http://www.portorleans.org RSS news feed from portorleans.org, the unofficial visitor's guide to the Port Orleans Riverside and Port Orleans French Quarter Resorts at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. admin@portorleans.org (PortOrleans.org Admin) en http://www.portorleans.org/images/PortOrleans.org-Banner.jpg http://www.portorleans.org http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#300413 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#300413 The May 2013 Recreation Activities and Movie Schedules for Port Orleans Riverside and Port Orleans French Quarter are now available. See the main Recreation Activities Schedule page (www.portorleans.org/recreation-activites-schedule.php) for full-size PDF versions. The outdoor movies will start at 9pm and the daily campfires commence at 7pm this month. Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:42:40 -0600 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#290413 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#290413 Port Orleans French Quarter's resident multi-talented jazz musician, Elliot Dyson, has been let go by Disney - his final show will be on Saturday 4th May. Anyone who has spent any time at the resort will be familiar with Elliot's fabulous nightly laid-back jazz sessions at Scat Cat's Club which are a signature attraction of the resort, and I know he will be greatly missed by a lot of folks. We at PortOrleans.org would like to thank Elliot for his more than 40 years of entertaining guests at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, the last 13 of which have been at Port Orleans, and we wish him well for the future wherever that may lie. ~+~ Since the initial reports came out I've had some feedback from a member of the management team at the resort saying that this is as a result of the Lobby Refurbishment which is due to commence in a weeks' time, and it is still possible that Elliot may be asked to return after the work is complete. However his return does seem far from certain at present according to what Elliot himself has been saying. If you enjoy Elliot's shows at POFQ, why not write to Walt Disney World, or the resort management, to strongly encourage them to re-hire him after the lobby refurbishment is complete? Mon, 29 Apr 2013 03:39:54 -0600 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#200413 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#200413 The washing machines and dryers in the Port Orleans French Quarter Laundry Room (located near to the Doubloon Lagoon swimming pool) are now cashless and you will only be able to pay using a credit or debit card. This is initially a six-month trial and there are no immediate plans to extend it to any of the Riverside laundry rooms (as yet, anyway). Strangely though, there is no facility to pay using your Key-to-the-World card (room charge) which given the current major push towards contactless payment using room keycards everywhere at Walt Disney World, and the upcoming personalised Magic Band system, does seem a little odd. Sat, 20 Apr 2013 08:55:32 +0100 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#040413 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#040413 As I posted a month ago, this spring will see Port Orleans French Quarter's turn to be given a brand new look for its main registration lobby area, similar to the work completed over at Riverside last summer. I can now confirm that the work is due to commence on Monday 13 May 2013 [changed from 15 May] and should be completed by mid-July. As always, please remember that work schedules can shift a little, but that's the best information I have at the moment. More details on the estimated completion date should be available in June. During the period while the current lobby area is closed, all checkin and guest service functions will take place at the old Bonfamille's Cafe restaurant, just across the central atrium next to Scat Cat's Club - so when you enter the main atrium, you'll need to turn left rather than right. Thu, 04 Apr 2013 22:00:00 +0000 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#300313 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#300313 Hot on the heels of the Easter Sunday timetables, the April 2013 Recreation Activities and Movie Schedules for Port Orleans Riverside and Port Orleans French Quarter are now available too, see www.portorleans.org/recreation-activites-schedule.php for full-size PDF versions. The outdoor movies will start at 8:30pm and the daily campfires commence at 6:30pm in April. Also, don't miss the special Earth Day activities this month. Vote in a Recycle and Photo Contest in the Lobby at POR on Thursday 18 April (8am–5pm), then join in with the Earth Day Celebrations from noon-2pm on Friday 19 April beside the POR Marina. Recycle and Photo Contest winners will be announced at the Earth Day Celebration. Sat, 30 Mar 2013 09:27:11 +0000 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#290313 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#290313 The Easter Sunday 2013 Recreation Schedules are now available, see www.portorleans.org/recreation-activites-schedule.php for more details and full-size PDF versions. If you don't fancy spending all of Easter Sunday in the crowded theme parks (and they WILL be crowded!) there are plenty of activities around both of the Port Orleans resorts to keep you and the kids occupied, including character meet-and-greets, family games and poolside fun, and of course some traditional 'confectionery-based' activities. Also, both of the resort gift shops (Fulton's General Store at Port Orleans Riverside and Jackson Square Gifts and Desires at Port Orleans French Quarter) are again offering pre-made and made-to-order Easter Baskets from Tuesday 26 March until Easter Sunday. Walt Disney World will also be hosting special religious services in the Fantasia Ballroom at Disney's Contemporary Resort Convention Center on Easter Sunday morning (again, see www.portorleans.org/recreation-activites-schedule.php for details). Fri, 29 Mar 2013 09:56:04 +0000 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#020313 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#020313 This spring will see Port Orleans French Quarter's turn to be given a brand new look for its main registration lobby area. Tentatively planned to start sometime in May (details to be confirmed) the refit will be similar to the work completed over at Riverside last summer. During the period while the current lobby is closed, all checkin and guest service functions will take place at the old Bonfamille's Cafe restaurant, just across the central atrium next to Scat Cat's Club. This also seemed an ideal opportunity to create an archive 360-degree panorama photo of the original lobby design before it is gone forever, and that along with several other Port Orleans French Quarter panoramas are now available to view on our new French Quarter Panoramas page (www.portorleans.org/panoramas-POFQ.php). Sat, 02 Mar 2013 19:16:37 +0000 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#010313 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#010313 The March 2013 Recreation Activities and Movie Schedules for Port Orleans Riverside and Port Orleans French Quarter are now available. See the main Recreation Activities Schedule page (www.portorleans.org/recreation-activites-schedule.php) for full-size PDF versions. The outdoor movies will start at 8pm and the daily campfires commence at 6:30pm this month. Fri, 01 Mar 2013 09:00:00 +0000 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#280213 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#280213 