This place is awesome! We arrived around 6pm on a Friday evening and never left the resort until 11am on Sunday. There was so much to do there. They have a holiday gnome hunt, which was a blast. They had 20 something gnomes hidden throughout the resort, but only had clues for 10 of them. The rest you had to find on your own. ICE! was great! It amazes me how perfect the sculptures were. It was definitely worth the money. Now for the restaurants.... Old Hickory is the steakhouse in the Everglades section. Children are allowed here, but there weren't many there. They don't have a children's menu at all. Having said that, they were extremely nice with my kids and no one seemed "put off" that they were there. The food was done to perfection and the service was impeccable. We had lunch at Sora. They only serve sushi here and it was fantastic! We had dinner at Sunset Sam's one night. This one is by and on the boat in the Key West atrium. They do have a children's menu and again the food and service was excellent. They had a man on stilts walking around making balloon creations and another guy who balances drinks and water bottles on a knife in his mouth! They also have a singer who is awesome! Best of all, if you catch an internet special, you can stay there as cheap as staying at one of the value resorts! This place far exceeded my expectations. Ohh! I almost forgot! They have alligators and turtles in the St. Augustine atrium that are supplied by Gatorland. A guy comes and does public feedings 3 days a week. It was a ton of fun to watch that.
I have stayed at POP twice - once with my then 15 year old in 2006 and most recently with my 4 year old in 2008. Both of my kids had a great time staying there. We had the "preferred location" each time and were just around the corner from the food court and the bus stops. Previous visits we stayed at the Moderate Resorts and prefer POP over them due to having only one bus stop. Having to make several stops when you get back to the resort after a LOOOOONG day at the parks and then having to shift around so people can get off at their stop was very irritating at the end of the night. The rooms can be quite noisy but we never let it bother us. And besides, we were usually so tired in the evenings we all went right to sleep and never heard anything! I would probably never go back to a moderate resort and would only leave POP to stay at a Magic Kingdom resort on the Monorail just for the experience of waking up to seeing Cinderella's Castle every morning :).
I've stayed here 4 times and it's always amazing. The location is perfect, the rooms are beautiful, and the atmosphere is wonderful. Yes, it does miss some of the disney touch, but it makes up for it in location. You can look out the window and either see DHS or Epcot and the surrounding resorts. It's a 5-minute walk to Disney's Boardwalk and Yacht & Beach Club, a 10-minute walk to Epcot, and a 15 minute walk to DHS. The boats provide a lovely way to travel. I honestly LOVE this resort.
I love the POFQ! This hotel is our family wanted to stay! Shops and Dining looks cool!! Scat Cat jazz is awesome to hear the blues!
We have stayed seven times and have booked stay number eight for September 2009. Although we travel alone now, just hubby and I, this was always our kids favorite resort when they traveled with us too. We celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary at the CSR September 1 - 9. We were upgraded to a suite upon arrival and it was simply wonderful. We had balloons, autographed Mickey and Minnie pictures and a bouquet of flowers in our suite when we walked in. We were given robes for our length of stay and had turn down service every night. We received towel animals a couple of days (cute...but more for kids). We love that the resort is spread out as we never feel as if we are on top of people and it is never noisy like it has been at the Contemporary and the values. We like the peacefulness of the resort. We don't mind walking from one end of the resort to the other as it is simply beautiful to look at the landscaping, etc. Hubby and I love taking a walk around the resort at night when we come back from the parks because it is simply beautiful with the lights reflecting off the lake and the fountains in the courtyards. I love sitting/lying in the hammocks in the morning drinking my morning cappucino. We always stay in the Casitas (usually 4 or 5, but we were in 3 this time because of the upgrade to a suite). We like being near the quiet pool and the spa (which I take advantage of every trip). We enjoy having a nice fruity alcoholic beverage at Siestas at the main pool; we like watching other families little ones having a blast on the slide (we even tried it this year). We love the Pepper Market for the variety. The new Rix Cafe has great take out options. I think Panchitos is one of hte largest gift shops at all of the properties. We've had fantastic mousekeeping on every visit; very friendly and helpful CM's. We have stayed at the Contemporary, Poly, All Star Sports (YUK) and the CSR. The only other Disney resort we hope to try one day is the AKL. We have no desire to stay anywhere else--no point in messing with a good thing in our opinion, plus with two boys in college, there is no justification for paying for a deluxe when CSR offers us everything we want (and now they've added queen beds on top of it and are getting all new furniture, carpet and televisions before our next visit).
My 26 year old daughter and I stayed at the Port Orleans French Quarter from August 4th to the 11th. It was absolutely perfect in every way!! We loved everything about our stay and will go back in a heartbeat! We got the exact building I requested with a gorgeous river view. We enjoyed watching the boats go up and down the river. The boat to Riverside and Downtown is a fabulous, relaxing way to travel. Our "Mousekeeper", Ely, was wonderful and we loved getting her adorable animals. Having a refrigerator and safe in the room was terrific but the safe was so well hidden I had to ask where it was! We arrived around 12:15 and our room was ready for us. The beds were extremely comfortable. My daughter and I loved having the curtain separating the sink area from the beds as it made a great place to change. Our room was very clean as were the bathrooms. The grounds are magnificent and so beautiful to stroll around. It is a very peaceful, serene setting which is small enough to easily get around without feeling overwhelmed. My daughter and I saw several bunnies hopping around and they were so cute. There are fountains, courtyards, flowers, palm trees and shrubs everywhere you look. All the cast members were pleasant and helpful. The location is convenient to all the parks. Buses are another story ~ you just have to be prepared to wait, sometimes more than others. We have stayed at the Polynesian twice before and we both prefer the French Quarter hands down :-)
awesome hotel for my birthday in January!
As with almost all the resorts in the Epcot resort area, it's only a short walk to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. This is a much more relaxing resort than Beach club as it does not cater to families like they do but has the same Nautical theme. Some things about Beach Club are better but Yacht Club more than makes up for it and I think it's the better of the two. If only it was a DVC resort :)
I like both the Swan and Dolphin. (I think the Swan is a little bit better) The only real problem is that some features in other Disney hotels are missing here. (Dining Plan isn't accepted and there really isn't any sign of Disney at all) but it's very nice on the inside. The rooms are nice and it's within walking distance of DHS/Epcot. IMO the architecture is really ugly on both (mainly the Dolphin) but the inside more than makes up for it. Overall it's a nice hotel if you don't mind the lack of Disney. (You do get Disney Transportation and Extra Magic Hours however)
I had stayed at the AKL Villas in '07 and was ecstatic about them - everything from the theme to the pool to the amazing buffet breakfasts at Boma. I decided to take my family with me in '08, and our stay started quite differently... first, we had requested a two-bedroom villa and were placed in a one-bedroom, so took this up with the CM's and they placed us in a different room. The second room, although it was a two-bedroom villa, did not provide us with a view of the savannah but an appetizing view of... construction. We once again journeyed to the front desk, reiterated that we were DVC MEMBERS (remember, kids - it gets you places!) and they upgraded us to the Vice-Presidential Suite, free of charge. Needless to say, it was magnificent. Kudos to an all around great resort, but even more props to how they handle their own mix-ups. They were very compliant, apologetic, and polite. Great staff, great pool, and I would highly recommend a savannah view over anything else.
It's a nice resort for a decent price. The rooms were about average size but love the food court and pool.
