Scarlett81
Mommy to my princess and lil pirate
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2011
- Messages
- 395
I am hesitant to report how great this place is...more open cabins and sites for me....
(forgive me if my wording is off at any point...I have the worst cold, probably the flu actually so there's a touch of deliriousness here)
For thanksgiving week to the first week of Dec we had planned on being in the FL Keys. The first week we were in our vaca home, then as of Dec 1st it was being rented out. At that point hubby had to return to work and me and LO's were staying in FL, and going to my sister's rental home also in the FL keys. We switched houses, hubby went home and all was well. Until sister let me know that unexpectedly they were having renters come in! Oh no! Me, 4 yr old and 6 mo were suddenly alone in the keys without a place to stay. I considered going home, but having cystic fibrosis I always spend as much time down south as possible bc the warmth agrees with my lungs.
Where could I go, in FL, that was kid/family friendly, safe, will cater to my needs with the lo's, have plenty of options to keep them entertained, and won't have me driving all over creation without daddy to help??
Mickey to the rescue! If I'm going to spend that money I may as well spend it in Disney.
Wanting to be outdoors as much as possible, and having the LO's I really wanted a balcony. However, I didn't want to spend balcony/deluxe prices. I stayed at the FW campsites as a kid, but didn't remember much at all. After much debate I settled on a cabin. I had no interest in going in the parks without hubby, and since this was for my health mainly, rest was the priority. Plus, this gave me the outdoor space I wanted, and the extra room size, and the kitchen for me to cook my own meals and save $.
Someone on the boards told me to have reasonable expectations...probably bc I just came off an all out deluxe stay at the GF recently. So I went into it reasonably.
Packed the car up with all the baby essentials..brought my own pack n play that DS likes, small baby swing, booster...hoping this would all fit in the little cabin. Hit the road at 8:00 am...2 stops on the way, potty, diapers, nurse, back on the road. Took a couple wrong turns on the back roads/bowels of Disney but arrived at 3:45. Never told DD we were going to see mickey....just we were going camping.
DAY 1
Upon check in, I was awww-ed to see the little TV in the corner with old school Disney shows playing for the kids. The disney penny machine, the play horse sticks for the kids. Just precious! It then hit my DD, who realized where we were, sort of...she yelled 'is this mickey camping?!?!' YES!
The man at check in asked me if I've ever been here and I said no and he replied 'well you're about to have the time of your life'...I thought, well thats very nice but I doubt it...a nice time I'm sure, but time of my life?
I'm pretty cynical.
Let me tell you, I felt like a kid here! It was adorable, it was comfortable, it was unique. It felt like true Disney. Like the point of Disney-to bring families together.
The cabin was more that I expected. I requested a cabin on a loop that was a short walking distance to a bus stop since I had the lo's. They put me in the 2200 loop. I liked it. It was a good little drive to get to anything, but #1-that seems to be no matter where you stay and #2 That is the FUN of it!
The only place a bit more convenient would be the cabins near Pioneer Hall, but from what I hear there are only a couple and they're very high demand. The downside of them would probably be noise I'd imagine. There's tons of traffic over there. All in all, I was perfectly happy in a non VIP cabin.
It had a big porch with picnic table. It had a big kitchen, with basically dated cabinets and appliances that look worn. I've heard others make comments about them, so I went in with low expectations. Listen, they're cabins. What do you expect? To me it was cute and kitschy. I cooked bkfst and lunch on them every day and they were working and fine. The coffee maker was brand new and I loved getting up early brewing my Disney Blend mickey coffee!
It had a good size living room with pull out bed that I didn't use. Plenty of room for all baby contraptions. Large bathroom and hallway. Bathroom was also a bit dated, but immaculately clean which is #1.
