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We stayed at the Grosvenor last fall, as a weekend-getaway treat for ourselves. We had checked out their brochures & website, and as they are a disney-property resort, we expected a certain...
We stayed at the Grosvenor last fall, as a weekend-getaway treat for ourselves. We had checked out their brochures & website, and as they are a disney-property resort, we expected a certain standard to be met here. Their website showed many photos & we were truly excited about our stay - it appeared as if this was going to be such a wonderful resort to stay at!!
We were highly disappointed by this so-called "resort hotel" in all ways. We have had more pleasant stays at 'budget hotels' than we did here.
Service was very poor, we required some assistance with our belongings when we arrived - we had to wait over 25 minutes before a bellperson could be found to help us. Check-in took a long time.
The rooms are extremely small, and furnishings/decor seem rather worn & old, carpet was very worn & run-down. That may be fine at a budget hotel, but we do expect just a little bit more from a high-priced resort! During the middle of the night, the headboard fell off the wall and almost landed on our heads! (The headboards of the beds are somewhat like decorative things mounted to the walls at the top of the bed)
The pool area was dirty and unkempt. Towel bins were overflowing with dirty towels laying all around. There were not very many people using the pool, so the towel bins must have been left untended to for several days. The pool bar, which was clearly advertised as being open year-round on their website was closed down - it was never open while we were there. The volleyball court area was grown over with weeds and full of small bits of trash - it looked as if it hadn't been maintained for months.
Although they advertised that they had a HEATED pool and spa, the pool was NOT heated while we were there. This was in early Nov. so even here in FL, the water can be a bit nippy that time of year if it's not heated. We weren't able to be in the pool for more than 15 minutes before we were just too cold to stand it any longer. (this was early evening, around 7pm and then again during the afternoon the following day) The pool itself could have stood for a good cleaning, although it wasn't too bad - still, it had more dirt / algae build-up than should have been allowed for a place like this. The 'spa' was so tiny that no more than two people could possibly be in it at once and be comfortable - and it looked too dirty & cloudy - we didn't even want to try to get in it.
We've stayed at different Disney-owned resorts before, and at different disney-property resorts -- so we were truly shocked here.
I just took a look at their current website - they are advertising specials with prices cut in half over what they were charging last year - I guess they are desperate for customers, too many people must now know to avoid them!
So-called 'complimentary transportation' to Disney is a joke. You would do better to walk a couple blocks up the road to the marketplace and catch a Disney bus there. We spent an evening at the marketplace & were tired afterwards, so decided to catch the hotel shuttle bus back -- it took over 45minutes as the bus stopped at every OTHER resort in the area first, before finally returning to the Grosvenor. The driver did not use the tie-downs on my husbands' wheelchair -- his chair was thrown back & forth several times when the driver suddenly slammed on his brakes - not a safe situation at all.
Next time, we'd choose the local HoJo's before we'd stay at the Grosvenor again - HoJo's would be cleaner and more spacious!!
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We have been using this Animal Hospital for quite a long time now. We have several ferrets & when we got our first ferret, we checked around to find a vet who was familiar with caring for ferrets,...
We have been using this Animal Hospital for quite a long time now. We have several ferrets & when we got our first ferret, we checked around to find a vet who was familiar with caring for ferrets, as not all vets have had alot of experience with them. There are three vets at the clinic, Dr. Meadows was the vet who took care of our ferrets.
Dr. Meadows is the most knowledgable caring compassionate vet that I have ever met in my life, and as I have had numerous animals all my life, I've dealt with vets all my life. Whether it was for just a routine annual check-up & vaccination, or treating a cold, or handling an emergency injury, Dr. Meadows took such excellent care of my babies, and treated them as if they were his own pets, he was so wonderful with them.
The nurses and the front-desk staff are all very friendly & sweet also. The clinic maintains limited hours on the weekend also, which is a great convenience. Charges are very reasonable. All in all, I wouldn't trust my ferret's health & well-being to anyone else!
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We enjoyed Medieval Times when we went there, but we feel that other dinner-show attractions are much better. In particular, Arabian Nights and Pirates Dinner Adventure. So, see those first, then...
We enjoyed Medieval Times when we went there, but we feel that other dinner-show attractions are much better. In particular, Arabian Nights and Pirates Dinner Adventure. So, see those first, then if you still have time & money to do more shows, go to Medieval Times.
