I stayed here last year and was a bit dissappointed. It was a beautiful resort, but it took forever to get checked in, and there was only one person ahead of me. Also, for such an expensive place, you would think they could get sheets that would fit the bed. I'm not tall at all, but the sheets were way too short to be comfortable.
I have been coming to Disney for five years. If I had bought the DVC plan, it would have been paid for already. The big Plus is that there are 500 + other locations around the world to visit. And they are covered under the plan also. Great deal for people who like to travel a lot.
Cabins do not practically sleep 6 because they are much too small. The food at the "quick service" restaurant is great--if you like plain, tasteless bagel sandwiches made with liquid eggs by the same person who rings you out. Lines for buses (usually more than one required) are l_o_n_g. We spent up to 4 hours per day waiting to be transported to and from destinations. This place is for the home body who prefers driving golf carts over exploring the Disney parks.
Arrived in the room where the floor was dirty and there was used soap and shampoo in the shower. There was left over food in the room. They came to re-clean it while we were out but simply left a new bar of soap. The food court experience was horrible. It took us 40 minutes to get our food and the "Mexican" cafe was out of cheese. The employees couldn't figure out how to give us kids cups for the kids meals. No one seemed to really care about our issues. The only solution was that the "manager" asked if we needed help with our luggage?!?! Overall a horrible experience even for the cheap price.
I will keep this short. If money were no option, you would have to drag me out of the Wilderness Lodge kicking and screaming. But, for the money, POP is great. The rooms are small but well maintained. The theming is over the top, but that is one of the things I love about the Values, especially this one. One thing I would like to mention is the service. We checked in at 6:15am after a 11 hour drive. We were walking around the gift shop while we waited for the 6:30am open of the food court. We picked a few things out for purchase, and my hyperactive daughter, who at 5, was the only one of the group who actually slept and this made her doubly dangerous, was her usual self. The CM, I am pretty sure her name is Barbara, took the time to speak to her. My daughter, not out of rudeness, was not paying much attention to Barbara. Again, this was the hyperactive part of her kicking in, especially with us being in the happiest place on Earth. Barbara did not give up. She asked Madison if she wanted to dress up Duffy. Maddy jumped at the opportunity and, in a few short minutes, the bear became Jack Sparrow Duffy Bear. Barbara then posted a certificate that announced to all that walked by that Madison was the official costumer for the day. POP has B+ food, A+ service, B- rooms, B+ bus service (awesome having dedicated bus service). Oh, and the CM break into dance twice a day. Come on.... You can keep your monorails and V&A GF. I am staying where the CMs dance to the Hustle...... Just kidding, but it is what it is.
We stayed at Bay Lake Tower back in Feb of 2012. We emailed our complaint to DVC and still have never received any response. Why spend all this money by buying Bay Lake before its even built and our poor experiences don't even rate a response. We had a 2 bd kingdom view and a studio lake view across the hall. New guy moves in next door and has a bunch of drunk friends over so we move the studio to another resort the next night because Bay Lake can't move him and would move the studio to another floor after we've been there for 5 nights! Cost us more points and just showed how much being a vacation club members really must count. Even the housekeeping staff told us how people who just complain about a hair on the floor get upgraded but they couldn't do anything for a DVC member. Why pay all this money for this kind of treatment? Btw you have to complain 2 times not just once about a drunk, at Disney World, the family resort!
We have been very fortunate to be able to visit Disney on many different occasions. We decided to try Caribbean Beach. We have stayed at all levels of Disney hotels on property. We were just not that impressed with this hotel. We really expected it to be bigger but, it was not much bigger than a Value resort. It was clean and our check in was easy and very quick. The decor was nice and we had a room close to the pool. We would stay here again but, we would try to make different reservations just because we were not that impressed.
