Port Orleans News

Following a successful trial over at French Quarter, the Port Orleans Riverside laundry machines are also now switching over to cashless payment, and will soon only be able to accept card payments.

As of the end of March 2015, both of the mansion building laundry rooms have already been converted, as has the Alligator Bayou laundry next to the quiet pool by building 18. The room by the 'twenties' pool is currently closed while work is completed on swapping the machines, leaving just the final laundry room in the Alligator Bayou thirties section to be completed very soon.

Note: As Disney is using an off-the-shelf card processing solution, there is no facility for guests to pay using Magic Bands or even old-style Disney Key to the World cards. However, as no ZIP code or PIN entry is required, any credit, debit or pre-loaded dollar payment card should work - including internationally issued cards - just as long as they have a magnetic stripe on the back.

Update on 4 April: Work is apparently now complete, all of the laundry rooms have been updated.

The new machines (including the existing ones over at French Quarter) are also internet connected. Yes, really! You can check on the current status of any of the washers and driers at Port Orleans via the website http://www.laundryview.com/disneyworld/ using either a computer or a mobile device, which allows you check for available machines and also to see when your own load is finished.

Update from Bob regarding this project:

"I was hoping to pick up some shifts on my nights off from the Port at a new Restaurant at Disney Springs called The Boathouse. Unfortunately, the gig was unable to launch before we could play the first note!"


Original Story:

Port Orleans Riverside's popular resident evening entertainer, the legendary "Ya Haa" Bob Jackson, will be soon spending even more time performing at Walt Disney World when the new Boathouse Restaurant opens as part of the Disney Springs development at Downtown Disney.



Bob is tentatively scheduled to start working at the new restaurant on his nights off from Port Orleans - does the man never sleep?! He'll apparently be playing on the water taxi there, and will be performing instrumental jazz standards with a sax player from 4pm-10pm on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays. The restaurant hasn't officially opened yet so the schedule below is still subject to change, based on a currently planned opening date of Monday 13 April.

Note: Bob has a personal day-off planned for Friday 10 April, so he won't be performing at the River Roost Lounge that day.

Wed 01 April - River Roost Lounge (Riverside)
Thu 02 April - River Roost Lounge (Riverside)
Fri 03 April - River Roost Lounge (Riverside)
Sat 04 April - River Roost Lounge (Riverside)
Sun 05 April - Ocoee Christian Church (10:45am-noon)
Mon 06 April - Off
Tue 07 April - Give Kids the World
Wed 08 April - River Roost Lounge (Riverside)
Thu 09 April - River Roost Lounge (Riverside)
Fri 10 April - OFF
Sat 11 April - River Roost Lounge (Riverside)
Sun 12 April - Ocoee Christian Church (10:45am-noon)
Mon 13 April - Boathouse (Disney Springs)
Tue 14 April - Boathouse (Disney Springs)
Wed 15 April - River Roost Lounge (Riverside)
Thu 16 April - River Roost Lounge (Riverside)
Fri 17 April - River Roost Lounge (Riverside)
Sat 18 April - River Roost Lounge (Riverside)
Sun 19 April - Ocoee Christian Church (10:45am-noon), Boathouse (Disney Springs)
Mon 20 April - Boathouse (Disney Springs)
Tue 21 April - Boathouse (Disney Springs)
Wed 22 April - River Roost Lounge (Riverside)
Thu 23 April - River Roost Lounge (Riverside)
Fri 24 April - River Roost Lounge (Riverside)
Sat 25 April - River Roost Lounge (Riverside)
Sun 26 April - Ocoee Christian Church (10:45am-noon), Boathouse (Disney Springs)
Mon 27 April - Private Event
Tue 28 April - Boathouse (Disney Springs)
Wed 29 April - River Roost Lounge (Riverside)
Thu 30 April - River Roost Lounge (Riverside)

Bob's schedule can also be found on his website, or subscribe to his monthly email newsletter.

The April 2015 Recreation Activities and Movie Schedules for Port Orleans Riverside and Port Orleans French Quarter are now available. See the main Recreation Activities Schedules page for full-size printable PDF versions.

The evening campfires will commence at 6:30pm this month and the Movies Under the Stars will be screened at 8:30pm daily at both resorts. The feature swimming pool opening hours are currently 9am—10pm, which should be extended to the full summer hours of 9am—11pm sometime around May.

Special Easter Sunday events on 5 April will include Character Meet & Greets, Candy Scrambles and other games, Easter Arts and Crafts, Bunny Bingo, and The Great Golden Egg Hunt. Pre-made or customisable Easter Baskets will be available for guests to purchase from 3-5 April at both resort gift shops (Fulton's General Store and Jackson Square Gifts & Desires).

Celebrate Earth Day by joining the cast members in the Lobby to vote for your favourite recyclable art creation. Made by the Cast Members from the resort, see their creativity on display and cast your vote on 21 April from 9am-3pm. Also, in celebration of Earth Day, on Wednesday 22 April the Movie Under the Stars presentation will be Disneynature’s “Bears”.

Lounge entertainer Tom Casey will be finishing his run at Scat Cat's Club at Port Orleans French Quarter at the end of March.

According to his Facebook page, evening entertainer Tom Casey will be finishing his contracted run at Scat Cat's Club at Port Orleans French Quarter at the end of March. Thanks for all the fun and live music at Scat Cat's over the past couple of years Tom, and good luck for your future projects.

There has been no announcement as yet as to who will be replacing Tom.

The March 2015 Recreation Activities and Movie Schedules for Port Orleans Riverside and Port Orleans French Quarter are now available. See the main Recreation Activities Schedules page for full-size printable PDF versions.

The evening campfires will commence at 6pm this month and the Movies Under the Stars will be screened at 8pm daily at both resorts.

New for March at Port Orleans French Quarter is Frozen Friday: "Do you wanna build a snowman?" Then join us at the French Quarter Green (between buildings 5 & 6) every Friday for fun-filled Frozen themed activities for all ages:

• 4pm - Frozen Trivia, Snowman Building, Troll Bowling and more
• 6pm - Frozen Sing Along and Campfire
• 8pm - Movie Under the Stars: Frozen (rated PG)