PrincessTToo
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- May 11, 2003
- Messages
- 159
I woke up at 6:30 AM and got to the AKL Concierge Lounge by 8:15 AM. I had coffee in the room but grabbed more coffee and a bagel in the lounge. Then I found my car and drove to Epcot while eating and drinking at the stoplights. I was able to park really close and I was checking in at the front Guest Relations for my Segway Tour right on time at 9:15 AM. But they told me I was supposed to check in at the inside Guest Relations.
No one else was waiting at the inside Guest Relations after I checked in so I started to wonder if I was doing the tour by myself. Eventually I was escorted to the Segway room which is inside the F&G Festival Headquarters. (I noticed the board said the wait for Soarin was already 25 minutes and it was only 9:30 AM.) There were a bunch of people already in the Segway room with their helmets on. I guess I was the last one to register.
We saw a very short film that just told us that we had to be 16 years old and weigh less than 250 pounds to learn to ride the Segway. Then we were trained on how to get the Segway started and how to get on. Then we learned how to drive back and forth between cones. Turning around is fun but the woman next to me probably didnt think so because she ran into me while turning around. After that I had to watch myself and her. Then we spent more time navigating cones and then learned how to go up and down a ramp. Then we learned how to get off the Segway and drag it over a curb. To me this training part was the least fun part of the tour. So I wouldnt recommend the new shorter Segway tour because it looks like that is the majority of the tour.
We were finally off and out of the building. Oh, the looks we got. And we were all so nervous. By now there was a pretty good crowd of people in FW. And that part of FW is a little busier than it used to be because of Soarin. I hated negotiating through the crowds (especially the teenagers). Its not like the Segway has brakes. You have to lean backwards to stop. And if you lean too far backwards, then you start going in reverse. I mean running over a cone in training is one thing but running over another guest is another! I was so happy when we got through Future World and Mexico and Norway and then finally reached the unopened part of WS.
The instructor had us zigging and zagging all over. We went through the store in China and then we stopped to look at a frog in the pond. Then up the train ramp in Germany. And on to zigging through the columns in Italy where we got our pictures taken. Both with PhotoPass and our own cameras.
All of WS was open now and there were a lot of people to negotiate around. But we were all getting the hang of it by now so it was a lot easier than when we first started. But if you see someone on a Segway tour, I would recommend giving them a wide berth.
We zigged some more through UK and France and then through the Rose gardens back to the Segway room where we got our exclusive Segway pins. The tour went by much too quickly but I loved it. I highly recommend it. But if I had it to do over again I would schedule the 8:00 AM tour because you get more time with a lot less people in the park.
I then got a 12:30 PM FP for Soarin which was now a 50 minute standby wait. I had to laugh when I got there. I had read that the queue area was supposed to resemble an airport. They definitely managed to get the chaotic where do I go now look of an airport. There were so many people milling around and so many entrances that it was hard to find the FP machines.
Then I headed to the new Sunshine Seasons where I got a very small potato salad and a slightly soggy veggie wrap. The last time I got a veggie wrap there it was nothing but lettuce. This time it contained a variety of vegetables, none of which I could identify. I could only eat about ½ of the new and improved veggie wrap. I was feeling better but still had a long way to go.
There was a 20 minute standby wait for Living with the Land which was perfect because then it would be time for my Soarin FP. I refilled my Diet Coke and drank it while standing in line. And for the first time ever, I had my camera with me to take pictures of the greenhouse.
It was 12:39 PM when I finished with Living with the Land and headed for my 12:30 PM Soarin FP. Ive been on the Disneyland version a couple of times so I knew what to expect. I got the first (top) row but felt the screen ended a bit shorter on top than the one at Disneyland. But maybe its just me. I could also smell a lot more (despite being so stuffy) than at Disneyland. This was the first time I could smell the sea. As always, this is a fabulous attraction. A definite must-see.
I went to SE next. I got stopped 3 times inside the ride. None of them were at very interesting points. I hope it wasnt technical difficulties because this ride is one of my favorites and it is definitely getting old.
Then I walked back to the parking lot and had a very hard time finding my car. It ended up being a joke with me and the car. I think he liked playing hide and seek with me. I tried the alarm button on the key ring but it only worked when you were really close to the car.
When I finally found the car, I drove back to the AKL. My welcome gift (a baobob tree sculpture) and a letter regarding my Sunset Safari had been delivered.
