sonicworld
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2000
- Messages
- 28
Just got back! I had posted SO many questions before our departure I couldnt wait to sit down and share our experience to help others with theirs. Please note: this is a frank sharing but I love Disney.
The room we were initially placed in a first floor room in the Ranchos section by the quiet pool. When we booked the room with a water view, it never occurred to me a pool would be the water we would be looking at as there are so many rooms with beautiful views of the lake and ponds spread about this resort. We checked in later in the evening and noticed the quiet pool was anything but quiet. When we shut the room door the walls did an adequate job of insulating the noise but I couldnt help but feel a bit disappointed in where we had been placed. During the night there seemed to be constant traffic by our room with kids running to and from the quiet pool (that closes at midnight) and luggage on wheels passing by early the next morning. And, on top of all that, our neighbors got in about midnight but you would have thought it was mid day by the way they were carrying on. As we had stayed at CSR before with no such issues I knew we were in the wrong location. The next morning I decided to see about getting another room. Guest services were quite cooperative and did not even ask for a reason. They merely asked where we would like to be relocated. I just said, Cabanas 2nd floor. The cast member then disappeared to the back room and emerged about 10 minutes later stating a room change had been made and to get back to them between 3 to 4 PM that day for our new room assignment. I was quite pleased the whole day as I never like to complain and had managed to let them know we werent happy. I just figured, they must want to please us and as long as were not being unreasonable perhaps they would see what they could do and they did! Go Disney! To shorten an already long story we were assigned to room 8231, an awesome 2nd floor corner room in Cabanas 8A with a beautiful view of the lake and the Dig Site pool. The funny coincidence was we had stayed in 8A during our last visit in room 8211 (which is also a corner room right behind 8231!) We couldnt have been more pleased. Cabanas 8A is an ideal spot. You are located only half way into the resort property, right next to the main swimming pool on one side and bus stop 4 on the other, only a 5 minute walk form El Centro thanks to the boardwalk that crosses the lake, plus its quiet with little to no foot traffic (hello to a good nights sleep). The room was clean. Please know, I can only stay in CLEAN rooms and this was clean. However, there were signs of wear. The towels often came through with stains on them and frayed edges. I have never noticed this issue at any place we have ever stayed. I was satisfied that the towels were clean but the linen service needs to pull stained & worn towels as its unappealing. The bureau drawers were somehow off and all three rows tended to open all together (even with our clothes in them). Plus the top drawer knob kept falling off. My wife claimed springs were starting to come through the mattress but it seemed okay to me.
Food court during our 2001 stay we were very excited about Pepper Market as we LOVE Mexican food. We were quite disappointed as our lunches and dinners were either cold or just not that good tasting. And it didnt seem to matter whether we tried the Mexican, Chinese, or Italian selections. We did report this when asked but the only response was well try to do better next time. So during this stay we avoided Pepper Market like the plague. Except for breakfast the kids would get a bagel with cream cheese and wed get some fruit or a danish. Wed always do takeout to avoid the 10% markup they charge to have Disney cast members serve you drinks. Come on, what a rip off!!! We also purchased refillable mugs. While leaving past the cashiers (who were often management types) wed overhear queries if the food was satisfactory and we always heard positive feedback from others. And at night the place always seemed to be packed. So perhaps things have changed but we werent willing to give it another shot. Instead we decided to give the Maya Grill a go. We were pleasantly surprised. Maya Grill is a sit down restaurant unlike the food court atmosphere of Pepper Market. It appears formal but customers were often in shorts, jeans and kids in bathing suits. It also appears empty much of the time. I have to admit the prices were high compared to Pepper Market but after trying it, we understand why. The portions are generous and the food is excellent. We ended up going twice. The first night two of us shared a surf and turf special which included filet mignon tips, jumbo shrimps, a lobster tail and a wonderfully seasoned vegetable concoction. During the second visit we shared a HUGE rack of tasty tender ribs and a salad (we were stuffed). Oh, I almost forgot to mention they serve warm sour dough rolls with a dipping sauce made of olive oil mixed with garlic and green onions called chimichurri. I guess this is often used as a marinade but let me tell you it is AWESOME on bread! (especially if you like garlic like we do). Maya Grill also seems to have a wonderful breakfast buffet for $11 per adult and $9 for kids which includes EVERYTHING. Wanted to try it but the BOMA buffet filled my wifes tummy to the point where she wasnt willing to do another buffet on this trip. Seemed like a relative bargain as I know of one small family that left Pepper Market paying over $45 for a full non-buffet breakfast (that seems high to me).
