Walt Disney World Resort: Shades of Green
Resort type: Shades of Green is a resort on Disney Property that is owned by the Department of Defense. It is reserved for the use of active and retired military, DOD civilians and US Public Health Officers.
Price: $100 to $275 (price is based on pay grade)
Food options: Garden Gallery Restaurant, Evergreens Sports Bar and Grill, Express Cafe and Mangino’s
Pools: 2 pools
Transportation: Buses to all the parks
Featured Reviews:
This featured review comes from my reader Lisa…
We are retired military and stayed at the Shades of Green, which is considered on a scale of a DELUXE resort, for the first time in December, 2010. My husband is a retired LT. COL. and so our rate was $131 a night, plus $5/ day (I think that amount is correct) to park in the garage (all of their parking is covered and so that was nice)….PLUS, NO TAXES!!!!! The rates are based on RANK and they fluctuate based on the season. Our rate is the next to the highest level, because of my husband’s rank. They also have suites, if you need to sleep more people. Our room was based on 2 adults. Suites are based on 4 adults.
Just a little rabbit trail……I knew about the Shades of Green when we were booking our trip in September, 2010 but I wanted the TRUE Disney experience since it was out first ever trip and so we stayed in a Magic Kingdom view room at the Polynesian. We received a 40% discount on that room due to a military discount they were offering. We did have the dining plan, but it was not free dining since you can only have one discount. It was too our advantage to have the 40% discount on the room instead of free dining. We had MANY character dining’s booked since this was our first trip and we were there for 10 days and so we needed the dining plan in order to save some expense on the food. Long story short, our dining plan and lodging for the Sept. trip was $4,500. We saw Shades of Green ACROSS the street from the Poly and realized that we could still ride the monorail if we stayed there and so we determined that we would do just that on our next trip. At the time, I didn’t know we were going back so soon!!!!
Okay, back on track…..I will discuss the perceived disadvantages of SOG first. 1. You can’t get the Disney dining plan if you stay there so you will be paying out of pocket for all of your meals. I doubt we will ever have as many table services (which are the most costly) as we did on our first trip and so unless you have a lot of character dining (which are table services) you can save money by eating counter meals or planning your dinner meals at the SOG…..I know you have tips for saving money on meals and so I will leave my comments at that. I don’t feel that not having the dining plan is a reason to avoid the SOG. The rate you pay at the SOG is so much less than any other DELUXE resort and it takes a lot of time to have a sit down meal so I am happy with counters and maybe a table service on a couple of nights. Plus, I don’t normally eat dessert and so some of the food on the dining plan for us ends up going to waste. 2. If you drive to the parks, you do have to pay to park. If you are staying in a Disney owned resort, parking at the parks is free. I think we paid $14/day…which is for 24 hrs so you aren’t charged an additional parking fee if you park hop. 3. Not the same atmosphere and level of excitement that you get at a Disney owned resort. More like checking into a regular hotel…you won’t hear “Have a Magical Day”, there won’t be cute little towel characters on your bed at night or your stuffed animals arranged in a whimsical way to welcome your kids back to the room! I could care less about this stuff…it is nice, but I don’t have to have it to keep the magic alive while I’m sleeping!
The advantages far outweigh any “perceived” disadvantages! Where do I start!!!! The resort is BEAUTIFUL! The lobby has a homey lodge feel. There were couches everywhere with a beautiful REAL and HUGE Christmas tree in the center of it all. There were pillows and throw blankets on the couches and people would sit around at all times of the day and night, covered with a blanket, feet propped up talking and laughing! I felt like I was at my family reunion! The check in was a breeze and our bags arrived to our room within 15 minutes of us arriving. The room was BEAUTIFUL! It was HUGE!!!! I would dare say it was almost twice as big as our room at the Poly. The smallest bed they have is a QUEEN, which is bigger than any of the value resorts and all moderates except for one. We had two queen beds and a couch sleeper in a sitting area which also had a nice size round table with 2 dining chairs. We had a big balcony overlooking the AMAZING pool area, they also have a nice big HOT TUB!!!! The balcony had two chairs and a table. The bathroom was HUGE! Two sinks on a super long vanity. The toilet and shower were in a separate room and even that area was big enough for three people to turn around comfortably. We had a nice big closet that had what I call pantry shelves. I take a lot of snack food and so I used it as my pantry and it was perfect. We had a nice size mini fridge, too. No microwaves in the rooms but there are some located in the break room areas, along with ice machines if you need to heat something up. and microwave, too. There was a long dresser for storage and a nice size flat screen TV. The beds were super comfortable and the room was very quiet at night. We had room service breakfast and it was fast and good! One of my favorite things…..The hallways were very WIDE and they have comfortable sitting areas in nearly every corner, which are away from any rooms. They also have book shelves loaded with many board games and puzzles as well as tables/chairs nearby to sit and play the afternoon or evening away! If you want a break from the parks, it’s great that they offer these sitting or play areas on YOUR floor so that you don’t have to stay locked away in your room! The resort also has a nice little gift shop and snack shop with a lot of variety…again no tax! They have a coffee shop! Photography services! GREAT pool! Beautiful golf course! Fitness Center! A SPA! Even a few Penny Pressing machines! I can’t say enough positive things about our stay at the Shades of Green! The rooms were super clean! The towels were soft! The sheets were crisp!…In fact, I felt like we were staying in a BRAND NEW RESORT!
