We've arrived!

[LuvTony0508]

Hi all. Well, it's fabulous, fabulous, fabulous!!! A much needed, and deserved vacation for the family! From the airport to check-in everything is amazing, just as we all know it usually is! We arrived in Orlando at 9:40a.m., our room was ready immediately. We are in the arusha section room 5383, there are a few zebras lounging around outside, it's cool. The kids are swimming, and here I sit on the internet, LOL. Just wanted to keep you posted.

:love:
:banana:
:surfweb:

[Mahusky]

enjoy your trip! keep us posted.

[bgraham34]

Lucky you, have a fun trip.

[LisaS]

I'm creating a database of Jambo House rooms. Could you verify for me that your room is a dedicated studio with a closet? Thanks!

Have a great trip!

[Steamboat Girlie]

Hi all. Well, it's fabulous, fabulous, fabulous!!! A much needed, and deserved vacation for the family! From the airport to check-in everything is amazing, just as we all know it usually is! We arrived in Orlando at 9:40a.m., our room was ready immediately. We are in the arusha section room 5383, there are a few zebras lounging around outside, it's cool. The kids are swimming, and here I sit on the internet, LOL. Just wanted to keep you posted.

:love:
:banana:
:surfweb:

The big question is, did you request Aruscha section before hand?

[lovinthemouse]

Have a great trip!! I can honestly say I am jealous. :goodvibes

[snowwhitemom]

yeah for you and boo for me, LOL

Have a super fab time....I will be there in September but until then I shall live thru you!!!:goodvibes

[LuvTony0508]

Okay, yes, we have a closet. No, I did not request anything until I walked up to the CM (his name is Carlos, he's awesome). I told him that I was a DISer and that it was recommended that I request arusha or at least something nowhere near the construction. He told me not to worry, he'd take care of me. He went over, chatted with a mgr. type looking woman, came back with my room assignment. Additionally, I had to have 2 separate reservations. When I booked back when I bought DVC, they didn't have one room for my entire stay, I didn't ask, I just told them I'd take whatever they had. I was going to have to move after 5 days. One room was lock-off, other a dedicated. I mentioned it to Carlos and told him how DVC put me on a waitlist and it didn't come through. I wasn't even trying to get it changed, I was just happy to be here! I'd of slept in a closet, LOL. Again, he spent some time with that mgr. lady and came back and told me they adjusted my reservation and I would not be moving, I would have an arusha room and my room was ready upon my arrival. I arrived at 10 a.m. I am happier than a... well you know!!! I just spent some time watching the zebras outside on the savanna, as well as watching this really funky looking bird tend to it's egg. I have to tell you, aside from it being 5 hours and my luggage still isn't here, I'm having a MAGICAL VACATION. I read the post by HollyH on the board, right above mine, and I can't believe it's the same place!!! People have been friendly (a man apologized to me for not holding a door quickly enough, weird I wasn't really paying attention, LOL), our baggage just showed up this minute, YEAY. I guess I'm at a place where I've had such disappointment in my life within the last month, that I've decided I have ZERO expectations. If I don't expect stuff I can't be disappointed. I am lucky enough to have just completed my Master's program at school, have 2 healthy beautiful daughters, a loving husband, an amazing family that is with me in Disney, that I just can't go wrong! THE SECRET...what you send out to the universe, you get back. Negativity begets negativity. I have to go unpack my luggage! I'll keep you posted. Pixie dust for everyone out there! Having a really awesome day!

[LisaS]

What a great attitude! I think you are in a great location. It seems like a lot of the animals like to spend time out towards the back of the savanna so you should have some great viewing opportunities. It's a long walk from there to the pool and restaurant but I've never minded it because the animal viewing in that area is worth it. If you walk the few steps down to the end of your hallway and turn left there is an exit door (don't worry, it's not alarmed) that takes you to a fire exit. You can step outside and get a look at the back of the Sunset Savanna from there. You might see "little Kidani" the baby zebra who lives on the Sunset Savanna.

