TheDailyMoo
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2021
I posted earlier about how I've been very grumpy about corporate Disney and all its' choices and decisions the last few years and I'll admit it's been easy to get swallowed up by all the negativity around these boards and the internet in general. I truly was expecting the worst and to my pleasant surprise the trip was nothing short of absolute magic! That being said...there were many bumps and issues along the way!
A little background, my wife and I used to go all the time starting in the mid 2000s until we decided to have our first child and so 2016 was our last trip. Fast forward a few years and we made plans to take our DS down to experience the magic and lo and behold...a pandemic hit. Scrapped those plans and tried again next summer...and again canceled last minute as we just weren't feeling it. This year we were gung-ho and like the 80s song says, nothing's gonna stop us now!
Before the report itself I'd just like to point out the obvious to everyone that has dealt with this already but...traveling with a four year old is a WHOLE lot different than just grabbing an Uber, hopping on the plane, and winging things along the way when it's just you and your wife or husband or whoever! Luckily things went way smoother than I thought and I would like to just tell everyone that if you don't have CLEAR and TSA Precheck...get 'em! They were a time saver and a half!
OK here goes:
Getting There: Was sad that Magical Express wasn't a thing anymore. Always loved the videos they played. Really set the fun tone for the vacation. Because Sunshine Flyer was running a promo I decided to try them out. When we got to MCO and the ground floor after baggage claim I instinctively power walked to the opposite end where I remember ME being set up only to realize that Sunshine Flyer was operating out of Bus Bay 3 or something which was allll the way back where we started. So we headed there and the check in was outside. They were friendly enough and we waited about 15 minutes for our bus to come to take us to the Swan. It was us and another family so the bus was pretty private and comfortable. All in all it was 32 for two adults and free for my DS going one way. I should've booked round trip but wanted to check them out first before committing. That was a mistake but I'll get to it later.
The Swan: I honestly cannot express how happy I was with our Swan stay. I used to have a very negative feeling about the Swan and Dolphin, I guess mostly because they had a reputation for conventions and I knew they weren't really Disney themed. The main reason for choosing the Swan/Dolphin was that I wanted to be in walking distance of Epcot and HS so that I could walk with the stroller and save time. Little did I know how little we would actual walk but instead take the FriendShip. Another deciding factor was obviously the price as compared to the other resorts there and the fact that my Amex card would give me a free upgrade and $100 in credits as it is considered one of their Hotel Collection hotels. I had no idea if the Swan or Dolphin was better but after the good folks at the Swan Dolphin board pointed me in the direction of the Swan I made the choice to stay there. I can see now that the Swan and Dolphin are both excellent but it depends the vibe you're looking for and I'm so glad to have picked the low key Swan. At check in I got a wonderful upgrade to a balcony in the East wing facing the Dolphin. Was very happy with it. The beds and pillows were as comfortable as everyone said they would be which is a huge plus you never think of until you're in a hotel trying to sleep at night and you realize...uh oh...the bed and pillows are rocks. The only issue with the room was the AC wasn't exactly perfect but worked just enough to keep us comfortable. Also...we had cleaning...full cleaning...EVERY DAY. We never asked for it they just kept coming around. I had heard horror stories! So this was great. I've never tipped a housekeeper so much before. She was so friendly and even brought us anniversary balloons and a coloring book for my DS the last day. As for the grounds they were very well landscaped and maintained. The Swan quiet pool was never more than a handful of people and the shared pool complex in the middle always had plenty of room if you looked. Here's the thing about the Swan and Dolphin...they are beautiful hotels in their own right that complement each other nicely. I know people say that they aren't "Disney themed" but honestly...if you really want to think of them as themed, you can. The breezeway between the two resorts are lined with palm trees. They have color changing spotlights on them and at night Disney songs play while there is a light show. The resort to me had a Floridian/Caribbean resort type feel to it and just looking at the let's say the Swan/Dolphin buildings and the Yacht Club...I would say the Swan Dolphin feels more Disney themed than the Yacht Club. I know I know the Yacht CLub is wonderful but I'm just saying it's unfair that the Swan Dolphin get a bad rap about not being "Disney" enough. I will say the part about staying at the Swan that was the most irritating was the fact that their MK busses took you to The Transportation and Ticketing Center and not the regular bus stops. That was annoying. I hated having to go through the TTC regularly. Did it take that much more time? Not too much. But it was a hassle to get on the monorail or the Ferry instead of being right there in front of MK. Not necessarily a deal breaker for future visits although would probably make sense to do a split stay near MK for doing just MK then Swan for all others. All in all a great stay in an area that would cost more than double if staying at any of the Disney branded hotels. The hotel stay was great and really set the tone for our trip.
