Port Orleans News

The July 2019 Recreation Activities and Movie Schedules for Port Orleans Riverside and Port Orleans French Quarter are now available, including Independence Day (Thursday 4th July). See the main Recreation Activities Schedules page for full-size printable PDF versions.

The main feature swimming pool operating hours now and throughout the summer months are 9am—11pm, outside of which times the 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, Tuesdays and Fridays). There will be no movies at either resort on Thursdays.

Evening Campfire Activities will take place from 6:30pm-7:30pm every night at Riverside, and on three nights a week as the movies at French Quarter (Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays, matching 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.

Independence Day (Thursday 4th July) Activities

Port Orleans Riverside

• Colonial Cake Walk. Located at the Ol’ Man Island Children's Pool
  11:15am: First Round
  11:45am: Second Round
  12:15pm: Third Round
  12:45pm: Fourth Round
• Muddy Rivers Activities. Located at Muddy Rivers Pool Bar
  12:00pm-12:30pm: Watermelon Eating Contest
  1:00pm-2:00pm: Patriotic Spray Art ($)
• Patriotic Poolside Activities. Located at the Ol’ Man Island Pool
  2:00pm-2:30pm: Red, White & Balloons
  2:30pm-3:30pm: Give Me Liberty, or Give Me A Pie-In-The-Face
  3:30pm-4:30pm: Mickey Tie-Dye ($)
  4:30pm-5:30pm: All American Pool Party
• Stars, Stripes, and S’mores. Located at the Ol’ Man Island Campfire Pit.
  6:30pm-7:30pm
• Movie Under the Stars & Stripes. Located by the Building 90/95 Pool.
  8:30pm: Captain America: the First Avenger (PG-13)

• Doubloon Lagoon Pool
  1:00pm: Star Spangled Water Balloon Toss
  1:30pm: Mickey Tie-Dye ($)
  3:00pm: Patriotic Pool Party
  4:00pm: Red, White, and Blue Bingo
  4:30pm:Watermelon Eating Contest
  5:30pm-6:00pm: Stars and Stripes Scavenger Hunt
• Between Buildings 5 & 6
  6:00pm: Backyard Bash Lawn Games
  6:30pm-8:30pm: All American Campfire

• “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 $35 per person, plus tax. Registration is limited to 16 guests per evening, please call 407-WDW-PLAY or visit the Concierge desk for additional information or to reserve a spot in the class. Share your masterpiece with the hashtag #PaintingOnDeBayou.
• Dockside Drawing (Riverside, 3pm—4pm Mondays & Thursdays) — Have you ever wanted to learn to draw like a Disney Animator? Join us in the River Roost Lounge for two different classes to learn how to draw Disney classic animated characters.
• Poolside Yoga (Riverside, 8:15am—8:45am Mondays & Fridays) — Join us for a complimentary 30-minute yoga session on the Muddy Rivers Deck at Ol’ Man Island. Sessions are available on a first come, first served basis.
• Glow with the Flow Pool Party (Sundays & Wednesdays at French Quarter; Tuesdays & Thursdays at Riverside. 8:30pm-9:30pm) — Dance on down to the pool for an exciting evening of party games and dancing that will light up the night!
• Arts & Crafts ($) 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).
• Let the Good Times Roll Dance Party (French Quarter, 9pm—9:30pm, Saturdays) — It’s time to let the good times roll! Drop by the French Quarter Lobby Courtyard to join us for music, dancing and fun for the whole family!
• “You Can Fly” Fridays (Riverside, 1pm—8:30pm, Fridays) — Come join us for a full day of “faith, trust and pixie dust.” You’ll have so much fun you’ll “Neverland”!
• 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.
• Summer Sing-along Scavenger Hunt (French Quarter, daily) — It’s summertime at Port Orleans French Quarter, and we are inviting you to join in as we celebrate some of our favorite Disney songs! We’ve hidden a symphony of music notes around the Resort, each one representing a favorite Disney movie with songs that keep us humming and singing along. Visit the Front Desk to pick up your clue guide. Once you’ve found all the music notes, return your completed clue guide to the Front Desk to collect a sweet summertime surprise!

