TheGayGeek
Have Husband, Will Travel!
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2014
- Messages
- 52
My boyfriend and I got back late on Friday evening. Would have posted earlier, but we were in London yesterday for Pixar In Concert at the Royal Albert Hall. - a great way to complete our week of Disney.
Highs:
Disney's Sequoia Lodge - I've been to DLP before (in 2003 if I remember correctly, and to WDW countless times, but this was the first time I'd stopped in a resort hotel - and whoa - I was really blown away. I will only stop on property from now on and would be sure to choose this hotel for winter stays. A great room in the Sierra Lodge with a nice wooded view. Really liked the subtle Disney theming.
Sequoia Lodge Redwood Lounge - Really lovely place to wind down in an afternoon especially when the log fire was lit. Impressive and smelt amazing. The food and drink was also reasonable and really great.
Sequoia Lodge Pool and Steam Room Facilities - Bf and I enjoyed visiting the park in the morning and relaxing in the pool or steam in the afternoon. It was really good for relaxing and the steam cleared up a nagging cold my bf had.
Disneyland Hotel - okay, so I didn't stay here, but man - I am sold! Along with the Newport Bay for summer visits, I could imagine me stopping here without a doubt. It was just so beautiful and wow - I kept having to go into the reception to smell it! I did get the hotel scent spray by the end of my trip and am currently enjoying it in my home!
Cafe Fantasia- A lovely place - some great cocktails were consumed here and friendly staff who remembered us from visit to visit. Such a shame that we didn't get to hear the pianist as the evening we visited for this (s)/he didn't seem to be there.
Cast Members - I did think that we'd meet some rude cast members, but I was totally wrong. Really friendly and always greeted or said goodbye to us when entering/leaving hotel or park.
Crowds - Crowd levels were good. I expected it to be busier in half term. However, we really didn't have very long weights at all apart from on Toy Story area of the studios which is to be expected.
Weather - Apart from Thursday, everything was great in terms of weather. Warmer than expected.
Parades - Thumbs up!
Disney Dreams - Brilliant! I think we watched it three out of five nights. It is like a better combination of Fantasmic, World of Colour and Wishes but far exceeds all of them.
The Parks - I seriously think they are the prettiest parks ever! Beautiful. I had such fun taking photographs. Looked great in the day and in the night. It was a really lovely experience riding Thunder Mountain in the dark because of how lovely Frontierland looked all lit up.
Main Street, USA - Okay - I've already said how pretty the parks are, but I feel that I need to single out how stupendously beautiful this version of Main Street is. I was always spoiled for choice - do I walk down the street proper? Or take one of the gorgeous arcades with those beautiful gas lamps? Incredible!
The Rides - It was fun riding Disney rides which were genuinely white knuckle. Space Mountain, whilst a bit painful, was so good when compared to the other Space Mountains I've riden at WDW and Anaheim. Tower of Terror feels better too with you feeling like you're coming out of the seat. Crush's Coaster is really brilliant too. Pirates feels much more atmospheric and I've already mentioned how much fun I had on Big Thunder Mountain.
Walt's - Fantastic theming and glorious food. Would recommend to all.
Silver Spur Steakhouse - We ate here on our last afternoon and it was another brilliant eatery which looked brilliant. It also had the best service of the entire trip and it was great to see a new member of staff being trained and be a part of this training.
Sunday Brunch - really lovely pirate theme and some great food. Well worth the money. As a couple without children we often found that we were seated in the worst possible place in a restaurant but not in the Innovations Sunday Brunch (which actually took place in California Grill when we were there.) The Cast Members got us a table with a castle view. Great stuff!
Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show - Really fun evening and especially special when teamed up with cocktails before in Billy Bob's Saloon.
The OKs:
The Blue Lagoon - First off the theming is incredible and it does feel special to sit inside of a ride! It was lovely and warm so we could just wear shirts but the food was only okay, and the service was absolutely terrible. We were placed in a terrible place as thats where tables to seat two were placed. I spotted a better table and was grudgingly moved after I stated I would be happy to wait to sit by the water's edge. We received wrong items of food and wine I ordered for my fish course didn't turn up until the end of the meal (I, of course, sent it back). I know this sounds very first world problems - but I expect a certain level of service from a table service restaurant and compared to Walt's and Silver Spur it was lacking.
All-You-Can-Eat - The food was good - but I could have done with less of these and more table service options as there are in WDW.
