SHADES OF GREEN at Walt Disney World Resort Thread

[jen7233]

About the walk from Poly to SOG. Just wanted to add that's just when I walked alone from the Poly, with strollers and that it was much slower and more involved!

 

[WDW 3]

We walked to and from the Poly last month in the dark. I'll put our time at about 15 minutes. No hurry so it was a leisurely walk. This time we were going to 'Ohana for dinner not to use their transportation. Bus stops are further than the Monorail. We thought the sidewalk was lit ok and there is a sign marking the way to Shades.

Both Shades and Hale Koa are great properties for different reasons. I preferred the rooms at Shades. Much larger room and bathroom. I won't hesitate staying at Shades again and we can't wait to go back to Hale Koa!

 

[TutuWahineLV]

Thank you Jen7233, and WDW 3 for the quick replies. The info helps a lot.

We won't have any kids with us, so no worries about strollers and such, this time. The main focus of the trip is to relax and take our time, to enjoy the small stuff. Will be traveling with my elderly mother, and the only way she agreed to go was if we don't do MK.. I don't try to understand her logic. We'll mainly be doing Epcot and AK. Excited to be catching the last days of the Flower and Garden Festival. And to be celebrating her birthday.
I'm looking forward to finally getting to spend time exploring the world showcase in depth.

Tutu

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I'm at SOG now. Just a wonderful resort. All of the Christmas decorations are still up. Weather has been fantastic. What a hidden gem!!

 

[David42301]

10th time to disney but first trip to shades (March).

Bus schedule says first pick up at 8:30.

1. Is that early enough to get to 9am HS open prior to crowds at entrance?

2. Does bus leave early for EMH for AK at 8am open?

3. I know people take Poly monorail, but what about walking over and taking poly bus?

Bonus: how long will Disney put up with hundreds of us military families walking over to Poly and using their monorail?

Thanks! Super excited!

 

[David42301]

I've heard really bad things about the food at Shades.

Surely they get something right. Is there a menu item or two that you enjoy and maybe even think is really good?

Everyone on the forum seems to dislike Shades' restaurants. Does that mean none of you ever eat at them or do you still eat there and just regret it every time?

 

[David42301]

Can everyone who wants to go to the parks by bus fit on the first bus (7:30/8:30am)? Does it not get full and leave people waiting another hour?

What do the early tourers do to get to the parks by rope drop?

 

[Pooh2]

Can everyone who wants to go to the parks by bus fit on the first bus (7:30/8:30am)? Does it not get full and leave people waiting another hour?

What do the early tourers do to get to the parks by rope drop?

We took the first bus a few times and lots of people were standing.
For EMH, we walked to Poly and took the monorail over to TCC.

 

[PSULion]

Can everyone who wants to go to the parks by bus fit on the first bus (7:30/8:30am)? Does it not get full and leave people waiting another hour?

What do the early tourers do to get to the parks by rope drop?

Our first SoG stay is in a few weeks. We're driving our rental car to HS and just sucking up the parking fee bc we have to get there plenty early to try and sign up for Jedi training. Getting there right around opening just won't cut it.

This was one of my bigger concerns with staying at Shades. I can't believe they don't have at least one really early bus!

 

[WDW 3]

10th time to disney but first trip to shades (March).

Bus schedule says first pick up at 8:30.

1. Is that early enough to get to 9am HS open prior to crowds at entrance?

2. Does bus leave early for EMH for AK at 8am open?

3. I know people take Poly monorail, but what about walking over and taking poly bus?

Bonus: how long will Disney put up with hundreds of us military families walking over to Poly and using their monorail?

Thanks! Super excited!

You can walk to the Poly and take buses from there. If we're doing a tour and need to be somewhere really early we do go to the Poly and catch an early bus but we've never missed a rope drop because of the Shades buses. Now we're more apt to do the reverse to get back to Shades. We catch a bus to any monorail resort and then the monorail to the TCC or Poly.

Bonus answer: Not really that many people walk over to the Poly and use those buses and the monorail. There are plenty of families like mine that are all adults and aren't interested in being there at rope drop (anymore). We prefer to take advantage of the evening EMH and never try to catch the first bus.
And.... It's not their monorail. We've got tickets so it's ours too

 

[WDW 3]

I've heard really bad things about the food at Shades.

