Golden Forest - Photos

[tigger137]

I've downloaded my photos from our recent stay in a Golden Forest room at Disney's Sequoia Lodge.

First, the 'lounge'.


This is outside in the corridor. There is a door to outside the hotel behind you and this corridor leads up to the shop and bar. Access is not restricted even when these tables are being used for breakfast. (Yes, you could pay the upgrade and end up eating breakfast in the corridor.)
The door into the main lounge room is to the right.

<img src="http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/data/500/medium/May_2013_DLP_GF_Lounge_7_.jpg" />


Inside the lounge room, looking towards the door into the corridor. At breakfast this door is kept closed and access is through the other room. In the afternoon and evening only this room is used and the door is always kept open. Anyone walking past can see in, and many non-GF guests wander in to have a look. Everyone who enters is approached by a Cast Member and asked for their GF ticket. If they don't have one then they are asked to leave. But by that time they are already well into the room. There is a desk/lectern outside where access should be controlled but we never saw this manned. Access isn't challenged until guests are actually inside the room.

<img src="http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/data/500/medium/May_2013_DLP_GF_Lounge_1_.jpg" />


Just inside the room, door is immediately to the right. This is the only section of the room which resembles a true 'lounge', with 2 sofas, 2 coffee tables and carpet on the floor. The rest of the room is furnished with cafe-style tables and chairs, and some fixed seating against the walls, designed for eating rather than relaxing.

<img src="http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/data/500/medium/May_2013_DLP_GF_Lounge_6_.jpg" />


The far end of the lounge room - door to the corridor is to the right, behind you is the door into the breakfast room.

<img src="http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/data/500/medium/May_2013_DLP_GF_Lounge_4_.jpg" />


Looking the other way - door to the corridor is to the left, the door to the breakfast room can be seen straight ahead. Immediately to the left of the door is the cupboard where the juice/coffee machines are, only used at breakfast. There is usually a double row of high chairs stored in front of that cupboard, but they weren't there the day I took this photo.

<img src="http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/data/500/medium/May_2013_DLP_GF_Lounge_5_.jpg" />


The breakfast room next door to the lounge. The buffet servery area can be seen - this has 2 long sides with the main breakfast items being duplicated on each one, and the shorter side is where cereals are available. The entrance door is in the far left corner. There is seating all along the wall to the left.

<img src="http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/data/500/medium/May_2013_DLP_GF_Lounge_2_.jpg" />


Looking from the lounge room into the breakfast room. Buffet servery area is out of sight to the left.

<img src="http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/data/500/medium/May_2013_DLP_GF_Lounge_3_.jpg" />

 

[tigger137]

Now my photos of our Golden Forest room. We were on the 7th floor.


King size bed.

<img src="http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/data/500/medium/May_2013_DLP_GF_Room_3_.jpg" />


And again.

<img src="http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/data/500/medium/May_2013_DLP_GF_Room_2_.jpg" />


Our missing window. It would have been much less obvious if they hadn't put curtains over it.

<img src="http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/data/500/medium/May_2013_DLP_GF_Room_4_.jpg" />


Table and chairs, then drawers with TV above. English TV channels were limited to the park information channel, Disney Channel, 3 news and 2 sports channels. No entertainment channels at all. The French selection was extensive including National Geographic.

<img src="http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/data/500/medium/May_2013_DLP_GF_Room_5_.jpg" />


Looking towards the bathroom area. Connecting door to the next room.

<img src="http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/data/500/medium/May_2013_DLP_GF_Room_6_.jpg" />


Entrance door and vanity area.

<img src="http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/data/500/medium/May_2013_DLP_GF_Room_11_.jpg" />


Vanity area. Storage area is immediately opposite.

<img src="http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/data/500/medium/May_2013_DLP_GF_Room_8_.jpg" />

<img src="http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/data/500/medium/May_2013_DLP_GF_Room_9_.jpg" />


Storage area with safe, immediately opposite vanity area. The space between is just the width of the bathroom door.

<img src="http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/data/500/medium/May_2013_DLP_GF_Room_7_.jpg" />


Bathroom. Toilet is to the left in an alcove, behind the door.

<img src="http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/data/500/medium/May_2013_DLP_GF_Room_10_.jpg" />


Another view of our missing window.

<img src="http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/data/500/medium/May_2013_DLP_GF_Room_1_.jpg" />


View from the window, looking straight ahead.

<img src="http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/data/1332/medium/May_2013_DLP_GF_Room_13_.jpg" />


View from the window, looking down.

<img src="http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/data/500/medium/May_2013_DLP_GF_Room_12_.jpg" />

 

[JustJonathan]

thanks very much for sharing.

We're due to stay in a GF room the first time in 3 weeks.. hopefully by then they'd have sorted these few issues out....

It's interesting that the only lake-side guaranteed rooms are GF now... I'm looking at booking our xmas trip on a good deal atm (2 nights/days free).. but am worried booking a normal montana room won't have a lakeside view (I know it's not required by everyone.. it's just we've always done it... I love staring out over the lake and the village etc late at night).

 

[NinFin]

Room looks the same than Montana room. Are they same?

 

[Jonjo]

I wondered where 'The Lounge' was located, it's in what was the Sequoia Lodge conference rooms on the ground floor.

 

[tennisfan]

Thanks for posting the photos

Room looks the same than Montana room. Are they same?

The rooms are the same throughout the hotel

 

[ThBa]

Seeing this photos for the first time I´m thinking to myself:

Is this worth paying more ?



The rooms are the same as the "normal" rate rooms and if you get VIP breakfast you do not have to wait either.

No....in my opition the Golden Forrest is not worth the extra money.

