Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida is the world’s number one tourist destination, welcoming tens of millions of visitors every year. Many of those visitors wish to stay as close as possible to the heart of the magic and Disney provides more than twenty varied hotel complexes within the 47 square miles of its property. These range from economy venues such as the Value All Star Resorts right up to the deluxe (and expensive!) Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. Between these, the middle ground is covered by the ‘Moderate’ resorts which offer more comfort and facilities than the Values but still at a reasonably affordable price point.

Widely regarded as the best of these Moderate resorts is the twin complex of Port Orleans French Quarter and Port Orleans Riverside. Nestled along the banks of the Disney-created Sassagoula River, these two resorts are probably the best themed, and certainly the most picturesque, places you can stay within Walt Disney World without breaking the bank.

“Readers consistently rank Port Orleans Riverside as one of Disney’s best resorts in any category, and it’s not hard to see why.”

--- The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World (Color Companion 2010)

After fifteen years of visiting Port Orleans, and continually finding myself answering the same sort of questions about this popular destination within the online Disney communities, I thought it was probably time for someone to create a one-stop dedicated information guide to help out potential visitors and returning fans alike... and so here it is — Welcome to PortOrleans.org!

So what can you expect to find here? Hopefully enough information to answer just about any questions you might have about these two resorts — the amenities, restaurants and bars, recreational facilities, transport, prices and even the theming & history — all in one convenient site. Please use the menus on the left to navigate around, but some of the more popular features are:

• Updated Desktop Wallpapers are now available, with lots of brand new images and larger screen sizes.
• Photo Gallery with more than 400 high-quality images of the resorts and their surroundings, plus a range of Desktop Wallpapers for you to download to your own computer and even some Video Clips.
• Individual sections on French Quarter and Riverside, including details of their accommodation buildings, dining options, swimming pools, etc.
• Information and photos of the Guest Rooms along with current Pricing Information.
• Full Recreation listings, from boat and bike rentals to fishing to romantic horse and carriage rides.
• Complete transportation information to help you find your way around by bus, ferry, car or on foot — including detailed Port Orleans and Walt Disney World Maps.
• The Frequently Asked Questions, Hints & Tips section should help you find out lots more about the resorts, including choosing the best room locations — or if your question isn’t answered there, why not ask in the Visitor’s Forum?
• Historical information and Trivia (including the resort’s intricately imagineered backstory) plus copies of the resort’s “Sassagoula Times” information sheets to help plan your stay.

“Easily the most romantic and intimate of Disney’s moderate resorts, Port Orleans French Quarter is a perennial favorite of Unofficial Guide readers.”

--- The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World (Color Companion 2010)

By its nature, this site will constantly remain a “work in progress” and there will always be more to add, or sections to adjust and update, but I hope you find it a useful resource and will bookmark this page and return regularly to see it evolve. Any questions, comments or suggestions are very welcome via the Visitor’s Forum — or if you’ve already written a trip report about a stay at Port Orleans in the past, why not help out other visitors and post a version here too? Many thanks!

Please enjoy your visit to PortOrleans.org and I look forward to hearing from you. Have a magical day!

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RECENT SITE UPDATES: 02-Aug-10: Updated the FAQs Page to include forthcoming room refurbishment information. 09-Mar-10: Updated pricing information for 2010 in the Rentals and Recreation pages. 26-Feb-10: Added a page detailing the background music which plays at both Port Orleans resorts. 11-Feb-10: Updated the Desktop Wallpaper page with lots of brand new images and larger sizes. 03-Jan-10: Added new pricing information, including 2010 Room Rates and Valet Laundry charges. [more...]