Cast Members: I'd like to talk about the cast members next. I know there has been plenty of negativity toward the cast members as of late, especially many of the newer ones that might have less than magical training. I'm going to say this...out of 9 days worth of countless interactions with cast members from all different parks and divisions, there are maybe three or four that stand out as not being so great and/or a bit rude/unhelpful. But guess what...15 years ago I remember some cast members being rude and unhelpful as well! So many of them went out of their way to be extra sweet and helpful. We even got some magic from a few of them! One night at Magic Kingdom for fireworks we were being ushered away from Liberty Square area and we basically just made a motion if we could stay in what seemed to be an open spot and this one cast member made sure we could even though another began protesting that we couldn't. Small things like that allowed us to make amazing memories on this trip. There was this other instance where we were standing in line to see Olaf and the cast member came out and almost scolded a two year old girl for holding the chains in the front of the lightening lane The parents were good about it but it kind of threw me off. I saw her head into the shade and she was sweating profusely. She looked like she composed herself and came back and was sweet as pie the next time to the family with the little girl and the rest of us as well. Cast members are human and I bet they go through a lot of periods of stress especially in that hot Florida summer sun. Everyone has a bad day or moment. We shouldn't be judging these CM so harshly and expecting them to be the bearers of all magic and unicorns and rainbows while they get paid $15 an hour. That's why I won't mention the negative cast member interactions here because who knows if that's really them or if they were just having a bad day.
Restaurant CMs and Chefs: Just a special shout out to so many wonderful servers and chefs that took the time to come out and speak with us in regards to my DS outside the top 8 food allergies. We can't just order off the generic allergy menu and so many of the chefs were so very good in sitting with us and discussing options that they personally would cook that would be safe. The stress levels were always still high but the servers and chefs made it easy to order and eat out, something we can't freely do at home. Double magic on this one. Will do specific restaurant reviews later.
Magic Kingdom: I don't know how anyone can say the magic is gone from the Kingdom. Ok so going with my toddler obviously introduced a new set of wonder and amazement that I never knew existed. Watching him first walk down Main Street, or watching his face ooh and ahh to the fireworks in front of the castle obviously brought happy tears to my eyes. It was all that I had hoped it would be and more. However, I can still separate that if I want and look at MK through the lens of when I was there before I had my kid. It's the same. Everything is still the same and the feels are all the same. The smell of the Its A Small World building is the same...the smell of the Pirates Queue...the smell of the water and air conditioning in the Splash Mountain tunnels...I mean nothing has changed for me. What has changed are the rides that we prioritized. No more Seven Dwarfs and Space Mountain and Big Thunder...now it was making sure we got on Peter Pan...or the Carrousel (which I had never ridden in over 15 years). I can see how maybe some people were doubting the magic earlier in the year when things weren't back to almost normal. But at this point, it feels good. We were right in front of the castle for Festival of Fantasy and it literally made us well up with tears watching it with our son. Magic Kingdom really is...well...magic. And by the way we were there during the July 4th holiday...it was crowded sure...but...not really to the point I ever felt like a sardine. Tell you the truth it felt about as crowded as I've always remembered it. And as for some of the other parks they almost felt empty considering it was July 4th.
Mobile Order/Checkout: Ummmm...why isn't everyone doing this? I heard nothing but bad things about this and my experience was completely opposite. There would be a long line at say Sleepy Hollow and I'd have a hankering for chicken and waffles. I'd open up the app and see there was an immediate window to order...I would order...say I'm there to start preparing order...and two minutes later I would have my order...and the same person that was ordering in line is still there. This. Was. So. Easy. And same goes for in store shopping checkout. Nobody would be on the mobile checkout line. I would scan the item...press pay...show the lady my QR code...and I'm off. I found myself not wanting to shop where they didn't have this feature. I would just keep telling the workers, "this is so easy why doesn't everyone do it" and they would shrug and say yeah we don't know.
