5. Logistics

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Your evaluation of the logistics at the hotel will depend on your favorite activities at Walt Disney World. The hotel offers convenient access to Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Disney Springs. However, if you want to go to the Magic Kingdom or Disney's Animal Kingdom, you’ll suffer through a prolonged bus trip.

With regards to Epcot, we got to the park in as little as 10 minutes during a couple of rides. On others, the ride took quite a bit longer, which brings us to the potential downside of French Quarter travel. Depending on traffic patterns and the number of travelers joining you on the bus, you might stop at Disney’s Port Orleans – Riverside before heading to the park. When that happens – and it seems to be fairly random – you’ll suffer through several additional bus stops, which can legitimately triple the time of your journey.

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The good news about French Quarter is that they recently added television monitors at their twin bus stops. You can look at them and get a fairly good estimate about the arrival of the next bus to a theme park. Sometimes, traffic and other delays will cause a bus to arrive several minutes later than estimated; however, they’re rarely early. Use the estimates to identify whether you have time to shop at the lobby, go back to your room, or grab a quick bite to eat. Alternately, consider grabbing an Uber. We’ve found it’s the best way to handle most Disney theme park trips these days.

The one cool part about staying at Port Orleans is that boats constantly carry travelers to Disney Springs. A ride comes along multiple times an hour, and Disney’s thoughtfully provided a shaded area where guests can sit while they wait. The boat trip is relaxing while also providing great views of Lake Buena Vista Golf Course and the treehouse villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa. I highly recommend that you try this at least once during your stay. Plus, it’s handy to drop off your shopping bags at the hotel prior to a return trip to the parks!

6. Pricing

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One of the most frequent complaints about Port Orleans – French Quarter is that its prices are fairly static. Frequent Disney travelers lament their inability to find a great deal here, even when they plan months in advance. Your best bet is to pay attention to Disney emails offering up to 30 percent off of regular room rates. By acting quickly to such deals, you can save a bit of money. 

Otherwise, you’ll pay close to rack rate a lot of the time. That means somewhere around $200 per night during the offseason. During peak travel times such as major holidays and Spring Break, the price increases to $275 and sometimes as much as $300 per night. At that point, you’re not saving a lot by staying at French Quarter. You should explore your options at the pricier resorts as the difference in cost might be offset by amenities.

Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter is a wonderful choice for savvy theme park tourists seeking a step above All-Star Resorts. For only a few dollars more a night, you’ll enjoy better location relative to the Disney theme parks, especially Epcot. And you’ll also spend your time at the hotel admiring the authentic New Orleans vibe. If you’re a fan of the Big Easy, staying at this resort combines all the charm of a Mardi Gras vacation with a trip to Walt Disney World. Beads not included, of course. 

One final note: even by Disney standards, the staff at French Quarter is amazingly friendly and courteous.