[LuvTony0508]

I'm going to check out that exit! It is a long walk to the pool, I was thinking, there has to be a faster way, there isn't, LOL. Yesterday was amazing. After I unpacked, everyone was napping, I showered and got ready for Magic Kingdom. It was magic hours. We arrived at about 8p.m., great weather (it rained for a couple of hours while everyone was sleeping and I was preparing for our evening, but it stopped right before we left). It took five minutes for a bus to MK to come, I was Just about to start timing it due to HollyH's post, and the bus came. LOL We arrived just about 15 minutes later at MK. Guest services was awesome in renewing my annual pass, activating the two free ones from DVC, and helping purchase one for my youngest. We went in, first ride BIG THUNDER RAILROAD for the kiddies! It was great. We ate at Pecos Bills, watched the Spectromagic Parade, met our family rode some rides and left about 1:15a.m. Sleep came easy!!! I just woke up about 20 minutes ago, we'll hit the pool before 10 (set up chairs, claim a table), and then veg by the pool until dinner at Teppanado (sic) around 5ish. After that... who knows, no plans, no expectations. SO FAR, SO FABULOUS!!!!

[LuvTony0508]

Okay! I checked out that exit and saw the little zebra hanging out a little in the distance, very cool! Thanks for the tip.

[tink6137130]

Glad you're having a magical time...looking forward to your updates. pixiedust:

[eporter66]

Have a great trip! I enjoy reading all the stories, just trying to picture being there

[NSL]

I am sitting here wishing I was there! So jealous, but hope you and your family have a very wonderful vacation! It sounds like the perfect way to do things. We never hang out all day and go to the parks at night. But I am thinking that is the way to do things! :thumbsup2

[LuvTony0508]

I'm telling you, what a great day! We spent some of the morning at the pool, from about ten to twelve, then they cleared the pool for storms. We went back to the room, relaxed, went to the arcade, then we went to epcot for dinner at Teppan Edo, it was friggen fantastic, then we simple went back to the room to hit the pool. I wasn't feeling so great so I went to hot tub while the kids swam until the pool closed. Now I'm eating a piece of cheesecake from the most awesome Mara, and getting ready to hit the bed. If you have the luxury of spending many days here, and have done the parks "to death" it's nice to just chill and enjoy the days/nights. It wasn't really hot today, so the water in the pool was a bit too cool for me, but my kids loved it. The hot tub was well HOT!! Warmed me to the bones. Nighty, night, LOL.

[oakmanner]

Love the relax at the resort plans. That's the way to enjoy WDW with a few Theme Park days sprinkled in! We pay so much for our DVC, you my as well take advantage of the resorts.:thumbsup2

Dennis-

[disney1474]

Sounds like your having a great time!! We will be there in May and can't wait. Send us some pictures:)

[Lauralei]

You are so lucky to have the person at check-in that you had! We requested the Arusha Savannah last Feb. and didn't get it. I still enjoyed our room and view but our person was so bad that she almost gave us a standard room in the regular hotel section!:scared1:

[SLM]

You have a terrific attitude! Glad you're having such a nice vacation-I'm enjoying your posts!

[javamom]

Good to hear that you are having a great time! Congrats on that Master's too!

[Cee]

This all sounds wonderful! DD and I are taking a "no parks" trip starting next
Sunday at SSR. Can't wait! Enjoy the rest of your trip and thanks for the
great reporting. :thumbsup2

[lagunn]

What a brilliant attitude you have!!:goodvibes
We will be staying for a week in Sept and like you have asked for nothing, we will take what we get when we get there.:thumbsup2

[Maribell]

Hi :wave2: ,
Thanks for sharing. It sounds like you are having a wonderful time! I can't wait to check out AKV this fall. I will be having dinner at Boma and I am really looking forward to it. Enjoy the rest of your trip and congrats on your Masters! :cheer2:

[SamSam]

Thanks so much for taking the time to post, it's great fun reading your positive experiences. I love AKV and find it to be the best resort for just hanging around and taking it easy. We'll be there the first of October and I'm looking forward to sitting on our balcony and relaxing.