I was going to sit out on my balcony but the neighbors in the next building were out and there was no privacy screen between me and them. So I took a couple of pictures of the savanna and then sat inside in the comfy reading chair and caught up on my journal. I left for the concierge lounge at 3:45 PM. Seemed like Im always running just a couple minutes late on this trip. But once again I was having a difficult time deciding what to wear. I wasnt sure if we were going to given a chance to freshen up before our dinner at Jiko. So I settled for Bermuda khaki shorts, a cami and carrying a light sweater. And I did the best I could with my Florida/Segway helmet hair.
Our safari guide, I think her name was Amanda, and our driver, Greg, introduced themselves in the lobby while I waited. Greg asked me how I had heard about the Sunset Safari and I said disboards.com.
Later I noticed that Greg was in the AKL video on the resort TV. He was very knowledgeable and seemed to know everyone. Amanda was much newer but she was very enthusiastic. And although we didnt ask many questions, she was able to answer them all.
Eventually they rounded us all up and took us backstage and onto the van. I loved how the top of the van came up so we could stand up between padded bars with nothing but open windows between you and the savanna. And it was so easy to turn around and see everything.
We drove through all three AKL savannas and Amanda explained all about the animals and how they are cared for and fed and called into the barns at different times during the day. The female giraffes in the Arusha Savanna got fairly close and appeared to be posing for us. One of them is pregnant and I told her congratulations. I swear she smiled at me.
The male giraffes in the Sunset Savanna got even closer. One of them shared his alfalfa with us. Once again, I was the one to talk to him and said thank you. Then everyone else on the safari laughed while they were dusting off the alfalfa and also said thank you for sharing.
As we were driving through the Sunset Savanna an Abyssinian Ground Hornbill bird started to follow us. Amanda says that if you pay attention to him he will follow you forever. Ive never known a bird in my life that craved human attention. I was just amazed.
The first question I asked was about the notches I saw in the ears of some of the animals. Amanda explained that all of the animals on the savannas need some type of marking so that the staff can tell them apart and communicate if there is a problem with a particular animal. For example, the giraffes already come with very identifiable patterns that are easy to tell apart. And the birds get fitted with different colored bands on their legs. But the other animals must be given strategically placed notches on their right and/or left ears.
The other question I asked came right after I saw some lightning. I asked what they do with the animals in bad weather. She said that it had to be very severe for them to be called into the barns. But that when it is really, really bad (ex. during a hurricane) they let the really skittish animals stay outside. I could see her point. My dog is very unhappy during thunderstorms and paces and tries to hide. It would be dreadful if he had to be caged up with a bunch of other animals just like him.
We stopped for pictures in front of a fence separating us from the male giraffes. They loved to pose too. And a South African cast member spread out a bunch of treats on a tablecloth and gave us some mango juice. It was a bit odd because she explained that on a normal safari they would stop and spread out lunch on the hood of the car. But she never really offered us anything except the juice. Finally, some of the more intrepid members of our group started sampling the beef jerky stuff. I was saving whatever appetite I had for our dinner at Jiko.
It started to rain and there was a bit more thunder so we quickly got back into the van and headed back to the hotel. We arrived a bit early for our dinner so Greg kept us in the lobby and explained the carving on the inside of the front door. There is a sign that says Touch Here and he says its funny how many people touch the sign instead of the carving. I then started touching that carving every time I left the AKL. I can use all the luck I can get.
Speaking of luck, I have to admit to a bit of very good luck on all my trips to WDW. I have never had any problems with rain. Any time it has ever rained on any of my trips was either while I was sleeping or during a meal or while inside an attraction. I fondly remember a lovely meal with my DH at Narcooses while it was raining. And it miraculously stopped just as we were leaving the restaurant.
Greg and Amanda dropped us off at Jiko and we were escorted to a lovely table right by the stream. It was raining quite heavily now and really added to the atmosphere.
I should stop now and introduce you to the other members of my safari. There was a lovely young couple from New York who were finishing up their honeymoon. And there was a delightful family from Scotland -- Mom, Dad and their grown-up daughter. But the daughter looked much younger than she actually was. I was taken aback when she started drinking wine but the more we talked the more I understood that she was well over 21. And it was so cute when she talked about her girlfriends as her mates.
It turned out to be a dog-park etiquette time. That means we didnt ask personal questions and didnt ask any names and only talked about what we had in common. So that meant we talked about Disney and traveling. The Scots had been all around the world and had lots of interesting travel stories. They had even been on a real safari in Africa. They said you see a lot less animals on a real safari.
