And now for a change of plans-A Dec '18 Solo TR - COMPLETED 9/19

[tinawv]

Looking forward to reading more about your trip.

 

[Bama Mom]

Following along.

 

[starousse]

Joining in

 

[Lesley Wake]

We had a partial savanna view with our studio rental at AKL, it was nice. Looks like the flight and arrival went well, this is always a plus! Hope you had a decent partial savanna view!

It did turn out to be a great view!

I’m so glad you got a partial view! We had a standard room for most of our stay and also got lucky with a partial view. We were on the other half of the semi-circle from you!

We’ve fallen in love with AKL too. We ate there on 2 previous trips and always said we wanted to stay there some day! I loved the tree too, later in our trip I sat in front of it for almost an hour!

I love being able to get a cheaper room but still see animals!

Great start to your trip! I'm interested to see how the Owner's Locker works for you. We just did DVC starting this past summer and that sounds like it is a great thing to have!

I LOVE IT! The amount of stress is now reduced so much when it comes to packing for trips. I basically just have clothes, and any other special things for the trip itself. But I normally have such a long list of supplies to bring (which I don't always end up using), so spend all this time and money collecting it trip after trip!

Glad you trip got off to a good start! Your room looks really lovely!

I certainly love AKL!

Joining in! Can't wait to hear about your trip! I remember reading your PTR about this trip forever ago and thinking it seemed so far away and now its already happened!

I'm sorry you got sick on your trip! Its never fun to be sick in Disney! Although, I guess the benefit to being solo is that you can adjust how you want and not feel like you were stopping anyone else from having fun!

Yeah, if I was going to be sick, I prefer it when I'm alone, so I don't feel like I'm disturbing anyone else's trip!

Joining too!

Welcome!

A little late, but I'm here! Trying to catch back up from the holidays. Sorry to hear you caught a cold during this trip, getting sick while at Disney is the worst.

The AKL lobby looked amazing with its Christmas tree up.

It and the Wilderness Lodge were just gorgeous with their iconic Christmas trees. The AKL lobby though felt calmer, without as many people traipsing through all day long!

Hi Lesley! Such a bummer getting sick on vacation. When I went in December 2008, I got strep throat and a double ear infection and it was agony to fly home like that. Ever since then, I call my doctor before I go and ask to take an emergency z-pack with me…just in case. I don't think all doctors will do this but I've been lucky, plus he knows I won't take it unless I absolutely need to. I've only needed it one other time since then but I was so happy I had it!

I love that shirt!
Those are super cute I love collecting pins too and I love that they don't take up a lot of space.

I learned this the hard way in October. After that I started sliding my slider over the 2 ends of my MB to use it as a lock.

I spent waay too much money on pins this trip! Oh well, it's something I like!

Hi, I'm joining in!
I was reading some of your DLP report, but I don't think I ever commented since I joined late. I figured I should start off this one earlier!
I'm looking forward to seeing the resorts you stayed at. I have never done a deluxe resort before, but I would like to one day.

I have started to really love the deluxe resorts, though some are just so far out of my price range! I probably wouldn't have paid OOP for any of the ones I stayed at, which is where the DVC rentals come into play!

Late to the party, but still here by page 2

Haha, congrats!

FYI no one knows how to drive in the rain in Nashville either!

Looking forward to the rest of your TR.

Great start to the trip, the room looks awesome, so excited to stay at AKL in February, although we don't have any fancy rooms just standard view DVC studio and 1-BR.
Not looking forward to the part about getting sick. I'm just getting over a cold now and it truly sucked the past week and a half!!

Well this was a standard view studio! The standard studios are pretty much either a pool view or partial savanna view. Most are pool view, so I was very happy with my view!

Looking forward to reading more about your trip.

Thanks!

Following along.

Hello!

Joining in

 

[Lesley Wake]

Day 0, Part 3: Boma dinner

Now, it was time for dinner, which I had reserved at Boma. I also discovered there was an elevator not too far from my room which went right down to the pool/Mara area. I definitely appreciate the amount of elevators in AKL so even with the long hallways, it makes it easy to get around quickly. Not like Boardwalk, which just has the two elevator banks by the lobby (one on Inn side and one on Villas side).

I had a short wait at Boma, but that gave me some time to check out the tree and decorations.

I was quickly seated, and it was time for food!

I tried to take photos of every table and the signs labeling the food, but I couldn’t read all of them later! I also took the photos out of order, because I waited for people to not be standing in the way!

Nut-crusted Salmon, Fufu (sweet and white potato mash), Mashed potatoes, Chakalaka (South African Spicy Tomato Stew), Pap (white cornmeal)

Carving station: Slow-roasted pork ribs, Oven-stuffed turkey, (I can’t read the sign, but I think the last thing in the first photo was a beef dish), Durban-style roasted chicken, Bobotie

Green beans; Green plantain chips; Western African Black-eyed peas, greens, and stewed tomatoes; Kokonut rice (coconut-flavored basmati rice), Cous-cous with dried fruit and nuts

Hot dishes: Basmati Rice, Boerewors Sausage Stew (African and Sweet Sausages with Tomato Chutney and Cashews), Mushroom soup, Mulligatawny (Indian-style apple, rice, and chicken soup), Cote d’Ivorie Seafood Gumbo

Harira (Northwest African Vegetable Lentil Soup), Watermelon Rind Salad, Pasta Salad, some others I can’t read the labels!

