Showing posts with label Host Resort. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Host Resort. Show all posts

Friday, February 8, 2019

Port Orleans French Quarter Resort Review

When you talk about favorite resorts at Disney, there's no denying that Port Orleans Riverside is one of my favorite moderates. I love the theming, the atmosphere, and the overall feel of the resort.

Last August though, my husband and I had the chance to stay on property for an evening before our Disney Cruise, and we decided to stray up the beaten path to Port Orleans French Quarter. Little did I know, this quaint little resort would quickly earn a place in my heart!


With its down home southern feel and New Orleans atmosphere, this resort is a must stay in my opinion!


A few fun facts about Port Orleans French Quarter:
  • Moderate category
  • New Orleans style theming
  • Walking distance to Port Orleans Riverside
  • Additional transportation option by way of boat to Disney Springs


Upon arrival, we were immediately greeted with that sweet, southern hospitality you come to expect in the south. Our room wasn't ready yet, but the resort was not full and the cast member was able to find a spot for us which was super nice of him!


Port Orleans French Quarter has a quick service location which serves a wide variety of food, along with a few southern favorites.


I also seriously loved the Float Works dining hall overhaul! Disney removed the giant Mardi Gras parade heads and replaced them with a sleeker, more modern design.


There's even a few "hidden" Disney touches - check out the cards below!


Remember when I mentioned traditional southern favorites?


Beignets, anyone? :)

I can honestly attest this "new recipe" (as of late summer 2018) is perfect and tastes just like Cafe du Monde. The old recipe? Well, let's just say I'm glad they overhauled that one! If you haven't tried the beignets here in a while, you definitely need to do so again!


Another touch to the southern way of living are the alligator statues located along the property. No, I don't have them in my actual backyard, but I don't have to travel far to find them!


The architectural design on this property is on point!


Our favorite part about this resort is the size. No matter which building you're staying in, you won't have a long walk to get to the dining hall which is super nice! This resort is also super quiet and we loved that!


The rooms were recently remodeled which meant no more carpet!


Our room contained a king bed, fridge, iron with table, hair dryer, and built-in soap dispensers on the wall. (Since that's super important to know!)


Mardi Gras beads were also waiting for us with the traditional hidden Mickey on the table of our room.


The bathroom was super spacious and had plenty of room to move around. The only difference with this room was the lack of separate potty/shower from the sink. If one person was in the restroom, you didn't have access to anything else. I'm not sure if this is how all of the rooms on property are, but that's how ours was for sure.


Although we didn't have time to explore the pool area, this slide looked like a lot of fun. The laundry facilities are also located alongside the pool.


Taking a boat to Disney Springs is also super convenient and very peaceful. You also have a chance spot the Treehouse Villas along the way.



The New Balance Running Trail is available at this resort as well. I've run this entire route and it's a good one!


This is subject to change, but several of the Disney resorts are offering fun runs on property on certain days of the week. Sadly, we were missing this one by one day. Whomp Whomp.


If you'd like to venture a walk over to Port Orleans Riverside, you can do that as well! It's not far and only requires crossing one waterway! :)

Also noteworthy - there is no workout facility on property which is why the running/walking paths definitely come in handy!


The street signs and cross ways were also designed perfectly, along with these guys (below) which you'll find all throughout the streets of downtown New Orleans.

 


As if we thought this resort coulnd't get any more perfect, it did. Once the sun sets at night, the streetlamps kick on and wow. It's breathtaking!


So, should you stay here? Yes, yes you should. Living in Louisiana, I've been to New Orleans more times than I can count and always shied away from staying at this resort. Now, I'm sad I didn't get a chance to experience it sooner, I'll definitely stay here again and hope you will consider it as well! 

Want to read up on other resort reviews here on the blog? Check them out below! The list is ever growing!
Thanks for stopping by! Have a magical day!

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Disney's Wilderness Lodge

Hello and welcome to Part 3 of my Disney Resort series! Today, I'll be covering the ins and outs of my favorite deluxe resort, The Wilderness Lodge.

