks–it’s all buses.
I typically prefer a more spread out resort to explore, but can concede that Port Orleans French Quarter offers the best of both worlds. You’re able to explore the combined Port Orleans Resorts and take advantage of the compact (single) French Quarter resort when going to catch a bus. I also enjoy the theme quite a bit, and found there to be some really lovely touches. All things being equal, though, Port Orleans French Quarter is a solid Moderate worthy of consideration if you want a compact resort with a romantic theme for your Walt Disney World vacation.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? If you’re interested in learning more about hotels, our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page is a good place to start. For where to eat, try out our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews page. If you want to save money on tickets or determine which type you should get, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at unconventional things you should take on your trip. Once you arrive at the parks, our Walt Disney World “Ride Guides” are great for determining what to do and when to do it. For overviews of all of these topics and so much more, the best place to start is our comprehensive Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide to make the most of your experience!
Your Thoughts
Have you stayed at Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter? Does its lack of unique transportation to the parks, character dining, or other ‘big’ draws make it less appealing to you? Or, do you find Disney’s Port Orleans — French Quarter to be among the best of the Moderate Resorts thanks to its tranquility and atmosphere? Do you dislike French Quarter?! Disagree with my take on NOLA? Any additional tips to add regarding French Quarter? Planning on staying here? We love hearing from you, so please share your thoughts or any questions about the hotel in the comments below!
We stayed here last summer and absolutely loved it.
The resort is charming and coming from the UK we got a good deal price wise.
My daughters particularly enjoyed the Beignets and the weekly run that was organised at the resort.
The buses into the parks were good and the boats over to Marketplace were another great way to travel particularly if you love to shop.
This would definitely be our resort of choice next time we visit WDW.
I am not sure why in a review of a hotel at WDW you had to trash the city of New Orleans. Your comments about New Orleans had nothing to do with your review of the hotel. You may not like New Orleans, LA but it has no place in a review for a hotel at WDW.
Please could you advise mr whether I should check the boxes on the location request on the online checkin for either a CORNER ROOM or NEAR TRANSPORTATION?
What are the advantages/disadvantages of either option please?
Many thanks Amanda
I don’t think it really makes a difference. The resort is quiet so the room not being on the corner is no big deal and it is the smallest Disney Resort so the bus stop is not that far from any of the rooms. The only request I ever have is I ask for building 6 and I try to stay in room 6106, 6107 or 6108, only because it’s the ground floor and it’s right in front of a little garden area with a fountain
Thank you Kim 🙂
My husband & I have been staying at the French Quarter for the last few years. We were really pleased with the updated rooms. They replaced the ratty old carpeting with nice faux hardwood floors & you can see all the way underneath the beds. I am extremely particular about where I sleep & where I bathe. Found this place to be just fine. We’re not especially fond of New Orleans food (except the begnets) so we did have a lot of meals elsewhere. Our children & grandchildren stayed at Art of Animation so we met them for lunch.
Now that’s a FOOD COURT….. so many choices, we ate there more than a few times.
I think we go back to the French Quarter because of it’s smaller size & the nearness of the food court & main lobby. But, alas, we’re getting old.
We’ve stayed at the French Quarter several times, it is our go-to resort when the whole family goes to WDW. Our most recent trip was in November 2018, and I must say that I totally agree with you! I loved the new laminate floors and under-bed storage, they are way better then that ugly old carpet. Visually I did miss the little wallpaper border that the old rooms had though, I always thought that made the rooms feel more themed. Overall a definite upgrade. The food court isn’t my favorite, but it gets the job done, especially since Disney Springs is just a quick boat ride away for tons of dining options!
I took my whole family to the Port Orleans French Quarter resort and we all thoroughly loved it. All ages from 3 to 60. I highly recommend this resort.
POFQ has been my favorite simply because of the size. I stayed there on a trip that was booked just 3 weeks in advanced, and it was the cheapest available. I was fortunately to get a room in the building that is between the cafeteria and the bus stop which made it even better.
Which building were you in? We are staying in 2018 and would like to request between the cafeteria and bus stop. Thank you
Which building were you staying in?
