Hettie
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2001
- Messages
- 507
Cast:
Heather (me)25Marketing Support Rep, Graduate student. Former WDW and
Disney Store Cast Member, obsessive vacation-planner.
Chad26Network systems programmer. Made fun of my obsessive vacation-
planning, but acknowledged the importance and appreciated the work.
Preface
I made our reservations for this trip the end of May. We finally decided to just go for it and plan our vacation for September. I was feeling a strong yearning for WDW since I hadnt been since 1997. We decided that if we were going we would do it in style and stay at the brand-new Animal Kingdom Lodge. This was going to be my first vacation as a grown-up and also the first vacation for Chad and myself together. The Lodge sounded like the perfect resort for us. I made our reservations at $265 a night for a Savannah-view room and the ball started rolling.
It didnt take much time for me to discover all the trip-planning information online. I eventually discovered the discount codes and was able to apply one to our reservation. This brought our rate down to $189 a night which seemed much more feasible. We originally planned on driving, but after finding some great rates for airfare on Expedia, we decided to fly. After our flight plans were finalized I arranged for transportation from Tiffany Towncar, due to all the great reviews I had read about them.
The excitement grew throughout the summer, and the anticipation was killing me. I made a few priority seating arrangements and came up with an itinerary, not too detailed, but just enough of a schedule to make sure we fit in all the must-dos.
The events of September 11 caused some uncertainty, but we decided to go ahead as planned for the reasons that everyone has been stating. We werent worried about the safety of flying, but developed a back-up plan of driving in case we couldnt get a flight due to cancellations. So, the Saturday before we were to leave, we were all packed and ready to go.
Day 1, or A Zen Approach to Love Bugs
Sunday, September 16, 2001
I woke up at 2:30, lamenting the fact that the alarm would be going off at 3 a.m. We stumbled down the steps at 3:00 and made a very necessary pot of coffee. Checked our flight status online, and both legs of our flight were still on schedule. Packed the last minute items, made sure the cats were all set with extra water in case they spilled before our friend came over to feed them, loaded our two suitcases in the car, and we were off for the airport at 4:00.
We were in Louisville in barely over an hour, a good two and a half hours before our scheduled departure time. There was a line at Delta, even at such an early hour, but it moved fairly quickly. When we got to the desk and handed them our E-ticket receipt, the Delta representative told us our flight had been cancelled because they couldnt find a crew, but before I had time to worry, she said they had already re-booked us on a 7:00 am flight direct from Louisville to Orlando. This was actually going to be betterno connection in Atlanta, and we would be in Orlando earlier than planned! So, I went straight to the payphone to call Tiffany Town Car, and was assured that a driver would be there when our flight arrived or very soon thereafter. Made our way through the security gate, which went smoothly since we had decided not to take any carryon luggage. So, we grabbed lattes and a muffin from Starbucks and made our way to our gate. No plane there yet. After 30 or so minutes, a rowdy Delta lady announced to her co-worker that she was going to see whats going on! and went out the door and down the steps, presumably to yell at some people to get our plane to the gate. She was back within minutes, soon followed by our plane, which was TINY! Now, like many people, flying makes me very nervous. Its a shame, because I love the idea of flying and all the aspects of it, but when I actually get up in the air, the anxiety starts flowing. So, this little Canadair Regional Jet was not looking so appealing. To board this plane we actually walked outside onto the concourse and then up steps to the plane.
So here we are on our tiny plane with only about 12-13 other passengers, though it could hold many more. The flight was actually quite nice, not too turbulent, and we had a nice clear view the entire flight. I developed a fondness for the little CRJ, but still wouldnt want to be in it in major turbulence. We landed around 9:20, on time, and made our way over to baggage claim. Ali from Tiffany was waiting at the bottom of the escalator with a sign. He showed us where our luggage would be coming out and ours were the first two bags. He was very polite and helped with my luggage (we each only took one bag). Ali took us to the Tiffany parking spot and we waited while he went to the get the car. He pulls up in this solid black Lincoln Towncar with leather seats, and we were feeling pretty fancy.
The ride to Animal Kingdom Lodge was very short, not even a half hour, and then we were finally there. I had been looking forward to this for so long, it hardly seemed real. The grounds in front of the lodge were so nice, you cant even see the parking lot from the front. It really makes you feel secluded. The lobby was beautiful and quiet, and I couldnt wait to get a look out the huge window overlooking the savannah. We went straight to the front desk with no wait as we were the only people checking in. The Cast Member found our reservation quickly and informed us that we had to make a choice. I had requested a smoking room for Chad and also a king bed. Those two requests were incompatiblethere are no smoking, king-bed rooms at AKL. I let Chad make the decision since hes the smoker, and I was very surprised when he quickly chose to have the king-bed. This was a pretty big sacrifice on his part and I really appreciated it. The Cast Member also acknowledged my request to be facing the Arusha Savannah and said we were lucky as we were getting her last king-bed room facing the Arusha. Bought our 5-day Hopper Plus passes, which she put on our room keys. Also arranged to charge to our room keys and we were whisked away by a bellhop. I regret that I didnt note the names of the Cast Members at check-in, but they were very nice and helpful.
