AKL LITE II - We're #2, but we try harder....

[BensMom]

Ooooh . . . a new Target! Where exactly is it? Thanks!

Okay, if you head out of the Lodge, come to your first light, which is Sherberth Road. Take that right and head out to 192. Head west (right) and go, gosh, maybe a quarter of a mile. You can see it on your left. It will be on the eastbound side of 192. You've gone too far if you hit the Route 429 underpass. As I said, it's really handy if you're staying at AKL. It's been open three weeks. There are other storefronts, all empty at this point, but I am hoping they'll fill up fast. Also, an Olive Garden and Roadhouse Grill opening in the front of it.

 

[johnsonet]

Club 33 is a private club with the entrance door (as shown in the photo) right by the entrance to the Blue Bayou. To get in, you need a reservation (meaning you need to know a member or be one yourself). We haven't ever been in there.

Gorgeous photos of Big Sur!!!! We were there for a family wedding last fall -- isn't it just unbelievably amazing? Sorry you had the fog -- it happens alot around there. We go to Monterey & Carmel all the time for daytrips and never get tired of it.

What is the BEST time of year to visit Big Sur??
Also, thanks for the info on Club 33 (but what is Blue Bayou?? - I need to google it...something at DisneyLand?)

Okay, if you head out of the Lodge, come to your first light, which is Sherberth Road. Take that right and head out to 192. Head west (right) and go, gosh, maybe a quarter of a mile. You can see it on your left. It will be on the eastbound side of 192. You've gone too far if you hit the Route 429 underpass. As I said, it's really handy if you're staying at AKL. It's been open three weeks. There are other storefronts, all empty at this point, but I am hoping they'll fill up fast. Also, an Olive Garden and Roadhouse Grill opening in the front of it.

I guess this explains why the Target Store Locator online search didn't find it last week when I was at the Poly The closest it gave me was 25 min. away in Kissimmee.

 

[BCV23]

What is the BEST time of year to visit Big Sur??
Also, thanks for the info on Club 33 (but what is Blue Bayou?? - I need to google it...something at DisneyLand?)

I'm curious about the best time to visit Big Sur, too. I'd love to do the drive down the coast someday.

I do know Blue Bayou. It's a restaurant that overlooks part of POTC at DL. It's fun to watch the boats float by as you dine. There are firefly effect as I recall. Rather like the river at San Angel Inn. The famous Monte Cristo sandwich is served there although we actually preferred splitting one with a salmon salad at Cafe Orleans.

Blue Bayou is a treasured tradition at DL I think. Dining reservations are pretty easy to get at DL in our limited experience but that one is harder.

 

[mmmears]

What is the BEST time of year to visit Big Sur??
Also, thanks for the info on Club 33 (but what is Blue Bayou?? - I need to google it...something at DisneyLand?)

For visiting Big Sur, we were just there in the Fall (October) and it was fabulous. We stayed at my cousin's house (in the Nat'l Park!) and at night we could see the moon setting down over the ocean and thousands of stars! Summer can be nice, too, since it doesn't get as hot here by the ocean as it does in the rest of the US. And there's no humidity. This last summer was awful, though, with a month-long fire (that was wafting smoke all around).

The Blue Bayou is a Bayou/Plantation themed restaurant inside the POTC ride. It's dark, and you're eating "outside" the restaurant, under pretty lanterns. There are "fireflies" and you can hear the banjos and see the boats full of people at the entrance to POTC. At DLR, there's this whole Bayou section of the ride, before you go down the 2 waterslides to the pirate area. It's an expensive restaurant, but we have a tradition of eating there once each time we go to DLR. The theming is amazing, and it's really the only place at Disneyland where it's hard to get a reservation.

The Club 33 memberships are somewhere around or over $10k, and that's if you can find someone to put you on the waitlist -- they often claim there's no such thing. We have friends who went there for lunch and said the food was great.

 

[CJsMom]

Hey! Just got back from an AWESOME first stay at AKL! I'll be sure to post photos once I get back to school and have access to my computer. I LOVED IT!

Yay! Can't wait to see the pictures!

OMG, HOW CAN SOMEONE NOT LIKE DISNEY! Thank goodness there are plenty of other things to do in SoCal.

Look for lots of mobile uploads on my Facebook. I'll post some good pics on this thread when I get home.

Great - looking forward to it!

The last extended trip was a drive from LA up through Sequoia NP to Monterey, Big Sur and down through Paso Robles for winery tours and then Santa Barbara and finally three nights at The Grand Californian. It was so much fun. I hope you all enjoy it as much as we have!