The honeymooners and the Scots had both stayed at the Boardwalk Inn Concierge level before coming to AKL. They were unanimous in their agreement that the Boardwalk was better. The honeymooners said their AKL reservation was really screwed up and they had a hard time getting the AKL concierge staff to help them. I teased them that it was their accent because they said that they had an impossible time explaining their problem to the staff. In all fairness, I didnt have any problems with the concierge staff and I really enjoyed any encounters with them. Ok, I did have one little problem.
When I had found out that the Jiko safari dinner was going to be served family style, I sent an Email to the AKL concierge staff asking them if my being a vegetarian was going to be a problem. They replied that it would not a problem and they would mark it on my reservation. I saw that it was well marked on my confirmation letter. But when I saw our dinner menu all the entrees contained meat. Actually, I had so little of an appetite that I really didnt consider it a problem. After the lovely bread course where I managed to eat one little piece of bread, I made the mistake of asking Chef Annette which appetizers were vegetarian. She said Oh, I didnt know you were a vegetarian! And she proceeded to make me my own plate of appetizers which were all delightful but I really wasnt hungry. I had to smoosh one of them around a bit so that it looked like I had tried it.
Then she brought me out my own big entrée plate with 4 huge wedges of Tofu and tons of vegetables. I was able to force myself to eat one of the wedges and some of the veggies. It was wonderful but once again I just wasnt hungry. And Ive learned in my many years of weight loss efforts that I always take advantage of those very rare opportunities when Im not hungry.
We also had wine with every course. I tasted each one but probably only drank about ¼ of a glass total. Such a waste of wonderful wine, except the dessert wine which none of us enjoyed. I had a small piece of the chocolate flourless cake but could hardly taste it.
I am convinced that Jiko is a fabulous restaurant but it was such a waste on me that night. I cant wait until the day when I am there with my DH when we are both healthy and can really appreciate it.
But it was a joy to be able to eat a meal with such great people. Despite all my solo trips, I have never been completely comfortable eating alone. So I really enjoyed the 3 hours with my safari friends and couldnt wait until the Sunrise Safari in the morning. My Scottish friends were going to be there and I was hoping to hear more of their travel stories during the buffet breakfast.
Back in my room I watched TV for a couple of hours and then was sound asleep by 10:30 PM with the alarm set for 5:00 AM
No one else was waiting at the inside Guest Relations after I checked in so I started to wonder if I was doing the tour by myself. Eventually I was escorted to the Segway room which is inside the F&G Festival Headquarters. (I noticed the board said the wait for Soarin was already 25 minutes and it was only 9:30 AM.) There were a bunch of people already in the Segway room with their helmets on. I guess I was the last one to register.
We saw a very short film that just told us that we had to be 16 years old and weigh less than 250 pounds to learn to ride the Segway. Then we were trained on how to get the Segway started and how to get on. Then we learned how to drive back and forth between cones. Turning around is fun but the woman next to me probably didnt think so because she ran into me while turning around. After that I had to watch myself and her. Then we spent more time navigating cones and then learned how to go up and down a ramp. Then we learned how to get off the Segway and drag it over a curb. To me this training part was the least fun part of the tour. So I wouldnt recommend the new shorter Segway tour because it looks like that is the majority of the tour.
We were finally off and out of the building. Oh, the looks we got. And we were all so nervous. By now there was a pretty good crowd of people in FW. And that part of FW is a little busier than it used to be because of Soarin. I hated negotiating through the crowds (especially the teenagers). Its not like the Segway has brakes. You have to lean backwards to stop. And if you lean too far backwards, then you start going in reverse. I mean running over a cone in training is one thing but running over another guest is another! I was so happy when we got through Future World and Mexico and Norway and then finally reached the unopened part of WS.
The instructor had us zigging and zagging all over. We went through the store in China and then we stopped to look at a frog in the pond. Then up the train ramp in Germany. And on to zigging through the columns in Italy where we got our pictures taken. Both with PhotoPass and our own cameras.
All of WS was open now and there were a lot of people to negotiate around. But we were all getting the hang of it by now so it was a lot easier than when we first started. But if you see someone on a Segway tour, I would recommend giving them a wide berth.
