Trip Report Disney in Winter came and went 2015!!

FlaggNL · Jul 8, 2015

Sorry for your loss!!! Thanks for the updates!

corey154 · Jul 18, 2015

So sorry for your loss. We thank you for updating, I'm really enjoying your trip report. I'll be there in September for Labor Day weekend. Trying Grand Floridian for first time, I'm so excited.

LowesChevy · Jul 21, 2015

Villas at the Grand Floridian: Overall Review

Checking into the villas isn’t like checking into the regular resorts. I understand the units are a lot bigger and there is a smaller supply. BLT seems to be an issue, but it was before 4 when we received the room text notification. So pretty good as far as the wait time for the room.

After we had seen the article about the villas’ construction in the Disney DVC News it definitely built some excitement. Even after being in the lobby for some time, I knew it would be over the top. We were expecting a tighter layout than BLT and the Boardwalk, but we were surprised by the size of the unit. The living space very comfortably could seat 4-5 people-the chair and couch were plush and welcoming. I found the BWV & BLT villa couches to be uncomfortable-probably because they are older pull outs. There are 2 ottomans with additional storage along with the Murphy bed underneath the television.

The kitchen has a curved booth with chairs, full sized refrigerator, plenty of storage and counter space. The wood floor is easy to clean if you make some minor spills. One of the coolest things in the kitchen is the small desk nook that has a couple of drawers and outlets, which was a perfect charging station. I am not one to like having my phone or iPad near me when I sleep, so it was the perfect spot. The hallway behind the kitchen, where the entry way is has a full laundry area with sliding doors to hide when not in use. The hall connects to the master bathroom via a door.

The 2nd bedroom with 2 queen beds is similar to the 2nd BLT in size. There is a small table with 2 chairs and a big dresser with 8 drawers done in a mirror finish to give that old fashioned look. There is also a patio with chairs and crown molded ceilings to expand the room. Across from the bathroom is a double sided wall closet with slide by shutter style doors and opposite the closet is a full length mirror. There is a desk right by the 2nd bedroom entrance and the floor is bamboo till you reach the bed area where there is carpet. Lots of space to spread out

The bathroom is fabulous-not as breathtaking as the master bath, but a close 2nd. Featuring slide by doors the tub and toilet are in a section separated from the sink and walk in shower. The walk in shower was probably the highlight of my excitement-large stall with multiple function sprays and controls plus a bench to put them legs up for a good shave!

2nd Bedroom

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Master bedroom had a king bed of course, huge master bathroom with vanity, bath tub in middle room and shower and toilet. A huge walk in closet is a plus too

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I can’t wait to come back here! We have stayed at the GF many times over the years and it has always been an enjoyable experience. I love the bright rooms and whimsy of the theme. The service has been a cut above some of the other deluxe resorts, which are also very good, but a couple CMs can make a big difference. Upon check out we did deal with a CM at the front desk of the GFV whom either didn’t know or wasn’t properly trained on an issue, but it finally was resolved by the help of a bellman named Mike! He was wonderful and I was sure to express my gratitude for him before we left. That being our only complaint, overall our stay was magical.

*****5 Stars

LowesChevy · Aug 5, 2015

After we had settled in and were finished unpacking it was time to head back to the Magic Kingdom for dinner.

This would be our first time at BOG and I was pretty darn excited! The check in process is similar to other restaurants, but of course there is more to explore and anticipate here. It wasn’t long before our buzzer was going off to be seated and it was a few minutes early!

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Our hostess gave the spiel on the window and different dining rooms as we were lead to our table near the walkway in the main ballroom. Our table was on the end in a high traffic area, but it was in far enough not to be too distracting. Beast would walk by every so often and we had a primo view for that. The sheer size of the restaurant is impressive, although it does feel slightly cafeteria’ish even though it is table service. Maybe it feels different in the other wings, but the high ceilings and endless tables add a noise level that I like to avoid in other places. I had a great view of the “outside” and falling snow, which being from Pennsylvania isn’t all that unique considering it is just a painful reminder of what the next four months will bring lol

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Presentation is key and the napkins folded like roses, thumbs up.

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Jennifer was over shortly to greet us and take our drink order. She explained the menu thoroughly after she returned and we made our selections for appetizers and dinner. Now it was time to enjoy the atmosphere some more.

Our appetizers arrived in an appropriate amount of time. I ordered the French onion soup topped with gruyere and the traditional crouton. The soup flavor was good, not too overpowering and the onion flavor was pleasant. Often times the onion soup is dominated by the beef stock. DF went with the potato leek soup and he is a big fan. The soup was good he just likes the temperature to be right below boiling, so that being his only complaint I think it was good. DM had the house salad with champagne vinaigrette and oh my was it saturated. To top it off it was quite tart, almost unpleasant, so it had to go back. Not sure if someone didn’t follow the recipe, but even with the accompaniments it was tough to swallow-even the manager was concerned. Ask for the dressing on the side to be safe!

