Disney's Port Orleans Resort

Last updated

Disney's Port Orleans Resort
Disney's Port Orleans Resort logo.svg
Location Disney Springs Resort Area
Resort typeModerate resort
OpenedFrench Quarter: May 17, 1991
Riverside: February 2, 1992
ThemeNew Orleans French Quarter, Antebellum South
AreasFrench Quarter, Magnolia Bend, Alligator Bayou
Rooms3,056 [1]
SuitesRoyal Guest Room (Riverside)
Green lodge Yes

Disney's Port Orleans Resort French Quarter and Disney's Port Orleans Resort Riverside are a pair of hotels at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida that form a single resort. They are themed to look like New Orleans and the Old South. They are in the Disney Springs area and are owned and operated by Disney Parks, Experiences and Products.

Contents

The two resorts are connected to each other and Disney Springs via the Sassagoula River. With over 3,000 rooms between them, they have the largest number of rooms of any resort on the Walt Disney World property. The Riverside section alone is the second-largest resort in Walt Disney World.

They are classified as Moderate resorts within Disney's portfolio (between the Value and Deluxe classifications).

Design and history

Port Orleans Riverside room complex Port-orleans-resort.JPG
Port Orleans Riverside room complex

Disney's Port Orleans Resort French Quarter was designed to reflect the style and architecture of New Orleans' French Quarter. [2] It opened on May 17, 1991, as Disney's Port Orleans Resort, with 432 guest rooms in three buildings. It later expanded to its current 1,008 rooms in seven three-story buildings containing 144 rooms each. [3] [4]

Disney's Port Orleans Resort Riverside was designed to reflect the Antebellum South along the Mississippi River. [5] It opened on February 2, 1992 as Disney's Dixie Landings Resort, initially with rooms located in its Alligator Bayou section. The remaining Magnolia Bend section was opened shortly thereafter. [4] Alligator Bayou has 1,024 guest rooms over 16 buildings, styled as rustic, weathered lodges, with 64 rooms per lodge. Magnolia Bend has 1,024 guest rooms over four buildings styled as southern plantation grand manor homes, with 256 rooms per mansion. [2]

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. [4] As of April 1, 2001, the regions became French Quarter and Riverside. [4] Changes leading up to and after this period included the French Quarter region losing Bonfamille's Cafe table-service restaurant, bike rentals, and boat rentals. French Quarter region guests had to use the larger facilities in the Riverside region. Bonfamille's Cafe 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. [2] Other theme changes included Colonel's Cotton Mill food court becoming Riverside Mill. [2]

In 2011, Disney transformed about a quarter of the 2,000 rooms in the Riverside section of Disney's Port Orleans Resort into the Royal Guest Rooms. [4] [5] [6]

On October 22, 2019, Disney expanded their Mobile Food Ordering system to a total of 35 Quick Service locations, including the Riverside Mill Food Court at Riverside and Sassagoula Soda Floatworks and Food Factory at Port Orleans. The system allows guests to use the My Disney Experience app to pre-order their food prior to arrival at the food court. [7]

The Original Scat Cat’s location was replaced by a beignets cafe called Scat Cat's Club Café, and the lounge was moved to the old Bonfamille's Cafe. [8]

In 2020, the resort closed due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic [9] and did not reopen until October 28, 2021 (French Quarter) and October 14, 2021 (Riverside). [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walt Disney World</span> Entertainment resort in America

The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, or simply abbreviated WDW, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, governed by the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. The resort is located within Orange and Osceola counties, and located closest to the cities of Winter Garden and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, the resort is operated by Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, a division of The Walt Disney Company. The property covers nearly 25,000 acres, of which half has been used. Walt Disney World contains four separate theme parks, two water parks, two mini-golf courses, and four golf courses. There are twenty-one Disney-operated resorts on the property, and many other resorts on and near the property. Disney World also contains the Boardwalk, Disney Springs, and Flamingo Crossings areas for shopping, dining, and entertainment. The Fort Wilderness area offers guests numerous outdoor recreational activities and includes the Tri-Circle D. Ranch. The ESPN Sports Complex on the property hosts a variety of activities throughout the year, including runDisney marathon races and dance and cheer competitions in partnership with Varsity Cheer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pirates of the Caribbean (attraction)</span> Dark ride at Disney theme parks

Pirates of the Caribbean is a dark ride at Disneyland, Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Park at Disneyland Paris, and Shanghai Disneyland.