Our bellhop stopped periodically along the way to our room, giving us information about the lodge, and after a short walk we were there. Our room was 2431 Zebra Trail and had an awesome view of the savannah and Arusha Rock. The animals were beginning to retreat into the trees away from the mid-day heat, but we could still see quite a few species. We looked at the clock and it was only 10:30! We werent even supposed to be in Orlando yet, so it all felt a little surreal. We loved the room and Chad was thrilled with all the dim, natural lighting in the resort. He hates fluorescent light, so this was great for him. I also had no complaints about the dim lighting or dark woods and colors. This ambience was just our style and I would have it no other way. I really hope that Disney doesnt feel any pressure to change this aspect of the resort.
We were starving and headed down to Mara for a quick lunch. The elevator was only a couple doors down and emptied right onto the pool area, which made me love our room location even more. They were still serving breakfast in Mara, which wasnt very appetizing to either of us since we had been up so long. Instead we visited the Grabn Go section. I got a chef salad and Chad chose the pasta salad and a wrap sandwich. Picked up our refillable mugs and took our lunch out to the patio. The pool area was really empty and very quiet. Just the relaxing African music you hear all around the lodge. Our lunches were good, Chad loved the pasta salad. It tasted like it had some curry in it.
After lunch we wandered around the pool in search of a public smoking area. This turned out to be the pool bar area, and so Chad established his camp for the rest of the week. After the smoke break, we decided it was time to get some swimming and sunning in. The pool was still almost empty. I couldnt figure out if it was due to low attendance or if everyone was at the parks, but we were to find out that it was the overall low attendance. But in high attendance were the love bugs. I had my first sighting by the pool bar and by the time we claimed a couple of lounge chairs, they were everywhere. And, like all bugs, they loved to hang out on me. Since they dont bite and are kinda cute, I didnt really mind. All the people trying to shoo them away looked really dumb because it was such a futile effort. I decided in a moment of Zen clarity to become one with the love bugs and only bothered to shoo them if they were tickling. Blowing on them seemed to be the least destructive methodthey squoosh too easily if you swat them.
It was time for our first dip in the pool. We started to go down the steps and it was FREEZING! I didnt understand because I have heard complaints that the pool is too warm. Evidently the recent rain from the tropical storm had really cooled the water down, because it was nearly unbearable. We tried the zero-depth entry, thinking that a more gradual entrance would be more tolerable, but we were wrong. We didnt stay in the pool very long that day. It was nap time anyway. Chad went up to the room and I decided to order a drink from the pool bar. I had the Nyami Nyami which fit its name. If you like banana milkshakes, you will love this drink. The bartender already knew us (bad sign?). She asked if the gentleman would like another Tom Collins and I was impressed. After my drink I went up to the room, we napped for about an hour and awoke to see the animals making their way back from the trees. The three ankole cattle were just outside our balcony, as well as a couple of giraffe. This was a good day for animal viewing. It was nice weather, not too hot with low humidity, so the animals were very active. We watched the animals for some time, took some pictures and then it was time to get ready for dinner.
I had a 7:00 pm priority seating at Jiko. We arrived and were seated immediately as the restaurant was empty. I almost felt ridiculous for having a PS, and this would be the theme for the remainder of the week. As for Jiko, I loved the wall that changes colors like a sunset, as well as all the décor. It was a very relaxing atmosphere. We each ordered a Merlot from the huge wine list. I cant remember the names of either, but they were both very nice. We started out with the Duck Firecracker and it was delicious as I had heard. We then had the Flat Bread, which was also great. I wont bother with describing the foods, since everyone who reads this probably has heard about them already. Chad chose the Pan-fried Monkfish for his entrée and I had the Peanut-Crusted Rack of Lamb. Both were excellent. I was probably most excited to try the Chocolate-Cardamom candies (they have a name that is not candies, but I cant remember it). They were unbelievable as was the Kenyan coffee in the press pot. The entire meal was great and a perfect first night of vacation celebration. I would describe the portions as gourmet, in that they are a bit small and you have to order multiple courses to fill up. I dont mind this when such delicious food is involved. Ive never been a fan of the huge portions in most American restaurants anyway. After dinner we were wearing down from our long day and decided to turn in early so we would be refreshed and ready for early-entry at Magic Kingdom in the morning.
Coming soon, Day 2, or I sure do like the lanky long-necks!
