chmurf
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 30, 2011
Here we are again, in gloomy, rainy, chilly northen France, after 25 fabulous nights in WDW.
There have been so many highs I won't be able to list them all, so I'll give a few at random. Lots of pixie dust sprinkled on us too.
- of course, going back to Florida after one year, a looooong winter, a weird summer and a year that's been really long
- Weather : absolutely gorgious. Temperatures in the mid 80s almost every day. Only one day of rain (typical, it was on nov 2nd, my birthday, lol
)
- Discovery Cove, priceless, dolphin swim, and being able to do it with my 5years and 10 months old son (flame me, lol).
- Port Orleans Riverside, Aligator Bayou, building 14 (preferred), yards away from the food court. Absolutely brilliant. (Fridge in the room btw). Such a wonderful resort. (Pool, marshmallows, you name it). The river cruise to POFQ and DTD is just fabulous, especially when you get a knowlegable captain who explains trees, birds and buildings along the way
- Doing stuff we never done before at Disney's, like riding poneys (DS), and parasailing
- Loads of pixie dust everywhere. From birthday cakes to autographed cards from characters at characters meals, or like asking a direction to a bus driver at TTC and have him say to hop in and let him privately drive us back to port orleans when it was not his route.
Restaurants :
- California Grill : absolutely Fabulous
- Artist Point : same as above
- Bongo's Cuban Café : insanely long wait for the food (50 minutes from the time we ordered to the time food came on our table) but the food was so good that it was well worth the wait. I've got to thank Wayne who is the one who convinced me to book there in one of his trip reports. We'll definitely eat there again
- BOG : did lunch and dinner and we were surprised (in the right way) by the food and service. We had read poor reviews and we definitely loved this restaurant in the end.
Sci-Fi Dine in : we loved it
that's it for now for the highs, there have been so many more. It's been basically a 4 weeks high. And I couldn't possibly list them all.
Not good, not bad, but smallish disappointments :
- Jiko's the cooking place : probably our least favorite signature restaurant. Food was good but that's it
- our first MNSSHP, DS was so tired that we left at 9:30pm. Not a low because respecting our kid could never rank as a low, but it was sure a disappointment.
- Art of Animation (3 nights): we definitely don't like that resort, we much prefer Pop Century
Now here are the lows. This might be dense, but those lows do not outweigh the highs, they are just incidents, and if I mention them, it's a way for me to leave them here, in writing, so I can really leave them here, and only keep the best, as if this thread was a botomless pit, a locker, where I leave the bad things and throw away the key.
It's going to be a bit dense because I'll explain those lows, which is always longer to do than just saying that something was brilliant.
The biggest low has been photopass+
We have already done it, but this trip, I don't know why, it backfired on us.
I'll make this story as short as possible. After 2 days of PP+ we realised that 30% of our pics were missing on our PP+ account, including hard to get pictures (from MNSSHP). We had to make multiple trips to Disney's photopass kiosk at DTD and in the parks to claim them.
At some point we were sent over to EPCOT to claim pictures for Test Track (among others) took us 90 minutes on Disney Transportation, and 3 days later, we realised that the pictures where still missing, and a DTD manager told us that we had been wrongly sent to EPCOT since each photopass kiosk had access to the whole system
We had a lot of pictures missing from Animal Kingdom, including a set of pictures from "Everest Corner" (the spot in front of the mountain where you can do the frame shot) and we had to do the same set of pictures 3 times on 3 different days before a picture turned up (and only one out of the 12 or 15 that were shot)
And would you believe that, at Tusker House, we had our pic taken with Donald at the entrance, and at the end of the meal, no pic .... when we enquired we were told that there had been a "glitch" in the system and our picture did not print (no one ever bothered to notice) and we'd have to pick it up at photopass services at the exit of the park one hour later. Due to our issues with PP+ we insisted and had a manager go check. In the end we had to redo the shot because our picture had vanished from the system.
