Alex Coleman
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2017
Introduction
Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory is a small quick service restaurant in the main building of Disney’s Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter. For those who have visited FQ, you will know that the resort is small (by Walt Disney World resort standards). For those who have not, check out my resort review! Unlike larger Moderate resorts (aka all of them), there is only one bus stop. This means that resort guests will probably pass by Sassagoula Floatworks several times during their stay.
Sarah and I ate here during our November 2017 trip. For anyone who has not read this report (you definitely should because it is our best work!) we stayed at this resort for the last night of our trip. We both really love both of the Port Orleans resorts. French Quarter is the quaint, intimate resort that teleports you to New Orleans. Riverside is the vast, beautiful resort that could have been transported directly from the Southern countryside. Check out that resort review, too!
Dining hall locations at the resorts seem to have taken a productive step forward even in the short time we have been visiting Disney World. There are some elite options (Landscape of Flavors and Contempo Cafe) and some mediocre ones (anything at an All-Star resort). Overall, it seems like they are at least trying to make their food more interesting than hot dogs and hamburgers. I would not call Sassagoula the best food court on property (I think Contempo Cafe takes that for me), but I think it would be in my top-5.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere at Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory is a strange mix of incredibly dry and boring and incredibly over-the-top. Now, I know what you are thinking: “Alex has visited Stitch’s Great Escape one too many times and it has finally driven him insane! Those two things are the exact opposite!” Let me explain.
If you just looked at eye-level, the dining area is incredibly boring. There are cheap brown tables with cheap brown chairs. However, the room comes alive when you take the time to raise your gaze to the ceiling.
The backstory of Sassagoula Floatworks is that it is a storage facility for Mardi Gras floats. Even though I have never been to Mardi Gras, my understanding is that the floats are incredibly realistic. That is where the problem comes in. I don’t want to offend people who have a special place in their heart for Mardi Gras, but some of these floats are downright terrifying. I think there is one in particular in the courtyard that still stares into my soul (even though I am exactly 2506 miles away).
There are even a few nods to my favorite Disney movie: Princess and the Frog.
Overall, the dining room is fairly small and can be loud during the breakfast rush. Hot tip: take the food to-go and sit out by the Sassagoula and just unwind and lose track of time. Live your best Big Easy life (you are on vacation, after all)!
Food
The Walt Disney World website categorizes Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory as American Cuisine, Cajun/ Creole Cuisine, which is spot-on. One of my favorite types of cuisine is Cajun soul food. I think Sarah and I could be incredibly fat and happy living in New Orleans and stuffing ourselves full of shrimp and grits, jambalaya, and beignets (insert a MASSIVE drooling emoji).
It is natural to compare Riverside Mill at the Riverside resort and Sassagoula at FQ. For me, the dedication to the theming of New Orleans wins the day. Riverside is a great place to stay (it is Sarah and my favorite by a good distance) and Riverside Mill is a good place to eat. I just wish they broke out of doing interesting twists on burgers and fully committed to the Southern cuisine.
Sassagoula has two menus: breakfast and lunch/ dinner. During our trip, Sarah and I ate off the lunch/ dinner menu. However, I can explain the breakfast menu for anyone who is curious. There are several options at the Grill Shop, all of which are typical breakfast fare.
There are several derivatives of pancakes (including blueberry, yum!), there is a Grilled Steak and Scrambled Eggs, and there are several breakfast sandwiches. At the Carving Shop, there are some more interesting options.
However, the Pizza & Pasta Shop is where it’s at for breakfast. You can either make a custom omelet or you can get the Cajun Grit Bowl with Shrimp. The latter comes with two soft-poached eggs. Being that I ate the Shrimp & Grits for lunch (and it is my favorite food of all time), I would recommend that. You can eat that, then happily jump in line at the bus depot.
Now that breakfast is out of the way, time to move onto the serious meals. Lunch and dinner are marvelous times at Sassagoula. You can take the sucker’s bet and eat at the Grill Shop (please, don’t get a burger or chicken sandwich), or you can go authentic at the Carving Shop or Pizza & Pasta Shop.
The Carving Shop includes several interesting options. You can get the Jambalaya (like Sarah did) or you can Create-Your-Own Signature Rice Bowl. You can also order one of two “Southern Classics”: Fried Chicken or Barbecued Ribs. At the Pizza & Pasta Shop, you can Create-Your-Own Pasta or order pizza (yawn) or you can go with Shrimp & Grits or Gumbo. You should definitely do the latter.
The Bakery Shop should not be missed. There are several “authentic” options. You can either choose three or six beignets (and you could top them with ice cream!), you could get Mini Pies, or you could order a Louisiana-style King Cake.
Ok, finally to the food we actually ate. We ate here during two consecutive lunch services in November. Sarah and I split the Shrimp & Grits during our first stop. I liked that they actually cooked the meal to-order. I watched the chef combine all the ingredients and it did not have that “I have been sitting under a warming light for ages” feel. This was good resort food. Would it pass in the actual French Quarter? Probably not. I thought it was definitely above-average.
During our second visit, we ordered the Jambalaya and the Beignet Ice Cream Sundae. We were running to our Disney’s Magical Express bus, but this was a great way to end our trip. The Jambalaya was spicy and I thought it was significantly better than the garbage that we had at Boatwright’s during our March visit.
The Beignet Sundae was unbelievable. I loved that the Beignets were still warm and the ice cream just cascaded in a decadent waterfall over the warm fried dough. My only regret was that Sarah and I had to quickly inhale the dish before our bus took off without us on it.
This is random, but I also like that they have the Coca-Cola Freestyle machines at Sassagoula. I like creating random (Sarah would call them disgusting) combinations of sugary beverages. This machine allows me to express my creativity in whichever fashion I fancy.
Cost
According to the Disney World website, Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory is classified with “$” which means adults should expect to pay roughly under $14.99, per adult. If you are paying out-of-pocket, you can plan on paying roughly $13 per entree and $4 per dessert. Depending on what you order, this could be a fairly inexpensive Disney quick service dining experience. Hot tip: if you want to save money, go with the Jambalaya or Gumbo. For the Disney Dining Plan users, this restaurant requires one quick service credit per person. This is not one of the best values on the Disney Dining Plan. You can certainly do better! For the Tables in Wonderland users, this restaurant has a 20% discount for breakfast and lunch.
Who Should Eat Here?
The first population that will look to eat at Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory are people who are already staying at French Quarter. It seems obvious, but this food court primarily serves its guests. I would definitely not commute across property to eat at Sassagoula Floatworks. It is slightly more understandable to make the quick trip from Magic Kingdom to Contempo Cafe, but there is not a good reason for anyone else to go to French Quarter (which is a shame because it is really great).
The second group that should take a chance to stop into Sassagoula are people staying at Riverside. As I detailed in my November trip report, you should take time to explore both of these resorts if you are staying here. You should definitely walk along the river or take the ferry between these resorts and appreciate them for their diverse excellence.
The third population would be people who enjoy Cajun or Creole food. Even for people who are staying at FQ, it is tempting to ignore your resort’s food options so you can eat in the parks. YOU SHOULD NOT DO THIS FOR QUICK SERVICE! The options are incredibly limited (except at Epcot or Animal Kingdom). If you enjoy these types of food and you are staying at FQ or Riverside, you should eat here.
Have you eaten at Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory? What what your experience? Share your thoughts in the comments section! For other reviews including resorts and other restaurants, check out our Reviews page!
