[Quidam]

Just returned and I thought that I'd pass along some info.

Cast: Myself & DW (40 something dinks)

Up at 5:30. In the airport (BDL) at 6:45. Both flights went smoothly and we landed at MCO at 12:45. Our Tiffany driver was waiting for us and went to fetch the car while we looked for luggage. It arrived quickly and off to WDW we went. We arrived at the Beach Club just after 1:30. The town car is the only way to go, even for just the two of us.

Even though we checked in at 1:45, our room wasn't ready. We figured that a loop around the Boardwalk with a brief refreshment stop would kill just about the right amount of time. They gave us a card with a number to call to check on our room, but didn't explain where to find a 'house phone' outside the building.

Being home brewers, there was only one choice for our stop, the Big River Brewpub. We enjoyed a fresh beer and shared a quesadilla. There was a surprise when we went to pay. They don't accept the Disney Rewards card. This was to be the first a few learning experiences regarding the card.

Our room was ready, so we headed on up. It was a long walk to a far corner of the hotel. The room was large (23 x 15 +bathroom +big hall+Closet, but calling it a 'Lagoon View' was a stretch. That is stretch your neck and look through the trees to see the lagoon. We were content with the room so we quickly unpacked and headed out.

We had a PS at Boma for 6:30 so we took the bus to the AK for a quick visit before dinner. We arrived just as the parade started, worked our way back to KS, and rode without any wait. An average amount of animal sightings. They have to change the whole poacher story line. I hadn't heard it for 3 years and it still grated on me. We were herded out of the park at 5:00 and took the bus to AKL.

This was our first visit to AKL and the lobby is something to behold. We walked around, talked to a CM at the outside viewing area, and generally soaked in the ambience. By 6:15 we were ready to soak in some food, so we went to Boma and were seated immediately.

The place is big and loud. If I had counted the number of sliverware pieces that hit the floor I would have needed more than my fingers and toes. I know...it's early...lots of families... The food was most enjoyable to our adventuresome palates. Most everything was very tasty and we did a good job of pacing ourselves. We even had room for a second round of soup between our entrees and dessert. The bill came to $65. It was here that we were told that tips can't be put on the Rewards card (surprise #2).

We bussed back to EPCOT and walked the long way around to the IG. ILLU hadn't started, but we decided to catch it another night. We had an early wake up tomorrow, so we turned in. We're here and have 3 1/2 days to play!

[noahsark45331]

Sounds like a great beginning to your trip. I love the AKL! There is just something about it.

[sandanv1]

Sounds like you are off to a great start. We also love Boma. It is a dining experience.

Can't wait to hear more.

[LRTJS]

It was just my DH and I on our last trip and we too enjoyed exploring the AKL. I agree it is something to behold. Will be waiting to read the rest of your report!

[mickaholic4077]

Very good trip report so far. Do you mean the Disney Visa card when you say Disney Rewards?

[mattomouseman]

Originally posted by mickaholic4077
Very good trip report so far. Do you mean the Disney Visa card when you say Disney Rewards?

The rewards card is the card you get from Disney Visa when you cash in your points!

[DisneyTeacher]

Sounds like the start of a great trip! Keep it coming.

[Quidam]

mattomouseman is correct. I was referring to the card that you 'fill up' with the rewards points earned with the Disney Visa. It seems that the Rewards cards are not yet common in The World. At times I needed to sign receipts, other times no. Some cashiers looked at the card like it was the first time they had seen one........... One good point is that most receipts indicated the remaining balance on the card.

I will gather my notes and continue the saga as time permits. Thanks for the encouragement.

[BuzzLightyear]

Thanks for the info on the Rewards Card. I'll be using mine in May....
Any other suprises???
Thanks!!

[Quidam]

Addendum to Day 1:
While at EPCOT, we took our maiden voyage on Mission Space. (Walked right on.) The warning made me apprehensive, and the ride was a bit disorienting, but it had no lasting effects in the queasyness department.

