Shades of Green Trip Report

[wildzootv]

Hi guys!! We're back - had an awesome time, thanks again for all the advice!


We stayed at Shades of Green for the first time and really enjoyed it. The pictures we found on the web did not do it justice. It really is a deluxe size hotel at a value price. We loved the extra space we had from the lobby to our room. The staff was great. Loved having an AAFES there. They had many disney items but the items were not as good quality as at Disney. But if you needed personal stuff like clothes, hygene, food, etc - it was great having it right there.

The hotel has a fitness room - but with all the walking one does at the parks who needs that!?

The restaurants - they had three or four to choose from. We had the R&R deal so we had our breakfast and dinners paid for. Great deal - it paid for itself with in a day. The food looked great - but lacked in flavor. I've never been on to season my food and found myself doing it. They don't change up the breakfast meals up at all and dinner rotates. If given the deal again we'd do it as it really was a great deal - but if not, then we may pass it up. Hubby liked it, but I was like "eh".

Bus Systems - were great!! We never had to wait more than 20 minutes and loved that we didnt have to share with any other hotels. We never ended up walking to the Poly for the monorail or other buses as the SOG's buses were on time and very convient.

Rooms - very spacious, only thing I would recommend is bringing your own shampoo & conditioner. They do provide some in bulk quanity but no one in our party really cared for it.

Hubby had to laugh at me as I didnt care for all the turns we had to make to get to our room - I told him if I wanted to stay at the Pentagon I would of. lol.... Other than that - it was great and most likely we'll try to stay there again.

 

[barney4liz]

The restaurants - they had three or four to choose from. We had the R&R deal so we had our breakfast and dinners paid for. Great deal - it paid for itself with in a day. The food looked great - but lacked in flavor. I've never been on to season my food and found myself doing it. They don't change up the breakfast meals up at all and dinner rotates. If given the deal again we'd do it as it really was a great deal - but if not, then we may pass it up. Hubby liked it, but I was like "eh".

Thanks for the report!

Did you eat at Mangino's? I'm curious because we are eating there in a couple of weeks with family.

 

[wildzootv]

No but I wish we had!!! It looked great. We ate at the Garden Galley and the Sports Bar.


Have a fabulous time!!!!

 

[barney4liz]

No but I wish we had!!! It looked great. We ate at the Garden Galley and the Sports Bar.


Have a fabulous time!!!!

Thanks! I will report back on Mangino's. I'm going to make someone order the special so I can get the souvenir platter.

And hoping to get my dad to book a future SOG ressie. We didn't plan ahead early enough for this trip.

 

[wildzootv]

Sounds great!!!


We booked back in May for our Nov trip. The last trip we couldnt get a room for the full stay so we just opted to stay somewhere else. It does book up fast.

 

[ducklite]

Thanks for the report!

Did you eat at Mangino's? I'm curious because we are eating there in a couple of weeks with family.

My sister and BIL just ate there Thanksgiving week, and hated it. We had asked them to come to Citrico's with us, and they decided to eat at Mangino's instead (BIL's mother was with them and being a PITA) and they were so disappointed.

 

[raven69david]

Great trip report. Glad you enjoyed it. SIL is civil service and we've stayed there 3 times. It's a great location for the resort. Right in the middle of the Magic Kingdom area. I love the queen-sized beds and bus transportation as it was always quick and efficient. Beyond that, i personally found the place to be an ordinary (nice) hotel in the middle of Disney property. Too bad the only reminder of the location is the 1 mickey statue in the lobby. I thought it was also a bit out of place to force people to pay for parking; i wasn't too happy about that. <-- that was more of the expression i had towards paying for parking, but oh well

It was great for $100 bucks, but would rather settle for a Value for less $ with a more Disney-like "feel". Just my opinion, but nonetheless SoG is still a great place to vacation without being too far away from the Magic Kingdom area. You're basically on the monorail line. A 1.5 mile or so walk and you're at the monorail station.

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

So great to read your resort report, wildzoo! We are staying there for the first time ever, the first weekend of January I am really looking forward to it, and I plan to try some of the restaurants simply because I do not know when I will be back on SOG property. We are not military, but just happen to be going at the same time as a family we know that *is* military. The wife knows I want to stay at every resort at least once, so she hooked us up!

I don't expect to be WOWED by the food, but want to at least try one dinner there (at either Manginos or the other one...Garden something?) and maybe one breakfast.

