In the Parks Series - Resort Review: Port Orleans - French Quarter
After you've decided whether to stay on-resort or off-resort, you may have decided to stay on property. Your next question is, "Where?"
I'm here to hopefully assist you with that. Today, I'm going to give you my take on Port Orleans - French Quarter: the good and the bad.
Service at the Front Desk
I used the app to start online check-in, so front desk service was a snap. As Canadians, we did not get our Magic Bands mailed to us; rather, they were waiting at the front desk for us. A Cast Member got them for us promptly, and we were on our way to our room.
From what I could tell, the Cast Members appeared to be treating all guests with the same amount of respect and courtesy we were shown. Absolutely stellar service overall.
The Greeter
The greeter at French Quarter is named Arneil, and he celebrated his 30th year as a Walt Disney World Cast Member in 2017. That's some serious dedication! He was always very friendly every time we came by. He held the door for guests, cracked jokes, and made you feel immersed in the expereince of French Quarter. You cannot ask more than that, so hats off to him!
The Layout
The layout is a bit of a mixed review. You'll understand what I mean in a second.
This resort seems much like a resort you would find in Mexico (minus the beaches). What I mean by this is that there is a main building, with room access being outside and in multiple buildings. It reminded me of those carefree times I spent on the beaches in Puerto Vallarta. I gave up going to Mexico in favour of coming to Disney World, so it was really a nice touch for me.
It's a small resort, so it's definitely manageable on foot. That being said, we were stationed in Building 7, so quite a bit back from the main lobby. For us, this was a plus as it gave us a chance to wander around this scenic resort. For individuals with mobility issues or small children, multiple buildings may be a minus, but one that will be found at many of the Walt Disney World resorts. You may wish to request a room closer to the main building. I believe Disney will accomodate room requests as much as possible, but make your requests nice and early to help them help you!
The Grounds
The grounds were beautiful! There were walking paths, benches, fountains and spectacular beauty all around! There was also a river you could walk alongside. The biggest complaint I have about the grounds just can't be avoided. It's the bugs. With all the lush vegetation and water, you're bound to have little black flies, mosquitos, and other bugs wanting a little piece of you (and getting it in my case at least!) Other than a small complaint that is unavoidable at any of the resorts, I have no complaints about the grounds. Honestly, it's just gorgeous.
Gift Shop
The gift shop was pretty standard. Nothing too special about it. It did have a pin trading board and some essentials you may have forgotten to pack. Our favourite thing about the gift shop was being able to buy things anywhere on Disney property and have it sent to our resort as long as we were not within the 48-hour check-out window. We utilized this maybe a little TOO much.
Sassagoula and Floatworks Factory
Port Orleans - French Quarter is the only Moderate resort that does not have its own Table Service restaurant. As I described in my breakfast review of Sassagoula and Floatworks Factory, it's standard Quick Service food. One nice thing about it is the hours. As early as six A.M. and as late as midnight, you can get your foodie fix. Overall, I didn't mind it. And if I didn't want to eat there, there were plenty of other places to munch at Disney World. Plus beignets. I mean, come on!
Bus Service
Bus service at French Quarter was simple. There is only one bus stop area, so you don't have to worry about stopping all over the resort. Generally, French Quarter got its own dedicated buses to the parks. For those buses back to the resort shared with Port Orleans - Riverside, the bus would stop at French Quarter first (which was awesome at the end of a long day).
For those with limited mobility or big strollers, the bus drivers gotchu, fam. Before other passengers were allowed to board, those requiring extra assistance were helped onto the back ramp and settled in. Disney's dedication to customer service never ceases to amaze me.
As well, buses did seem to run at fairly regular and frequent intervals, usually about 5-20 minutes apart for each park. The only issue we ever had was the one day that three Hollywood Studios buses came in a row. Those of us waiting to go to the Magic Kingdom were beginning to get a little impatient. This was an anomaly of our trip, and I would rate the bus service as excellent and convenient.
We would never bother renting a car again at Disney World. Buses were able to get us to most places we wanted to go, and Uber did the rest (such as our visit to Universal Studios).
As a super recent addition to the MyDisneyExperience app, you can now see bus times if you're staying on resort. You can do this by tapping "See bus times" when you look at an active Disney hotel reservation associated with your account.
Boat Service
Both Port Orleans resorts, along with one or two others (including the Disney Vacation Club resort Old Key West), had access to Disney Springs by boat. We loved our boat rides! It was peaceful, relaxing, and scenic as we travelled to get our shop on.
The below video illustrates the boat ride in a nutshell:
We would definitely recommend you take advantage of this method of transportation if you choose to stay at either Riverside or French Quarter.
The Pool
Although we didn't use the pool, it looked awesome! For those kids wanting a themed pool. this is definitely it! With a waterslide to boot, this would be a great way to beat the heat and spend some down time on Disney property.
The Rooms
The room we stayed in had not been refurbished as of yet. As it stands, refurbishments will be ongoing until at least the end of 2018. Although refurbs were happening when we were there, this did not affect or detract from our stay whatsoever.
