Antonia
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 25, 2000
- Messages
- 2,205
This was our first time not at WDW. Have been to Universal in 1999 as a day guest, so this was our first time on-site. Stayed 5 nights in a pool view room. Had the entertainment rate and was informed the only benefit they could offer us as Loews First club members was the miles - no welcome gift, etc. We did however get a newspaper everyday. Room was nicer than it looks in the pictures I have seen. Here are my pros and cons:
Pros:
1) Very nice room for what we paid. Was at least as large as WL at WDW. Really did not miss a balcony all that much because our window was huge.
2) Front of the line access was GREAT! Wish WDW had this. We waited about 5-10 minutes - waited about 15-20 for Dudley Dooright falls.
3) Nice pool area. Great lounge chairs - big and comfortable - made out of some kind of fabric.
4) Fast elevators.
5) Beautiful foliage.
6) Great air-conditioning.
7) Did not get charged $6 self-parking fee, even though they said we would.
8) AAA discount in gift shop and at park restaurants.
9) Pool volleyball.
10) Lots of food for the money at the Enchanted Oak Tavern in IOA.
11) Great towels and great pool towels. Nice soaps, shampoos, etc.
Cons:
1) Food at hotel too expensive. Really missed a "Roaring Forks" kind of place.
2) Pool area nice, but pool water too warm - maybe because it was so hot and sunny and pool is shallow - average 4 feet deep.
3) Paths at resort not where they need to be. Whoever designed the paths semed to intend for all of us to walk farther than necessary - people were making their own paths through the foliage. No good way to get to the parking lot. People were jumping off a wall - me included.
4) Room keys had to be rekeyed 3 times - they just quit working.
5) Not enough self-parking. Husband hated to move the car - afraid he'd lose his place.
6) Boat transportation not as good as WDW - waited a LONG time for boats to come.
7) Even though we did not have charging privileges they wanted to scan the card I made reservation with (Visa check card) just to have "on record" and they ended up placing about a $400 hold on the card. Never had that happen at WDW even with charging privileges.
All in all we did enjoy our stay. My son - 17 years old - loved IOA. He could not get enough of Dueling Dragons or the Hulk. I thought the rooms were nice, the lobby was nice but not as cozy as the lobby at WL. The weather was sunny and the humidity was absolutely insane - we had not been to Florida in July in 10 years and I think from now on we will stick with the spring and fall. The heat was draining and every afternoon we swam and napped.
Pros:
1) Very nice room for what we paid. Was at least as large as WL at WDW. Really did not miss a balcony all that much because our window was huge.
2) Front of the line access was GREAT! Wish WDW had this. We waited about 5-10 minutes - waited about 15-20 for Dudley Dooright falls.
3) Nice pool area. Great lounge chairs - big and comfortable - made out of some kind of fabric.
4) Fast elevators.
5) Beautiful foliage.
6) Great air-conditioning.
7) Did not get charged $6 self-parking fee, even though they said we would.
8) AAA discount in gift shop and at park restaurants.
9) Pool volleyball.
10) Lots of food for the money at the Enchanted Oak Tavern in IOA.
11) Great towels and great pool towels. Nice soaps, shampoos, etc.
Cons:
1) Food at hotel too expensive. Really missed a "Roaring Forks" kind of place.
2) Pool area nice, but pool water too warm - maybe because it was so hot and sunny and pool is shallow - average 4 feet deep.
3) Paths at resort not where they need to be. Whoever designed the paths semed to intend for all of us to walk farther than necessary - people were making their own paths through the foliage. No good way to get to the parking lot. People were jumping off a wall - me included.
4) Room keys had to be rekeyed 3 times - they just quit working.
5) Not enough self-parking. Husband hated to move the car - afraid he'd lose his place.
6) Boat transportation not as good as WDW - waited a LONG time for boats to come.
7) Even though we did not have charging privileges they wanted to scan the card I made reservation with (Visa check card) just to have "on record" and they ended up placing about a $400 hold on the card. Never had that happen at WDW even with charging privileges.
All in all we did enjoy our stay. My son - 17 years old - loved IOA. He could not get enough of Dueling Dragons or the Hulk. I thought the rooms were nice, the lobby was nice but not as cozy as the lobby at WL. The weather was sunny and the humidity was absolutely insane - we had not been to Florida in July in 10 years and I think from now on we will stick with the spring and fall. The heat was draining and every afternoon we swam and napped.