Breakfast - Whilst it wasn't bad, I thought it was really poorly organised. I hate the idea of having to get a little card for breakfast and whilst the food was good (if a bit limited) it was what I expected. What I didn't expect is that if I didn't get there before 8am it was mental. Luckily, both my boyfriend and I early risers. Breakfast was also the key area where it felt like we were treated less well for being a two person party without children. We were placed in very odd places, sometimes a cast member would just break apart of table of four and sit two separate couples some six inches apart on them which was a bit odd.
The Bad
Check In - I've already paid in full and you already have my details including address and email address, so why am I filling in this slip again? It's also not the best first impression in walking into a beautiful hotel to have sights of queuing guests and luggage everywhere. Could be better.
Segafredo - Truely vile coffee. I think it's mental that you don't get complimentary tea and coffee in the room, but it was really bad that I had to pay for a tea box with this terrible coffee in it. At breakfast and all over the parks too - horrible stuff. Thank god for the Starbucks in the Village (and I'm usually not a fan of them either!
Parenting - I've been very impressed with how friendly this community is and hopefully you'll all allow me to say my piece here without thinking me a bit of a tool, but I'm beginning to feel we're heading toward an endemic of bratty children caused by poor parenting.
There were numerous occasions where other guests treated my partner and I like we were second class visitors (nothing to do with the gay thing - they were completely cool with that) but we noticed a trend of people expecting we should let them and their children experience things on a different level to us simply as we were without children.
I've already had friends and family state that, well, what do you expect, it's for kids isn't it, and my answer to this is that, no, it's for families, and my family just doesn't happen to have children yet.
However, when it does, my children will be able to queue, sit and eat a meal, and watch a show without ruining the experience for fellow guests. They will do this, or they won't be allowed to visit these nice places. This article from the Guardian this week really sums up my thinking - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journali...useums-its-the-parents-who-need-training.html
Apologies if I've annoyed anyone with that last bit - it was just something we noticed at the Pixar In Concert thing too. We're nice people who enjoy experiencing good things, we just think it's a shame when everyone can't act in a polite way for the betterment of a shared experience.
I'll post some positive or further replies/answers to any questions, as well as some pictures perhaps, but you're able to view some highlight photos from my website - http://TheGayGeek.co.uk
Hopefully I haven't come across too snooty and you'll still like me!
Highs:
Disney's Sequoia Lodge - I've been to DLP before (in 2003 if I remember correctly, and to WDW countless times, but this was the first time I'd stopped in a resort hotel - and whoa - I was really blown away. I will only stop on property from now on and would be sure to choose this hotel for winter stays. A great room in the Sierra Lodge with a nice wooded view. Really liked the subtle Disney theming.
Sequoia Lodge Redwood Lounge - Really lovely place to wind down in an afternoon especially when the log fire was lit. Impressive and smelt amazing. The food and drink was also reasonable and really great.
Sequoia Lodge Pool and Steam Room Facilities - Bf and I enjoyed visiting the park in the morning and relaxing in the pool or steam in the afternoon. It was really good for relaxing and the steam cleared up a nagging cold my bf had.
Disneyland Hotel - okay, so I didn't stay here, but man - I am sold! Along with the Newport Bay for summer visits, I could imagine me stopping here without a doubt. It was just so beautiful and wow - I kept having to go into the reception to smell it! I did get the hotel scent spray by the end of my trip and am currently enjoying it in my home!
Cafe Fantasia- A lovely place - some great cocktails were consumed here and friendly staff who remembered us from visit to visit. Such a shame that we didn't get to hear the pianist as the evening we visited for this (s)/he didn't seem to be there.
Cast Members - I did think that we'd meet some rude cast members, but I was totally wrong. Really friendly and always greeted or said goodbye to us when entering/leaving hotel or park.
Crowds - Crowd levels were good. I expected it to be busier in half term. However, we really didn't have very long weights at all apart from on Toy Story area of the studios which is to be expected.
Weather - Apart from Thursday, everything was great in terms of weather. Warmer than expected.
Parades - Thumbs up!
Disney Dreams - Brilliant! I think we watched it three out of five nights. It is like a better combination of Fantasmic, World of Colour and Wishes but far exceeds all of them.
The Parks - I seriously think they are the prettiest parks ever! Beautiful. I had such fun taking photographs. Looked great in the day and in the night. It was a really lovely experience riding Thunder Mountain in the dark because of how lovely Frontierland looked all lit up.
Main Street, USA - Okay - I've already said how pretty the parks are, but I feel that I need to single out how stupendously beautiful this version of Main Street is. I was always spoiled for choice - do I walk down the street proper? Or take one of the gorgeous arcades with those beautiful gas lamps? Incredible!