The room we stayed in had a late-1800s southern plantation feel to it. I thought the theming was quite nice. The bathroom area had a separate dual sink and mirror area separated from the main room by a curtain and room containing the shower and toilet separated by a door. This was kind of nice in that one of use could get ready at the sink(s) while the other used the shower or toilet, or we could each use a sink at the same time.
The picture doesn't totally illustrate this, but the room containing the shower and toilet was very dim. It didn't really affect our experience, but I could see where a stubbed toe or shampoo to the eye could happen for those who need corrective vision. Hoepfully it's an anomaly, but Disney may want to address that as a safety concern if all the rooms are like that.
I'm not going to beat around the bush - the beds sucked. The pillows were not comfortable and were too flat and too round all at the same time (try using them and you'll see what I mean). There was only a thin little layer of blanket to cover you as you slept. I can see this being an issue for those of us who get cold easily. My suggestion would be to ask for an extra blanket if you choose to stay at French Quarter. And maybe bring your own pillow.
Additonal Items to Consider
If you get a resort-refillable mug, and want to utilize it to the fullest, you will really appreciate staying at Port Orleans - French Quarter. It has a few freestyle coca-cola machines, with many pop (soda for some of you) selections. We checked out a few of the other resorts (notably the Contemporary Resort, Boardwalk Villas, and Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas - Kidani Village) and none of these resorts had anything but the standard pop machines with a select amount of offerings. Call me spoiled, but I want my diet strawberry cream soda! Can't do that, can you, Contemporary Resort?
If you're a pair of adults looking to stay on resort, this may well be the one for you. Since it's smaller, it's also a little quieter. You can go to Scat Cat's Club for a drink and stay up late to order some greasy pizza, if that's your thing. As a childless couple in our twenties who just wanted to get in to the parks and have a place to sleep, while enjoying some scenery, this resort was a perfect fit for us. We'll definitely be going back to French Quarter in 2019.
You can also get a pretty neat experience at this resort. You can actually rent a horse-drawn carriage to take you aorund the resort. This will cost extra, but may be worth it if you're looking for a little wonder or to take advantage of the romantic atmosphere this resort has to offer.
Overall, I would rate Port Orleans - French Quarter as an excellent choice for your stay at Walt Disney World. Although I was less than impressed with the beds, my main goal was to get to the parks as fast as possible at the beginning of the day and get back as fast as possible to hit the sack after the parks closed. This resort really helped me with that.
Have you stayed at French Quarter? Love it or leave it? Comment and subscribe :)
Let me book the magic for you! Fill in this form for a FREE quote and/or click here for my contact information!
I'm here to hopefully assist you with that. Today, I'm going to give you my take on Port Orleans - French Quarter: the good and the bad.
Service at the Front Desk
 |
| Heading in to Port Orleans - French Quarter |
I used the app to start online check-in, so front desk service was a snap. As Canadians, we did not get our Magic Bands mailed to us; rather, they were waiting at the front desk for us. A Cast Member got them for us promptly, and we were on our way to our room.
From what I could tell, the Cast Members appeared to be treating all guests with the same amount of respect and courtesy we were shown. Absolutely stellar service overall.
The Greeter
The greeter at French Quarter is named Arneil, and he celebrated his 30th year as a Walt Disney World Cast Member in 2017. That's some serious dedication! He was always very friendly every time we came by. He held the door for guests, cracked jokes, and made you feel immersed in the expereince of French Quarter. You cannot ask more than that, so hats off to him!
The Layout
The layout is a bit of a mixed review. You'll understand what I mean in a second.
This resort seems much like a resort you would find in Mexico (minus the beaches). What I mean by this is that there is a main building, with room access being outside and in multiple buildings. It reminded me of those carefree times I spent on the beaches in Puerto Vallarta. I gave up going to Mexico in favour of coming to Disney World, so it was really a nice touch for me.
It's a small resort, so it's definitely manageable on foot. That being said, we were stationed in Building 7, so quite a bit back from the main lobby. For us, this was a plus as it gave us a chance to wander around this scenic resort. For individuals with mobility issues or small children, multiple buildings may be a minus, but one that will be found at many of the Walt Disney World resorts. You may wish to request a room closer to the main building. I believe Disney will accomodate room requests as much as possible, but make your requests nice and early to help them help you!
The Grounds
 |
| Scenic, peaceful, and oh so magical! |
The grounds were beautiful! There were walking paths, benches, fountains and spectacular beauty all around! There was also a river you could walk alongside. The biggest complaint I have about the grounds just can't be avoided. It's the bugs. With all the lush vegetation and water, you're bound to have little black flies, mosquitos, and other bugs wanting a little piece of you (and getting it in my case at least!) Other than a small complaint that is unavoidable at any of the resorts, I have no complaints about the grounds. Honestly, it's just gorgeous.
Gift Shop
The gift shop was pretty standard. Nothing too special about it. It did have a pin trading board and some essentials you may have forgotten to pack. Our favourite thing about the gift shop was being able to buy things anywhere on Disney property and have it sent to our resort as long as we were not within the 48-hour check-out window. We utilized this maybe a little TOO much.
