© Copyright 2008 Tink *~*~*
http://MyMobileAdventures.com
We’re taking a cruise down the Sassagoula! All aboard the river boat, and let’s see where it takes us.
The Sassagoula is a man-made waterway that connects several Disney resorts with Village Lake, around which Downtown Disney and the Saratoga Springs resort are clustered. Guests can embark from Port Orleans Riverside, Port Orleans French Quarter, Old Key West or Saratoga Springs to get to one of the other resorts or to Downtown Disney.
Guests are transported to and fro in blue and yellow flat-bottomed river boats. There are actually three routes – one for the Port Orleans resorts, one that services Saratoga Springs and Old Key West, and one that taxis guests back and forth between two Downtown Disney docks (the West Side and the Marketplace). The boats play a soothing mix of instrumental-only Disney tunes, many of them having to do with boats and waterways. It’s not unusual to hear Just Around The Riverbend from Pocahontas followed by Candle on the Water from Pete’s Dragon.
Aside from going back and forth between Downtown Disney and the resorts, you can also resort-hop. Over the years, I have read the same question over and over on many internet boards – “What can we do at Walt Disney World that’s FREE?“. Well, you can take a trip on the Sassagoula River! For instance, you can park at Downtown Disney and hop aboard the boat that goes up to Port Orleans Riverside. You can get off there, take a stroll around the scenic grounds, grab a bite to eat at the Riverside Mill food court or even go shopping at the market. There’s also a table service restaurant called Boatwright’s Dining Hall.
Suppose you prefer the ambiance of historic New Orleans – in that case, make your stop at Port Orleans French Quarter. This is a small, quaint resort styled after “the Big Easy”, featuring authentic Mardi Gras theming, beautifully landscaped “neighborhoods”, and humorous street signs. If you stop to have lunch at the Sassagoula Floatworks, be sure to have the chicken Caesar salad – my family really loves it, but if you are calorie conscious or just don’t like your salad drowned, be sure to ask for the dressing on the side.
I’ve stayed at the French Quarter a few times, and during one of those trips, one of my co-workers and his wife were also in Orlando, staying at the Old Key West resort. So one afternoon I set out on the river boats to go and visit them. As mentioned, there are several different routes; Old Key West and the French Quarter are not on the same route, so it’s necessary to change boats at Downtown Disney. The boat dock is right near the Rainforest Cafe, within sight of the Saratoga Springs resort across the lake. I didn’t have a long wait at all, and before I knew it, the Old Key West boat arrived to take me the rest of the way to my destination. It probably would have been faster to drive, but it would not have been nearly as pretty or relaxing!
The trip along the river is very pleasant and uneventful except for the occasional “water mouse” that speeds by. “Water mice” are little, two-person boats you can rent at Port Orleans Riverside, Downtown Disney and various other places throughout Walt Disney World. Once we docked at Old Key West, I walked a short way up to a bench outside the restaurant, called Olivia’s, to wait for my friends. As you can see, it was autumn when these photos were taken; Olivia’s is all decked out with cornstalks, hay stacks, and pumpkins. But the pastel pinks, greens, blues and yellows that cover the resort buildings are definitely designed to evoke the sub-tropical “old Florida” atmosphere of Key West.
I hope you enjoyed our trip up and down the Sassagoula River today. Remember, if you are ever in Orlando and looking to kill a few hours just relaxing, consider climbing aboard one of these charming boats and touring the resorts that are “just around the riverbend”.
Subscribers bring me JOY! 
Click to Subscribe by email
wow, that was very cool – just a good as being there
Reply
i want to ride on that fun-looking yellow boat!
Reply
There’s a lot of yellow in there. Thanks for the journey.
Reply
Wonderful, and vivid pics,and looks so fun!!
