Review: Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter Resort, Page 3

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MORE STUFF ON DISNEY’S PORT ORLEANS FRENCH QUARTER RESORT

Port Orleans French Quarter is one of 5 moderate resorts at Walt Disney World:

• Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, the first Disney World hotel to be designated a moderate, which opened in 1988
• Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter Resort (opened in 1991 as Disney’s Port Orleans Resort)
• Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort (opened in 1992 as Disney’s Dixie Landing Resort)
• Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort (opened 1997) and
• The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort, officially classed as moderate in 2008, but opened (as the Wilderness Homes) in 1986. (Fort Wilderness Campground opened much earlier, but precursors to the Cabins did not arrive until 1986.)

The moderates have much more room than the value resorts, more amenities, and (except for Fort Wilderness) much better landscaping. See this for what you get by Disney World price class.

Although the typical moderate rooms, at 314 square feet (the cabins have 508 square feet), look much smaller than the rooms available at the deluxe resorts, differences in hall/entry layout make the living space of the typical moderates much more comparable to many Walt Disney World deluxes than raw square footage would imply. See this for more on square footage and livability.

Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter Resort is officially “inspired by the romance and pageantry of the historic French Quarter in New Orleans…” where you can “…stroll cobblestone walkways and gaze down ornate wrought-iron railings as you listen to the smooth jazz backdrop and breathe in the sweet smell of magnolia blossoms in the air.”

Its 90+ acres include an arrival building called the Mint, where you check in, buy tickets, and find shops, the food court, etc., and will find (just outside) the main themed pool.

The check-in lobby is lovely.

Near it you’ll find the bar…

…And the food court with its Mardi Gras theme.

More food court.

Port Orleans French Quarter is the only moderate without a table-service restaurant. It used to have one–Bonfamille’s Cafe–but it was shut down in at the turn of the century as a cost-saving move, and has never been re-opened (it’s now used as a test kitchen).

I do like the food court quite a bit–especially the beignets…

…and the barbecued ribs with sides of collard greens and mashed potatoes!

Just outside this building you’ll find the kids pool…

…the main pool…

…and the pool bar.

Port Orleans French Quarter has no “quiet pools”—evidence in itself how wonderfully compact this resort is compared to the other moderates. (“Quiet pool” is Disney lingo for a small, typically un-guarded and un-themed pool that is closer to most guest rooms than the large, guarded, main pool.)

The French Quarter’s main themed pool is centrally located, and is a favorite to many. The main pool at sister resort Port Orleans Riverside is also officially open to French Quarter guests (Disney otherwise generally discourages/forbids pool hopping) and is also a favorite. However, the main themed pool at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, with its recent renovation, has surpassed both.

Riverside has a higher proportion of shady spots around its main pool, while the French Quarter’s main pool has a higher proportion of sunny areas.

Port Orleans French Quarter has 1008 rooms in seven buildings. These buildings are divided into a “North Quarter” and “South Quarter,” but, unlike other separately named sections of moderate resorts, have no difference in theming between them.

Rather, all share the same graceful New Orleans theming, and lovely walkways, gardens  and intimate courtyards.

As noted, Port Orleans French Quarter has no table-service restaurant, and also no bike rental area—all of which were closed in 2001. Such facilities are at sister resort Port Orleans Riverside—about a thousand yard walk away—and are “shared” with Port Orleans French Quarter.

At the same time as these amenities were removed to save costs, the management of Riverside and French Quarter were combined, which is why you’ll see many sites and books refer to them as one hotel, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort.  They are, however, separate sister resorts in almost every way relevant to guests.

The only time that the combined management will  be relevant to you is if you need a problem solved.  For example, only half my dry cleaning was delivered at my last visit, and when I called to solve this, I had to tell the supervisor which of the two hotels I was in.

Port Orleans French Quarter has just one bus stop, but its buses are typically shared with the four stops at Port Orleans Riverside. The Magic Kingdom bus is an important exception—it goes directly to the Magic Kingdom, bypassing Riverside.

Among the moderates, Port Orleans French Quarter’s strength for first time visitors is its compactness and ease of getting around. Its biggest negative is its lack of visual kid appeal.

The online check-in form–at least at my last visit–did not let you target a building.

Returning visitors often find Port Orleans French Quarter to be a favorite, particularly if they have stayed before in one of the enormous moderates and therefore appreciate its relatively compact area all the more, and/or fall in love with the romantic setting. It’s my personal favorite among the moderates, and also the most romantic of the moderates.

See this for more on distinctions among the moderates.

EXTERNAL LINKS FOR PORT ORLEANS FRENCH QUARTER:

• Official Walt Disney World Port Orleans French Quarter Web Page
• Wikipedia
• Unofficial Visitors Guide to Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside and French Quarter Resorts –fan’s independent site with a positive view of Port Orleans resorts

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MORE ON WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD

• For where to stay, see this
  • For your next best choices, in order, see this
  • For picking your resort based on appeal to kids, see this
  • For picking your resort based on convenience, see this
  • For where not to stay, see this

• For what you get in each resort price category, see this
  • For Walt Disney World resort price seasons, see this
  • For resort reviews, see this
  • For the value resorts, see this
  • For the moderate resorts, see this
  • For the deluxe resorts, see this
  • For suites at the deluxe resorts, see this
  • For the Disney Vacation Club (“DVC”) Resorts, see this

• For a (geeky) overview of comparative room size, see this

• Large families should look at this, and also at
  • Large Families Looking for Value Pricing at Walt Disney World
  • Large Families Looking for Deluxe Accommodations at Disney World
  • Beds and Sleeping Spaces at the Walt Disney World Resorts
  • Renting Disney Vacation Club Points
  • Suites at Walt Disney World

• Military/DOD families should look at this

• Tightwads should look at this

• Families seeking the most comfortable place to stay should see this

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