My Trip Report 8-25/8-29: The Good, Bad & Ugly
Little background: 2 Adults, one daughter 8YO
Stayed at the Contemporary Tower from 8-25 through 8/29
Fourth Time (’01, ’04, ’05, ’11) staying at the Contemporary in last ten years
The Good:
Bus Service: In a word, the bus service was stellar, absolutely stellar. We waited for a bus just once in almost a dozen trips and the wait was less than five minutes. More times than not it seemed the bus was waiting for us. Thankfully the bus does not wait to be half full before leaving- people get on, the driver checks his mirrors/window to make sure no one else is waving him down, then they’re off. This was in direct contrast to the resort monorail (more later) and it got to the point we would rather take the bus.
Contemporary: When we were last there in ’05 they were refurbishing the rooms and I was pretty impressed upon our arrival this time. Considering the space limitations I thought they did a great job with the bathrooms. I like the Wave Restaurant (had breakfast there one morning and the sweet potato pancakes are a must) as well as that quick service café in the middle where you can get some really great baked goods.
Cast Members: I had read some disparaging posts here on CM’s here but everyone was completely friendly and helpful. At the CR if any hotel staff saw you wandering around they would run up to see if you needed assistance. We had two CM’s really go out of their way to help us: one who hooked us up after they screwed up our family magic tour and a waitress at Crystal Palace who, after it took more than 30 minutes on the monorail to get from the CR to CP for breakfast, made sure we got everything we needed in faster than usual time. She even walked my daughter over to snap a photo with eyore and get an autograph as he never would’ve made it to our table in time as we had to leave for the Family Magic Tour.
Family Magic Tour: Highly recommended for those with kids under the age of ten. More of a scavenger hunt than a tour but it kept the kids interested, we learned a few things and the tour guide had the “golden tickets” which allowed us to the front of rides and other things. Private meetings with Peter Pan, Mickey and Minnie with pictures and autographs went over well.
Animal Kingdom: Yes I know a lot of people don’t like it and its not my favorite park but for the four hours we were there I got more in return than I expected. Granted I was there in ’98 when it opened and was not very impressed- but this time around I found it very interesting. Did basically everything we wanted except Tough to be a Bug as it was really hot and my DD had a headache.
Liberty Tree Tavern: Love(d) the place. Second time there and better than the first. Love the food (I love Thanksgiving Dinner), generous portions and compared to many of the other table service places I thought it was good value.
Flag Retreat Ceremony at MK: Told my wife on Monday this was a must do and she said yes, knowing the way we feel about our nation. Highly recommended and please do not miss. Its great WDW celebrates and honors America like this. It was sparsely attended when we were there, which was disconcerting, but it offered me my Disney moment. As they were playing the Star Spangled Banner and people were standing at attention I noticed on the other side of the circle from me a woman- probably early 30’s, a little haggard from spending the day at the MK. In her left hand was a Disney gift bag and a bag filled with blue cotton candy. On her head a Disney hat with Mickey ears. Her right hand was giving a crisp salute as they lowered the flag and her eyes remained forward. Definitely was/is military and it was just a fantastic site. Great moment with the Main Street Philharmonic and the Quartet that led everyone in singing God Bless America. They introduced the veteran of the day and handed him the flag after it was folded.
Disney Dining Plan: Had never used it before but got it this time. Thought it was great value and really helped if used correctly.
The Bad
Misinformed/Uniformed CM’s: Had several issues where CM’s gave me information that was flat out wrong. Bus service to and from, times, etc. In one instance I went out for a run (I’m a runner) on a Saturday morning and asked the concierge at CR how long the loop was around the MK resorts. He said “about three miles- just follow along the monorail and you'll be fine.” I jogged past the entrance to the MK, followed the small path towards the Grand Floridian then ran into the lagoon with no way to cross. Just annoying. One CM at the MK barely spoke English. Ditto for a worker at the Clothier store in HS. Another instance it took two managers, two other employees and 30 minutes at 10:30PM to resolve an issue of never receiving a photo I paid for.
Dress Selection at BBB: Considering the prices they charge and the fact we are in the MK, I really thought the dress selection was skimpy at the BBB. Just not a lot to choose from for the little princesses.