Epcot: Well, this used to be me and my wife's favorite park when it was just the two of us...unfortunately it is now the least favorite having our toddler with us. It just didn't work out that great. Lots of logistical issues with the park and I now see what everyone is saying about the construction. You just can't get anywhere quickly in that park anymore. We did way too many days of Epcot thinking of it like we did before having a kid. Not the same anymore. Even World Showcase wasn't as fun as it used to be when we went just as a couple. It's not like we had a bad time here but there were a few breakdowns and it was definitely the least fun of all the parks. I did however get to ride Guardians by myself and I can say without a doubt...best ride on campus by a mile. Just...so much fun. So much. The backwards fast launch into the dark coaster is like if you took Rockin Roller Coaster's launch...made it on the Everest track that goes backwards...then took the whole thing and put it in Space Mountain...then gave it a ton of steroids and that's what you'd get. What home run with that ride! I can see how the show building is a little ugly and stands out like a sore thumb but still...totally worth it. Also glad I got to Ride Three Caballeros as who knows when they'll shut that down and change it for good. One of my favorites. And speaking of one of my favorites, the avocado margarita from Cava...hm...it's a little...premade like a slushie from 7/11 now...disappointing. All in all still love Epcot but will have to try again when DS is older and can deal with the attractions and WS a little better.
Enchantment vs. Harmonious: So this may be an unpopular opinion but after having seen both a few times now in person I can honestly say Harmonious is the much better show. Of course the previous iterations for both were better but if I had to be ok with a replacement it's going to be Harmonious. Enchantment is just...meh...especially compared to Happily Ever After...and let's not even begin to get into Wishes! You are the Magic just doesn't have the same feel as the other two. Still magical to watch but yeah...not as good. Harmonious at least the songs are good and the fireworks are better. I see what everyone is saying about the barges just ruining all the sightlines. They really are an eyesore. But I also got to see the forth of July show at MK on the 3rd and the Celebrate America at Epcot on the 4th. Both amazing to watch but the Epcot show was way more immersive.
Epcot Area Resorts: Had never stayed at any of these "walkable" resorts nor have I ever even been to any to visit but I absolutely fell in love with this area. I feel like the Boardwalk was my surrogate hotel, so much so that I bought the mug from their store. I didn't go by Yacht and Beach except docking there to pick up passengers but I know people rave about them as well. It was just so cute and cozy feeling and the Swan and Dolphin definitely felt like we were a part of that. Would love to try and rent DVC points for a Boardwalk stay at some point. Just great feels all around and it felt like it was just the people staying at those hotels that had exclusive use of Epcot and HS. It was like living in a private cul-de-sac only where the street is a lake.
I've written quite a bit and will come back with Hollywood Studios and my first time riding Rise...Animal Kingdom and my first time on FOP...my thoughts and experience with Photopass for the first time...and all the restaurant reviews...and especially GENIE+! Just feels good to be writing all this down as a reflection on our first real family trip since DS was born. Was much needed!
A little background, my wife and I used to go all the time starting in the mid 2000s until we decided to have our first child and so 2016 was our last trip. Fast forward a few years and we made plans to take our DS down to experience the magic and lo and behold...a pandemic hit. Scrapped those plans and tried again next summer...and again canceled last minute as we just weren't feeling it. This year we were gung-ho and like the 80s song says, nothing's gonna stop us now!
Before the report itself I'd just like to point out the obvious to everyone that has dealt with this already but...traveling with a four year old is a WHOLE lot different than just grabbing an Uber, hopping on the plane, and winging things along the way when it's just you and your wife or husband or whoever! Luckily things went way smoother than I thought and I would like to just tell everyone that if you don't have CLEAR and TSA Precheck...get 'em! They were a time saver and a half!
OK here goes:
Getting There: Was sad that Magical Express wasn't a thing anymore. Always loved the videos they played. Really set the fun tone for the vacation. Because Sunshine Flyer was running a promo I decided to try them out. When we got to MCO and the ground floor after baggage claim I instinctively power walked to the opposite end where I remember ME being set up only to realize that Sunshine Flyer was operating out of Bus Bay 3 or something which was allll the way back where we started. So we headed there and the check in was outside. They were friendly enough and we waited about 15 minutes for our bus to come to take us to the Swan. It was us and another family so the bus was pretty private and comfortable. All in all it was 32 for two adults and free for my DS going one way. I should've booked round trip but wanted to check them out first before committing. That was a mistake but I'll get to it later.
