Much More from the Port

If you enjoyed my recent posts on Disney's Port Orleans Resorts and would like to learn more, you'll be fascinated by the site portorleans.org. It's an incredible resource for anything you might want to know about the resort. I learned quite a few things myself!

The site also features high resolution scans of the Sassagoula Times, the Port Orleans newspaper which was distributed to Guests in the early years of the resort. It's full of the kind of rich backstory Disney fans absolutely love. Check it out.

Laissez les Bon Temps Roullez!

The floats have been built. The revelers are decked out in their finest carnival costumes. It's time for the Mardi Gras Parade! These jazzy gators lead the way, marching through the French Quarter toward Jackson Square.

Further along, the tail and body of a giant sea monster float weaves over and around the resort's Doubloon Lagoon. At the other end, a statuesque King Neptune leads his charge... and oversees a fun water slide, too!

At the end of the parade, the jazz gators come together for a splashy performance in the "band shell."

It was a great parade in the New Orleans tradition of Mardi Gras. And now for some liquid refreshment, either of the jump-in-the-pool variety or the potent potables at nearby Mardi Grogs.

Krewe of Port Orleans

Welcome to the Sassagoula Float Works & Food Factory. These adjacent facilities represent two of the key elements of Port Orleans culture, food and fun. In the Food Factory, delicious treats come to you straight from the kitchens. Try the beignets (pronounced ben-YAYz), great little pats of fried dough with powdered sugar! Then when it's carnival season (or really any time of the year) step into the Float Works warehouse to see what might be available to craft the next procession.

All of the props and things hanging in the Sassagoula Float Works warehouse are actual items used in Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans. The Krewes from which the pieces were obtained are identified by some of the medallions on display:

From Bacchus to Caesar and everything in between, the Sassagoula Float Works has whatever you might need to make a great statement on the streets of Port Orleans at Mardi Gras time.

A Room on the Quarter

Guest rooms in the French Quarter of Port Orleans bring the charm of this southern city indoors.

The elegance of the room is married with a bit of the fun of Mardi Gras:

There's even a hint of everyone's favorite Mouse woven into the upholstery of the chairs:

And on the wall... a beautiful work of art:

Look closely, though, and you'll notice this is actually a painting of New Orleans Square at Disneyland. Entitled "The Square," this concept piece was created in 1964 by legendary Disney artist and Imagineer Herbert Ryman.

The building on the left is the entrance to Pirates of the Caribbean, with a figure of Long John Silver on the balcony (never added) to draw Guests into the attraction. Between the two trees at center, you can see the tops of ships' masts beyond the buildings, a detail that exists in New Orleans Square to this day. The nuns are the Sisters of Charity, a staple of period New Orleans, and the artist at the easel is actually Ryman's friend and fellow Imagineer Colin Campbell.

Streets of New Orleans

One of the most charming aspects of Disney's Port Orleans French Quarter is the side streets and gardens throughout the resort. Combined with the varying colors and ironwork styles on the buildings, they really help create a sense of community and make you feel you're in a completely different world.

It's definitely a Disney world, though, which is obvious when you catch some of the tongue-in-cheek names of the streets. La Salle and Jackson Square may have their roots in New Orleans proper, but others have a bit of a sense of humor about them: Rue D' Baga, Cake Walk, Neptune's Parade, Cafe au Lait Way.

The details of the city really come alive on the streets. Man hole covers are emblazoned with "City of Port Orleans" and 1991, the year the resort opened:

Hitching posts allude to a sense of history before the advent of the automobile. Some of the service areas (seen in the background below) are even dressed to appear as carriage houses:

And between groups of buildings are beautiful courtyards, squares and gardens, inviting the "citizens" of Port Orleans to relax and enjoy life.

Welcome to N'awlins

We've finally made it down river to our destination, Disney's Port Orleans French Quarter. Here, the Big Easy comes to the Walt Disney World Resort, complete with all the beautiful ironwork, fountains, gardens and brick-paved streets of this charming Southern city.