Tipping Suggestions: I have an issue with people who don’t tip and I also have an issue when the suggested tipping amount is out of bounds. Every buffet the “suggested” (direct or indirect) tip was 18% or 20%. That’s fine if it’s a sit down dinner/lunch where the waiter/waitress is bringing every course to the table by hand- yet at a breakfast, especially a breakfast buffet, it is a bit excessive.
The Ugly
Resort Monorail System: In a word- disgraceful. It never took us less than 20 minutes to get from the Contemporary to the MK. Often times is took 25 minutes. The last day we were there, Monday 8/29, it took more than 30 minutes boarding at 8:22AM which made us rush our breakfast. EVERY SINGLE TIME there would be a stop for traffic between the CR and the main ticket/transit center…then another one between the TTC and the Poly…then another between the Poly and the GF…on the Monday morning we waited 10 minutes at the GF with the doors open. The ride on Saturday PM from the TTC to the Contemporary was 20 minutes- we had to watch the fireworks through the trees on the monorail rather than the balcony of our room at the CR. On one ride it would take at least two-to-three minutes for the monorail to come to a complete stop in the station. It was stop, go, stop, go, stop, go. Either the driver didn’t know what he was doing or the monorail had a major braking/stopping issue. Just awful, awful, awful considering the fact you pay extra for the hotels on the monorail system. I saw other people on the monorail equally frustrated. One woman on Saturday had steam coming out of her ears- this was the stop/go monorail. I was not asking for perfection rather hoping for a little efficiency & reliability. I plan on letting Disney know about this either through a letter or via survey they send me.
Price Gouging: I don’t mind paying high prices- we stayed in one of the more expensive rooms at the CR. We’ve been on three Disney cruises in the past and will be taking our fourth next August- we always get a category 4 or 5 room. Despite the expense every time I walked off the ship I felt I got more than my money’s worth. Can’t say the same about some of the things from last week. Many of the character breakfasts, specifically at CM, CP and Ohana are a rip off. Yes I know I don’t need to go there but when you have an 8YO there’s little wiggle room. Don’t get me wrong they were enjoyable but when I looked at the price we paid versus what we got in return there was little value. And I don’t mind Disney making a profit- it just seemed to me their attitude at certain events/etc is “lets see how we can squeeze every last dollar from people.”
Coral Reef: I ate there 20+ years ago and loved it. I read many of the poor reviews from posters on this forum but made the reservation anyway- then experienced what they were writing. First the place had a strange odor- if you’ve ever worked as a waiter/waitress you recognize this smell from the kitchen. The carpet looks like it has not been changed in more than a decade while the door in/out of the kitchen into the dining room was ragged and looked like it had water damage. The place reminded me more of Denny’s than Disney. The food was okay but the portions meager. The waiter brought three rolls in a basket for the three of us. From the time we ordered our meals until the time they arrived took almost 60 minutes. I had to press the waiter as we were planning to see illuminations that night and we just made it. (For the record our res was 7:15PM and we arrived ten minutes early). Again- just poor value for what the prices were and there were plenty of empty tables.
Hints:
- Never got to go on Soarin as the line was too long and the FP were gone by early afternoon.
- Was able to ride Toy Story Mania only at 12:40AM during extra magic hours. Even at 12midnight there was a forty minute wait.
- Just a heads up but I heard one of the check-in people at the desk of the CR tell a guest “traditionally no late check out for Bay Towers as per our contract with the DVC”
- On EMH at the MK the park was 95% empty starting around 11:30PM.
- For Wishes there was plenty of room in the front for those willing to sit down. We got there literally two minutes before the show started and were able to find a spot without interfering with anyone, which I am very sensitive towards. Unbelievable show- bought the CD i loved it so much.
- The standby line at Space Mountain was 10 minutes after the Electric Parade.
- Stiches Great Escape was awful imo- don’t wait more than 10 minutes for it.
In the end, after all my anxiety of hurricane Irene hitting Florida, the thrill is still there. My daughter was crying on Sunday night knowing it was the last night at the CR and kept saying over and over and over on Monday, “this was the best vacation ever”- that alone made it worth every cent.