The Swan: I honestly cannot express how happy I was with our Swan stay. I used to have a very negative feeling about the Swan and Dolphin, I guess mostly because they had a reputation for conventions and I knew they weren't really Disney themed. The main reason for choosing the Swan/Dolphin was that I wanted to be in walking distance of Epcot and HS so that I could walk with the stroller and save time. Little did I know how little we would actual walk but instead take the FriendShip. Another deciding factor was obviously the price as compared to the other resorts there and the fact that my Amex card would give me a free upgrade and $100 in credits as it is considered one of their Hotel Collection hotels. I had no idea if the Swan or Dolphin was better but after the good folks at the Swan Dolphin board pointed me in the direction of the Swan I made the choice to stay there. I can see now that the Swan and Dolphin are both excellent but it depends the vibe you're looking for and I'm so glad to have picked the low key Swan. At check in I got a wonderful upgrade to a balcony in the East wing facing the Dolphin. Was very happy with it. The beds and pillows were as comfortable as everyone said they would be which is a huge plus you never think of until you're in a hotel trying to sleep at night and you realize...uh oh...the bed and pillows are rocks. The only issue with the room was the AC wasn't exactly perfect but worked just enough to keep us comfortable. Also...we had cleaning...full cleaning...EVERY DAY. We never asked for it they just kept coming around. I had heard horror stories! So this was great. I've never tipped a housekeeper so much before. She was so friendly and even brought us anniversary balloons and a coloring book for my DS the last day. As for the grounds they were very well landscaped and maintained. The Swan quiet pool was never more than a handful of people and the shared pool complex in the middle always had plenty of room if you looked. Here's the thing about the Swan and Dolphin...they are beautiful hotels in their own right that complement each other nicely. I know people say that they aren't "Disney themed" but honestly...if you really want to think of them as themed, you can. The breezeway between the two resorts are lined with palm trees. They have color changing spotlights on them and at night Disney songs play while there is a light show. The resort to me had a Floridian/Caribbean resort type feel to it and just looking at the let's say the Swan/Dolphin buildings and the Yacht Club...I would say the Swan Dolphin feels more Disney themed than the Yacht Club. I know I know the Yacht CLub is wonderful but I'm just saying it's unfair that the Swan Dolphin get a bad rap about not being "Disney" enough. I will say the part about staying at the Swan that was the most irritating was the fact that their MK busses took you to The Transportation and Ticketing Center and not the regular bus stops. That was annoying. I hated having to go through the TTC regularly. Did it take that much more time? Not too much. But it was a hassle to get on the monorail or the Ferry instead of being right there in front of MK. Not necessarily a deal breaker for future visits although would probably make sense to do a split stay near MK for doing just MK then Swan for all others. All in all a great stay in an area that would cost more than double if staying at any of the Disney branded hotels. The hotel stay was great and really set the tone for our trip.
Cast Members: I'd like to talk about the cast members next. I know there has been plenty of negativity toward the cast members as of late, especially many of the newer ones that might have less than magical training. I'm going to say this...out of 9 days worth of countless interactions with cast members from all different parks and divisions, there are maybe three or four that stand out as not being so great and/or a bit rude/unhelpful. But guess what...15 years ago I remember some cast members being rude and unhelpful as well! So many of them went out of their way to be extra sweet and helpful. We even got some magic from a few of them! One night at Magic Kingdom for fireworks we were being ushered away from Liberty Square area and we basically just made a motion if we could stay in what seemed to be an open spot and this one cast member made sure we could even though another began protesting that we couldn't. Small things like that allowed us to make amazing memories on this trip. There was this other instance where we were standing in line to see Olaf and the cast member came out and almost scolded a two year old girl for holding the chains in the front of the lightening lane The parents were good about it but it kind of threw me off. I saw her head into the shade and she was sweating profusely. She looked like she composed herself and came back and was sweet as pie the next time to the family with the little girl and the rest of us as well. Cast members are human and I bet they go through a lot of periods of stress especially in that hot Florida summer sun. Everyone has a bad day or moment. We shouldn't be judging these CM so harshly and expecting them to be the bearers of all magic and unicorns and rainbows while they get paid $15 an hour. That's why I won't mention the negative cast member interactions here because who knows if that's really them or if they were just having a bad day.
Restaurant CMs and Chefs: Just a special shout out to so many wonderful servers and chefs that took the time to come out and speak with us in regards to my DS outside the top 8 food allergies. We can't just order off the generic allergy menu and so many of the chefs were so very good in sitting with us and discussing options that they personally would cook that would be safe. The stress levels were always still high but the servers and chefs made it easy to order and eat out, something we can't freely do at home. Double magic on this one. Will do specific restaurant reviews later.
