Category — q. Reviews

(For the first page of this review of Shades of Green, see this.)

THE POOLS AT SHADES OF GREEN RESORT

There are two pools at Shades of Green:

• The Magnolia pool, closer to all Palm wing rooms and about half of Magnolia Wing rooms, and
• The Mill Pond pool, closer to the other half of Magnolia wing rooms

Each has a few distinct features–including some added recently–but either is a great choice for most visitors.

The Magnolia pool is the only one with a hot tub; the Mill Pond pools the only with a pool slide and near a playground and arcade–and right next door to Evergreens!

THE MAGNOLIA POOL AT SHADES OF GREEN

The Magnolia pool is to the right and down as you cross from the lobby to the Magnolia wing. On the map it’s near the top, just a little left of center.

This U-shaped pool was extensively redeveloped in 2013. It now features a zero-entry area (at the bottom of the image) and a hot tub (at the top).

Here’s a closer view of the hot tub.

Although the Magnolia pool has a slight feel of “the pool for adults,” with its basketball hoop (on the right), pool volleyball net and other features, kids find it fun as well.

The Magnolia pool at night.

THE MILL POND POOL AT SHADES OF GREEN

The Mill Pond pool is at the far end of the Magnolia wing (it’s the Mickey-head-shaped pool at left on the map), right next to Evergreens.

It has two pool slides…

…one for bigger kids…

…and one for littler ones that also has a splash play area.

Just outside the pool fences you’ll find this playground…

…and inside the building that also contains Evergreens, this arcade.

The Mill Pond pool at night.

The arcade, playground, slides and water play area make the Mill Pond pool feel a little more like the family pool. But you will find many adults here as well.

My advice: try them both!

USING THE AMENITIES AT SHADES OF GREEN EVEN IF YOU AREN’T STAYING THERE

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TOPICS IN THIS REVIEW OF SHADES OF GREEN

• Overview of Shades of Green
• Photo Tour of a Standard Shades of Green Room
• Amenities at Shade of Green
• The Pools at Shades of Green
• Using Shades of Green’s Amenities Even if You Aren’t Staying There

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(For the first page of this review of Shades of Green, see this.)

AMENITIES AT SHADES OF GREEN RESORT

The scope of amenities at Shades of Green is comparable to what you’ll find at a Disney deluxe resort.

You won’t find fun transport, water sports or a beach–which you will find at all Disney deluxes except the Animal Kingdom Lodge.

And there’s no fine dining.

But you will find pretty much everything else you’d find at a deluxe, and much more than what most moderates except Coronado Springs offer.

Moreover, unlike any Disney resort except Old Key West and Saratoga Springs, you are in the middle of championship-quality golf opportunities, one course (the Magnolia) with its clubhouse just minutes away.

Shades of Green has two accommodation wings with a lobby in the middle. See the map–and as always on this site, click it to enlarge it.

Most amenities are near the lobby, and most of the rest are in the older Magnolia wing.

In the center area you’ll find the check in location.  There’s also a cute little area to entertain the kids or your other brother Darryl while check-in is happening.

The lobby decor otherwise has a nice woodsy feel…

…and the fireplace was a nice touch in our cooler January/February visit.

At the Magnolia side of the lobby you’ll find the Java Cafe.

This combines former options for coffee, ice cream and drinks.

Downstairs from here are two of the principal dining options at Shades, the Garden Gallery…

…and Mangino’s.

Go downstairs, outside and towards the Palm wing, and you’ll find the workout area.

Also downstairs–but reached from outside the lobby entrance, near the valet parking drop off–is the bus stop. On the way to the bus stop is the Express Cafe.

Back upstairs in the lobby area, if you head towards the Magnolia wing you’ll find more services.

This includes a gift shop…

…with all kinds of stuff, from beer (alcohol can only be bought with a military ID) to souvenirs.

Between the shops is a location where you can buy attraction tickets.

At minimum, you won’t have to pay taxes. Many tickets are heavily discounted beyond this–though typically not Disney World tickets. The best current deal for Disney tickets is the Armed Forces Salute for 5 day passes.

Further down the Palm wing you’ll find both pools (more on these later), the Magnolia spa…

…and the Magnolia yoga center.

Keep going and you’ll find the Evergreen sport bar…

…and these tennis courts.

DINING AT SHADES OF GREEN

The good news about dining at Shades of Green is that there’s tons of options–everything that you will find at any Disney resort except fine dining–and all are at prices better–sometimes much better– than  you’ll find elsewhere at Disney World.

There’s so many options that Shades provides a chart laying out what they are and their hours (specifics may be different on your visit).

