We are continuing our series highlighting specific lands at Disneyland Park with today’s spotlight on New Orleans Square. As the name suggests, this little land is themed to the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. It is a small land, but it is one of our favorites!
As with our earlier features on Fantasyland and Mickey’s Toontown, we are going to give you some tips and fun insights for your visit to New Orleans Square while we cover attractions, entertainment, dining, shopping and other offerings.
This is a special entry, because New Orleans Square is a special land. While Walt Disney World Resort has two resort hotels themed to New Orleans, there is no New Orleans Square in any Walt Disney World theme park. Tokyo Disneyland has some New Orleans touches in their Adventureland, but no New Orleans Square or land. Disneyland Park’s New Orleans Square remains unique among all Disney parks, and we can credit its placement in Disneyland to Walt Disney himself. So, let us head on down to New Orleans Square and take a closer look at this special place.
What is New Orleans Square in Disneyland?
New Orleans Square is one of nine distinct “lands” within Disneyland Park. Like the other lands, its elements—decor, music, attractions, dining and shopping—are designed to fit a specific theme. In the case of New Orleans Square, that theme is the city of New Orleans, Louisiana and specifically the French Quarter neighborhood of that city. When you are visiting New Orleans Square, be sure to look-up to appreciate the intricate wrought iron railings, and open your ears to the enticing sounds of blues and jazz.
We enjoy spending time in this land because of the rich and loving attention to detail here. When we recommend looking-up, it is not just for the beautiful railings, but for the clever little set pieces on the balconies behind those railings. As with other places in Disneyland, you have the sense that the residents of this area just stepped out a moment earlier, and you are getting a glimpse into their lives. It gives you a kind of feeling of welcome and adventure at the same time.
New Orleans Square did not open with Disneyland in 1955, rather, it was added to the park in 1966 and seems to have been born out of Walt Disney’s love for its namesake city. It now has two attractions, two shops and six dining locations (well, what do you expect from a land dedicated to a great food city?) It is also plays host to roving musical groups and provides viewing for the epic Fantasmic! nighttime spectacular.
Where is New Orleans Square?
New Orleans Square is located in Disneyland Park, part of the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It is in roughly the southwest corner of the park and is bordered by Bayou Country, Adventureland, Frontierland and the Rivers of America.
In order to reach New Orleans Square, you will need valid admission and a park reservation for Disneyland Park. From the main entrance gate, proceed up Main Street U.S.A. towards the hub and Sleeping Beauty Castle. As you pass Jolly Holiday Bakery on your left and arrive at the edge of the hub, take a sharp left into Adventureland. Continue on through Adventureland to New Orleans Square. You will know you have reached New Orleans Square when you pass by the Adventureland Treehouse and arrive at the distinctive bridge in front of Pirates of the Caribbean.
You may also reach New Orleans Square from the center of Disneyland Park by walking from the hub through Frontierland. If you are heading to New Orleans Square from the north end of the park (like Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge), you can also reach it by traveling through Bayou Country, a kind of sister land to New Orleans Square. But, our favorite, albeit slow, way to reach New Orleans Square is by taking the Disneyland Railroad!
Disneyland Railroad has four stops, and one of them is right in New Orleans square. The tracks even travel through Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and give you a peek into Tiana’s party. (Though if you see Tiana, you have already passed the New Orleans Square station and have passed into Bayou Country.) The train travels in one direction: clockwise around the park. New Orleans Square station is after the Main Street U.S.A. station, and the next stop is Mickey’s Toontown. It is a charming little station.
Attractions in New Orleans Square at Disneyland Park
New Orleans Square holds just two attractions, but they are both well-known Disney classics. Both rides opened in the 1960’s, and still draw consistently huge crowds today while topping the list of many devoted Disney fans. Those attractions are Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean. Each of these attractions came BEFORE their respective movies (and in the case of Pirates of the Caribbean, a highly successful movie franchise).
Pirates of the Caribbean
Pirates of the Caribbean is just beside the Adventureland Treehouse in a large building with a pedestrian bridge out front. You will pass under that bridge to enter the line and eventually the ride building. You will board a boat with bench seating and drift through a bayou scene, caves full of pirate treasure and skeletons, and a scene with pirates plundering a port town (and the residents fighting back).
Though he did not live to see its opening, Walt Disney was involved in the genesis of this attraction, and it has remained a classic because it is teeming with humor and engaging details. It has over 120 audio-animatronics characters, and each character really does seem to have its own distinct personality.
We like Pirates of the Caribbean, because it is so throughly immersive: it is one of the longer attractions at Disneyland, and we like that that intensity of the experience builds slowly. By the time you meet the pirates in the port town, you will have been entirely transported to a different time and place.
