Disney's Port Orleans Resort

Disney's Port Orleans Resort details

Set on the edge of a river, this two-in-one hotel showcases the contrasting faces of Louisiana.

Disney’s Port Orleans Resort is something of a double act. It’s made up of two hotels, both with the same laid-back atmosphere. You’ve got the Riverside, inspired by rural Louisiana with its waterways and paddle steamers. At the French Quarter, meanwhile, it’s all about New Orleans’ historic district. Here, cobblestoned streets, intricate balconies and antique gas lamps set the scene.

Both hotels fringe the Sassagoula River and are linked by a path along its banks. You can stroll between them, switching from city to country and sampling their different restaurants and pools.

Talking of pools, they’re pretty special. At the Riverside, you get a lagoon with terraces and a water chute. At the French Quarter, the Doubloon Lagoon steals the show with its sea-serpent waterslide.

In terms of other things to do, you can take horse-drawn carriage rides along the river and hire sailboats and pedalboats from the dock. Plus, there’s bike rental and an old-fashioned fishing hole.

On the food front, you’ve got lots of options. At the Riverside, the Food Court serves the likes of pizzas and roast beef. Then you’ve got Boatwright’s, where Southern dishes are the mainstays. The French Quarter’s restaurants are more casual - a Food Court for Cajun specials and a lounge bar focused on live entertainment.

The last word goes to the rooms. You can stay at the Riverside in elegant mansion rooms or bayou-style cottages, while the French Quarter’s rooms are quintessential New Orleans, with wood-panelled bathrooms and mahogany beds. They all feature the standard Disney accoutrements like coffee-makers, fridges and cable TVs.