(Aug '11 TR) Park Commando Status in Jeopardy! 10/9 final thoughts and title

[disneydreamingdebby]

It is a rainy weekend here in PA... for some reason, I think this makes for a great time to visit AK! We very much enjoy Animal Kingdom and visit it multiple times on our trips.


If you look at my avatar, you can see how much the girls have grown since our first trip!

As we entered the park (I sent dh off for fastpasses), the girls and I stopped to visit the swans. They insisted that I take a picture.

In the late summer, I am starting to think about school. My AP students are required to read Into Thin Air, so as I walk through EE, I can't help but think about those folks and their obstacles for that expedition.

We spent a little extra time in a shop while the rain was a bit heavy outside. In the shop (Africa), a CM played drums with my girls. (One of those magical Disney moments!)

Our family loves Flights of Wonder...we got there a little early and the girls wanted to sit in the back...

My girls who really aren't frightened often keep trying to build their tolerance for this ride. I would enjoy this ride so much more if they would turn down the volume. It is just too loud!!!

Do you think Avatar land will replace Chester and Hester? I haven't seen Avatar yet. (Tried to watch it once and lost interest...I guess now that I have a reason to watch, I will stick with it.)

Snack, anyone?

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

What's a visit to AK without seeing The Tree of Life?

(a picture from last year)

My girls finally wanted mouse ears this trip! (They even paid for them- which is the true test of wanting something...)

No safari pics this trip...I just sat back and enjoyed the ride!

 

[TinkerbellLuvr7]

I love the new Mouse Ears!!!!!!! Looks like you had a fun day at AK! I've only been there once since I moved back in June so I really need to make the 10 min trip over there lol.

 

[Charleston Princess]

Love the new Mouse ears!!! Perfect!!!

I haven't read Into Thin Air -- I might have to do that before our next trip.

I am NOT an Avatar fan. Both the boys in my house love it. I often find Charles watching it when it is on HBO. Once was enough for me. To me it is one of those completely overrated movies with a plot line that appeals to adolescent boys (guns, violence, lithe nature girls running around the forest). I am so completely meh about this new land at AK. Charles and Connor are excited, though.

 

[Queenofallthings]

Can't believe how much the girls have grown from your avatar picture to this one....happens so fast! Love the pictures of the CM playing the drums for the girls! They look so cute in their mouseears...even better they paid for them themselves, that's when you know they really want them

I agree with you on the volume in Dinosaur, my ears are still ringing once we're off

 

[TanzUnited99]

Hey Debby am back and had a fantastic time! Love the photo of your nephew and thought of you whilst taking a pic of baby clothes at Disney World.

Love the BLT room pics! The sunrise/set from Contemporary is soo pretty - loved watching it as well as the monorail.

Great mouse ear choices by the girls and they sure look different from your Avatar pic. Also without giving too much away didn't need that Fantasmic tip - will reveal all in a few days!

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

I love the new Mouse Ears!!!!!!! Looks like you had a fun day at AK! I've only been there once since I moved back in June so I really need to make the 10 min trip over there lol.

We love AK. It amazes me how others don't... You should go over for a visit...esp with the weather breaking...

Love the new Mouse ears!!! Perfect!!!

I haven't read Into Thin Air -- I might have to do that before our next trip.

I am NOT an Avatar fan. Both the boys in my house love it. I often find Charles watching it when it is on HBO. Once was enough for me. To me it is one of those completely overrated movies with a plot line that appeals to adolescent boys (guns, violence, lithe nature girls running around the forest). I am so completely meh about this new land at AK. Charles and Connor are excited, though.

I am only a non-fiction reader about parenting and teaching usually. Into Thin Air is good, but I warn you that it supplies many details pertaining to the history of mountain climbing, and introduces numerous people. I would have to say I grew interested about 2/3 of the way in...

