Hi everyone.
Finally got a chance to post some of my thoughts and experiences about the lodge.
First, I must begin by saying we had an awesome time. The hotel is unbelievable. Just about everything about the place is perfect.
Here is a run down of the highlights....and a few lowlights...of our experiences:
We drove down from NJ, staying overnight in Kingsland GA, finishing the drive on Sunday morning Nov. 2nd. We pulled past the gate at the lodge a little before 11:00 a.m. Pulling up to the hotel my 5 yr. old daughter says "OH MY GOD...LOOK HOW BIIIIG THE HOTEL IS". She provided most of the best one liners of the trip.....and a little of the pixie dust too...as only an innocent 5yr. old can.
Pulling up to the front of the lodge was tough. It was like a zoo. There had to be at least four or five vans bring people from the airport along with at least a half dozen cars and there were more arriving along with us. Well...it took a few minutes to get our bearings straight. My wife went to the bellmans desk and got them to come get our bags. I let them valet the car because I just wanted to get out of there and get inside already.
Walking in....what can I say that hasn't already been said. I've never been in a hotel with such a .......well......perfect lobby. I didn't get to enjoy it long though. The line to check in was almost to the entrance door. I got on line and my wife and two daughters went to sit down.
The line took about a half hour. I finally get the CM and she was nice but very rushed. She said they got my room request...view of MK....bunk beds. She has us on the 5th floor "MK side" but they do not have any bunk bed rooms available. She said that we can check on Monday morning to see if any become available, but I say that as long as we have the MK view it is ok. She again says that she has on the "MK side". I say ok, but that I would like a room between 5012 and 5032.
We get the rest of the hotel info from the CM and my wife and my two little girls go exploring the hotel. We walk the lobby....check out the fireplace....take a walk to the pool and geyser. We decided to take the short boat ride over to the Contemporary to take the girls on a Monorail ride.
We get back to the hotel around 2:00 and the girls want to go for a swim. I figure we may as well check to see if the room is ready. The CM on the phone says...yes your room is ready
we have you in room 5010
Well from all that I've read I know this is out of the sight line of the MK but I figure we may as well go see the room and I will try and change it if we are not happy.
The room is what I expected. Nice, but no view of anything but trees. The kids dont seem to mind
..neither does my wife, so we figure well just settle in and keep it. It is down near the end of the hall so we know it will be quite at least.
We get changed for the main pool. It is tough to find lounge chairs but we finally do. The kids love the pool. My 7 yr. old loves the slide. My younger one wants no part of it. She is happy just to swim around. It is now 3:00 and the lifeguard announces it is time for duck races. There are so many kids they had to make two races. Both my girls are in the first race. My little one comes through again with a little bit of magic
her duck wins the race. One hour free boat rental. I tell my girls that I will split the hour up between the both of them.
That night we eat at Whispering Canyons. Food was very good . The girls had fun with pony races and handkerchief hats. Also the Lincoln log table.
The rest of the week went smoothly and quickly. Here are some more thoughts:
Transportation was fine. We never
..never waited more than 10 minutes for a bus or boat. Let me say though that both my wife and I are early birds. We always got the first bus or boat in the morning to the parks. Even leaving Epcot and MK at closing wasnt bad. Epcot on Wed. night after Illuminations (we watch by Norway which has a great unobstructed view and was upwind) we made it to the bus stop... not very quickly and a bus was there but there was a line. It was standing room only and nobody else was getting on. We jump the line and stood on the bus. Leaving MK at closing we had to wait for the third boat but the boats were lined up one after another.
Roaring Forks was fine. As I said my wife and I are early birds so we were down there by 7:20 every morning. Food was good. People coming a half hour later everyday may have a different opinion because the line was out the door some mornings.
We really like being in the North wing. Very easy to the boat dock, Roaring Forks, and the pool. This next thing is a silly thing to be impressed by but I thought the elevators were the best of any hotel I have ever stayed in. It always seemed like it was a matter of seconds after pushing the up or down button that the elevator would be there.
We never went to an early entry park, but we always were there for 9:00 opening. I think it worked out well doing the parks that were not early entry.
I feel like I didnt get enough of the lodge
.I need more
Im hooked
And the best one liner by my little one of the week. During Wishes at MK...upon seeing TinkerBell come streaking out of the castle...her little face lights up and she says "SEE DADDY, I KNEW SHE WAS REAL". That one line made the whole trip worth while.
Especially since I just had a horrible reaction to moisturizer. (If you see a tall woman with a scary face, that's me!)
