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(For the first page of this review of Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter Resort, see this.)

THE POOL AT DISNEY’S PORT ORLEANS FRENCH QUARTER RESORT

There’s a couple of features at French Quarter that make it unusual among the moderates, and one is that it has only one pool.

Other Disney World “traditional” moderate resorts (that is, excluding Fort Wilderness) have from four (Coronado Springs) to seven pools (Caribbean Beach), and sister resort Port Orleans Riverside has six.

Properly understood, though, this is a feature, not a bug.  The other resorts have so many pools because they sprawl so much that walks to the pools would be too long otherwise.  French Quarter’s single pool is a testament to the compactness of the resort and how easy it is to get around.

See the image, where the French Quarter pool is marked with a blue X, and the pools at Riverside in red, with the main pool there getting a larger red X.

Note the distance of many Riverside rooms from its main pool, and how all French Quarter buildings but one (Building 7) are an easy walk to its pool.

Moreover, the French Quarter pool has more effective capacity than even the Riverside pools all added together.

The bathing load of of the French Quarter pool is 243 persons.  The main pool at Riverside can only hold 175, and the rest only 270 more, for a total capacity at Riverside of 445. So Riverside pools can hold 83% more guests than French Quarter. However, since Riverside at full capacity can have 2.3 times as many hotel guests as French Quarter, in effect French Quarter has 25% more pool capacity than Riverside.

OK enough math (I could show more you know), my point is that the single pool at French Quarter is a feature, not a bug!

The pool is centrally located and reached from the main area of French Quarter by a pathway guarded by Mardi Gras figures.

One side of this walkway has a playground…

…and the other a hot tub.

Another shot of the hot tub.

Next comes the main pool itself.

The figure draped around it is Scales the Sea Serpent, not, perhaps, the most child-friendly theming…

…but he does contribute a water slide!

In 2016 both fencing (not shown in all my photos) and a brand-new kids water play area were added.

The water play area with its two more slides  is enormous and fun, and really adds to the kid appeal of this pool.

Among the other moderates, only Caribbean Beach has an equivalently fun play area.

The adult play area (the bar) is on the other side of the pool.

Besides the usual drinks, it has a light food menu.

There’s a large seating area next to it.

On the back side of the bar building is the guest laundry–handy for drinking while washing.

Introverts can use the online laundry management system and drink in the privacy of their room.

The only criticism I have of this pool complex is its lack of shade.  Those seeking more shady options will need to walk half a mile to the Riverside pool.

MATERIAL IN THIS REVIEW OF DISNEY’S PORT ORLEANS FRENCH QUARTER RESORT

• Overview and summary of Port Orleans French Quarter
• Port Orleans French Quarter theming and accommodations
• A photo tour of a refurbed standard room at Port Orleans French Quarter
• Amenities at Port Orleans French Quarter
• Dining at Port Orleans French Quarter
• The pool at Port Orleans French Quarter

OTHER KEY PAGES FOR WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD

• Where to stay–the Basics
• Where first-timers should stay
• Reviews of all the Disney World resorts, based on my 150+ stays in them

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Welcome back to Fridays with Jim Korkis! Jim, the dean of Disney historians and author of Jim’s Gems in The easy Guide, writes about Walt Disney World history every Friday on yourfirstvisit.net.

THE FIRST DISNEYANA AT WALT DISNEY WORLD

By Jim Korkis

Two west coast Disney fan organizations, the Mouse Club and the National Fantasy Fan Club (now called the Disneyana Fan Club) held three day Disney conventions in Anaheim, California for many years beginning in 1982. Several hundred fans from around the country attended.

The popularity (and the financial rewards) of those conventions did not go unnoticed by the Disney Company. In September 24-27, 1992, Disney held its first Disneyana convention at Walt Disney World’s Contemporary Resort in Orlando.

“Welcome to our First ‘Official’ Disneyana Convention. Now, we know this is not the ‘first’ Disneyana Convention, but as Walt Disney once said, ‘There is no new idea in the world we live in…What you do is take a good one and improve on it’. So, we try to do that,” smiled Chairman of Walt Disney Attractions Dick Nunis in his welcoming speech. Later, in a special presentation, he reminisced about his career using audio and video clips of Walt Disney as well as the building of Walt Disney World.