The bad news is that nothing is particularly special or reliable except for the breakfast buffet at the Garden Gallery.

Some observations:

Room service is much less expensive than you’ll find in most hotels. You won’t find room service at all in Disney’s value resorts, and only at Coronado Springs among its moderates.

The three main dining venues are

• Evergreens, back by the Mill Pond Pool, similar to a sports bar
• Mangino’s, a classier restaurant, but not remotely on par with the fine dining you’ll find at most of Disney’s deluxe resorts like Jiko and the California Grill
• The Garden Grill, serving a great breakfast buffet but a weaker dinner buffet–check what’s available in the dinner buffet before you decide to eat here.  In particular it had the weakest salad bar I’ve seen outside the dining hall at Boy Scout summer camp

Beyond these, the Java Cafe (lobby) and Express Cafe (near the bus stop) are worth noting as places to get grab-and-go stuff.

For more on dining at Shades of Green, see this.

THE POOLS AT SHADES OF GREEN RESORT

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TOPICS IN THIS REVIEW OF SHADES OF GREEN

• Overview of Shades of Green
• Photo Tour of a Standard Shades of Green Room
• Amenities at Shade of Green
• The Pools at Shades of Green
• Using Shades of Green’s Amenities Even if You Aren’t Staying There

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(For the first page of this review of Shades of Green, see this.)

PHOTO TOUR OF A SHADES OF GREEN STANDARD ROOM

Standard rooms at Shades of Green are among the largest at Walt Disney World, and are larger than those in any Disney-owned hotel.

The floor plan is of one of the newer Palm wing rooms.  Magnolia wing rooms have the same stuff, but the couch is closer to the balcony, the beds closer to the bath, and there’s short half walls separating a bit the couch/table area from the rest of the room.

At the entry, on one side is the connecting door, and then after that a large closet.

Here’s the door side of the closet…

…and the room side.

On the other side of the entry is the divided bath. One part has sinks, and unlike in many Disney rooms, there’s a door between the sinks and the hall…

…then, in their own separate room, you’ll find the tub…

…and toilet.

Further down into the room, one side has the queen beds and a table and chairs.

The beds and table from the other side…

…a closer view of a bed.

The bedside table, with a bit of storage. The black square object is a powerpoint with jacks for four power plugs.  If your laptop’s power cord explodes while it’s plugged into this, it may short out much of your room, including your TV, during the Super Bowl.  I’m just sayin’.

The table and chairs.

At the end of the room is two wide sliding glass doors that open to the balcony. Every room has a full-width balcony.

There are no bad views at Shades of Green–here’s the view from the balcony in our Palm Wing room.

The other side of the room has a convertible couch and a long TV/dresser/mini-fridge thingy.

From the other side.

The couch flips down into this bed.  I measured the bed as 72 inches long by 32 inches wide (it sleeps long–there’s a couple of inches of clearance at the ends). I spent a night on it, and slept fine.

The TV/dresser/mini-fridge thingy is enormous at eight feet long. The coffee service is on top.

There’s plenty of storage here for the five people the room sleeps.

The mini-fridge is typical except for the small freezer compartment, which is now rare in the Disney resorts.

AMENITIES AT SHADES OF GREEN RESORT

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TOPICS IN THIS REVIEW OF SHADES OF GREEN

• Overview of Shades of Green
• Photo Tour of a Standard Shades of Green Room
• Amenities at Shade of Green
• The Pools at Shades of Green
• Using Shades of Green’s Amenities Even if You Aren’t Staying There

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OVERVIEW: SHADES OF GREEN RESORT FOR FIRST-TIME VISITORS

Note: guests at Shades of Green are eligible for Disney World’s Early Entry program, and for its Extended Evening Hours. They are also eligible for early  access to Disney’s paid system for individual access to certain rides.

Shades of Green is a military-owned Armed Forces Recreation Center at Walt Disney World.

Located near the Magic Kingdom, it’s verdantly nestled among championship golf courses just across the street from Disney’s Polynesian Village resort.

It  provides really low prices on great rooms for U.S. military personnel, career military retirees, and their families and friends.

Eligible sponsors can rent three rooms, so long as one is for themselves; during much of the year, their spouse can also get another three.

So be nice to your military friends and family members and you might get invited to a room that is really inexpensive for its quality.

(More on eligibility is at Steve Bell’s Military Disney Tips here.)

My family has made a number of trips to Shades of Green. We visited most recently in late January and early February in a trip sponsored as always by my dad (above; career Navy).

Based on these visits, Shades of Green is a wonderful choice for eligible returning visitors to Walt Disney World.

