3 of us ( H, W & 10 year old son) retuned home yesterday from a great trip - stayed at Yacht Club and room was ready at 11:00 AM immediately upon arrival Friday 6/19 - location of room is NOT a big deal for us and the room was fine - last year we got a free upgrade to club level and yes the snacks and alcohol were a nice touch, but not if you have to pay - it is, in fact, monumentally overpriced. We were quite happy with a 4th floor room overlooking, well, trees, and buying a 6 pack of Budweiser at Fittings & Fairings for $15.
We had 7 day parkhopper with waterpark and the deluxe dining plan. We are early risers and the first people in park at rope drop. On bus to MK by 7:15, walk to DHS early and on bus by 7:40 to AK. We usually finish up around 3, go back to Yacht Club pool to cool off and then to a nice dinner - perhaps back to a park after dinner.
Weather - was hotter than in prior years this week -ranged 95 - 99 degrees with a heat index well into 100s - ended up getting sever T-storms 3 of the days around 5:00 PM
Parks - Friday 6/19 through Monday 6/22 the crowds were manageable, with Father's Day at DHS being only about 5 out of 10 on the crowd calendar - We did Typhoon Lagoon on Tuesday 6/23 then MK on 6/24 and DHS on 6/25 - both those last 2 days were extremely crowded, elbow to elbow and for many families hysterically uncomfortable. We were fine as we took it all in stride being our 2nd time that week to each park. We rode a lot of stand by early, went through fast passes, shopped, then headed back to resort then went back in the evening after dinner for Fireworks.
Food - We get the Deluxe DP under the premise that we like Signature Dining and use 2 credits each night - We eat a good table service meal in the parks for lunch and then we bring Power Bars/energy bas from home for breakfast plus snacks. For dinner we ate at California Grill twice, Yachtsman SH 2X, Artist Point, Narcoosees, and Il Mulino at the Swan (not in dining plan, but a favorite of ours).
Biggest Disappointment - Dinner - Artist Point - this was a favorite the last 2 years but fell off this year - new chef they supposedly "stole" from California Grill gets WAAAY too wrapped up in explaining the origin of every ingredient and ends up with a narrow menu - They had only 3 appetizers on the whole menu and one was the Artisinal Cheese board - the other 2 were mussels and a very pedestrian Crab Cake. Entrees were a little better but this chef loves onions and imbeds them into every single dish to a point of overkill. I am a Pinot Noir drinker and I will give them credit for an awesome list.
Biggest Surprise - Dinner - Not necessarily a surprise because it is one of the best in Disney but the meals we had at California Grill did not miss on any level - great wine list, cocktail menu, entrees & accompaniments, sushi. The bison striploin absolutely hit it out of the park as did the Porkbelly Nigiri sushi appetizer.
For lunches we did Tonys @ MK, Liberty Tree Tavern @ Mk, 50s primetine & Mama Melrose @ DHS, Rainforest Café @ AK - They were OK to good - I pretty much have had it with LTT though
Saw a lot of selfie stick as the ban has not happened until 6/30 - We did Epcot in afternoons and when time allotted - Still love Sum of all Thrills especially if you have a 10 yr old boy who loves roller coasters - Frozen has really taken over the parks and is truly the theme for this summer - Don't worry, after the new Star Wars movie opens, Frozen may be forgotten - We did not realize how BIG the structures will be in Avatar land - we thought they were building another huge hotel and it is one of the attractions.
We are planners. We will never apologize for it and if we are ever labeled "not spontaneous" so be it. We plan the week 6 months before we go and book all our lunches & dinners the first day we can 6 months out - As we also do with Fast Pass. I do feel for families that just did not have the foresight to know they would want to eat at Villa Napoli one evening and try to get a table and are turned away because it is reservation only. If you checked the MDE app even the day of your dinner, reservations are available and some also open up - But if you are chasing around kids in 100 degree heat all day you just may miss that planning point.