Dig Site this is the main pool with a HUGE water slide which is fun for kids of ALL ages. It had just reopened from refurbishment when we arrived. The bell services person informed us it was open until 10PM (which was consistent with what I knew from our 2001 stay). However, we quickly learned it actually closed at 8PM. I guess I dont blame management as we were often the only ones there late at night during our previous visit. But what happened was we never got back to the resort much before 7:45PM during this visit and so never got the chance to use this wonderful pool and slide. Keep in mind, we would find folks in the pool after 8PM but the slide would be netted off and locked to block use.
Bus service not as good as last time. In 2001 it was rare if we waited more than 15 to 20 minutes for a bus. This time it was the rule. One morning we waited at least 40 minutes for the MGM bus to arrive. A group of us complained and we suspect they already knew there was a problem as nearly every morning a traffic cast member was at bus stop 1 handing out stickers to the kids but making notes of bus numbers and arrival times (we had never seen that before).
Our overall experience was very positive and I feel all the cast members are second to none!!! My sense is Disney is feeling the current crunch like everywhere else. Cut backs are being made and guests feel and see some of it.
Misc. comments re theme parks and restaurants
BOMA restaurant at AKL, man was that good! We love trying different foods and that fit the bill! The soups, salads, hummus, breads, deserts and all you can eat! Make priority seating arrangements if you dont want to wait too long for a table as the place is always packed. We took a taxi back to CSR which came to $10 including a generous tip.
Bongos in Downtown Disney. We got there kinda late and passed Rainforest Café on the way. Rainforest was packed with a line outside the door so we were concerned about a line at Bongos. There wasnt one and we were served immediately. Perhaps not all love the Cuban menu like we do. But there was a line when we left mid evening (perhaps an older crowd).
We always eat lunch in Epcots France section. It was good as ever. Didnt get to Yakitori house in Japan. Someone overheard us during our decision making discussion and strongly recommended it. Well definitely get to it next time.
Character dinner at Liberty Tree is always a treat. I love turkey with all the fixings. My wife asked for cranberry sauce which was cheerfully served and quite tasty to her taste buds. For desert we were given three options: vanilla ice cream, boston cream pie or both. We all chose both! Our server was a charmer and the characters stopped by many times. I was a bit concerned about Pluto as he seemed a bit out of it and didnt seem like he wanted to interact. When we asked for a picture (as I LOVE Pluto) I put my arm on his back he seemed very warm and sweaty, like he had a fever. I really felt bad about that.
Mama Melroses in MGM was a big disappointment. The salads were small and we always get much better pizzas at Bertuccis. Too bad, as we enjoyed it much more when we last visited it some six years ago.
A quick note about Sea World my only gripe has been there was no sit down place to eat. But that has changed thanks to Sharks Underwater Grill. The food is excellent. I would describe portions as merely adequate. Pricing a bit high (youre paying for the atmosphere). It was funny when we first sat down my wife asked if they served shark the waiter quickly retorted, no mam, just people. We all got a chuckle over that!
We used YourRide.net for round trip transport to Sea World. They always showed up ahead of schedule but the first car that picked us up stunk of heavy Lysol or something like it (perhaps someone had gotten sick in the back seat a day or two before as that smell can be difficult to get rid of). Sans the heavy covering up odor, I would use them again in a heart beat.
