The "Big Men on Campus" aren't too big for WDW! A trip Report

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

I think I'm kind of with you on skipping the water parks even in florida the idea of a water park in the colder months doesn't sound fun to this Canuk.

 

[Sydney2977]

Back on a boat to DHS



and then to a bus bound for the Wilderness Lodge.



Just walking in I was instantly at ease. The lobby is breathtaking.



It was time for our 6:50 adr at the



We had eaten here twice before for breakfast and it was a hootin' good time. But after a long day I wasn't so sure I was up for the loud atmosphere that was so fun in the mornings, and I'm pretty sure the rest of the family felt the same way. Thankfully the CM at the front must have read our minds because we were seated in a nice section in the back past the big main dining room- I didn't even know it was back there! It was like our own cozy little place and even had a fireplace and was perfect.




Our server Kaitlyn soon greeted us and she was outstanding during the whole meal- easily the best service and most pleasurable dining experience of the trip. She was genuinely personable and we really enjoyed chatting with her. She was still joking around like the CM's we've had at breakfast, but more laid back. She suggested shakes to drink and the guys all got chocolate, but I just opted for root beer.



We all ordered the all you care to enjoy dinner, and the salad came out first. Delicious dressing and the candied pecas made this a perfect start to dinner. I must admit, I ate most of it.



The cornbread was warm and nicely crispy on the outside.



The platter came with sausage, ribs, pulled pork, and beef loin, plus potatoes, corn, baked beans, and green beans. Everything was absolutely mouthwatering. We really loved the food here.



We were so stuffed we didn't think we could fit in any dessert. Kaitlyn insisted we picked something and she had it all packed to go for us. Ron and I picked the chocolate cake, Taylor picked the cheesecake, and Jared got the caramel apple pie. We looked around a bit and then hopped on a bus to MK, then back to AKL.



We had fun playing and exploring around but were really happy to be back "home" at AKL and it made us appreciate the amazing time we were having getting to stay here.
While the boys went to the room to get ready for bed Ron and I stopped by the concierge desk. I had originally made a 7:45 adr for breakfast at Boma, but wanted to see if they had anything later so we could sleep in a bit and not have to rush. The CM graciously changed us to an 8:30 adr and we were on our way to bed. Another dynamic Disney day!

 

[Sydney2977]

Because I had pushed the breakfast adr back and we got to bed early, we had plenty of sleep and got ready at a relaxed pace this morning. We even had time to walk over to the other side of the resort and see some other animals.







Then it was time for breakfast at



We were seated at the far side of the restaurant next to two nice ladies who were celebrating each other's birthdays with a trip. We were seated at the same time and our server pretty much rushed through explaining where everything was and taking drink orders from both tables.



It didn't bother us too much since we've been there before, but the two ladies seemed annoyed and confused. We ended up telling them about some of the food choices and what they could get where. It was a little busier since it was a Saturday morning and there seemed to be loys of guests from the 5k Jingle Run, but the service could have been better. At least the food was delicious and we got our favorite juice!

The guys' plates:





And my plate and freshly made omelet!




I had to try a bit of everything and I really ate it all- it was amazing! Although the service wasn't what it usually is, we still will keep coming back to Boma for breakfast for the great food and atmosphere. It's a wonderful way to start an AK day.

By 9:45 we were on a bus heading to Animal Kingdom!



When we got off the bus and walked towards the entrance I was super excited to see that my absolute favorite Disney tree was up! I love the splendor and ellegance and animals all over this tree!



It seemed like the park was going to be busy because there were so many people waiting to get in, but again, it was a Saturday and I had figured it would be the least crowded park.



We had a nice walk through the oasis and arrived at Discovery Island to realize what a beautiful day it was.



We were on they way to Asia and saw off to the side a line with only a couple families waiting to meet Russell and Dug, so we hopped in. We don't really do character photos much any more, but we couldn't pass this one up- they were so cute! It was especially funny since Ron was and Taylor and Jared both are Boy Scouts. We had fun in line trying to identify all of Rusaell's merit badges.



After that brief stop we headed into



We had a fp+ from 10:10-11:10 for Expedition Everest!



This is one of our favorite rides. I remember the trip we took in Feb. 2006 when it wasn't even open yet, but they were doing a soft opening the day we were there and we all got to ride. Taylor was soooo excited and it was Jared's first real rollercoaster. He was just barely tall enough- they gave him a Mickey stamp to show he could ride and he kept showing it to every CM. We had a blast again! Taylor and I were in the first car and Ron and Jared were in the second car.

