Just had to chuckle over a POP review

[tbssenterprises]

I love and usually stay at YC, BC or Dolphin, but once in a while I stay at POP for a night or two. I was just reading a review of POP (on a hotel review site that I won't mention)...and the person complained that POP didn't have a health club. OK, so maybe I can understand, but he went on to vent that people staying at POP are not allowed to use the health clubs at the other Disney resorts. I had to laugh...if you WANT to stay at a resort that has a health club, then PAY to STAY at one. LOL. Made my day.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

Agree but how about this. Run around the joint like all the rug rats. They'll get plenty exercise. Better yet chase the bus all the way to AK. That'd do it.

 

[Lynne M]

Moving to the Resorts board.

 

[gottalovepluto]

LOL! I always get a kick out of people complaining about stuff they would have known if they'd done a little bit of research.

 

[UncleMike101]

I love to read those revues that clearly indicate that the authors were/are completely clueless as to how WDW, operates.
I'm still wondering why so many people, usually foreign residents, say that we pay extra for Fast Pass's in order to "Jump line".
The wild exaggerations about crowds, wait times, food costs, and the Florida weather, almost always end with the line "Go to/ Spend your money at/ You'd be better off being at/ I prefer to patronize/ My family will, from now on be going to/ UNIVERSAL STUDIOS.
My first thought is, "I wonder how many of those disgruntled people are being paid to promote WDW's rivals?"

 

[dansdad]

I love to read those revues that clearly indicate that the authors were/are completely clueless as to how WDW, operates.
I'm still wondering why so many people, usually foreign residents, say that we pay extra for Fast Pass's in order to "Jump line".
The wild exaggerations about crowds, wait times, food costs, and the Florida weather, almost always end with the line "Go to/ Spend your money at/ You'd be better off being at/ I prefer to patronize/ My family will, from now on be going to/ UNIVERSAL STUDIOS.
My first thought is, "I wonder how many of those disgruntled people are being paid to promote WDW's rivals?"

I don't believe many, if any, of those reviewers are paid by competitors. I have personally met many people who have said every one of the statements you just posted. It took me a while to realize that not everyone has the kind of Disney knowledge that is so common here on the Dis. We are a very small percentage of WDW visitors.

 

[UncleMike101]

I don't believe many, if any, of those reviewers are paid by competitors. I have personally met many people who have said every one of the statements you just posted. It took me a while to realize that not everyone has the kind of Disney knowledge that is so common here on the Dis. We are a very small percentage of WDW visitors.

Actually I'd say this, and other Disney forums, represent the vast majority of Disney vacationers as is indicated by how many Disney guests are multiple repeat visitors to The World as most of us are.
The number of people who go to Travel sites and trash their WDW experiences is tiny in comparison to the numbers of positive revues.
I've read thousands of them over the years and the format is virtually the same from site to site and over a span of years.
I see fault with Disney but the revues that I mentioned often appear to have been written from an outline and use exaggerations that anyone who frequents WDW know to be invalid.
Also the negative revues are, IMO, used in an attempt to influence people who've never been to WDW and are trying to decide how to spend their hard earned vacation dollars.
All's fair in love, war, and business.

 

[dansdad]

Actually I'd say this, and other Disney forums, represent the vast majority of Disney vacationers as is indicated by how many Disney guests are multiple repeat visitors to The World as most of us are.

According to Disney's own research/surveys, on any given day ~22% of guests are a repeat visitor.

 

[Ladyfish77]

When there are comments like these I have to wonder if they even thought about it. What other hotel anywhere would let you come use their facility if you aren't staying there? Just because they all have the same name (WDW) doesn't mean you can use the facilities at all of them. When staying at a Marriott hotel, I don't expect to go to any other Marriott property in the same city and use their facilities.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

I get it. Almost every hotel that I stay at has at least a minimal fitness center. Disney doesn't have them for "Values" even though their values cost as much as many chains with all of the amenities that you miss when you stay at WDW.

 

[tbssenterprises]

But that's the point. If you are going to pay far less (staying at a Value)....why should you be entitled to use another resort's amenities. The people staying at those resorts (Mod or Deluxe) are paying for them in their room cost.

