Oh the places We Go, The People We see

[lovethattink]

I am trying to catch up after company at our house for Thanksgiving week then spending a few nights at Pop Century. I guess I'll start from most recent and work back.

I didn't realize you had never been to AKL. I love that resort! It's a shame your room wasn't ready and that you started out with your hands more than full. The resort reminds me of WL when you first walk in. Your pictures are great. Doesn't look like the pool deck was crowded at all. That was very kind of you to offer to hand out the fish extender gifts.

Did you do online check in?

[jenseib]

Originally Posted by dizneeat

Ahhhhhhh, you arrived! And how good you were to keep the secret. I bet Claire was super excited once she found out where she was really going.

I have never seen them hand out crowns, but it is a cute touch!

Glad you were able to get "rid" of your luggage and I really hope that you will get to your room soon!

Once we got there she was REALLY excited and as the day wore on she loved it even more. When she saw they had balconies she prayed we would have on in our room too. This was her favorite place and she still talks about it daily.

Originally Posted by lovethattink

I am trying to catch up after company at our house for Thanksgiving week then spending a few nights at Pop Century. I guess I'll start from most recent and work back.

I didn't realize you had never been to AKL. I love that resort! It's a shame your room wasn't ready and that you started out with your hands more than full. The resort reminds me of WL when you first walk in. Your pictures are great. Doesn't look like the pool deck was crowded at all. That was very kind of you to offer to hand out the fish extender gifts.

Did you do online check in?

Very similar to WL and I felt like I had been thre even though we never have. We really enjoyed it.
Yes, I did online check in this trip. It was the first time I ever did and only because I didn't have a request for any particualr room or area.

[Timon]

Yay another Jen trippie

Too funny about running into Lynne!

What a great story/surprise about that family on the bus with you!

Looking forward to the rest

[jenseib]

Originally Posted by Timon

Yay another Jen trippie

Too funny about running into Lynne!

What a great story/surprise about that family on the bus with you!

Looking forward to the rest

Hi Cass!!! I was totally shocked to see Lynne. Last I knew she had canceled that trip and I never gave it another thought. It was so strange that we both were in the same monorail car.

Those kids were just so darn cute. I love how they kept doubting it and coming up with little stories why it could or could not be Disney.

[GoofyWife]

I'm here - better late than never - have to go back and catch up on your other trip report and then come back here for this one! So envious of everyone's trips!

[jenseib]

Originally Posted by GoofyWife

I'm here - better late than never - have to go back and catch up on your other trip report and then come back here for this one! So envious of everyone's trips!

Welcome!!! I am going pretty slow so far, but I am trying to work on the other one a little more so I can get that one finished up soon...or sooner at least.

[MEK]

I love your matching t-shirts. They are so cute. Claire looks totally asleep getting on the plane, but wide awake getting off.

Can I tell you that I just got a new computer and your pictures are prettier than ever on this new screen!

I love AKL! So pretty. I know what you mean about feeling like a pack mule (since I am lovingly called the sherpa by some of my DIS friends), because I felt the same way when I checked in at VWL in October. At 1:30 my room wasn't ready and I didn't really feel like checking anything, so I just dragged it around until my room was ready. Makes it hard to take pictures!

[dolphingirl47]

I am glad that you both liked AKL. This is probably my favourite WDW resort.

Corinna

[francis6306]

Originally Posted by Daddy_of_Princesses

Loved our stay at AKL in 2010, too bad it was 30 degrees out and we couldn't use the pool

I thought something was different about our bus back to the Airport! We must have gotten a newer bus with seatbelts. I figured that maybe I had just not noticed seatbelts on the ride to the resort.

Looks like you guys are off to a great start though! OHH and I LOVE Cheesecake Factory! We had several in Atlanta- and I LOVE it! Their food is just wonderful!!

[SunLuvr321]

Just came over from your Comedians with Guitars Trip Report. I have to catch up on this one!

