Most Recent Reviews
Review of Art of Animation Resort (Value Resort)
Reviewed by boarddad Review Date: 08/29/2018
Rating: (9) Recommended
We moved to Art of Animation after a disappointing experience @ Caribbean Beach. It was pretty late when we got to AoA so, although the check-in took quite a while, it was to be expected. We had a 1br suite in Lion King Bldg. 10. The walk to the busses and food court was not bad. Busses ran efficiently the entire stay. AoA is across the water from Pop Century and the two are nearly identical outside of the themeing. They are building a gondola at the Mermaid end that will be shared by both resorts (should be a nice touch). The room exceeded our expectations. 1br Suites have a master br with bathroom, a living room area with a comfortable pull-out bed, and a dining area with a very well engineered murphy bed that converts from the table, and a second bathroom. 1br suites have a microwave and a small refrigerator that we made good use of. We had heard that noise was a problem in AoA but that was not the case. The pool was OK but lacked a slide of any sort. We spent just a couple of hours at the pool (big blue pool - little Mermaid and Cars pools are smaller, I think quiet(?) pools - both looked nice). It was clean, well stocked with towels and had constant entertainment. Worth noting; we could not find an open deck chair the entire time. Would definitely recommend a different resort if the pool is a big deal to you. All in all, a great place to make a "home base" of for your WDW stay!
Pros:
A good fit for a family of 5Cons:
pool could be betterReview of Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue
Reviewed by SCOTTMOP Review Date: 08/27/2018
Rating: (10) Recommended
Still the best show at Disney. the food is great and the show is a hoot. Its one of the few places that all you can drink alcohol is included in the price. the dessert Is great as well. Its a must each time we go. Its fried chicken, ribs, mashed potatoes, corn, beans, corn bread and salad. they really improved on the beans.
Pros:
great show and foodCons:
—Review of Paradiso 37
Reviewed by psimon1210 Review Date: 09/06/2018
Rating: (4) Not Recommended
There were 4 of us. We ordered four platters (about $16 each, and an order of chips/salsa($6).
The chips were expensive for what we got and none of the platters arrived hot. They all arrived warm, at best. Took a while to get the check. Never going back and don't recommend it.
Pros:
It was convenientCons:
Food, spped of serviceReviewed by bellebookworm9 Review Date: 09/10/2018
Rating: (8) Recommended
We attended MNSSHP for the first time since 2011 on Labor Day 2018 (Monday, September 3rd). While I didn’t dress up as anything specific, I was fully decked out in Halloween shirt, leggings, socks, tutu, and Minnie Mouse Ears from 2015 (and got tons of compliments on all of it, especially the ears, which are no longer available).
We had a 5:20 ADR at Crystal Palace and arrived at the park around 5, and directed toward Market Street (behind Main Street) to pick up our candy bags and visit first candy stop. They had decorations and photo ops (small character statues in costume, MNSSHP “framesâ€) but as it was 5:09 and all lines had several people already, we skipped the extras.
By the time we finished dinner it was about 6:50 and anyone without party wristbands was being escorted out. We headed to Adventureland and lined up for Tarzan, Terk, and Jane. Although there were only a few groups ahead of me, they had more people come and join them so it took about 20 minutes to get to the front of the line - and there was no Photopass photographer.
After that, we didn’t meet any more characters because they all had longer lines. We rode Pirates (20 minute wait) and I wasn’t really impressed with the hyped-up Gunpowder Pete addition. Kind of lame, actually. Rode BTMRR with no wait. Haunted Mansion waited about 5 minutes - love the CM makeup during the parties!
Visited every candy stop from Adventureland clockwise through the park to Storybook Circus and then our bags were full. They were VERY generous with candy and lines moved quickly all night. Received a good variety of different kinds of chocolate, M&Ms, starbursts, skittles, etc.
We saw the fireworks from the hub at 10:15, watched the Hocus Pocus show at 10:45 from same spot (a little far but perfectly audible) and stayed in place (handicapped viewing) for 11:15 parade. Love the fireworks and parade!
It’d be easy to visit 2-3 parties just to try and get everything done. We saw Madame Rinatta outsize Mansion and she was so funny. Took a couple of Photopass photos with Hitchhiking ghosts. Need at least one party to meet characters and one to do all the other things! Our party was definitely not sold out and the temperature was nice. Disappointing that they’ve slowly phased out a lot of the Villain meets over the years. Now it’s just Cruella, Jafar, Lotso...Jack and Sally aren’t really villains.
