SEQUOIA LODGE here we come !!!!

[MICKEY'S DREAMERS]

We'll be visiting DLP in the first week of January 2005 !!!!!



It will be just myself and DH .

We are booked at SL : can anybody tell us "any kind of news" about it ?
How are the MONTANA rooms ? how is " heating" inside the rooms ? ( We live in Italy, I feel the cold VERY MUCH !!!)

How long does it take to walk to the parks ?
How is breakfast ? buffet ? "gorgeous" ? continental ?

ANY tip or suggestion is GREATLY appreciated !

THANKS !!!!!!!

 

[jodyb]

You will love the Sequoia Lodge! I was there in January with my daughter. I am not sure what a Montana room is - there was a long discussion on this on another forum, and it seemed the only difference between a Montana and a standard room was their location in the main building! I paid for a standard room and our room was in the main lodge, so it's still a mystery what a Montana room actually is. Nobody seemed to think they were bigger or better, and in January I think they close the outer lodges anyway, so you would be paying for the "upgrade" for nothing! It's worth looking into that, anyway.
As for the heat - we were very comfortable in the hotel. It is VERY cold in January at DLP so be sure to bring good boots (Disneyland was covered in 7 cm. of snow our first day!) that are comfortable for walking, and lots of warm clothes. You will have a wonderful time!
If you have specific questions, don't hesitate. We were there for 7 nights last Jan/Feb and had so much fun we are going again this January as well - back to the Sequoia for 4 nights followed by 3 nights at the Disneyland hotel.

 

[tennisfan]

I have stayed in the Sequoia Lodge twice, once in the main building & another time in the cabins. It is a nice hotel, with the log fires in reception area.

A Montana room is the ones with the minibars & in the mainbuilding. I think they are the rooms that overlooks Lake Disney. It takes about 10-15 minutes walk to the park, depends of how fast you walk & if you want to take in the sights.

I have always found them to be nice & warm whenever I have stayed & that was in Autumn/Winter time.

Feel free to ask any other questions.

Nikki

 

[jodyb]

Oops, I forgot about your other questions!

The walk to the parks from the Sequioa is very short - about 10 minutes, and takes you right around the lake past the New York Hotel and skating rink, and through Disney village. In nice weather we loved the walk - day or night. When it's really cold or snowy/rainy, of course it's less pleasant but the shuttle runs from the train station to the hotel very regularly and it too takes about 10 minutes.

As for breakfast, I hate to say anything negative.. but I really was not impressed with the Sequoia buffet. I like good coffee with my breakfast and the only hot drinks available are from a pushbutton machine - I thought both the coffee and chocolate from these machines were abominable. The buffet offers cold cereal, plain croissants, cheese, and some canned fruit cocktail. I really did not enjoy this offering, but others have said positive things so maybe I am too picky about my breakfast. To get a proper hot breakfast with eggs, bacon, etc. you need to pay a surcharge - I don't remember how much this was but I think it was about 4 Euro. I did this once and the breakfast I got was really good and plentiful - enough for myself and my daughter actually. (Still didn't solve the coffee problem however)

The fantasyland breakfast, which you can get instead of the Sequoia breakfast, takes place in the park - it's nice to be inside the park early, but the breakfast itself is identical to the one in the hotel.

On our next trip I will probably eat breakfast at Mcdonalds instead of the Sequoia- reasonable, tasty and includes excellent coffee - until our last 3 days when we'll be at the Disneyland Hotel. Or I'll pay the surcharge for the hot breakfast and then get just coffee at Mcdonalds on the way to the park!
As I said, this is just my opinion - others have been perfectly satisfied with the Sequoia cold buffet breakfast.

 

[jodyb]

Last January we reserved and paid for a standard room, and we received a room in the main building which had a mini-bar.

I believe that in January because of low attendance they just put everyone in the main building. So it may be a waste of money to pay the extra for a Montana room... but I would of course check first. People have said that the standard rooms are identical to the Montana rooms, except for the view and the mini-bar, so if these are not important to you, it may not be worth the money even if the outer lodges are open. The views from the hotel are nice, but personally I would never upgrade just for a view. I spend so little time in front of the window - I want to be PART of the view! Just MHO though.

