Most Recent Reviews
Reviewed by BareNecessities Review Date: 09/27/2018
Rating: (7) Recommended
It's a beautiful resort with exceptional animal viewing, and a really great pool area with a lot of different activities. The rooms are nice but very small and dark, and poorly lit. Using the mini-kitchenette (DVC studio) was tough for that reason alone. We had a very serious incident with a staff member once (a first at WDW for us after nearly 30 years of trips), and the response from the resort was very weak. The walks from some rooms, to main areas is quite long, and could really present a problem to some. It's calmer and quieter than at Jambo, and that might be exactly what you want.
Pros:
Great pool area activities and options.Cons:
very dark rooms and long walks to your room.Review of Pop Century Resort (Value Resort)
Reviewed by steelers_fan Review Date: 09/27/2018
Rating: (9) Recommended
We have stayed at Pop a few times in the past. Our most recent stay was August 16th for a total of 9 nights. The newly remodeled rooms are very well done. The use of space is excellent. We had 3 adults and one child in the room and didnt feel as cramped as we had in the past. And we had two golf bags with us as well, as extra luggage! The regular suitcases are able to be stored under the beds (we kept the murphy bed down the whole time). The room has plenty of plugs to handle the various cell phones being charged, along with any other electronics.
We initially were given a room in the 90's section (building 8). I immediately asked if there was any rooms available closer, and they were able to move us to building 6 (70's section). Our room was in the back of the building, on the 4th floor, overlooking Hourglass Lake. It was very quiet in that area. It also afforded us a short walk over to Art of Animation, where we ate at their food court once, and took the AOA bus from the park a few times due to a shorter wait time. The walk to the main pool and the food court was minimal.
We have stayed at a few other Values and two Moderates. You cant beat the cost of staying at Pop, and if you aren't in your room all that much, why pay more if you dont have to.
Two of us utilized the pool bar a coiple of times and the bartenders there were fantastic. I wish I could remember their names, but one guy was telling stories about working at Pleasure Island back in the day.
The pool activities are great also. We went back to the resort mid day each day for rest and pool time. It seemed like there were organized pool activities going on for most of the day.
Our goal is to try different resorts on our trips, but my daughter wanted to stay at Pop again this time. We got a discounted rate, so we couldnt pass it up. I'm sure we will go back in the future as well.
Pros:
Updated rooms, friendly staff, theming, pools.Cons:
Long walk to bus at each park. Large resort and food gets crowded at breakfast time and dinner time.Reviewed by BareNecessities Review Date: 09/27/2018
Rating: (7) Recommended
The resort is stunning, and with many unusual areas to explore, both in and outdoors. The rooms though, are VERY small and VERY dark (poor lighting too except vanity area), especially when compared to other deluxe resorts. We don't mind the resort's distance from the parks, as we enjoy the ride there and back. Wait times for the buses seem a bit longer at times, but that's been rare for us. The pool at Jambo is the best part of the whole resort. It doesn't feel like a standard swimming pool, due to its design. I wish Kidani had something similar. While we're not fond of the very busy main areas near Mara, at Jambo, and prefer Kidani, from that respect, we still really enjoy staying, eating, and exploring at this resort. Mostly everything has always been top notch, but there's been a little undercurrent about each of our stays, and we've tried to pin down what it is - unsuccessfully: while the service was there, it's not been a very welcoming experience during any of our stays (including DVC). We've just not had the warmest vibe, nor the friendliest of service, at either Jambo or Kidani. It's been a recurring theme for us. Not sure why. On one occasion, and only one - the last time we stayed there - something very unfriendly (putting it mildly) occurred with one staff member (a bell services guy - we learned that they are/were contracted out through another company ?? not sure about that)... And although there were polite responses from front desk and elsewhere as a result, it felt more like they were just covering their own backsides, not really interested in solving the problem. This is NOT typical of WDW hotel staff at any of the resorts we've stayed - not ever - not even close! So we are not likely to return here for an overnight stay.
Pros:
Great quality resortCons:
dark small roomsReview of runDisney Events
Reviewed by Will Review Date: 09/27/2018
Rating: (10) Recommended
I have done 3 runDisney half marathons. Disney pulls out all the bells and whistles. They have constant energy, music, Gatorade, and more to keep you going til the end. My buddy was injured and they had such great medical staff to help him recover. Great motivation for someone who is a veteran or wants to start running.
