So many places to pick out from Walt Disney World, so how do you pick the right one for you?  

There's plenty of different factors that can vary person to person, so there is not a one size fits all solution.  Budget is always the number one factor where you start planning.  Type of accommodations and what can suit your traveling party's needs.  And finally, just the overall experience - are you getting exactly what you want out of this trip? 

This time we stayed at one of Disney's Moderate properties, Port Orleans - Riverside, and while we were there took the time to explore sister property Port Orleans - French Quarter. 

So how did they meet our expectations? 

For starters, let's just talk about what to expect from your stay.  You'll enter much like at any other Disney resort, where you'll be greeted by guard gate and directed to the lobby to check-in or do your luggage drop.

With Disney's enhanced technology, you may not even have a reason to stop here other than to leave your car so you can enjoy your day.  The My Disney Experience app has everything loaded for you, right on your phone, so you can check-in digitally and then receive a notification to when your room is ready!  Room key?  No problem! It's on your smart phone via the app, so it will even direct you to your room and allow you to enter your room via your handheld lifeline.  But if you're not interested in these no conventions, no need to worry - just stop by Check-In and grab a room key for use during your stay.  It would be smart to have on handy anyways, in case of overexhausted phones - and if you're overexhausted yourself, no need to make an unnecessary stop. 

Once you leave your car (assuming you have one and your room isn't ready), you can feel free to explore.  And just be warned, this resort is MASSIVE.  But in a good way.  As soon as you step foot on property you feel like you're transported to a different part of the country.  And as you walk the grounds, you'll find this ring even more true.  The resort has two sets of accommodations - Alligator Bayou, which will be your entry level rooms that look like you're staying in cabins in the wood. The upgrade is to Magnolia Bend, where you're staying on the mansion side and is where you'll find the Royal Guest Rooms.  

On the French Quarter side, you'll find more New Orleans (rather than bayou theme) to the complex, and the accommodations make you feel like you're staying in the heart of the city.  The property here is not as vast but still offers its unique charms and attention to detail as they make this city come to life.  Within each hotel and room location, your pricing to book will vary between type of room (standard double or king) and location (parking view, pool, or woods/resort view ).  

This stay we booked ourselves a Royal Guest Room at Riverside and we were placed at Parterre Place for our stay.  The building was a little walk away from the lobby and main pool, but it was the closest in proximity to French Quarter - so we felt like we were given a little of both worlds.  The room itself was all the magic you'd expect from Disney - making a princess' dream of staying in her suite come to life.  The room was carefully decorated with relics of each of the movies, and hidden gems that made finding a little more exciting.  Portraits of each princess adorned the walls of the room, and even silhouettes of their respective princes were incorporated into the room.  But our favorite part was the firework display on the headboard, that made saying goodnight all the worth while. 

Only con for a family is the lack of privacy a resort like this may offer.  The moderate resorts have an open shared (double) sink space and closet for hanging clothes.  The bathroom with toilet and shower are private behind a door, but if you're looking to change in privacy, you'll have only the security of a curtain to separate yourself from others.  

We made this stay one where we completely immersed ourselves in what the resort had to offer.  There's something to be said about spending all this time on property and not ever really getting to enjoy all that there is.  We wanted to make sure that wasn't the case, so from the moment we arrived we didn't leave. 

Both sides of Port Orleans offer a main pool - Ol' Man Island at Riverside and Doubloon Lagoon at French Quarter - along with additional resort pools closer to certain accommodations at Riverside.  That was definitely an added bonus of choosing to stay at Riverside in case you were looking for a little quiet time away from the excitement of the main pools.  And for us, our building had a pool right from the view of our room so we could easily make our way over to enjoy. It also conveniently happened to be the pool that offered the Movie Under the Stars, so made it even easier to take in all the resort activities that we offered.  

Movie Under the Stars is an every other night activity offering at Disney resorts, whether they are poolside or some other central area (like at French Quarter, where they use the grass in between building of Beignet Square) to broadcast a Disney feature to families. Its a nice way to wind down the night and escape the corners of your room for a unique activity to the Disney resorts. 

