This resort is very much as has been advertised. The grounds and buildings are lovely. Although there are a large number guests (we were there at Christmastime), CBR was quiet. The facilities at Old Port Royale are very nice and the counter service restaurant we used there was adequate. The guest rooms are nice enough. Of our eight mornings at CBR we had poor bus service on two occasions. If you are staying here, don't worry about your village assignment affecting your bus service it really doesn't matter where you stay. We stayed in building 12 and the walk to Old Port Royale was not a problem.
great... loved the atmosphere... much more sophisticated... felt like any other upscale disney resort
The YC is the only resort my family likes to stay at. We have stayed on the club level the past 6 stays and standard rooms the 4 prior to that. Since we stay for a week at a time we have come to know the staff and they us. The mousekeeping is always wonderful and the lounge staff as well. Granted it is more costly to stay there but the family that we have come to love there is great. We arrive with hugs and leave with the same. It is upsetting to read poor reviews of "our resort", but I guess eventually someone will have a bad experience now and then but I would suggest giving it another try. It is just an added bonus that EPCOT and HS are so close.
We got everything we expected and more from ASM. The buses were prompt and not overcrowded. The theming at the hotel will not disappoint anyone with children. I definitely recommend getting a preferred room like we did bc by the end of the day, you will not want that long walk back to your room. Food court was fantastic and has something for everyone. Can't wait to be back June 2011!
Just got back from a 9 night/10 day stay. (12/9 to 12/18) While this wasn't a horrible resort, it just wasn't great either. The grounds and Christmas decorations were pretty, our location (Oak Manor) was decent as well. They had the room ready for us when we checked in at 11am, which was great. The rooms were okay, defintiely in need of some updates. Housekeeping left a lot to be desired. Left a tip every day, but no frills, just beds made and new towels. No towel animals or anything special at all. The room looked like it had not been dusted in quite some time, the shelves/tv were pretty bad. I'm not a clean freak, but the dust was pretty bad. One of the days we were actually able to use the pool, came back at 3pm to take showers and head back to the parks. Housekeeping still wasn't there. She showed up while I was in the shower and hubby told her to come in a bit. She never showed up, room had not been cleaned and no towels to use for the next morning. Although the front desk was very friendly/apologetic and helpful with sending new towels out in the am. Transportation was HORRIBLE. We expected it to be busier since it was a larger resort than what we're used too, but this was much worse than what we expected. The buses were almost always full, standing room only. (no matter what stop we used) And most defintiely didn't run consistently every 20-30 minutes. A lot of waits were longer than that...no matter what time of day we headed off to the parks. The lines coming home were even worse, once again, not mattering what time of day we left the parks. It became a pain if wanted to come back to the resort mid-day for a break, because it took so long to get to and from. The staff was friendly, and the pool was good, my 8 year old daughter really enjoyed it. But overall, nothing special, and with the transportation issues, and mediocre housekeeping, we won't be staying here again. We have stayed at POFQ in the past and thought this would be nice to try something new. Apparently we have been spoiled by POFQ with their small size, decent housekeeping, and fairly few transportation issues.
Call me jaded, but the club level at this resort is not worth the price. While we all know that Disney has scaled back its decorations and has instituted cost cutting measures, the customer experience at least during our stay has significantly been impacted. Christmas Decorations have been scaled back. Thin walls allowed irate family arguments interrupt our sleep, "high speed internet access" @10Mb/half duplex LAN connection which was an additional $9.95 a day had a higher latency and lower throughput than my phone. We had reservations at both GF (which we've stayed several times before before in Sugar Loaf building) and YC, but on a whim decided to try YC. In spite of having reservations a month out, no YC email or postcard ever arrived for ADR assistance but we did get numerous GF ones. We did all of our ADRs via the Web including the coveted Cinderella Dining. While on property I can't fault the concierge greeter, bell service, or Mousekeeping as they were excellent. When we checked in of course it was early in the day so we did the park the bags, get the room keys and head to the park routine. Normally how this would operate is they (the concierge) would either text or call your phone when the room was ready, but after 4pm we were getting tired and no such event had occurred so we schlepped back to YC Club level and got our room assignment then. The baseboards and corners needed paint and repair (looks like bumper cars ran down the hall...but after seeing the riding vacuum cleaner I suspect I found one culprit) Bus service was not an issue, never more than 15 minutes wait to or from to the Magic Kingdom. AK I don't know as we only enjoy Flame tree there so we skipped it this visit. Boat service was fine to Epcot and Hollywood Studios.