Day 2

We were up at 6:30 for my race car driving event. See the report at 'Other WDW Areas \ Richard Petty.....'

We were shuttled back to the TTC and rode the ferry over to MK. I don't think that I've taken the ferry in 15+ years. Chip 'n' Dale were along to entertain the riders. We had our picture taken on Main St., but were not happy with the results later in the day.

Since we were up early, we snacked at the bakery for some energy before hitting the rides. All were 0-10 min waits.
COP - a nice ride down memory lane
SpaceM - Still fun but starting to ratlle this 45 yo brain
Philharmagic - Good content, but I prefer the effects at Muppet 3D
HM, ThM, PoC, SplM - All classics that can't be missed.

We lunched at Columbia House and were pleasantly surprised at the food quality. We found a relatively quiet corner and enjoyed our meal. The parade was nearly starting, so we headed for the front gate. We monorailed to EPCOT. I consider this a ride in itself.

We again had our picture taken and this turned out to be a keeper. We were too tired for rides, but peppy enough the stop at the Rose & Crown. Only at WDW would I pay $15 for two beers.

After a brief nap, we were back at EPCOT and rode.
JiI - Pleasant
Land - Also always pleasant
SE - More pleasantness
TT - Better than I remembered. Different at night.

Our dinner was at the Tangerine Cafe at Morrocco. Another enjoyabe meal and reasonable priced. We sipped coffee while watching Illuminations and strolled back to the IG, around BW and back to the BC. Legs are sore, feet are hot & tired.

[Hailey]

More, More I love your report:) :) :D

[Quidam]

Day 3

We 'slept in' until Mickey woke at 7:30. Out the door at 8:05 (we are fast!) and off to the BW bakery for breakfast. It was chilly (50°) but better than what we left at home (0°). Temperatures like this make it easy to tell the Floridians (parkas, hats, gloves) from the Northerners (shorts, T-shirts).

During our last visit, the walkway from the BW to MGM was not yet open. It provided a nice 15 minute walk and was possibly faster than the boat option. Although at the end of a long day a lazy boat ride is welcomed.

The park was not quite open. They seemed to be waiting for the official time. Then we heard the fanfare, saw the characters waving from the Sorcerer's hat, and off we went towards ToT. The crown split evenly betweem RnRRR and ToT so we walked right on for our first thrill ride of the day. I was surprised to see the old lap bar replaced by seat belts. Despite the tighter restraints, I missed having something to grip, so I used my wife's leg as a substitute. The drops have been reprogrammed since my last ride 3 years ago. There were more of them, but they seemed shorter.

Our next stop was RnRRR (another walk on). What a way to get the adrenaline going at the start of the day. We calmed ourselves with the next few rides.
GMR - Still entertaining, especially Munchkin land
Mermaid - Ariel seemed a size or two larger than I remember
HM set tour - Interesting, but not a 'must see'
One Man's Dream - A very interesting retrospective. Some scenes from the Wonderful World of Color brought back some old memories.
Balloon Man - He made a fantastic Mickey head from balloons a was quite entertaining while doing so.
Photo ops with Pluto & Rafiki - We take care not to push kids out of the way while trying to get our turn.
Muppet 3D - Still my favorite 3D movie, but I'm a big Muppet fan

By 1:30, we were through with MGM and took that slow boat to EPCOT with all stops in between. We caught an acrobatic show at France (funny) and stopped for lunch at the counter service place in Japan (very good). We watched the drummers for a while, then made our way to Norway. Maelstrom is an OK ride, but are Fast Passes ever really required? I splurged for $7.25 on a Ringnes beer. Those Norwegian women are attractive and persuasive.

We continued CCW around WS and caught a street show at UK. It was very amusing due the selection of some hammy, extroverted, inebriated? guests as participants. The actors had a difficult time keeping the skit on track and not bursting into laughter. There was also a game of bar tray tennis going on.

Ahhhh.........naps are a wonderful invention. We primped for the evening and made a quick call home to check on our dog and his sitter (mom). Got a first hand report of the below zero conditions.