Blessings,
Barbara Jean
Reply
You are the Trifecta Queen! What’s it called when you do four? So, again, Google was my friend…I wanted to know just how big this Disney World place is. 7000 acres of developed land! Holy cow! Of course, they were tens of thousands of more acres to the whole thing. I am completely convinced there is no one on earth who knows more about the place than you. You have a calling. Seriously. Families could send you their likes, dislikes, ages, personalities and you could put together the perfect vacation package just for them. You’d make a killing. Disney needs you. Families need you….I could so see wasting a whole vacation walking from here to there without a plan.
Reply
great pics!
keep on taking pictures!
Reply
If I lived there, I would go resort hopping on that boat all of the time, sounds like fun-especially Walt Disney World! I LOVE anything Disney! I go to Disneyland all of the time here in So Cal. :O)
Reply
Thanks for all the good information, as well as the photos of Disney World! I feel like I just went on a little mini Disney vacation!
Reply
I grew up going to Disneyland in CA and it was always a great adventure! These are beautiful shots and you’ll probably get a lot of people booking their vacations right now! Thanks for our daily dose of Yellow:)
Reply
Wow, looks like fun! How do you do a Trifecta…? I have a Blue Monday & Yellow Mellow Monday going today and thought it might be fun but I don’t understand the directions of Manic Monday? LOL! Lu
Reply
Tink *~*~* Reply:
April 6th, 2009 at 8:51 am
Hi Luanne. Manic Monday is easy. Mo provides a word that gets us thinking. This week’s word was “trip”. What comes to mind when you hear the word “trip”? The psychedelic 60s? Falling over a toy your three year old left on the stairs? Going away on vacation? Whatever it made you think of, that’s your post for the day. It’s that easy! I look forward to seeing you on Manic Monday in the near future.
*~*~*
Reply
Thanks for taking us on this cruise! Thanks for your visit too!
Reply
A stunning trifeca – your very best to date, I think!
Well done! Very well done!
Reply
You can’t beat Disney! Thanks for sharing. Happy Blue Monday.
Reply
What a fun trip! Love the blues along the way!
Happy Blue Monday~
Reply
What a clever blue & yellow journey. One of these days we will get to Disney World and I will prepared with a thousand things to do and see.
Reply
Do you live in Disney World? At least you work there. Or then you visit there every week. None of the above? What ever, very nice pics with lots of yellow, and mellow, to go around. Happy MYM and the other two memes. You have a great week! At Disney Land.
Reply
Thanks for the ride. We keep hearing about more and more things we need to do when we visit. This one is on the list.
Reply
Wow… what a great ride! Great photos!
Yes you got the joke! and welcome to the club!
Reply
Great photos! Thanks for the ride and Happy Blue Monday!
Blessings,
Sandi
Reply
Wow, Triple Feature. Thanks very much. I didn’t know they had these shuttles to and fro. We are going to have to go sometime.
Reply
Thanks for the trip. I’ve never been.
Reply
Thanks for the guided tour ;–)
I love all the blues & yellows together … and would love to ride on the flat bottomed river boat!
Hugs and blessings,
Reply
Wow, I feel like I’ve been there with you. Thanks for the tour.
Kathy b
Reply
What a fun post! It makes me want to take a vacation. Happy Blue Monday!
Sweetie
Reply
Thanks for the tour..now I want to go riverboating..:). Happy Blue Monday and have a lovely week.
Reply
Looks like a lot of fun! Happy WW
Reply
What an amazing, and beautiful blog!!!! I’m simply delighted to find you! This is a wonderful post, filled with gorgeous photos…I have visited Disney…but much to my chagrin, my photos don’t compare
And these are Mobile? Incredible! Congrats on your mention in POTD…that’s how I found you! Cheers!
Reply
Beautiful post and I loved the photographs.
Congratulations on POTD – well deserved.
Reply
Wow, I had no idea you could go resort hopping!
Congrats on POTD!!
Reply
Great photos, I would love to visit that place. Congratulations on making POTD, that’s fantastic!
Reply