(More to Love: Port Orleans Riverside)

As part of a Disney Cruise Line vacation, our stay at Port Orleans Riverside was very brief. The two nights that we spent at this Moderate resort were nowhere near enough, as it took no time at all to fall in love with it.

Port Orleans Riverside is the sister resort to Port Orleans French Quarter. While both resorts have a lot of similarities, there are also many differences. Riverside, opened in 1992 as Dixie Landings, is inspired by the Old South and has a lazy, relaxed feel to it. It's quite a bit bigger than its New Orleans inspired counterpart, housing 2,048 rooms. The resort was already special to me as it was the first resort that I had ever stayed in on my first trip to Walt Disney World with my parents at age 7. It was Dixie Landings back then, and I still have a souvenir glass that I guard with my life. What I remember most from back then was the working water wheel at Riverside Mill, the resorts counter-service cafeteria. I wasn't disappointed with my memory - it was still there and just as beautiful as ever.

There are two sections to the resort when it comes to accommodations: Magnolia Bend and Alligator Bayou. Our room was in Alligator Bayou, the smaller of the two sections with sixteen two-story buildings. Set in a rustic setting, you really feel like you could go and look for Alligators in this section of the resort. There are no elevators, so those who have trouble climbing stairs or plan on having a ridiculous amount of luggage (it happens) should request a room on the ground floor.

Magnolia Bend is almost a polar opposite of Alligator Bayou - there's still that laid back Southern feel, but instead of the backwoods swamp setting, there are grand mansions that evoke feelings of New Orleans or Mississippi when plantation homes were prevalent. Some of the buildings have three stories as opposed to two, and there are elevators for those buildings. A great way to see the resort is to take the trip by boat to Downtown Disney. This is how we were able to catch a glimpse of Magnolia Bend - it was a gorgeous, relaxing ride.

A glimpse of Magnolia Bend, as taken from the boat to Downtown Disney.

Port Orleans Riverside has a great restaurant called Boatwright's, and it's the only table service restaurant between the two Port Orleans Resorts. The restaurant does serve breakfast, though we only had enough time to try dinner. I would definitely like to go back again to do a more thorough review, but the time that we spent there was excellent. The atmosphere is relaxed and cozy, the food was delish and the service was friendly. J and I both got a filet, which I don't believe is on the menu anymore. There is a variation of the same thing on the menu now though; Grilled Tenderloin Medallions served with mac and cheese and a crawfish beignet.

Next door to Boatwright's is a bar called The River Roost Lounge. This is a very lively place. We could actually hear the festivities going on next door while we were at dinner as the restaurant and bar are in a divided yet open setting. There is a piano player there named Bob Jackson who had the crowd really going with his high energy and expert piano skills. Mike Scopa of Allears wrote a great article about Bob, read it here.

There are five quiet pools scattered throughout the resort, but the main attraction when it comes to swimming holes is Ol' Man Island. The pool is fantastic, with a geyser and water slide. There is also a hot tub, where we love to go and relax at night after a long day at the parks. The resort also offers a wide array or recreational activities, from renting a boat to take down the Sassagoula to fishing and even bike rentals and carriage rides.

Port Orleans Riverside is the perfect resort for anyone who wants to stay in a relaxing atmosphere. There's so much to offer, from great swimming pools to two tasty dining choices and tons of recreation. There are many opportunities for romantic walks at night for those lovey dovey couples, and jogging paths for the crazy people who like to exercise while on vacation (to each his own). Riverside is much larger than French Quarter, but definitely smaller than Caribbean Beach. In my opinion, it's a great size and the grounds make it all the worthwhile to take a walk around and explore. I would really recommend both Port Orleans resorts to anyone, and love them both equally.

Have you stayed at either, or both of the Port Orleans resorts? Which do you like better? I would love to hear your stories!

Happy Vacationing!

(Go to the Mardi Gras: Port Orleans French Quarter)

The second of two sister resorts inspired by New Orleans, Port Orleans French Quarter is without a doubt one of the best options in Walt Disney World's moderate price range. Opened on May 17, 1991 as Port Orleans Resort, it was not yet a partner with Port Orleans Riverside (then Dixie Landings). While they have since joined to make two parts of a whole Port Orleans, each resort is quite unique. With over 1,000 guest rooms, French Quarter has a lot to offer its guests.

From the moment you walk into the lobby, you are immediately hit with the luscious sounds of New Orleans jazz. I'm quite sure that our check-in would have gone smoothly, but in our excitement, we left North Carolina much too early and arrived in Orlando at about 430am. I certainly wouldn't recommend attempting to check in at that time - needless to say, we were SOL for the moment! So, after a 2-hour nap in the car, we again attempted the check-in process. We were bleary-eyed and totally groggy, so I don't remember much, to be honest. I think the cast member who checked us in thought that there was something wrong with us. In any case, we got all set up and moved on to some breakfast.

At breakfast - it was a bit early for pictures!

As silly as it sounds, I really do recommend arriving to your Disney resort in the early morning hours, especially if you're driving. You're exhausted yes, but there's something very magical about that hour. The grounds are quiet and peaceful, the grass is covered in dew and the weather is cool. There's next to no one in the cafeterias, and it's truly a great time to wander around and familiarize yourself with where you are going to be staying. Plus, you have an entire day to enjoy the parks or go mini golfing (a tradition for us), or whatever you want to do. It definitely maximizes your vacation time. Anywho, end of tangent - on to breakfast. Port Orleans French Quarter really only has the one option for dining, and that is the Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory. French Quarter's sister resort, Port Orleans Riverside, has a full-service restaurant that does serve breakfast, so if you're interested, you could take the hike (or ride) over there. It's less than 10 minutes from door to door at either resort - a pleasant walk.