So, you've registered for a runDisney race and now you need a room? Well, you've come to the right place! So far in this series, I've reviewed:
My husband and I LOVE the Wilderness Lodge (so does my mom)! We've stayed here for several race weekends (and non-race weekends) over the past few years and have always enjoyed our visits!


We love the decor and overall atmosphere of this resort! 

A few facts about the Wilderness Lodge:
  • Disney Deluxe Resort
  • Disney Vacation Club also located on property
  • Tours of the Wilderness Lodge are given Wednesdays-Sundays at 9 a.m. by Ranger Sam (I haven't had the chance to do this yet but it's definitely on my list!) 
  • Boat and Bike rentals are available to rent (and a fun way to not only see the Wilderness Lodge but also Fort Wilderness as well!)
  • Several dining options located on property
  • Various modes of transportation available

These fellas greet you as you drive up to the lodge!


The exterior of the lodge is beautiful and grand and was modeled after the Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone National Park.


One of my favorite parts is the sounds of nature that appear at night! How does Disney do it? Guess it's magic! :)


Speaking of sounds, if you enjoy the music that's heard throughout the lobby of the resort, a soundtrack list is available here!


Another favorite of this resort is the lobby!


 Inside the lobby, you'll find:
  • Beautiful woodwork
  • Gorgeous 80 ft tall fireplace complete with rockers so guests can enjoy the warmth
  •  Bubbling hot spring that flows out to the waterfall/pool area
  • Hilarious and incredibly fun restaurant entitled "Whispering Canyon Cafe"
  • Gift Shop

Checking in, please! 


 A popular tradition among guests at the Wilderness Lodge is to rub Humphrey the Bear's nose. Yes, it's true and I'm guilty!



I also might have made this a little mini-tradition by accident! Ah well, at least Donald's gettin some love!


A Fire Rock Geyser is located outside on the path to the boats and erupts daily from 7 a.m.-10 p.m. (on the top of each hour)! 



Like other Disney resorts, the Wilderness Lodge includes a running trail that begins at the Wilderness Lodge and goes to Fort Wilderness! It's such a peaceful path to run and if you're lucky, includes lots of wildlife along the way (deer and rabbits)! 


Another favorite (we have so many) of the Wilderness Lodge is the variety of transportation available.


Apart from buses, guests can also take  a boat to either Fort Wilderness, Contemporary, or the Magic Kingdom!


Transportation begins bright and early in the morning and continues late into the evening -
  • Red Flag Boat to the Magic Kingdom transports guests a half hour before park opening and an hour and a half after park closing
  • Blue Flag Boat travels between Wilderness Lodge/Fort Wilderness/Contemporary and transports guests from 6:45 a.m. until 11:30 p.m.! (How nice for an early breakfast reservation at Chef Mickeys!)
We stayed at the Wilderness Lodge for my first Disney Marathon which made spectating an easy process for my husband! He was able to take an early boat to the Contemporary where he then boarded a monorail to the TTC and watched me run by....then walked over to the Polynesian and waited for me to run by again! Love those boats, I tell ya! 


Another perk of taking this mode of transportation? Beautiful Florida sunrises over Bay Lake!


A beach is located on property as well and is a great place to watch the Electrical Water Pageant at night!


 Looking for food? Well, you've come to the right place! This resorts hosts a variety of dining experiences that range from:
  • Roaring Fork (Quick Service)
  • Whispering Canyon Cafe (Table Service) - a GREAT place to eat dinner after running a marathon...take my word for it! Hehe!
  • Artist Point (Signature Dining)

How about the rooms? Well, there's a variety of those on property, too!

 

We've stayed in rooms ranging from Queen beds to a King bed to bunk beds! Club level is also available at this resort as are a variety of "views".




I wanted to take this guy home with me! :)
 

Disney friends are even included in the decor!








The Wilderness Lodge is beautiful at night. We love sitting out near the pool while listening to the waterfalls and crickets (both fake and real...that Disney magic, I tell ya)! 

Have you ever stayed at the Wilderness Lodge? If so, what's your thoughts on this resort?
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