Port Orleans Riverside's celebrated night-time entertainer, "Ye Haa" Bob Jackson, yesterday received the prestigious Walt Disney Legacy Award, given annually to a very select group of cast members for "keeping the magic alive through exemplary performance and commitment to the traditions and ideals established by Walt Disney". As the highest honour one can receive within Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, The Walt Disney Legacy Award recognises those exceptional individuals who consistently excel in the categories of: Dream, Create, Inspire. Congratulations Bob from all your friends at portorleans.org, this award is richly deserved for the amount of effort and dedication you put into entertaining your guests. Walt would have been proud of you, as you embody the values and traditions that he wanted for the parks (and now resorts) which carry his name - wear your new blue name-badge with pride! Thu, 28 Feb 2013 09:46:34 +0000 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#010213 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#010213 The February 2013 Recreation Activities and Movie Schedules for Port Orleans Riverside and Port Orleans French Quarter are still available, sorry for the delay in updating this RSS news feed. See the main Recreation Activities Schedule page (www.portorleans.org/recreation-activites-schedule.php) for full-size PDF versions. The outdoor movies will start at 7pm and the daily campfires commence at 5:30pm this month. Fri, 01 Feb 2013 22:00:00 +0000 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#290113 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#290113 The new keycard touch-to-pay terminals were activated at Port Orleans at the end of January (a few days later than first planned due to some technical teething problems). You can now pay using your RFID-chip based room keycard at all of the Port Orleans lobbies, shops, restaurants and bars (along with the theme parks and other WDW locations). As far as I know, you cannot use the new system in the laundry rooms, arcades, lockers, etc. though. Also, if you check in online from now on you should be offered the option of setting up a security PIN number for your keycard, which will save a little bit of time creating one when you arrive. The original intention was to only use the PIN numbers for transactions of $50 at WDW, but more recently all transactions require you to enter your PIN. Tue, 29 Jan 2013 20:23:28 +0000 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#020113 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#020113 There have been room number layouts for the Magnolia Bend mansion buildings on www.portorleans.org for a few years now, based on maps from the old Sassagoula Times handout which the front desk used to give out to arriving guests. However until now there has been no breakdown available for the other sections, which has been one of the most requested features from site visitors lately. So, after much research and burning of the midnight oil over the Christmas break, I'm proud to present detailed floor plan layouts for every floor of every building at Port Orleans - that's all sixteen Alligator Bayou lodges, the four Magnolia Bend mansions and the seven French Quarter buildings. All of these new floor plans can be accessed by simply clicking on each building in the resort maps on the Alligator Bayou (www.portorleans.org/alligator-bayou.php), Magnolia Bend (www.portorleans.org/magnolia-bend.php) and French Quarter (www.portorleans.org/frenchquarter-accommodation.php) pages. Wed, 02 Jan 2013 12:00:00 +0000 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#221212 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#221212 Christmas is almost upon us, and for those guests spending a bit of time relaxing away from the parks there will be lots of fun and games at both Port Orleans resorts. As I mentioned previously, there are musical groups entertaining everyone in the lobbies daily in the run-up to the big day, and on Christmas Eve your kids (oh alright, the adults too) can meet with Disney characters at both resorts in the morning, and Santa will be making a special appearance at the Riverside Lobby in the evening. See www.portorleans.org/recreation-activites-schedule.php for full details. ~+~ Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our readers, and to everyone at Port Orleans this holiday season. Sat, 22 Dec 2012 10:00:00 -0000 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#111212 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#111212 Visitors travelling to the Port Orleans resorts over the Christmas Holiday period can expect some extra festive fun for all the family. Both Riverside and French Quarter will be hosting Disney Character meet and greets in their lobbies on Christmas Eve, with the white-bearded gentleman in the red suit also scheduled to make a personal appearance at Riverside on the 24th - presumably before commencing his vital overnight voyage. There will also be local musical groups appearing the week before Christmas, presenting seasonal entertainment in the resort lobbies between 16 and 23 December. See the news page for full schedule. Tue, 11 Dec 2012 15:48:13 -0700 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#241012 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#241012 There have been some minor changes in options and prices at both of the food courts and at Boatwright's Dining Hall over the past couple of months. The listings on the site now reflect all of the current offerings and prices for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner for both adult and kids' meals. See the individual pages for Boatwright's Dining Hall (www.portorleans.org/boatwrights.php), the Riverside Mill (www.portorleans.org/riversidemill.php) and the Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory (www.portorleans.org/floatworks.php) for full details. Wed, 24 Oct 2012 05:33:41 -0600 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#151012 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#151012 (Sorry for the delay updating the RSS feed) Brand new 'RFID' locks are being installed on the doors of all guest rooms during October. French Quarter is now complete [17 Oct] and Acadian House and then the rest of the mansions will come next, followed by Alligator Bayou [now all complete]. These new locks are triggered by tiny proximity-activated chips embedded within the key cards which are issued to guests, allowing the door to be opened by simply placing the keycard near to the new Mickey-head sensor on the door. ~+~ Eight new hammock loungers have been installed around the resort. ~+~ General work has been continuing around the resort, such as upgrades to the pathways and bridges around the Alligator Bayou section to provide easier access for guests with impaired mobility. ~+~ The parking lots outside of the main lobby buildings at both Riverside and French Quarter now have rather ugly metal mesh fences around their perimeters. Also the first parking lot exit at Riverside (closest to the South bus depot) has been blocked off, leaving just the second exit, closer to the main road. Presumably this has been done for pedestrian safety reasons, but the nasty generic metal wire fencing does not fit well with the theming. ~+~ The old flip-over price menu boards at the Riverside Mill food court are now gone, replaced by cabinets for flat-screen displays. Until the electronic displays were ready recently, printed signs were being placed in front of the screens daily for the breakfast and lunch/dinner