2 Weeks of AKV

[RDP]

Thought I would put together a brief pre trippy, with the hope of following up with a full TR or at the very least some almost live updates.

We are flying with virgin and got ok prices for August flights; we booked last October! We have since bought extra leg-room seats for the outward and return flight. We booked these at 90 days out and got the last 4, so got a bit of pixie dust on that count

We are going to stay in the Gatwick Hilton the night before we fly, we have done this for many years and find it the most convenient and easy way to manage the 4 hour drive from South Wales. We also have valet parking booked at the airport to make parking and managing 4 suitcases and 2 children as easy as possible. I can't think back to how we managed 4 suitcases, 2 pushchairs and two children with 2 of us, but we did! We have a large family room booked at the Hilton so everyone gets a bed the night before we fly.

We have two weeks booked at AKV, we are DVC members and this is our home resort. We LOVE this place! We have booked a 1 bedroom savanna view room and requested a low floor near a lift. The low floor is better for animal watching and the lift is convenient for being near the car. We didn’t feel the need to be too close to the lobby, as there is not a great deal there that we need to be close to.

We are big planners and booked our ADR,s at 180 days, quite a few of the places we have eaten at before, one or two are new.

1. Akershus
2. T-Rex
3. Crystal Palace
4. Jiko
5. Rainforest Cafe
6. Sanna (new)
7. Be Our Guest (new)
8. Flying Fish
9. Coral Reef
10. O’Hana
11. Garden Grill (new)

We have been going to WDW for the last 14 years, so a lot of it is familiar, we plan to take it easy and take or leave the parks depending on weather and crowds. Other activities we may arrange when we get there is a princess manicure for DD8 and DW I may book a massage at the Gym in AKV if there’s time. DS5 would like to do some extra activity with Animals, but I think he is too young for any of the AK, AKL offerings. Other must do’s for us includes a pilgrimage to the Mall at Millennia, possibly the Cheesecake Factory and the obligatory outlet visit. :good vibes

Heres a picture of DD and DS





Here’s a few pictures of AKV to get us all in the mood!









Next stop Gatwick Airport, just one more week in work! The cases are out, the packing has commenced. Cant wait for next Friday and my pre holiday ritual of a nice bottle of wine after we close the last suitcase.

 

[Claire Bear]

I'm getting so excited doing my PTR and reading others, we fly on Friday! Woohoo!
I like your finishing packing ritual! Might have to try it! Haha.
I've always liked the look of AKL but thought it seemed a bit far out. I would like to go sometime in the future and I bet it's a lovely resort to go with children.

 

[RDP]

I'm getting so excited doing my PTR and reading others, we fly on Friday! Woohoo!
I like your finishing packing ritual! Might have to try it! Haha.
I've always liked the look of AKL but thought it seemed a bit far out. I would like to go sometime in the future and I bet it's a lovely resort to go with children.

Just read your PTR, fab! your OH is in for a treat!

 

[Claire Bear]

Just read your PTR, fab! your OH is in for a treat!

Right now he is complaining saying Florida takes too much planning and can't we go on a normal holiday next?!!! Grr! I'm sure he'll love it when we're there though, we'll I hope so!

 

[Sarah28]

Wow would love to stay at AKL, will do one day hopefully! Your ADRs look quite similar to ours, we're trying Sanaa for the first time this trip too. Not long to go, hope you have an amazing time!

 

[RDP]

Wow would love to stay at AKL, will do one day hopefully! Your ADRs look quite similar to ours, we're trying Sanaa for the first time this trip too. Not long to go, hope you have an amazing time!

You too! Sanaa is our wild card, but it seems to get decent reviews so its worth a shot and the food looks a lot different from the usual Disney fare.

 

[jjk]

your plans sound great, have a fab trip

 

[RDP]

your plans sound great, have a fab trip

Thanks very much. We are really looking forward to this one.

 

[irongirlof12]

Great plans, a bit of old trusted dining and a bit of new, perfect!

 

[RDP]

Great plans, a bit of old trusted dining and a bit of new, perfect!

Thanks, love eating my way around the 'world' . The food is a big part WDW for me, especially looking forward to the signatures!

 

[RDP]

Just completed twilight check-in with VA, bit disappointed they have split the family again this year, we are in different rows, 2 seats of three. Aisle and middle seats with a stranger in the window seat. Don't think we will get lucky And have the three seats in each row to ourselves, when I booked the extra leg room they told me I had booked the last 4 seats. Hey Ho we are off to Disney anyway, checked in to the Gatwick Hilton, lovely large room. Off to Giraffe for some food and wine beverage!!! Next stop Disney!

 

[RDP]

Just waiting for the Vroom to let us in! 10 am admission for 1300 flight! DD and DW just gone off to raid the duty free! Gatwick is its usual busy self. Can't wait to get underway .

 

[RDP]

The flight over was un eventful, it was a full flight, only gripe was they had not catered enough child meals. Immigration was busy but very quick.


