Mackflava99
06-30-2008, 11:03 PM
Final Review- Trip Recap-
Overall my trip was fantastic, I had a great time, my family had a great time, the time I spend with my kids is so important to me, so I just really treasure every moment, whether it be hanging out in the pool or going on a ride or answering their questions about Walt Disney or the countries, or swimming at night, I hope it last for a few more years till they grow up Myself, I never grow up so I will always be just as enthusiastic, and I hope they remain so.
• I was proud to wear my intercot shirt and hat- I had a number of people say hello- even a waiter at Spoodles commented on the site-
• I found the Magical Express to be a great way to go- for 5 years we had always rented a car- there is no reason to do so anymore… what a waste of $$.
• I also found the switching from 2 hotels in mid trip wasn’t so bad, I was very worried and again I thank those Intercot friends for helping me overcome the fears-
• The June heat was bad as expected- we found by coordinating swimming with the park trips, you can negate the heat and still have enough time to do what you want.
• Next year, I will make my ADRs EARLIER in the Day – so we can take advantage of the sun being down and crowds being diminished- We actually went on more rides after 7pm than we could prior to. Plus, we didn’t seat as much.
• As for Rain- It rained every day except one. It did not curb our trip much except for juggling activities. But my family did not let the rain bother is. We had umbrellas and ponchos and actually had fun.
• Our bike ride in the rain, while unexpected, was so much fun, we will talk about it for a long time. I wish I had filmed it
• We really DID NOT have a bad dinner the entire week. And the service provided was extremely good. Only the lunch at Trails end and Dinner at Garden Grove were not as good(both were service issues, but they were not terrible. All the others were exceptional.
• DDP is still the way to go- I didn’t like the removal of the tips – but I also did not have any CMs give me any spiel about the tips. I tipped like I normally would- and those who did well got good tips from me.
• Transportation was very good overall- we had one bad boating experience, but all the rest were very good. Very efficient and mostly on time.
• I waited way too long to see fantasmic- it was wonderful- I am kicking myself for not going sooner…
• Budget – I gave my kids a set budget for souvenirs etc- they got it in a gift card and that was up to them to spend it on whatever they wanted. It saved me a lot of money, because they were making their own decision.
• Also- I saw an alligator in the lagoon near the Beach Club- not an animatronics one,, but a real one- he/she was there just about every morning- people were feeding him food- The CM says that they would leave it until it got brave enough to come ashore- otherwise Disney lets them be- which is cool because it was a small gator and no one goes into that lagoon- plus the sides are too high for it to climb..
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Wilderness Lodge vs. Beach Club –
My family is usually at odds each year over where we want to stay- we have 2 favorites and we are split 50-50-I think I may have changed my choice to the Beach Club. I really feel we are taken care of better there. I really do. I still love the Wilderness lodge- but I found more and more I like about the BC- and the Epcot proximity is something that provides so much value.
Wilderness Lodge-
Good
• Showers are larger
• Much Quieter
• The bikes and Boats to rent are tremendous
• Boat connections to MK and Contemporary
• Close to Ft wilderness ( lots of fun things to do there)
• THe lobby is breathtaking.
• Roaring Forks is a very good lunch alternative
• Animals all over the place and not afraid of people
• Gym is very accessible-
• Lobby at Villas has such flavor.
• Stan “the man” works there
• Theme music….totally gives it an aura..
Bad
• Busses are very slow and it’s far from a lot of the parks.
• Front desk staff isn’t as good as others.
• Pool is good but not big enough
• Not enough to do at night
• Lots of pollen and bugs
Beach Club
Good
• Easy access to Epcot – actually local neighborhood access.
• Boardwalk close.
• Tremendous desk staff and Concierge.
• Cleaner rooms
• Tremendous pool
• Terrific waterslide
• Beaches and Cream is such a great place
• The beach movie at night is great for kids
• More dining options
• Walkable distance to DHS
Bad
• Noisy
• Not as much to do like biking
• Long ride to MK
• Boats are slow
• Hurricane Hannah’s is fair at best
-----------------------------------
Dinner Restaurants-My family and I ranked our restaurant experiences (food, service, appearance, location) individually and I compiled up the rankings. (Note- no one got a poor score because all our meals were very good- so this was difficult…)
1. Spoodles – Each and every time we come here (4th) we have a consistently good meal, the service is always terrific and also the sangria is to die for. It got high rankings in Food ,Service and location-
2. California Grill – Our first time, the food was terrific, the Service- ( Ron) was spectacular and the view…oh the view. I didn’t like to have to pack long pants, but it’s worth it. It got high rankings in Food ,Service and appearance-
3. Le Cellier – Our first time – Food was great, dessert also- service was great (Mo) Scored high in Food and Service
4. Hollywood brown derby – Our first time Excellent food, excellent service, I was impressed with the total package ( including fantasmic) only issue was it seems we were rushed.
5. Boatwright’s- Our 4th time there- still a solid performer- good food, great variety and great service. Still a family favorite.