I know the Dolphin isn't owned by Disney but, I expected a little more from this hotel than what we got. The rooms are run-down and the service was mediocre. If you are going to run a hotel on Disney property, try a little harder. We requested a down-free room and all the pillows were down-filled. The desk assured us the pillows were switched. I took them out of the pillow cases to check. We had to call twice to get them switched. Included in the resort fee are two bottles of water. The person who delivered the water (separate from housekeeping) walked into the room without knocking while my husband was in the bathroom. Housekeeping was fabulous. The prices in the Picabu 'buffeteria' were obnoxiously expensive. I expect high prices in hotels but this went beyond. The food was low-quality and not worth the price. It was cheaper to eat in the park. Picabu is open 24 hours but only bagged items are available after 11pm. Two sandwiches, a kid's hot dog and french fries and 3 drinks cost $40+. On the day we went to the airport, we went down to grab a quick bite. The 'made-to-order' waffles were reheated and the bacon was thin and limp. The Swan and Dolphin act like one big hotel rather than two separate hotels. Make sure you look at the location of a restaurant before choosing so you know where you need to go. Sometimes, it is difficult to tell because they have advertisements for all the restaurants in both hotels. The people taking reservations don't mention their location when you call. The Character breakfast on Sunday morning in the Garden Grove (Swan) was nice. Expensive, but nice. $22 for an adult buffet. The bacon was really good! The characters are Disney employees and they did a great job of making sure they spent time at every table. Pluto was fabulous. If you go during a peak season, make sure you get reservations. We went during an off season at 8:30am and were seated immediately but, there was a huge wait around 10 am. The buses to the rest of the Disney property run at decent intervals but, make sure you get off at the correct hotel. The stops for both hotels are labeled the "Swan & Dolphin". You can also take a boat from Epcot to the hotels. We are a family of 3 and stayed at the Dolphin for a conference. My husband travels often for business and is a Marriott platinum member. I've been going to Walt Disney World since the mid-70s.
My husband, teenage son and myself had a wonderful time this past summer. Shades of Green is a wonderful oasis in the hustle and bustle of the Magic Kingdom. It was also nice to see an area that honored the military, both present and past with a great place to stay. The accommodations are fabulous and service from the staff even better. They truly go out of their way to make sure you have everything you need during your stay. The only thing I was disappointed in was no complimentary bathroom necessary items, ie: shampoo, conditioner, lotion and the such. Only a general soap dispenser. I did expect something a bit more from a luxry resort. I had forgotten those items of mine and had forgotten to pick up some on our way to the resort. All in all, the stay was great and we will be back again!
My husband and I have stayed at all the All-Star resorts and this one is by far the best of all. We are returning for our fifth time in 2011 and have chosen the All Star Movies as our resort.
Stay - 11/06/2010 Aligator Bayou Upon check-in (~5:30 pm) I was informed of my room location (shown on a map) and was told that the room was very close and that I could walk there. No bellman was suggested, OK, no big deal, I don't mind walking. So I walked, and walked, and walked. Upon arrival the room smelled bad, like a mixture of mold and chlorine and I noticed the floor (carpet) was dirty with what appeared to be small pieces of leaves, straw/pine needles, and other debris. It was late and I wanted to get to the parks so I left my bag there and off to the Magic Knigdom I went. I got back to the room at ~ 2:30 am because I took advantage of the Extra Magic Hours and was really tired but I decided to take a better look at the room. It was still dirty and smelly, there was only one cake of soap, half a bottle of shampoo, one pack of decaf coffee (I eventually found the pack of regular coffee in the coffee maker it had been used and never removed), no room safe, and a small fridge that made noise. Not even all the lights worked. I was going to demand a room change but by this time it was 3 am and all I wanted to do was rest. So I got a few hours sleep and was at the front desk bright and early. I informed a person at the desk about the room conditions and there seemed to be no surprise or concern, I was simply told "we could send someone over to tidy things up for you, would that be OK?". My reply was "no, I wanted a different (clean and restocked) room over in Magnolia Bend" which I got.
Maybe we are spoiled from our many stays at the Yacht Club and BoardWalk, because our experience Oct 22-26 2010 at the Polynesian left us let down. Overall, we were all very glad we tried out the Polynesian (1st time on monorail loop) but decided that we like other resorts much better. Yes, our lagoon view room in Tahiti was HUGE--very big room and a killer view of Space Mtn, Contemp, Grand Floridian, and Cinderella Castle, especially at night. But the room was so incredibly worn out. The walls had 'scars' and marks all over them, the bottom of the walls were obviously cracked, and the carpet and sitting chairs were stained. It was just wear and tear, no need to complain, but gave us an impression that better care is given over at Epcot Deluxe Resorts. The automatic slider getting into Tahiti was busted too and never on its track. Calls to maintenance fell on deaf ears. Volcano Pool is incredibly tiny, but the waterslide was great. Water was only about 4ft deep. Quiet Pool was awesome b/c it had an 8ft depth. Views from pool were really nice too. Capt Cooks had a nice selection and was very convienent. Ohanas is always super, Kona was decent. Waiting for a monorail is the same as waiting for a bus, being herded into a monorail like cattle and standing packed like a rat while on the monorail "waiting for clearance at the next station" is the same as sitting on a bus in traffic. Yeah the monorail is fun, but not enough to get us back on the beam. Walking into Epcot and MGM is the way to go from a Crescent Lake Resort. Yes, it was nice to stay at the Polynesian (it was a dream of my sis and I) but our entire family was let down. Yeah the place was nice, and I can see why so many people swear by it, but we are way more comfortable at Yacht Club or BoardWalk. We really wanted to love the place, but ended up just saying we were glad we tried it. Oh yeah, the amount of screaming kids running wild in common places was very bad here. Parents not acting like parents. More quiet and peaceful at other Resorts.
