Most Recent Reviews
Review of FastPass+ (Retired)
Reviewed by bellebookworm9 Review Date: 08/23/2014
Rating: (5) Recommended
I have a love/hate relationship with FP+. This was the first trip where I was able to make my choices 60 days out. The "tiers" at Epcot and DHS don't even bother me that much, because both Test Track and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster have single rider lines, and I travel by myself quite often. Only downside for Test Track is that you can't truly design your own car in the singles line.
It is nearly impossible to make day of changes, and the touted ability to make more than 3 FP choices per day is a joke. By the time you've finished your three options, it's already noon at the earliest and you're left with ridiculous choices like Figment and Captain EO.
I made my FP+ choices 60 days out and scored a prime Anna & Elsa FP for 9:20am...but then I had to change my dates and literally the only one available for them in a 7 day span was 6:20pm on an EMH night. Certainly not ideal but I wasn't going to wait 90+ minutes either.
While it is gratifying to see that Mickey head turn green, there has to be a way to make some changes. I wish there was a compromise between the old and new systems-such as tapping your band to get a return time, rather than a paper ticket. And judging by the "Standby" tickets that have recently been instituted at the A&E meet and greet and BOG lunch, Disney has also realized that guests are unhappy and changes need to be made.
Pros:
Planning in advanceCons:
Planning in advance, difficult to make same day changes, problems getting more than 3 FPsReview of My Disney Experience
Reviewed by bellebookworm9 Review Date: 08/23/2014
Rating: (7) Recommended
I think MDE is a good concept if only they could get all the bugs worked out. I like having all my reservations and such in one place...but the app is so incredibly slow and frustrating to use. They say you can use it to update FP+ in the parks but it is such a hassle to do. Then of course, there are the times when ALL reservations disappear from MDE, or it forgets that it really does know your password. Once they manage to get it working consistently, I think this would be a great benefit to vacationers.
Pros:
Good to have everything in one placeCons:
App is super slow and frustratingReview of Blizzard Beach
Reviewed by bellebookworm9 Review Date: 08/23/2014
Rating: (8) Recommended
I visited Blizzard Beach on the evening of 8/15, arriving around 5pm. The park closed at 8 that evening and I stayed until the very end. My first slide was Runoff Rapids and the wait was just walking up the 127 steps! That was followed by a brief wait, maybe 10 minutes, for Snow Stormers. I floated partway around Cross Country Creek before boarding the chair lift-using the singles line I did this 3 times and never waited more than 5 minutes.
The first run up the mountain our chair stopped about five feet from the drop point-apparently one of the other chairs had a malfunction and we didn't move for nearly 10 minutes. There was no wait for Teamboat Springs and a lovely British family adopted me for the raft trip down. I love this ride!
Back up the lift twice more for Summit Plummet and Slush Gusher. SG had about a 25 minute wait but it passed quickly while talking to others in line. I forgot about the "air time" on that slide! Summit Plummet had no more than a 10 minute wait. I now know why I hadn't done it in four years: the water was like knives and I swear my hips were actually bruised from the force of the water! Unfortunately, there was no Photopass person to capture the trip due to the late time.
Downhill Double Dipper had been closed from the time I got to the park until around 6:30. It had the longest line of all, at about half an hour. I don't understand why this is such a slow loader. Finished off the day with a bit of floating in the near empty wave pool.
I really enjoyed my evening at BB, and definitely recommend going in the last few hours before closing, particularly when the park is open later.
Pros:
Limited crowds in early eveningCons:
Line at DDD, bruises from Summit Plummet, broken chair liftReview of Typhoon Lagoon
Reviewed by bellebookworm9 Review Date: 08/22/2014
Rating: (8) Recommended
I visited Typhoon Lagoon twice on my most recent trip. On 8/13, I arrived around 2pm. My first stop was to get some lunch. The park was very crowded at this time. I was able to find a chair under a shelter in the back of park by Shark Reef. The lines for everything were very long, and all I did were the wave pool and the lazy river. Castaway Creek was uncomfortably crowded, wall to wall people. I did get some nice Photopass pictures and was able to meet Stitch before I left around 4pm.
My next visit was on 8/17. I had good luck visiting Blizzard Beach later in the day, so I tried the same with TL. I arrived around 3pm and left around 5 (the park closed at 6). In that time I was able to accomplish Shark Reef, the single rider slide on Crush n Gusher, Keelhaul and Mayday Falls, one of the Storm Slides, the wave pool, and the lazy river.
I enjoy TL quite a lot, but my recommendation would be to get there first thing in the morning or in the last three hours before closing.
Pros:
Less crowded in late afternoon, great themingCons:
—Review of Art of Animation Resort (Value Resort)
Reviewed by JoeyO11 Review Date: 08/22/2014
Rating: (10) Recommended
We stayed here with a family of 4 in the cars suite from aug 14th to aug 19th. Great location to and from the food court and buses. We had a small pool the cozy cone right out side of the building we were in. Breakfast and dinners are tough because of the crowded food court. House keeping was great. Room always clean. Themed Cars room was awesome. kids loved sleeping in the pull down bed. Overall it's a great room for the space you get.
Pros:
Great pool. Great AtmosphereCons:
Food court crowdedReview of Cape May Cafe Clam Bake Dinner
Reviewed by SMReichert Review Date: 08/22/2014
Rating: (9) Recommended
Was seated 10 min after reservation time. Waiter was prompt and courteous. Plates were cleaned off quickly. Drinks were quickly refilled. Food was good for a buffet (I'm not a big buffet person) My picky 11 y/o son was happy with what he had.
