SHADES OF GREEN at Walt Disney World Resort Thread

[buffettgirl]

"Ok, so to find the golf course snack bar, you have to go to the quiet pool and then look for the area that looks like the back of a utility shed, as I recall, we had to walk around tables and chairs. But it's not a shed. It's the back of the snack bar. The snack stand faces out onto the golf course. We had seen it mentioned on the map every time we were there but it was only on our last trip that we actually went to hunt it down. "

It's on the map?!? Oh... pool/grill right behind the hot tub?

yep. That's the one. It's just very visible.

 

[Nomad70]

Buffettgirl, you mentioned your dh goes for a run in the am at SOG, where does he run? Is there a trail or does he just run along the pathways? DH and I are very early risers and usually are out around 530 for our morning run. We'd like to do this when we are there in September so we, or I, don't mess up my routine. lol

 

[buffettgirl]

Buffettgirl, you mentioned your dh goes for a run in the am at SOG, where does he run? Is there a trail or does he just run along the pathways? DH and I are very early risers and usually are out around 530 for our morning run. We'd like to do this when we are there in September so we, or I, don't mess up my routine. lol

He generally runs one loop around Shades and then out the driveway and follows the Poly running loop. If he wants to extend, he extends that loop towards TTC on one side, and then runs towards GF and the wedding chapel on the other side.


http://allears.net/btp/running.htm

 

[jusero]

Chapter six of my silly TR is finally up. Sorry it took so long!

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2933651

 

[Nomad70]

He generally runs one loop around Shades and then out the driveway and follows the Poly running loop. If he wants to extend, he extends that loop towards TTC on one side, and then runs towards GF and the wedding chapel on the other side.


http://allears.net/btp/running.htm

Thank!

 

[Nomad70]

Chapter six of my silly TR is finally up. Sorry it took so long!

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2933651

Thanks! You are so funny, and you guys driving out trying to find something to eat sounds like dh and me. Must be a man thing. lol

 

[emksmama]

We've not stayed multiple days at a resort before on vacation, so tipping housekeeping hasn't been a regular part of our vacation budget. What's the recommended daily tip for SoG? Do you leave cash each day? This just occurred to me and I wondered how to handle it.

 

[Tankcdr]

We've not stayed multiple days at a resort before on vacation, so tipping housekeeping hasn't been a regular part of our vacation budget. What's the recommended daily tip for SoG? Do you leave cash each day? This just occurred to me and I wondered how to handle it.

I either leave a couple bucks each day or ten or twenty the day I leave.

 

[WDW 3]

We usually forget to tip each day and end up leaving one on the last day. Some folks recommend tipping every day so that the specific housekeeper (mousekeeper) gets the tip. I've seen posts elsewhere where envelopes are decorated for each day of the trip to be left for the housekeeper. Your princesses might like the project. Just google mousekeeping tip envelopes and there are lots of pictures. Some real elaborate. WOW!

 

[emksmama]

awesome, thanks! I like the idea of individual envelopes for each morning we are there, and the girls would LOVE decorating them.

 

[firstwdw]

Hi, We qualify for SoG but not for military discount at WDW resorts(former military now gov contractor). We stayed WL with the grandparents who spoiled us and absolutely loved it. However, now we want to return to Disney and of course and everything is so pricey.

Can someone tell me about the airport transportation and the cost? number of stops? reliability etc? since ME is not an option.

Also, how long is the walk over to Poly? My child has an allergy and Disney does such a great job ensuring kid friendly food that is safe (Mickey waffles, chicken tenders, fries, etc). We'd also want to see the light parade on the lake and maybe the fireworks from the Poly beach and use the monorail. Would you say it's under 1/4 a mile? more like 1/2 mile? Is there a path? Is it lit? The option of being close to Poly may be the deal breaker here!

Any kids activities at SoG around the pool etc? like at the Disney resorts?

Can anyone who has stayed at SoG and Wilderness Lodge compare the two resorts?

 

[WDWFL]

Well Shades of Green is a great resort and having been to Wilderness Lodge, I have to say I like Shades better. The rooms are easily double the size of the ones at Wilderness and offer sleeper sofas, which I think Wilderness does not. Also there are double sinks and the toilet is separate from the sinks. Shades theme is that of a country club but it is not stuffy at all and is very classy, comfortable, and tropical. I have always thought SOG was the brighter, cleaner, airier version of Wilderness Lodge.