I have been to the Animal Kingdom Lodge twice now and am going back next May. It feels like you're away from everyday living. You're in another world altogether. The African decor is stunning. The food is so delicious. My favourite breakfast at Boma is quinoa which is an alternative to rice and wheat. The evening restaurant Jiko has very filling meals. Try some cinnamon bread. The Mara quick service restaurant has a vast range of meals. Butternut Squash Soup to me is irresistible. The bedrooms that I have been in so far have been comfortable, cosy and quiet. The balconies have had great views of animals wandering around the hotel grounds such as giraffes, ostriches, zebras, elands, blesboks, pelicans, storks and greater kudus. The staff members have delivered top customer service. The hotel has an outdoor swimming pool with slides and divine hot tubs. Next door to the Mara is Pumbaa's Arcade which has different machines and air hockey table. My favourite machine is a pinball machine. It is so addictive. The hotel has a gift shop called Zawadi. It has the traditional gifts and a corner with food and drink supplies. There are pictures of the lodge in frames that look very detailed. There are regular complimentary bus services that go from the hotel to the theme parks. It is definitely essential if you don't drive or don't have a car. I strongly recommend it specially if you love animals.
This was my family's first visit, and after doing some research Pop seemed to fit us best, and I was correct. My travel agent messed up my reservation, and the CM at the front desk, after apologizing even though it wasnt his fault, quickly fixed the issue and (after finding out it was my daughter's birthday) got Goofy to call her on the phone and sing Happy Birthday to her. These are the kinds of things that make a difference, after being on a plane all day, to come to a place that is so welcoming and friendly. In no time we were in our room, and then off to the parks. We got a preferred room in the 50s, which I SO recommend as we were only a few steps from the pool and Classic Hall. The rooms are very small, but good for a place needed just to sleep, and families with small children. I thought the food court was wonderful with a great variety of food. I liked everything I got. The only draw back were the crowds! If you came at peak time, the lines at check out were long and slow. We had the free dining plan, and again SO recommend it, as we ate like pigs! I would def go back to POP!!
I love All-Star Music! the pools, shops, food courts and the lobby too! I can't wait to stay in ASM and the family suites as well!
We loved the Wilderness Lodge...it is beautiful, inviting, cozy and had everything we wanted. being able to take the water taxi to magic kingdom was great - while everyone else was running to the monorail and the buses, we hopped on a boat with hardly any wait time. All of the staff we very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. The overnight staff (manager and security -lynda??) took great care in helping me get the medical attention i needed in the middle of the night and even checked up on me the next day! the housekeeping staff was amazing - we had a woman named pam - she made different animals and things out of the towels...the kids could not wait to see what she made each day. plus she even straightened up our room!!! usually you get the beds made and new towels...she went above and beyond. very clean. the restaurants were great. the arcade was fun and the pool was awesome! the kids loved the slide! the grounds were beautiful - can't wait to go back!
I can't wait to stay in the Contemporary on Dec 10, 2010! It's my favorite resort! I love Chef Mickey's and the shops and the lobby as well this is awesome place to take the monorail to magic Kingdom and Epcot! This is my excellent resort!
What can I say about the Beach Club that isn't positive? Beaches and Cream Sandy bottom pool Quick walk to EPCOT Movies on the beach Shipwrecked slide at the pool This is my absolute favorite resort. I love the fact that if I take a notion to go watch Illuminations all I have to do is walk a short distance. The location is exceptional. You are a walk away or boat ride from DHS & EPCOT! Not to mention the many offerings of the Boardwalk's nighttime entertainment. We've stayed here about a half a dozen times and it remains my favorite. If I had to recommend a resort, this would definetly be the one I would suggest.
We stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge for Christmas 2008. It was GREAT!!!! The view was phenomenal. We had birds eye views every morning of zebras and ostriches. You had the feeling that you were really in Africa for a safari trip. Con: We asked the marketplace shop to pack our purchases and ship them home (like the other resorts do) and the lady handed us a beat up box and some paper to do it ourselves. Needless to say we struggled with packing fragile items and some didn't survive the trip.
POFQ is now my favorite hotel because of the Jazz! I hope to stay in POFQ for Dec 2010!I really hope!
I love All-Star Movies! The Mighty ducks theme is awesome! and we can't hardly wait to stay in this hotel again for December 2010! and Might be preferred room of Fantasia! That will be cool and nice!
My wife and daughter and I love the All Star Movies resort. Web took our daughter to WDW for the first time last year and she not only still talks about the theme parks, but she comments on how much she liked the hotel too. Before she was born, my wife and I stayed here 2 other times. We tried the All Star Music and Pop Century resorts, but they just don't capture the magic like movies does. Besides, we sleep at the hotel and spend most of our time in the parks, but when we return to "The World", we ALWAYS come back to All Star movies.
I love CBR Because of beautiful rooms and shops and dinning looks great! That's why we are going to stay for Dec 2010!
We have stayed here 3 times now and its a great value , transportation could be a little faster but I guess you cant have it all . The bath houses are clean and head and shoulders above any other campground , free nightly movies , nice pool , plenty of things to do to get away from the crowds of the parks , and at night sitting on the beach and watching the fireworks on the other side of bay lake is a wonderful sight . I will be heading back next year .
1. Close to Magic Kingdom 2. Spacious rooms 3. Inexpensive as compared to other deluxe Disney resorts 4. Beautiful resort and surroundings The only draw back is that the buses to and from Shades don't run as often as Disney resort buses.
