cbonewjersey
Babooey
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2010
I will post this in a few places because you all help me so much all year, I want to return the favor.
Specs: Aug 16-23, 2BR at VGF, 6 people, incl 2 >70 yo, 2 kids, 4 PAPs.
Like most of you I planned the full 11 months for this, and it was necessary and worth it.
First, the resort. It's breathtaking, truly, but I will go back to BLT. The extra points/night were not offset by the beauty and luxury of GF. Much longer walk and time to get to MK either by boat or monorail. For my mom it was tough. And with 6 people, here's the biggest difference. VGF 2BR has 2 bathrooms, and BLT has 3 ! That said, VGF had the most amazing rain showers. You could get 4 people easily in the master bath shower.
We arrived by 0930 and the room was ready ! Check in was smooth and fast as we did online. No issues. I will say DME bus took a very long time to leave airport. I think they cut back on buses.
The only real negative was the monorails. due to the maintenance at night, to make rope drop you need a bus or boat, and they are loaded. the monorails that do run are very full, and have other issues. The epcot line is the real problem. It will get better, for sure.
Now as for the great stuff. We stressed and stressed over the DAS card. Can we get it? Will it help? etc. It's great, it was easy, and with FP+ you only use it 1-2x per day anyway. Our first FP was at 1045 so we had to rush. It was crowded at MK on Sat. so we used the app, hit our faves, and got the DAS before we left the park. Do it inside, not outside MK. We had a FP for 7DMT but lightening closed it down, so you can go back any time after and use it, or use it anywhere in the park - you get an email telling you. Very cool.
We got the DAS while standing in line at GR in city hall. the line was out the door, but while I was waiting there were CMs checking what people needed. I met a lovely CM from Mexico, and in 3 minutes he met my wife, my son, took the pic with his ipad and came back with a DAS card. BAM !! My son has severe ADHD, and we used all the right words and language that we learned from these boards. No problem !!
So that night, after the best meal in Disney (Via Napoli) we went back to
7DMT. My mom got very ill on it, but the CMs were great and got a van to pick us up behind Buzz Lightyear and drove us back to VGF.
UNIVERSAL - this was the most planned day of the week. 1 day, 2 parks, and Diagon Alley. My strategy was PERFECT. Just before I left I learned that Touring Plans had suggested almost word for word what was my plan. Get to UO by 0830 - they will let you in early but nothing runs until 9. do anything you want EXCEPT for Diagon Alley. We did Desp Me, Transformers, Mummy, Simpsons all before 1030. Then Diagon Alley - spent over an hour. IT IS AMAZING !! At that time Gringotts was 150 mins, so we avoided it. Took Hogwarts Express over to IOA. Also incredible. Did Jurassic, the water rides, Spiderman and others, had lunch. And then around 2 we went back. YOU MUST TAKE THE TRAIN IN BOTH DIRECTIONS, AS WHAT YOU SEE IS DIFFERENT. Both trips are super cool. We get back and Gringotts is still 150 mins. So we decide on single rider. Put your stuff in a locker first. Free for 4 hours, and go right in. You do see the inside of the bank and the trolls but you don't go down the center of it. You go to a staircase. In 10 minutes we were seated in a car !!! Me and my DS14 in 1. DW and DS11 in another.
Ok, the ride. Off the charts. Pure brilliance and technology that I hope finds its way to Avatar. It almost made me cry. So after the ride, I'm so exuberant, and a guy hears me say we got on in 10 mintues. He turns and says he was in line since 9am (5 hours). The ride had broken down and he stayed with it. So we got back in line again - single rider. Took 20 minutes, I got first row, first car. Even better the 2nd time. I asked a mom how long she waited, she said 3 hours. It's clear - single rider is the way to go.
SEAWORLD - the penguins are great. Journey to Atlantis is great, the rest is just ok. I hope they can survive. The biggest hassle? The incredibly long hot walk you have to make from the "park" to the stadiums. No cover, very far, and throngs of people. But the whales were fantastic.
BOG - our last night. Got the rose room which I requested when I reserved on my 180 day mark. Just a beautiful place. It's huge. The onion soup is small but great, and you have to have the "gray stuff". Just like in the movie.
Magic Bands - overall, just wonderful. No I didn't sleep in it. It was not that comfortable. It feels good to take them off. So on the last few days, it had been working fine, but then I was getting rejected for charges at dinner. Went to concierge, GR at Epcot, and then finally front desk at GF main bldg. It took 2 hours and the "Avenger Team" to fix it. In return they gave me 3 unlimited FPs for all 6 people that night.
I think the problem was multiple charge cards on the reservation, but it's fixed and in the end it was worth it.
MISC thoughts - Soarin has to be updated. There's a tear in the film. It looks like 15 yo technology, which it is. Finally did Sum of All Thrills - really cool, fun, but painful (in the crotch). Epcot needs more to do. So hot and only Soarin and TT are the prime attractions. 7DMT - so good, but too short. It could be as good as BTM but it's half the time. It is, however, just beautiful. California Grill - best sushi I have had in years, but off the charts expensive. I hope Wishes never changes !! I still can't figure out where you go for FP - and I think it's too close anyway. Fantasmic FP is worth it. You breeze right in. Lots of rides broke down during the week for minutes at a time.