The ride does have a couple small—surprisingly fun—drops, and it takes place in the dark. There is some effectively simulated fire and other scenes where young kids may feel they are in peril. Our kids have all found this ride a little scary at different ages (as did I), but not so much that they have not wanted to ride again. Disney describes this ride as having small drops and being dark, loud and scary. You may actually get a little wet on those small drops, but not to the degree that you would on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
Pirates of the Caribbean has used Lightning Lane Multi-Pass in the past, but it is not doing so at the time of writing. There is no height minimum for this ride, but Rider Switch is available. Handheld captioning and audio description are available. Guests must transfer from wheelchairs/ECVs to ride. A transfer device is available. We recommend checking current information for accessibility and health advisories before you ride.
Haunted Mansion
Haunted Mansion is also a Disney classic full of unique humor and details we are still noticing on every ride-through. This attraction has some loose story beats that have continually been tweaked throughout the years, and there is a kind of creative tension between scary and goofy details.
You will queue-up in the gardens of this eerie but elegant mansion located next to Bayou Country and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. The queue has received a recent refurbishment and expansion, so be sure to check-out that garden as you wind toward the mansion. Inside, you will walk into an impressive pre-show room (no spoilers here) and then be directed onto “doombuggies.” These are omnimover ride vehicles with bench seats that usually accommodate two to three riders. The doombuggies will guide you through the mansion to a catchy soundtrack and show you the resident “happy haunts.”
Disney says this ride is dark, loud and scary. Many folks find this ride to be funny and engaging, but it can be frightening for young children. There are no drops or sudden movements, and we would not classify anything as a “jump scare,” but the premise of the ride itself is too scary for some. If your kids do not like scary movies, this one may not be for them. This is a time when a fair amount of pre-ride discussion is probably helpful.
Lightning Lane Multi-Pass is currently offered for Haunted Mansion as is Rider Switch. There is no height minimum for this ride. Handheld captioning and audio description are available. Guests must transfer from wheelchairs/ECVs to ride. We recommend checking current information for accessibility and health advisories before you ride.
Haunted Mansion Holiday
During Halloween Time at Disneyland and through the beginning of the New Year, Jack Skellington and his Nightmare Before Christmas crew take over the Haunted Mansion and transform it into Haunted Mansion Holiday.
This is not a light addition of holiday decorations. The entire attraction is shut down for a period of time in the late summer and it reopens transformed, usually in mid to late August. The characters from the film are in every part of the ride, and it is very impressive to behold. The residents from Halloween Town are preparing for Christmas, and since both holidays are featured, this version operates all the way through the New Year holiday. We like both iterations of the ride, though we probably prefer the original overall.
The ride vehicles and process for queuing and boarding are the same for both versions of the attraction.
What About Tiana?
While Tiana’s film, The Princess and the Frog, very much takes place is New Orleans, her ride at Disneyland is actually located in Bayou Country (formerly Critter Country). Tiana’s Palace—a restaurant—is in New Orleans Square. The good news is that these lands butt right up against each other, so you do not actually need to know where ones ends and the other begins.
Characters and Entertainment in New Orleans Square
The most common character to see around New Orleans Square is Princess Tiana. Additionally, there are pirates roaming around (up to no-good, no doubt), and Captain Jack Sparrow has some scheduled appearance times. Captain Jack Sparrow is also featured at several points in the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction: these are audio-animatronics that were added after the success of the film franchise. Around Halloween Time, Jack Skellington and Sally are sometimes in New Orleans Square.
You can frequently find two music groups in New Orleans Square in Disneyland Park. The Bootstrappers are a pirate ensemble who, unsurprisingly, entertain folks near Pirates of the Caribbean. You can hear the Jambalaya Jazz group around Tiana’s Palace or spot them playing on the decks of the Mark Twain Riverboat.
On evenings when Fantasmic! is playing, the prime viewing locations are by the Rivers of America in front of New Orleans Square. Afterwards, many folks stay-put to watch fireworks if they are being shown that night.
Whether you are looking to hug Tiana, watch Fantasmic! or catch some jazz, we recommend checking-out the Disneyland entertainment guide, but also keep your eyes open for a surprise scalawag or two during your visit.
Dining in New Orleans Square at Disneyland Park
And speaking of Tiana’s Palace, that is one of six dining options in little New Orleans Square. The city of New Orleans has a legendary food reputation, so it’s not surprising that there are so many good options here. Significantly, New Orleans Square hosts one of the toughest reservations to get in all of Disneyland Park, so we will start with that restaurant.