This is all just the beginning, each resort offers the following:

• Poolside activities
  
• Arts & Crafts 
• Campfire
• Arcades

The resorts also each have unique to them offerings in terms of entertainment.  You'll find Ye Ha Bob at Riverside playing the piano nightly and jazz musicians at Scat Cat Club (where you'll also find boozy beignets, more on that later)!   riverside also offers the much coveted Horse Drawn Carriage rides, which book up fast - so if you're set on the experience reserve ahead of time.  If you're unable to get a carriage ride you can also experience Surrey or bike ride rentals, which is a great way to see the whole property - and take yourself over to French Quarter too!  Riverside also has a Fishin' Hole and your chance to try to fish (especially if its something you're not going to do back home)!

And if that's not enough for you, this resort is unique in that it has transportation to 2 other resorts and Disney Springs via the ferry boats. Sassaguola River Cruise can take you to Key West Resort, Saratoga Springs, and Disney Springs to explore - operating roughly from 10a to 10p nightly.  Even if you don't want to hop off, use this as a chance to just enjoy being on the water and exploring more of the massive Disney property!  And maybe taking a sneak peek into where you want to go next time you're here!

If you're looking for your Cajun staples, you've come to the right place to find them! 

While both resorts feature food courts and quick service restaurants with the staples you will find property-side, you'll also find some of those classic Louisiana dishes here too! 

The flagship restaurant at Port Orleans is located at Riverside, Boatwright's Dining Hall, featuring an excellent selection of meals to satisfy the whole family.  Being that this is the only full-service restaurant at this resort, reservations are recommended as it does get busy. And pack a bit of your patience, as it could get busy, so you may need to wait!  But if your dining time coincides with the start time of entertainment, the restaurant is right next door to River Roost, so you can pop in to grab a drink and enjoy Yehaa Bob while you wait!

If you're here looking for the NOLA staple of beignets, you've come to the right place.  The only place in all of Disney property serving it up, you'll have to head over to French Quarter and visit Scat Cat Club Cafe and Lounge to get your hands on these delicious pockets of sweetness!  While the cafe is open at all hours for you to enjoy beignets and a variety of other goodies, if you want a boozy version of the dessert, you'll have to visit the Lounge!  Make sure your visit coincides with the live jazz band  for a perfect date night on Disney property!

Best part of all this, if none of this appeals to you, you're an easy boat ride or bus transfer to any other resort or restaurant on property to satisfy any craving you may have!

If you still haven't decided on a Disney resort to stay at, but want a little bit of an escape, this is the place to be!  This resort was a true gem worth visiting, and even made a little staycation feel like a much earned vacation! 

You've booked a cruise! Now what?

[If you haven't booked a cruise, see our reasons for why you do need to take one!]

Just like any other vacation, prepping may feel overwhelming but don't let it be! Here are some tips to make your next vacation on the seas as relaxing as it can be!

In terms of what to bring, less can be more - in this case, make sure to bring more of the right things!

Your cruise is likely going to have themed nights, including at least one formal night - and if you're into that type of thing, pack accordingly! But this is a beach vacation, and we never think there's too many swimsuits, coverups or light wear you can pack, since it will be likely what you'll live in. Your cruise ship may also have laundry service available, so in case you didn't bring enough of one thing or need it for emergency purposes, you have options. Including shopping in port!

