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Port Orleans French Quarter is within the midst of its year-long room reimagining, and we had the possibility to remain in one among these redone rooms impressed by The Princess and the Frog throughout our Christmas journey to Walt Disney World. This resort overview 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 May. Walt Disney World initially introduced it might finish earlier than the vacation season began, however as we famous within the 2025-2026 Walt Disney World Hotel Construction & Refurbishment Tracker, that was all the time an unrealistic timeline since this can be a arduous items overhaul. Back when the challenge was introduced, our guess was that it might pause for the height season after which resume this winter.
Instead, it bought prolonged with an official finish date of Spring 2025. As we noticed firsthand, the challenge didn’t pause for Christmas as is commonly the case to have full room stock for the busiest months of the yr. It powered full steam forward, with two buildings closed and an lively building website on the far aspect 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. When we have been there, building crews have been within the strategy of overhauling Buildings 6 and seven. Building 6 ought to be reopening any day now, and that’s assuming it isn’t already. When Building 6 or 7 reopen, count on Building 5 to shut to complete the challenge.
The excellent news is that anybody with an upcoming keep has very excessive odds of receiving a reimagined room. Once Building 5 closes, it received’t even be potential to get one of many previous rooms. And as famous above, that ought to be taking place any day now. The barely unhealthy information is that Building 5 is extra centralized with a location adjoining to the Doubloon Lagoon pool, that means the work will probably be extra disruptive to the environment there.
Regardless, we’d now count on the Port Orleans French Quarter room redo to wrap up proper across the begin of Spring Break 2025.
But wait, there’s extra. Walt Disney World has already introduced a partial slate of room reimaginings at Port Orleans Riverside starting in Spring 2025. Once Port Orleans French Quarter is completed with its refurbishment, the standard 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 very best.)
Walt Disney World has formally introduced that this Riverside redo will final till early 2026. However, we likewise count on this to be prolonged since what’s been introduced up to now solely encompasses Magnolia Bend. By the time that’s accomplished, it’ll be time for Alligator Bayou to obtain its subsequent spherical of room redos. If the conventional challenge cadence is adopted, all of those will probably be arduous items refurbishments and the full timeline will probably be till late 2026 or early 2027.
In case you’re questioning what building appears to be like like throughout the challenge, listed below are some images 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 significant renovation of a lodge room. It’s sometimes a gut-job throughout which the furnishings, flooring, fixtures, and different components are changed. We refer to those as room reimaginings, as they normally lead to materially-different rooms.
In between arduous items refurbishments, there are tender items refurbishments to increase the lifetime of a specific room design, and to present them a recent look that takes benefit of trade traits and improvements in design. Soft 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 tender items refurbishments fairly successfully within the final decade to introduce space-saving design options. Consequently, the road has been blurred between tender and hards items refurbishments, to the purpose that we’ve seen large adjustments throughout tender items initiatives (particularly on the DVC aspect) to put in new fold-down beds and make different main adjustments.
Before 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 present you context.
These have been final redone as a part of a tender items refurbishment in ~2018 that largely concerned changing the (very worn) carpet with new arduous flooring, bigger TVs, raised beds, removing of the wallpaper border, repainting, illuminated vainness mirror, addition of USB ports, and different minor particulars I’m in all probability forgetting.
Here are the newly-reimagined rooms at Port Orleans French Quarter post-hard items refurbishment. These function a recent 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. Previously, there was a straight association of lighter woods framed by a darkish sq.. It seemed good, however maybe barely dated. Now the ground is a herringbone sample, just like different new rooms at Walt Disney World.
In isolation, I don’t have a powerful opinion on this flooring change. As somebody who does a dozen-plus Walt Disney World lodge stays per yr, I appreciated that the previous look was one thing completely different. This is fairly just like a number of different recently-redone rooms at Walt Disney World. And I’m guessing Riverside will find yourself trying precisely the identical.
Another 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 may simply seat 3 adults or perhaps a household of 4. From a perform perspective, it’s an enchancment. While not related to us, it might’ve been good if the desk have been somewhat bigger, as there’s not sufficient house for 3-4 folks to make use of this on the similar time. There’s barely sufficient room for two.
The couch can also be an improve when it comes to kind, because the colourful sample offers 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 first options Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen dancing on the street with a band performing within the foreground. The different has Louis the Alligator taking part in 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 function 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 Adventure simply having opened. That movie is, indubitably, an amazing 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 mentioned, I do miss the basic Disney idea art work–principally of New Orleans Square at Disneyland. That was refined and grownup, a rarity for a Moderate Resort that made the rooms really feel (at the very least to me) extra upscale than they really have been. As somebody who prefers the parks to animation, I’ll all the time favor nods to Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and so forth. in rooms over film and character tie-ins. To every their very own on that, although.
Next to the couch is the dresser, with the tv mounted on the wall above that. The controversial Alexa ‘Hey Disney!’ machine (that we’ve actually come to take pleasure in due to the Soundscapes) sits beneath the TV. These gadgets 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 really work (for now).
The beverage cooler is hidden behind the screened door within the dresser of the console. Note that these are the norm in lodge rooms at Walt Disney World. To the very best of my data, correct mini-fridges are solely in DVC rooms or actually previous rooms. This isn’t the best photograph of all that, so let’s take one other look…
Functionally, the most important 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 best way to the wall that abuts with the toilet. I don’t actually have a powerful opinion on this transformation. The new cabinets above the espresso maker add space for storing–and maybe extra importantly, pops of colour with their Mardi Gras designs.