Anyway, I am very excited , thanks for sharing!

 

[barney4liz]

My sister and BIL just ate there Thanksgiving week, and hated it. We had asked them to come to Citrico's with us, and they decided to eat at Mangino's instead (BIL's mother was with them and being a PITA) and they were so disappointed.

Aw bummer, hate to hear that.

 

[cusack1020]

So nice to read your trip report. We are going in Feb. Did you buy your tickets at SOG? We are planning on just waiting until we get down there. Also, do you have any reccomendations for room locations? We will be using are car a bit so I am thinking of asking for closer to the garage, which is the new section.
Thanks!

 

[Sleepy]

The hotel has a fitness room - but with all the walking one does at the parks who needs that!?

Hubby had to laugh at me as I didnt care for all the turns we had to make to get to our room - I told him if I wanted to stay at the Pentagon I would of. lol....

Who needs the fitness room when walking through the rat maze to get to your room? I love your description of this resort. The Pentagon I'll have to remember that one.

Thanks for the update on the transportation. Your description has been how it was during every one of our visits. With all the bad reviews lately, I was starting to get worried.

 

[hildarumpole]

Thanks for your trip report. Glad you had a nice time. Sounds like the transportation system has improved. Maybe they finally took the numerous complaints seriously and got tough with the bus contractor.

 

[JanetRose]

Does Shades of Green still have a breakfast buffet? thanks.

 

[bdcp]

Does Shades of Green still have a breakfast buffet? thanks.

We're going back next Nov and everything I've read says yes, they still have the buffet. While not spectacular, for the price, it was more than adequate. We did walk over and do Kona one day because I had to have Tonga Toast. We're going to SOG for our third time in 10 years next Nov and we enjoy it for how quiet it is. After a long loud day at the parks, it's nice to relax. The first time to SOG we took our then teenage sons. They are now adults and the oldest is totally independent and the youngest is in college so in Nov when we go (also for a cruise) he'll be in class and the oldest will be working. We had a great time and didn't miss the "disney" part of it since you get plenty of that in the parks. SOG for the price is a great deal and while not a Disney resort, it's nice being on property.

 

[wildzootv]

Thanks guys!!!



We didnt buy our tickets there - we purchased them on our base/duty station because we saved a few more $ that way.


Yup - same breakfast buffet every day - the only thing they change is weither they have pancakes or waffels, everything else is the same every day. I thought the buffet prices were pricey myself if we were going to pay out of pocket, but in our R&R plan is was a deal.

 

[micmacmissy]

I thought the buffet prices were pricey myself if we were going to pay out of pocket, but in our R&R plan is was a deal.

We are going Jan 5-12, and we also have the R&R package which includes 2 meals a day. It only cost us about $10 a day (for all four of us) to add it on, so we figured it was worth it for the breakfasts alone.

A few questions: did you stay in the new or old section? We also have 2 kids under the age of 7, wonder where in the hotel we should request a room?

Were you able to get in and out of the breakfast buffet rather quickly? Was it very crowded?

And what dinner options did they offer for the kids?

Thanks!

 

[wildzootv]

We are going Jan 5-12, and we also have the R&R package which includes 2 meals a day. It only cost us about $10 a day (for all four of us) to add it on, so we figured it was worth it for the breakfasts alone.

A few questions: did you stay in the new or old section? We also have 2 kids under the age of 7, wonder where in the hotel we should request a room?

Were you able to get in and out of the breakfast buffet rather quickly? Was it very crowded?

And what dinner options did they offer for the kids?

Thanks!

I don't know what section it was really, I wondered it. It looked new so I guess it was. Our room over looked the Mickey Mouse "Milpond" pool. Both our kids our under 7 as well and neither of them minded the walk - course they were in the stroller at the parks!! lol

We ate at various times and there wasnt a busy time at all. It was really easy. Course it was November so that probably helped too.

At dinner there was a small buffet for kids offering 4 menu items - but the kids were allowed to take items off the adult side as well.


Have a magical vacation come Jan!

 

[hildarumpole]

The old section surrounds the Mickey pool. We stayed in the new section on the lobby level. It made for quick and easy access to the buses, restaurants and AAFES. The walk to the pool only took a few minutes, so we didn't miss not being poolside. Also, if you have a car, the new section is connected to the parking structure.