[LuvTony0508]

Hi Everyone!
Went to Animal Kingdom yesterday in the early evening after time at the pool. The kids rode Kali River Rapids a couple of times, we did the Dinosaur ride, that is so incredible, you have to try it! It was magic hours so we sat in Asia, drank some beers (well some of them did, LOL) and then we headed toward EE. I didn't ride, either did my hubby because my 5 year old was crying in hysterics because she wasn't tall enough to ride and her older, "best friend" cousin went on (she just became tall enough). I told my DH to take her over to the measuring stick thingy to show her how close she is. She was so upset the CM gave her a baseball card looking thing that guarantees her a trip right to the front of the ride when she becomes tall enough to ride! I couldn't believe it, neither could my husband! It's so cool. I have to make sure I keep it safe in my wallet now until next year, she will be tall enough then, LOL. Hanging out with family, chillin', not doing much running around, that's the ticket. We did however head to EPCOT yesterday morning because I wanted to do Soarin'. We missed it on a previous day this visit because I wasn't feeling well (remember the hot tub story, LOL) so we got there around 10a.m., fast passed soarin and then rode spaceship earth. I've never been on this ride and wow, what I've missed, I loved it. Some of our family met us there, we went on spaceship earth again then headed to soarin. After soarin' we went back to the hotel to swim, the family stayed back to ride test track and we met later that night for Animal Kingdom. I wish everyone had as awesome a family as I've married into! They are just so friggen incredibly wonderful. It's too cool. Today I had one disappointment I need to share. We went to Typhoon Lagoon. Every year the husbands, mine and my two BIL's, get up at 7a.m., get ready and head out to secure our section on the lagoon. The women and some of the children (some go with the dads) head out later when we wake up. This year my 5 year old went on the storm slides. She was happier then a clam coming off that waterslide with her waterwings. My hubby and I walked over to get some pics of her, her older sister, and cousin coming down. They came down, but I missed the pic. They went back up to come down again, of course I was at the ready now, and it took a while. My oldest daughter comes down with my youngest daughters water wings. A woman, whom I don't know, was saying, "Oh my gosh, you should have seen how scared that poor little girl up there was...", well of course I know she's talking about my "baby" and my husband freaked. My eldest and her cousin proceed to tell us that the guard at the top told my baby that she couldn't ride with her water wings on, he made her take them off and then proceeded to tell her to go ahead, she'd be fine. My baby refused to go because she knows the rules, No water wings, no water!! My husband ran up to find out what the heck was going on, people kept coming off telling the story of the frightened kid up top, one woman was talking to me telling me the story, not knowing who I am, and offered to walk her down, of course she was frozen in fear and wouldn't go anywhere. By now my husband was up top and dealing with the issue. He reported that my baby was standing at the top of the slide crying, the guard was doing nothing except letting people pass her by to slide down the slide. He nearly punched out the guard because he was arguing with my husband that she can't slide with water wings. Needless to say, violence was avoided and my girl was safe with her daddy. We immediately went to guest services, explained to Ivan the manager what happened, he was very accomodating and he said that her water wings are just fine, he would make sure everyone would know that her water wings are fine for all rides she can ride except for humonga cawabunga, which was fine because she didn't ride that anyway. The down side, she wouldn't ride anymore because she was afraid they would not let her wear them even though we assured her they would. My girl and I left the park and received a refund from management before we left. The manager that issued the credit was astounded that the guard gave her trouble, she said they are a flotation device and are perfectly acceptable. My biggest problem with this is the fact of inconsistency. If water wings are not acceptable, she should not have been able to ride at all! Then they have a shift change and they put the kabash on her fun. Rules are rules, but be consistent!!! In this case, the guard was just a weinie because that is not a rule!!!!! Go figure. We were napping and my baby was sleeping, she said in her sleep, "How can I go in the water without my floaties!" The smallest things really impact their little minds! I'm sure she'll be fine, but she wasn't today! Anyway, the management made it right and were very supportive of our point. It all turned out okay, but I wanted to share. Now it's about 8:40 and we're chillin in our room because I rained like a beast since 4pm and we're not doing anything tonight. I'll keep you posted, gotta go!