1200 pics, 1100 miles, 15 deluxe dining meals, 1 great time at POR *Completed 9/5*

[themommy]

Maybe I waited on you in PCB on one of your visits. LOL I waited tables for years there before I moved to NC.

So sorry that Boma was so bad...and on your anniversary! Happy belated anniversary!

I love your Memory Maker pics. You definitely need to enjoy them because getting the kids all together at Disney once they move out is almost impossible. The pics that you took in FOTLK are excellent! I can't wait to see the new building. All I could see last year were walls and a barrier. It looks amazing!

 

[JAMIESMITH]

We missed FOTLK on our first trip. It is a definitely a must do for the upcoming one!

 

[ashleymrush]

I'm so glad you got in to FOTLK! I wanted to do it on our trip but it just didn't work out time wise. Given our trend of having to leave shows early do to DS2, it was probably for the best.

That's so crazy that you vacation to PCB! I'm here now visiting my dad and enjoying the beach with the family. I was born and raised (until 7th grade) there. It still feels like home though.

I'm looking forward to your Yak & Yeti review. If love to eat there!

 

[maryj11]

I liked the Yak & Yeti . My DGD was 10 and on the adult menu. They gave her the biggest plate of food that would of feed 2 adults ! When they set it in front of her we both just looked at each other because we knew she wouldnt be able to eat it all Even the waitress came by and asked her are you doing alright because she was trying to eat as much of it as she could

 

[sunnysideup3]

I agree with you on the warning for ITTBAB. I've never made it through the whole show. When my son was 2, I didn't know it was that scary and we made it 2 minutes before it was too dark and he freaked. At 4 I thought he might be ready (not having really seen much of the show the first time) and I ended up having to crawl on the floor to find him crying hysterically, curled in a ball. . . needless to say, we won't be back again..

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

So fantastic you did get in to see Lion King. The new building looks fantastic. It really does fit so much better in its new location. And in your pictures it looks pretty much the same show, which is great news.

I love the entertainment of the audience of Tough To Be A Bug. Ever better than the actual show to me. But I do wonder how many kids (and some adults too) are traumatized by it. It is pretty intense.

 

[alan_renfroe]

So sorry for your experience at Boma.

I love all of your FOTLK photos, we ended up not making it to the show on our trip. I can live through your photos until next time!

Hi Sara! Yeah we were disappointed with our breakfast at Boma, but it certainly wasn't going to ruin this day! We moved on rather quickly, I must say.

Sorry you all didn't get to see FOTLK. I honestly didn't think we had a chance of seeing it, but we got lucky!

So glad you were able to see FOTLK! It was my favorite part of Animal Kingdom.
We also are at Yak and Yeti and just loved it. I hope you had a great experience there, unlike Boma.
Happy to hear things are moving along with your parents and their home.
Enjoying your trip report so much!
-Mary

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

FOTLK is one of my favorite things about Animal Kingdom. The Lion King is a great movie and having the new Harambe Theatre in the Africa section of the park just makes sense. It's a great fit!

Yak and Yeti experience is about to be posted! Glad you all loved it!

Yep things seem to be moving along nicely for my parents. They've already received their insurance money for the dwelling but are now waiting to see what they will receive for the contents. Hopefully they will be happy with the settlement.

Maybe I waited on you in PCB on one of your visits. LOL I waited tables for years there before I moved to NC.

So sorry that Boma was so bad...and on your anniversary! Happy belated anniversary!

I love your Memory Maker pics. You definitely need to enjoy them because getting the kids all together at Disney once they move out is almost impossible. The pics that you took in FOTLK are excellent! I can't wait to see the new building. All I could see last year were walls and a barrier. It looks amazing!

Oh cool! Where did you work in PCB? We are down that way quite often. In fact, we are leaving for Destin this Sunday and will be in PCB on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week.

Thanks for the well wishes on our anniversary! We weren't about to let one bad service ruin this day!

All that we could see just a few days earlier were walls! And on this day it was as if those walls were never there in the first place. And in classic Disney World style, the theatre and the surrounding area look like they've been there the whole time.

We missed FOTLK on our first trip. It is a definitely a must do for the upcoming one!

Definitely! Make sure to save up enough time to check it out. I'd pay $50 per person just to see that show alone!

I'm so glad you got in to FOTLK! I wanted to do it on our trip but it just didn't work out time wise. Given our trend of having to leave shows early do to DS2, it was probably for the best.

That's so crazy that you vacation to PCB! I'm here now visiting my dad and enjoying the beach with the family. I was born and raised (until 7th grade) there. It still feels like home though.

I'm looking forward to your Yak & Yeti review. If love to eat there!

Hi Ashley! Hopefully you all will be able to catch FOTLK in the future. Maybe when DS is three or more. It's visually stunning!