We zigged some more through UK and France and then through the Rose gardens back to the Segway room where we got our exclusive Segway pins. The tour went by much too quickly but I loved it. I highly recommend it. But if I had it to do over again I would schedule the 8:00 AM tour because you get more time with a lot less people in the park.
I then got a 12:30 PM FP for Soarin which was now a 50 minute standby wait. I had to laugh when I got there. I had read that the queue area was supposed to resemble an airport. They definitely managed to get the chaotic where do I go now look of an airport. There were so many people milling around and so many entrances that it was hard to find the FP machines.
Then I headed to the new Sunshine Seasons where I got a very small potato salad and a slightly soggy veggie wrap. The last time I got a veggie wrap there it was nothing but lettuce. This time it contained a variety of vegetables, none of which I could identify. I could only eat about ½ of the new and improved veggie wrap. I was feeling better but still had a long way to go.
There was a 20 minute standby wait for Living with the Land which was perfect because then it would be time for my Soarin FP. I refilled my Diet Coke and drank it while standing in line. And for the first time ever, I had my camera with me to take pictures of the greenhouse.
It was 12:39 PM when I finished with Living with the Land and headed for my 12:30 PM Soarin FP. Ive been on the Disneyland version a couple of times so I knew what to expect. I got the first (top) row but felt the screen ended a bit shorter on top than the one at Disneyland. But maybe its just me. I could also smell a lot more (despite being so stuffy) than at Disneyland. This was the first time I could smell the sea. As always, this is a fabulous attraction. A definite must-see.
I went to SE next. I got stopped 3 times inside the ride. None of them were at very interesting points. I hope it wasnt technical difficulties because this ride is one of my favorites and it is definitely getting old.
Then I walked back to the parking lot and had a very hard time finding my car. It ended up being a joke with me and the car. I think he liked playing hide and seek with me. I tried the alarm button on the key ring but it only worked when you were really close to the car.
When I finally found the car, I drove back to the AKL. My welcome gift (a baobob tree sculpture) and a letter regarding my Sunset Safari had been delivered.
I was going to sit out on my balcony but the neighbors in the next building were out and there was no privacy screen between me and them. So I took a couple of pictures of the savanna and then sat inside in the comfy reading chair and caught up on my journal. I left for the concierge lounge at 3:45 PM. Seemed like Im always running just a couple minutes late on this trip. But once again I was having a difficult time deciding what to wear. I wasnt sure if we were going to given a chance to freshen up before our dinner at Jiko. So I settled for Bermuda khaki shorts, a cami and carrying a light sweater. And I did the best I could with my Florida/Segway helmet hair.
Our safari guide, I think her name was Amanda, and our driver, Greg, introduced themselves in the lobby while I waited. Greg asked me how I had heard about the Sunset Safari and I said disboards.com.
Later I noticed that Greg was in the AKL video on the resort TV. He was very knowledgeable and seemed to know everyone. Amanda was much newer but she was very enthusiastic. And although we didnt ask many questions, she was able to answer them all.
Eventually they rounded us all up and took us backstage and onto the van. I loved how the top of the van came up so we could stand up between padded bars with nothing but open windows between you and the savanna. And it was so easy to turn around and see everything.
We drove through all three AKL savannas and Amanda explained all about the animals and how they are cared for and fed and called into the barns at different times during the day. The female giraffes in the Arusha Savanna got fairly close and appeared to be posing for us. One of them is pregnant and I told her congratulations. I swear she smiled at me.
The male giraffes in the Sunset Savanna got even closer. One of them shared his alfalfa with us. Once again, I was the one to talk to him and said thank you. Then everyone else on the safari laughed while they were dusting off the alfalfa and also said thank you for sharing.
As we were driving through the Sunset Savanna an Abyssinian Ground Hornbill bird started to follow us. Amanda says that if you pay attention to him he will follow you forever. Ive never known a bird in my life that craved human attention. I was just amazed.
The first question I asked was about the notches I saw in the ears of some of the animals. Amanda explained that all of the animals on the savannas need some type of marking so that the staff can tell them apart and communicate if there is a problem with a particular animal. For example, the giraffes already come with very identifiable patterns that are easy to tell apart. And the birds get fitted with different colored bands on their legs. But the other animals must be given strategically placed notches on their right and/or left ears.
The other question I asked came right after I saw some lightning. I asked what they do with the animals in bad weather. She said that it had to be very severe for them to be called into the barns. But that when it is really, really bad (ex. during a hurricane) they let the really skittish animals stay outside. I could see her point. My dog is very unhappy during thunderstorms and paces and tries to hide. It would be dreadful if he had to be caged up with a bunch of other animals just like him.
