Pooh's-Honey-Pot
DVC owner since 2020 - VGF, BLT and SSR
- Joined
- May 31, 2007
- Messages
- 3,668
Hi all!
Well we arrived back Saturday and are both fully immersed in the post holiday blues despite having booked a repeat visit next year! A whole 11 months and 1 week to wait already! Tick tock!
I have also started a food review report if you want more detail on any of the restaurants – here -
http://www.disboards.com/threads/how-many-snack-credits-are-left-11-nights-of-free-dining.3555326/
All in all in was great – when isn’t it?! Special mention highs and lows are as follows:
Highs –
Free dining – I think this is the first time I have ever had free dining. I’m still blown away at how much food you can have for free! And apart from one notable exception, all the meals we ate were great.
Servers – we seemed to have some great, helpful, friendly servers in the restaurants this year who just made the experience magical.
Weather (week 2) – hot and dry – just what Florida should be.
Wishes - I live in constant fear that this will be cancelled – as magical as ever.
First holiday with my boyfriend (JC)– we had such a good time! And being joined by our American friends half way through was lovely!
Splash Mountain – in all of my visits I have always refused to go on this! I promised JC I would try it though . . . and I LOVED it!!! Cannot believe I missed it for so long! I did not cover myself in glory though as I wore a poncho!
OKW – this goes in the good and bad column . . . good for how beautiful it is, and how nice the (small!) bar, quick service and Olivia’s restaurant are.
Frozen ride – only did this because it was new, I wasn’t really interested in it . . . ohhhh we did love it!!!! Laughed and sang all the way around!
The new Soarin’ – I was proper worried that this wouldn’t be as good as the old one, but it is!
Lows –
The weather in week one, leading up to the hurricane was pretty bad. Rain so deep one afternoon that it was coming up over my trainers. That was the day I forgot the rain coats so had to give in and buy Mickey ponchos – for shame.
Hurricane Matthew. Being under curfew in your hotel room for the best part of 24 hours, thinking that you are about to be hit by the worst hurricane in decades was pretty hairy. My low point was getting back to the hotel room to find Disney had left a torch in case the electricity went out – organized I know, but it really hit home to me just how serious it was. And I burst into tears. Luckily it drifted slightly off course and apart from some broken tree branches you would never have known that it had happened. After the curfew Disney cancelled all ADRs (without notifying us) which blew, but at least it gives me some restaurants to start planning next year with. We were not particularly impressed with the amount of communication received from OKW during the curfew, or the different information that I was given by several members of staff.
OKW – The resort was just huge. We were in the turtle pond area - not the furthest point from the Hospitality House and we are in no way unfit – but this was well over ten minutes from Hospitality House each way which is just to far to walk if you just want to fill a refillable mug up after a long day in the parks. We felt very isolated. I would stay there again (I would stay anywhere to be at Disney!) but it wouldn’t be my first choice.
Buses – the first week they were terrible. They improved the second week. We are staying at SSR next year instead though so that we at least have the option of walking to Disney Springs, which means slight freedom from them!
Sci Fi Dine In – how do people eat this rubbish, and in the dark?! Bleugh!
Concierge – I wanted to post a parcel to a friend in the US so went to the concierge desk - 30 minutes it took! The lady on the desk asked me to fill in a paper slip with my credit card number, told me that it would be “around $50” but that she couldn’t confirm the cost until after it had been sent and then my card would just be charged?! I queried this, as the same parcel last year cost me $12 to send and was charged to my room but she was adamant. Luckily a nearby cast member heard and came over to show her how to do it on the computer - $8 instead of $50! I’m still a bit dubious as to her motives as she was determined to get me to write my credit card number down.
Tipping problems – In Captains Grill we had a $30 alcohol bill. We left $50 to cover that and the tip. Upon checking our room charges the next day in the lobby I noticed that – after we had left – the waiter had charged our room the $30 for the alcohol, thus giving himself a $50 tip! He wasn’t that good! Luckily I had read on here before leaving about someone else that it had happened to, so I was really vigilant. After it happened to us I made all the servers bring me signed bills before I left the restaurant. The worst thing was that – apart from the server scanning our magic band when we arrived to check we were on the DDP – we had not used our bands. Its scary to know they can be charged after you leave.
Loads of issues with various rides breaking down, usually when we had a FP for them! It feels like some serious maintenance is needed.
The crowds - holy cow it was busy. A lot different from last time I went in October in 2010. At one point the line for 7 Dwarfs was 3.5 hours long.
The Launch Bay in DHS – JC decided to treat himself to a $250 storm trooper helmet, after much consideration about whether we could squeeze it in the suitcase and would it look like a skull on the x-ray machine! We went to buy it and were told that they don’t keep them in stock so you have to order it . . . but once ordered they will only send them within the USA, hence cutting off about half of their possible sales! It was so annoying!! They could at least make this clear on the display cabinet! Ever seen a grown man disappointed over a storm trooper helmet?! Poor thing – we had to have an emergency trip to Starring Roles for a cupcake!
So that is it … probably a few more moans that in other years, but there were some exceptional circumstances. We thoroughly enjoyed it though and can’t wait to go back. 11 nights was definitely not enough so we have upped it by a couple of days for next year.
