Disney's Port Orleans Resort
Encyclopedia
Disney's Port Orleans Resort French Quarter and Disney's Port Orleans Resort Riverside are a pair of resort hotels located at the Walt Disney World Resort
. The two hotels are themed to look like New Orleans and the Old South
. Both resorts are located in the Downtown Disney
area and owned and operated by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
.
The two resorts are connected to each other and Downtown Disney via the Sassagoula River.
Disney's Port Orleans Resort French Quarter was designed to reflect the style and architecture of New Orleans' French Quarter
. The resort opened May 17, 1991 as Disney's Port Orleans Resort with 432 guest rooms in three guest buildings and expanded to its current 1,008 rooms in seven 3-story guest buildings containing 144 rooms each.
Disney says it plans to transform about a quarter of the 2,000 rooms in the "Riverside" section of Disney's Port Orleans Resort into "Royal Rooms." Disney says the 512 Royal Rooms will open to guests in February or March of 2012.
. The resort opened February 2, 1992 as Disney's Dixie Landings Resort, initially with rooms located in its Alligator Bayou section, and shortly afterward the remaining Magnolia Bend section was opened. Alligator Bayou consists of 1,024 guest rooms over 16 buildings styled as rustic, weathered lodges with 64 rooms per lodge. Magnolia Bend consists of 1,024 guest rooms over four buildings styled as southern plantation grand manor homes with 256 rooms per mansion.
Beginning March 1, 2001 road signage and other theming began to change reflecting the Disney's Port Orleans Resort and Disney's Dixie Landings Resort properties becoming "regions" of a united Disney's Port Orleans Resort. As of April 1, 2001, the regions became French Quarter and Riverside, respectively. Changes leading up to and after this period would include the French Quarter region losing Bonfamille's Cafe table-service restaurant, bike rentals, and boat rentals. French Quarter region guests would have to use the larger facilities in the Riverside region. Bonfamille's Cafes is now only used occasionally as a meeting space for food and beverage management, and a training facility. Bonfamille's Cafe's kitchen is Disney World's test kitchen. Other theme changes took place such as Colonel's Cotton Mill food court becoming Riverside Mill.
There are also five smaller 'quiet' swimming pools at Disney's Port Orleans Resort Riverside, three located within the Alligator Bayou section and two in the Magnolia Bend area. Riverside also has a marina where guests can rent personal water craft, bicycles or surrey bikes. Horse-drawn carriage rides are available in the evening.
Disney's Port Orleans Resort French Quarter features the Doubloon Lagoon 225,000 gallon swimming pool which has a sea-serpent themed water slide named Scales that is jockeyed by King Neptune
. This area also includes a hot tub and a children's playground.
Both regions have cashless video game arcades where guests purchase point-cards for gameplay.
Port Orleans French Quarter: 2201 Orleans Drive, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Port Orleans Riverside: 1251 Riverside Drive, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort , is the world's most-visited entertaimental resort. Located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida ; approximately southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States, the resort covers an area of and includes four theme parks, two water parks, 23 on-site themed resort hotels Walt...
. The two hotels are themed to look like New Orleans and the Old South
Old South
Geographically, Old South is a subregion of the American South, differentiated from the "Deep South" as being the Southern States represented in the original thirteen American colonies, as well as a way of describing the former lifestyle in the Southern United States. Culturally, the term can be...
. Both resorts are located in the Downtown Disney
Downtown Disney (Florida)
Downtown Disney is an outdoor shopping, dining, and entertainment complex located at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Downtown Disney is open to the public, requires no admission fee, and offers complimentary parking and transportation to all Disney-operated Walt Disney...
area and owned and operated by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts is the segment of The Walt Disney Company that conceives, builds, and manages the company's theme parks and holiday resorts, as well as a variety of additional family-oriented leisure enterprises...
.
The two resorts are connected to each other and Downtown Disney via the Sassagoula River.
Resort description
French Quarter
The French Quarter, also known as Vieux Carré, is the oldest neighborhood in the city of New Orleans. When New Orleans was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, the city was originally centered on the French Quarter, or the Vieux Carré as it was known then...
. The resort opened May 17, 1991 as Disney's Port Orleans Resort with 432 guest rooms in three guest buildings and expanded to its current 1,008 rooms in seven 3-story guest buildings containing 144 rooms each.
Disney says it plans to transform about a quarter of the 2,000 rooms in the "Riverside" section of Disney's Port Orleans Resort into "Royal Rooms." Disney says the 512 Royal Rooms will open to guests in February or March of 2012.
