Port Orleans French Quarter is within the midst of its year-long room reimagining, and we had the possibility to remain in considered one of these redone rooms impressed by The Princess and the Frog throughout our Christmas journey to Walt Disney World. This resort assessment shares a photograph & video tour of the brand new rooms, plus our ideas on the redesign and staying at POFQ.
Let’s begin with the timeline for the Port Orleans French Quarter room redo, which started final Might. Walt Disney World initially introduced it could finish earlier than the vacation season began, however as we famous within the 2025-2026 Walt Disney World Lodge Development & Refurbishment Tracker, that was at all times an unrealistic timeline since this can be a onerous items overhaul. Again when the venture was introduced, our guess was that it could pause for the height season after which resume this winter.
As an alternative, it received prolonged with an official finish date of Spring 2025. As we noticed firsthand, the venture didn’t pause for Christmas as is commonly the case to have full room stock for the busiest months of the 12 months. It powered full steam forward, with two buildings closed and an energetic building web site on the far facet of Port Orleans French Quarter, en path to Riverside.
For these with upcoming stays deliberate at Port Orleans French Quarter, the redone rooms are completed and opened in Buildings 1, 2, 3, and 4. Once we have been there, building crews have been within the means of overhauling Buildings 6 and seven. Constructing 6 must be reopening any day now, and that’s assuming it isn’t already. When Constructing 6 or 7 reopen, anticipate Constructing 5 to shut to complete the venture.
The excellent news is that anybody with an upcoming keep has very excessive odds of receiving a reimagined room. As soon as Constructing 5 closes, it gained’t even be potential to get one of many previous rooms. And as famous above, that must be occurring any day now. The marginally unhealthy information is that Constructing 5 is extra centralized with a location adjoining to the Doubloon Lagoon pool, that means the work shall be extra disruptive to the environment there.
Regardless, we’d now anticipate the Port Orleans French Quarter room redo to wrap up proper across the begin of Spring Break 2025.
However wait, there’s extra. Walt Disney World has already introduced a partial slate of room reimaginings at Port Orleans Riverside starting in Spring 2025. As soon as Port Orleans French Quarter is completed with its refurbishment, the everyday method can be for these building crews to maneuver over to Riverside. That’s what occurred final time and the time earlier than that. (I’m unsure in regards to the time earlier than that–that’s again within the AOL dial-up days and web record-keeping isn’t the most effective.)
Walt Disney World has formally introduced that this Riverside redo will final till early 2026. Nonetheless, we likewise anticipate this to be prolonged since what’s been introduced so far solely encompasses Magnolia Bend. By the point that’s achieved, it’ll be time for Alligator Bayou to obtain its subsequent spherical of room redos. If the conventional venture cadence is adopted, all of those shall be onerous items refurbishments and the overall timeline shall be till late 2026 or early 2027.
In case you’re questioning what building seems like in the course of the venture, listed below are some photographs from round Buildings 6 and seven:
As talked about above, this room redo at Port Orleans French Quarter is a tough items refurbishment. For these unfamiliar with this time period, a tough items refurbishment is a serious renovation of a resort room. It’s sometimes a gut-job throughout which the furnishings, flooring, fixtures, and different parts are changed. We refer to those as room reimaginings, as they normally lead to materially-different rooms.
In between onerous items refurbishments, there are comfortable items refurbishments to increase the lifetime of a specific room design, and to offer them a contemporary look that takes benefit of trade traits and improvements in design. Tender items refurbishments sometimes contain updating furnishings, together with however not restricted to wall coverings, flooring, linens, decor, and a few furnishings.
Walt Disney World has been using comfortable items refurbishments fairly successfully within the final decade to introduce space-saving design options. Consequently, the road has been blurred between comfortable and hards items refurbishments, to the purpose that we’ve seen huge adjustments throughout comfortable items initiatives (particularly on the DVC facet) to put in new fold-down beds and make different main adjustments.
