3 Families doin' a Surf & Turf Trip! AKL CL & Dream...Good-Byes

[chattadisser]

Heather,

Great update. I love the early monring pictures. I love the early morning and having just a little while to myself. I never seemed to see anyone on their balconies at AKL and I always thought it was odd myself. Isn't that the reson for staying there?

Interesting update on BB...who knew they had rope drope?? Makes sense but I guess I never gave it a thought. Sadly, we may never make it to a water park. I don't quite have the dare devil children (well except the 3 year old). Mine won't even go down the slides at the resort! I can't wait to hear about BB and the cruise as I would have no idea where to start to plan a trip to either one!

As far as those interested in AG dolls, I say give it time and yoru girl will get into it. And when they get into it, they get REALLY into it! I was never a doll girl so to have two that are both obessed with their dolls and baby dolls is kinda interesting. If you do go to an AG store, you will both be worked up into such a frenzy about all the accessories for the dolls. I think they must pump something into the air. I have found you can get some of the outfits cheaper off eBay and my daughter puts some of her Build a Bear outfits on her dolls. The clothes are a little big but then she pretends that its Say Yes to the Dress and puts chip clips in the back to make them fit!

I have to say trying to NOT plan things to do for this suprise trip is becoming the hardest thing to do! I think my husband may be the worst! He keeps wanting to add ADR's in the parks before the park opens just to be one of the first in. Who can blame him? But then I have to remind him that its supposed to be a relaxing, non-planned trip. Can a disser do that?

Christine

 

[mickeyfan71]

Love the sunrise pics-you are getting me so excited about staying there!

 

[hstrickland]

How was the wifi at AKL? I found it adequate at POFQ, but it would fall off after about an hour or so. Sometimes I could get back on, other times I gave up.

Yes, curious about the wifi too. It was good at WL last Jan.

Once I got on, it was fine. There was once when it wouldn't connect, but other than that we had no problems at all....it stayed connected. It's about time Disney finally did this!

I'll be spending a couple days at BB! Love floating around the water parks.

No, Summit Plummet isn't for me either My more adventurous daughter who was a teen at the time did it.

Loved the family raft ride at BB, and the tube slides. I can float along the lazy river all day, and the pool.

Would yall believe my kids wanted to float on the lazy river over and over and over again?! I honestly thought that it would be boring to them, but for some reason they loved it. I think mom, dad, and I were secretly happy...it gave us a chance to relax. There is a TON of walking and climbing stairs involved at BB!

I can't wait to find out if Stephen braved Summit Plummet! We've never done the water parks at Disney, but they really look like fun. Maybe when DD is older we'll take the time.

Stephen has been wanting to try a waterpark for a couple of years, but we held off because of the 2 little ones. Now that they are older, it was time to give it a shot. Lots of people brought really small children, though....like barely walking. I guess they were having fun, but it just appeared to be more work than play for the parents. They do have that play area for little ones, but it was WAY crowded!!! When she is older, you definitely have to go!





Christine....you only have 2 weeks!!!!! (as if you weren't aware, right?) Guess your ticker surprised me. I didn't know your trip was that close!!

Heather,

Great update. I love the early monring pictures. I love the early morning and having just a little while to myself. I never seemed to see anyone on their balconies at AKL and I always thought it was odd myself. Isn't that the reson for staying there?

One would think! However, the more I visit Disney, the more I realize that I'm in the minority for the early morning scenery I better shut up about the wonderful mornings...it might not be so wonderful if everyone was doing the same thing as me That's actually why it is so nice....no people!!!

Interesting update on BB...who knew they had rope drope?? Makes sense but I guess I never gave it a thought. Sadly, we may never make it to a water park. I don't quite have the dare devil children (well except the 3 year old). Mine won't even go down the slides at the resort! I can't wait to hear about BB and the cruise as I would have no idea where to start to plan a trip to either one!

I'm telling ya....because I'm such a planner, I felt completely clueless when it came to BB and the cruise. Just like the rope drop thing...had no idea! But, when you think about it, makes sense....it is Disney and it is a park. And give your girls a few years...I bet they will change their minds.

As far as those interested in AG dolls, I say give it time and yoru girl will get into it. And when they get into it, they get REALLY into it! I was never a doll girl so to have two that are both obessed with their dolls and baby dolls is kinda interesting. If you do go to an AG store, you will both be worked up into such a frenzy about all the accessories for the dolls. I think they must pump something into the air. I have found you can get some of the outfits cheaper off eBay and my daughter puts some of her Build a Bear outfits on her dolls. The clothes are a little big but then she pretends that its Say Yes to the Dress and puts chip clips in the back to make them fit!