<i>The Aristocats</i> 1970 American romantic comedy animated film

The Aristocats is a 1970 American animated romantic musical comedy film produced by Walt Disney Productions and directed by Wolfgang Reitherman. It is the final Disney animated film made with the involvement of Walt Disney Productions's co-founder Roy O. Disney before his death on December 20, 1971. The film is based on a story by Tom McGowan and Tom Rowe, and revolves around a family of aristocratic cats, and how an alley cat acquaintance helps them after a butler has kidnapped them to gain his mistress's fortune which was intended to go to them. The film features the voices of Phil Harris, Eva Gabor, Hermione Baddeley, Dean Clark, Sterling Holloway, Scatman Crothers, and Roddy Maude-Roxby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney Transport</span> Transportation system of Walt Disney World

Disney Transport is the public transit system of the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista and Bay Lake, Florida. The system provides free transportation to guests of the resort and consists of buses, a monorail system, a gondola lift system, watercraft, a rideshare system, and parking lot trams. Most of the routes operated by Disney Transport are buses that run along the resort's public roads maintained by the Reedy Creek Improvement District and private roads. None of these modes of transportation charge a fare, which makes the entire network free to use.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney Village</span> Shopping, dining and entertainment complex in Disneyland Paris

Disney Village is a shopping, dining, and entertainment complex in Disneyland Paris, located in the town of Marne-la-Vallée, France. Originally named Festival Disney, it opened on April 12, 1992, covering an area of approximately 18,000 square metres (190,000 sq ft) inside what was then known as Euro Disney Resort.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney's Contemporary Resort</span> Hotel at Walt Disney World

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge</span> Hotel at Walt Disney World

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adventureland (Disney)</span> Themed area in Disney theme parks

Adventureland is one of the "themed lands" at the many Disneyland-style theme parks run by the Walt Disney Company around the world. It is themed to resemble the remote jungles in Africa, Asia, South America, Oceania and the Caribbean. "To create a land that would make this dream reality", said Walt Disney, "We pictured ourselves far from civilization, in the remote jungles of Asia and Africa."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Universal Islands of Adventure</span> Theme park in the United States

Universal Islands of Adventure, originally called Universal Studios Islands of Adventure and later Universal's Islands of Adventure, is a theme park located in Orlando, Florida. It opened on May 28, 1999, along with CityWalk, as part of an expansion that converted Universal Studios Florida into the Universal Orlando Resort. The resort's slogan Vacation Like You Mean It was introduced in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney's Wilderness Lodge</span> Hotel at Walt Disney World

Disney's Wilderness Lodge is a resort hotel located at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Opened on May 28, 1994, the resort is owned and operated by Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products. Disney's Wilderness Lodge is located in the Magic Kingdom Resort Area on Bay Lake. The resort is located near Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. A similarly themed resort, Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, is located at the Disneyland Resort in California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney's Pop Century Resort</span> Hotel at Walt Disney World

Disney's Pop Century Resort is a resort located at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, opened on December 14, 2003. It is the fourth value-priced resort in the complex, following Disney's All-Star Movies, All-Star Music, and All-Star Sports Resorts in the 1990s. The resort is themed around 20th century American pop culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney's Beach Club Resort</span> Hotel at Walt Disney World

Disney's Beach Club Resort is a beach-themed resort at the Walt Disney World Resort. It opened on November 19, 1990. The resort is owned and operated by Disney Parks, Experiences and Products.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney's Polynesian Village Resort</span> Hotel at Walt Disney World

