Port Orleans News

The January 2018 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 10am—8pm for the next few months. These hours are enforced and the feature pools are gated and locked when there are no lifeguards on duty, however the five Riverside leisure (quiet) pools are generally available at any time, within reason.

Movies Under the Stars will be screened daily at 7pm at Riverside, but only on Mondays & Saturdays at French Quarter. Evening campfire activities will take place at both resorts on the same evenings as the movies from 5pm-6pm.

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

• 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 (payment required).
• 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 Marina from 9am—5pm. Be sure to share your selfies with the hashtags #SassagoulaSelfie and #PortOrleans.
• Snowflake Scavenger Hunt (French Quarter, daily) — Disney’s Port Orleans Resort French Quarter has been sprinkled with magical snowflakes and we need your help to find them all! To join in on the fun, visit the Front Desk to pick up your clue guide. Return your completed clue guide to the Front Desk to collect a frosty surprise!
• “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. Note: there will be no Beignet Dash at French Quarter on Sunday 7 January.
• Painting on de’ Bayou (French Quarter, 6pm—8pm Wednesdays) — Let your artistic side shine! Join us in Scat Cat’s Club for an instructor-led painting class to design your own take-home masterpiece. The class is for guests aged 12 and up, and costs $35 per person, plus tax. Registration is limited to 16 guests per evening, please call 1-321-347-0750 for additional information or to reserve a spot. Share your masterpiece with the hashtag #PaintingOnDeBayou.
• Family Game Night (French Quarter, 6pm Thursdays) — Join us at Scat Cat’s Club for a night filled with games and fun for the whole family!
  Mardi Gras “Mask”-erade (French Quarter, 6pm Fridays) — Join us at Doubloon Lagoon Pool for an evening full of Mardi Gras fun, including dance parties, mask making ($), Mardi Gras prizes, a family parade and more! (payment required).

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The December 2017 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 10am—10pm and should remain that way until the end of the year. In January, the hours will be reduced to 10am—8pm. These hours are enforced and the feature pools are gated and locked when there are no lifeguards on duty, however the five Riverside leisure (quiet) pools are generally available at any time (within reason).

Movies Under the Stars will be screened daily at 7pm at Riverside, but only on Mondays & Saturdays at French Quarter. Evening campfire activities will take place at both resorts on the same evenings as the movies from 5pm-6pm.

Winter Wonderland Snowflake Scavenger Hunt. Disney’s Port Orleans Resort French Quarter has been sprinkled with magical snowflakes and we need your help to find them all! To join in on the fun, visit the Front Desk to pick up your clue guide. Return your completed clue guide to the Front Desk to collect a frosty surprise!

Merry and Bright Holiday Nights Workshop ($) (Friday 22 December, Saturday 23 December, Sunday 24 December). Join us in the area adjacent to Scat Cat’s Club at French Quarter for an all-inclusive holiday experience. This unique offering will give you the opportunity to write your own letter to Santa, decorate cookies and customize a holiday craft. Drop by anytime between 6pm and 8pm to join in on the festive fun!

On New Year’s Eve, among other activities in the lobby courtyards starting at 8pm (see list below), “Ye Haa” Bob Jackson will be playing an extra night at the River Roost Lounge until after midnight.

Some other specific activities to watch out for (on select days, see schedules for details). There will be festive-themed variations throughout the month of December, and special activities will be added for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve:

• SassagoulaSelfie Scavenger Hunt — 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 Marina from 9:00am-5:00pm! Be sure to share your selfies with the hashtags #SassagoulaSelfie and #PortOrleans.
• “Beignet Dash” Fun Run — A quick early morning Sunday Runday dash around French Quarter resort, finished with a tasty beignet (payment required). Check-in begins at 7:30am on the riverwalk between building 5 and the Doubloon Lagoon Pool. The run begins at 8:00am. Note: Alternative events will be presented on December 31.
• Craft Night — Drop by the area adjacent to Scat Cat’s Club at French Quarter on Tuesdays between 6pm and 8pm for complimentary arts & crafts.
• Painting on de’ Bayou — Let your artistic side shine! Join us in Scat Cat’s Club at French Quarter on Wednesdays from 6pm to 8pm for an instructor-led painting class to design your own take-home masterpiece. The class for guests aged 12 and up and cost $35 per person, plus tax. Registration is limited to 16 guests per week, please call 1-321-347-0750 for additional information or to reserve a spot in the class. Share your masterpiece with the hashtag #PaintingOnDeBayou.
• Family Game Night — Join us at Scat Cat’s Club at French Quarter on Thursdays at 6pm for a night filled with games and fun for the whole family.
• Mardi Gras “Mask”-erade — Sashay your way down Alligator Alley to join in on Mardi Gras fun on Fridays at 6pm! Located near the Musical Alligators at French Quarter, our Mardi Gras fun will include dance parties and mask-making ($)
• 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 (payment required).

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On Tuesday 14 November, the Port Orleans Riverside Food & Beverage team will be adding some enticing new Appetisers to the Boatwright's Dining Hall menu, and changing up a few of the entrées too. A couple of new desserts have been added since we last checked the menus too. Some of the highlights are:

• Crawfish Bisque - $8 - Traditional-style Bisque with Crawfish Tails, a touch of Sherry, and finished with Crème Fraîche
• Louisiana BBQ Shrimp - $13 - Sautéed Shrimp in a traditional Louisiana BBQ Broth served over a Pimento Grit Cake
• Fried Green Tomatoes - $10 - served with Greens and House-made Herb-Buttermilk Dressing
• Chicken and Dumplings - $23 - Pan-seared Airline Chicken Breast, Hand-rolled Potato Dumplings, Mixed Vegetables, and Cream Sauce
• Mississippi Mud Pie - $7 - Spiced Chocolate Sauce and Whipped Vanilla Panna Cotta
• St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake - $8 - Bourbon Sauce and Toffee Brittle

• “Drunken” Flatbread - $14- Steak with Drunken Goat Cheese and Pepper Jelly
• Southern Fish and Chips - $13 - Southern Catfish, corn meal battered, served with Cajun Steak Fries and a traditional Remoulade
• Hummingbird Cake (River Roost’s new Signature Dessert) - $10 - Pineapple-Banana Cake soaked with our Bayou Spiced Rum, Roasted Pecans, and Cream Cheese Frosting

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On Sunday and Monday (29 & 30 October) from 5pm-8pm, Port Orleans Riverside will be hosting their second Food and Wine event, the Riverside Fall Food Festival. The first was a one-day event back in May, and the hope is that this will eventually become a week-long event every year.

It will be held on the Waterfront by the Marina and will feature six different stations, and a kids corner. The aim is to give Port Orleans guests a little extra menu variety, adding some new Quick Service Dining Plan options, and to showcase the abilities of the chef team - even the Front of House team is helping out with this event.

Guests can purchase coupons to redeem for the various food options, starting at $6 for one adult coupon ($4 for children) and with discounts for multiple purchases. Disney Dining Plan options and wine pairings are also available.

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