And we're back!

[Ms Poppins]

Just got back this afternoon after yet another amazing time at DLP

In true tradition, here's our highs and lows

Highs:
Dreams - I don't have the words to describe just how jaw dropping this show is. Absolutely wonderful
Hotel New York - lovely room as always, special additions for Abbey's Birthday and a fab view of the castle so we could watch Dreams on the nights we weren't in the park
Weather - very, very good. Was overcast, but warm with only a couple of showers.
Lewis meeting Captain Jack
Pirates, BTM and others being walk on in the evening
The park looking beautiful
Lovely meals at Blue Lagoon and Walts
VIP fastpass for Monday with shareholders club
Shareholders Club discount saving us loads
Getting the new 20th Anniversary book
Ezyshuttle - spot on service, perfect

Lows:
Not really a low, more of a disappointment, Dream Castle wasn't great for a few reasons. But we only stayed there last night so it certainly didn't spoil our holiday.

As always we had a great time. Very lucky with the weather which helped. I'll make a start on the trip report either tonight or tomorrow as I'm off work until Monday

Thanks as always to all of you for helping make another great trip

 

[Carrie_Cat]

Glad you've had a great time

I looked out for you yesterday but no luck

 

[torsie24]

Welcome back!!

So glad you had a wonderful trip. I'd love to get a castle view room at HNY! How lucky you were! :

Looking forward to your TR! xxx

 

[Ms Poppins]

Glad you've had a great time

I looked out for you yesterday but no luck

If you'd been anywhere near pirates you'd have seen us - we seemed to be there loads yesterday

Welcome back!!

So glad you had a wonderful trip. I'd love to get a castle view room at HNY! How lucky you were! :

Looking forward to your TR! xxx

I didn't even know a castle view was possible from HNY!

 

[Bexx]

Glad you had such a great time

I didn't even know a castle view was possible from HNY!

In some of the rooms at the back of the hotel you should be able to see the castle over to the left, and even more clearly if you are also overlooking the tennis courts. As nice as it sounds I will probably still go for the lake view - unless I can be guaranteed your room or next door!!

 

[DLPdaft]

I'm really looking forward to this trip report Julie - no pressure .

 

[Ware Bears]

Welcome back glad you had a great time.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Glad to see you had a good time, it makes such a difference when the weather is pleasant.

 

[tiggerifictiggers]

Just got back this afternoon after yet another amazing time at DLP
Lows:
Not really a low, more of a disappointment, Dream Castle wasn't great for a few reasons. But we only stayed there last night so it certainly didn't spoil our holiday.

Sounds like you had a fab time

What were your reasons for being disappointed with the Dream Castle? We're staying there in October and they always say best to be forewarned (or something like that )

 

[Ms Poppins]

Sounds like you had a fab time

What were your reasons for being disappointed with the Dream Castle? We're staying there in October and they always say best to be forewarned (or something like that )

I hate moaning, I really do. I love our holidays to DLP and maybe we're just used to being at HNY or DLH, but for us it wasn't up to scratch, with the room, breakfast and sadly service.

The kids loved the lobby and the smell was amazing, a bit like a sweet shop The entire themeing was fantastic and Lewis absolutely loved the knights, swords, thrones, sword in the stone etc. The outlook is also beautiful. However, when we opened our room door there was an overwhelming smell of cigarette smoke. DH phoned downstairs and was told housekeeping would come up. We knew that nothing housekeeping could do would take the smell away, so we went back down and queued for reception. We waited, and I'm not exaggerating, 40 minutes to be seen. Once seen, we were given another room, next door to the first. This one was better. The room itself looked nice, however the bathroom sink was badly cracked, there were loose tiles on the bathroom floor, the air con was on full but didn't work, the bed had a massive bump in the middle which meant I kept rolling to one side. The bunk beds are only child size, so despite us having booked for 3 adults and 1 child, Abbey, who is 15 slept in the top bunk. That in itself is not a problem, but her legs kept banging off the bottom of the bed. I can't find it listed anywhere that the bunks are not full size beds like the Cheyenne for example. Even the quilts hung over the bottom.

If we'd noticed all these things earlier, we'd have asked for a double, double room instead. But, it was after 11pm by the time we got back there and Lewis and Abbey were both exhausted. For one night it wasn't worth moving. That said, in my opinion there shouldn't have been anything to warrant a move in the first place.

I've only ever read good things about the Dream Castle so I'm guessing we just got unlucky. Also, although the bus service to the parks and back was good, I'm not a fan of fighting our way onto a bus...Again, for one day it wasn't a big deal, but I don't think we'd have been able to be as flexible as we are when we stay at the HNY. But that would be the same for all the offsite hotels.

Anyway, as I say, it didn't spoil our holiday, just rekindled our love for the HNY

 

[Ms Poppins]

I'm really looking forward to this trip report Julie - no pressure .

Should be making a start tonight Elaine, no energy to move off the settee at the moment, and trying to upload nearly 600 photos

 

[tiggerifictiggers]

I hate moaning, I really do. I love our holidays to DLP and maybe we're just used to being at HNY or DLH, but for us it wasn't up to scratch, with the room, breakfast and sadly service.

The kids loved the lobby and the smell was amazing, a bit like a sweet shop The entire themeing was fantastic and Lewis absolutely loved the knights, swords, thrones, sword in the stone etc. The outlook is also beautiful. However, when we opened our room door there was an overwhelming smell of cigarette smoke. DH phoned downstairs and was told housekeeping would come up. We knew that nothing housekeeping could do would take the smell away, so we went back down and queued for reception. We waited, and I'm not exaggerating, 40 minutes to be seen. Once seen, we were given another room, next door to the first. This one was better. The room itself looked nice, however the bathroom sink was badly cracked, there were loose tiles on the bathroom floor, the air con was on full but didn't work, the bed had a massive bump in the middle which meant I kept rolling to one side. The bunk beds are only child size, so despite us having booked for 3 adults and 1 child, Abbey, who is 15 slept in the top bunk. That in itself is not a problem, but her legs kept banging off the bottom of the bed. I can't find it listed anywhere that the bunks are not full size beds like the Cheyenne for example. Even the quilts hung over the bottom.