Pros:
Lots of stops to replenish energy. Beautiful medalsl. Lots of stops for pictures and memoriesCons:
Have to pay for parking. Does not include Disney Park tickets, not even a discount.Review of San Angel Inn Lunch/Dinner
Reviewed by magicalcouple Review Date: 09/27/2018
Rating: (9) Recommended
Love this place! I love Mexican food of any variety, Tex-Mex, authentic, whatever. This place does not disappoint me. We always have reservations, so I am not sure about walk ups, but I have had to see them turn people away before on occasion.
I'll begin by saying that the atmosphere is fun! It's dimly lit with lights strung around, music playing, and you feel like you are experiencing an outdoor restaurant on the water overlooking a volcano...that erupts! Such a fun place to be.
The salsa is spicy but delicious. Our server treated my younger son like he was such a special guest and he felt so honored that he has requested we eat here time and time again, despite his picky appetite.
My top two favorite items on the menu are the Pollo A Las Rajas and the Carne Asada, both flavorful and delicious.
This restaurant IS dark and it is definitely loud. The tables are very close together, but for me and my family, this is overlooked simply because of the experience in itself.
Pros:
Food, AtmosphereCons:
Tables Close, LoudReview of Tangierine Cafe
Reviewed by magicalcouple Review Date: 09/27/2018
Rating: (9) Recommended
Love this place! Here you can find a refreshing, not too heavy, but spice delicious meal. I love that your plate has a variety of items including hummus! While I may enjoy this type of food, my dear son does not. No worries guys, they have chicken fingers with fries! If you are looking for a quick meal around the world showcase, do come by and enjoy the shawarma platter with hummus, couscous, and bread!
Pros:
Delicious Quick ServiceCons:
None.Review of Biergarten - Lunch/Dinner
Reviewed by magicalcouple Review Date: 09/27/2018
Rating: (7) Recommended
If you or your children are picky, this place might not be for you. BUT wow- what a wonderful experience, just the same! There is something very unique and special of the ambiance of this place, especially during the Christmas season. The band plays, brings the children down to entertain, and even passed out Werther's Originals to the kiddos. It was a very entertaining and lovely experience. My son, who eats fried chicken nuggets for almost every meal, would not partake but I was more adventurous and enjoyed many of the offerings from the buffet. The dessert section was delicious! Note, smaller parties will be sat with other guests at a large table so if you are an introvert, this might prove slightly intimidating.
Pros:
Setting & AmbianceCons:
Sharing tables with strangersReview of Mama Melrose's Lunch/Dinner
Reviewed by Colleen Review Date: 09/27/2018
Rating: (8) Recommended
We ate here for lunch for the first time this trip, and I felt like it was a hidden gem. Even though two of us were stuck on a ride and late getting there they seated the rest of the party right on time. I really liked the theming and quiet atmosphere here. It was a nice reprieve from the hot, busy park. The food was good. I especially liked the caprese salad. The servers weren't overly friendly, but we had no problems. I would eat here again.
Pros:
nice break from the parksCons:
good food, but not outstandingReview of Pinocchio Village Haus
Reviewed by magicalcouple Review Date: 09/27/2018
Rating: (6) Recommended
While this place can turn bonkers crowded, it can be a crowd pleaser as well. The flat bread pizzas are a nice turn from the usual pizza we find in theme parks and the monthly change up can be refreshing. We enjoyed the pepperoni & sausage and a plain ole cheese flatbread. I will add that their salads were delicious as well. We try to opt to sit next to the window by it's a small world for viewing fun as well!
Pros:
Better than average flatbreadsCons:
BusyReview of Theme Park Photo Pass
Reviewed by Cheryl Review Date: 09/27/2018
Rating: (10) Recommended
I would recommend the photopass photographers if you want photos of the whole group. I usually take the photos so many years, I'm in very few photos. We've probably purchased the Memory Maker 4-5 times and have an annual pass now. Only once or twice have I gotten photos from another group and never have they missed automatically adding one to my account based on my magic band. The only time we've ever had trouble with ride photos is when the the number of people standing in front of the monitors prevented us from tapping our magic bands to "claim" our photos before the rolled off. This was easily fixed by talking to the ride photo cast member and they added it manually. I saw photographers everywhere at Epcot during the Flower and Garden, Animal Kingdom at night in Pandora and by Tree of Life. I've seen more photographers at those two parks than Magic Kingdom or Disney's Hollywood Studios but I've seen them tucked away at those parks as well. It may be expensive but having the photos that include everyone and the ability to edit them adding character signatures and borders make it worth the price to our family.