Earlier than we check out the newly-reimagined rooms, let’s first begin with a have a look at the earlier rooms at Port Orleans French Quarter (above) to offer you context.
These have been final redone as a part of a comfortable items refurbishment in ~2018 that largely concerned changing the (very worn) carpet with new onerous flooring, bigger TVs, raised beds, elimination of the wallpaper border, repainting, illuminated vainness mirror, addition of USB ports, and different minor particulars I’m most likely forgetting.
Listed here are the newly-reimagined rooms at Port Orleans French Quarter post-hard items refurbishment. These characteristic a contemporary coat of cream paint that brightens the room–or makes it overly bland, boring, and beige–relying upon your perspective.
The flooring has modified as soon as once more. Beforehand, there was a straight association of lighter woods framed by a darkish sq.. It appeared good, however maybe barely dated. Now the ground is a herringbone sample, much like different new rooms at Walt Disney World.
In isolation, I don’t have a robust opinion on this flooring change. As somebody who does a dozen-plus Walt Disney World resort stays per 12 months, I appreciated that the previous look was one thing totally different. That is fairly much like a number of different recently-redone rooms at Walt Disney World. And I’m guessing Riverside will find yourself wanting precisely the identical.
One other pretty main change is that the desk and chairs has been changed by a settee and barely bigger desk. The curtains have been additionally been changed with a detailed-but-muted sample that matches the couch. The AC enclosure has additionally been repainted to match the dresser.
We actually just like the couch, which might simply seat 3 adults or possibly a household of 4. From a perform perspective, it’s an enchancment. Whereas not related to us, it could’ve been good if the desk have been a little bit bigger, as there’s not sufficient area for 3-4 folks to make use of this on the identical time. There’s barely sufficient room for two.
The couch can also be an improve by way of type, because the colourful sample supplies a pop of colour. This would possibly assist to offset these complaints of the room being too bland and beige.
There are two Mardi Gras prints above the couch in golden oval frames. The primary options Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen dancing on the street with a band performing within the foreground. The opposite has Louis the Alligator enjoying his trumpet with a band whereas partiers throw beads from the balcony above.
These are two of some Princess and the Frog work across the room. On the one hand, having this room redone to characteristic that Disney animated movie was apparent. Even with out Disney saying as a lot, any fan may’ve guessed this was the route they’d go, particularly with Tiana’s Bayou Journey simply having opened. That movie is, surely, an excellent match for Port Orleans French Quarter. (Heck, I’m nonetheless upset they didn’t repurpose Bonfamille’s Cafe into Tiana’s Palace Restaurant.)
With that stated, I do miss the basic Disney idea paintings–largely of New Orleans Sq. at Disneyland. That was refined and grownup, a rarity for a Reasonable Resort that made the rooms really feel (at the least to me) extra upscale than they really have been. As somebody who prefers the parks to animation, I’ll at all times favor nods to Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and many others. in rooms over film and character tie-ins. To every their very own on that, although.
Subsequent to the couch is the dresser, with the tv mounted on the wall above that. The controversial Alexa ‘Hey Disney!’ gadget (that we’ve actually come to take pleasure in due to the Soundscapes) sits beneath the TV. These units at the moment are in all rooms at Walt Disney World.
The dresser is painted in blue with gold pulls, and a white marble floor. There are a number of USB-A and USB-C ports on the dresser, they usually truly work (for now).
The beverage cooler is hidden behind the screened door within the dresser of the console. Observe that these are the norm in resort rooms at Walt Disney World. To the most effective of my data, correct mini-fridges are solely in DVC rooms or actually previous rooms. This isn’t the best picture of all that, so let’s take one other look…
Functionally, the largest change in regards to the dresser is that it’s longer and barely slimmer.
It doesn’t stick out so far as the previous dresser, and extends all the way in which to the wall that abuts with the toilet. I don’t actually have a robust opinion on this alteration. The brand new cabinets above the espresso maker add cupboard space–and maybe extra importantly, pops of colour with their Mardi Gras designs.