That sounds like a fantastic trip! The west coast is really beautiful.

But the greatest thing about shopping there is when I leave, I get a wonderful glimpse of THE LODGE!!!!!

 

[PNO4TE]

Elin ~
Love those pix - 'specially the one of 'Mecca' ! Thanks for sharing...

YES, I AM CALLING IT MECCA TOO! Hillarious!

Glad we are all on the same page.

 

[DisneyBride'03]

Where are the Big Sur pics? Trying to catch up!!

DH proposed at Nepenthe in Big Sur Love Carmel and we were just in Monterey in Jan...thats where we were in my avatar pic!

Love the AKL themed pics from the FLower and Garden...cant wait to see them!!

 

[Flossbolna]

Okay, clue me in...what is wrong with CA Adventure right now?! Eek!

I guess everything is wrong with DCA - that's why they are fixing it! Actually we rather liked DCA when we were there in 2005. But the popular opinion is that DCA is not a real Disney park and lacks magic. Therefore last year they announced that the whole park will get a massive refurbishment icluding the entrance and what not. It sounds like DCA will be fantastic once they are done, see here: http://allears.net/dlr/news/dca_exp.htm But at the moment they are building all over the place. It sounds like most attractions are actually up and running, but there seem to be lots of fences.

 

[Flossbolna]

For visiting Big Sur, we were just there in the Fall (October) and it was fabulous.

We were there in October (2005), too and it was fantastic! We stayed at a lovely little motel and enjoyed the fantastic sunshine. The people at the motel said that this was the first clear day for weeks and that we were really lucky. According to them fall is the best time since summer tends to have lots of fog around.

 

[PNO4TE]

Where are the Big Sur pics? Trying to catch up!!

DH proposed at Nepenthe in Big Sur Love Carmel and we were just in Monterey in Jan...thats where we were in my avatar pic!

Love the AKL themed pics from the FLower and Garden...cant wait to see them!!

Diana - I posted two pictures of the 17-Mile Drive and a fogged-in Big Sur area a few posts ago. I was responding to Susan's posts about her upcoming trip to CA. They are NOTHING to look at! We could barely see the water on the drive.

 

[BCV23]

Hey! Just got back from an AWESOME first stay at AKL! I'll be sure to post photos once I get back to school and have access to my computer. I LOVED IT!

Isn't it a special resort? We were there for a week in early March in a club level one BR. Had a fantastic time. We did the WDE and Wanyama Safaris this trip.

I've noticed that a lot of us who love the Polynesian also love AKL.

A question for you...was the guard shack near Sherbeth Road operational when you were there? And was the one near the Lodge itself still there?

 

[Flossbolna]

I've noticed that a lot of us who love the Polynesian also love AKL.

I noticed that, too! I guess it has something to do with the exotic decor. But then WL and AKL seem to share a lot of fans as well.

 

[BCV23]

I noticed that, too! I guess it has something to do with the exotic decor. But then WL and AKL seem to share a lot of fans as well.

Maybe the relaxed feeling of the resorts, too. Both feel very removed from the bustle of the parks for me.

Lots of attention to detail at both too but I guess that's true at all the resorts.

 

[MinnieMom]

Okay, if you head out of the Lodge, come to your first light, which is Sherberth Road. Take that right and head out to 192. Head west (right) and go, gosh, maybe a quarter of a mile. You can see it on your left. It will be on the eastbound side of 192. You've gone too far if you hit the Route 429 underpass. As I said, it's really handy if you're staying at AKL. It's been open three weeks. There are other storefronts, all empty at this point, but I am hoping they'll fill up fast. Also, an Olive Garden and Roadhouse Grill opening in the front of it.

Thanks so much for the directions. We leave in about 7 hours for AKL!!! I'm so excited . . . I'll bring back plenty of pics to post!

We always hit the Target on the other side of 192 when we're there. Call me crazy, but sometimes I think they have cuter Disney souvenirs! It will be so convenient to have a SuperTarget on 192 West!!

 

[BCV23]

Thanks so much for the directions. We leave in about 7 hours for AKL!!! I'm so excited . . . I'll bring back plenty of pics to post!

We always hit the Target on the other side of 192 when we're there. Call me crazy, but sometimes I think they have cuter Disney souvenirs! It will be so convenient to have a SuperTarget on 192 West!!

Have a great vacation!!!

