Just back...Thoughts and observations.

[ajwolfe]

So just got back and getting settled back into regular life from our recent 6 night stay at Coronado Springs. Not going to lie some of the posts about the magic being gone, nasty bathrooms, rude costumer service, etc had me a bit worried but I’m glad I didn’t buy into it!! We had a wonderful trip!!

The weather cooperated with us and even thought it was a bit warm some days, not a drop of rain fell. Yeah, we seen a couple bathrooms that could have been cleaner but I wouldn’t have classified them as nasty and usually a CM was working on them. Only encountered one CM that was a bit snooty and that was the girl that checked us into our CRT dinner. We didn’t have any additional pixie dust sprinkled our way but that was fine with us since everything went fairly smooth.

Couple of annoyances was the day that the dining plan/magic bands stopped working to pay for food – which was an Epcot day and we had planned to use snack credits at the food booths. It took most of the day but they got the problem solved and everything went back correctly on our accounts. Also, felt like we encountered a few more ride break downs then normal but it actually worked out better for us because we were able to fide them again later with shorter lines and use the FP for something else at the time.

As far as food, we tried some new to us things this trip…..We loved the chocolate kitchen sink. My boys hands down loved our CRT meal and have put it on our list for the next trip. We tried the pizza at Via Napoli and just so do not get all the rave at all. Not sure I get all the rave about the school bread in Norway either – but it was interesting. Did however LOVE the dole whip with rum in it.

Couple things I hadn’t noticed before that I was puzzled about – as was most of our traveling

1. What is with all the hair bands at the top of EE? I’ve never noticed this before or maybe never paid attention.
   
   
2. Was slightly surprised by how the dress code has been kicked up a notch by lots of the guests we were seeing in the parks. Not sure why some women would want to wear dresses that would work for an office setting and high heels to a park and walk around for 12 hours but hey to each their own. Also noticed a lot more men dressed in dressier chino style shorts, polos or button up shirts and loafers than ever before.
   
   
3. My family was slightly perplexed at the increase in elderly folks there – especially since it was on the hot side. Several days we seen elderly (and I mean over 75/80) in wheelchairs that were kicked back with blankets on them and obviously sleeping – think what you would see in nursing homes/rehabs. They had to be burning up and these folks did not appear to be enjoying this experience at all. I get there are some folks that have a dying wish to see the world for a last trip and all but was just surprised at the number of these we saw and the fact that none of them could be in the health to ride a ride for sure. Totally not judging, just not sure it was something I would want to put a family member thru without a reason.
   

Any questions about anything, just ask!!

 

[NicholeB630]

Whenever I see people in heels or fancy shoes at amusement parks I just don't get it. You're walking all day long, playing with your kids etc. Why in the world wear dressy clothes. Unless you're there for a special event and have to. But Ive seen so many people like that and its the oddest thing. My feet would die.

 

[Matty_Disfan]

1. What is with all the hair bands at the top of EE? I’ve never noticed this before or maybe never paid attention?

 

[powellrj]

Many businesses have company wide meetings in Orlando and people will bring their families along and add trips to the park when they don't have a meeting and don't want to waste time going back to change. Your hotel is considered a convention hotel so that could be why you saw more people in office wear.

As for more and more older people, lots of people want to include all their family members in trips. My DDIL wanted my mom to go on our first family trip and while I wasn't sure, we took her anyway. While she was fine at home, mom because a different person while we were on the trip and later found out it was dementia. She didn't show the symptoms at home, they really came out on the trip.

I think this is true of more and more families. Since the world is slowly becoming more handicap accessible, you will see more and more older people traveling.

 

[ajwolfe]

Many businesses have company wide meetings in Orlando and people will bring their families along and add trips to the park when they don't have a meeting and don't want to waste time going back to change. Your hotel is considered a convention hotel so that could be why you saw more people in office wear.