Hi! I had to write.I'm not that big on discussion forums or blogs however we just came back from our first visit to our 'new home' at Bay Lake Towers and I only have good things to say! We had a 2 bedroom Magic Kingdom view and I jumped up and down with excitement like a 5 year old when we first walked in! Also having 3 bathrooms with 3 teenagers is priceless. This is our 4th WDW trip since 2004 and I wish we had bought into the vacation club when we first inquired about it while staying at the Polynesian in'04. I could go on and on but I truly think you need to go to the presentation and discover for yourself how truly wonderful this can be. If you love Disney than it will be a no -brainer!. One last item if I may,we were thinking of a stay over February school break at Vero Beach. Just wondering what others thought? Thanks!
My family has stayed at this resort 3 times. The first 2 in '99 and '00 back before the MAJOR refurbishment. It was incredible, the calm theming, nice pools not to loud and PLENTY of space. The next time we stayed at the resort was after the update early in '09 and it was better than the old (which i thought was perfect). Restaurant and bars were perfect. The lobby was wonderful, bedrooms were super nice. But our room was one of the ones from the older wing hahaha in the back of the hotel, regardless it was nice. And we found all the shortcuts around the place, (example) cut through the bar across from the ice cream area go by the pool up the stairs and the back rooms are right in front of you :), another plus would be the short walking distance to polynesian for a beach, good food and monorail access
Our favourite hotel anywhere - not just Disney! From the moment that we walk in from the carpark and are told ' Welcome Home' to the moment we leave, it's bliss. We've stayed twice and will be back next year, and despite what some reviewers feel, we've never had a problem with children or their parents, and we are not''old money'' people or snobs.
My family and I were very impressed with the quality service of the GF. We stayed at the Sugar Loaf with concierge service. The staff was friendly, the rooms were immaculate, and the servive was great. My only issue was having to wait for about two hours for our room to be ready. Thankfully the lobby served food and beverages, so our wait wasn't too bad. I loved the character dining at 1900 Park Fare, and enjoyed being greeted by such beloved Disney characters during breakfast. We had an excellent view of the Magic Kingdom park from our balcony, and could watch the beginning of thewater parade the resort dock. It was a wonderful experience, and we will definitely stay there again.
We stayed in a 2 BR unit in June 2010. We were a party of 6 and bought a package deal that included the deluxe dining plan and parkhoppers as well as the room for 11 nights. We paid over $15,000 for said package which was supposed to include a "Lake View". We were originally assigned room 7605. It was a terrible "Lake View", but a fabulous view of the pool and the building opposite ours. I felt like I was living in a city high rise. It seemed like less than 25% of our view consisted of the lake. However, if you stood 5 feet back, from the large window, and looked straight ahead, you could not see the lake at all. You literally had to stand over to the right of the window, and turn your head to the left to see the lake. When I requested a move, I was given a song and dance by first, the woman at the front desk, then her manager. I heard several times, "That room is considered a lake view". At that point, I told them I could accept that room if they agreed to refund me the difference between a "Lake View" and a "Standard View". Upon hearing that request, the manager agreed to move me to "the only other Lake View opening up that day". We ended up moving to room 7602, which wasn't a great lake view as it had a cluster of tall swampy trees partially blocking our view. However, it was much better than 7605. I seriously hope Disney reclassifies their "Lake Views". Those rooms on the inside of the "C" should be either "Pool VIew", or "Standard". I will never again pay the premium and risk getting a questionable "Lake View".
Huge resort. Near the Magic Kingdom! You can even hear the Magic Kingdom train in the distance from outside the resort. Walking distance to the Polynesian and Monorail. Large guest rooms.
My wife and I both love the Dolphin, it is actually my wife's favorite hotel on the property . The food choices and rooms are both great. The boats are a relaxing alternative to the buses to get to HS and Epcot and its a reasonable walk to the Boardwalk area. It's definitely not as "Disney" as the more themed resorts but sometimes it's nice to get away from that every once and a while. You still get free parking at the parks and EMH , however I wish you could use your room key to charge purchases around the world to your room like the other resorts. They run specials many times throughout the year which make this resort a bargain at times so keep your eye out.
Stayed one night before a wonderful cruise on the disney wonder. At Port Orleans the grounds are fine but the room was musty dirty and so warm the air conditioning kept going on and off that when we removed the bed coverings the blanket was full of hair. The bathroom was only usable if we wore our shoes. I love Disney and have stayed at many other resorts but this was bad. PS we were told no other rooms available and would report it to the am crew but we had to leave by early am for the cruise. On the night before going home cancelled my reservation and stayed at the Hyatt in the airport $40 cheaper with breakfast and clean.
stayed two days in april 2010. room looked like it hadn't been updated since the place opened. front of dresser multiple large nicks/chunks missing, one drawer hung very obviously crooked. big hole in top center of bedspread showing white fluffy stuff underneath. bathroom not real clean. multiple stains on carpet. the hotel was the farthest value resort away from the parks and last on the bus line. the price is what i needed but it was like being in dirty disney...yuck. we got the room with florida discount making it like 75$ a night and it was exactly what you'd expect from a room that's 75$ a night.
DH and I stayed there in February 2005 and had a great time. The rooms were clean and a good size for what we needed. The food at Boatwrights and at the Riverside Mill was great. We didn't wait any longer than 15 minutes for a bus and the staff was pleasant and very helpful when my DH had to be taken to the hospital in the middle of the night (kidney stones) and Disney paid for the ambulance. We have stayed at POP century and Coronado Springs since then and they don't even compare. We are heading back in August to stay Riverside again. I can't wait.
