A Savanna, A Wizard, and Oodles of Food - AKL/DxDP/WWoHP (COMPLETE!)

[JoshAndEvsMom]

Oh man, AKL is beautiful! I really, really hope we get to stay there on our next visit! I would love to hear your thoughts on staying there - pros & cons and such.

What a great idea to have breakfast at Boma on your last morning! It looks delicious and such a pretty setting!

And that early morning airport luggage check in!!! OMG, I couldn't remember for the life of me why I had to bring our luggage to the front desk so stinking early!!! THAT'S why! Lol! Yes, despite the before dawn wake up, I do like that you don't have to mess with your luggage at the airport. Just one more thing that makes vacationing at Disney so wonderful!

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

I am with you Jenny. On the last night, I just don't want to go to sleep lest it be over sooner. So I've been known to take a nice tour as well.

It's amazing how similar AKL is to WL, particularly the lobby. Just gorgeous and one you never want to leave. The whole layout in fact is almost identical.

The views from up above are stunning. I really regret not having done that that at WL.

Lovely photo tour Jenny. The way I look at it, you sleep every night, but you don't get to walk around those beautiful surroundings every night. Of course that still doesn't mean it doesn't sting a little the next morning.

I'm so glad they finally added international flights to airline check-in. It didn't do me any good last trip since I was flying a Canadian airline, but knowing this could be an option in the future is certainly nice. What a great perk.

30 degrees. Yikes. That'll get the blood flowing at least.

I am just so in love with big expansive lobby's like this. Just a great place to relax.

YAY on getting a real DME bus. Too bad it was the ride home, but still.... EMPTY BUS??????? I can't imagine that happens much ever. WOW

I've said it before (probably a few times) but I am so endlessly impressed that you stuck with this TR to its end. Which of course meant you came back to the DIS (hopefully to stay this time, lol). There are not many who would have done that, honestly. Needless to say, I loved your report regardless of how long it took, and I look forward to your "Famous Wrap Up".

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Oh man, AKL is beautiful! I really, really hope we get to stay there on our next visit! I would love to hear your thoughts on staying there - pros & cons and such.

What a great idea to have breakfast at Boma on your last morning! It looks delicious and such a pretty setting!

And that early morning airport luggage check in!!! OMG, I couldn't remember for the life of me why I had to bring our luggage to the front desk so stinking early!!! THAT'S why! Lol! Yes, despite the before dawn wake up, I do like that you don't have to mess with your luggage at the airport. Just one more thing that makes vacationing at Disney so wonderful!

I LOVE the AKL! I'm already crossing my fingers for you and will continue to do so! I'll be sure to throw a few pros and cons over on your PTR (but must admit that I love the place so much that I don't have many cons!)

Getting the bags to the airline check line can be a pain, but it is SO NICE to not have to deal with them later! It's a Disney perk that I'm pretty fond of!

I am with you Jenny. On the last night, I just don't want to go to sleep lest it be over sooner. So I've been known to take a nice tour as well.

It's amazing how similar AKL is to WL, particularly the lobby. Just gorgeous and one you never want to leave. The whole layout in fact is almost identical.

The views from up above are stunning. I really regret not having done that that at WL.

Lovely photo tour Jenny. The way I look at it, you sleep every night, but you don't get to walk around those beautiful surroundings every night. Of course that still doesn't mean it doesn't sting a little the next morning.

I'm so glad they finally added international flights to airline check-in. It didn't do me any good last trip since I was flying a Canadian airline, but knowing this could be an option in the future is certainly nice. What a great perk.

30 degrees. Yikes. That'll get the blood flowing at least.

I am just so in love with big expansive lobby's like this. Just a great place to relax.

YAY on getting a real DME bus. Too bad it was the ride home, but still.... EMPTY BUS??????? I can't imagine that happens much ever. WOW

I've said it before (probably a few times) but I am so endlessly impressed that you stuck with this TR to its end. Which of course meant you came back to the DIS (hopefully to stay this time, lol). There are not many who would have done that, honestly. Needless to say, I loved your report regardless of how long it took, and I look forward to your "Famous Wrap Up".

I'm perfectly happy to give up a little sleep for a little more Disney time!

I'm very excited to see the WL in May - we have two ADRs there! I can't believe I haven't seen it yet, but I'm really looking forward to it! I'm sure you'll stop by the WL on a future trip - you'll have to go up and view the lobby from above!