Just wanted to clarify....The majority of the people we saw so dressed up where in the parks, not resorts. I would have expected it there but not so much at Magic Kingdom at midnight.

 

[loves to dive]

It is possible some of the people you saw dressed in business attire were Disney employees, you will see them in the parks all the time. My son always wears chino shorts and a button shirt, he doesn't wear tshirts in public. He didn't get that from me because I do, not anything with sayings on it but I will wear a Disney tshirt at Disney or wear a tshirt I've gotten on dive trips. If I wear shorts, which isn't often, it's dress shorts though. I tend to wear capris or sundresses. I don't wear dress shoes, neither does he, he will wear nikes or pumas. Then again, I don't wear dress shoes to work either but I won't wear tennis shoes in public.

 

[ajwolfe]

It is possible some of the people you saw dressed in business attire were Disney employees, you will see them in the parks all the time.

Maybe a few but not most...Seen several moms pushing strollers with dresses and heels or wedges. Or whole families together.

 

[angierae]

I'm told that if you wear heels a lot for work you will find flat shoes uncomfortable, since your body is used to heels. Since I wear tennis shoes or sandals to work every day, I couldn't say. I will say, however, that my wardrobe has been switching over to dresses and the next time I'm in a park, it's likely to be in a dress (with bike shorts underneath for ease of getting into and out of ride cars.)

 

[tj6285]

Wait! What? Dole whip with rum? Ok, this trip will be my first ever Dole whip so should I go straight for the rum? Sounds like you had a great trip!

 

[Delphinidae]

@ajwolfe , what did you think of Coronado Springs? We are booked there for our upcoming trip and have never been before. Did you eat at any of the restaurants there?

Which meal did you do at CRT?

 

[ajwolfe]

Wait! What? Dole whip with rum? Ok, this trip will be my first ever Dole whip so should I go straight for the rum? Sounds like you had a great trip!

It was delicious!! They have them at Tamu Tamu in Animal Kingdom, but I grabbed one at the food booths in Epcot for Flower and Garden.

 

[ajwolfe]

@ajwolfe , what did you think of Coronado Springs? We are booked there for our upcoming trip and have never been before. Did you eat at any of the restaurants there?

Which meal did you do at CRT?

We enjoyed our stay there; not sure it's our favorite moderate though. It's a pretty large resort so be prepared to do some walking no matter where your room is. We ate lunch one day at the Pepper Market food court and was not impressed. The service there was slower than any other Disney food court we have used before - but there are some decent selections. We also ate breakfast one morning at the Siesta Cantina by the pool. Service was super fast and the CM there very friendly. We made that our place of choice to get drink refills as well since it was closer to our room than the main area. Any questions about the resort you have just let me know and I'll try to answer!!
Oh and I was surprised by how clear you could see Wishes from there. We just happened to catch it one night by accident. You could also kind of see the Star Wars fireworks from DHS but not as well from the location we were in.

We did dinner at CRT. We had a 7:10 ADR and I believe it was like 8:55 when we finally got up and left.

 

[tj6285]

It was delicious!! They have them at Tamu Tamu in Animal Kingdom, but I grabbed one at the food booths in Epcot for Flower and Garden.

Sweet! Epcot is our 1st park day and it will be 5:00pm somewhere!

 

[ajwolfe]

Sweet! Epcot is our 1st park day and it will be 5:00pm somewhere!

If your signature is correct, Flower and Garden will be over by the time you get there..But you can definitely get you one in AK. Enjoy!!

 

[Minnesota!]

I'm told that if you wear heels a lot for work you will find flat shoes uncomfortable, since your body is used to heels. Since I wear tennis shoes or sandals to work every day, I couldn't say. I will say, however, that my wardrobe has been switching over to dresses and the next time I'm in a park, it's likely to be in a dress (with bike shorts underneath for ease of getting into and out of ride cars.)

I wear heels every single day for work and nothing gives me more joy than ignoring them for 2 weeks when I go on vacation. Chucks and sandals only, please!

