My family and I (Wife and 4 year old and a 1 year old) stayed at the All Star Movies for 3 nights and the hotel was excellent! It is themed very well for children. It was a brief walk to the food court and bus stop but nothing major. We stayed at the 101 dalmation section and the room was perfect for taking a bath and sleeping at night. If you want to stay at the hotel all day and have room, go with a moderate hotel. But if you are just looking to have a nice bed, go with the All Star Movies. The only complaint that I had was the food court service was slow, but that is nothing huge. I am looking forward to booking there again!
I was not all that happy with this resort. Our room had an aweful smell that we could not pinpoint and they did not have any other rooms available to move us to. That is not the way to start a 10 night stay. We did like the main pool and the new sand castle slide and there was activities going on occasionally which is very nice. Another great feature was the walkway that goes all the way to SSR and DTD. I would get up and walk that every day. I was however very disappointed that you could not get anything to eat or drink early in the morning. If you wanted to get breakfast or a cup of coffee at 7:00 AM you would have to make it yourself or go to another resort. Also Turtle Shack Snacks was closed during the Thanksgiving week when the place was packed. I will go back to see if I have better luck only because I can save points here versus any other DVC resort.
Great resort for a family to spend time at Disney. More relaxing and quiet than most other resorts. Staff members are great and concierge is very nice. Food is available at different price ranges and the mercantile has some great stuff. Easy to get to Magic Kingdom & Epcot. Animial Kingdom & Downtown take some time to get to.
our family home away from home. you just can't beat the location
Can't say enough good things about it. The location is perfect if the Magic Kingdom is your favorite park. There's a very laid back, relaxed feeling you get at this hotel. It isn't overly fancy, yet it is still quite nice. Kids will enjoy it since the main pool area is themed very well with a volcano and waterfalls. The property is huge for this hotel, so I wouldn't recommend it for seniors or for people who can't walk well or have health problems. But because it is so big it also is very quiet and feels like you're a world away from everything else. There's also lots of wildlife. Rabbits, ducks, lizards, frogs, bugs and tons of other birds. It all adds to the natural beauty. Food is slightly above average for the most part, although it should be much better considering what you end up paying for it. Transportation is great here-Monorail, ferry, bus or boat. You can get anywhere you want from this hotel! The ambience here is by far my favorite reason to stay at the Polynesian. The lush vegetation and beauty of the tranquil surroundings is soothing. The sound of rushing water inside and outside of the Great Ceremonial House is calming. The views of the lagoon and castle across it are stunning. The tiki torches that are lit everywhere in the evening. Even the music piped through the walkways adds to the relaxing pace. Be aware that none of the resort's buildings are connected at all. If there's a torrential downpour (almost an everyday occurence in summer), you will have to run (not recommended!), get wet walking, gear up in your ponchos! or just wait it out til it's over. If you like a care-free, tropical setting and price means nothing, stay at the Polynesian Village--you won't be disappointed!!!!
This was our first stay at a Value Resort, from 9/28 to 10/04. We had a king room in the 50's building, fourth floor facing the bowling pin pool. The room was immaculate, and didn't seem too small with a king size bed, but I think it would seem very small with two double beds. The vanity area was cramped, and the bathroom was tiny. The food court was great, and seemed to be kept very clean. For the money, the actual resort is a great deal! The bus service is not. We continually had to wait over twenty minutes at a time for buses to the parks to arrive, and usually would have to wait for another bus! Coming home from the Magic Kingdom, we counted (yes, we counted) over 300 people waiting in line for a bus to Pop Century. Since we do not rent a car, we will never stay at another Value Resort. Overall, the smallness of the room, the motel-like set up, and the horrible bus service convinced DH and myself that we would rather spend more money for more conveniences.
