Nutmeg2016
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2016
- Messages
- 97
Just back from a fantastic 4-night trip. Me, DH, DS5 and DS2, staying at Kidani Village in a 1 bedroom villa, standard view.
Crowds:
Busy, but totally manageable with planning. Some threads about Mardi Gras/marathon/etc. craziness were posted right before we left, but crowds must have starting thinning by mid-week, because by our first day at MK on Thursday (3/2) they really weren't that bad, IMHO. Way better than our 2014 Easter week trip (I will never go at Easter again!), although busier than our blissful 2009 November trip (sigh).
World Showcase was pretty congested on Sat (3/3) with folks boozing, but I expected this given the weekend + festival timing. The only time it kind of bugged me was during my attempt to shop at Mitsukoshi; several large groups were just standing around, chatting & drinking right in front of all the merchandise, so I eventually gave up.
Anyway, by hitting 2 or 3 attractions right after rope drop each day, then interspersing FP+ reservations with attractions that never have waits (hello, Country Bear Jamboree : - ), we covered a lot of ground without much waiting or feeling rushed.
Cast members, attractions, etc.:
Cast members were awesome- friendly and helpful. And they were everywhere! Honestly, there seemed to be countless folks whose sole job was to smile, wave and give directions - such a refreshing change from the real world
.
Re: attractions- We made a point of not using FP+ for Peter Pan so we could experience the queue- totally worth doing at least once.
Overall the parks were clean & beautiful, but one minor gripe- we were at AK on Friday (3/4) and the set for the current taping of the View (I think it started today) was already set-up smack dab in front of the Tree of Life, including two huge metal tower-things, and at one point a gigantic ladder, that really marred the view/photos. Not a huge deal, but I think Disney could have made a bit more effort to minimize the impact of the set.
Kidani Village:
What a wonderful experience. Our room was ready by our arrival at 1.30 PM. Our request to be near transportation/the lobby was honored. Housekeeping was great. Buses were pretty efficient; we never waited more than a few minutes going to parks in am, but usually had longer waits coming back (around 20 minutes or so).
I'm glad we didn't shell out for a Savannah view; we spent so little time in the room and there are plenty of lovely public areas to see animals.
We had some unique, really great interactions w/ cast members from Africa (I think Disney calls them "cultural representatives"), e.g. participating in a drum circle and asking them questions about their home countries, which were highlights of the entire trip.
Anyway, thanks again to everyone who answered my pre-trip questions! Already looking forward to our next trip in a few years : - ).
Crowds:
Busy, but totally manageable with planning. Some threads about Mardi Gras/marathon/etc. craziness were posted right before we left, but crowds must have starting thinning by mid-week, because by our first day at MK on Thursday (3/2) they really weren't that bad, IMHO. Way better than our 2014 Easter week trip (I will never go at Easter again!), although busier than our blissful 2009 November trip (sigh).
World Showcase was pretty congested on Sat (3/3) with folks boozing, but I expected this given the weekend + festival timing. The only time it kind of bugged me was during my attempt to shop at Mitsukoshi; several large groups were just standing around, chatting & drinking right in front of all the merchandise, so I eventually gave up.
Anyway, by hitting 2 or 3 attractions right after rope drop each day, then interspersing FP+ reservations with attractions that never have waits (hello, Country Bear Jamboree : - ), we covered a lot of ground without much waiting or feeling rushed.
Cast members, attractions, etc.:
Cast members were awesome- friendly and helpful. And they were everywhere! Honestly, there seemed to be countless folks whose sole job was to smile, wave and give directions - such a refreshing change from the real world
. Re: attractions- We made a point of not using FP+ for Peter Pan so we could experience the queue- totally worth doing at least once.
Overall the parks were clean & beautiful, but one minor gripe- we were at AK on Friday (3/4) and the set for the current taping of the View (I think it started today) was already set-up smack dab in front of the Tree of Life, including two huge metal tower-things, and at one point a gigantic ladder, that really marred the view/photos. Not a huge deal, but I think Disney could have made a bit more effort to minimize the impact of the set.
Kidani Village:
What a wonderful experience. Our room was ready by our arrival at 1.30 PM. Our request to be near transportation/the lobby was honored. Housekeeping was great. Buses were pretty efficient; we never waited more than a few minutes going to parks in am, but usually had longer waits coming back (around 20 minutes or so).
I'm glad we didn't shell out for a Savannah view; we spent so little time in the room and there are plenty of lovely public areas to see animals.
We had some unique, really great interactions w/ cast members from Africa (I think Disney calls them "cultural representatives"), e.g. participating in a drum circle and asking them questions about their home countries, which were highlights of the entire trip.
Anyway, thanks again to everyone who answered my pre-trip questions! Already looking forward to our next trip in a few years : - ).