However, for first time family visitors, a stay only at Shades is not the ideal choice. It does participate in several key programs, in particular  Disney World’s Early Entry program, and for its Extended Evening Hours. I believe they will also be eligible for early  access to its paid individual system for access to certain rides, but I have not yet found an authoritative statement on this (this should be cleared up soon).

However, Shades of Green has little kid appeal compared to alternatives, and despite a great location across the street from Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, because of common late starts and infrequent service in its bus fleet, so-so convenience.

Families considering Shades of Green should also check out Disney World’s Armed Forces Salute, which may give them more inexpensive lodging choices and for sure will give cheaper tickets, and should keep their eye out for Shades of Green discounts.

OVERALL LOOK AND FEEL OF SHADES OF GREEN

What is now Shades of Green opened in 1973 as the Golf Resort, and changed its name in 1986 to the Disney Inn.

In 1994 it was leased to, and in 1996 purchased outright by, the US Government, to create a resort for U.S. military personnel and their families and friends at Walt Disney World.

It is a self-funding Armed Force Recreation Center, and is managed and staffed by federal employees.

Nestled among two world-class golf courses with several inner courtyards as well, it has a lovely, tranquil setting…

…although the older three story wings aren’t as lovely as the newer five story section.

You’ll find lots of wildlife here too–I saw these deer jumping while I was walking the path down to Polynesian…

…and this bird (or perhaps an O10) deep in the resort itself.

As nice as it is, there’s hardly any Disney theming except for this Mickey statue in the lobby, and a Mickey-head pool. You really could be almost anywhere.

ACCOMMODATIONS AT SHADES OF GREEN RESORT

In 2004 a massive expansion was completed, and Shades of Green now offers almost 600 enormous rooms—at 480 square feet, the second largest standard rooms on Walt Disney World property (only standard rooms at the Four Seasons are larger).

Most rooms at Shades sleep five on two queens and a couch that folds down into 72×32 inch daybed.

There are also junior suites, family suites and regular suites.

Above is the floor plan of a standard room in the newer Palm wing.

Older Magnolia rooms have the same stuff, but have the couch closer to the window, the beds closer to the bath, and in the freed space a couple of partial walls that block, a bit, the couch and table area from the queens and dresser area.

In terms of quality of furniture, fixtures, and other amenities, these rooms are directly comparable to Walt Disney World deluxe resorts. More on the accommodations at Shades is here.

POOLS AT SHADES OF GREEN RESORT

There’s two pools at Shades of Green, both in the Magnolia wing:

…the Magnolia pool…

…and the Mill Pond pool.

Each has its positives, but together they are objectively too small for the 2500+ people the resort can hold. Luckily, typically people don’t fill the pools. More on these pools will come later in this review.

 DINING AT SHADES OF GREEN RESORT

Dining at Shades of Green is much better and more varied than that available at the Disney value resorts, but not nearly as good as that available at the typical Disney deluxe resort.

It is comparable to dining at moderates, but less expensive.

More on dining at Shades is here.

KID APPEAL AND CONVENIENCE AT SHADES OF GREEN

This site ranks resorts for first time family visitors based on their kid-appeal and then their convenience, and Shades of Green comes up short on both.

Kid Appeal. Unlike the richly kid-appealing theming of the Walt Disney World Resorts this site recommends, Shades of Green has very little evidence that you are staying within a mile of the Magic Kingdom.

Disney theming is limited to a pool shaped like Mickey Mouse’s head, and a statue of Mickey in the lobby.

Otherwise, Shades has more of the look and feel of a country club, or a business or convention hotel, and could be anywhere.

Convenience. Shades of Green has its own buses, and they run too infrequently, and (especially during off-peak seasons) too late in the morning for the resort to be convenient.

• Buses are available to the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC), Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
• The first morning buses to the latter two theme parks arrive too late for you to follow this site’s itineraries. See the bus schedule (click it to enlarge it), where buses leave at 8.30a for these parks.  You should arrive at the turnstiles before 8.30a, not leave the hotel then
• The bus to the TTC is not nearly as convenient for Magic Kingdom visitors as are the buses from the other Walt Disney World resorts, which drop you off just outside—and 15-30 minutes closer—to the Magic Kingdom.
• Shades of Green visitors can walk to Disney’s Polynesian Resort, and there take advantage of its transportation options. But this walk adds another 10-20 minutes to your transportation time (depending on your pace and your room location).

It’s better to have your own car.  But while Disney resorts offer free parking at the theme parks, Shades guests have to pay $24 per day to park at the them. (Hotel parking is $7/day–much less than Disney now charges.)

PRICING AT SHADES OF GREEN

The most remarkable thing about Shades of Green is its prices.