My sister and I recieved a membership to the DVC at Saratoga Springs for our 21st birthday and chose to celebrate there. I had a wonderful experience late July at the resort. I was very pleased with our accommodations! Though they are somewhat smaller than OKW (which we have stayed at several times in the past) they are exquisitely decorated and detailed and very comfortable. We lucked out with a balcony overlooking the waterway and right into Pleasure Island (which made for an excellent picture on the eve of our 21st - champagne glasses in hand, Princess tiaras on our head and the fireworks of Pleasure Island at midnight in the background!). Our 2 bedroom stuidio afforded plenty of space for the 6 of us including 3 tv's (one in each room) and two complete bathrooms with outside vanities (very important when vacationing with multiple females). The service was classically Disney and though it was not the best I've ever seen (that distinction goes to a certain Thabo who used to work at the Coral Reef Club at the Swan and now is a tour guide at AK Lodge), but it was on par with most of our experiences. We personally had a great experience with the concierge when purchasing tickets and making reservations. Though the walk to the main building was not particularly close, it was much closer than my stays at OKW and made for a very nice walk in the evening after dark when we would venture to the pool after hours. We also had a very welcoming satelite pool a short distance away off the main walk to Pleasure Island, a walk that was a treasure in and of itself. Transportation was located conveniently outside our building (we stayed at Congress Park) close enough that we could run to it were there a bus already waiting when we rounded the corner (which was necessary on more than one occassion!). Transportation by boat in the evening to Pleasure Island was also very nice, and we were able to be dropped off right by the House of Blues. Though we did not eat at the restaurant on this trip, my father and I dined there this past March when we made a quick trip for a tour. I found the selection to be very delicious and have since replicated several of the recipes on my own. Of course, it is definitely a more adult menu and is designed to reflect the resort menus of Saratgoa Springs circa its haydays in the 19th century, if it seems a bit foreign to some people. The recreation area right outside the area, while smaller, is a new favorite of mine among Disney resorts. It has a delightful play area for kids, a slide fun for everyone and a delicious drink bar for adults. I'm a particular fan of the sloping beach like entrance where you can sit below a fountaing and enjoy the scenery. This area also features the Win, Place or Show Arcade which as everyone's favorites including DDR! I would also love to give special compliments to the Spa and health club that has not been touched upon in the reviews yet - if you can't afford to induldge in a massage or facial, definitely take advantage of their state of the art equipment which is better than most gyms and free for resort guests! A few tips if you're staying at Saratoga Springs: - Take advantage of the water access to Pleasure Island, its slower than the buses but has a great view of the whole complex - Try walking the quiet path around the waterway to Pleasure Island, its a very relaxing atmosphere after the clubs have closed - Don't neglect the satelite pools, particularly after dark when they're uncrowded and relaxing - I wouldn't reccommend this resort for children under 12 or 13, its atmosphere is more mature - Take advantage of the kitchen and purchase food for breakfast and between park snacks, it'll save you money if you can go to the grocery store or Target and do so - Explore the property - there are many hidden mickey's to find and beautiful spots to relax like benches and gazebos
We stayed on the concierge level. The stay was outstanding in every way, except the rooms are small. The mattresses were great and rooms quiet, so the good night of rest and fact that we weren't in the room all that much made it okay. We had a queen sized bed and bunk beds, great for the boys, ages 8 and 10. The concierge staff were very accomodating. I lost some perscprition eye drops and they put me with a local drug store that delivered them to me for $5. Wow!!! This is our second stay on Wilderness. Will stay again!
This is our favorite moderate resort. My wife and I prefer the Casitas theming to the Ranchos and Cabanas. The Casitas are actually probably the least themed of the 3, and most like any other non-Disney resort. Honestly that's what we liked about it - it's subtle and understated. Yet the fountains and landscaping around the lake really made the exteriors feel luxurious. The main lobby and reservations desk is designed well, and the resort's shop, Panchito's, it probably the largest of any resort shop at WDW. The front desk service was very accomodating. We had been transfered from the Port Orleans Resort due to an error on their part in booking us and no more vacancy that week, so the Coronado upgraded us to a lake view without our asking. Then later, we woke up one morning with the smell of cigarette smoke wafting through our non-smoking room. No one was outside smoking, so our guess was that someone in the adjoining room was lit up. We called the front desk, and within 20 minutes the concierge was there to transport us to a new room, which was an upgrade to a lakeview suite! Very nice. Room service was not very professional on the phone, but very prompt. We never waited longer than 5 minutes for a bus, another plus, and even with as many as 3 other stops within the resort, we were always out the resort driveway within 10 minutes.
This is generally a good moderate resort. The building exteriors and landscaping are generally well done. The lake is beautiful, though none of it really felt like a beach. My only complaint with the exteriors are that the garden areas between the building aren't particularly well maintained -- I was glad to have gotten my lake view. I didn't particularly care for the interior decoration. The patterns were a little too primary and loud for me. It seems like Disney always has a hard time with subtlety. However, I had no problems with housekeeping and facilities. I stayed there just before their most recent rennovation, and one tiny 2 inch corner of wallpaper in the bathroom was peeling. I happened to mention this to housekeeping in passing one day, and when I returned to the room it was fixed. During the summer months there's usually a calypso/reggae band that plays near the main pool at night. I didn't really care for this as the sound carries across the lake. I've read complaints about the CBR bus system. However, I found it to be efficient. Having to drive to several bus stops within the resort didn't add more than 10 minutes to each trip, and I can only recall once where people had to wait for a 2nd bus because the 1st one was too full.