The 2020 Room and Package Rack Rates have been released for US bookings made with Walt Disney World. The prices were showing on the online calendars from 6am Eastern 18 June 2019. More details will follow, but you should probably expect the website and app to be somewhat busy for a few days.

It will take me a while to scrape and process all 365 days of prices in 17 room categories to provide a full breakdown, but a quick spot-check of Christmas 2020 versus this year shows around a 10% hike - way above inflation. Even for the cheapest Standard View rooms, Christmas week goes up from $357.75/night to $391.50/night inc tax, for a Moderate hotel!

Overnight car parking at Port Orleans has also gone up by $1, to $20 per day for all 2020 bookings that are made on or after 18 June 2019.

Oh, and Annual Pass prices went up on the same day, some (such as the Platinum Pass for non-Florida residents) increasing by as much as 25%.

The June 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 now and throughout the summer months are 9am—11pm, outside of which times the 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, Tuesdays and Fridays). There will be no movies at either resort on Thursdays.

Evening Campfire Activities will take place from 6:30pm-7:30pm every night at Riverside, and on the same nights as the movies at French Quarter (Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays). 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 $35 per person, plus tax. Registration is limited to 16 guests per evening, please call 407-WDW-PLAY or visit the Concierge desk for additional information or to reserve a spot in the class. Share your masterpiece with the hashtag #PaintingOnDeBayou.
• Dockside Drawing (Riverside, 3pm—4pm Mondays & Thursdays) — Have you ever wanted to learn to draw like a Disney Animator? Join us in the River Roost Lounge for two different classes to learn how to draw Disney classic animated characters.
• Poolside Yoga (Riverside, 8:15am—8:45am Mondays & Fridays) — Join us for a complimentary 30-minute yoga session on the Muddy Rivers Deck at Ol’ Man Island. Sessions are available on a first come, first served basis.
• Glow with the Flow Pool Party (Sundays & Wednesdays at French Quarter; Tuesdays & Thursdays at Riverside. 8:30pm-9:30pm) — Dance on down to the pool for an exciting evening of party games and dancing that will light up the night!
• Arts & Crafts ($) 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).
• Let the Good Times Roll Dance Party (French Quarter, 9pm—9:30pm, Saturdays) — It’s time to let the good times roll! Drop by the French Quarter Lobby Courtyard to join us for music, dancing and fun for the whole family!
• “Under the Sea” Fridays (Riverside, 2pm—8:30pm, Fridays) — “Seas” the day every Friday with us! Go “Under the Sea” with themed games, prizes and crafts, followed by a screening of The Little Mermaid to end the night.
• 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.
• Summer Sing-along Scavenger Hunt (French Quarter, daily) — It’s summertime at Port Orleans French Quarter, and we are inviting you to join in as we celebrate some of our favorite Disney songs! We’ve hidden a symphony of music notes around the Resort, each one representing a favorite Disney movie with songs that keep us humming and singing along. Visit the Front Desk to pick up your clue guide. Once you’ve found all the music notes, return your completed clue guide to the Front Desk to collect a sweet summertime surprise!

The May 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 now and throughout the summer months are 9am—11pm, outside of which times the 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 four nights a week at Riverside (Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays), and three nights at week at French Quarter (Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays). Since two weekdays are again duplicated this month, there will be no movies at either resort on Thursdays or Saturdays.