The crowds there were none! The theme parks seemed empty. Wed get there late and still manage to hit all the main attractions (some with two to three repeat visits). And no major lines that a Fastpass didnt correct. The parades are always awesome but the evening electric parade in MK was much better in 2001. EPCOT seemed especially empty (which, in my opinion, hasnt aged well). World showcase is wonderful. We love visiting with folks from other cultures and enjoying their food. That is the true heart of EPCOT. But Future World is just plain hokey. Its like going to a worlds fair 15 years late (it was great when it was new but now just feels dated). A hint for Disney imagineers: computers (perhaps a Microsoft building with Im not giving this idea away as I know it would generate lines like no other Disney attraction call me Disney well do lunch).
Fantasmic I agree with AnnetteWI, you dont need to pay top dollar to obtain the dinner pass. Show up a good 30 to 45 minutes prior and youll do just fine.
Water mice used the 9 horse power version in the Magic Kingdom lakes. Rented them at the Polynesian. I didnt get to go as I was not feeling well that day but the rest of the family LOVED them. Regarding weight limits: the 9 HP version holds up to 350 lbs (which is good for sharing but will ofcourse slow you down) while the 3 HP versions in smaller lakes (i.e. CSR, Downtown) have a 250 lb weight limit. I believe the rental costs are the same based on ½ hour intervals (need a full hour to explore both MK lakes).
The Monorail took that for the first time to get around to the MK resorts. Asked to sit up front like someone here recommended and it was a blast! We enjoyed our visit with the cast member and the GREAT view.
Coffee wheres the coffee? You still cant seem to get a decent cup of joe anywhere in Disney. With markups on coffee, perhaps Disney could get out of its financial woes if only it made gourmet quality coffee available. Wed wait in line and pay top dollar for it too. Tried a latte just outside AK park but it disappointed like all the others. Contact me Disney and well set up a business plan.
As it had only been two years since our last visit I found myself not having as much fun as in previous visits. Unless you are a die hard fan (as I understand many here go every year if not more often) Im thinking a four to six year visit interval is best for us. Next time we will build in two down days during our one week stay and try not to hit everything (which makes for a fun but hectic visit). Perhaps next time a Disney Land & Sea Cruise
P.S. Thanks to all here who responded to our queries before our departure it helped us make ALL the right choices during our stay. Being an informed traveler makes all the difference. THANKS!!!
The room we were initially placed in a first floor room in the Ranchos section by the quiet pool. When we booked the room with a water view, it never occurred to me a pool would be the water we would be looking at as there are so many rooms with beautiful views of the lake and ponds spread about this resort. We checked in later in the evening and noticed the quiet pool was anything but quiet. When we shut the room door the walls did an adequate job of insulating the noise but I couldnt help but feel a bit disappointed in where we had been placed. During the night there seemed to be constant traffic by our room with kids running to and from the quiet pool (that closes at midnight) and luggage on wheels passing by early the next morning. And, on top of all that, our neighbors got in about midnight but you would have thought it was mid day by the way they were carrying on. As we had stayed at CSR before with no such issues I knew we were in the wrong location. The next morning I decided to see about getting another room. Guest services were quite cooperative and did not even ask for a reason. They merely asked where we would like to be relocated. I just said, Cabanas 2nd floor. The cast member then disappeared to the back room and emerged about 10 minutes later stating a room change had been made and to get back to them between 3 to 4 PM that day for our new room assignment. I was quite pleased the whole day as I never like to complain and had managed to let them know we werent happy. I just figured, they must want to please us and as long as were not being unreasonable perhaps they would see what they could do and they did! Go Disney! To shorten an already long story we were assigned to room 8231, an awesome 2nd floor corner room in Cabanas 8A with a beautiful view of the lake and the Dig Site pool. The funny coincidence was we had stayed in 8A during our last visit in room 8211 (which is also a corner room right behind 8231!) We couldnt have been more pleased. Cabanas 8A is an ideal spot. You are located only half way into the resort property, right next to the main swimming pool on one side and bus stop 4 on the other, only a 5 minute walk form El Centro thanks to the boardwalk that crosses the lake, plus its quiet with little to no foot traffic (hello to a good nights sleep). The room was clean. Please know, I can only stay in CLEAN rooms and this was clean. However, there were signs of wear. The towels often came through with stains on them and frayed edges. I have never noticed this issue at any place we have ever stayed. I was satisfied that the towels were clean but the linen service needs to pull stained & worn towels as its unappealing. The bureau drawers were somehow off and all three rows tended to open all together (even with our clothes in them). Plus the top drawer knob kept falling off. My wife claimed springs were starting to come through the mattress but it seemed okay to me.