We stayed here 09/29-10/04. The rooms were small, but that didn't bother us. We got around just fine. The food court was always crowded, but they have great breakfast and Italian dishes. The pool was nice. We stayed in the 60's building on the right, room 4268. It was located in front of the kiddie pool. Not a whole lot of noise, from the outside. I'm not going to stay at another value resort again. I'd rather save my money and spend more on the moderate or deluxe. We heard everything in the other room next to us. We heard the wake-up call every morning, and I even heard the guy coughing!!!!! I value my sleep, and I didn't get a whole lot with all the noise going on. If you're a heavy sleeper and don't mind some noise, this is the place for the $. I have nothing bad to say. I just won't stay there again because of the thin walls. But I did have a blast and I'm glad I stayed.
This was our first experience with a Disney Resort, and we were so pleased with our accommodations. The room was great since we have a BIG little Toy Story fan. The dining area was noisy, but would please most palettes. The best part of the hotel is by far the Mousekeeping team because each day we had a new surprise for our little one by how they had arranged her toys. It was very welcoming after a long day at the parks. We would highly recommend this value to everyone with little ones.
We were horribly disappointed in this resort during our stay in July. We were so far away from the main building that we only saw the main building the day we rented a car to go to Sea World. We were never able to use the main pool or the cafeteria because they were a 20 minute walk away. The worst part, though, was the attitude we received from the cast members. When we checked in and told the bellman that we werestaying in the Paddock, his response was "You can't be. The building's not open." Our lock died one night, and it was after midnight by the time the locksmith got there. The front desk's response was "What do you want us to do?" The hallway outside our room flooded one night, causing water to spill into our room and damage a suitcase. The response? "Don't leave a suitcase near the door." I'm sure the resort will be nice when it's finished, but if I wanted to look a bulldozers and construction work, I would have stayed home.
Hi, I stayed in a 14th floor concierge room facing the magic kingdom, it was excellent!! The service was superior the theming was elegant and the whole experience was pure Disney magic! As we approached the resort we told the security guard we was staying in on the 14th floor and we were then welcomed to the resort. We then went up to the front of the hotel and was welcomed personally by one of the bellmen and we were given free valet parking for one night. We were then taken up to the 14th floor and had a speedy check in and eat and drunk some of the free refreshments. We went to the roo and found we had a mk view! WOW! This was excellent. I would recommend the Contemporary to anyone regardless of what room you sleep in. Hey you are going to be in the parks most of the time so who cares about the room?
This campground is beautiful from the peacocks strolling around to the sparkling shower houses. We camp quite a bit and this campground is truly better than the rest. The pools are nicely heated which I enjoyed, but my husband thought it not refreshing enough in the summer heat. It is a big campground so be sure to either pick a spot near what you want to be within walking distance to (like the ferry or pool) or rent a golf cart. My only issue with this place during our last visit was that our key card wouldn't open the shower house. We had to be issued new ones. Unfortunatly, we didn't find this out until the middle of the night so we all couldn't get into the shower house until my husband had gone up to the office the next morning to have the cards replaced. From now on I will check my key card first thing. We roasted marshmellows and sang songs with Chip and Dale. That was an attraction in itself.
this is such a fun hotel its got everything you need there . it is a very clean hotel and everywhere you go there was music it was really good would recomend big time
I'm a fla res and visit WDW ALOT during the year. We always stay at the all star music resort. The service is okay...I mean it's not the best but it's close. I think that the whole checkin procedure needs work and more CM's...the lines are out of control at times...but I beleive that it has alot to do w/ the number of guests checking in and the fact that the CM's explain everything from tickets to parks to the newbies(and they should-Disney can be overwhelming) The food court offers a variety of yummy things however expect long lines. The pools are crowded but theres plenty of room for everyone! I love this resort..it's so disney...the themeing is AWSOME! Would I pay more for a moderate..maybe..but for a person who spends most of her time at the parks...this is my fav. resort!
My basis is on service only. After being left down stairs for half an hour (they forgot to come get us), scolded like bad children for going to the front desk, by the concierge when our keys did not work and conceirge did not answer the phone, told we needed to pay extra for a honeymoon room when we already had, and no apology when the mistake was pointed out, all dinning reservations were wrong (GF had made them and would not fix them), and three room changes all the while being made to feel the problem was us, we left and went to the poly, the first night.
