Hey all--
Just spent Fri. and Sat. nights at SOG. We had 3 rooms booked under my BIL (he's Air Force). Here's our experience and opinions that I have.
First--let me state that anytime I can get away from making meals and doing housework--I love it!! With that said--on to my observations.
Unfortunately--we were in the older area of the resort that hadn't been refurbished/renovated. IMHO--it definitely showed. I don't normally get squeamish from those comforters that are washed once in a blue moon--but this time--they were stripped off immediately!! (enough said!)
The rooms are very large which was nice--but showed their age. Not a big deal to me--just would have liked a new room. Since we requested all 3 rooms together though--that may have made it harder--hence the area we got. My 2 sister's rooms had connecting doors. Mine connected w/ a stranger and had I known I would hear every word uttered---I would have asked for a change immediately!! My advice--don't know if this just pertains to the older part of the resort--but if you have an infant or toddler--and want early nights--get a room that doesn't connect. They were up till 1 am. I heard every word of the ladies phone conversation--and to her defense--she was talking at a normal decibel range. The t.v. was on till 1 am--again--heard it all. My dd slept just fine--it was me who was so tense thinking she would wake up!!! She would toss and turn when they got noisy--but never woke up.
The next thing I felt was a little bit of an inconvenience was the bus system. Just bus A and bus B. And you don't get dropped off at Epcot or MK--you get dropped off at the TTC and take the monorail from there. Again--not a huge deal. But I felt for the price we paid--due to BIL's rank--we paid the same at AKL (FL. res. rates) and less at the moderate resorts (which I realize SOG is supposed to be comparable to Deluxe) yet had all the nice extras from the Disney Resorts that you don't get from SOG.
Also--we ate at their sit down Italian rest. (Mangino's) on Fri. night. I felt the service, price, and food was very good. Completley enjoyed our meal. So much so that we tried to go again Sat. night--yet were turned away. My dh remarked to me that the restaurant was only 1/3 full--and didn't understand why (he is a D.O. for a steakhouse chain and oversees the operations of 6 stores so he gets very "into" the running of restaurants) we were turned away. The only thing I could think was that it appeared they only had 3 or 4 servers on and that they were already at capacity for tables they could wait on. So that was a little disapponting--but decided to roll with it--and eat at Evergreens. Not bad--sandwiches and appetizers--not great but it was fun being by the arcade for my DD.
Let me just finish with the fact that we were just happy to be with family--and this resort was their choice (I would've picked AKL!!). I think it is beautiful (the lush, tropical grounds)--and probably an awesome deal for the service members whose rank doesn't push them into price ranges equal or close to Disney resorts. We paid over $100/night and right now I can get AKL for $109. Granted--no tax, I am a FL. res. , etc. So I know that doesn't apply to all --but for the small difference in price--I feel the Disney extras are more than worth it!!
So, while we had a nice time--I feel, for us, we'll do Disney next time.
Just spent Fri. and Sat. nights at SOG. We had 3 rooms booked under my BIL (he's Air Force). Here's our experience and opinions that I have.
First--let me state that anytime I can get away from making meals and doing housework--I love it!! With that said--on to my observations.
Unfortunately--we were in the older area of the resort that hadn't been refurbished/renovated. IMHO--it definitely showed. I don't normally get squeamish from those comforters that are washed once in a blue moon--but this time--they were stripped off immediately!! (enough said!)
The rooms are very large which was nice--but showed their age. Not a big deal to me--just would have liked a new room. Since we requested all 3 rooms together though--that may have made it harder--hence the area we got. My 2 sister's rooms had connecting doors. Mine connected w/ a stranger and had I known I would hear every word uttered---I would have asked for a change immediately!! My advice--don't know if this just pertains to the older part of the resort--but if you have an infant or toddler--and want early nights--get a room that doesn't connect. They were up till 1 am. I heard every word of the ladies phone conversation--and to her defense--she was talking at a normal decibel range. The t.v. was on till 1 am--again--heard it all. My dd slept just fine--it was me who was so tense thinking she would wake up!!! She would toss and turn when they got noisy--but never woke up.The next thing I felt was a little bit of an inconvenience was the bus system. Just bus A and bus B. And you don't get dropped off at Epcot or MK--you get dropped off at the TTC and take the monorail from there. Again--not a huge deal. But I felt for the price we paid--due to BIL's rank--we paid the same at AKL (FL. res. rates) and less at the moderate resorts (which I realize SOG is supposed to be comparable to Deluxe) yet had all the nice extras from the Disney Resorts that you don't get from SOG.
Also--we ate at their sit down Italian rest. (Mangino's) on Fri. night. I felt the service, price, and food was very good. Completley enjoyed our meal. So much so that we tried to go again Sat. night--yet were turned away. My dh remarked to me that the restaurant was only 1/3 full--and didn't understand why (he is a D.O. for a steakhouse chain and oversees the operations of 6 stores so he gets very "into" the running of restaurants) we were turned away. The only thing I could think was that it appeared they only had 3 or 4 servers on and that they were already at capacity for tables they could wait on. So that was a little disapponting--but decided to roll with it--and eat at Evergreens. Not bad--sandwiches and appetizers--not great but it was fun being by the arcade for my DD.
Let me just finish with the fact that we were just happy to be with family--and this resort was their choice (I would've picked AKL!!). I think it is beautiful (the lush, tropical grounds)--and probably an awesome deal for the service members whose rank doesn't push them into price ranges equal or close to Disney resorts. We paid over $100/night and right now I can get AKL for $109. Granted--no tax, I am a FL. res. , etc. So I know that doesn't apply to all --but for the small difference in price--I feel the Disney extras are more than worth it!!
So, while we had a nice time--I feel, for us, we'll do Disney next time.
