new blog: Making the Most of Your Visit to a Disney Mandara Spa!

[LeahZ]

http://www.disunplugged.com/2012/04/29/making-the-most-of-your-visit-to-a-disney-mandara-spa/

 

[tinkcollector]

Thanks you two. I have had a few spa expierences in my life and have toyed with the idea of going to the Mandara while at Disneyland. You have now convinced me that I must do it.

 

[Nonsuch]

TravelZoo is selling a coupon for Mandara Spa at the Grand Californian.

$99 - Grand Californian Spa: Choice of Treatments up to $200

 

[sweethannah]

Thank you for the thread, I found the blog very informative.

I have never been to a spa or even had a massage and I was interested yet intimidated about booking a possible spa appointment at Mandara. The blog helped ease some of my nervousness. I'm going to take a look at the deal Nonsuch posted, it sounds similar to the one mentioned in the blog.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I'm glad the blog is proving useful. I had never had a spa experience before, and really enjoyed it here. I especially loved the facial and special attention given me by both ladies.

I used the Travelzoo coupon, and it was easy. I would reinforce, though, to make your appointments early because this is a very popular offer, and Fridays and weekends go very quickly.

 

[sweethannah]

I'm glad the blog is proving useful. I had never had a spa experience before, and really enjoyed it here. I especially loved the facial and special attention given me by both ladies.

I used the Travelzoo coupon, and it was easy. I would reinforce, though, to make your appointments early because this is a very popular offer, and Fridays and weekends go very quickly.

omg, you're the Mary Jo from the blog. Thanks to you and your friend for helping out us noobs.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

omg, you're the Mary Jo from the blog. Thanks to you and your friend for helping out us noobs.

It was all done for the DIS.

My friend is Nancy (who wrote most of the blog) and is a member of the podcast team, as well as yellowmickeyponchos here on the DISboards.

 

[Rhonna]

Just got back tonight from our trip. Did Mandara for the first time and we were able to use the travelzoo vouchers - that was very helpful. I had an 80 minute deep tissue massage. My sister got a mani/pedi.

Our observation was a bit different from the blog. There was not a lot offered to us - just the cucumber water and fruit on the table. No lemonade was mentioned. I asked about hot tea and was told only the workers had their own in the back. I asked because I wanted green tea (I thought for sure a top class spa and an Asian themed one at that would have some green or herbal teas) and I had several choices at another spa on our trip in Monterey. Also we had more choices at the Saratoga Spa in WDW several years ago. So we just had the cucumber water at Mandara.

Also, there were NO washcloths available. I had to ask for one and was told that they don't make a practice of giving them out to guests (the manager later confirmed this). I did get one after asking. Funny (and not so great thing) is there was a used one in the shower from a previous guest. There was also long brown hair in both showers (on the walls, not just the floor) and on the floor near the sink/mirror area. Not a good impression.

There were no iced towels near the saunas. I was surprised to read about the iced towels and lemonade in the blog.

There was one blow dryer that you plug in - not attached to the wall. I was almost done drying my hair when it just quit on me.

I did speak (very nicely) to the manager and mentioned the issues. He said they do not provide washcloths for guests. He was very polite and said he would look into the cleanliness issue. He gave us gift certificates for a future visit - that was nice but I would rather have seen a clean facility. If it had been very busy I could possibly understand. The workers were all around but apparently didn't bother cleaning.

There were two girls when we went to pay. When I asked for the manager it was like I'd dropped a bomb. One girl left and the other was stone faced listening to my conversation with the manager. She continued to look that way as she handled our bill afterward. My sister and I wondered if either of them were responsible for the locker room and were unhappy to hear a guest speak to the manager. We wondered if the girl who disappeared went to quickly clean up before the manager could check on the situation. Who knows? It was a bit uncomfortable but we are always told to speak up at the time, not keep quiet and complain later.

We were there for a little over two hours and saw no other women (saw two men). There were workers who came into the women's changing area to use the bathroom or just check - but not clean up. It was middle of the afternoon on a weekday and very slow. I found the lack of cleanliness the most disturbing. We were briefly shown the women's locker room before our treatments and I noticed the hair and the used washcloth. I didn't say anything at that point but two hours later when I went in to shower myself and it was not cleaned or picked up at all - was disturbing. The spa we went to in Monterey was amazingly clean, well stocked with everything you could think of and had workers picking up constantly.

The positive thing was that my massage therapist was very good. I was in a lot of pain and she did a great job. I have had massages by several therapists and with different techniques and was pleased with her. If I went back to Mandara, it would be because of the treatment, not the spa itself. I was hoping for a better experience to relate since I had asked about Mandara here at the dis before our trip and really thought we would have a much better impression/experience.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

TravelZoo is selling a coupon for Mandara Spa at the Grand Californian.

$99 - Grand Californian Spa: Choice of Treatments up to $200

Thanks, I just picked one up for our Oct visit - I'll be a 1st timer! My mom did the same deal last Thanksgiving. I'll probably visit the day we go to the Halloween party, won't enter the parks till late afternoon.

Thanks for the blog ladies!

 

[FireflyJar]

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