You are sooooo right!!!!! Faith has gone bonkers with her doll. I wasn't a baby doll person, either. Stephanie and I had Barbies and loved them, but that was it for me.

I have to say trying to NOT plan things to do for this suprise trip is becoming the hardest thing to do! I think my husband may be the worst! He keeps wanting to add ADR's in the parks before the park opens just to be one of the first in. Who can blame him? But then I have to remind him that its supposed to be a relaxing, non-planned trip. Can a disser do that?

Christine

No planning, huh?!!! RIGHT!!! I'm with your husband....get that early morning ADR and get in there. Less people, less heat, no lines....just sayin' What park are you going to? Your kids are going to be super excited!!! How exactly are you keeping this from them??

 

[pas130]

Kind of bittersweet when you realize your baby is no longer a baby. Save the AG doll....you can give it to your granddaughter

So true, but just the thought of Kooks DD13 being a mom one day....heather start driving to Va. I'll meet you there so we can give Kook a big

Can you believe that?! What was I thinking???

That is it? After all Stephen's talk about Summit Plummet and you are going to make me wait to see a picture of his going down it?

And the water park wedgies are free with admission...sorry, I watch way to much Stacy at WDW.....I am a chicken with waterslides...can't wait for the pic...and was he picked at rope drop to be first

 

[Pinkocto]

Beautiful morning pictures! I'm one of those that will probably never see that. On vacation I sleep in, no exceptions! I have to be to work at 5:30 in the morning so when I'm off an early morning is 8 But, I might have to set the alarm for sunrise and go back to bed, that really looks stunning

Love seeing BB. Have only been to Typhoon Lagoon, and that was years ago. I keep thinking I should incorporate a water park into the trip but it just doesn't happen.

I think he took the plunge, but did he like it? Can't wait to find out

 

[DisneyDoc5]

great pics - love the sunrise, it's always worth getting up in the morning to enjoy the peace of it all! Looking forward to see if you ate the donuts and bucket of ice cream at BB!

 

[hstrickland]

And the water park wedgies are free with admission...sorry, I watch way to much Stacy at WDW.....I am a chicken with waterslides...can't wait for the pic...and was he picked at rope drop to be first

You're soooo right! The observation deck of Summit Plummet is a great place to people watch

Beautiful morning pictures! I'm one of those that will probably never see that. On vacation I sleep in, no exceptions! I have to be to work at 5:30 in the morning so when I'm off an early morning is 8 But, I might have to set the alarm for sunrise and go back to bed, that really looks stunning

Love seeing BB. Have only been to Typhoon Lagoon, and that was years ago. I keep thinking I should incorporate a water park into the trip but it just doesn't happen.

I think he took the plunge, but did he like it? Can't wait to find out

Like I said....I think I'm in the minority Most people relax on vacation...isn't that the purpose? Sometimes I wish I could sleep past 7! Just doesn't happen anymore

I'm wanting to try TL now to see which waterpark we like better. We had a really hard time deciding which one to choose. We went with BB since it was so close to AKL.

great pics - love the sunrise, it's always worth getting up in the morning to enjoy the peace of it all! Looking forward to see if you ate the donuts and bucket of ice cream at BB!

I could definitely eat a dozen of those donuts right about now....or maybe two dozen with all 3 dipping sauces!!

 

[hstrickland]

Day 3
Blizzard Beach Part 2​

Just to get you acquainted with the layout of the park….

I believe we left off with Summit Plummet…. This is a 120-foot high waterslide for big kids, teens and adults who are at least 48 inches tall. This incredible slide has a 12-story drop and speeds riders down the mountain at 50 to 60 MPH. Stephen was having a fit to do this first. The rest of us decided to sit this one out and observe.



Stephen rode the chair lift to the top with some other brave souls.

We stood at the very bottom waiting patiently. I hate to underestimate my son, but we were all a little concerned that he would get up there by himself and take one look down and say ‘forget it!’ Then, we see him….standing at the very top….waving like a crazy person! And here he comes!!!.....

We were all cheering like he had won a medal at the Summer Olympics or something!!

I think he surprised himself!