Just like any of the all star resorts. Basic hotel amenities with a disney flare. Its better than an off ground hotel since you can use the bus transportation and you have all the characters around for the children but these places are just way to crowded. Bus line are always packed, Pool is always crowded, and the cafeteria is always a zoo. The rooms are pretty small and there are are over 1900 of them so its always noisy late at night and very noisy early in the morning, which is really crappy when you want to sleep after walking all day. In my opinion the moderate resorts are well worth the extra 40 or 50 a night so you don't have to deal with the crowds.
Saratoga Springs really feels like home, it's very nice. Very clean and new looking. The rooms are a nice size, (especially if you get a vacation home) and it's only a short walk or boat ride from Downtown Disney. You can also check out models for the Disney Vacation Club.
Really nice when you have a few people with you. Unless you have 5 or 6 with you though I would stay somewhere else as it is rather pricey.
It's a nice resort but the Savannah view is all that makes it worth the price. If I was paying more than $200 for a standard view, I would certainly stay somewhere else. Jiko is a nice place to eat.
Pretty much like the other All Star resorts, but All Star Music has family suites :) that's a plus. It's no deluxe resort but it'll do :)
We saw the booths at our hotel lobby and Hollywood Studios, but on the last day we finally decided to go on the tour at Saratoga Springs. Trust me, check it out, even if you decide not to sign up you get some nice gifts just for going :-) It makes staying at a deluxe resort affordable. Amazing deal.
MY MOM AND I LOVE THE CONTEMPORARY! IT IS AWESOME!
I love the Contemporary for a number of reasons, the pool area is great, the views of Magic Kingdom are breathtaking, the rooms are very nice, there are some good restaurants and gift shops and it is so convenient with a monorail station right at the resort and a short walk to Magic Kingdom. The Contemporary is truly one of my favorite resorts.
Stayed here on our most recent trip, the price was good and we figured it was only a place to sleep and we wouldn't spend that much time at the hotel this trip. The main building was very nice, the food court had decent food, the gift shop and arcade were pretty nice and the pools were nice. The huge characters on the outside of the rooms were great also. The rooms were where this resort really lacked, they were very small and the beds weren't that comfortable. The rooms were pretty clean and the housekeeping staff seemed very friendly. This wouldn't be my first choice for staying at on property, but for the value it's good.
One of the best benefits of being in the Military. I was really surprised at how nice the resort was. Ten minute walk to Polynesian for monorail and a parking garage for driving yourself around WDW. I will never even think about staying aywhere else.
Our room was clean. We were at the back of the resort so it was quiet. Overall cleanliness was good. Pool water was ice cold. Cafe was nice, as was the food. CM's were freindly and helpful. Seemed to be quite a bit of dust coming from the HVAC, though, as DD would wake up stuffy every morning due to her allergies. Didn't like some of the long waits for the busses, being the last resort they stopped at. Also didn't like having to be the last resort stop at the end of the night, either.
My Mom and I just returned from a great stay at CBR (9/13/08-9/20/08). It was our first time staying on-site. We thought our room was wonderful~mousekeeping did a great job (we did tip daily:) and we even received a cute towel animal mid-week. The resort itself is beautiful. We stayed in Barbados. The only "problems" we encountered were: A missing tv remote (promptly brought by mousekeeping) A noisy fridge~which we just turned off at night (it kept drinks cold while we were at the parks all day) Some confusion with check out/magic express~we received someone else's luggage tags/check out info. (This was taken care of PRONTO at the custom house) Honestly, and maybe we are just not that picky, these slight issues certainly didn't put a damper on our stay :) I am a smoker (I know..boooooo) and our room was in close proximity to a very lovely "designated smoking area". The resort is large~however we were pleased to discover mid-week that we were about a 5 minute scenic walk to Port Royale/Main Pool. We didn't utilize the main pool (although it was REALLY nice!) but did enjoy the quiet pool in our area after a long day at the parks. Bus service was incredible. We never waited more than 10-15 minutes for any bus, and my 63 yr old Mom was offered a seat on a crowed bus EVERY TIME. We were amazed at the courtesy of our fellow bus riders. Buses were crowed leaving the park at night~but they were showing up quickly, sometimes even before the previous bus left! All in all, it was a once in a lifetime, wonderfully memorable, Mom/Daughter trip to WDW :)
Stayed at CSR 9/20/08 - 9/27/08. We have a family of 5; 3 boys (20 mo, 6 yr, 7yr) Pros: The resort itself was very, very nice. Grounds were beautiful - quite a feast for the eyes. It was spread out and huge, as advertised. Rooms were nice and large enough for our family of 5 - we stayed at Pop Century last year and found it too small for 5. Mousekeeping was great! CM's were friendly. Bus service was great. Pool was fun for all. Cons: We didn't like the fact that the resort was not Disney themed like PC. Went to the Maya Grill for dinner one night - bad idea. Food was very average at best and WAY overpriced - almost fell over when I looked at the bill. I would have been much more upset with the experience if I wasn't on the free dining plan. Would not stay at this resort again as a family - maybe if it was just me and my wife. If not for the room size, my resort preference would definitely be PC.
Movies is a good place, just prepare yourself for a very small room, especially the bathroom. I would give the bathroom a 6. The pool is great. Food court and shops are also great. The large icons around the resort were very, very popular with my daughters aged 6 and 8 at the time we went.
Take the money you save staying at Pop Century (rather than a mid-priced resort) and up-grade your Disney vacation package to include Dining Plus. We’ve made NUMEROUS trips to Mickey’s World over the years and always paid for meals as we went along and it can prove to be a skosh spendy. Last year for our annual father and son trip we upgraded to meals, ate like royalty and saved a kings fortune, our meal in France alone would have been $118.00 and the gratuity was included, AMAZING! As for Pop Century, it’s always clean, safe and convenient. Two tips however if you enjoy silence, request a room that doesn’t face the pool and one that’s located on the second or third floor as the luggage trolleys’ do tend to run late and right past rooms, the flashing lights and engine noise can be a tad disruptive to sleep, as a side bar to noise, the toilets are like jet engines making the need to set your alarm for 7am hardly necessary. Over all the Rooms are smallish but quiet and more than adequate for 4 adults who just need to shower and sleep, for two adults and one or two (well behaved) children they’re perfect. I also prefer Pop to the All Star Resorts as it’s a much quicker bus trip to all the parks except Animal Kingdom (Disney Hollywood Studios is practically across the street). Staff is as would be expected at any Disney hotel friendly and quick to assist with any matter. The maintenance and maid staff’s are exceptional. The food court and gift shop are fairly priced and unremarkable although not a bad place to pick up a tube of toothpaste, last minute gift or to grab a quick snack at the end of another rewarding Disney adventure!
Just returned from Beach Club August 19--26 2008. The Resort itself is great. Well maintained and in a brand new refurbished room. Even given a free upgrade to concierge upon check-in. The food was great and everything was kept neat and orderly. The CMs were fantastic, especially the recreation team that had dancing and activities on a regular basis several times a day every day. However, my family and I will try to never stay here again. Out of control children were running rampant up and down the hallways, screaming, yelling, and just acting downright rotten. The bigger problem was that these parents allowed their children to act in such a way with no discipline. The concierge lounge was filled with misbehaving children throwing food and hollering in a spoiled manner. Concierge dishes and glasses were broken on a daily basis in the lounge, poor CMs. We will continue to stay on the Yacht Club side (they were booked solid for August). You can tell that Disney tries to market Beach Club towards families with children. I was dismayed to see the common areas of the Resort take a wrong turn into Disney Character Land. The Resort is so stately and beautiful from the outside, but the inside carpets are covered in bright flashy colors with characters from Little Mermaid and Nemo not so subtlely thrown in. The original decor was much nicer. I was told the Yacht Club side, in its refurbishment, will not add characters and wild coloring. From now on we will try for Yacht Club (our preference) or BoardWalk. I am a teacher, and I love dealing with kids good and bad, but the lack of parenting combined with unruly children at this Resort was really too much for a vacation. I can get the same vibe and pay far less at an All Star. If you want relaxation stay away from Beach Club--it is a deluxe that caters to the children. And their 'parents' seem to act more like "friends."
