Seahunt
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2002
- Messages
- 4,979
We took a short trip for the holiday weekend and took advantage of the FL Resident rates for 1 night at the AKL and 1 night at the WL. I thought I'd just list some of the high (and low) points of this short visit!
We checked in at the AKL on Saturday about 11am. Check in was pretty crowded, but the line seemed to move pretty quickly. As soon as I presented my res info and the CM was checking us in, I noticed the lady beside me was starting to speak quite loudly to the CM she was working with - actually she was yelling at her. Of course, we couldn't help overhearing, and the jist of the matter was that she had booked two rooms under one res number with one date of departure, and she and her husband (who made the booking and whose credit card was used) were checking out as booked, but her sister and family were going to stay longer in their same room (???!!!). The CM was nicely trying to tell her that she couldn't split a stay that way - when she checked out under that res number with that original departure date they booked, the booking closed - the hotel keys wouldn't work any longer, couldn't charge to room, etc. The sister would basically have to have a new res, IF there were any rooms available. After all, Disney couldn't know and was counting on that room to be in inventory, and had probably already "sold" it to someone else who would be checking in. If the sister wanted to stay they would need to know which credit card to use, etc. Hey, it made sense to little old eavesdropping me after she explained it LOL! - but after I heard the lady yell to see the manager, I tried to tune it out because I didn't want to start off my stay in chaos. I don't know what ended up happening, but thought that was a good point to learn - if you're making ressies for everyone be sure what dates they want! And if you decide to stay longer, don't think you can just have someone else "tell" the front desk for you!
The CM checking us in was training a new girl, and she took a little time showing her different res screens and things, so when she told me that she had a nice surprise for me, I wasn't really sure what she meant. Well we got room 6201 - concierge level! Now this kind of thing NEVER happens to me.... I've read of lucky ducks who get things like this, but never me. Somehow the Pixie Dust was thrown my way this time - maybe because I was expecting a nice view of the trash cans or manure pile at AKL since I had booked a standard view, someone took pity on me, and moved me up there. Whatever happened, I was so grateful, and closed my eyes and thanked the Lord for the opportunity! Then I thanked the girls very quietly, because I thought if I said too much the screaming lady beside me would have new ammunition! My DH just kept shaking his head - then asked if I had purchased a lottery ticket for that night seeing as how it was my lucky day!
Well, we just loved the AKL, and not because of the concierge perks either. Our room was very convenient because it was located kitty-cornered right off the lounge. The view from the balcony was great, but the "thatch" hung down just a little so you had to bend down a tad to really get the great view of the animals. Not that I am complaining! Actually, I wasn't super impressed with the food offered at this concierge during the day - we had previously been to the Poly concierge (really loved) and the GF RPC (really loved), but it could be that since those stays were a few years ago, maybe the food spread has been cut a little across the board at all resorts. Just wasn't the spread I remembered. The drinks are always nice to have available though. It was probably my DH favorite of all the Disney resorts we have stayed at, so that was a big surprise to me. We would return there in a minute! And standard would be just fine....
The next day (Sunday) we checked out, and drove over to the WL. Check in was fairly empty here, and I wondered what type of room we would end up with here. No concierge upgrade here, boo hoo! but we did get a very nice courtyard room 5073 in the main building that had a spectacular view with our balcony facing out the back of the main building, so we looked straight out across the courtyard with it's little stream, to the pool, to the geyser that goes off every hour, to Bay Lake. We had a great view of the electrical water parade on the lake that evening. The only problem with this room was that there were some outside lights right at the balcony roof line, but we had blackout curtains so we could get the room dark enough to sleep and with no room on one side of us (there was a door to a look out balcony only) this room was very quiet. Well, quiet except for the noise from the lobby and the Whispering Canyon restaurant when they got to hoopin' and hollerin'! We really liked the Roaring Fork snack bar here, and thought they had a good selection and tasty food at good prices for a resort. When we checked out this morning, there were LOTS of people checking out also, so we were glad we used Express check out and didn't have to get in line. We thought this was a great resort too, and don't think you could go wrong in booking either one.
Just a couple park notes too - it was very hot and humid, and I am somewhat acclimated to the heat down here and it was still miserable to me, so I really felt sorry for people who were not used to it and were really suffering. BUT, and I am NOT a prude, really! - some people were really pushing the bounds of good taste in their bikini tops and tiny short shorts. The 300+ pound lady running to make the train dressed in just such an outfit with "Puerto Rican Primo" printed across her hardly covered rear end was certainly a sight to see! I think it's burned in my DH memory forever! Half the train was dissolved in laughter. Now I'm a little "fluffy" myself, but this was ridiculous...! Also the lady in the string bikini top and the "Booty-licious" printed across her tiny shorts with half her "plumbers crack" out with the tatoo with an arrow pointing down it (!) made you wish Disney would bring back some semblance of dress "basics". I think Zurg should start a BadDress website along with the BadShoe site!
My DH went on Mission Space and didn't care too much for it. That surprised me because he usually loves stuff, and I had heard all the great reviews and just knew it would become a favorite. He enjoyed the lift off, but not the rest. I had him try it first because I'm prone to motion sickness and wanted his opinion if he thought I'd be OK. Well, I didn't have to wait until he came out to know it wasn't for me - after I saw three different people throw up right in front of me I decided that was a no-go! I was waiting down around the corner in the shade on a bench across from the exit, and it seemed like the sick ones could get that far before losing it. I hurriedly moved right up into the store where the exit was so I didn't have to see anymore of that - yuck, almost as nauseating as riding the ride itself would have been!
