Shades of Green Opinions

The access to the monrail by walking to the Polynesian is also great. It is a walk but a pleasant one. We have seen many birds,deer, alligators etc. If we retired folks can do it so can the young ones. (note: Yes, there really are alligators. Ray said he has seen them. I can only testify to the raccoons that roam around the building and garbage cans at night.)
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Shades of Green on the Disney World Resort was very much like the description on the website. We stayed for 2 nights and were very comfortable in our decent sized room. It had 2 queen sized beds and a pull out couch, dining table and a refrigerator. Everything was clean and orderly and check in was a breeze. The bell man helped us with our luggage and was very prompt in delivering it.
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My biggest complaint is the noise. The walls are paper thin. Don't plan to sleep in or turn in early if you have neighbors and especially if the neighbors have kids. We were up pretty late with noise and then were up pretty darn early with the excited kids next door which isn't exactly what we planned.
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Also, skip the overpriced and bland buffet breakfast. It's really not worth the money or the effort. Bring cereal and milk or something of the like and just eat in your room.
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We did order take out pizza and chicken fingers from the bar and that was very reasonable and decent tasting.
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The best part of the hotel is the location. We just walked across the way to the Polynesian and took the Monorail into the parks. No fuss and no wait!
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For MK we walked to the polynesian resort and caught the tram. My youngest daughter and I even walked back after 10 PM and felt safe. As far as the food at the SOG - do not eat the buffet!! It was expensive!!!! Eat at the sports bar instead - pizza, burgers, salads etc - a lot of food and very reasonably priced.
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The restaurants are overpriced and the food is unpredictable. We had a great meal at the Italian place in 2006 and a so-so meal there during our last visit. During our first visit in 2006 our meal at the sports bar and grill was fine. The breakfast buffet is horrible and we usually optfor a quick breakfast from the little kiosk in the downstairs lobby before we headed out fo the day. They have decent croissants and fresh fruit.
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We talked to other families that had kids to see what they liked or did not like. It seemed their biggest complaint was that when they got back late at night it was a long walk back to the room with the kids.

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Opinions

It was great and on time. As you make your way to the bus there is an Express Cafe to pick up coffee, drinks and snacks. At the transportation center SOG has one of the first spots for drop off/pickup which is a great bonus! No extra walking from the parking lot.

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We used the Mickey shaped pool (outside of Evergreens)2 of the 3 days we were there. It was very warm and the kids loved it. They have complimentary towels too poolside.

Transportation was provided with shuttle buses to the Magic Kingdom via the Transportation Center every fifteen minutes, and direct service to the other parks on a less frequent basis. If you miss a direct bus, it is possible to catch a bus to the Transportation Center and take one of the Disney buses to the other parks. We spent most of our time at Magic Kingdom, so we usually walked over to the Polynesian Resort and used the monorail. As others have mentioned, you can also use the Shady Shuttle from the lobby to the end of the drive and walk a short distance to the monorail.

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Wow! What a great place to stay if you are military or DOD. We absolutely loved this place and plan to return next year. My husband and I stayed here with our 3 children ages 11, 3 and 1. There are 2 queen beds and a sleeper sofa. They will also provide a full size crib if needed. There are fridges in all rooms free of charge.
The room itself is huge. I have stayed at the Contemporary and the Polynesian and the rooms at Shades are bigger. With 5 of us in the room, we weren't even close to tripping over each other. The bathroom is also large. Instead of leaving the complimentary shampoos and soaps, they have dispensers in the shower.
We also had a beautiful view of the golf coarse. Even the balcony is large!
The setup of the hotel is a little confusing. It took us a couple of days to figure out how to get back and forth to the lobby.

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Shades of Green is across the street from the Polynesian. We walked over to the Polynesian and picked up the monorail. You can also ask for their shuttle(a glorified large golf cart) and it will take you to the end of the property. This reduces your walk time. Probably about a 5 minute walk from there. The total walk is probably 20 if you don't use the shuttle. They do have buses but we didn't use them.