Salad area: Mixed salad greens w/various dressings and toppings; cold salads including Chickpeas and Edamame Salad, Chilled Chermoula Shrimp, Chicken salad with chili cilantro dressings, tabbouleh, tomato salad, and some other one I can’t read.

Kid’s table: Peas & corn, Pasta w/tomato sauce, Chicken nuggets, Mac and cheese

Bread: French rolls, Pita bread, mealie bread, lavosh, sambal hummus, whipped butter

Desserts: Malva Pudding, Cherry Cobbler w/vanilla sauce, Passionfruit tart, zebra domes, rooibos tea and red velvet cakes, Plain cheesecake, oreo cheesecake tarts, mini cupcakes (chocolate and vanilla), brownies, chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies

My various savory plates; I also got a mini bowl of the mushroom soup.

The food was very good and there was a wide variety. I’m super picky and don’t like spicy food, but still had plenty of options. Also, lots of carbs, which are my jam!

Sweet plates:

My favorite was the Malva Pudding, which was really a butterscotch flavor. I think they have a sundae version in Animal Kingdom, but I haven’t had a chance to get it yet! I also liked the passionfruit tart, which wasn’t overwhelming of a fruity flavor. And the Rooibos cake also didn’t have too much of a strong flavor. I was looking forward to FINALLY getting a “fresh” Zebra Dome, as the times I’ve had them in the past didn’t turn out the best, but I guess now I can officially say they aren’t my sort of thing.

The atmosphere was also nice and chill in the restaurant – I guess it helps having a late ADR!

Before the trip I had signed up for Tables in Wonderland, so was keeping track of my discounts!​

TiW discount (discounting the 10% AP discount I would have had regardless): $4.90​

​

 

[Lesley Wake]

Day 0, Part 4: Chilling in the lobby

While I was finishing up dinner I started hearing some cheering coming from the Victoria Falls Lounge and remembered there was Thursday Night Football with the New Orleans Saints. I am a big LA Rams fan, so was definitely cheering against the evil Saints (to be fair, I have nothing against the players, but I hate the coach who is a huge jerk). So I started pulling up the score and realized the Saints were losing! Yeah!

After I finished stuffing my stomach, I made a quick stop at the Mara, where I picked up a reusable mug, which I ended up using my whole trip. I pretty much alternated between Hot Cocoa and regular Coke! I forgot to take a photo, but I got one of the gingerbread ones.

I then headed up to the lobby and I ended up relaxing in front of the tree for a bit (while I watched the game on my phone w/subtitles on – FYI the Saints ended up losing, so it was a good night). It was very very lovely!

I made a stop into the AKL store to check out the merchandise available.

I loved these ostrich eggs, but my cat has an obsession with knocking things off counters, so I don’t think they’d last that long!

I also checked out some of the Animal Kingdom 20th anniversary merch, which I really liked, but I decided to hold off for now.

In the end, I picked up a handful of pins (most of which I had seen online before my trip), plus an AKL ornament (I like to get an ornament and a pin for the resorts I stay at).

And it was a bit weird because I guess the girl working the counter recognized me from March? I didn’t really remember her, so I’m not sure if it was actually me, but she said my red hair was noticeable? (FYI-the box calls it Mahogany…)

Unfortunately I was disappointed when I got to my room and realized my bags hadn’t been delivered yet. I called down to bell services and they said they were still in transit from the airport. They gave me the option of not disturbing me at my room, but I knew I wanted my stuff! So, I chilled in front of the TV a bit.

When my bags were finally delivered (4.5 hrs after landing at MCO), I ended up partially unpacking, rather than going to bed (I only had 2 nights at AKV, so had utilized packing cubes to divide up my clothes so it was easy for each split stay).

And then I got cleaned up and to bed!

​

 

[jrmint427]

My favorite was the Malva Pudding, which was really a butterscotch flavor. I think they have a sundae version in Animal Kingdom, but I haven’t had a chance to get it yet!

I love Boma food! I don’t remember getting anything butterscotch flavored when we ate there, I would have loved that.

I made a stop into the AKL store to check out the merchandise available.

Our paths may have crossed! I was at the gift shop that evening too . Probably sometime between 8-9pm. I was on the hunt for a Christmas ornament.

 

[Jenny Sanders]

Great first evening!!!

 

[amazingact21]

The Boma dinner menu sounds pretty eclectic and accessible to everyone. You actually listed a lot of dishes that sounded really good to me. I wish I could convince Alex to eat a dinner there, but he was pretty unimpressed with our one breakfast experience so I doubt I could convince him to return.