Blue Bayou Restaurant, Inside Pirates of the Caribbean
Blue Bayou Restaurant is probably the most iconic restaurant in all of Disneyland Park. When you dine at the Blue Bayou, it will appear as if you are eating on a waterside patio beneath the stars. You are surrounded by gentle jazz music and trees draped in lanterns and Spanish moss, and just beyond the patio, boats quietly drift along.
Those boats are actually filled with guests experiencing the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, and you are seated inside the bayou portion of the attraction! (Do not worry, this is the part with the serene natural setting: no plundering here.) Blue Bayou’s food is inspired by Creole and Cajun flavors, and this is one of the locations inside Disneyland Park where guests can order alcohol. Except for the membership dining locations, this is probably the “fanciest” restaurant in Disneyland Park. However, formal attire is not required (or even common).
You can make reservations for Blue Bayou Restaurant up to sixty days in advance. Because this is one of the most popular reservations in all of Disneyland Resort, we would recommend making this reservation as far in advance as possible, though it is possible to join a walk-up list on the day you wish to dine. Blue Bayou’s has been included in Fantasmic! dining packages.
Cafe Orleans, More Table Service and More Monte Cristos
Besides Blue Bayou, the other table service restaurant inside New Orleans Square is Cafe Orleans. Despite being a waited table service restaurant, Disney markets Cafe Orleans as casual dining. Like Blue Bayou, it offers the Monte Cristo sandwich and some Creole and Cajun flavors, and alcohol is served here.
You can make reservations for lunch or dinner at Cafe Orleans up to sixty days before you plan to dine or join the wait list on the day-of. Cafe Orleans is also sometimes included in dining packages.
Quick Service Dining in New Orleans Square
There are four quick service restaurants inside New Orleans Square in Disneyland Park. The newest of these is Tiana’s Palace, which is inspired by Tiana’s restaurant in her movie The Princess and the Frog. Signature dishes include New Orleans fare like gumbo, jambalaya and muffuletta sandwiches. As with the three other quick service restaurants inside New Orleans Square, you can use mobile ordering here, and we suggest that you do. You can find our detailed guide to mobile ordering here: Disneyland Mobile Ordering Guide.
Tiana’s Palace is marked by a large yellow and green striped awning. In the same building, you can find the Mint Julep Bar, a quick service location that is really more like a snack window serving beverages and beignets. The beverages are all non-alcoholic here.
Royal Street Veranda is a soup, salad and sandwich kind of place with New Orleans flavors. You can find tasty bread bowls here and at the final quick service restaurant: Harbor Galley. Royal Street Veranda is inside the French Quarter inspired streets of New Orleans Square, and Harbor Galley is a kind of seafood shack on the waters of the Rivers of America across from Haunted Mansion. Harbor Galley has become popular recently for its cookies.
We would comfortably recommend eating at any one of these New Orleans Square eateries. The setting for Blue Bayou is unparalleled, and Tiana’s Palace is a fresh place to eat with some new flavors for Disneyland. Many of the entries at the New Orleans Square restaurants tend toward the heavy side (looking at you Monte Cristo), but when you are hungry, those bread bowls sure do hit the spot! In addition to these six eateries, you can also find various snack carts sparked about New Orleans Square.
Shopping in New Orleans Square, Disneyland Park
We are, admittedly, not much interested in shopping during our Disney parks time, so we cannot give detailed insight into the shops of New Orleans Square. But, we will say that the setting for these shops is gorgeous, and they inspire a kind of feeling of discovery. That is because most of these shops are tucked into the winding French Quarter themed streets of New Orleans Square. They feel like little hidden gems both because of their beauty and tucked-away location. Visiting them is a nice way to venture deeper into lovely New Orleans Square.
These shops are Eudora’s Chic Boutique Featuring Tiana’s Gourmet Secrets, Port Royal Curios and Curiosities, Pieces of Eight, Cristal d’Orleans, Mademoiselle Antoinette’s Parfumerie and La Mascarade d’Orleans. All of these shops have some charming theming, and because they feel a bit hidden away, we think they are a nice place to browse (particuarly if you are waiting on your dining time.)
Outside of the French Quarter portion of New Orleans Square, there is also the brand new Madame Leota’s Somewhere Beyond, which is a Haunted Mansion themed shop, and it is located next to that attraction.
Tips for Visiting New Orleans Square in Disneyland Park
We adore New Orleans Square in Disneyland Park, and we suggest that it is a not-to-be-missed destination during your Disneyland Resort visit. It holds two indisputably legendary Disney attractions, and it’s a great spot for tasty food and wonderful music.