Disney's Polynesian Village Resort is a Disney-owned and operated resort located at the Walt Disney World Resort. It began operation on October 1, 1971 as one of Walt Disney World Resort's first two on-site hotels. The resort has a South Seas theme, and originally opened with 492 rooms. It was designed by Welton Becket and Associates and constructed by US Steel Realty Development. The resort is owned and operated by Disney Parks, Experiences and Products.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort</span> Hotel at Walt Disney World

Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort is a resort located within the Walt Disney World Resort. It is located in the Epcot Resort Area of Walt Disney World, close to the waterpark Typhoon Lagoon and is classified as a moderately priced resort. The resort started operating on October 1, 1988 and is owned and operated by Disney Parks, Experiences and Products.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa</span> Unit of the Walt Disney World Resort

Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa is a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) resort at the Walt Disney World Resort. The resort is the seventh Disney Vacation Club resort and is situated on the former site of the Disney Institute. It first opened on May 17, 2004 and was built in three phases. It is now the largest Disney Vacation Club resort. The resort was inspired by the city of Saratoga Springs, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney's Coronado Springs Resort</span> Resort Hotel at Walt Disney World

Disney's Coronado Springs Resort is a resort hotel at the Walt Disney World Resort that opened on August 1, 1997. The resort is located in the Animal Kingdom Resort Area. Its theme is American colonial Spanish and southwestern American. This hotel is categorized as a 'moderate' resort. This was Walt Disney World's first attempt at a 'moderate' resort with a convention center. It is the only moderate level Disney resort with suites, a cafeteria-style restaurant, a formal dinner restaurant, a gift shop, an arcade, one large pool, three quiet pools, a salon, fitness center, and a dance club. The resort is owned and operated by Disney Parks, Experiences and Products.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shades of Green (resort)</span> Hotel at Walt Disney World

Shades of Green is a resort owned by the United States Department of Defense (DOD) in the city of Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando, Florida on Walt Disney World Resort property. It is one of five Armed Forces Recreation Centers (AFRC) resorts, and a part of the military's Morale, Welfare, and Recreation program (MWR). The resort, which was expanded between 2004 and 2006, is self-supporting; it operates from non-appropriated funds, and all profits are put back into it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney Springs Resort Area</span> Group of resorts at Walt Disney World

The Disney Springs Resort Area includes ten resorts located around Disney Springs in the Walt Disney World Resort. Two of these are Disney Vacation Club resorts. Seven of these hotels are non-Disney owned.

Tiana (<i>The Princess and the Frog</i>) Fictional character from Disneys 2009 animated film The Princess and the Frog

Tiana is a fictional character in Walt Disney Pictures' 49th animated feature film The Princess and the Frog (2009). Created by writers and directors Ron Clements and John Musker and animated by Mark Henn, Tiana, as an adult, is voiced by Anika Noni Rose, while Elizabeth M. Dampier voices the character as a child. She will appear in the Disney+ series Tiana, which is set to debut in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney's Art of Animation Resort</span> Hotel at Walt Disney World

Disney's Art of Animation Resort is a resort within Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. It is located where construction on the unfinished half of Disney's Pop Century Resort was started but later abandoned after the September 11 attacks. It is considered a value resort.

References

  1. "Largest Hotels in Florida".
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Port Orleans Fun Facts & Trivia". portorleans.org. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
  3. "Disney's Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter". TouringPlans.com. Archived from the original on July 26, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Port Orleans History". portorleans.org. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
  5. 1 2 "Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside". TouringPlans.com. Archived from the original on July 26, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  6. "Port Orleans Riverside Royal Guest Rooms". portorleans.org. Archived from the original on October 22, 2017. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  7. https://www.wdwmagic.com/other/mymagicplus/news/22oct2019-mobile-order-comes-to-the-polynesian,-port-orleans-and-more.htm
  8. https://www.wdwinfo.com/walt-disney-world/lets-take-a-tour-of-scat-cats-club-cafe-at-disneys-port-orleans-french-quarter/
  9. "Disney World and Disneyland closed indefinitely amid Covid-19 fears". March 12, 2020.
  10. "D".