You DO get to take advantage of Extra Magic Hours at the parks and they do offer FREE transportation by bus to all of the parks. We walked (with a stroller) down a beautiful walking trail to the Polynesian in 8 MINUTES to ride the monorail to MK!!!! Having the monorail so accessible is a DEFINITE PLUS to our family. We have a little girl and so we spend more time at the MK than we do any of the other parks. PLUS, the monorail IS a ride to her and so we have to include it in our trip!
We can book up to 6 rooms – 3 on my husband’s military I.D. and 3 on my dependant I.D. (one of the 6 would obviously be ours) The extra rooms would be the same rate as our room rate. The only catch is that guests have to check in at the same time we do because we have to present our I.D. and vouch for them…basically we are sponsoring them. Guests in your party don’t have to have any connection to the military. They can check out prior to us but they HAVE to check in at the same time we do. We sponsored two other families when we stayed at the Poly in Sept. and they received the same 40% discount we did. Another GREAT thing about SOG is that there are ONLY 586 rooms and so the resort doesn’t feel crowded and you don’t wait but a second for the elevator, which is massive! PLUS, they have a ticket office inside the report and you can purchase tickets to the Disney Parks, shows, sea world, universal, etc…all with a military discount, if you have a valid I.D.!
If your readers qualify to stay at the Shades of Green, I think they owe it to themselves to stay there and find out for first hand why this resort is a TRUE benefit!!!
You might also consider staying at Disney’s Swan and Dolphin.
Learn more about the Walt Disney World Resorts and contact Destinations in Florida to help you book your perfect resort.
We just changed our reservations from March to December (I am a teacher so I have to go off of our school calendar.) March was Spring Break but December is our 20th anniversary and my wife really wanted to go then and luckily they had two rooms available for our family and my mother in law, sister in law and our two nieces. This will be our first time staying at SoG because they changed the policy to allow those of us who have a rated disability to stay. My wife was so excited that we are saving soooo much. I was adament about not having the dining plan since we will have 10 people in our group and it is expensive to eat at the parks, but as someone mentioned, we can do counter services and eat more at the resort. We can’t wait! We are taking our 11 year old niece and she is so excited!
For anyone military who doesn’t choose to stay at the Shades of Green when you plan a Disney vacation you are making a huge mistake! I stayed here with my in laws for my wedding/ honeymoon and it was amazing!!! My now husband and I were married at this resort. We wanted a Disney wedding but couldn’t afford anything extravagant. But God heard our prayers and this fell into our laps. The prices are SO affordable for a Disney resort this close to the parks and the rooms are comparable to the Poly.
Why did you choose this resort? My father in law is military and we needed something affordable to accommodate our family for the wedding. Also it only cost $125 to get married there!
What were the resort rooms like? Were they big enough for your family? Did you find them to be acceptable? The rooms were huge! The same size as the Poly. It slept 5 adults and 1 child comfortably!
What were the amenities of the resort like? What was your favorite one? The downside to staying here is that you have to ride on Shades of Green Buses and you cannot purchase the Disney meal plans, however you can purchase a Shades of Green Meal plan for their buffet. There is golf and a beautiful atmosphere here. We even saw several alligators strolling around the courtyard.
What was the food court like? Any favorite foods? Ehhh its okay, but all you eat so I can’t argue.
How were the resort buses? What was your walk to the bus stop like? How were the resorts bus stops at the parks? How far was the walk to the gates? How crowded were the buses at any given time? No crowds, only their buses, don’t run as often as the Disney buses, they are located near the Poly so you are pretty close to MK.