Having stayed at the POP over a dozen times after staying elsewhere on property, I have to say I enjoy being here the best. The grounds are immaculate and almost always on the quiet side (not including the pool area). We have spent many hours walking around all the buildings, admiring everything to see. POP Century is also conveniently located, less than 10 mins to Hollywood Studios. A nice boat ride takes you from there to EPCOT, where the monorail can take you to the Magic Kingdom. While the rooms are on the small side, I would hate to be traveling with the group that vacations in their room. Everytime we go to WDW, we only use our rooms to sleep, shower, and hold our stuff. Room ammenities are pretty much the same as other WDW resorts, except their are no interior corridors (as in some of the Deluxe Resorts). The main lobby has an great gift shop, arcade, and dining facilities, and the decorations are a blast for looking back throught he years. While everytime you go to WDW there will be new cast members throughout, so I don't think it's fair to comment on direct experiences with them, good or bad, when giving a review. Every one has their days, and not every guests "needs" can always be accomodated the way they would like.
First let me say the resort was beautiful! The CM's were amazing! Our room was on the first floor facing the pool, very convenient to pool, buses and boats! We had towel animals everyday, with balloons and cards for my daughters birthdays which was great! I will say that the rooms are somewhat small, we had a courtyard view with bunk beds for two adults, a 6 year and 7 year old. The bathroom was small and wasn't "sparkling" clean (a little mold in grout lines). Overall our experience was good. We never had to wait on boats, only a few minutes for buses. I would recommend the Wilderness Lodge and would probably stay again!
We stayed at POR for the first time in November 2007. I absolutely fell in love with this resort. We were put in Alligator Bayou section, Building #24. The only downside was that the room was very far from the main building, but it was no big deal. The rooms were so cute, larger than the values, had a small fridge, the beds were really comfy, loved the rustic woodsy decor of the rooms...very cozy, POR is very quiet for its size, foodcourt choices were great for breakfast and a late night snack (since those were the only times we ate at the foodcourt). We had no problems with the bus service...didnt really know what to expect with the reviews that we read about POR and FQ sharing busses and having long waits. Mousekeepers were great, and our rooms were always cleaned when we came back in the afternoon from the parks. I really love how POR and FQ have boat transportation to Downtown Disney...it was really nice and relaxing to get away from the busses. We used to boat almost every evening, since the parks closed a little earlier...we'd go to DTD to shop, have a drink, and relax. Port Orleans feels like a staying at a "mini-deluxe resort", without having to dish out all that extra money for an actual deluxe. Our stay was very pleasant, and would definately stay here again. This year we going the same time in Nov and will be staying at French Quarter, since it is a lot smaller we may not have a far room, I am really looking forward to our stay there.
Excellent accomodations at the Grand and this is our second stay at the Grand. Previously stayed at the Yacht Club, Polynesian, Port Orleans. Bus service from the Grand was disappointment when the Bus arrived on two different occassions, it was overcrowded and standing room or no room . The bus had first stopped at the Wilderness lodge and then the Polynesian before the Grand. I would expect that the Grand should have its own Bus or the first stop since it is the premier resort at the World. The resort and accomodations were excelent but the dining service at the Grand Floridian Cafe for the evening meal was a disappointment. The service was slow, it took over 30 minutes for desert, probably due to waitress already guaranteed the gratuity from the dining plan. Disappointed in the No Smoking Policy and statement of FINE for smoking. Believe that smoking should be permitted on your room's open air balacony, which is separated from the adjoining rooms, as it was in Jan 2007 and before.
We stayed at Port Orleans Riverside in August 2007. It was first trip to Disney and was very impressed with this resort. It is so beautiful and peaceful. I loved the river. We paid extra for a water view room. We got a view of the river, however the only time we saw it was when we left our room or came back. We realized we spent such little time in our in room it was not worth the extra money. We ate at restaurant at the Grand Floridian and found that resort a little stuffy for our taste. Port Orleans Riverside has such a relaxed atmosphere . We rented a bike and took our kids on a bike ride around the resort which was a wonderful way to see it. We also booked a carriage ride however it started to storm before we got to go so we did not get to enjoy that, but i'm sure it would have been great. I think its a wonderful resort and price for it is terrific. We will be staying there again when we go back.
Heavens to Betsy... Where to begin... This is a very beautiful, lushly landscaped resort which surrounds a large Florida lake (Lake Dorado); the exterior design of the resort reflects various themes of the American Southwest. The lobby is beautiful, with massive wood beams and Mexican-themed motifs, the cafeteria-style "Pepper Market" offers a wide selection of appealing foods (which sometimes look better than they taste), and the pool is one of the best at Disney, in my opinion, with a great Aztec-style pyramid as a backdrop. It is a conference hotel, and arguably attracts more adults traveling without their kids. The staff was helpful and attentive, which is what one would expect from Disney. There is a sit-down restaurant on the property as well which I have no experience with, as well as a nice Cantina where you can get drinks and chips. What it boasts in appearances on the outside stands in stark contrast to what you'll find in your room. I would liken the Holiday Inn Express to be a "step up" from this "moderate" resort; it's more along the lines of a Comfort Inn - the basics are there, but that's it. You can pay more for a better view, but why would you? The Mousekeeping was OK, but one of my huge pet-peeves was that they did not use fitted bedsheets, as a result, I would always wake up sleeping on the bare mattress (eww!). I hated the sink area and the shower/toilet area was separated by a sliding door that did not close completely without effort. The entire decor, themed again to the southwest, looked old and tired. The walls were dirty and it looked like someone had smeared boogers on the wall and one of Mickey's helpers didn't bother (or notice) to clean them off. It was totally gross and the only reason I would stay there again was if all the other "rooms at the inn" were full. Unlikely. High Points: Lush exterior, great pool, beautiful lobby and restaurant area Low Points: Dirty, stifling rooms Would I stay there again: Not if I had other options, but it's still better than staying off property.
I love the great atmosphere of the resort! The food is terrific, so much more of a selection if you compare it to somewhere like the Polynesian. The pool is great and I love how everything is so close and yet it isn't on top of one another. Great layout but this past year the rooms were a little dirty.
Stayed here May 2007, loved it , no complaints at all! As said before, LOCATION can't be beat! Being able to walk to 2 parks, if needed, and the ferry boats...very convenient! My daughter got sick one night, just before Fantasmic, and she and I just went back by stroller rather than worrying about getting on a bus/ferry and having her get sick again. It's such a nice walk too! The atmosphere out on the Boardwalk is a lot of fun, the kids loved it. The rooms didn't make me say "Oh. My. God", but they were what I expected. I'm more concerned with cleanliness and convenience that what the room actually looks like...we weren't there much.