The bedroom was adorable. Rustic styled bedding, carpet, light fixtures, walls, and bunk bed. Accents of bears, moose, foxes-the cutest drawing of bambi hanging in the hallway! I loved that room. DD loved the bunk bed. It had safety rails on it. There is a sign on the top bunk that states it is meant for either 5 or 6 and up-can't remember. I put my 4.5 yr old it, bc I know what she's used to and had confidence she'd be fine. She loved it and slept like a baby.
The first night we ate at the restaurant at Pioneer Hall, Trail's End. It was delicious. So good. There was a cold front that came in and we weren't prepared with our clothes. When we were trying to get there, we were sitting in the dark for a while waiting for a bus. I had the baby wrapped up but he was cold. A resort manager's car pulled up and offered me a ride-after asking to see his ID badge, which he showed me and also called someone from his radio to confirm!-I thankfully accepted! That was so nice of him. The next day I went to downtown disney and bought some warm clothes.
DAY 2
The next day I decided to rent a golf cart. I was lugging the double stroller on and off the buses by myself, it was cold, and just too much for me. I LOVE the golf cart rentals! I love zipping around the roads, seeing everything! Where else could you stay at a resort and have that type of experience? It is totally unique. There's been alot of debate on the boards about the golf cart rental option. Is it necessary? Of course not. Its also not necessary to have syrup with your pancakes...but they sure taste better!!
I think the bus service is fine-I don't fault it. And whether you rent a cart or not, you'll still be using buses to get around. But there is nothing like driving your cart around at night, seeing everyone. Its a wonderful experience for a family to have. One morning, I got up to get bkfst to bring back to my cabin-I would have been very irritated to have to wait and get on a bus before eating it. Just a thought.
The other thought with the golf cart rentals is that price wise, you are basically at a deluxe price point per night. (they cost about $60 after tax per day) However, I still say you are WAY ahead of a deluxe. Thats deluxe pricing for a basic room. Here you are getting a tons more-the size of a suite really, outdoor space, privacy, maid service. Just a thought.
Plus, we decorated our cart and that was FUN.
2nd night we did downtown disney and were going to go to T-Rex's but DD freaked out so we didn't even get to sit down. Haha. We went to Planet Hollywood which stunk...don't know why people go there. I was tired of walking, DD was starving so we just went. Next time I'll go to Earl of Sandwich-better food, cheaper.
DAY 3
Next day it was just warm enough for DD to go to the pool. The pool here is awesome. We've been to the GF pool, the Beach Club pool, and this one now. Each one has its unique features. But this beats the GF pool, to us. The water slide is better. Pool food is better. There's a hot tub and big splash area for LO's. Surprising.
That night we went to Chip n Dale's campfire-also adorable. Can't believe its free. We did buy the smore's kit, but it was enough to use for the whole trip. We got randomly chosen as the family of the night-that means that your kids get to meet chip and dale before for a few minutes and pictures and then your kids walk hand in hand with C&D down the aisle into the show together. It was really cute! We watched about 30 mins of the movie but DD was ancy so we went to see the barns and horses. The grounds out there by Pioneer Hall are so nice. Again, can't believe how many nice things you can do that are free here. To me, it speaks of Walt Disney's original idea-a place to bring regular families together. I don't want to keep comparing the GF in a bad way-that holds its own in a special way-but at that resort there seemed to be something in every corner that screamed 'BUY ME'! Everything was beautiful but at a price, which I understand. Here, its slower, its about being together, taking your time-walking around and seeing the grounds, seeing nature.
DAY 4
Next day we did the pool again. And then at 6:00, did the wagon ride. It was $20 for all 4 of us. Not bad. It was 45 mins long. It was dark out, but he took us to some really nice spots, back in the woods on the far side of the big lake. We brought our smores kit and made 'cold' smores on the ride, as my DD said. After that we were hungry and DH had flown down for the last day, so we went out. At 7:00 we took the boat to WL, bc hubby wanted to see it. He really liked the building, it was amazing. Artist Point was booked, so we took the boat to the Contemporary. Cali Grill was booked (obviously, but hubby wanted to try), so we walked into Chef Mickey's. DD and DS loved it. The food was very good. Wishes was at 10:00 and we wanted to be back on the beach for that. We left at 9:15, and watched the Water Pageant from the boat which was very cool. And finished the night with Wishes on the beach. I still cant get through it without tearing up! And its been like 12 times now!
