Disney Port Orleans French Quarter Resort Guide and Review

When we chose to stay at Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter Resort, it was for a variety of reasons. We loved the New Orleans architecture, small footprint, close proximity to Disney Springs and access to beignets all day. And after staying at the Port Orleans Riverside Disney Resort, we just had to give this one a try. Often considered a fan favorite in the world of Moderate resorts at Walt Disney World, we were eager to see what the hullaballoo was about. As such, today we are sharing all about Port Orleans French Quarter so you can see if this resort is right for your next Walt Disney World vacation!

Moderate Resorts at Walt Disney World come in a variety of different themes, price points and amenities. These resorts are a great compromise when you want a little more than a Value Resort but need to stick to a budget below what a Deluxe Resort can offer. They often have on site dining options, more transportation options, and more amenities too.

There are currently five moderate resorts at Walt Disney World. These include Caribbean Beach Resort, Coronado Springs, Port Orleans Riverside, Port Orleans French Quarter, and the Cabins at Fort Wilderness Lodge and Campground. 

As the smallest moderate resort, Port Orleans French Quarter offers a New Orleans theme, with brightly colored buildings, wrought iron details, and Mardi Gras theming throughout. Home to the King Neptune Pool, Scat’s Cat Lounge and Cafe, and boat service to Disney Springs there is a lot here to love.  

Port Orleans French Quarter Resort is the sister hotel of Port Orleans Riverside. As a result, they share amenities, like the pools, restaurants, and surrey bikes, which we think is great. They are also within walking distance of one another. And the path from French Quarter to Riverside is lovely, especially if you’re someone who loves taking a walk or going for a run in the mornings before the Florida heat kicks in. 

Atmosphere

The atmosphere at Port Orleans French Quarter is quaint and calming. This resort is well-shaded, and though it’s small, it rarely feels crowded. You can expect some of the usual hustle and bustle in the mornings at the bus stops and in the food court. But otherwise, we’ve always found this resort to be quite quiet and less chaotic than some of the other resorts. It’s much like a series of streets you would find in New Orleans. Complete with little side streets, off the main road, all the “houses” are connected by ornate ironwork balconies. Here you can also find places to sit and relax by the fountains that show up here and there across the resort. Absolutely one of the cutest Disney resorts, without much Disney theming, the whole area leads to the central building. 

Rooms

As Disney Hotel Rooms go, these are the same as you would find at any other Disney Resort. There are just a few room types at Port Orleans French Quarter with different “view” options. Most rooms have 2 queen beds and can sleep up to 4 adults. There are a limited number of King Bed rooms that sleep up to 2, but if you want this room type, plan to pay a little more and consider booking early. They tend to sell out a little faster than other room types at most resorts, and French Quarter is no exception.  

The beds and bedding are timeless and quite neutral, without being too boring. And the furniture is classic, without looking dated. The vanity is separate from the toilet, like in most Disney resorts. And there is a curtain that separates the vanity area from the rest of the room. We love this for convenience. And think it’s really nice for wanting to get ready in the morning without waking anyone up. Strangely the Disney’s Beach Club, which is a deluxe resort, notably didn’t have this feature, and we noticed it right away, which was a disappointment since that was a higher price hotel.

As views go, Port Orleans French Quarter Rooms offer views of the garden/ courtyard, parking lot, or river. Truthfully, any of these will do. Since this is a hotel that offers a “motel-like entrance,” where are all the doors to rooms are accessible via an outside balcony, you technically only get one double window to look out of anyway.

Grounds 

The resort grounds at Port Orleans French Quarter are beautiful. With Spanish Moss trees creating atmosphere and shade, cobblestone streets, wrought iron details, beautiful fountains, and brightly colored buildings, you might just actually think you’ve stepped into New Orleans Square. The resort sits on the Sassagoula River, and there is a paved pathway that follows it where guests can walk, ride a surrey bike, or take a carriage ride. You can also enjoy live jazz on the weekend evenings. There are also fun touches of Mardi Gras all around. Which we think gives the resort a nice bit of whimsy. 