We all hopped back on the Chairlift….this is a ski resort type transport that takes guests who are 32 inches or taller to the top of Mount Gushmore for access to the attractions at the Green Slope area of the mountain.

Be careful when getting on and getting off…it doesn’t stop! Be quick!! You can walk up to the top via steps, and it’s actually less time….just exhausting.

We decided to do Teamboat Springs …. It’s a family raft ride down a winding river. Big kids, teens and adults can all ride together in a large raft that holds 4 to 6 people.

This ride is LOTS of fun…and rather long for a waterslide attraction. Pop was flashing pictures left and right trying to capture all the excitement. At the very end when you exit, there’s a photo spot. Usually there’s a Disney Photo person there to make pictures.

Next...

Downhill Double Dipper is a waterslide race on inner tubes for big kids, teens and adults who are at least 48 inches tall. Two parallel flumes pit two racers against each other in a race to the bottom of Mount Gushmore. Faith and Jesse couldn’t do this, so MaHopie took them to do another slide nearby.

This was a GREAT slide…just not long enough. It was over way too quick!!



Next….


Runoff Rapids sends big kids, teens and adults twisting down the banks of Mount Gushmore for a refreshing plunge at the bottom. There are 3 unique waterslides to choose from. The enclosed waterslide only allows 1 person at a time….the open slide will hold 2.

Jesse and Faith really liked this one!! Pop did the enclosed tube and said it wasn’t for him…too dark. Glad I didn’t get in that one. I prefer to see where I’m headed.





Just some FYI…be prepared to climb LOTS of steps. I used to think I was in fairly good shaped until I took on the stairs of Blizzard Beach!! For those of you who conquered the steps without getting winded....






Next….


Snow Stormers are 3 slalom-style racing course waterslides designed for big kids, teens and adults that use toboggan-style mats to slide down. You have to lay on your stomach, so by the time I got down to the end, my neck needed stretching out….still fun, though.

The kids wanted to ride this several times, so Pop stayed in the pool below snapping pictures of us racing down the mountain.

We were a bit tired…and a bit hungry. It was too early for lunch, but not too early for a snack. So, we set out on a journey to find something to munch on…

A little birdy by the name of DisneyDoc5 mentioned that the donuts were to die for….so…we had to find them. Finally….we found the donut stand towards the front of the park.

And let me just say……HOLY COW!!!! We devoured not one dozen, but 2 dozen donuts in no time flat!! We probably could have gone for 3, but we might have been labeled as pigs. All the sauces were delicious, but I think my favorite was the raspberry.


Not even one crumb left!! If you visit BB, you have to order a box of these deep fried mini morsels! They are not to be missed! Thanks, Erin, for recommending this.

And would you believe that Stephen missed these!!??? He decided that he wasn’t hungry and wanted to venture off on his own….boy did he miss a treat!!



It was time to relax for a bit…no more walking!!! Time to hit Cross Country Creek! After meeting back up with Stephen, we grabbed a tube and floated down the lazy river. The kids absolutely loved it which totally surprised me. I thought for sure they would think it was completely boring….not so.

Up next….continuing on with Blizzard Beach!





​

 

[Sweetpeamd]

Great, great report Heather!!! BB sounds like so much fun! I LOVE the photo of Faith getting on the Family slide, she looks like she is having the best time. So precious!

For so long, we visited the World in January, too cold for water parks. Now we tend to go in Oct. and March so I really, really want to try Blizzard Beach. Did Jesse do okay at the park? My youngest is an okay swimmer but I feel like I would want an adult right near her at the end of the slides, does that work? How long was your stay at the park? Is it worth the money? My husband has been resistant to forking out the money (more than $300 for the day for our family) to go. We are AP holders so paying for extra tickets over and above our APs is tough.

Thanks so much for your trip report! I'm already looking forward to the next installment!

Ashley

 

[shan23877]

Yay Stephen! That's awesome that he did it!

Blizzard Beach looks like a lot of fun! And, those doughnuts sound amazing right now.

 

[hstrickland]

Great, great report Heather!!! BB sounds like so much fun! I LOVE the photo of Faith getting on the Family slide, she looks like she is having the best time. So precious!

For so long, we visited the World in January, too cold for water parks. Now we tend to go in Oct. and March so I really, really want to try Blizzard Beach. Did Jesse do okay at the park? My youngest is an okay swimmer but I feel like I would want an adult right near her at the end of the slides, does that work? How long was your stay at the park? Is it worth the money? My husband has been resistant to forking out the money (more than $300 for the day for our family) to go. We are AP holders so paying for extra tickets over and above our APs is tough.