Medieval Times was the first of the full-blown "dinner show attractions" to open here in central FL - and they're possibly the largest. The show is very well done, and the horses and riders are quite entertaining to watch.
Food is good, about average for this sort of venue. One 'warning' -- some people are caught by surprise by this, but you do NOT get any silverware here! (After all, we're back in medieval days, right?) We didn't find that to be a problem at all - the food is all such that you can eat it without silverware & it just adds to the overall atmosphere & gets you in the spirit of the "medieval times" -- but we did hear a few people around us expressing displeasure at the lack of silverware. Beer & wine served if you want them, otherwise regular non-alcoholic beverages.
This is NOT the best place to go for handicapped people though. My husband is strictly confined to a wheelchair. To get to the seating area for the show, we had to go to the 'second floor' in a sense. There is no elevator. The looooong inclined pathway up to the main arena entrance became quite difficult for us by the time we finally got to the top. The incline might not seem excessively steep to someone who is walking, but anyone in a wheelchair knows that going up any kind of incline for a long stretch can become very tiring. (The reverse was true coming out - trying to keep hold of the chair to keep it from catapulting down the incline wasn't particularly easy or fun...)
The seating for wheelchairs was at the very top, very rear row on one far end of the oval arena so we were as far away from the 'stage' as it was possible to be & in a somewhat awkward viewing angle also. We were told that this was the ONLY spot in the entire arena that a wheelchair could be put. It was slightly frustrating, as the show wasn't full the night we went, and there were plenty of empty seats in much better locations, but we had no choice at all as to where we wanted to sit, because of being in a wheelchair.
Other than that, we had a good time though. There was no pre-show, but there is a bar & you can get drinks before the show - I think they had snacks too.
Prices for all the dinner show attractions around here are app. the same. Somewhere around $50 a person for adults is what you'll pay at any of them.
All in all, Medieval Times is a good show & good dinner ---- but I feel that the shows at Pirates and Arabian Nights are much much better, both in terms of the 'storyline/plot' of the show and the caliber of the entertainers - spend your money there first!
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Pirates Dinner Adventure is a great time for the entire family. It is our second-favorite dinner show attraction in the entire central FL area. (Arabian Nights is our fave, but Pirates is a VERY...
Pirates Dinner Adventure is a great time for the entire family. It is our second-favorite dinner show attraction in the entire central FL area. (Arabian Nights is our fave, but Pirates is a VERY close second!)
Be sure to bring a hearty appetite, because Pirates will fill even the emptiest stomach!!! Prior to the show, there is a great appetizer buffet laid out, and all kinds of goodies to eat -- you could practically make a meal out of all the choices offered pre-show!!
There is a museum area you can visit - there is a small fee to go in here but it was fascinating stuff! There is a brief "pre-show" that they put on for the audience before you go into the main theatre - they get audience participation for parts of it & it's a blast! I won't give away the story-line, but the pre-show gives you the preface to the story which continues during the main dinner show.
Food is excellant! Between the appetizer buffet and the dinner, we are always STUFFED when we go to Pirates! Beer & wine are served with dinner, if you like - or they have regular non-alcoholic beverages.
The 'stage' for the main show is a giant pirate ship sitting in the water. Each section of the audience cheers for their own pirate. They really do alot to get the audience involved, cheering & carrying on - it's a wonderful evening & so much fun!!! The story-line of the show is great - I won't give away the details here - but it's well-written and the performers are all top-notch entertainers.
On Saturday evenings, after the dinner show, they have their "Bucaneer's Bash" - just a fun time of dancing, music & good times, if you choose to stick around for that.
Altogether, Pirates Dinner Adventure is one of the most original 'themed dinner attractions' to hit this area, and is a must-see for anyone visiting central FL.
Ticket prices are the same as any other dinner-show attraction -- depending on your point of view, it may seem a little costly - but you could easily spend more at a high-class restaurant. To me, the wonderful entertainment combined with a great meal & great pre-show entertainment and food is well worth the price!
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We were shopping for a (new-to-us) used car. We got a flashy ad flyer from Greenway, with fantastic prices advertised on their previously-owned cars, and generous trade-in allowances stated.
The...
We were shopping for a (new-to-us) used car. We got a flashy ad flyer from Greenway, with fantastic prices advertised on their previously-owned cars, and generous trade-in allowances stated.
The sales rep initially seemed pleasant & friendly enough. We clearly stated our budget to him, emphasizing the price limit we were seeking, and asking to see some of their advertised cars, as they fell within that price range.
