SOG, whats it like?

[tinkerrn]

We have the opportunity to stay at SOG through their "Salute our Veterans' program that is being offered in Sept. and Jan.. Thinking about Jan., and it looks like a ground floor, pool view, 2 queens room is available. It will just be hubby and I. We have stayed at CBR, WL, and the Dolphin, how do they compare?

 

[BabyFu18]

I've stayed at SOG three times and I've really enjoyed it, for the price you really can't beat it. I know some people dislike SOG because they feel it lacks a Disney theme, so if that is really important to you then you might not like SOG. I think SOG is just themed like a nice resort, the closest thing it comes to reminding me of kinda the theme of WL (if you get a room at SOG that has a woody/garden view). That's strictly my opinion, SOG is nothing like WL but in comparison to other Disney resorts it's the closest thing I can kinda compare it to.

Personally I love having the extra space that SOG offers vs. some other delux hotels. It's a delux style hotel at a value price. The pool is nice but not specifically themed as the disney hotels are, but one nice thing about SOG that Disney doesn't do, is that SOG will not let children in the hot tub, security will walk around and check to make sure children are not in the hot tub and if they are they will ask them to leave.

There are three pools, the main mickey pool and kiddie pool area and then the smaller quiet pool where the hot tub is. So if you have a pool view you may have a view of either pool, but both have nice views (stayed in both sections).

Overall I think SOG is a great resort, close to the action, and very budget friendly. You'll find mixed reviews I'm sure, but really the only thing I didn't love about SOG was the dining. It's okay, but not great, but we do most of our dining at the parks, other resorts, and off property so it's not a huge deal.

I'm not expert but if you have specific questions I can try to help, hope you find the info you need and enjoy your stay no matter where you stay.

 

[Cruella 66]

We stayed at SOG in November 2006 during Thanksgiving in a junior suite. It was SO comfortable, large and beautiful! We have four children and never felt crowded. The housekeeping was terrific. We even had a view of the castle and fireworks from our balcony on the fifth floor. We were there during a very busy time for Disney and didn't notice the crowds at all. Most mornings we walked to Poly and hopped on the monorail but the bus service from the hotel was no problem. The biggest disappointment on the bus was leaving Animal Kingdom...we had to meet out in the middle of a parking lot, at a certain painted number on a parking spot, and there is no seating or covered waiting...we found it quite by accident actually. We narrowly missed a getting hit by a storm...in the middle of the parking lot...with four children! The food was NOT good or worth the money at any of the restaurants. We ate a lunch and dinner (each once) and didn't return to those eateries. We would grab bagels, cereal or fruit, and coffee/milk for the grab shop on the way to the buses and that was the only decent food...but it's hard to do dry cereal, coffee, milk and fruit wrong! Just don't eat at SOG, take the Poly bus from the AK and walk to SOG and you'll have a fabulous time! I'd stay there again but we're staying at the Poly in 8 days for 8 days; someplace I've always wanted to stay!

 

[jphilhower]

I'll second what the first poster said. My wife said it had a southwest feel to the resort. We stayed there this may for the first time. we loved how big the room was and the balconey. We over looked the pool and had coffe every morning out. I loved the starbucks kiosh. The deck over looking the garden was very relaxing. It was central to almost everything. We could walk to the Poly and catch the monorail. Their bus system was ok. We missed the bus coming back from the parks a couple of times. They are very strick with the scheduled. but we took a poly bus back and walked to SOG.
Oh yea with the money we save staying there it made up for not having the dining plan. Another good feature is when you buy something at the parks you can send it back to the resoort, you can also take part in EMH.
We loved it so much we booked a room for next May all ready.
Oh yeah watch out for the gator in the pond along the walkway to the Poly!!

 

[BabyFu18]

I look for the gator on all of our trips and I've never seen it!

About the bus service to AKL, the day we went to AKL the bus dropped us off in a middle of the huge parking lot and by the time we got to the enterance we were all winded (it was july and extremely hot also). So on our way out, there was no SOG bus in the parking lot and we didn't want to stand out there waiting for one. We decided to grab another bus and do the transfer thing instead of waiting on a SOG bus, I have to say even if it did take a little more time we didn't mind the ride and it beats walking across a parking lot and standing in the heat.

AKL is SOG's worst bus, all the other parks, DTD, and TTC seemed fine to us. At BB SOG is the first parking spot so that was nice too.

 

[pxefig]

We stayed at SOG in November 2006 during Thanksgiving in a junior suite. It was SO comfortable, large and beautiful! We have four children and never felt crowded. The housekeeping was terrific. We even had a view of the castle and fireworks from our balcony on the fifth floor.

Do you remember what your room number was?

 

[Cruella 66]

No, I'm sorry I don't but it was in the middle of the fifth floor on the right hand side. We also never saw the gator! Cindy

 

[mahoneyth]

GROUND LEVEL, GARDEN VIEW, NEW SECTION.

It's a short walk to the main pool and Evergreen's Pub.

The best part, it's close the parking garage and, or the Disney bus service.
Also, the restaurants are right around the corner.


A very beautiful resort, and in January the big fire place will be going too.

 

[wdwrich]

Just returned (two days ago) from a 10-night stay at SOG. The resort is very attractive and the rooms are huge. For the price, you can't beat it for an on-property resort. We mostly used our rental car for all but the MK park, but when we did use the buses they were always on schedule. We did see the alligator one morning while walking over to the Poly. It was out on the bank of the pond north of the walkway. It got spooked when we started talking and it quickly scrambled back into the water. Avoid the Garden Gallery for dinner. Breakfast was okay though. Staff, especially housekeeping, were wonderful.