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7 Reasons You’d Love Port Orleans French Quarter Resort WDW

Port Orleans French Quarter

With so many resort hotels at Walt Disney World, it is difficult to pick a favorite. Each has its own personality, advantages, and disadvantages. On my latest trip to Walt Disney World, I stayed at Port Orleans – French Quarter. It is one of two resorts to share the Port Orleans moniker. The other is Port Orleans – Riverside. Port Orleans – French Quarter is considered a moderate resort. There is so much to appreciate about this resort, but here is our list of the top seven things we love about Port Orleans – French Quarter:

7 – location – when booking through the Disney website, this resort is considered a Downtown Disney (soon to be Disney Springs) resort. Some may put off this resort because of this, but this resort was one of the easiest non-resort loop hotels to get to and from the Magic Kingdom. Since it is removed from the central area where most resorts are located, the Disney transportation system can take advantage of different roads and routes to get you back to your resort quickly.

6 – proximity to Riverside – even though they are considered separate resorts for booking purpose, French Quarter and Riverside are located right next to each other. There is a walking path alongside the Sassagoula River linking the two resorts. It is wonderful to walk along the banks of the river and watch the theming and architecture change from classic New Orleans to the antebellum South. Also to be appreciated, is your ability to utilize the amenities of the other. If you want a quieter pool (there is only one at French Quarter), you can walk over to Riverside. The same can be said for the restaurants and the bus stops.

5 – the details – when dodging rain puddles on one of my nights at the resort, I encountered a horse-drawn carriage that shuttles couples around property. I did not have the chance to try this out, but the carriage rides take you throughout the resort property and see all of the small details. One of my personal favorites were the southern-style grass squares and fountains that permeated the property.

4 – the food – both French Quarter and Riverside get hearty approval from my stomach for the delicious food they have to offer. At French Quarter, I feasted on authentic beignets each morning of my trip. For those who are scratching their heads, beignets are a New Orleans delicacy of light, airy, fried dough and powdered sugar. They are the closest that I have had to authentic Café du Monde beignets. Over at Riverside, there is a sit-down restaurant, Boatwright’s Dining Hall, that features a wonderful collection of southern favorites: cornbread, fried okra, catfish, jambalaya, gumbo, and any other down-home treat you could want.

3 – transportation – while Riverside and French Quarter do share bus transportation at various points during the day and night, I don’t see this as a negative. When they do share, French Quarter is the first stop. If you miss the bus at French Quarter, you can easily navigate over to Riverside and catch the bus over there. If you are looking for a new way to get to Downtown Disney, there are also Friendship Boats that will transport you there. If the weather is too nasty (as it was on my trip), there is still bus transportation available.

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2 – compact size – between the two resorts, French Quarter is much smaller. French Quarter only has one bus stop, while Riverside has four! I enjoyed French Quarter being the smaller size because it made walking to the food court much easier and I didn’t feel cramped by a lot of other people being in the resort. The compactness of the resort is felt even more with the theming and architecture since the streets running through the buildings are much smaller.

1 – the views – my room was right along the river and I had a wonderful view of it (sadly, it was raining for 90% of my trip). But in looking at the room maps and the resort layout, no room in the resort is going to have a horrible view. There is so much wonderful detail to appreciate about this resort, even if you don’t get a river view room, you’ll be sure to enjoy the view.

Staying at Port Orleans – French Quarter was certainly worth the extra money over a value resort. Have you stayed at Port Orleans – French Quarter? What is your favorite thing about the resort?

BONUS TIP: Consider planning and booking your next Disney trip with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner you can trust like Mickey Travels. They’ll help you get the best price for your vacation, share expert advice and their services are totally FREE! It’s genius!

About Tyler

Tyler is a lawyer living in South Florida who visits Disney World at least once a month. He enjoys re-living classic Disney experiences and discovering new things about the parks when he visits. Friends and family always ask him to plan their trip for maximum Disney magic!

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