Thanks for keeping track of your Tables in Wonderland savings! I'm debating buying it for our 2019 trips, and despite doing the math already, I still like to see someone else's savings in action.

Your AKL tree ornament is awesome!

 

[buzzrelly]

The Christmas decorations look beautiful

And it was a bit weird because I guess the girl working the counter recognized me from March? I didn’t really remember her, so I’m not sure if it was actually me, but she said my red hair was noticeable? (FYI-the box calls it Mahogany…)

Ha! That's so weird…she must have an amazing memory. I don't know what my box says since I've been going to "My Louie" for 34 years

 

[missangelalexis]

Sounds like a nice dinner and a great first night at AKL!

 

[missjackiemcg]

Annoying that your luggage took so long to get to you, but still sounds like a terrific first night!

I'm glad you finally got to try fresh zebra domes (I remember the ones you tried to save to eat later and they got all melty or something, right? Maybe the trip with Lauren?) In any case, at least you can say you've tried them now, which is more than I can say for myself!

I like the pins and ornament you picked! I always like to get an ornament to commemorate my Disney trips, too. Not necessarily from my resort, but somewhere along the way on my trip. I wonder which one I will pick for the EPIC Girls trip, now that I think about it!?

 

[xlsm]

I love this shirt so much!!

I made a breakfast/lunch stop at Homeboy Bakery (it’s actually a nonprofit organization which employs high-risk youth, former gang members, and recently released inmates to help them get work experience, as well as rehab and education programs).

We have a similar bakery here, and one that employs mainly people with developmental delays. I think they're both great programs!

We also had a Disney Cruise Line bus, first time on one of those!

I love getting the cruise line bus b/c of Huey, Dewey, and Louie being on the side, LOL

I also love all the activities at AKL. I could easily spend full resort days here!

I agree! I am set on doing the Sense of Africa tour the next time I go solo or with DH, and part of me just wants to hang around the resort and minimize the parks. I think it'll be a good plan when Star Wars Mania takes over at the end of the year.

When my bags were finally delivered (4.5 hrs after landing at MCO)

This is why we don't let Disney take our bags if we land anytime after like 4pm. We've had to wait so long before, and I am impatient!

Sounds like a great start so far!! I always love seeing AKL, it's such a special resort, I love it!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

After I finished stuffing my stomach, I made a quick stop at the Mara, where I picked up a reusable mug, which I ended up using my whole trip. I pretty much alternated between Hot Cocoa and regular Coke! I forgot to take a photo, but I got one of the gingerbread ones.

When you picked up your mug, did you ask them to make the length longer? The Christmas mugs were super cute! I hope they have something new-ish when we are there.

You can't beat that lobby! It's amazing!

And your food at BOMA made me so excitied for our trip!!!! We love the food there. So good!

 

[Lesley Wake]

When you picked up your mug, did you ask them to make the length longer? The Christmas mugs were super cute! I hope they have something new-ish when we are there.



You can't beat that lobby! It's amazing!

And your food at BOMA made me so excitied for our trip!!!! We love the food there. So good!

No, I didn't bother to ask. I know on Backside of Magic they talk about that, but I just didn't want to worry about it! I don't know yet when I'm there with mom whether we will get ones or not.

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

I am thinking we will buy them on our next trip. Especially since we will be spending a good day or two hanging out at a resort.

I do like to get my coffee from there in the morning verses the stuff in the room.

 

[Lesley Wake]

I am thinking we will buy them on our next trip. Especially since we will be spending a good day or two hanging out at a resort.

I do like to get my coffee from there in the morning verses the stuff in the room.

It was convenient. I brought a caribbeaner and after I was done drinking whatever was in my cup, I would clip it to my bag until I could get to a bathroom and rinse it out.

 

[masterpabu]

I loved the Christmas decorations at AKL, your photos look great!
My sister was nagging me to try the zebra domes but I kept forgetting to lol

We got the refillable mugs too (accidentally) and used it every day so in the end I reckon it was worth the value

 

[KPeterso]

I have been having problems with my bags arriving timely the last 2 years. The longest was 5.5 hours from arrival at the resort so 6.5 from landing with 2 phone calls looking for the bags. That was at Pop in March 2017. And then this past September, we landed 6ish (maybe a little before) and were at the resort around 7, and I was down in the lobby around 11:30 asking about the bags (since Bell Services was not answering the phone) and was told they were there but there were still a lot in front of them to be delivered but that they would grab from the backroom and give them to me if I wanted them. Am still looking for airfare for this March, but am thinking I may be grabbing the bags at MCO which I have done before. My cut off time to grab my bags keeps getting earlier and earlier.

 

[kastoney]

Hi Leslie! I've got my tissues and mask ready so I'm joining along for your adventures. I must say for "day 0" you certainly seemed to get a lot done. Your report already has ben longing for AKL and Christmas at Disney. Can't wait to read more!