Port Orleans News

There were two grand openings at Port Orleans French Quarter today. The existing Scat Cat's Club, located just off the main Lobby, closed its doors for the last time on 29 September, only to emerge phoenix-like this morning as two separate entities.


Scat Cat's Club - Café had its opening ceremony at 6am this morning, and our intrepid reporter John Schmidt wasn't going to be put off by the early hour and snapped some photos and videoed the ceremony for the site. This will be the new official home for beignets at the resort - both regular, specialty and even alcoholic - and it will also function as the pickup location for any orders placed at the nearby food court. See the Scat Cat's Club page for the menu.
Scat Cat's Club - Café Opening Video
Scat Cat's Club - Café Opening Photos




Later, at 4pm, the main Scat Cat's Club Lounge bar area opened its doors, and John was of course back to cover it for us. He also placed the first drink ordered at the new location; the sacrifices that man makes for the team! The new expanded lounge/bar is located in space vacated when the old Bonfamille's Cafe - the original table-service location during the early days of Port Orleans - closed down on 5th August 2000. The specialty cocktails and bar snacks menu seems to be exactly the same as it was before, nothing new has been added.
Scat Cat's Club - Lounge Opening Video
Scat Cat's Club - Lounge Opening Photos






The live entertainment commenced on stage at 7pm, with a traditional jazz trio: Video.




We'll be adding more photos to the main site soon, but the above Facebook page links are the quickest way to keep everyone in touch.

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The October 2019 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 main feature swimming pool operating hours are currently 9am—10pm as from 29 September. Outside of these times the main feature pools and hot tubs are gated and locked as there are no lifeguards on duty. The five leisure (quiet) pools at Riverside are not locked, and are generally available at any time within reason.

Movies Under the Stars will be screened at 8:30pm five nights a week at Riverside (Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays), and at 8pm/8:30pm four nights a week at French Quarter (Mondays 8pm, Tuesdays 8:30pm, Thursdays 8pm and Saturdays 8pm).

Evening Campfire Activities will take place from 6:30pm-7:30pm every night at Riverside, and from 6pm-7pm four nights a week at French Quarter (Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays). You can roast marshmallows for free, or you can optionally purchase full s’mores kits, all in the warm glow of a night-time campfire.

Specific Halloween activities will be announced nearer to 31 October, but there are some other activities to watch out for (on select days, see schedules for details):

• “Beignet Dash” Fun Run ($) (French Quarter, 8am Sundays) — Craving beignets? Join us on Sunday Runday for a quick 1½ mile dash around the Resort. Complete your race with a tasty beignet! Check-in begins at 7:30am on the Riverwalk between Building 5 and Doubloon Lagoon Pool and the run begins at 8am. Be sure to share your photos with the hashtag #FQBeignetDash. Cost is $15+tax, including three beignets and a souvenir “medal”. To reserve your spot, please call 407-WDW-PLAY or visit the Concierge Desk.
• Painting on de’ Bayou ($) (French Quarter, 2pm—4pm Wednesdays. Note the change of time and venue) — Learn to paint at at Port Orleans French Quarter! Join us in Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory on Wednesdays from 2pm to 4pm for an instructor-led painting class to design your own take-home masterpiece. Our instructor will help you walk away with a painting you’re proud of, whether you’re a beginner, an expert or somewhere in-between! The class is for guests aged 12 and up, and costs $35 per person, plus tax. Registration is limited to 16 guests per session, please call 407-WDW-PLAY or visit the Concierge desk for additional information or to reserve a spot in the class. Share your masterpiece with the hashtag #PaintingOnDeBayou.
• Glow with the Flow Pool Party (Wednesdays & Fridays at French Quarter; Tuesdays & Thursdays at Riverside. 8:30pm-9:30pm) — Dance on down to the pool for an exciting evening of party games and dancing that will light up the night!
• Arts & Crafts ($) or Mickey Tie-Dye T-shirt decoration ($) — Explore your creative side with themed poolside arts & crafts / Create your own Mickey Tie-Dye shirt to commemorate your Walt Disney World Resort vacation (cost is $18+tax, including the T-shirt).
• Trick-or-Treat Thursdays (French Quarter, 2pm—8pm, Thursdays) — We’ll be celebrating Halloween all month long! Join in the spooky fun with Bewitching Bingo, Terrifying Tie-Dye, and more on the Doubloon Lagoon Pool Deck. Later in the evening, be sure to not miss our Chilling Campfire or the feature presentation of Hocus Pocus on the French Quarter Lawn.
• Villainous Saturdays (Riverside, 1pm—8:30pm, Saturdays) — Join us for a spooky celebration of all things villainous. Treat your family to a fun day of Villain-themed activities and experience all the “Ways to be Wicked”!
• SassagoulaSelfie Scavenger Hunt (Riverside, 9am—5pm daily) — Grab a map and join in on an exciting selfie scavenger hunt around Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside. To get started, visit the Riverside Levee from 9am—5pm. Be sure to share your selfies with the hashtags #SassagoulaSelfie and #PortOrleans.
• French Quarter Pumpkin Patch Scavenger Hunt (French Quarter, daily) — Fall has arrived at Port Orleans French Quarter and we’re inviting you to join in on the festive fun by joining us for a pumpkin hunt! We’ve hidden 13 pumpkins around the Resort, each one featuring one of Disney’s most mischievous villains, and we need your help to find then! To join in on the fun, visit the Front Desk to pick up your clue guide. Find all 13 villains and return your completed clue guide to the Front Desk to collect a seasonal surprise!

