7-8 to 7-13 trip report (Animal Kingdom Lodge)

[dcherry]

Here is my attempt at my Disney vacation review:

Cast: me, DH, DS (7), DD(5)
Dates: July 8th - July 13th (am departure for Disney cruise)
Resort: Animal Kingdom Lodge

Side notes:
We used Magical Express – arrived Orlando @ 10:40 am
Arrived Animal Kingdom Lodge @ 1:00 pm
We got a ton of stuff done (mostly by being diligent in making RD) and had virtually no wait times on most attractions with the exception of TSM as written below.
AKL buses were great. Wait time was mostly under 10 minutes, had maybe 2 times that we waited for 20 minutes and only 3 times was the bus completely full. Time from AKL to MK was never more then 20 minutes once on the bus, about 13 minutes to EPCOT, 15 to DS and 5 to AK.
We brought 2 (yes 2) strollers with us and I’m glad we did. Even my 7 year old used it quite a bit and honestly, for us at least, it was better to have the kids seated so we could just roll along faster than trying to drag them, listen to them whine about being tired or keep track of them in a crowd.

My one Disney complaint: It’s too darn cold inside buildings and buses. Disney, save some energy and turn the AC down!!

Day one, arrival day:
Arrive Hollywood Studios @ 1:45
Green day
FP for TSM gone as expected, wait time over 90 minutes. See muppets at 2:15(no wait), FPV for RNR and TOT, 3:00 pm parade, 4:00 pm Indy, 5:45 Beauty and the Beast. Stop for dinner at counter service. Raining pretty hard and I think that worked in our favor as it seemed to clear people out. Ride RNR (no wait with FP) ride TOT with FP (10 min wait). Check stand-by again for TSM and time listed is 70 minutes, it’s 8:00 pm now but because of the rain we decide to chance it since we won’t have a RD at DS. Surprise! The wait is “only” 40 minutes and well worth it. Great theming and the kids didn’t even notice the 40 minute wait. I know, a big no-no to wait more than 20 minutes but I knew this would be our only shot and I thought the 40 minute wait wasn’t bad at all this one time. Back to hotel.

Day two:
MK rope drop – green day
FPV for Buzz
Ride speedway, pooh, peter pan, carousel. 9:45 ride Barnstomer, see princesses, Mickey, et.al. Take WDRR to Frontierland, FPV for BTM Ride PoC, HM, eat lunch at Comic Rays @ 11:30. At 12:30 see Philharmagic, ride buzz w/ FP, get FP for Space Mountain. Break @ 1:30
5:30 ADR for 1900 Park Fare (took exactly 1 hour from AKL to get there by bus and boat launch)
Back to MK, ride BTM with FP (no wait), find spot near liberty tree for Spectro (I stay with the strollers at the spot while DH takes kids to Treehouse. See Spectro . Move through fantasyland to near rose garden for Wishes. Back to hotel.

Day three:
AK rope drop – green day
FPV EE, Dh takes kids to ride Triceratops, ride primeval Whirl, see ITTBAB, FPV for KS, kids see one character, see Lion King, see Pocahontas (no wait for any of these). Back to hotel for a swim by noon. Back to AK 3:15, ride KS with FP (no wait), explore pangani trail, see parade near route end, see Flights of Wonder 4:40 show, quick look in one of the shops, ADR at Tusker 5:30. Maharaja Trek, EE with FP (no wait) quick souvenir stop, boneyard, park close.

Day four:
EPCOT rope drope – green day
FPV Soarin, ride Living with the Land, 9:40 Turtle Talk, Nemo, Living Seas, FPV for TT @10:40, ride stand-by MS orange (5 minute wait), 11:30 HISTA, Journey into Imagination, @12:15 lunch at Sunshine Seasons. Ride soarin with FP (5 min wait) standby wait is 75 min. @ 1:35. FPV for Soarin, break to hotel. Back 6:30 pm, ride Earth, play a few games in Earth, Soarin with FP,ride TT with FP (no wait), take some photos in the car exhibit, ride Maelstrom 8:45 (no wait), watch Illuminations right outside of Norway which turned out to be a very good viewing spot due to light crowds. Back to hotel.

Day five:
MK rope drop – green day
Ride Dumbo, FPV for BTM, ride tea cups, pooh, IASW, meet Ariel, 10:05 barnstormer (no wait), shopping in toontown, see Mickey and Minnie’s house, WDRR to frontierland. Ride BTM with FP, see Tom Saywer Island, meet Jasmine and Aladin (10 min wait), shooting arcade, ride Transit Authority, back to hotel for break.
Evening- Hollywood Studios
5:30 Fantasmic dinner package at Hollywood and Vine, see Little Mermaid, GMR, take some photos, see Fantasmic.

Day six:
9:15 Character breakfast at Chef Mickey’s
12:30 board bus for Disney Cruise.

 

[beachboys]

Thanks for the report! You got a ton done! Question... why did it take until 1 pm to arrive at AKL? My flight lands at 11 am and I hope to use DMe and checkin and arrive at Coral Reef for 1:30 res. Thanks!

 

[dcherry]

Let's see. It was probably around 11:15 or so by the time I got everyone from the plane over to the ME check-in line. You have to take a tram from the plane over to the main terminal and then get to "B" side and level one. My group had to use the potty too so it took us a little longer than I'd hoped. Anyway, we did have a bit of a wait for ME check-in and also for our bus. Our Bus made two stops before stoping at AKL. All of these small things added up to more time than I had originally planned. I thought we'd be at AKL by 12:30 but still only an extra half hour. I think you'll be fine with your res, just make sure to head to ME as fast as you can from the plane.