Sassagoula and Floatworks Factory
 |
| You need these in your life! |
Port Orleans - French Quarter is the only Moderate resort that does not have its own Table Service restaurant. As I described in my breakfast review of Sassagoula and Floatworks Factory, it's standard Quick Service food. One nice thing about it is the hours. As early as six A.M. and as late as midnight, you can get your foodie fix. Overall, I didn't mind it. And if I didn't want to eat there, there were plenty of other places to munch at Disney World. Plus beignets. I mean, come on!
Bus Service
Bus service at French Quarter was simple. There is only one bus stop area, so you don't have to worry about stopping all over the resort. Generally, French Quarter got its own dedicated buses to the parks. For those buses back to the resort shared with Port Orleans - Riverside, the bus would stop at French Quarter first (which was awesome at the end of a long day).
For those with limited mobility or big strollers, the bus drivers gotchu, fam. Before other passengers were allowed to board, those requiring extra assistance were helped onto the back ramp and settled in. Disney's dedication to customer service never ceases to amaze me.
As well, buses did seem to run at fairly regular and frequent intervals, usually about 5-20 minutes apart for each park. The only issue we ever had was the one day that three Hollywood Studios buses came in a row. Those of us waiting to go to the Magic Kingdom were beginning to get a little impatient. This was an anomaly of our trip, and I would rate the bus service as excellent and convenient.
We would never bother renting a car again at Disney World. Buses were able to get us to most places we wanted to go, and Uber did the rest (such as our visit to Universal Studios).
As a super recent addition to the MyDisneyExperience app, you can now see bus times if you're staying on resort. You can do this by tapping "See bus times" when you look at an active Disney hotel reservation associated with your account.
Boat Service
Both Port Orleans resorts, along with one or two others (including the Disney Vacation Club resort Old Key West), had access to Disney Springs by boat. We loved our boat rides! It was peaceful, relaxing, and scenic as we travelled to get our shop on.
The below video illustrates the boat ride in a nutshell:
We would definitely recommend you take advantage of this method of transportation if you choose to stay at either Riverside or French Quarter.
The Pool
 |
| Look at that waterslide! |
Although we didn't use the pool, it looked awesome! For those kids wanting a themed pool. this is definitely it! With a waterslide to boot, this would be a great way to beat the heat and spend some down time on Disney property.
The Rooms
 |
| The beds |
 |
| Side bench |
 |
| The dual sinks with a curtain to separate them from the rest of the room |
 |
| Gimme dat theming! |
 |
| Shower in the bathroom |
The room we stayed in had not been refurbished as of yet. As it stands, refurbishments will be ongoing until at least the end of 2018. Although refurbs were happening when we were there, this did not affect or detract from our stay whatsoever.
The room we stayed in had a late-1800s southern plantation feel to it. I thought the theming was quite nice. The bathroom area had a separate dual sink and mirror area separated from the main room by a curtain and room containing the shower and toilet separated by a door. This was kind of nice in that one of use could get ready at the sink(s) while the other used the shower or toilet, or we could each use a sink at the same time.
The picture doesn't totally illustrate this, but the room containing the shower and toilet was very dim. It didn't really affect our experience, but I could see where a stubbed toe or shampoo to the eye could happen for those who need corrective vision. Hoepfully it's an anomaly, but Disney may want to address that as a safety concern if all the rooms are like that.
I'm not going to beat around the bush - the beds sucked. The pillows were not comfortable and were too flat and too round all at the same time (try using them and you'll see what I mean). There was only a thin little layer of blanket to cover you as you slept. I can see this being an issue for those of us who get cold easily. My suggestion would be to ask for an extra blanket if you choose to stay at French Quarter. And maybe bring your own pillow.
Additonal Items to Consider
 |
| Get that resort refillable mug for your morning coffee and your late night dirty pop! It will pay for itself in no time! |
If you get a resort-refillable mug, and want to utilize it to the fullest, you will really appreciate staying at Port Orleans - French Quarter. It has a few freestyle coca-cola machines, with many pop (soda for some of you) selections. We checked out a few of the other resorts (notably the Contemporary Resort, Boardwalk Villas, and Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas - Kidani Village) and none of these resorts had anything but the standard pop machines with a select amount of offerings. Call me spoiled, but I want my diet strawberry cream soda! Can't do that, can you, Contemporary Resort?
If you're a pair of adults looking to stay on resort, this may well be the one for you. Since it's smaller, it's also a little quieter. You can go to Scat Cat's Club for a drink and stay up late to order some greasy pizza, if that's your thing. As a childless couple in our twenties who just wanted to get in to the parks and have a place to sleep, while enjoying some scenery, this resort was a perfect fit for us. We'll definitely be going back to French Quarter in 2019.
You can also get a pretty neat experience at this resort. You can actually rent a horse-drawn carriage to take you aorund the resort. This will cost extra, but may be worth it if you're looking for a little wonder or to take advantage of the romantic atmosphere this resort has to offer.
 |
| After a day of travel to get there, French Quarter was an excellent start to our Disney stay! |
Have you stayed at French Quarter? Love it or leave it? Comment and subscribe :)
Let me book the magic for you! Fill in this form for a FREE quote and/or click here for my contact information!
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