He asked for my husband's drivers' license - can't recall the exact reason but it *sounded* plausible, so he gave it over. Then the rep wanted to see our car. He asked for the keys so he could start it up & listen to the engine - but did not immediately return the keys afterwards.
So, now we were to see some of the cars. Surprise, surprise, they didn't have ANY cars at the advertised prices any longer! (This was only about 6 hrs into a 3-day sales event?? And it didn't appear as if they were being overrun w/ customers either...) OK, so the very best thing he could offer us well over TWICE the price & clearly outside of the budget limit we had told him.
We decided to go elsewhere, thanked him for his time & asked for our keys/license so we could leave. But he flat-out refused to return our keys & my husband's drivers license! Every time my husband requested these items, the rep would say something like, "Let me go talk to my manager & see if we can't work *something* out for you on that price" He'd leave us sitting 5-10 minutes, then return with a very similar "offer" on another car, never coming down in price by any significant amount at all - just offering us a "better" car at the same ridiculous price.
This went on for just over an HOUR, my husband finally told the guy, "I don't care what kind of offer you have at this point - just GIVE ME MY KEYS & LICENSE like I asked you to do over an hour ago!!!' The guy tried to hem & haw further, then got surly & rude, and tossed the keys & license to my husband & stormed away from his desk, muttering about how we'd wasted his time!
If he had simply taken "no" for an answer the first time we asked him for our keys, and told him we weren't interested in his other offers, we would have all saved over an hour of time. Also, after checking our car, he informed us that it was "a total complete piece of junk & not worth anything for trade-in, but I'll cut you a break and give you $1000 trade-in allowance on it. Our car was just barely paid-off at that point, and had been very well cared for & maintained - it was FAR from being 'a piece of junk'.
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We love going to the different dinner shows in the central florida area. Arabian Nights is definately our favorite place.
The food is good and they give you generous portions. Not 5-star...
We love going to the different dinner shows in the central florida area. Arabian Nights is definately our favorite place.
The food is good and they give you generous portions. Not 5-star restaurant food, of course, but a good tasty meal - after all, your main attraction is the show itself!
Usually, your main entree choices are prime rib, chicken or pasta/lasagna - they do have a vegetarian option as well.
Prior to the show, you wait in the huge 'lobby' type area. There is a large bar in the center of the room where you can get alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks. They keep the entertainment going pre-show too --- we always love watching the belly-dancer!! During the height of tourist season, it may get a little crowded on a busy evening, but there is a lot of seating around the perimeter of the room.
Just before the show, the 'sultan' will appear and carry on with the crowd a few moments - then they take everyone in to the main theatre.
The show is phenomenal!!! If you like horses at all, you will LOVE this show! Your best bet - if you're going on a Fri or Sat night, go to the 2nd show of the evening! After the last show, they turn the horses loose in the arena & you get to watch them romping around & 'playing' after all their hard work entertaining you all evening!
The story-line of the show is great - I won't go into details here so I don't spoil it for you! But you've got the Sultan, the Princess (his daughter), the Prince,the wonderful Genie, and then.... of course, the evil prince!! That's the human characters, but the horses are the REAL stars of the show!!!
The overall top star is The Black Stallion!!! (from the Walter Farley books...) The world-class horsemanship displayed throughout the show takes your breath away, the stunts are amazing, the costuming is beautiful, and the horses themselves are just incredible!!!
Ticket prices are on par with other dinner shows. I don't know of a full-blown dinner show attraction in this area that isn't somewhere in the neighborhood of $45-50 a person per adult. This one is definately worth every penny!
Handicap accessibility & the way that Arabian Nights handles things for a wheelchair-bound person is great. Not everyone understands that it takes more than a ramp at the door & a bar in the bathroom. If we're paying to see a show, we don't want to be stuck in a far rearmost corner of the arena, behind obstacles that partially block our view, just because we're in a wheelchair! (And this HAS happened before at other places!)
If you can only see ONE dinner show in all of central Florida, this is the one to see!!!
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I developed a basal cell skin cancer on my back, and went to Adv. Dermatology initially for the biopsy, and then for treatment.
I saw Dr. Scott Podnos, there are other doctors at this office too....
I developed a basal cell skin cancer on my back, and went to Adv. Dermatology initially for the biopsy, and then for treatment.
I saw Dr. Scott Podnos, there are other doctors at this office too. Treatment was excellent & as pain-free as was possible. There were no complications at all following my procedure, which went smoothly and quickly.