Biggest Surprise - Parks - We never did the Walt Disney museum & movie @ DHS but did this year just to escape the heat - it was very entertaining and informative.
tie - Biggest Surprise - We used a Fastpass at Epcot for the character spot and got tons of great photos in an air conditioned environment
Biggest Disappointment - Parks - With Pirates of the Carribean closed, Adventureland is a 4 minute get in, get your Dole Whip and get out.
We had 7 day parkhopper with waterpark and the deluxe dining plan. We are early risers and the first people in park at rope drop. On bus to MK by 7:15, walk to DHS early and on bus by 7:40 to AK. We usually finish up around 3, go back to Yacht Club pool to cool off and then to a nice dinner - perhaps back to a park after dinner.
Weather - was hotter than in prior years this week -ranged 95 - 99 degrees with a heat index well into 100s - ended up getting sever T-storms 3 of the days around 5:00 PM
Parks - Friday 6/19 through Monday 6/22 the crowds were manageable, with Father's Day at DHS being only about 5 out of 10 on the crowd calendar - We did Typhoon Lagoon on Tuesday 6/23 then MK on 6/24 and DHS on 6/25 - both those last 2 days were extremely crowded, elbow to elbow and for many families hysterically uncomfortable. We were fine as we took it all in stride being our 2nd time that week to each park. We rode a lot of stand by early, went through fast passes, shopped, then headed back to resort then went back in the evening after dinner for Fireworks.
Food - We get the Deluxe DP under the premise that we like Signature Dining and use 2 credits each night - We eat a good table service meal in the parks for lunch and then we bring Power Bars/energy bas from home for breakfast plus snacks. For dinner we ate at California Grill twice, Yachtsman SH 2X, Artist Point, Narcoosees, and Il Mulino at the Swan (not in dining plan, but a favorite of ours).
Biggest Disappointment - Dinner - Artist Point - this was a favorite the last 2 years but fell off this year - new chef they supposedly "stole" from California Grill gets WAAAY too wrapped up in explaining the origin of every ingredient and ends up with a narrow menu - They had only 3 appetizers on the whole menu and one was the Artisinal Cheese board - the other 2 were mussels and a very pedestrian Crab Cake. Entrees were a little better but this chef loves onions and imbeds them into every single dish to a point of overkill. I am a Pinot Noir drinker and I will give them credit for an awesome list.
Biggest Surprise - Dinner - Not necessarily a surprise because it is one of the best in Disney but the meals we had at California Grill did not miss on any level - great wine list, cocktail menu, entrees & accompaniments, sushi. The bison striploin absolutely hit it out of the park as did the Porkbelly Nigiri sushi appetizer.
For lunches we did Tonys @ MK, Liberty Tree Tavern @ Mk, 50s primetine & Mama Melrose @ DHS, Rainforest Café @ AK - They were OK to good - I pretty much have had it with LTT though
Saw a lot of selfie stick as the ban has not happened until 6/30 - We did Epcot in afternoons and when time allotted - Still love Sum of all Thrills especially if you have a 10 yr old boy who loves roller coasters - Frozen has really taken over the parks and is truly the theme for this summer - Don't worry, after the new Star Wars movie opens, Frozen may be forgotten - We did not realize how BIG the structures will be in Avatar land - we thought they were building another huge hotel and it is one of the attractions.
We are planners. We will never apologize for it and if we are ever labeled "not spontaneous" so be it. We plan the week 6 months before we go and book all our lunches & dinners the first day we can 6 months out - As we also do with Fast Pass. I do feel for families that just did not have the foresight to know they would want to eat at Villa Napoli one evening and try to get a table and are turned away because it is reservation only. If you checked the MDE app even the day of your dinner, reservations are available and some also open up - But if you are chasing around kids in 100 degree heat all day you just may miss that planning point.
Biggest Surprise - Parks - We never did the Walt Disney museum & movie @ DHS but did this year just to escape the heat - it was very entertaining and informative.
tie - Biggest Surprise - We used a Fastpass at Epcot for the character spot and got tons of great photos in an air conditioned environment
Biggest Disappointment - Parks - With Pirates of the Carribean closed, Adventureland is a 4 minute get in, get your Dole Whip and get out.