Pros:
Short lines for rides, lots of candy, parade and fireworks were greatCons:
Character lines are long; few villains to meet any moreReviewed by Skidown32 Review Date: 09/11/2018
Rating: (9) Recommended
My husband and I were blown away. The food, especially for an "all you can eat" restaurant was spectacular. We had a reservation. Waited about 3 minutes for seating and then we just were so surprised by the food. I have thought everything was delicious except for the desert. I only had a some cookies and a bite of an orea cupcake. none of it was worth the calories so I passed. I am not a lover of sweets anyway so I honestly didnt mind. Dont miss this restaurant!!
Pros:
Pleasantly Surprised!!Cons:
desertsReview of Magic Kingdom Fireworks Dessert Party
Reviewed by bellebookworm9 Review Date: 09/10/2018
Rating: (10) Recommended
My mom and I did the Happily Ever After Dessert Party with Plaza Garden Viewing on Saturday, 9/1/18. This was the only reason we came to Magic Kingdom that evening and it was well worth it for our first in person viewing of the new fireworks.
They have two lines that aren’t well labeled, and you’ll only sort out which is which by asking. It seems they stagger the entry and from what I could gather, the earlier time is for Garden Plaza viewers who will dine in the rear of Tomorrowland Terrace, and the later time is for the guests who will stay at the front of the Terrace for the show.
I definitely got my money’s worth here! First of all, they had POG Juice and that made my whole evening! The chocolate covered strawberries and the amazing spinach dip were worth the price alone! Also tried the Red Velvet cupcake, fresh fruit, cheese and crackers, Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake, Cheesecake Brownie Bite, Strawberry Tart, a S’more from the action station, and Pineapple Delight (the only thing I didn’t care for).
The Garden area was not crowded and that was the hands down benefit here. My mom uses an ECV at Disney and navigating Main Street around fireworks time is not pleasant for her. I also recall my visit to Disneyland over Memorial Day weekend earlier this year and being crushed like a sardine to see the Pixar fireworks there. This was such a nice change that I think I’m spoiled now! The view was great, I got excellent photos, and we had a nice space to relax and wait for the crowds to thin out afterwards.
Pros:
Excellent desserts, excellent view, not squashed on Main StreetCons:
—Reviewed by Sigmabelle Review Date: 09/11/2018
Rating: (8) Recommended
Stayed at Port Orleans Riverside September 23rd to September 29th, 2017. Disney World changed our reserved dates at Start of September to this resort & upgraded us to the Princess rooms as we were not allowed to check in a day late due to Hurricane Irma. At first we were a bit upset but it was worth the wait. Pros: Princess rooms have great location & are beautiful. Even my son loved our rooms. This entire resort is gorgeous. We enjoyed the food court and realized the pizza station could easily feed 2 of us. Only a few min wait 10 mins or less each time we went to food court. Cons: The resort is large so be prepared to walk there is not any way around this however after being in the parks all day this was not an issue for us. Issue 1: The bus service. Always waiting! Many times 40 mins or more to get the the parks. The trip back each night was much, much worse. Helpful Tip: As long as walking is not an issue take the Port Orleans French Quarter bus back at night and make the 10 min walk from the resort next door. Great example- Family with us left Magic Kingdom 90 min before we did. We took FQ bus back and all of us arrived to the rooms at the same time. Issue #2: The main pool area was underwhelming to say the least. It was dirty, crowded and terrible for small children. The layout of the pool area is not family friendly at all. Again lots of room for improvement here. Didn't really seem to have much theme at the pool. If you have a toddler or Children 5 or under this pool is not for you!
