Most Recent Reviews
Review of MagicBand
Reviewed by Cyrnanc Review Date: 07/21/2015
Rating: (9) Recommended
I really liked the magic bands. It was almost too easy to make purchases. I liked it better than the only cards since they are right on your wrist-no digging for cards. Just like the other review I kept looking at it for a watch which was ver annoying. They did sell a slide on clock for it in the gift shop but it was $20. I would have bought it if it was less money. Next time I would be sure to wear a watch along with the magic band. It didn't work a few times when trying to make a purchase so I would also bring a credit card with you. I liked the magic band and what better way to get excited about your upcoming Disney trip than to open your box of magic bands in the mail?
Pros:
Easy to use for purchasesCons:
Had trouble a few times using-needs a clockReview of Earl of Sandwich
Reviewed by Cyrnanc Review Date: 07/21/2015
Rating: (9) Recommended
Before we went I looked at the menu to see if they had anything my DS would eat since he doesn't like sandwiches. The menu showed a meatball sandwich but when we got there they no longer have the meatball sandwich (he ended up getting the kids pizza sandwich$3.99). I got the original roast beef,my DH got the chipotle chicken avocado and my DD got the chicken Caesar wrap. They were all $6.99. We all loved our sandwiches and they were a great price. We didn't have to wait long after placing the order befor it was ready. The line looks like it will take a long time but moves fast. The original that I had was so good I thought about going back for another all week. We sat outside since it was shaded and the birds were fun to watch. My daughter enjoyed feeding them.
Pros:
Good food & priceCons:
Line looks longer than it takesReview of Pop Century Resort (Value Resort)
Reviewed by Cyrnanc Review Date: 07/21/2015
Rating: (7) Recommended
We had stayed at Pop century when the kids were 5 & 7 and loved it so we knew we should stay here again. Kids are now 12 & 15. We stayed 7/7-7/14. We like the theme it seems like you are in disney. We visited the Plonesian and yes it was nice but didn't seem like you are at Disney. We reserved a preferred room and were in room 437 in the 70s section. At first I thought it was not close to the busses but you could go around by the parking lot and the busses were right there. We could even see DHS fireworks on the walkway outside of our room. The room had a mini fridge (able to fit 2 half gallons of milk, 8 waters, grapes and a box of breakfast sandwiches). It also had a full size hair dryer with high/low setting, An ironing board and iron, flat screen tv with remote & alarm clock.there is a small table with 2 chairs. There is not enough drawer space for 4 people but we made due. The sink/mirror is outside of the bathroom which was nice. Also a curtain separated the sink area from the bed area. You don't even go to the front desk to check in. If you completed the online info before, they just text you when your room is ready with your room number and you use your magic bands to get in. Same with check out-no need to go to the desk. The kids can get in with their magic bands too which is nice.
They gave 3 pools, no slides but good size. We used the 90's area computer pool since it was close to our room and less busy. I did use washer & dryers one day while we were at the pool. It's right near the pool area.$2.50 each for wash & dry. You need your magic band to get in.
You could also walk over to the Art of animation across the bridge. We used their bus one night coming back after fireworks since it was a shorter line and came quicker than ours. It was a short walk.
I stil loved it but this time the food court was horrible. It was slow, food was cold, small portions and expensive. I wasn't expecting a gourmet meal. It wasn't that bad the first time we stayed there but this time we did not want to eat there. I hope they try to make it better.
I would love to stay here again; price, bus service, theming are all great but they need to fix the food court.
Pros:
Price, dedicated bus, & themeCons:
Food court this tripReview of Wilderness Lodge (Deluxe Resort)
Reviewed by CLHoward72 Review Date: 07/23/2015
Rating: (10) Recommended
My search for the best Disney resort may be over! First stay at WL will definitely not be our last, this resort is amazing! We arrived very late, after midnight, and tired, but our first look was breathtaking. Even though I had done online check-in and we had our Magic Bands, I did not receive a text to go straight to our room so we had to stop at the desk. Our party had 3 and while my Magic Band did not work to open the door, the other two did, and I fixed that in the morning with no trouble. Everything under one roof is a definite plus, and I cannot get enough of that cedar smell walking in from outside.