On the opposite hand, 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 exchange the previous wooden body, and prolong all the best way to the ceiling.
These are paying homage 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 just 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 both 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 criticism, whereas additionally classing them up a bit.
If the sheets, mattresses or pillows are completely different, we couldn’t inform. We have been followers of the bedding right here earlier than, and that continues to be true. (It’s the identical in any respect Moderate Resorts, to the very best 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 shifting away from them. I don’t rant about that just about as a lot anymore, in all probability 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 appears to be like 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 dimension for a cellphone. In the middle bedside desk, there’s extra storage in addition to USB-A and USB-C charging ports. These additionally at the moment work, however the room continues to be model new–give it time.
Adjacent 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 function. The colour scheme is similar because the headboards with gold metallic particulars; the sample is completely different, and evokes Princess and the Frog.
There’s additionally Princess and the Frog art work to the best of the door. This is way smaller than the New Orleans Square 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 in keeping with different resorts round Walt Disney World.
Here you might have two sinks, illuminated toilet mirror, and make-up mirror. A number of shelf house and storage has additionally been added. Personally, I’d be prepared to commerce these cabinets for extra counter house so it’s simpler for 2 folks to prepare without delay.
Although my photograph doesn’t seize it, the toilet ground has been redone and now incorporates a mosaic sample within the colour scheme of your complete room, tying the entire redesign collectively. This appears to be like implausible, and once more helps the room counter the tasteless/boring/beige accusations.
The bathe has additionally been redone, identical to different Moderate Resort loos.
As you’ll be able to see, ours was a standard walk-in bathe. For those that need or want a bath, it’s our understanding that these are additionally nonetheless accessible. If that’s essential to you, we’d advocate making a request throughout on-line check-in after which confirming with the entrance desk earlier than coming into the room.
We strongly desire the walk-in bathe, so we have been happy to see this transformation.
As earlier than, the shampoo, conditioner, and cleaning soap are supplied through wall-mounted dispensers fairly than the small particular person bottles. This is nothing new from the previous design, so might not warrant mentioning.
However, what is new is that these are all-new dispensers. Walt Disney World had been overlaying up the H2O branding, following the top of that partnership. (As we beforehand reported, Walt Disney World’s bathtub model was ending.)
Thankfully, Disney acquired the rights to the system for the H2O bathtub merchandise and revealed it might proceed to supply them beneath their very own private-label Disney resorts model. As a consequence, there have been stickers overlaying the previous branding and different makeshift dispensers at some resorts.
Here’s a video tour of this newly-reimagined room at Port Orleans French Quarter:
As could be obvious from the forgoing, we usually 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 changing 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 overview.
From our perspective, these do sufficient to handle these issues. To be certain, this is not going to fulfill each Walt Disney World diehard, particularly those that have been visiting because the Nineteen Nineties. But for us, this room finds the right center floor between blandness and busy-ness. Maybe 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 lodge 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 Value Resorts and Deluxe Villa Resorts, I hoped for one thing alongside these traces.
Most just lately, the reimagined ‘Under the Sea’ Little Mermaid rooms at Caribbean Beach Resort are implausible, and produce DVC-style lodging to the lots. We love these rooms, and can be extra inclined to remain at Caribbean Beach for them (plus the Skyliner and Sebastian’s Bistro).
This is extra iterative than any of these. That’ll be tremendous for a lot of–if not most–friends, however we actually love the space-saving types supplied by the fold-down beds. That’s a minor quibble or a matter of private desire, although.
Ultimately, there are pretty important enhancements over the previous Port Orleans French Quarter rooms when graded objectively. These at the moment are the very best normal Moderate Rooms at Walt Disney World, with an amazing mixture of recent kind and performance.
They convey a few of the options and types from the redone rooms at BoardWalk and Grand Floridian, though clearly with out almost as a lot element. Expecting a Moderate Resort that prices lower than half the value of these to supply comparable lodging is clearly anticipating an excessive amount of.
At the identical time, I’m happy that these Port Orleans French Quarter rooms averted the pitfalls of the Incredibles rooms on the Contemporary, for instance. Those rooms are a cautionary story in pushing character integration too far, they usually look tacky in consequence. 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 similar time. Although they aren’t the head of themed design at Walt Disney World, they’re fairly good for a Moderate Resort. The overhaul could be iterative fairly than progressive, however typically there’s no have to reinvent the wheel.
Honestly, that line of considering might be prolonged to Port Orleans French Quarter as a complete. This is without doubt one of the final remaining ‘old school’ lodges at Walt Disney World with none novel transportation or flagship options that we’ve seen added elsewhere during the last decade. Despite that, French Quarter is implausible.
There’s quite a bit to be mentioned for the only bus cease, the eating is best than some followers give it credit score for, and the pool is beautiful. Port Orleans French Quarter additionally brilliantly balances themed design with a compact structure, 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.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Learn about lodges on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To lower your expenses on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets put up. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips put up takes a novel have a look at intelligent objects to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the very best place to begin is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for all the things you have to know!
Your Thoughts
Do you agree or disagree with our tackle the reimagined rooms at Port Orleans French Quarter? Think this redesign threads the needle on blandness vs. busy-ness? Wish they’d’ve added fold-down beds, or do you favor this method? Any different 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 may also help you reply? Hearing 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!
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