Not happy with the Caribbean Beach Resort.. Me, my husband and our kids (ages 4 and 2) just stayed there for a week and were so unhappy. We chose to pay the extra money for a "newly renovated" pirate themed room since it sounded fun for our kids but when we got here we realized the pirate rooms are all in the village of Trinidad South which is the furthest from the food court, main pool, and check in area. An employee of the resort told us that Caribbean Beach made these rooms to lure people into booking because nobody wanted to stay in those far villages of the resort.. Nice huh? The buses are very very slow.. They run every 20 to 30 minutes and its about a 15 minute walk to the food court if you decide to go that route.. There are no elevators either so at 11 or 12 at night you'll be carrying ur sleeping kids and a heavy stroller up a couple flights of stairs.. The food isn't very good and the way to windows are in the room make it so that a lot of light can come in through the plastic blinds since the curtains don't completely cover so if you like sleeping in darkness when the sun is rising don't stay here... I'd say its a good resort if u are right in the food court area.. Last year we stayed at the value resort All Star Movies and wish we would've stayed there again.. I don't recommend this resort for families with small children....
We stayed in the Little Mermaid section of AoA from Wednesday until Sunday. The good about AoA: The theming is amazing. Everything inside and out is color coordinated including the lamp posts, garbage cans, outside pipe's and even the flowers. The color scheme is beautiful. The rooms are so very cute. They are directed at children. Even the toilets are the tiny ones you see in kindergartens. I have a pic to show just how short they are in the Resort forum. The toilet only came 2/3's of the way to my knee, and I'm barely 5"4". The chairs are shaped like shells. The mirrors and coat hanger are themed and the picture by the bed is really nice to wake up to early in the morning. The safe is much larger than the ones in the mods and it is digital. The food court is the best I've seen. You can easily eat well there and stay on a good diet; if you have the will power. The main pool is a dream come true for kids. They have all kinds of activities out there for the kids. There's also a themed play area with slides and a cave. The pool in the Mermaid section was also very nice. The theme in the Cars section is even better than it looks in pictures. Every little detail is there. The character cars are sitting on some kind of soft foam. It's fun just walking on it. They have the large cones around the pool as sitting areas. They left nothing out. They even have the metal shed that the military car would come out of in the movie. The cm's are really nice and helpful. Even the cm's in the food court went out of their way to be helpful. Even though I did online check-in, the cm took time to talk to me and see if I had any questions. The lobby is something to see. Once again, they thought of every little detail. They have a very large chandalier in the main hall and every light cover is a drawing like the ones on the walls. They have a nice little computer area for public use. The bad about AoA: The toilets are short. The sink area is only big enough for one at a time. The curtain between the sink area and the room doesn't close all the way, so there is no privacy for changing if needed or to keep the light from waking others who are sleeping. The beds are only fulls; not queens. My feet were almost over the edge. There's only three small drawers because they used the other side for the fridge. The ugly about AoA: The bus service is terrible. We had to wait forever going and coming, but particularly coming back to the resort. Heads up -- the bus from AK back to the resort had Blizzard Beach on it when it finally came. The reason for that is that it goes there first. The route assigned from MK back to the resort is an extremely long ride. I suppose that's because they have so many buses on the roads now they had to have different routes. The time we drove, it didn't take us even half the time as it did the bus. The noise in the Mermaid rooms was terrible also. I'm not talking about unruly people. I'm talking about normal noise. You hear the toilet above, beside and behind you. Everytime anyone went in the room beside or above us, we could plainly hear them just as if they were in our bathroom. You could hear people walking, shuting doors, moving chairs, babies crying, etc. all around us. It would be 2 or 3 until the noise finally stopped and then the bathroom noise would start again around 5 or so. My daughter slept right through it, but if you have a problem sleeping through noise, as I did, I recommend earplugs. It is a really beautiful, fun place, but the bad outweighs the good for us. My daughter is 17, but if I had young children, I would stay there again. But since I don't have young children, we will be going back to the mods or deluxes for our next stay. I have photos of the inside of the rooms and some outside shots in the Resort forum.
We love Old Key West. We stayed in a two Bedroom Villa with our great family friends Alan,Debbie,Alex and the Abster. We were a group of 8 and we had plenty of room in the two BR Villa. We were close to the main pool and main bus stop. The buses were not crowded and we never waited long at all (this was during the holiday season), we have stayed at the resort hotels at the same time of year and the buses were very crowded and noisy. The rooms are huge and are in very good shape for them being one of the older DVC resorts. The kitchen was full sized and the livingroom dining area was very large as well. The bathroom facilities were also very nice. We were in building 12 or 13 can't remember. Everything worked well and we were very satisfied with our whole trip. We just loved Old Key West.