The Rides - It was fun riding Disney rides which were genuinely white knuckle. Space Mountain, whilst a bit painful, was so good when compared to the other Space Mountains I've riden at WDW and Anaheim. Tower of Terror feels better too with you feeling like you're coming out of the seat. Crush's Coaster is really brilliant too. Pirates feels much more atmospheric and I've already mentioned how much fun I had on Big Thunder Mountain.
Walt's - Fantastic theming and glorious food. Would recommend to all.
Silver Spur Steakhouse - We ate here on our last afternoon and it was another brilliant eatery which looked brilliant. It also had the best service of the entire trip and it was great to see a new member of staff being trained and be a part of this training.
Sunday Brunch - really lovely pirate theme and some great food. Well worth the money. As a couple without children we often found that we were seated in the worst possible place in a restaurant but not in the Innovations Sunday Brunch (which actually took place in California Grill when we were there.) The Cast Members got us a table with a castle view. Great stuff!
Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show - Really fun evening and especially special when teamed up with cocktails before in Billy Bob's Saloon.
The OKs:
The Blue Lagoon - First off the theming is incredible and it does feel special to sit inside of a ride! It was lovely and warm so we could just wear shirts but the food was only okay, and the service was absolutely terrible. We were placed in a terrible place as thats where tables to seat two were placed. I spotted a better table and was grudgingly moved after I stated I would be happy to wait to sit by the water's edge. We received wrong items of food and wine I ordered for my fish course didn't turn up until the end of the meal (I, of course, sent it back). I know this sounds very first world problems - but I expect a certain level of service from a table service restaurant and compared to Walt's and Silver Spur it was lacking.
All-You-Can-Eat - The food was good - but I could have done with less of these and more table service options as there are in WDW.
Breakfast - Whilst it wasn't bad, I thought it was really poorly organised. I hate the idea of having to get a little card for breakfast and whilst the food was good (if a bit limited) it was what I expected. What I didn't expect is that if I didn't get there before 8am it was mental. Luckily, both my boyfriend and I early risers. Breakfast was also the key area where it felt like we were treated less well for being a two person party without children. We were placed in very odd places, sometimes a cast member would just break apart of table of four and sit two separate couples some six inches apart on them which was a bit odd.
The Bad
Check In - I've already paid in full and you already have my details including address and email address, so why am I filling in this slip again? It's also not the best first impression in walking into a beautiful hotel to have sights of queuing guests and luggage everywhere. Could be better.
Segafredo - Truely vile coffee. I think it's mental that you don't get complimentary tea and coffee in the room, but it was really bad that I had to pay for a tea box with this terrible coffee in it. At breakfast and all over the parks too - horrible stuff. Thank god for the Starbucks in the Village (and I'm usually not a fan of them either!
Parenting - I've been very impressed with how friendly this community is and hopefully you'll all allow me to say my piece here without thinking me a bit of a tool, but I'm beginning to feel we're heading toward an endemic of bratty children caused by poor parenting.
There were numerous occasions where other guests treated my partner and I like we were second class visitors (nothing to do with the gay thing - they were completely cool with that) but we noticed a trend of people expecting we should let them and their children experience things on a different level to us simply as we were without children.
I've already had friends and family state that, well, what do you expect, it's for kids isn't it, and my answer to this is that, no, it's for families, and my family just doesn't happen to have children yet.
However, when it does, my children will be able to queue, sit and eat a meal, and watch a show without ruining the experience for fellow guests. They will do this, or they won't be allowed to visit these nice places. This article from the Guardian this week really sums up my thinking - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journali...useums-its-the-parents-who-need-training.html
Apologies if I've annoyed anyone with that last bit - it was just something we noticed at the Pixar In Concert thing too. We're nice people who enjoy experiencing good things, we just think it's a shame when everyone can't act in a polite way for the betterment of a shared experience.
I'll post some positive or further replies/answers to any questions, as well as some pictures perhaps, but you're able to view some highlight photos from my website - http://TheGayGeek.co.uk
Hopefully I haven't come across too snooty and you'll still like me!
.
- I had a birthday cake brought out in Inventions and there was way too much cake for the two of us, so I gave half to the family next to us - we kept seeing them during our trip and their lovely daughter kept running over to say "bonjour" and wish me a "bon anniversaire" 
I was quite upset at this, my Pirate was angry at the smoking couple and I didn't get my sort after autograph. So yes, we felt annoyed with the push parents who seem to think they can shove there kids between your legs (i kid you not!) and that they are the only one who are entitled to be there 