Hi Tom We visited POFC 5/7/3017 for 7 days. I Loved the friendly atmosphere , clean grounds, easy getting around to all Parks,Disney Springs (loved taking the 10 min. boat ride) and water parks, the food court was clean and all the food we
Ordered was very tasty and plentiful. The pool was kept clean and was enjoyable plenty of towels and everyday they had activities for all children. Now on to the rooms. The beds are comfy, bathroom is small but exceptable. Over all we enjoyed our stay. NOW for the negative side my daughters family brought home BED BUGS!!
It has been a nightmare for us. I’m so upset and in shock that this would happen at Disney. When my daughter called to inform them the lady said an Insurance adjuster will call then said have a magical day are you kidding me your going say that to someone who is now going through the nightmare to get rid of them from her home. Her husband and my grand daughter has OCD been very stressful on them. I am writing this to warn all to check your rooms. To date we are working with Disney to rectify the situation. Will update the outcome.
Gross, we are booked for Oct. Do you know which bldg they stayed?
I alternate between a deluxe resort and POFQ. Although I am located on the other side of the pond, I have gotten some great deals at POFQ that did include free meal plans and ultimate 14-day passes. We travel at least once a year to WDW (2017 will be Port Orleans FQ in May and Animal Kingdom Lodge in Dec). I like POFQ in the warmer months because it is easier to get to get on a boat to Disney Springs and also to the water parks since all the buses now leave from Disney Springs to get to them. You mentioned that their price point for a room is as high as a lower end deluxe but I have fortunately never experienced that.
we have stayed at both POR and POFQ twice; each resort has its pros and cons (I think the quick service at POR is one of the best in all of WDW) but overall we prefer POFQ of all of the moderates. folks are really friendly, great pool, nicely appointed rooms for the cost (in wdw dollars that is). from our small family trio, three thumbs up!
Any idea of the price per night for this resort?
Tom:
I thoroughly enjoy your blog. It is a nice run up to a trip to Disney World.
However, I would appreciate reading more about the quality of the beds, too soft, too hard and the like.
I recently stayed at the Caribbean Beach and was completely disappointed.
The bed was so hard I may have slept two hours each night.
I was more sore from the bed than the 40 plus miles I walked in the parks.
In addition, the food at the food court was horrible.
I will never stay at the CB ever again!
This last stay has me considering staying off site on our next visit.
At the Moderates and Values, beds are pretty poor across the board, with the exception of Coronado Springs. I don’t know why this is, especially when a lot of basic hotels are now investing more in quality mattresses.
I think hotels need to start selling rooms with “hard” or “soft” mattress categories. They no longer have smoking/non-smoking rooms most places (thank goodness), so they could upgrade their system to delineate bed type in that field. To me and my husband, that’s even more important than if it’s a double/queen/king. Some people want hard, some want soft, so have some of both and make everyone happy.
Personally, I absolutely HATE a hard mattress and agree it can ruin a vacation and my odds of every coming back. We used to always stay with Hampton Inn when they had Cloud Nine soft bedding (at least 10+ nights/year) but they took it away and after 2 rock hard beds, we never stayed there again in at least 4 years!
” I should preface this review by saying I’m not a huge fan of New Orleans.” Ugh – & here I was thinking we might be kindred spirits. You lost me right at the beginning of the review I’m afraid, lol.
Me too. I know it isn’t for everyone, but I stewed on that comment for the rest of the review!:) I just bet he hasn’t been to the right places.
I know people who dislike New York City, Hong Kong, San Francisco, and Paris–all places that I would consider among the greatest cities in the world. I just shrug it off, because to each their own.
We stayed here during our last Disney trip in September 2013 and were highly impressed with it! The smaller size of the resort was great for us, shorter walks to buses and rooms which was appreciated after long days at the parks. (And for hubby to grab breakfast to go while I slept in!) Pool area was nice and not crowded! Only negative was the super long bus ride to Downtown Disney, over an hour.
Thanks for the updated review. All other factors (price) being equal, would you still prefer Caribbean Beach over POFQ? I know you compared the two a few times, but I’m wondering what your overall opinion is. I’ve never stayed at either, and I’m considering both for my next visit.
My fiance and I stayed there in December, 2014, and seeing the resort done up for Christmas was really cool. I loved the attention to detail everywhere we looked. I will say one of the coolest things about our room was that although it was a parking lot view the resort had greenery and trees so we couldn’t see the lot from our room. Really loved that.