History
Disney's Port Orleans Resort Riverside was designed to reflect antebellum south along the Mississippi RiverMississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. The resort opened February 2, 1992 as Disney's Dixie Landings Resort, initially with rooms located in its Alligator Bayou section, and shortly afterward the remaining Magnolia Bend section was opened. Alligator Bayou consists of 1,024 guest rooms over 16 buildings styled as rustic, weathered lodges with 64 rooms per lodge. Magnolia Bend consists of 1,024 guest rooms over four buildings styled as southern plantation grand manor homes with 256 rooms per mansion.
Beginning March 1, 2001 road signage and other theming began to change reflecting the Disney's Port Orleans Resort and Disney's Dixie Landings Resort properties becoming "regions" of a united Disney's Port Orleans Resort. As of April 1, 2001, the regions became French Quarter and Riverside, respectively. Changes leading up to and after this period would include the French Quarter region losing Bonfamille's Cafe table-service restaurant, bike rentals, and boat rentals. French Quarter region guests would have to use the larger facilities in the Riverside region. Bonfamille's Cafes is now only used occasionally as a meeting space for food and beverage management, and a training facility. Bonfamille's Cafe's kitchen is Disney World's test kitchen. Other theme changes took place such as Colonel's Cotton Mill food court becoming Riverside Mill.
Dining
- Boatwright's Dining Hall - Located in Riverside, a full service, 208-seat table service restaurant themed to a wooden shipbuilding yard and is adorned with vintage shipbuilding tools. To complete the theme, the restaurant is located in a building called Boat Building Warehouse. It overlooks the Sassagoula River. The restaurant serves homestyle meals of Southern and American cuisine. As from February 22, 2009, Boatwright's Dining Hall no longer serves breakfast and is open for dinner from 5pm to 10pm.
- Riverside Mill Food Court - Located in Riverside, this food court features a working cotton press operated by a 32-foot water wheel. Five stations service pizza, pasta, hamburgers, fried chicken, fresh sandwhiches, salads and baked goods. It is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
- River Roost - This lounge flanks Boatwright's Dining Hall and features a lively sing-along ragtime piano comedy show and live entertainment on select nights.
- Muddy Rivers - Located in Riverside, Muddy Rivers is the pool bar located on Ol' Man Island that sells alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks in addition to quick snacks like hot dogs and chips.
- Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory - Located in French Quarter, this food court is designed for guests to dine around huge Mardi GrasMardi GrasThe terms "Mardi Gras" , "Mardi Gras season", and "Carnival season", in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday...
Parade props in a warehouse setting. Five stations service pizza, pasta, hamburgers, fried chicken, fresh sandwhiches, salads and baked goods. It is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
- Mardi Grogs - Located in French Quarter by the main pool, this pool bar sells beverages and quick snacks.
- Scat Cat's Club - French Quarter's lobby lounge featuring live jazz entertainment on select nights. Jazz artist Elliot Dyson currently entertains guests at Scat Cat's club nightly. Scat Cat's is open from 4 p.m. until midnight each night. Some of the specialty drinks served include: "Southern Hurricane" (Southern Comfort, orange juice, pineapple juice and grenadine), "Sassagoula Swamp Water" (a blend of rum, gin, tequila and a secret touch), and "The Banana Cabana" (Bacardi Spiced Rum and Creme de Banana liquor with coconut and pineapple juice served frozen). Disney’s “Tables in Wonderland” discount card is accepted at this location.
Recreation
Disney's Port Orleans Resort Riverside has a 3½ acre recreation area called Ol' Man Island featuring the resort's 158,000 gallon feature swimming pool with a large rustic saw-mill themed water slide and a hot tub. The island also contains a children's playground and the Fishin' Hole, where guests can rent cane fishing poles and bait for a small fee.There are also five smaller 'quiet' swimming pools at Disney's Port Orleans Resort Riverside, three located within the Alligator Bayou section and two in the Magnolia Bend area. Riverside also has a marina where guests can rent personal water craft, bicycles or surrey bikes. Horse-drawn carriage rides are available in the evening.
Disney's Port Orleans Resort French Quarter features the Doubloon Lagoon 225,000 gallon swimming pool which has a sea-serpent themed water slide named Scales that is jockeyed by King Neptune
Poseidon
Poseidon was the god of the sea, and, as "Earth-Shaker," of the earthquakes in Greek mythology. The name of the sea-god Nethuns in Etruscan was adopted in Latin for Neptune in Roman mythology: both were sea gods analogous to Poseidon...
. This area also includes a hot tub and a children's playground.
Both regions have cashless video game arcades where guests purchase point-cards for gameplay.
Port Orleans French Quarter: 2201 Orleans Drive, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Port Orleans Riverside: 1251 Riverside Drive, Lake Buena Vista, Florida