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The best value and service was at Evergreens. We ate there three times and were never disappointed. The lobby and facilities were generally very nice, though not "Disney-ish". Those who have stayed in a Disney-owned property know what I mean: those special Disney touches everywhere; from mouse-ear pats of butter, to character appearances. The biggest selling point of this hotel is that it is on Disney property in an ideal location. You can take a short walk to the Polynesian and ride the the monorail to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot. We loved this feature. We also enjoyed the restaurants at the Polynesian, eating breakfast and dinner at the Kona Cafe. Fabulous!!!! The bottom line is, with Disney charging $300-400 a night for the next-door-neighbor Polynesian Resort, a rate of little over $100 a night makes the Shades of Green a bargain. Just don't expect a luxurious resort, and you'll be happy.

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Just the Basic Facts

• Address: 1950 W. Magnolia Palm Dr., Lake Buena Vista, FL, 32830.
• Resort Phone #: 407-824-3400.
• Resort Fax #: 407-824-3460.
• Reservation #: 888-593-2242.
• Date Opened: 1973 (as The Golf Resort).
• Resort Category: Moderate.

• Room Information
• # of Buildings: 1 large three-story building.
• # of Rooms: 586.
• Room Rates: MMR resort pricing operates differently than most hotels in that the price goes up as does the guest's rank. Rates start at $80 for E-1 through E-5 and go up to $109 for others. Junior suites cost $225 regardless of rank and full suites are $250.

• Services Information
• Concierge Service: No.
• Valet Parking: No.
• Internet: No.
• Laundry: There are two self-service laundry rooms on the first floor. A laundry service is also available.
• Pools and swimming: The resort has two swimming pools, one of which is in the shape of Mickey Mouse's head.
• Gym and Exercise: A full gym is provided with equipment, free weights, and aerobic space.
• Spa: No.
• Turndown service: No.

• Transportation Information
• On foot: Walking from Shades of Green to other destinations is discouraged.
• Bus: Shades of Green does not use the regular free bus service, instead operating its own. There are two routes. Bus A goes to the Ticket & Transportation Center at Magic Kingdom and Bus B goes to Animal Kingdom, the Blizzard Beach water park, and Disney's Hollywood Studios. From these points you can connect to other destinations using the Walt Disney World busses.
• Monorail: No.
• Ferries: No.

Shades of Green resort

DINING.

The Garden Gallery. Themed buffets include a great selection of international cuisine and a fresh fruit, soup and salad bar. Open daily for breakfast from 0700-1100 ($8.95 adults/$4.95 children without drink (Dec07) and dinner from 1700-2130.

Mangino’s. Italian restaurant with nightly specials, an array of traditional Tuscan dishes and a sprawling wine list. Open daily from 1730 with the last seating at 2100.

Evergreens Sports Bar & Grill. Serves traditional American Cuisine with favorites like burgers, grilled sandwiches, soups, salads and pizza. Open daily from 1100-2400 with regular menu served until 2200 and pizza only menu from 2200-2400. Carry-out service and pizza delivery are also available.

14 inch Cheese Pizza $8.95 with additional toppings $1.25 each; Foot O Rings served with three special sauces $6.50; Fried fish fillet served with French fries $7.50; 6 oz Burger served with lettuce, tomato and pickle $6.25; Side order of French fries $1.75; Soft drinks $1.95 (free refills); Domestic draft beer $3.75; Domestic pitcher beer $12; Desserts (Chocolate cake, Caramel apple pie, Key lime pie and Cheesecake $4.25) (Dec07).

Express Café. Counter service restaurant features breakfast sandwiches, pastries, snacks, fresh coffee, tea and more. Lunch items are available to go. Located next to the bus area. Open daily from 0600-1700.

Java Coffee. Java Café serves fresh Starbucks coffee and assorted pastry items. Located next to AAFES and open from 0600-1300.

America, The Ice Cream Parlour. 1950’s themed ice cream parlour. Enjoy your favorite songs playing on an authentic Wurlitzer juke box. Choose from a variety of flavors of handmade ice cream, prepared at SoG. Open daily from 1600-2200.

Room Service. Available during breakfast 0700-1100 and dinner 1600-2300.

SHOPPING.