Just last month we stayed at Riverside, which we also loved. I would say that I enjoyed Riverside more than French Quarter, and I do agree that French Quarter has more of a motel feeling to it, especially comparing it to Riverside.
You know, now that I think about it, this might be one of the few resorts I haven’t seen at Christmas. Looks like we might need to pay it a visit this December!
My parents and I stayed here a year ago September for a long weekend. We felt the resort did have some charm to it and we enjoyed the water taxi service to Disney Springs, but the beds were pretty uncomfortable, making it difficult for a good night’s sleep. Even if you tend to be a “commando park tourer” and only use the room to sleep and shower, as we often do, I think bed comfort is pretty hard to beat at the end of a long day in the parks.
You really are rolling the dice in terms to bed-quality at any Walt Disney World hotel below the Deluxes. Then, even some of the Deluxes have suspect bedding. This is disappointing, given that plenty of ~$100/night motels around the country do a better job with bedding.
I stayed here with my 4 year old last April on a trip with my mom and step dad in the next room. Having only ever camped at Disney it was a bit of change. (There’s just something magical about growing up camping in Fort Wilderness isn’t there??) I have to say honestly it was better than I expected. Our room was in the perfect location to the pool/food court/ bus stop and it made traveling with a little one really easy. Not to mention the night time movies on the lawn. My son loved having the freedom to run around and he loved the playground and pool area. The food court was nice and we ended up there probably about 90% of the time for breakfast before hitting the parks. I can’t remember anything there being amazing but nothing was bad either. Overall it was a great place, especially with small kids, but next time we are definitely going back to Fort Wilderness.
Oh my. I didn’t realize how long my last comment was until I hit submit. Sorry!
I just got back a few days ago from a 5-night stay at French Quarter. I hadn’t stayed here before but my husband and I did choose Riverside for our honeymoon back in April of 2013. I personally felt that Riverside was too much of a “woodsy” feel. I feel much more comfortable in very open spaces. Anyhow, I really liked the French Quarter. I ended up here over another moderate resort because of availability when I booked (I always initially look for a discount, whether it be one offered to everyone, passholders or Florida residents – but no better deal was available). I thought the overall feel was kind of charming. And even though they told me they were full to capacity it never felt too crowded or loud. I had requested an upper floor room and even though I arrived very early – maybe 9:45am – they accommodated that request and I got a corner room on the second floor. (Are these a little more spacious than regular rooms? It felt spacious.) I did laugh at how tiny the bathroom was, though. Very cramped!! But having the dual sinks and mirrors makes things easy if two people are trying to get ready at the same time. I was very impressed with how clean the room was. I guess that one would assume any hotel room they pay for should be clean, but it just felt so incredibly comfortable – and I must say, my bed felt like heaven!!! It was perfect. 😀 … I thought the Float Works was alright for food. Probably better than other counter service options, but nothing that stood out to me. I ordered the Shrimp Po’ Boy after seeing your review of it and it actually looked hardly anything like yours… not much shrimp at all! Which is fine for me because I don’t eat huge amounts at once anyway. It just felt like an awful lot of bread without much of anything in it. Oh well! I did feel like it is tough to beat the prices for what the quality they offer though – especially using the Tables in Wonderland card! One night before heading to the Magic Kingdom we got some drinks and appetizers at Scat Cat’s near the lobby. They were pretty good and the bartender there was really nice! The busses were quite efficient even though for certain parks we did have to stop at all the Riverside stops first. At least by staying at French Quarter you’re the first stop! I’ll definitely stay again — I’ll just wait until I really can’t find a good deal elsewhere. But I really have no hesitations on recommending his resort to anyone!
Do you know what the price ranges are per night for French Quarter?
I admire the honesty of your review Tom. FQ used to be our go to hotel, but about five years ago, we switched over to Riverside. The mansions with their quiet pools are perfect for seniors (high school seniors too). They’re elegant and pretty quiet. We no longer feel the need to get to the theme parks at rope drop. Our pace is much slower now and Riverside seems to be a good fit.
All that said, because of its southern charm and smaller size, I would consider French Quarter as an alternate if Riverside wasn’t available. And don’t forget about the lovely boat ride to Disney Springs. Better than going by bus or car.