menus. Mon, 15 Oct 2012 15:00:00 -0600 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#060912 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#060912 On 5 September 2012, the final new custom-made rug carpet, which was originally scheduled to be delivered in October, arrived early and has been laid in the previously-empty open space on the Marina side of the lobby. This has allowed the remaining furniture to be set out too, which was being held back to avoid damaging the new tiles in the meantime. This now concludes the lobby refurbishment, giving a pleasantly consistent look to the new area. See the news item for photos. Thu, 06 Sep 2012 05:18:38 -0600 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#010812 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#010812 The final Port Orleans Riverside Alligator Bayou building (26) re-opened for guests today. The guest room refurbishment was all done a couple of weeks ago, but they kept the rooms out of use until the roof maintenance work was complete and all the scaffolding was taken down. So now all rooms at both of the Port Orleans resorts have now been fully refurbished and the update program is complete. Wed, 01 Aug 2012 18:00:00 +0100 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#040712 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#040712 The Disney Parks Blog has a short feature on the newly refurbished lobby at Port Orleans Riverside with some nice detail photos, saying "The two-month refurbishment included new tile, colorful rugs, decorative period lighting and some new furniture. The space is very inviting – it sure seems brighter and more spacious to me." See http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2012/07/old-south-themed-disneys-port-orleans-resort-riverside-gets-a-new-look-at-walt-disney-world-resort/ Wed, 04 Jul 2012 04:37:42 -0600 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#020712 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#020712 American Independence Day is fast approaching, and the Port Orleans Resorts will be offering plenty of fun activities to keep the young (and young at heart) resort guests entertained on Wednesday 4th July. These will include old-fashioned lawn games, a watermelon eating contest, candy counting, a cake walk, a pie throwing contest, plus all the usual pool activities, movies, etc. One quick tip from me: if you want to see the special Magic Kingdom fireworks, go to the park on Tuesday 3rd July. You'll see exactly the same show, but without the crazy crowds. Then you can either enjoy the resort activities on the 4th, or head over to see Epcot's celebrations where the larger size of that park may help make it feel a little less crowded. You can, as always, find the rest of the month's Recreation Activities Schedules at http://www.portorleans.org/recreation-activites-schedule.php. Mon, 02 Jul 2012 13:30:00 +0100 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#010712 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#010712 I can't believe where the time has gone, but five years ago today the very first files were served out from the fledgling www.portorleans.org domain. It wasn't a full site at that point, just a collection of a couple of resort maps and a few pictures. I first registered the domain name on 22 June 2007, and I noticed the timing because I've just this week paid the annual server hosting invoice for the coming year (all donations via the homepage gratefully received... LOL). The first online post where I referred to anything from the site was on 1 July 2007, on the UK-based DIBB forums at http://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=1586615#post1586615 (after the idea was first mooted on 11 March in another DIBB thread, http://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=1337430#post1337430). A proper 'menu-based' site was still a few months away (26 Oct 2007) but I think I shall count 1st July as the site's official birthday for now. And now, five years later, the site gets around 1.5 million page hits a year - how time flies when you're having fun! Thanks for everyone's support, and I hope the site has proved informative and useful. Sun, 01 Jul 2012 12:00:00 +0100 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#260612 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#260612 The main lobby at Port Orleans Riverside has re-opened with brand new dark-wood checkin desks after its two-month refurbishment. There is now a spaciously open section where the old Online Checkin desks used to be; there will be another large rug going in here, and more furniture, but that won't be for several months as the rug is being hand-made. Otherwise, a few small chairs need to be added in front of the children's TV and some new stanchions for the queue areas which should be installed over the next couple of days. The new light fittings over the desks seem very evocative of the period theming - and nice to see the lovely artwork on the back wall has been retained. See the news item for the first photographs. Tue, 26 Jun 2012 12:00:00 +0100 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#240612 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#240612 If anyone was sleeping in an old Alligator Bayou double-bedded room on 23 June, they would have been among the very last to do so. The final two Alligator Bayou buildings (26 and 35) are now closed for refurbishment, so the last of the old rooms (and those old double beds and trundles) have now gone away forever. Currently, buildings 25, 26 and 35 are down for refurbishment. Two of them (25 and 35) are due back on 6th July, and the final one (26) should be completed around the 1st of August. It really doesn't seem like nearly two years since this all started over at French Quarter does it? Sun, 24 Jun 2012 12:00:00 +0100 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#100612 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#100612 The Alligator Bayou guest room refurbishment program is continuing apace, with one new building commencing work every Sunday. Building #39 closed today, and building #34 is due to close on Sunday 17th June. The work is generally taking twelve days per 64-room building, so #39 and #34 are intended to be returned for guest use on the 22nd and 29th of June respectively. As previously mentioned, the 'twenties' numbered buildings are taking slightly longer to complete due to the additional roofing work that is being carried out, which is being further hindered by the wet Florida summer weather. Buildings #27 and #25 are currently estimated to be returned for use on the 20th and 27th of June, but those dates are still somewhat uncertain. Finally, buildings #26 and #35 will both be closed together on Sunday 24th June, which will signal the final goodbye for the last few non-refurbished guest rooms at Port Orleans. By the end of the first week in July there should be just one building still undergoing renovation (#26) which will hopefully be completed around the third week in July. ~+~ The work on the main lobby at Port Orleans Riverside is also moving along well now, with the new chandelier already hoisted up into place. Work continues on laying the fabulous new tiling, and currently the plan is for the construction walls to be removed overnight on Wednesday 20th June, reopening for guests on 21st June. Sun, 10 Jun 2012 19:00:00 +0100 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#010612 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#010612 While not solely related to Port Orleans, resort guests will certainly be affected by the announcement