Would you stay at this resort again? If not, please provide a reason. Oh yes!!! I wish I could stay there every time but we’d have to take the in laws every time and sadly they don’t love the World like we do!
We have stayed at Shades of Green several times in the last 6 years. It has become our Disney Resort of Choice. Prior to staying at SOG, we stayed at various Disney resorts, and this is by far, a better deal.
The resort rooms are spacious, well equipped, and comfortable! We have had poolside rooms a few times, and we literally stepped out the patio door and into the water, just a few yards away. The rooms have large beds, spacious bathrooms, in-room safes, ironing supplies, fridge/micro and internet connections. The larger suite had two large beds, a pull out sofa, and a small dining table, which easily accomodated 3 adults and 2 small children.
The resort has several amenities for patrons-pools, golf course, wonderful lobby, gift shop, convenience shop, coffee/breakfast bar, and travel and photography agents. Several people choose to marry or hold family events at the resort and there are consultants to make the event as special as possible. There is even a kids area with Disney movies playing at the check in/out counter. Valet services and Concierge are available and affordable.
There are several dining options on site, some offering quick Pub cuisine, but our favorite was the main dining room which served a nightly themed buffet. The meal was affordable, service was quick, and the food was delicious. We planned our “main” meal of the day at SOG when we would return between 3 and 6. A quick dip in the pool and shower, then off to dinner before heading back to the park for the night! There is even a quick serve counter where the buses load/unload for a quick snack, breakfast, sandwich and drinks.
The buses and drivers were very precise and on time. The buses were clean and comfortable (temperature was always perfect). They are rarely crowded and even if they were, another bus ran just minutes later. The bus stop was convenient to gate entrance and was not near the other disney on-site busses, so there was little traffic while waiting. Bus stops had sufficient benches and were just steps from the entrance.
We always stay at SOG, though we have considered staying at other Disney resorts for the “theme”. Each time we reconsider and choose to visit the other resorts for dining and experiences. We look forward to bringing our family this year since we can reserve several rooms at a reasonable rate.
■Why did you choose this resort?
My brother and his family went to WDW with us and he’s in the Army so I checked out SOG. After deciding we were going to need 2 rooms just for me, my husband and 3 teenagers we went with a suite that ended up costing less than 2 regular rooms at a value resort.
■What were the resort rooms like? Were they big enough for your family? Did you find them to be acceptable?
The suite was great! A seperate bedroom with bathroom for parents. The main room had 2 sleeper sofas and a murphy bed (very cool). Another full bathroom that was wonderful having 2 teenage girls with us. Soooo many dressers, eating table and chairs, fridge, coffee maker, safe, all the typical needs of a hotel room.
■What were the amenities of the resort like? What was your favorite one?
2 pools, that I can’t believe we didn’t take time to use, too busy with Mickey ;)
laundry facilities that I did use, typical coin operated
■What was the food court like? Any favorite foods?
small cafe that was too expensive to visit more than the once, don’t remember if the food was good
Buffet type restaurant, ate there several times. Selection of food varied each night and was very good. Had the breakfast buffet too and it was good.
Pizza, pub style restaurant. The food was good, but the service first time was absolutely horrible! Took a chance later in week to eat there again and service much better, just had a bad waitress first night.
There’s a nicer Italian restaurant we didn’t eat at, but my brother/sister-in-law did and they enjoyed it.
Ice cream palor…similar to a Baskin Robbins, good.
Starbucks, limited selection, but enough choices for me to enjoy about every morning.
■How were the resort buses? What was your walk to the bus stop like? How were the resorts bus stops at the parks? How far was the walk to the gates? How crowded were the buses at any given time?
They had buses right at the resort, but they were few and far between and usually packed, so we ended up walking to the Polenisian (10 minute walk) a lot to get on monorail.
■Would you stay at this resort again? If not, please provide a reason
I enjoyed my visit and would stay again and would definitly recommend this resort to everyone who is eligible to reserve rooms here. BUT, on our next visit we’ll be staying at another resort just because I want to experience so many others at WDW! Overall SOG is a clean, nice, friendly and not too crowded resort. AAA rating, 5 stars and 2 thumbs up!
My family stayed at SOG in February 2011 and had a great experience. My husband, mother-in-law and two boys (2 and 4) all shared a room and it was plenty big! We had a beautiful view looking over the golf course and the kids could run in play in the area just off our first floor back door. We did see several different types of birds (wild turkey and a few others) which was fun! The only real downside I would say is that our room was quite a walk from the main gate which wasn’t so bad in the mornings, but was quite a walk when coming back late and tired! I’d definitely ask for a different location within SOG next time! Because we stayed in the off-season and my husband’s rank was an E5 we stayed for $69/night – a very discounted Internet special they posted sometime late fall/early winter! Can’t beat that price and they offered 4 day hopper passes for around $130/person (we could have purchased these tickets without staying at SOG)!
