Lives4Disney
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2004
- Messages
- 6,924
Hi!! I just returned from a FUN week at WDW. I am too tired to feel that WDW withdrawal, but I know I will feel it Monday when my son starts high school! 
Our first stay at the Dolphin was OK, the GF was GREAT.
We arrived in Orlando last Saturday evening, August 13. Our flight had been delayed a bit due to bad weather, so it was after 10 pm. We have used Southern Elegance Limousines for several trips in the past,(got their name from the DIS) and they have always been fabulous. I was stressing because of the lateness of our arrival and worried about the limo....when we made it down to baggage claim, the owner of the company was there to meet us. He made a special run over to get us because due to the flights being messed up, their schedule was also. He wanted to make sure we weren't stood up. He helped us with our luggage and brought us out to a brand new Navigator limo that the driver was polishing!! All of their stretch limos that we have used have been new and beautiful. We have been very happy with the company and they have great customer service. Can't say enough good things about them.
We arrived at the Dolphin and got a bad first impression when we checked in. The lady at the front desk insisted it was August 12 and we were there for 3 nights, checking out on the 15th!!! I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone! I told her a couple of times that it is August 13, and my reservation was for 3 nights - August 13th checking out on the 16th. Good thing I had my computer printout of my reservation or it may have turned into more of an argument. I pulled it out and showed her my dates were 13 - 16. She didn't say anything, took my paperwork into the back, and left us hanging for about 10 minutes while I worried whether we had a room for the night of the 15th!! No customer service there. She came out and said she corrected it. Great. I just didn't feel too good about the way it was handled. No apologies or explanation. I was so impressed about the customer service from the limo company, the Dolphin left me feeling they are lacking.
The bellman took our luggage up to our room with us. We got off the elevator, passed the lounge and walked and walked and walked. I have to say it was a bit disappointing as the ONLY request I made was to be near the elevator/lounge area. I know - it was only a request.
Our room was on the 12th floor, at the far end of the hall, almost as far from the elevator as we could be. The bell man was not very friendly or talkative. Just dumped my luggage, took his tip & left. As soon as we settled in, we ordered room service. The food was delicious.
I have stayed 2 times at the Swan, but this was my first Dolphin stay. The rooms are decorated pretty much the same. We had a view of the Swan & Boardwalk which was lovely. The beds are great, as everyone knows. I really like the lounge for a quick bfast, but that is really all the club level has to offer for us. We aren't around for the appetizers. I don't think club level is worth it at the Swan/Dolphin. I would much prefer a balcony room.
My daughters and I had a fun afternoon at the grotto pool. I had read the staff organizes games etc in the afternoon, but didn't see that. The pool is very nice, though, and was a nice break from the crowds. It is large and didn't feel crowded like some of the Disney resort pools do.
When I checked out, guess what? They charged me for the night of the 12th. It took a couple tries to get that taken off my bill.
For the most part it was a nice stay. The lobby & pool are beautiful. The lounge staff is very nice. The location is great. Bus service to the MK has improved immensely from our stay at the Swan last August. I just didn't leave feeling the need to return. Some days housekeeping didn't even remember to leave shampoo & soap. Turndown service was lame. There were 4 of us (myself and my 3 kids) and they would leave 2 chocolates. Not a BIG deal, but lame compared to other resorts. They didn't always clean at turndown, didn't leave the lights on....just kind of half *****. I will stay at the Dolphin or Swan again, however, because I have some free nights. That is about it. I was really happy to check out and head to the Grand Floridian. I had bell services transfer my luggage and that worked out fine.
We arrived at the GF on Tuesday afternoon (the 16th). We told the front desk that we were checking into the RPC, and they called a concierge to bring us up and check us in. The computers were down, so things were done the Victorian way. I have to say that I have stayed at the GF before and this time the concierge members were so much more friendly & helpful. Very different. We were in room 4301. It was at the end of the hall (another one far from the lounge) but we didn't mind because we had a direct castle view. It was wonderful. We were in our room about an hour when someone knocked and delivered a beautiful chocolate box with a picture of the GF on it, and inside were truffles. It was wrapped in celephane and tied with a pretty ribbon.