We decided not to do photopass shots anymore (starting week 2 of our trip) and as of now, we where promised to be contacted by the photopass "higher ups" but still nothing (it's been over 2 weeks) and we only have 250 out of roughly 350 pics on our account. That's about 100 pictures that were lost, despite the fact that we had the location, time, and sometimes even the first name of the cast member photographer.
We had compensation from Guest Relations in the form of a Disney Florist gift waiting in our room. But even if I appreciate the gesture, I was only requesting the pictures, because that's what I had basically paid for.
All in all, over the course of 25 days, I calculated that we've spent over 1 days (worth of park hours time) going to, and dealing with, guest relations for various issues, and I'm not the complaining type ...)
Another low was taking a punch from behind, by another guest who was litteraly fighting his way through the crowd during a Party. Spent half the party with security and Orange County Sheriff but couldn't identify the guest, so we just let it go and so did Disney which only offered apologies
On another occasion, we were "trying" to watch Happy Hallowishes (31st oct) from the deck at California Grill, and a drunk guy came and stood next to me and thought I was a wall he could lean on to watch the show. Very rude and uncomfortable.
Restaurants lows :
- Chef Mickey : Too noisy, food was meh at best when it was not bland, characters only spent the time required to sign one autograph and take 2 pictures and left, despite the fact that it took them over 90 minutes to go full circle. Waited on Mickey for 40 minutes to come to our table after we had finished our meal. Overall experience review : "I don't get the hype around this restaurant"
- Crystal Palace : we were seated between 2 poles next to a curved section. Could barely stand up to go to the buffet and take pictures. Restaurant was dirty (we did lunch and when I went under the table to get one of DS' fallen crayons, there was a bacon strip and scrambled eggs from breakfast under our table.).
- Rainforest Café : Tried to do 2 meals there, never got to eat there.
* 1st time, tried a walk in at RFC DTD. We were quoted a 45 minutes wait to get a table. Never got called at the podium. After 60 minutes I went to enquire, and was told we should get called momentarily. 20 more minutes and we just left and grabbed a Quick Service.
* 2nd time, had a ressie at RFC Animal Kingdom at 8:05. Restaurant was empty. There was like 4 parties total in the restaurant, still it took us 15 minutes to get seated. I had requested a "quiet" table and was led to the noisiest section, smack in front of a waterfall/geyser/whatever, monkeys and speakers blaring at an insane level. I asked to get a quiter table and the lady told us that it was the biggest RFC but just left ... I had screamed litteraly in her hear but she obviously didn't hear...
The waiter came, I told her it was too noisy and we needed another table (remember, only 4 tables occupied in that huge restaurant), she only answered that she knew it was noisy and she would probably have lost her voice by the end of her shift .... but she never aknowledge my request.
She came back to take our orders, I asked again to get moved to a quieter area, she only answered something along the lines "if you still need some time, also take a look at our rewards program card"
she left and so did we.
- Mythos at universal : bland food, unfriendly waiter. This restaurant might be the #1 theme park restaurant for the 6th year, but not in my book.
I will leave the lows at that, there has been some other incidents, lows, or anecdotes, but listing them would only make it a rant. But I'll only end with one rant :
smartphones ... I know they can be useful. But it's become insane.
The tool is wonderful, but people still need to get educated or considerate when it comes to using it.
I'll just mention those people stopping dead in the exit of a ride to check on their fastpass+ or not paying mind to where they walk.
It used to exist, but with the MDE app, it's so widespread that navigating through a theme park sometimes looks like an obstacle course if you want to be considerate enough towards other guests ... of course there is always the option to do like anyone else, and look down at your phone, and counting on others to avoid one's obnoxiousness.
Overal we had a fabulous trip. Almost 4 weeks of sun and fun.
Don't get misled by my lows, those can never cast any shadow on our enjoyment during our trip. They're just a vent, like the wind would blow the clouds away to only leave sunny skies.