I'm attending a conference in Destin this Sunday-Tuesday and then we are driving over to PCB for a couple of days just to get in some beach time. I love that area!

Yak & Yeti review coming up.

I liked the Yak & Yeti . My DGD was 10 and on the adult menu. They gave her the biggest plate of food that would of feed 2 adults ! When they set it in front of her we both just looked at each other because we knew she wouldnt be able to eat it all Even the waitress came by and asked her are you doing alright because she was trying to eat as much of it as she could

We've eaten at Yak & Yeti ever time we are at Animal Kingdom. It's a must do!

I agree with you on the warning for ITTBAB. I've never made it through the whole show. When my son was 2, I didn't know it was that scary and we made it 2 minutes before it was too dark and he freaked. At 4 I thought he might be ready (not having really seen much of the show the first time) and I ended up having to crawl on the floor to find him crying hysterically, curled in a ball. . . needless to say, we won't be back again..

That attraction is just way too intense for little ones. Heck, I'm a grown man and I STILL don't like the bugs stinging part. That just creeps me out. But we LOVED the movie A Bug's Life. One of my favorites!

So fantastic you did get in to see Lion King. The new building looks fantastic. It really does fit so much better in its new location. And in your pictures it looks pretty much the same show, which is great news.

I love the entertainment of the audience of Tough To Be A Bug. Ever better than the actual show to me. But I do wonder how many kids (and some adults too) are traumatized by it. It is pretty intense.

Hi Rob! I was really impressed to see how they made the "new" look "old" from the outside....as if it had been there from the very beginning. What a great addition it is to Animal Kingdom and thank God they didn't tamper with the original show. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?

I love the "honorary bug" status and the 3D...but I can't help but to feel sorry for some of those unsuspecting kids thinking they were going to see Flick and their other beloved characters from the movie, only to find themselves scared to death!

 

[alan_renfroe]

It was about 11:40am on Tuesday, June 3 and we had an ADR at Yak & Yeti at Noon. Since Expedition Everest was down, we decided to check in early and see if we could be seated. We got checked in, were given a buzzer, and the buzzer went off within just a couple of minutes.



We were seated by 11:45 in the very front room near the bar. This was our third time to dine at Yak & Yeti and we all LOVED it the previous two times.

Our server was Ivan and he was fantastic! I didn't catch what country he was from but he did tell us that he had been working there since the restaurant first opened in 2007. He made great menu suggestions and was very good at his job. He took our drink orders and brought them out quickly.

I just HAD to have the Emperor's Margarita! It's a tradition! And a fantastic way to cool off on a hot summer day.



I also had a refreshing Cherry Limeade:



DS and DD both ordered the egg rolls as their appetizer:



As in the past, they LOVED them!

I always order the Ahi Tuna appetizer...



and this year I convinced DW to order it also. She also had a pot of hot tea that she loved.



We both devoured the tuna! Sooooo good and fresh!

For an entree, DS got his usual....the Combination Lo Mein:



Very good as always!

DD ordered the Sweet & Sour Chicken and she loved it!




DW ordered the Kobe Beef Burger:







She LOVED it! Said it was the best burger she had ever had! I must admit that it did look very good.

I ordered one of the chef's specials of the day. At Ivan's recommendation, I had the grilled teriyaki-glazed Mahi Mahi:





Wow! It was delicious! Good call Ivan!

Next up was desserts. DS ordered the Sorbet Trio:



It was good but he was pretty full from the egg rolls and lo mein.

DD and DW both ordered the Fried Wontons dessert:







Soooooo Soooooo Goooood!

I've ALWAYS ordered this dessert, but since the two of them were having it I thought I would try something new. Ivan told us that the Mango Pie was so good that if we didn't like it, he'd buy it back from us! Wow, that's a great guarantee! I took him up on the offer and ordered the Mango Pie.





Yummmm! Let's just say that Ivan would not have to worry about buying this back! I think we ate every single bite!

So....I'm extremely happy to report....that Yak & Yeti was EXCELLENT as it has always been when we've eaten there! And Ivan was the best server we've had at Yak & Yeti. (The last time we ate here was in 2009. The food was fantastic but the server was sort of aloof. Not Ivan! Ivan was GREAT!)

Overall grade for this meal: A

So far we are having a great day at Animal Kingdom!

 

[KatMark]

Alan, so glad you had yet another great meal at Yak & Yeti. And it always makes it a better experience when you have a great server. Way to go Ivan.

Mark had that Mango Pie on our first visit and he LOVED it. Unfortunately, we never get dessert at Yak & Yeti because we are always too full from the appetizers and entrees (and why we never do the dining plan anymore).

 

[annie170]

I've only had counter service Yak & Yeti. By your photos, I'm convinced we need to try the actual restaurant. That Mahi Mahi looks fantastic! The appetizer portions look quite generous, too.