However, this encloses what was beforehand the right spot for an open suitcase on a stand. Six of 1, half-dozen of the opposite, I suppose.
The headboards above the beds change the previous wooden body, and prolong all the way in which to the ceiling.
These are harking back to the headboards at different new rooms, with BoardWalk and Grand Floridian instantly coming to thoughts for me. There’s good depth and dimension to those, with a lightly-upholstered space proper above the pillows after which a mosaic sample above that, all framed by a blue-green colour much like that of the earlier paint on the wall itself.
There are additionally new lighting sconces above every mattress, in addition to fold-out studying lights flanking all sides of every headboard. For me, these are enhancements over what was there earlier than, giving extra persona and pops of colour to the rooms to counter the tasteless/boring/beige grievance, whereas additionally classing them up a bit.
If the sheets, mattresses or pillows are totally different, we couldn’t inform. We have been followers of the bedding right here earlier than, and that is still true. (It’s the identical in any respect Reasonable Resorts, to the most effective of our data.)
Longtime readers of the weblog know that I used to be a giant mattress runner proponent, lamenting their loss lengthy after it turned clear the trade as a complete was transferring away from them. I don’t rant about that just about as a lot anymore, most likely as a result of even the circa-2018 POFQ rooms didn’t have mattress runners.
For me, the brand new pattern of throw pillows is an ample substitute for mattress runners, so I’m going to declare victory over bland bedding. This vivid orange pillow with fleur-de-lis patterning provides a pop of colour to the in any other case sterile extra colour to the mattress. Between this and the headboards, the mattress seems good. No complaints from me!
Functionally, there’s a small shelf affixed on the wall subsequent to the headboard closest to the toilet that’s the suitable measurement for a telephone. Within the heart bedside desk, there’s extra storage in addition to USB-A and USB-C charging ports. These additionally at present work, however the room continues to be model new–give it time.
Adjoining to that mattress, there’s a brand new barn door to the toilet–there beforehand was no separate between the 2 rooms, so this can be a good characteristic. The colour scheme is similar because the headboards with gold steel particulars; the sample is totally different, and evokes Princess and the Frog.
There’s additionally Princess and the Frog paintings to the suitable of the door. That is a lot smaller than the New Orleans Sq. artwork that it replaces, however that’s presumably necessitated by the sliding door. It’s a tradeoff, however we respect the addition of the door.
The toilet has been completely up to date, with a modernization per different resorts round Walt Disney World.
Right here you will have two sinks, illuminated toilet mirror, and make-up mirror. Lots of shelf area and storage has additionally been added. Personally, I’d be prepared to commerce these cabinets for extra counter area so it’s simpler for 2 folks to prepare directly.
Though my picture doesn’t seize it, the toilet flooring has been redone and now encompasses a mosaic sample within the colour scheme of the whole room, tying the entire redesign collectively. This seems improbable, and once more helps the room counter the tasteless/boring/beige accusations.
The bathe has additionally been redone, identical to different Reasonable Resort bogs.
As you may see, ours was a standard walk-in bathe. For individuals who need or want a tub, it’s our understanding that these are additionally nonetheless accessible. If that’s vital to you, we’d advocate making a request throughout on-line check-in after which confirming with the entrance desk earlier than getting into the room.
We strongly desire the walk-in bathe, so we have been happy to see this alteration.
As earlier than, the shampoo, conditioner, and cleaning soap are offered through wall-mounted dispensers fairly than the small particular person bottles. That is nothing new from the previous design, so might not warrant mentioning.
Nonetheless, what is new is that these are all-new dispensers. Walt Disney World had been protecting up the H2O branding, following the top of that partnership. (As we beforehand reported, Walt Disney World’s bathtub model was ending.)
Fortunately, Disney acquired the rights to the formulation for the H2O bathtub merchandise and revealed it could proceed to supply them underneath their very own private-label Disney resorts model. Because of this, there have been stickers protecting the previous branding and different makeshift dispensers at some resorts.