Pools

One of the best parts about staying at either Port Orleans Resort is that you can share pools! This is not a common amenity at Disney Resorts, as resort pools are usually only reserved for resort guests. So having two big pools to choose from is a great perk of staying here! The pool specifically at French Quarter is themed to Mardi Gras and King Neptune and features a water slide, a super fun splash area for littles and a pool bar.  

That is the only pool you’ll find at this resort. However, take a quick walk or boat ride over to Riverside and you can use their pool at Ol’ Man Island, or any of the quiet pools throughout that larger resort.

Transportation Options

The only transportation to get to and from the Parks at Port Orleans French Quarter is by Disney bus. We usually don’t love when buses are the only option, but since French Quarter is so small, it’s not too bad. Wait times are generally not that long, and the buses don’t get as crowded as some of the larger resorts. Most of the time, French Quarter gets its own bus, meaning you don’t have to worry about sharing with Riverside. Of all of the resorts, French Quarter bus transportation is probably one of the best ones we’ve experienced. The distance between French Quarter to Disney Theme Parks is about a 20- 25 minute bus ride, so it’s not too bad.

One perk of staying at the French Quarter Resort is the ease of getting to and from Disney Springs. They offer ferry service starting at 10 am and you can expect about a 20-minute ferry ride over. It’s relaxing and easy, though it can get quite full during busier times like Spring Break and Christmas. There is also a ferry that can take you from French Quarter to Riverside as well.  

Dining and Restaurants

Many people love French Quarter for one aspect of Disney Dining that you just can’t find anywhere else: Mickey beignets. These soft, pillowy, powdered sugar concoctions are delicious and definitely a treat! Scat Cat’s Lounge is where you can find these. During the morning, you can get beignets at the beignet, and be on the lookout for seasonal flavors too.

At night, this location turns into a lounge. And on the weekends, there is live jazz music here. So you can enjoy a nice cocktail or mocktail, beignets, or other small bites and have a night out! It’s a really fun experience, and highly recommend it if you’re staying here or looking for something to do for a date night at Disney World.

Port Orleans French Quarter is actually the one moderate resort at Walt Disney World that does not currently have a sit-down restaurant. And while French Quarter technically shares Boatwright Dining with Riverside, it hasn’t been been super popular amongst guests, so it’s not much of a perk. 

French Quarter does, however, have a pretty great quick service option. The Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory is the main quick-service dining.  Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served here. And you can expect to find Cajun/Creole offerings, along with basics like burgers and pizza. For the full Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory menu, click here.  The food here isn’t anything to rave about. But it’s still pretty good and truthfully some of the better quick service we’ve had at the Disney Resorts. 

The pool bar at French Quarter Resort is Mardi Grogs, and offers up a small menu along with drinks to be enjoyed poolside or around the resort. You can find the Mardi Grogs menu here.

Amenities and Recreation

For its size, French Quarter has quite a bit to do! And since it shares its amenities with Riverside, that means guests have access to even more. South Quarter Games is the arcade at French Quarter if you’re looking for indoor fun on a hot or rainy day. Both French Quarter and Riverside have Playgrounds, which are always a nice perk for those traveling with little ones. Horse Drawn Carriage Rides are available at Riverside, and these can be reserved as early as 60 days before your trip. Catch and Release fishing is also available over at Riverside on Ol’ Man Island as well. And surrey bikes can be rented to explore the grounds of either resort. 

Cajun Campfire at French Quarter

A Cajun Campfire is held nightly in the Courtyard, so if s’mores are your thing, you’re in luck! Just head to the courtyard with the firebowl, near the main building to grab a smore’s kit and chat with the cast member and play games.

