Tess
DIS Veteran - 1997
- Joined
- Aug 19, 1999
- Messages
- 5,599
Trip Dates: June 12-21, 2003
AKL/Polynesian GV Concierge
I posted the resort portion of this overview on the Resorts Board as well. I tried to limit the report to an overview rather than a day-by-day, blow-by-blow account. Hopefully there will be some useful information for someone!
PARKS
The parks were manageable during our stay with the exception of AK and Tomorrowland at MK. I'm not sure why, but this side of MK was just crammed with people each time we visited. We had no waits for Splash, BTMRR, of any other ride BUT had to do the Space Mountain dash to get on without a wait. We arrived at all parks at opening time and avoided early entry like the plague. As in past visits, the parks became more and more crowded from around 11:00 a.m. on. We hit the park of preference early in the morning and left by noon to return to our resort for a swim OR to EPCOT because it handles crowds much better. AK was packed! We've never seen this park so busy! Arrive early, leave early!
WEATHER
Five days of sheer perfection! The weather couldn't have been better the first five days of our 11 day stay! We love heat and humidity--we had 95º and 100% humidity! We were gloriously sweltering!
After the terrible spring (what spring?) here, it was wonderful. After those five glorious days, we were given a couple of so-so, overcast days followed by several rainy days. The rainy days weren't "wash-out" days like we experienced last year for the entire stay, but the downpours were long in duration and quite heavy. Several evenings our kids went swimming in the rain--no thunder or lightning with the rains--just wet. It was fine--we just stayed in the parks throughout the day and donned the ponchos as necessary. The kids didn't care about swimming without sunshine--it was still very warm and we managed to sit under an umbrella or awning while they swam. It got old around the 3rd day though. . .maybe next year it will be better. This year was certainly better than last which was a major drag!
POLYNESIAN RESORT
Our family (two adults, a 15 y/o son, a 12 y/o [at the time] daughter, and our 11 y/o nephew) returned almost one week ago from a 10 night stay at Polynesian GV Concierge. We are Polynesian Concierge vets and have stayed at this level of service in several other deluxes at WDW as well. Polynesian is, far and away, our favorite and despite a few bumps in the road during our recent visit, remains so.
We arrived at Polynesian bell services stand on 6/13 at 7:30 a.m. We didn't expect our room to be ready (and it wasn't) but needed to check-in to obtain two UMP for the two non-PAP holders. Bell services promptly transported us to Tahiti and explained about the refurb, etc. Since we have been to Polynesian many times, he skipped the drive around normally given to guests upon arrival.
CHECK-IN
Once in the concierge building, we were taken to the 2nd floor for check-in. We were delighted to see Melissa and finally meet her face-to-face. In prior years Melissa was in the Island Planning office and did the PS scheduling and responded to inquiries. She has handled our vacations for a number of years but our only communication was written or by telephone. Melissa handled our check-in very efficiently and was extremely accommodating and welcoming.
We received our leis, a copy of the PS schedule, HDD tickets, and packet of information containing park schedules, maps, and information about the Resort. She even tried to locate a room for us that morning, but was unable to do so and meet our requests--west end of Tahiti close to exit--no floor preference, smoking optional for husband's occasional cigar in the evening. Melissa informed us that the room available was on the wrong side of the hall and that she couldn't "upgrade us" because the house was full! The CMs were still getting used to the change in room numbers and the new building which I find totally understandable. We also learned that Tahiti has 40 extra rooms that Hawaii does not--this caused our jaws to drop! To think that the building was completely booked with the additional rooms took us by surprise! We wondered whether all of those guests were "paying" guests or were "upgraded" to the service due to a lack of rooms with the Hawaii building out of operation. It also gave us pause to think what service would be like especially on 3rd floor. While we were certainly pleased that others have discovered the wonderful ambience of Polynesian's Concierge service, we were a bit concerned about how future visits might be affected when the service returns to Hawaii! I hope there's room for us next year!
LOUNGE
While we were going through the check-in process, the three kids went to the lounge to enjoy breakfast. My husband and I joined them after check-in for a quick cup of Espresso before heading to the MK. The lounge area was a complete ZOO! In all of our stays I have never seen this place as overwhelmed. The only explanation I have for it is the space being utilized for the food service AND the increased population inhabiting the concierge building. The lounge space is not as large and open as the concierge lounge in Hawaii and thus feels small and cramped--especially near the food service line.
The queues, during the first hour of service, were very long to get to the service tables and the staff seemed to be really hopping. There was no time for these CMs to have polite conversation with the guests--as we were used to during past stays. They were simply too busy just trying to keep food items, napkins, cups, plastic silverware, plates, and the like refilled. On this particular morning (at 9:00 a.m.) a guest was having a tizzy fit over the fact there was no more oatmeal. He was really giving it to one of the CMs in the lounge and was incredulous that no more would be offered. Sadly, this type of event occurred a few more times during our stay.
The seating area near the food was so jam packed I don't know how anyone could breathe let alone eat. Thankfully, the two guest rooms converted for concierge service were never full! I guess those with young children wanted to be near the large screen TV and the food--we were very happy with a 19" television, the beautiful castle view, and the relative quiet of those two rooms!
During our 10 day stay we witnessed a great deal of guest "abuse" directed toward Cams in the lounge and acts of complete piggery. I have, in all the years staying at Polynesian, never witnessed the lack of concern for fellow guests and outright rude behavior mentioned on the boards--until this stay!
By way of example, and certainly not limitation: one a.m. a woman came to the lounge with a box--the type that beverages come stacked on by the case. She proceeded to load it with pastries, bagels, muffins, and the like--more than any 12 people could eat. She then tells her child of around 6-7 that they will just throw away anything that they don't like. On another occasion, a woman was telling us that she was going to make the concierge experience pay for her and her family--they stocked up on PB&Js, bagels, cookies and the like that they would be taking to the parks for lunch the next day--she went on to say that's what "she paid for". This particular woman said that she was given the information how to "work the system" on another internet board that shall remain nameless. A family occupying rooms above ours were routinely feeding the ducks from the balcony--guess where they got the food--yep, it was bagels, muffins, and pastries from the lounge! (This is why I don't particularly care for first floor--people above feed the animals and they poo all over the patios! Why don't people read those signs that say do not feed the wildlife! )
One afternoon we went in search of cookies--there were none. The CM in the lounge indicated that no matter how much they increase the order for items from one day to the next, they never have enough to go around. This was a consistent problem throughout our stay--the lounge area didn't have enough food to feed the number of guests in house. I would say this was more of a problem during afternoon service and late evening (dessert) service. For some reason people simply LOADED up on all of the sweets. I can't tell you how many bottles of Bailey's the folks drank. My husband and I would, on a few of the evenings we were back, go to the lounge for a Bailey's, Kahlua, and Franjelica--every time we went to pour a cordial--the Bailey's was empty or nearly so. Thankfully, there was another bottle, but people must have been drinking the heck out of that stuff!