Stayed at the Boardwalk Villas in April 2008. Absolutely the best location for park hoppers! Had a room clear at the end of the hotel...long walk, but it made less of a walk to Hollywood Studios. My son enjoyed feeding the ducks bread from our room. The performers on the boardwalk were cool, but the sword swallower caused many questions from the six year old. We walked back and forth between Epcot and Hollywood Studios many times...found it quicker than the boat. Many people reviewed the rooms as crusty, but I found them clean and well attented to. ALL the workers were pleasant and accomodating (even when confronted with pain in the @$$! guests!!!) and should be commended for their patience/tolerance. The pools are awesome, although the slide will force water through your nose to your brain. As for the boardwalk itself, clean and relaxing. The ESPN club should have at least one cheap beer (love the sports memorabilia go STEELERS!). The eclairs at the bakery are great. Spoodles makes a good pork chop (order a blue spoodle drink). Boardwalk games were fun. I would recommend this resort to EVERYONE!
Brilliant hotel - 3 wonderful stays!
Just got back froma week at CBR and after reading some of these reviews, I did worry about what I had done! I had a good time, we stayed at Aruba, the buses were plentiful and never waited more than 15-20 minutes, the rooms were clean, maids cleaned the room every day, the pools were nice, the food was standard Disney food, having stayed at Wilderness Lodge I could not see any real difference in quality. It is a huge resort, maybe too big for children to be there as some of the rooms are a long distance from the food court but I had a good time and wish people would write honest reviews. 8/10 for me and would visit again.
Please note we were only there for 2 days and only visited the MK during stay. It’s hard not to be impressed when you walk through the front doors at the Wilderness Lodge resort. The lobby area is stunning. The front desk staff was friendly. Although even with 2 small children and many bags I was never offered any help from bell-hop service checking in or checking out. The grounds are very nice. The waterfall is especially nice to view. I loved having a pool and a beach area for my daughter to play in. The proximity to the MK and being able to take a boat to the MK were by far the best bonus of staying there. With 2 small children and a double stroller buses can be difficult. Our room was a pool/courtyard view on the 5th floor. The room was nice but small for a deluxe hotel. I felt the interior was dark. I have stayed at POFQ and didn’t see that much difference in the room (other than décor). Also they were painting/staining some of the wood in the hall and the smell was horrible. It was so strong as soon as you got of the elevator and it kind of lingered into our room. The balcony viewing the pool was nice, but unfortunately (not Disney’s fault) my neighbor was a smoker and made sitting on the balcony unpleasant. We did have a hell of a thunder storm with lightening one afternoon and let me tell you the thunder just BOOMED through the open pool area. And it seemed like lightening was going to strike one of the large pine trees on the grounds. Maybe it was the nature setting of the resort but the storm was kind of scary. We ate at WC. It was OK. The food was average (although I LOVED the corn of the cob). I had read a lot about it and was looking forward to having a lot of fun with our server, but she was pretty boring for most of the meal and we were even celebrating a birthday. We did go at lunch so maybe the dinner crowd is a little rowdier. Over all it is a very nice resort but do I think it’s worth the price of a deluxe resort-NO. I will probably try a different resort next time.
Loved the resort. Very clean. The rooms and bathroom were actually larger than I expected for a value resort. The pools were great. The food court was great. Kids loved the sports theme, especially 12 yr old daughter.
I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of both Port Orleans resorts. The cleanliness and quality were great, and theming was better than expected (although not nearly as cool as some of the deluxe resorts). The only negatives are that waiting for buses and travel time is a bit much, and the rooms are a little smaller than deluxe rooms. But for the price...can't beat it!
This is probably my favorite Disney resort, depending on the view. If you are in the tower and have a MK view, this is the place to stay. There's something about waking up, opening the curtains, and seeing the MK. It's also on the Monorail line, which shouldn't ever be discounted (especially after you take buses for a few days). The upgraded rooms are nicer than most of the other resorts, which is important to me for the price. I can't think of anything negative!
We stayed at the Boardwalk Villas, and overall it was a good experience. But compared to other deluxe resorts, I really wasn't impressed. The location is great, and the theming is cool, but the room just wasn't that great, especially for the price. It felt like it needed upgrading-- it was starting to feel "worn". I think the resort is overrated, at least without some major upgrades.
I've stayed at AKL twice, and both times I enjoyed it. Pros: The atmosphere and decor are definitely unique (and amazing). The dining options are good, and the rooms were "Disney quality". I should add that both times we had special rates of roughly $150 a night. Cons: Bus-only transportation around WDW; normal room rates are too expensive for this resort-- if I was going to spend over $250, I'd go for Contemporary, Poly, Wilderness Lodge, or one of the Boardwalk resorts (even if costs a little more).
amazing. i like beach club better, this is second. great food and pool, reminds me of marthas vinard and nantuct beautiful
beautiful rustic feel. great food and pool
nice resort, reminds me of the real saratoga. beautiful landscape, great pool , activities , and pool
great hotel, reminds me of new orleans and the french quarter. great pool and food, but i love por better make sure to have a bengiet it is just like cafe dumond (SP?)
great budget hotel with all the disney ammenties, rooms are small, but you really dont spend much time in your room now do you i must say the bathrooms are small and hard to move in and out of the tub great for history buffs, can be boring for kids awesome pool and food court
awesome reminds me of hawaii, great food and pool great luau that rivals the ones in hawaii, but not don ho but really nice hotel
awesome totally reminds me of key west nice pool and great food
amazing,one of my fav. hotels. i love the victorian vibe. great pool and food. great shopping as well. reminds me of the hotel del coranado in california which is where we stay when we are in the area dont miss the parade of mousekeepers in the morning even if you dont stay, you have to explore it
really nice, reminds me of the hotel del corando we stay at when were in the area in california overall great food and pool
i have stayed here a few times, but only becuase it was all that was avaible. great pool, but the food wasnt great and i thought it was boring but it was clean and stuff. i prefer por
beautiful hotel, reminds me of a classic board walk. i urge you to spend a day on the board walk, even if you arent staying here. great entertainment and pool
i love how the animals are outside your window. great food and rest. great pool and other activities
great budget hotel with all the disney ammenties, rooms are small, but you really dont spend much time in your room now do you i must say the bathrooms are small and hard to move in and out of the tub great for boys who are into sports great pool area and food court
great budget hotel with all the disney ammenties, rooms are small, but you really dont spend much time in your room now do you i must say the bathrooms are small and hard to move in and out of the tub also the music theme is nice, but boring for younger kids. nice pool and food court
great budget hotel with all the disney ammenties, rooms are small, but you really dont spend much time in your room now do you i must say the bathrooms are small and hard to move in and out of the tub great props from all the disney movies, also nice pool area and food court
all of there are amazing, really makes you feel like your home
We stayed at FW campground at the end of April, beginning of May in 2007. The place was great. Everything was clean and the CM were very helpful. I thought the pool was fine and the outdoor sing-a-long was fun. The Hoop-dee-doo Review was a blast, but I did feel a bit rushed while eating. The only down side was that the bus schedule confused me for the first few days. They say it comes roughly every 20 min. The problem I had was when did the buses start? I thought it was great being so close to MK for so little cost.
I took my first trip without my family in December 2008. My boyfriend a I stayed at Port Orleans Riverside for 6 nights. Words cannot descibe this resort. It is absolutly BEAUTIFUL!! I have visited a lot of the resorts that are more expensive than this one and arn't even NEAR as nice!! I don't know how much families would like this resort because I haven't been with my family, but if you are looking for something quiet, relaxing and romantic this is definatly a resort you should try!!
