Staying At a Different Resort For Our Next Trip to Walt Disney World

At this time of year, most people are counting down the number of shopping days left before Christmas.  Children are counting down the number of days until Santa makes a stop at their house.  We are counting down the number of days until our next trip to Walt Disney World—100 days!

We have decided to try a new resort for our next trip—Coronado Springs, a moderate Disney resort.

We have stayed at Caribbean Beach Resort twice, and learned that location really does matter!  Caribbean Beach was Disney’s first attempt at a moderate resort.  I think they learned from their mistakes.

Port Orleans Riverside was our “home” for five trips to Walt Disney World—click here to read more.  We were hesitant to move away from our favorite and yet, queen sized beds lured us to Port Orleans French Quarter during our last stay—click here to read more.

This time we were lured by savings.  A spring discount was available during our travel dates, but only at certain resorts.  Coronado Springs was available for the discount, so we made the switch.  Just like that!  The husband had no hesitation.  He said we could give another resort a try, add information about Coronado Springs to the blog, and save some money.  Bingo!

We told the boy this morning.  “Does it have a pool?” was his response.  He wanted to see pictures—thank goodness for technology!

100 days!  I need to get packing!

The Pools at Port Orleans Riverside and French Quarter

Our family enjoys spending time in and near the water, so when we visit Walt Disney World, we try to take in the pools at our resort or water park—click here to read more about Typhoon Lagoon.

Since our favorite on-site resort is Port Orleans Riverside, this post is dedicated to the pools at Port Orleans—both Riverside and French Quarter.

The sister resorts allow guest to use the main pools at both resorts. I use the term main pools to mean the themed pool at each resort, as Port Orleans Riverside also had “quiet pools” that are nestled among the buildings of the resort. A “quiet pool” does not have a lifeguard, slide, spa/hot tub, or specific kiddie pool. Main pools are typically themed, have water slides—at the moderate and deluxe resorts, have hours when life guards are on duty, typically have a spa/hot tub nearby, and usually offer a kiddie pool. There is usually a bar, locker room, and restrooms near a main pool, while a quiet pool may offer a bathroom changing area. Just as there is a hierarchy of Disney resorts from value to moderate to deluxe—the pools follow the same hierarchy. The more deluxe the resort, the more deluxe the resort pool—typically.

Laundry facilities are found near the quiet pools at Port Orleans Riverside, while at Port Orleans French Quarter, the laundry facilities are near the main pool.

The main pool at Port Orleans Riverside is located on Ol’ Man Island in the middle of the resort. The theming is that of an old fashioned swimming hole complete with water chutes, water falls, and a water slide nestled on a “hill” near the pool. The swimming area is quite large and the deepest sections are about 5’6” deep. Entrance to the pool is by steps located at various points around the pool. A large spa/hot tub is steps from the main pool, as is a round kiddie splash pool.

The deck area at Port Orleans Riverside’s main pool offers quite a bit of shade as tall pine trees surround the pool. If you are looking for a place to catch some rays, it can be found if you select your deck chair strategically.

You will find a bin of clean towels to use while at the pool as well as a towel return area so there is no need to bring your own beach towels or take towels from your resort hotel room to use at the pool.

There are plenty of lifeguards on duty and the slide is only open when they are on duty. Guests are welcome to use the pool at other times at their own risk.

The quiet pools at Port Orleans Riverside are spacious—lots of room for swimming, have one set of steps for entering and exiting the pool, have a maximum depth of 5’ but seemed to have a larger portion of the pool that is deeper than at the main pool. The deck space is very generous at the quiet pools and is less shaded. If memory serves, towels are also available for use at the quiet pools.

The main, and only pool, at Port Orleans French Quarter is located in the middle of the resort facing the “river.” The pool is themed for celebrating Mardi Gras with jazz playing reptiles and a giant serpent providing the slide. We found the main pool here to be less deep than compared to Riverside, with maximum depths reaching less than 5’. The curvy edges are welcoming and provide several set of steps to enter the pool.

There is a round kiddie splash pool almost adjacent to the main pool. Finding the spa/hot tub is a bit trickier as it is a bit away from the main pool—back towards the main building opposite the playground. The spa/hot tub is surrounded by trees giving it a more secluded feel than the spa/hot tub at Riverside.

The deck area at the main pool at French Quarter is quite large, has various layers, and has less shaded areas than the deck area at Riverside. Towels are also available for guest use at the pool.

Lifeguards are also attentive and plentiful at the pool at the French Quarter. Again, the slide is open only when guards are in place.

How to guests get to use both pools? Guests can walk (about 10 minutes) from one resort to the other, or take the boat that shuttles guests between the resorts and Downtown Disney. We have taken the boat on several occasions. On one of our more recent trips, we brought our swimsuits with us as we left Riverside for a trip to Downtown Disney. After our visit to Downtown Disney, we took the boat back to French Quarter, as the boat dock is steps from the main pool. We then enjoyed an afternoon swim, then hopped back on the boat for the ride to Riverside. Easy and fun!



So, which pool is better? I don’t have to answer that question as guests get to use BOTH main pools!



Some guests heading to Walt Disney World plan to swim upon their arrival at their resort. They pack their swimsuits in their carry on bags so that they can change when arriving at their resort. By the time they are done swimming, the rest of their luggage has been magically transported to their room. Only at Disney!

Where Can You Make SMORE's at Walt Disney World?

Where in Walt Disney World can you stay in excellent accommodations and participate in super fun activities at night, such as roasting marshmallows? Port Orleans Riverside, of course.