that ticket prices at Walt Disney World are due to increase from Sunday 3rd June. I won't deal with all the details here (which range from a $4 increase for a one-day/one-park base ticket to more than $100 increases for children's Annual Passes) but all of the major Disney news sites have the breakdowns, including: Disney Parks Blog (http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2012/06/walt-disney-world-resort-ticket-price-update/), Touringplans.com Blog (http://blog.touringplans.com/2012/06/01/walt-disney-world-to-increase-ticket-prices-2/) and AllEars.Net (http://land.allears.net/blogs/dnews/2012/06/walt_disney_world_ticket_price_1.html). If you are planning on getting your tickets in advance it might be best to do it on Saturday, as most ticket types don't start to expire until you actually commence using them. Sat, 02 Jun 2012 10:00:00 +0100 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#040512 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#040512 Alligator Bayou building 16 re-opened today with all new refurbished rooms, and next Friday (11 May) buildings 17 and 24 are also due for completion. After that will come building 15, which is due to re-open on 25 May. For full details and the rest of the projected schedule, please see www.portorleans.org/rehab.php. ~+~ All of the guest rooms at Port Orleans now feature new Cuisinart dual-pod coffee makers, which have gradually replaced the old 4-cup filter machines over the past month or so. Free pods are supplied, which will be replenished daily by housekeeping. See www.portorleans.org/news.php#040512. Fri, 04 May 2012 23:00:00 +0100 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#280412 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#280412 The lobby refurbishment now underway at Port Orleans Riverside will be completed in two stages. Stage one (Monday 23 April to Wednesday 9 May 2012) will complete the first third of the lobby area (currently behind construction walls) and all services will continue in the meantime from the unaffected section. Stage two (Thursday 10 May to Friday 8 June 2012, end date still to be confirmed) will comprise the other two-thirds of the lobby, and services will be split between the newly reopened area and the main entranceway lobby during the busier parts of the day. It has been suggested that doing online check-in before you travel may help speed up your arrival process. In order to minimise disturbance to guests, construction work will take place overnight between 11pm and 7am, which is why "Ye Haa" Bob Jackson's show in the adjacent River Roost Lounge will be ending at 11pm during the construction period instead of the usual midnight. There should be no other impact for guests as the lobby area is completely isolated from all guest room areas. Work will include replacing the central carpet and tiles, new 'open plan' modular desks, and general paintwork refreshing and other updates. The overall steamboat embarkation hall concept will still be retained though, in keeping with the rest of the resort's theme and storyline. Sat, 28 Apr 2012 10:30:00 +0100 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#240412 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#240412 Work on refurbishing Port Orleans Riverside's stylish 'steamboat company' lobby area commenced yesterday and is expected to continue through to the first week in June. In the meantime, reception facilities will be temporarily borrowing part of the River Roost Lounge, and it is suggested that guests may find that using the online check-in system could speed up their arrival process. The work will include brand new carpet, refreshed paintwork and other details, but all staying true to the original design concept of the resort. I'm pleased to say that one of my favourite details, the gorgeous period and themed paintings and maps on the walls behind the check-in desks, will be staying. ~+~ The Alligator Bayou guest room refurbishment program is also progressing well, with building 24 new well underway and building 16 commenced over the weekend. As the 'twenties' buildings are having roofing work done at the same time, and each one will not be re-opened until the scaffolding is down, it's possible that building 16 may reopen before 24. Building 17 will be the next to start work, this coming weekend. See www.portorleans.org/rehab.php for the latest updates. Tue, 24 Apr 2012 22:00:00 +0100 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#130412 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#130412 The final 256 Royal Guest Rooms located in Port Orleans Riverside's Parterre Place reopened today, completing the refurbishment of the whole 1,024 room Magnolia Bend mansion building area. Sunday 15 April will then see work recommence on the remaining Alligator Bayou Lodges - starting with building 24 and progressing with one new building started each week for the next three months. Currently the planned schedule is 24, 16, 17, 28, 15, 27, 18, 39, 25, 34, 35 and finally 26. Refurbishment work will take approximately two weeks per building so there will be some overlap with at least two buildings down at any given time. The "twenties" buildings could each be closed for slightly longer than two weeks to allow time for additional roofing work which has been scheduled to run in parallel with the room updates. See http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php for the latest progress information. Fri, 13 Apr 2012 20:00:00 +0100 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#280312 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#280312 Denise and Jeff from www.MouseSteps.com and www.JeffLangeDVD.com have just uploaded the best series of in-room photos I've yet seen of the new Royal Guest Rooms at Port Orleans Riverside, including all the new details in the surrounding sections of Oak Manor. They have also put together a nice Royal Guest Room video tour, and there's also a video tour of a refurbished Alligator Bayou room further down the same page. Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:30:00 -0100 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#250312 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#250312 We posted back in February about the forthcoming maintenance work due to take place in the Port Orleans Riverside lobby during April and May. Resident entertainer Bob Jackson has just updated his website with the following additional information: "They are going to be remodeling the lobby of Port Orleans Riverside, and they will be using part of the lounge for lobby functions. So starting April 11, my show will end at 11 PM. As of now, I'll still be starting at 8:30 PM. That might change. The rehab work will continue through May 23. We'll get through it!" Also, we've been getting reports that some of the seats from the lobby already appear to have been removed ready for maintenance work. Tue, 27 Mar 2012 21:00:00 +0100 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#100312 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#100312 PortOrleans.org is proud to bring you our very first batch of photos from the brand new 'Royal Guest Rooms' which opened at Port Orleans Riverside's Oak Manor on Friday 9 March, including a couple of photos of one of the Disability Accessible bathrooms. Keep an eye on http://www.portorleans.org/royal-rooms.php for more photos and details over the next few days. Work commences on Sunday 11 March on converting the final mansion building, Parterre Place, over to Royal Guest Rooms (due to re-open around 13 April). Sat, 10 Mar 2012 13:42:19 -0700 