I think Pandora will be a beautiful place to explore in AK. I just saw the movie since the announcement. The other time I began watching, I lost interest. I did enjoy the film. I think I related to it because the characters' beliefs match Native Americans beliefs and I am in the middle of our Native American literature unit. I am worried about the land being outdated quickly...people want to compare it to Harry Potter in that regard. The difference is that Harry Potter is a book. Books have staying power; movies, not so much. (Okay, let me step down off that soapbox... )

Can't believe how much the girls have grown from your avatar picture to this one....happens so fast! Love the pictures of the CM playing the drums for the girls! They look so cute in their mouseears...even better they paid for them themselves, that's when you know they really want them

I agree with you on the volume in Dinosaur, my ears are still ringing once we're off

As you know, they grow up so quickly! I Was excited about the ears...so cute and a way for them to be young for a little longer.

Hey Debby am back and had a fantastic time! Love the photo of your nephew and thought of you whilst taking a pic of baby clothes at Disney World.

Love the BLT room pics! The sunrise/set from Contemporary is soo pretty - loved watching it as well as the monorail.

Great mouse ear choices by the girls and they sure look different from your Avatar pic. Also without giving too much away didn't need that Fantasmic tip - will reveal all in a few days!

I am so glad that you had a great time! Thanks for thinking of me. I do the same while I am there. I think of the sights and sounds that my dis friends love! I am enjoying your tr!

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

At some point in our adventure, we stopped over at the GF. My girls wanted to pin trade with CM's and I wanted to do some shopping, so on our way to MK, we made a stop...

I can never decide what to buy at Basin, so I never buy anything! I am buying a candle or two on our next visit. I am deciding ahead of time what to make it out of!!!

I love this photo:

the clothing racks in the women's speciality store

Monorail teal is a good color for GF!

I kept searching for evidence of the rumored DVC property, but could not figure out where it should be...

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

Garden Grill was yummy, but wow, is it overpriced. I called MS to find out if I was overcharged, but I wasn't. This is one of those really good deals if you're on the dining plan, but if not, eat elsewhere.

I was facinated by the detail in the little house for Living with the Land:

Our photo op is a bit smushed...

So for Mickey, I handed the camera to a CM essentially at the stand outside of the restaurant... this didn't work too great either...

Beautiful view of the Land pavillion:

The girls dessert is a hit; they got the food porn bug and had to take pics:

 

[TanzUnited99]

I'm glad you found Garden Grill yummy! I loved having the dining plan and not having to worry about the prices of restaurants. The character photos look fine to me and what a great shot of The Land Pavillion!

Mmm that dessert looks yummy! I've seen pics of that before and if I ever eat at this place will definitely be asking for one of these treats!

Oops missed the first part of the update! Love the Basin photos! We never made it here at GF or DTD so it's nice to see some pics.

 

[DrMomof3]

We aren't huge AK fans. Maybe that will change as the kids get older but it's really a half day park for us still. I'm hoping the new Avatar area will make it a fuller day. I think part of the issue for us is that we are members and frequent visitors of the Bronx Zoo. I know AK isn't a zoo but some of the trails are reminiscent of a zoo.
Love your BLT pics. I'm so glad we had a rental car because those buses make me crazy!!!
My kids LOVE the Garden Grill. It's become a favorite meal for them.

Amanda

 

[Queenofallthings]

I love the pictures you took inside Basin and I have the same problem as you...I can never figure out what to buy so I go home empty handed....I think it's cause I want everything

I think your pictures look great, you all look so happy and it really does showcase the girls ears

 

[Charleston Princess]

Love that picture of the jars at Basin -- almost looks like a candy store!

Duly noted about the prices at Garden Grill. Glad you enjoyed your meal there, though.

 

[MeMom]

Garden Grill was yummy, but wow, is it overpriced. I called MS to find out if I was overcharged, but I wasn't. This is one of those really good deals if you're on the dining plan, but if not, eat elsewhere.

I agree. The food was good, but it was pretty expensive. I'm glad we did it once, but unless we were to be on a dining plan, we wouldn't go again. We want to try all Disney restaurants once, so it was time to hit Garden Grill. I did like getting pictures of the characters in their different costumes.

Loved all the Animal Kingdom pictures, of course. For us, it is not a half-day park. We like a lot of things there.

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

I'm glad you found Garden Grill yummy! I loved having the dining plan and not having to worry about the prices of restaurants. The character photos look fine to me and what a great shot of The Land Pavillion!

Mmm that dessert looks yummy! I've seen pics of that before and if I ever eat at this place will definitely be asking for one of these treats!