Thanks so much for your trip report! I'm already looking forward to the next installment!

Ashley

Jesse is just an okay swimmer, too. Someone usually went down the slide first, then he went. The CMs at BB were fine with an adult waiting on their child. You can get life jackets, too, which was a huge help. We were there at rope drop and left around 2:45ish. We were able to do everything we wanted to do....and we had a blast. My kids are still talking about it. We would certainly do it again...maybe next time TL just to be able to compare the two waterparks. When all the kids are at least 48 inches tall, it will be even better.

Yay Stephen! That's awesome that he did it!

Blizzard Beach looks like a lot of fun! And, those doughnuts sound amazing right now.

Wish I knew how to make donuts....and they would definitely have to be deep fried! Perhaps I'll Google a recipe!!!

 

[Pinkocto]

Looks like so much fun!!!

Hooray for Stephen the brave!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Way to go Stephen!! That is so cool!

Love the picture of your mom and Faith on Teamboat Springs (hope I got the name right)... you can see how much fun they are having... priceless.

I have heard about the donuts...is it wrong that I could probably be talked into a trip there JUST to try them? I think with all the stair climbing and swimming you more than worked off those calories!

 

[amandaw]

Woo Hoo!!! Go Stephen!!!

That's so awesome that he went up there & did that slide....especially all by himself. You can put me on any crazy roller coaster you want. But, I don't do water slides....even the baby ones.

Sounds like y'all were having a great day at BB! I'm enjoying hearing all about it because you hardly ever hear about the water parks in TRs.

 

[ProudMommyof2]

I had gotten the doughnut tip here on the DIS as well. Let me just say - WOW! Worth the price of admission!

Good for Stephen! He Rocks!

 

[jennyjinx3]

for Stephen!! BB looks like so much fun!! We want to add it to one of our trips for sure!

 

[emma212010]

How fun!! We've never done rope drop for BB before, but having one person open it by riding Summit Plummet is such a cool idea! YAYYYYY for Stephen for doing that! I still have yet to try- I always get nervous that my bathing suit will *ahem* not stay in place. All of those slides! Wow! I am really wishing I was close to BB. It's a great place to cool off! Lots of fun!

Oh, and I've never had the donuts, but they sound absolutely amazing!

 

[hstrickland]

Looks like so much fun!!!

Hooray for Stephen the brave!

for Stephen!! BB looks like so much fun!! We want to add it to one of our trips for sure!

Stephen was a real trooper! He's normally not our daredevil...that would be Jesse's field of expertise. It was so worth seeing Stephen finish!!! He did admit after it was all said and done that it was scary.

Way to go Stephen!! That is so cool!

Love the picture of your mom and Faith on Teamboat Springs (hope I got the name right)... you can see how much fun they are having... priceless.

I have heard about the donuts...is it wrong that I could probably be talked into a trip there JUST to try them? I think with all the stair climbing and swimming you more than worked off those calories!

I'm telling ya...they really are the best. I've got to find the recipe. I've been looking but no luck. Tomorrow, I'll start my search once again

Woo Hoo!!! Go Stephen!!!

That's so awesome that he went up there & did that slide....especially all by himself. You can put me on any crazy roller coaster you want. But, I don't do water slides....even the baby ones.

Sounds like y'all were having a great day at BB! I'm enjoying hearing all about it because you hardly ever hear about the water parks in TRs.

Since you don't do water slides, I'm guessing a trip to BB or TL is out of the question Does Reid like the water?? If so, you might have to bite the bullet and go!

I had gotten the doughnut tip here on the DIS as well. Let me just say - WOW! Worth the price of admission!

Good for Stephen! He Rocks!

By the way, Stephen just read your comment and loved it!! He said, "that lady thinks I rock?!" It made his night!

 

[amandaw]

Since you don't do water slides, I'm guessing a trip to BB or TL is out of the question Does Reid like the water?? If so, you might have to bite the bullet and go!

He loves the water! I know it's only a matter of time before I have to bite the bullet & go to the water parks.

 

[debrapagliasotti]

Yea Stephen for doing Summit Plummit!

I havent been to BB in a while, but I went on Summit Plummet and was scared to death!! Now, after seeing those pics I want to go back on it again!

BB is just so much fun and such a creative idea those Disney Imagineers had

Those donuts sound yummy! Must...find...next...time!