Room: I had requested a top/upper level floor and we were given 5015, courtyard view. This view was our package view so I could not complain about the location. I will say that napping in the afternoons is very difficult with the pool party (and loud music) that runs pretty much the entire afternoon, and I didn’t know the pool was open until 11:00 pm, but I don’t think this ruined anything for us. The rooms are very much what we’ve expected, smaller than Poly but that’s because there is no pull-out sofa for a 5th bed. The queen beds were great, no complaints. The double sinks were very nice and we always appreciate that the toilet/shower are separated from the sinks.
Mousekeeping: Oddly enough, we were only ever given 2 hand towels, and there were 3 of us, so that was mildly annoying. Only once did they do anything ‘fun’ with our stuffed animals, and no towel animals, but I have learned to let go of those expectations.
Food: Roaring Fork is organized chaos during the peak breakfast times. The ordering area is small and congested and you constantly have to dodge people and kids. The food choices are lacking for breakfast, and I suggested to Disney already that they design a rotating menu so it’s not the same thing each and every day. I know they want people to sit down and pay more for meals, but they really could make improvements in the quick serve area to improve the flow and cut down on the chaos. The seating area is small, and it’s only in peak times that it’s hard to find a table, but we did okay in this aspect. For those days when we did order something, I did appreciate that it was brought right to our table and we didn’t have to stand around waiting.
Pool: We visited the pool during 2 afternoons. Both times, it was hard to find chairs but you have to make it work and sometimes move the chairs around. The pavement around the pool is HOT so wear flip-flops to get in and out of the pool.
Transportation: Buses were overall pretty good. As usual, wait times for buses are the most confounding aspect of Disney transportation. I figured out that your destination determines which resorts share. On our way to EPCOT we stopped at Fort Wilderness every time. And then on our way to Animal Kingdom we stopped at Contemporary. One morning we watched FIVE buses for AK come in a row before our EPCOT bus. But, overall we were never running late to get anywhere. My advice is to plan more time than you think it will take. Coming from Illuminations we waited for about 30 minutes, which was crazy. The boats to the MK were awesome, no complaints there whatsoever.
This resort has become our new favorite Disney home, and we can’t wait to go back!
Pros:
One building; boats to MKCons:
Breakfast chaosReview of Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria
Reviewed by CLHoward72 Review Date: 07/23/2015
Rating: (9) Recommended
This was our first time at Via Napoli so we were hoping for a good meal and were not disappointed. We made ADR for a later lunch and showed up about 30 minutes early. They were able to seat us within about 5 minutes which was nice. The ambiance is great, loved the giant brick ovens with the “faces†around each. My husband and I each had an individual pizza and my 13 year old daughter had spaghetti & meatballs. All of our food was fabulous. According to the servers, the pizza and pastas are made in different parts of the kitchen so we had our pizzas first but that was okay. The pizza crust was incredible and probably the best part for me. My 4-cheese pizza did not have any red sauce (to my surprise) so that was different but it was still good. My husband and I also split a salad. Overall, it was a very good meal and we had no complaints. We are happy we did it once, but I don’t know if this will be a “must do†on future trips. If we want pizza, though, we know where to go!
Pros:
Pizzas;Cons:
—Review of Biergarten - Lunch/Dinner
Reviewed by CLHoward72 Review Date: 07/23/2015
Rating: (9) Recommended
This was our first time at this restaurant and we loved it. We made ADR for a later dinner to then go out and enjoy Illuminations and showed up about 20 minutes early. We were seated within about 5 minutes, at a table with another family of 4. As many reviews point out, smaller groups are seated together at the tables made for 8. We did not have a problem with this at all. They were a good family and fun to talk with about their visit. The food at the buffet was great, very tasty. I am not a huge German food person, but I was surprised at how much I ate! Even my 13-year old enjoyed her meal. We made multiple trips to the line, including for dessert. The show finally started towards the end of our meal so we waited and enjoyed that as well. Overall this was a great meal and we had no complaints. I would have no doubts about returning if we want a bigger, more expensive meal. Since this is a buffet, the cost is a bit higher than we normally spend, but it was all good. We loved the ambiance, food, service, and show. I highly recommend this location for everyone to try at least once.