I guess what I'm trying to say is there was a definite, pervasive feel in the lounge of "I'm going to get mine and you better get out of my way". There have always been people, over the years, which you could clearly categorize as the "type". This year, however, it was overwhelmingly so--there were far fewer of us that were more thoughtful and polite in our behavior.
The food during the evening service always seemed plentiful if not all that terrific. The variety was okay although the kids' table was certainly lacking. In years past, the kids' table had a variety of sandwiches throughout the week. This year it was strictly Uncrustables and a dessert-type item, i.e., cookies or brownies. I sort of missed that because I particularly liked the ham roll-ups and tuna sandwiches. I'm not sure why the change there unless it's just more difficult to handle the variety in the new lounge OR if it's another "cost cutting" measure.
Another disappointment was Chef Dick being on vacation during our stay. He is scheduled to return on 6/29 and I think the guests in Tahiti will be better for that! While the food was okay, it is certainly better and presented with more imagination when Chef Dick is around. I also believe, and maybe incorrectly, that some of the food ordering issues will be resolved under his skillful hand. We simply missed his presence--he's such a great guy. Our daughter left a letter for him that I hope he receives--she was so sad that her "friend" wasn't going to be around during our entire visit. We sure hope that he's there next time around--we missed him!
While using the lounge, we saw many, many guests unsuitably dressed for a food service area:
1. No shoes, socks, flip flops or other foot gear--major yuck!
2. No shirts on the gentlemen.
3. Our greatest complaint--unsupervised and unruly children/teens! Come one folks, it's food service, supervise your children and know your teens/pre-teens. You wouldn't believe the behavior of some of the latter group--ridiculously obnoxious! Young kids grabbing food items without waiting AND bare handed--ick! Food being spilled everywhere because the kids are too young to be self-serving. Little ones doding in and out of adults causing plates/cups to be dropped/spilled. The staff is restocking HOT items, your children could be injured doing this type of bobbing and weaving.
We aren't fussy about attire, but shoes and shirts should be worn in a food service area. I don't care if you're there in a bathing suit--it's a resort--but please wear flip flops on your feet and a cover-up or shirt.
Likewise, kids will be kids, but the behavior of some of the pre-teen/teen set while we were there was over-the-top obnoxious. There was a group of these kids that hung around and not once did we see an adult with them--not in the lounge, poolside, or at any other time around the resort. We were there with teen/pre-teens and repeatedly told them if they EVER behaved as we were witnessing, they would NEVER go back! They all 3 said they knew how to behave and were equally put off by the behavior of their peers.
RESORT ROOM
Our room was ready before noon which was wonderful. What can we say--we are Polynesian diehard fans. We LOVE this resort. We've never had a complaint about a room and never experienced service problems of any kind while here. All of that being said--this trip was very different. The infamous Polynesian smell has always been in doubt where we were concerned. We've never experienced anything but the pleasant, Earthy smell of tropical plants and wet soil. We're stayed in a variety of room locations in Hawaii and this was our second stay in Tahiti. I'm here to tell everyone that, for the first time ever, we encountered that HORRID odor of which everyone speaks. Sorry Steve--this isn't air conditioning odor--it's STENCH! It was rank, mold and mildew--no question about it. It smelled as if the walls were full of it and it was filling the room. We surmised that because this room (1014) was the end room by the door, the walls soaked up a great deal of moisture from the exterior due to the large amount of vegetation. PLibsters' family had this room prior to us and requested a move for these very reasons. We, however, were sort of stuck there due to the full house.
The bathroom (by the end of each day) had mildew all over the ceiling above the shower AND there was no vent fan operating in the bathroom. This caused the room to fill with steam every time someone showered. Of course, the housekeeping staff removed it daily, but the mildew/mold returned each day. The carpet was eternally damp (not unexpected in Florida) despite the air conditioning remaining static and nothing dried in that room--swimsuits were always damp, wet socks from rain water--never dried, etc.
Maintenance came and changed a filter; housekeeping/maintenance used a dryer in the room and ionized it. This worked for a few hours on check-in day--but by the next a.m. the odor was back. Once we were in the room for a period of time, we didn't notice the smell. It was just the initial entry into the room--the smell of dirty sweat socks and a filthy locker room combined with the moldy odor of an overly damp room.
Upon check-in our room was also less than clean. One of the kids spilled something in the bathroom and when I went to wipe it up with a towel, I got a towel full of black dirt and hair. It was pretty gross. The refrigerator in the room didn't work and neither did the remote control. The air was set very high (80º) despite being 95º outside! The humidity control was also set at 60%--and I really don't think it worked anyway. We called the concierge desk to report all of these matters prior to leaving the resort that afternoon (noon).
Someone from concierge came to the room and adjusted the broken knob on the fridge and housekeeping dealt with the cleanliness issues while we were out. When we returned in the evening, the fridge still didn't work nor the remote, but the room smelled less. Maintenance was called again and brought a replacement fridge (10:30 p.m. ). We were told that the Resort had purchased a multitude of new units and that maintenance was having problems with the lot--they were leaking coolant. The new fridge, despite its tardy arrival, worked great! The remote was also reprogrammed by the gentleman from maintenance.
Maintenance also told us to leave the humidity control at 60% and the air at 70º to alleviate the smell. We did this and it didn't work--the room still smelled.
Frankly, I suppose if we'd have thrown a hissy about the room, we might have received a new assignment during our stay. We don't spend much time in our room and we could tolerate the initial blast. We didn't feel like changing rooms after we were settled AND we loved the location. All of the benefits outweighed the odor given the limited amount of time in the room.
GENERAL MATTERS
Bus transportation was fairly good compared to prior stays. Wait times for transport to AK/MGM/DD/BB/TL were usually 20 mins or less. The one exception being the DD/TL bus. We were lucky on the return from DD, we hit a bus pick-up upon our arrival at the stop. We've never done that before. Still, it's ridiculous for a bus to take 30 mins or longer to get from Polynesian to DD! If there were sidewalks I could walk faster than that! Since DD is such a big shopping venue, one would think that Disney would encourage guests to get there and back expediently--they want people to be happy to head there rather than dread the going to and from. I'm not sure how to remedy this situation--no answers here, but it behooves WDW to come up with one!