The first day one of the employees went out of their way to help us get into our room "that was a good thing. After that, we were trying to find our way around the resort only to get rude and quick answers from 2 of the employees. We asked about the location of the arcade and her hand shot up in the air and she said over there "never stopped walking". The other question was answered with a I Don't Know. Service in the dining area was not the greatest. This was the same for 6 different meals. After leaving the resort, I was about 45 minutes away and noticed that I left my favorite hat hanging in the room. I quickly called room service and was told. IF we can get it, you will have to pay shipping back to your home. No problem, I expected to pay. We will call you back. Never got a call. Called again the next day, We will check and call you back. It's been 2 weeks now and my phone has not rang. I hope the employee that's wearing my $48.00 hat enjoys it because these 3 families are never staying at this so called resort again. At least call me and tell me you don't care. But Please Call.
We just returned from our week-long vacation at the Jambo House building of Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. It was our first time staying as Disney Vacation Club members, and we requested a studio for our family of four. The receptionists and concierges at the hotel were extremely friendly and helpful, even providing us with a plethora of buttons when we mentioned we were "celebrating" our daughter's 16th birthday, and three wedding anniversaries within our family. (The extended family was staying elsewhere). The room was quite nice, and very comfortable for a family of four to stay in. We were located on far end of the Kudu Trail, and although it was a bit of a trek, we didn't really mind. We had a gorgeous view of the savanna, and my eldest daughter loved being able to see giraffes out her window every afternoon. The food court was convenient and well stocked, and we enjoyed a great breakfast one morning at Boma. However, the bus service for this hotel was absolutely horrific! We waited a good 45 minutes for our Hollywood Studios bus one morning, with half hour waits for both Epcot and Animal Kingdom on seperate occasions. All in all, we loved the hotel - but we definitely think its bus system could use some improvement.
We just returned from our trip to the World and stayed again at Pop Century. The staff is very helpful and eager to please. We stayed in the 60's building which is a preferred room. On the first day, I actually felt the room could have been cleaner upon arival(Saturday). Sunday the room was cleaned when we returned from the parks around 3pm. On Monday and Tuesday I had to call Housekeeping to tell them the room was not serviced by the time we returned, which was between 3-4pm on both days. On Tuesday afternoon before heading out, I stopped at the front desk to ask if in fact rooms are cleaned everyday....the front staff was very apoligetic and did tell me that yes the room should be cleaned each day of a persons stay. They told me they would contact the manager of housekeeping and let them know of the situation. Upon our arrival back that evening our room was maticulously cleaned! And each day afterward the manager from housekeeping called our room to make sure we were satisfied..which we were! That's the beauty of Disney...any request is attended to with such professionalism. No matter if you are staying at a deluxe resort or a moderate one, you are treated like royalty! The food court is ok for a quick meal and the kids enjoyed the food, but I don't think my husband and I could eat there everyday! But nice for a fast meal and/or lunch. There are many selections in the gift shop and our daughters enjoyed trading pins with other cast members. The buses are super fast and we never waited more than 10 minutes for a bus. Over all, we enjoy staying here for the price and would return again.
Went there in June 2010 We stayed in a studio apaprtment . The room was clean and comfortable and roomy The complex is excellent with friendly staff The restauarnts and facilitys are all excellent My only gripes were the plastic cutlery and paper plates and not very deep private pool ( deepest was 4ft 9inch )
Wow, an amazing resort indeed. I stayed here for the first time in 2009 and loved it and am staying again in 2010. I am a big park goer at Disney and being in walking distance to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios(two of my favorite parks) was an absolute plus. The two are also short boat rides away. The rooms are beautiful with bright colors and different beachy artwork and objects around the room. I had a two bedroom villa so my family and I had a lot of space. The villas are very quiet which is a nice thing to come back to after a long day in the parks. The villa pool is also nice as it is right next to a river and small beach area. The real pool that belongs to the regular Beach Club resort though is the real "grabber" at the resort. This is a huge sand bottom pool full with a lazy river, whirl pool, and pirate ship mast slide. The restaurants are also nice in the area at either the Beach Club or Yacht Club or even a short walk across is the Boardwalk which has tons of food and activities to do. This was the best hotel I have stayed at and I cannot wait til I do it again in 2010!!
We stayed at the GF last Sept. '09. We stayed for seven days and six nights. My DH and I married at the GF 15 years ago in Sept. so this was our anniversary trip and the fact that we were married at the GF also made the trip extra special to us. We absolutely LOVE this hotel property. It is beautifully maintained and the staff was great. We had a bit of a wait for our room because it was one that had been refurbished and when we got in the lights in the dressing room weren't working nor was the phone. They sent someone up within ten minutes to fix both. The room was lovely and we had a fabuous view. We splurged on this trip and had a view of the MK which we all loved. We even had a "magical moment" on this trip when we heard you could see the fireworks at the MK from the marina dock. We had been swimming at the pool and were leaving because we thought somehow we had missed the fireworks. As we were walking back to our Sago Cay building the fireworks started and there were exactly four chairs left for us to sit in and watch the whole show! You couldn't ask for a better moment. Another aspect of the GF we all enjoyed was being on the monorail line. So very convenient. We will defintely stay here again but it's only going to be for our "big" anniversaries to keep it special, so 2014 we'll be back! The only problem we encountered was the bathtub had a tendency to get clogged up while we showered but we notified a CM on the day of check-out. It wasn't much of a problem, so we decided to wait till we were leaving to let them know. We also enjoyed the Zero entry pool. It wasn't crowded and my boys loved the water slide. The GF is so impeccably maintained and you see the evidence of this - painting the outside of the hotel doors, powerwashing of the buildings and then the landscaping - it all added up to a wonderful and practically perfect stay for my family.