Another perfect bus connection and we were whisked off to DTD. We did some minor shopping on our way to the West End. DTD is crowded. No wonder the parks are quiet, everyone is shopping! We chose the HoB for dinner and there was a 30-40 minute wait. Since we were waiting at the bar, and previewing a menu, we decided to eat there. It was cramped and busy, but fun and entertaining at the same time. The beer selection was less extensive that I expected, but the gumbo, pizza, and grilled shrimp were very tasty.

We arrived at the Adventurers' Club at 9:00 but it wasn't opening until 9:15. The band on stage was pretty poor. Cliche covers and more prancing and posing than playing.

We entered the AC and were immediately drawn into the action. Due my choice of attire, I was dubbed Two-Shirt-Man and the name stuck until we the end of the night. We relearned the salute (Kongaloosh), the pledge, and song. along with a large group of new 'members'. The place was buzzing by the time we left at 10:30. Bus to the BC and in the sack by 11:30.

[rlander]

Originally posted by Quidam
Those Norwegian women are attractive and persuasive.

YES they are!!!:angel

[Quidam]

I haven't disappeared!

Day 4

Late in the day on Day 3, we decided that we'd try to sign-up for the Backstage Safari at AK. It's was something we talked about in the planning stages of our trip, but never made the reservation. Well, we decided that we would regret not trying the tour more than we would regret not enjoying it, so we stopped at guest relations to grab a spot. I was suprised that they could not make the reservation directly, but instead made a call, explained the situation, and handed the phone to me. It sounds awkward, but the process was smooth. If you use the Disney card, a 15% discount applies and the cost is $55 pp.

Anyway, we were up at 7:00 and at the AK at 8:15. The experience started with a homerous moment. We went through the turnstiles and asked where the tour started. Outside the turnstiles! We turned around, had our hand stamped, and exited after our shortest visit ever to any theme park. We found our group, met our guide, and re-entered the park. That't park hopping!

Our guide was Paul, a retired biology teacher, originally from Michigan. Our group numbered 11. After chatting about where everyone was from, and the weather, we were given a synopsis of what to expect and off we went. The tour is usually all walking, but due to the chilly (for FL) weather, and one participant who required some assistance, we loaded into a van.

Our first stop was the elephant and rhino barn area. There were two elephants ehjoying their 'day off' from the savannah. We met a trainer and learned much about how the animales are trained and cared for. The system for all the animals is very regimented and emphasizes their nutrition, health, and entertainment. They are not taught 'tricks', but learn how to prep for examinations and have their feeding and play routines varied for what is called 'enrichment'. We ended our stop here by petting a white rhino. (Tough, dry skin with prickly hair.)

Back into\outta the van and we visited the vet clinic. Very state-of-the-art and well organized. If you've been to Conservation Station and looked into the clinic, we were the people looking back at you from the room on the other side. We also saw where all of the animal's food is prepared. It looks very much like a restaurant kitchen. All food is purchased expressly for the animals (no scraps of leftovers from the parks) and is carefully measured, packaged and labeled for routing the next day. The food ranges from kibble to fruit to birdseed to rabbits. (No live food is served to any animal.)

During a snack and bathroom break, we were visited by a Harris hawk and his handler. She reinforces the focus of the AK on conservation and animal husbandry. All animals are registerd with a zoological society and breeding is carefully regulated to prevent genetic defects from propogating (that's what the said in Jurassic Park!). We were each given an AK field guide that described the park's aminals, and a tote bag.

The last part of the 3+ hour tour was a customized ride on Kilimonjaro Safari. The 11 of us had a vehicle to ourselves and there was no 'soundtrack' about poachers etc. What a pleasure. Paul pointed out and explained sights and features that go unnoticed during a regilar ride, such as how natural barriers are used and how animals are coaxed to remain 'on stage'.