There's also a reference or two to Disney's 1970 animated feature The AristoCats (which shared the French flair of New Orleans, but was actually set in Paris). At Scat Cats Club, live jazz can be enjoyed most nights. Around the corner is the former entrance to Bonfamille's, the resort's table service restaurant which closed in 2001 when French Quarter was combined with Riverside.

The check-in lobby is like the main hall of a grand southern mansion. New Orleans' musical spirit continues here too, both literally through the background mix as well as in subtle design influences. Notice that the chandeliers suspended from above take on the shapes of whimsical horns. And while things may be prim and proper inside, a rollicking Mardi Gras celebration is taking place just outside on the balcony. These party-goers let us know that we're in for a good time during our stay.

The Riverside Mill

The Riverside Mill is at the heart of the town of Riverside. Built in 1875, it was the first significant structure in the area, and the rest of the town grew up and out from here.

Of course, in the world of Disney's Port Orleans Riverside Resort, The Riverside Mill is the food court for the property. Back when this area was known as Dixie Landings (1992-2001), this was the Colonel's Cotton Mill, and a cotton flower is still part of the mural (above). Once Dixie Landings and Port Orleans were combined, the name was changed to further support the story being told.

Approaching the town from the water, the Riverside Mill is the most prominent building, with its enormous red water wheel churning slowly at one side.

The wheel is powered by the current of the river, channeled through a trough. Follow inside, and you'll see that the movement of the water wheel is actually operating the mechanisms of the mill itself. Through a series of gears, poles and corkscrews, the power from the water is physically transferred across the mill.

Boat Builders

Boatwright's Dining Hall at Port Orleans Riverside is a fabulous table service restaurant (try the Jambalaya or Buttermilk Fried Chicken), but there's more being crafted here than just great meals and great service. True to its name, Boatwright's is a boat builder's workshop.

All around are hammers, saws and other tools of the trade. Overhead, the hull of a large boat is under construction right before our very eyes. The toolbox left on the platform indicates that the boat wright himself has just taken a break - perhaps for a slice of that delicious Pecan Pie - and will be back to work again at any moment.

Of course, some might think, "That's all fine and good, but how does it make sense that a huge boat like that is being built inside this restaurant in the middle of a resort?" Well, take a step outside...

The exterior of Boatwright's reveals the huge doors that can open up on the side of the building, as well as the ramp that can be lowered to help roll the new craft down to the river when it's ready for its maiden voyage.

The Old Man & The Island

The feature pool area at Disney's Port Orleans Riverside Resort is known as Ol' Man Island, and like so many other things, it tells a story.

The island was settled in 1835 by a young man who found solitude here, making his home in the bayou country. As the nearby town of Riverside was settled and grew, children from the town would steal away to spend the afternoon splashing in the then-old man's swimmin' hole. The man's gone now, but the island and some of the things he left behind are still being enjoyed by Riverside's residents to this day.

A little bit of everything is scattered about, even the kitchen sink. Follow the path down from the swimmin' hole, and you'll even discover the remains of the old man's cabin. Today, it's a bait shop, where modern islanders can get whatever they need to do a little fishing in the Sassagoula and spend a peaceful afternoon by the river, just like the old man used to do.

Fulton's General Store

It seems settlers had lived in these parts since the 1830s, but the town of Riverside didn't really take off until the mill was built in 1875. Riverside started as a factory town. As business grew, so did the population and their needs. Fulton's General Store opened in Riverside in 1882, ready to provide goods and services for folks in town or those just passing through. (The name Fulton is derived from Robert Fulton, an engineer and inventor who is credited with the creation of the first regularly operating steamboat.)

When Fulton's says they're a "general" story, they mean it! Here, everything from fishing supplies to hot apple pie is on offer. They can even take care of your mail and package delivery.

Fulton's General Store is a family business. That's Huey, Dewey and Louie helping unload some of the latest shipment. Over at the pot-belly stove, Morty and Ferdy are working the bellows to try and stoke the flames. Little do they realize that "cousin" Goofy is trying to check the chimney pipe. He nearly gets blown off his ladder with the puff of soot sent up by Mickey's well-meaning nephews, but he can't help but laugh it off.