Outside the obvious, including sunglasses, sandals, toiletries, and anything you travel with for comfort, the following are items we definitely saw value in having with us!
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• Battery pack - most cruise lines have gone digital for everything, including offering free wifi to exclusively access their onboard app to navigate. That said, you may be using your phone more than you intend to, so a battery pack for when you're on the go is a smart investment.
• Refillable insulated water bottle - you'll have to board with the bottle empty, but you can get all the water you need for free if you're willing to walk to the drink machines. These bottles were a lifesaver for us on excursions, as it stayed colder longer and saved us from aging to purchase overpriced bottles.
• Towel clips - on the moving vessel, nothing is more valuable than something that can hold your towels down for you (and clearly identify where you're sitting). Given that most cruise lines will also charge you a substantial amount for a lost towel, these clips will bring more than enough value.
• Snorkel gear - if you plan to spend any time in the water, bring your own gear! You may not be able to get your hands on some otherwise if the excursion is all booked out. Or you may deal with steep prices to get - it was roughly $45 to rent for a few hours or $25+ to purchase a kids set of snorkel gear (we found a full set with fins for cheaper at home).
• ​Small activities or card games - in case dinner takes longer than expected, nothing like an activity pack or card game (whether a deck or UNO) to keep yourselves distracted as you wait. Some of our dinners ran for a few hours, and with not more than a small puzzle on the kids menu, distractions made for the time to pass by optimally.
• Sand toys, floats, and googles - if you're traveling with kids, bring the toys along! It may feel like an inconvenience at first but it will save you from purchasing more (unless you already intend to make that a souvenir). Floats will not be able to be used in the pools onboard, but you can definitely make the most of those when visiting beach getaways. Also, some pools that are salt water based, so in case your kids want more comfort while swimming, goggles are a must! Yes, you can purchase on board but again, at a significant up charge).
• Mesh laundry bag- to carry said sand toys and/or pack all your dirty items to make it start to the washer once you're back home!
• Wet bag - on the same token, a wet bag for swim wear on the go or to keep your sunscreen in made life easier.
• Sunscreen and Aloe - this may sound obvious, but a reminder to pack this in plenty to avoid premium prices. Also suggest refrigerating your aloe for even more relief in case you get too much sun one day.
• First aid kit - you will have access to medical onboard, but its smart to have some basics for easy access like band-aids, creams, medicines (Tylenol, Benadryl, Tums) on you in case of emergency. Most of the essentials can be easily purchased via a vending machine, but if you rather not have to gamble with if what you need is there,, bring the essentials with you.
• Air freshener - all jokes aside, you're sharing a small room with your family for a few days. Unless they're kind enough to use public restrooms, you'll thank us for recommending a can of Poo-Pourri.
• Dryer sheet or a car air freshener - throw this in your suit case and allow it to keep your luggage fresh! We always have either sitting in our bag ready to go for any trip!
• Downy Wrinkle Release - have any items that need to be ironed or steamed beyond your stellar packing job? Irons and steamers are strictly banded items on board (due to fire hazard) so having the spray will at least help a bit with last minute touch-ups!
• Ziploc bags or containers - no need to bring food, unless you have picky kids or infants that are limited on what they eat. But instead bring something to be able to take some non-perishable items on the go. Cereals were only offered in bulk on board, so having either can allow you to create snack bags for your kids for excursions - just be mindful of any port rules about what types of food you are and aren't allowed to bring on shore (mainly meats, fruits and vegetables are banned).
• Thank You cards - you've had a great time and want to recognize crew members? These people work hard, and for little to no recognition! Make it a point to pick up a few cards to leave special messages behind (and also an opportunity to leave an extra cash gratuity for stellar service)!
• Pencil Case - buy a cheap zippered one that can double as a waterproof solution to protect important documents like passports and birth certificates. You can also later use if as a wet bag or other storage case once you’ve locked your documents on board! Or you can just have one ready to go per kid with a set of activities for easy take aways (for dinners or downtimes).

Some love to take advantage of shopping duty free - and cruising its so easy!

If you’re planning to purchase duty free items, we do recommend you do a bit of window shopping at home to decide if what you're about to buy on board/shore is a better deal than back home. Most of the times it is, but we have found a few items that were not worth holding out for.

Not big on souvenirs but need to bring something back? Some of our favorite things include the original Kinder Surprise (the eggs are banned in the US but you can enjoy on shore); Mexican vanilla because its the real thing; and we love to pick up unique handmade items to support the local vendors (and try not to haggle the price because they are worth every penny).

Cruise lines have in the past years cracked down on people trying to sneak drinks and avoid spending on board.

That said, most cruise lines will let you bring a case of sodas or water (canned) on the first day of your cruise for you to have. This is a great option for someone who wants their caffeine fix but doesn't want the price per glass. You can also pre-order either to be delivered to your room in case you feel like you will go through your allotment before your sailing ends.

On the same token, most cruise lines allow 2 bottles of wine or champagne (no larger than 750ml) per stateroom with an adult 21+ in. Note that Disney Cruise Line allow each guests 21+ to bring a bottle of wine or champagne OR 6 - 12oz beers on board at the beginning of the voyage AND and at each port of call (if you want to restock). These beverages must be packed in carry-on bags or luggage so we recommend a wine bag with your carry on. And pack an insulated wine cup so you can have something ready to go in your room (though you can ask your stateroom attendant for a wine glass to use as well). Just note that if you are going to open a wine bottle in the dining room, you will be charged a corkage fee. So opt for a twist top OR bring your own wine opener for your room and open before dinner.