Buses were, for the most part, comfortable with no one standing. There were the odd times that a bus would be packed, but those times were rare. I believe we only stood once or twice. We had a hard time figuring out the routes though--sometimes we went to GF to pick-up while others we went directly from our resort to the park. We were told that Contemporary and Polynesian were on a route while GF and WL were on a route--this varied during our visit.
Frequently during our stay, we were told by CMs that the concierge service was changing. While most didn't share details, that was the answer we received when we asked why things were different. Each year we've stayed at Polynesian, we received that beautiful chocolate bar with the Polynesian Resort on it. There was none on this visit. Likewise, at check-out the guests would receive a thank-you note AND a box of fruit/nuts--none this time. On our last day we stopped back at the concierge desk to retrieve our "carry-on" luggage (containing swim gear and essentials). We engaged a CM in conversation and inquired about the chocolate bar--she simply said "Things are changing" and "We don't know why". She went on to indicate that they weren't giving out the chocolate bars any longer and she pointed out they weren't handing out the departing gift either. While these two items are not "make it or break it" items for us, they were lovely little touches that made the guest feel appreciated.
Tahiti is a nice building--frankly, I think most of the buildings at Polynesian are "nice". It is not, however, Hawaii. Tahiti lacks the "intimacy" of Hawaii--it's too large for a concierge service. . .at least the concierge service we are used to and enjoy at Polynesian. The lounge area of Tahiti vs Hawaii leaves a great deal to be desired--there is no better way to set it up--it's just not equipped to handle the guests with as great an efficiency as Hawaii. That's not surprising--it's make-shift and the staff does a good job with what it has to work with.
Further, the added rooms in Tahiti puts a greater strain on the CMs--they don't have the time to be as cordial, welcoming, friendly, and personal as they are able to do when in Hawaii--at least that's our observation. We never felt as if the staff had time to "recognize" the guests. I always request tomato juice during my stay--a strange quirk I know, but I love TJ. Usually, after the initial request at check-in, the staff knows me and heads to the kitchen to pour it upon my arrival in the lounge each a.m.--not an expectation, just a lovely gesture. This year everyone was so very busy--I had to track someone down each day and ask for it. Each day I was told (sometimes by the same CM) that they didn't think they had tomato juice (I knew they did because I had requested it). The staff was just so overwhelmed; they didn't remember one guest from another let alone their repeat visitors.
The convenience of Tahiti is questionable. I realize it's only a 3 minute walk from Tahiti to the Volcano pool, boat launch, and GCH--it's a very long 3 mins when it's 95º with 100% humidity! Those trips back to your room when you've forgotten a pair of goggles, sunscreen, or need a cookie/lemonade/Diet Coke are awful on those hot, hot days! On the other hand, it's a very convenient walk from the monorail to/from EPCOT. The double sinks in the larger bathrooms are nice when there are 5 in a room. There was plenty of space to spread out those toiletries! All things considered--we can't wait for Hawaii to be refurbished! The location of Hawaii can't be beat and we'll sacrifice the larger bathroom for that!
With Hawaii in refurb, a good many of the beach speakers are out of commission. If you wish to view the fireworks WITH sound, your best bet is closer to the pool (volcano) and bar area--the sound is great there although you can't see the castle. Farther down the beach there is no sound AND there is no piped in music in the Tahiti lounge.
Despite reports that 2nd floor--east end is the smoking optional floor--if you are allergic or have other health concerns--be sure to ask. We were placed at the west end, first floor and due to the occasional cigar issue, requested a smoking optional. Initially, we were told the smoking optional rooms were going to be in this location--first floor, west end--later Steve said (and it was reported by other guests, too) he was told it was east end, 2nd floor--I'm not sure what was up with that, but you may wish to ask if you have concerns.
For us, Polynesian Concierge service is unbeatable. We love the staff, the Resort, and the service. This trip hasn't soured us on the Polynesian--the service wasn't up to standards compared with other visits. Our personal belief is the staff is simply overwhelmed with the additional, significant number of guests and location change. We were disappointed with the behavior of other guests but realize we can't change others. Rudeness occurs everywhere, it's just never been our experience at Polynesian.
As visitors who return the same time frame every year, we have a certain level of expectation. If I had to assign a grade to this year's level of service versus past experience, I'd have to give the service a C--just average. There are those CMs who were A+ all the way (Melissa for one, Ralph at the pool, and the CMs around the resort). For the most part, however, the stay was not exceptional--just average. Thankfully, we have past experience and know how great it can be to stay in this level of service
We truly believe that once the staff is back in its own element, everything will fall back into place. As I said to PLibster, the first time visitor probably wouldn't notice a thing. Further, they would have no "expectation" of the service--it's the repeat visitor that could be somewhat disappointed.
Despite the snafus described, we're very much looking forward to our return next year and the refurbished Hawaii building. We had a wonderful trip--the weather was terrific compared to last year's rainfest, the parks were manageable, and we did everything we wanted to do.
AKL
As a side note, we spent our first night at WDW at AKL. We had two rooms, standard and our sole intent was to simply check out this hotel. We didn't like it and won't be staying there again. I made no room requests and we were assigned connecting rooms on the 4th floor, Ostrich Trail, I believe. The room overlooked the reception drive. Our rooms consisted of two queens in one and a queen/bunk combo in the second. The kids loved the rooms and with two rooms we had a nice space.
The weather on arrival was great; we checked-in quickly and went to our rooms. We had reservations at BOMA for 5:30 p.m. and so didn't want to swim until after dinner. Instead we walked around Uzima Springs, viewed some of the wildlife, tried a Mt. Kilimarita (nothing spectacular), and wandered the lobby. We had dinner at BOMA--no one was impressed--all of the food except the prime rib was too sweet tasting. Unfortunately, during dinner, the clouds let loose and it rained/stormed the rest of the evening--no swimming for us. Instead we wandered the halls of the hotel and viewed the animals from the common viewing locations. Quite impressive.
None of us cared for the resort--once you'd viewed the animals, visited the lobby, and seen the objects of art, etc.--we found the resort rather average. The rooms were small--can't imagine 5 in a room here and the lay-out of the hotel makes it very inconvenient to get anywhere. Admittedly, we haven't spent enough time to perhaps find any possible shortcuts, but everything just seemed a long walk from the far side of the hotel.