It was so nice to do all that in one 3 hr period, but never get in a car, and never feel rushed.
DAY 5
Got up the next day, did QS bkfst-brought bagel sandwiches, and oatmeal back to the cabin. But oh those sit down mickey waffles were KILLING me!! Went to checkout at 10:30, returned cart. Easy check out, easy golf cart return. DD got her disney penny, which we always do the last day. Sad to say goodbye!
I wanted to post this while I was there, but there is no wifi and the internet was down for a few days. It was fine honestly actually nice to not be in contact for a couple days.
My thoughts post trip are, if you want Disney, but you also want actual vacation/down time-this is the resort for you!!! If you are planning on spending every moment in the parks, or sticking to a strict schedule then I'd skip this. #1, the transportation thing would irritate you after a couple days. Unless you would stay at a value or mod and need to rely solely on buses anyhow, then it might not matter. But #2, you really can't enjoy all this resort has to offer. So skip it and go back another time when you can really relax and camp/cabin here! I'm am NO outdoorsy gal by any means-and I loved this place.
Also, one additional QS food option would be nice. You have the hoop de doo, mickeys bbq, but we didnt want character dining. The pioneer hall QS is very limited-they should expand it a bit. You also have the option of taking a boat ride over to FW or Cont, for more sit down options. I think they figure that alot of people here are going to be making their own food on their campsite or cabin.
Regarding the Golf cart, I would never stay here without renting one. To me, that adds to the overall theme and feel of the place. And its so convenient. I tire very easily and waiting around with LO's for buses all day would be a bit too much for me. We can't wait to go back again someday and bring all our things to decorate our cart!
All in all if I could some it up in one sentence?-You want a true Disney experience, stay here!
(forgive me if my wording is off at any point...I have the worst cold, probably the flu actually so there's a touch of deliriousness here)
For thanksgiving week to the first week of Dec we had planned on being in the FL Keys. The first week we were in our vaca home, then as of Dec 1st it was being rented out. At that point hubby had to return to work and me and LO's were staying in FL, and going to my sister's rental home also in the FL keys. We switched houses, hubby went home and all was well. Until sister let me know that unexpectedly they were having renters come in! Oh no! Me, 4 yr old and 6 mo were suddenly alone in the keys without a place to stay. I considered going home, but having cystic fibrosis I always spend as much time down south as possible bc the warmth agrees with my lungs.
Where could I go, in FL, that was kid/family friendly, safe, will cater to my needs with the lo's, have plenty of options to keep them entertained, and won't have me driving all over creation without daddy to help??
Mickey to the rescue! If I'm going to spend that money I may as well spend it in Disney.
Wanting to be outdoors as much as possible, and having the LO's I really wanted a balcony. However, I didn't want to spend balcony/deluxe prices. I stayed at the FW campsites as a kid, but didn't remember much at all. After much debate I settled on a cabin. I had no interest in going in the parks without hubby, and since this was for my health mainly, rest was the priority. Plus, this gave me the outdoor space I wanted, and the extra room size, and the kitchen for me to cook my own meals and save $.
Someone on the boards told me to have reasonable expectations...probably bc I just came off an all out deluxe stay at the GF recently. So I went into it reasonably.
Packed the car up with all the baby essentials..brought my own pack n play that DS likes, small baby swing, booster...hoping this would all fit in the little cabin. Hit the road at 8:00 am...2 stops on the way, potty, diapers, nurse, back on the road. Took a couple wrong turns on the back roads/bowels of Disney but arrived at 3:45. Never told DD we were going to see mickey....just we were going camping.
