Disney’s Port Orleans Resort Mardi Gras Parade 2023 Photos & Video

Hi everyone!

Disney’s Port Orleans Resort held its 2023 Mardi Gras Parade today! This was our 12th year covering the event, with the theme this year being Walt Disney World resort hotels. Cast Members decorate pargo carts and they did an outstanding job as always! Resort themes represented include Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, and the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser.

First, here is our video from today, followed by photos.

Disney’s Port Orleans Resort’s Mardi Gras Parade kicked off at 10:00 a.m. at Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside as always, traveling to and through Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter.

A large banner says “Disney’s Port Orleans Resort Mardi Gras Celebration”.

Walt Disney World Ambassadors Ali Manion and Raevon Redding held the parade banner.

A band followed.

Princess Tiana returned again this year.

Cast Members not only decorate the pargo carts, but hand out beads and candy. There were a LOT of beads this year!

This cart celebrates Mardi Gras.

 

The first resort represented with a pargo cart was Disney’s Polynesian Resort. The cart featured the familiar Great Ceremonial House design and a thatched roof.

Next, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort.

This pirate ship was incredible! It was also hard to get the whole ship in one photo. A parrot sits atop.

Next, Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resort.

The iconic lighthouse is part of the cart. A sign on front says here, #YBanywhereelse

I’ve never seen so many beads handed out at the parade.

This cart features Louis for Disney’s Port Orleans Resort.

Next, a cart inspired by Disney’s BoardWalk Resort. There is so much detail on this one, including popcorn. Various areas of the resort are included, including Leaping Horse Libations.

Jellyrolls and BoardWalk Joe’s Marvelous Margaritas can be seen.

Recognize this sign? It is at the front of Disney’s BoardWalk Resort and points down the outdoor stairs.

Next is Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.

An elephant is at the back.

Disney’s Pop Century features a big can of Play-Doh.

You can see it at the back of the cart.

More beads are on the way! Jennifer was very helpful to me later.

The next cart is the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. Cast Members in costume are ahead of it.

But first, a wave to the boat.

Here is a look at the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser cart.

My favorite cart is next – Disney’s Wilderness Lodge! This is by the Engineering team, which has created some incredible carts in the past like the Darth Vader bouncing golf cart and and a large (bouncing) turkey leg.

The entrance archway to the resort was at the back. 

There are even two buffalo topiaries. I haven’t seen those in quite some time at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.

This gorgeous entry was the big winner! There was voting this year but it happened so fast that I didn’t get an entry in.

Boulder Ridge is noted for the DVC area of the resort.

A bell services desk also is part of the design.

Small animal footprints.

And inside, the huge fireplace and a bottle of ketchup in Whispering Canyon Cafe!

There were a lot of guests in the main area of Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter. This is not the best area to watch the parade at and it didn’t go all the way through here this year. 

Beads were still being handed out.

I went up some stairs to show the crowd. Where we were along the Sassagoula River, it wasn’t very busy.  At this point, the carts were stopped for guests to look at them. This is a pretty tight location to do that in.

The band was playing for a while.

And I caught up with Walt Disney World Ambassadors Ali Manion and Raevon Redding for a few photos. It was great to see them today!

  

We always enjoy seeing the talent that the Cast Members bring to Disney’s Port Orleans Resort Mardi Gras Parade. I scaled back my photos to about 50, I have hundreds with even more detail on the carts – the Cast did such an amazing job.