Stayed at OKW last week of July-first week of August. Loved this resort. The rooms were huge. We started with a 2 bedroom and then into a 3 bedroom. Have stayed at 2 other DVC resorts (Saratoga and Beach Club). By far this is the best as far as space and amenities. Would have given it 10 except for 2 reasons. First is location. Our first room was a 15 minute walk one way to get refills. You need a car or have to hop on a bus to get to the main building. Second, the food. We had breakfast at Olivia's and the service and food were fantastic. I highly recommend the banana bread french toast. But counter service was very limited and small. The cast members were very friendly and accomodating. The main pool was wonderful. If you are looking for a "relaxing" Disney vacation, this is the place to stay. Will definitely stay here again.
I contacted the staff of the lost and found department and in less than a "Flickler"I had a positive response .In less than 24 hours I had my items in my hand ,with no negative issues to report .Thank you staff ,you made a real dream come thru. You are what every client hopes for .I will be returning soon ,Why not ?
you're will love the newest resort Art of Animation Resort and I will love to stay in this newest resort in Dec 2012! you're rock it!
We purchased Bay Lakes membership last year for $45,000. Imposible to get a reservation. However if we book through Travelocity - no problem. This is my third DVC membership. We never had a problem with reservations when they first started. Apparently they are overselling memberships. I would not rejoin and now trying to sell all memberships.
The grounds were perfect. Our room, a 1 bedroom gets a rating of 0. The A/C sucked! We called 5 times to get it fixed and then just gave up! The room was so small, we always stay at OKW for over 20 yrs. now, and the rooms are so much bigger. The dryer was so loud that I wanted to install a clothes line outside... we bought ‘’ shitoga springs’’ coffee mugs only to return them as the decal washed off.
Boardwalk Villas was an amazing resort. We had the pleasure of staying with our family in a two-bedroom suite for two nights in late April 2012. The resort is truly beautiful and fun. The location is easily the best part. It's fun being able to just walk down to the Boardwalk and take in the sights and sounds, or grab a bite to eat. You're also a short walk or boat ride away from Epcot, Hollywood Studios, or the Beach/Yacht Club offerings. We had a room that overlooked the lake and it provided a spectacular view including an opportunity to see some of the pyrotechnics from Epcot's IllumiNations at night. Our room was exceptionally clean and in great condition, and we loved the decor as if you were at an upscale Atlantic City resort in the early 20th century. The one criticism is the size including the walk from the parking lot if you have a car. But thankfully, the majority of the trek is indoors in the air conditioning. It did, however, seem to slow the response of our luggage delivery. Very small criticism though. I would stay here again in a heartbeat.
Stayed a OKW the last week in April 2012 and had a great time. We loved the layout of the property. You never got the feeling the resort was anywhere close to capacity, though you knew it was. It was especially convenient with a rental car, as you can just park right outside your room. It required much less walking than other resorts. The dining options were slim and we didn't have the opportunity to take advantage of them, but every cast member we encountered was exceptional. Rooms were clean and well-kept and plenty spacious. We stayed in a studio and more than enough space to spread out. We also enjoyed the leisurely boat ride to Downtown Disney. It may not have been as fast as driving, but certainly quicker than taking a bus and much more scenic and relaxing.
We just got done staying at POR it was one of the best places to stay anywhere. We liked the boat ride to down town. Also the overall hotel was nice and so were the workers. They have good food.
When we joined the Disney Vacation Club, we chose Animal Kingdom because of BOMA and Jiko restaurants. We love all the lodge feel and the animals. Everything is done perfect and the lobby is beautiful.