We really didn’t spend too much time enjoying the resort, but we did make it to the kids pool one afternoon – it was just perfect for my young boys – a very shallow but HUGE pool. I did notice another pool, but didn’t get in. We also used the laundry room which was a couple floors up and had a TV, vending machines and MANY washers and dryers. We did find the game room full of xboxes and other fun things -but we didn’t stop. We ate the dinner buffet one night (I think $15/person) and it was very good with many choices. I think one of the biggest pluses to this resort is having the AFES store on site – it was open long hours so I could run down and buy milk or a snack for us at a very reasonable price – this store also had the basics you might have forgotten – sunscreen, sunglasses, batteries, umbrellas, etc (tax free too!)
I would also say the bus transportation wasn’t something we used very often – they don’t start the buses until 8:30 and the parks all opened at 9 – to see the rope drops and be ahead of the crowd, we wanted to be at the parks earlier than we could have using the transportation – but it was no big deal – we just went and used the Polynesian transportation (monorail or buses) and the SOG had a golf cart that drove us to the edge of SOG property each morning. We did take the bus home a few times and they were not crowded and were easy to spot as they were SOG buses and not the Disney transportation.
We’d definitely stay at SOG again – mainly for the price. It was just like staying at a nice hotel somewhere else. I wish they would make it a bit more Disney “magical” but I suppose they have their reasons why they’ve decided not to. Definitely a great way to cut the cost of a Disneyworld vacation!
we stayed there twice in one year and loved it. We are disabled military retirees and I have to use a scooter to get around and the SOG is very accomodating with the large rooms and hallways. The bus drivers always load the handicapped first with chair lifts and places to park and secure on the buses. We felt appreciated and enjoyed ourselves so much.
We would definitely stay there again and are thinking about doing so without doing all the parks. Access is easy and parking is great.
we chose this resort on the recommendation of friends who had been there many times and we are thankful we did. T
The bus stop is on a lower level out front and the elevator goes down along with a nice set of stairs. You cross under the roadway above for drop offs and pickups and there is a snack bar on the way out too. You can get breakfast and snack items while you wait for the bus. the distance from the gates weren’t bad, except the one at the Animal Kingdom. The buses did get somewhat crowded but everyone was friendly and helpful.
the second trip we took, we went with some friends and they loved it. Our rooms connected and we were able to spend time watching tv in one room and playing cards in the other at the same time. there was even room for the kids to lay on the floor and play with their toys and stuff.
There was no food court but a couple of restaurants on site. There was also a coffee shop near the rooms and an ice cream parlor by the shops. We went to the sports bar/restaurant out the back and it was great. Food was good and there were lots of tvs, pool table and some other stuff. Just out front was a mini monster truck place where you could remote control a truck. THere was a huge window in the lobby facing a pond with ducks and geese, lots of sofas and chairs that were very comfortable. There were 2 pools, a spa and I think more, but don’t remember at this point.
I would stay here again whenever I am going to that area. I have family in Orlando but we don’t stay with them most of the time as there isn’t enough room. The SOG is one of our top choices whether we go to the parks or not.
One of the things we liked on the last trip was that our balcony faced towards the Polynesian and we were able to watch fireworks every night if we wanted to, from the MK.
Just wanted to add my two cents. We’ve stayed at SofG twice (on active duty) and loved it. Once was before the renovations and once was after. The property itself is gorgeous and you cannot beat the price. Be sure to check the park ticket pricing through SofG as well as it is bound to beat other offers.
The one thing I will stress that several others have mentioned is the rooms are HUGE!! There’s plenty of elbow room which I think is necessary for any sort of extended stay (more than one night).
When we go back, we’ll definitely try to stay at SofG again (this time as retirees!).
We love Shades of Green! We have stayed here twice, most recently in late May, and you just really can’t beat the price! What a bargain! Our family of 5 fits perfectly in this room, the bathroom is gigantic, and my daughter loved the little daybed that was “just for her”. Housekeeping was fantastic….room was super clean. We took breakfast items and bought milk in the little AAFES store and kept it in the mini fridge.