I know that they offer movies under the stars at the mickey shaped pool on most nights and there is a huge arcade located right off the pool. Also there are other kid activities such as motor boats, remote control monster trucks, 3 arcades, an ice cream parlour, video games with wii, and pool and air hockey tables. Also the kids will love being able to see the wild deer and rabbits that frolic right outside the rooms.

They are great with allergies, just ask the waitress to check before you eat but they are very accommodating.

The walk to Poly is like 10 minutes and it is lighted the whole way, there is a special path that people can take to get to it. Also the hotel offers a special shuttle called the Shady Shuttle which takes like 1 minute and drops you off at the end of the drive way which is across the street from the Polynesian's monorail. It will probably be quicker for you to get to the Magic Kingdom from SOG than Wilderness.

Also, if you go to the roof of the hotel you can see the fireworks easily.

You're going to love it at SOG and will always want to stay there when you come to Disney. Have fun and enjoy yourselves!

 

[buffettgirl]

Hi, We qualify for SoG but not for military discount at WDW resorts(former military now gov contractor). We stayed WL with the grandparents who spoiled us and absolutely loved it. However, now we want to return to Disney and of course and everything is so pricey.

Can someone tell me about the airport transportation and the cost? number of stops? reliability etc? since ME is not an option.

Also, how long is the walk over to Poly? My child has an allergy and Disney does such a great job ensuring kid friendly food that is safe (Mickey waffles, chicken tenders, fries, etc). We'd also want to see the light parade on the lake and maybe the fireworks from the Poly beach and use the monorail. Would you say it's under 1/4 a mile? more like 1/2 mile? Is there a path? Is it lit? The option of being close to Poly may be the deal breaker here!

Any kids activities at SoG around the pool etc? like at the Disney resorts?

Can anyone who has stayed at SoG and Wilderness Lodge compare the two resorts?

We've stayed at Contempo before, and I will say that there is NOTHING like the child activities around the pool that the deluxe resorts offer. It's a pool. Nothing more.

If you hit google maps or google earth, you can actually map out the walk, it's directly down the driveway, cross the street, turn left. and onto the poly property on a marked path. It's about .5 mile.

The food at SOG is the one downfall and I would not count on them to do anything special. So if walking to poly is good for you then you have that.

There is no transport to and from the airport. We generally use tiffany town car (100ish round trip) but you can find different rates and different services. Most of the time you'll book a single ride, so not a shared ride.

Busing at Shades is actually great though, and I really prefer it. Buses are accurately timed and usually not painfully crowded.

Hope that helps. IMO it doesn't really compare to a deluxe resort - it's lacking a lot of amenities and food. But it more than makes up for that in room size and cost. It's clean. And convenient. But I don't really feel that we're staying ON disney property the same as we do at a disney hotel, but I'm mostly ok with that.

 

[crostorfer]

My husband enjoys Shades of Green because it's quiet and the rooms are huge.

Shades of Green is never my first choice. I might like it better if we rented a car while in Orlando, but we don't, so I found that we usually walked over to the Polynesian and used their direct buses and the monorail. It's a 10 minute walk.

Our town car from the airport was like $80 after tip.There may be cheaper options, but that is what we had. For me, that's added cost on top of the room cost. I still think you come out better using 35% off a a moderate than you do at Shades of Green.

The major deal breaker for me is the pool. We aren't all day park people, we take long afternoon swim breaks. I need more from a pool than Shades can offer. The 2nd biggest deal breaker for me is lack of availability of the Disney Dining Plan. I have been 4 times with dining and once without. The one trip without I swore I'd never do it again.

We use Shades as a first night option if we are trying to save money on a package deal and/or are arriving at an odd time. If we get into Orlando after 7pm I hate paying a full package day price when we aren't really there to use it. We check in, spend the night, then move on to our Disney hotel the next day. Spending $123 for a night just to sleep vs $400 for the same night at a deluxe plus the dining plan makes sense if you aren't dining or using the amenities that night.

 

[ginnygi]

Lots of great information! Thanks everyone...

But seriously, I need to know, is this beer mug a joke or a real thing, because I cannot tell. This is a big deal, because my dh really loves beer alot. Can someone who has been recently give me a serious answer as to whether or not the refillable beer mug is real or not?

Also, I love the map someone posted, but can someone tell me where the junior suites are located on property? Are they all in the same area? Anyone know if they are first floor or above?

