An Ode to (Port) Orleans
Well, not technically an ode since I’m bad with poetry, but I liked the way that title sounded. In any case, in honor of Port Orleans’ 25th Anniversary, we wanted to share this post today. We’ve stayed at Port Orleans several times in the past couple of years, and in the process, have developed a much greater appreciation for it.
Since we’ve repeatedly praised Port Orleans Riverside on the blog, naming it the #1 or #2 Moderate Resort in our rankings over the years, it’s hard to imagine developing a ‘much greater appreciation’ for Port Orleans. However, that’s exactly what has happened. That, plus my personal ‘a ha’ moment with French Quarter has led to us staying at Port Orleans more, and we think it might be worthwhile to cover the why of that here.
This is a post we’ve been putting it off since we have vlog material to accompany it from our stays at both resorts this summer and fall, but since we’re short on time and this post has already been delayed longer than I’d like, here it is. We’ll add the vlog footage later, if/when we eventually get it edited…
Before we get to the ‘why’ of our frequent stays at Port Orleans the last two years, since it is Port Orleans Riverside’s/Dixie Landings’ 25th Anniversary, I think a brief (personal) retrospective is in order. I still remember my first stay at Dixie Landings.
My family had gone from driving down and staying at Fort Wilderness in our camper on our annual trips to staying at Shades of Green every year once that opened/was converted. However, during our 1996 spring vacation, Shades of Green had overbooked, so we were moved to Dixie Landings. This was our first stay at a “real” Disney resort hotel, and it was a memorable experience for me.
My most vivid memories of Dixie Landings that trip were the unmistakable Southern feel to the resort, going from the bayou to even staying in a real mansion! For whatever reason, I also recall our meals at Riverside Mill Food Court, where I ordered the delicious Cajun fries every night. I also recall the resort having some rooms that were located in huge trees, which it most certainly did not.
Fast forward another decade, and Sarah and I stayed at Port Orleans Riverside during our engagement trip. The hotel would forever have a soft spot in our hearts after that, and I still remember the boat ride to Downtown Disney (Springs), as well as wandering the grounds late at night and early in the morning.
Port Orleans Riverside oozed a romantic feeling, but of course being freshly engaged didn’t hurt with that, either…
We’ve since stayed at Port Orleans French Quarter or Riverside more times than I can count (maybe 8-10 stays?). For a while, I felt that French Quarter was overrated; only a good option for families with small children or those with mobility issues due to its compact size. That assessment was wrong—I missed the point.
My preference is for a larger resort experience, something that I initially felt was missing from Port Orleans French Quarter. I also lamented its comparatively sparse amenities, particularly a lack of table service dining. Then I did what should have been the obvious thing, and took a stroll over to Port Orleans Riverside while we were staying at French Quarter…
This changed my perspective. I now view Port Orleans French Quarter’s compact size—when coupled with its proximity to the sprawling Riverside—as an asset.
If you want a resort with an easy walk to breakfast or the centralized bus stop, you have it. You’re always within a 5 minute walk of whatever amenity you want to enjoy. Contrast this with Caribbean Beach or Coronado Springs, where you could be 10-15 minutes away by foot.
If you want a resort that allows you to wander, explore, and escape the hustle and bustle of the main amenities, you also have that at French Quarter by virtue of wandering the short distance over to Port Orleans Riverside.
My personal preference remains a sprawling resort with a feel of seclusion rather than intimacy, making Port Orleans Riverside an ideal pick for me, but I’ve found French Quarter represents an excellent “compromise” resort. It’s really the best of both worlds.
In terms of both theme and atmosphere, Port Orleans (collectively) also brings a lot to the table—more than any other resort hotel at Walt Disney World. Port Orleans French Quarter has an intimate and cozy feel, as if you’re walking the streets of an idealized version of New Orleans.
As you walk to Riverside, you transition to the rural areas on the outskirts of town, where there is more space between. The larger size also allows Riverside to convey multiple themes, from the rustic and densely wooded bayou to stately manors on perfectly-manicured grounds. When viewed collectively, an argument could be made that these two resorts are the thematic and atmosphere pinnacle of Walt Disney World’s hotels.
In fact, it’s an argument that we find quite compelling. We would go as far to say that if your primary concerns are, in this order: 1) cost, 2) theme, 3) atmosphere, 4) room quality, then one of the Port Orleans resorts is your best choice.
If you prioritize room quality over theme, atmosphere, etc., but still want a Moderate, our pick is Caribbean Beach. Port Orleans’ rooms are by no means bad; just not as good as Caribbean Beach or Coronado Springs. (Speaking of which, I’ve also updated our Port Orleans Riverside Review with new room photos.)
On long weekend visits or trips when we intend upon spending less time in our hotel room, Port Orleans has become our go-to pick. (Hence so many stays here over the last couple of years.) I love Riverside for the isolation and seclusion it offers, while French Quarter is gaining momentum for its compact layout. I enjoy being able to get up early or stay out late wandering in a satisfying environment, and Sarah likes the value and convenience the Port Orleans hotels (particularly French Quarter) offer.
Value Resorts remain the most economical pick for commando tourists who are spending every waking hour at Walt Disney World in the parks, but for people taking fast-paced trips with a larger budget, we favor Port Orleans. We feel the cost of the upgraded accommodations, amenities, and theme is well worth the money (at least to us), and represents a “sweet spot” between the Value and Deluxe tier. I’m pretty sure we’ve said this before, but it bears repeating: Port Orleans is like a Deluxe-caliber resort in terms of theme on a Moderate budget. Now that you know how we feel about Port Orleans, what do you think? Are you one of its avid fans, or do you not see the appeal?