 

[Sydney2977]

Next in Asia we walked through the jungle trek.



The kimodo dragon was up and about- it was cool to watch him walk around through his environment.



My favorite animals to watch on the trek are the bats- they are so cute! The CM we talked to was telling us how each one has their own stuffed animal to sleep with. When it's time to "go to bed" they know to go to roost where their animal is! Now want to put a bat house with a little stuffed Mickey in our backyard.



There were lots of other animals out including three adorable tigers, but they were all sleeping.



I'm not a big bird lover, but the birds here and their bird houses are really neat.



We thought these dispensers were cool.



We got a chance to see the monkeys hanging out



and found a really fun fountain.



I love how you can walk all around the Tree of Life and see so many different animals.



We decided to hop on the train to



This train ride is neat because it faces sideways and you get to see some behind the scenes things on the way there and back.



We got off the train and took a nice walk to



Taylor found his school mascot (and then they had to start singing "What Does the Fox Say?")



and Ron was just being a goofball!



Found some hidden Mickeys!



We took our time looking around and then took the ride back to Africa.
The next attraction we visited was



It was lunch time for these guys and they were so entertaining to watch while they ate.




There were lots of animals out on the trail too.



We got to learn about naked mole rats from the CM there- apparently they can bring a tuber back to their little den and since it keeps growing the whole group can eat off it for like a month. The boys think they are kinda gross but I think they're cute!



At one of the outlook spots there was a CM with some cultural games and books out, and the boys surprised me by plopping down and starting a game of mancala. It was a nice chill out moment.



While they played I watched them and the meerkats too- they are so adorarable.



It was lunch time for the gorillas as well. They are always interesting to watch, and the little one was funny- running around and antagozing the older ones.

 

[Sydney2977]

Finally it was time for our 1:10-2:10 fp+ for the Safari! This is the one must do for us at AK- without it, it wouldn't feel like we really experienced Animal Kingdom. I was worried with it being later in the day that not as many animals would be out as in the morning when they are usually active, but it was the best time that fit in our plans and I wasn't going to spend a ton of time trying to change to get different times. It turned out to be a perfect time though- there were tones of animals! Plus our driver was amazing. He stopped a lot for us to be able to see everything and was very knowledgable.





The kids sitting behind us, about 7 and 9, were so funny- they kept asking their mom if she got a picture of each animal. When we got to the crocs they asked "are those real?"



Oh my gosh- the giraffes we sooo close and there were lots of them. The baby was too cute!








We found many other animals very close up.




The elephants were out and active and they baby was great to see.




The rhinos were so close I wanted to pet them, but I don't think hey would have liked that.








One zebra was literally close enough for Taylor to reach out and pet.




We found some more cuties along the ride.





That was one of the best safaris we've been on.

 

[Sydney2977]

By this time we had worked up an appetite. It was about 2:00, and we had a 7:00 adr for dinner, so we decided to just get two of the honey chicken meals with Sprites and frozen lemonade for desset at our favorite



There's a large outdoor seating area next to the order station, but the last few trips we've been lucky enough to snag this sweet ;ittle spot by the river to eat. It's like our own special spot.



The meal was yummy as usual with plenty of tasty rice and plump saucy chicken and veggies for Ron and Jared and then Taylor and I to share.

We ate our frozen lemonades while exploring on



Ron found another camel



and I found my "Syd the Squid"



We hadn't seen these guys in a few visits. They reminded us of our dogs who like to lay in the dirt like this to cool off.



It's also been a few trips since we've gotten to leisurely stroll thorugh the discovery trails so that was so nice to do.



Originally I had picked a fp+ for Festival of the Lion King, but after not needing one for Fantasmic I cancelled this one and changed it to Dinosaur with no probloem.

We entered



about 3:00 to get in line for the 3:30 show.

It was very nicely decorated for Christmas. I had never noticed this before, but Ron pointed it out as we were crossing the bridge.



We were pretty close to the front of the line and got to pick seats after only waiting about 5 minutes.



We got seated and before the knew it the show was under way. Usually my guys aren't into the big shows but they really enjoy this one. I like the acrobatics and fun songs.









After the show it was time for our 4:05-5:05 fp+ for Dinosaur! So it was on to



What's funny is that Taylor and Ron love RnR but didn't want to do Dinosaur, yet Jared won't do RnR but Dinosaur is one of his absolute favorites! So he and I rode together.