The Boardwalk Inn and Villas resorts are the perfect place to stay if you love Disney but still want a sophisticated resort feel. We normally split our stay each vacation, spending a few days at a monorail resort and then switching to the Boardwalk. A huge draw is the location, nestled between Epcot and the Studios. It's great being able to take the boat or walk to the parks and bypass the bus system. Last time we reserved a 2 bedroom villa, as we had extended family members along with us. Upon check-in, we were informed that a pipe had burst in our reserved villa, completely flooding it. In true Disney fashion, the front desk made a seemingly bad situation magical. We were given a complimentary upgrade to 3 adjoining concierge service rooms. This visit was my seventeenth trip to WDW (I'm 21), and i have to admit, after experiencing Disney concierge service, I'm really spoiled. :) The concierge room looks out over Epcot's Paris section, giving a balcony view of the Eiffel Tower. Combined with the resort's casual and breezy ambiance, it's not surprising to find yourself lost in Paris, or any other romantic location. This resort is wonderful for guests of any age; the bustling boardwalk and themed pool is great for teens and children, and adults looking for entertainment will enjoy Jellyrolls and Atlantic Dance. On the other hand, the resort itself also provides a quiet atmosphere for those wishing to enjoy a relaxing stay. The numerous restaurants, ranging from a casual sports bar to a sophisticated dining experience, are sure to satisfy everyonre's palate. Again, the location between two Disney parks cannot be beat. I would reccomend this resort time and time again.
The rooms here are some of the largest rooms on property (studios and up are large!). The resort is pretty big, but not stifiling bug. There are several buildings one can stay in and one of the best resort restaraunt there are in Olivia's. You feel at home here, and very relaxed. When I threw my back out on vacation, I just lounged in the room and watched the people playing golf.
January 07 went with a group of 6 family members and stayed in the 2 story Big Kahunna (sp?) suite at the Polynesian resort. To cold to use the pool but WOW is all I can say for the view...the castle is directly across the marina. Easy access to room, quiet and private. The room had a full living room, kitchen, bar, full diningroom. We had a giant king room that had two bathrooms... one had a tub big enough for 4. the connecting double queen room was great size w/full bathroom, and another bathroom downstairs with pullout sofa. Livingroom had a giant flat screen tv and fireplace. I wasn't expecting the room to be as nice as the hotel is so old but they've obviousally updated. I would stay here again in a heartbeat.
My daughter, neice, sister, and I stayed a week at this resort. We loved it. We had a double room that was very clean. Frig in room helpful. We reallly liked the set-up in the room, the bathroom/dressing area and sink are seperated by a curtain. Nice when traveling with a group like we did. Loved the food court. The grounds are relaxing. Would stay there again anytime.
Stayed 4 days at CBR in a double room. Room was a fair size. Very clean. Didn't stay that far away from main pool. Amenities were nice for a moderate hotel. Except for lack of concierge level service and full room service you wouldn't notice it was a moderate resort. Surrounding resort beach areas really nice. Would stay again.
We stayed at the GF July 07 over the 4th holiday for our anniversary in a honeymoon suite on the 2nd floor. Had a GREAT view of the castle but was a little bit out of the way to get to the room although private. Hot tub in room appropriate size for a 6y/o and mildew came out when jets turned on. Otherwise concierge level service excellent. Room nice size. Fantastic service at check-in. Nice sitting on water watching fireworks over the MK. Have stayed at 2 other deluxe resorts (polyn & wilderness ldg) and 2 other moderate resorts (port orl & carrib beach) and don't have anything negative to say about those experiences. Had just expected a little more for the GF being their flagship hotel but would stay there again.
When I visit WDW every year I go to the Grand Floridian. When you stay there it feels like you are at home. The rooms have nice views and has a lot of space and nice furniture. It has a great 24 hour food service with the game room. And this hotel is convienant to all the parks and other hotels, if you want to check out the other hotels. So next time when you come to WDW stay at the Grand Flordian.
We love it at Shades of Green! We've stayed twice and are going back, probably won't stay anywhere else. When all we do is go back to the room and flop in bed for us to spend a lot more to stay at a comparable Disney Resort would be nuts! The location is excellent, next best thing to being right on the monorail at 1/3 the price! Have never had anything but excellent service. No sales tax on anything!
Beautiful, spaced out great pool, Food, reaaly felt like you were "away" in mexico, less kids then other resorts(we were on honeymoon) awe have been to all mod resorts and by far this tops them all !!!!
We stayed at POR 4/30-5/9 - we had a lovely, waterview, king-bed room in Magnolia Terrace. Our overall experience was TERRIFIC! - Check in went smooth, Magic Express brought our bags in record time, food at the counter service section was good and there were plenty of selections for both breakfast and lunch. We had ADR's for dinners at various other restaurants. Our room was clean, well tended too by mousekeeping and we had towel animals left a couple of days. We were there to celebrate my husbands birthday and he was given a B'day pin and everyone wished him happy birthday and we even enjoyed a few "freebies" in the parks on the day he wore his pin. The grounds at POR are exceptional and the grounds crew was hard at work most days that we were there, planting flowers etc. Bus service was good. The pool was terrific, the quiet pools even nicer. We just had an absolutely wonderful trip and would definately stay at POR again!
I really love the Dolphin. Because our family are staying in this hotel for $179.00. The Best deal.
We just returned from our first stay at Poly (5/7/08 - 5/12/09). We absolutely loved staying here. I had requested Tokelau, 2nd or 3rd floor. We received room 1002 in Tahiti. I wasn't happy about being on the first floor at first, but when we got in our room, I loved the view. It was of nothing but mature foilage! No one could see into our room, so it was so very private. Since we were in one of the "newer" rooms, it was enormous, and our family of four had more than enough room. We also had the double sinks directly in the bathroom. This was one of the quietest rooms I've ever had anywhere. Since we were in Tahiti, we were super close to the TTC. We caught the Monorail there most of the time instead of at the Great Ceremonial House. Not only was it closer, but we could get the direct line to Epcot, the direct line to the MK or the Resort line. Great time saver! And when we left the Studios or Animal Kingdom, we had a choice of catching the bus to the TTC or to the Poly, whichever came first. Another timesaver! Our 5 year old son loved the Volcano Pool! The slide wasn't always open in the early evening, but my son and husband spent a good deal of time in the pool while I rested with the baby. One night, they watched the MK fireworks and the electrical parade from the pool. We didn't have any problems with Capt. Cook's. Even one morning when it was jammed packed, no one seemed to be grabbing a seat, just food. The food was decent, and we definitely liked it better than quick service at the GF and the WL. The only complaint I had and the issue that keeps me from giving it a 10 was the cleanliness of the floor. On the first day, I plopped my 10 month old in the floor so she could crawl around (I didn't like doing that, but what else was I to do?). It didn't take long for her hands, knees and toes to turn black with the dirt she was picking up from the floor. The rest of us checked our socks, and they were black as could be. Since it was about 11 at night, I didn't get to address the issue until the next morning. The front desk was non-apologetic, just said that they would leave a message for housekeeping to clean the floor. Sure enough, it was clean that afternoon. Well, clean as I would have expected it to be the first time. I have no idea how often they clean the floors in the rooms, but they seem to need a good shampooing more often than they are receiving.