Thank you for allowing me to blow those clouds out of my sky
There have been so many highs I won't be able to list them all, so I'll give a few at random. Lots of pixie dust sprinkled on us too.
- of course, going back to Florida after one year, a looooong winter, a weird summer and a year that's been really long
- Weather : absolutely gorgious. Temperatures in the mid 80s almost every day. Only one day of rain (typical, it was on nov 2nd, my birthday, lol
)- Discovery Cove, priceless, dolphin swim, and being able to do it with my 5years and 10 months old son (flame me, lol).
- Port Orleans Riverside, Aligator Bayou, building 14 (preferred), yards away from the food court. Absolutely brilliant. (Fridge in the room btw). Such a wonderful resort. (Pool, marshmallows, you name it). The river cruise to POFQ and DTD is just fabulous, especially when you get a knowlegable captain who explains trees, birds and buildings along the way
- Doing stuff we never done before at Disney's, like riding poneys (DS), and parasailing
- Loads of pixie dust everywhere. From birthday cakes to autographed cards from characters at characters meals, or like asking a direction to a bus driver at TTC and have him say to hop in and let him privately drive us back to port orleans when it was not his route.
Restaurants :
- California Grill : absolutely Fabulous
- Artist Point : same as above
- Bongo's Cuban Café : insanely long wait for the food (50 minutes from the time we ordered to the time food came on our table) but the food was so good that it was well worth the wait. I've got to thank Wayne who is the one who convinced me to book there in one of his trip reports. We'll definitely eat there again
- BOG : did lunch and dinner and we were surprised (in the right way) by the food and service. We had read poor reviews and we definitely loved this restaurant in the end.
Sci-Fi Dine in : we loved it
that's it for now for the highs, there have been so many more. It's been basically a 4 weeks high. And I couldn't possibly list them all.
Not good, not bad, but smallish disappointments :
- Jiko's the cooking place : probably our least favorite signature restaurant. Food was good but that's it
- our first MNSSHP, DS was so tired that we left at 9:30pm. Not a low because respecting our kid could never rank as a low, but it was sure a disappointment.
- Art of Animation (3 nights): we definitely don't like that resort, we much prefer Pop Century
Now here are the lows. This might be dense, but those lows do not outweigh the highs, they are just incidents, and if I mention them, it's a way for me to leave them here, in writing, so I can really leave them here, and only keep the best, as if this thread was a botomless pit, a locker, where I leave the bad things and throw away the key.
It's going to be a bit dense because I'll explain those lows, which is always longer to do than just saying that something was brilliant.
The biggest low has been photopass+
We have already done it, but this trip, I don't know why, it backfired on us.
I'll make this story as short as possible. After 2 days of PP+ we realised that 30% of our pics were missing on our PP+ account, including hard to get pictures (from MNSSHP). We had to make multiple trips to Disney's photopass kiosk at DTD and in the parks to claim them.
At some point we were sent over to EPCOT to claim pictures for Test Track (among others) took us 90 minutes on Disney Transportation, and 3 days later, we realised that the pictures where still missing, and a DTD manager told us that we had been wrongly sent to EPCOT since each photopass kiosk had access to the whole system
We had a lot of pictures missing from Animal Kingdom, including a set of pictures from "Everest Corner" (the spot in front of the mountain where you can do the frame shot) and we had to do the same set of pictures 3 times on 3 different days before a picture turned up (and only one out of the 12 or 15 that were shot)
And would you believe that, at Tusker House, we had our pic taken with Donald at the entrance, and at the end of the meal, no pic .... when we enquired we were told that there had been a "glitch" in the system and our picture did not print (no one ever bothered to notice) and we'd have to pick it up at photopass services at the exit of the park one hour later. Due to our issues with PP+ we insisted and had a manager go check. In the end we had to redo the shot because our picture had vanished from the system.
We decided not to do photopass shots anymore (starting week 2 of our trip) and as of now, we where promised to be contacted by the photopass "higher ups" but still nothing (it's been over 2 weeks) and we only have 250 out of roughly 350 pics on our account. That's about 100 pictures that were lost, despite the fact that we had the location, time, and sometimes even the first name of the cast member photographer.
