We're Back : (

[wilki32]

Well got back on Saturday, so apologies for not posting earlier but family issues!!! They need some Disney spirit!

Anyway we had a fantastic time, weather was great except for a little hurricane! Crowds were a lot busier than we had experienced in October, talking to a couple of cms they said it's either people getting in late hols because of the weather or more lkely the 10th anniversary of the food & wine festival at Epcot.

Unfortunately won't be doing a trip report, I had planned for my DD to do one which she excitedly accepted but once on the holiday promptly forgot but please ask away any questions you have.

I'll do a low and high but will start with the lows as some of them double up! Confused, you will be!

Lows (not many really, but keep reading it does get positive!

Sat a week last Sunday watching the weather and going on tornado watch! Knew the hurricane was miles away but a tornado! Following morning woke to hear there were 3 tornados in the Melbourne area!

Rainforest Cafe, we ate at DLP and enjoyed it but food was disappointed! Maybe just a bad day.

IOA, less aid the better!

Rude people! There has been a lot of publicity here and in the US about how we no longer say please, thank you etc to the point a breakfast show in America planted someone opening a door for 20 minutes, one thankyou and 3 asking for directions, just about sums it up. Surely when you are in 'the happiest place on earth' you can smile and thank people.

Pushchairs, now I know this has been talked about before but please people with pushchairs/strollers have a bit of respect for the people around, when everyone is leaving the park it's busy and slow! None of us can move so please stop running into my DD, DW and my ankles! I quote @if anyone gets in your way run em down' 'push through they'll soon get out of the way when it hits them' not very disney. Now I know this is not all but it just seemed so bad this year.

My last low was the biggest, the CM's again I'm not saying all but this year seemed to have more CM's that would barely look at you never smile. Disney has got to get this right, the thing that makes WDW is that it is different to all the other theme parks because it is magical, a HAPPY place! When I'm dealing with people at work I smile, I'm polite, why? because I know I need to and I enjoy what I do. The thing that came over from some, not all, cms was they don't want to be there, if that the case get another job!

Sorry for the last rants but these thing can spoil everyones enjoyment.
Did it spoil mine, hell no so here are the highs.

Automatic upgrade with United airlines to premium economy, didn't know til we got our boarding passes and then from Chicago we were upgraded to business!!!
Got to our 2 bed condo and it turned out to be a 3 bed townhouse! with a pool!
Philamagic, lost count on how many times we saw it!
Epcot, just love this park, still can't overtake MK but is very close.
Hallowishes and Wishes, amazing fireworks.
Reflections at Epcot always makes DW teary and that fly always goes in my eye!
Raglan Road @ DTD, new Irish pub/restaurant, excellent service and food.
Dennys mmmmmmmmmm
Kraken the only real rollercoaster of the holiday, DD and DW not into them.
Soarin, amazing ride, DW is scared of heights but she loved it, rode it as many times as possible.
MNSSHP went a cpl of years ago but stayed to the end, great parade, fireworks and fantastic atmosphere.
I think I could go on and on about the great things and this is where I contradict my self on a few of the lows.
CMs, we met some fantastic people, friendly, polite and genuinely interested and one will get a mention, Jessica in town hall at MK a really lovely person.
Americans, I love you all, well most, always wanting to chat, didn't always get my humour but very few that didn't want to try.

I know that my earlier comments were maybe a bit harsh but when we all go to WDW we want it to be a very special holiday and anything that stops that, however small can effect that. Hopefully no one has been offended and like I said earlier I am more than happy to answer any questions.
Finally just to say we loved our holiday and will be going back...again and again!

 

[eyoreaud]

Hi Anthony,
Welcome back!, glad you had a good time but sorry to hear some CM's were not up to standard, perhaps they were suffering from theme park indigestion? Good to hear you enjoyed Raglan Road as this is on my list of new eateries to try in Dec Did you actualy see any tornado's?

Audrey

 

[disneyholic family]

Sat a week last Sunday watching the weather and going on tornado watch! Knew the hurricane was miles away but a tornado! Following morning woke to hear there were 3 tornados in the Melbourne area!

welcome back!!..
thanks for the interesting highs and lows...

regarding tornados.....the tornados that come with hurricanes are not the same as tornados that you've heard about (and possibly seen in the news and documentaries)..
hurricane spawned tornados are much less intense, due to their different source....the speed is usually only in the very low 100's (though that will still probably take out a mobile home - which is why WDW always evacuates FW for hurricanes), whereas a 'real' tornado (like i grew up with) has speeds of 350 MPH and can exceed 500 MPH....
big difference......

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Hi Anthony - welcome back.