Some people have complained about the bus service. The transportation could use some improvement for sure. But, overall it wasn’t horrible, and has improved since we stayed there in 2007. You can get a bus to the TTC every 20 minutes. The part that could be improved is for the buses going to HS or AK. They only leave and return once an hour, and this is a problem especially for buses at opening and closing. Also, we really wanted to get to the parks at least one day for the rope drop, but with the first bus only leaving 30 min before park opening, that’s just really not possible. We tried it almost every day, and never did actually make it…came close at HS though.
We ended up extending our stay by one night, and SOG couldn’t accomodate us, so we chose a Holiday Inn nearby. The rate was supposed to be $125, so we figured that was close enough to the $131 we were paying at SOG. By the time they added taxes and the mandatory fun fee which covered the use of pools and bus service (which we didn’t use at all!) our rate was over $150.
Overall, SOG is a great deal! Being able to use the EMH is a huge bonus, and it would be great if you could do the dining plan. I would love to stay at the Poly once, just to have the convenience of the monorail, but SOG just can’t be beat!!!!
We just got back on Monday from SOG. It was WONDERFUL! There were nine of us. My brother is in the Army and just got back from a 14 month tour. So we did get an additional discount. We had two rooms and it was plenty of room. Girls in one and boys in the other. The 2 teenagers slept on the couches that turned into beds and never complained. We had wild turkeys come up to our patio every morning. The pools where great. We figured out not to eat off the buffet but to order off the menu and split breakfeast up and it was cheaper than the buffett. Mangino’s was closed the whole time we were there so I can not comment on them. We ate at Gallery of Green the every morning. We had a couple of issues with sliding door sticking and the air conditioning but we called and they promtly came and fixed both issues. The air conditioning is on a motion sensor, so while you are out the air will shut off and the rooms get very hot. The maintance man just over rode that issue because our room would get hot while we were asleep also. Everyone was very nice and helpful at the hotel. The teenagers met some other teens and they all hung out the whole time we were there. The bus to transportation center runs every 20 mins. You have to go the the TC to go to MK and Epcot. The busses run every hour to the other parks. We went to the tc for everything though, cause you could find other busses there going quicker to the other parks. The hardest park for us to get to and back was blizzard beach. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND SOG!
We stayed at SOG 13 years ago and loved it! IMy Uncle is the one who booked and we had 3 or 4 rooms with lots of family! It was the first time my daughter (then 5) and I had ever been to Disney and what a fabulous introduction!
She and her cousin loved playing in the pool and on the swings at the resort. We had ground floor rooms and there were ducks waddling around, one of them almost walked into our room through the opened sliding glass door!
We have not been back to this resort again but I think I need to go call my Uncle and set up another big family trip :)
We chose this resort based on the price and the room size.
The rooms were clean and very large. We had 3 adults, 2 kids and an infant and had plenty of room.
We did some shopping in the duty free store, but that was about it. It had a nice selection.
We did not eat at the restaurants, but they looked okay.
The buses were a bit crowded, so we generally walked to the Poly and took the monorail. We did wait around for almost an hour one night to catch the bus from HS back to SoG, only to find out that the last bus had run before Fantasmic was over. There were a lot of us who then had to find a bus to the Poly to get back to our hotel.
We loved the SoG! The room size was amazing, the location was great, and the price could not be beat. We would stay here again if we could!
I also wanted to add that the bus stops were very closely located to the enterance of each park. Although the buses were crowded at times, we never had to wait for another bus.
We went to all but one of the restraunts and had very good experiences at each one!
We absolutely love this resort. We have stayed here 3 times. We like the Shades of Green because it is a great option for our family of 5 to stay in 1 room. We have went with my mom twice and was able to get adjoining rooms, which was wonderful. We were close, but still had our privacy. We sponsered her room, but she was able to pay seperately.
I fell in love with this resort from day one. Just riding up to it makes you think wow. The lobby is so homey feeling. I feel like we are staying at an expensive place, but the cost was about $125 a night.
The rooms here are some of the largest rooms at Disney World at about 400 square feet. Our family prefers to be in the newer section of the hotel. The bathrooms are big. We love that the bathroom has 2 seperate areas. One with the double sinks and the other area with the tub/shower and the toilet. The sofa that turns into a bed is great for one of the kids. I was surprised it was quite comfy when I tried it.
I think a big plus for this resort is that it is tax free. It helps being able to save a few dollars.
On our last trip (December 2010) we were dissapointed to find out that you couldn’t park for free at the parks if you stayed here. We loved the freedom to drive our own car to the parks. We were able to park in the Magic Kingdom parking lot for free, so we had to take the bus to the others. Our experience with the buses were they could get quite crowded at times and they left right on time, so you had better be there early.