Pros:
Food; ambianceCons:
—Review of Plaza Restaurant
Reviewed by CLHoward72 Review Date: 07/23/2015
Rating: (8) Recommended
This was our first time at the Plaza. We made ADR for lunch and showed up about 20 minutes early. They were able to seat us within about 10 minutes which was nice. The ambiance is very quaint and this is not a big restaurant. We had a very nice lunch and our sandwiches were great, not to mention the awesome steak fries! We even saved room for dessert (ice cream from next door). This was a nice addition because we normally get ice cream there anyway, but this way we got to sit inside the air conditioning and eat it! For this being a sandwich place, I was surprised at how slow everything was and our meal took a full hour, but it was a nice break in the day. Overall, this was a good meal and we had no complaints. We are happy we did it once, but I don’t know if this will be a “must do†on future trips.
Pros:
Sandwiches are just right for lunchCons:
Long wait for foodReview of Roaring Fork
Reviewed by CLHoward72 Review Date: 07/23/2015
Rating: (7) Recommended
We ate breakfast here every morning. I was hoping for more options or at least a change during the week, but the hot meals are the same every day. The ordering area is all very tight so it gets crowded and chaotic and I think they can do a better job of "crowd control" if they had a different configuration. The seating area is crowded during peak breakfast times but we lucked out and found table each morning.
The food is good. I agree the Mickey waffles with bananas foster topping are the best! We learned to order the kid sized meals because they were just the right amount of food and they came with a beverage anyway. Save money!
Pros:
Quick to eat and goCons:
Crowded for breakfast; no change in optionsReview of Be Our Guest - Counter Service Breakfast
Reviewed by rubaru Review Date: 07/23/2015
Rating: (8) Recommended
My wife and I had reservations for the BOG Breakfast on May 5, 2015. We also pre-ordered so we wouldn't have to order when we got there. It was nice that I could select certain allergens, as I am trying to stay away from gluten. I chose the Open-Faced Bacon and Egg Sandwich, which was served gluten-free with a millet bread instead of the normal baguette. My wife ordered the assorted cured meats and cheese platter. We had planned on splitting the order in half when it arrived so we could each sample both meals.
Upon arrival, we were ushered into one of two lines (not sure if there was a difference). After a short wait of about 10 minutes, we confirmed our order with the hostess, paid with our Magic Bands, and moved into the dining room. We chose the Music Box room because it was the only room with an available table for two. I was worried, since I had ordered a gluten free meal, that I would not be able to partake in the pastry tray that was made available to all the tables. However, the restaurant noticed my need and brought out a separate tray just for me that included a chocolate coffee cake, a cherry coffee cake, and a banana walnut cake, all made in some sort of gluten-free manner. We both enjoyed our separate trays equally and would not mind if the gluten-free tray were the normal option.
Our meal arrived about 5 minutes after we sat down. My wife's meat and cheese platter looked small, but it was actually rather filling when combined with the pastries from earlier. It was all very nicely prepared and very fresh meats and did not look like pre-packaged stuff from the grocery store. Rather than my bacon and eggs being placed over a long baguette, I had two small slices of millet bread, each with its own bacon, cheese, and single egg. Again, the bread was outstanding, especially for a gluten-free option. I believe many might prefer this bread over the regular bread, and would recommend anyone try it even if they are not gluten-sensitive.
My only negative comment would be about the service after the food delivery. It seems like ALL the servers are either delivering food or busing tables. If I needed help (which I did with getting extra condiments and a replacement for silverware), assistance was very difficult to find.
Pros:
Good food, nice allergy-free options.Cons:
Long line, seating not readily available, some slow serversReviewed by CLHoward72 Review Date: 07/23/2015
Rating: (6) Recommended
First visit here. The indoor seating is way too cramped but we didn't want to eat outside in the heat. The menu is very small but there was something for all of us. We did not try any of the beers but the food was okay, nothing special. We enjoyed the meal but probably won't go back again in the future.