I do like the look of easy dresses/sandals...but I am not comfy in them...yet! Give me 30# of weight loss, first!

 

[mousefan73]

Dresses... how dressy.?? I am sometimes more comfortable/ cooler in a cotton dress ( sleeveless A-line I where to work) and underneath biker /legging shorts.. I am a more flip flop type, but some women can handle wedges, or heels for long periods, not me.. maybe they were only in the park a few hours.... On our long trips we sometimes first go late afternoon into the parks...

and the men sound like europeans... my husband, is german and ALWAYS wears a button down shirt with collar.. my son also polos and khakis is his thing.....



Old People, I hear you.. I am sure most are happy to hang at the resort and meet the rest up for dinner in a park... also with the heat.... just not safe and as most really old, probably de-hydrated as most older folks dont drink enough... from my experience with elders.

 

[Candycane83]

@ajwolfe How was the crowds? Can you tell me more about what you liked from CRT? Also, did you try any other new food options?

 

[trainingupmy4princes]

What is the chocolate sink?

 

[old feller]

So just got back and getting settled back into regular life from our recent 6 night stay at Coronado Springs. Not going to lie some of the posts about the magic being gone, nasty bathrooms, rude costumer service, etc had me a bit worried but I’m glad I didn’t buy into it!! We had a wonderful trip!!

The weather cooperated with us and even thought it was a bit warm some days, not a drop of rain fell. Yeah, we seen a couple bathrooms that could have been cleaner but I wouldn’t have classified them as nasty and usually a CM was working on them. Only encountered one CM that was a bit snooty and that was the girl that checked us into our CRT dinner. We didn’t have any additional pixie dust sprinkled our way but that was fine with us since everything went fairly smooth.

Couple of annoyances was the day that the dining plan/magic bands stopped working to pay for food – which was an Epcot day and we had planned to use snack credits at the food booths. It took most of the day but they got the problem solved and everything went back correctly on our accounts. Also, felt like we encountered a few more ride break downs then normal but it actually worked out better for us because we were able to fide them again later with shorter lines and use the FP for something else at the time.

As far as food, we tried some new to us things this trip…..We loved the chocolate kitchen sink. My boys hands down loved our CRT meal and have put it on our list for the next trip. We tried the pizza at Via Napoli and just so do not get all the rave at all. Not sure I get all the rave about the school bread in Norway either – but it was interesting. Did however LOVE the dole whip with rum in it.

Couple things I hadn’t noticed before that I was puzzled about – as was most of our traveling

1. What is with all the hair bands at the top of EE? I’ve never noticed this before or maybe never paid attention.
   
   
2. Was slightly surprised by how the dress code has been kicked up a notch by lots of the guests we were seeing in the parks. Not sure why some women would want to wear dresses that would work for an office setting and high heels to a park and walk around for 12 hours but hey to each their own. Also noticed a lot more men dressed in dressier chino style shorts, polos or button up shirts and loafers than ever before.
   
   
3. My family was slightly perplexed at the increase in elderly folks there – especially since it was on the hot side. Several days we seen elderly (and I mean over 75/80) in wheelchairs that were kicked back with blankets on them and obviously sleeping – think what you would see in nursing homes/rehabs. They had to be burning up and these folks did not appear to be enjoying this experience at all. I get there are some folks that have a dying wish to see the world for a last trip and all but was just surprised at the number of these we saw and the fact that none of them could be in the health to ride a ride for sure. Totally not judging, just not sure it was something I would want to put a family member thru without a reason.

Any questions about anything, just ask!!

Where is the dole whip with rum ? It's ok ..I'm going as jack sparrow to mnsshp in sept ..thanks

 

[PrincessNelly]

I wonder if you saw people dressed up who may have been going to or coming from some of the fancier signature restaurants?
We often have dinner at Cali Grill or Narcoossees then spend the night at Magic Kingdom. However we also bring a change of shoes or clothes as well.