We take a stroller and if anything we are more careful because if it, the people you refer to are just plain rude mate.

What did you not like about IOA?

 

[disneyholic family]

we also were stoller victims....one of my pet peeves....when parents let their small children push the stroller, instead of ride in it...
most of the times i was struck by a stroller, it was being pushed by a child....and those times were particularly bad hits....that is, i or someone in my group was hit really hard....
what are parents thinking when they let their little ones do that in a mass of people.....

 

[Cyrano]

Thank you for sharing your highs and lows
Totally agree with you "it's nice, to be nice"

 

[wilki32]

Thanks
Audrey we didn't see them but until I read Beths reply I just pictured this huge tornado hurtling towards us! They did show the damage on a properties roof where a woman had a lucky escape.
Johnny I agree, but they have a weapon in the form of the stroller
IOA, well are you sitting comfortably (I feel another rant!) we bought the 4 park ticket and had used the express in IOA before as most of the rides have 40+ minute queues and I really have a problem with queues! When we got to IOA all the express machines were closed, quiet day we thought, no way everything had a 30+ minute queue except the unicorn. DD likes this so we rode a couple of times but people were going through the express line, I asked someone who was walking along side us and they said for an extra $16 you can purchase the ticket to get you on each ride once through the express line. Now some people may say queue but I would rather be walking around the park taking it all in rather than standing in line for an hour and also why do they need to do it, they have the express machines! Whetherit was just me but the atmosphere in the park was very flat, alot of the drinks places were closed, it just didn't feel right. Now taking into account that up until this year this was our 3rd favourite park, I was gutted!

Reid, totally agree and guess what, it's free

Audrey, definately go to Raglan road, it was great, we missed the entertainment but it should be there after 9pm

 

[eyoreaud]

Thanks Anthony, will definatly try it.

Audrey

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Thanks
Johnny I agree, but they have a weapon in the form of the stroller
IOA, well are you sitting comfortably (I feel another rant!) we bought the 4 park ticket and had used the express in IOA before as most of the rides have 40+ minute queues and I really have a problem with queues! When we got to IOA all the express machines were closed, quiet day we thought, no way everything had a 30+ minute queue except the unicorn. DD likes this so we rode a couple of times but people were going through the express line, I asked someone who was walking along side us and they said for an extra $16 you can purchase the ticket to get you on each ride once through the express line. Now some people may say queue but I would rather be walking around the park taking it all in rather than standing in line for an hour and also why do they need to do it, they have the express machines! Whetherit was just me but the atmosphere in the park was very flat, alot of the drinks places were closed, it just didn't feel right. Now taking into account that up until this year this was our 3rd favourite park, I was gutted!

Our son is Autistic so we get a special pass from Guest Services that means we get express for all rides.

I know what you mean about the atmosphere and agree.

One of my 'rants' not necessarily just at IOA is that part of the parks do not open until a certain time or 'drinks places' are closed, sometimes until 11:00.
For me if a park opens at 09:00 then EVERYTHING should open at that time, never mind drinks kiosks being shut for the morning, they ALL should open and ALL the rides too.
Right I am calm again now............

 

[KayleeUK]

Welcome Home

 

[Netty]

Hi
glad you had a great holiday! so.... have you started planning for the next one yet???

 

[squitty]

Welcome Home Anthony

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

Welcome home, the highs outweighed the lows

A slightly different slant on your dislike of the Qs in IOA. This was our first trip in August this year (normally go May/October) so I was prepared for long lines. Universal is our favourite, both parks. Like Disney, but there's so much more for all of our family at Universal & IOA.

When we arrived at IOA for our first day in the parks, the lines to get in were horrendous. We'd not experienced long lines before since we'd always stayed at HRH so had FOTL. This year we'd opted for our first stay in a villa so didn't have the luxury of FOTL. I'd read about purchasing the one ride Express pass, so after a family conflab, decided that would be the best approach. Cost us $70 - and was a complete waste of money Once we'd gotten into the park, the lines - even for Hulk - were only about 10 - 15 mins. We did use our express tickets a few times (most times they weren't even marked by the CMs).

Just sums up the kind of thing that happens to me really

Needless to say, we didn't bother purchasing any for Universal Studios or IOA any of the other times we went in.

As for pushchairs, I totally agree with you. I think it's a form of sport for some people over there. Have you not seen the notches on the sides of the strollers

 

[wilki32]

Netty, guess what we were talking about last night!

Annie, it was strange this time, been 4 times in October and never seen it so busy, we'll have to go in August from now on as DD is in secondary school, how did you find the temp? And I always wondered what they were on the side of the strollers!