Shades of Green sets three basic levels of prices, increasing by military rate/rank. Standard room prices per night begin at $154/night.  (See Steve Bell’s Military Disney Tips here for details)

This means that during most times of the year, you get a deluxe-level room for less–often much less–than what you would pay to stay in a Walt Disney World moderate resort.

Moreover, unlike other hotels in Orlando, these prices are not jacked up during the various higher-demand seasons of the year.

These rates can be shared with family and friends:

• Eligible guests can sponsor up to three rooms for family and friends, and, during most times of the year, their spouses can sponsor three more.
• Such guests must be checked in by the sponsor when the sponsor checks in, and check out no later than when the sponsor checks out

But do check out Disney World’s Armed Forces Salute, which may give more inexpensive lodging choices and for sure will give cheaper tickets if a four-day ticket is tolerable, and should keep your eye out for Shades of Green discounts.

BEST PLACES TO STAY AT SHADES OF GREEN

There are two wings at Shades of Green (see the map; click it to enlarge it).

• The newer Palm wing rooms (lower right) are closer to the parking garage, and, on average, closer to the lobby where you’ll find most dining and shops, and, at a lower level, the bus stop.
• The older Magnolia wing rooms (center left) are closer to the pools, arcade, and playground, but can be a hike to the main lobby.

If your group is such that you expect heavy use of the pools and playground, go with the Magnolia wing.  Otherwise choose Palm.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Eligible families looking for deluxe rooms at Walt Disney World at prices comparable to or well below those of a Walt Disney World moderate resort should investigate Shades of Green, after noting any deals and discounts that may bring Disney owned and operated resorts into their price range.

This is particularly the case for families returning to Walt Disney World.

First time visitors will likely have a better trip by staying at a Disney owned-and operated resort.

See also Steve Bell’s MilitaryDisneyTips.com for tons more on Shades, and also his ebook on Shades of Green!

Steve Bell is the Military Moderator on this site. And Steve’s Military Disney Tips has always been the go-to site for military families looking to make the most out of their Disney World vacations.

But like every other website (especially mine), finding exactly what you need to know, in the right order, sometimes isn’t as easy as you’d like it to be.

So the great news is that Steve has published a Disney World guidebook for military families.

With entire chapters devoted to the Armed Forces Salute, to Shades of Green, and to other deals and perks available to military families, I can’t recommend it enough!!

This book will be a great help to military families contemplating a Disney World visit in 2018!!

PHOTO TOUR OF A SHADES OF GREEN STANDARD ROOM

This review continues here!

PAGES: 1  |  2  |  3  |  4  |  5  |  Next

TOPICS IN THIS REVIEW OF SHADES OF GREEN

• Overview of Shades of Green
• Photo Tour of a Standard Shades of Green Room
• Amenities at Shade of Green
• The Pools at Shades of Green
• Using Shades of Green’s Amenities Even if You Aren’t Staying There

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The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is in two different areas of Universal Orlando. Diagon Alley is in Universal Studios, and Hogsmeade is in Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

This page is an overview of Diagon Alley. Attractions here include

• Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
• Ollivanders
• The Hogwarts Express

REVIEW: DIAGON ALLEY AT THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER

Diagon Alley includes

•  A touch of “Muggle” London, well done and fun, where you’ll also find the station for the Hogwarts Express (shared with Hogsmeade)
• The richly themed area of Diagon Alley itself, with one ride and one other attraction

The rides are the all-new Hogwarts Express and Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts. Also worth special note is the charming attraction Ollivanders, where the wand chooses the wizard (there’s another version of Ollivanders in Hogsmeade).

• Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts is the best new ride I’ve been on since Expedition Everest opened at the Animal Kingdom. It’s scary, but anyone who can take Disney World’s scariest rides–e.g. Tower of Terror–will love it.
• The Hogwarts Express requires that you have a “park to park” ticket (extra $) but is an easy way to get back and forth between the two Wizarding Worlds, and is moderately fun in itself. True Harry Potter fans need to ride it.
• Diagon Alley itself is quite well-done.  It doesn’t have the charm of Hogsmeade, but is much more richly detailed, and doesn’t suffer from off-theme elements–such as the massive roller coasters that flank one side of Hogsmeade.

The upshot: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley is absolutely worth a visit if you are going to Universal Orlando anyway, and/or are huge Harry Potter fans.  If you are, the best way to see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is to stay at a Universal resort hotel.  This will allow you to take advantage of its resort hotel early entry program, saving you hours of waiting in line.

