Shades of Green : Pros and Cons

[Ladyw/theTramp]

I've searched threads for SOG and gotten a ton of things to read through, but I was hoping you all could help me with something more straight forward...

My FIL wants to take us all to SOG, but I'm not convinced... I like Magical Express with 2 younger kids.. I like charging things to the room...and I really keeping my options open in case free dining comes out!! BUT I know SOG has bigger, less expensive rooms... so .. HELP!!

Pros

-Bigger Nicer Rooms
-Less Expensive
-FIL wants it and I don't want to tick him off!

Cons
-Can't buy a "MYW Package" (am I right? I've never bought everything separate)
-No DDP available
-The busses are more scheduled, not as frequent
-No charging everything to your room and/or having things delivered to your room from the park


Please add to my list... and correct me if I am wrong on any of my items.. I was trying to put together info from a bunch of other threads!

Thanks!!!

 

[bayoutinksmom]

PROS
Busses are not crowded
Poly is a short walk away- where you can catch the monorail
Resort atmosphere is wonderful
Room views of the golf course
Restaurants are good and inexpensive
Since resort is military or retired military if by some chance bus is full you will never see men sitting while women and children are standing


CONS
NO disney wake up call!!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

No charging everything to your room and/or having things delivered to your room from the park

What is the big deal about charging to your room? You are wrong about sending packages from the park to SOG - this is indeed possible.

If there are any bus issues, they are irrelevant, as you can just walk across the street to the Poly for the monorail or a bit further to the TTC.

 

[mog]

They don't have the regular MYW tickets, but they do have what they call "MYW Stars and Stripes" passes. They are available only to military and to people staying at SOG with a military person. They are discount prices and I believe they are pretty good prices. We always stay at SOG and buy the passes there and it seems like a pretty good deal.

You are correct that you can't do the dining plan - I wish you could, too! But the restaurants there are pretty inexpensive as prices at Disney go and we usually eat one meal a day at SOG and one at the parks. It save money rather than eating only at the parks.

As for the transportation - we usually walk to the Poly when we want to go to EPCOT or MK. It is very easy to do and a nice walk. When we are tired on the way home, we will sometimes go to the TTC and get the SOG bus back to the hotel so we get dropped off right at the door. The SOG busses run every 15 minutes at the TTC and it is not usually a problem to get on them even in the summer when we go. I will admit that the SOG bus situation to the other parks could probably be better, but you always have the option of going to the TTC and using the Disney bus system, too.

 

[Luv0Lea4]

My family and I have stayed at SOG the past 3 times we've been, and are staying there again this March. By staying at shades of greens we only spend 1/4 of what we would spend if we were to have a package through disney.
Pros:
Much cheaper rooms
Packages can be sent to resort from park
walk to poly
uncroweded buses
friendly staff
NO TAXES

p.s: The last time we were there we walked to the poly everyday, and one night we were so tired we decided just to take the bus, and when we were coming in the bus driver had to stop in the middle of the drive b/c there were 3 alligators b/t the drive and sidewalks. The next morning we found out they live in the ponds on either side of walkways.
Hope this helps!

 

[Maine-iac]

I think that I am one of few who likes the busses being on a schedule. You know what time the bus will be there so no standing around for along time and waiting in the heat. The bus pulls up and sits there for a few minutes so you can get right on and into airconditioning immediately. When we wanted to leave a park, how fast we walked to the bus stop depended on the scheduled time.

 

[Piglet4Ever]

DH and I just had our second stay at SOG this past Nov and loved it yet again. I really don't see any cons with the resort personally. The rooms are awesome, the grounds are beautiful, the restaurants are nice and we had no problem when we used the buses. One of our favorite things is walking over to the Poly and we did that everyday. Yes you don't get mickey soap, and all that, but we don't miss it. Can't wait for our next stay in 2008!!

 

[ducklite]

I've stayed at SoG twice in the past, and have a room reserved there for next month for a week as well. I'll probably just let my DS use it to allow her kids to spread out more and only sleep there one night.

Anyhow, the previous posters have summed it up well. The only thing missing is the theming--there really isn't any. It's just a nice hotel. It's along the lines of a Hilton situated on a golf resort. The rooms are HUGE. It's very, VERY quiet.

Anne

 

[Tigge50447]

SOG Room

 

[medicgirl911]

I just had to read this thread didn't I. Just when I thought I had made up my mind to stay at POR instead of SOG, now I am thinking of switching again!

 

[ducklite]

I just had to read this thread didn't I. Just when I thought I had made up my mind to stay at POR instead of SOG, now I am thinking of switching again!

I've stayed at POFQ and SoG, and would choose SoG any day over PO. The rooms have to be double the size, plus you get a private blacony or patio, and all the rooms are NON-SMOKING. And you betcha that no ignorant oaf is next to you smoking in a non-smoking room because nobody at a WDW hotel has the kahunas to say anything about it.

