Hi David,
Welcome to planDisney and thank you so much for asking us a question!
You’ve picked two of my favourite Disney Resorts Collection hotels for your upcoming vacation:
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and
Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter or
Disney’s Port Orleans Resort - Riverside. Those two hotels couldn’t be more different, which I think is a really great way to visit the different “sides” of Walt Disney World Resorts.
You have several options for transferring your luggage from one resort to the other. I’m happy to say that it is absolutely still possible to have
Bell Services transfer your luggage from Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge to Disney’s Port Orleans Resort (be sure to specify whether you’re staying at the French Quarter or Riverside) the morning that you’re moving over to the second hotel. You’ll them be free to go about your Disney Day, visit a Theme Park or Disney Springs and then take
Disney Bus Transportation (or, if you’re at
Disney Springs,
Walt Disney World Water Transportation along the Sassagoula River) to your next hotel.
One small caveat: I’ve used this service several times and while my luggage has always made it to my second hotel, eventually, there are often delays associated with inter-Resort luggage transfers. I’ve unfortunately often had a pretty long wait for my luggage at the end of the night, which wasn’t ideal.
If you don’t mind doing the heavy lifting yourself and spending a few of your vacation dollars to have peace of mind, I think that
Minnie Van Service would be your best option. Simply request a ride through the Lyft app, bring your luggage with you and ride in style over to Disney’s Port Orleans Resort. You can then leave your luggage directly with Bell Services and then leave for the rest of your Disney Day, knowing that everything is already at your next hotel and that you won’t have to wait for your luggage to arrive at the end of the night.
I hope my answer helps you plan a smooth transition between your Resorts during your upcoming vacation. Please don’t hesitate to come back and see us if you have any other questions!
Have a Magical Day,
Lynne