After the disappointment at Boma, glad the day is going well.

 

[MidnightParade]

Thanks allot Alan! I just had to make an ADR for Yak &Yeti after all those pictures! Just to get the Wontons though, I can't resist them anymore!

 

[LoJoDisney]

Those desserts look AMAZING. Based on your review- I may have to see if there's time during our trip for Yak & Yetti!

 

[ddstratton]

So glad to hear that you had a great lunch! Kinda makes up for the so-so breakfast. Your meals looked absolutely delish!!

 

[alan_renfroe]

Alan, so glad you had yet another great meal at Yak & Yeti. And it always makes it a better experience when you have a great server. Way to go Ivan.

Mark had that Mango Pie on our first visit and he LOVED it. Unfortunately, we never get dessert at Yak & Yeti because we are always too full from the appetizers and entrees (and why we never do the dining plan anymore).

Yak & Yeti remains a 'must-do' on our Animal Kingdom days! It especially works well with being in the Asia section of the park...especially following Expedition Everest. The theme all ties in nicely.

I hear ya on how full you get. And I agree about the dining plan. When DW and I go back for a trip with just the two of us we will not be doing the dining plan. I think we'll come out better paying OOP.

I've only had counter service Yak & Yeti. By your photos, I'm convinced we need to try the actual restaurant. That Mahi Mahi looks fantastic! The appetizer portions look quite generous, too.

After the disappointment at Boma, glad the day is going well.

Oh I would definitely recommend having the full Yak & Yeti table service experience! It's a little pricey, but not too bad for Disney...and it's agreat experience!

Yes, this day is going great! We didn't let a disappointing Boma experience ruin it for us.

Thanks allot Alan! I just had to make an ADR for Yak &Yeti after all those pictures! Just to get the Wontons though, I can't resist them anymore!

The wontons.....ohhh the wontons! They are DEFINITELY worth going to Yak & Yeti for! They are absolutely delicious!

Those desserts look AMAZING. Based on your review- I may have to see if there's time during our trip for Yak & Yetti!

For sure! If you have any time to fit in a meal at Y&Y I would definitely recommend it. This was our third time to eat there and we've loved it every single time.

So glad to hear that you had a great lunch! Kinda makes up for the so-so breakfast. Your meals looked absolutely delish!!

Hi Darla! Oh it definitely made up for breakfast! I was certainly hoping that Yak & Yeti wouldn't let me down...and it certainly didn't! In fact, with the wonderful service we received this time, I believe I may have enjoyed this experience more than my previous two experiences there.

 

[themommy]

You asked where I worked in PC. I worked at a Pizza Inn down where Middle Beach Rd. connects back into Front Beach Road. A few years after that I worked at Waffle Shoppes all over the beach...mostly on Thomas Drive. It's amazing how much money one can make on the beach from tourists.

I am so glad that you and your wife got to have a much better eating experience later in the day. I have never eaten at a sit down restaurant in AK. I can't seem to not get ribs at Flame Tree BBQ. I am an addict I suppose. I must say though that your food looked delicious! Maybe one day I will branch out and try something different.

 

[pigletgirl]

Yum, those wonton's are the best! It's too bad we can fit in a lunch at Y&Y this trip. DH and I both love their steak and shrimp dish.

FOTLK is the show I'm looking most forward too. It looks amazing!

 

[ashleymrush]

You've sold me on it...I have to eat at Yak & Yeti. I've got some picky eaters going with me in March (my mom included) and limited time so I'll probably have to wait another 3 years before I can eat there but from the looks of it, it will be well worth the wait.

Have fun in PCB next week. The weather has been amazing this week. Not a drop of rain so far. (Knock on wood.)

 

[alan_renfroe]

You asked where I worked in PC. I worked at a Pizza Inn down where Middle Beach Rd. connects back into Front Beach Road. A few years after that I worked at Waffle Shoppes all over the beach...mostly on Thomas Drive. It's amazing how much money one can make on the beach from tourists.

I am so glad that you and your wife got to have a much better eating experience later in the day. I have never eaten at a sit down restaurant in AK. I can't seem to not get ribs at Flame Tree BBQ. I am an addict I suppose. I must say though that your food looked delicious! Maybe one day I will branch out and try something different.

Ooh I've always wanted to try to ribs at Flame Tree BBQ. I love ribs! Perhaps when DW and I go back and not on the dining plan that will have to be on our list.

Yep, I've eaten at that Pizza Inn! It's been quite a long time ago though. I don't even remember when. It's a small world after all!

Yum, those wonton's are the best! It's too bad we can fit in a lunch at Y&Y this trip. DH and I both love their steak and shrimp dish.

FOTLK is the show I'm looking most forward too. It looks amazing!

