Most Recent Reviews
Reviewed by Jazzfool20 Review Date: 10/03/2014
Rating: (9) Recommended
My family and I just returned from a stay (Sept. 23rd - Oct. 1st) at my "home" the GF Villas, and Everything was almost perfect. This was my premier stay, and it had been a dream to stay at the Grand Floridian for many years. Having been a DVC member by association for many years (my parents own at OKW) I've come to expect a lot, and was not disappointed. The grounds and building are stunning. The theme and period music, i.e. Paul Whiteman, The Mills Blue Rhythm Band, Artie Shaw, etc...are par excellence (though sadly most people don't notice, and it's lost on them). Covered walkway from the villas to the main building is wonderful, especially when it rains. The rooms are equally exceptional. We were in a studio, and had a great view of the monorail and grounds. There's one bed, and a pull-out sofa, which my parents said was the best they'd ever slept on. Closet/drawer space was fine for three people, though might be a bit tough for four. Linens, and robes were lovely, as was the split bathroom.
There were a few very minor negatives: There was almost nowhere to hang anything - only one double hook in one bathroom. Very little drawer space - in fact only one, and a weird pull down drawer on the other side. Also only one sink. The overall size of the room was a bit on the small side, but I think that's because the bathrooms are so big, and I'm comparing them mainly to OKW which as the biggest DVC studios on property.
Overall would highly recommend, and can't wait to return!
Pros:
Beautiful room, exceptional theme, lovely grounds, and location...Cons:
noneReview of FastPass+ (Retired)
Reviewed by MM from Connecticut Review Date: 10/02/2014
Rating: (2) Not Recommended
Fast Pass+ forced me to micro-manage our vacation. Not only did we have to select 3 attractions per day, but now I had to coordinate those attractions with my dining reservations (location, time to get from one to the other, etc.) and had to predict a month in advance where and what time I wanted to be at a certain attraction?!? And what if we woke up in the morning and decided to go to a different park? Or decided to stay at the pool and go to the park in the evening? Out of luck -- no way to get any decent Fast Pass attractions. Completely took out all the spontaneity of the trip. Not a fan ...
Pros:
Can get Character Greetings and other non-attractionsCons:
Way too much planning ... impossible to change for anything decent last-minute, app doesn't always workReview of Backlot Express
Reviewed by nlg0517 Review Date: 10/02/2014
Rating: (5) Recommended
This is the second time we ate here & not much has changed since 2012. The food is your basic QS, burgers, nuggets. I had the bacon cheeseburger, it was a little bland. DH had the turkey sandwich, he thought it was good. The kids all had nuggets, which were okay. They only had one condiments bar open which people continually tried to use. I hate to admit I kind of enjoyed watching people trying to get ice & drinks from a station that had 2 signs explaining that they needed to go down the ramp to get drinks & condiments.
Pros:
PriceCons:
—Reviewed by MM from Connecticut Review Date: 10/02/2014
Rating: (8) Recommended
The party officially begins at 7 pm, which means the regular day crowd is still there, plus the Halloween party guests who arrive anytime after 4 pm, so there are A LOT of people in the MK until about 8 pm (closes at 11 pm). I did not see many special "villains" except 1 in line for photos. Main Street is festive and lit up with glowing lights in the windows that fade in/out, and Halloween music is playing throughout the park. The fireworks were special and festive, but I'm pretty sure the pre-fireworks show was the same ol' Celebrations. There are 2 parades offered, but the later parade was canceled due to impending rain, so we missed it. Also, I wish we would have received a whole packet of Halloween Sorcerer Cards, but only 1 was given out. Trick or Treating was fun and plentiful, but it would be more fun if the CMs were dressed up, or better yet, the villains should hand out candy! Worth checking out at least once, but maybe that's it ...
Pros:
Festive! Everyone was dressed up!Cons:
Needs more "special effects" and villains need to be more visible/mingleReview of General Exhibits and Experiences
Reviewed by MM from Connecticut Review Date: 10/02/2014
Rating: (6) Not Recommended
It wasn't anything special ... some of the foods were appetizing, but quite expensive for a tiny bite. The wines were delicious, but again, expensive for a small glass. I would enjoy seeing more countries represented.
Pros:
Different cuisines/winesCons:
expensiveReviewed by MM from Connecticut Review Date: 10/02/2014
Rating: (8) Recommended
The Coronado is a beautiful resort with a large, fun main pool and great bus service. The food court is now a normal food court (previously there were CMs to fill mugs and clear dishes that we had to tip, but we still ordered & carried the food). It is the nicest of the moderate resorts. However, it is very, very far to walk from rooms to the main building (15 minutes) or to the main pool area. I wish they would install either a bridge over the lake or offer a water taxi. Buses were great and ran often.
