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- Oct 2, 1999
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Easter Crowds Animal Kingdom Lodge (disappointment), Hard Rock Hotel Wins!
STATS
When? March 27 to April 4, 2002 (Easter Sunday was 3/31)
Who? 2 parents (early 50s) and 15 year old son with friend, 16 turning 17; 6th family trip to WDW plus 1 to Disneyland (prior family stays at CBR, Poly, WL and Contemporary)
Temperatures? high 80s (about 10 degrees warmer than normal!)
Crowds? Busy to horrible (closed water parks by midday each day)
Transportation drove down from suburbs of Washington, DC; rode busses once at WDW
This was our first time in season since we feel we can no longer take our 10th grader out of school for trips to WDW. He cant miss classes in his Honor courses and as school system employees (my husband teaches high school) we agree that after grade 8 its too hard to make up the work given the fast pace of the curriculum. We enjoyed the later park hours but absolutely hated the crowds given that early entry is also gone. We also could barely stand the heat; dont know how people visit in the summer! This was probably our last family trip to WDW until he is in college.
Walt Disney World
We just got back last night from five nights at the Animal Kingdom Lodge (3/28 through 4/2) and two nights at the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal (4/2, 4/3). We also stayed one night before the AKL at the Howard Johnson Maingate East (which was passable but nothing more).
Hate to say it but, our stay at AKL was mixed at best from an initial room assignment (#2212) that faced a wall of doors of some kind (I am a balcony person) and had the tremendous noise of outside air conditioners and forced me to immediately request another bunk bed room. We finally ended up in a Smoking Optional room (#4548) which had a much better view but was a long walk for my husband who has back problems. We at least checked in early at 9:00 AM; I would have hated to be in this same situation and have had no choice at 9:00 PM! We had paid for a savannah view and had two large, teenage boys so sharing a queen bed was not really an option for them!
We did see animals on our savannah; as well as the road that runs behind the AKL which no one had mentioned in any of the newsgroups! While the road wasnt noisy unless busses or trucks were passing there was definitely a large divided road there (I 4? 82?) In fact, when we first got to our final room (#4548) I quickly grabbed the binoculars because I could see the bright colors of something in the distance. Imagine my disappointment when I realized that it was the back of a billboard sign! We could also see a 7-11 sign. Well at least the animals didnt seem to be bothered by the road as my husband pointed out. And the soundproofing is good when your balcony door is closed.
One of the other little things we found out about the AKL that I hadnt read anywhere is that it seems everyone, at least on our wing, goes out on their balconies to talk on their cell phones. Well, guess what! All conversations were public!!!! This includes conversation in your room when your balcony door is open. We could hear kids kicking railings, crying etc. and the woman next to us berating her son in front of her boyfriend. We ended up keeping our balcony door closed sometimes just to NOT hear other people. That didnt spare me though when I spent my hours balcony sitting which I always do.
On a more positive note, the busses were excellent from the AKL to the parks, always appearing quickly and while they did fill since it was Easter week the only lengthy ride was to/from the Magic Kingdom (25 minutes or so). The CMs in the halls were extremely friendly, polite and helpful and the check-in CM on her own initiative went out of her way to note the birthday of one of our teenagers. Sadly, the birthday several days later passed unnoticed by Disney. Most days we hit the parks early, returned to the room to relax and then either went back to a park or went swimming. We did not handle the heat or the crowds very well!
Also, Boma on Easter Sunday was not following PS reservations it seems until I reminded them that we were on the list and had waited for a half-hour while walk-ins were being seated! When I went back to the podium the one CM said to the other that she didnt realize we had a PS. The other CM pointed to the screen and showed her our PS #; then we got seated. Also, while the food was excellent the noise echoed throughout making conversation difficult.
On 3/31 (Easter Sunday) we could not get near Mara for breakfast or lunch. The hotel did seem to empty out somewhat by 4/1 and Mara became easier to slip into for food. FYI I had read on the newsgroup that the 2 different Mara mugs hold the same amount of liquid; they do not! We measured! In general we found the food to be very tasty if overpriced at Mara and the coffee, as usual at Disney to be weak. (Just close your eyes and pretend!) Quote heard in Mara: Honey, promise youll stop at the first Starbucks we see on the way home!
