Duffy has the Pixie Dust! July 2012 TR (9/5 Update)

[disneydreamingdebby]

Hello! Welcome to my July trip report. For my new readers, let me briefly introduce us!

DH (Gregg) and I (Debby) both love WDW. I am very blessed that he enjoys it as much as I do. We became DVC members in 2009, and we are finally slowing down in the parks. We didn't do rope drop every morning of this trip, and the world didn't stop. I'm a teacher and dh is a letter carrier.

Hannah and Emma are our ten-year-old twins. They can't comprehend how lucky they are to be able to travel to WDW twice a year. They are entering fifth grade .

 

[Queenofallthings]

I missed you, I missed you, I missed you...going back to read now but I'm here and I missed you

 

[annmarieda]

Yay!!! I am subin for sure!!! I can't wait to read all about it.

 

[anjalee6]

Glad you started a TR. And your girls were very well behaved when I aw them at AKL. Very pretty girls. . Can't wait to hear about your trip.

 

[RooRach0906]

Joining in, can not wait to hear about your trip.

 

[Charleston Princess]

Hi, Debby!!! I'm here for all the fun!!!

 

[Cinderella909]

I'm joining in too! Can't wait to hear all your fun!

 

[MeMom]

We became DVC members in 2009, and we are finally slowing down in the parks. We didn't do rope drop every morning of this trip, and the world didn't stop.

It is nice to slow down - to do a few things, have swim/rest/eating time, then go do a few more things.

 

[BouyeaFam]

joining in looks like a great trip

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

I missed you, I missed you, I missed you...going back to read now but I'm here and I missed you

There wasn't much to read... I miss you too! I have to catch up on your report. I haven't been on the Dis...

Yay!!! I am subin for sure!!! I can't wait to read all about it.

Hi there! I hope your DL trip was fantastic!

Glad you started a TR. And your girls were very well behaved when I aw them at AKL. Very pretty girls. . Can't wait to hear about your trip.

Thanks!

Joining in, can not wait to hear about your trip.

Hi, Debby!!! I'm here for all the fun!!!

Welcome! I need to catch up on your adventure!

I'm joining in too! Can't wait to hear all your fun!

Welcome! Glad to have you along.

It is nice to slow down - to do a few things, have swim/rest/eating time, then go do a few more things.

I don't think your family slows down... it must have been so awesome to be there with Brooklyn to pace it for just the two of you.

joining in looks like a great trip

Welcome!

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

Let's start this again. (I just accidentally clicked and lost my typing...)
Forgive the iphone shots...I didn't use the "real" camera for our morning arrival!

We had a relatively stress-free morning. My mom didn't answer her wake up call, so I was a bit nervous about time. (She asked me to call her before we left our house.) I figured if she didn't answer, I'd just let myself in to wake her. She did answer though, and when we arrived, she came out and hopped in the van.

Easy check in at the airport and uneventful trip through security. We grabbed breakfast and boarded the plane for our 6:55 takeoff.

We landed at 9:05, loaded magical express

and waited about 30 min to leave airport. I was a bit irritated by a man (clearly not a newbie to WDW) complaining on the bus. I wanted to remind him that (1) Magical Express was free and (2) he was headed to WDW in July, he needed to prepare himself for waits! (I sat quietly like a good girl though!)

We checked in easily and the CM told me our room request to be near the lobby was met! We hoped on the AK bus and 5 min later we arrived at AK at 11:26!

We grabbed fastpasses for Kali and skipped the 50 min wait for Everest. It was lunch time, and I decided ahead of time for Yak and Yeti counter service.

After lunch, we headed to Primeval whirl which oddly had only a 10 min wait. We rode it twice - my girls love this ride and giggle throughout. I think I make a lot of Ugh noises!!

Dh lost his sunglasses on the second ride. He realized it as we were walking down the long exit. I headed back and asked the CM. He found glasses in the ride vehicle (same color as ours) but they weren't dh's.

We headed to Dinosaur which turned into a 30 min wait. (It was 20 before a tour group.) After Dino, I asked girls if they wanted to do primeval whirl again... As we were walking by, I saw a cm giving other cm glasses and cell phones. I saw Gregg's glasses. I was so excited. I looked at the CM and said "They say fossil!" They thought I was crazy... Dinoland - fossil...I was so excited I didn't say - "oh good my dh lost his sunglasses 30 min ago, they are the ones that say fossil on the side." I don't know if I ever got my wits about me and said anything that made sense, but they did give me the glasses!