Little background: 2 Adults, one daughter 8YO
Stayed at the Contemporary Tower from 8-25 through 8/29
Fourth Time (’01, ’04, ’05, ’11) staying at the Contemporary in last ten years
The Good:
Bus Service: In a word, the bus service was stellar, absolutely stellar. We waited for a bus just once in almost a dozen trips and the wait was less than five minutes. More times than not it seemed the bus was waiting for us. Thankfully the bus does not wait to be half full before leaving- people get on, the driver checks his mirrors/window to make sure no one else is waving him down, then they’re off. This was in direct contrast to the resort monorail (more later) and it got to the point we would rather take the bus.
Contemporary: When we were last there in ’05 they were refurbishing the rooms and I was pretty impressed upon our arrival this time. Considering the space limitations I thought they did a great job with the bathrooms. I like the Wave Restaurant (had breakfast there one morning and the sweet potato pancakes are a must) as well as that quick service café in the middle where you can get some really great baked goods.
Cast Members: I had read some disparaging posts here on CM’s here but everyone was completely friendly and helpful. At the CR if any hotel staff saw you wandering around they would run up to see if you needed assistance. We had two CM’s really go out of their way to help us: one who hooked us up after they screwed up our family magic tour and a waitress at Crystal Palace who, after it took more than 30 minutes on the monorail to get from the CR to CP for breakfast, made sure we got everything we needed in faster than usual time. She even walked my daughter over to snap a photo with eyore and get an autograph as he never would’ve made it to our table in time as we had to leave for the Family Magic Tour.
Family Magic Tour: Highly recommended for those with kids under the age of ten. More of a scavenger hunt than a tour but it kept the kids interested, we learned a few things and the tour guide had the “golden tickets” which allowed us to the front of rides and other things. Private meetings with Peter Pan, Mickey and Minnie with pictures and autographs went over well.
Animal Kingdom: Yes I know a lot of people don’t like it and its not my favorite park but for the four hours we were there I got more in return than I expected. Granted I was there in ’98 when it opened and was not very impressed- but this time around I found it very interesting. Did basically everything we wanted except Tough to be a Bug as it was really hot and my DD had a headache.
Liberty Tree Tavern: Love(d) the place. Second time there and better than the first. Love the food (I love Thanksgiving Dinner), generous portions and compared to many of the other table service places I thought it was good value.
Flag Retreat Ceremony at MK: Told my wife on Monday this was a must do and she said yes, knowing the way we feel about our nation. Highly recommended and please do not miss. Its great WDW celebrates and honors America like this. It was sparsely attended when we were there, which was disconcerting, but it offered me my Disney moment. As they were playing the Star Spangled Banner and people were standing at attention I noticed on the other side of the circle from me a woman- probably early 30’s, a little haggard from spending the day at the MK. In her left hand was a Disney gift bag and a bag filled with blue cotton candy. On her head a Disney hat with Mickey ears. Her right hand was giving a crisp salute as they lowered the flag and her eyes remained forward. Definitely was/is military and it was just a fantastic site. Great moment with the Main Street Philharmonic and the Quartet that led everyone in singing God Bless America. They introduced the veteran of the day and handed him the flag after it was folded.
Disney Dining Plan: Had never used it before but got it this time. Thought it was great value and really helped if used correctly.
The Bad
Misinformed/Uniformed CM’s: Had several issues where CM’s gave me information that was flat out wrong. Bus service to and from, times, etc. In one instance I went out for a run (I’m a runner) on a Saturday morning and asked the concierge at CR how long the loop was around the MK resorts. He said “about three miles- just follow along the monorail and you'll be fine.” I jogged past the entrance to the MK, followed the small path towards the Grand Floridian then ran into the lagoon with no way to cross. Just annoying. One CM at the MK barely spoke English. Ditto for a worker at the Clothier store in HS. Another instance it took two managers, two other employees and 30 minutes at 10:30PM to resolve an issue of never receiving a photo I paid for.
Dress Selection at BBB: Considering the prices they charge and the fact we are in the MK, I really thought the dress selection was skimpy at the BBB. Just not a lot to choose from for the little princesses.