Oops missed the first part of the update! Love the Basin photos! We never made it here at GF or DTD so it's nice to see some pics.

We didn't do the dining plan this past summer, and we certainly paid more out of pocket. We are doing it in Dec. since the girls will still be "Disney children"--because at 10 they turn into "adults."

I love being in Basin. However, I never buy anything... I am changing that in December, for sure!

We aren't huge AK fans. Maybe that will change as the kids get older but it's really a half day park for us still. I'm hoping the new Avatar area will make it a fuller day. I think part of the issue for us is that we are members and frequent visitors of the Bronx Zoo. I know AK isn't a zoo but some of the trails are reminiscent of a zoo.
Love your BLT pics. I'm so glad we had a rental car because those buses make me crazy!!!
My kids LOVE the Garden Grill. It's become a favorite meal for them.

Amanda

We are members of the Philly Zoo, but AK has a very different feel for us. Also, my girls love the thrill rides there and ride Everest at least three or four times in a row...

Garden Grill was good, but I think we can take a break from it for a while.

I love the pictures you took inside Basin and I have the same problem as you...I can never figure out what to buy so I go home empty handed....I think it's cause I want everything

I think your pictures look great, you all look so happy and it really does showcase the girls ears

Thanks...I think the one of the candle beads might need to be framed and go in a bathroom...

Gotta love the ears!

Love that picture of the jars at Basin -- almost looks like a candy store!

Duly noted about the prices at Garden Grill. Glad you enjoyed your meal there, though.

Those jars just make me smile. The colors are pretty and the smells, wonderful!

We did enjoy, but it should hold us for a while.

I agree. The food was good, but it was pretty expensive. I'm glad we did it once, but unless we were to be on a dining plan, we wouldn't go again. We want to try all Disney restaurants once, so it was time to hit Garden Grill. I did like getting pictures of the characters in their different costumes.

Loved all the Animal Kingdom pictures, of course. For us, it is not a half-day park. We like a lot of things there.

I think I am a little worried about the Avatar plan. It might bring in bigger crowds and I quite enjoy others only spending a half day there...leaves wider paths for us who linger...

Memom, I'm curious and you might know since it could be your future workplace. Is there a weekly surgery/ animal care schedule for Conservation Station, or do I need to check to see what's happening daily...Do you think I do this by calling or do I need to take the train over to find out...

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

Our Friday night consists of

• the Phils on TV (heck, we live 30 min from the city, we have to be fans, right?)
• my daughter calling the Epcot phone booths and learning from a New Yorker whose favorite ride is Haunted Mansion that it is currently raining in Epcot
• Me dising while I can (I have "benign positional vertigo" and had an episode earlier. I am trying to get in an update before the dizziness returns.)

Welcome back for another installment:

I am nearly finished this trip report. I haven't shared many dining experiences from this summer, so let me take this opportunity to do this.

I had planned to do deluxe dining for part of our stay mixed with counter service. DVC (at the time-it has since changed) allowed members to pick a dining plan per day...I had worked it out with our reservations to make the most of the credits, but worried about the hassle the daily changes might have caused. Reports of having to get new cards every day along with restaurants not recognizing the credits made me decide the problems might not be worth the saving.

We did get quick serve for the first day at each resort. This saved us a little money and also secured us mugs. In the end--out of pocket costs cost us more than the plan would have...

So, where'd we eat...

This was a new restaurant for us. I was very excited to go there and see Remy, so I was careful to book the right time. When we realized the time while hanging at BLT's pool, we rushed to get showers and hop the monorail. Upon arriving at the TTC for the transfer, we learned that a monorail was going offline and the wait would be at least 30 min for the next monorail. Bummer...we'd never make the reservation. I quickly called WDWDine and couldn't secure another reservation. The cm gave me all of the dining options and none appealed. I thanked her, and I went online to see what I should pick so we could eat. (Thank you Steve Jobs).

Okay, off topic for a minute--I am missing my father terribly recently. When it was announced that Steve Jobs died of the same cancer as my dad, it made me sad for his family. However, I then smiled bc my dad was a total techie...he and Jobs could chat.


Coming back...I found a later reservation for Le Chefs and booked it. We arrived at Epcot and decided to head over and wait in AC. We checked in and they were able to take us early...or late...anyway, we went right in!