Food court during our 2001 stay we were very excited about Pepper Market as we LOVE Mexican food. We were quite disappointed as our lunches and dinners were either cold or just not that good tasting. And it didnt seem to matter whether we tried the Mexican, Chinese, or Italian selections. We did report this when asked but the only response was well try to do better next time. So during this stay we avoided Pepper Market like the plague. Except for breakfast the kids would get a bagel with cream cheese and wed get some fruit or a danish. Wed always do takeout to avoid the 10% markup they charge to have Disney cast members serve you drinks. Come on, what a rip off!!! We also purchased refillable mugs. While leaving past the cashiers (who were often management types) wed overhear queries if the food was satisfactory and we always heard positive feedback from others. And at night the place always seemed to be packed. So perhaps things have changed but we werent willing to give it another shot. Instead we decided to give the Maya Grill a go. We were pleasantly surprised. Maya Grill is a sit down restaurant unlike the food court atmosphere of Pepper Market. It appears formal but customers were often in shorts, jeans and kids in bathing suits. It also appears empty much of the time. I have to admit the prices were high compared to Pepper Market but after trying it, we understand why. The portions are generous and the food is excellent. We ended up going twice. The first night two of us shared a surf and turf special which included filet mignon tips, jumbo shrimps, a lobster tail and a wonderfully seasoned vegetable concoction. During the second visit we shared a HUGE rack of tasty tender ribs and a salad (we were stuffed). Oh, I almost forgot to mention they serve warm sour dough rolls with a dipping sauce made of olive oil mixed with garlic and green onions called chimichurri. I guess this is often used as a marinade but let me tell you it is AWESOME on bread! (especially if you like garlic like we do). Maya Grill also seems to have a wonderful breakfast buffet for $11 per adult and $9 for kids which includes EVERYTHING. Wanted to try it but the BOMA buffet filled my wifes tummy to the point where she wasnt willing to do another buffet on this trip. Seemed like a relative bargain as I know of one small family that left Pepper Market paying over $45 for a full non-buffet breakfast (that seems high to me).
Dig Site this is the main pool with a HUGE water slide which is fun for kids of ALL ages. It had just reopened from refurbishment when we arrived. The bell services person informed us it was open until 10PM (which was consistent with what I knew from our 2001 stay). However, we quickly learned it actually closed at 8PM. I guess I dont blame management as we were often the only ones there late at night during our previous visit. But what happened was we never got back to the resort much before 7:45PM during this visit and so never got the chance to use this wonderful pool and slide. Keep in mind, we would find folks in the pool after 8PM but the slide would be netted off and locked to block use.
Bus service not as good as last time. In 2001 it was rare if we waited more than 15 to 20 minutes for a bus. This time it was the rule. One morning we waited at least 40 minutes for the MGM bus to arrive. A group of us complained and we suspect they already knew there was a problem as nearly every morning a traffic cast member was at bus stop 1 handing out stickers to the kids but making notes of bus numbers and arrival times (we had never seen that before).
Our overall experience was very positive and I feel all the cast members are second to none!!! My sense is Disney is feeling the current crunch like everywhere else. Cut backs are being made and guests feel and see some of it.
Misc. comments re theme parks and restaurants
BOMA restaurant at AKL, man was that good! We love trying different foods and that fit the bill! The soups, salads, hummus, breads, deserts and all you can eat! Make priority seating arrangements if you dont want to wait too long for a table as the place is always packed. We took a taxi back to CSR which came to $10 including a generous tip.
Bongos in Downtown Disney. We got there kinda late and passed Rainforest Café on the way. Rainforest was packed with a line outside the door so we were concerned about a line at Bongos. There wasnt one and we were served immediately. Perhaps not all love the Cuban menu like we do. But there was a line when we left mid evening (perhaps an older crowd).