We booked a king bed room for our honeymoon (4/22-4/28) and it was all that we had hoped for- lush landscaping, friendly service, and our room in the Arcadia section was fantastic. Mousekeeping was great- we called for extra towels & they literally arrived 2 minutes later. We were treated to different towel animals every day. The fridge in the room wasn't very cold- but we were prepared for it with a cooler. The main pool was usually pretty busy, with a nice 8 person hot tub. The quiet pool as usually just that- nice, clean & quiet. We weren't impressed by the food court- ice cold burgers anyone? Bus transportation wasn't an issue until the last day or two- provided that we waited for a bit in Epcot after Illuminations to get lined up for the bus back to POR. The last 2 days, the bus routers seemed to be sending all kinds of duplicate buses (2 in a row for AK, etc) & none for the park we wanted. All in all, we wanted the vacation to last forever- UNTIL the invasion of horrid, unsupervised throngs of rowdy, loud and obnoxious teens from cheer competitions/band competitions. The teens were loud at all hours,blew ciggy smoke at us as we walked (and swore at us after we asked them not to), crowded all attractions/shopping areas like roving packs of zombies with no concept of "there's other people on this planet besides cheerleaders"- and they swore at us as we tied to take a picture outside. We were forced to endure a bus ride from hel with a pack of cheerios who screamed chants the whole ride back to POR- after three other cheerleaders cut in line for the bus that night.The quiet pool was really loud even at 11pm, and the only supervising adults that I saw were 5 r 6 ladies that were drinking beer by the pool at about 2 pm on the day they arrived, chatting about the cheerios.The cast members seemed to be getting the rough treatment from these brats, too- one manager said that she was threatened by a girl who asid that "heads will roll if anything happens to my luggage",amongst ther charming behaviors. I get the fact that Disney/ESPN hosts these monster every year- but WHY GIVE THEM THE RUN OF A VERY NICE RESORT AT A GROUP$$$ DISCOUNT RATE IF THEY ARE GOING TO RUIN THE RESORT FOR EVERYONE ELSE?? The fountains were even turned off just as these kids arrived- no doubt based on prior misbehaviors. PLEASE WDW & POR- DON'T LET THESE BRATS STAY AT POR & RUIN IT FOR ALL THE OTHER GUESTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We've ate at Whispering Canyon in the past but had not stayed at WL until this past Jan. It was worth the wait!! The lobby is beautiful and the pool area is breathtaking right down to the river/creek and, of course, Old Faithful!! Roaring Forks met our "quick service" needs for breakfast and snacks. The castmembers were all great. Did not encounter any problems with transportation (buses or boat to MK). Search out all the private areas (rocking chairs, etc.) to sit and read the paper. Kids loved the bunk beds!! Of course, the room wasn't perfect (some minor mildew/rust in bathroom/shower)but very few are. Hallway rugs on our floor could've used some "pulling". Other than these few minor flaws it's a great place to stay!!
I reserved a campsite for April 3-6 2012. Well, I thought it got booked but the reservation is not there anymore. I didn't save the confirmation email and now it is filled and I can't get a reservation. :( So, I now have a camper rented and no spot. Anyone have any ideas?
Background: Family (mom, dad, 5-month old, aunt) from Nova Scotia who has made frequent visits to the World. Stayed on property several times at Institute, Pop, and French Quarter. Just returned from a short, two-night stay at the Swan (Mar 8-10, 2012). The resort is beautiful and the staff were very helpful. Our room was ready upon an early 10am check-in. We were traveling with a 5 month old and the crib was already in the room. It should be noted that the crib was not adjustable and the base was set too low for us. We thought to ask for an additional crib matress to raise our daughter's sleeping level, but staff at the Swan said that they could not provide us another crib mattress for safety reasons (in the end we propped the crib matress up on the two firm, cylindrical bed pillows). The room itself (room 404, 2 queen beds) was big enough for three adults and an infant in a crib. The additional sink is always handy when traveling with more than two adults. Our view out the balcony was beautiful. The television in the room was big and looked brand new. I turned it on for only a moment to note the large selection of channels (Stacey IS available for those who need their must-do fix). As everyone knows, the beds are super comfy. The tub looked a little tired but the ladies in my travel party approved of the extra wide ledge. The bath towels are on a shelf in the shower, but there is lots of room to store them in the closet. We ate mostly at restaurants on the boardwalk or at Epcot. We did however have one meal at Picabu at the Dolphin. While it is considered the value spot when compared to Bluezoo, Il Mulina's, Kimonos, etc. you're still at a resort, and even the counter-service prices reflected it. Despite the price, the food at Picabu was fresh and tasted great! There were two separate conferences going on during our stay but we found the lack of families with kids a bit refreshing. I was able to take my daughter out in her carrier for quiet, beautiful early morning strolls each day. The smiles and extra attention from staff and ground crew was a nice way to start the day. The location of the Swan is without a doubt one of its best features. The walks to Hollywood Studios (15 min speed walking) and Epcot (5-10 min) are both beautiful. Yes, the parking fee is a pain but at least the drive to the Magic Kingdom is short and you are offered free parking at the parks. A quick note on customer service. While the employees at the Swan are not Disney cast members, they were nevertheless kind, welcoming, and efficient. Specifically, the employees at Cabanas (who may be Disney cast members, not sure) were extra helpful and kind. They always took the time to ask us about our stay, play with our 5 month old daughter, and offer helpful advice. In the end, our quick stay was fun-filled and lived up to expectations. I will admit that I did miss the Disney magic (although it's close enough that sneaking in to the Boardwalk or Yacht Club helped a bit), but my wife loved how quiet it was and definitely wants to stay here next time.