We had a great first day. Breakfast with the princesses at Akershus, very nice, then rode The Land, Nemo, figment, mission space, got some quick service at the Electric Umbrella. The weather is very hot ( 90,s) and mostly sunny.

We have had a bit of trouble with our room keys at AKV, not sure if its to do with the whole magic band thing or not ( we don't have them) our pin has not worked, so transactions have had to be swiped, then the key stopped working all together and we couldn't get into the room. We been reissued with new keys so we will see how we get on! Picked up our photo plus card in EPCOT also then rode Spaceship Earth before it closes for refurb.

Lots of animals coming and going outside the room, will posts pics when we get back.

It's 6 am here on our second day, T. rex and Downtown Disney today ! I'll let you know how we get on!

 

[RDP]

Off to Jiko tonight for our 14th wedding anniversary. Kids off to Simbas Cub House! Spent the day in The Magic Kingdom, had breakfast in Crystal Palace. Park was very hot, somebody passed out in the queue for Stiches great escape!, so they closed the ride temporarily. Making the most of our photo pass plus, getting lots of pics . Jiko calls, will let you know how that goes , bye for now.

 

[westgrove]

Nightmare with key problems! sounds like a good start though. Happy Anniversary!!!

 

[RDP]

Jiko was wonderful, we shared a beef carpaccio flatbread for a starter, I had the beef short-rib , DW had scallops...yuuum! We had a complementary taster desert with happy anniversary on it ! Oh and a very nice bottle of red!

We have been to Animal kingdom, EPCOT and magic kingdom so far. Parks have been moderately busy, we seem to have been a bit of a magnet for broken rides, we have got out of 3 lines so far with rides braking down whilst we have been in the line for them.

Had a nice meal at AK,s Rainforest Cafe yesterday. We where sat next to a fish tank which kept the children amused, we timed it just right as the heavens opened for about an hour, plus side was it cooled off a very hot park! DW and DD did manicures at the GF spa today, they said it was excellent, DD was made the ' princess ' of the day at the spa, DD loved it! She had a magical manicure and a princess pedi. DW had a regular manicure. I've just come back from AK,s massage and fitness centre having had one of the best 80 minute massages ever ! So all in all a good day, off to MK tonight. Sanaa tomorrow !

On the magic band front, the people that we have met who have them are raving about them, we definitely feel at a disadvantage in not having them, they certainly cut down on the amount of walking you would otherwise have to do in the park to get your fast passes then return later.

 

[RDP]

The Magic Kingdom was great fun last night, it closed at 11pm. Around 10pm lots of people had left and we walked on most rides. The new fantasy land is cute but until the Dwarfs Mine train attraction opens, there is really very little there other than BOG and a few little things for pre teens and toddlers. We ate at Columbia Harbour House, I had the lobster roll, DW had the Tuna sandwich as did DS and DD. The estimated waits for rides seem a bit off this trip, several rides have stated long waits (60 min or more) which we have ignored and the rode within 20-30 minutes.

Eating at Sanaa tonight, still debating whether to take the children or not, they can be fussy depending what mood their in. The other option is to let them go to Simbas Cub House again ( which they loved) Currently drinking coffee and watching the animals go by from the balcony. To pool or not to pool! Just another one of the BIG decisions I'll have to make today! Tomorrow we are eating at BOG, then have an ADR at Flying Fish on Monday.

 

[RDP]

Nightmare with key problems! sounds like a good start though. Happy Anniversary!!!

Thanks, having a great time. Anniversary meal was wonderful!

 

[RDP]

Had food in BOG last night, I tried the French onion soup and the Salmon, the French Onion was just meh! The salmon was good. We were sat next to the spawn of satan unfortunately which was a bit of an unwelcome distraction! The resturaunt was very busy, service was ok .

Had a pool morning today, until rain called off play! We are going to Flying Fish tonight tonight and looking forward to this old favourite. We attempted to go to the premium outlets yesterday but abandoned it after trying to park for about 25 minutes, it was VERY busy, will try again mid week!

 

[xxpeplyxx]

The Magic Kingdom was great fun last night, it closed at 11pm. Around 10pm lots of people had left and we walked on most rides. The new fantasy land is cute but until the Dwarfs Mine train attraction opens, there is really very little there other than BOG and a few little things for pre teens and toddlers. We ate at Columbia Harbour House, I had the lobster roll, DW had the Tuna sandwich as did DS and DD. The estimated waits for rides seem a bit off this trip, several rides have stated long waits (60 min or more) which we have ignored and the rode within 20-30 minutes.

Eating at Sanaa tonight, still debating whether to take the children or not, they can be fussy depending what mood their in. The other option is to let them go to Simbas Cub House again ( which they loved) Currently drinking coffee and watching the animals go by from the balcony. To pool or not to pool! Just another one of the BIG decisions I'll have to make today! Tomorrow we are eating at BOG, then have an ADR at Flying Fish on Monday.

We found this when we were there from August 3rd-18th the worst one was space mountain, at one point it said 120mins it was no longer than a 15min wait and there was no queue for the queue line side but the fast pass group tailed back to the entrance of the ride queue line! Don't know what happened there!