It was VERY chilly that morning! We honestly felt bad for people that were heading to the parks - especially those that weren't wearing enough layers!

Our ride to the airport was fabulous!!! I couldn't believe we had our own private Magical Express!

Thank you SO MUCH for sticking around! I loved your comments all the way through - they really helped me to keep going (as I knew someone was still reading! ). I'm so glad that I finished the whole report and it was SO fun to relive our adventure. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Final, Final Thoughts


Animal Kingdom Lodge
I LOVED our stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge!

I can’t say enough good things about the lodge - the resort itself is stunning, the pool is awesome, there are tons of tasty dining options, and don’t forget the unique bonus of ANIMALS! Our room here was a step above our past value and moderate resort stays, both in size and amenities. Of course, the addition of an actual closet and the balcony were great, but I also loved the way the bathroom was placed in the room – it made it very easy for one person to get ready and not flood the still-sleeping person with light. I also loved that you could walk from your room to the buses while remaining indoors or covered – I think this resort tops some of the other deluxe resorts for this reason! I know many folks complain that this resort is “So far away from everything!” but I didn’t find this to be an issue and never thought our bus rides were unreasonable. I loved that we could truly RELAX at our resort as we weren’t staring at another resort or a park! There are several more resorts that I’d like to try, but I wouldn’t hesitate to book another stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge!

We didn’t get a chance to stop by this resort during our 2013 trip, but I have several ADRs (and an afternoon of relaxation!) planned for our upcoming trip. I can’t wait to see my lodge again!


Deluxe Dining Plan
Holy food, Batman! That deluxe dining plan is no joke, my friends! Although our stomachs may have hated us, this plan gave us a wonderful opportunity to try table service restaurants all over the World. We found many we loved (and a few that we never needed to visit again). I’m glad we had a chance to try the deluxe dining plan before the price was insane and also glad we did it at a time when Anika’s food choices were still expanding. Now that my sister will eat just about anything, I’m less concerned that her ordering a “unique” item will be a waste of my Disney food money. I think this plan is great for those that love to eat massive amounts of food or those that will skip the item they really want in order to save a few bucks.

We did not have a dining plan on our last trip – we ate at just as many restaurants, but ordered a few more appetizers and split more meals. It worked really well for us. Don’t worry – we ordered just as many desserts.


Disney Dining
Our deluxe dining plan gave us the opportunity to eat at more table service restaurants than we’d ever tried before. We’d been to a few on our prior trips, but usually it was 1-2 per trip and we’d never eaten at a resort restaurant. This trip completely changed the way we dine at Disney. Now we can’t imagine a trip full of ADRs and trying out new restaurants.

Here are our favorite restaurants we discovered on this trip that made the cut again in 2013…

Via Napoli

This was the perfect meal to kick off our vacation. The atmosphere was great, the food was fabulous, and our waiter was adorable! I know Epcot has tons of great choices, but I don’t think our future Disney vacations won’t include a visit to Via Napoli.

Garden View Tea Room

Anika loves any excuse to visit the Grand Floridian and this is a great choice! This is a wonderful break from the hub-bub of the parks and it provides tasty food and comfy chairs. It’s also tough to beat the views of the Grand Floridian lobby on one side and the Grand Floridian grounds on the other. I would encourage everyone that enjoys tea to give it a try at least once!

Crystal Palace

This is our favorite pre-park opening breakfast. It’s magical to walk down a nearly empty main street, and I love the choices available for breakfast, such as Pooh's puffed French toast and the make-your-own-omelet station (discovered in 2013). This has become a must-do on every trip!

Liberty Tree Tavern

Four words: OOEY GOOEY TOFFEE CAKE! Yes, the rest of the food is tasty, too, but what drives this choice is the dessert. SO GOOD!

Yak and Yeti

This was a surprise favorite – we picked it due to lack of options, but it was easily one of our favorite meals of the whole trip. It even made Anika’s short list of “must-do” restaurants for our upcoming trip. The food is great and the atmosphere fun – you also can’t beat the break in the glorious air conditioning if you’re there during the hot months!

We also really enjoyed our signature meals on this vacation and I look forward to trying more signature restaurants on upcoming trips. Our favorite signature would’ve made the cut in 2013 if not for its extensive refurbishment during our trip:

We LOVED the California Grill and it was our favorite meal of the entire vacation. All of our food was excellent and the desserts were out-of-this-world fabulous. You also can’t beat the views! We were sad to miss it in 2013 but it was at the top of our list for our upcoming trip. I can’t wait to see the refurbishment in person!