I suppose if you were located above Jiko/Boma on that side of the hotel, it wouldn't be so bad. Another disappointment is a lack of outdoor areas for seating/relaxation. Maybe it was just because the hotel was packed (it seemed all of the resorts we visited were full or nearly so), but it was difficult to find any area to just plop and relax outside. Mara might be convenient to the pool, but getting there from the far side of the hotel is not at all convenient.
CMs there were--not exactly friendly. The one exception to that was a couple of CMs explaining the wildlife on the trails. They were exceptionally engaging.
The hotel itself is lovely although dark. I know many, many people love this hotel--our lack of appreciation will just leave more room for them!
While we didn't stay there, we also visited Wilderness Lodge on this visit. The only resort we've not toured now is Coronado Springs. You could definitely see the similarities in design between WL and AKL. We liked WL better than AKL primarily because it was brighter. We would not, however, be likely to stay here either. Primary transportation by bus at both AKL and WL are big drawbacks for us. We love the monorail transportation at Polynesian, GF, and Contemporary. The transportation options offered at the monorail resorts are a big plus for us.
DINING
We enjoy dining in EPCOT and have year after year favorites. Each family member chooses a location and we all agree that HDD is a favorite. We skipped this last summer and were glad to return this year.
Our habit is to enjoy a large lunch during the heat of the day then return to our hotel for a swim. We do make exceptions to that, but for the most part our meals are lunches.
Le Cellier was a restaurant in which we had never dined. We loved it and will be adding this one to our list for a return visit. My husband had a steak and has declared it the best he's ever had. Our son enjoyed a chicken sandwich and beef barley soup--loved them both. I had a tenderloin salad and cheese soup. The other two had kids' meals--cheeseburger and mac & cheese I believe. Nothing spectacular about those two! I loved my salad and soup--in fact, I got to eat very little of the soup because my family loved it too! Next time they will all be getting their own bowls! Le Cellier is great!
Teppanyaki is a must visit each vacation. It didn't disappoint. In fact, my nephew even ate--shudder at the thought--vegetables! He really enjoyed his chicken kids meal as did our daughter. My husband loved his combination of steak and seafood. Our son had shrimp and chicken while I had scallops, shrimp, and lobster! Loved it all!
Alfredo's in Italy was a last minute choice because we had no PS, it was available, we'd never given it a whirl, and we knew it was going to downpour that afternoon. While the food was okay, it wasn't anything spectacular--my kids and nephew complimented me on my own recipe for Fettuccine Alfredo--much better than the originator! Not to be too conceited, but I agree with them--mine is much better. My two kids had the Alfredo, nephew had lasagne kid's meal, I had the three pasta combination with Alfredo, lasagne, and another unmemorable dish, and my husband had the fra diavalo dish--which despite it's name was neither hot nor spicy. I really hate to say this because it sounds so lacking in dining experience--but Olive Garden is a better meal. In fact, I can name at least two restaurants locally that make better Italian food--Ciao's and Mancy's Italian! To add insult to injury--this was the most expensive meal of all the countries! This will get a pass on future visits.
San Angel Inn--another year-after-year location for us. We all enjoyed our meal, but this restaurant just didn't seem as good as in the past. Not sure why--the food was fine, just not much to choose from. My husband and son at Tacos al Carbon, two younger ones had quesadillas off the kid's menu, and I had the Plato Mexicano.
We also dined at 50s PTC--always fun. It was more fun for us this time because our nephew was along and he had no experience. Mark was our server and he was great. Both of our kids were sent to run errands for him (returning menus to the front)--he nagged our son about his elbows, and was generally good fun. Food was good--our son had the pot pie, my husband the chicken sandwich, daughter had mac & cheese, nephew the cheeseburger, and I had pot roast. The kids shared Dad's sundae--they really wanted s'mores, but for some reason we weren't allowed to choose our dessert--Mark did and that's what he brought. Not sure we enjoyed that portion of the meal, but the kids liked the sundae.
Chef Mickey's is our first night welcome dinner. The food was good and we had a lovely time. I thought the character interaction was a bit lacking and perhaps it's because our kids were older. Just not sure of the reason. There was also an inordinate amount of unruly behavior by the young ones and a good many parents ignoring it. Our server was terrible--the only time he smiled was when he delivered our bill--he was NOT tipped at the upper end of the scale. We've had this guy before and he's always a sour puss!
Boma was not to our liking. I have waited and waited to try this restaurant--just couldn't fit it in until this year. This was part of the reason I wanted to stay at AKL the first night--just to be sure and get there. It was NOT worth the wait. I know others LOVE this restaurant--none of us did however. The prime rib was the only thing of note on the entree board in our opinion. We just found the food too "sweet" tasting. I tried all of the soups, sampled the meats/entrees, tried a large sampling of the side dishes--and found nothing to write home about. The desserts were the best thing about the restaurant! All of us thoroughly enjoyed the dessert table, too bad we wasted our appetites on the other items! Then again, man doesn't survive by dessert alone! I'm glad we tried it--no interest in returning though.
Hoop-Dee-Doo is another favorite. Yeah, it's a corny show and the food is standard fare; but we love it! We had a front row seat for this meal/performance. I have to say, however, we've had better cast interaction being a row or two back. The food was good and we all enjoyed the fried chicken. Everything was hot and fresh--the bread and honey butter is always a hit! Our seating was for the 7:15 show.
Pecos Bill's in MK is a great spot for a fast meal. We had cheeseburgers, chicken wrap, chicken salad, and fries--all were very good. The place was exceptionally busy though and it was difficult to find a seat. We managed though. . .
Quick bites at the Cantina in Mexico, sweets from the France pavillion and the fish & chips counter service in the UK. Everyone loved the food in the Cantina and I enjoyed the fish & chips--it was just a very small portion. The Napoleon from the French bakery was excellent--we also had an Eclair and Marvelous--all shared! Major yums!
My husband and I also enjoyed adult beverages during our stay--I LOVE the Fiesta Margaritas. Judging by the queues I encountered trying to purchase them, everyone else does too. Ringes is still our favorite beer although I also enjoy a Black & Tan from the UK.
That about covers our trip--I hope there aren't too many typos--I haven't bothered to proofread--so sue me! I'm just lucky to find the time to post at all!