We had a terrific time at the GF. I was iffy whether to do SL or RPC and I am very happy with my decision to go with the main building. It was soooo hot out at the parks that we wound up hanging around the resort more than we normally do. The lounge was handy, we had some yummy treats & bfast was good, too. My daughters really enjoyed the pool & water slide. We had DVC friends staying at the WL come (they are allowed to pool hop) swim in our pool and they also loved it.
One afternoon my girls and our DVC friends girls did the Alice Tea Party. They all LOVED it and would do it again. Alice and Mary Poppins hosted it. No Mad Hatter this time.
We just had such a fun time. Everything was wonderful. The only disappointment was Chef Mickeys. It was always a must do for us. It has been for as long as I can remember. This time the food was nauseating. My 9 yr old and I were so grossed out by the pasty, overcooked, tasteless ravioli, the FATTY prime rib and ham, slimey mashed potatoes......it was so bad. I didn't even have a stomach to look at the desserts. I felt queasy after the little bit I ate for dinner. It was just awful. I really wanted to tell our waitress, but was so disgusted I didn't think I could be very tactful. It just really turned me off. I mentioned it to my DVC friends and they had been to bfast there earlier and were also disappointed. It wasn't as good as their previous visits, either. My chair was also so dirty and sticky I took out a handy wipe to clean it. The whole place just seemed dirty and sticky. The place has really declined in my opinion. We won't be returning. We enjoyed the Crystal Palace, Prime Time Cafe, Le Cellier, Coral Reef, O'Hanas, Cape May Cafe and the Plaza. We actually cancelled a few of our other favorites because the heat just took our appetites away. We ordered room service a few evenings and everything was delivered promptly and was yummy. I love the Grand Floridian.
Every CM we came across was friendly and said hello, have a good day, etc. Housekeeping was really great. She left tons of towels and lots of shampoos & soaps. Turndown was also perfect.
A few words about O'Hanas. They have changed the menu. The rice is gone & replaced by potatoes. The green beans are now stir fried veggies. My DVC friends went with us and they have never been before and just loved it. I always love it. I miss the rice, though.
Prime Time Cafe was a blast. We had our 4 "sassy" girls with us and they had such fun with our fantastic waiter "cousin Mike". He really got into the spirit of the place & made us laugh until our sides hurt.
Ok, I did see some kids act very greedy in the RPC lounge. One child took all the chocolate strawberries off a tray while his mom helped by holding an extra napkin to put them on as about 6 people looked on hoping he would leave a few. Some people were very piggy and didn't bother to even carry their used plates over or throw out their dirty napkins. The lounge staff is so nice and helpful & I feel bad that they have to bust their tails picking up after slobs that should know better.
At the parks I also noticed many people were pretty disrespectful. Smoking wherever they pleased, dropping their used cigarettes as they walked. People dressed pretty badly, too. Very revealing & a bit skanky. I know it's hot, but have some class - it's a family place. I stepped in hot melty gum at MGM that someone just must have got tired of chewing and spit out. My daughter is visually impaired and some kids laughed at her white cane. A brother and sister actually pointed and called her an old grandma while their parents laughed. Nice. People left their dirty melty icecream napkins stuck to tables. It is just such a shame that people are treating these beautiful parks with so little respect. I saw a teenager chuck his full coke cup down into the moat, another stick his sweaty hat into a bin of ice and scoop some out & put it on his grimey head. Some people have turned into such pigs. My younger daughter left her misting fan on the stroller seat when we went on Spaceship Earth. When we returned, someone had stolen the batteries out of her fan! Be careful of what you leave in your stroller. It seems there is a decline in the quality of people visiting the parks.
I used to feel so safe and confident that I could leave packages on the stroller. I would think twice about doing that anymore. Although, I did see someone find a wallet in the Living Seas and turn it into a CM. That was uplifting to see.
I didn't run into one nasty CM the whole trip.
They were all helpful and friendly - even in that awful heat. We had just a super time! I am so tired and this is probably a bit of a wordy mess - but I wanted to get these thoughts out of my mind!!!