That's it for now. Again, thank you all for helping me with this trip. I learned so much, and it really is important to know the things we learn here.
Specs: Aug 16-23, 2BR at VGF, 6 people, incl 2 >70 yo, 2 kids, 4 PAPs.
Like most of you I planned the full 11 months for this, and it was necessary and worth it.
First, the resort. It's breathtaking, truly, but I will go back to BLT. The extra points/night were not offset by the beauty and luxury of GF. Much longer walk and time to get to MK either by boat or monorail. For my mom it was tough. And with 6 people, here's the biggest difference. VGF 2BR has 2 bathrooms, and BLT has 3 ! That said, VGF had the most amazing rain showers. You could get 4 people easily in the master bath shower.
We arrived by 0930 and the room was ready ! Check in was smooth and fast as we did online. No issues. I will say DME bus took a very long time to leave airport. I think they cut back on buses.
The only real negative was the monorails. due to the maintenance at night, to make rope drop you need a bus or boat, and they are loaded. the monorails that do run are very full, and have other issues. The epcot line is the real problem. It will get better, for sure.
Now as for the great stuff. We stressed and stressed over the DAS card. Can we get it? Will it help? etc. It's great, it was easy, and with FP+ you only use it 1-2x per day anyway. Our first FP was at 1045 so we had to rush. It was crowded at MK on Sat. so we used the app, hit our faves, and got the DAS before we left the park. Do it inside, not outside MK. We had a FP for 7DMT but lightening closed it down, so you can go back any time after and use it, or use it anywhere in the park - you get an email telling you. Very cool.
We got the DAS while standing in line at GR in city hall. the line was out the door, but while I was waiting there were CMs checking what people needed. I met a lovely CM from Mexico, and in 3 minutes he met my wife, my son, took the pic with his ipad and came back with a DAS card. BAM !! My son has severe ADHD, and we used all the right words and language that we learned from these boards. No problem !!
So that night, after the best meal in Disney (Via Napoli) we went back to
7DMT. My mom got very ill on it, but the CMs were great and got a van to pick us up behind Buzz Lightyear and drove us back to VGF.
UNIVERSAL - this was the most planned day of the week. 1 day, 2 parks, and Diagon Alley. My strategy was PERFECT.
Just before I left I learned that Touring Plans had suggested almost word for word what was my plan. Get to UO by 0830 - they will let you in early but nothing runs until 9. do anything you want EXCEPT for Diagon Alley. We did Desp Me, Transformers, Mummy, Simpsons all before 1030. Then Diagon Alley - spent over an hour. IT IS AMAZING !! At that time Gringotts was 150 mins, so we avoided it. Took Hogwarts Express over to IOA. Also incredible. Did Jurassic, the water rides, Spiderman and others, had lunch. And then around 2 we went back. YOU MUST TAKE THE TRAIN IN BOTH DIRECTIONS, AS WHAT YOU SEE IS DIFFERENT. Both trips are super cool. We get back and Gringotts is still 150 mins. So we decide on single rider. Put your stuff in a locker first. Free for 4 hours, and go right in. You do see the inside of the bank and the trolls but you don't go down the center of it. You go to a staircase. In 10 minutes we were seated in a car !!! Me and my DS14 in 1. DW and DS11 in another. Ok, the ride. Off the charts. Pure brilliance and technology that I hope finds its way to Avatar. It almost made me cry. So after the ride, I'm so exuberant, and a guy hears me say we got on in 10 mintues. He turns and says he was in line since 9am (5 hours). The ride had broken down and he stayed with it. So we got back in line again - single rider. Took 20 minutes, I got first row, first car. Even better the 2nd time. I asked a mom how long she waited, she said 3 hours. It's clear - single rider is the way to go.
SEAWORLD - the penguins are great. Journey to Atlantis is great, the rest is just ok. I hope they can survive. The biggest hassle? The incredibly long hot walk you have to make from the "park" to the stadiums. No cover, very far, and throngs of people. But the whales were fantastic.
BOG - our last night. Got the rose room which I requested when I reserved on my 180 day mark. Just a beautiful place. It's huge. The onion soup is small but great, and you have to have the "gray stuff". Just like in the movie.
Magic Bands - overall, just wonderful. No I didn't sleep in it. It was not that comfortable. It feels good to take them off. So on the last few days, it had been working fine, but then I was getting rejected for charges at dinner. Went to concierge, GR at Epcot, and then finally front desk at GF main bldg. It took 2 hours and the "Avenger Team" to fix it. In return they gave me 3 unlimited FPs for all 6 people that night.
I think the problem was multiple charge cards on the reservation, but it's fixed and in the end it was worth it.
MISC thoughts - Soarin has to be updated. There's a tear in the film. It looks like 15 yo technology, which it is. Finally did Sum of All Thrills - really cool, fun, but painful (in the crotch). Epcot needs more to do. So hot and only Soarin and TT are the prime attractions. 7DMT - so good, but too short. It could be as good as BTM but it's half the time. It is, however, just beautiful. California Grill - best sushi I have had in years, but off the charts expensive. I hope Wishes never changes !! I still can't figure out where you go for FP - and I think it's too close anyway. Fantasmic FP is worth it. You breeze right in. Lots of rides broke down during the week for minutes at a time.
That's it for now. Again, thank you all for helping me with this trip. I learned so much, and it really is important to know the things we learn here.