If you're still here, I'll try and do an actual review with some parking tips and things I learned about both resorts soon!
We checked in at the AKL on Saturday about 11am. Check in was pretty crowded, but the line seemed to move pretty quickly. As soon as I presented my res info and the CM was checking us in, I noticed the lady beside me was starting to speak quite loudly to the CM she was working with - actually she was yelling at her. Of course, we couldn't help overhearing, and the jist of the matter was that she had booked two rooms under one res number with one date of departure, and she and her husband (who made the booking and whose credit card was used) were checking out as booked, but her sister and family were going to stay longer in their same room (???!!!). The CM was nicely trying to tell her that she couldn't split a stay that way - when she checked out under that res number with that original departure date they booked, the booking closed - the hotel keys wouldn't work any longer, couldn't charge to room, etc. The sister would basically have to have a new res, IF there were any rooms available. After all, Disney couldn't know and was counting on that room to be in inventory, and had probably already "sold" it to someone else who would be checking in. If the sister wanted to stay they would need to know which credit card to use, etc. Hey, it made sense to little old eavesdropping me after she explained it LOL! - but after I heard the lady yell to see the manager, I tried to tune it out because I didn't want to start off my stay in chaos. I don't know what ended up happening, but thought that was a good point to learn - if you're making ressies for everyone be sure what dates they want! And if you decide to stay longer, don't think you can just have someone else "tell" the front desk for you!
The CM checking us in was training a new girl, and she took a little time showing her different res screens and things, so when she told me that she had a nice surprise for me, I wasn't really sure what she meant. Well we got room 6201 - concierge level! Now this kind of thing NEVER happens to me.... I've read of lucky ducks who get things like this, but never me. Somehow the Pixie Dust was thrown my way this time - maybe because I was expecting a nice view of the trash cans or manure pile at AKL since I had booked a standard view, someone took pity on me, and moved me up there. Whatever happened, I was so grateful, and closed my eyes and thanked the Lord for the opportunity! Then I thanked the girls very quietly, because I thought if I said too much the screaming lady beside me would have new ammunition! My DH just kept shaking his head - then asked if I had purchased a lottery ticket for that night seeing as how it was my lucky day!
Well, we just loved the AKL, and not because of the concierge perks either. Our room was very convenient because it was located kitty-cornered right off the lounge. The view from the balcony was great, but the "thatch" hung down just a little so you had to bend down a tad to really get the great view of the animals. Not that I am complaining! Actually, I wasn't super impressed with the food offered at this concierge during the day - we had previously been to the Poly concierge (really loved) and the GF RPC (really loved), but it could be that since those stays were a few years ago, maybe the food spread has been cut a little across the board at all resorts. Just wasn't the spread I remembered. The drinks are always nice to have available though. It was probably my DH favorite of all the Disney resorts we have stayed at, so that was a big surprise to me. We would return there in a minute! And standard would be just fine....
The next day (Sunday) we checked out, and drove over to the WL. Check in was fairly empty here, and I wondered what type of room we would end up with here. No concierge upgrade here, boo hoo! but we did get a very nice courtyard room 5073 in the main building that had a spectacular view with our balcony facing out the back of the main building, so we looked straight out across the courtyard with it's little stream, to the pool, to the geyser that goes off every hour, to Bay Lake. We had a great view of the electrical water parade on the lake that evening. The only problem with this room was that there were some outside lights right at the balcony roof line, but we had blackout curtains so we could get the room dark enough to sleep and with no room on one side of us (there was a door to a look out balcony only) this room was very quiet. Well, quiet except for the noise from the lobby and the Whispering Canyon restaurant when they got to hoopin' and hollerin'! We really liked the Roaring Fork snack bar here, and thought they had a good selection and tasty food at good prices for a resort. When we checked out this morning, there were LOTS of people checking out also, so we were glad we used Express check out and didn't have to get in line. We thought this was a great resort too, and don't think you could go wrong in booking either one.
Just a couple park notes too - it was very hot and humid, and I am somewhat acclimated to the heat down here and it was still miserable to me, so I really felt sorry for people who were not used to it and were really suffering. BUT, and I am NOT a prude, really! - some people were really pushing the bounds of good taste in their bikini tops and tiny short shorts. The 300+ pound lady running to make the train dressed in just such an outfit with "Puerto Rican Primo" printed across her hardly covered rear end was certainly a sight to see! I think it's burned in my DH memory forever! Half the train was dissolved in laughter. Now I'm a little "fluffy" myself, but this was ridiculous...! Also the lady in the string bikini top and the "Booty-licious" printed across her tiny shorts with half her "plumbers crack" out with the tatoo with an arrow pointing down it (!) made you wish Disney would bring back some semblance of dress "basics". I think Zurg should start a BadDress website along with the BadShoe site!
My DH went on Mission Space and didn't care too much for it. That surprised me because he usually loves stuff, and I had heard all the great reviews and just knew it would become a favorite. He enjoyed the lift off, but not the rest. I had him try it first because I'm prone to motion sickness and wanted his opinion if he thought I'd be OK. Well, I didn't have to wait until he came out to know it wasn't for me - after I saw three different people throw up right in front of me I decided that was a no-go! I was waiting down around the corner in the shade on a bench across from the exit, and it seemed like the sick ones could get that far before losing it. I hurriedly moved right up into the store where the exit was so I didn't have to see anymore of that - yuck, almost as nauseating as riding the ride itself would have been!
If you're still here, I'll try and do an actual review with some parking tips and things I learned about both resorts soon!
WE SAW BOOTY LICIOUS also!!!!!! lol lol!!!!