We got the Cypress Suite in the Conch Key building for 7 nights, and although paying more than we would have liked, I must say it was worth every penny. We had 4 balconies, all of which looked upon the Magic Kingdom, Seven Seas Lagoon and Contemporary. We watched Wishes from it and were able to hear the music as well. The room had every convenience imaginable, and I loved the mints and personalized notes left on your bed upon returning at night. The room also had an itinerary, and I was able to write a letter home using it. The swimming pools were great, one was just a standard pool and hot tub open 24 hours, the other had waterfalls and a water slide. The white sand beaches were very nice, as they are always quite and a great place for a stroll. The health club and spa were great as well, but were VERY far from our rooms. The monorail made getting around easy, with the busses right underneath the monorail station. The marina was also nothing more the a short stroll away, and featured many different types of boats and activities. The grounds are very well kept, and I enjoyed being able to sit down and watch the world go by in this picturesque setting. I would highly recommend the Grand Floridian to anyone who is able and willing to spend a lot on their accommodations, but not to those traveling with small children. I have been to many of the Disney Resorts but this is easily the most luxorious and charming of all of them. Disney aptly named this hotel, as it is indeed grand.
My wife and I stayed there in Sept. 2004. Overall I was very pleased with the resort..however, two things stick out in my mind. One, even though the pools had "themes", I was not overly impressed, and Two, we had to walk a LONG way to our rental car. We were in the sixties section and where our bldg was located, it was a LONG walk to the parking lot!! We were very comfortable in the room, however, I could see if a family of four tried to stay there, they would be extremely cramped!! We've stayed many times at the All-Star Movies Resort, and quite honestly, I liked it better than Pop Century, even though I loved all the "memorabilia" that was at Pop Century. I'd probably stay there again.
I will admit I was a little leery of this resort before I stayed here, but boy was I wrong! Our room was HUGE, easilly the largest we have ever stayed at on property. The best, most magical part of all was the view from our room. I could lie in bed and watch Wishes, and see cinderella's castle change colors. We could also watch the train pull into the Main Street Station, and could see all of Space Mountain. This was THE perfect room. An added bonus was the monorail, which there was never a line for. The only down side of this resort was the Food and Fun Center. It always looked dirty , and did not have many different food offerings, but it was a great place to refill your mug. I would stay here in a Tower room again in a heartbeat!
The Wilderness Lodge used to be our favorite resort, but the Boardwalk Inn has won our hearts! The rooms are so large and nicely decorated, and the shops and restaurants along the Boardwalk are great. We could easily stay here and never visit a park. It is wonderful to be able to walk or boat to Epcot and MGM. The Boardwalk Inn is definately a little slice of heaven!
I had a few problems with our recent stay at Coronado. As with all Disney Hotels, the theming and grounds were pretty and 'authentic'. I did not like the food court area at all--VERY overpriced and I hated the fact that you had to wait to be seated and pay 10% to have your drinks brought to you. The only 'advantage' to this is your beverages have free refills while you are there (which no one bothered to tell us)so there really was no need to purchase the refillable mugs. The area where you go to get your food was also very cramped. It was very difficult to move around--especially with a heavy tray since they used heavy glass dishes. We had to wait a long time for our rooms to be ready also. We arrived at 11 am (and I do ralize check in is at 3, but we have never had a problem getting in early). Our rooms were not ready until about 6 pm and then the key card machine was broken so we had to get temporary key card. We had to wait in line at the registration desk several times and there was always a 20-30 min wait there--I have never experienced this at any or the other moderate resorts. When we finally got our rooms we had a few problems--no bed rails for my handicapped daughter even though I requested them several times. There was a blown out lightbulb over the bed, the door on the fridge was broken, the knobs on the drawers were off and I think there were a few more things I cna't remember right now! We were in the Ranchos 7A building. Close to a quiet pool but far from everything else. We requested a standard view but had a nice garden view. We didn't have a problem with the bus service. The kids liked the play ground and the water slide was a huge hit. Over all, it was not my favorite resort and do not think I would stay there again, mainly because of the food court area.
I have been going to "Old Key West" for about 10 years now. I used to go to Polynesian, but got tired of it, and I heard about this place. From the first day, I was hooked. The service was prompt, the cast and crew friendly. The pools were wonderful, never too busy. Despite having no lifegaurds, all the children were well, as many workers came by and kept an eye on things. As youc an see, everything got the vote of "Excellent" from me, and that's the truth. Nothing has ever gone wrong in my many stays here. The rooms were always sparkling, the kids were always running around with joy. The prices never rose too high for me. I will never NOT go here.