 

[mollies_mum]

Sorry that you were disappointed, must have been an awful feeling. I've just read a review on tripadvisor that clearly says that they were not given a specific time for breakfast and could go when they felt like it? It sounds to me like they were using the 'exclusive' breakfast room for all guests as there must have been a problem with the main breakfast room, another review also discusses this. If I was you I would definitely be pushing for a refund. Let us know how you get on x

 

[tigger137]

Sorry that you were disappointed, must have been an awful feeling. I've just read a review on tripadvisor that clearly says that they were not given a specific time for breakfast and could go when they felt like it? It sounds to me like they were using the 'exclusive' breakfast room for all guests as there must have been a problem with the main breakfast room, another review also discusses this. If I was you I would definitely be pushing for a refund. Let us know how you get on x

While I was there I began to think that perhaps I'd misunderstood about breakfast times but since returning I've re-read reviews where, as you say, they clearly say they could go at any time. Not only were we restricted to early or late, for our first morning we didn't even get a choice.

The numbers at breakfast simply didn't tally with those in the rooms around us or in the 'lounge' at other times of day, and I quickly suspected non-GF guests were being given breakfast in the GF room. Again, since returning home I've found ample proof of this from online reports. Today I've even read one where the guest was offered either breakfast in the GF room for every day of their stay (while we were also there) or a VIP pass which would let them eat in the main restaurant without booking a time. They chose the latter. Despite paying for the upgrade, we didn't get any option other than to breakfast with 200 other people in the GF room at a specified time.

I am increasingly annoyed about this but all I can hope is that my experience will help others. Although to be honest, my advice to anyone would be simply not to waste your money on DLP but save up and visit WDW instead. This was our 4th visit in 13 years and it has been worse each time. We used to think that the infrastructure was good, it was just a shame that the cast members didn't have the true Disney touch. But this time, over 4 years since we last visited, even the infrastructure now isn't up to scratch.

Everywhere was dirty and neglected. As a former estates manager, my DH was constantly seeing areas where some time ago a coat of paint was needed but hadn't been given, so now would need a full refurbishment - costing more money and taking more time. There simply seems to be no preventative maintenance, and we saw areas which obviously hadn't been cleaned out in months, if not years. We saw many areas where the ground surface had obviously been dug up for some reason but then not reinstated to match the theming but just patched up with tarmac/concrete.

The Pirates ride was state of the art when it opened, we thought it far better than WDW or DL. But this time most of the special effects were not working and in fact the sword fight area appeared to be permanently covered over. Yet the ride has supposedly been refurbished quite recently.

The number of eateries which were closed was ridiculous, with signs outside saying "This restaurant is being rearranged for your comfort". It became a joke to us - oh look, another place which is closed for our convenience! The ice cream parlour was even closed in the middle of the day, although the bakery shop in the room next door had 4 CMs standing behind the counter doing little but chat to one another.

Chatting to one another and ignoring the paying customers appears to be the main occupation of most CMs in the parks. That and keeping queues for rides unnecessarily long by not optimising the designed queuing areas.

I don't expect prices to be as they are in the US but I would only expect them to be proportionately higher than outside the parks, as in the US. But the prices are pure greed, the company is obviously determined to gouge every penny from their guests yet there is little evidence of any of it being put into improving the guest experience. In the parks a 500ml bottle of Coke is 3.09 euros. At the shop in the railway station (which you walk past to catch the bus or walk to the hotels) it is 1.80 euros. In the parks a counter service burger, fries and drink will cost around 12 euros (only if you buy a 'meal', individually the items would cost far more) for pretty much the same as you would get in McDonalds (in the Village) for less than 7 euros. Adding a few euros for being inside the park is one thing, almost doubling the prices is sheer greed.

One of the biggest earners must be soft drinks in restaurants where they charge over 4 euros for one glass of Coke, no refills. Seriously. Fountain drinks cost literally pennies, even when providing the glass and serving it is taken into account, it is almost pure profit. Yet at DLP if you are thirsty and want another, you have to pay out another 4 euros.

We don't stint ourselves when on holiday and we are used to Disney being expensive. But in the US they at least part us from our money with a smile and everywhere we turn we can see the magic. At DLP it just made us determined not to spend but to save our money until we are next in the US.

What visiting Disney executives must think of the place, I'd love to know. If I were a member of the Disney family I'd be ashamed to have my name associated with it. It is presumably making money for the company but at what cost to the reputation of the Disney name?

 

[cherrymarzipan]

Thanks for sharing your photos, something to think about. The bedrooms are certainly exactly the same as Montana rooms we have stayed in but with a worse window and view! Not sure what to do now.

 

[Ms Poppins]

Thanks for sharing your photos, something to think about. The bedrooms are certainly exactly the same as Montana rooms we have stayed in but with a worse window and view! Not sure what to do now.

My understanding is that GF rooms are the same as normal rooms - the benefits are supposed to be breakfast, fast pass and access to a lounge during the day for drinks/snacks.

To my knowledge, the same applies at the Hotel New York Empire State Club and Disneyland Hotel Castle Club. The actual rooms are exactly the same style.

 

[JustJonathan]

My understanding is that GF rooms are the same as normal rooms - the benefits are supposed to be breakfast, fast pass and access to a lounge during the day for drinks/snacks.

To my knowledge, the same applies at the Hotel New York Empire State Club and Disneyland Hotel Castle Club. The actual rooms are exactly the same style.

As well as now being the only guaranteed way of lakeside now :/

 

[Zomeguy]

So If I understand correctly, you did not book a suite but a normal GF room. It seems that pretty much everyone had access to the same services, lounge, characters etc.?

What exactly is the difference then between a suite and normal GF, except the VIP Fastpass?