Stayed in a 2 bedroom villa at Kidani Village. Cannot say enough good things about this resort! If Poly hadn't been the first one I ever stayed at, this would probably be my favorite. The savannah views are unmatched (except maybe in Africa)! Getting up in the morning to see giraffes from the balcony was incredible. One day there was a storm (imagine that!) and we watched the giraffes and zebras running around trying to take shelter under the trees. There was something new everyday. Boma is our favorite buffet, and it was nice actually staying in the hotel rather than traveling from elsewhere on property to eat there for dinner. The only negatives... it was difficult to find the pool and the pull-out sleeper sofa was uncomfortable. But, all in all the theming and views make up for it! I cannot imagine staying here and not getting a savannah view. If one is not available, stay elsewhere, but make sure to visit!!!!
Even though the Boardwalk is not super "kiddish," you still feel the Disney magic, just on more of an adult level. Of course, kids will love the roller coaster pool! I would stay here again, although it's not my very favorite. It's definitely worth trying once. The proximity to other resorts, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios makes it very popular and pricy! When we stayed we got the garden view, which was beautiful. Flying Fish on the Boardwalk is my favorite restaurant on property! The brewery is also good! Have many good memories of my week at the Boardwalk!
If swimming is your thing, then you'll want to stay here! The sand bottom pool is an attraction unto itself. Carve out some time to be poolside! As far as deluxe resorts go, Yacht & Beach are not my favorite. I prefer the theming of some others (Poly, AKL). But, it's got pretty much everything you could want. No complaints, just personal preference. Being within walking/boating distance of Hollywood Studios and Epcot are a plus. The character breakfast is fun! And, if you like to have nice sit down meals, you've got plenty of options between this hotel and the Boardwalk across the way. Would definitely stay here or Boardwalk again if I was going during Epcot's Food & Wine Festival.
Disney took the Value concept up a few notches with this resort. Have stayed at All Star Music and Movies, and would prefer never to stay there again. But, I would absolutely stay at Pop Century, even over some of the deluxe resorts. The theming is off the charts! The food court's decor and menu are great! It just feels newer than the old values. The rooms aren't as stark. It's a great value!
Both times we've stayed here we have enjoyed our visit. The first time was with adults and the second time with kids. It's an especially perfect pick in Spring, because of the great attention to landscaping. The property is bursting with flowers. There are plenty of activities and the river allows for some extra things to do that you can't find at other resorts. The Riverside food court has huge variety, much bigger than French Quarter. Although, FQ has beignets and poor boy sandwiches which are worth the walk over for, at least once! The sit down restaurant is also worth a visit, although the service was slow. Have only waited a significant time for a bus once. The boat to Downtown Disney is a nice amenity.