There is a starbucks coffee stand here near the gift shop. We had some early morning coffee from hear a few days. We only wish they were open longer during the day. Sometimes we wished we could get coffee in the afternoon or evening.
This resort is right on a golf course and you can often see wild turkeys walking around. They have a little pond with some fish in it that you can feed. They also have the little boats that you can race, as well as the little monster truck racers. There is a small game room also.
I would recamend this place to any military or DOD civilians. Even if you are in the reserves I would check this out. I have had people ask me how long in advance did I have to reserve our room and this last time we went I reserved our room less than a month out from arriving. These people were quite surprised we were able to get a room on such short notice. But we went at a slow time of the year. So I would definately check to see if something is available. Sometimes they eaven run specials if you watch the website.
WE LOVE Shades of Green!! We were able to afford a wonderful place to stay for our family’s first Disney Experience! The rooms were huge (we had 4 adults and two kids in a standard room). They were extremely helpful in the planning stages of our stay. I cooked spagetti and we took a few other things in the cooler (hamburgers etc) to help cut meal costs. One of our favorite things about Shades of Green were the grounds. They have ducks you can feed and just a wonderful “escape” feeling. At the pool with the kiddie pool, they had a blow up screen and played Monster’s Inc and had free popcorn by the pool!! There was also an arcade area and slides for little ones. Their pizza’s are AMAZING too!
The bus line was always on time and very, very plesant people. One thing that stands out so much to me is the honor code of the military. If we were on a full bus, and someone came on who needed help with kids, or a pregnant lady needing a place to sit, multiple people would give up their seats for others. There is a “family” feeling with the military that isnt the same everywhere else. We would like to stay at the poly sometime, but for the price and wonderful service, SOG will be our mian Disney resort! And..NO TAXES! We were able to do a 5 night/4 day stay, including gas (13 hours one way) for under $1800!!!
Hi, we stayed at Shades of Green in March 2011. We picked Shades of Green after MUCH research. We weren’t going to go with the dining plan for this trip since we were lucky enough to have just gone in November 2010. We were trying to plan a “cheap” Disney trip :) We wanted a room that had a mini-fridge for no extra cost and a coffee maker-very important things for us, something we found out when we stayed at Disney’s All-Star Movies resort last time.
My parents were the military in our family, my Dad is retired Coast Guard, and this trip was just me, my mom, and my two children-our rate was actually under $100 a night plus the $5 parking fee and we also got a great deal that included a free breakfast buffet every morning for our stay. The breakfast buffet was really great, fresh fruits, breakfast meats, all types of breads, cereals, and an omelet bar with someone there fixing custom-made omelets. There wasn’t any Mickey-shaped waffles but the kid’s didn’t even notice.
The resort itself is very nice, clean, up to date-at least in the new section. It’s in the Deluxe resort area and it was definitely much nicer than the Value resorts. The value resort was just somewhere to shower and sleep but SOG is somewhere you want to spend more time at, just relaxing by the pool. They do have Disney movies playing near check-in to keep the kids occupied, plus a very nice lobby with a fireplace and lots of comfy seating.
The rooms were really large-I read that they are the largest on Disney property and it showed. We had a standard room in the new section which was plenty of room for the four of us. The bathrooms had a separate tub/shower room from the sinks which was great for getting ready in the morning. The view was wonderful every morning waking up to a beautiful golf green. The kids loved watching the golfers every day.
The pools were nice, but not heated. We went in March so the weather was warm but the water was not! The game room was a lot of fun for the kids while we were waiting on a snack at the pool area snackbar. Food at the snackbar was good at a much better price than anywhere else we had seen. The playground was fun too!
The transportation was something you really had to plan for, it’s not like staying on a Disney resort and just hopping on a bus every twenty minutes. If I remember correctly there was a bus to TTC every 30 minutes. To get to AK and HS the bus only left once an hour. To get to MK and Epcot, you had to take the TTC bus and then transfer to a different mode of transportation to get to the actual park. That was kind of a hassle with two kids, two strollers, and all of our gear but considering the price, it was worth it. Plus if you wanted to get somewhere quicker you could walk over to the Polynesian to take the monorail-but it’s not quite as much of a “breeze” to walk that many people make it seem to be-we did it with no problem but just know that you will be walking down a long SOG driveway, across a major road, then through some greenery paths at the Polynesian, through a bit of their parking lot to get to their busses and you will have to go up to the monorail from inside. Since it was just my mom, me, and two children, walking through the Polynesian area at night (trying to avoid the hassle at the TTC to the resort) was very dark trip and had windy paths coming and going-and considering we had no idea where we were going, we were very cautious-we wouldn’t have walked through it alone at night if we had thought more about the actual trail back.