Here are a few tips for New Orleans Square:
- When Fantasmic! is showing at Disneyland, it can get very crowded around New Orleans Square. The primary viewing for this nighttime spectacular is right on the banks of the Rivers of America in front of New Orleans Square. There are no specially designed tiered viewing areas like there are across the way at Disney California Adventure Park. This can make for some tricky travel. Unless you plan to watch the shows, try to avoid this area around the time of Fantasmic! and fireworks. If you have to journey through here, look to cast members to direct you along the right path.
- Interested in (sort-of) reserved seating for Fantasmic? Try booking a dining package.
- Haunted Mansion Holiday runs from roughly mid/late-August through the first week of January with closures before and after to change-out the attraction. If you have your heart set on seeing either the original or the holiday version of the attraction, be sure to check Disneyland’s calendar before planning your visit.
- Reservations for Blue Bayou Restaurant are among the most popular at Disneyland Resort. Book early if you want to dine at this iconic location. If reservations are all taken, check for cancellations as your trip gets closer or use the walk-up list during your visit. If all else fails, enjoy the ambience on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride and then grab some fantastic food at one of the other excellent dining location in New Orleans Square.
- Both New Orleans Square attractions have high capacity, and the lines move steadily and quickly. Check the estimated wait times instead of being scared-off by the looks of the queues.
FAQs: New Orleans Square at Disneyland
How do I find New Orleans Square?
For detailed instructions, see the section “Where is New Orleans Square?” in this article, but roughly: New Orleans Square is west of Main Street U.S.A. and south of the Rivers of America. When entering the park, turn left through Adventureland and keep going.
Is there a New Orleans Square at Walt Disney World?
No! New Orleans Square is unique to Disneyland Resort! Walt Disney World does have two resort hotels inspired by New Orleans, Louisiana and the surrounding area, but there is no New Orleans land in any of the Walt Disney World theme parks in Florida. If you are visiting Disneyland, we suggest you spend some quality time in New Orleans Square (Also see: 5 Tips for Walt Disney World Pros Visiting Disneyland and Is Disneyland Resort the Easier Alternative to Walt Disney World?)
It is worth noting that Tokyo Disneyland DOES have an area with some resemblance to New Orleans Square, but it is not its own land. Rather, that portion of Tokyo Disneyland is part of the park’s own take on Adventureland.
Was New Orleans Square at Disneyland on opening day?
Nope. Disneyland opened in 1955, and New Orleans Square opened in 1966, but Walt Disney had a strong hand in its creation, and it is hard to imagine Disneyland without it!
What’s the deal with Club 33 and 21 Royal?
Club 33 is a private membership club with an exclusive dining location in New Orleans Square. 21 Royal is a private luxury dining room—also in New Orleans Square—that can be reserved for parties of up to 12. Both are dizzyingly expensive, but neither should impact a regular visit to New Orleans Square.
Is Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in New Orleans Square at Disneyland?
Despite New Orleans featuring heavily in Tiana’s movie, the new Tiana’s Bayou Adventure attraction is technically located in Bayou Country at Disneyland Park. Tiana’s Palace is a quick service restaurant in New Orleans Square. The good news is that these two lands directly border one another, so you can mix-up the lands and still find the ride or restaurant.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is in the mountain that formerly housed Splash Mountain. With the change in ride, the home land also went from Critter Country to Bayou Country. (To find the ride, look for the flowery topped mountain or just listen for the happy shrieks and the sound of logs plummeting.)
Can I use Lightning Lane in New Orleans Square at Disneyland Park?
The only attraction in New Orleans Square that is using Lightning Lane at the time of writing is Haunted Mansion. Pirates of the Caribbean has offered Lightning Lane Multi Pass in the recent past, but it is not doing so at this time (See our Big Guide to Lightning Lane Multi Pass at Disneyland Resort for strategies to using Lightning Lanes.)
Do I need a special ticket or reservation to enter New Orleans Square at Disneyland?
Admission to New Orleans Square in Disneyland Park is included with your general admission to Disneyland Park. So head on down to New Orleans (Square)!
Thank you for reading this post featuring New Orleans Square in Disneyland Park with tips and insights into dining, shopping, attractions and entertainment.
To read other posts exploring individual lands, see Featuring Fantasyland at Disneyland Park: Highlights, Tips & FAQs and Hot Dog! A Guide to Mickey’s Toontown in Disneyland. For help planning a trip to Disneyland Resort, go to our free and complete Step-by-Step Disneyland Prep, and please consider subscribing to our free newsletter below. Thanks again for reading!
