A few questions about the boat rides:
-How long is the boat ride to DTD?
They say 20 minutes- maybe a bit shorter, but that seemed close.
-How often does a boat launch from POR to DTD (and from DTD to POR)?
We found that the boats came in more frequently than every 10 minutes.
-Do you ever have to wait for the next boat due to crowds?
We did not on the POR end. At DTD, we did have to wait for a second boat, but it was late in the evening-- near 11 p.m. and everyone was trying to catch the last boats back to the resorts. YMMV with crowds. When we had arrived at DTD there were literally no people waiting for the launch.
-Can you catch a glimpse of any of the other resorts (Saratoga Springs, Key West, Treehouse Villas) during the boat ride?
Yes, really pretty at night with the resorts lit up! Saratoga Springs and Tree House Villas. We did not go past OKW on the ride. That is another leg of the river.
-Is the boat ride worth it for sightseeing purposes only?
IMHO...Yes.
-Do they play music on the boat?
Yes, primarily bluegrass when we were there. I liked it.
-How long is the boat ride to/from French Quarter?
3 or 4 minutes?
-How often does this boat launch?
I have read here every 15 minutes, but in our experience, both New Year's Day and later in the week as crowds were lower, it was no more than 10 minutes apart.
Thanks for all the great information, everyone. Between this thread and portorleans.org I feel like I've already been there!