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#100312 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#100312 The in-room cable television channel line-up is being expanded across all of the World Disney World resort hotels, and Port Orleans is scheduled to be the first to get the new services on Tuesday 13 March 2012. Some of the new channels include Fox News, Bravo, AMC, National Geographic, TBS, TNT, Travel Channel, WE TV, Syfy, Discovery, Bio, HGTV, TLC, History, Food Network and TV Land. Local affiliate channels (ABC, NBC, etc.) and Disney resort hotel-specific channels will still be available. Channel 17 will contain a full list of the new services. For more details after the new channels go live, see our TV Channels page at http://www.portorleans.org/tv.php. Sat, 10 Mar 2012 08:14:35 -0700 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#090312 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#090312 The Port Orleans Riverside cast members held a special ceremony to commemorate the opening of the resort's new Royal Guest Rooms on Friday 9 March 2012, and Val Bunting (the resort's General Manager) and her leadership team were dressed up as Royalty for the occasion. The Exec Housekeeper read a proclamation officially handing the rooms over from the rehab crew to the Housekeepers, and got them to promise to keep these lovely new rooms looking immaculate and smelling great. There was celebratory cake and chocolate-covered strawberries and pretzels, plus sparkling cider (in champagne glasses of course!) for a toast. Besides the rooms, there have also been some enhancements to the courtyard area and tree lighting. Fri, 09 Mar 2012 15:00:00 -0700 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#080312 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#080312 The first of the new 'Royal Guest Rooms' at Port Orleans Riverside will be opening to the public tomorrow, Friday 9 March. There will be a small cast-member handover ceremony in front of Oak Manor to rededicate the building at around 3:15pm (it's really for the cast-members, but I'm sure no one will object if a few guests gather around at the back to see what's happening) and the first guests should be assigned rooms at around the same time. We'll be updating our new Royal Guest Rooms page (www.portorleans.org/royal-rooms.php) with more information and photos just as soon as we get them. The long wait is finally over! Thu, 08 Mar 2012 21:00:00 -0000 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#260212 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#260212 I received an email from a resort guest who has just got back after visiting Port Orleans Riverside, and while they were there they took an evening stroll over to Oak Manor and reported back the following Royal Guest Room progress update (information as of Friday 24 February): "Third floor rooms are near completion with all the decor apparently complete, they just need TVs, bed covers, blankets, pillows and cases. Second floor rooms are further behind; they have carpet on the floor, mattresses in rooms, some furniture like bench seat, chairs, table, chandelier, main light fixture and head boards, plus apparently all bathroom fixtures and furniture. First [Ground] floor rooms have just carpet done on about 65% of the building, with about 35% still getting removal of old decor." Remember that there's still a couple of weeks before this new section is due to open, and we know from previous work on some of the other buildings that progress is generally pretty quick, so I'm sure that the rooms will be ready in time for the grand opening date of 9 March. The guest managed to snap a couple of quick pictures in through the windows (no construction walls or barriers, and in some rooms the lights had even been helpfully left on!) which give a better idea of progress, see www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#260212 for the photos. Tue, 28 Feb 2012 10:30:00 -0000 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#270212 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#270212 A quick bit of site news here. We have now set up pages on all the major social networking sites, which you can easily access using two new rows of icons located just beneath the menu area on every page of portorleans.org. The smaller icons allow you to 'share' or '+1' interesting pages with your social networking friends, while the larger icons on the second row are a quick way to follow our pages directly. At the moment, the accounts will mainly be used as an additional distribution method for our news updates so you can get the latest Port Orleans information just as soon as we post it, but who knows what will happen with them in the future? If you want to visit them directly, the new pages are: "PortOrleans.org" on Facebook and Google Plus (http://www.facebook.com/PortOrleans.org and http://plus.google.com/104157718608742492026) and "@PortOrleansOrg" on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/PortOrleansOrg). The RSS news feed (http://www.portorleans.org/portorleans-news-rss.xml) will continue to be available too. Tue, 28 Feb 2012 09:00:00 -0000 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#210212 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#210212 This Wednesday night (22nd February 2012) the WDW Radio Show hosted by Lou Mongello will be broadcasting its live weekly video webcast directly from the River Roost Lounge at Port Orleans Riverside, with special guest "Ye Haa" Bob Jackson. For more details see the Show Announcement at http://www.wdwradio.com/2012/02/wdw-newscast-and-chat-with-yeeha-bob/, or tune in to watch the live show starting at 7:30pm (Eastern) on Wednesday at http://www.wdwradio.com/wdw-radio-live/. I won't be able to make it to the resort in person on Wednesday, but I'll definitely be in the show's online chatroom for the first part of the evening if any viewers want to log in and say hi. Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:30:00 -0000 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#200212 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#200212 Every year, Port Orleans cast members get the opportunity to enter a competition to see which department (Front Desk, Housekeeping, Food/Beverage, etc) can dream up the most creative, best themed Mardi Gras floats based around the resort's "pargo" vehicles. This year's parade kicks off from Riverside's Acadian House at 1:30pm tomorrow (Tuesday 21 February) and will do a round trip through French Quarter and back to allow guests to join in the fun. Good luck to all the 2012 teams, and may the best department's float win!! See http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#200212 for details and route map. ~+~ On 2nd February 2012, Port Orleans Riverside celebrated its 20th Anniversary, see http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#020212 for information and some photos from the day. ~+~ www.mousesteps.com, an excellent photo travelogue website, features two extensive photographic walks around Port Orleans French Quarter and Riverside with around 300 new photos, see http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#190212. ~+~ The main courtyard behind the lobby at Port Orleans French Quarter is closed and boarded off for refurbishment work from 9 Jan to 2 March, see http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#280112 for details and photos. ~+~ Quiet Swimming Pool maintenance work at Port Orleans Riverside: The pool between Oak Manor and Parterre Place will be closed from 27 February to 1 March; the Alligator Bayou pool near to building 