Very pretty, we loved everything about this resort except it is very spread out.
Great theming Everything else was very disappointing. We went back to the grandflo and the boardwalk.
Great resort. If you are DINKs,I would stay at the yatch club or the boardwalk to get away from the swarms of children running around, up and down the halls.
Mousekeeping is terrible. Everything else is perfect
We lover everything about this resort
Our stay at the Wilderness Lodge was really fun. I think we would give it a rating of 8 out of 10. We stayed there April 23, 2008 till, April 30, 2008. I'll start with the cons because there are so few. We were offered a room downgrade from a courtyard view to a standard parking lot, bus stop room, at first we didn't want to but when we realized that we would be immediatly credited the difference in price ($472.00) we jumped for joy! Our room was on the 6th floor facing the Whispering Canyon Cafe and it stayed pretty busy and loud until about 10:00 pm. Our balcony was on the front of the lodge and while we didn't hear alot of car or bus noise we heard delivery trucks backing into the service area right under us, as early as 5:30 a.m.! Those are the cons. The pros are that the Wilderness Lodge is a really nice change of pace for being on the Magic Kingdom loop. We've stayed at the Polynesian and the Grand Floridian and have had wonderful stays at both places but the Lodge seemed to be a little more peaceful without alot of people rushing around. Both pools were great at the Lodge as we found they had alot more trees that helped block some sun in the afternoon which was great for our 1 year old. We loved that the Magic Kingdom was a fun boat ride away, as well as the Contemporary and we never waited for more than 15-20 min for a ride coming or going and we were there at a busy time of year. The food at the Roaring Fork was good and the choices seemed to please my family, and the Whispering Canyon was great. We're glad we stayed at the Lodge, I don't think we'll stay there again not because of anything bad but because we love to try all the different resorts and our next trip (fingers, toes, and with eye balls crossed will be May 09) we'll stay at the Beach Club!
We just stayed at Pop Century for 10 nights. There were 7 of us so we had 2 rooms. The kids loved the resort and all the bright colors and the pools--we were worried they would miss the water slides since we usually stay at moderates but they didn't. The rooms were a little small and got cramped at times but we didn't spend a lot of time in the rooms so that was fine. We brought along a single air mattress for my daughter and that fit without a problem--but there was no walking room once it was in place for the night. The thing that bothered us the most about Pop is the walls are paper thin!! We were located in the 50's section right by the pool and it was SO loud!! Kids were screaming all night it seemed and I am a light sleeper so it made it very difficult for me to sleep. We also got a lot of noise from people walking by our room or above us at all hours of the night. The showers/toilets are also very loud! We would definitely request a room away from the pools in the future. The air conditioner was very good and noiseless--I almost wish it made some noise to drown out the outside noises! We also missed the 2 sinks and privacy curtain that they have in the moderates. With 3 adults, 2 teens and 2 kids we were always fighting for sink space! We did not care for the food court at all. We thought the food was terrible and it got quite crowded at peak times. This seems to be the trend throughout the World, though--the food quality at counter service locations is going down hill. The burgers are disgusting! We also noticed they did not have any resort specific merchandise at the store--every thing is generic in all the stores now.
For being as cheap as it is, it gives you as much if not more of the Disney experience than the more expensive hotels. It's cheap enough for myself and my cousins (who are all in college) to go down every winter for a couple of weeks. The theming is excellent and the rooms are decent (not great, but decent). The big bonus here is that you have a dedicated bus line. When leaving the parks at the end of the day, its great to know that the bus you are on takes you directly to your hotel without having to stop at others. This and being that it is pretty much in the center of the 4 parks is great (the magic kingdom is the farthest away, and that is still only about a 10 minute ride).
Fr-1/4 is one of my favorite resorts. It's sultry and laid back. The designers really captured the spirit of the Big Easy. The cobblestone streets and azalea trees are a lovely combination. And - as everyone has already said - the pool is sure to elicit smiles from all ages. The jambalaya in the food court is a must for any person staying at this resort!
Fort Wilderness is the cavier of campgrounds. The FW is a mixture of camping (tent and trailer) with cabins (sleeps 6 -- with modern conveniences). We used the camping with a tent trailer for a week. We had a regular spot with no need for cable or septic. We stayed on loop 2100 (Spanish Moss Lane). It was a nice spot, but not as shaded as many of the other lots. It wasn't bad enough to justify asking to change spots. For a group of Canadians, this swampy open area was interesting. You will see plenty of squirrels and wildlife during your stay. The spots are nice ... and extremely well maintained ... Disney manicures all of the sites after the individuals leave -- armed with rakes and leaf blowers. The park is quiet at night following the nightly fireworks shows and the water pagent. Motor vehicles are not used much at the fort -- so you will walk, take public transport (bus) or rent a golf cart (fun)! There is plenty to drive around and see. The pool is large and gorgeous ... although heated -- and not necessarily the most refreshing. Since the now-defunct "River Country" water park is no longer going --they could add a few slides to the very large pool. Still ... it is a very nice space when comparing to the hotels in the area. There is plenty to do at Fort Wilderness ... and it is so quiet and beautiful, it is easy to forget you are so close to the action. The boat ride into the Magic Kingdom is a beautiful ride ... perhaps the greatest way to go into the park. It's a brief, but scenic trip which will provide lots of photo ops. You might think $50 or $60 is a lot to pay for a trailer park -- but Fort Wilderness proves that you get what you pay for. As a guest of the resort, you are eligible for extra hours passes at the parks ... and the folks at the gate and on the transportation are all really nice. You would be pressed to find a better camping experience. /\/\/\/\ Emba 33 /\/\/\/\
We just returned from a 7 day stay at WL, April 16-23. Having a family of 5 our choices were to book a Jr. Suite at $575/night or 2 standard rooms which would have cost more. We splurged on the Jr. Suite. Our view from room 4123 was beautiful, however the room was filthy! We found dirty underwear near the bed, a pair of dirty socks in the nightstand, a dirty tank top on the balcony, and lots of junk on the floor: Froot Loops, hair elastics, toe nails, and debris. Worst of all, the bathroom had human waste smeared on the wall!!! We did not feel this room to be deluxe in any way. The pool was okay, but nothing spectacular, very crowded. The only good things were the convenience of the boat to the MK, and the beauty of the lobby! We would not stay there again.
Awesome!!! Mom,Dad,and I are planning to stay in the PoP On April! I can't wait to stay in the 80's or others in the POP! I wish that everyone can stay in this hotel! Disney Castmembers keep the magic!
Awesome!!! Mom,Dad,and I are planning to stay in the PoP On April! I can't wait to stay in the 80's or others in the POP! I wish that everyone can stay in this hotel! Disney Castmembers keep the magic! our
Absolutely the best place to stay, the last two times we stayed the resort was booked full and it never felt like it . It’s a quiet, peaceful and beautiful place to relax after being in the loud parks all day. The kids (ages 3 & 5) and adults (grandparents) love the boat ride to Downtown Disney it’s a great alternative after taking the bus everywhere else. The pool is great the bus stops are awesome because it’s the first stop to pick up, always a seat, and first off. Bus serves Riverside and French Quarter sometimes we got lucky and bus did not stop and Riverside (but don’t count on it). Having stayed at the All Stars, way to crowded and very very loud, and Contemporary, way to expensive for what it is and pretty boring also especially if you have kids. PORFQ best value for the money the rooms are great the service was excellent and the food court was really good. Going back ASAP.
this was our first time at the AllStar Movies. Checking in was fast. the room itself was very small but good enough for our party of 3. We've always stayed at a moderate or a deluxe, but we dicided to do 2 vacations this year. so we had to cut back on our hotel choice. the adminities were fair...not much more than the basics you would need. small tv, small sink, etc. the beds were very uncomfortable to sleep in. the sheets i noticed weren't changed often. my son had drew a line on the sheet with a pen...i noticed the same mark no there for the 3 days straight. also there was someone elses hair on the sheets as well. the carpet was all wet due to the fact that it had jsut been cleaned. not really big deal but annoying since i took my shoes off and ended up having wet socks. I would definitely stay at a moderate to deluxe from now on.