Lastly, is the rotating buffet on a fixed schedule. Like every Tues is Mexican and every Wed is Italian or something? If someone knows the schedule can you please share? It will help me planning adrs.

All help is much appreciated. Thanks everyone!

 

[ginnygi]

Sorry, I forgot to ask about the PX too. About how much does a six pack of beer cost (in case the refillable beer mug is fictitious)? Can we get good breakfast foods to last the week at the PX or should I plan a trip to the grocery store? Thank in advance.

 

[minijeanie]

I have stayed at WL a few times and not at SOG. I will be going to SOG in August so I will have a better opinion then but based on reports from here and pics I seen I believe they are 2 entirely different types of stay.

WL rooms are extremely small but their pool is so gorgeously themed along with the geysers and lobby as you well know. I don't think you will get the same DISNEY feel in SOG as you would in a disney owned resort.

That being said, I would rent a car, and split your stay. I think both resorts have much to offer and the money you save on the room from SOG can be used to rent a car and stay at WL. I got a 35% rate from a wdw resort but I could not pass up $86 a night. No Way!

I don't understand why people pay $200 to get transportation servcie to and from airport. You can rent a car for not so much more than that and stop at a convenience store and get water, beers, snax, etc and bring to your room

Food in wdw is super expensive and you are trapped for lunch but it is easy to find a reasonable place to eat within 5 minutes of your hotel for dinner. I guess to each their own but we have always had a car while in the world. We usually take it to AK, and DTD rather than wait for bus

This is just my opinion though..

 

[bellemeeko1]

Shades is our home, but we have done Disney resorts moderate and deluxe....we just stayed in WL this past Dec......we aren't ones to use the DDP (wasnt offered when our kids were going with us) so we don't care that we don't get it. But the rooms at Shades just can't be beat, all depends on what you are looking for. For us $123/night for what we can get at Shades, is awesome! Disney themselves compares Shades to their deluxe resorts.

If you want breakfast foods for each day, without going to Express Cafe or the breakfast buffet, then I would hit the grocery store before hand. Shades has somethings but not a great variety in the exchange.

There is a transportation company that Shades deals with, we use them all the time....they are $120 r.t. for a towne car, meet and greet at the airport. Their prices went up, but they are still cheaper than the other popular ones. If you go on Shades website the name of the company is ********, click on that and it will take you to their site where you can find out exactly the price for what you need. They do stop at the grocery store also.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

We have stayed at both WL and SoG and we would prefer WL. When I booked our trip for Aug, I booked at SoG and when DH found out, he was not happy, we just prefer Disney Rsorts, room size doesn't matter to us and neither does Deluxe vs Value.

I would choose WL over SoG if it fits in your budget. We love the theming, the pool, the boat to MK and the early morning bus to MK is never crowded. Transportation is never a problem at WL. We had good food options at WL, as opposed to SoG, we actually never ate there, because of the info I had read here.

We didn't care for the transportation at SoG, it was not very friendly to us and I don't like having to pay for parking at the resort or the parks. We wasted alot of time walking to and from the Poly and almost got stranded at Epcot during a late EMH, because nobody could tell us how to get back to SoG. I was using an ECV due to an injury to my ankle and that made it much more difficult.

We don't find that the DDP is always a good idea for us, just depends on the type of trip and length of stay.

 

[buffettgirl]

Sorry, I forgot to ask about the PX too. About how much does a six pack of beer cost (in case the refillable beer mug is fictitious)? Can we get good breakfast foods to last the week at the PX or should I plan a trip to the grocery store? Thank in advance.

I hear the beer mug is for real, however, the swill that they dispense at the pool (there is no pool 'bar' like at other hotels) is beyond gross. LOL. I can't really imagine where else you'd get beer refilled other than at Evergreens.

a 6pack is moderately cheap at the px. They had a pretty good variety too. DH and I were just talking about this as we both do enjoy a beer by the pool and then a beer at night and we decided that a grocery store stop for beer probably isn't really needed since it wasn't outrageously priced.

Bottled beer is available at the snack bar at the quiet pool. (which from now on I'll refer to as Shangrila) haahah

One thing I forgot to say, with 2 kids g/b widly spaced in age, it's impossible for us to be in a room without enough beds. So what I like at SOG is that that dh and I have one queen bed, older teenage dd has the other, and pre-teen ds has the pull out couch. When we go next, we might only have 3 of us so a disney resort might win out in the end.

I do really miss the ability to just grab something quick to eat at the hotel - and have options. There really are none at SOG.