Disney Parks
The only park that we found empty in the hour of opening was the Animal Kingdom (on 4/1). When we arrived at about 9:20 we rode Dinosaur, Primeval Whirl 2x and then Kali River Rapids 2x all in under two hours! The Magic Kingdom (on 3/29) was busy but the boys rode BTMRR 3x in 1 hour even though the STAND-BY time was listed as 60 minutes. The entire time we were there Space Mountains line never seem to go down and FastPasses were usually either available only for dinner time or gone. We did almost no attractions in the Magic Kingdom due to the crowds.
Up Note: In all our trips weve always gotten the gangster ending in the Great Movie Ride at MGM. Well, this trip broke the jinx and we finally saw the 'cowboy' ending which was probably our highlight for the entire day at MGM! And on Star Tours the little girl behind me was very scared so I promised her a Tinkerbell pin from my lanyard if she tried to be brave. She was very good and won her reward!
Overheard at MK: (husband to wife) Look. Theres a line over there for something. Lets go get in it.
Hard Rock Hotel and Universal
Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Studios on the other hand was a complete pleasure from the moment I made my reservation for a Club Room (through a hotel consolidator at a discounted rate even for Easter week). My husband feels that they havent quite figured out how to manage cars at check-in but that was the only snag. We decided to valet park since HRH parking has a daily fee anyway. After check-in I walked right over to the Concierge Desk (open to all HRH guests) and had them make our Mythos restaurant reservation for the next night. We then did our day at Universal Studios which was a repeat of prior favorites with the wonderful pleasure of simply flashing our hotel card and walking straight into the Express Line (same as Disneys FastPass) which was usually empty and onto the ride itself. This allowed us to do all the rides and attractions we wanted in under two hours and to grab lunch. By the time we headed back at 4:00 PM our room was ready and we headed for the 7th floor.
Weve never done concierge anywhere before but Hard Rocks Club rooms have spoiled us totally even without the park privileges and at about $10 less a day than our discounted savannah view room at Disney. The room (#7130) was huge; the beds were wonderful with soft linens, super towels and our view was over the beautifully landscaped pool area toward both parks where we could watch the fireworks nightly. We could have walked to the parks (5 minutes) but chose to ride the boat. There were many restaurants within a boat ride and the boys liked the arcade as well. When one of the shops at Islands of Adventure forgot to place a small purchase in my bag the second night one of the concierge staff sent a person over to the park to pick it up before our departure the next morning. Besides a huge continental breakfast and ample dinner and evening snacks there were sodas and water bottles etc. available at all times. The staff in the club lounge was available to answer all questions and assisted us several times. All the staff there, including those in the halls was very friendly and even my reticent husband was completely won over by the first morning. We liked the music playing in the halls and elevators and the boys enjoyed the cd player in the room! The safe was larger and easier to use than AKLs and in fact, our only complaint about the room was the lack of sufficient trash cans (only 2!).
Universal Parks - Our second day was spent at Islands of Adventure which we loved despite the downpour. Mythos food was excellent and well worth the cost and interior of this restaurant is very unique; definitely a must-do! Our only complaint about these parks is that their bathrooms are sometimes hard to find and dont seem to be as well marked as Disneys! This was our first time at IOA but it is beautifully landscaped and a treat just to walk through. They have cornered the market on thrill rides and special effects.
Conclusion, if traveling in a peak season with the family again we might just stay at HRH and just drive over to Disney for the day now. We have definitely entered a new stage of park touring and hotel choices!
Pins and Pin Trading
I did get to attend my very first Contemporary pin meet on 3/29 and made some great trades. And I traded quite a bit with two lovely girls from Kentucky at Downtown Disney.
Also, as a great surprise to me my husband tromped all over the parks and managed to get most of the special pins in the Pin Hunt! Every once in awhile he does something so great like this (besides financially supporting my pin habit!) that he should be officially recognized in this report!
I also picked up the Easter Egg, April Fools, Primeval Whirl and Jiminy Cricket Animation pins as well as a whole slew of other rack types to round out my collection. All in all, a good pin expedition! Cant wait for my next local meet!
