Need help w/SOG room choices

[Momof6]

I know that there was some discussion about this awhile back. I am now sitting here with the SOG map in front of me, and can't figure out what you are looking at from various rooms.
Here are a few things to narrow the 'search'!
We will be there for two weeks - so the view is kind of important.
We return to our room many days for a mid-day nap, so probably shouldn't be right by the pool.
We have a rental car.
Only two of our six children will be with us - DD 12 and DD 14.
We will see fireworks a lot in the parks - because we always stay late.

You can't imagine how much your opinions will help...at least we can think about our options before standing at the check in counter!

Denise

ps - only 27 days til we go now! Yeah!

 

[weregoingtodw]

I know that there was some discussion about this awhile back. I am now sitting here with the SOG map in front of me, and can't figure out what you are looking at from various rooms.
Here are a few things to narrow the 'search'!
We will be there for two weeks - so the view is kind of important.
We return to our room many days for a mid-day nap, so probably shouldn't be right by the pool.
We have a rental car.
Only two of our six children will be with us - DD 12 and DD 14.
We will see fireworks a lot in the parks - because we always stay late.

You can't imagine how much your opinions will help...at least we can think about our options before standing at the check in counter!

Denise

ps - only 27 days til we go now! Yeah!

Okay, my take... for you, view is important, but not necessarily a fireworks view. You'll have a car, so you'd rather be closer to the car than the pools most likely.

#1 - I'd recommend the new section (closer to parking garage, and overlooking the gorgeous "park area." Much quieter than the pool area.

#2 - The further down the corridor you get, the fewer people will go running back & forth by your room each day. I'd say for the best view/quietest room, try to get something in the 118-124 range (of course, the first number will vary depending on the floor, but with the last 3 digits of the room number being 118-134).

#3 - If you're planning to do laundry frequently, a room on the third floor will be handy.

If you have any questions regarding specific areas, let me know & I'll try to help .

 

[MrIncreadable]

Try calling SOG and asking one of the CM's about a room. I called today and the CM was very nice and helpful. She answered all questions and I am able to ask quite a few stupid ones. I also asked how crowded SOG will be in May and she said they have quite a few room available. I know this was not what you are looking for but it may be easier if you get a CM that likes to help and kows all the views Etc. Just a thought.

 

[Momof6]

I have also found the staff at SOG very helpful over the phone. The last two times we went they were doing the renovations and were closed - so we ended up in the CR one time and POR the other. We are really looking forward to SOG - especially after seeing their new website and the pics.
I do think that we will probably go with the room/view that was suggested...new room facing that nicely landscaped pond area (somewhere in the 5110-5117 on any floor but the first. It seems like my DH and I could spend some time relaxing on the balcony and enjoying the view.
Is it a super long walk to the Mickey shaped pool? When we stayed at CR we were in the N. Garden wing ... way down near the far end. Is that maybe similar? We don't mind walking, just hard to get a sense of how far things are from each other on the map!
Thanks again!

Denise

 

[swatts1]

I just got back from SOG today. It was my 10th trip, but first since they reopened. The new rooms are very nice. They don't have the partition that seperates the dining area from the sleeping area, but they are just as large. The furniture is bigger; it is a dresser/credenza rather than an armoire - and this will be better for you when unpacking. ALSO, the sleeper sofa in the new part is excellent. In fact I'm going to buy one for my daughter's condo. It isn't a traditional sleeper sofa, but pulls down and there is a real live twin mattress that resides in the back of the sofa - no bars, no thin, sofa mattress. I took photos and can send them to you if you need to see what I'm talking about. If you need to use the sofa you MUST stay in the new wing. We had a rental car and drove to AK and MGM and Epcot. Being in the new wing was so convenient to the garage. We were close to both the lobby and the garage. We were NOT close to the pool or the sports bar. That didn't matter to us. Our room was 3108 and we were around the corner from the laundry, but heard no noise, except hall noise. I think they've done an awesome update to SOG. I liked it before, but now it felt like SOG meets Wilderness Lodge. Very nice.

 

[Sleepy]

We have the same dilema for next August. We always stay 2 weeks and prefered the first rooms after the windowed corridor in the old section so that we could get a quick dash to the bus stop since we never used our car once we arrived. Now the bus stop is on the 1st floor and we don't have a clue.

We'd like to be close to Evergreens as we enjoy this in the late hours. We are just unsure about the set up/how you get to the bus stop if you are on the first floor (the old section used to dump you out on the second floor). Actual pictures are so much better than this new map....and I can't use my imagination based on what used to be. Can anyone clue me in on how you get to the bus stop if you are in a first floor room? (please no smart remarks..lol ) I never went to the front of the hotel from the first floor.........as the old entrance was on the 2nd floor.

 

[suevee]

I don't believe you can get to the bus stop from the first floor rooms. There was a wall blocking that access. It sounds silly but you have to go upstairs walk through the lobby and go down to get to the bus stop. For easy access to the Evergreens and pool, then the old section is the best. For easy access to parking garage and great views then the new section is best. I have been told the top floor of the parking garage is great for viewing the fireworks from MK.

 

[Momof6]

I am thinking that if we have any choice in the matter we will end up going to the new wing. The more I think about it the more it makes sense to be closer to the garage - early morning walk to the car and late at night walk to the room are always much more difficult than mid day walk to/from the pool.
Did you use the balcony? Did you request a room before you got there...or just tell them your preference when you arrived?