The Disneyana convention was a major production with over 800 people and an elaborate attendee package (including a watch and a special pewter medallion sculpted by Marc Delle of the Disneyana Convention logo) as well as limited edition merchandise for sale that quickly sold out early.

Thursday evening was an Ice Cream Social at the Contemporary with original Mouseketeers Bobby Burgess, Sharon Baird and Sherri Albertoni autographing photographs at a façade of the Mouseketeer Clubhouse.

Friday had Dick Nunis (Chairman of Walt Disney Attractions) driving up with Mickey Mouse in the LiMOUSEine. Guests attended the official opening ceremony in the Fantasia Ballroom. Jack Wagner, the voice of Disney, was the emcee, reminding guests there was no photography or videotaping because “this special performance is for your eyes only”.

The speakers included landscaper Bill Evans, Max Howard (Director of Disney Feature Animation Florida), Bo Boyd (President of Disney Consumer Products) and Ester Ewert of Disney Art Editions among others.

The afternoon had a Limited Edition Sale and Artist Signing, a Disneyana Fair selling signs and props, a Disney Business Group Presentation (with displays by everyone from The Disney Channel to Disney Vacation Club to Disney Classics Collection), and a Disneyana trade show with independent dealers. The day finished with a Disneyana auction where an original individual Dumbo ride vehicle from Disneyland sold for $16,000.

On Saturday, Dave Smith and Robert Tieman were delivered to the convention in an armored truck for their presentation of thirty treasures of the Walt Disney Archives. In my opinion, both Dave and Robert should have counted as part of those treasures.

Imagineer Tony Baxter talked about Euro Disneyland and Admiral Joe Fowler enthralled the crowd even though he was in his 90s. That afternoon, the general public was allowed to join the conventioneers at various fairs and trade shows to spend their money. However, only the conventioneers got to attend that night’s banquet that finished with The Kids of the Kingdom performing “The Best of Disney.”

The 1993 convention was held in Anaheim, California. The Disneyana conventions hosted by Disney ended in 2003 and there is still speculation about the reasons for its demise. One Disney leader pointed out that while the convention made a healthy profit, it did not make an “obscene profit,” meaning that the time, labor, and resources could be re-allocated to something like pins and generate more income with less effort for the Disney Company.

Today the D23 Expo event begun in September 2009 has taken the place of these popular conventions.

*  *  *  *  *

Thanks, Jim! My bud Steve Bell (of Military Disney Tips) and I are thinking about attending the Dayton, Ohio Disneyana!

And come back next Friday for even more from Jim Korkis!

In the meantime, check out his books, including Secret Stories of Walt Disney World: Things You Never You Never Knew, which reprints much material first written for this site, and The Vault of Walt: Volume 4, and his contributions to The easy Guide to Your First Walt Disney World Visit, all published by Theme Park Press.

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DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: MAY 7 TO MAY 15, 2016

The material below details next week’s Disney World operating hours, Extra Magic Hours, parades, and fireworks.

Note that typos happen, and schedules change! If something seems odd, or if you want to double check, use the calendar links near the bottom to get the latest official Disney World scoop.

For more on May 2016 at Disney World, see this.

OPERATING HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 5/7-5/15/2016

The Magic Kingdom will be open from 9a-12MN 5/7, 9a-11p 5/8 through 5/12, and 9a-12MN 5/13 through 5/15

Epcot will be open from 9a-9p every day

Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be open 9a-9p 5/7, 9a-10p 5/8 and 5/9, 9a-8.30p 5/10, 9a-10p 5/11, 9a-8.30p 5/12, 9a-10p 5/13, 9a-9p 5/14, and 9a-10p 5/15

Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be open 9a-6.30p 5/7 and 5/8, 9a-6p 5/9 through 5/13, and 9a-6.30p 5/14 and 5/15

EXTRA MAGIC HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 5/7-5/15/2016

Saturday 4/30 Morning:  Animal Kingdom  Evening: none

Sunday 5/1 Morning:  Hollywood Studios  Evening: none

Monday 5/2 Morning: Animal Kingdom  Evening: Epcot

Tuesday 5/3 Morning: Magic Kingdom Evening:  none

Wednesday 5/4 Morning:  none  Evening:  Magic Kingdom

Thursday 5/5 Morning: Epcot Evening: none

Friday 5/6 Morning:  none Evening: Hollywood Studios

Saturday 5/7 Morning: Animal Kingdom  Evening: none

Sunday 5/8  Morning: Hollywood Studios Evening: none

PARADES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 5/7-5/15/2016

The Magic Kingdom:

• Afternoon Festival of Fantasy Parade: 3p every day
• Evening Main Street Electrical Parade: 9p 5/7; 9 and 11p 5/8 throug 5/12; 9p 5/13 through 5/15

FIREWORKS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 5/7-5/15/2016

Wishes at the Magic Kingdom: 10p every night

IllumiNations at Epcot: 9p every night

Fantasmic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 9p every night

Symphony in the Stars at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 9.45p  5/8, 5/9, 5/11, 5/13 and 5/15

SHOW SCHEDULES FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 5/7-5/15/2016

See Steve Soares’ site here. Click the park names at its top for show schedules.

LONG RANGE WEATHER FORECAST FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 5/7-5/15/2016

See this for forecasts.

DISCLAIMER

Everything is subject to change and typos! Check the Disney Calendars for updates and official schedules. These calendars can be found by clicking the following links:

• Magic Kingdom Calendar
• Hollywood Studios Calendar
• Animal Kingdom Calendar
• Epcot Calendar

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STAR WARS AT DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

The Disney World theme park Disney’s Hollywood Studios is undergoing a transformation while new Toy Story and Star Wars lands are being built.

Several less popular, lower capacity, and/or somewhat pointless attractions have been closed to create space for the new offerings, and in the meantime the old Star Wars attractions here have seen revamps, and new ones have been added.

For years the mainstays of the Star Wars offerings here have been Star Tours and the Jedi Training Academy.

Star Tours has been updated with scenes from The Force Awakens, and the Jedi Training Academy has had its capacity doubled.

Each of these is a terrific experience. Star Tours should be on the touring plans of all guests, and the Jedi Training Academy should be directly experienced by children who are Star Wars fans, and watched by everyone else.

Added to the must-do list in December 2015 are the Star Wars fireworks, Symphony in the Stars. This show had been showing mostly nightly since its opening, but is on only four days a week in May. Later “this summer” it will be replaced by what looks to be an even more impressive Star Wars fireworks extravaganza.

Three other more minor Star Wars offerings are also on hand.

• Path of the Jedi, which finally puts something in the old Sounds Dangerous building, recaps the Star Wars saga and is a good refresher for those who haven’t seen the films in a while
• Star Wars: A Galaxy Far Far Away is a minor stage show featuring almost all the core Star Wars characters
• Star Wars Launch Bay has Star Wars meet and greets, a film, replicas of objects from the films, and is the base for Stormtrooper encounters, including a march several times a day

I saw, or saw again, all six of these in my December, January and April visits to Disney World, and reviews and photos are in the links.

These last three are probably only for true fans, but the first three are great entertainments for everyone!

There’s more on the upcoming Star Wars land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios here.

Have you seen any of these new or revamped offerings?  What did you think?

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STAR WARS: A GALAXY FAR FAR AWAY

Star Wars: A Galaxy Far Far Away is a stage show that occurs multiple times a day on an overly short stage in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theater/The Great Movie Ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Debuting in April 2016, the show combines movie clips, characters from the Star Wars saga—tons of characters—and some minor pyrotechnics.

There’s no real plot to the show—it’s kinda like an extended curtain call.

First, old good guys show up….

…then bad guys, who tend to get the best pyrotechnics and light effects….

…then new good guys…

…then almost everybody.

The viewing area is small, but even so it’s hard to see (especially BB-8) if you aren’t close to the stage, as it is a bit low.

For Star Wars fans, it’s a chance to see the characters, if the fans get close enough to the stage. It’s not of much interest to others.

Have you seen it? What did you think?

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STAR WARS PATH OF THE JEDI

Star Wars Path of the Jedi is a brief film in the old “Sounds Dangerous” building on the way to Star Tours and the Jedi Training Academy.

It covers the Star Wars saga, and is a great first step for those planning to enjoy the various Star Wars attractions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, especially if it’s been a while since they saw the earlier installments in the saga.

It begins in a familiar way…

…and briefly covers the “greatest hits” of the various key Star Wars characters…

And their destinies.

For those without much interest in Star Wars there’s not much to it, but it is short and air-conditioned. For Star Wars fans, though, it’s a great way to begin a Star Wars-centered visit to the Studios.

There’s more on the Path to the Jedi in my co-author Josh’s post here.

Have you seen it? What did you think?

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