Tipping Suggestions: I have an issue with people who don’t tip and I also have an issue when the suggested tipping amount is out of bounds. Every buffet the “suggested” (direct or indirect) tip was 18% or 20%. That’s fine if it’s a sit down dinner/lunch where the waiter/waitress is bringing every course to the table by hand- yet at a breakfast, especially a breakfast buffet, it is a bit excessive.
The Ugly
Resort Monorail System: In a word- disgraceful. It never took us less than 20 minutes to get from the Contemporary to the MK. Often times is took 25 minutes. The last day we were there, Monday 8/29, it took more than 30 minutes boarding at 8:22AM which made us rush our breakfast. EVERY SINGLE TIME there would be a stop for traffic between the CR and the main ticket/transit center…then another one between the TTC and the Poly…then another between the Poly and the GF…on the Monday morning we waited 10 minutes at the GF with the doors open. The ride on Saturday PM from the TTC to the Contemporary was 20 minutes- we had to watch the fireworks through the trees on the monorail rather than the balcony of our room at the CR. On one ride it would take at least two-to-three minutes for the monorail to come to a complete stop in the station. It was stop, go, stop, go, stop, go. Either the driver didn’t know what he was doing or the monorail had a major braking/stopping issue. Just awful, awful, awful considering the fact you pay extra for the hotels on the monorail system. I saw other people on the monorail equally frustrated. One woman on Saturday had steam coming out of her ears- this was the stop/go monorail. I was not asking for perfection rather hoping for a little efficiency & reliability. I plan on letting Disney know about this either through a letter or via survey they send me.
Price Gouging: I don’t mind paying high prices- we stayed in one of the more expensive rooms at the CR. We’ve been on three Disney cruises in the past and will be taking our fourth next August- we always get a category 4 or 5 room. Despite the expense every time I walked off the ship I felt I got more than my money’s worth. Can’t say the same about some of the things from last week. Many of the character breakfasts, specifically at CM, CP and Ohana are a rip off. Yes I know I don’t need to go there but when you have an 8YO there’s little wiggle room. Don’t get me wrong they were enjoyable but when I looked at the price we paid versus what we got in return there was little value. And I don’t mind Disney making a profit- it just seemed to me their attitude at certain events/etc is “lets see how we can squeeze every last dollar from people.”
Coral Reef: I ate there 20+ years ago and loved it. I read many of the poor reviews from posters on this forum but made the reservation anyway- then experienced what they were writing. First the place had a strange odor- if you’ve ever worked as a waiter/waitress you recognize this smell from the kitchen. The carpet looks like it has not been changed in more than a decade while the door in/out of the kitchen into the dining room was ragged and looked like it had water damage. The place reminded me more of Denny’s than Disney. The food was okay but the portions meager. The waiter brought three rolls in a basket for the three of us. From the time we ordered our meals until the time they arrived took almost 60 minutes. I had to press the waiter as we were planning to see illuminations that night and we just made it. (For the record our res was 7:15PM and we arrived ten minutes early). Again- just poor value for what the prices were and there were plenty of empty tables.
Hints:
- Never got to go on Soarin as the line was too long and the FP were gone by early afternoon.
- Was able to ride Toy Story Mania only at 12:40AM during extra magic hours. Even at 12midnight there was a forty minute wait.
- Just a heads up but I heard one of the check-in people at the desk of the CR tell a guest “traditionally no late check out for Bay Towers as per our contract with the DVC”
- On EMH at the MK the park was 95% empty starting around 11:30PM.
- For Wishes there was plenty of room in the front for those willing to sit down. We got there literally two minutes before the show started and were able to find a spot without interfering with anyone, which I am very sensitive towards. Unbelievable show- bought the CD i loved it so much.
- The standby line at Space Mountain was 10 minutes after the Electric Parade.
- Stiches Great Escape was awful imo- don’t wait more than 10 minutes for it.
In the end, after all my anxiety of hurricane Irene hitting Florida, the thrill is still there. My daughter was crying on Sunday night knowing it was the last night at the CR and kept saying over and over and over on Monday, “this was the best vacation ever”- that alone made it worth every cent.