Surely they get something right. Is there a menu item or two that you enjoy and maybe even think is really good?

Everyone on the forum seems to dislike Shades' restaurants. Does that mean none of you ever eat at them or do you still eat there and just regret it every time?

We were there for a week before Christmas and only ate breakfast a Shades. I like the omelet station. You can order eggs any way you like, not just omelets. You can make toast, they have fresh fruit and made to order pancakes. Always have 2 or 3 meats, cold and hot cereals, and other hot and cold items. They also have a kids buffet with French toast sticks, tater tots and fruit. They were constantly refilling and keeping it stocked. No complaints about the Garden Gallery breakfast

 

[David42301]

Thanks for the great info on park transportation!

Any more comments on one or two good lunch or dinner items at shades?

My family (10) are all excited about the price of shades' food, but I told the family that I've heard the food isn't what shades does best.

(First time shades march 2015)

Thanks!

 

[wannabatwdw]

David,
We have eaten at Mangino's several times and have rarely been disappointed. I have had the steak and the Chicken Piccata and both have been excellent. My husband and son both say the Chicken Penne Alfredo is among the best they have ever had. People in our party have also had the beef short ribs, and the mushroom ravioli both great. A friend of mine ordered the pizza but was not impressed. The only time I was not happy with my food was a night my father-in-law ordered the same meal as me only his steak well done and I order mine rare. I believe they mixed the steaks up - my mother-in-law tried to tell him that he had my steak.... his steak was the best he ever had while mine was overcooked to my liking... I did not say anything but I probably should have = the steaks were cooked right... just given to the wrong people. We have also had the Manginos to go on a night I just wanted to get to the room and put my feet up. They were quick and the food was great.

We have also ordered take out Pizza from the Hess Service station. We were there with a lot of family 5 kids 4 adults and the pizza was fresh and delicious and unbelievably cheap... they even threw in a bunch of 2 liters. We fed every one for less then the price of 2 counter service meals in the parks. It is just up the road from the shades of green.
Hess Express
1000 Car Care Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

 

[wannabatwdw]

David,
We were there when one of the buses filled up going to extra magic hours in the morning. They immediately put the extra people on a second bus and we all departed on time.

 

[Kirby]

WDW 3, we stayed at SOG in December. We never found the busses full going to the parks but they were sometimes going back to the resort.

We ate breakfast at Garden Gallery once and loved it. It was clean and the food was good. Our waiter was good too. We also got a cheese pizza to go one evening from Manginos. We thought it was good and even liked the cold leftovers the next day.

We walked to the Poly one morning and it was a nice walk. We even saw an alligator in one of the SOG ponds.

 

[jen7233]

I've heard really bad things about the food at Shades.

Surely they get something right. Is there a menu item or two that you enjoy and maybe even think is really good?

Everyone on the forum seems to dislike Shades' restaurants. Does that mean none of you ever eat at them or do you still eat there and just regret it every time?

It's been a while since I've been to Shades. We liked Manginos. The buffet was so-so, and the pizza place I thought was nice but not outstanding. I can't complain though. Some of the restaurants around the parks or resorts that are well-known cost more money than I plan to spend.

 

[PSULion]

Anybody ship things to Shades ahead of time? The mailing address they list is a P.O. Box.... How does that work with packages?

 

[placeela]

Anyone know if the pool renovation is completed? It says on their website that the pool would open last Friday January 9, but I haven't seen any pictures or heard anything else. Can't wait to be there in a couple weeks!

 

[Brit_Jude]

Anyone know if the pool renovation is completed? It says on their website that the pool would open last Friday January 9, but I haven't seen any pictures or heard anything else. Can't wait to be there in a couple weeks!

The pool did open on Friday 9th -- however it was a cold rainy day. Probably why there aren't any pictures . Evergreens has changed it's operating hours too I believe it now opens at 11am all week.

 

[Brit_Jude]

Anyone know if the pool renovation is completed? It says on their website that the pool would open last Friday January 9, but I haven't seen any pictures or heard anything else. Can't wait to be there in a couple weeks!

If you send it by the regular U.S. Postal Service it needs to go to the P.O. box if you are shipping FedEx or UPS use the physical address.