If we'd noticed all these things earlier, we'd have asked for a double, double room instead. But, it was after 11pm by the time we got back there and Lewis and Abbey were both exhausted. For one night it wasn't worth moving. That said, in my opinion there shouldn't have been anything to warrant a move in the first place.

I've only ever read good things about the Dream Castle so I'm guessing we just got unlucky. Also, although the bus service to the parks and back was good, I'm not a fan of fighting our way onto a bus...Again, for one day it wasn't a big deal, but I don't think we'd have been able to be as flexible as we are when we stay at the HNY. But that would be the same for all the offsite hotels.

Anyway, as I say, it didn't spoil our holiday, just rekindled our love for the HNY

Oh dear! Sounds like a little nightmare rather than a dream. You certainly did encounter a few bumps along the way . But a 40 minute wait get to the reception desk Perhaps closer to the time I may ring up and ask for a non-smoking room as DH has a very low tolerance to the smell of smoke (it gives him such bad headaches). All sounds a bit hit and miss even with the second room and the bump and the bunk bed not being big enough for Abbey.

The reception sounds awesome! I love nice sweet smells so I think I'm going to love the initial walk into the hotel

You mentioned the fight to get on the bus -- was Dream Castle the last pick up or was there any other hotels after the Dream Castle?

What was their hot breakfast like?

We would of loved to have stayed on site but if I'd tried to stretch the pennies any further we would of ended up with copper wire

 

[Ms Poppins]

Oh dear! Sounds like a little nightmare rather than a dream. You certainly did encounter a few bumps along the way . But a 40 minute wait get to the reception desk Perhaps closer to the time I may ring up and ask for a non-smoking room as DH has a very low tolerance to the smell of smoke (it gives him such bad headaches). All sounds a bit hit and miss even with the second room and the bump and the bunk bed not being big enough for Abbey.

The reception sounds awesome! I love nice sweet smells so I think I'm going to love the initial walk into the hotel

You mentioned the fight to get on the bus -- was Dream Castle the last pick up or was there any other hotels after the Dream Castle?

What was their hot breakfast like?

We would of loved to have stayed on site but if I'd tried to stretch the pennies any further we would of ended up with copper wire

The bus was shared with Magic Circus, Kyriad and Explorers hotel. But, I've read that sometimes it's just shared with Magic Circus, so maybe at busier times it's not so much of a problem. Actually, it wasn't a problem as such, just a bit of a scrum and not what we're used to.

The reception told us all rooms are non-smoking, so I think we just got unlucky.

The breakfast wasn't great. Not as big a selection as HNY, cereals not very nice (they're branded at HNY) and hot items either over or under done.

I don't like to give the hotel a bad name, as I said I've only ever read good things about it, so I think we probably got it on an off day. Sorry, I don't mean to put anyone off, but unfortunately it was our experience.

 

[RoseBug]

Welcome back!! Sounds like a wonderful trip! Can't wait to read you TR!

 

[DLPdaft]

your review of the hotel breakfast is pretty much spot-on I'd say Julie, going on our experience for 3 mornings at the Dream Castle 6 months ago. i didn't even really like the coffee, I switched to tea instead.

The croissants and cream cheese were lovely though .

 

[tiggerifictiggers]

The bus was shared with Magic Circus, Kyriad and Explorers hotel. But, I've read that sometimes it's just shared with Magic Circus, so maybe at busier times it's not so much of a problem. Actually, it wasn't a problem as such, just a bit of a scrum and not what we're used to.

The reception told us all rooms are non-smoking, so I think we just got unlucky.

The breakfast wasn't great. Not as big a selection as HNY, cereals not very nice (they're branded at HNY) and hot items either over or under done.

I don't like to give the hotel a bad name, as I said I've only ever read good things about it, so I think we probably got it on an off day. Sorry, I don't mean to put anyone off, but unfortunately it was our experience.

Sounds like someone had had a sneaky cigarette in the room then lol TUT TUT. Thinking about it I think I even read somewhere rooms were supposed to be non-smoking.

I'm guessing saying on-site is always going to be better -- you're paying more for it to get that total Disney warm glow inside.

I'll have to learn between now and October to be more assertive to make sure my butt gets on that bus!

Thanks for sharing your views about the Dream Castle -- it's always good to hear the good and not so good of which people have experienced.

 

[jothp]

It sounds like a really great trip, I can't wait to read more.

 

[DLPDreams]

Welcome back - for some reason I thought you came back tomorrow?

Glad to hear you all had such a great trip! The room at the HNY sounds amazing - how fab to be able to see Dreams from your window!

Can't wait to hear more but appreciate it's not top of priorities on return!

How is Mark getting on, on his holiday - have you heard?

 

[loladelorean]

Glad you're back and had a great time - that HNY room sounds incredible! I'm very excited to see your trip report - just over 3 weeks til our trip now

 

[RyMickey]

I didn't even know a castle view was possible from HNY!

We were in rooms 8223 and 8225 this past week and if you stood at the window and looked left, you could see the castle and the fireworks show. Granted, you couldn't see the projections on the castle and it's not exactly a "castle" view because you're really looking right out on the parking lot, but standing correctly at the window, you could see the castle.

Just as a point of reference, if you're looking at the front of HNY's entrance to the lobby, 8223 and 8225 would be to the left all the way at the top.