 

[johnsonet]

I do know Blue Bayou. It's a restaurant that overlooks part of POTC at DL. It's fun to watch the boats float by as you dine. There are firefly effect as I recall. Rather like the river at San Angel Inn. The famous Monte Cristo sandwich is served there although we actually preferred splitting one with a salmon salad at Cafe Orleans.

Blue Bayou is a treasured tradition at DL I think. Dining reservations are pretty easy to get at DL in our limited experience but that one is harder.

Thank you! I know nothing about Disneyland. The two times I've been to Southern California I didn't make time for it

For visiting Big Sur, we were just there in the Fall (October) and it was fabulous. We stayed at my cousin's house (in the Nat'l Park!) and at night we could see the moon setting down over the ocean and thousands of stars! Summer can be nice, too, since it doesn't get as hot here by the ocean as it does in the rest of the US. And there's no humidity. This last summer was awful, though, with a month-long fire (that was wafting smoke all around).

The Blue Bayou is a Bayou/Plantation themed restaurant inside the POTC ride. It's dark, and you're eating "outside" the restaurant, under pretty lanterns. There are "fireflies" and you can hear the banjos and see the boats full of people at the entrance to POTC. At DLR, there's this whole Bayou section of the ride, before you go down the 2 waterslides to the pirate area. It's an expensive restaurant, but we have a tradition of eating there once each time we go to DLR. The theming is amazing, and it's really the only place at Disneyland where it's hard to get a reservation.

The Club 33 memberships are somewhere around or over $10k, and that's if you can find someone to put you on the waitlist -- they often claim there's no such thing. We have friends who went there for lunch and said the food was great.

Thank you so much! Such great info
How awesome that your cousin's home is within the National Park! I sat next to a woman at a bridal luncheon once who told my friend and me that she'd just been to the Post Ranch Inn. Said it was the most magical place she'd ever seen and that we should go one day, no matter what it took! She was pretty passionate about it! I've always kept it in the back of my mind for a special birthday or anniversary trip

DH proposed at Nepenthe in Big Sur Love Carmel and we were just in Monterey in Jan...thats where we were in my avatar pic!

That's so cool!

We were there in October (2005), too and it was fantastic! We stayed at a lovely little motel and enjoyed the fantastic sunshine. The people at the motel said that this was the first clear day for weeks and that we were really lucky. According to them fall is the best time since summer tends to have lots of fog around.

Thanks for the info!

I've noticed that a lot of us who love the Polynesian also love AKL.

 

[mmmears]

Johnsonet,

No time for Disneyland! That's the main (sometimes only) reason we'll go down to LA! Check it out sometime -- it's a really special park.

 

[johnsonet]

Johnsonet,

No time for Disneyland! That's the main (sometimes only) reason we'll go down to LA! Check it out sometime -- it's a really special park.

I know, I know. But I don't live in California!! When I travel across the country and only have 4 or 5 nights I have to fit in other stuff (like lots of little beach towns, art museums, leisurely lunches, scenic drives, shopping, concerts) I will get there, though!

 

[kimmar067]

Glad we are all on the same page.

 

[kimmar067]

UPDATES ~

Progress on Animal Kingdom Villas' Kidani Village is moving right along. Construction on the new Disney Vacation Club location required that animals on the resort's Sunset savanna were removed temporarily several months ago. The animals are now returning ahead of schedule and will be back on the Sunset Savanna as of March 25.

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According to an item in the Orlando Sentinel, Walt Disney World and Orlando International Airport completed a deal last week to continue Disney's Magical Express until at least the end of 2016. Under the terms of the deal, the airport agreed not to raise the 75-cent-a-passenger fee it charges the resort. Disney buses ferried just under 2.2 million travelers from OIA to either its resort hotels or cruise ships in 2008, according to airport figures. The previous agreement had been set to expire at the end of 2011. The new pact also gives Disney the option to extend the agreement by another five years, until 2021.

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A 24-year-old African elephant died last week at Disney's Animal Kingdom after a brief illness. Tumpe, a female brought in 2007 from a zoo in South Carolina, died after suffering from skin sores and gastrointestinal problems for two months. Disney experts believe the problem was isolated and the rest of the herd is safe. There are still 12 elephants in the park.

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Guests at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge will have a chance to paint their own ostrich egg on Easter Sunday, April 12, in Simba's Cubhouse. A limited number of ostrich eggs are available on a first-come, first-served basis; cost is a $30 donation to Disney's Wildlife Conservation Fund.