AAFES. Sells nearly everything you will need during your vacation, from sodas, snacks, and film, to postcards, t-shirts, sunglasses and toiletries. Magazines, books and newspapers are also available in addition to beer, wine and tobacco products. AAFES is located on the lobby level across from Guest services and open daily from 0700-2100.

East Meets West. Gift Shoppe offers one of kind souvenirs from SoG and other AFRCs around the globe. A unique selection of jewelry, art, pottery, clothing and gifts are featured. Located on the lobby level next to the Attraction Tickets Office. Open from 0800-2000 on Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun and Mon and from 0800-1600 on Tues and Wed.


ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.

SoG is available to certain eligible members of the U.S. Armed Forces community, their families, and certain civilians in the Department of Defense (DoD) and elsewhere. For the exact requirements for authorized patronage at SoG, see http://shadesofgreen.org/eligibility.htm

F.A.Q.
For a list of the most commonly asked questions about SoG, see http://shadesofgreen.org/faq-home.htm

Shades of Green rooms

Shades of Green Activities & Entertainment

ACTIVITIES & ENTERTAINMENT.

MPOG (Mulit-Player Online Game) kiosks are available 24/7 and located across from AAFES. They can also be used to surf the internet, check e-mail and print boarding passes. At the Mini Marina, you have the chance to steer one of the military’s smallest fleets ever! The boats operate electronically and can be activated by purchasing tokens on the dock. One token gets you two minutes with the boat of your choice. Choose from the USS Army, USS Marine Corps, USS Navy, USS Coast Guard, USS Air Force or USS Lest We Forget! Four Wheel Monster truck fans can test their skills at the outdoor coin operated course next to Evergreen’s. Two brand new game rooms are located on the resort. There is one adjacent to Evergreens, where you can also shoot a game of pool while watching sporting events on one of the big televisions at the bar. The other arcade is located inside the hotel on the first floor of the Magnolia Wing and has an air hockey table, pool table and the latest video games.

Fitness Facilities. State of the art Fitness Center is open every day from 0700-2200. A valid room key is required for access. For safety concerns, children under 16 are not permitted in the Fitness Center.

Tennis Courts. Two hard surface, lighted Tennis Courts are located on property and open 24 hours a day.

Pools. Swim laps or relax in the bubbling hot tub at the Magnolia Pool or splash with the kids in the children’s wading pool and Millpond Pool, located next to the playground. Both pools have areas for relaxing with sun chairs, tables and umbrellas. The Millpond Pool Pavilion provides towel services. No lifeguards are on duty, but swim aids are permitted. Pools are open from 0700-midnight, Hot Tub hours are 0700-2200.

Shades of Green

SHADES OF GREEN
Post Office Box 22789
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-2789
Reservations: 888-593-2242
Fax: 407-824-3665
Hotel Direct: 407-824-3400
www.shadesofgreen.org

Shades of Green (SoG) originally opened in 1994 as the only Armed Forces Recreation Center (AFRC) in the continental United States. In response to ever-increasing demand the resort undertook a massive expansion and renovation in 2002 increasing in both size and services offered. SoG more than doubled the number of guest rooms to 586, added 10 family suites; additional dining options, meeting facilities, a fitness center and multi-leveled parking garage. Reopening in March 2004, SoG has emerged as a premier resort destination in the heart of Walt Disney World.

Extra spacious hotel rooms (480 square feet) accommodate up to five persons and amenities include coffee maker, refrigerator, in-room safe (free), hairdryer, iron and iron board, in-room movies and internet access and video games. Each room has either a patio or a private balcony with two chairs and a table.

- Two championship golf courses and a 9-hole executive course (part of WDW Resort) right outside the door
- Two lighted tennis courts (open 24 hours a day)
- Two heated swimming pools (open 0700-midnight)
- Hot tub (open 0700-2200)
- Children’s pool and play area
- Attraction ticket sales (open 0800-2100) & Guest services (open 0700-1900)
- Restaurants, lounge and sports bar
- Room Service
- Gift shops
- Video arcade
- Laundry facilities (open 0900-2300)
- Fitness Center (open 0700-2200)
- Automated teller machines
- Transportation to all WDW Resort attractions
- Early entry into select WDW attractions