That ride always makes me laugh. I also like that I get to share it with just Jared, like I get to share ToT with just Taylor.

Since we'd done and seen everything we wanted we headed out of AK. I was really happy with all we'd gotten to experience and what a pleasurable time we'd had.

 

[Sydney2977]

After AK we rode a bus over to the TTC and then transferred to the



It was turning from a beautiful day to a gorgeous evening.



Ron wanted to take a train ride first thing so we got on at the Main St. station and rode all the way around.



We got off at Frontierland and walked back to PotC. The wait ended up being less than 10 minutes.



With our favorite ride under our belt we figured it was time to head to sinner. The guys hung out while I waited to check in. Again, the atmosphere is amazing.





One thing that was kind of annoying was that although there were two CM's at the check-in, they were both helping guests who were trying to get a reservation or change their reservation. They both took a while, though I just wanted to check-in and not make any special requests. We were asked to wait on the bridge but we didn't wait more than two minutes before we were being invited in the castle.



The CM that escorted us in was very friendly, especially after he noticed Ron wearing a Houston Texans shirt. Turned out he was from the Houston area too so we were chatting with him as he showed us around. He told us we were welcome to walk around and look some more while waiting for our meal. Then we were seated in the main ballroom in a perfect spot off to the side so it wan't all busy. It was absolutley breathtaking! The Christmas decorations made it even more magical.








Our server Pablo soon greeted us and took our drink orders- Cokes, and fruit punch for Jared. He expertly explained the menu choices as well.



After he took our orders the boys and I checked out the west wing which is dark and spooky



and the rose gallery which is bright and cheerful.




Our food was soon out and it was scrumptious. Ron and Taylor ordered the steak and fries



and I got the puff pastry with shrimp and scallops, and we all shared with Jared.



The amount of food was perfect for the four of us to share. As we were dining the Beast was walking through.



After eating I had to get some more pictures. We were close to the windows where it actually appeared to be snowing outside.

 

[Sydney2977]

We had just enough room left when the dessert cart came around so we picked some treats.



Ron and I picked the triple chocolate cupcake. The hint of raspberry was perfect.



Jared chose the chocolate cream puff and loved it.



Of course Taylor ordered the Mater's cupcake with the "grey stuff"- I tried it, it was delicious!



We cleaned our plates and had fun arranging them in a fancy way.





We looked around a bit more as we were leaving. The details put into the castle are spectacular.







We got to meet and take pictures with the master too!



This was the perfect last dinner for this trip! We loved the food, atmosphere, and service. We will definitley want to come back.

 

[Sydney2977]

We asked the boys what they wanted to do again at MK, and first up was Haunted Mansion. With less than a 10 minute wait we were onto a silly spooky ride.



Next they chose Pooh's Adventure, and we were again surprised with less than a 10 minute wait- great for a Saturday night!



Buzz was another favorite they wanted to ride. The boys chose to ride together this time. I think I got a better score this time because Ron was steering.



I guess Buzz got the better of them since they ended up with Zurg!



In Tomorrowland we found this great artist!




As we were passing through the hub we caught a bit of the Main Street Electrical Parade and some great views of the sparkly castle!





The last attraction, as is tradition, was PotC! The moon looked amazing, we practically walked right on, and it was a great last ride!




We absorbed some more of the magical Christmas atmosphere as we were leaving the MK.











We only had to wait about 5 minutes for a bus and we were headed back to AK.



One extra special thing we got to see was a behind the scenes look at AK on our ride back. The bus driver had to take an alternate route and he was nice enought to tell us about what we were seeing- from the housing for the different animals to the greenhouses to the new buidling for the FotLK.

It was so peaceful to return on our last night to the AKL. The boys got ready for bed while Ron and I spent some time on the balcony saying goodnight to the animals.

 

[Sydney2977]

Aww... it was finally Sunday, the day we had to leave and head back to reality. We slept in and then got up and ready to eat our last meal at AKL. Down at the Mara we ordered a bounty platter and some Mickey waffles and enjoyed the hustle and bustle of other guests around us, some hurrying to eat and get to the parks and others relaxing and taking it all in.



Back in our room we got everything packed up and made sure we weren't leaving anything behind.



We spent some more time out on the balcony to take in the great atmosphere and views, and most importantly the animals.








When it was literally two minutes to 11:00 we figured it was time to say goodbye to our wonderful room, so we grabbed our bags and dragged them out to the car and loaded it up.