16 will be closed from 12 to 15 March; the Alligator Bayou pool near to building 35 will be closed from 19 to 22 March. ~+~ Overnight construction work to repave Bonnet Creek Parkway (the main road outside the Port Orleans resorts) is scheduled to continue until 23 March (weekdays only). See http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#140212 for closure/construction details. Mon, 20 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0000 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#140112 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#140112 A new 'Garden View' room category came into effect on 1 January 2012 at Port Orleans, however unfortunately it seems that presale information provided by the Disney Reservations Center and Disney's online booking website was wrong - or at least premature - in claiming that all Garden View rooms at Port Orleans RIVERSIDE would have queen beds from the outset. This will be true once the refurbishment program is fully completed in August, but for now only about one-third of Riverside's guest rooms have been updated. The description error has now been corrected, but a significant number of Garden View bookings over the past six months have been made solely to assure queen beds. While resort staff will try their best to accommodate guest requests at check-in, with only a limited number of queen beds available there are obviously no guarantees in the short term. ~+~ Virtually all guests have now been contacted regarding the Royal Room opening delay. If you believe you have an affected booking (with an arrival date prior to 9 March) and you have not yet been contacted, please call 1-407-248-1727 and leave a voicemail with your name, reservation number and check-in date, and someone will call you back. See http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#040112 for more details. ~+~ In other news, the three Alligator Bayou quiet pools are due to be closed for short routine maintenance periods: pool #2 is due to be closed 23-27 January, pool #3 from 30 January to 3 February, and pool #1 from 27 February to 1 March. All of the other pools will remain open during these dates, and the main feature pool on Ol' Man Island will still be closed 6-8 February. Sun, 15 Jan 2012 11:00:00 -0000 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#040112 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#040112 The scheduled opening date for the first new Royal Guest Rooms at Port Orleans Riverside has been delayed from 17 February until 9 March. The resort is currently in the process of contacting all guests who were booked into these new rooms during the intervening three week period to discuss what options are available in order to reduce the disappointment to visitors, especially children. Several guests who have already been contacted have reported that they have been offered very generous complimentary resort upgrades. Prior to the Christmas break, the latest buildings to have been re-opened with (non-Royal) refurbished rooms were Alligator Bayou lodges 14, 36, 37 and 38. In other news, the Doubloon Lagoon feature swimming pool at Port Orleans French Quarter will be closed for maintenance on Tuesday 17 January and Wednesday 18 January, and the Ol' Man Island feature swimming pool at Port Orleans Riverside will be closed for maintenance from Monday 6 February until Wednesday 8 February. See http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#281211. Wed, 04 Jan 2012 22:00:00 -0000 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#031211 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#031211 The December Recreation Activities and Movie Schedules for Port Orleans Riverside and Port Orleans French Quarter are now available (downloadable at www.portorleans.org/images/recreation/POR-Rec-2011-12.pdf and www.portorleans.org/images/recreation/POFQ-Rec-2011-12.pdf). The outdoor movies will start at 7pm this month, and there will again be a slightly reduced set of pool activites in the cooler weather. The daily campfires commence at 5:30pm. There will be a separate schedule for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day which will be available via the resort's Holiday Activities Guide later in the month. On the refurbishment front, Riverside's Alligator Bayou building 37 reopened for guests on 19 November, and work is now well underway on building 38, due to be completed by 9 December, and building 39, due to open by 16 December. Sat, 03 Dec 2011 22:00:00 -0000 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#151111 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#151111 At Port Orleans Riverside, the first of the long-awaited Alligator Bayou refurbished rooms are now complete and Building 36 has reopened to the public, right on schedule. One guest has already posted a few iPhone photos to PhotoBucket, please see the full news posting to view them. The soft furnishings look great, and it appears that the elaborate, immersive theming has been carried through with every element - and I adore the Port Orleans details on the new bedspreads! Also note the Alligator motifs on the comforter pillows. Construction workers will now be moving on to buildings 37 and 38, and then 39, all of which should be completed by 15 December - just in time for the Christmas holidays, it's almost as if they planned it that way... :-) Tue, 15 Nov 2011 12:00:00 -0000 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#101111 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#101111 As with French Quarter last year, a visiting guest has been able to sneak a quick pre-opening look inside one of the newly refurbished rooms in Alligator Bayou building 36 for us, and they look amazing! The room seems very true to the original rustic concept, but perhaps going even a little further than before. As I said a while back, the flooring in the bathroom has been retained, plus those lovely wood-hewn bed heads. The rustic planking effect in the bathroom and for the carpet are also nice touches. The new pull-down murphy bed looks great too - complete with a picture of Louis from Princess and the Frog inside. Obviously there are still finishing touches to be done (such as the bedding and curtains) and you'll note that the cover isn't on the A/C unit yet, but so far it looks like they've done a fabulous job - although I do have some serious concerns about the amount of storage space provided for five people and all their luggage. The first rooms are due to open for guests in a few days time. (For full size photos, see the Guest Gallery Page at www.portorleans.org/gallery-guest-POR-AB-Jones.php) Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:55:00 -0000 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#050811 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#050811 Sorry it's been a while since the last RSS update from www.portorleans.org, so there's lots of news to report! Refurbishment work at Acadian House at Port Orleans Riverside was completed last week and the building is now fully open with renovated rooms for guests (see http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#050811 for details). Work has now commenced on Magnolia Terrace, which will be followed by the first of the Alligator Bayou buildings (AB building 36 is due to be completed around 11 November). The "Movie Under the Stars" screenings have been extended and there are currently daily Disney film shows at 9pm at both of the Port Orleans resorts - French Quarter is in Beignet Square (between buildings 4, 5 and 6) while Riverside's takes place in the courtyard outside Oak