Doubloon Lagoon

Staying at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter

Nestled along the Sassagoula River is a beautiful Moderate Resort that brings the charm and beauty of New Orleans to life. Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter welcomes Guests into a cozy and vibrant atmosphere of quiet streets lined with brightly colored buildings, beautiful wrought iron details, blooming magnolia trees, ornate fountains, and manicured courtyards. All these wonderful details come together to make Guests feel as though it’s Mardi Gras every day and the Disney Resort is a favorite for many reasons. Let’s check out some of the details, dining, amenities, and more that make Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter so wonderful.

Credit: Disney

Theming – As mentioned before, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter is themed to feel like the charming and quiet streets of New Orleans. Guests can find themselves wandering down small streets with quiet jazz music playing in the background and will easily forget that they are in the heart of Walt Disney World. The charming theme extends to all areas of the Disney Resort, with jaunty alligators and a mythical beast playing near the pool, traditional Southern fare served up in the main restaurant, architectural details brought to life on each building, and more.

Layout – Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter is the smallest Disney Resort on property with only seven buildings featuring Guest rooms and one main building which encompasses the lobby, dining area, lounge, and store.

Upon arriving at the Disney Resort, Guests are greeted by a large glass enclosed lobby with a charming fountain in the center. One side of the building features the main front desk and concierge as well as Jackson Square Gifts & Desires and South Quarter Games Arcade. On the opposite side is Scat Cat’s Club – Café and Lounge and Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory.

Continuing through the main lobby building, Guests emerge on a palm tree-lined street which heads straight towards Doubloon Lagoon, the Disney Resort’s only pool. Along the way is a hot tub area, playground, and several charming alligator statues playing various jazz instruments.

Doubloon Lagoon is centrally located and features extensive seating areas with comfortable pool chairs, an interactive splash pad area, water slide, more alligator statues, and the nearby Mardi Grogs Pool Bar. Along the rear of the pool area is the beautiful Sassagoula River which welcomes Guests to board a Friendship Boat that makes additional stops in Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside and Disney Springs.

On either side of Doubloon Lagoon are seven buildings featuring several different categories of Guest rooms. While seven buildings may seem like a lot, even the furthest rooms are about a five-minute walk to both the main lobby area as well as Doubloon Lagoon.

Room
Credit: Disney

Rooms – The rooms at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter are broken down into several categories and feature a range of prices. Guests can choose between a Standard View, Garden View, River View, Pool View, or King Bed with the main differences simply being the view. The Standard View rooms look out over parking areas, Garden View rooms typically face manicured courtyards, fountains, and gardens, River View rooms showcase the beauty of the Sassagoula River, Pool View rooms are located in buildings 2 and 5 and overlook Doubloon Lagoon, and King Bed rooms are scattered throughout the Disney Resort and simply offer one king bed instead of two queen beds.

Each room at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter is essentially the same in design and layout with a small table and chairs set up just inside the door, two queen or one king bed across from a dresser featuring a small refrigerator, several storage drawers, USB and regular plugs, a coffee maker, and television. Next to the dresser is a small bench with a shelf and several hooks that provide Guests with even more storage. It’s worth noting that the beds are also raised high enough to fit suitcases underneath for storage throughout any stay.

In the rear part of the room there is a privacy curtain that leads to a double sink and large mirror, small safe, and hanging closet area complete with extra pillows, an iron, and a hair dryer. Across from the closet area is a separate bathroom featuring a tub and toilet as well as an extendable drying line and provided shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.

Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory
Credit: Disney

Dining – Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter does not feature any table service dining locations; however it does offer up the quick service Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory which is open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Themed to feel like a large warehouse where festive Mardi Gras parade floats are created, the large space offers up plenty of seating and fun details to take in at any meal. Guests can choose from a variety of ordering stations that offer up American classics as well as some traditional Southern fare. Guests who dine at Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory also have a selection of grab-and-go items including beverages, fruit, and snacks as well as a large beverage station in the dining area where they can access refills if they have purchased a Refillable Mug.

In addition to Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory, Guests can enjoy Scat Cat’s Club – Café which is a very popular location thanks to one tasty treat. The quick service spot is located in the main lobby building and is home to the famous Beignets which are fluffy pockets of fried dough shaped like Mickey and smothered in powdered sugar. Guests can enjoy their beignets with a selection of coffee beverages throughout each day.

Adjacent to Scat Cat’s Club – Café is Scat Cat’s Club – Lounge which is open nightly for Guests and features a variety of jazz performances throughout the week. Featuring a full bar and specialty cocktails, this lounge location also serves up a limited menu of appetizers each evening which Guests can enjoy while listening to the live entertainment.

Guests who are spending time at Doubloon Lagoon can also enjoy a very limited menu of prepacked salads and sandwiches from Mardi Grogs Pool Bar which is popular for its inventive and delicious cocktails and specialty beverages.

Doubloon Lagoon
Credit: Disney

Recreation – The main recreation available to Guests at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter is Doubloon Lagoon, the expansive and whimsical pool area. Guests are welcomed to Doubloon Lagoon by festive alligators playing jazz music and encounter a large, laughing jester when they first enter through the gates. Scales, a large serpent being ridden by Poseidon, weaves his way around the area and offers Guests the chance to whip down his tongue on a water slide into the pool below. Scattered around Doubloon Lagoon are also several more alligators, some of which feature small fountains, as well as a large seashell that has a waterfall feature raining down on Guests below.

Off to the side is an interactive splash area great for small kids that features several slides, climbing opportunities, fountains, spraying water, and every opportunity to get soaked.

There are plenty of seating options available throughout Doubloon Lagoon including reclining pool chairs and several tables with umbrellas to offer shade throughout the day.

In addition to Doubloon Lagoon, Guests can also enjoy recreational activities including a walking path along the Sassagoula River that leads to Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside, Disney movies on the lawn, free games and trivia poolside, and live entertainment each evening in Scat Cat’s Club – Lounge.

There are also several recreational activities available at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter that feature additional costs including a charming horse drawn carriage ride throughout the Disney Resort, surrey bike or bicycle rentals, s’mores making kits, and a variety of arcade games in South Quarter Games Arcade.

Jackson Square Gifts & Desires
Credit: Disney

Shopping – Jackson Square Gifts & Desires is the only shopping location at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter and Guests can browse a variety of merchandise including clothing, toys, housewares, jewelry, and more. There is also a small selection of snacks, beverages, magazines, refrigerated items, medicine, sunscreen, and other items that Guests might have forgotten at home.

Transportation – Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter is located in the Disney Springs area of Walt Disney World and features two forms of transportation. There are two bus stops located right next to each other at the very front of the Disney Resort that offer complimentary bus transportation to and from the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach, and Disney Springs each day. Each bus stop features a convenient screen with the time of the next arriving bus to help Guests better plan their time.

The other transportation option at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter is the Sassagoula River Company which offers up a serene boat ride on the Sassagoula River with stops at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside and Disney Springs.

Alligator Doubloon Lagoon
Credit: Disney

Pros – Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter absolutely has a long list of pros going for it. Its small size makes it very easy to navigate and explore and pairs perfectly with the charming and welcoming theme. Doubloon Lagoon is a wonderful pool area that perfectly combines fun in the sun with the chance to relax along the Sassagoula River. The boat to Disney Springs is also a huge plus as Guests have easy access to some of the best dining and shopping in Walt Disney World.

Cons – As with any Disney Resort, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter also has its own set of cons. Because the Disney Resort is so small, it only has one bus stop located in front which can be crowded at busy times throughout the day. In addition, some Guests do not enjoy that there is only a quick service dining option.

 

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