 

[Cyrano]

Jody

I must be just as fussy regarding breakfast.

Experience of Cheynne with pushbutton coffee was not very good.

Similarily inspite of the Holiday Inn being pefect as far as room and staff were concerned the breakfast was a very disappointing €16.50

Regards
Reid

 

[MICKEY'S DREAMERS]

Originally posted by jodyb
We were there for 7 nights last Jan/Feb

I'm reading your report ........I'm just LOVING it !!!!!!

I really want to THANK you SOOOOOOOO MUCH for your detailed answers !!!!!! THANKS to Nikki as well !!!!

We bought a package, which includes Montana room ( NO other choice !) with breakfast and parks tickets ( length of staying ); I guess we had a good price ....... even if I must admit DLP looks to me more expensive than WDW Orlando.

The breakfast,as you describe it, does not sound very .......yummy......but we are going to have nice lunches and dinners ........ so we will survive !!!!!!!


THANK YOU so much again !!!!
I'll ask more questions ....... as soon as I think of some !

HAVE A WONDERFUL DISNEY DAY !!!!!


Laura

 

[Miffy2003]

Hiya,

Jody has answered all your questions really well but I just wanted to add that I stayed in the SL in Feb and we had a lovely time. The lodge was very busy (but this was in Feb half term so not surprising) - we were in a Montana room in the main building. Do not miss the Redwood Bar for a drink! It has a fantastic open fireplace and is very atmospheric. We found it lovely to relax here with a drink after a hard day at the parks.

Breakfast I was not overly impressed with - it was fine so far as it went but nothing special (see Jody's description which is spot on) and it was absolute bedlam in the mornings. We chose not to queue on our last day but people at the front of the queue had apparently been waiting 45 mins to be seated Now the cost of breakfast may be included in the room but we chose to overlook that and not waste time in the queue and instead had a lovely hot chocolate and muffin on Main Street. OK, it wasn't free but believe me it was worth it not to join that queue! LOL

HTH

Karen

 

[MICKEY'S DREAMERS]

Originally posted by Miffy2003
Hiya,

Do not miss the Redwood Bar for a drink! It has a fantastic open fireplace and is very atmospheric. We found it lovely to relax here with a drink after a hard day at the parks.

...... but people at the front of the queue had apparently been waiting 45 mins to be seatedinstead had a lovely hot chocolate and muffin on Main Street. OK, it wasn't free but believe me it was worth it not to join that queue!

KAREN : thanks so much !!!
Sure we'll stop at Redwood bar : could we have also "snacks" in there ?

45 mins queue looks really hard !!!!!! Thanks for the precious info, we'll be sure NOT to wait that long !!! Cookies and chocolate sound GOOOOOOD to me !!!!



I see from your counter you'll be visiting Vero Beach : we stayed there last August : YOU WILL LOVE IT !!!!
It's just WONDERFUL !!!!!
Look for George : he will make your day a very special one !!!




CIAO, laura

 

[NIK]

I really liked the Sequoia when I went a few weeks ago [seems like a real lifetime now I'm back at work!] However, much as I liked the hotel, loved the theming and enjoyed the short walk to the parks of a morning, I found it very hard to get anywhere near the bar and eventually gave it up as a bad job.

Perhaps it is just me being too diffident, but you couldn't actually get to the bar, I found, because of the number of people propping it up and blocking access - usually the menfolk! I gave up trying for a 'proper' drink although I was really looking forward to one, because I just couldn't get to the bar. It wasn't that there was a crush for service, just folk not moving aside when they had got their drinks.

It was rather frustrating.

That being said, everything else about the hotel I really liked and I would definitely stop there again next time.

 

[jodyb]

But they have table service at the bar...
I sat there every afternoon when we were there for 7 nights... sat down on a comfy couch in front of the fire and within minutes a waiter took my order - I always ordered the same thing - Tennessee Coffee (their take on Irish coffee)...
Why stand at the bar when you can be waited on properly!?

 

[MICKEY'S DREAMERS]

Is there a "quiet corner" in the lobby where I could just have a seat and "look at people" passing by .......?

Or I HAVE to order something to drink ( or eat ? any snacks we can get from the bar ?) ...... if I want to sit there for a while ?

