Stevegriswold
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- May 27, 2007
- Messages
- 337
Trip report for Mk and Epcot July 2007
Just back from our trip to WDW. What a great time. Here are the bullet points:
Resort: Port Orleans River Side (Water view room 8740)
Paid $264.00 TOTAL with tax for two nights
Good:
Room is close to the pool and close to the main lobby building with food etc.
You are on Disney Property and get Disney transportation and are close to all the activities.
Neutral:
Rooms are ok, nothing spectacular. Water view is kind of pointless. The window is in the front of the room, so you have the blinds closed so people walk by your room at day are not looking in. Basically a motel setup with outside entry and AC units under the window. No patio to sit on and look at a view. No carpeted halls, shops, dining etc in your building. You are basically in a motel and everything else is located in a main building. But for a motel style it clean, and themeing is very nice.
Bad:
Not worth the money for a motel room. We got a great deal so for us it was worth it, but for the rack room rate it is not worth it for me.
Parks:
Magic Kingdom:
I have been at least 100-200 times in the past, but left my job at Disney about 7 years ago, and have only been back for one day at AK since then. So for not going for 7 years I was surprised at the lack of new things at MK.
But then again when I worked at Disney, they opened AK, Downtown Disney, tons of resorts, water parks, etc and every few months there was something opening.
This was our first trip with our two year old daughter so it was really for her to get to see Disney. So we looked at everything from her perspective and did all the little kid rides.
So that was tons of fun. We also took turns on the roller coasters and the other person would take her to a shop or something else during that time.
Laugh Floor: walked on 20 min wait.
New Monsters Inc show in tomorrow land.
The reviews on this board for this show are awful, so I was very pleasantly surprised when we went to this show and it was pretty funny and well done. Plus the wait was only like 20 mins. in peak season.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Walked on 20 min wait
Same ride with 3- 4 Jake animatronics figures added. So nothing really new here, but still a good ride for kids.
Space Mountain 80 min line, had fast pass 10 min wait.
Forgot how fun that ride is.
Small world and Buzz Light year We had Fast passes for both of these and on both rides the Fast Pass Line was much longer than the regular line. This was especially noticeable on Its a Small World. They hold the fast pass line up at a merge point and only occasionally let the fast pass people merge with the regular line. Both of these rides we could have easily gotten on quicker without the fast pass.
FireWorks at 10 PM at MK (Dreams) -
Very good show, you really need to find a place and camp out and make sure it is a spot with no an inch of space in front of you or else you will have people at the last minute standing in front of you.
Spectro Magic Parade - 9 PM at MK
Wow that parade is still going on. I remember that parade from working there and also as a kid, seemed more magical then. Out two year old love it, so hope she enjoyed it as much as I did when I was younger. I also remember the electrical light parade which they are also still running at Disneyland Paris or Disneyland China now.
I think this is great for kids and first timers to Disney, but could be replaced with something since it has been running for so long now.
Day 2 EPCOT: Arrived at 8:30 AM got in on early magic hours for about 30 mins.
Test Track- wait during extra magic hours 20-30 mins, did fast pass, 10 mins: Still lots of fun.
Soarin Wait during extra Magic Hours 30 mins, did fast pass, 10-15 mins. I had heard a lot of hype so to me this did not live up to what I was expecting. It was cool, but the motion was not as real and something like back to the future when that ride was new and clean and running smoothly. Seeing the row of peoples feet dangling in front of me from the car above us kid of kills the hang glider effect they are going for.
Day 2 SICK at EPCOT
Our daughter got sick while waiting in the Land Ride que. So that was not fun. She was sleeping while we did Test Track and Soarin so we took turns and one of us skipped the ride. We were wondering why she seemed crabby and was taking a nap. So I get barfed on in the Land que. My wife changes her and cleans her up. I clean up as best as I can. She comes back out and wants to be held and as soon as I pick her up I get barfed on two more times.
The only thing I think that was disappointing was there was no help, offered to get her back to the Disney hotel we were staying at, so it took as a while to make it out of Epcot having to top and barf every 5-10 mins along the way. At the exit gate we were told to there was no other transportation back to the hotel other than the bus, and no Epcot tickets offered if she felt better the next day to come back. So it was a long wait for the bus and trying to track down cast members to clean up barf as we waited there, then a difficult ride back on the bus. A frequent guest to Disney on the bus told us to stop at the hotel front desk and let them know she was sick, we were only at the park and hour and a half etc. They once had a sick child, got balloons sent to their room, had someone check up on them, got their admission covered for a later day, etc. So we waited in line, as she got sick again, finally got the front and were told the only DR avail. if off property at a walk in clinic, No transportation avail., other than cabs., and all tickets to the parks are non refundable.
