SoonerSean
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2006
- Messages
- 157
We just returned from our annual DW trip. Here's a run down:
Magical Express: Excellent service and a great addition to the trip over the Mears shuttle. Having your bags delivered right to your room was awesome. We checked them in at the airport and never saw them again until we got to the room late our 1st night. Same on the return trip... checked in at the advance counter at the hotel and never saw our bags again until we hit the baggage claim at the airport upon arriving home. To not have to deal with baggage claim makes this service worth it.
Resort: We always stay at the Coronado Springs and it was great as usual. Fast/friendly staff helped with any need and the Pepper Market (while pricey) is a good place to eat with plenty of options. We were in Casa #4 and had easy access to bus stop #2. Word of caution: Wherever you stay - bus stop #1 is going to be packed. Plan to try and catch the park buses at stops 2-3-4 if you can and avoid the crowds.
Parks: All were crowded, but none were overwhelmingly that way. We went last around New Years in 2005 and the Magic Kingdom was closed one day at 2:00 b/c it had reached capacity. Now that's crowded.
Rides: Nothing new for us except for Soarin' at Epcot. A nice ride... but you can tell it's new. All Fast Passes were gone early in the day. We had a four hour wait for our Fast Passes - but not a problem since there was plenty to do at the park.
Dining:
Lunch: We at almost exclusively at the Noodle Station in Tomorrow Land. Apparently - no one goes there and so it wasn't crowded and the layout provides for some wonderful ventilation. It was the coolest place (temp wise) we visited during our entire stay, despite being open to the elements.
Crystal Palace - dinner on the 1st night. Food was good, service was so-so, but not too bad for a buffet. Cost was over $100 for the four of us, but we were on the dining plan.
Tony's - not impressed and probably wouldn't go back. The service was okay and the appetizers were good. But my pasta tasted like the sauce came from a can. For over $100 - you could do better.
Akershus (Epcot). This is in Norway and while the food was good... selection was a bit limited in terms of main courses, but they have a salad bar with some light choices to help out if you don't find a main dish you like. Plus was that we were visited by Ariel, Belle, Jane, and Jasmine (not sure why Jane was included - she seemed a rather odd choice). Price was over $100 for four of us.
Prime-Timfe Cafe (MGM). Not a fancy place - but my wife loves 50's kitsch. So we go there every time.
Breakfast: We used our last DP meals for breakfast at Cinderella's. Way over $100 again here for some food that's not too impressive. But seeing the Princesses was a great treat for the kids and we never pass up this stop on our trips.
Snacks: We used the snack part of the dining plan mostly for just soft drinks and ice cream bars or popcorn. They restrict this part of the plan pretty strongly, i.e. no pretzels, no soft serve items like floats, etc. You can buy fruit though if you're trying to eat healthy snacks in between your gigantic main meals.
All in all - it was a great trip and I think the Magical Express and taking care of your luggage is an incredible new service from the Disney folks. It made the traveling so much easier to not have to deal with luggage and to go right from our plane to a bus to take us to our resort.
A wonderful trip.
Magical Express: Excellent service and a great addition to the trip over the Mears shuttle. Having your bags delivered right to your room was awesome. We checked them in at the airport and never saw them again until we got to the room late our 1st night. Same on the return trip... checked in at the advance counter at the hotel and never saw our bags again until we hit the baggage claim at the airport upon arriving home. To not have to deal with baggage claim makes this service worth it.
Resort: We always stay at the Coronado Springs and it was great as usual. Fast/friendly staff helped with any need and the Pepper Market (while pricey) is a good place to eat with plenty of options. We were in Casa #4 and had easy access to bus stop #2. Word of caution: Wherever you stay - bus stop #1 is going to be packed. Plan to try and catch the park buses at stops 2-3-4 if you can and avoid the crowds.
Parks: All were crowded, but none were overwhelmingly that way. We went last around New Years in 2005 and the Magic Kingdom was closed one day at 2:00 b/c it had reached capacity. Now that's crowded.
Rides: Nothing new for us except for Soarin' at Epcot. A nice ride... but you can tell it's new. All Fast Passes were gone early in the day. We had a four hour wait for our Fast Passes - but not a problem since there was plenty to do at the park.
Dining:
Lunch: We at almost exclusively at the Noodle Station in Tomorrow Land. Apparently - no one goes there and so it wasn't crowded and the layout provides for some wonderful ventilation. It was the coolest place (temp wise) we visited during our entire stay, despite being open to the elements.
Crystal Palace - dinner on the 1st night. Food was good, service was so-so, but not too bad for a buffet. Cost was over $100 for the four of us, but we were on the dining plan.
Tony's - not impressed and probably wouldn't go back. The service was okay and the appetizers were good. But my pasta tasted like the sauce came from a can. For over $100 - you could do better.
Akershus (Epcot). This is in Norway and while the food was good... selection was a bit limited in terms of main courses, but they have a salad bar with some light choices to help out if you don't find a main dish you like. Plus was that we were visited by Ariel, Belle, Jane, and Jasmine (not sure why Jane was included - she seemed a rather odd choice). Price was over $100 for four of us.
Prime-Timfe Cafe (MGM). Not a fancy place - but my wife loves 50's kitsch. So we go there every time.
Breakfast: We used our last DP meals for breakfast at Cinderella's. Way over $100 again here for some food that's not too impressive. But seeing the Princesses was a great treat for the kids and we never pass up this stop on our trips.
Snacks: We used the snack part of the dining plan mostly for just soft drinks and ice cream bars or popcorn. They restrict this part of the plan pretty strongly, i.e. no pretzels, no soft serve items like floats, etc. You can buy fruit though if you're trying to eat healthy snacks in between your gigantic main meals.
All in all - it was a great trip and I think the Magical Express and taking care of your luggage is an incredible new service from the Disney folks. It made the traveling so much easier to not have to deal with luggage and to go right from our plane to a bus to take us to our resort.
A wonderful trip.
. Although I haven't been to a restuarant before at WDW, this is the one of the most crucial things I've learnt from reading the forums and guide books (EVERYONE ADVISES IT). If you don't make any, you'll be forced with eating very early (4'ish) or very late (past 8) for all of your table service meals.