The busses were very crowded coming back from TTC just because everyone from at least two parks were coming back the same way onto the one bus. Plus, we accidentally went during someone’s spring break so it was more crowded than we thought it would be. We got up and going early in the morning so we avoided crowds early but you just can’t avoid them later at night.
If I was given the chance, I would definitely stay at this resort again, you just can’t beat the price and the amenities (tax-free, resort-fee-free!)! It was definitely a lot quieter than the value resort we had stayed at before, I like to think that military families have more structure and are not letting their kids run wild in the hallways screaming on their way to bed :)
I haven’t stayed here yet but will in a month but have talked to them and they have been very helpful.
We recently stayed at the SOG (May/June 2011) and wholeheartedly agree with everything this reviewer said. We LOVED it and will definitely stay there the next time we go. We chose this resort because my dad (who is retired Army) was talking to some people about it while we waited in line for Cinderella’s Royal Table back in December 2010 and they raved about it to him then, so we decided to try it for our next trip.The resort rooms were very large compared to other Disney resorts we have stayed at in the past. The resort amenities were great – 2 pools and a kiddie pool, golf course, park ticket desk, family center where they had Wii’s, pool tables and other stuff like that for guests to enjoy, TV’s in the waiting area playing Disney movies for the kids, Starbucks coffee shop…and I can’t say enough nice things about the staff there – everyone who worked there was really so friendly and helpful. I enjoyed the AAFES shop on property, where you could buy Disney souvenirs as well as necessities tax-free and at reasonable prices. There were a variety of food choices at the resort – quick-service cafe on your way to the bus stop so you could take your breakfast/lunch with you, great buffet for breakfast and dinner – at the buffet dinner at the Garden Gallery kids get to dress up like chefs and make their own pizzas, homemade ice cream shop (our favorite), sit-down nice restaurant (Mangino’s), and that’s just where we went – I know there were more food choices. The buses run every 20 minutes starting 30 minutes before each park opens, and transportation is free to all the parks. We used the buses and were happy with them. They drop off/pick up slightly farther away than some other bus stops because they are considered a “charter bus” but if you read the signs you will have no problem finding where they pick up. However, upon the recommendation of the front desk, what we did (and preferred) was take the “shady shuttle” which are 8-person golf carts driven by the bellmen. All you have to do is find one of them and they will take you anywhere on SOG property. We had them take us to the edge of the property, where they dropped us off at the crosswalk where you can cross directly over to the parking lot of the Polynesian and get on the monorail to MK or Epcot. It was great and only took us a couple of minutes to get from the front desk of SOG to the monorail at the Polynesian. We absolutely got the feel of staying at a Magic Kingdom Deluxe Resort without the high price. A lovely place that we highly recommend to anyone who gets the chance to stay there. We are really looking forward to our next stay at Shades of Green!
My family stays at Sog every 2 years. My Dad is retired and he and my Mom each get 3 rooms plus and Uncle (retired also) and Aunt rent 6 rooms. We fill them with Aunts cousins and children and stay for the week. You also get better deals on passes (125 for 5 day pass and park hopper for an adult 2 yrs ago). The rooms are beautiful, 3 pools, a playground, a commissary which sells souvenirs cheaper than in the park, motorized boats, huge Koi ponds, and alligators in the water next to the golf course! There is an ice cream parlour, and transportation picks youup at the hotel or you can walk to the Polynesian. We usually do a character breakfast and a character dinner to celebrate a birthday. The SOG is wonderful!! We would never stay anywhere else.
■Why did you choose this resort?
For Thanksgiving 2009, my parents, husband and I took my daughter to Disney World. For Thanksgiving dinner, we decided to check out SOG and had dinner at Mangino’s. From the minute we walked in the door, we were impressed with the decor and all of the amenities. We decided we had to try to stay there, and were able to make reservations to stay there in August 2010. It ended up being a good time of year to do it because their end of summer deal was on, and we got the room for $100 a night, plus $20 a night for my mom, who came back with us. Our reservation also included 3 mornings of the breakfast buffet, free.
■What were the resort rooms like? Were they big enough for your family? Did you find them to be acceptable?