Pros:
Resort is beautifulCons:
Pool & Bus ServiceReview of All Star Movies Resort (Value Resort)
Reviewed by Sigmabelle Review Date: 09/11/2018
Rating: (6) Recommended
When we checked in we got our requested section - Herbie the Love bug. When we entered our room we were hit with the overwhelming smell of bleach. Before unpacking we inspected the room finding mold in the sink area and in the tub and toilet area (lots of it). We called the front desk and were immediately moved to a room in the Mighty Ducks section. The theme in all sections of this resort was super cute. Even the mighty ducks section grew on me over our few days here. Negatives of this resort:The Mold on room #1, Rooms very outdated they need some serious updating, Bathroom and sink area tiny. My husband and I had difficulty get ready in this space. Not sure how we would have managed if our kids came on this trip with us. Pluses: Our Location in the Mighty Ducks section made it very easy to access food court at all star music (resort next door) we were closer to that food court than our own. Size of the resort was great. I was expecting this resort to be much larger having previously stayed at Caribbean Beach, Port Orleans Riverside and the Beach Club. Everything was a 5 min walk or less. We also liked the pool areas. The themes at the pools was very kids friendly. There was even a conveniently located kiddie pool. Great for toddlers. The best thing about this resort was how fantastic the bus services was. Never waited more than 10 mins for a bus ever...going to or coming back from the parks. Hoping Disney updates these rooms... Stayed in November 2017 and there were 2 adults. Would have given this resort a 7 or 7.5 however the mold in the room really brought this down to a 6.5 for us in rankings
Pros:
Bus Service & Resort SizeCons:
Outdated Rooms, Bathroom Size and Mold!Review of Beach Club Villas (Disney Vacation Club)
Reviewed by Sigmabelle Review Date: 09/11/2018
Rating: (8) Recommended
Location, Location, Location! Easy Walking distance to Epcot and Hollywood Studios...Pool area is great but huge (be prepared to hunt for your family members and friends). Rooms are very pretty and the layout of the 2 bedroom suite made it easy for 8 of us to easily get ready. Only Cons to this resort was the bus service & no quick service food options. Tip just walk to Epcot and Hollywood Studios and Uber, Lyft or Minnie van everywhere else. Really hated that this resort did not have any quick service food options. Had to walk to the Swan for breakfast each day...The Boardwalk was close but as we went in November there was nothing really to grab eat and quckly unless we headed to Swan for food.
Pros:
Amazing Location & PoolCons:
No Quick service (food Court) & BusesReview of Grand Floridian Resort (Deluxe Resort)
Reviewed by rijndar2 Review Date: 09/11/2018
Rating: (3) Not Recommended
My partner and I decided to spend twenty-three days and nights in Orlando, Florida, to celebrate his retirement and sixtieth birthday and my seventieth birthday. Being no strangers to annual visits to Disney World since 2000 we spent our first sixteen nights at the French Quarter, then four nights at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando to attend the annual Flute Convention, and our last three nights at the Grand Floridian, our first visit to this resort. We even secured the Chefs Table at Victoria and Albert’s for our second night at the Grand Floridian. Scheduling our stay at the Disney World resorts in this way gave us access to the Magical Express service since we travel from the Los Angeles, California, area. We always prefer to use the “red-eye†flight from LAX, and with Magical Express we arrived at the French Quarter by 6:30 AM to check in. The only request we made was for early housekeeping because we are typically exhausted by 2:00 PM and wish to return to a cleaned room. As with all previous visits to Disney World resorts save for one visit to the Animal Kingdom Lodge, our room would not be ready until 4:00 PM.
Neither my partner nor I can sleep aboard an aircraft even if we have been up and busy the entire day. By the time we leave for the airport three hours before flight time, endure a five-hour flight, set our watches three hours forward, and spend an hour riding the Magical Express service to the resort, we are beyond exhausted. Of course it is our choice to make these travel arrangements, but it boggles the imagination that Disney World housekeeping has from 11:00 AM checkout time to turnover a room and cannot give us access to our room any earlier than 4:00 PM. From conversations with housekeeping staff, they must turnover a room within twenty-five minutes but most can do it in twenty minutes when pushed. We have also heard many reports that Disney World has been finding ways to reduce its housekeeping staff. We were even offered a very small monetary incentive to forgo daily housekeeping altogether. Since rooms are generally assigned several weeks prior to a guest’s arrival, no pleading, begging, or “cash under the counter†will get you into your assigned room much before 4:00 PM. When we arrived, fortunately for us we only had to wait thirty minutes before the food court opened at 7:00 AM. My scooter arrived at 8:00 AM as promised and we were off to EPCOT in order to make our way to the Dolphin Resort to pick up our car before 2:00 PM. After a very nice meal at Lobster Buffet we finally received a Text Message saying our room was ready. Across the street from the restaurant is a Publix grocery store where we purchase breakfast items, snacks, and water in a feeble attempt to reduce the food budget. We can purchase a pack of twenty-four bottles of water for the same price Disney World charges for one bottle of water at any of the resorts or parks!
