Way back in 2007, Andrea and I, along with a pair of parents, went to Disneyworld a few months before the birth of my daughter. I had been drawn south by the prospect of running in the half marathon which goes through several of the parks, though fate slapped me upside the head, and those months of training were for naught when I got the flu a few days before leaving for Florida. But that’s how it goes.
This post is not about my running woes, though. It’s about the Port Orleans Resort where we stayed on our trip.
As you might have guessed, Port Orleans is themed like the French Quarter in New Orleans. It was very nicely done, though not perfect – there were, for example, no one flashing their breasts for beads. While that was disappointing, it did not take away anything from our stay.
The check-in process was a little odd. We were given a card and told to come back later for our room number. Apparently, it was top secret information to know which room we were going to be staying. No worries, we spent a little time in Disneyworld, the first park of our visit.
When we returned to claim our room, we had a fantastic location on the corner of the first floor facing the river that separated the resort from a beautiful golf course. But there was a problem – the room was a smoking room. As neither of us were smokers (I’m thinking of starting – I need another bad habit), we went back to the drawing board (i.e. the front desk) to ask for another room.
I was expecting to be disappointed in our next room. How can you get two good rooms in a row? Well, I was wrong – for once. The next room was even better – a third floor with a river view. It was very peaceful, away from the pool and restaurant, and I couldn’t imagine a better spot at the resort to have a room.
Since I mentioned the restaurant, I’ll go there next. The place was cafeteria-style, just pick what you wanted and pay. The selection was decent, with both hot and cold dishes to choose from. We also purchased (okay, we were given – thanks, dad) mugs to use for our stay that gave us free refills at the fountain pop station. And since I’m a big Coke drinker, that worked out.
The room was simple but nicely decorated. It was roomy enough for the two of us. I normally don’t spend too much time in the room, but the flu made sure that on this trip, I did. The little touches, like the decorative wooden designs near the bathroom, put a classic touch on a modern room.
And I can’t pass up mentioning the various Disney-themed bathroom items, like soap and shampoo. Since I have very little hair, tiny bottles of shampoo work great for me. And Mickey ears on soap wrappers keeps you in the Disney frame of mind, even while in the John.
The resort had a laid-back atmosphere, despite being loaded with people, especially with all the racers whose very presence taunted me, since I could run with them. The pool looked very kid-friendly, but since ours had not yet arrived, we avoided it.
Despite my awful physical condition, I had a wonderful time at Port Orleans. It was a peaceful spot in an often hectic and noisy vacation destination. It is a great choice for staying on Disney property, being close to the parks and all the other amenities while just steps away from a quiet walk by the river.