Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory –– Lunch

We came to Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory for the gluten free beignets. I’d long heard tale of Sassagoula offering a gluten free variety of this New Orleans delicacy, but had been denied this deliciousness on previous trips. On one attempt, Sassagoula was closed for refurbishment. On another, our schedule was too tight to swing it. But this trip – this trip was it. I was finally going to taste Sassagoula’s gluten free masterpiece. We also decided to make a lunch of it and were pleasantly surprised to find that the Port Orleans–French Quarter’s quick service food court serves up tasty dishes beyond their fried dough. Let’s dive into our Port Orleans experience.

We know that the Crescent City inspired Walt in major ways with New Orleans Square being his last major project in Disneyland before he passed, and we learned on our Walk in Walt’s Footsteps Tour at Disneyland that a big reason he wanted to bring New Orleans to Disneyland was his wife Lillian’s love for the city. She was afraid to fly so he brought New Orleans to her (swoon). We love that Imagineers brought Walt’s passion for Nawlins to life at Disney World as well.

This was our first visit to Port Orleans, and you do feel like you are transported to the French Quarter. It’s somehow the right amount of chill in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the most magical place on earth, and the vibe encourages you to spend an afternoon strolling the property, Hurricane in hand. Though we might choose a French 75, the Pixie Dust Pals cocktail of choice.

After finding the gorgeous entrance to my gluten free beignet kingdom and taking a brief moment to marvel at the décor – it’s like you step into Mardi Gras with beads, masks and glass bottle chandeliers reminiscent of Mama Odie’s lair – I marched straight over to the pastries and placed my order. They explained it would take a few extra minutes, to which I replied, “No worry. I’ve been waiting three years.”

Like most Disney Resort food courts, options abound at Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory from pizza and pasta to a Southern-inspired carving station. We decided to stay true to the New Orleans theme, and here is what we ordered and shared among the three of us:

Jambalaya: We couldn’t miss this New Orleans classic dish filled with rice, chicken and Andouille sausage. For us, it had just the right amount of spice and offered a generous portion. The corn bread on the side, though not gluten free, was a hit with the rest of our party.
Creole Cheesesteak Po’ Boy (on gluten free bread): I learned on my first trip to New Orleans years ago from my fabulous local foodie friend Sam, that contrary to my Midwestern belief, po’ boy sandwiches can be made with more than just shrimp. We decided to try this cheesy, steak-y variety and were not disappointed! They cook up the meat right in front of you, and somehow the cheese melts evenly across the sandwich. We found great flavor, and the sandwich is easily large enough to split. It comes with two sides, and given the choice again, we probably would have gone with double steak fries. Super extra bonus points for having gluten free sandwich loaves!
Gluten Free Beignets: To understand how delicious these gluten free beignets are or how much joy they brought to my heart, you must first understand that I, Megan, love doughnuts. Since becoming gluten free five years ago, my opportunities for doughnuts are less, but if I find a GF doughnut anywhere in my vicinity while I travel, I will go a reasonable distance out of my way to try it. As I also shared earlier, I’d been thinking/obsessing over these GF beignets since our 2016 trip to Disneyland when the Cast Member serving us at Café Orleans explained that Sassagoula Floatworks offered a gluten free variety.
I know. That’s a lot of pressure to place on a bag of fried dough. Could the beignets live up to the hype? In a word, YES. First of all, these beignets come out piping hot, and just like at Café du Monde, opening the bag emits a delightful cloud of powdered sugar. Speaking of clouds, the beignets themselves were perfectly fluffy when most gluten free desserts struggle in that area. We ordered the bag of six, and we certainly could have eaten more. Are they Mickey shaped like the regular option? No. But I feel the spirit of Mickey is alive in these gluten free beignets. Too much? Never.

We loved our lunch visit to Port Orleans so much that we decided a stay at the resort must be in our future, and I promise it is not just because of the gluten free beignets. Have you ever dined at Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory? Let us know about it in the comments below, and as they say in New Orleans, “Laissez les bon temps rouler!”

This sums it up. Still upset we didn’t purchase this shirt!