We typically fall into bed very early the first night regardless which resort we stay at. And we try to utilize every opportunity for Early Magic Hour at the assigned park for that day. We have been known to ride on at least half of our favorite attractions during that single hour. But as the park begins to fill with locals and late arrivals the opportunity to ride on other attractions become less and less feasible. It is a terrible mistake not to utilize the Fast-Pass system, but those Fast-Passes must be made far in advance and that requires planning and scheduling. It is worth using Excel to keep a schedule of Early Magic Hours, Late Magic Hours, Fast-Passes, and dining reservations. Rarely can you walk into a restaurant for dinner and expect to be seated without a reservation. By mid-afternoon we have generally covered most of the park, gone on all the rides and visited the attractions we intended, eaten a few snacks, and consumed at least one meal. And every day when we returned to the French Quarter we found our room fresh and clean.
Our suite at the Hyatt Regency was beyond fabulous. We had a very comfortable living room area including a full-sized desk and a 65-inch flat screen TV sitting on a long credenza with ample drawers and shelves. The well-appointed bedroom area included a snack area with a refrigerator, coffee maker, and a wall safe in the large closet. The bathroom had a full-sized tub and shower with safety bars which I require. Even a tub mat was provided. To summarize, the floor space of this suite was at least 2.5 times larger than the floor space of our room at the French quarter, and it cost 2/3 what we paid at the French quarter, even with our pass-holders 25% discount. The Disney experience comes at a very high cost.
The crowning moment of our Orlando celebration came when we arrived at the Grand Floridian. One is generally awe-struck by this majestic structure. We reserved a room on the concierge level with a theme park view, room 4006. As always, our room was not ready, and we were invited to wait in the private lounge area on the fourth floor where there was plenty of food to snack on; and wait. At this time I returned to the third floor to speak to a concierge to request early housekeeping. He asked me at what hour I would like the room cleaned. I told him any time before 2:00 PM because I had to rest, and we had reservations at the Chefs Table the following evening. He assured me that our room would be cleaned before 2:00 PM during our stay. The view of the Magic Kingdom from our balcony on the third floor was exquisite. The fireworks display that evening was visually outstanding, but marred by our neighbors on both sides with their very loud talking and shouting, so the accompanying music was barely audible. The next day we returned to our room fully exhausted at 2:00 PM and found our room as we had left it early that morning: no housekeeping had been done. Nearly in a rage, I stormed down the hall to the speak to the concierges and found three milling around their desks. With a firm and forceful voice I informed these concierges that we were assured our room would be cleaned by 2:00 PM. It was important to us, and not for some silly reason, either. I told them yesterday we have reservations for the Chefs Table, we need to rest, and we needed time to properly prepare our evening clothes. I told them I need to have this room cleaned now! Someone from housekeeping finally arrived to our room 45 minutes later. I requested to speak to a manager at the front desk downstairs. Nearly 30 minutes later the manager of housekeeping met with me. I told him this was not a housekeeping issue; rather, it was an issue with the concierges who "assured" me our room would be cleaned by 2:00 PM. This manager told me our room will be cleaned by 2:00 PM the next day, our last day. Then he wanted to know what I wanted for restitution. I told him I wasn’t looking for restitution. He said that he will speak to his manager and they would decide on some form of restitution. We heard nothing further from hotel management.
Our experience at the Chefs Table was beyond our wildest expectations. There are no words to describe this experience. After this meal it was simply wonderful to have a room just upstairs and be able to fall into bed completely sated, and totally exhausted. The following evening we immensely enjoyed the Magic Kingdom fireworks from our balcony because we had no neighbors to mar the experience. Was the Grand Floridian worth $1000/day? Our room badly needed a facelift: the plumbing for the bathroom sinks had issues, there were no safety bars in the shower, I had to request a tub mat, some of the electrical sockets did not have power, most of the switch and plug plates were lose, there were few drawers in the credenza and they were small, and the carpet was sadly worn throughout and stained in several areas. We were both happy to leave the Grand Floridian and glad our trip to the airport on the Magical Express service was on time and uneventful.