Aren't they? I LOVE them so much! DW thought I had lost my mind when I ordered the mango pie instead of my beloved wontons...but I knew that between her and DD I would get to have a few bites at least. And after Ivan told us he'd buy the pie back if we didn't like it, I had to take him up on it! And it too was delish!

That steak & shrimp dish is what I've gotten there the last two times and it is amazing! I went in this time with an open mind and determined to try something different. Again, I blame it on Ivan but he totally sold me on the Glazed Mahi Mahi...and I'm glad he did. It was just what I was in the mood for!

You will LOVE FOTLK! I'm telling ya...it's a must! There's acrobatics, fire dancers, and some great performers. I just love it!

You've sold me on it...I have to eat at Yak & Yeti. I've got some picky eaters going with me in March (my mom included) and limited time so I'll probably have to wait another 3 years before I can eat there but from the looks of it, it will be well worth the wait.

Have fun in PCB next week. The weather has been amazing this week. Not a drop of rain so far. (Knock on wood.)

Ta Da! The power of the trip report! I've sold Ashley on trying Yak & Yeti! I actually think that even your picky eaters may like it. That Kobe Beef Burger DW ordered was very good! And as mentioned above they do have a very good steak and shrimp dish as well.

Thanks for the well wishes! We'll actually be in Destin Sunday-Tuesday and in PCB Tuesday-Wednesday. We come home on Thursday. I'm looking forward to some fish tacos at Finn's in PCB!

 

[ashleymrush]

My dad talks about Finn's all the time yet I've never eaten there! I love fish tacos. I really need to go. We just ate the most amazing dinner at Saltwater Grille last night. If you've never gone there, you must at some point. It's a bit higher end in price but it is so worth every penny. The lobster bisque is heaven in a bowl!

 

[alan_renfroe]

So after a wonderful lunch at Yak & Yeti, it was about 12:55pm. The skies were looking a little dark when we headed in for lunch, but now it was looking nice again....and hot. We had a 1:05-2:05pm FastPass for Dinosaur, so we thought we would head back by Everest to see if it had reopened before heading over to Dinoland. No luck. It was still down, but we did see trains on the track again which I figured was a good sign.

We stopped and got some MemoryMaker pics made at Everest:





I was committing to the character here! The rest of the fam: not so much!



So we made our way over to DinoLand and used our FastPasses for Dinosaur.









Again, DW getting her scream on! And who knows what DD was looking at!

So, we got off Dinosaur and the posted time for Primeval Whirl was 20 minutes...so we rode for the second time today!



Our next FastPass was for Kali River Rapids from 2:05pm-3:05pm...and we still had one for Expedition Everest for anytime that day. So we thought we would make our way back around to see if Everest was back open yet and if we could get in a ride before KRR. Well....it was back open again. However, the FastPass return line was all the way to that bridge where we were standing in the MemoryMaker photos! It must've been 200 yards long or maybe longer!

Um....pass. I think we'll just go on to Kali River Rapids.

It was a hot day, so getting a little wet would not be a bad thing!





I had sort of forgotten about this ride....and after riding it this time I know why. Bottom line: There's not much to it. We had a couple of minor splashes, rounded a corner and went down a drop. And that was it. For some reason I thought there were at least two or three drops. Nope...just the one. I love splash rides but to me this one disappoints. While you do get some beautiful views on the ride it is definitely lacking in excitement for a thrill junkie like myself.

Oh well, I plan to get my thrills when I ride Expedition Everest again!

We got off Kali River Rapids, took a quick bathroom break, and figured the line would surely not be as long for Everest now....

We were wrong...

I kid you not...

The FastPass return line for Expedition Everest was all the way down to the Entrance of Finding Nemo: The Musical! Maybe even a little past that! We all looked at each other...and I could tell everyone was thinking the same thing...no WAY are we standing in a line that long!

As we balked from standing in this enormous line I heard someone say, "The line is really long but it moves quite fast. Should be on the ride in 25 minutes or so."

Nah, that still sounded too long. It was VERY hot at this point and DD was getting tired. I think we were all ready to go back to POR and maybe get in some pool time in the heat of this June afternoon. So we left the park around 2:45pm or so and drove back to Port Orleans Riverside.

I changed into swimwear and headed to the pool:











Ahhhh...time to relax a little on a hot day by the pool.



I even got in the hot tub after cooling off in the pool. I was in full relaxation mode!



I thought about getting in this hammock, but figured the bed in the room in the air conditioning might be a bit more comfortable.



After a little afternoon nap, we all got up and started getting ready. Our big anniversary dinner was tonight at the California Grill! We drove to the Contemporary Resort, parked, and made our way to the check-in for CG.





Coming up next: Celebrating our 19-year Wedding Anniversary atop the Contemporary Resort at the California Grill!