Been back a few days, some ramblings

[revdon64]

DW and I just celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary with a 3night/4 day, no kids trip to the World. We stayed at CR Tower Theme Park View. A few thoughts about our trip:

1. I thought I was prepared for the June heat and humidity. I wasn't. We'd been in late August before and handled it really well, but we weren't prepared for June. Maybe the previous August trip we were more prepared because we'd already endured summer in NJ? We ended up seeking out shade and A/C a lot and taking shorter stays than we wanted to. We managed, but it was rougher than we expected.

2. If you have not done the Keys to the Kingdom tour, and you consider yourself a big fan or even a Disnerd, you really, really need to do this tour. We had a great tour guide (Thank you Nicholas!) and the itinerary is outstanding. I could do a really extensive and descriptive post about the tour, but that would really just spoil it for those who haven't done it. Trust me when I say, it is worth every penny.

3. Some of the new stuff is great and some of it is just meh. Great - the new Soarin' film was awesome! Tiffins Restaurant - the service and the food were superlative. Try the octopus and the seared duck breast. The Kungaloosh Ale was also very good. The Jungle Book show was better than I expected it to be after reading reviews. Overall, we liked it. The Star Wars fireworks were so much more than fireworks - projections on the buildings, lasers, flame geysers! definitely catch that show.
The not as good - nighttime safari. Didn't really see much, the sunset effect looked ok if you squinted. Otherwise it just looked like Christmas lights. And the dusk effect was little more than muted spotlights in the trees. It was something I'd skip the next time. The dance parties didn't look like they were too well attended in AK either. I imagine that a lot of that will change when Pandora opens, but right now...

4. We were warned and it's true. We've now been spoiled for anything less than deluxe resorts and the best restaurants. We ate at Brown Derby, Cali Grill, Tutto Italia, Sanaa, and Tiffins. Not one bad meal... not even a mediocre meal. At all of those the food was just delicious. My faves were the Wagyu Stripand Spicy Kazan Roll at California Grill, and the Grilled Octopus and Seared Duck Breast with Duck Leg Confit at Tiffins. Although, the Butter Chicken at Sanaa is another standout. The food was so good, I didn't want to go "just to IHOP" for breakfast after we got home.

Lots of stuff packed into a short trip, and that isn't all we did. I'll take questions!

 

[W.E.D.]

Glad you had an awesome trip and happy anniversary!!

Isn't the Key's to the Kingdom Tour wonderful? I had Nicholas for my guide as well.

I'm unfamiliar with Tiffins. Your menu selection sounds like my sort of thing. Where is it located?

 

[castlegazer]

Were you there last week? We were too and I was amazed at how do-able the weather was - it was cloudy and overcast which helped most of the days. At the end of the week it got HOT again and I couldn't have taken any more days of the heat. We planned a water park to allow us to acclimate to the heat a little better at the beginning of our trip.

Thank you for your dining reviews! We too did a lot of dining this trip and it really made the trip spectacular for us. We did Coral Reef, and while the restaurant is soo soo tired looking, the food was great. We also did the new Skipper's Canteen and I loved the food! We got to experience Morimoto's Asia's too. Walt Disney World is striving to and achieving becoming a great food destination!

 

[No.1000]

Sounds like a wonderful anniversary. The heat is brutal, but it seems like you made the best of it.

 

[revdon64]

Glad you had an awesome trip and happy anniversary!!

Isn't the Key's to the Kingdom Tour wonderful? I had Nicholas for my guide as well.

I'm unfamiliar with Tiffins. Your menu selection sounds like my sort of thing. Where is it located?

Thank you! Tiffins is the new signature restaurant at AK. It's down the walkway toward what used to be Camp Minnie/Mickey and will be Pandora, behind Pizzafari.

Were you there last week? We were too and I was amazed at how do-able the weather was - it was cloudy and overcast which helped most of the days. At the end of the week it got HOT again and I couldn't have taken any more days of the heat. We planned a water park to allow us to acclimate to the heat a little better at the beginning of our trip.

Thank you for your dining reviews! We too did a lot of dining this trip and it really made the trip spectacular for us. We did Coral Reef, and while the restaurant is soo soo tired looking, the food was great. We also did the new Skipper's Canteen and I loved the food! We got to experience Morimoto's Asia's too. Walt Disney World is striving to and achieving becoming a great food destination!

We were there last week, June 27-30. Thursday seemed the hottest to us, but remember we were coming from NJ where summer has just really started and it's been pretty temperate, so Florida's heat and humidity took us a little by surprise. We'd never been there in June before - early May, late August, early December, and mid January were our other trips.

 

[revdon64]

Sounds like a wonderful anniversary. The heat is brutal, but it seems like you made the best of it.

We had a great time overall. The only things that one might complain about weren't worth complaining about. Can't control the weather and while we only took a mid day break one day, we made it through by pacing ourselves.

 

[skywaywaver]

We're in very south NY (5 minutes from NJ) and we get some pretty sweltering days here; looking at some later this week in fact. It's interesting that you point out that it was harder on you in June than in late August (which we do mid to late August in Disney) and I suspect you're right - no conditioning from our summer heat waves. I've just accepted that it's hot, so we deal. I'd rather have sweat dripping off of me in Disney than anywhere else.
How were the crowds?

 

[GBBTomorrow]

Happy, happy, happy anniversary! I'm glad you had a good time. Congratulations!

