mom2AidanAndEli
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2013
Just spent a week at POFQ and had a great trip. Hit all four parks and Downtown Disney (or Disney Springs). Had a few random thoughts that might be helpful to someone on their way soon...
* Had the regular dining plan and was able to substitute side/snack items for desserts at several QS places. Ones that come to mind are Columbia Harbor House, Flametree, and Pinocchio Village Haus. All were very easy substitutions, no question at all from the cast members. So instead of the prepacked cake things or mousse that we get way too much of we were able to have a cup of soup, garlic knots, french fries, onion rings. Made sharing meals very easy!
* Although I've heard horror stories of lines at kiosks for 4th FPs, we had just the opposite. Only a few people at the most. And sometimes when it looked like a long line, it was actually full parties so 4 or 5 people would go together to one kiosk. Never waited more than 5 minutes to make an additional FP.
* On that note, someone here had written about the kiosks at Town Hall--great hint! A couple times we were able to stop in and make evening FPs on our way out of the park for a rest/dinner.
* EPCOT definitely did the new rope drop thing where they let everyone in early and then had internal ropes at various points. Animal Kingdom did as well.
* In EPCOT, we chose to FP TT and ride Soarin at rope drop. We thought it was a great decision! Of the people walking through rope drop, I'd say a good two-thirds of them went left to Test Track! We were able to walk on Soarin with no wait and then rode TT with the FP a little later. Worked out great!
* Had great luck with transportation to/from POFQ. Never waited long for a bus at all. I think one of our records was heading to Whispering Canyon for a dinner ADR after a rest at our resort. Our ADR was for 5:40. We went down to the POFQ bus stop at 4:30, figuring we would need a little time. We took a bus to MK and then transferred to the bus for WL there. (Were afraid boat would take longer!) We walked into the lobby at WL at 4:56! Less than a half hour from POFQ to MK to WL! Of course, that meant the boys got to spend time in the arcade at WL while we waited!
* Only disappointment was HS. We had FP for TSMM, which ended up being down for three hours during the day! By the time we went, the FP line was crazy. It took us a good 30-40 minutes to get through--on FP! And the wait for Movie Ride was about an hour--we decided not to wait that long and I'm sorry I didn't get to see the new version. No FPs left by the time we tried. We love ToT and TSMM and Muppets, so wouldn't skip the park. But just doesn't seem like it's really worth the price of admission right now!
* Downtown definitely still has a lot of work in progress, but you can start to see things coming together now. Or at least I felt it more so than we did last year about the same time.
If anyone has any specific questions, I'm happy to try and help!
* Had the regular dining plan and was able to substitute side/snack items for desserts at several QS places. Ones that come to mind are Columbia Harbor House, Flametree, and Pinocchio Village Haus. All were very easy substitutions, no question at all from the cast members. So instead of the prepacked cake things or mousse that we get way too much of we were able to have a cup of soup, garlic knots, french fries, onion rings. Made sharing meals very easy!
* Although I've heard horror stories of lines at kiosks for 4th FPs, we had just the opposite. Only a few people at the most. And sometimes when it looked like a long line, it was actually full parties so 4 or 5 people would go together to one kiosk. Never waited more than 5 minutes to make an additional FP.
* On that note, someone here had written about the kiosks at Town Hall--great hint! A couple times we were able to stop in and make evening FPs on our way out of the park for a rest/dinner.
* EPCOT definitely did the new rope drop thing where they let everyone in early and then had internal ropes at various points. Animal Kingdom did as well.
* In EPCOT, we chose to FP TT and ride Soarin at rope drop. We thought it was a great decision! Of the people walking through rope drop, I'd say a good two-thirds of them went left to Test Track! We were able to walk on Soarin with no wait and then rode TT with the FP a little later. Worked out great!
* Had great luck with transportation to/from POFQ. Never waited long for a bus at all. I think one of our records was heading to Whispering Canyon for a dinner ADR after a rest at our resort. Our ADR was for 5:40. We went down to the POFQ bus stop at 4:30, figuring we would need a little time. We took a bus to MK and then transferred to the bus for WL there. (Were afraid boat would take longer!) We walked into the lobby at WL at 4:56! Less than a half hour from POFQ to MK to WL! Of course, that meant the boys got to spend time in the arcade at WL while we waited!
* Only disappointment was HS. We had FP for TSMM, which ended up being down for three hours during the day! By the time we went, the FP line was crazy. It took us a good 30-40 minutes to get through--on FP! And the wait for Movie Ride was about an hour--we decided not to wait that long and I'm sorry I didn't get to see the new version. No FPs left by the time we tried. We love ToT and TSMM and Muppets, so wouldn't skip the park. But just doesn't seem like it's really worth the price of admission right now!
* Downtown definitely still has a lot of work in progress, but you can start to see things coming together now. Or at least I felt it more so than we did last year about the same time.
If anyone has any specific questions, I'm happy to try and help!