absolutly amazing.......great value for money and so much fun for the whole family.....made the holiday fantastic
i really enjoyed our stay at POP; however, one thing to make really clear is the vastness of the property. our room was in the 90's building, which felt like it added an extra mile onto our walking each day!! it would be nice if guests could use carts like the employees are dropped off from in the mornings when they are staying in the farther away buildings (which we were in the very last building!). it feels like an ENDLESS walk at the end of a long, hot day at the park. otherwise, housekeeping was pretty good, though it didn't feel like the floor was vacuumed each day when walking in bare feet. we did get prompt delivery of towels for use at the pool. the concierge was helpful with dinner reservations and currency exchange. we did have a problem with the dining plan and an employee who was unfamiliar with what constituted "snacks" on the plan---but the manager was very helpful and it was quickly corrected. the food we had at the counter service was very tasty as well....all in all a good experience
this was my first time staying in a Disney hotel and i totally enjoyed it. i didnt know what to expect but it was awesome. me and my younger sister went and she did nothing but moan. we stayed in the american football area which is in the middle of the food court, the diamond shaped pool(by one of the laundry rooms) and the other pool which is in the surfing area. there are vending machines and ice machines on each floor. outside of our room was the x and o that you see in holiday brocures and of a night men and children who didnt know each other use to play american football i know this as i asked them could i watch them play as i have never seen people play that before so i sat on the bleachers and watched them play. the room was nice it had 2 double beds in it, a safe with a key, a table with 2 chairs, air conditioning, in the bathroom there is a shampoo and bodywash dispenser, you get mickey soap and fresh towels every day and if you need any all you do is press housekeeping on the phone and they bring you some. the TV is fair in size. and the cupboards are big- bigger than what i expected. i walked around the hotel one day and found that the foo court is visable from any themed area aswell as any pool. i went to the top of the baseball area and could see the All star music. the food court was nice and clean but as it was my first time in a disney hotel i found it expensive but only as every other time i have been i have bought my food from wal-mart or wallgreens and ate out at restaurants. the first thing i bought was a refillable mug as they are worth it. my overall summary of the all star sports is: it is worth it but it is nice if you can go to a food shop as im a vegetarian and i was getting sick of eating soya burgers and most of the food they serve has either cheese in it (which i dont eat) or meat. i didnt travel with any children but if you were to go with children they would really enjoy it, im 20 and i enjoyed it.
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Our family enjoyed our stay at the Pop Century the week before Easter 2005. We were on the second floor of one of the 80s buildings. We were very happy with this location - not too far from the parking lot, and not too far up the stairs. The rooms are a bit small, but we have two teenagers and had no trouble rearranging the room so that one could sleep on the floor (moved table to bed by bathroom and chairs to various places). I didn't particularly like the way the door opened right into the bed, but got used to it and it wasn't really a problem - more of an aesthetics thing. The TV cabinet was exceptionally cheap looking. We've stayed at some really cheapo places that looked better. But once we had loaded it up with books, clothes, and Disney shopping bags full of junk, no one noticed! The room had an ironing board, but no hair dryer or coffeemaker. I brought both, thanks to reading reviews like this in advance. It also had a safe that we could use at no cost. It was the shallow but wide and tall enough for a laptop and a couple of wallets. The computer pool had eye-catching accessories but was basically a square pool. It is neat, though, in that the pool is shallower around the sides and deeper in the middle. Also, it had a handicapped entrance, which I have never seen before. Having bathrooms, shower and lockers by the pool is a nice touch that was also a new one for me. We washed clothes one morning and by 10:00 there was a line of grumpy people waiting for washers - only 6 or 7 for several buildings. Considering that it's a value resort, you can expect lots of people who need to wash - they should have made the laundry rooms bigger. Take our advice - go early to wash! We loved walking around the grounds and looking at the icons - all so fun! We also enjoyed watching both Wishes and Illuminations from the bank of the lake near the 80's parking. we loved the food court - ate there three times. It was one of our favorite counter service places. Mousekeeping was excellent. They always managed to come when we were gone - no matter when - it was, well, like *magic*! We also got the cute animals in our window and "good job" stickers on our toothbrushes, which was funny since they were Mom and Dad's. One final note... on check-in we borrowed a luggage cart (after $250 deposit). This made carting our stuff from the car to the room much easier. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay, wish we were there now, and look forward to going again as soon as possible!
I've stayed at the WDW Dolphin in 2001 & 2004. The Walt Disney World Dolphin is a great resort, much more good than bad. It's located in the middle of the EPCOT Resort Area, which is right in the middle of WDW. Take buses to MK, AK, etc, and boats/walkways to EPCOT and MGM. The pool is terrific, a short distance from the resort. "Interesting" decorating outside, but very beautiful inside, and the views from every room are great (most with SE, ToT views, & Illuminations can be seen too). Very low-key in terms of Disney themes (it's not really a Disney owned hotel). As far as dining goes, a lot of options for kids. Tubbi's and the Dolphin Fountain are both very kid friendly, however the prices are steep. A few cons: (1) walkways can be tiring, and not to be done a lot for the average person. Even a brisk walk would take at least 10 mins to either park. (2) Though the boating is nice, it's a long journey, because the boats hit up every EPCOT Resort Hotel, and the Swan/Dolphin is the first to be picked up, as they pick up everyone else afterwards, and the last to be dropped off. Other than that, a great option, and it comes highly recomended!
