REVIEW: The Disney World Food Court That Will Always Surprise You…In A Good Way

Sometimes you just want to head on down to the Bayou and enjoy that little bit of “Special Spice” taste of New Orleans.

That’s why we love visiting Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — French Quarter because it’s like a little piece of New Orleans right in the heart of Disney World. We also love popping into the quick service restaurant there, Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory. But would this restaurant be Tiana-approved? Well, we visited recently to find out.

Background

Although Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory is a food court, the theme is all about New Orleans, specifically Mardi Gras. At Port Orleans — French Quarter, it’s Mardi Gras year-round, and this food court celebrates that.

So let’s step inside and see what this restaurant is all about.

Atmosphere

You’ll find this restaurant just off the lobby of Port Orleans — French Quarter. Once you’re inside Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory, you’ll be in a huge factory-like space.

You won’t have to worry about finding a seat either. Seating is available at tables and chairs.

The Mardi Gras theme is carried through with beads hanging from the ceilings and used as garland along the walls.

You’ll also see New Orleans-themed decor like playing cards, as well as Mardi Gras details.

Other details include umbrellas to represent the umbrellas you’d find in a Second Line.

Be sure to take a chance to look around at all the details. You’ll find some cool New Orleans artwork, including an old map of New Orleans.

You’ll also easily be able to find the restrooms, if you need them.

Digital menus will tell you what’s on the menu at each little station.

There are also Coca-Cola Freestyle machines available.

But enough about that, what are we eating?!

Food & Drinks

The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with some classic New Orleans-style entrees, as well as burgers, pizza, and pasta. First up, we grabbed the Jambalaya, made with Chicken and Andouille Sausage with Vegetables cooked in a rich Spicy Sauce with Rice for $12.49. There is a lot of chicken and sausage to enjoy in this dish, and although it is a little spicy, it’s probably not as spicy as you’d get in New Orleans. If you like a little spice, this is perfect for you.

The veggies are nice and soft and add to the flavor, although the tomato flavor comes through the most. We’ll just say that we would travel to this hotel JUST for this jambalaya.

It also comes with a piece of cornbread, which goes really well with the jambalaya and adds a nice, sweet dryness to the savory rice dish.

Next up was another New Orleans staple, Gumbo, a Rich Stew with Chicken, Sausage, Okra, and Spices served with Rice for $10.99. This is a classic dish that also has a manageable spice level. It’s a little less spicy than the jambalaya, but you still get a lot of great Cajun flavor.

The rice is thick and cooked perfectly, plus you get a good ratio of rice to gumbo. Everything together just adds great textures. So who knew you could get great gumbo in Disney World? Well, now YOU know.

We also ordered another New Orleans classic sandwich, the Shrimp Po’ Boy made with Fried Shrimp, Lettuce, Tomato, and Rémoulade Sauce for $14.49. It was made fresh to order, so we had to wait for it, but it was worth it. The fried shrimp are salted perfectly with the right amount of Cajun seasoning, and you get fresh lettuce and tomato that make for additional textures.

The creamy sauce adds a nice spicy kick. The bread is soft and filling. Again, we’re surprised at how authentic everything here tastes.

We finished up our meal with dessert, and right now, Sassagoula is serving up a Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake for $6.29. Now, we usually just grab beignets when we visit Port Olreans, but we decided to switch things up a bit.

The cheesecake has a great flavor and is sweet, but also light. The strawberry filling adds just the right amount of tartness.

We’ll admit this isn’t anything super special, especially when you can grab beignets at this hotel, but it’s an overall quick, sweet, and delicious treat. The little Mickey is also a fun touch.

Magic or Tragic?

This Disney World restaurant is a must-visit if…

• You want quick service food, but you also want to eat something unique. Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory is one of our favorite Disney World food courts because it’s not just burgers and chicken strips. You can get some authentic-tasting New Orleans staples here that you can’t find anywhere else on property.
• You’re staying at Port Orleans — French Quarter. It’s a no-brainer to visit this food court if you’re staying at the hotel. It’s just off the lobby, so it’s convenient, plus you can mobile order food to take back to your room if you don’t want to eat in public.
• You’re staying at Port Orleans — Riverside. Although Riverside has its own food court, you’re still not very far away from this food court either. You could alternate and visit both and still walk away very happy with your meal.

You should skip this Disney World spot if…

• You’re not staying at a Port Orleans resort. Now, we might want to trek all over Disney World for the flavors at Sassagoula, but you might not want to, and it does take a bit of traveling to make it over to the hotel.
• You don’t want to dine somewhere busy. Because this is a food court, and it’s a cheaper quick service dining spot, you can expect mealtimes to be very busy here. Although the dining area is huge, the ordering area really isn’t, and you might have to wait a hot minute to get your food.
• You want beignets. Although beignets used to be served here, they moved next door over to Scat Cat’s Club. So if you’re looking for beignets, you’ll go there instead.

When we’re craving some New Orleans-style eats, but don’t want to go through the hassle of a table service restaurant experience, Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory always delivers. Although this is counter service, you’ll be surprised at how authentic these dishes taste, and if you’ve got some picky eaters with you, they’ll find something they like here, too.

In the meantime, we’ll be on the lookout for more restaurant updates from Disney World and beyond. Make sure you stay tuned to AllEars for the latest Disney news and more!

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Have you eaten at this Disney World restaurant before? Tell us in the comments.

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