Lives4Disney
Our first stay at the Dolphin was OK, the GF was GREAT. We arrived in Orlando last Saturday evening, August 13. Our flight had been delayed a bit due to bad weather, so it was after 10 pm. We have used Southern Elegance Limousines for several trips in the past,(got their name from the DIS) and they have always been fabulous. I was stressing because of the lateness of our arrival and worried about the limo....when we made it down to baggage claim, the owner of the company was there to meet us. He made a special run over to get us because due to the flights being messed up, their schedule was also. He wanted to make sure we weren't stood up. He helped us with our luggage and brought us out to a brand new Navigator limo that the driver was polishing!! All of their stretch limos that we have used have been new and beautiful. We have been very happy with the company and they have great customer service. Can't say enough good things about them.
We arrived at the Dolphin and got a bad first impression when we checked in. The lady at the front desk insisted it was August 12 and we were there for 3 nights, checking out on the 15th!!! I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone! I told her a couple of times that it is August 13, and my reservation was for 3 nights - August 13th checking out on the 16th. Good thing I had my computer printout of my reservation or it may have turned into more of an argument. I pulled it out and showed her my dates were 13 - 16. She didn't say anything, took my paperwork into the back, and left us hanging for about 10 minutes while I worried whether we had a room for the night of the 15th!! No customer service there. She came out and said she corrected it. Great. I just didn't feel too good about the way it was handled. No apologies or explanation. I was so impressed about the customer service from the limo company, the Dolphin left me feeling they are lacking.
The bellman took our luggage up to our room with us. We got off the elevator, passed the lounge and walked and walked and walked. I have to say it was a bit disappointing as the ONLY request I made was to be near the elevator/lounge area. I know - it was only a request.
Our room was on the 12th floor, at the far end of the hall, almost as far from the elevator as we could be. The bell man was not very friendly or talkative. Just dumped my luggage, took his tip & left. As soon as we settled in, we ordered room service. The food was delicious.I have stayed 2 times at the Swan, but this was my first Dolphin stay. The rooms are decorated pretty much the same. We had a view of the Swan & Boardwalk which was lovely. The beds are great, as everyone knows. I really like the lounge for a quick bfast, but that is really all the club level has to offer for us. We aren't around for the appetizers. I don't think club level is worth it at the Swan/Dolphin. I would much prefer a balcony room.
My daughters and I had a fun afternoon at the grotto pool. I had read the staff organizes games etc in the afternoon, but didn't see that. The pool is very nice, though, and was a nice break from the crowds. It is large and didn't feel crowded like some of the Disney resort pools do.
When I checked out, guess what? They charged me for the night of the 12th. It took a couple tries to get that taken off my bill.
For the most part it was a nice stay. The lobby & pool are beautiful. The lounge staff is very nice. The location is great. Bus service to the MK has improved immensely from our stay at the Swan last August. I just didn't leave feeling the need to return. Some days housekeeping didn't even remember to leave shampoo & soap. Turndown service was lame. There were 4 of us (myself and my 3 kids) and they would leave 2 chocolates. Not a BIG deal, but lame compared to other resorts. They didn't always clean at turndown, didn't leave the lights on....just kind of half *****. I will stay at the Dolphin or Swan again, however, because I have some free nights. That is about it. I was really happy to check out and head to the Grand Floridian. I had bell services transfer my luggage and that worked out fine.
We arrived at the GF on Tuesday afternoon (the 16th). We told the front desk that we were checking into the RPC, and they called a concierge to bring us up and check us in. The computers were down, so things were done the Victorian way. I have to say that I have stayed at the GF before and this time the concierge members were so much more friendly & helpful. Very different.
We were in room 4301. It was at the end of the hall (another one far from the lounge) but we didn't mind because we had a direct castle view. It was wonderful. We were in our room about an hour when someone knocked and delivered a beautiful chocolate box with a picture of the GF on it, and inside were truffles. It was wrapped in celephane and tied with a pretty ribbon. We had a terrific time at the GF. I was iffy whether to do SL or RPC and I am very happy with my decision to go with the main building. It was soooo hot out at the parks that we wound up hanging around the resort more than we normally do. The lounge was handy, we had some yummy treats & bfast was good, too. My daughters really enjoyed the pool & water slide. We had DVC friends staying at the WL come (they are allowed to pool hop) swim in our pool and they also loved it.
One afternoon my girls and our DVC friends girls did the Alice Tea Party. They all LOVED it and would do it again. Alice and Mary Poppins hosted it. No Mad Hatter this time.
