Question re Explorers Hotel

[Aristol]

Hello,

We're going to Explorers in June 2009. We're going to have a suit. (I'm also thinking about a family room in Newport Bay Club as I'm affraid that the buses will be sooo busy we're always missing them.)

I'm wondering how busy the buses are? Is it worth walking? Do you have a map of the shortest way?

On the website they mention VIP amenities, does someone know what it is? What kind of toilettries they have in the rooms/suits? Any hairdryer?

Or just forget it and vote for NBC anyway I don't know how much it would be.

Sorry if some of the questions has been mentioned before , I read lots of threads and start to be confused

Thanks in advance
Aristol

 

[Ware Bears]

I've moved your post into a new thread as I think you'll get more response this way.

I've only stayed at the Explorers when we've been to DLRP but only in the crew room for 6 so can't really help with what you get in the suites. The room for 6 consists of a room with a double and 2 singles with an adjoining room with bunk beds. There is a hairdryer and a kettle in the room. It used to be the case that you were supplied with tea/coffee/milk for your first night only then had to purchase further supplies but this summer we were issued with complimentary replenishments every day.
There is a liquid foaming soap which doubles as hair shampoo provided in a dispenser in the bathroom. I have used it as a soap to wash my hands but not in my bath or to wash my hair so can't comment on how good it is for that, I prefer to take my own products.

The buses do get busy at times, especially after park closing. We often walk to or from the parks, it takes us about 25 minutes and is a pleasant walk along the canal and through Disney Village. I'll scan in the details in the next couple of days.

I'm afraid I can't help much with the Newport Bay family room details. We looked into staying in one when we were pricing up our first trip and it was very expensive. In the end we stayed at the Explorers, bought annual passes and the difference in price paid the bulk of our second DLRP holiday!

 

[kevankiki]

We stayed at the Explorers during October half term, never stayed at NBC so can't compare, but I will try and answer some of your questions.

Yes, the buses do get busy, but Explorers is the first stop which is handy when returning from the parks. Make sure you don't get penned in like my DD (16) did one night, she's too polite and ended up getting stuck on the bus and had to go on a little trip back to the park! We also found that in the mornings they would send a bus that went straight to the park, not sure if it also picked up at another hotel first, but for us it made the journey super quick.

We were not so lucky with refreshments, ours were never replaced, but we had taken our own anyway. We also took a couple of small mugs, which were useful, as they supply paper cups!

Elaine is correct about the toiletries, we had also taken our own shampoo, etc. Yes, there is a hairdryer, but you need to hold the button in to keep it going which is very frustrating and gives you achy finger very quickly

We stayed in a standard room, so I can't speak for the suites, they may be different. Having also stayed at the Kyriad and Holiday Inn off site, the Explorers is our favourite of the three!

 

[Ware Bears]

Make sure you don't get penned in like my DD (16) did one night,

That happened to eldest DD and me this summer ~ and in the daytime too! DH and our other two DDs had gone swimming and eldest DD and I had gone into the parks for EMH. It was really our own fault for not checking that the bus went to the Explorers, it was only doing the other 3 hotels, and then we got stuck and couldn't get near the bell let alone off the bus. It was so hilarious, we couldn't stop laughing about it, and the bus driver was very sweet and made a special journey back to the Explorers just to drop us off!

Don't let this put you off though, in five trips to DLRP this is the only time it's happened to us.

 

[kevankiki]

In our case I got off but DD didn't, I thought she was messing about at first and had hidden behind a pillar or something, then I tried walking to the next hotel thinking she might get off there. You can't actually do this though without walking up the driveway and along the road, and it was dark, I later found she had tried to do the same and had to get another bus. It was half an hour before she returned to the Explorers, she had quite a trip, changing buses twice! She remembered when she got back to the parks, that sometimes the bus changes its route and heads off to the Val D'Europe, so she jumped off and dashed across to a bus that was definitely going to the hotels.

 

[Aristol]

Thanks a lot for your help

So to summarize excluding the adventerous bus experiences Explorer is a good place to stay and not too far for walking as well.

Thanks in advance for the scanning Wear Bears)

 

[Aristol]

Sorry Elaine, I'm new and just realized that the name is not next to the post but under of it. I'm so lameeee