Heather (me)25Marketing Support Rep, Graduate student. Former WDW and
Disney Store Cast Member, obsessive vacation-planner.
Chad26Network systems programmer. Made fun of my obsessive vacation-
planning, but acknowledged the importance and appreciated the work.
Preface
I made our reservations for this trip the end of May. We finally decided to just go for it and plan our vacation for September. I was feeling a strong yearning for WDW since I hadnt been since 1997. We decided that if we were going we would do it in style and stay at the brand-new Animal Kingdom Lodge. This was going to be my first vacation as a grown-up and also the first vacation for Chad and myself together. The Lodge sounded like the perfect resort for us. I made our reservations at $265 a night for a Savannah-view room and the ball started rolling.
It didnt take much time for me to discover all the trip-planning information online. I eventually discovered the discount codes and was able to apply one to our reservation. This brought our rate down to $189 a night which seemed much more feasible. We originally planned on driving, but after finding some great rates for airfare on Expedia, we decided to fly. After our flight plans were finalized I arranged for transportation from Tiffany Towncar, due to all the great reviews I had read about them.
The excitement grew throughout the summer, and the anticipation was killing me. I made a few priority seating arrangements and came up with an itinerary, not too detailed, but just enough of a schedule to make sure we fit in all the must-dos.
The events of September 11 caused some uncertainty, but we decided to go ahead as planned for the reasons that everyone has been stating. We werent worried about the safety of flying, but developed a back-up plan of driving in case we couldnt get a flight due to cancellations. So, the Saturday before we were to leave, we were all packed and ready to go.
Day 1, or A Zen Approach to Love Bugs
Sunday, September 16, 2001
I woke up at 2:30, lamenting the fact that the alarm would be going off at 3 a.m. We stumbled down the steps at 3:00 and made a very necessary pot of coffee. Checked our flight status online, and both legs of our flight were still on schedule. Packed the last minute items, made sure the cats were all set with extra water in case they spilled before our friend came over to feed them, loaded our two suitcases in the car, and we were off for the airport at 4:00.
We were in Louisville in barely over an hour, a good two and a half hours before our scheduled departure time. There was a line at Delta, even at such an early hour, but it moved fairly quickly. When we got to the desk and handed them our E-ticket receipt, the Delta representative told us our flight had been cancelled because they couldnt find a crew, but before I had time to worry, she said they had already re-booked us on a 7:00 am flight direct from Louisville to Orlando. This was actually going to be betterno connection in Atlanta, and we would be in Orlando earlier than planned! So, I went straight to the payphone to call Tiffany Town Car, and was assured that a driver would be there when our flight arrived or very soon thereafter. Made our way through the security gate, which went smoothly since we had decided not to take any carryon luggage. So, we grabbed lattes and a muffin from Starbucks and made our way to our gate. No plane there yet. After 30 or so minutes, a rowdy Delta lady announced to her co-worker that she was going to see whats going on! and went out the door and down the steps, presumably to yell at some people to get our plane to the gate. She was back within minutes, soon followed by our plane, which was TINY! Now, like many people, flying makes me very nervous. Its a shame, because I love the idea of flying and all the aspects of it, but when I actually get up in the air, the anxiety starts flowing. So, this little Canadair Regional Jet was not looking so appealing. To board this plane we actually walked outside onto the concourse and then up steps to the plane.
So here we are on our tiny plane with only about 12-13 other passengers, though it could hold many more. The flight was actually quite nice, not too turbulent, and we had a nice clear view the entire flight. I developed a fondness for the little CRJ, but still wouldnt want to be in it in major turbulence. We landed around 9:20, on time, and made our way over to baggage claim. Ali from Tiffany was waiting at the bottom of the escalator with a sign. He showed us where our luggage would be coming out and ours were the first two bags. He was very polite and helped with my luggage (we each only took one bag). Ali took us to the Tiffany parking spot and we waited while he went to the get the car. He pulls up in this solid black Lincoln Towncar with leather seats, and we were feeling pretty fancy.
The ride to Animal Kingdom Lodge was very short, not even a half hour, and then we were finally there. I had been looking forward to this for so long, it hardly seemed real. The grounds in front of the lodge were so nice, you cant even see the parking lot from the front. It really makes you feel secluded. The lobby was beautiful and quiet, and I couldnt wait to get a look out the huge window overlooking the savannah. We went straight to the front desk with no wait as we were the only people checking in. The Cast Member found our reservation quickly and informed us that we had to make a choice. I had requested a smoking room for Chad and also a king bed. Those two requests were incompatiblethere are no smoking, king-bed rooms at AKL. I let Chad make the decision since hes the smoker, and I was very surprised when he quickly chose to have the king-bed. This was a pretty big sacrifice on his part and I really appreciated it. The Cast Member also acknowledged my request to be facing the Arusha Savannah and said we were lucky as we were getting her last king-bed room facing the Arusha. Bought our 5-day Hopper Plus passes, which she put on our room keys. Also arranged to charge to our room keys and we were whisked away by a bellhop. I regret that I didnt note the names of the Cast Members at check-in, but they were very nice and helpful.