Regular readers already know it’s our favorite on-site resort because of the themed and quiet pools, food court, bike rentals, fishing, boats to Downtown Disney and the French Quarter, live entertainment, horse and carriage rides, the arcade, immaculate landscaping, playground, boat rentals, and our personal favorite—it’s the first stop on the Magical Express bus from the airport! Whew! And, proximity to the 4 theme parks and 2 water parks! Click here to read more about why Port Orleans Riverside is our favorite.

In addition to horse and carriage rides—click here to read more—another evening activity is a campfire on Ol’ Man Island just behind the playground. Staff members, a.k.a. cast members will clear the area and start the fire. You can just enjoy the fire, or you can purchase a Smore’s kit and make Smore’s.

When we roasted marshmallows, the Smore kits were $8 each. We were prepared to purchase 2 or 3 kits, but the cast member said there was enough for all of us in one kit and they were right! There was almost an entire package of graham crackers, a couple of candy bars, and enough marshmallows to make plenty of Smore’s.

There were other families joining us and we enjoyed the casual, relaxed interaction that you don’t often get at the theme parks. We shared stories and tips. One family was hoping to purchase watches during their trip. I had seen a “get one with purchase” special on some watches at Mouse Gear at EPCOT. We ran into the same family another day at EPCOT—with their watch purchases.

I know we enjoyed the campfire on a Sunday evening. For more days, check with the concierge in the lobby or phone 407-WDW-PLAY. No reservations are necessary. You can use cash to purchase your Smore kit or charge to your room via your Key to the World Card.

Carriage Rides at Port Orleans Riverside

Care for a carriage ride around the plantation? If yes, check out the horse drawn carriage rides offered at Port Orleans Riverside.

On each of our trips to the Walt Disney World Resort, we try experience something unique and different. For our trip in September, 2008, we tried out the horse drawn carriage rides at Port Orleans Riverside.

Each evening, 30 minute carriage rides are available at Port Orleans Riverside. What a nostalgic way to see the resort and sister resort—Port Orleans French Quarter.

If you have bee to Port Orleans Riverside, you already know about the immaculate and expansive lawns, then add looks like gas lit lamps, the sound of frogs and other nighttime summer creatures, and the clip clop of hooves and what do you have? An experience you will never forget!

You can meet your horse and driver just outside and behind the main building at Port Orleans Riverside.

If you want to make reservations for a carriage ride, phone 407-WDW-PLAY, or check with the resort concierge just across from the check-in desks.



When we took our carriage ride, the cost was $35 for the half-hour.

Why Port Orleans--Riverside Is Our Favorite On Property Resort

Anyone traveling to Walt Disney World answers the "Are we staying on property or off?" question just after "when are we going?". For us, the answer is we are staying on property if we are traveling to Disney. Then the next question, "Where are we staying?"

The first time we went to the World was before we cruised for the first time, so by random association, we selected Caribbean Beach Resort. We enjoyed our first stay there. We had a ground level room in the "island" next to Old Martinique or the center of the resort--pool, restaurant, shops, etc. Checking in and out of the resort was at a completely different building and you had to utilize an internal bus to get to that building. No luggage on the internal bus, etc. As first timers, it was a bit overwhelming.

We stayed at Caribbean Beach Resort during our second stay. This time in a building on an "island" far away from the resort center. We didn't like it all and realized that "location, location, location" makes all the difference in a quality resort stay. We also learned that Caribbean Beach was Disney's first attempt at a moderate resort and learned from their mistakes when building Port Orleans.

Port Orleans used to be Dixie Landing and has since been renamed and divided into two "sister" resorts: Riverside and French Quarter. Both are aptly named and themed. Because they are sister resorts guests staying at either resort can use the amenities of the other resort such as restaurants, food courts, shops, pools, etc. French Quarter is bit more compact and has one bus stop. Riverside is a bit more spread out and has 4 bus stops. Click here to read about Bus Stops at Disney.

So why has Port Orleans--Riverside been our favorite resort for 4 of our 6 stays at the Walt Disney World Resort?

• Riverside, while a bit spread out, still has everything within close proximity--shops, pools, food court, etc., are short stroll from your room. AND, with 4 bus stops, a bus stop is just steps away, too. Due to the central location of the resort, the bus ride to/from any of the theme parks is just minutes.

• Who can resist the Southern hospitality shown as you step off the Magical Express bus from the airport? We have found cast members to be helpful and friendly. OK, maybe this is at any resort, but we are biased. Even the guys who come in their golf cart early in the morning to get us and our luggage are friendly.
  

• The grounds are lush and immaculate. The husband feels the need for a mint julep the moment we step into Magnolia Bend, our preferred portion of the resort.
  

• Port Orleans Riverside has more pools than any other resort. Ol' Man Island has the resort's theme poo with water slide and there are 7 other "quiet" pools sprinkled between the areas of the resort. Combine that with the pool at French Quarter and you have a whopping 9 pools in total.
  
  

• You can take a boat to/from Downtown Disney and French Quarter. After riding buses most of the time, taking a boat is relaxing and quaint.

• Port Orleans is the first stop on Disney's Magical Express from the airport! Anyone using Magical Express knows about the multiple lines at the airport. Each line is to a bus route that makes multiple stops. And the route has Port Orleans Riverside as its first stop. Take that Yacht and Beach Club and Boardwalk!

Maybe someday we will try a value or deluxe resort. In the meantime, we are happy with our moderate resort having just enough space in our room and includes a refrigerator. We know of some folks who have stayed in deluxe resorts, even in the villas of the deluxe resort, and discovered French Quarter on their last stay. That's where they will stay next time.