Well we arrived back Saturday and are both fully immersed in the post holiday blues despite having booked a repeat visit next year! A whole 11 months and 1 week to wait already! Tick tock!
I have also started a food review report if you want more detail on any of the restaurants – here -
http://www.disboards.com/threads/how-many-snack-credits-are-left-11-nights-of-free-dining.3555326/
All in all in was great – when isn’t it?! Special mention highs and lows are as follows:
Highs –
Free dining – I think this is the first time I have ever had free dining. I’m still blown away at how much food you can have for free! And apart from one notable exception, all the meals we ate were great.
Servers – we seemed to have some great, helpful, friendly servers in the restaurants this year who just made the experience magical.
Weather (week 2) – hot and dry – just what Florida should be.
Wishes - I live in constant fear that this will be cancelled – as magical as ever.
First holiday with my boyfriend (JC)– we had such a good time! And being joined by our American friends half way through was lovely!
Splash Mountain – in all of my visits I have always refused to go on this! I promised JC I would try it though . . . and I LOVED it!!! Cannot believe I missed it for so long! I did not cover myself in glory though as I wore a poncho!
OKW – this goes in the good and bad column . . . good for how beautiful it is, and how nice the (small!) bar, quick service and Olivia’s restaurant are.
Frozen ride – only did this because it was new, I wasn’t really interested in it . . . ohhhh we did love it!!!! Laughed and sang all the way around!
The new Soarin’ – I was proper worried that this wouldn’t be as good as the old one, but it is!
Lows –
The weather in week one, leading up to the hurricane was pretty bad. Rain so deep one afternoon that it was coming up over my trainers. That was the day I forgot the rain coats so had to give in and buy Mickey ponchos – for shame.
Hurricane Matthew. Being under curfew in your hotel room for the best part of 24 hours, thinking that you are about to be hit by the worst hurricane in decades was pretty hairy. My low point was getting back to the hotel room to find Disney had left a torch in case the electricity went out – organized I know, but it really hit home to me just how serious it was. And I burst into tears. Luckily it drifted slightly off course and apart from some broken tree branches you would never have known that it had happened. After the curfew Disney cancelled all ADRs (without notifying us) which blew, but at least it gives me some restaurants to start planning next year with. We were not particularly impressed with the amount of communication received from OKW during the curfew, or the different information that I was given by several members of staff.
OKW – The resort was just huge. We were in the turtle pond area - not the furthest point from the Hospitality House and we are in no way unfit – but this was well over ten minutes from Hospitality House each way which is just to far to walk if you just want to fill a refillable mug up after a long day in the parks. We felt very isolated. I would stay there again (I would stay anywhere to be at Disney!) but it wouldn’t be my first choice.
Buses – the first week they were terrible. They improved the second week. We are staying at SSR next year instead though so that we at least have the option of walking to Disney Springs, which means slight freedom from them!
Sci Fi Dine In – how do people eat this rubbish, and in the dark?! Bleugh!
Concierge – I wanted to post a parcel to a friend in the US so went to the concierge desk - 30 minutes it took! The lady on the desk asked me to fill in a paper slip with my credit card number, told me that it would be “around $50” but that she couldn’t confirm the cost until after it had been sent and then my card would just be charged?! I queried this, as the same parcel last year cost me $12 to send and was charged to my room but she was adamant. Luckily a nearby cast member heard and came over to show her how to do it on the computer - $8 instead of $50! I’m still a bit dubious as to her motives as she was determined to get me to write my credit card number down.
Tipping problems – In Captains Grill we had a $30 alcohol bill. We left $50 to cover that and the tip. Upon checking our room charges the next day in the lobby I noticed that – after we had left – the waiter had charged our room the $30 for the alcohol, thus giving himself a $50 tip! He wasn’t that good! Luckily I had read on here before leaving about someone else that it had happened to, so I was really vigilant. After it happened to us I made all the servers bring me signed bills before I left the restaurant. The worst thing was that – apart from the server scanning our magic band when we arrived to check we were on the DDP – we had not used our bands. Its scary to know they can be charged after you leave.
Loads of issues with various rides breaking down, usually when we had a FP for them! It feels like some serious maintenance is needed.
The crowds - holy cow it was busy. A lot different from last time I went in October in 2010. At one point the line for 7 Dwarfs was 3.5 hours long.
The Launch Bay in DHS – JC decided to treat himself to a $250 storm trooper helmet, after much consideration about whether we could squeeze it in the suitcase and would it look like a skull on the x-ray machine! We went to buy it and were told that they don’t keep them in stock so you have to order it . . . but once ordered they will only send them within the USA, hence cutting off about half of their possible sales! It was so annoying!! They could at least make this clear on the display cabinet! Ever seen a grown man disappointed over a storm trooper helmet?! Poor thing – we had to have an emergency trip to Starring Roles for a cupcake!
So that is it … probably a few more moans that in other years, but there were some exceptional circumstances. We thoroughly enjoyed it though and can’t wait to go back. 11 nights was definitely not enough so we have upped it by a couple of days for next year.