DAY 1
Upon check in, I was awww-ed to see the little TV in the corner with old school Disney shows playing for the kids. The disney penny machine, the play horse sticks for the kids. Just precious! It then hit my DD, who realized where we were, sort of...she yelled 'is this mickey camping?!?!' YES!
The man at check in asked me if I've ever been here and I said no and he replied 'well you're about to have the time of your life'...I thought, well thats very nice but I doubt it...a nice time I'm sure, but time of my life?
I'm pretty cynical.
Let me tell you, I felt like a kid here! It was adorable, it was comfortable, it was unique. It felt like true Disney. Like the point of Disney-to bring families together.
The cabin was more that I expected. I requested a cabin on a loop that was a short walking distance to a bus stop since I had the lo's. They put me in the 2200 loop. I liked it. It was a good little drive to get to anything, but #1-that seems to be no matter where you stay and #2 That is the FUN of it!
The only place a bit more convenient would be the cabins near Pioneer Hall, but from what I hear there are only a couple and they're very high demand. The downside of them would probably be noise I'd imagine. There's tons of traffic over there. All in all, I was perfectly happy in a non VIP cabin.
It had a big porch with picnic table. It had a big kitchen, with basically dated cabinets and appliances that look worn. I've heard others make comments about them, so I went in with low expectations. Listen, they're cabins. What do you expect? To me it was cute and kitschy. I cooked bkfst and lunch on them every day and they were working and fine. The coffee maker was brand new and I loved getting up early brewing my Disney Blend mickey coffee!
It had a good size living room with pull out bed that I didn't use. Plenty of room for all baby contraptions. Large bathroom and hallway. Bathroom was also a bit dated, but immaculately clean which is #1.
The bedroom was adorable. Rustic styled bedding, carpet, light fixtures, walls, and bunk bed. Accents of bears, moose, foxes-the cutest drawing of bambi hanging in the hallway! I loved that room. DD loved the bunk bed. It had safety rails on it. There is a sign on the top bunk that states it is meant for either 5 or 6 and up-can't remember. I put my 4.5 yr old it, bc I know what she's used to and had confidence she'd be fine. She loved it and slept like a baby.
The first night we ate at the restaurant at Pioneer Hall, Trail's End. It was delicious. So good. There was a cold front that came in and we weren't prepared with our clothes. When we were trying to get there, we were sitting in the dark for a while waiting for a bus. I had the baby wrapped up but he was cold. A resort manager's car pulled up and offered me a ride-after asking to see his ID badge, which he showed me and also called someone from his radio to confirm!-I thankfully accepted! That was so nice of him. The next day I went to downtown disney and bought some warm clothes.
DAY 2
The next day I decided to rent a golf cart. I was lugging the double stroller on and off the buses by myself, it was cold, and just too much for me. I LOVE the golf cart rentals! I love zipping around the roads, seeing everything! Where else could you stay at a resort and have that type of experience? It is totally unique. There's been alot of debate on the boards about the golf cart rental option. Is it necessary? Of course not. Its also not necessary to have syrup with your pancakes...but they sure taste better!!
I think the bus service is fine-I don't fault it. And whether you rent a cart or not, you'll still be using buses to get around. But there is nothing like driving your cart around at night, seeing everyone. Its a wonderful experience for a family to have. One morning, I got up to get bkfst to bring back to my cabin-I would have been very irritated to have to wait and get on a bus before eating it. Just a thought.
The other thought with the golf cart rentals is that price wise, you are basically at a deluxe price point per night. (they cost about $60 after tax per day) However, I still say you are WAY ahead of a deluxe. Thats deluxe pricing for a basic room. Here you are getting a tons more-the size of a suite really, outdoor space, privacy, maid service. Just a thought.
Plus, we decorated our cart and that was FUN.