We just had such a fun time. Everything was wonderful. The only disappointment was Chef Mickeys. It was always a must do for us. It has been for as long as I can remember. This time the food was nauseating. My 9 yr old and I were so grossed out by the pasty, overcooked, tasteless ravioli, the FATTY prime rib and ham, slimey mashed potatoes......it was so bad. I didn't even have a stomach to look at the desserts. I felt queasy after the little bit I ate for dinner. It was just awful. I really wanted to tell our waitress, but was so disgusted I didn't think I could be very tactful. It just really turned me off. I mentioned it to my DVC friends and they had been to bfast there earlier and were also disappointed. It wasn't as good as their previous visits, either. My chair was also so dirty and sticky I took out a handy wipe to clean it. The whole place just seemed dirty and sticky. The place has really declined in my opinion. We won't be returning. We enjoyed the Crystal Palace, Prime Time Cafe, Le Cellier, Coral Reef, O'Hanas, Cape May Cafe and the Plaza. We actually cancelled a few of our other favorites because the heat just took our appetites away. We ordered room service a few evenings and everything was delivered promptly and was yummy. I love the Grand Floridian.
Every CM we came across was friendly and said hello, have a good day, etc. Housekeeping was really great. She left tons of towels and lots of shampoos & soaps. Turndown was also perfect.A few words about O'Hanas. They have changed the menu. The rice is gone & replaced by potatoes. The green beans are now stir fried veggies. My DVC friends went with us and they have never been before and just loved it. I always love it. I miss the rice, though.
Prime Time Cafe was a blast. We had our 4 "sassy" girls with us and they had such fun with our fantastic waiter "cousin Mike". He really got into the spirit of the place & made us laugh until our sides hurt.
Ok, I did see some kids act very greedy in the RPC lounge. One child took all the chocolate strawberries off a tray while his mom helped by holding an extra napkin to put them on as about 6 people looked on hoping he would leave a few. Some people were very piggy and didn't bother to even carry their used plates over or throw out their dirty napkins. The lounge staff is so nice and helpful & I feel bad that they have to bust their tails picking up after slobs that should know better.
At the parks I also noticed many people were pretty disrespectful. Smoking wherever they pleased, dropping their used cigarettes as they walked. People dressed pretty badly, too. Very revealing & a bit skanky. I know it's hot, but have some class - it's a family place. I stepped in hot melty gum at MGM that someone just must have got tired of chewing and spit out. My daughter is visually impaired and some kids laughed at her white cane. A brother and sister actually pointed and called her an old grandma while their parents laughed. Nice. People left their dirty melty icecream napkins stuck to tables. It is just such a shame that people are treating these beautiful parks with so little respect. I saw a teenager chuck his full coke cup down into the moat, another stick his sweaty hat into a bin of ice and scoop some out & put it on his grimey head. Some people have turned into such pigs. My younger daughter left her misting fan on the stroller seat when we went on Spaceship Earth. When we returned, someone had stolen the batteries out of her fan! Be careful of what you leave in your stroller. It seems there is a decline in the quality of people visiting the parks.
I used to feel so safe and confident that I could leave packages on the stroller. I would think twice about doing that anymore. Although, I did see someone find a wallet in the Living Seas and turn it into a CM. That was uplifting to see.I didn't run into one nasty CM the whole trip.
They were all helpful and friendly - even in that awful heat. We had just a super time! I am so tired and this is probably a bit of a wordy mess - but I wanted to get these thoughts out of my mind!!!Lives4Disney
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My older daughter just happened to bring that question up our first night of vacation. We managed to stay healthy this time THANK GOD. 
He will probably meet us after our cruise. Now, I have some "rearranging" to do since we are a party of 6 instead of 5! 
That means a suite or 2 rooms. Triplefigs, we may be joining you in Sugar Loaf! 
You got a great 
It's gonna be just me and my dog. 
Now that my son is in high school, I cannot just go away for a week. I feel like my life is changing. I was so free before - we would go for 2 weeks at a time when he was in grade school. When we found out my daughter was losing her sight, we pulled the kids out of school for a week to go to WDW and then again they missed a few extra days over Thanksgiving for a trip to Puerto Rico and my son's jr. high gave us such grief even though they knew the situation. I cannot wait for spring break!! (that's pathetic) 
