First,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RUSAFEE!! 
As promised, here is our list of highlights, lowlights, and observations from our trip. It's not an all-inclusive list, and if I think of more, I'll mention them later.
LOWLIGHTS: Not many, really.
- Still very unhappy with the missing bison and geese topiaries.
-
Paddlefish should have been great; instead, it was just middling. Poor host/hostess interaction; average service; slightly below average food. Doesn't bode well for the re-imagined
Portobello which is owned by the same company.
- Hate where the new smoking area is just steps away from the Villas entrance. The smoke can't help but drift toward the opening and makes for a very unwelcoming "welcome home."
-
Paradiso 37 has solid food for a pretty good price, but the music is overwhelmingly loud. I would eat there again except I won't since the music hurts my senses. It pounds you into submission. I'm no longer 25.
- Construction is everywhere. I know much of it is necessary to deal with ever expanding hordes of people, but it's still not fun to witness and experience.
- Still disappointed in CCVC rooms up close. They aren't awful but they're far from what they should be (see: Aulani rooms).
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Re:
Paddlefish above, after being prompted to write a review on FB, I did and was promptly contacted by the general manager who promised to make it right on our next trip.
- $100 gift card and three FPs each for taking a tour of the new CCVC rooms. Actually, the flyer and lithograph slipped under our door said come view the Poly suites and talk to an agent, but we did CCVC and Aulani, instead. It was intended for non-
DVC owners, but they offered to make good on the promotion, regardless. The agent was friendly, helpful, and not pushy. We didn't buy anything. It was curious that when we spoke about BLT as an add-on, he said "those points are very hard to come by." Minutes later, he popped back into the room saying there were 123 points available at BLT. "What a coinky-dink," said Bugs. Another item of interest there, we'd always assumed that Disney did their "direct resales" by contract points, i.e., if they ROFR'd a 100-point contract, then that was what they'd offer. Not so, according to Tony. Had we wanted to buy 25 points, or 50 points, or any amount of the 123, we could have. Did not know that.
-
Artist Point shined again. Our server, Diana, was excellent, the best we had all trip. Gary, the manager, came and checked on us, too. Food was excellent, though to be fair, my buffalo strip loin was slightly overdone (I wanted med rare and got med to med well). Otherwise, it was topnotch.
- US was fun. . .but it's not Disney no matter how hard they want it to be.
- Room 5528 was incredible!
- BHGM, Part Deux, Section A was fun, and it was so nice to finally meet people with whom I've established such a close bond.
- Weather--warmish but didn't rain much and was breezy to boot
- Crowds--just moderate and sometimes downright low
- Territory Lounge Coffee Shop and the Villas coffee bar (and Kirk)
- AP brunch--costly but superb
- The smell, sounds, and sights of the Lodge. Still amazing despite losing a good bit of the wilderness aspect.
OBSERVATIONS
- While CM interaction was still good, there has been a definite drop in enthusiasm and friendliness the past 5-6 years. There's no denying it now. They're still a notch above, say, US employees, but the gap is shrinking. That's not good news.
- Saw a lot more globs of gum, pieces of trash, and dirty bathrooms than I have before. The bathrooms weren't bad overall, though a few were in dire need of cleaning, mopping, etc. Given the low crowd levels, I was a bit surprised. Saw gum globs everywhere, especially in MK.
- Bus paint schemes seem duller than before. Very blah. Must save them money.
- Like new Disney Springs but they need maps in little kiosks or something.
- First week of May now has new title: Disney Stroller Week. My lord, there were a bazillion and one strollers during our time there, perhaps owing to the fact that school is still in meaning fewer grade school children and more toddlers and babies.
- Frozen ride: meh. Fun once
- Almost made the lowlights, but
Soarin'. It's still fun, but it lacks the zeal and rush of energy (and smells) of the original. It's sort of like
Back to the Future and
Back to the Future II--the first was a diamond; the second is cubic zirconium--flashy but a pale imitation.
- The new bag check/metal detector system worked very smoothly while we were there. Again, this may have been due to lower crowds, but we waited in lines to get through bag checks, detectors, and turnstiles that were much smaller than we've seen before.
Guess we liked enough things to return!
I'll try not to.
National park decor isn't generally something I think should be followed anyway but this reminds me a lot of certain aspects of the CCV decor - the color themes with light woods, blues, light walls and the industrial toned ceiling light fixture. Not a copy for sure but similarities.
