t_catt11
Pin Trading Addict
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2008
- Messages
- 3,790
Just got back from an overall great trip to WDW. Myself, DW (who is 7 months pregnant), DS15, DS6, DS4, DS2. We were in the parts from 11/16 – 11/23, with a DTD day on the 24th. Except for the first and last days (and, oddly enough, Monday the 18th), crowds were light… and even those days were moderate. We saw tons of 10-20 minute wait signs, only to discover that the wait was somewhere between 0-3 ride cycles.
I hope to do a full, detailed trip report, but for now, here are some highlights.
The pros:
Magic bands as a whole were great. Having your ticket, fastpass, photopass, dining plan, and charging capabilities on your wrist was super convenient. We had one glitch (one of my boys’ bands would not scan for park entry on arrival day), but it resolved itself without us having to go to guest services.
Crowds, as mentioned, were great. Some areas (major walking intersections, park entrances, etc) looked very crowded, but the CMs did a great job processing the crowds, and we got around fine. Rides and shows themselves were amazing. We did everything we could have wanted to do, usually multiple times (my oldest son probably rode Space Mountain fifteen to twenty times, for instance).
Online check in was a breeze. CM at Port Orleans Riverside pulled me out of line, used her tablet to check me in. Took five minutes or so, most of that in printing the KTTW.
Bus service was excellent. I think that we waited more than ten minutes once (not counting post-Wishes crowds and the like). Even at park close, we were on within 15-20 minutes.
Dining was a bit better overall, I thought. Garden Grill and Whispering Canyon were noteworthy. We saw more variety in the counter service, and it was great to see more dessert options (goodbye, days of only chocolate cake or carrot cake at every single place). Quick service at Riverside was excellent.
Cast members overall were very helpful and friendly. I enjoyed some longer conversations with a couple of them, and had a couple of instances where CMs would go out of their way to make us feel special.
I thought that the new Fantasyland additions were great.
Entertainment was very good. Especially enjoyed the holiday parade, Jingle Jungle parade... and man, the Celebrate the Magic! castle projection show was pretty close to amazing in my book.
Finally got to do the lights at DHS this visit... these were positively breathtaking.
Jingle Cruise was fun. Not sure that it rated the longer lines it was drawing, but it was fun (we did it three times).
Did the Monsters Inc. Laugh floor for the first time, and regret that we haven't made it a point to do so before. Very fun.
Loved the Pirates League. Great experience.
The new Seven Dwarves coaster is looking great! Was cool to see wireframed rocks become "real" boulders during our visit.
The cons:
After using them, I am certain that I dislike Fastpass plus. Despite the low crowds, we found ourselves pushing all week to get to this or that fastpass time. Sometimes, you could swap a time... sometimes, you were SOL. Hate having to preschedule times, wish you could just use FP+ the same way that FP- has always worked (i.e. get a FP, get another at ride time or two hours after original FP, whichever comes first).
Hate FP window enforcement times. Really miss the days of having to wait for the FP to be good, but being able to use it at any point later. Again, more pushing than we would have liked to have done. More crisscrossing the parks, etc.
After having it be a must do for three trips in a row, was REALLY disappointed in Le Cellier. Service was polite, but snooty (second trip in a row we've felt that way). Did not get any food at our table until one hour and ten minutes past out reservation time (i.e. 8:50 instead of 7:40). Steaks were... okay. Fairly dry. Wife's mushrooms were served cold.
My steak at Whispering Canyon wasn't as nice of a cut (thinner strip, little more gristle), but was juicy and cooked to perfection, and at the table in less than half the time.
Not sure that we'll go back to Le Cellier. I'm sorry, but a $300 meal should make you rave, not just say "it was better than a burger".
Doubt we go back to Port Orleans Riverside. We were close to a bus stop, but the walk to the lobby to fill up the mugs was a good 20-25 minute round trip. Also, this may be nitpicky, but I expect truly top notch rooms at a Disney resort. Our shower (room 3412) had red plumber's putty around the shower head arm to go along with broken and missing caulk (big gap by the wall) around the tub. Theming overall just felt lesser here than at other WDW resorts.
Also, I could not have been much more disappointed in Mousekeeping. Yes, I know - towel animals are a bonus, don't expect them, etc. The kids had mentioned them, and I had already told them to not expect to get one. Good thing.
I've stayed in Disney Resorts four times before (AKL x 2, WL, CS), I have a good idea of what to expect. Our last Mousekeeper (at Coronado) was amazing. Every day, we'd come back from the resorts to find the windows made up into actual displays featuring the kids' toys. We'd find the stuffed animals posed, watching TV, playing, etc. We got towel critters a couple of times, as well as a big towel cake for my son on his birthday. And of course, the room itself was spotless.
This time, no animals. Kids toys were somedays placed on the pillows, but that was it. Oftentimes, fold up bed wasn't made up, just folded up with stuff just haphazardly piled on the bench. One day, blanket wasn't even folded - just left in a crumpled pile on the ground. We had cobwebs on the ceiling fan that literally stayed there for the entire eight nights.
Also strange... despite us opening exactly one bath bar of soap and one bottle of shampoo, mousekeeping would add new soap, shampoo, and conditioner every day. At the end of the trip, there was a huge pile of it on the shower. Why? Also, why did we only get one bar of facial soap... and that five days in?
Felt like there were fewer character meet and greets around. I really hate this.
Pin trading was as bad as I've ever seen. You were lucky to find a nice pin on one out of five CMs. Tons of the same ones, over and over and over again.
