Wednesday 5 March 2014

48 Hours in New Orleans

Disney fans are familiar with New Orleans Square and the Haunted Mansion, the Port Orleans resorts at Walt Disney World, and the tailor-made animated feature The Princess and the Frog. How do these idealized visions of the Crescent City match up to the real thing on the banks of the Mississippi?

In preparation for our upcoming honeymoon at Walt Disney World, where we will be staying at the Port Orleans French Quarter, I decided to do some research for the sake of context. One wonderful video I came across was 48 Hours in New Orleans, a promotional co-production of Discover America and The Independent. Guide Simon Calder takes us on a whirlwind tour of New Orleans' highlights, including the French Quarter and Garden District, the best restaurants and places to stay, and out of the city and into the bayou and Oak Alley Plantation (which served as a backdrop to Interview With the Vampire). As a tourism feature, it is also good preparation if you ever choose to see the real thing that inspired Disney.