I have not yet stayed at SSR, but we pool hopped there and took a tour of the rooms while we were there in October. We loved it. Ironically we purchased our vacation club membership there, but stayed at OKW. Anyway I do want to mention one thing people should be aware of. There is only one place to eat and the menu is limited. I am trying to say this in the nicest way and I probably live a boring life - but eating BBQ beef on a piece of flat bread is bizzare. IMy wife had tuna on a flatbread. live only 100 miles from Saratoga Springs, NY and I just never heard of any of the items on the menu. Now I have an 11 year old and a 6 year old and it's difficult enough getting them to eat pasta or a hamburger. I can tell you I didn't even bother trying to offer them any of the food offerings from the Artists' Palette. I asked if they had any more mainstream food offerings and the castmember suggested a minute walk to Downtown Disney area. Now the pool bar had only drinks when we were there. If hamburgers and other mainstream items are added I would be completely satisfied with the resort. The reason I went on about the food is that I have read lots of reviews about the Resort and none mention the limited food offering. This to me is a big deal. That being said - I love the resort. Yes there is construction going on but that did not deter from the beauty of the resort. Thhe pool was great. The slide was fun. There was a small pool slide my 6 year old loved too. There wet play area was shut down the day we were there, but it looked like a lot of fun. There is a nice big game room that I think is sure to please many a youngster, and the grounds were neat and clean. The resort is somewhat spread out. Basically there are numerous large buildings dotting the grounds. My overall reaction is this: I love the resort, but will not be staying there until they offer burgers, pizza or other more mainstream food items. Hopefully more restaurants will open soon. Hope this helps! Joe
stayed in 99. We thought is was a great value for the money.
Stayed here in February of 2005. We were in the Acadian House (but I toured the entire grounds). It is all very lovely and beautiful. The only thing that I found that could use work was the main pool. I actually would have rather swam in our quiet pool or down at French Quarter then swim at Ol' Man Island. I highly recommend this resort!
Its like 2 vacations in 1 Spend a busy day in the parks?relax at night in a Wilderness Lodge best of the best
I got to stay here in August 2001. It was an amazing hotel, and I'm dying to go back there again. My family and I did have a cleaning woman who just didn't like to clean the room, which kind of dampered the situation. But I still love this resort. It's relaxing, calming, beautiful, and very tropic. You truly lose yourself completely at the Polynesian. Great choice no matter who you are. = ).
this was my first time staying at the GF and i loved every minute. we stayed in concierge and the food and service was spectacular. we got a phone call from the concierge every night with the next day's hours, weather, etc. Also, i loved the conveinence of being on the monorail, one stop from the MK. It also has a great spot for viewing Wishes!
My family and I have stayed here twice. The rooms have been always well kept and good sized. I have stayed at other on site resorts and it seems that there is just more busses runing at this one (It must be because of its size). I would recommend getting on the buses on the Old Port Royal side of the lake since they seem to fill up quick and they stop there first. The resort has always been quiet, it seems like we were the only ones there. The only thing that is a pain is the walking at times, but it is not 1/10th the walking that you do at the parks. I will continue to go to this resort when I return.
My husband and I ended our last visit to Walt Disney World with two nights at Wilderness Lodge. Upon arrival we were surprised with an upgrade to the honeymoon suite and conceirge level! Cast was extremely friendly and made us feel at home. After coming from Pop Century this was a welcome change! Artist Point was fantastic as was Whipering Canyon (Kethup anyone??). We loved it so much that I just booked another trip for May 12-17 and we are staying at Wilderness Lodge. It is definately worth the extra money!
The Wilderness Lodge is cettainly worth the money. I have stayed twice before and enjoyed it very much. The theming is excellent, and the pool and hot tub first rate. The drawbacks are the food is quite pricey(but what Disney food isn't} and the rooms tend to be a tad smaller then the other deluxe hotels. I did find that the lighting was not that great in the queen/bunk bed room that i stated in three years ago. Have booked again, same type of room, for this July. Hope the lighting is better. One opf my favortite things abvout this resort is just hanging out in the lobby by the fireplace if it is raining outside. Gives you something to do besides staying in the rrom watching t.v..
Outstanding value!! I would recommend this resort to everyone!!!