If, however, you are a first time visitor to Walt Disney World, and following one of this site’s Disney World itineraries, I can’t recommend taking time out of already over-packed days to see the Wizarding World, unless your children simply will give you no peace otherwise.

Instead, save the Wizarding World of Harry Potter for another trip.

MORE ON DIAGON ALLEY AT THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER

Diagon Alley is at the far right end of Universal Studios. It is hidden behind “London.”

London has fun stuff–be sure to check out the Knight Bus–but do so after you are done with Diagon Alley proper. The lines will be building while you are fooling around, you know…

Once you are in Diagon Alley, you’ll find a number of small blocks, each worth exploring for deep Harry Potter fans.

Shops and dining you’ll find here include The Leaky Cauldron, Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, Borgin and Burkes, Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions, Wiseacre’s Wizarding Equipment, and Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour–and Ollivanders, of course, where you can watch the wand choose the wizard.

Not to be missed is the creepy Knockturn Alley…

In one sense, Diagon Alley is just one and a half new rides (half because the Express is shared with Hogsmeade.  In another sense, it’s the most deeply themed and detailed theme park area ever built.

If you are a real fan of Harry Potter, you could spend hours here.  If you aren’t, it’s still fun–especially Escape from Gringotts and Ollivanders–but you may find the rest of the setting simply a spur to thoughts of the positives of gentrification.

You can find much more detail on Diagon Alley here.

If you are a Universal hotel guest, and have a park-to-park pass, here’s the way to work both parts of the Wizarding World:

1. Be at the turnstiles for whichever park has early open by 45 minutes before early open is expected to start (if both are open early, which will be uncommon my recommended weeks, then pick Universal Studios/Diagon Alley).
2. At open, get back to the Wizarding World and ride (depending on which park you are in) Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey or Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts.
3. See the Wand choosing the Wizard at the Ollivanders in either Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade
4. Get in line for the Hogwarts Express, and ride it to the other park. You’ll get there just about when day guests do. See whichever of Forbidden Journey or Gringotts you missed first thing
5. Relax, and see all the other rides and wonderful detailing in both Wizarding Worlds.

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HARRY POTTER AND THE ESCAPE FROM GRINGOTTS

The headliner ride at the second Wizarding World area to open at Universal Orlando, Diagon Alley in Universal Studios, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts re-tells the story of Harry, Ron and Hermione and the horcrux in the goblin bank Gringotts.

No one in your party knows what a horcrux is?

No worries, so long as you like thrills. The ride combines moving vehicles, motion simulators, elaborate sets, and 3D films into an elaborate adventure that may not always make sense but is always thrilling.

Without giving away any spoilers, the fear factor on the ride (and some of the effects) are midway between the scariest bits of Fantasmic and those of Tower of Terror. This will make it inappropriate for many younger kids, but much fun for older ones—especially if they are Harry Potter fans.

Unlike the headliner Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey in the other area of the Wizarding World, Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure, few will suffer from motion sickness on Escape from Gringotts, and the pacing of Gringotts is much better—not suffering from the overly slow and overly fast sections of Forbidden Journey.

Gringotts is deep in Diagon Alley, in the bank guarded by a dragon—a “Ukrainian Ironbelly” that you might see again on the ride, and that might just this moment be better utilized in combat in eastern Ukraine.

You enter the bank lobby…

…are weighed in the balance by Goblins…

…pass through an area with newspapers with moving images, just like in the books…

…then pass by a series of closed doors that will either ominously raise the hair on the back of your neck, or remind you to make a note to requisition more staples when you get back to the office…

…see a pre-show with Bill Weasley and a goblin banker…

…and enter an elevator that takes you down down down to the vaults themselves. (The effect here is great, and is best experienced away from the walls.)

You are now in the loading area…

…where you will board mine vehicles that will take you on a really fun ride!

As noted at the beginning, I’m not gonna give away the details of the ride, but Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts (while not suffering the motion sickness or pacing issues of the Wizarding World’s other headliner, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey) is a real thrill, and thus may just scare the bejeezus out of younger kids.

Older folk who enjoy thrill rides will just love it—especially if they are also Harry Potter fans.

Immensely popular, the best way to see Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts is at the very beginning or very end of the day.

If you are following my advice and staying at a Universal hotel, take advantage of early entry to see it. Be at the turnstiles well before early entry begins, and head straight to Gringotts.

If the only Universal park on early entry your days is Islands of Adventure, arrive at the turnstiles well before open, start there, see Forbidden Journey and Ollivanders in Hogsmeade, and then get in line for the Hogwarts Express (requires extra-cost park to park ticket). The first run of the Hogwarts Express should get you to Diagon Alley ahead of most of the crowds.

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