We are sailing on the Dream in February for our first Disney Cruise and can't wait to read about your cruise!!

[KatMark]

I'm here and will be back to catch up as soon as I can.

[CraftyMommy]

Originally Posted by jenseib

This actually worked out really well for me. I have to admit, I wasnt sure exactly what Carrie looked like &..because she doesnt post many pictures of herself online &&shame on you Carrie. I knew she would probably recognize me first, since I am kind of unusual, LOL, but this worked out great.
She was brought to our table soon after we arrived and we introduced her to Amanda and Claire and we all chatted. She was really easy to talk to and a big Disney fan as well.

There is a reason I don't post many pictures of myself. I don't like pictures of me, and I am always the person behind the camera. But I may make up for it. I'm toying with the idea of doing my first TR when we go in 2 weeks. We have PhotoPass+ and I could give you a run for your money on how many pictures I take each trip.

It was very nice meeting you, Claire, and Amanda. It was real easy to talk to you guys.

I've been keeping an eye out for your TR and must've skipped past it. I just now found it. I'll try my best to keep up with it.

[jenseib]

Originally Posted by MEK

I love your matching t-shirts. They are so cute. Claire looks totally asleep getting on the plane, but wide awake getting off.

Can I tell you that I just got a new computer and your pictures are prettier than ever on this new screen!

I love AKL! So pretty. I know what you mean about feeling like a pack mule (since I am lovingly called the sherpa by some of my DIS friends), because I felt the same way when I checked in at VWL in October. At 1:30 my room wasn't ready and I didn't really feel like checking anything, so I just dragged it around until my room was ready. Makes it hard to take pictures!

I saw that on facebook. I am so jealous! I can definetely see a difference in the way the pictures look from my laptotp to PC. The PC is 100 times better, but the laptop has always been junky, even when I first bought it. I should've sent it back, but was too lazy. Byt the time I was ready to do so the warranty was supposedly over, though I thought I had a year and it was less than a year when I inquired about it. I know my next one will NOT be a Dell.
I was so weighted down for a while there and it felt good to get rid of the majority of it.

Originally Posted by dolphingirl47

I am glad that you both liked AKL. This is probably my favourite WDW resort.

Corinna

We loved it. It became one of our new favorites. Claire is still talking about it so much. She wants to go back for sure.

Originally Posted by francis6306

I thought something was different about our bus back to the Airport! We must have gotten a newer bus with seatbelts. I figured that maybe I had just not noticed seatbelts on the ride to the resort.

Looks like you guys are off to a great start though! OHH and I LOVE Cheesecake Factory! We had several in Atlanta- and I LOVE it! Their food is just wonderful!!

It took a few minutes to click with me and then the bus driver said something too.
I love cheescake. Wish I had some now.

Originally Posted by SunLuvr321

Just came over from your Comedians with Guitars Trip Report. I have to catch up on this one!

We are sailing on the Dream in February for our first Disney Cruise and can't wait to read about your cruise!!

Welcome. I haven't gotten too far here yet. I am kind of going slow so I can get the other one finishes...and I haven;t gotten my photopass CD yet either and want to make sure I can add those when I get to that point.
We love the Dream. Did you ever rad my other Dream TR. if not, I can direct you there (it's in my signature...A Hop, No Skip one) and it will give you a newbies first look at DCL. WE had a blast ...obviously, as we went back again.

Originally Posted by KatMark

I'm here and will be back to catch up as soon as I can.

Take your time Kathy. I know you got a lot going on. I am mostly working on the Cruise one from Sept so I can get that one finished up...hopefully sooner than later.

Originally Posted by CraftyMommy

There is a reason I don't post many pictures of myself. I don't like pictures of me, and I am always the person behind the camera. But I may make up for it. I'm toying with the idea of doing my first TR when we go in 2 weeks. We have PhotoPass+ and I could give you a run for your money on how many pictures I take each trip.