You can pretty much expect the same from Sassagoula as you can from the other moderate resort cafeterias, and for that matter, the value resorts as well. The breakfast is great - it has sort of become a tradition for me to grab a cheese danish on the first morning of our vacation. You can also expect to find a great variety of hot breakfast options such as french toast, pancakes, and Mickey waffles. There are also great cinnamon buns and delicious beignets - but more on those later.

Sassagoula Floatworks has a fun atmosphere. Everything that you think of when you think Mardi Gras is hanging from the ceiling of the dining room. Trumpets, crowns, beads and much more, all set in what resembles a warehouse.

While French Quarter does not have a table service restaurant, they do have a pretty great bar. Scat Cat's Lounge offers alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in a relaxed atmosphere until 12:30am daily. We were fortunate to catch an entertaining one-man band outside of the bar one evening. He definitely seemed to favor Neil Diamond, and his version of Sweet Caroline had the crowd going crazy! We really enjoyed watching him - I hope that he still works there (he told us he splits his time between FQ and Universal Studios!)

The grounds of Port Orleans French Quarter are gorgeous. Flowers are abundant, as are the water fountains. It's really a great place to just wander around and enjoy the surroundings. You can also catch a carriage ride from Port Orleans Riverside. I have not done this personally, but I imagine that there is no better way than to really participate in your surroundings and take it all in.

There is one pool at Port Orleans French Quarter, and it's a good one! Scales, the huge dragon slide ridden by King Neptune, will certainly tempt you into taking a ride. My personal favorite are the members of the Alligator Band, which can be found all around Doubloon Lagoon. Watch out though, their instruments shoot water!

Since both Port Orleans resorts are located in the Downtown Disney area, they offer access by boat to the shopping district. One of my favorite elements of our stays at both of the resorts was the boat ride to Downtown Disney. The scenery is great, and it's another way to get a tour of your surroundings. The boat ride is leisurely and relaxing...and probably a bit slower than the bus (a boat arrives only every 20 minutes). If you're in a hurry, maybe this isn't the best option. Note though that French Quarter does share a bus with Riverside, which can be a hassle during the busy seasons. Riverside has 4, count 'em f-o-u-r bus stops, so overcrowding is inevitable. Our stay was in early May, and we really didn't experience any bus issues; certainly not like we did at another moderate resort that won't be named. Cough Caribbean Beach cough...

Powder face! The beignets are scrumptious! 

Now, on to those man-catching beignets (as they say in my beloved Princess & the Frog). I have not yet had the privilege of visiting the real New Orleans (but mark my words I'll get there!) so I have no real basis for comparison of Disney's beignets to those of the Big Easy. I do, however think that Disney's are quite tasty! Don't think that you're just going to mosey on up and get some though, unless you're one of those people who always seem to get lucky. There's almost definitely a line, and if there's no line, there's still a wait. These guys are made fresh and it's a good thing too! You can get three beignets for about $3, and they're served oh-so-warm with a generous dusting of powdered sugar. We had to wait about 15 minutes once we placed our order, but it was worth the wait. We brought the sweets back to our room (and I'm glad we did, because we both had mad cases of powder face when we were through) and chowed down. One of the biggest complaints that I have heard about Disney's beignets are that they tend to be on the heavy side, rather than the light and airy version that is supposedly found in New Orleans. J shared this sentiment, and said that while he found them to taste good (doesn't anything fried and covered in powdered sugar?) he wished they were a bit lighter.

Our rooms were clean, comfortable, and everything that you expect from a Disney resort. The sizes are comparable to the other three moderate resorts as well as those at the value resorts. There are three options for your rooms; Standard View, Garden View and Water View. Of course, all vary in price. We had just a standard view room, and were in building two. There are two floors in each building, and this is one of the few places where you actually want to be on the bottom floor. There are no elevators in the buildings, and carrying all that luggage up the stairs can be quite tiring! French Quarter is a decent sized resort, but not so big that any building is better than the other. We had a very short walk to the main building and the bus stop, and we were as happy as clams in a pot of New Orlean's jambalaya.

photo courtesy of Disney Parks Blog

Ready for the best part? In March of 2012, 512 guest rooms at French Quarter will be converted into Royal Guest Rooms, inspired by one of my favorite Disney animated films, the Princess & the Frog! It's a perfect fit, and I'm excited to see the final result! Reservations are now being taken for a stay in one of these rooms. If you're a lucky guest, tell me all about it!

So....would I recommend a stay at Port Orleans French Quarter?

Yes! Si! Ja! Oui! Sea! Da!

Ok, those are all of the languages that I know how to say the affirmative. Port Orleans French Quarter is a great place for families travelling with or without children. There's plenty for the kids to do - they'll love the waterslide - and romance is definitely in the air for couples travelling without kids. The flowers are fragrant, the jazz is hot, and the bar is hopping! You can bet your beignet that you're going to have a great time at this resort.

Before I go, take a look at this video created by the amazing folks over at AllEars. It's a good tour through the resort, and features some fantastic music (Dr. John does Disney proud!)

Happy Vacationing!