Well I don't know who DisneyKnowitAll is, but this fool is not a disney know it all! Vacation club is the best thing that disney has to offer! there are a dozen of places to stay in disney world alone! Not to mention you can use the points for the cruise line as well. The flexibility alone is the best, you can bank and borrow points when needed. Disney also has locations outside of disney such as Vero Beach and hilton head and coming soon hawaii!! Oh and i forgot to mention you get the vacation club for 50 years!!!! And the rooms that you stay in with your points are deluxe accomodations that range to $380 a night! you can stay at any vacation club resort at anytime to restrictions and no block out dates! =) But i guess if you want to scrimp and save to stay at the all star low budget resort, or save for years and take one vacation and then never another one again, then don;t get it and pay separate like disney know it all. then fine. but if you want vacations for life with a nice place to stay guaranteed! then Vacation Club is the right choice!!
Not Worth it ............. just better to pay seperate
This is by far the best place for couples to stay while at WDW. It is quiet and relaxing. The pools are strategically placed not to be loud late. The food court has variety. The bus stops are all over and easy to get to. Have stayed here more than any of the resorts. Our second home at WDW!
Nice place to stay. So convenient to walk to Epcot in less than 5 minutes from our room! It is so big though, that it takes forever just to get from the elevator to the room. Would stay again however. Staff and housekeeping very helpful and nice.
My wife and I just returned from Carribean Beach which was our second time there. First time was nice since we had a room close to the food court. This time I called a month before our arrival to request a room close to the food court since my wife is now disabled and has to use a wheelchair. The lady I talked with said they will make a note and do everything they could to accommadate us. If you haven't guess yet, we were given a room the furtherest away. My wife couldn't reach the food court since a steep bridge is in the way. I had to walk to the food court then call her to tell her the choices of food. Our meals had to be eaten in the room. She never seen the food court. Could have taken a resort bus but the walk to the bus stop was almost as far as the food court,then would have stopped at every section before getting to the food court. We decided next time we will stay at Port Orleans since we also stayed there before and everything is closer. The housekeeping is very nice so can't complain. They did a good job. Food was good except most of the sandwiches were made with some kind of hard bread that was dry and hard to chew. In the food court each day the workers will block the aisle to do some kind of dance which means you can't get from one end to the other till they finish. The resort is very attractive but unless you are young and healthy maybe you should try another resort. Alot of people have to rent a scooter from an outside business to get around.
For a WDW moderate ,i think the place is brilliant . The main pool is geat if you have kids and if you dont the private pools are large and nornally quiet. The food court is large and should have something fo everyone tastes . We have stayed there 3 times and have never had a bad experience . The location is great as well as ist not far from DTD
We had a one bedroomed lake view room on the 10th floor and we loved every second of our stay there . I personally would rather have this view than an MK view as it looks over the car park . The rooms are excellent ,the main shower and hot tub are a luxury and i cant wait to revist again . The only negative i have is that there is no proper check in ( you have to go to the Contemporay and i wish they had a little shop within the hotel
My family and I have stayed here three years in a row. Evrything about Pop is wonderful !!1 From the time you check in untill the time you check out!. The food court has evrything you could ever want.The gift shop also has everyting. The rooms are clean and have enough room after all your at Disney all you need your room for is to sleep.The pool are clean and are a nice size. Transportation is fast and easy and the staff is very friendly. This is a wonderful place to stay!!!!!
THE BAD- No pool towels...no spa pools (just pools)...rooms are really small...aging, small television with limited cable...bathroom light that has a noisy fan when turned on...hard beds...room could be cleaner..only "double" sized beds...interiors showing wear and tear...overpriced food at food court...A/C kind of noisy...can be far to walk to the lobby/gift shop...bus pick up area needs to be covered... THE GOOD- Bus system to take you most anywhere in Disney for free...grounds are well kept...the outside of the buildings seemed to be well kept and clean...kids will love the themed buildings...service was reasonable...it was quiet at night when we stayed...the huge pools will keep kids playing...one is able to park a car reasonably close to your building (we rented a car and rode the bus system)... The resort is ok for the price we payed. We have stayed at much worse places than the All Star Movies Resort although if I were a Disney manager, I wouldn't want people calling one of the resorts a "Motel 6 within Disneyworld".
I love POP century because of the decades of the past! We did stay in Pop for two times and it's awesome! The food court and everything Pop together looks great! and those rooms looks like all in the past! Oh! one more thing that POP is awesome!
