CherylA
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 18, 1999
We checked in on February 15th 2010, the hotel's official first day. After talking to a couple other people who were around we found they had actually been open 2 days earlier as sort of a soft opening. I got the impression that the people who had stayed those days were family of employees.
Since most of the rooms weren't taken we were given a prime room. Top floor overlooking Downtown Disney. The room had two queen beds, a flat screen tv, an amoire with 3 drawers 2 shelves and a cabinet where the minifridge was (no freezer compartment). There was a plush chair with an ottoman, and a bench that we used to keep our suitcase on. There was also a desk with a large comfortable rolling chair. In the bathroom there was shampoo and lotion but no conditioner. There was a hairdryer under the vanity.
The beds were very comfortable and they have soft as well as firm pillows on the bed and they are labeled as such.
The hotel was working out some kinks with the elevators, the service elevator was not running independently of the guest elevators, I'm sure that will be fixed pretty quickly. We also had some hot water issues, luke warm showers in the AM. I took my showers in the PM to solve that problem. I expect they are working on that issue also.
Each of the rooms has a balcony or patio with 2 chairs and a small table. The pool was nice. There is only one pool and a section of it can be used for swimming laps, a section of it is zero entry. There are towels by the pool and there are bathrooms/changing facilites by the pool so pack your swimsuits where you can find them easily and you can swim until your room is ready.
The walk to Downtown Disney is pleasant. There is a sidewalk all the way there. It was about a 5 minute walk. Parking is $10 night for your car. They do not charge a resort fee. There was the main restautant which is out in the middle of the atrium (can't comment on the food, didn't eat here) also a "grab and go" spot for muffins and coffee type items in the morning. The bar area is nice and is really hopping in the evening, during the afternoon you can get drinks here in plastic cups to bring by the pool.
The fitness room consists of (2) recumbent bikes, (2) elliptical machines, (2) treadmills, (1) scale, (1) television. There is also a game room with a driving game, a pac man type game and a few others as well as a win a prize type "game" and an airhockey table (pay)
There are some conference facilities off the atrium area and a VERY small business center. Internet access is available free in the rooms but it is a connection not wifi. There is free wifi in the lobby.
There are laundry machines in the garden wing area, floors 2 4 and 6 each have 1 washer and 1 dryer.
There are currently no laundry facilities in the tower but they are talking about trying to put some in there, which would be good because doing laundry on the 4th floor of the garden wing when you are on the 14th floor of the tower is not easy or fun! The prices were steep too, $3 to wash $3 to dry! ouch!
The staff was very pleasant during our stay. We got a great rate but I wouldn't hesitiate to pay the $120/night they seem to typically be asking.
Here are some photos. Please ask questions if I missed anything!
The entrance
The lobby
check in desk
The pool area
Atrium restaurant area
Atrium looking up
Atrium looking down from 14th floor
Bar area (these doors are open durning evening hours)
The room
Bathroom
14th floor balcony (other floors have solid rails)
Since most of the rooms weren't taken we were given a prime room. Top floor overlooking Downtown Disney. The room had two queen beds, a flat screen tv, an amoire with 3 drawers 2 shelves and a cabinet where the minifridge was (no freezer compartment). There was a plush chair with an ottoman, and a bench that we used to keep our suitcase on. There was also a desk with a large comfortable rolling chair. In the bathroom there was shampoo and lotion but no conditioner. There was a hairdryer under the vanity.
The beds were very comfortable and they have soft as well as firm pillows on the bed and they are labeled as such.
The hotel was working out some kinks with the elevators, the service elevator was not running independently of the guest elevators, I'm sure that will be fixed pretty quickly. We also had some hot water issues, luke warm showers in the AM. I took my showers in the PM to solve that problem. I expect they are working on that issue also.
Each of the rooms has a balcony or patio with 2 chairs and a small table. The pool was nice. There is only one pool and a section of it can be used for swimming laps, a section of it is zero entry. There are towels by the pool and there are bathrooms/changing facilites by the pool so pack your swimsuits where you can find them easily and you can swim until your room is ready.
The walk to Downtown Disney is pleasant. There is a sidewalk all the way there. It was about a 5 minute walk. Parking is $10 night for your car. They do not charge a resort fee. There was the main restautant which is out in the middle of the atrium (can't comment on the food, didn't eat here) also a "grab and go" spot for muffins and coffee type items in the morning. The bar area is nice and is really hopping in the evening, during the afternoon you can get drinks here in plastic cups to bring by the pool.
The fitness room consists of (2) recumbent bikes, (2) elliptical machines, (2) treadmills, (1) scale, (1) television. There is also a game room with a driving game, a pac man type game and a few others as well as a win a prize type "game" and an airhockey table (pay)
There are some conference facilities off the atrium area and a VERY small business center. Internet access is available free in the rooms but it is a connection not wifi. There is free wifi in the lobby.
There are laundry machines in the garden wing area, floors 2 4 and 6 each have 1 washer and 1 dryer.
There are currently no laundry facilities in the tower but they are talking about trying to put some in there, which would be good because doing laundry on the 4th floor of the garden wing when you are on the 14th floor of the tower is not easy or fun! The prices were steep too, $3 to wash $3 to dry! ouch!The staff was very pleasant during our stay. We got a great rate but I wouldn't hesitiate to pay the $120/night they seem to typically be asking.
Here are some photos. Please ask questions if I missed anything!
The entrance
The lobby
check in desk
The pool area
Atrium restaurant area
Atrium looking up
Atrium looking down from 14th floor
Bar area (these doors are open durning evening hours)
The room
Bathroom
14th floor balcony (other floors have solid rails)
Great trip report, thank you! I am hoping with this new non-Hilton hotel, this will give the DTD Hilton some competition (which by the way raised there prices 
). 
Good Faith Gesture???? For their mess up? They were not very nice about it at all and right now I'm thinking of changing where I'm going to stay in July. Am I wrong for feeling like that? I had 2 representatives tell me they weren't sure what happened or why it happened because it shouldn't have. So WTH...I just don't get it.
We really liked it there. The people were really nice too. Enjoy your trip!