We always eat lunch in Epcots France section. It was good as ever. Didnt get to Yakitori house in Japan. Someone overheard us during our decision making discussion and strongly recommended it. Well definitely get to it next time.
Character dinner at Liberty Tree is always a treat. I love turkey with all the fixings. My wife asked for cranberry sauce which was cheerfully served and quite tasty to her taste buds. For desert we were given three options: vanilla ice cream, boston cream pie or both. We all chose both! Our server was a charmer and the characters stopped by many times. I was a bit concerned about Pluto as he seemed a bit out of it and didnt seem like he wanted to interact. When we asked for a picture (as I LOVE Pluto) I put my arm on his back he seemed very warm and sweaty, like he had a fever. I really felt bad about that.
Mama Melroses in MGM was a big disappointment. The salads were small and we always get much better pizzas at Bertuccis. Too bad, as we enjoyed it much more when we last visited it some six years ago.
A quick note about Sea World my only gripe has been there was no sit down place to eat. But that has changed thanks to Sharks Underwater Grill. The food is excellent. I would describe portions as merely adequate. Pricing a bit high (youre paying for the atmosphere). It was funny when we first sat down my wife asked if they served shark the waiter quickly retorted, no mam, just people. We all got a chuckle over that!
We used YourRide.net for round trip transport to Sea World. They always showed up ahead of schedule but the first car that picked us up stunk of heavy Lysol or something like it (perhaps someone had gotten sick in the back seat a day or two before as that smell can be difficult to get rid of). Sans the heavy covering up odor, I would use them again in a heart beat.
The crowds there were none! The theme parks seemed empty. Wed get there late and still manage to hit all the main attractions (some with two to three repeat visits). And no major lines that a Fastpass didnt correct. The parades are always awesome but the evening electric parade in MK was much better in 2001. EPCOT seemed especially empty (which, in my opinion, hasnt aged well). World showcase is wonderful. We love visiting with folks from other cultures and enjoying their food. That is the true heart of EPCOT. But Future World is just plain hokey. Its like going to a worlds fair 15 years late (it was great when it was new but now just feels dated). A hint for Disney imagineers: computers (perhaps a Microsoft building with Im not giving this idea away as I know it would generate lines like no other Disney attraction call me Disney well do lunch).
Fantasmic I agree with AnnetteWI, you dont need to pay top dollar to obtain the dinner pass. Show up a good 30 to 45 minutes prior and youll do just fine.
Water mice used the 9 horse power version in the Magic Kingdom lakes. Rented them at the Polynesian. I didnt get to go as I was not feeling well that day but the rest of the family LOVED them. Regarding weight limits: the 9 HP version holds up to 350 lbs (which is good for sharing but will ofcourse slow you down) while the 3 HP versions in smaller lakes (i.e. CSR, Downtown) have a 250 lb weight limit. I believe the rental costs are the same based on ½ hour intervals (need a full hour to explore both MK lakes).
The Monorail took that for the first time to get around to the MK resorts. Asked to sit up front like someone here recommended and it was a blast! We enjoyed our visit with the cast member and the GREAT view.
Coffee wheres the coffee? You still cant seem to get a decent cup of joe anywhere in Disney. With markups on coffee, perhaps Disney could get out of its financial woes if only it made gourmet quality coffee available. Wed wait in line and pay top dollar for it too. Tried a latte just outside AK park but it disappointed like all the others. Contact me Disney and well set up a business plan.
As it had only been two years since our last visit I found myself not having as much fun as in previous visits. Unless you are a die hard fan (as I understand many here go every year if not more often) Im thinking a four to six year visit interval is best for us. Next time we will build in two down days during our one week stay and try not to hit everything (which makes for a fun but hectic visit). Perhaps next time a Disney Land & Sea Cruise
P.S. Thanks to all here who responded to our queries before our departure it helped us make ALL the right choices during our stay. Being an informed traveler makes all the difference. THANKS!!!