Dining around the World was a delight and we LOVE this new way of eating at Disney. Our experience (and my food budget! ) will never be the same!


Universal and the Wizarding World
Despite the fact that I’m a Disney gal, I can absolutely appreciate what can be found on the Dark Side. They have some great attractions for thrill ride junkies and the proximity of the two parks is a major perk from the distance between some of the Disney Parks.

The real jewel of Universal for us, however, was the Wizarding World of Harry Potter:

Universal hit it out of the park when they designed Hogsmeade village and hit it out of the universe when they designed the Forbidden Journey attraction. That ride is PHENOMENAL! Anika and I both adored the Wizarding World – it is a great place for Harry Potter fanatics (me) and Harry Potter appreciators (Anika). Now that Universal has rolled out Diagon Alley, even Anika is begging to return.

Disney Car Care Center
I mentioned this several times, but I LOVED the Disney Car Care Center! Picking up our vehicle was painless and done in less than ten minutes (probably closer to five). The car was clean and worked beautifully. The Car Care folks will also pick you up from your resort to pick up your vehicle and bring you anywhere on Disney property after you drop it off. They also are so darn nice, even if you’re in the midst of an unreasonable breakdown. If you need a car for a portion of your trip, this is the place to go!


Overall Final Thoughts
This was a wonderful vacation. We enjoyed our resort, the delicious food, and many, many drops on the Tower of Terror. I reaffirmed my major love of Disney World and turned Anika from someone who likes Disney into someone that loves it. She has totally jumped onto the bandwagon of Disney being a great destination for both kids AND adults!

Most importantly, we discovered that Anika and I are great travel buddies.

My parents were a little nervous about sending us on vacation by ourselves – mostly due to the fact they were worried I’d abandon her in a park out of frustration or she’d stop speaking to me for the same reason. We get along very well but have our occasional points of friction (as all siblings do). We had a few fun moments, but they passed quickly and we spent the rest of our trip having a GREAT time! Even better, when one of us was frustrated the other would compensate with a higher level of compassion and reason. My parents were pleasantly surprised (if not a bit shocked!). We returned for our second sisters-only trip in 2013 and can’t wait to return for our extended trip this year!

To anyone that stopped by, read a few chapters, read the whole report, and ESPECIALLY those that commented along the way, . I had SO MUCH FUN reliving our fabulous trip and loved reading your comments. I hope I provided some helpful information and gave a few good dining ideas (or at least gave you some pretty pictures to look at! ).


What’s Up Next
As I’ve alluded to (and my tickers indicate), we’re going back to the World this May! We’re going to be celebrating in a big way – we’ll be celebrating Anika’s high school graduation AND her birthday in Disney World this year! I can’t wait to write another (much more timely!) trip report, but in case you’d like a preview of our big plans, please join me over on the Pre-Trip Report board:

A Celebration Trip Full of Surprises

I also plan to include a “mini trip report” for our 2013 trip, including highlights from our resort (Coronado Springs), dining (new restaurants!), and about our first experience traveling in a semi-busy season. I hope you will stop by and say hi!

Thanks again for stopping by! I love hanging out on the DISboards and that’s because of all of you!

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

I think AKL had the same effect on you that WL did on me, and for much the same reasons too. I think if it wasn't even "Disney", it would still be great place to spend a week.

Even though I'm still not sold on Dining for the most part, Via Napoli is one that I need to visit, as is Crystal Palace.

Even though it was Disney, so obviously AWESOME, I think my favourite part is that you and your sister probably became even closer as a result. Well, clearly since you already had another trip together and another upcoming. Also as an honourable mention, it always delights me when someone really discovers the magic of Disney as Anika did.

THANK YOU Jenny for all the detail (for the look back at a Disney of old ) and mostly for not giving up on this TR. I'm so glad you always came back and I'm very much looking forward to the next one.

 

[MEK]

So it seems I got back here just in time for the final recap. Ugh! Sorry to be MIA so long.

I have to agree with everything you said about AKL. It's such a wonderful place to stay.

And I have done the DxDP and it is a great way to sample a ton of great restaurants. I love your list of keepers and I noticed that Via was at the top of your list. Definitely one of my favorites.

