Just back from 8 nights at POP with me, dh, ds7 and dd5 with free dining. Here's the basics:
Thumbs UP:
- Crowds were low. Labor Day weekend increased a bit. But first day at MK Splash Mtn was consistently 20 minute wait throughout the day.
- For the large group of Spanish speaking young ladies who were staying at POP. They were very well behaved and not at all like stories on DIS of kids that some complain about. The most I heard was a nice song in a LONG line for the bus after a night at EPCOT. Maybe it was a vocal group because they sang very well!
-For the mother who saved my daughter in Blizzard Beach's wave pool. WORD OF WARNING if you've never been there...My kids went in the water - shallow part, while dh and I got chairs and towels situated. Both can swim - but dd is not a strong swimmer. They were having fun jumping over the smallish waves coming their way. Everything changed in seconds - the waves got a ton bigger and dd got pulled in farther and I saw her go under a wave. I immediately started her way and I am lifeguard quality swimmer - but it is NOT EASY to get across a small area of the wave pool quickly. Next thing I know I could not see her. ANd then I did, a woman on a tube had pulled her up onto the tube and was holding her out of the water. I yelled and waved to her (as she was searching for whose child this was) - and grabbed dd. Unfortunately, I was such a wreck and dd was crying so loud that I never got the chance to properly thank that woman. THANK YOU FOR SAVING MY BABY!!! Oh and in case you're wondering - the lifeguards didn't bat an eye - didn't even look our direction during the whole thing. I think there is too much to see and it is too loud to even notice things like this. PLEASE stay right next to your children in the wave pool. I am not kidding when I say it went from fine to panic in about 30 seconds total. I am forever in debt to that wonderful nameless woman.
- Along the same line but not nearly as life-threatening, for the parents who asked my son if he needed help. He was unfortunately not behaving one day and I had to remove him from Maelstrom's movie portion and put him in a 'time out' out on a curb outside. He was crying because he was upset at the punishment and in the 5 or so minutes I had him sit there - 3 different people went over to ask him if he was OK (I was standing about 10 feet away). YEA for caring people!
- I used a sports water jug with a strap and filled it with ice and water from food court on the way to the parks - worked GREAT! Ice stayed frozen for a few hours - even in the heat.
Thumbs Down:
- For the gross display of chewed gum on the rocks on Splash Mtn. I never noticed it before this trip. Do people really think this is cute or cool to do? Not so!
- For people who do NOT use designated smoking areas and instead choose to make all of our rooms smoking rooms by smoking just outside their door at night. Might as well smoke inside your room so you're only affecting your own family instead of mine! Honestly, I think they should go to designated smoking buildings instead of non-smoking everywhere. Unfortunately, this just does not work because some people will always be too lazy and selfish instead of following the rules.
- On Saturday of Labor Day weekend in 90 plus degree heat - Fastpass for Kali River Rapids was closed. Wait times were 40 - 50 minutes at least. So we missed this one! Was quicker to head back to the resort for a swim then to wait that long! Not sure why they decided to close them....Getting ready for centralized FP's?? Maybe??
Thumbs UP:
- Crowds were low. Labor Day weekend increased a bit. But first day at MK Splash Mtn was consistently 20 minute wait throughout the day.
- For the large group of Spanish speaking young ladies who were staying at POP. They were very well behaved and not at all like stories on DIS of kids that some complain about. The most I heard was a nice song in a LONG line for the bus after a night at EPCOT. Maybe it was a vocal group because they sang very well!
-For the mother who saved my daughter in Blizzard Beach's wave pool. WORD OF WARNING if you've never been there...My kids went in the water - shallow part, while dh and I got chairs and towels situated. Both can swim - but dd is not a strong swimmer. They were having fun jumping over the smallish waves coming their way. Everything changed in seconds - the waves got a ton bigger and dd got pulled in farther and I saw her go under a wave. I immediately started her way and I am lifeguard quality swimmer - but it is NOT EASY to get across a small area of the wave pool quickly. Next thing I know I could not see her. ANd then I did, a woman on a tube had pulled her up onto the tube and was holding her out of the water. I yelled and waved to her (as she was searching for whose child this was) - and grabbed dd. Unfortunately, I was such a wreck and dd was crying so loud that I never got the chance to properly thank that woman. THANK YOU FOR SAVING MY BABY!!! Oh and in case you're wondering - the lifeguards didn't bat an eye - didn't even look our direction during the whole thing. I think there is too much to see and it is too loud to even notice things like this. PLEASE stay right next to your children in the wave pool. I am not kidding when I say it went from fine to panic in about 30 seconds total. I am forever in debt to that wonderful nameless woman.
- Along the same line but not nearly as life-threatening, for the parents who asked my son if he needed help. He was unfortunately not behaving one day and I had to remove him from Maelstrom's movie portion and put him in a 'time out' out on a curb outside. He was crying because he was upset at the punishment and in the 5 or so minutes I had him sit there - 3 different people went over to ask him if he was OK (I was standing about 10 feet away). YEA for caring people!
- I used a sports water jug with a strap and filled it with ice and water from food court on the way to the parks - worked GREAT! Ice stayed frozen for a few hours - even in the heat.
Thumbs Down:
- For the gross display of chewed gum on the rocks on Splash Mtn. I never noticed it before this trip. Do people really think this is cute or cool to do? Not so!
- For people who do NOT use designated smoking areas and instead choose to make all of our rooms smoking rooms by smoking just outside their door at night. Might as well smoke inside your room so you're only affecting your own family instead of mine! Honestly, I think they should go to designated smoking buildings instead of non-smoking everywhere. Unfortunately, this just does not work because some people will always be too lazy and selfish instead of following the rules.
- On Saturday of Labor Day weekend in 90 plus degree heat - Fastpass for Kali River Rapids was closed. Wait times were 40 - 50 minutes at least. So we missed this one! Was quicker to head back to the resort for a swim then to wait that long! Not sure why they decided to close them....Getting ready for centralized FP's?? Maybe??