I've been to the Coronado Springs Resort six times, and I can tell you that you should have been there a few years ago. It's really hard to explain some of the changes, but I will try as best I can. The most obvious change has been the food offered and served at the Pepper Market main restaurant. The bright and colorful spot used to serve some of the best food available at Disney. The list included Asian, a large grill selection, Italian (pasta and pizza), Mexican, and lovely pastries. The Asian was divine, some of the best I've ever had. The pizza was fresh and decadent. And the Mexican tasted true and was made fresh. During our last stay (and by last I mean our Last ever stay at that hotel), they really REALLY cut down on a lot of their selections. The Asian food was gone, the grill served .. ok.. burgers, and the Italian had been heavily reduced. The centerpiece of the restaurant, the Mexican food, had turned to a TexMex taste. One out of the two times we ate there (After the first disappointing sit down we didn't want to return) we watched the chief prepare our nachos. The meat they used had been sitting there for a long time (we saw it sitting on the side of the grill when we entered and actually went to order twenty minutes later) and it had a strange pale color to the plate overall. We felt like the restaurant had been severely split up into Children, Adults, and TexMex food. The second time we ate at the restaurant, we almost all ended up getting food off the children's menu to play it safe. The only good thing I could say about the restaurant is that the only thing that has stayed good and normal through the years has been the pastries. Beside the food, the feel around the restaurant has changed dramatically. The servers and chefs all look dead and on one occasion were rude. Also, the price on food in the Pepper Market has increased dramatically. The quality of the food your paying for in the Pepper Market is not worth it AT ALL. I really hate downing this restaurant since it had such character and life back in the day, but now it's turned into a dull, lifeless, and tasteless place. As much as I'd like things to stay the same, some of the layout of the hotel has also taken changed over the years. However, this isn't all that bad. They have taken out a gaming room in the main hotel area and replaced it with a small cafe. I want to make this very clear so if you do choose to stay at this hotel, you will remember this important tip. THAT CAFE HAS THE BEST FOOD IN THE WHOLE HOTEL. I don't know if the cooks from the main restaurant had migrated to the small cafe in the hallway leading to the main restaurant, but it is REALLY good food. They serve a lot of the food that the restaurant does since it had cut down on options. The food takes less time to get, and tastes soooo much better than anything you can get in the Pepper Market. They also serve better breakfasts than the Pepper Market does. Unlike the Pepper Market, the quality of the food here is DEFINITELY worth the price. Also, they have a soda fountain in here to quickly slip in and fill up that resort mug and slip out. Overall, I really really really love the Coronado Springs Resort for it's layout and scenery. The Ancient Mexican theme is beautiful, so much that you feel like your there. There is also a lot of beauty to be discovered. If you do stay at this resort, plan on taking a walk at night through the resort's grounds. There is a whole different scenery at night than there is at day. The lights come on and you will see so much more of the resorts beauty, particularly the fountains. Every inch of the resort is masterfully set, so I suggest trying to look at all of it. I would truly love to return to this resort, however with the food in the terrible condition it was in, I don't think that love will return. You can always stay at another resort and take a bus to go look around at the Coronado Springs scenery. However, food is a necessity and good quality or service cannot be acquired at this location. I hope my review doesn't push you away from the hotel, because it is truly beautiful. I feel, thought, that this is not a resort to pay extra money for anymore. I have had so many good memories here, so it is REALLY hard for me to criticize it so harshly. It just doesn't seem like the old Coronado I used to love. Take a bus to go look at it, but don't pay to stay.
We could look out over the Magic Kingdom and it was just great! (as was evrything else!!!!!) The restraunts were awesome and the rom was really nice! So was the staff!
Themeing great, food great, everything awesome! Had a awesome time (as usual) and love the resort!
First thing to remember is that a Value Hotel is just that, a value. Those expcting 5 star hotels should spend money elsewhere. Pop was similar in style to the All-Star Resort but the buses seemed to work a tad better at Pop. The room was nice and well themed and the store/food court was wonderful.
It may not be as "extravagant" as the other, more expensive Disney Resorts, but you're not paying for all the extra decor, which is what makes it so cheap. There are three great pools and an awesome food court! What more could you ask for in a hotel? You're gonna be spending most of your time at the parks, not the hotel anyway! The other plus is that the bus service is great! All in all a great hotel.