STATS
When? March 27 to April 4, 2002 (Easter Sunday was 3/31)
Who? 2 parents (early 50s) and 15 year old son with friend, 16 turning 17; 6th family trip to WDW plus 1 to Disneyland (prior family stays at CBR, Poly, WL and Contemporary)
Temperatures? high 80s (about 10 degrees warmer than normal!)
Crowds? Busy to horrible (closed water parks by midday each day)
Transportation drove down from suburbs of Washington, DC; rode busses once at WDW
This was our first time in season since we feel we can no longer take our 10th grader out of school for trips to WDW. He cant miss classes in his Honor courses and as school system employees (my husband teaches high school) we agree that after grade 8 its too hard to make up the work given the fast pace of the curriculum. We enjoyed the later park hours but absolutely hated the crowds given that early entry is also gone. We also could barely stand the heat; dont know how people visit in the summer! This was probably our last family trip to WDW until he is in college.
Walt Disney World
We just got back last night from five nights at the Animal Kingdom Lodge (3/28 through 4/2) and two nights at the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal (4/2, 4/3). We also stayed one night before the AKL at the Howard Johnson Maingate East (which was passable but nothing more).
Hate to say it but, our stay at AKL was mixed at best from an initial room assignment (#2212) that faced a wall of doors of some kind (I am a balcony person) and had the tremendous noise of outside air conditioners and forced me to immediately request another bunk bed room. We finally ended up in a Smoking Optional room (#4548) which had a much better view but was a long walk for my husband who has back problems. We at least checked in early at 9:00 AM; I would have hated to be in this same situation and have had no choice at 9:00 PM! We had paid for a savannah view and had two large, teenage boys so sharing a queen bed was not really an option for them!
We did see animals on our savannah; as well as the road that runs behind the AKL which no one had mentioned in any of the newsgroups! While the road wasnt noisy unless busses or trucks were passing there was definitely a large divided road there (I 4? 82?) In fact, when we first got to our final room (#4548) I quickly grabbed the binoculars because I could see the bright colors of something in the distance. Imagine my disappointment when I realized that it was the back of a billboard sign! We could also see a 7-11 sign. Well at least the animals didnt seem to be bothered by the road as my husband pointed out. And the soundproofing is good when your balcony door is closed.
One of the other little things we found out about the AKL that I hadnt read anywhere is that it seems everyone, at least on our wing, goes out on their balconies to talk on their cell phones. Well, guess what! All conversations were public!!!! This includes conversation in your room when your balcony door is open. We could hear kids kicking railings, crying etc. and the woman next to us berating her son in front of her boyfriend. We ended up keeping our balcony door closed sometimes just to NOT hear other people. That didnt spare me though when I spent my hours balcony sitting which I always do.
On a more positive note, the busses were excellent from the AKL to the parks, always appearing quickly and while they did fill since it was Easter week the only lengthy ride was to/from the Magic Kingdom (25 minutes or so). The CMs in the halls were extremely friendly, polite and helpful and the check-in CM on her own initiative went out of her way to note the birthday of one of our teenagers. Sadly, the birthday several days later passed unnoticed by Disney. Most days we hit the parks early, returned to the room to relax and then either went back to a park or went swimming. We did not handle the heat or the crowds very well!
Also, Boma on Easter Sunday was not following PS reservations it seems until I reminded them that we were on the list and had waited for a half-hour while walk-ins were being seated! When I went back to the podium the one CM said to the other that she didnt realize we had a PS. The other CM pointed to the screen and showed her our PS #; then we got seated. Also, while the food was excellent the noise echoed throughout making conversation difficult.
On 3/31 (Easter Sunday) we could not get near Mara for breakfast or lunch. The hotel did seem to empty out somewhat by 4/1 and Mara became easier to slip into for food. FYI I had read on the newsgroup that the 2 different Mara mugs hold the same amount of liquid; they do not! We measured! In general we found the food to be very tasty if overpriced at Mara and the coffee, as usual at Disney to be weak. (Just close your eyes and pretend!) Quote heard in Mara: Honey, promise youll stop at the first Starbucks we see on the way home!