So we spent Sunday all day in the room going though towel after towel as she got sick. We did try again by calling the front desk Port Orleans River Side and asking for the manger on duty, basically the same story, you can take a cab to a walk in clinic, no refunds for tickets.
Anyway, its not Disneys fault we had a sick child, but we figured it was no loss to them to give us tickets for our last day to go back to Epcot if she felt better, we had dining reservations etc. so it was money lost to them.
The next day our daughter did feel better but we decided not to buy two more tickets to EPCOT and just stayed at Port Orleans and relaxed.
Cast Members:
Most were great, We only had two instances out of many many castmembers we saw and we look for this kind of stuff. The real shocker was the lack of doing anything at all for us as resort guest and theme park guests when we had a sick child at EPCOT.
But again overall All castmembers we met excpet for a few were excellent. Which was amazing since I know what these people get paid still and know the massive amount of outsourcing that has been happening there since I left.
Here are just the negative experieinces. We had many many positive cast experiences. We had some cast members at the Rain Forest Café (3rd party) but still should follow Disney customer service guidelines. Basically the waiters were arguing about what tables they wanted to wait on, which guests looked like they would tip and which ones looked like they would not, etc. One castmember was upset he did not get the table he wanted to wait on and did not think they woul contribute to the insurance money he needed to pay.
Then at the Pin Trader shop in Downtown Disney you could tell we were interrupting the three cast members day that were chatting about something when we were waiting to pay.
Times change. I remember when I worked at the Grand Floridian Hotel for 3-4 years. Our Moto was GRAND Guest Requests Are Never Denied. And let me tell you that was followed to the T. I remember a guest requesting Pepsi in their Mini Bar. Coke is the Sponsor at Walt Disney World. I drove out to 7/11 and bought a 12 pack of Pepsi and delivered it to their room, not a big deal, a free 12 pack of Pepsi, but every little request we tried to cover and go above and beyond. So I think of things like that from 10 years ago, and then I think about the Dreams promotion Disney has going on now and how it is suppose to be cast members doing little special things for guests. Then I think about how we paid to stay on property, had a sick child, and spent only an hour and a half in Epcot and basically were brushed off, as she sat there barfing in front of them. I have to think we must just have not talked to the right people at Epcot and the manager at Port Orleans River Side, maybe was just having a bad day.
But we will be back, hopefully no sick the next time.
Just back from our trip to WDW. What a great time. Here are the bullet points:
Resort: Port Orleans River Side (Water view room 8740)
Paid $264.00 TOTAL with tax for two nights
Good:
Room is close to the pool and close to the main lobby building with food etc.
You are on Disney Property and get Disney transportation and are close to all the activities.
Neutral:
Rooms are ok, nothing spectacular. Water view is kind of pointless. The window is in the front of the room, so you have the blinds closed so people walk by your room at day are not looking in. Basically a motel setup with outside entry and AC units under the window. No patio to sit on and look at a view. No carpeted halls, shops, dining etc in your building. You are basically in a motel and everything else is located in a main building. But for a motel style it clean, and themeing is very nice.
Bad:
Not worth the money for a motel room. We got a great deal so for us it was worth it, but for the rack room rate it is not worth it for me.
Parks:
Magic Kingdom:
I have been at least 100-200 times in the past, but left my job at Disney about 7 years ago, and have only been back for one day at AK since then. So for not going for 7 years I was surprised at the lack of new things at MK.
But then again when I worked at Disney, they opened AK, Downtown Disney, tons of resorts, water parks, etc and every few months there was something opening.
This was our first trip with our two year old daughter so it was really for her to get to see Disney. So we looked at everything from her perspective and did all the little kid rides.
So that was tons of fun. We also took turns on the roller coasters and the other person would take her to a shop or something else during that time.
Laugh Floor: walked on 20 min wait.
New Monsters Inc show in tomorrow land.
The reviews on this board for this show are awful, so I was very pleasantly surprised when we went to this show and it was pretty funny and well done. Plus the wait was only like 20 mins. in peak season.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Walked on 20 min wait
Same ride with 3- 4 Jake animatronics figures added. So nothing really new here, but still a good ride for kids.
Space Mountain 80 min line, had fast pass 10 min wait.
Forgot how fun that ride is.
Small world and Buzz Light year We had Fast passes for both of these and on both rides the Fast Pass Line was much longer than the regular line. This was especially noticeable on Its a Small World. They hold the fast pass line up at a merge point and only occasionally let the fast pass people merge with the regular line. Both of these rides we could have easily gotten on quicker without the fast pass.