THANKS !!!!!!


jodyb : I'm still reading and DREAMING on your report !
Great job, I feel I'm there !!!!!



Laura

 

[jodyb]

It's very comfortable to sit and people watch, and there are some quieter alcoves... And no, you aren't required to order a thing! They do have snacks available - I don't remember exactly what - I don't think I ordered anything to eat there but I do think they had some things...
Hope this helps!

 

[MICKEY'S DREAMERS]

JODY : thank you SOOOOOOOOO MUCH !!!!!!!!

I just finished reading your long wonderful report !!!! actually I'm printing it , so I can read "slowly" and enjoy every word while I'm coming back home from school ( I'm a teacher ).

Today I was very tired .... so I gifted myself a FREE hour , sat on my favourite sofa and read it all !!!!!

As you might remember we are visiting SL next January : NOW I CAN'T WAIT !!!!!!

Your report is adding MAGIC to MAGIC DLP !!!!!

:thewave: :thewave:
Hope you can go back soon and have another wonderful trip !
( Also hope Paris airport is in better shape NOW !)


CIAO from Italy,

Laura


Oh....and I don't know if I am wishing to get SNOW ... or not;
you seem to have had a nice snowy experience !!!

 

[jodyb]

Oh Laura, I'm so happy you enjoyed my report! It was fun writing it and I reread it myself just last week as I plan my NEXT January visit. T

Too bad we miss you !- we arrive on the 9th. You will get the benefit of the wonderful Christmas decorations - I am hoping to catch the very last day of them when we arrive...
I know you'll have a magical time!

 

[Miffy2003]

Hi Laura

I can't remember the snacks either, but we used to grab a table (or comfy sofa ) and someone would come and take our order. I was too lazy to queue up at the bar, LOL. I know what Nik means about the menfolk though, LOL. What is it about men and having to prop up the bar, anyway?!

Thanks for the tip about Vero, who is George??

Karen

 

[DisneyRGB]

Hi

We haven't stayed at the Sequoia but we had one breakfast at the Cheyenne when we stayed there and it was very busy there too. However, for no extra charge you can eat in Fantasyland before the park opens (as Jody mentioned earlier in this thread). We always eat in Fantasyland now and it's never been as busy as that one morning in the Cheyenne, plus it's great to get to the park early and get on the rides in Fantasyland before the park is officially open. As Jody said, the breakfast is identical to the breakfast in the hotel. If you want to have your breakfast in Fantasyland then try to book as early as possible, but you'll probably be able to book when you arrive if you can't do it before. Don't worry if they give you a ridiculous time for breakfast, they don't seem to mind what time your ticket says, as long as you have a ticket!

 

[MICKEY'S DREAMERS]

Originally posted by Miffy2003

Thanks for the tip about Vero, who is George??

Hi Karen !!!
GEORGE is a cast member at Vero; you can usually find him in the lobby, "chatting" with guests and answering to every kind of questions - like When can we see the turtles ? .... where is the nearest mall ? how long will the nature path walk take ? .....

We arrived there VERY TIRED ( You know how long is our trip from Europe to Fla ! ) and were told we have to wait till afternoon for our room ! GEORGE noticed at once our "disappointment": in few minutes we had our room READY ( we even got a free upgrade !!)
and followed also his suggestion to have a light meal on the beautiful verandah overlooking the ocean : A MAGIC BEGINNING OF OUR HOLIDAY !!!!

He "invited" us to join Unca Banjo in the early afternoon ; we did so and had this lovely "old Southern man" singing and playing music for the two of us ...... and a few other guests passing by !


George is ...... how can I say ? ..... a bit of pixie dust to add magic to your vacation !!!


HAVE LOTS OF FUN .......within 29 days...... at ASMovies too !!!






laura

 

[NIK]

Originally posted by jodyb
But they have table service at the bar...
I sat there every afternoon when we were there for 7 nights... sat down on a comfy couch in front of the fire and within minutes a waiter took my order - I always ordered the same thing - Tennessee Coffee (their take on Irish coffee)...
Why stand at the bar when you can be waited on properly!?

Dopey me! I didn't realise that. I shall remember next time.

 

[Miffy2003]

Thank you Laura