And Universal is always so fun to read about.

Glad you converted Anika for life. Looking forward to reading about your next adventure!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

I think AKL had the same effect on you that WL did on me, and for much the same reasons too. I think if it wasn't even "Disney", it would still be great place to spend a week.

Even though I'm still not sold on Dining for the most part, Via Napoli is one that I need to visit, as is Crystal Palace.

Even though it was Disney, so obviously AWESOME, I think my favourite part is that you and your sister probably became even closer as a result. Well, clearly since you already had another trip together and another upcoming. Also as an honourable mention, it always delights me when someone really discovers the magic of Disney as Anika did.

THANK YOU Jenny for all the detail (for the look back at a Disney of old ) and mostly for not giving up on this TR. I'm so glad you always came back and I'm very much looking forward to the next one.

AKL is a truly lovely resort - I would happily spend a week there even if it wasn't on Disney property! I'm very excited to see the Wilderness Lodge!

Via Napoli and Crystal Palace are both great! You'd probably need to book an ADR in advance to get a pre-park opening slot at Crystal Palace, but I bet you could book another time and Via Napoli once you're already in Disney (especially the night before when others are changing their plans!).

Anika and I had such a wonderful time! I'm thrilled that I've converted Anika to a Disney-for-lifer... she talks about how fabulous it is to all of her friends! Now all of them want to travel to Disney World!

You're so very welcome! Thank YOU for following along and your great comments along the way! I'm so glad I kept going and finished it despite how long it took - it's such a wonderful record of our trip! (And I'm glad I could provide some comic relief with a look back at old relics like Snow White's Scary Adventures and paper Fastpasses! )

I can't wait to write the next one! Once you get going, this trip report writing is rather addicting!

So it seems I got back here just in time for the final recap. Ugh! Sorry to be MIA so long.

I have to agree with everything you said about AKL. It's such a wonderful place to stay.

And I have done the DxDP and it is a great way to sample a ton of great restaurants. I love your list of keepers and I noticed that Via was at the top of your list. Definitely one of my favorites.

And Universal is always so fun to read about.

Glad you converted Anika for life. Looking forward to reading about your next adventure!

Don't worry, Mary Ellen! I sped through the remaining chapters in order to jump into my PTR. (I love that I refer to "speeding through" something that took two years to finish! ) Thank you so much for your comments along the way!

I adore the Animal Kingdom Lodge. I can't wait to see it again in May!

Via Napoli is now a must-do every trip! Both of my visits there have been wonderful.

Although I love Disney, Universal has some wonderful things in their parks! The top of that list is the awesomeness of the Harry Potter sections!

I'm thrilled that I have a pro-Disney traveler to take with me! She jokes that when we go in the future with our families, if our husbands don't stick by "the plan" we've created, we'll take the kids with us and leave them in the dust!

Our next adventure promises to be a good one!

 

[TheLittleKatie]

Sounds like a fun morning at DHS! Haha, I do the same thing, I stand in front of the Muppets fountain for ages trying to get a good photo just as Miss Piggy is facing us, it's pretty frustrating, so I feel Anika's pain

I enjoyed your story about playing games as a kid, although you sound slightly traumatised by the whole Scrabble experience..!! I think I was always allowed to win, but I would NEVER let my younger brother win on purpose.. There were many occasions where he got really frustrated and would flip the board over and storm off GOOD MEMORIES

Haha, Disney popcorn DEFINITELY has crack in it I haven't had it in a while, but if I smell a popcorn cart, good luck getting me to move away from it

50s looked good! I need to get me a PB&J shake. PB&J is an uncommon combination here in the UK, but I picked it up as a 4 year old at WDW and now everyone thinks I'm mad!

You got some great photos around World Showcase and of the Electrical Parade!

Hahah, well I guess your burger does look more.. interesting! And that cheese sauce on your fries is making me hungry.

Loved your pictures around AKL, it's so beautiful. That's definitely how I would spend the last night. I can't wait to visit AKL for dinner in September!

Last days are the worst, but I'm so glad you have another TR coming up!