The dishes were cleared and drinks refreshed soon after we finished our starters. The Beast did a couple of walk throughs in the meantime. Our dinners came out also within a good time period. Well before the time you start looking for random things on the table to eat. I went with the braised pork shank, but it was a difficult decision. It was our first visit and the menu has some great sounding dishes. Mashed potatoes would have been nice, I’m not into this whole mashed/pureed cauliflower craze. I did notice they changed the menu to mashed potatoes in March. Smart move for main stream dining-you can make more trendy dishes at the signatures, but for the more popular restaurants they should stick to the classics. Just my humble opinion.

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DF had the shrimp in scallops in puff pastry. It looked lovely and he enjoyed the rich flavor from the freshness of the seafood and creamy lobster sauce. The accompanying mushrooms and vegetables were cooked well and complimented the entire dish. If you are a seafood lover, I would recommend this one for something a little different than your typical seafood pasta dish. DM had the grilled strip steak and it was prepared well. The dish was served with French fries, a heaping pile of green beans and garlic butter into which I was dipping the fries.

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Now for the sweet stuff:

Chocolate cream puff and lemon meringue

I love the concept of the desserts on the cart and the presentation-it gets the patrons to look at the delicious offerings. How can they turn down dessert now-they have already picked out what they wanted?! I think the mystique of the dessert cart helps sell desserts. Unfortunately the execution was poorly carried out. Even with the idea that the kitchen is not being burdened with having a dessert station or staff, your server, if bogged down by other tables is going to make or break the experience. Our server was overloaded and the service really fell apart at the end. It took too long from the time we finished our meal to have the payment cleared and be on our way.

Overall the entrees and appetizers were great. For an inside park restaurant for table service price I find it to be a great value and a tough ticket to come by for an ADR! Timing wasn’t great, but I’m sure it would be different on another evening

****4 Stars
5/5 Food
3/5 Service
4/5 Total Experience[/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]

LowesChevy · Aug 24, 2015

Kona breakfast

How can you resist Tonga Toast and Kona coffee if they are a stone’s throws way?! A short lovely walk from the Villas brings you to the outskirts of the Polynesian Resort grounds. Kona Café is mom and I‘s favorite place for breakfast. DF doesn’t like the breakfast potatoes, but it is always something with either of them lol.

If you arrive before 9AM most days, the wait times are shorter we find. This is true during the slower seasons in September, October and January at least. The restaurant was practically empty when we arrived, but slowly picked up as we were finished eating.

Not long after we were seated Ann came by to welcome us. She is a veteran server at Kona Café and we remember her from year to year. She is incredibly friendly and always happy to share her knowledge of the resort area if you get talking about the subject.

The ham and cheese omelets and Tonga toast came out quickly. Breakfast tends to come out within a reasonable about of time at the Kona Café. It is great Breakfast should be rather fast for kitchen, most of the items are prepared ahead of time and eggs and deep fried items are prepared to order. Kona seems to run very smoothly on any given day.

You can’t go wrong with a stop for breakfast at the Kona Café in my humble opinion. Excellent experience year after year.
*****5 Stars
5/5 Food
5/5 Service
5/5 Total Experience

LowesChevy · Aug 27, 2015

Off to the monorail to head for the Magic Kingdom

Look ma! No pumpkins

The Citizens of Main Street were out and about

First stop was the 7 Dwarves Mine Ride. The stand by line wasn’t too bad-we ended up waiting maybe 45 minutes. The queue is really neat and new, so exploring that a bit was fun. My only problem with interactive queues is guests not keeping up with the lines. I realize they added these features for entertainment, but often it slows up the line and then people are trying to catch back up. Rather annoying-are you there to ride the ride or play with queue games?

Afterwards we wandered down into Tomorrowland and waited for Space Mountain. It was a shorter wait than 7DMR, but still a pretty hefty stand by wait. The ride seems like it is getting rougher on my body or I am getting older and less flexible lol. It feels pretty rigid at times, especially that last drop and acceleration aye! Always fun and nostalgic-I remember being tall enough, but scared to ride. Luckily I got over that a couple of years ago

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We stopped for a little water and restroom break, then check out Merchant of Venus to check out some goodies. Carousel of Progress was begging to be experienced over there in the corner, so we took a ride back to the past, present and future. I’m sure a lot of folks think it’s hokey and out of place in Tomorrowland, but it offers valuable insight that is still relevant today. See Disney World is educational!

Afterwards a little TTA was in order before lunch at the Plaza.

Mickey2422 · Aug 27, 2015

Just caught up on your report. I love your food pictures and reviews! Making me hungry

Trip Report Disney in Winter came and went 2015!!

FlaggNL

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corey154

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LowesChevy

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LowesChevy

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LowesChevy

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LowesChevy

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Mickey2422

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