My family stayes at the Grand Floridian over the 2008 Presidents Day holiday. We were very happy with our choice and we would stay there on our next visit. Room: Not huge, but an ok size for 2 adults and 2 8 year olds. The room was spotless and all the decor was in perfect condition. The room was very comfortable with 2 queen size beds, a couch (which opens to another bed), a sitting chair and a desk with chair. There was also a dresser with drawers to store your clothes and a mini fridge inside. Dissapointingly there was no mini-bar with the opportunity to purchase water, beverages, snacks, etc. in the room. The decor was rich with lovely fabrics and wallpaper and carpet. The bathroom had a closed area with the tub/shower and toilet. There were double sinks in a dressing area across from the closet. The bathroom was provisioned with a nice assortment of quality H20 brand soaps, shampoos and conditioners. Curiously there was no hair dryer available, but there was an in-room coffee maker with a small supply of tea and coffee. The room was a garden view room in the "Boca Chica" building and it had a partial water view of the lake, and a nice, but small porch with 2 chairs. The room was quiet and the AC system worked well. The ceiling fan was a nice touch as well. There was a nice flat screen TV with a good selection of channels including lots of Disney branded choices of course. Public Spaces: Everything was lovely to look at and clean and in perfect repair. The hallways outside the room were quiet and attractive. The lobby, with its soaring space, was a treat to walk through or just relax a few minutes waiting for the family to show up. There was plenty of shopping opportunities to pick up anything from batteries and newspapers to a complete wardrobe of higher end clothing. Staff: Everyone was friendly and helpful as you would expect at a Disney property. Service was attentive and there were enough people on duty to minimize or eliminate any waiting for checking in or obtaining any assistance you might need. Food: A wide array of choices ranging from Gasparillas which is a cafeteria style quick dining choice open 24 hours a day to Victoria and Alberts, the highest end dining option in WDW. We were unable to secure a reservation for V&A, but Citricos, another deluxe choice on the property had wonderful food and service. The Grand Floridian Cafe was a nice choice to eat with the kids but service, especially at breakfast was on the slower side. One thing that impressed me at The Grand Floridian, and indeed throughout WDW, was the attention and concern for guests with special dining needs. Both my children have a severe peanut and tree nut allergy which can be life threatening. Upon mentioning this to our server the head chef came to our table to discuss our needs. They were without fail, polite, charming, concerned and extremely knowledgable about food allergy issues. This was the best service on this dimension we have ever experienced. Even at Gasparillas and other snack options throughout WDW there were special nut free / food allergy specific choices available. Bravo Disney! Location: About perfect. The monorail stops at the hotel for a short ride to the Magic Kingdom or the Transportation center to get to Epcot. Frequent bus transportation is available to Animal Kingdom and the Hollywood Studio. There is also a boat option to MK. The Magic Express airport service was great as well. We liked being able to see the MK castle and fireworks from the hotel property. Facilities: Our kids loved the pools, especially the beach pool with the water slide. The health club facility was spotless clean and had a nice array of exercise and weight machines available. The grounds were well landscaped and it was a pleasure to walk around the resort. The Grand Floridian also offers lots of business, wedding and other special facilities which we did not utilize. Overall: A great hotel for WDW. Even though it was rather expensive, we felt that we recieved good value. Of course outside WDW the same money would buy you a stay at a Four Seasons or Ritz Carlton property with a higher level of luxury and ammenities, but naturally without the WDW location! Service compared well to those higher end hotels however. A great property which is comfortable for families with children as well as adult guests without kids.
stayed at WL Feb 24th-Mar 4th It is now our new Fav. 1st is LOCATION boat ride to MK Or Contemp short bus rides to all other parks\ when you walk in WOW. My son (8) loved it,with the hot springs and streams. We stayed in room 4001 overlooking the lake just over the boat transpotation dock. could see MK Wishes (leaning left a little). Room are smaller than CB and Dressers are small pool is smaller than other resorts but wasn't a problem. Can't wait till next year
DH and I stayed at Pop Century from Dec 8th to 19th 2007. We faxed our room requests three days before our arrival and we got every request we asked for. Everything about POP was wonderful and we'll stay there again!
I LOVE TO STAY IN THE POP CENTURY! BECAUSE THEME OF THE YEARS TURNS BACK THE CLOCK! I REALLY LOVES TO STAY IN THE 80'S THAT YEAR OF EPCOT! I love it the food courts and shops too! I love to stay in this hotel again!
When I booked my trip I wasnt made aware that the main pool was closed as well as the jacuzzi.When I arrived I asked where it was and was quite disappointed. I like Port Orleans Riverside so much better.
lovely. amazing and best pool on property. reminds me of my fams. summer houses in hyannis, cape cod, ma and dennisport,cape cod, ma
lovely, reminds me of plantations in louisiana...best moderate resort
staral but nice.................worth it for the monorail and chef mickeys
All of them are amazing and have a uniqueness i cant explain
My husband and I, along with our two girls (5 & 7 y.o.) stayed at POFQ from October 23-28, 2007. This was our first visit to Disney World and after much research and reading reviews we chose this resort and were not disappointed at all. The resort was so quiet and peaceful. It was heaven to come back to after a long, hot day in the parks. The pool was a hit with the kids and we all enjoyed the boat ride to Downtown Disney. Despite some negative reviews concerning mousekeeping our room was very well maintained and we had towel animals on 5/6 days. We did tip $3-$5 a day. The only reason that I gave a rating of 9 instead of 10 is due to the lack of a nice sit down restaurant. The bus situation was GREAT!!! Longest wait was approx. 8 min. I liked being picked up first and dropped off first. We never had to stand on the bus. We are planning another trip for October 2009 and considered staying at the Polynesian, but have decided to return to Port Orleans French Quarter.
The last four years we have spent 14 nights at the Animal Kingdom Lodge and not one of them have been disappointing. Staff are great, rooms are clean, the atmosphere is just awesome and to top it off you step out on your balcony to some stunning views. Worth every penny!
I found this resort to be one of the most beautiful places I have had the honor to see. My family and I stayed here during our Aug 2007 vacation. The landscaping and buildings are very realistic. The rooms was comfortable for my family of four.
It is a nice room...just the basics...like a Motel 6 with a theme. It was fine for my husband and I for a few days and we were a short walk from the food court. I loved the themed pictures on the wall in the lobby with the 50's stuff being my favorite. Hey, it had Annette in it and MM Club!! The staff was very pleasant. We were there during the time my husband turned 50. I made buttons for him to wear that day. When they lobby staff saw them, they gave him another one saying it was his birthday. It was great. We talked to one of the managers about the Legendary resort and all the cool ideas that could be used and he gave us the web site for us to send those ideas into. Unfortunately, the address on the card never worked. For the money spent, I would stay here again.