Pros:
Beautiful Resort and finally a NORMAL food court!Cons:
Needs a bridge to cross over the lake -- takes too long to walkReview of Disney Dining Plan
Reviewed by MM from Connecticut Review Date: 10/02/2014
Rating: (6) Not Recommended
Disney Dining Plan was free during our recent stay, and we received 1 counter service, 1 sit down and 1 snack per day. Several issues: meals came with dessert only. We would rather have a choice of salad/app OR dessert, instead of just dessert (not exactly health conscious of Disney). Another problem is the sit down dinner took way too long at many of the restaurants (we were at Mama Melrose for 2 hours), and we had to book reservations months in advance, and we were pretty much locked into the restaurant. Too much planning for lengthy, heavy meals that our kids didn't care about at all. It was convenient and easy, and the refillable mugs at the hotel were a nice bonus, but if we had to purchase them, it would have been $17/per person, not sure if it is worth it.
Pros:
Easy, and refillable mugs a plusCons:
Time ConsumingReview of Biergarten - Lunch/Dinner
Reviewed by JCandKT Review Date: 10/02/2014
Rating: (10) Recommended
The Biergarten is always a stop for us during our trips to Disney World!
We went for lunch, our reservation was at 1:45, and we were seated immediately. One thing you must know about the Biergarten is that you will sit with strangers are long 8-person tables. There is NO WAY around this, so be prepared. It speaks to the culture of Germany, but some people get annoyed with it. Like the 3 ladies that were "forced" to sit with us, and another couple. It made for an uncomfortable time. Thankfully they barely ate and left quickly. Their loss!
It is so yummy. A full buffet, so you can try many different "new" foods to see what you like, and go back up for more! I loved the roasted chicken, the roast pork on the carving station with a side of applesauce, the macaroni/pasta salad, and of course the nudel gratin...yum!
Try each of the desserts and don't feel bad - you're on vacation!
The "Madonna" riesling is super sweet and JUST what I wanted. My husband had the liter of beer and was happy as a clam.
Pros:
Food Quality, ServiceCons:
noneReview of Chefs de France - Lunch/Dinner
Reviewed by JCandKT Review Date: 10/02/2014
Rating: (10) Recommended
So good, we went twice for lunch during our time at Disney World for our September vacation.
Our cast members/servers were Christophe and Doriane. Wonderful, personable, gracious hosts.
For both visits, I did the Prix-Fixe lunch menu - starting with THE BEST french onion soup EVER! I love, love, love it, and you are missing out if you don't start your meal with this soup. For my entrees both times, I chose the "macaroni & cheese" ---- a mild, subtle, creamy gratin made with gruyere cheese. And for desserts, one time I chose the profiteroles and the other, the vanilla creme brulee. Yum, yum, yum.
My husband also had the french onion soup, and macaroni and cheese once --- our second visit, he had the ham & cheese sandwich with salad. Both, he said, were amazing. He had the same desserts as I did.
We ended both meals with coffee (for me) and espresso (for him) and they did not disappoint. So relaxing just to enjoy a cup of coffee, watching the hustle and bustle outside of Les Chefs de France.
This is always a stop for us, and will continue to be for years to come. GO NOW!
Pros:
Food Quality, ServiceCons:
noneReview of Yacht Club Resort (Deluxe Resort)
Reviewed by Imjustababyduck Review Date: 10/01/2014
Rating: (6) Recommended
We stayed at the Yacht Club for the first few days of our trip (and then switched to The Boardwalk Inn). The Yacht Club certainly has a more deluxe feel to it -- from the lobby to the pool.
We arrived later in the evening on our first night and our room was a LONG way from the front of the hotel (and that was the only way out). We had to walk to the end of 3 extremely looooong hallways to reach our room. It was an unbelievably long walk and a depressing way to both start and end your day. I would rather pay more for a room and be in a smaller hotel. Along those same lines, the parking situation was untenable for this hotel. Your only real choice was to pay $20.00 per day to valet. That is not the way I would prefer to spend my money. If you are going to make a hotel that large, you should have parking to accommodate the guests. This wasn't simply a matter of the lot being far away; it was a matter of the lot being a fraction of the size it needed to be (and, it was far away as well).
Our room was clean (as was the entirety of the hotel). We enjoyed the luxurious feel of the hotel, although that wore thin on those LONG walks to the room.
The pool was amazing. It is huge and perfect for kids. It is shared with the Beach Club, but it never seemed to be too crowded. The slide started across the wide walking pathway and the kids (and adults) seemed to love it. The pool is very well done.
We did not use housekeeping (personal preference), but our room was clean when we arrived. Some of the things in the room appeared a little worn, but we don't spend much time in the room so this didn't bother us as much as it might others.
I would stay here again.