Manor. Daytime poolside games and activities for the kids have also been announced, for full details and August schedules see http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#060811. The quiet pool located between Acadian House and Magnolia Terrace at Port Orleans Riverside is scheduled to be closed for routine maintenance between 5 September and 7 October 2011. The main Ol' Man Island pool and the other quiet pools will remain open as usual (see http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#010811). Sat, 13 Aug 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#170611 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#170611 Lots of Port Orleans news updates on www.portorleans.org recently! The two biggies are the tentative refurbishment schedule for the whole of Port Orleans Riverside (which will commence on 26 June with Acadian House, see www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#110611 for the full construction schedule) and Disney's release of 2012 booking availability, including the rates for the new themed 'Royal Rooms' at Port Orleans Riverside which can now be booked for stays commencing Friday 17 February 2012 (see www.portorleans.org/news.php#130611 and www.portorleans.org/roomrates.php for prices). In other news, the first actual photos of a sample Royal Room have been posted on the DisneyParks Blog (see www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#170611) and Port Orleans French Quarter is now running open-air Disney Movie Nights three times a week (for the June schedule see www.portorleans.org/news.php#010611). Sun, 19 Jun 2011 09:40:00 GMT http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#170511 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#170511 The first three buildings of the original Port Orleans Resort - the section that is now known as French Quarter - originally opened their doors to the public on 17 May 1991, two decades ago. I'd like to pass on my own grateful thanks to the current resort manager, Valerie Bunting, and her whole team of around 1,200 cast members for the wonderful work they do in keeping this resort looking as picture-perfect as it did on opening day twenty years ago and ensuring that the visiting guests experience a fabulous and truly magical stay. Here's to the next twenty years!! If you're going to be at the resort today, don't miss out on the birthday cake being served in the lobby area of French Quarter and enjoy some great entertainment from the resort's talented resident jazz musician, Elliot Dyson, who will be performing all day today at the Scat Cats lounge right next to the lobby. Have a great day - I just wish I could be there to join in the fun! Tue, 17 May 2011 06:03:59 -0500 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#060511 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#060511 The latest information regarding the Port Orleans Riverside room refurbishment project indicates that work will commence on 26 June 2011, starting with the Acadian House mansion building (building 80). Also, the 512 rooms which will receive the new 'Royal' makeovers will definitely be located, as previously expected, in Oak Manor and Parterre Place (buildings 90 and 95) and work on those will commence in late January 2012. Nothing has yet been confirmed regarding any specific start dates for work on the Alligator Bayou lodges, but the estimated completion time for the whole resort is still being quoted as April/May 2012. Fri, 06 May 2011 10:50:38 -0500 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#260411 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#260411 The Disney Parks Blog has just confirmed that the much anticipated 'Royal' themed rooms will be coming to Port Orleans Riverside during the upcoming refurbishment. One-quarter of the resort's room capacity will be given over to these new themed rooms, see the www.portorleans.org/rehab.php Refurbishment Updates page for more details and concept art. Guests will be able to begin booking these new Specialty Rooms mid-summer 2011 for visits commencing March 2012. No indication has yet been given as to how much these rooms will cost compared to standard rooms, but this is Disney so you know there will be a premium! Tue, 26 Apr 2011 10:00:00 GMT http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#210411 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#210411 The following tentative refurbishment dates come from what should normally be a reliable source of information, but they seem very much at odds with the other details floating around from cast members at the moment. I guess these dates would only make sense if the Alligator Bayou buildings are going to be slotted in during the same time frame? Anyway, until work actually commences this is all merely speculation and should be treated as such. Acadian House: 19 June - 29 July, 2011. Magnolia Terrace: 24 July - 2 September, 2011. Parterre Place: 8 January 2012 - 17 February, 2012. Oak Manor: 12 February - 23 March, 2012. Thu, 21 Apr 2011 06:40:29 -0500 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#190411 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#190411 The second of the two Magnolia Bend quiet pools at Port Orleans Riverside is reported to be closing for maintenance work from 25 April until 27 May 2011 (the other Magnolia Bend pool was done last month). Also, the Kids' Playground at Port Orleans French Quarter will be closing for refurbishment from 2 May until 27 May 2011. Wed, 20 Apr 2011 12:55:00 GMT http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#160411 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#160411 Refurbishment work on the final building at Port Orleans French Quarter was completed right on schedule, and building 3 was officially rededicated on Friday 15th April 2011. All rooms are now open to guests. Work on Port Orleans Riverside is due to commence within "about six weeks" according to an insider. In other news (see http://www.portorleans.org/news.php) Port Orleans will be celebrating Easter with their annual Easter Egg Scramble, and there will also be an Easter Egg hunt held in Boatwright's Dining Hall. Check with resort cast members for more details. And finally, a bit of website news: I've recently updated the site's news posting software to incorporate the forums, so you can now add comments and questions regarding any Port Orleans news and updates. Sun, 17 Apr 2011 07:50:00 GMT http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#120311 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#120311 The latest reports from Port Orleans French Quarter indicate that the three-week timeline for the refurbishment of each building is still right on schedule. Building 1 is now fully completed and occupied, and work commenced on building 2 on Monday 7th March. This should hopefully mean that the final building (number 3) will start work around Monday 28th March and the whole resort will be complete by the weekend before Easter, just in time for the very busy Easter break period. I'm guessing that work on Port Orleans Riverside's Parterre Place will not start until after Easter, so maybe we'll see work commence there around Monday 2nd May? Sat, 12 Mar 2011 11:10:00 GMT http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#220211 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#220211 Details are starting to emerge on the refurbishment plans for Port Orleans Riverside, which should commence in April/May 2011 starting with the Parterre Place mansion building. Disney has confirmed the approximate time scale in a response to a guest's