Hannah liked the Lei from Ohana the night before...

I was bummed not to make it in time for Remy, and then, there he was. I wasn't ready with the camera, but I was able to get these!

So, the meal was okay...I ordered the flatbread and shared the 3 course meal with my girls. They had the mac and cheese...I was glad I didn't order it. It had a good flavor, but was too creamy. The bisque was very good, however.

The menu wasn't as enticing to me as I would have liked, but I didn't choose the place for the menu, so no loss. I am glad we checked it off, but this restaurant didn't appeal to me. It wasn't just the food either. The atmosphere, although light and airy, didn't make me feel comfortable... I don't know how to explain that.

I was so disappointed that we were going to miss Remy, that when we did see him, it was like pixie dust. I was so happy!

We also ate at Ohana--I have no pictures. I think this is an indication of our meh feelings for this meal. The girls were not behaving as I would have liked, so I was feeling like a less than wonderful mom. I can't remember what exactly they were doing, and I think it must have occured before dinner... the waiter was eh.

Our seat location allowed us to see the castle- sort of, but was right at the kitchen door- meh. The dumplings, salad, and bread pudding were delish... everything else was meh to me. (I have to go to Kona next time--those are the three items I want at Ohana and it costs us a fortune! This is another restaurant we can skip for a while.

 

[Charleston Princess]

Yeay for seeing Remy when you didn't think you would! As Chelsea would say, "Win!"

Hope you are feeling better this morning. Dizziness is never fun.

 

[TanzUnited99]

Haha I love that your daughter called the UK phone booths and found out it was raining at Epcot!

Yay on getting to see Remy at Chefs I agree with the meal review - it was okay but nothing exciting.

Oh no on Ohana being meh.

Also for missing your father - I'm glad you were able to smile afterwards.

Edit: Just seen your next post and love all the pics. I agree in that last days are always wierd as you know you are going back home.

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

I think today is a good day to work towards finishing this report...I haven't decided if I should do a PTR for Dec., but I do have some planning to do!

Our last day was bittersweet as always. I booked an evening flight leaving us one more day to play. The Unmagical Express was picking us up at 4.

We headed to HS first and decided to end our adventure in MK. Being in the parks the last day is always a different feeling. I almost feel defeated while everyone else is mostly in the beginning or middle of vacation, I am counting down to the end. Having another trip on the horizon does help, though!

I snapped away to stow the magic to relive on those long non-Disney days.

We began by leaving BLT - I had to snap some Contemporary shots...

After just visiting the Art of Animation, we decided to take the boat over to the Boardwalk for lunch.

Had to go to the Sweet Shop...

After buying lunch at Boardwalk Bakery (and finding that they didn't have the peanut butter cupcake ), we took it into the Boardwalk Inn and to the Bellevue Lounge to eat. (This area is a sitting area without service until 4:30. It is rather masculine feeling, like sitting in a nineteenth-century Southern gentlemen's den...it feels like everyone should have a pipe in hand.)

After eating, we headed to the bus stop at Boardwalk to head back to MK.

While at the boardwalk and taking the wonderful boat ride, I do have to say, I was homesick for the area. I realized that we needed to stay there again and soon.

We arrived at the MK and learned that the Tiki Room was having a soft opening (MEMOM ROCKS!!! ), after we had planned to use Splash Mountain Fastpasses, but we were trapped by the parade. Bummer! DH was worried about time, so we bought snacks. The girls and DH had smoothies and ice cream from Sunshine Tree Terrace, and I wanted a Churro. The CM told me about a cart right around the corner. I sent DH and girls to Main Street and said I'd catch up...

The line wasn't too bad, and soon...

The parade had made its way to Main Street:

and it was time to leave.

See ya real soon...

 

[Queenofallthings]

for your dad! It's our Thanksgiving weekend here and our first holiday without our mom...it's gonna be a tough weekend

I felt the same way this year about Les Chefs du France and I think we'll skip it next time! I can't put my finger on it either (we had a really ignorant woman at the table next to us) but it was just less than ok. We did breakfast at O'hana's this time and I must say I preferred that to dinner!

I really really really hope you decide to do a PTR...we have no trip on the horizon so I need to live vicariously thru my friends