Great trip report girly!! Can't wait for the next one

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Sounds like a fun morning at DHS! Haha, I do the same thing, I stand in front of the Muppets fountain for ages trying to get a good photo just as Miss Piggy is facing us, it's pretty frustrating, so I feel Anika's pain

I enjoyed your story about playing games as a kid, although you sound slightly traumatised by the whole Scrabble experience..!! I think I was always allowed to win, but I would NEVER let my younger brother win on purpose.. There were many occasions where he got really frustrated and would flip the board over and storm off GOOD MEMORIES

Haha, Disney popcorn DEFINITELY has crack in it I haven't had it in a while, but if I smell a popcorn cart, good luck getting me to move away from it

50s looked good! I need to get me a PB&J shake. PB&J is an uncommon combination here in the UK, but I picked it up as a 4 year old at WDW and now everyone thinks I'm mad!

You got some great photos around World Showcase and of the Electrical Parade!

Hahah, well I guess your burger does look more.. interesting! And that cheese sauce on your fries is making me hungry.

Loved your pictures around AKL, it's so beautiful. That's definitely how I would spend the last night. I can't wait to visit AKL for dinner in September!

Last days are the worst, but I'm so glad you have another TR coming up!

Great trip report girly!! Can't wait for the next one

I realized while looking through pictures from our 2013 trip that I took a pretty good one - of course, there's no one standing in front of it!
Oh goodness, I WAS traumatized! I will say that I didn't flip the board and storm off, though!
It totally does!

I never thought about the fact that PB&J is unique to the US! Regardless of familiarity, that shake is darn good!

I ADORE the lodge! Enjoy your visit!

Thanks so much for joining in, Katie! I really appreciated all of your fun comments!

 

[thornton0511]

Hey Jen! Just wanted to finally comment and say that so far I am through day 4 of your trip with your little sis and I am loving your report! I love that you guys stayed at AKL and it brought back so many good memories from our trip there. And oh my goodness all the food lol! You report is making me so hungry. I am sorry again that you missed out on Raglan Road but hopefully that wrong can be made right on your upcoming trip! Up next is WWoHP and I cannot wait to read about your adventures to the dark side!

 

[glennbo123]

Thanks for staying with this trip report! I know (from experience!) that it's tough to keep 'em going for so long. I'm not sure when the last time was that I was current on your report, but I clicked on it today and binge-read, okay, kinda-mostly scanned to the end. I can't believe how many great restaurants you went to. We have California Grill and Via Napoli on the docket for this June, which will be first-time visits for us, so I was interested in your reviews on those in particular.

 

[thornton0511]

finished! Jenny I really enjoyed reading you and your sister's adventure and I cannot wait to hear all about your new one if you decide to do a TR, I will definitely be following along!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Hey Jen! Just wanted to finally comment and say that so far I am through day 4 of your trip with your little sis and I am loving your report! I love that you guys stayed at AKL and it brought back so many good memories from our trip there. And oh my goodness all the food lol! You report is making me so hungry. I am sorry again that you missed out on Raglan Road but hopefully that wrong can be made right on your upcoming trip! Up next is WWoHP and I cannot wait to read about your adventures to the dark side!

finished! Jenny I really enjoyed reading you and your sister's adventure and I cannot wait to hear all about your new one if you decide to do a TR, I will definitely be following along!

Thank you so much for reading - it's a long report! We adored AKL - I planned a meal there for our upcoming trip so we'd be sure to see it again! We ate SO MUCH FOOD on this trip but we had so much fun doing it. The wonderful thing about dining in Disney is you walk so many darn miles that you NEED those extra calories! I've managed to stay the same weight during both trips (and I eat NOWHERE NEAR that amount of food at home!).

Universal was fun but the Wizarding World was phenomenal. I'm practically beside myself with glee that we get to see it again. I'm even more excited that we'll also get to experience Diagon Alley!

It was wonderful having you here!

Thanks for staying with this trip report! I know (from experience!) that it's tough to keep 'em going for so long. I'm not sure when the last time was that I was current on your report, but I clicked on it today and binge-read, okay, kinda-mostly scanned to the end. I can't believe how many great restaurants you went to. We have California Grill and Via Napoli on the docket for this June, which will be first-time visits for us, so I was interested in your reviews on those in particular.

Thank you for being a part of it! I'm so touched that people stayed with me while I bumbled along to finish it!

I totally understand on the "scanning" - there's a lot to read! We LOVED dining at Disney and now can't imagine a vacation without many restaurant visits. We still have many left to try!

Via Napoli is my and my sister's favorite restaurant at Disney World so you made a great choice! I'm very excited to try California Grill again this year having not been there since their rehab. Our meals there during this trip were fantastic!