Another option to consider if you're trying to drink but also save a bit is to order a bottle of alcohol to your room before traveling. You can do so on each respective cruise line’s website under their stateroom gifts option. These orders will be delivered the first day of the cruise and are subject to the rules of each cruise line. Then you can make your own drinks in your room for a fraction of the price of buying. While dining, you will also be able to order wine by the bottle, which can be a substantial savings from ordering by the glass. And if you don't top the bottle your meal, you can ask to bring it with you to your room OR your serving team will cork and store for the next time you join them for dinner. With either option though, you will not be able to bring any unfinished bottles off the ship, so make sure to never order more than you can have!

Finally, there's the popular "all you can drink" packages most lines offer that are worth considering. The price, though significant, can be worth it if you will be drinking the allotment. With most cocktails about at $14+ tax & gratuity and beers starting at $7+ tax & gratuity, the price for the package can easily break even after about 6 cocktails a day (if you plan to have that much). But note, most lines require that all passengers of age in one stateroom to commit, so sharing will be avoided, so a lot of deliberation may be in store depending what type of cruise you'll take. If you’re stopping on a private island with the package is honored, we recommend considering as it does being value!

I always, always, always recommend traveling with a passport! For your kids, it’s the only type of ID that has their picture on it - and for everyone in an emergency situation, the o my way you can fly home internationally.

If you are a US citizen on a US closed loop cruise (start and end at the same US port), you do have the option to bring a birth certificate and photo ID. Options exist for foreign born US citizens as well.

Remember. you are leaving the country, so its always better to have this priceless piece of identification ready to go. Also, it makes the whole embarkation and debarkation process seamless! With facial recognition software in much use, having a passport will save you lots of time when coming home. Just make sure you have at least 6 months left from the last day of your trip of your passport in case of emergency (a good standard to have when traveling anywhere in the world)!
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If your stateroom came with onboard credit (OBC) - usually an offer working with a travel planner can get you - it has to be used on board. You can use if for anything you end up spending on board, including gratuities - so it may be a reason to not prepay your gratuity so you have some flexibility with this free money.

Excursions can be booked on the ship at a premium and with peace of mind (the ship will not leave without you if your excursion got delayed). But if you want to explore cheaper options or book with flexibility, check out tours for your destinations with my trusted partner Viator. You can also choose an excursion right at the port, where you can try to haggle the price a little - especially if you're okay with being completely spontaneous!

All this goes without being said, book with a travel planner - there's no additional cost, only additional perks, and you have an extra set of eyes to prepare you for your trip!

If you’re ready to explore an option for you, fill out the Cruise Form and we can get started on finding a cruise for you!

If you're already booked and interested in having your reservation taken over, fill out the Booking Transfer Form - it can easily be transferred with just your approval (as long as you're not in final payment)!

As an ambassador for Happyly, I'm proud to share ways to get families out and making the most of your time together.

If you're looking for travel plans to visit Paris, check out some of our recommendations for Dreaming of Travel: Paris. The city of lights is a magical place to plan an international getaway with your family - from the rich culture, abundant history, and kid-friendly possibilities, you’re going to fall in love with Paris!

As an ambassador for Happyly, I'm proud to share ways to get families out and making the most of your time together.  

If you're looking for travel plans to visit the National Parks, check out some of our recommendations for Dreaming of Travel: Arches and Canyonlands.  Both parks are located in the vicinity of Moab, Utah and make for a great summer trip for those looking to be out and about!

As an ambassador for Happyly, I'm proud to share ways to get families out and making the most of your time together.  

If you're looking for the best splash pads in and around Orlando, look no further! ​

As an ambassador for Happyly, I'm proud to share ways to get families out and making the most of your time together.  ​

If you're looking for the best parks and playgrounds in and around Orlando, look no further! 

As an ambassador for Happyly, I'm proud to share ways to get families out and making the most of your time together.  ​

If you're looking for the best things to do in Orlando, that don't always involve the theme parks, check out Orlando Local Highlights! ​