Anne

 

[Ladyw/theTramp]

I just had to read this thread didn't I. Just when I thought I had made up my mind to stay at POR instead of SOG, now I am thinking of switching again!

Same here.. I was really thinking we should just save $$ and stay at the All Stars.. even the Family suites at All Stars are less expensive than at SOG... but you all have such great reviews....

Do any of you stay there with small kids? How is the bus schedule? Walking to the Poly with them??

 

[Luv0Lea4]

The rooms at SOG are bigger then *** rooms, and it's great with kids, b/c of the buses. We stayed there with my niece and nephew who were 5 and 6 at the time, and it was great b/c of either walking to the poly, or the bus. The busses are never crowded, so you don't have to worry about them having to stand, and if they are, someone will always let them sit down. Also, my niece and nephew love being outside, so the 2 pools were a plus, plus there is a ton of space in the front of the resort to play in the grass. The regular rooms at SOG are nice too because they have a couch and table thats semi-divided with a partitioner.
Hint: if you wanna save money the last time we went, we have 6 people, and instead of getting a suite, we got 2 rooms the joined, and just left the doors open between them. It saved about 50 dollars a night by doing this. Just be sure to ask for joining rooms we you make you reservation.
hope this helps!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

The rooms have to be double the size, plus you get a private blacony or patio, and all the rooms are NON-SMOKING.

True, but smoking is allowed on the balconies.

 

[disgrits]

Does anyone know how far in advance I can make reservations?
TIA!

 

[JackJenson]

me and telling me that they overbooked by 100 rooms for this coming Thursday and Friday night and they are going to put us at POP!)

I have to say, in defense of the Shades of Green busses, that I have always found their bus system to be much better than the Disney busses.

2 reasons:


1- they usually leave when they say that they are going to leave (if the bus is supposed to go to the TTC every 15 minutes, just get to the stop at the quarter hour and the bus will be there and most likely leave on time. Then, when you get to the TTC (about 4 minutes later, depending on how many ducks are in the road) the SOG bus stop is the FIRST one in line. You just step off and walk right in to the Monorails to go to MK or to Epcot.


2- the buses to the parks, while they only leave on the 1/2 hour or maybe the hour, they give you a schedule! You know before you turn in for the night (in your QUEEN sized bed, grabbing a water bottle from your COMPLIMENTARY refrigerator) what time you need to be at the bus stop in the morning to catch the appropriate bus. And if you are late, just take the next quarter hour bus to the TTC and catch a bus or monorail from there.

The people you meet at SOG are also an inspiration, and, in my experience, happier than your regular beleagured family at another resort. Like the time I was in the outdoor hot tub with the Mom of 3 who was there to meet Hubby with the kids who haven't seen Daddy in a year because he had been somewhere in Trashcanistan. The other people who discussed where they do or did their service to our country, wow, it was very humbling. And all of the other posters are correct, these people know who to give a bus seat to, and they do it automatically, no questions asked.

So unless they stick me at POP, where with a code I could have stayed for $68 a night, but chose to stay at SOG for $111, I am the biggest fan of Shades of Green. You will not be disappointed, and your Father in Law will be in his element.

Good luck,

Jack

 

[disgrits]

One more "PRO".....You can buy Disney souvies and shirts tax free!

In 2000, we were there in October and we had a couple of cool days. I was so relieved to be able to buy sweatshirts for my 3 children without breaking the bank!

 

[ougrad86]

I found nothing to complain about at SOG when we stayed there except one EMH where the bus was late picking us up. Other than that, it was great. Even my DH, who is very picky about hotels, was very pleased with the room . They are big, queen size beds, quiet and a beautiful resort. The swimming pools are OK, but nothing special. Since we didn't swim we didn't mind. Not much Disney theming (just a big ol' Mickey in the lobby), and no Disney channel, but we were around the mouse all day. Only checked with weather on the TV when we came in at night. We didn't miss the Mickey soaps - we bought souveniers in the BX without paying tax!
We will definately stay there again when we go back and as long as we are eligible!

However, the packages are out. You can get EMH, but no dining plan. We saved so much on the room, it negated the cost of not getting the plan. You reserve the room at the rate listed (no taxes jacking up the price), make your dining reservations as always and when you get to the resort, buy your tax free tickets for the park. SOG also has a dining plan, but I don't recommend that since you need to go back to the hotel to eat. But you can have breakfast there before heading out to the parks at a reasonable price and tax free.

 

[bayoutinksmom]

Can you still get your packages delivered there???

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Can you still get your packages delivered there???

See Post #3.

Mom of 3 who was there to meet Hubby with the kids who haven't seen Daddy in a year because he had been somewhere in Trashcanistan.

Trashcanistan? What is that supposed to mean?