Magic Kingdom: I don't know how anyone can say the magic is gone from the Kingdom. Ok so going with my toddler obviously introduced a new set of wonder and amazement that I never knew existed. Watching him first walk down Main Street, or watching his face ooh and ahh to the fireworks in front of the castle obviously brought happy tears to my eyes. It was all that I had hoped it would be and more. However, I can still separate that if I want and look at MK through the lens of when I was there before I had my kid. It's the same. Everything is still the same and the feels are all the same. The smell of the Its A Small World building is the same...the smell of the Pirates Queue...the smell of the water and air conditioning in the Splash Mountain tunnels...I mean nothing has changed for me. What has changed are the rides that we prioritized. No more Seven Dwarfs and Space Mountain and Big Thunder...now it was making sure we got on Peter Pan...or the Carrousel (which I had never ridden in over 15 years). I can see how maybe some people were doubting the magic earlier in the year when things weren't back to almost normal. But at this point, it feels good. We were right in front of the castle for Festival of Fantasy and it literally made us well up with tears watching it with our son. Magic Kingdom really is...well...magic. And by the way we were there during the July 4th holiday...it was crowded sure...but...not really to the point I ever felt like a sardine. Tell you the truth it felt about as crowded as I've always remembered it. And as for some of the other parks they almost felt empty considering it was July 4th.
Mobile Order/Checkout: Ummmm...why isn't everyone doing this? I heard nothing but bad things about this and my experience was completely opposite. There would be a long line at say Sleepy Hollow and I'd have a hankering for chicken and waffles. I'd open up the app and see there was an immediate window to order...I would order...say I'm there to start preparing order...and two minutes later I would have my order...and the same person that was ordering in line is still there. This. Was. So. Easy. And same goes for in store shopping checkout. Nobody would be on the mobile checkout line. I would scan the item...press pay...show the lady my QR code...and I'm off. I found myself not wanting to shop where they didn't have this feature. I would just keep telling the workers, "this is so easy why doesn't everyone do it" and they would shrug and say yeah we don't know.
Epcot: Well, this used to be me and my wife's favorite park when it was just the two of us...unfortunately it is now the least favorite having our toddler with us. It just didn't work out that great. Lots of logistical issues with the park and I now see what everyone is saying about the construction. You just can't get anywhere quickly in that park anymore. We did way too many days of Epcot thinking of it like we did before having a kid. Not the same anymore. Even World Showcase wasn't as fun as it used to be when we went just as a couple. It's not like we had a bad time here but there were a few breakdowns and it was definitely the least fun of all the parks. I did however get to ride Guardians by myself and I can say without a doubt...best ride on campus by a mile. Just...so much fun. So much. The backwards fast launch into the dark coaster is like if you took Rockin Roller Coaster's launch...made it on the Everest track that goes backwards...then took the whole thing and put it in Space Mountain...then gave it a ton of steroids and that's what you'd get. What home run with that ride! I can see how the show building is a little ugly and stands out like a sore thumb but still...totally worth it. Also glad I got to Ride Three Caballeros as who knows when they'll shut that down and change it for good. One of my favorites. And speaking of one of my favorites, the avocado margarita from Cava...hm...it's a little...premade like a slushie from 7/11 now...disappointing. All in all still love Epcot but will have to try again when DS is older and can deal with the attractions and WS a little better.
Enchantment vs. Harmonious: So this may be an unpopular opinion but after having seen both a few times now in person I can honestly say Harmonious is the much better show. Of course the previous iterations for both were better but if I had to be ok with a replacement it's going to be Harmonious. Enchantment is just...meh...especially compared to Happily Ever After...and let's not even begin to get into Wishes! You are the Magic just doesn't have the same feel as the other two. Still magical to watch but yeah...not as good. Harmonious at least the songs are good and the fireworks are better. I see what everyone is saying about the barges just ruining all the sightlines. They really are an eyesore. But I also got to see the forth of July show at MK on the 3rd and the Celebrate America at Epcot on the 4th. Both amazing to watch but the Epcot show was way more immersive.
Epcot Area Resorts: Had never stayed at any of these "walkable" resorts nor have I ever even been to any to visit but I absolutely fell in love with this area. I feel like the Boardwalk was my surrogate hotel, so much so that I bought the mug from their store. I didn't go by Yacht and Beach except docking there to pick up passengers but I know people rave about them as well. It was just so cute and cozy feeling and the Swan and Dolphin definitely felt like we were a part of that. Would love to try and rent DVC points for a Boardwalk stay at some point. Just great feels all around and it felt like it was just the people staying at those hotels that had exclusive use of Epcot and HS. It was like living in a private cul-de-sac only where the street is a lake.
I've written quite a bit and will come back with Hollywood Studios and my first time riding Rise...Animal Kingdom and my first time on FOP...my thoughts and experience with Photopass for the first time...and all the restaurant reviews...and especially GENIE+! Just feels good to be writing all this down as a reflection on our first real family trip since DS was born. Was much needed!
