MikeyNS
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2004
- Messages
- 894
Hi all. Just got back from the world. Here are my thoughts... 
There was me, my DW, DS, MIL, FIL, SIL and her boyfriend and my BIL staying at the lodge.
Took ME for the first time to the VWL. Doubt we'll do it again without taking out luggage on the bus with us. Ride was great. Time flew by going to the resort. We got there at around 1:45pm. Checkin was great. At 5:50pm I saw them unload our bags from the truck that brings them to the resort. At 7:30pm I saw our bags outside the bell services area outside.. still not delivered but all there. Since I needed stuff for our 1YR I grabbed the bags I needed(I asked first). At 8:30pm I called down to find out where the rest of the bags were. They were finally delivered around 9pm. OUCH! Not very magical beginning. Plus AC lost my other bag with my stuff in it.. then that night when my BIL came in AC lost his bag as well. The baggage people for AC are not marked at all (same cubby as WestJet/Air Transat and a bunch of others, but no AC labels at all!).
We got room 3519 at the VWL. It's a different shape than the normal villas, but WOW! What a great layout for a 2BR. An actual table and 4 chairs. We had 13 in the villa for Thanksgiving supper, and it was a little crowded but very managable. Transportation was a miss for me, but fine for others in the party. I would leave the parks earlier to get my son to have a nap, etc, and would wait 10-15mins for a bus.The others got right on theirs. Luck of the draw I suppose. Crowds were very crowded Thanksgiving/Columbus day weekend and were steady throughout the rest of the week. Wed. morning we went to the MK for opening (9am) and walked on everything until 11:30am when it started to pick up a bit. GREAT morning! Splash Mountain/Space Mountain/BT Mountain and POTC were all no waits.
F&W festival was great as usual. Soarin' filled up like crazy each day. I still didn't get to go on it.
Tried Expedition Everest at the AK.. too scary for me to try it again, but then again I'm a wimp.
Transferred to the ASMu for our last night. ME was picking us up 4 hours before our flight.. too early if you ask me. We were able to check in and wait for 3 hours at the airport. Yay. We got one of the new refurb'd family suites to handle the 6 of us for that were left for the last night. We did have 2 rooms but when we saw then we went back to the desk and asked for the suite. Same amount of money, more space and CLEANER. The rooms stank of something trying to cover up the odours and weren't very magical. The suites were a lot better, but I doubt I will ever stay at an All Stars again.
Needless to say we're going back to either the BW or OKW during the end of January to check out the weather and the crowds. I wouldn't go back the first of October again because I found it more crowded and hot than I would have liked. We were also more rushed because most of our family had never been and had to get everything done at once. Normally our pace is a little slower.
I don't want to sound like much of a downer.. it was a GREAT trip enjoyed by all. Just a few speedbumps!
Any questions?
There was me, my DW, DS, MIL, FIL, SIL and her boyfriend and my BIL staying at the lodge.Took ME for the first time to the VWL. Doubt we'll do it again without taking out luggage on the bus with us. Ride was great. Time flew by going to the resort. We got there at around 1:45pm. Checkin was great. At 5:50pm I saw them unload our bags from the truck that brings them to the resort. At 7:30pm I saw our bags outside the bell services area outside.. still not delivered but all there. Since I needed stuff for our 1YR I grabbed the bags I needed(I asked first). At 8:30pm I called down to find out where the rest of the bags were. They were finally delivered around 9pm. OUCH! Not very magical beginning. Plus AC lost my other bag with my stuff in it.. then that night when my BIL came in AC lost his bag as well. The baggage people for AC are not marked at all (same cubby as WestJet/Air Transat and a bunch of others, but no AC labels at all!).
We got room 3519 at the VWL. It's a different shape than the normal villas, but WOW! What a great layout for a 2BR. An actual table and 4 chairs. We had 13 in the villa for Thanksgiving supper, and it was a little crowded but very managable. Transportation was a miss for me, but fine for others in the party. I would leave the parks earlier to get my son to have a nap, etc, and would wait 10-15mins for a bus.The others got right on theirs. Luck of the draw I suppose. Crowds were very crowded Thanksgiving/Columbus day weekend and were steady throughout the rest of the week. Wed. morning we went to the MK for opening (9am) and walked on everything until 11:30am when it started to pick up a bit. GREAT morning! Splash Mountain/Space Mountain/BT Mountain and POTC were all no waits.
F&W festival was great as usual. Soarin' filled up like crazy each day. I still didn't get to go on it.
Tried Expedition Everest at the AK.. too scary for me to try it again, but then again I'm a wimp.
Transferred to the ASMu for our last night. ME was picking us up 4 hours before our flight.. too early if you ask me. We were able to check in and wait for 3 hours at the airport. Yay. We got one of the new refurb'd family suites to handle the 6 of us for that were left for the last night. We did have 2 rooms but when we saw then we went back to the desk and asked for the suite. Same amount of money, more space and CLEANER. The rooms stank of something trying to cover up the odours and weren't very magical. The suites were a lot better, but I doubt I will ever stay at an All Stars again.
Needless to say we're going back to either the BW or OKW during the end of January to check out the weather and the crowds. I wouldn't go back the first of October again because I found it more crowded and hot than I would have liked. We were also more rushed because most of our family had never been and had to get everything done at once. Normally our pace is a little slower.
I don't want to sound like much of a downer.. it was a GREAT trip enjoyed by all. Just a few speedbumps!
Any questions?
