Just Back

[Princess Mulan]

Just back from a week in the World. Some quick thoughts:

1. Participated in the new tour of World Showcase Nations. Guide was personable and friendly, and lunch (at Marrakesh) was tasty. I already knew much of the info, but a fellow tour participant found it more informative. We agreed that the Wild Africa Trek provides much more bang for the buck.
2. Had dinner at the new Boathouse restaurant in Downtown Disney. Food was good, service was excellent, restaurant décor is unique. Walking to and from the restaurant was crazy crowded. The crowd at DTD was absolutely unbelievable, worse than any I've experienced at parade/Wishes/Christmas at Magic Kingdom.
3. Crowds in the parks were manageable. I followed easywdw's recommended park days, which worked like a charm.
4. Most people were polite, helpful and friendly. Didn't have any problems with crazy guests, tour groups, etc.
5. Bus service was not the best I've experienced. Waited too long (up to 40 minutes) on multiple occasions.
6. Same-day ADRs were easy to get for almost every restaurant.

That's the highlights. It was a great week, despite the heat and summer crowds.

 

[loves to dive]

Could you tell us more about the tour? I've considered doing it but can't really find a lot of info. on it. How long did it last? What behind the scenes did you do? I've done the Keys to the Kingdom tour and you got to ride a few rides do you do that with this tour? How much was it?

 

[Planogirl]

Were most of the walls still up at Downtown Disney? We experienced crazy crowds too but many of the walkways were so narrow.

 

[heybravo626]

thanks for the info. Gave up on WDW bus transportation long ago. Multiple long waits and long rides got the best of us. Travel has been so much smoother and easier to predict when we need to leave, etc, since we started renting a car. It's more money but I also value my time sitting around waiting so it's a plus for us.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Just back from a week in the World. Some quick thoughts:

1. Participated in the new tour of World Showcase Nations. Guide was personable and friendly, and lunch (at Marrakesh) was tasty. I already knew much of the info, but a fellow tour participant found it more informative. We agreed that the Wild Africa Trek provides much more bang for the buck.
2. Had dinner at the new Boathouse restaurant in Downtown Disney. Food was good, service was excellent, restaurant décor is unique. Walking to and from the restaurant was crazy crowded. The crowd at DTD was absolutely unbelievable, worse than any I've experienced at parade/Wishes/Christmas at Magic Kingdom.
3. Crowds in the parks were manageable. I followed easywdw's recommended park days, which worked like a charm.
4. Most people were polite, helpful and friendly. Didn't have any problems with crazy guests, tour groups, etc.
5. Bus service was not the best I've experienced. Waited too long (up to 40 minutes) on multiple occasions.
6. Same-day ADRs were easy to get for almost every restaurant.

That's the highlights. It was a great week, despite the heat and summer crowds.

I would love to know more about the tour.


For the DTD crowds, do you think it was a lot more people than you ever recall or did construction contribute to the congestion or both. I am wondering if we would ever see it reduce once construction ends and newness fades. Seems it would be nice at night, but I just don't care for crowds.

Thanks for the report.

 

[JennyDrake]

Where did you stay?

 

[Jiminy Libbett]

We just got back from Disney World. Had a blast. The Blue Fairy granted my daughter's wish. I did notice the construction in the Magic Kingdom but Disney did a good job of camouflaging it with walls covered in tree prints making them look less obtrusive.

 

[Princess Mulan]

Could you tell us more about the tour? I've considered doing it but can't really find a lot of info. on it. How long did it last? What behind the scenes did you do? I've done the Keys to the Kingdom tour and you got to ride a few rides do you do that with this tour? How much was it?

When I booked the tour I was told it would last 4.5 to 5 hours. Ours ended up being a little less than 4.5 hours; I'm not sure of the exact time. The tour hits every country, and ours had three behind-the-scenes stops. It was supposed to include entertainment, which our tour guide said probably would be the Voices of Liberty. Unfortunately, our trip didn't include that or any performance, and I assume it was because of timing. I don't have the exact figures in front of me, but the total cost, including tax, was in the neighborhood of $115 per person. I had a 15 percent discount, which made the total a little less than $100. By the way, you need to bring your own water and a poncho or an umbrella in case of rain. The guide provides plenty of bathroom breaks or rest stops if you need them.

 

[Princess Mulan]

Were most of the walls still up at Downtown Disney? We experienced crazy crowds too but many of the walkways were so narrow.

A lot of walls were up, and there were some mini-concerts going on. I'm not sure if those contributed to the crowded feeling, but it was definitely the most crowded I have ever seen DTD. Truthfully, I don't remember ever feeling that crowded, even during the mass exodus from Fantasmic or at Magic Kingdom during Christmas. It was crazy! Perhaps I just hit it on an odd night, but cast members I spoke to said DTD is packed on most every night.

The new shops and restaurants, along with the mini-concerts, did make the area seem more exciting. I am eager to see what it's like when construction is complete; I am sure it will be a must-see destination.

 

[Princess Mulan]

thanks for the info. Gave up on WDW bus transportation long ago. Multiple long waits and long rides got the best of us. Travel has been so much smoother and easier to predict when we need to leave, etc, since we started renting a car. It's more money but I also value my time sitting around waiting so it's a plus for us.

Usually our bus waits haven't been too bad, but long waits were more frequent on this trip. I don't pretend to know anything about transportation operations, but as a guest it's baffling to see three Downtown Disney buses appear right in a row while an Epcot bus doesn't appear for 40 minutes. In the morning, during "prime time." And it happened on more than one day.

 

[Princess Mulan]

I would love to know more about the tour.


For the DTD crowds, do you think it was a lot more people than you ever recall or did construction contribute to the congestion or both. I am wondering if we would ever see it reduce once construction ends and newness fades. Seems it would be nice at night, but I just don't care for crowds.

Thanks for the report.

We didn't make it to DTD during the day this trip, but, based upon experience, crowds should be more manageable during the daytime.

 

[Princess Mulan]

Where did you stay?

We stayed at Port Orleans Riverside.

 

[Jiminy Libbett]

I didn't have an issue with the volume of people at DTD but I have to admit that it rained the two times we went and that likely kept folks away.

 

[Iheartdis]

We stayed at Port Orleans Riverside.

Can you tell me more about the hotel? How was the food? Were the rooms nice? Did you use the pool? Were there long walks to everything or were they pretty manageable?

 

[Princess Mulan]

We were in Alligator Bayou in a building about as far from the lobby/food court as you could get. Even so, the walk was very manageable and quite pleasant, actually. The landscaping is lush and the river/lakes are pretty, so the walk was enjoyable. We used the main pool and the quiet pool near our room. At the main pool there were plenty of chairs and towels, and the lifeguards seemed on top of things. The bar by the main pool is a nice touch, and the pool is close to the food court. The room was in great shape and didn't have any obvious wear and tear. The beds were comfortable, and mousekeeping did a good job. We used the food court mostly for snacking and light meals.

Now, for what you didn't ask about: the buses. The resort's multiple bus stops mean that you're never far from a stop. However, some bus stops attract more guests than others, so the buses could be full by the time they arrive at a later stop. Also, we experienced longer-than-usual waits for the buses during this trip. I have no idea why. I am hoping that this trip was an anomaly and that WDW transportation will be more efficient and dependable on our next trip.

 

[bapritchett]

Thanks for the report.