Movies Under the Stars at French Quarter

As with all Disney resorts, guests can watch Movies Under The Stars at Port Orleans on select nights. The schedule changes from week to week. So if you’re looking for a fun way to wind down after a long day at the parks, check out the movie schedule that can be found near the main building or at the courtyard where the movie viewing is held. 

Laundry Facilities at Port Orleans French Quarter

I never thought I’d be writing this, but I have become someone who loves doing laundry on vacation. Whether it’s because I can bring clean clothes home after a long trip, or pack less to avoid always increasing airline fees, it’s something I do pretty much any time our trip happens to be longer than 4 or 5 days. So, the convenience of having laundry facilities available at Walt Disney World resorts is one of the many reasons I love staying on the property. 

Luckily, with how small the resort is, it’s easy to find the laundry facilities at French Quarter. They’re located right near the pool in the little building that looks like it would house a laundromat. Simple!

Resort Map 

Cost

How much does Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter Resort cost? 

Prices at Disney’s French Quarter Resort will vary depending on the time of year and availability. But you can expect prices to start around $275 and go as high as $480 per night. Now, these are rack rates, so these prices don’t include any kind of discounts, which Disney often has. And even the highest rates are reserved for the busiest times of the year, like the week leading to Easter and the week between Christmas and New Year’s. On average, you can expect to pay around $325 per night to stay at French Quarter. 

Is Port Orleans French Quarter worth the price?

Yes and no! Value is always something that’s difficult to assign because we all place a different amount of value on different things. In the case of Port Orleans French Quarter, it can sometimes be a bit more expensive than other moderate Disney resorts. It also usually has the least amount of rooms available for a discounted rate. And the fact that there is no table service restaurant here can make days outside of the Parks a little less convenient. 

That being said, though its easy and close proximity to Disney Springs makes finding food easier. It’s still not the same as being able to eat a nice meal at your resort after a long day at the parks, or on your day off. But, if you’re looking for variety of food options, or plan to be at Disney Springs often throughout your trip, the Port Orleans French Quarter is a great choice.

Review

Overall, we really love staying at French Quarter. While I don’t think we would consider it our favorite moderate resort, it’s comfortable, and relaxing, and you can’t beat the size for manageability. The food is good, though lacking in the table service dining area. But the easy access to beignets and live jazz music at Scat Cat’s Lounge gives Port Orleans a little something special and a good reason to visit the resort. 

We are never huge fans of bus-only transportation to the parks. And have to say that the Skyliner resorts have really spoiled us over the last few years. But just like in the case of Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs, we can forgive it if the resort is nice enough. And in this case, it is! Or if we plan to have a less Park heavy itinerary during our stay. 

The rooms are comfortable and clean. And the timeless decor makes us feel as though they won’t be needing a refresh any time soon. The overall experience feels more like a boutique hotel than a hotel in a massive theme park. And we appreciate that. 

Is Port Orleans French Quarter good for families?

Yes! We love Port Orleans French Quarter for families. Especially those with younger travelers in tow. Due to the small size, this resort is super manageable after a long day in the Parks. Some of the larger resorts can make you feel like you have to trudge another 20 miles just to make it back to your room. But at Port Orleans, you’re never more than about a 5- or 6-minute walk back to your room from the main building. 

We also love that Port Orleans has a playground and splash pad for little ones and a super fun pool. This is probably one of our favorite Disney moderate resorts for families at Walt Disney World. 

Would we stay here again?

Yes, we would! Being close to Disney Springs is such a treat during trips when we’re in the parks less. And we loved the smaller size of the resort. Plus, weekend entertainment offerings at Scat Cat’s Lounge, with beignets and live music was such a treat. For an easy, relaxing stay, with less Park time than usual, we would definitely consider staying here again!

Port Orleans French Quarter is a great option if you’re looking for somewhere fun and convenient to Disney Springs. The details of the grounds are charming and calm. And you might just feel like you’re almost actually in New Orleans! We hope you love staying here as much as we did!