My hubby and I just returned from a 3 day conference and stayed at the CBR. It was our first stay. The room was plenty big, the King bed comfortable, and everything was nice and clean. The only problem we had was the internet connection. We had paid up front for it and yet every time we tried to get on, we couldn't. We had to call down to the desk and was put thru to someone who was very good about getting us up and running. We had a corner room and it was more than spacious. We loved the tropical look. It IS a bit of a walk from Aruba to the food court, but the weather was good so it was a nice walk. If it was raining, NO way would I walk it. I like the souvenier cup and we took advantage of it with our drinks. The food was fine and the pizza was really good. I put the privacy sign out one day so I could rest and read and the staff hung a bag of fresh towels and soaps on the door. The only really Gross thing that happened was also kind of funny...or unexpected. Aruba was being repainted while we were there and the painters were outside of my door "taking a break". I assume they were drinking sodas because all of a sudden they started having a belching contest. First one belched, then another. It caught me off guard and I started laughing...then it got old. All I could think of was "For Pete sake, crown a winner and stop!!" I would definitely stay here again.
We stayed at the Polynesian from 1/6/08 to 1/11/08 and was glad we did. Previous years our stay were at off-site locations outside WDW. The Polynesian was our first WDW resort ever and won't be our last! The staff were friendly. They helped us with directions to the Monorail and buses when we got a bit lost. The place is BIG too! Contrary to other reviews about dirty rooms, I was a bit apprehensive about going to this resort because of housekeeping problems. Upon arriving to our room, it was CLEAN. So, I was glad I didn't change my original plans and went elsewhere. We also had dinner at the Spirit of Aloha. I would give this show 3 out of 5 stars. The show was pretty average. Nothing exciting. The food was also average. Breakfast at Ohana was great! Despite having Stitch picking my nose, I did have a great time and the food was great. Also another place I had tried was the Kona Cafe. I had the BEST porkchops ever! It was JUICY! (Note, I am drooling as I type this) Overall we loved this resort and would go back again.
We arrived at Caribbean Beach resort on December 20th and stayed through the 23rd. After a tiring road trip I wanted to take a nap before the Very Merry Christmas Party that night. When I turned back the covers on the bed, it looked like someone had smoked in it. The bed had ashes on the sheets and a few stains. YUCK! I called Mousekeeping, and she came promptly. However, when I answered the door, she burst into the room and yelled "I CHANGED THIS BED MYSELF IT'S FINE!!) I calmly showed her the sheets. She then tore off the bedding and threw it onto our belongings. She didn't know if what we had may be fragile or not. Then after she made up the bed she said sacastically "Do you find this satisfactory?) I told her yes and with that she whipped around and left. The next day I asked her for extra towels and told her not to come into our room to clean while we were visting. I'm not giving a high rating because of the service and we were dissappointed in the food court. I thought staying in a moderate resort would be for plush and comfortable. However, next time we visit Disney we will stay in the Pop Century Resort as we have before.
When I first entered Pop Century I loved the scenery and everything. My family and I stayed in the 50's which was very cool. But I have one mild complaint. On the very first day we went to eat at the Pop Century Diner(Which has the best chicken strips), while my cousin was ordering the people serving us seemed impatient and obviously annoyed. Other days the service was great. But Im not going to forget those ladies. Other than that, the pools were amazing, the buildings were fascinating. Im sure Walt Disney himself would of loved Pop Century. I also hope that Disney continues to finish the other half of the resort from the 00's-40's. Im really anxious to see how it looks like.
I just have to say, that Pop century is great for kids. Our trip in March of 2006 was great, not as fancy as Carribean Beach, but very nice for the time you are actually at the resort. Our trip was so much fun, we are going to stay there again in March 2008.
Our computer-geek conference was held in the Coronado Springs resort. Our room faced the lake and we could see the Epcot fireworks from our balcony in the evening. For a moderate resort, the room was nicely-sized, a bit bigger than the rooms at the Carribean Beach Resort. The Mousekeeping was fine, no problems at all. Check in was painless. The concierge desk was helpful in finding us dining reservations at the parks. Bus service to the parks was great. We never waited more than 10 minutes for a bus to any of the parks. Coronado Springs is a large resort and when there is a conference, the buses tend to get crowded. I noticed that our stop was the busiest of any resort in all the parks. The conference area was nice. It was a positive conference experience. The only nit-picking I'll do was with the Pepper Market, which we found to be very expensive for the quantity and quality of food purchased. The choices were endless and everyone in our group found something that they wanted to eat, but the bill was high for what we got.
We just returned from a four-day stay - our first at Coronado Springs. The good: the hotel grounds and common buildings are typical Disney. First-class seasonal decorations, immaculate grounds, flowers, and architecture. The areas around the central lake are made to look like a tropical beach, hammocks and all. There are four bus stops for the Disney Transportation system, all seemed within a reasonable walk from any of the rooms. Check-in was quick, easy, accurate, and flawless. Finding the room was a breeze, and parking was only a short walk to our normal two-bed room. The so/so: Our room was average, at best. Disney made an attempt to continue the hotel theme into the room, but that amounts to nothing more than brightly colored furniture, shower curtains, and warm colored walls. The bathroom was less than average in size, even my girlfriend (who is rather small in stature) continually hit her elbows maneuvering in the space allotted. We had a door connecting with our neighboring room (which seems to be the norm at the rooms we’ve stayed in at Disney), which means a little more noise if your neighbors happen to have young children. Even so our room was very, very quiet. To be fair these rooms weren’t meant to be luxury accommodation. Ours was comfortable and was a quiet place to rest until the next day – but overall it was on-par with a well-kept motel. The bad: Within seconds of entering the room we were hit with an odor that forced me to check whether we’d been given a smoking room…then I realize there are no longer smoking rooms available! Be forewarned, now that all rooms are “no smoking” you may be stuck with a room that was previously a “smoking” room. The Pepper Market: We ate three times in the “Pepper Market” restaurant. Disney’s literature describes it as their “…colorful Mexican market.” The food there is decent at typical Disney prices, but nothing to go out of your way for. The wait staff seats you in no particular spot (or in an area you request), then will bring drinks from the self-serve drink fountain. Food is almost totally self-serve slightly better than a typical cafeteria. You grab a tray, find what you want, the kitchen staff puts it on a plate, and you carry it back to your table. For this level of “service” you’re stuck with an obligatory 10% “service” charge. Busses: This hotel offers the free “Disney Transportation” bus service and is generally convenient – but the wait times were excessive based on our experience at other hotels. For example, one night at the Disney MGM (now Hollywood) Studios we saw three busses pick-up a handful of people for the “Old Key West” resort in the period it took for a single bus to start loading a seemingly endless line of people for Coronado Springs. I’m not knocking the hotel for this, but the large size of the hotel complex might sometimes result in longer wait times during peak periods. In Summary… whenever comparing the prices and quality of the on-property hotels and the off-property hotels you have to look at the big picture. Ours was an average room (that frankly could have used some paint and updating) in a well decorated block of motel rooms. The premium money paid to Disney buys you free parking or the bus service, plus extra magic hours. During the Christmas season though, it was quite a bit more money than our usual off-property favorite. For the right price I’d stay again, but will I pay a premium to stay during a peak time? No chance!
I guess it's O.K., but it doesn't really seem like Disney. They need to rebuild the All-Star and Pop Century Resorts into something with a more unified theme then just a broad range of pop icons.