JimC
DVC Co-Moderator
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2002
- Messages
- 6,266
Our final activity from our trip was to take a last look at the billboard and it remains unwrapped. No activity around the site other than some marker stakes in the ground around it.
Our 8 night stay at The Springs (3825) at SSR was quite nice. That room is HC accessible 1 bdrm on the top floor in the center overlooking one of the smaller lakes with a fountain in the middle. Very nice.
The "models" are located in this building as it is the easiest walk from the preview center. They are on the second floor at the near end of the building. The 3 bdrm in 3607 is the main attraction and the one bedroom and studio complete the models and that end of the floor.
As usual the DVC channel was immediately turned on (much to the rolled eyes of my wife
) DVC has a new video running. Naturally I had to have it on more (all new dialog to memorize 
)
The resort is a fine addition to the DVC collection of resorts. The landscaping needs a bit of time to mature -- but it will only add to the charm of the resort as it does. This is a great resort for walking! I walked each morning and evening and most afternoons (when my wife rested). Plenty of lakes to walk around and over. The loop to Downtown Disney in the morning was great fun and very peaceful (yes DD can be a peaceful place at 7:30 in the AM). The restaurant was satisfactory, but may need to expand once the resort is fully built and at capacity.
Phase III is well underway and will round out this resort nicely. The Treehouse Villas are being used for the College and Exchange programs. A good use of property in my view given the restrictions currently in place.
I still miss the old charm of the DI but DVC has done a fine job with this property.
Plenty of buses running whenever I was out and about. The CMs were saying that Disney is replacing its fleet with the newer no step buses that kneel and use a ramp for wheel chairs rather than a lift. They seat fewer but carry more during peak times and load/unload faster/safer because no steps. This should be complete in 2007. We still use a car for most of our travels -- just easier for us with the wheelchair and how we like to hop around property.
We have decided after visits to various Publix, Targets, Wal-Marts and the like that the Super Wal-Mart on 535 just outside of Disney is the best for shopping and groceries. Very close, nicely laid out, good prices. (Take 536 out of Disney towards 417 and turn right on 535. The Wal-Mart is on the right about a mile down 535.)
The on property Hess stations continue to be very competitive on gas prices so we fill up there before heading out at the end of our stay.
Expedition Everest was all that we expected and more. The queue could quite possibly the best ever done by Disney. We let people go around us as we took our time immersed in the story and atmosphere they set up. Our youngest daughter spent six weeks in Nepal last summer on an anthropology field trip. She lived with a lower caste family (the untouchables) -- so the setting was all that more interesting to us. This is going to be one very popular ride when it opens to all. The views at the top are spectacular -- especially seeing the other park icons from above, instead of from ground level! We would place this ride between Thunder Mountain at MK and Aerosmith at DS in terms of thrill and severity. No inversions but some unique coaster movement. Very smooth and quiet track system. We had the far back seat in our train. I believe that and the very front are the most thrilling based on comments heard after the ride and our experience.
We also got our first visit to the new attraction at Disney Studios. It was okay but not something we would likely want to wait in line for -- if you do it go to the first show at 10:50 am as it is the lowest attended show. The theatre holds 5,000!!! and it fills and empties slowly. Also bring ear protection as the noise levels are quite loud for parts of the show. This show does experience cancellations, delays and aborted stunts -- part of the complexity. Our first attempt was cancelled and a couple of days before they had an accident that closed the show -- nothing serious but they are being very careful with this one.
One development that Disney is experiencing now that will only get worse as the property is developed further. Site lines are not as pure. For example one can see the Tower of Terror, New York Street skyline and the Swan/Dolphin over the top of the little French village that is the backdrop of the motor show. Canada now has Soarin' as a backdrop to their setting. This all joining France enjoying the Epcot resort area as its backdrop.
Our 8 night stay at The Springs (3825) at SSR was quite nice. That room is HC accessible 1 bdrm on the top floor in the center overlooking one of the smaller lakes with a fountain in the middle. Very nice.
The "models" are located in this building as it is the easiest walk from the preview center. They are on the second floor at the near end of the building. The 3 bdrm in 3607 is the main attraction and the one bedroom and studio complete the models and that end of the floor.
As usual the DVC channel was immediately turned on (much to the rolled eyes of my wife
) DVC has a new video running. Naturally I had to have it on more (all new dialog to memorize )The resort is a fine addition to the DVC collection of resorts. The landscaping needs a bit of time to mature -- but it will only add to the charm of the resort as it does. This is a great resort for walking! I walked each morning and evening and most afternoons (when my wife rested). Plenty of lakes to walk around and over. The loop to Downtown Disney in the morning was great fun and very peaceful (yes DD can be a peaceful place at 7:30 in the AM). The restaurant was satisfactory, but may need to expand once the resort is fully built and at capacity.
Phase III is well underway and will round out this resort nicely. The Treehouse Villas are being used for the College and Exchange programs. A good use of property in my view given the restrictions currently in place.
I still miss the old charm of the DI but DVC has done a fine job with this property.
Plenty of buses running whenever I was out and about. The CMs were saying that Disney is replacing its fleet with the newer no step buses that kneel and use a ramp for wheel chairs rather than a lift. They seat fewer but carry more during peak times and load/unload faster/safer because no steps. This should be complete in 2007. We still use a car for most of our travels -- just easier for us with the wheelchair and how we like to hop around property.
We have decided after visits to various Publix, Targets, Wal-Marts and the like that the Super Wal-Mart on 535 just outside of Disney is the best for shopping and groceries. Very close, nicely laid out, good prices. (Take 536 out of Disney towards 417 and turn right on 535. The Wal-Mart is on the right about a mile down 535.)
The on property Hess stations continue to be very competitive on gas prices so we fill up there before heading out at the end of our stay.
Expedition Everest was all that we expected and more. The queue could quite possibly the best ever done by Disney. We let people go around us as we took our time immersed in the story and atmosphere they set up. Our youngest daughter spent six weeks in Nepal last summer on an anthropology field trip. She lived with a lower caste family (the untouchables) -- so the setting was all that more interesting to us. This is going to be one very popular ride when it opens to all. The views at the top are spectacular -- especially seeing the other park icons from above, instead of from ground level! We would place this ride between Thunder Mountain at MK and Aerosmith at DS in terms of thrill and severity. No inversions but some unique coaster movement. Very smooth and quiet track system. We had the far back seat in our train. I believe that and the very front are the most thrilling based on comments heard after the ride and our experience.
We also got our first visit to the new attraction at Disney Studios. It was okay but not something we would likely want to wait in line for -- if you do it go to the first show at 10:50 am as it is the lowest attended show. The theatre holds 5,000!!! and it fills and empties slowly. Also bring ear protection as the noise levels are quite loud for parts of the show. This show does experience cancellations, delays and aborted stunts -- part of the complexity. Our first attempt was cancelled and a couple of days before they had an accident that closed the show -- nothing serious but they are being very careful with this one.
One development that Disney is experiencing now that will only get worse as the property is developed further. Site lines are not as pure. For example one can see the Tower of Terror, New York Street skyline and the Swan/Dolphin over the top of the little French village that is the backdrop of the motor show. Canada now has Soarin' as a backdrop to their setting. This all joining France enjoying the Epcot resort area as its backdrop.
!!!!!