Right here’s a video tour of this newly-reimagined room at Port Orleans French Quarter:
As is likely to be obvious from the forgoing, we typically just like the redone rooms. There are sufficient pops of colour and particulars that add texture, depth and dimension that these rooms work for us. If it weren’t for the fixed refrain of complaints about Walt Disney World rooms turning into bland, boring and beige, I by no means even would’ve considered that when staying right here–a lot much less proactively introduced it up on this assessment.
From our perspective, these do sufficient to handle these issues. To make sure, this won’t fulfill each Walt Disney World diehard, particularly those that have been visiting because the Nineties. However for us, this room finds the right center floor between blandness and busy-ness. Perhaps it may use a coat of coloured paint on one other wall or a bigger piece of artwork, however something past that and there would arguably be an excessive amount of occurring. It’s good to have a resort room that’s calming and relaxed, and never an assault on the senses.
My greater critique, if I’ve one, is that this room doesn’t go far sufficient with the redesign. As a giant fan of the redone rooms on the Worth Resorts and Deluxe Villa Resorts, I hoped for one thing alongside these traces.
Most just lately, the reimagined ‘Underneath the Sea’ Little Mermaid rooms at Caribbean Seaside Resort are improbable, and produce DVC-style lodging to the lots. We love these rooms, and can be extra inclined to remain at Caribbean Seaside for them (plus the Skyliner and Sebastian’s Bistro).
That is extra iterative than any of these. That’ll be nice for a lot of–if not most–visitors, however we actually love the space-saving kinds provided by the fold-down beds. That’s a minor quibble or a matter of private desire, although.
Finally, there are pretty vital enhancements over the previous Port Orleans French Quarter rooms when graded objectively. These at the moment are the most effective normal Reasonable Rooms at Walt Disney World, with an excellent mixture of contemporary type and performance.
They bring about among the options and kinds from the redone rooms at BoardWalk and Grand Floridian, though clearly with out almost as a lot element. Anticipating a Reasonable Resort that prices lower than half the value of these to supply comparable lodging is clearly anticipating an excessive amount of.
On the identical time, I’m happy that these Port Orleans French Quarter rooms averted the pitfalls of the Incredibles rooms on the Modern, for instance. These rooms are a cautionary story in pushing character integration too far, they usually look tacky because of this. This room is clearly Mardi Gras and Princess and the Frog-impressed, with out going overboard with it.
These Port Orleans French Quarter rooms thread the needle higher, highlighting Disney characters and themed design on the identical time. Though they aren’t the head of themed design at Walt Disney World, they’re fairly good for a Reasonable Resort. The overhaul is likely to be iterative fairly than modern, however generally there’s no must reinvent the wheel.
Truthfully, that line of pondering may very well be prolonged to Port Orleans French Quarter as a complete. This is likely one of the final remaining ‘old-fashioned’ resorts at Walt Disney World with none novel transportation or flagship options that we’ve seen added elsewhere over the past decade. Regardless of that, French Quarter is improbable.
There’s loads to be stated for the only bus cease, the eating is best than some followers give it credit score for, and the pool is gorgeous. Port Orleans French Quarter additionally brilliantly balances themed design with a compact format, and the romantic environment plus upgraded rooms make it really feel like a quasi-Deluxe Resort in some methods. It’s straightforward to see why POFQ has such a fan following.
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Your Ideas
Do you agree or disagree with our tackle the reimagined rooms at Port Orleans French Quarter? Assume this redesign threads the needle on blandness vs. busy-ness? Want they’d’ve added fold-down beds, or do you favor this method? Some other adjustments you want or dislike about these rooms? Are you a fan of POFQ, or do you favor the extra sprawling Moderates (or Values or Deluxes)? Any options of the redesign that you simply like or dislike? Are mattress runners a hill value dying on? Any questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