We stopped for pictures in front of a fence separating us from the male giraffes. They loved to pose too. And a South African cast member spread out a bunch of treats on a tablecloth and gave us some mango juice. It was a bit odd because she explained that on a normal safari they would stop and spread out lunch on the hood of the car. But she never really offered us anything except the juice. Finally, some of the more intrepid members of our group started sampling the beef jerky stuff. I was saving whatever appetite I had for our dinner at Jiko.
It started to rain and there was a bit more thunder so we quickly got back into the van and headed back to the hotel. We arrived a bit early for our dinner so Greg kept us in the lobby and explained the carving on the inside of the front door. There is a sign that says Touch Here and he says its funny how many people touch the sign instead of the carving. I then started touching that carving every time I left the AKL. I can use all the luck I can get.
Speaking of luck, I have to admit to a bit of very good luck on all my trips to WDW. I have never had any problems with rain. Any time it has ever rained on any of my trips was either while I was sleeping or during a meal or while inside an attraction. I fondly remember a lovely meal with my DH at Narcooses while it was raining. And it miraculously stopped just as we were leaving the restaurant.
Greg and Amanda dropped us off at Jiko and we were escorted to a lovely table right by the stream. It was raining quite heavily now and really added to the atmosphere.
I should stop now and introduce you to the other members of my safari. There was a lovely young couple from New York who were finishing up their honeymoon. And there was a delightful family from Scotland -- Mom, Dad and their grown-up daughter. But the daughter looked much younger than she actually was. I was taken aback when she started drinking wine but the more we talked the more I understood that she was well over 21. And it was so cute when she talked about her girlfriends as her mates.
It turned out to be a dog-park etiquette time. That means we didnt ask personal questions and didnt ask any names and only talked about what we had in common. So that meant we talked about Disney and traveling. The Scots had been all around the world and had lots of interesting travel stories. They had even been on a real safari in Africa. They said you see a lot less animals on a real safari.
The honeymooners and the Scots had both stayed at the Boardwalk Inn Concierge level before coming to AKL. They were unanimous in their agreement that the Boardwalk was better. The honeymooners said their AKL reservation was really screwed up and they had a hard time getting the AKL concierge staff to help them. I teased them that it was their accent because they said that they had an impossible time explaining their problem to the staff. In all fairness, I didnt have any problems with the concierge staff and I really enjoyed any encounters with them. Ok, I did have one little problem.
When I had found out that the Jiko safari dinner was going to be served family style, I sent an Email to the AKL concierge staff asking them if my being a vegetarian was going to be a problem. They replied that it would not a problem and they would mark it on my reservation. I saw that it was well marked on my confirmation letter. But when I saw our dinner menu all the entrees contained meat. Actually, I had so little of an appetite that I really didnt consider it a problem. After the lovely bread course where I managed to eat one little piece of bread, I made the mistake of asking Chef Annette which appetizers were vegetarian. She said Oh, I didnt know you were a vegetarian! And she proceeded to make me my own plate of appetizers which were all delightful but I really wasnt hungry. I had to smoosh one of them around a bit so that it looked like I had tried it.
Then she brought me out my own big entrée plate with 4 huge wedges of Tofu and tons of vegetables. I was able to force myself to eat one of the wedges and some of the veggies. It was wonderful but once again I just wasnt hungry. And Ive learned in my many years of weight loss efforts that I always take advantage of those very rare opportunities when Im not hungry.
We also had wine with every course. I tasted each one but probably only drank about ¼ of a glass total. Such a waste of wonderful wine, except the dessert wine which none of us enjoyed. I had a small piece of the chocolate flourless cake but could hardly taste it.
I am convinced that Jiko is a fabulous restaurant but it was such a waste on me that night. I cant wait until the day when I am there with my DH when we are both healthy and can really appreciate it.
But it was a joy to be able to eat a meal with such great people. Despite all my solo trips, I have never been completely comfortable eating alone. So I really enjoyed the 3 hours with my safari friends and couldnt wait until the Sunrise Safari in the morning. My Scottish friends were going to be there and I was hoping to hear more of their travel stories during the buffet breakfast.
Back in my room I watched TV for a couple of hours and then was sound asleep by 10:30 PM with the alarm set for 5:00 AM