We had compensation from Guest Relations in the form of a Disney Florist gift waiting in our room. But even if I appreciate the gesture, I was only requesting the pictures, because that's what I had basically paid for.
All in all, over the course of 25 days, I calculated that we've spent over 1 days (worth of park hours time) going to, and dealing with, guest relations for various issues, and I'm not the complaining type ...)
Another low was taking a punch from behind, by another guest who was litteraly fighting his way through the crowd during a Party. Spent half the party with security and Orange County Sheriff but couldn't identify the guest, so we just let it go and so did Disney which only offered apologies
On another occasion, we were "trying" to watch Happy Hallowishes (31st oct) from the deck at California Grill, and a drunk guy came and stood next to me and thought I was a wall he could lean on to watch the show. Very rude and uncomfortable.
Restaurants lows :
- Chef Mickey : Too noisy, food was meh at best when it was not bland, characters only spent the time required to sign one autograph and take 2 pictures and left, despite the fact that it took them over 90 minutes to go full circle. Waited on Mickey for 40 minutes to come to our table after we had finished our meal. Overall experience review : "I don't get the hype around this restaurant"
- Crystal Palace : we were seated between 2 poles next to a curved section. Could barely stand up to go to the buffet and take pictures. Restaurant was dirty (we did lunch and when I went under the table to get one of DS' fallen crayons, there was a bacon strip and scrambled eggs from breakfast under our table.).
- Rainforest Café : Tried to do 2 meals there, never got to eat there.
* 1st time, tried a walk in at RFC DTD. We were quoted a 45 minutes wait to get a table. Never got called at the podium. After 60 minutes I went to enquire, and was told we should get called momentarily. 20 more minutes and we just left and grabbed a Quick Service.
* 2nd time, had a ressie at RFC Animal Kingdom at 8:05. Restaurant was empty. There was like 4 parties total in the restaurant, still it took us 15 minutes to get seated. I had requested a "quiet" table and was led to the noisiest section, smack in front of a waterfall/geyser/whatever, monkeys and speakers blaring at an insane level. I asked to get a quiter table and the lady told us that it was the biggest RFC but just left ... I had screamed litteraly in her hear but she obviously didn't hear...
The waiter came, I told her it was too noisy and we needed another table (remember, only 4 tables occupied in that huge restaurant), she only answered that she knew it was noisy and she would probably have lost her voice by the end of her shift .... but she never aknowledge my request.
She came back to take our orders, I asked again to get moved to a quieter area, she only answered something along the lines "if you still need some time, also take a look at our rewards program card"
she left and so did we.
- Mythos at universal : bland food, unfriendly waiter. This restaurant might be the #1 theme park restaurant for the 6th year, but not in my book.
I will leave the lows at that, there has been some other incidents, lows, or anecdotes, but listing them would only make it a rant. But I'll only end with one rant :
smartphones ... I know they can be useful. But it's become insane.
The tool is wonderful, but people still need to get educated or considerate when it comes to using it.
I'll just mention those people stopping dead in the exit of a ride to check on their fastpass+ or not paying mind to where they walk.
It used to exist, but with the MDE app, it's so widespread that navigating through a theme park sometimes looks like an obstacle course if you want to be considerate enough towards other guests ... of course there is always the option to do like anyone else, and look down at your phone, and counting on others to avoid one's obnoxiousness.
Overal we had a fabulous trip. Almost 4 weeks of sun and fun.
Don't get misled by my lows, those can never cast any shadow on our enjoyment during our trip. They're just a vent, like the wind would blow the clouds away to only leave sunny skies.
Thank you for allowing me to blow those clouds out of my sky
I have PP+ pre-ordered for December just incase DD is tall enough for RnR plus we have Ohana breakfast booked so I can get the print from that - fingers crossed 