 

[disnut8]

There are a lot of people who are in good or great shape and don't need a fitness center to do it. I have a 79 year old mother-in-law in great shape. She does fitness classes at her gym when she's home but, since she travels so much (alone), she doesn't "work out" when she does that. She keeps to her same schedule but just doesn't go to a gym. And she would never pay more than a certain amount for a hotel and would never look for one with a fitness center. She's happy and healthy and will probably outlive her sons and daughter. But, she doesn't need a gym to live her life.

 

[bookgirl]

My first trip (and after I'd been on this board a for a couple of years) I was clueless about so much. I spent more of my time on just a couple of the more generic threads. By the time that first trip happened and I got hooked I started reading a lot more of the planning and specific threads and OMG, what I didn't know.

I can't imagine how clueless people who don't use these types of boards are. Now I always search out Forums whenever I take a trip somewhere new, and I continue using the boards for places that do have changes more often.

Research, is now my number one vacation priority compared to almost a decade ago when I first started visiting this board.

However I will say it's hard at WDW because there are many things that are open to all. Beaches, Chip and Dale Sing Along, marshmallow roasts, AKL viewing sites, movies in the courtyards/pools all attached to resorts but open to anyone on property whether a guest or not, then you have pools and fitness centers that are not. It's just a jigsaw puzzle of rules that may or may not be enforced.

Also, you just can't compare an offsite hotel to an onsite as far as price/amenities, because let's face it, for what I pay at Disney I could get so much more at a regular hotel off site.

That is why I base my stay on what I want AT Disney, not on what I'd expect at a hotel somewhere else. In some ways Disney offers much more than some of the higer priced rooms in Vegas, but I can eat much better food for the same price or less in Vegas. You have to manage expectations for where you're at and not compare.

 

[bumbershoot]

I get it. Almost every hotel that I stay at has at least a minimal fitness center. Disney doesn't have them for "Values" even though their values cost as much as many chains with all of the amenities that you miss when you stay at WDW.

YES, this absolutely. Values cost as much as a normal hotel elsewhere, and have nowhere near the benefits. It's ridiculous. Put in a room with some weights, Pop; it's not rocket science. And it would increase your perceived value for some, and make many people happier.

"Go to/ Spend your money at/ You'd be better off being at/ I prefer to patronize/ My family will, from now on be going to/ UNIVERSAL STUDIOS.
My first thought is, "I wonder how many of those disgruntled people are being paid to promote WDW's rivals?"

Gawd, if only! I've been saying that for free!

 

[bookgirl]

Honestly I'm happy that the Values finally got wifi and fridges....now if there was a coffee pot.......

I'm pretty ambivalent about pools and I try to avoid gyms on vacation so ehhhh.

By the way I'm totally okay with forgoing the coffee pot, but I limit Value to solo trips. I would not have more than 2 people in a Value and I dislike even the thought of 2.

 

[Roxyfire]

I can't imagine how clueless people who don't use these types of boards are. Now I always search out Forums whenever I take a trip somewhere new, and I continue using the boards for places that do have changes more often.

Yes for real, after this trip is a cruise. While I've been one one, thats not really a great amount of knowledge so I'll likely be visiting cruise critic a lot to help me decide which line/itinerary/etc. Now if only I knew a good resource to discuss bus tours.

 

[bookgirl]

Yes for real, after this trip is a cruise. While I've been one one, thats not really a great amount of knowledge so I'll likely be visiting cruise critic a lot to help me decide which line/itinerary/etc. Now if only I knew a good resource to discuss bus tours.

Yep again What I didn't Know when I booked my first cruise (I got on Cruise Critic after I booked but before I went), Cruise Critic is great for planning.

 

[gmwrdh]

My husband wants to play tennis. I though I understood he could play at any of the other resorts- even though we are staying at POP? Is this correct?

 

[ellie05]

It blows my mind that people don't research their vacation. I mean now a days most people read reviews even for the $10 hair spray, but they are willing to drop thousands of dollars on a vacation blindly. I bought a travel guide for our first trip to wdw and I do for every single one of our trips anywhere!

I always love when people complain about ridiculous stuff. When you work in the industry you know just how unrealistic expectations some people have. Seriously one time I had someone complain to me that it snowed during their skiing trip and wanted a refund . Yeah that didn't happen.

 

[Squirlz]

There was a post today on a Disney fan Facebook page that said "DON'T GO TO BOG FOR LUNCH!!!" Turns out she went in thinking is was sit-down service so it was "choatic and confusing". Not if you do a little research ahead of time!