Most Recent Reviews
Review of Disney's Boardwalk Inn Concierge Level
Reviewed by lcjens Review Date: 01/30/2015
Rating: (9) Recommended
Just got back from a 4 night stay in a club level room, 4th floor with a nice view of the Eiffel Tower and quiet pool. Could see the fireworks from Illuminations from our balcony. The rooms have been nicely updated and the food was always hot in the club level lounge. Pool was open with a fun slide and pool games for the kids. Good for families or couples.
Pros:
Clean, friendly staff, close to Epcot and Hollywood StudiosCons:
shared buses with Swan and Dolphin resortsReview of Tony's Town Square Lunch/Dinner
Reviewed by lcjens Review Date: 01/30/2015
Rating: (6) Recommended
The food was average but it was served within 5 minutes of ordering, super fast.
Pros:
Seated within 10 minutes, nice atmosphere and staffCons:
food is averageReview of 'Ohana Dinner
Reviewed by short2cake Review Date: 01/30/2015
Rating: (10) Recommended
We dined here on 1/19/15. I made a 9:15pm adr so we would be there in time for the Magic Kingdom Fireworks at 10pm. The food was fantastic. I really thought I would like the steak best but I LOVED the pork. It was so moist and flavorful! The bread pudding they served for dessert was fantastic too. Honestly, there wasn't a bad item on the menu. The pot-stickers were delicious and they have an appetizer dish where you can make your own lettuce wraps. Everything was so good and the service was great too. They pipe the music in when the fireworks start and we had a window seat which made it perfect. I don't' have a single bad thing to say about this place and it's definitely going to be on our list for future visits!
Pros:
The food is fabulousCons:
nothing!Review of Boardwalk Villas (Disney Vacation Club)
Reviewed by lizzie1974 Review Date: 01/31/2015
Rating: (8) Recommended
We spent 9 days in a deluxe studio villa, handicap accessible. We didn't request that type of room but I believe we were placed there because we asked to be near the elevators. This was a first floor room which also meant it had a large outdoor patio area that faced the Luna pool. With the doors closed, there was no noise from the pool at all. We were also right across from the guest laundry.
The staff was wonderful. The lifeguard at the pool helped us with some first aid needs for my daughter and couldn't have been more professional. Really first rate.
Special note to Nick, who works in the activities department. He went the extra, extra mile to replace a prize that my daughter won the previous day and later lost on a ride at MK.
The cons here are the current state of the overall area.
The room really needs new carpet. The walls have some chips. The bathroom in this particular room lacked some basic things like shelves and hooks. Very limited space to put your stuff. There was no built in safe in the room either. This seemed to shock the front desk and they insisted it was somewhere in the room!! Housekeeping brought us a portable one, which could easily be walked off with! But it was fine.
The location cannot be beat though. We'll stay again for sure!
Pros:
locationCons:
needs refurbishmentReview of Disney Dream Overall Experience
Reviewed by nicoleamidon Review Date: 02/08/2015
Rating: (9) Recommended
We took the 3 night Bahamas trip mid-January, 2015 on the Dream. This was our fourth Disney cruise but our first time on one of the newer ships. We loved being on the Magic and Wonder before and were worried the larger ship might not feel as personal or might feel over crowded.
The Dream was terrific! The ship is definately larger but it wasn't a problem at all. My husband and I love to walk the promenade deck (gotta burn off all those dinner calories!) and doing more stairs was fine for our active family. Animator's Palate is an upgrade from the older ships - even our teens enjoyed talking to Crush. They also liked the sports deck, especially mini golf. The pools were busy but other common areas like the theaters, lobby, shops, etc. never felt too crowded.
Our balcony room was several floors below Cabanas (so noise wasn't a problem) but it was odd to walk through the restaurant in order to access the stairs or deck and doing this could be tricky when food service was in full swing. It just seems like poor planning and very un-Disney like. The overall service was excellent, of course, and we liked our catamaran and snorkle trip in Nassau.
The port of Nassau isn't worth too much time (as many previous reviewers have pointed out) but we really had fun sailing and swimming as a family. One tip - be sure to ride the AquaDuck early and often (consider doing this the very first thing upon boarding, even). It got extremely crowded towards the end of the cruise with long waits. Our kids rode it multiple times with no line on embarkation day. We just packed our suits in our day bags and they practically had the pools and slides to themselves for several hours.