We went to use the 1:05 FP for Kali around 1:25 and at 1:30, we got a text that the room was ready! We were drenched!!!

We left the park and Gregg reminded me of Tables in Wonderland card. I sent them ahead. Went back into the park and bought the tiw, I arrived at the bus stop as bus pulled up.

Up next - our room

 

[Queenofallthings]

I can't even imagine how amazing that must be arriving that early in the morning! Sounds like a great first day and what luck being in the right place at the right time for Gregg's glasses

Great pics btw...

 

[Charleston Princess]

Your trip was off to a great start right off the bat! Hurray for being able to reclaim DH's glasses -- too funny about not making any sense -- I would have been the same way, I have no doubt.

 

[mgsmom]

You guys are off to a great start!! Can't wait to read more!!

And thanks for the heads-up

 

[MeMom]

Arrived and in Animal Kingdom in a short time - that's a good start. Just be glad you didn't have to spend your whole trip with the guy on the bus. He might possibly have put a little damper on your trip.

Glad you found the sunglasses.

 

[Sweetpeamd]

Subbing in!!! I always look forward to your TR's!

 

[annmarieda]

What a full morning! Home to at AK with lunch! WOW! We have such a long travel day I can't even imagine.

I am glad you got the sunglasses back. That would be totally me... stumbling over how to get out... "those..the glasses... they are ours!"

cant wait to read more

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

I can't even imagine how amazing that must be arriving that early in the morning! Sounds like a great first day and what luck being in the right place at the right time for Gregg's glasses

Great pics btw...

It was nice getting there so early to have the whole day ahead of us!

Your trip was off to a great start right off the bat! Hurray for being able to reclaim DH's glasses -- too funny about not making any sense -- I would have been the same way, I have no doubt.

Thanks! I couldn't understand why they were handing me the glasses.

You guys are off to a great start!! Can't wait to read more!!

And thanks for the heads-up

Glad your here! Can't wait to see your pictures!

Arrived and in Animal Kingdom in a short time - that's a good start. Just be glad you didn't have to spend your whole trip with the guy on the bus. He might possibly have put a little damper on your trip.

Glad you found the sunglasses.

Poor guy on the bus! I hope things got better for him!

Subbing in!!! I always look forward to your TR's!

Thanks! Welcome!

What a full morning! Home to at AK with lunch! WOW! We have such a long travel day I can't even imagine.

I am glad you got the sunglasses back. That would be totally me... stumbling over how to get out... "those..the glasses... they are ours!"

cant wait to read more

Luckily, our flight is only two hours; add in the hour or so before and hour or so after for transportation and we are looking at five hours at most- door to door.

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

Our room location was fantastic. We were in 5014 (I think)...from the lobby, we took the elevator up, turned to the right and walked to the first room! When we walked out our door, we overlooked the lobby.

See the horn looking thing under the light? Our room was right near where that is attached.

Looking off the balcony, we looked over the pool!

I didn't take any room pics... here are some from a previous visit...

The room was reversed though...the couch was near the balcony...

We went to the pool until 4, and found the water to be very warm. It was cooler the rest of the week, but on this day it was warmer than bath water.

I don't have pool shots of this day, but we did enjoy these!

After a swim, we showered and dressed for dinner.

and headed to

I didn't take the trusty camera - so the food porn is via iphone. (sorry!)

We began with the bread- YUM!!!

We chose Mango, Jalapeño pickled lime, Red chili samba. I can't pick a favorite.

Regardless of the food, the girls were thrilled by the African crown cranes - Rubin and Jamal

The view was amazing!

Gregg and I shared the Durban chix and green curry sauce shrimp. It was good, but I wouldn't order it again. I thought the chix was plain.

I'll do a cost anaylsis in the next post.

Here are some pictures of the restaurant with the Canon that I took on a different day...

Can you imagine this being where you manage your books and have your coffee?

Or maybe your nightcap here:

We took a nap. I found it noisy with some type of control room next door and had a hard time sleeping. (The rest of the trip I didn't hear noise, though...I usually have a hard time napping in WDW - too much to do to sleep!!)
I was up about 8:40, made coffee, and woke up gang at 9:15 to head out for EMH at MK!

 

[Charleston Princess]

You know I love any post with both AKL AND zebra dome pictures!!!

Sanaa looks like a lovely restaurant! Those cranes are very funny looking!

Excited to see what EMH fun you had.