We have just returned from WDW decided to book into POP due to all the reviews that we had read up prior to going. What a GREAT choice! Spent 5 nights, check in was a breeze, within 5 minutes and we were provided with our room keys, my daughter was awarded with her little personalized "birthday badge". Room was on the small size, but as we were at WDW to see the parks and do so much, the room would only be for sleeping! Clean, well laid out, mousekeeping had made a special gift for the kids and had this hiding by the window along with a personalized note. The grounds are HUGE! Well maintained and with 3 good sized pool, my youngest daughter would have been content just to spend all her time in the pool! Food court I was worried as I had read that there was not much choice...proved to be wrong. Sure, if you are expecting fine dining, well, the food court will definitely not suit, but it offers what the parks generally offer as "counter service" so I think so long as you are not a picky eater, then you should find something half decent to eat! We brought 2 re-fillable mugs, which proved to be a godsend as coming from the UK, we would be up in the early hours of the morning due to jet lag, roll down to the food court and fill up on endless coffees and wait for the kids to wake up! We returned from our first day to find that Micky had left a Birthday card for my daughter, this of course blew her away as he had signed it also. Bus service was super, never waited more than 5 minutes for a bus, don't know why we bothered to hire a hire as we did not use it at all! Coming back from the parks was also no worries, any commute was only 10 minutes. The staff in all corners were simply wonderful, cannot be faulted, one lady in particular helped with some last minute dining reservations which allowed us to have breakfast with the Princess over at epcot and dinner with pooh over at the Crystal palace, both locations I would like to add, I did not manage to book weeks before our departure! We loved our stay and would recommend this hotel hand on heart to anyone, especially if you are wishing to fulfill some dreams on a budget...we did it for our family!
I can't wait to stay in CBR because it's my favorite Moderate resort. and For Christmas I can't wait to see those christmas lights. That's why I love CBR!
the place is ok for just a place to lay your head..our room was clean....our ac stopped working at 800 pm and we called the desk,,,,we went to sleep later with no ac....... the maintence worker woke us up sometime after 1100pm.......as soon as i got to the door he was gone....not impressed
This is the best resort on property... My family stays here every time. Reasons the resort is amazing: OUTSTANDING POOL... the pool is VERY large, not overcrouded and there is a great slide. Easy Access.... The Boardwalk,The Swan and Dolphin, EPCOT, and Disney's Hollywood Studios is just a stroll away Well decorated and themed rooms, and they are also very spacious So Many Dining Options.... Like Beaches and Cream, The Boardwalk Resturaunts,And the resturaunts at the Parks, along with Yachtman's Steakhouse at the Yacht Club This Is a truly amazing hotel... i encourage all ages to stay here
amazing but the pool needs a bit work
Spent a week there in December 08 and am going back July 2010. The moment the bus pulled up out front I knew I made a good choice. I made all the plans for this our Trip and was a little worried about keeping a wide range of ages happy. We walked in the front door and were greeted By Chris who became my kids favorite. They looked for him everyday and asked him for help planning our days at the parks. the Guy is a real sweetheart and we hope to see him when we return in july. We got there by 10:00 a.m. and were told that the rooms were ready for use already..we were thrilled. Okay, We stayed on the side that hadnt been updated But it was still really nice and they managed to get us adjoining rooms. The streets and the buildings were Just beautiful . The pool is amazing..even on a cold day it was inviting. The outside Bar by the pool was great and The Mango Margaritas are fantastic. The bus stop was a no-brainer and The Boat to dtd was just the icing on the cake............We used it often and Loved it. I have never stayed at the Deluxe properties But Id be hard pressed to considering how much we enjoyed POFQ
It's the only Resort me and my family have stayed in and we love it. But would request not to stay near the Football Field, too many people playing at all hours, that's the only downfall.
The first night we got here, I wasnt expecting to see any animals as it was already dark, but we did and it was amazing!!! The staff were so friendly and were very helpful with telling us the best times to view the animals and history and culture of Africa. Disney really do go the extra mile. I had seen some bad reviews and was a little worried, but I really believe that it is worth the money, seeing animals from your balcony evry morning and night is such a breathtaking experiance. If I had to put a downside, then it would be transportation. It wasnt the worst thing it the world, most of the time it was easy to get too and from the parks, and I guess if you leave a park exactly after the fireworks then any hotel would be hard to get to. (so thi is only if im being really picky) Before we went, I found it very hard to choose between staying here and Wilderness Lodge, and I have to say, If I had chosen to stay at Wilderness Lodge, I would have been so upset that I didnt stay at AK lodge, but I would never regret staying at AK!!!
we stayed here in january 2010,when we got married at disneys wedding pavillion.the setting is beautiful,rooms are classy,the only down side for us was the dig site pool was closed!the hamocks over looking the lagoon provide a relaxing tranquil stop to chill
The check in process was a little slow, but that gave the other party members a chance to enjoy the scenery from the viewing area. We had been allocated a lock off , Studio + 1 bed for our party of 5, so we had plenty of room. Our room overlooked the main entrance and at the time of our stay work was ongoing to the bus stops and the resulting traffic was noticeable. The worst part was the Magic Express vehicles loading luggage as their beeping reversing warnings in the early hours were loud enough to disturb. Luckily liberal doses of margarita solved that issue and I was able to sleep soundly. The rooms were probably the best themed of any Disney resort I have stayed at, and the subtle touches to fixtures and fittings were Disney at its best. Storage space was adequate, though I felt, as with all Disney rooms, we could have benefitted with more hanger room. The master bathroom was luxurious, though I would have to question if it is really a good use of space, and having 3 bathrooms did make the morning ablutions easier. Parking space in the basement car park was always available despite the high resort occupancy. It was a bit of a trek however to the room. Sanna was excellent, interesting menu and the food well presented and cooked. The server was most helpful and I’m sure would be able to reassure even those with an unadventurous pallet sufficiently to get them to try some of these new offerings. We also strolled over to the main lodge building and it was a well signed leisurely walk. The shop was adequate though I was disappointed at the lack of resort merchandise. The pool area is very nice, with plenty of activities for the brats, and a decent bar for those who enjoy a tipple. The slide was fun though the view from the pool deck was more over grown building site than savannah wilderness. The buses were hellish, with long waits if you timed it wrong! And I can’t see that getting any better as the Mouse strives to keep costs down. All in all a great resort, and one I hope I can get to stay at again in the future.
