UpstateMick
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2012
- Messages
- 533
Ok. Here we go! Just back from a 10 day stay at POR from 2/13 to 2/23. This was the only way to ease my Disney Depression today 
POR - Not really wowed by POR. We stayed in a RR. We had requested a second floor, corner room in Oak Manor. Got everything we wanted but construction around the resort was a bit annoying, not a "trip ruiner" but definitely noticeable! The resort is beautiful, lush with super-friendly cast members, but the busses were poor and the food court just average. RR is amazing first day, good second day, but overdone as the week progressed. Yee-Ha Bob was incredible. Boat to Downtown was a nice plus, but DO NOT rely on this, as you never know how the line is going to be. Heading back to our beloved Caribbean Beach next year.
FP+ - Not that bad. Easy to change on the fly if need be. Tiering at HS and EPCOT stinks (and will be changed). It was nice to rope drop in one park and have FP at night in another park (we had PH's). FP+ works best in MK. Magic Bands worked 90% of time glitch here or there, but it was impressive. We were part of the HS meltdown on Friday morning ( a TRUE fiasco). Just know that if you are going within the next few months, you are Disney's guinea pig!
Food - Our wows: BOMA Breakfast (please, please do this) Garden Grill (great meal, great time) Ohana breakfast (so well-done) and Sci-Fi Drive In (a family favorite) Biergarten (excellent, but expensive) and Beaches and Cream (1st time great burger). Our ehhs: Mama Melrose Fantasmic Package (just ok) 50's Prime Time (getting old) Crystal Palace (felt rushed really rushed) Via Napoli ($120 pizza) Liberty Tree Lunch and Hoop Dee Doo (think we have done that one too many times). Our BAD: Chef Mickey's (done, done, done with this cafeteria) Tusker House dinner (omg what a waste!)
Overall - Great trip. Had such a nice time, but we DEFINITELY noticed many, many lags in the Magic of previous trips. Cast members were hit or miss. Still mostly amazing, but saw many on cell phones, goofing off, and just plain miserable. Crowds were extremely manageable. I think FP+ is scaring some away. It was the quietest Presidents week we have experienced in many, many years. The biggest issue, by far: BROKEN RIDES!!!
I kid you not, no exaggeration, EVERY ride we rode either stopped for an extended period of time, had technical issues, or just plain wasn't running! Name it, there was an issue. I was blown away by the problems we encountered on rides. We are rope droppers and spend 12-15 hours in a park daily (once again, no exaggeration) and the ONLY two rides that we didn't experience a problem with was DINOSAUR in AK and the STEAMBOAT in MK. EVERY OTHER RIDE WE RODE (or tried to ride) HAD ISSUES. And, remember, it wasn't really overly crowded. I know that MANY people we spoke with in the parks encountered the same issues.
It's still Disney! We did have a great trip, but we will NEVER go for 10 days again. 6-7 days are plenty.
POR - Not really wowed by POR. We stayed in a RR. We had requested a second floor, corner room in Oak Manor. Got everything we wanted but construction around the resort was a bit annoying, not a "trip ruiner" but definitely noticeable! The resort is beautiful, lush with super-friendly cast members, but the busses were poor and the food court just average. RR is amazing first day, good second day, but overdone as the week progressed. Yee-Ha Bob was incredible. Boat to Downtown was a nice plus, but DO NOT rely on this, as you never know how the line is going to be. Heading back to our beloved Caribbean Beach next year.
FP+ - Not that bad. Easy to change on the fly if need be. Tiering at HS and EPCOT stinks (and will be changed). It was nice to rope drop in one park and have FP at night in another park (we had PH's). FP+ works best in MK. Magic Bands worked 90% of time glitch here or there, but it was impressive. We were part of the HS meltdown on Friday morning ( a TRUE fiasco). Just know that if you are going within the next few months, you are Disney's guinea pig!
Food - Our wows: BOMA Breakfast (please, please do this) Garden Grill (great meal, great time) Ohana breakfast (so well-done) and Sci-Fi Drive In (a family favorite) Biergarten (excellent, but expensive) and Beaches and Cream (1st time great burger). Our ehhs: Mama Melrose Fantasmic Package (just ok) 50's Prime Time (getting old) Crystal Palace (felt rushed really rushed) Via Napoli ($120 pizza) Liberty Tree Lunch and Hoop Dee Doo (think we have done that one too many times). Our BAD: Chef Mickey's (done, done, done with this cafeteria) Tusker House dinner (omg what a waste!)
Overall - Great trip. Had such a nice time, but we DEFINITELY noticed many, many lags in the Magic of previous trips. Cast members were hit or miss. Still mostly amazing, but saw many on cell phones, goofing off, and just plain miserable. Crowds were extremely manageable. I think FP+ is scaring some away. It was the quietest Presidents week we have experienced in many, many years. The biggest issue, by far: BROKEN RIDES!!!
I kid you not, no exaggeration, EVERY ride we rode either stopped for an extended period of time, had technical issues, or just plain wasn't running! Name it, there was an issue. I was blown away by the problems we encountered on rides. We are rope droppers and spend 12-15 hours in a park daily (once again, no exaggeration) and the ONLY two rides that we didn't experience a problem with was DINOSAUR in AK and the STEAMBOAT in MK. EVERY OTHER RIDE WE RODE (or tried to ride) HAD ISSUES. And, remember, it wasn't really overly crowded. I know that MANY people we spoke with in the parks encountered the same issues.
It's still Disney! We did have a great trip, but we will NEVER go for 10 days again. 6-7 days are plenty.
That is my least favorite resort.
)