The technology on the ship is fantastic and we loved the moving artwork on the walls. We missed having a "trunk" of shelves in our room - stateroom storage was adequate but there was less than on the older ships. The Walt Disney Theater was absolutely beautiful and one night we sat in one of the small balconies on the side of the auditorium. This provided an interesting view of the stage and our kids liked being able to see down into the floor of the stage where props were raised and lowered, cast members prepped and scenery was moved around. We got an "inside" peek at how Disney creates some of their on-stage magic!
We don't think being on the Dream has ruined the older ships for us at all and we plan to return to whichever ship is going where we want to cruise next.
Pros:
another beautiful ship, great shows, teens loved mini golfCons:
walking through Cabanas to access stairsReview of Art of Animation Resort (Value Resort)
Reviewed by lizzie1974 Review Date: 01/31/2015
Rating: (8) Recommended
Our departure was delayed due to Blizzard Juno so we made arrangements to stay at AoA for 3 nights.
We were at the Boardwalk first. They transferred our luggage very easily. We got ourselves there via Disney bus.
They allowed us to take advantage of a weather emergency discount for the room, which was great.
We stayed in the Lion King room, building 6. Quite a convenient location to the main building. We've stayed at Pop several times and this is basically the same but feels somehow smaller and more compact.
The room was very spacious. Cool pull down bed. New. Great showers, big bathrooms. The furniture is not super comfortable but it's fine.
Wish the windows opened for fresh air.
Overall very nice. Buses are dedicated to AoA and convenient.
Pros:
good valueCons:
lots and lots of guestsReviewed by dani0622 Review Date: 02/02/2015
Rating: (3) Not Recommended
Just returned from a 9 day stay at OKW. From the moment I checked in, I should have known it was all downhill. I'm a DVC member and this is my home resort. I booked a "studio near hospitality house" and when I had called in to wait list Boardwalk seven months earlier, the cast member downgraded my room to just a "studio" (unbeknownst to me). After spending an hour at checkout trying to figure out what happened, we finally got to go to our room, which was about as far away from the hospitality house as possible. They offered to move us the next day (to the complete opposite side, no more convenient) but we stayed.
This place is just so big. Being in the Turtle Pond section felt like miles away from the main area. Getting refillable mugs were a waste since I like to have my tea in the AM and the refillable mug station behind the bar at the pool quick service didn't open until 11 daily. It also closed at 5 daily and some days even earlier. The bus was a good walk away and then it had multiple stops within resort.
I also felt that I just wasn't in Disney like I have at other resorts on property. It very much reminded me of my grandmother's retirement community in Boca Raton. Very lifeless. Pretty, serene, but dull. Rooms were spacious though. No elevators so after a long day at the parks, it stunk to have to carry a kid, diaper bag and stroller up two flights of stairs. My saving grace was that we were on the second and not third floor.
I'm sure I'd have a different opinion if I were near hospitality house which was lively. In the future, I'll not be returning here. In fact, I've already looked into selling my points. The goal is to have a home resort I would be happier at.
Pros:
Beautiful grounds, spacious roomsCons:
Doesn't feel like Disney, too bigReview of Victoria and Albert's
Reviewed by nrymut Review Date: 02/02/2015
Rating: (10) Recommended
This was a real treat. The service and food are exceptional.
Pros:
Food,service, decor, no childrenCons:
NoneReview of Flame Tree Barbecue
Reviewed by nrymut Review Date: 02/02/2015
Rating: (10) Recommended
We ate here during our trip in Jan. They are remodeling the restaurant. Food was available from a small stand. We had a hard time finding the stand. Menu selection was limited. When we got there they were out of the combo platter. It was a box lunch of the half BBQ chicken. The food was great as always. There was seating available behind the restaurant in the usual location, just had to figure out how to get there. Love Flame Tree.
Pros:
FoodCons:
ReconstructionReviewed by nrymut Review Date: 02/02/2015
Rating: (10) Recommended
This was our first stay at our newest home resort. We are experienced DVC members. The villas are beautiful. Everyone was so helpful from the cast member who contacted us before our visit to see if we needed any help with planning to the staff at check in and housekeeping. Unfortunately, our villa was showing wear and tear already. It is unfortunate that other guests damaged the table, the cook top, and the security lock. The resort is lovely and we really enjoyed our stay here.