 

[gogo]

Congratulations on your anniversary! We're going to be there on July 9th for four days, so this is a short trip for us too. I am concerned about the heat so I'm hoping the crowds are manageable. How were the crowds and viewing at the Star Wars fireworks. I'm getting ready to book the dessert party to hopefully get a good viewing area. I'm not overly thrilled about the price as we are having dinner at Yachtsman prior and I know we will be pretty full for the desserts but I really want to see the fireworks.

I've read that the new Soarin' ride has an additional line to help with the wait time. Did the line move any quicker than previously. We have a fastpass scheduled but I'd love to go on several times. TIA

 

[castlegazer]

We were there last week, June 27-30. Thursday seemed the hottest to us, but remember we were coming from NJ where summer has just really started and it's been pretty temperate, so Florida's heat and humidity took us a little by surprise. We'd never been there in June before - early May, late August, early December, and mid January were our other trips.

Thursday definitely was the day I couldn't take the heat any longer! - From MA here so I am right there with ya! OBTW Happy belated anniversary!

 

[Sona99]

This summer has been really brutal with the heat. It has been better but the weather just won't relent.

 

[Skjhjb]

Thanks for the Keys to the Kingdom tip! My signature has the timeline for my next trip with just my girls after they graduate from University & College here in Canada. My younger DD will be 21 in November, so we plan to wait until then.

I said I would cover flights & the keys to the kingdom tour for all three of us - I'm so happy to hear it is great!!

Happy anniversary!!

 

[mshanson3121]

DW and I just celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary with a 3night/4 day, no kids trip to the World. We stayed at CR Tower Theme Park View. A few thoughts about our trip:

1. I thought I was prepared for the June heat and humidity. I wasn't. We'd been in late August before and handled it really well, but we weren't prepared for June. Maybe the previous August trip we were more prepared because we'd already endured summer in NJ? We ended up seeking out shade and A/C a lot and taking shorter stays than we wanted to. We managed, but it was rougher than we expected.

2. If you have not done the Keys to the Kingdom tour, and you consider yourself a big fan or even a Disnerd, you really, really need to do this tour. We had a great tour guide (Thank you Nicholas!) and the itinerary is outstanding. I could do a really extensive and descriptive post about the tour, but that would really just spoil it for those who haven't done it. Trust me when I say, it is worth every penny.

3. Some of the new stuff is great and some of it is just meh. Great - the new Soarin' film was awesome! Tiffins Restaurant - the service and the food were superlative. Try the octopus and the seared duck breast. The Kungaloosh Ale was also very good. The Jungle Book show was better than I expected it to be after reading reviews. Overall, we liked it. The Star Wars fireworks were so much more than fireworks - projections on the buildings, lasers, flame geysers! definitely catch that show.
The not as good - nighttime safari. Didn't really see much, the sunset effect looked ok if you squinted. Otherwise it just looked like Christmas lights. And the dusk effect was little more than muted spotlights in the trees. It was something I'd skip the next time. The dance parties didn't look like they were too well attended in AK either. I imagine that a lot of that will change when Pandora opens, but right now...

4. We were warned and it's true. We've now been spoiled for anything less than deluxe resorts and the best restaurants. We ate at Brown Derby, Cali Grill, Tutto Italia, Sanaa, and Tiffins. Not one bad meal... not even a mediocre meal. At all of those the food was just delicious. My faves were the Wagyu Stripand Spicy Kazan Roll at California Grill, and the Grilled Octopus and Seared Duck Breast with Duck Leg Confit at Tiffins. Although, the Butter Chicken at Sanaa is another standout. The food was so good, I didn't want to go "just to IHOP" for breakfast after we got home.

Lots of stuff packed into a short trip, and that isn't all we did. I'll take questions!

So you found it easier to deal with heat/humidity late August than June? I thought August tended to be worse. I've been considering August 15th-26th next year, thinking we can catch the lower crowds after the 20th. But was worried about the extra heat/humidity. (We did late June last year).

 

[Sona99]

It'll all depend on if we get rain. We're supposed to be in the rainy season and yes we do get our afternoon quick storms but not the amount of rain we had the last couple of years.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

How was the view? When I look at booking it, it says Theme Park/Parking Lot view. Maybe I'm looking at the wrong thing.
Happy Anniversary!

 

[ArwenMarie]

I think our hottest trip ever was in the middle of June and we go in late August every year! I like your theory though, I bet I wasn't as acclimated yet coming from the Northeast.

 

[Mainemama]

We were there 6/27-7/3 and I am right there with you on the heat! This was our 3rd summer trip in a row, and the temperatures have not been this difficult for us. It led to either myself f my DH essentially room bound with headache or general nausea. Pretty sure both were due to heat! I also agree with street party in AK observation. It didn't strike me as any different than the daytime dance parties. That said, happy you had a great trip! We did, too, but thank goodness for swimming!

 

[AnnaS]

Happy Anniversary - sounds like the trip was a hit except for the heat!!

 

[katiz]

Keys to the Kingdom Tour is a must! Great way to spend a day in one of the best Disney parks! We go in August. Love the heat!! Is AK in the evening worth it right now? I have fps for Jungle Book and reviews look good but I was thinking the night safari didn't look like too much fun and seriously the sunset look a bit theatrical to me. This was what I saw on youtube, though. Worth it?

 

[aretha30]

Happy Anniversary! Sounds like it was a great trip!