Just Back 10 Days: Best and Worst Recs and Observations

[Braque]

BEST:
The Earl of Sandwich at DD.
Crystal Light To Go Paks, Water Bottles and Complimentary Glasses of Ice.
Pin Trading (Not Buying).
Expedition Everest Free Ride Photo (Online Game).
Non-Commando Flexible Schedule.

WORST:
Poor Guest Behavior at Disney Studios Park. Seemed we got standard complaint response from each CM - little done to offending guest(s).
Forced Photo Package at Akershus Princess Dining - What a waste - PhotoPass not allowed.
EMH Evenings - No Fastpasses, much longer lines than AM/PM, inadequate maintenance available for attraction breakdowns.
Illuminations - This tired show seemed to have gotten a little worse. Modestly crass Seimens plug.
Poor Diversity of Characters Available for Meet and Greet.

EXPECTATIONS MET:
Chef Mickey’s food quality has indeed gone down, atmosphere still good - service fair.
O’Hana’s Dinner.
PhotoPass Option.
Disney Visa EP Character Greeting and Free 5 x 7 - Your Wait Time May Vary Greatly.
Swan Resort Comp Room Upgrade - didn’t get a great room, but got turn down service and a comp cake and champagne split for anniversary/birthday celebration, which was nice.
Wishes from Main Street - all other locations ineffective presentation.
POTC Upgrades - Nicely done.
Cinderella’s Castle Upgrades - I hope they keep them.
Upgrades and sprucing for 50th Anniversary nicely done - but much showing signs of a long, tough summer season.

 

[Karnak]

Nice post ... very interesting. The only thing I'd question was your placing the "Earl of Sandwich," in Downtown Disney at the top of your "best" list.

I'd put the Earl of Sandwich at the very bottom of a list of the many eateries I've visited in the past. That madhouse seems less like Disney than any other spot I've experienced at WDW.

But to each his own I guess.

Enjoy.

 

[The Mick]

Nice post ... very interesting. The only thing I'd question was your placing the "Earl of Sandwich," in Downtown Disney at the top of your "best" list.

I'd put the Earl of Sandwich at the very bottom of a list of the many eateries I've visited in the past. That madhouse seems less like Disney than any other spot I've experienced at WDW.

But to each his own I guess.

Enjoy.

Well, I consider it unlike anything else in WDW because it's so good AND so cheap. They have good salads and sandwiches (IMO) for a very affordable price.

Obviously, it can get insanely crowded, but the above highlights the reason why.

 

[DeterminedOne]

Care to share more about your experience with the "forced" photo package at Akershus? Thanks

 

[tink22]

The photopackage at Norway is not 'forced' per say...you can take pictures with your own camera. But they take professional pics as well with the 'greeter princess' when you enter the restaurant and it's up to you whether or not you want to spend the $32 on those. Of course they will not allow photopass at the restaurant because they want to make money. They don't allow photopass at ANY restaurant. They can make more money this way by having it be exclusive. Please feel free to take as many pictures as you want with your own personal camera. No one will shove the professional ones down your throat.

 

[notnothin]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Unfortunately the castle decorations (upgrades) won't be permanent. They are actually in the beginning phase of removing them now.

 

[NeverEnufWDW]

Poor diversity of characters at Epcot ? Are you kidding ? It is at Epcot that my daughter has met many characters we have seen nowhere else - including Prince John and and Robin Hood.

 

[paintnolish]

Wow. We must have gotten lucky with all the characters we met. The kid's autograph books are practically full. In a 10 min span inside Epcot's Character station we met- Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Chip and Dale, Goofy and Max, Belle, Mary Poppins, and the king lion from Jungle Book! We then met Snow White, Aurora, Aladdin and Jasmine, and Geppeto back in WS.

 

[paintnolish]

I totally agree about the single serve drink mixes. We had some of the gatorade ones.

 

[notnothin]

Poor diversity of characters at Epcot ? Are you kidding ? It is at Epcot that my daughter has met many characters we have seen nowhere else - including Prince John and and Robin Hood.

I don't think the OP speficially mentioned EPCOT in their post.