After the ride, there was a short debriefing session where we were asked to fill out a survey and had the chance to ask any remaining questions. As a parting gift, we received a pin exclusive to tour participants. I highly recommend the tour. Our guide was wonderful and the insight into the park operation is facinating. The only consequence is that you lose a half day. If you have the time to spare, do it.

We rode Dinosaur and Primieval Whirl, walked the Maharaja Trek, and visited Conservation Station. Somewhere inbetween we split a BBQ pork sandwhich at Flame Tree. Tasty food and a nice quiet table by the fountain/pool. We needed to dodge the parade to exit the park at 4:00 pm.

Some R&R was in order as we were tired. We napped, shook off the groggies, and primped for dinner. Our PS for the evening was at the Flying Fish and strolled over there. We had requested seats at the counter in front of the kitchen and waited 20 minutes for them to be available. Street performers on the BW helped us pass the time. By the time our beeper beeped, we were ready to eat.

Our server was Jodi (ex of NY). The opening topic of all conversations these days was the sub zero weather in the NE. The meal was well paced and the service friendly and attentive. We shared a bottle of Riesling and started off with steamed mussles (very good... bread dipping good). I ordered the monk fish special and the DW had the potato encusted grouper. Both were plainly prepared but very good, just not memorable. On the other hand, the Chocolate\Vanilla Napoleon dessert was excellent. When the bill arrived, I had a twinge of pain paying $150 for a meal in such a loud environment where children are screaming and moving about. But, being at the counter of the display kitchen is entertaining and the chefs are always friendly and informative.

[Quidam]

Day 5 - Going Home Day

After another pleasant night's sleep at the BC, we 'slept in' until 7:45! Once awake and clean, we jammed all our possessions, old and new, into our too-small luggage. We are 'beach vacation' people and are not used to allowing room for long pants, sweatshirts and such. We have a few hours to make another EPCOT visit.

The IG turnstiles did not open until 9:00 sharp. No fanfare or greeters at this entrance. Walking towards FW at park opening allows some unique photo opportunities in WS. Everything is clean and there are no people!. I took some nice shots in UK. We made our way over to TT and rode again after only a 10 minute wait. Our next stop was the Fountain Cafe for our usual breakfast of juice-cake-coffee.

After a leisurely b-fast, we saw HISTA, something that we have not done for a while. The pre-show was different, and not as good as I remember. The actual show was better than my recollection. We walked to the front gate area to use the 'Leave a Legacy' feature from our package. It's OK for free, but I wouldn't pay $25. Something to look for during our next visit.

We leisurely strolled around WC poking our heads in here and there. At the end of the circuit, we bought a souvinier for my mother (the dog sitter) and that signalled the end of our theme park activity. We returned to the room and were thankful that we were granted late check-out (1:00 pm). Bag stuffing was completed and we dropped them at the bell station while we killed 1 1/2 more hours. The BC greeted must have tired of us popping in and out at 2 minute intervals.

One loop around the BW and a short lounge at the pool (yes, there were people in it) got us to 2:00. Our Tiffany driver awaited us and we piled in for the ride to MCO. We nearly fell asleep in the comfy-ness. The self check-in was a bit smoother on this end, but the system still needs work. Security was a breeze. Our flight was somewhat delayed so our exposure to bratty kids and strung-out parents was extended. Both flights proceeded as planned and we were back at BDL. It wasn't as cold as when we left, but the multiple layers of clothing we were wearing (partly because our luggage was full) kept us toasty.

The vacation was lots of fun, but tiring. I don't see how families survive. I'm sure that being 3 years older than our last visit contributed to the fatigue. I also felt rushed during our stay. I think that having two planned 1/2 day events (race car and AK tour) was the cause. We still want to do all of our favorite theme park activities, but effectively have one less 'unscheduled' day. Our down time was reduced to where even naps seemed rushed. In the future a five night stay may be required to allow for a better pace. Two non theme park afternoons would make for a more relaxed schedule.

As always, we enjoyed ourselves immensely. And the reasons for our enjoyment were the same as on all of our vacations. We did what we wanted, when & how we wanted, with our favorite travel buddies, each other.