We are eagerly anticipating our return next year provided we can convince my husband of the necessity!
AKL/Polynesian GV Concierge
I posted the resort portion of this overview on the Resorts Board as well. I tried to limit the report to an overview rather than a day-by-day, blow-by-blow account. Hopefully there will be some useful information for someone!
PARKS
The parks were manageable during our stay with the exception of AK and Tomorrowland at MK. I'm not sure why, but this side of MK was just crammed with people each time we visited. We had no waits for Splash, BTMRR, of any other ride BUT had to do the Space Mountain dash to get on without a wait. We arrived at all parks at opening time and avoided early entry like the plague. As in past visits, the parks became more and more crowded from around 11:00 a.m. on. We hit the park of preference early in the morning and left by noon to return to our resort for a swim OR to EPCOT because it handles crowds much better. AK was packed! We've never seen this park so busy! Arrive early, leave early!
WEATHER
Five days of sheer perfection! The weather couldn't have been better the first five days of our 11 day stay! We love heat and humidity--we had 95º and 100% humidity! We were gloriously sweltering!
After the terrible spring (what spring?) here, it was wonderful. After those five glorious days, we were given a couple of so-so, overcast days followed by several rainy days. The rainy days weren't "wash-out" days like we experienced last year for the entire stay, but the downpours were long in duration and quite heavy. Several evenings our kids went swimming in the rain--no thunder or lightning with the rains--just wet. It was fine--we just stayed in the parks throughout the day and donned the ponchos as necessary. The kids didn't care about swimming without sunshine--it was still very warm and we managed to sit under an umbrella or awning while they swam. It got old around the 3rd day though. . .maybe next year it will be better. This year was certainly better than last which was a major drag!POLYNESIAN RESORT
Our family (two adults, a 15 y/o son, a 12 y/o [at the time] daughter, and our 11 y/o nephew) returned almost one week ago from a 10 night stay at Polynesian GV Concierge. We are Polynesian Concierge vets and have stayed at this level of service in several other deluxes at WDW as well. Polynesian is, far and away, our favorite and despite a few bumps in the road during our recent visit, remains so.
We arrived at Polynesian bell services stand on 6/13 at 7:30 a.m. We didn't expect our room to be ready (and it wasn't) but needed to check-in to obtain two UMP for the two non-PAP holders. Bell services promptly transported us to Tahiti and explained about the refurb, etc. Since we have been to Polynesian many times, he skipped the drive around normally given to guests upon arrival.
CHECK-IN
Once in the concierge building, we were taken to the 2nd floor for check-in. We were delighted to see Melissa and finally meet her face-to-face. In prior years Melissa was in the Island Planning office and did the PS scheduling and responded to inquiries. She has handled our vacations for a number of years but our only communication was written or by telephone. Melissa handled our check-in very efficiently and was extremely accommodating and welcoming.
We received our leis, a copy of the PS schedule, HDD tickets, and packet of information containing park schedules, maps, and information about the Resort. She even tried to locate a room for us that morning, but was unable to do so and meet our requests--west end of Tahiti close to exit--no floor preference, smoking optional for husband's occasional cigar in the evening. Melissa informed us that the room available was on the wrong side of the hall and that she couldn't "upgrade us" because the house was full! The CMs were still getting used to the change in room numbers and the new building which I find totally understandable. We also learned that Tahiti has 40 extra rooms that Hawaii does not--this caused our jaws to drop! To think that the building was completely booked with the additional rooms took us by surprise! We wondered whether all of those guests were "paying" guests or were "upgraded" to the service due to a lack of rooms with the Hawaii building out of operation. It also gave us pause to think what service would be like especially on 3rd floor. While we were certainly pleased that others have discovered the wonderful ambience of Polynesian's Concierge service, we were a bit concerned about how future visits might be affected when the service returns to Hawaii! I hope there's room for us next year!
LOUNGE
While we were going through the check-in process, the three kids went to the lounge to enjoy breakfast. My husband and I joined them after check-in for a quick cup of Espresso before heading to the MK. The lounge area was a complete ZOO! In all of our stays I have never seen this place as overwhelmed. The only explanation I have for it is the space being utilized for the food service AND the increased population inhabiting the concierge building. The lounge space is not as large and open as the concierge lounge in Hawaii and thus feels small and cramped--especially near the food service line.
The queues, during the first hour of service, were very long to get to the service tables and the staff seemed to be really hopping. There was no time for these CMs to have polite conversation with the guests--as we were used to during past stays. They were simply too busy just trying to keep food items, napkins, cups, plastic silverware, plates, and the like refilled. On this particular morning (at 9:00 a.m.) a guest was having a tizzy fit over the fact there was no more oatmeal. He was really giving it to one of the CMs in the lounge and was incredulous that no more would be offered. Sadly, this type of event occurred a few more times during our stay.
The seating area near the food was so jam packed I don't know how anyone could breathe let alone eat. Thankfully, the two guest rooms converted for concierge service were never full! I guess those with young children wanted to be near the large screen TV and the food--we were very happy with a 19" television, the beautiful castle view, and the relative quiet of those two rooms!
During our 10 day stay we witnessed a great deal of guest "abuse" directed toward Cams in the lounge and acts of complete piggery. I have, in all the years staying at Polynesian, never witnessed the lack of concern for fellow guests and outright rude behavior mentioned on the boards--until this stay!
By way of example, and certainly not limitation: one a.m. a woman came to the lounge with a box--the type that beverages come stacked on by the case. She proceeded to load it with pastries, bagels, muffins, and the like--more than any 12 people could eat. She then tells her child of around 6-7 that they will just throw away anything that they don't like. On another occasion, a woman was telling us that she was going to make the concierge experience pay for her and her family--they stocked up on PB&Js, bagels, cookies and the like that they would be taking to the parks for lunch the next day--she went on to say that's what "she paid for". This particular woman said that she was given the information how to "work the system" on another internet board that shall remain nameless. A family occupying rooms above ours were routinely feeding the ducks from the balcony--guess where they got the food--yep, it was bagels, muffins, and pastries from the lounge! (This is why I don't particularly care for first floor--people above feed the animals and they poo all over the patios! Why don't people read those signs that say do not feed the wildlife! )
One afternoon we went in search of cookies--there were none. The CM in the lounge indicated that no matter how much they increase the order for items from one day to the next, they never have enough to go around. This was a consistent problem throughout our stay--the lounge area didn't have enough food to feed the number of guests in house. I would say this was more of a problem during afternoon service and late evening (dessert) service. For some reason people simply LOADED up on all of the sweets. I can't tell you how many bottles of Bailey's the folks drank. My husband and I would, on a few of the evenings we were back, go to the lounge for a Bailey's, Kahlua, and Franjelica--every time we went to pour a cordial--the Bailey's was empty or nearly so. Thankfully, there was another bottle, but people must have been drinking the heck out of that stuff!