 

[disneyholic family]

Netty, guess what we were talking about last night!

Annie, it was strange this time, been 4 times in October and never seen it so busy, we'll have to go in August from now on as DD is in secondary school, how did you find the temp? And I always wondered what they were on the side of the strollers!

a guy i work with just got back from WDW (3 weeks all during october)..
he said the lines were crazy....the most crowded he's ever seen it at that time of year...

august is very hot....and more importantly, very humid....but if you go the second half of the month, the crowd level isn't too bad, so that makes up for the heat...(besides...i like hot weather)...

 

[PaulaSB12]

I got back yesterday, it was great but I was suprised how many babies there where in downtown disney at night. Loads of overtired little babies at gone 9 oclock at night!

 

[julieannbabe]

some of the points that you have made don't sound too good.

Boo.

xjx

 

[wilki32]

Beth, I agree with him, it's the busiest I've seen it but we still did everything we wanted to...many times.

Pauls, got to agree, when we did MNSSHP we were one of the last to leave, some kids were there but draped over their parents shoulders, hey even I was trying to get a piggyback from my wife!

Julieann, we were there for nearly 3 weeks, we've now been home nearly a week and the memories we have are all fantastic. I suppose sometimes when I put up a post I hope someone sees it and reacts to it ie the cms and make changes. But like I said it was not all, it was just a bigger percentage than we have seen before. Maybe it was just a bad couple of weeks, maybe they were nervous about the hurricane, I'm not sure and it's probably a little harsh of me to judge.
Did it spoil anything, hell no!

 

[angel659]

Hi

I got back on Wednesday. I was surprised by how busy the parks were.

Soarin had a 70 minute wait everytime we went to check so we ended up using the fast pass, but only a 10 minute wait for Mission Space, which was the best ride in Epcot in my opinion.

There was a 90 minute wait one day for Peter Pans Ride and the quickest time we saw was 50 minutes.

We felt it was so strange a hit and miss for rides.

We liked IOA, but I was a little annoyed having to pay for the fast pass. We have children we didnt want to have to wait around in lines, when we could be walking around as well soaking up the atmosphere. We paid it only because we bought cheap tickets out there we thought we made a saving lets take advantage. It did save us time, but they should have had the fast pass working instead of making people have to pay extra. Another money making idea.

As for strollers, well............ we were one of the stroller people. We took my 5 year old and my twin boys who were 23 months old. I was very careful whilst walking around, the only problems I had was trying to walk up the bus with the pram whilst everyone had there legs stretched out in the middle of the isle and having to say 'excuse me please' and the look I received I would be dead in a second! Yes some people are rude and use them as weapons to get ahead, but there are genuine people like me who really needed the strollers and received some rather rude people, because of some brush ups they may of had. I think to be honest its an ongoing arguement from both sides, and I am sure people forget they were in a stroller once!

Sorry I had to rant, because some of the people I met were so rude and the transporation around Disney was a living nightmare at times. I travelled in a party of 5 and we took up max 3 seats sometimes even 1-2. I always offered my seat to children and there were so many healthy adults sitting down, whilst kiddies were falling all over the place.

Also not sure if you noticed there were so many people in the motorised vehicles. I have nothing against disabled people honestly dont, but the amount times I would be standing in line with my dh holding both boys and the coach turns up. THen a motor vehicle comes and gets seated straight away. Then it would take up 3 seats and a further another seat when they got off it. I dont have a problem if people need it, but on the way to Epcot I heard any american lady saying to another lady she has hired one because it saves her legs and its so much easier to back track around the park. One year she hurt her foot and she hired one and realised how much easier it is and how much quicker you and your family get on rides and everytime she comes she will hire one. She got off her vehicle and took up another 2 seats. I was most annoyed! People like this who also tend to get missed!

We were there for the hurricane. Didnt it rain. We heard about the tornados, but Disney opened the parks at 13:00. We were pleased.

CM's attitudes has definately gone down the hill. Most of them are young kids now or as you said people just dont want to be there. This is another reason why we would not stay at ASM the transport and the some of the staff are rude. The food court called Roxies OMG how slow.

We had so many highs MNSSHP was awesome.

Anyway I better had shut up as I seemed to of hijacked your thread. Apologies for that and also I hope I have not offended anyone in this reply none was intended!

Glad you had a great time. Happy planning your next trip!

 

[Miffy2003]

Welcome home you guys

Isn't it funny how we all have different experiences? I had heard that there were some problems with CMs not being as good as before but on my trips in Dec 04 & Aug 05 I can say hand on heart they were all as superb as ever