We just finished our 9th trip to POFQ (4/25/2017 to 5/2/2017) and were shocked and disappointed in our room. No more bed scarf, no decorative pillow, no Mickey towel origami and no more mouse ears on the little shampoo & conditioner. The rooms are all white now and seemingly devoid of Disney and Mickey themes. The Sassagoula Floatworks was crowded and had 2 less cashier stations. People were standing around waiting for food to be cooked and reading the menu leaving no room to maneuver around the large stainless cooler in the middle of the food service area. We used to go there for our anniversary each year but I am sure we will be staying somewhere else from now on. Really a sad day.
My wife and I were fortunate to get two extra days at WDW last December. The Polynesian was booked so we did a split stay with two nights at POR and three nights at the Poly. My wife had never stayed at POR before but I had on two other occasions more 10 years ago. She loved it there and so did I. Boat transportation was so much better now. We thoroughly enjoyed walking around the resort, the food court, and the nice boat ride to Disney Springs. Disney did a fantastic job with the theming of this resort and we loved it. We both agree that staying here for a long trip would be an option for us when we are looking to save money. When it was time to pack up and head to the Poly for the rest of our trip, it felt kind of sad to leave.
I love Riverside! The grounds are great and I love the surrey bike rentals too!
POR was also my first real Disney resort, so nostalgia might play a factor for me too. I absolutely love it. I stay Deluxe now, but if I “had” to stay moderate, I’d happily stay POR (in a preferred room). Love the food court, love the theming and the rooms– both AB and MB. I think it’s great for families or couples of all ages. Huge, huge fan.
We stayed at Riverside for our one year anniversary trip and were pretty underwhelmed, so we haven’t been back. We were in the alligator bayou section and the theming in that area didn’t do much for me. We had stayed at Caribbean Beach the year before for our honeymoon, and I much preferred the tropical theme over the woodsy theme at Riverside. We also had a really bad bus experience at Riverside. I know people complain about the buses at CBR, but we had no issues there. On the other hand, the busses for Riverside always had a very long line and we seemed to wait forever every time we wanted to go to or leave a park. I do remember thinking the food court was nice, but we don’t eat at the hotel food court often enough for that to be a deciding factor for us. We did eat at Boatwrights and found it to be nothing memorable. Since then, we have always stayed at a value resort, because we have moved toward taking more frequent trips and wanting to get the most value for our money. We just can’t justify paying more for a moderate resort, when we spend most of our time at the parks anyway. For now, Pop or Art work just fine for us!
We stumbled on POFQ when we were coming for a trip but wanted to stay in a more affordable resort. A cast member friend was able to get us a great rate, so we jumped at it. We fell in LOVE. The resort was small and quiet, you felt like you were strolling along some southern towns streets when you walked around. Nothing was far away, including the QS, the pool and the bus. I like the simplicity of the theming. I always enjoy looking for the hidden touches. I also like that the sinks are apart from the shower, it makes it easier for multiple people to get ready in the morning!
We did do PORS, but for us it was too big, everything wasn’t as easily accessible.
We stay at POFQ for quick visits and it never disappoints. Of all the moderates it is my favorite.
After a silly amount of research, we decided on POR for our family of 5 for our first family trip last August. It exceeded our expectations. What a beautiful place. Everything about that place was charming, well considered and hospitable. We have nothing but praise for this place. We will definitely be going back.
My wife and I have made quite a few trips to Disney World and I have to say that Port Orleans Riverside was our least favorite place to stay. We were so far away from the food court, and after a day at the parks the last thing I want to do is walk 1.5 miles to get a soft drink. With that said we still had a great stay there, I just much prefer Coronado Springs to POR.
I love POFQ! Every reason stated here and more: compact, beautiful, boat ride to DS.
Too bad they don’t have Free Dining anymore (I think we took advantage of the last offer in February 2012.)
We’re going back next November, and being a family of 4 Disney-adults, I think I’ll try to get POR with Free Dining (it makes financial sense for us.)
The blog is great, Tom, and I’m using it a lot to plan our next trip, thanks for putting everything together! I also enjoyed your live cam from Hollywood Studios a couple of weeks ago 🙂
We have stayed at Port Orleans French Quarter six times and are coming back in September for the seventh. We are from the UK and we love it there.
We love the compact size and the choice to walk up to the Riverside for their amenities when we want them.
We have also stayed in the Animal Kingdom Lodge, Caribbean Beach and All Stars so have stayed in quite a variety. Although AK Lodge is fantastic, we love the POFQ for its locality, its very easy to get to when coming back from venturing outside WDW.
Can’t wait for September !
Everytime I say I’m going to try a different resort, I always end up going back to POFQ. To say I love it is an understatement. Been there five times and am going back in October. I have taken the walk to Riverside and while the walk was very pleasant and Riverside is beautiful, it just didn’t feel like home to me like FQ does. Everyone has their preference, and mine is French Quarter.
Thank you for this information! Our first pick was to book a stay for our family of 4 (2 kids aged 6 and 8) at POFQ, but then I have been entertaining the idea of renting DVC points to stay the bells lake tower. Now I’m torn completely… I love the idea of being at the monorail but the theme and vibe I hear about french quarter makes me think it might be best. Any thoughts or tips?