I guess what I'm trying to say is there was a definite, pervasive feel in the lounge of "I'm going to get mine and you better get out of my way". There have always been people, over the years, which you could clearly categorize as the "type". This year, however, it was overwhelmingly so--there were far fewer of us that were more thoughtful and polite in our behavior.
The food during the evening service always seemed plentiful if not all that terrific. The variety was okay although the kids' table was certainly lacking. In years past, the kids' table had a variety of sandwiches throughout the week. This year it was strictly Uncrustables and a dessert-type item, i.e., cookies or brownies. I sort of missed that because I particularly liked the ham roll-ups and tuna sandwiches. I'm not sure why the change there unless it's just more difficult to handle the variety in the new lounge OR if it's another "cost cutting" measure.
Another disappointment was Chef Dick being on vacation during our stay. He is scheduled to return on 6/29 and I think the guests in Tahiti will be better for that! While the food was okay, it is certainly better and presented with more imagination when Chef Dick is around. I also believe, and maybe incorrectly, that some of the food ordering issues will be resolved under his skillful hand. We simply missed his presence--he's such a great guy. Our daughter left a letter for him that I hope he receives--she was so sad that her "friend" wasn't going to be around during our entire visit. We sure hope that he's there next time around--we missed him!
While using the lounge, we saw many, many guests unsuitably dressed for a food service area:
1. No shoes, socks, flip flops or other foot gear--major yuck!
2. No shirts on the gentlemen.
3. Our greatest complaint--unsupervised and unruly children/teens! Come one folks, it's food service, supervise your children and know your teens/pre-teens. You wouldn't believe the behavior of some of the latter group--ridiculously obnoxious! Young kids grabbing food items without waiting AND bare handed--ick! Food being spilled everywhere because the kids are too young to be self-serving. Little ones doding in and out of adults causing plates/cups to be dropped/spilled. The staff is restocking HOT items, your children could be injured doing this type of bobbing and weaving.
We aren't fussy about attire, but shoes and shirts should be worn in a food service area. I don't care if you're there in a bathing suit--it's a resort--but please wear flip flops on your feet and a cover-up or shirt.
Likewise, kids will be kids, but the behavior of some of the pre-teen/teen set while we were there was over-the-top obnoxious. There was a group of these kids that hung around and not once did we see an adult with them--not in the lounge, poolside, or at any other time around the resort. We were there with teen/pre-teens and repeatedly told them if they EVER behaved as we were witnessing, they would NEVER go back! They all 3 said they knew how to behave and were equally put off by the behavior of their peers.
RESORT ROOM
Our room was ready before noon which was wonderful. What can we say--we are Polynesian diehard fans. We LOVE this resort. We've never had a complaint about a room and never experienced service problems of any kind while here. All of that being said--this trip was very different. The infamous Polynesian smell has always been in doubt where we were concerned. We've never experienced anything but the pleasant, Earthy smell of tropical plants and wet soil. We're stayed in a variety of room locations in Hawaii and this was our second stay in Tahiti. I'm here to tell everyone that, for the first time ever, we encountered that HORRID odor of which everyone speaks. Sorry Steve--this isn't air conditioning odor--it's STENCH! It was rank, mold and mildew--no question about it. It smelled as if the walls were full of it and it was filling the room. We surmised that because this room (1014) was the end room by the door, the walls soaked up a great deal of moisture from the exterior due to the large amount of vegetation. PLibsters' family had this room prior to us and requested a move for these very reasons. We, however, were sort of stuck there due to the full house.
The bathroom (by the end of each day) had mildew all over the ceiling above the shower AND there was no vent fan operating in the bathroom. This caused the room to fill with steam every time someone showered. Of course, the housekeeping staff removed it daily, but the mildew/mold returned each day. The carpet was eternally damp (not unexpected in Florida) despite the air conditioning remaining static and nothing dried in that room--swimsuits were always damp, wet socks from rain water--never dried, etc.
Maintenance came and changed a filter; housekeeping/maintenance used a dryer in the room and ionized it. This worked for a few hours on check-in day--but by the next a.m. the odor was back. Once we were in the room for a period of time, we didn't notice the smell. It was just the initial entry into the room--the smell of dirty sweat socks and a filthy locker room combined with the moldy odor of an overly damp room.
Upon check-in our room was also less than clean. One of the kids spilled something in the bathroom and when I went to wipe it up with a towel, I got a towel full of black dirt and hair. It was pretty gross. The refrigerator in the room didn't work and neither did the remote control. The air was set very high (80º) despite being 95º outside! The humidity control was also set at 60%--and I really don't think it worked anyway. We called the concierge desk to report all of these matters prior to leaving the resort that afternoon (noon).
Someone from concierge came to the room and adjusted the broken knob on the fridge and housekeeping dealt with the cleanliness issues while we were out. When we returned in the evening, the fridge still didn't work nor the remote, but the room smelled less. Maintenance was called again and brought a replacement fridge (10:30 p.m. ). We were told that the Resort had purchased a multitude of new units and that maintenance was having problems with the lot--they were leaking coolant. The new fridge, despite its tardy arrival, worked great! The remote was also reprogrammed by the gentleman from maintenance.
Maintenance also told us to leave the humidity control at 60% and the air at 70º to alleviate the smell. We did this and it didn't work--the room still smelled.
Frankly, I suppose if we'd have thrown a hissy about the room, we might have received a new assignment during our stay. We don't spend much time in our room and we could tolerate the initial blast. We didn't feel like changing rooms after we were settled AND we loved the location. All of the benefits outweighed the odor given the limited amount of time in the room.
GENERAL MATTERS
Bus transportation was fairly good compared to prior stays. Wait times for transport to AK/MGM/DD/BB/TL were usually 20 mins or less. The one exception being the DD/TL bus. We were lucky on the return from DD, we hit a bus pick-up upon our arrival at the stop. We've never done that before. Still, it's ridiculous for a bus to take 30 mins or longer to get from Polynesian to DD! If there were sidewalks I could walk faster than that! Since DD is such a big shopping venue, one would think that Disney would encourage guests to get there and back expediently--they want people to be happy to head there rather than dread the going to and from. I'm not sure how to remedy this situation--no answers here, but it behooves WDW to come up with one!