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The quiet leisure pool located in Magnolia Bend between buildings 80 (Acadian House) and 85 (Magnolia Terrace) will be closed for maintenance and refurbishment work from mid September 2019 until late October 2019. The closure includes the laundry building next to the pool. This work broadly aligns with the current guest room refurbishment process that is underway in the same general area. The main feature pool on Ol' Man Island, and the other four quiet pools around the resort, will remain open as normal.

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Scat Cat's Club at Port Orleans French Quarter will soon be closing as we know it, and re-opening inside the old Bonfamille's Cafe restaurant location - sadly minus the current popular musical duo of Jason Thomas & Billy Varnes. The current location just off the main lobby will apparently become "Beignet Central" - perhaps some sort of coffee and cake shop? It was always a slightly odd location for a bar with live music - being effectively inside the entrance lobby atrium - but why the current entertainment could not have simply been transitioned into the new location I really don't know.

Jason and Billy's last night will be Sunday 29 September, so you've got just over a week to make your last visits. According to Jason on Facebook:

Scat Cat's club is changing! Details are still sketchy, but Scat Cat's, as we know it, will soon be changing into "Beignet Central"!! Scat Cat's Club will be moving into the space previously empty, before that, a restaurant, over by the player piano. Renovations are underway!

I'm very sorry to have to announce that, as part of these changes, there will be new entertainment coming to the "new" club, most likely a Dixieland jazz band. As it stands right now, Jason, Billy and Greg will be ending our four-year Scat Cat's run Sunday night, Sept. 29. We will be planning a big farewell party - details soon! Please make your plans to come and see us at the current Scat Cat's, before we're both gone!

Soon, things will be jazzed up even more at the resort’s lounge: Scat Cat’s Club. The club will expand to a larger space to serve up signature beverages and flavorful bar options offering a taste of the “Big Easy” in a lounge inspired by the French Quarter in New Orleans.

And just like the French Quarter always has music playing, Scat Cat’s Club will continue to fill the room with entertainment authentic to the New Orleans story, featuring live jazz music five nights a week.

With the expansion of Scat Cat’s Club, the famous beignets will soon be available throughout the day at an all-new location near the lobby, Scat Cat’s Club – Café, making it easier to pick up a piping hot batch. The beignets are made in-house daily, available in classic as well as my favorite seasonal flavor, and many are even served in a signature Mickey-shape!

Whether you’re staying at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter or craving some sweet beignets and lively music, you’re invited to swing by Scat Cat’s Club to enjoy its timeless charm and new offerings starting this October.