FireWorks at 10 PM at MK (Dreams) -
Very good show, you really need to find a place and camp out and make sure it is a spot with no an inch of space in front of you or else you will have people at the last minute standing in front of you.
Spectro Magic Parade - 9 PM at MK
Wow that parade is still going on. I remember that parade from working there and also as a kid, seemed more magical then. Out two year old love it, so hope she enjoyed it as much as I did when I was younger. I also remember the electrical light parade which they are also still running at Disneyland Paris or Disneyland China now.
I think this is great for kids and first timers to Disney, but could be replaced with something since it has been running for so long now.
Day 2 EPCOT: Arrived at 8:30 AM got in on early magic hours for about 30 mins.
Test Track- wait during extra magic hours 20-30 mins, did fast pass, 10 mins: Still lots of fun.
Soarin Wait during extra Magic Hours 30 mins, did fast pass, 10-15 mins. I had heard a lot of hype so to me this did not live up to what I was expecting. It was cool, but the motion was not as real and something like back to the future when that ride was new and clean and running smoothly. Seeing the row of peoples feet dangling in front of me from the car above us kid of kills the hang glider effect they are going for.
Day 2 SICK at EPCOT
Our daughter got sick while waiting in the Land Ride que. So that was not fun. She was sleeping while we did Test Track and Soarin so we took turns and one of us skipped the ride. We were wondering why she seemed crabby and was taking a nap. So I get barfed on in the Land que. My wife changes her and cleans her up. I clean up as best as I can. She comes back out and wants to be held and as soon as I pick her up I get barfed on two more times.
The only thing I think that was disappointing was there was no help, offered to get her back to the Disney hotel we were staying at, so it took as a while to make it out of Epcot having to top and barf every 5-10 mins along the way. At the exit gate we were told to there was no other transportation back to the hotel other than the bus, and no Epcot tickets offered if she felt better the next day to come back. So it was a long wait for the bus and trying to track down cast members to clean up barf as we waited there, then a difficult ride back on the bus. A frequent guest to Disney on the bus told us to stop at the hotel front desk and let them know she was sick, we were only at the park and hour and a half etc. They once had a sick child, got balloons sent to their room, had someone check up on them, got their admission covered for a later day, etc. So we waited in line, as she got sick again, finally got the front and were told the only DR avail. if off property at a walk in clinic, No transportation avail., other than cabs., and all tickets to the parks are non refundable.
So we spent Sunday all day in the room going though towel after towel as she got sick. We did try again by calling the front desk Port Orleans River Side and asking for the manger on duty, basically the same story, you can take a cab to a walk in clinic, no refunds for tickets.
Anyway, its not Disneys fault we had a sick child, but we figured it was no loss to them to give us tickets for our last day to go back to Epcot if she felt better, we had dining reservations etc. so it was money lost to them.
The next day our daughter did feel better but we decided not to buy two more tickets to EPCOT and just stayed at Port Orleans and relaxed.
Cast Members:
Most were great, We only had two instances out of many many castmembers we saw and we look for this kind of stuff. The real shocker was the lack of doing anything at all for us as resort guest and theme park guests when we had a sick child at EPCOT.
But again overall All castmembers we met excpet for a few were excellent. Which was amazing since I know what these people get paid still and know the massive amount of outsourcing that has been happening there since I left.
Here are just the negative experieinces. We had many many positive cast experiences. We had some cast members at the Rain Forest Café (3rd party) but still should follow Disney customer service guidelines. Basically the waiters were arguing about what tables they wanted to wait on, which guests looked like they would tip and which ones looked like they would not, etc. One castmember was upset he did not get the table he wanted to wait on and did not think they woul contribute to the insurance money he needed to pay.
Then at the Pin Trader shop in Downtown Disney you could tell we were interrupting the three cast members day that were chatting about something when we were waiting to pay.
Times change. I remember when I worked at the Grand Floridian Hotel for 3-4 years. Our Moto was GRAND Guest Requests Are Never Denied. And let me tell you that was followed to the T. I remember a guest requesting Pepsi in their Mini Bar. Coke is the Sponsor at Walt Disney World. I drove out to 7/11 and bought a 12 pack of Pepsi and delivered it to their room, not a big deal, a free 12 pack of Pepsi, but every little request we tried to cover and go above and beyond. So I think of things like that from 10 years ago, and then I think about the Dreams promotion Disney has going on now and how it is suppose to be cast members doing little special things for guests. Then I think about how we paid to stay on property, had a sick child, and spent only an hour and a half in Epcot and basically were brushed off, as she sat there barfing in front of them. I have to think we must just have not talked to the right people at Epcot and the manager at Port Orleans River Side, maybe was just having a bad day.
But we will be back, hopefully no sick the next time.