Member of DVC and this resort is absolutley amazing. Great atmosphere and great views from every room.
We are finishing up our first week spent at the world as DVC members. We bought in to BLT, but decided to surprise the kids with a stay at Kidani Village for our first trip. You should have seen the look of surprise on their faces... Anyway, for the other two trips we've made as a family we stayed at All Star Music (suite), and off-site, so that's what we have for comparing to this stay. Kidani was far better than either of those resorts. I'll break it down by pro's and con's. Bad news first: It took more than 5 minutes to walk briskly from the lobby to our room. That is a long distance if you need anything from the lobby. Movies, soda refills, etc. are all a long ways away if you are out at the end of one of the wings. If I were staying here again, I would rent a car because you can park under the hotel and save alot of walking. The other down side was that there was no dining in the hotel other than Sanaa, and the trip to Jambo house is significant. Now the good news: There were a lot of different types of animals, and they keep them moving around. The did a good job of placing the feeders around the savannahs in a way the brought a variety of animals past the room. The pool and water play area are incredible. I didn't get the chance to use the workout room, but it looked very nice although maybe a bit small. The lobby was beautiful, and the animal viewing areas were nice too. The one bedroom villa was large enough easily accomodate the 5 of us. All in all, I makes me very happy that I bought into DVC, and can't wait to book our next stay.
A little pricey, but not too bad when the parents are paying for accomodations. Main building is amazing and rest of the resort is very nice. Staff is very friendly and polite. Very crisp, clean smell and feel in all buildings especially on hot days. Definitely worth the price as long as you can comfortably afford it. Stronly recommend 1900 Park Fare for breakfast and/or dinner - breakfast is great!
We just spent 6 days (1-31 thru 2-5) at BLT and it was ok. I liked the decor of the room but like other peoples comments it just didn't have that Disney feel. I also agree that the skyway should be inclosed. When it is cold and raining it is not much fun! We also went to the California grill one night for dinner. I was really disappointed in the food. With so much hype about it and the sell prices on the menu I thought the quality and presentaion of the food was very poor. The scallops I got were bad and made me sick! It just seems that the service in general was not what it used to be. We have stayed at Disney for a week every year for the past 15. I'm sad to say that we are going to try somewhere else next year!
My husband and I will soon be staying at the Dolphin for the fourth time. I'm a Starwood member and we get great rates there. We enjoy the rooms, views, and being near the Boardwalk area, plus easy (and free) access to Disney parks via the boats or buses. I've stayed in a few Disney resorts and really enjoyed them, especially the Wilderness Lodge at Christmas, but for two adults, the Dolphin is a great option. We don't need to be immersed in Disney 24/7, so the hotel has just enough Disney to make us aware of where we are, and we spend hours in the parks anyway. Also, the spa at the Swan, just steps from the Dolphin is one of the nicest I've ever visited, and I've been to MANY spas. We also like the many restaurant options in the Dolphin, Swan, and the Boardwalk area. As others say, it depends on your needs and preferences. If you have kids and you want 100% Disney, then the Dolphin and Swan aren't for you.
Just a great stay. Fun and colorful. Great themes on pools. Food Court of well worth the money. Great Value.
Very cool, nothing but fun for my two kids. Loved the dances at the food court. Great value for the money.
We were excited to check out the BLT and we were not disappointed. Our room had 2 BR and 3 bath! Sparkling clean and modern. The CMs were very friendly and helpful. It definitely is limited access but that made us feel like part of a special secret club. It was amazing to wake up every day to a view of Space Mountain, the castle, and the rocket pods. Each night we turned the lights down for the fireworks and turned the TV to channel 20 to get the soundtrack. Our last night we went to the Top of the World Lounge to view the fireworks. Incredible. The bridge to the Contemporary needs to be enclosed. It was a bit of an adventure for me. I've been flying all my life and I think I've developed an inner ear balance problem. But it was cool to take the bridge to eat, do some shopping, or catch the Monorail to Epcot or another resort for a meal. MK was a 10-15 minute walk. My minor complaints: Disney resorts still do not have Fox News, there is only hard-wired Internet in the master bedroom (going to have to invest in a wireless router), and there is no espn360.com access, even though Disney owns ESPN. I wanted to watch my Texas Longhorns online and had to settle for Internet radio. We're going to try the Beach Club or Boardwalk next, but we will be coming back. Leaving was very difficult.
My family and I have stayed at Shades of Green 5 times. We prefer to stay here because of the proximity to the Magic Kingdom. My family loves the grounds and the very spacious rooms. We've stayed at other Disney resorts and always come back to Shades of Green. The staff is very nice and we love the breakfast they serve. It gets us going and ready for a fun day at any of the Disney parks.
Best resort on property. Cozy, convenient, inviting.
Old Key West is awesome! Our family can't wait to stay in OKW for christmas and New Years too! On December! This will be awesome! Maybe 2 bedrooms villas will be awesome too! I love to stay in OKW for this December! Old Key West is my favorite excellent villas! including food courts and everything else too!