Disney Parks
The only park that we found empty in the hour of opening was the Animal Kingdom (on 4/1). When we arrived at about 9:20 we rode Dinosaur, Primeval Whirl 2x and then Kali River Rapids 2x all in under two hours! The Magic Kingdom (on 3/29) was busy but the boys rode BTMRR 3x in 1 hour even though the STAND-BY time was listed as 60 minutes. The entire time we were there Space Mountains line never seem to go down and FastPasses were usually either available only for dinner time or gone. We did almost no attractions in the Magic Kingdom due to the crowds.
Up Note: In all our trips weve always gotten the gangster ending in the Great Movie Ride at MGM. Well, this trip broke the jinx and we finally saw the 'cowboy' ending which was probably our highlight for the entire day at MGM! And on Star Tours the little girl behind me was very scared so I promised her a Tinkerbell pin from my lanyard if she tried to be brave. She was very good and won her reward!
Overheard at MK: (husband to wife) Look. Theres a line over there for something. Lets go get in it.
Hard Rock Hotel and Universal
Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Studios on the other hand was a complete pleasure from the moment I made my reservation for a Club Room (through a hotel consolidator at a discounted rate even for Easter week). My husband feels that they havent quite figured out how to manage cars at check-in but that was the only snag. We decided to valet park since HRH parking has a daily fee anyway. After check-in I walked right over to the Concierge Desk (open to all HRH guests) and had them make our Mythos restaurant reservation for the next night. We then did our day at Universal Studios which was a repeat of prior favorites with the wonderful pleasure of simply flashing our hotel card and walking straight into the Express Line (same as Disneys FastPass) which was usually empty and onto the ride itself. This allowed us to do all the rides and attractions we wanted in under two hours and to grab lunch. By the time we headed back at 4:00 PM our room was ready and we headed for the 7th floor.
Weve never done concierge anywhere before but Hard Rocks Club rooms have spoiled us totally even without the park privileges and at about $10 less a day than our discounted savannah view room at Disney. The room (#7130) was huge; the beds were wonderful with soft linens, super towels and our view was over the beautifully landscaped pool area toward both parks where we could watch the fireworks nightly. We could have walked to the parks (5 minutes) but chose to ride the boat. There were many restaurants within a boat ride and the boys liked the arcade as well. When one of the shops at Islands of Adventure forgot to place a small purchase in my bag the second night one of the concierge staff sent a person over to the park to pick it up before our departure the next morning. Besides a huge continental breakfast and ample dinner and evening snacks there were sodas and water bottles etc. available at all times. The staff in the club lounge was available to answer all questions and assisted us several times. All the staff there, including those in the halls was very friendly and even my reticent husband was completely won over by the first morning. We liked the music playing in the halls and elevators and the boys enjoyed the cd player in the room! The safe was larger and easier to use than AKLs and in fact, our only complaint about the room was the lack of sufficient trash cans (only 2!).
Universal Parks - Our second day was spent at Islands of Adventure which we loved despite the downpour. Mythos food was excellent and well worth the cost and interior of this restaurant is very unique; definitely a must-do! Our only complaint about these parks is that their bathrooms are sometimes hard to find and dont seem to be as well marked as Disneys! This was our first time at IOA but it is beautifully landscaped and a treat just to walk through. They have cornered the market on thrill rides and special effects.
Conclusion, if traveling in a peak season with the family again we might just stay at HRH and just drive over to Disney for the day now. We have definitely entered a new stage of park touring and hotel choices!
Pins and Pin Trading
I did get to attend my very first Contemporary pin meet on 3/29 and made some great trades. And I traded quite a bit with two lovely girls from Kentucky at Downtown Disney.
Also, as a great surprise to me my husband tromped all over the parks and managed to get most of the special pins in the Pin Hunt! Every once in awhile he does something so great like this (besides financially supporting my pin habit!) that he should be officially recognized in this report!
I also picked up the Easter Egg, April Fools, Primeval Whirl and Jiminy Cricket Animation pins as well as a whole slew of other rack types to round out my collection. All in all, a good pin expedition! Cant wait for my next local meet!