Dr. Podnos was pleasant & answered my questions about the cancer in a professional manner, putting me at ease after the initial scare of finding out that I did indeed have skin cancer.
My one & only 'complaint' per se is that there was a snafu with billing. A payment that we made while at the office was apparently not credited properly to our account, and we were billed for those same charges again, but are getting that cleared up now. An honest mistake, I'm sure.
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We had to call the local ambulance service when my husband had a heart attack. The ambulance and paramedics arrived very quickly, and took excellent care of my husband.
I rode up front with the...
We had to call the local ambulance service when my husband had a heart attack. The ambulance and paramedics arrived very quickly, and took excellent care of my husband.
I rode up front with the driver on the way to the hospital. She was a sweet lady, and did her best to try to ease my mind and calm me down during this highly stressful occasion. I could hear the paramedics in the back of the ambulance speaking with my husband, and they too were wonderful - they really put my husband at ease & had him laughing and joking around with them by the time we got to the hospital.
Upon arrival, they were very prompt, yet so careful about getting my husband out of the ambulance (he's a paraplegic, so it is a bit more difficult with him) The ambulance driver took care of her required paperwork, but then hung around the ER for a little bit with us, just to make sure that everything was OK.
I know you don't always have much choice in the matter, and no one WANTS to call for an ambulance service, but if you HAVE to, take comfort in knowing that these folks will take great care of you & your loved ones!
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Due to my husband's heart condition, we had to find a cardiologist when we first came to Orlando. Florida Heart Group was recommended to us by a friend.
We are currently seeking another...
Due to my husband's heart condition, we had to find a cardiologist when we first came to Orlando. Florida Heart Group was recommended to us by a friend.
We are currently seeking another cardiologist because we have not been very happy with our dealings with FL Heart Group. The actual medical care that my husband has received, both at the doctor's office, and from a FL Heart Group doctor while in the hospital, was good medical treatment technically - but always exceedingly impersonal & the doctors were always in a terrible hurry. During a hospital stay following a heart attack, the cardiologist from FL Heart Group spent maybe 5 minutes at the most talking to us -- when we tried to ask a quick question about a serious procedure he was recommending, he acted as if we were wasting his time by asking questions, gave us a curt answer that didn't tell us anything, then hurried off.
It was always a major headache to get anything done through their front desk - whether it be scheduling an appointment, rescheduling, or on one occasion, we needed the doctor to sign a form for the local paratransit service for my husband - after jumping through loops with these people day after day, we finally had to go to a different doctor just to get a doctor to sign off, verifying that my husband is indeed a paraplegic needing a wheelchair.
Again, the actual medical treatment itself was good, but the interactions with the doctors was uncomfortable, and the hassles that we had with scheduling/paperwork/insurance etc were unacceptable.
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We switched primary physicians about a year ago to Dr. Young-Henley at the Rosemont Family Medical Center. Dr. Young-Henley is a wonderful doctor. Not only has she provided us with excellent...
We switched primary physicians about a year ago to Dr. Young-Henley at the Rosemont Family Medical Center. Dr. Young-Henley is a wonderful doctor. Not only has she provided us with excellent medical care and treatment, but she is one of those rare doctors that *takes her time* with you, and truly listens to your comments or questions. On our initial new-patient visit with her, she spent well over an hour just talking with us, reviewing our medical backgrounds, asking about any concerns we had, answering our questions in a professional yet thoroughly understandable manner.
On every visit, she has always taken her time, reviewed any test results thoroughly with us, answered any questions, and never once has "seemed as if she's in a hurry to get to the next patient". She is a rare doctor in today's hurry-up world.
She also does not go overboard in prescribing medications. She gives you what is needed, but unlike some doctors, doesn't drown you in a mountain of prescriptions that you don't really need.
The reception staff at the Medical Center have always been pleasant to deal with and very friendly and courteous to us.
Wait time at the clinic has been minimal and much better than most other clinics and doctors we have been to. Most of the time, our appointments have been early morning, so perhaps that plays a part - but still, we have never had to wait more than maybe 10-15 minutes maximum before being called from the waiting room, and perhaps another 5-10 minutes at the most in the exam room before the doctor came in. Many times it has been much quicker than that.
We have not had any dealings with the other physicians at Rosemont Medical Center, but we would highly recommend Dr. Young-Henley to anyone who is seeking a primary-care physician.
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