The room was awesome! As described above, the room was huge with 2 queen sized beds, a pull out couch, a table with 2 chairs, a balcony with 2 chairs and a small table, a dresser, a fridge (which costs extra in Disney hotels), and a flat screen TV. The bathroom also had the long counter with two sinks, and the shower and toilet in a seperate room off of that one. We also got a crib for our daughter, and it was a real crib, and quite sturdy. She loved it. The room was very clean, and the housekeeping staff were very friendly. Our room also overlooked their pond area, where my daughter liked to go feed the fish and there are military themed boats that you can drive for a dollar. The landscaping is just beautiful
■What were the amenities of the resort like? What was your favorite one?
Where to start? There are 2 pools, an onsite photographer, a small PX, a business center, a small gift shop, an onsite ticket office, an ice cream parlor, a coffee bar, a spa, you’re in the middle of the Magnolia, Palm, and Oak Trail golf courses, and there are convention rooms there as well. The lobby is beautiful and the chairs are so comfortable. It’s a perfect place to just sit and relax. I think our favorite part was the PX. We got umbrellas there that are way cheaper than in the park, and a little bigger, and they came in handy in a summer rain shower. And everything is tax free. My husband decided on our 3rd day that he wanted to try some golf and used one of the visits on his ticket to play 9 holes at Oak Trail. We bought him a golf shirt at Downtown Disney, and he rented clubs at the course. They also gave him a divot tool for free that he got to keep. He was able to go on that 3rd day and get a 0730 tee time for the next morning.
■What was the food court like? Any favorite foods?
There is no food court, but Mangino’s is a table service restaurant that serves some great food. The breakfast buffet includes a special buffet for the kids, and an omelet station. Once a week, they also have steak night at the buffet. It’s a little pricey, but the food was great. We also tried Evergreens, which is mostly counter service type food, and the portions were quite large for not a lot of money. we also tried room service for breakfast and liked it so much, that we used it again when our free buffets ran out. The prices were very reasonable, and it was nice to be able to sit in the room and relax over breakfast before we got started for the day. You can order ahead of time by filling out an order form and hanging it on your doorknob when you go to bed at night, and it will arrive in your room at the time you ask for.
■How were the resort buses? What was your walk to the bus stop like? How were the resorts bus stops at the parks? How far was the walk to the gates? How crowded were the buses at any given time?
The bus schedule can be a little frustrating. The buses to Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom leave every hour on the hour, and they leave from the parks every hour on the half hour. There is also a bus to the Transportation and Ticket Center that leaves every 20 minutes for Magic Kingdom and Epcot. If I remember correctly, the AK bus also stops at Blizzard Beach, and there’s a bus for Downtown Disney and Typhoon Lagoon. The bus schedule is posted at the bus stop. The frustrating part is when you miss the bus and have to wait another hour for another one. Or hop the T&TC bus and catch a Disney bus from there, but only for AK or HS. Water parks, you just have to wait because there are no buses from T&TC for those. The nice part is that the buses load in front of the building, but on the lower level, hidden from the view of the front of the building, by a rock wall/water fall. In order to get there, you go out the front doors in the lobby, go down the stairs that are a part of a cool water feature with trees and such, and go through a small cafe. If you’re early and didn’t get breakfast, or want to grab a snack to bring into the park, that small cafe is affordable, and has breakfast food, cereal, and even packaged sandwiches that you can take with you.
■Would you stay at this resort again? If not, please provide a reason.
I would definitely stay here again. In fact, we’re planning a family reunion for March 2012, and once we get a firm number on who’s going, we’ll be making our reservations here. We’re planning to try out the spa as well. I can’t say enough good things about it, and if you have a friend or family member who is in the military, I would definitely recommend giving it a try.
The Shades of Green is a wonderful resort. My family has stayed there 3 times, most recently summer 2010. My father-in-law is retired military and takes his two son’s (and families) every 3 years. The rooms are large and the resort is very nice. They have a couple restaurants to pick from, we usually do the buffet. The pools are nice and the lobby area is beautiful. A big plus is there shuttle service to the parks. Talk about being prompt! Must be from being a “military” resort :) We can’t go back soon enough. I think every military family should take advantage of this “perk”!
We stayed here in June of 2006. My dad is retired military and this was a family trip for my new husband and I (first anniversary while we were there), my parents, and my sister her husband and their 2 boys ages 1 and 6 at the time. We choose the resort based on my dads discount. We had 3 rooms and they were fine for us. Everything else in the review is completely in agreement with our experiences. We have already booked our reservation for Oct. 2011. Cant wait.