Evening Campfire Activities will take place from 6:30pm-7:30pm every night at Riverside, and on the same nights as the movies at French Quarter (Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays). 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 $15+tax, including three beignets and a souvenir “medal”. To reserve your spot, please call 407-WDW-PLAY or visit the Concierge Desk.
• Disney Trivia Night (Riverside, Tuesdays 8:30pm-10pm) — Looking to show off your Disney Trivia skills? Join us on Tuesday nights at the River Roost Lounge from 8:30pm to 10:00pm for some fun and exciting competition!
• Painting on de’ Bayou ($) (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 $35 per person, plus tax. Registration is limited to 16 guests per evening, please call 407-WDW-PLAY or visit the Concierge desk for additional information or to reserve a spot in the class. Share your masterpiece with the hashtag #PaintingOnDeBayou.
• Painting by the Lagoon ($) (French Quarter, 9am—11am Saturdays) — Get the whole gang together for a family-friendly painting class! Join us in the seating area of Mardi Grogs Pool Bar for an instructor-led paint class where you and your family can create your own Disney-themed works of art! For ages 6 and up (under 12s will require an adult to be present for the duration of the class). This will feature art that is specifically designed for guests of all ages to enjoy and costs $30 per person, plus tax. Registration is limited to 16 guests, please call 407-WDW-PLAY or visit the Concierge desk for additional information or to reserve a spot in the class. Share your masterpiece with the hashtag #PaintingByTheLagoon.
• Dockside Drawing (Riverside, 3pm—4pm Mondays & Thursdays) — Have you ever wanted to learn to draw like a Disney Animator? Join us in the River Roost Lounge for two different classes to learn how to draw Disney classic animated characters.
• Poolside Yoga (Riverside, 8:15am—8:45am Mondays & Fridays) — Join us for a complimentary 30-minute yoga session on the Muddy Rivers Deck at Ol’ Man Island. Sessions are available on a first come, first served basis.
• Glow with the Flow Pool Party (Sundays, Wednesdays & Saturdays at French Quarter; Thursdays & Saturdays at Riverside. 8:30pm-9:30pm) — Dance on down to the pool for an exciting evening of party games and dancing that will light up the night!
• Arts & Crafts ($) 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).
• 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.
• Shower of Flowers Scavenger Hunt (French Quarter, daily) — Spring is in full bloom at Port Orleans French Quarter! We have hidden flowers celebrating some of our favorite Disney characters around the Resort, 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 springtime surprise!

The April 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 now and throughout the summer months are 9am—11pm, outside of which times the pools and hot tubs are gated and locked as there are no lifeguards on duty. The five Riverside leisure (quiet) pools are officially listed as 9am—10pm but they are not locked and are generally available at any time within reason.

Movies Under the Stars will be screened at 8:30pm four nights a week at Riverside (Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays), and three nights at week at French Quarter (Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays). Since two weekdays are duplicated this month, there will be no movies at either resort on Thursdays or Saturdays.

Evening Campfire Activities will take place from 6:30pm-7:30pm every night at Riverside, and on the same nights as the movies at French Quarter (Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays). 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.

• 9am Candy Scramble (Located on the Courtyard of Oak Manor, building 90) — Come scoop up as many “Spoonfuls of Sugar” as you can in our Candy Scramble!
• 9:30am–11:30am Character Greeting (Located near the fountain on the Courtyard of Oak Manor, building 90)
• 9:30am-11:30am Cherry Tree Lane Games (Located at the Courtyards of Buildings 85 and 90) — Step in time to some fabulously magical adventures along the Cherry Tree Lane trail while winning some fantastic prizes!
• Possibly Impossible Poolside Activities (Located at Ol’ Man Island pool)
  11:30am–12:30pm Design Your Own Parasol ($)12:30pm–1:30pm Practically Perfect Pool Party
  1:30pm–2:30pm Supercali-Trivia
  2:30pm–3pm What’s In Your Carpet Bag?
  3pm–3:30pm Off to the Horse Races Relay
  3:30pm–4:30pm Mickey Tie-Dye ($)
• 6:30pm–7:30pm “Jolly Holiday” Campfire (Located at the Campfire Pit on Ol’ Man Island) — It’s always a “Jolly Holiday” at the Campfire on de’ Bayou! Enjoy a “Spoonful of Sugar” with a Bayou twist.