6. Coral Reef- Our first time- View was terrific, we saw Mickey in scuba gear, the food was good ( except the vein) but the 2nd choice was tremendous. Scored very high in Food ,Service and appearance. Our seats were terrific
7. Garden grove- Our 3rd time- of the 3 the lesser experience. Food was great- dessert bar is tremendous. Kid’s choices were very good, service was so-so, but characters were very accessible and made it special-Scored high in Food
8. Whispering Canyon- our 3rd visit- the food was good, service was good- I think the last time we had such a fantastic waiter that this time even though she was nice, she wasn’t as fun. Still a great option and while it didn’t score as high, we still liked it a lot. The restaurant itself is a lot of fun and my kids enjoy all the neat things going on- ketchup, parade, yelling etc-
9. Luau – My 2nd time, my families first Great show- service (Charlie) was very good, food was good too, the pineapple bread was very very tasty- the wait was too long and heat played a big part- Our seats were terrific- in reality, the show should go on DURING dinner- not after-
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Breakfasts-
1.) 1900 Park fare- Just wonderful- selection was great- the characters were plentiful, and they had a lot of good interaction. Excellent food- service was good.
2.) Ohanas- Lilo and stitch were great- food was family style, but eggs were runny, but 2nd batch were good- sausage was great- very good food. It was a close choice.
-------------------------------------
Lunch-
1. Beaches and Cream- hands down always a winner. Excellent food- best onion rings around. Service is terrific, and the appearance is always great.
2. Trails End- Very impressive. Food was very good, service wasn’t but food made up for it. Totally worth going to again.
3. Roaring Forks- Excellent salad- worth having a few days on any visit- Overall for a small place it packs a good punch-
4. Cosmic Ray’s – not bad, not terrific, fair food, lines were very slow moving. I guess the squatters ruined our lunch- previously I had like Ray’s..
5. Hurricane Hannah’s- while they had a good chicken sandwich, it’s just not an enjoyable place to visit, bugs all over, poor set up for ordering.
6. Liberty Inn (America Pavilion)- Selection does not represent America. Food was bland at best.
N/A –Yorkshire County Fish House-UK- fish and chips- EXCELLENT- but I am only one who likes F/C so it didn’t get a full review
N/A - Columbia harbor house – always drop dead the best tuna sandwich around – also didn’t get a full review because only 2 of us ate here.
Our favorite snacks this week-• Dole whip – Cant walk bye without getting one
• Popcorn – Disney has great popcorn
• Ice cream-
• Fruit bars
• Turkey legs
• Fudge in Germany
Overall my trip was fantastic, I had a great time, my family had a great time, the time I spend with my kids is so important to me, so I just really treasure every moment, whether it be hanging out in the pool or going on a ride or answering their questions about Walt Disney or the countries, or swimming at night, I hope it last for a few more years till they grow up Myself, I never grow up so I will always be just as enthusiastic, and I hope they remain so.
• I was proud to wear my intercot shirt and hat- I had a number of people say hello- even a waiter at Spoodles commented on the site-
• I found the Magical Express to be a great way to go- for 5 years we had always rented a car- there is no reason to do so anymore… what a waste of $$.
• I also found the switching from 2 hotels in mid trip wasn’t so bad, I was very worried and again I thank those Intercot friends for helping me overcome the fears-
• The June heat was bad as expected- we found by coordinating swimming with the park trips, you can negate the heat and still have enough time to do what you want.
• Next year, I will make my ADRs EARLIER in the Day – so we can take advantage of the sun being down and crowds being diminished- We actually went on more rides after 7pm than we could prior to. Plus, we didn’t seat as much.
• As for Rain- It rained every day except one. It did not curb our trip much except for juggling activities. But my family did not let the rain bother is. We had umbrellas and ponchos and actually had fun.
• Our bike ride in the rain, while unexpected, was so much fun, we will talk about it for a long time. I wish I had filmed it
• We really DID NOT have a bad dinner the entire week. And the service provided was extremely good. Only the lunch at Trails end and Dinner at Garden Grove were not as good(both were service issues, but they were not terrible. All the others were exceptional.
• DDP is still the way to go- I didn’t like the removal of the tips – but I also did not have any CMs give me any spiel about the tips. I tipped like I normally would- and those who did well got good tips from me.
• Transportation was very good overall- we had one bad boating experience, but all the rest were very good. Very efficient and mostly on time.
• I waited way too long to see fantasmic- it was wonderful- I am kicking myself for not going sooner…
• Budget – I gave my kids a set budget for souvenirs etc- they got it in a gift card and that was up to them to spend it on whatever they wanted. It saved me a lot of money, because they were making their own decision.
• Also- I saw an alligator in the lagoon near the Beach Club- not an animatronics one,, but a real one- he/she was there just about every morning- people were feeding him food- The CM says that they would leave it until it got brave enough to come ashore- otherwise Disney lets them be- which is cool because it was a small gator and no one goes into that lagoon- plus the sides are too high for it to climb..
