More Curious Than Anything. . .

[RedOctober]

Can someone advise the reason Port Orleans Dixie Landings was changed to Port Orleans Riverside?

I have often wondered, but really didn't want to ask the bus driver. . .

Thanks.

 

[dbm20th]

Well, not that I know the answer, but just to clarify the question a bit, it was never called Port Orleans Dixie Landings. I believe it was simply called Dixie Landings and the French Quarter was simply called Port Orleans. Somewhere along the way, and I can only assume because the Port Orleans name was somehow more appealing, they dropped the Dixie Landings and placed that resort under the banner of Port Orleans. Now it almost seems as though they are two parts of the same resort, when they were origanlly two completely serperate resorts with un-realted names. I can only imagine marketing is the answer, but I have never heard that for sure

 

[manning]

One reason floated was to be politically correct. Some were turned off by the word Dixie.

 

[phorsenuf]

One reason floated was to be politically correct. Some were turned off by the word Dixie.

Why does that not surprise me???

 

[dbm20th]

One reason floated was to be politically correct. Some were turned off by the word Dixie.

Again, I wouldn't actually make that connection. I would say this is probably true, but from more a marketing angle then a PC angle.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

All I know about it (and I think this is correct), is after 9/11 attendance to the parks was reduced so greatly, that they totally shut down Dixie Landings for awhile.

When it reopened, it reopened as Port Orleans Riverside. I can see them dropping Dixie from its name, for the exact reasons others have posted. While I don't agree with it, I can just imagine that it bunched someone's knickers a time or two.

 

[Another Voice]

No - it was done specifically to remove the word "Dixie". Several groups petioned Disney Corporate demanding the change, Disney compiled. Marketing the unit as one group had nothing to do with it - for example they still market the Yacht Club separetly from the Beach Club and those hotels share a lot more in the common areas than Dixie Landings and Port Orleans do.

 

[dbm20th]

No - it was done specifically to remove the word "Dixie". Several groups petioned Disney Corporate demanding the change, Disney compiled. Marketing the unit as one group had nothing to do with it - for example they still market the Yacht Club separetly from the Beach Club and those hotels share a lot more in the common areas than Dixie Landings and Port Orleans do.

That's fine, and I sort of expected you to say this. It's not that I don't believe you, but can I ask 2 questions? What source do you have for this? And why put them both under the same name, if there is no benefit? I mean, the coul just have easily named it Disney's Riverside, or such?

 

[dwaters]

All I know about it (and I think this is correct), is after 9/11 attendance to the parks was reduced so greatly, that they totally shut down Dixie Landings for awhile.

When it reopened, it reopened as Port Orleans Riverside. I can see them dropping Dixie from its name, for the exact reasons others have posted. While I don't agree with it, I can just imagine that it bunched someone's knickers a time or two.

When I went in March 2001, our friends were staying there and the name change had just happened that week or the week earlier. I had heard at the time that "Dixie" was too un-PC.

 

[Amity 3]

and yet, Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede continues to pack the house.

 

[DannyDisneyFreak]

I'm sorry if this Yankee is stupid but why is Dixie un-PC?

 

[All Aboard]

All I know about it (and I think this is correct), is after 9/11 attendance to the parks was reduced so greatly, that they totally shut down Dixie Landings for awhile..

Close. Port Orleans was the resort that shut down completely.

The history... In July 2000, it was announced (and Another Voice is dead on with the reason) that Dixie Landings and Port Orleans would merge into a single resort. As we all now know, the "Port Orleans" name was retained and the "Riverside" and "French Quarter" monickers were established to identify the two sides.

The merger occured in April 2001. Bonfamilles (the table service restaurant at Port Orleans) shut down, and boat rentals were no longer offered at the former Dixie Landings. "The Colonel's Cotton Mill" was renamed "The Riverside Mill" to further reduce the unsavory naming of the place. Other than that, things remained pretty much the same. They are really two distinct resorts with seperate check-in, etc. They seem to run just like they used to.

In November 2001, in the wake of 9/11, the French Quarter shut down completely until Memorial Day weekend 2002. There was some speculation that a complete rehab was going on, but that proved not to be the case when it reopened.

Then, in March 2003, French Quarter shut down again - this time for an actual full rehab. New furniture, new bathroom fixtures, carpet, wall paper, curtains, etc. appeared when the resort reopened in March 2004.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Close. Port Orleans was the resort that shut down completely.

The history... In July 2000, it was announced (and Another Voice is dead on with the reason) that Dixie Landings and Port Orleans would merge into a single resort. As we all now know, the "Port Orleans" name was retained and the "Riverside" and "French Quarter" monickers were established to identify the two sides.

The merger occured in April 2001. Bonfamilles (the table service restaurant at Port Orleans) shut down, and boat rentals were no longer offered at the former Dixie Landings. "The Colonel's Cotton Mill" was renamed "The Riverside Mill" to further reduce the unsavory naming of the place. Other than that, things remained pretty much the same. They are really two distinct resorts with seperate check-in, etc. They seem to run just like they used to.

In November 2001, in the wake of 9/11, the French Quarter shut down completely until Memorial Day weekend 2002. There was some speculation that a complete rehab was going on, but that proved not to be the case when it reopened.

Then, in March 2003, French Quarter shut down again - this time for an actual full rehab. New furniture, new bathroom fixtures, carpet, wall paper, curtains, etc. appeared when the resort reopened in March 2004.

ROFL... it's like I had little bits and pieces of the story, but not the whole truth.

I was close. Sorta-kinda.

 

[dbm20th]

"The Colonel's Cotton Mill" was renamed "The Riverside Mill" to further reduce the unsavory naming of the place.

That's right! Now I remember that. And I hate to put my head in the dragon's jaw here, but that was not such a bad decision.

I would still like to know why they put them both under the "Port Orleans" name and hear more about the political pressure from outside sources that AV mentioned

 

[Cool-Beans]

and yet, Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede continues to pack the house.

That's because it's flippin sweet.

 

[DannyDisneyFreak]

I'm sorry if this Yankee is stupid but why is Dixie un-PC?

Anyone?

 

[poohmom3]

See here why Dixie is considered not PC: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/"Dixie"

 

[tomandrobin]

It was definately a PC thing. Dixie = South = Slavery . I am not sure how people can make an argument for such things, but they do.

Just a name game, but apparently enough people or groups complained about the name.

 

[DancingBear]

I believe they were put under the same moniker to save money by combining the operations. Certain amenities were done away with, like the French Quarter's sit-down restaurant. Does the French Quarter still have its own check-in, or does everyone have to check in at the former Dixie Landings?

 

[YoHo]

I believe they were put under the same moniker to save money by combining the operations. Certain amenities were done away with, like the French Quarter's sit-down restaurant. Does the French Quarter still have its own check-in, or does everyone have to check in at the former Dixie Landings?

DB, this is discussed up the page, they still have seperate check-ins. In fact almost everything about them is still seperate.