Buses were, for the most part, comfortable with no one standing. There were the odd times that a bus would be packed, but those times were rare. I believe we only stood once or twice. We had a hard time figuring out the routes though--sometimes we went to GF to pick-up while others we went directly from our resort to the park. We were told that Contemporary and Polynesian were on a route while GF and WL were on a route--this varied during our visit.
Frequently during our stay, we were told by CMs that the concierge service was changing. While most didn't share details, that was the answer we received when we asked why things were different. Each year we've stayed at Polynesian, we received that beautiful chocolate bar with the Polynesian Resort on it. There was none on this visit. Likewise, at check-out the guests would receive a thank-you note AND a box of fruit/nuts--none this time. On our last day we stopped back at the concierge desk to retrieve our "carry-on" luggage (containing swim gear and essentials). We engaged a CM in conversation and inquired about the chocolate bar--she simply said "Things are changing" and "We don't know why". She went on to indicate that they weren't giving out the chocolate bars any longer and she pointed out they weren't handing out the departing gift either. While these two items are not "make it or break it" items for us, they were lovely little touches that made the guest feel appreciated.
Tahiti is a nice building--frankly, I think most of the buildings at Polynesian are "nice". It is not, however, Hawaii. Tahiti lacks the "intimacy" of Hawaii--it's too large for a concierge service. . .at least the concierge service we are used to and enjoy at Polynesian. The lounge area of Tahiti vs Hawaii leaves a great deal to be desired--there is no better way to set it up--it's just not equipped to handle the guests with as great an efficiency as Hawaii. That's not surprising--it's make-shift and the staff does a good job with what it has to work with.
Further, the added rooms in Tahiti puts a greater strain on the CMs--they don't have the time to be as cordial, welcoming, friendly, and personal as they are able to do when in Hawaii--at least that's our observation. We never felt as if the staff had time to "recognize" the guests. I always request tomato juice during my stay--a strange quirk I know, but I love TJ. Usually, after the initial request at check-in, the staff knows me and heads to the kitchen to pour it upon my arrival in the lounge each a.m.--not an expectation, just a lovely gesture. This year everyone was so very busy--I had to track someone down each day and ask for it. Each day I was told (sometimes by the same CM) that they didn't think they had tomato juice (I knew they did because I had requested it). The staff was just so overwhelmed; they didn't remember one guest from another let alone their repeat visitors.
The convenience of Tahiti is questionable. I realize it's only a 3 minute walk from Tahiti to the Volcano pool, boat launch, and GCH--it's a very long 3 mins when it's 95º with 100% humidity! Those trips back to your room when you've forgotten a pair of goggles, sunscreen, or need a cookie/lemonade/Diet Coke are awful on those hot, hot days! On the other hand, it's a very convenient walk from the monorail to/from EPCOT. The double sinks in the larger bathrooms are nice when there are 5 in a room. There was plenty of space to spread out those toiletries! All things considered--we can't wait for Hawaii to be refurbished! The location of Hawaii can't be beat and we'll sacrifice the larger bathroom for that!
With Hawaii in refurb, a good many of the beach speakers are out of commission. If you wish to view the fireworks WITH sound, your best bet is closer to the pool (volcano) and bar area--the sound is great there although you can't see the castle. Farther down the beach there is no sound AND there is no piped in music in the Tahiti lounge.
Despite reports that 2nd floor--east end is the smoking optional floor--if you are allergic or have other health concerns--be sure to ask. We were placed at the west end, first floor and due to the occasional cigar issue, requested a smoking optional. Initially, we were told the smoking optional rooms were going to be in this location--first floor, west end--later Steve said (and it was reported by other guests, too) he was told it was east end, 2nd floor--I'm not sure what was up with that, but you may wish to ask if you have concerns.
For us, Polynesian Concierge service is unbeatable. We love the staff, the Resort, and the service. This trip hasn't soured us on the Polynesian--the service wasn't up to standards compared with other visits. Our personal belief is the staff is simply overwhelmed with the additional, significant number of guests and location change. We were disappointed with the behavior of other guests but realize we can't change others. Rudeness occurs everywhere, it's just never been our experience at Polynesian.
As visitors who return the same time frame every year, we have a certain level of expectation. If I had to assign a grade to this year's level of service versus past experience, I'd have to give the service a C--just average. There are those CMs who were A+ all the way (Melissa for one, Ralph at the pool, and the CMs around the resort). For the most part, however, the stay was not exceptional--just average. Thankfully, we have past experience and know how great it can be to stay in this level of service
We truly believe that once the staff is back in its own element, everything will fall back into place. As I said to PLibster, the first time visitor probably wouldn't notice a thing. Further, they would have no "expectation" of the service--it's the repeat visitor that could be somewhat disappointed.
Despite the snafus described, we're very much looking forward to our return next year and the refurbished Hawaii building. We had a wonderful trip--the weather was terrific compared to last year's rainfest, the parks were manageable, and we did everything we wanted to do.
AKL
As a side note, we spent our first night at WDW at AKL. We had two rooms, standard and our sole intent was to simply check out this hotel. We didn't like it and won't be staying there again. I made no room requests and we were assigned connecting rooms on the 4th floor, Ostrich Trail, I believe. The room overlooked the reception drive. Our rooms consisted of two queens in one and a queen/bunk combo in the second. The kids loved the rooms and with two rooms we had a nice space.
The weather on arrival was great; we checked-in quickly and went to our rooms. We had reservations at BOMA for 5:30 p.m. and so didn't want to swim until after dinner. Instead we walked around Uzima Springs, viewed some of the wildlife, tried a Mt. Kilimarita (nothing spectacular), and wandered the lobby. We had dinner at BOMA--no one was impressed--all of the food except the prime rib was too sweet tasting. Unfortunately, during dinner, the clouds let loose and it rained/stormed the rest of the evening--no swimming for us. Instead we wandered the halls of the hotel and viewed the animals from the common viewing locations. Quite impressive.
None of us cared for the resort--once you'd viewed the animals, visited the lobby, and seen the objects of art, etc.--we found the resort rather average. The rooms were small--can't imagine 5 in a room here and the lay-out of the hotel makes it very inconvenient to get anywhere. Admittedly, we haven't spent enough time to perhaps find any possible shortcuts, but everything just seemed a long walk from the far side of the hotel.