----------------------------------------
Wilderness Lodge vs. Beach Club –
My family is usually at odds each year over where we want to stay- we have 2 favorites and we are split 50-50-I think I may have changed my choice to the Beach Club. I really feel we are taken care of better there. I really do. I still love the Wilderness lodge- but I found more and more I like about the BC- and the Epcot proximity is something that provides so much value.
Wilderness Lodge-
Good
• Showers are larger
• Much Quieter
• The bikes and Boats to rent are tremendous
• Boat connections to MK and Contemporary
• Close to Ft wilderness ( lots of fun things to do there)
• THe lobby is breathtaking.
• Roaring Forks is a very good lunch alternative
• Animals all over the place and not afraid of people
• Gym is very accessible-
• Lobby at Villas has such flavor.
• Stan “the man” works there
• Theme music….totally gives it an aura..
Bad
• Busses are very slow and it’s far from a lot of the parks.
• Front desk staff isn’t as good as others.
• Pool is good but not big enough
• Not enough to do at night
• Lots of pollen and bugs
Beach Club
Good
• Easy access to Epcot – actually local neighborhood access.
• Boardwalk close.
• Tremendous desk staff and Concierge.
• Cleaner rooms
• Tremendous pool
• Terrific waterslide
• Beaches and Cream is such a great place
• The beach movie at night is great for kids
• More dining options
• Walkable distance to DHS
Bad
• Noisy
• Not as much to do like biking
• Long ride to MK
• Boats are slow
• Hurricane Hannah’s is fair at best
-----------------------------------
Dinner Restaurants-My family and I ranked our restaurant experiences (food, service, appearance, location) individually and I compiled up the rankings. (Note- no one got a poor score because all our meals were very good- so this was difficult…)
1. Spoodles – Each and every time we come here (4th) we have a consistently good meal, the service is always terrific and also the sangria is to die for. It got high rankings in Food ,Service and location-
2. California Grill – Our first time, the food was terrific, the Service- ( Ron) was spectacular and the view…oh the view. I didn’t like to have to pack long pants, but it’s worth it. It got high rankings in Food ,Service and appearance-
3. Le Cellier – Our first time – Food was great, dessert also- service was great (Mo) Scored high in Food and Service
4. Hollywood brown derby – Our first time Excellent food, excellent service, I was impressed with the total package ( including fantasmic) only issue was it seems we were rushed.
5. Boatwright’s- Our 4th time there- still a solid performer- good food, great variety and great service. Still a family favorite.
6. Coral Reef- Our first time- View was terrific, we saw Mickey in scuba gear, the food was good ( except the vein) but the 2nd choice was tremendous. Scored very high in Food ,Service and appearance. Our seats were terrific
7. Garden grove- Our 3rd time- of the 3 the lesser experience. Food was great- dessert bar is tremendous. Kid’s choices were very good, service was so-so, but characters were very accessible and made it special-Scored high in Food
8. Whispering Canyon- our 3rd visit- the food was good, service was good- I think the last time we had such a fantastic waiter that this time even though she was nice, she wasn’t as fun. Still a great option and while it didn’t score as high, we still liked it a lot. The restaurant itself is a lot of fun and my kids enjoy all the neat things going on- ketchup, parade, yelling etc-
9. Luau – My 2nd time, my families first Great show- service (Charlie) was very good, food was good too, the pineapple bread was very very tasty- the wait was too long and heat played a big part- Our seats were terrific- in reality, the show should go on DURING dinner- not after-
------------------------------------
Breakfasts-
1.) 1900 Park fare- Just wonderful- selection was great- the characters were plentiful, and they had a lot of good interaction. Excellent food- service was good.
2.) Ohanas- Lilo and stitch were great- food was family style, but eggs were runny, but 2nd batch were good- sausage was great- very good food. It was a close choice.
-------------------------------------
Lunch-
1. Beaches and Cream- hands down always a winner. Excellent food- best onion rings around. Service is terrific, and the appearance is always great.
2. Trails End- Very impressive. Food was very good, service wasn’t but food made up for it. Totally worth going to again.
3. Roaring Forks- Excellent salad- worth having a few days on any visit- Overall for a small place it packs a good punch-
4. Cosmic Ray’s – not bad, not terrific, fair food, lines were very slow moving. I guess the squatters ruined our lunch- previously I had like Ray’s..
5. Hurricane Hannah’s- while they had a good chicken sandwich, it’s just not an enjoyable place to visit, bugs all over, poor set up for ordering.
6. Liberty Inn (America Pavilion)- Selection does not represent America. Food was bland at best.
N/A –Yorkshire County Fish House-UK- fish and chips- EXCELLENT- but I am only one who likes F/C so it didn’t get a full review
N/A - Columbia harbor house – always drop dead the best tuna sandwich around – also didn’t get a full review because only 2 of us ate here.
Our favorite snacks this week-• Dole whip – Cant walk bye without getting one
• Popcorn – Disney has great popcorn
• Ice cream-
• Fruit bars
• Turkey legs
• Fudge in Germany