Dessert was good. A good variety of miniature desserts.
Will definitely go there again. In fact, I love the resort!
Pros:
Best meal so far this trip; great serviceCons:
NoneReview of Caribbean Beach Resort (Moderate Resort)
Reviewed by SMReichert Review Date: 08/22/2014
Rating: (1) Not Recommended
I can only speak for my experience this week at CBR. This is my 12th time in WDW. First time in CBR. I usually stay in Deluxe, but have stayed in French Quarter and was very happy there. I stayed this week in CBR. (We are still here). When I checked in on Tuesday, the registration wasn't too busy, but I still waited a bit to check in. The person who finally checked me in, came over to me in the line with an ipad and started the process as I stood there in the line. When she asked me for my credit card info, I asked if we could go somewhere that I could put my stuff down, and give her the info in a less public area. (I think she was new).
When I saw that our room was at the far end of Trinidad south (Furthest from the center hub of the resort), I asked if we could be closer to the pool and the restaurants. It was just my son and I, and I don't like to have to walk far in the dark by ourselves. They told me I couldn't move from the "pirate room" because it was a "premium" room and moving me to a different room would mess up my "package" (Whatever that meant). But they did move me "closer" in Trinidad South, which ended up being farther from the bus stop and actually further walking distance to the restaurant. They seemed very bothered by the fact I asked to be closer. It definitely was not worth the extra money for a pirate room!!!
Since we were at the end of the resort, the buses were always late and full. Since it was extremely hot, people were not respectful of the people who were already waiting and butted in front of the people who were waiting. So we had to wait for a second bus to get to a few of the resorts this week.
I want to add that we met a nice family while waiting for the bus back to CBR from MK. They were complaining about the same problems I was having.
I wasn't given anything about the resort like I have received from other resorts like what restaurants they had, hours of operation, etc. I did receive the dining plan brochure, a list of activities at the pool and a map of the resort.
The first night, we were hungry and in our room. There wasn't any info in our room on private dining or pizza delivery. We called the front desk. They said there were places that delivered here, but we would have to go to the front of the resort to get it! Definitely not walking distance especially at 10 pm! So they recommended in room dining. I was transferred to another person. I asked what they offered and they said it was in a brown folder on the table. There was no folder. They asked what room I was in and they said someone would get it out to me. After 40 minutes, we called back. They said they didn't offer in room dining (What??) but they offered pizza delivery. (They think I was transferred to someone who was unaware I was calling from CBR.). We got the pizza (disappointing, but something)
The food at the food court isn't that good. The grab & go doesn't have prices on anything. We have the refillable mugs, but a waste since we are so far away that we aren't there to fill them. Or we would have to carry them with us to the parks all day.
Our room wasn't cleaned today. Not sure why. We didn't have washcloths in our room when we checked in, but them came right away with them along with extra towels.
I have NEVER complained about WDW ever! Not sure if its the weather, but even the bus drivers are grumpy! The hotel employees are not happy or pleasant. The DVC rep was happy & Disney like, but no one else. I am very disappointed. My 11 year old has noticed it too. We are having fun though. It is WDW! But CBR is a total disappointment. Maybe if we were closer, we wouldn't have rated it so poorly, but being so far from everything, waiting so long for a bus to go to the resorts, and the food, I can't give it a good rating. Sorry. Back to Deluxe next year.
Pros:
CleanCons:
Too far from everything; slow bus/full buses; not thrilled with food choicesReview of MagicBand
Reviewed by bellebookworm9 Review Date: 08/22/2014
Rating: (9) Recommended
I have four bands right now, all in different colors. One was from a stay in March, one is my AP band, and two were for my recent split stay last week. I love that they can all be used interchangeably, allowing me to color coordinate with whatever I'm wearing. Any and all will get me into my room and the parks, register my FP+, dining plan, and Memory Maker entitlements.
I have also purchased several packs of Mickey head "jibbits" to decorate the bands, but I don't recommend putting more than two on at a time. Each time I've put three on, I've lost the third, never to be seen again.
Pros:
ConvenientCons:
Accessories tend to fall offReviewed by bellebookworm9 Review Date: 08/22/2014
Rating: (9) Recommended
As I had a rental car this trip, my use of Disney transportation was limited. On my first morning at Magic Kingdom, I was given the option of bus or ferryboat; I chose the boat, though the bus probably would have been faster.
When the monorail was running, which it was every other time I used it, I never waited more than a couple of minutes, and I typically used the resort track. Most times, the monorail was there when I walked up.
The monorail is subject to reboots during it's conversion to driver-less operations. This takes about two minutes but the entire electrical system shuts down-including the A/C. As one mom pointed out, maybe January would be a better time to do this conversion, not August when it's ridiculously hot and humid!
Pros:
Prompt monorails when runningCons:
Monorail reboots and limited serviceReviewed by bellebookworm9 Review Date: 08/22/2014
Rating: (9) Recommended
While I had plans to partake in all of the events, I only ended up watching the fireworks. Having heard that the views of the fireworks themselves were better from farther back, I stood near the camera shop on Hollywood Blvd and had a great view! I could see the stage in the distance but the jumbo-tron screens were quite clear. I thought the stage show portion was a little silly but I really enjoyed the pyrotechnics. This was the first fireworks show I've had the opportunity to see at DHS and it was great!