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The September 2019 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 main feature swimming pool operating hours are 9am—11pm until 28 September, after which they reduce to 9am—10pm. Outside of these times the main feature pools and hot tubs are gated and locked as there are no lifeguards on duty. The five leisure (quiet) pools at Riverside are not locked, and are generally available at any time within reason.

Movies Under the Stars will be screened at 8:30pm five nights a week at Riverside (Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays), and three nights at week at French Quarter (Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays). There will be no movies at either resort on Tuesdays.

Evening Campfire Activities will take place from 6:30pm-7:30pm every night at Riverside, and three nights a week at French Quarter (Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, the same as the movie nights). You can roast marshmallows for free, or you can optionally purchase full s’mores kits, all in the warm glow of a night-time campfire.

Some other specific activities to watch out for (on select days, see schedules for details):

• “Beignet Dash” Fun Run ($) (French Quarter, 8am Sundays) — Craving beignets? Join us on Sunday Runday for a quick 1½ mile dash around the Resort. Complete your race with a tasty beignet! Check-in begins at 7:30am on the Riverwalk between Building 5 and Doubloon Lagoon Pool and the run begins at 8am. Be sure to share your photos with the hashtag #FQBeignetDash. Cost is $15+tax, including three beignets and a souvenir “medal”. To reserve your spot, please call 407-WDW-PLAY or visit the Concierge Desk.
• Painting on de’ Bayou ($) (French Quarter, 6pm—8pm Wednesdays) — Learn to paint at at Port Orleans French Quarter! Join us in Scat Cat’s Club on Wednesdays for an instructor-led painting class to design your own take-home masterpiece. Our instructor will help you walk away with a painting you’re proud of, whether you’re a beginner, an expert or somewhere in-between! The class is for guests aged 12 and up, and costs $35 per person, plus tax. Registration is limited to 16 guests per evening, please call 407-WDW-PLAY or visit the Concierge desk for additional information or to reserve a spot in the class. Share your masterpiece with the hashtag #PaintingOnDeBayou.
• Glow with the Flow Pool Party (Tuesdays & Fridays at French Quarter; Tuesdays & Thursdays at Riverside. 8:30pm-9:30pm) — Dance on down to the pool for an exciting evening of party games and dancing that will light up the night!
• Arts & Crafts ($) or Mickey Tie-Dye T-shirt decoration ($) — Explore your creative side with themed poolside arts & crafts / Create your own Mickey Tie-Dye shirt to commemorate your Walt Disney World Resort vacation (cost is $18+tax, including the T-shirt).
• Tide Pool Thursdays (French Quarter, 1:30pm—8:30pm, Thursdays) — Help us say goodbye to summer with a splash! Join us each Thursday for beachy activities for the whole family! Featuring Mickey Tie-Dye ($), Beach Ball Blast, and a presentation of Finding Nemo, we can’t wait to “sea” you there!
• Swashbuckling Fridays (Riverside, 1pm—8:30pm, Fridays) — Ahoy, Me Hearties! After a long day of fun and collecting your treasures next to the pool, end the day with a Piratical campfire and movie!
• SassagoulaSelfie Scavenger Hunt (Riverside, 9am—5pm daily) — Grab a map and join in on an exciting selfie scavenger hunt around Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside. To get started, visit the Riverside Levee from 9am—5pm. Be sure to share your selfies with the hashtags #SassagoulaSelfie and #PortOrleans.
• French Quarter Pumpkin Patch Scavenger Hunt (French Quarter, daily) — Fall has arrived at Port Orleans French Quarter and we’re inviting you to join in on the festive fun by joining us for a pumpkin hunt! We’ve hidden 13 pumpkins around the Resort, each one featuring one of Disney’s most mischievous villains, and we need your help to find then! To join in on the fun, visit the Front Desk to pick up your clue guide. Find all 13 villains and return your completed clue guide to the Front Desk to collect a seasonal surprise!

[Discuss this item in our Forums...]