• 8am Beignet Dash Fun Run ($) — This Easter we’re celebrating all things “Up,” and Port Orleans must be explored! Get in on the Easter spirit by joining us for a quick run or walk around French Quarter and Riverside! Check in begins at 7:30am along the River walk between Building 5 and Doubloon Lagoon Pool. You and your entire family are sure to have an incredible time!
• Events between Buildings 5 & 6
  9am Candy Scramble
  9:30am Wilderness Lawn Games
  9:30am-11:30am Character Greeting
• 10:30am-11:30am Earn Your Badges Egg Scavenger Hunt — It’s your chance to become a Wilderness Explorer! Stop by the French Quarter green to pick up your Scavenger Hunt Guide. It will lead you on a journey around French Quarter to find 5 eggs each representing a badge you’ll be able to earn! Find all five eggs and claim your prize at Doubloon Lagoon Pool!
• Events at Doubloon Lagoon Pool
  11:30am Mickey Tie Dye($)
  12:30pm Mr. Fredrickson's Memory Test (Disney Trivia)
  1pm Adventure is Out There Pool Party
  2pm Make Your Own Badge ($)
  3pm Balloon Relays
  3:30pm Snipe Bingo
  8:30pm Bunny-Hop, Splash, and Glow Pool Party

• “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 $15+tax, including three beignets and a souvenir “medal”. To reserve your spot, please call 407-WDW-PLAY or visit the Concierge Desk.
• Disney Trivia Night (Riverside, Tuesdays 8:30pm-10pm) — Looking to show off your Disney Trivia skills? Join us on Tuesday nights at the River Roost Lounge from 8:30pm to 10:00pm for some fun and exciting competition!
• Painting on de’ Bayou ($) (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 $35 per person, plus tax. Registration is limited to 16 guests per evening, please call 407-WDW-PLAY or visit the Concierge desk for additional information or to reserve a spot in the class. Share your masterpiece with the hashtag #PaintingOnDeBayou.
• Painting by the Lagoon ($) (French Quarter, 9am—11am Saturdays) — Get the whole gang together for a family-friendly painting class! Join us in the seating area of Mardi Grogs Pool Bar for an instructor-led paint class where you and your family can create your own Disney-themed works of art! For ages 6 and up (under 12s will require an adult to be present for the duration of the class). This will feature art that is specifically designed for guests of all ages to enjoy and costs $30 per person, plus tax. Registration is limited to 16 guests, please call 407-WDW-PLAY or visit the Concierge desk for additional information or to reserve a spot in the class. Share your masterpiece with the hashtag #PaintingByTheLagoon.
• Supercali-Fridays (Fridays at both resorts, 8:30pm) — In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You’ll find the fun at our Movie Under the Stars on Friday nights, with some added “spoonfuls of sugar” to celebrate a practically perfect evening!
• Dockside Drawing (Riverside, 3pm—4pm Mondays & Thursdays) — Have you ever wanted to learn to draw like a Disney Animator? Join us on the Back Porch of the Riverside Lobby to learn how to draw Disney classic animated characters.
• Poolside Yoga (Riverside, 8:15am—8:45am Mondays & Fridays) — Join us for a complimentary 30-minute yoga session on the Muddy Rivers Deck at Ol’ Man Island. Sessions are available on a first come, first served basis.
• Glow with the Flow Pool Party (Sundays, Wednesdays & Saturdays at French Quarter; Thursdays & Saturdays at Riverside. 8:30pm-9:30pm) — Dance on down to the pool for an exciting evening of party games and dancing that will light up the night!
• Arts & Crafts ($) 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).
• 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.
• Shower of Flowers Scavenger Hunt (French Quarter, daily) — Spring is in full bloom at Port Orleans French Quarter! We have hidden flowers celebrating some of our favorite Disney characters around the Resort, 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 springtime surprise!