I suppose if you were located above Jiko/Boma on that side of the hotel, it wouldn't be so bad. Another disappointment is a lack of outdoor areas for seating/relaxation. Maybe it was just because the hotel was packed (it seemed all of the resorts we visited were full or nearly so), but it was difficult to find any area to just plop and relax outside. Mara might be convenient to the pool, but getting there from the far side of the hotel is not at all convenient.
CMs there were--not exactly friendly. The one exception to that was a couple of CMs explaining the wildlife on the trails. They were exceptionally engaging.
The hotel itself is lovely although dark. I know many, many people love this hotel--our lack of appreciation will just leave more room for them!
While we didn't stay there, we also visited Wilderness Lodge on this visit. The only resort we've not toured now is Coronado Springs. You could definitely see the similarities in design between WL and AKL. We liked WL better than AKL primarily because it was brighter. We would not, however, be likely to stay here either. Primary transportation by bus at both AKL and WL are big drawbacks for us. We love the monorail transportation at Polynesian, GF, and Contemporary. The transportation options offered at the monorail resorts are a big plus for us.
DINING
We enjoy dining in EPCOT and have year after year favorites. Each family member chooses a location and we all agree that HDD is a favorite. We skipped this last summer and were glad to return this year.
Our habit is to enjoy a large lunch during the heat of the day then return to our hotel for a swim. We do make exceptions to that, but for the most part our meals are lunches.
Le Cellier was a restaurant in which we had never dined. We loved it and will be adding this one to our list for a return visit. My husband had a steak and has declared it the best he's ever had. Our son enjoyed a chicken sandwich and beef barley soup--loved them both. I had a tenderloin salad and cheese soup. The other two had kids' meals--cheeseburger and mac & cheese I believe. Nothing spectacular about those two! I loved my salad and soup--in fact, I got to eat very little of the soup because my family loved it too! Next time they will all be getting their own bowls! Le Cellier is great!
Teppanyaki is a must visit each vacation. It didn't disappoint. In fact, my nephew even ate--shudder at the thought--vegetables! He really enjoyed his chicken kids meal as did our daughter. My husband loved his combination of steak and seafood. Our son had shrimp and chicken while I had scallops, shrimp, and lobster! Loved it all!
Alfredo's in Italy was a last minute choice because we had no PS, it was available, we'd never given it a whirl, and we knew it was going to downpour that afternoon. While the food was okay, it wasn't anything spectacular--my kids and nephew complimented me on my own recipe for Fettuccine Alfredo--much better than the originator! Not to be too conceited, but I agree with them--mine is much better. My two kids had the Alfredo, nephew had lasagne kid's meal, I had the three pasta combination with Alfredo, lasagne, and another unmemorable dish, and my husband had the fra diavalo dish--which despite it's name was neither hot nor spicy. I really hate to say this because it sounds so lacking in dining experience--but Olive Garden is a better meal. In fact, I can name at least two restaurants locally that make better Italian food--Ciao's and Mancy's Italian! To add insult to injury--this was the most expensive meal of all the countries! This will get a pass on future visits.
San Angel Inn--another year-after-year location for us. We all enjoyed our meal, but this restaurant just didn't seem as good as in the past. Not sure why--the food was fine, just not much to choose from. My husband and son at Tacos al Carbon, two younger ones had quesadillas off the kid's menu, and I had the Plato Mexicano.
We also dined at 50s PTC--always fun. It was more fun for us this time because our nephew was along and he had no experience. Mark was our server and he was great. Both of our kids were sent to run errands for him (returning menus to the front)--he nagged our son about his elbows, and was generally good fun. Food was good--our son had the pot pie, my husband the chicken sandwich, daughter had mac & cheese, nephew the cheeseburger, and I had pot roast. The kids shared Dad's sundae--they really wanted s'mores, but for some reason we weren't allowed to choose our dessert--Mark did and that's what he brought. Not sure we enjoyed that portion of the meal, but the kids liked the sundae.
Chef Mickey's is our first night welcome dinner. The food was good and we had a lovely time. I thought the character interaction was a bit lacking and perhaps it's because our kids were older. Just not sure of the reason. There was also an inordinate amount of unruly behavior by the young ones and a good many parents ignoring it. Our server was terrible--the only time he smiled was when he delivered our bill--he was NOT tipped at the upper end of the scale. We've had this guy before and he's always a sour puss!
Boma was not to our liking. I have waited and waited to try this restaurant--just couldn't fit it in until this year. This was part of the reason I wanted to stay at AKL the first night--just to be sure and get there. It was NOT worth the wait. I know others LOVE this restaurant--none of us did however. The prime rib was the only thing of note on the entree board in our opinion. We just found the food too "sweet" tasting. I tried all of the soups, sampled the meats/entrees, tried a large sampling of the side dishes--and found nothing to write home about. The desserts were the best thing about the restaurant! All of us thoroughly enjoyed the dessert table, too bad we wasted our appetites on the other items! Then again, man doesn't survive by dessert alone!
I'm glad we tried it--no interest in returning though.Hoop-Dee-Doo is another favorite. Yeah, it's a corny show and the food is standard fare; but we love it! We had a front row seat for this meal/performance. I have to say, however, we've had better cast interaction being a row or two back. The food was good and we all enjoyed the fried chicken. Everything was hot and fresh--the bread and honey butter is always a hit! Our seating was for the 7:15 show.
Pecos Bill's in MK is a great spot for a fast meal. We had cheeseburgers, chicken wrap, chicken salad, and fries--all were very good. The place was exceptionally busy though and it was difficult to find a seat. We managed though. . .
Quick bites at the Cantina in Mexico, sweets from the France pavillion and the fish & chips counter service in the UK. Everyone loved the food in the Cantina and I enjoyed the fish & chips--it was just a very small portion. The Napoleon from the French bakery was excellent--we also had an Eclair and Marvelous--all shared! Major yums!
My husband and I also enjoyed adult beverages during our stay--I LOVE the Fiesta Margaritas. Judging by the queues I encountered trying to purchase them, everyone else does too. Ringes is still our favorite beer although I also enjoy a Black & Tan from the UK.
That about covers our trip--I hope there aren't too many typos--I haven't bothered to proofread--so sue me! I'm just lucky to find the time to post at all!
We are eagerly anticipating our return next year provided we can convince my husband of the necessity! 