Denise

 

[kandeebunny]

I don't mean to hijack a thread, but we are headed down in 29...no 28 days! It is our first stay at SoG. Will be with my mom, step mom and step brother. I'm confused about their bus system, if we were to go to PI for the night could we get back via bus? Should I pack a travel iron? We will be driving down...is there valet parking? If not is there your traditional bell services to take care of the luggage? I have an ECV should I be requestion any location to make getting around easier (and to avoid an elevator as much as possible)? Should I be calling them now to request this type of location?

SO much I didn't think about!!!

 

[Momof6]

Sounds like we'll be there the same time...We're there 4/12 to 4/26.

Denise

 

[mog]

I'm confused about their bus system, if we were to go to PI for the night could we get back via bus?
SO much I didn't think about!!!

We were there this past summer and went to Pleasure Island. SOG does have a bus that brings late nighters back from PI. However, after a certain time it only leaves once an hour from PI. I think the last one was at 3am maybe? Anyway, we were very careful to make the 2am bus so we wouldn't have to sit there for another hour waiting!! Boy was that a fun night!!

 

[LADYnTRAMP]

I'm wondering which building/area (new or old) should we stay in if we want to be close to the walkway to the Poly. Also, where is this in reference to the garage? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

[kandeebunny]

I am so jealous!!! We will only be there for 5 nights the 14th-19th!

and thanks! I think the mom's are going to take the car back early, so we were trying to figure how we would get back from PI!

 

[FirstNo]

Try calling SOG and asking one of the CM's about a room. I called today and the CM was very nice and helpful. She answered all questions and I am able to ask quite a few stupid ones. I also asked how crowded SOG will be in May and she said they have quite a few room available. I know this was not what you are looking for but it may be easier if you get a CM that likes to help and kows all the views Etc. Just a thought.

Just a little clarification: there are no CMs at SoG. Most of the employees at SoG are contracted employees (including security). The resv agents, from my understanding, are still DoD employees (as it was when I was there), however I have heard through the grapevine that they are looking to contract that out as well.

To the OP, it all depends on what you're looking for. Do you want easy access and be close to the entrance/exit? Do you want something nice to look at while spending time in your room? Are you looking for something more quiet? Are you looking for easier access to the pool?

 

[FirstNo]

I don't mean to hijack a thread, but we are headed down in 29...no 28 days! It is our first stay at SoG. Will be with my mom, step mom and step brother. I'm confused about their bus system, if we were to go to PI for the night could we get back via bus? Should I pack a travel iron? We will be driving down...is there valet parking? If not is there your traditional bell services to take care of the luggage? I have an ECV should I be requestion any location to make getting around easier (and to avoid an elevator as much as possible)? Should I be calling them now to request this type of location?

SO much I didn't think about!!!

Leave the travel iron home. They had them in the rooms even before the expansion. Yes, there is valet parking and yes, there is bell service.

As for any requests, I would FAX my request to the FRONT DESK (NOT reservations) about 5-7 days prior to your arrival date. I know they now have a new resv program they use so, I can only tell you of what I had to deal with on the old one. While you can stay on the phone for 30 min waiting for resv to pick up, there was only a very small area for us to put in requests. The front desk themselves told me it is better for the guests to fax them. Apparently, they have a way to stick those requests in there so the manager can see them when they start room assignments (which used to be about 3 days out when the hotel was half the size it is now).

Just keep in mind that a request is just that....it is NOT a guarantee of any thing. They'll do their best and if you don't like the room you were given, you can ALWAYS go back to the desk and ask for another one. You may have to check in/out again the next day, but it depends on how important it is to you.

 

[Stitch Inside]

#1 - I'd recommend the new section (closer to parking garage, and overlooking the gorgeous "park area." Much quieter than the pool area.

#2 - The further down the corridor you get, the fewer people will go running back & forth by your room each day. I'd say for the best view/quietest room, try to get something in the 118-124 range (of course, the first number will vary depending on the floor, but with the last 3 digits of the room number being 118-134).

When you say "park area" are you referring to the area between the Old and New Sections?
Someone also asked about being close to the pathway to the Poly. I believe the closer to the front of the resort your room is, the closer you'll be to the path. From the map, it looks like you have to go out the front of the resort to get to the path. Am I correct?

 

[Stitch Inside]

bump

 

[weregoingtodw]

When you say "park area" are you referring to the area between the Old and New Sections?
Someone also asked about being close to the pathway to the Poly. I believe the closer to the front of the resort your room is, the closer you'll be to the path. From the map, it looks like you have to go out the front of the resort to get to the path. Am I correct?

By "park area", I mean the pretty area with the gardens, walking paths, etc. It's shown well in this picture: http://www.allearsnet.com/acc/sog50.jpg

If you look on the resort map - http://www.shadesofgreen.org/Resort Layout.pdf - you'll see toward the middle a pond with an "island" in the middle. That's what you would be overlooking in those rooms. Does that make sense?

For the path to the Poly, if you look at the resort map (URL above), the path going toward the Poly is toward the bottom, where it says Ground Floor (1).

Let me know if that isn't clear - I know what I'm trying to say, but I have a feeling I'm not doing the best job explaining it!