Mouse Extra

Port Orleans is perhaps the most popular of Walt Disney World’s moderate resorts. I suppose people love the French Quarter feel and old Southern charm. In the not too distant past, this resort was actually two different places- Port Orleans and Dixie Landings. They have been combined into Port Orleans with the French Quarter and Riverside districts. Boatwright’s is located at the Riverside section. At the name implies, there are boat making tools and similar items decorating the walls as well as boats hanging over your head.

Way back when, Boatwright’s attempted to be a real Cajun restaurant, but it never really pulled it off. Blackened seafood as well as shrimp & crawfish etoufee could be had. However, it was always guilty of catering to the masses instead of staying true to the cuisine. It sacrificed being an accurate representation of Creole food for a more generalized, boring menu. The facility became less and less Cajun seemingly everyday. Now, it seems to be a more tame Southern style place.

The menu as it stands now starts off with appetizers like shrimp cocktail, onion soup and crab cakes. The prices range from $5 to $10. For an entrée, choices include pot roast, chicken dishes, and penne with shrimp, all ranging from $15 to $20. The lone Cajun holdover is jambalaya: chicken and Andouille sausage with rice and plenty of Creole spices. Southern greens and potatoes accompany most meals.

I would not recommend Boatwright’s for a meal myself. Frankly, it’s quite dull. In a resort called “Port Orleans”, I would expect a real attempt at Cajun cuisine with things like blackened catfish, gumbo, po’ boys and the like. Instead, we get a rather bland menu even back when it tried a more Cajun feel. If you want a pretty good attempt at New Orleans food and not something too toned down, hop over to Downtown Disney and try the House of Blues, a personal favorite.

Today’s Disney Dining Review is by Mike, contributing writer to Mouse Extra