On the way I stopped at the desk to make sure we were all checked out and the CM nicely printed me a receipt showing we had no charges and were fully paid. After the car was loaded we went back in to look around at



This is one of the best gift shops out of all the resorts I've seen. It has a large array of regular Disney merchandise, neccessity items, and some very unique things as well.



The kids had a bit more on their gift cards to use, Ron wanted to get a little something to remember our stay, and I was looking for a Christmas ornament.



Taylor found a nice silver Mickey pen, Jared got another pin for his collection, Ron picked out some little hand carved animals- a lion, giraffe, hippo, and rhino, and I chose a handmade giraffe ornament to commemorate the trip.

We fondly said farewell to the



All of us thoroughly enjoyed our time here. I still am amazed by the beauty, tranquility, yet fun-filled atmosphere of this reosrt. I know we did not get to expeience all that there is offered and can definitley see us returning in the future!

 

[Sydney2977]

Before we left WDW we had two stops we wanted to make. The first was to visit the all new



Back when we stayed at Pop! we had a lake view, so we could see over to this resort when it was just empty buildings. At that time they had planned to make them the other half of the century themed, but I am glad they chose to go with this option- so much fun!



We've stayed at the other four values and this one is very similar. We entered the lobby and looked around. I did ask a CM if there was a possibility of getting to see a suite, but she said since they were at maximum capacity they didn't have any open rooms at the time to show. Even so, it didn't seem overcrowded or too loud. We decided to start our own tour with a visit to




Being that all four of us love the "Cars" movies, and just cars in general, we were having a ball in this section! The details around this area are amazing!





Had to get some shots with the stars!










The Cars section has a nice quiet pool too, and they actually have gate access that requires a room key or magic band. We liked that it was not as close to the main building and business, but still a close walk.

The next section to see was Nemo where the main pool is located.



Again, wonderful job with the details all around.



The splash pad for younger kids is a nice addition.



We had to meet some stars here too.




Overall this section, being right in the middle of the action, was the busiest and loudest. We've never liked being close to the main building, pool, and crowds, so we probably wouldn't chose to stay in Nemo. But it's very cute!




For kids- and big kids like us- this resort is a dream come true! The larger than life theming makes you feel like you're in the movies. There is a lot of green space too, and being on the lake adds a bit of peacefulness. Becuase our boys are bigger, and probably wouldn't want to stay in a Little Mermaid room, we wouldn't choose to stay in a standard room here. The suite wouldn't really fit to our plans either since we wouldn't really use the kitchen. But when they were smaller, or if we had more people going with us, this would be a perfect choice.

 

[Sydney2977]

On the other side of the central Nemo section is the Lion King section.



There are more neat touches here that are fun to explore.




Once again we had some characters to meet.








As you can see, the rooms at this resort face the inside like a hotel versus the other all-stars where the rooms face outside like a hotel.

The last section, which is farthest from the main building, is the Little Mermaid. It is a little bit of a walk but is a lot quieter. There's also a cute pool here too.

We had fun playing with Ariel's "stuff" and greeting the characters.












We really had fun exploring the resort and I'd recommend it to families or groups.

 

[Sydney2977]

Our last stop on this Disney vacation was for lunch at



We've stayed here twice and really love the overall experience. The decor, laid back quiet feel, and excellent CM's make it one of our favorites.



We headed in to the



and ordered the quesadillas with guacamole



market nachos



and a giant build your own burrito.



In the Pepper Market you go to the station you want to order from and they make your food fresh. We filled up our mugs and got some water bottles to go for in the car. The lunch was delicious as always- flavorful and filling.



The portions are big enough to share between two people, but we got three things because we like them all and that used up the last of our ddp credits. We got our desserts to go- a brownie, dessert bar, and an order of churros.




Then it was time to hit the road back to South Carolina. We said goodbye to the most magical place on earth!



This trip was truly one of the best yet! Each time we go we have an amazing time, but as the kids get older each trip is a little different. We've changed the resorts we've stayed at, the activities we've tried, the way we tour the parks, our priorities for attractions, and the way we enjoy our down time. We seem to have more fun, but looking back I think we just have different fun. I'm glad that we still find things we've missed and want to do "next time"- it means we'll keep coming back for more Disney fun!

After returning home, we talked about maybe going for Star Wars weekend next time. It will be tough to choose CSR or AKL to stay at, or we may pick something totally new depending on what discounts we can get. We won't be doing a 2014 trip, but most likely 2015. That will give me plenty of time to decide!

 

[la la limon]

Thank you so much for posting this--I loved your photos!

Amy