2nd night we did downtown disney and were going to go to T-Rex's but DD freaked out so we didn't even get to sit down. Haha. We went to Planet Hollywood which stunk...don't know why people go there. I was tired of walking, DD was starving so we just went. Next time I'll go to Earl of Sandwich-better food, cheaper.
DAY 3
Next day it was just warm enough for DD to go to the pool. The pool here is awesome. We've been to the GF pool, the Beach Club pool, and this one now. Each one has its unique features. But this beats the GF pool, to us. The water slide is better. Pool food is better. There's a hot tub and big splash area for LO's. Surprising.
That night we went to Chip n Dale's campfire-also adorable. Can't believe its free. We did buy the smore's kit, but it was enough to use for the whole trip. We got randomly chosen as the family of the night-that means that your kids get to meet chip and dale before for a few minutes and pictures and then your kids walk hand in hand with C&D down the aisle into the show together. It was really cute! We watched about 30 mins of the movie but DD was ancy so we went to see the barns and horses. The grounds out there by Pioneer Hall are so nice. Again, can't believe how many nice things you can do that are free here. To me, it speaks of Walt Disney's original idea-a place to bring regular families together. I don't want to keep comparing the GF in a bad way-that holds its own in a special way-but at that resort there seemed to be something in every corner that screamed 'BUY ME'! Everything was beautiful but at a price, which I understand. Here, its slower, its about being together, taking your time-walking around and seeing the grounds, seeing nature.
DAY 4
Next day we did the pool again. And then at 6:00, did the wagon ride. It was $20 for all 4 of us. Not bad. It was 45 mins long. It was dark out, but he took us to some really nice spots, back in the woods on the far side of the big lake. We brought our smores kit and made 'cold' smores on the ride, as my DD said. After that we were hungry and DH had flown down for the last day, so we went out. At 7:00 we took the boat to WL, bc hubby wanted to see it. He really liked the building, it was amazing. Artist Point was booked, so we took the boat to the Contemporary. Cali Grill was booked (obviously, but hubby wanted to try), so we walked into Chef Mickey's. DD and DS loved it. The food was very good. Wishes was at 10:00 and we wanted to be back on the beach for that. We left at 9:15, and watched the Water Pageant from the boat which was very cool. And finished the night with Wishes on the beach. I still cant get through it without tearing up! And its been like 12 times now!
It was so nice to do all that in one 3 hr period, but never get in a car, and never feel rushed.
DAY 5
Got up the next day, did QS bkfst-brought bagel sandwiches, and oatmeal back to the cabin. But oh those sit down mickey waffles were KILLING me!! Went to checkout at 10:30, returned cart. Easy check out, easy golf cart return. DD got her disney penny, which we always do the last day. Sad to say goodbye!
I wanted to post this while I was there, but there is no wifi and the internet was down for a few days. It was fine honestly actually nice to not be in contact for a couple days.
My thoughts post trip are, if you want Disney, but you also want actual vacation/down time-this is the resort for you!!! If you are planning on spending every moment in the parks, or sticking to a strict schedule then I'd skip this. #1, the transportation thing would irritate you after a couple days. Unless you would stay at a value or mod and need to rely solely on buses anyhow, then it might not matter. But #2, you really can't enjoy all this resort has to offer. So skip it and go back another time when you can really relax and camp/cabin here! I'm am NO outdoorsy gal by any means-and I loved this place.
Also, one additional QS food option would be nice. You have the hoop de doo, mickeys bbq, but we didnt want character dining. The pioneer hall QS is very limited-they should expand it a bit. You also have the option of taking a boat ride over to FW or Cont, for more sit down options. I think they figure that alot of people here are going to be making their own food on their campsite or cabin.
Regarding the Golf cart, I would never stay here without renting one. To me, that adds to the overall theme and feel of the place. And its so convenient. I tire very easily and waiting around with LO's for buses all day would be a bit too much for me. We can't wait to go back again someday and bring all our things to decorate our cart!
All in all if I could some it up in one sentence?-You want a true Disney experience, stay here!