Our bellhop stopped periodically along the way to our room, giving us information about the lodge, and after a short walk we were there. Our room was 2431 Zebra Trail and had an awesome view of the savannah and Arusha Rock. The animals were beginning to retreat into the trees away from the mid-day heat, but we could still see quite a few species. We looked at the clock and it was only 10:30! We werent even supposed to be in Orlando yet, so it all felt a little surreal. We loved the room and Chad was thrilled with all the dim, natural lighting in the resort. He hates fluorescent light, so this was great for him. I also had no complaints about the dim lighting or dark woods and colors. This ambience was just our style and I would have it no other way. I really hope that Disney doesnt feel any pressure to change this aspect of the resort.
We were starving and headed down to Mara for a quick lunch. The elevator was only a couple doors down and emptied right onto the pool area, which made me love our room location even more. They were still serving breakfast in Mara, which wasnt very appetizing to either of us since we had been up so long. Instead we visited the Grabn Go section. I got a chef salad and Chad chose the pasta salad and a wrap sandwich. Picked up our refillable mugs and took our lunch out to the patio. The pool area was really empty and very quiet. Just the relaxing African music you hear all around the lodge. Our lunches were good, Chad loved the pasta salad. It tasted like it had some curry in it.
After lunch we wandered around the pool in search of a public smoking area. This turned out to be the pool bar area, and so Chad established his camp for the rest of the week. After the smoke break, we decided it was time to get some swimming and sunning in. The pool was still almost empty. I couldnt figure out if it was due to low attendance or if everyone was at the parks, but we were to find out that it was the overall low attendance. But in high attendance were the love bugs. I had my first sighting by the pool bar and by the time we claimed a couple of lounge chairs, they were everywhere. And, like all bugs, they loved to hang out on me. Since they dont bite and are kinda cute, I didnt really mind. All the people trying to shoo them away looked really dumb because it was such a futile effort. I decided in a moment of Zen clarity to become one with the love bugs and only bothered to shoo them if they were tickling. Blowing on them seemed to be the least destructive methodthey squoosh too easily if you swat them.
It was time for our first dip in the pool. We started to go down the steps and it was FREEZING! I didnt understand because I have heard complaints that the pool is too warm. Evidently the recent rain from the tropical storm had really cooled the water down, because it was nearly unbearable. We tried the zero-depth entry, thinking that a more gradual entrance would be more tolerable, but we were wrong. We didnt stay in the pool very long that day. It was nap time anyway. Chad went up to the room and I decided to order a drink from the pool bar. I had the Nyami Nyami which fit its name. If you like banana milkshakes, you will love this drink. The bartender already knew us (bad sign?). She asked if the gentleman would like another Tom Collins and I was impressed. After my drink I went up to the room, we napped for about an hour and awoke to see the animals making their way back from the trees. The three ankole cattle were just outside our balcony, as well as a couple of giraffe. This was a good day for animal viewing. It was nice weather, not too hot with low humidity, so the animals were very active. We watched the animals for some time, took some pictures and then it was time to get ready for dinner.
I had a 7:00 pm priority seating at Jiko. We arrived and were seated immediately as the restaurant was empty. I almost felt ridiculous for having a PS, and this would be the theme for the remainder of the week. As for Jiko, I loved the wall that changes colors like a sunset, as well as all the décor. It was a very relaxing atmosphere. We each ordered a Merlot from the huge wine list. I cant remember the names of either, but they were both very nice. We started out with the Duck Firecracker and it was delicious as I had heard. We then had the Flat Bread, which was also great. I wont bother with describing the foods, since everyone who reads this probably has heard about them already. Chad chose the Pan-fried Monkfish for his entrée and I had the Peanut-Crusted Rack of Lamb. Both were excellent. I was probably most excited to try the Chocolate-Cardamom candies (they have a name that is not candies, but I cant remember it). They were unbelievable as was the Kenyan coffee in the press pot. The entire meal was great and a perfect first night of vacation celebration. I would describe the portions as gourmet, in that they are a bit small and you have to order multiple courses to fill up. I dont mind this when such delicious food is involved. Ive never been a fan of the huge portions in most American restaurants anyway. After dinner we were wearing down from our long day and decided to turn in early so we would be refreshed and ready for early-entry at Magic Kingdom in the morning.
Coming soon, Day 2, or I sure do like the lanky long-necks!