It was very nice meeting you, Claire, and Amanda. It was real easy to talk to you guys.

I've been keeping an eye out for your TR and must've skipped past it. I just now found it. I'll try my best to keep up with it.

Yo uare too funny. I don't really like pictures of myself either, but I just got over it now. I know I am not some hot sexy chick, but i am me, so I guess I tell people to live with it.
I was on a news clip last night and my Mom was so thankful she wasn't on there too. She said she would've sued the TV station. I could care less....in fact I told my sister as we walked past the camera to smile in case we made the news...and I did! A big close up too. I think the camera must add like 50 lbs...right? I think thats the facts I last heard?

[jenseib]

So I am now not so weighted down and feel so much better. Well sort of. Remember that muffin I had a butt crack thirty this morning? Well it’s long gone now. And the few snacks we had on the plane are not doing it for either of us either.

Claire thought she could suffer and swim for a bit first, but I told her no, eating was first on the list.

Of course as we walked away from Bell services I had to take a few pictures first.











In case you do not know where Mara is …the fast food place in AKL, it’s down stairs from the lobby and outside past the pool.









We have arrived.





My biggest complaint about deluxes at Disney …the food courts pretty much suck. They have such a small selection. And it seems most carry the same few items.

Claire and I decided to share a flatbread pizza. I knew it would be big enough for the 2 of us. Claire also LOVES pineapple, so we picked up a container of that for her.



And now was the time to make that decision. What decision is that you ask? Well should I try the Zebra Domes. I have heard off and on for years just how fabulous they are. Then others will chime in and say they are just awful. It seems you love them or hate them. I had asked for descriptions, and people gave me some, but I never quite understood what they were. My fear was that they would taste like coffee, which I hate, or coconut, which I hate. LOL
Well we took the plunge and decided to give them a try.



We paid for our food and were handed a buzzer for the pizza. Another note, it was really weird how you ordered here. They had someone standing there with a pad of paper, printed with the selections and they checked off what you wanted from the grill area. I guess they then took it back there then to be filled.

We sat and started on the pineapple and waited for the pizza.



And we opened up the zebra domes and gave them a try. Verdict is that we like them. I think they are good, but not fabulous. Claire really enjoyed them though.
My description of them is that they are like a chocolaty shell with chocolate mousse type stuff inside. Our outside shell was kind of melty though and we got a little messy eating them. I also would not be able to eat many in a row. One or 2 was fine, but more than that might be a bit too much. We did finish off the box, but I think Claire ate more than I did.

Soon our pizza was ready and we dove into that too.



Now I complained about the selection, but the taste was still very good. I just wouldn’t want to eat this every day as it would become tiresome and boring.

While we ate we called Skip and checked in with him. We told him we were having lunch and he seemed disgusted because the last time he had talked to us we were eating at the Cheesecake Factory. He made some kind of sarcastic comment about that. Well I informed him that we pretty much hadn’t had anything to eat in between time, so we were now hungry.
Claire talked to him a bit and we hung up.





We headed out after that and our mission was now swimming. Well not mine, but Claire was all for it. I even walked around a bit looking at things, but with all the griping next to me it was just not meant to be and we headed to the bathroom to change.





These bathrooms near the pool are VERY nice. They had showers in the back and were very clean. We chose the handicapped shower stall as it had a stool to place our bag on and got Claire changed.







And out we went, passing the VERY tiny kiddie pool.

[Daddy_of_Princesses]

Originally Posted by jenseib

My biggest complaint about deluxes at Disney &the food courts pretty much suck. They have such a small selection. And it seems most carry the same few items.

Claire and I decided to share a flatbread pizza. I knew it would be big enough for the 2 of us. Claire also LOVES pineapple, so we picked up a container of that for her.

Did you try the African Stew in a bread bowl? That wasn't too bad, but the food court food tends to suck anyway.