I felt like more of the little touches were gone... no caroling for the holidays, no more mist effect on PotC, character spot at Epcot is down to three characters (used to be all of the Fab Five), little details here and there seemed to be gone or reduced. Bad show, Disney.
Okay, my little post got big. Please understand, I still love WDW, and will be back in 2-3 years, per usual. If you have any questions at all, fire away!
I hope to do a full, detailed trip report, but for now, here are some highlights.
The pros:
Magic bands as a whole were great. Having your ticket, fastpass, photopass, dining plan, and charging capabilities on your wrist was super convenient. We had one glitch (one of my boys’ bands would not scan for park entry on arrival day), but it resolved itself without us having to go to guest services.
Crowds, as mentioned, were great. Some areas (major walking intersections, park entrances, etc) looked very crowded, but the CMs did a great job processing the crowds, and we got around fine. Rides and shows themselves were amazing. We did everything we could have wanted to do, usually multiple times (my oldest son probably rode Space Mountain fifteen to twenty times, for instance).
Online check in was a breeze. CM at Port Orleans Riverside pulled me out of line, used her tablet to check me in. Took five minutes or so, most of that in printing the KTTW.
Bus service was excellent. I think that we waited more than ten minutes once (not counting post-Wishes crowds and the like). Even at park close, we were on within 15-20 minutes.
Dining was a bit better overall, I thought. Garden Grill and Whispering Canyon were noteworthy. We saw more variety in the counter service, and it was great to see more dessert options (goodbye, days of only chocolate cake or carrot cake at every single place). Quick service at Riverside was excellent.
Cast members overall were very helpful and friendly. I enjoyed some longer conversations with a couple of them, and had a couple of instances where CMs would go out of their way to make us feel special.
I thought that the new Fantasyland additions were great.
Entertainment was very good. Especially enjoyed the holiday parade, Jingle Jungle parade... and man, the Celebrate the Magic! castle projection show was pretty close to amazing in my book.
Finally got to do the lights at DHS this visit... these were positively breathtaking.
Jingle Cruise was fun. Not sure that it rated the longer lines it was drawing, but it was fun (we did it three times).
Did the Monsters Inc. Laugh floor for the first time, and regret that we haven't made it a point to do so before. Very fun.
Loved the Pirates League. Great experience.
The new Seven Dwarves coaster is looking great! Was cool to see wireframed rocks become "real" boulders during our visit.
The cons:
After using them, I am certain that I dislike Fastpass plus. Despite the low crowds, we found ourselves pushing all week to get to this or that fastpass time. Sometimes, you could swap a time... sometimes, you were SOL. Hate having to preschedule times, wish you could just use FP+ the same way that FP- has always worked (i.e. get a FP, get another at ride time or two hours after original FP, whichever comes first).
Hate FP window enforcement times. Really miss the days of having to wait for the FP to be good, but being able to use it at any point later. Again, more pushing than we would have liked to have done. More crisscrossing the parks, etc.
After having it be a must do for three trips in a row, was REALLY disappointed in Le Cellier. Service was polite, but snooty (second trip in a row we've felt that way). Did not get any food at our table until one hour and ten minutes past out reservation time (i.e. 8:50 instead of 7:40). Steaks were... okay. Fairly dry. Wife's mushrooms were served cold.
My steak at Whispering Canyon wasn't as nice of a cut (thinner strip, little more gristle), but was juicy and cooked to perfection, and at the table in less than half the time.
Not sure that we'll go back to Le Cellier. I'm sorry, but a $300 meal should make you rave, not just say "it was better than a burger".
Doubt we go back to Port Orleans Riverside. We were close to a bus stop, but the walk to the lobby to fill up the mugs was a good 20-25 minute round trip. Also, this may be nitpicky, but I expect truly top notch rooms at a Disney resort. Our shower (room 3412) had red plumber's putty around the shower head arm to go along with broken and missing caulk (big gap by the wall) around the tub. Theming overall just felt lesser here than at other WDW resorts.
Also, I could not have been much more disappointed in Mousekeeping. Yes, I know - towel animals are a bonus, don't expect them, etc. The kids had mentioned them, and I had already told them to not expect to get one. Good thing.
I've stayed in Disney Resorts four times before (AKL x 2, WL, CS), I have a good idea of what to expect. Our last Mousekeeper (at Coronado) was amazing. Every day, we'd come back from the resorts to find the windows made up into actual displays featuring the kids' toys. We'd find the stuffed animals posed, watching TV, playing, etc. We got towel critters a couple of times, as well as a big towel cake for my son on his birthday. And of course, the room itself was spotless.
This time, no animals. Kids toys were somedays placed on the pillows, but that was it. Oftentimes, fold up bed wasn't made up, just folded up with stuff just haphazardly piled on the bench. One day, blanket wasn't even folded - just left in a crumpled pile on the ground. We had cobwebs on the ceiling fan that literally stayed there for the entire eight nights.
Also strange... despite us opening exactly one bath bar of soap and one bottle of shampoo, mousekeeping would add new soap, shampoo, and conditioner every day. At the end of the trip, there was a huge pile of it on the shower. Why? Also, why did we only get one bar of facial soap... and that five days in?
Felt like there were fewer character meet and greets around. I really hate this.
Pin trading was as bad as I've ever seen. You were lucky to find a nice pin on one out of five CMs. Tons of the same ones, over and over and over again.
I felt like more of the little touches were gone... no caroling for the holidays, no more mist effect on PotC, character spot at Epcot is down to three characters (used to be all of the Fab Five), little details here and there seemed to be gone or reduced. Bad show, Disney.
Okay, my little post got big. Please understand, I still love WDW, and will be back in 2-3 years, per usual. If you have any questions at all, fire away!