This was my first time trying a value resort. All 12 of us were pleasantly surprised and very pleased. The rooms ARE small, but well appointed. The whole property, while intimidating when we first pulled in; was easy to navigate. The food court had a nice variety, the kids loved the arcade and the pools. The overall cleanliness of this resort, along with nice theming, and a very cool Classic Hall make this a great value for your money.
Went in Aug 03 and going back in June. We love this resort, with the restaraunt plus the food court, its great. Didn't get to the pools last time, but definitely plan to this time. Altogether it is an awesome resort. Highly Recommend it!
I have traveled all over the world and spent many of my vacations since I was a teen in Hawaii. I love the Polynesian Culture and the Polynesian resort is the best mix of a Hawaiian vacation and a Disney Vacation. Every resort has its horror stories but on average the Polynesian has many more good reports than bad and still holds the number one spot for repeat guests out of all WDW resorts. The Polynesian also keeps the resort up with frequent rehabs and updates. Infact most of the resort you see today has been worked on or fully replaced (down to the wood on the buildings) in the last few years. They are also in the process of redoing the decore of the rooms to add a whole new look from the look you see now that was done in the late 90’s. The new look will have all new furniture and electronics and even down to the light fixtures and carpet. The rooms will be more open and seem larger even with them being some of the largest standard rooms on property (400 sq-ft +). We return about every year and every time there is something new and different about the resort. The staff has always gone out of their way to get to know us and make us feel like family. You also cannot say enough about the concierge. The views, beautiful grounds, large beaches, great food and the BEST transportation in WDW only makes the resort better. No other resort has the monorail, busses, boat to the MK and walking distance to the TTC for the monorail to Epcot and because of its location you are never last in line for pickup by the busses or the monorail which means it is rarely full before it gets to your resort. I never settle for “just ok” and I always return to the Polynesian even after trying other Deluxe Resorts.
This hotel has really gone down into the dumps. The rooms are covered in heavy layers of dust, the air filters looked like they were 5 years old, and the carpet was dirty. Service was horrible in some areas like the Front Desk and Guest Services. Excellent service was found in the shops and eateries, though some CMs were rather pathetic and had some interesting problems doing what a guest asked. One CM insisted that pizzas had to be burned in Captain Cooks. Another CM corrected her though. and he was very nice, but he was moving to AZ I believe. Overall, I'd never stay at the Polynesian again, but I would visit the resort whenever I visit the Magic Kingdom. The Kona Cafe has excellent prime rib.
I stayed at Coronado Springs for New Year's Eve 2004-2005. We arrived on the night of the 30th so we could enjoy the resort and Pleasure Island. (Yeah that's right. We celebrated New Year's two nights in a row!) I was with my parents and friend, but we only wanted one room, so we ordered a cot over a month before. When we arrived at the resort, I was amazed at the size of it. IT'S HUGE! And from the looks of it, they are adding a whole new side. Our room was great, but despite them charging us an extra fee for a water-view room, we did not get that. A huge lake, and no water-view. Apparently they deem a view of the pool a water view. Eh, not much of a problem. But when we got into our room, there was no cot. We called the front desk and asked them to bring it up, and they said it would be there when we returned from Pleasure Island. Well we got back and the cot was nowhere to be seen. So we called again, and they said the cots were all gone. Pissed off, we went to bed to prepare for MGM on New Year's Eve. We had dinner at the Pepper Market, and it was one of the best meals I've ever had. I ordered the chicken quesadillas, and they were massive for a reasonable price. You know everything at Disney is always more. 12 bucks was pretty good though for such a good meal. I recommend it to everyone who stays at Coronado Springs. The next day went well. The resort was very close to MGM, which was where we were going, and the buses were prompt. In the middle of the day, it was hard to catch one back to the resort, but it didn't kill us. Back at the resort, the cot finally arrived. We went in the Dig Site pool, and it was great. The slide is definitely a huge plus, but even having a basketball hoop in the water was fun. They say that's the best pool at Disney, and I agree. The theming at the pool and even the rest of the resort is phenomenal. I even got to play the Roller Coaster Tycoon pinball game in the arcade, which I had been wanting to do for awhile. All in all, the resort was great. I loved the Spanish theme since I have been taking Spanish in high school for four years now. I was disappointed I did not get to make use of the marina, but it was still fun without that. I recommend Coronado Springs to everyone. It's a great place to stay and has tons to do. !Adios!