enquiry. The last room refurbishments at Riverside took 12 months to complete, with Magnolia Bend taking from March 2004 to August 2004 and Alligator Bayou taking from August 2004 to February 2005. Thus we should probably expect the mansion buildings to be completed sometime before Thanksgiving 2011, and Alligator Bayou by April/May 2012. There is, incidentally, NO CONFIRMATION AT ALL as to whether the previously rumoured Royal/Princess themed rooms might be added to any of the Riverside mansion buildings during this refurbishment. Personally, I'm keeping a very open mind on this one at the moment. Tue, 22 Feb 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#170211 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#170211 The latest reports from 'the Port' indicate that building 1 of Port Orleans French Quarter commenced its refurbishment work around Monday 17 February, and that building 5 is now either fully complete or almost there. It looks as though the schedule is calling for work to start on each new building at three-week intervals, but this is currently slightly overlapping with completion of the final touches on the previous one. At this rate though, the whole resort could possibly be done by around the end of March. You may also want to check out the www.portorleans.org Photo Gallery for lots of new photos from all around the resort. Fri, 18 Feb 2011 22:30:00 GMT http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#240111 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#240111 Refurbishment work on building 4 at Port Orleans French Quarter is now just about complete, with some rooms already added back into the resort's inventory over the weekend, and the remainder due to be available by the middle of this week. Building 5 is the next on the construction schedule, and workers are already starting to transfer over to that location. Presumably the overall target is to complete the whole resort before the start of the busy Easter period. As always, stay tuned to www.portorleans.org for the latest news. Mon, 24 Jan 2011 11:30:00 GMT http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#311210 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#311210 First, I'd like to wish a very Happy New Year to all of our Port Orleans readers, guests, and of course to the resort's wonderful Cast Members. On the news front, building 4 at French Quarter is due to commence its refurbishment work next week, and also on our news pages (http://www.portorleans.org/news.php) you'll find information on a Magnolia Bend (Port Orleans Riverside) swimming pool closure scheduled for 8 February until 1 April 2011 (all other pools will remain open). Finally, we're very sad to report that a Port Orleans guest tragically lost his life on 26 December by somehow stepping out in front of a moving Walt Disney World bus in the resort parking lot. Our sympathies and condolences go out to this gentleman's family and friends at this awful time, in what has turned out to be a very sad end to 2010. Fri, 31 Dec 2010 20:00:00 GMT http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#181210 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#181210 As work completes on Building 6 at Port Orleans French Quarter, refurbished rooms are made available to guests, starting from the top floor. No news as yet as to which building will be renovated next, but presumably there will be a short pause during the holiday period. Meanwhile back on the website, over the last month or so I've completely updated all of the restaurant, food court and pool bar menus and price lists, the recreation prices, and listed all of the new room rates up to the end of 2011. Hope you find them useful. I'd also like to take this opportunity to wish all of our Port Orleans readers a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Season's Greetings Everyone! Sat, 25 Dec 2010 20:00:00 GMT http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#281110 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#281110 Now that refurbishment work on French Quarter building 7 has been completed and rooms have been reopened for guest use (see our latest in-room photos at http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#231110) new construction signs went up today indicating that work on building 6 has now commenced. It seems like they are working to a four-week schedule for each building, although it might also make sense to take a week's break over the Christmas period when the resort would presumably expect to be fully booked. Sun, 28 Nov 2010 23:15:00 GMT http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#201110 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#201110 A few more 'sneaky' photos were recently posted on the Port Orleans French Quarter FAQ Thread on the DISboards. These were taken through the window blinds of a couple of completed rooms in building 7, and they finally show the new bedspreads which were missing from previous pictures. Link is on the Refurbishment Page. Still no news of anyone staying at the resort who has actually been assigned one of the updated rooms yet, but it can't be long now. Mon, 22 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#191110 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#191110 I received an email from a guest who had just phoned the resort to ask about rooms for her forthcoming stay. The agent told her that building 7 is actually due to go back online today! While that does sound rather quick for the whole building, maybe at least some sections will be opened? I guess we'll find out soon enough... Fri, 19 Nov 2010 22:45:00 GMT http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#151110 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#151110 These exclusive images just in from our brave "top secret agent", who noticed that someone had inadvertently left one of the doors open in a newly refurbished (but as yet unopened) section of Port Orleans French Quarter... Mon, 15 Nov 2010 07:00:00 GMT http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#121110 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#121110 A guest who has just returned from Port Orleans French Quarter asked at the concierge desk about the refurbishment work and was invited backstage to see the display board. No photos were allowed, but she has supplied as much information from memory as possible. Fri, 12 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#011110 http://www.portorleans.org/rehab.php#011110 The guest-room refurbishment process at Port Orleans French Quarter has now commenced. Work started on building 7 on Monday 1 November 2010, initially with floors two and three of the building. The expectation is that each building will take approximately one month to update, with the whole resort being completed by April 2011. After that work will commence on the mansion buildings at Port Orleans Riverside and then finally the Riverside Alligator Bayou section. The whole process is expected to take between 12 and 18 months. Mon, 01 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#261010 http://www.portorleans.org/news.php#261010 This morning, a small group of Disney PhotoPass photographers was spotted taking posed sample shots around the grounds of Port Orleans Riverside. It seems that the portrait sessions currently available at several of the deluxe resorts, such as the Grand Floridian and Polynesian, are proving so popular that Disney is looking into the possibility of expanding their offerings into other locations, such as perhaps one of the moderate hotels. Tue, 26 Oct 2010 11:00:00 -0500