I can honestly say that some of the best days I've ever had have been at WDW and Port Orleans Riverside (I still prefere the name Dixie Landings though). Well furnished, not too hurried, quiet but not too quiet, great connections to the world, boat and bus. We've been going for 6 years now and the 'Al Bundy' lookalike who plays the piano in the bar never fails to amuse. Highly recommended. Going back in May 2005!!
the moment you enter the beach club resort, you'll feel as if you have entered a "martha's vineyard"- like place. the rooms are good, the service is well executed, and Stormalong Bay has got to be the best pool ever, not to mention that with it's sandy bottom, it feels as if you were at a beach in which you could snorkel at (just keep in mind that even though you can bring your own mask and snorkel, you cannot bring your swim fins into the water. i almost forgot, a word of caution for weak swimmers: this swimming pool contains areas which can go up to 8 feet deep.). all i can say this resort deserves the "unofficial figment1988-sanctioned flawless review award, plus an added Figmentality award" P.S. be sure to say hello to Art (the Beach Club Resort greeter) when you first enter this resort. oh yes, i forgot, sorry for the cheesy Mortal Kombat puns at the end
The beachclub by far has the best Pool in WDW! If you never have been there you should take a visit, My favirote resort by far!
My wife, 12-year-old daughter and I stayed in the Casitas section. Things we liked: 1. The room, while not huge, was adequate for 3. It was always clean. 2. The pool area was wonderful. Our daughter loved the waterslide. The pool area is so large that while it was crowded, we never felt overwhelmed by the number of people either in the pool or around it. 3. We walked the resort every evening. The theming was just excellent. The transition from lush theme to desert theme was just great. The paths are never boring to walk. 4. The people at the main desk were always nice. We ordered tickets to Hoop-De-Doo by phone and picked them up at the main desk. There was a problem with their credit-card processing machine at one station and the supervisor stepped right in. She took me over to an empty station and proceeded to process the order quickly. She was nice, too. 5. The bus service was great. We never waited more then 10 minutes to board a bus to any of the parks, no matter what the hour. A quick note about the bus service. I was there on business, while my family came along for play. We had an event at the Swan/Dolphin resort that ran far later then planned. The busses had stopped running to most of the resorts, leaving us with no way to get back to CS. We boarded the bus to Downtown Disney, hoping to transfer there. We talked to the driver, who said that it was a quiet night and offered to drive us directly to CS, saving us over an hour of transfer-wait time. If you find a bus driver who goes out of the way for you like this lady did, ask them about their "perks", a little card they carry that you fill out and leave with your front desk or in any theme park's service counter. The driver gets a perk for being extra nice. Things we didn't like: 1. The maid service was "too good" in our room. Is this possible? Each day, the maid would take the barely-used soap out of the tub and sink and neglect to leave us any new soap. We called the front desk and new soap was delivered to us promptly. This happened every day. 2. Pepper Market we found to be high-priced for the quality and quantity of food. One night, we spent over $20 for tuna sandwiches, chips and drinks for 3 people. 3. Transportation to another resort was tough at times. I understand this, as most people who stay at Disney go from their resort to a park and back. I was there for business, and although the Swan/Dolphin was only about a mile away, there were no walking paths which I could take. To get there each morning, it necessitated taking a bus to one of the parks, then changing to a bus which went to the Swan/Dolphin. I found that it took anywhere from 40 minutes to 90 minutes to get to my conference, depending on which park I chose. The quickest was Typhoon Lagoon. I must admit that I felt a bit funny sitting on the bus in my shirt, tie and briefcase with all the people in swimsuits. Overall, CS gets an A-. We'd go back.
The wife & I like Pop Century. We've stayed at Music and Movies and while they are nice, the central food court and being a little away from the other value motels cuts down on the traffic congestion. We are coming back again in May (no kids) for her 50th Birthday.
I have visited CBR twice now. Once in May of 2003 and May of 2004. I have loved this resort. True the building designs and room layout is in the style of an average motel but the grounds are beautiful. When you go to check-in be prepared to stand in line! There are few places in the lobby area to sit down. It took about 45 minutes both times for us to get checked in. If you didn’t rent a car then definitely use the baggage service. The walk to some of the rooms is extremely long. The rooms were clean and comfortable. You can find pictures of the rooms on Disney's website. My girlfriend and I took time out to walk the paths next to the lakes. I recommend this walk just before sunset. You can grab a seat on one of the many benches and watch the sunset in peace. At one point we had a mother duck with about 6 chicks stroll by. The bus stops are easily accessible and we have rarely had to wait more than 15 minutes for a bus. The main pool looked great but a little small. Every time I walked by the pool for a meal it was loaded down with people. Depending on which village you are in (Barbados, Martinique, Aruba, Jamaica, Trinidad North, and Trinidad South.) you could be walking up to ½ mile to get to Old Port Royale where the food court is. I have not had a bad experience at CBR and will be staying at CBR again 1/8/05 – 1/11/05 and 4/30/05 – 5/7/05.