Brother & Sister, WL, AKL, and Parents on a Disney Cruise! We're off!!! 5/8!!

[Nicole786]

That's it EXACTLY!!! I am so glad your mom tried Everest! It is a great feeling of accomplishment once you get off!

Yeah she was proud that she did it! You have no idea how many times I had to tell her what the ride was like! lol

I laughed at the pictures of your mom checking out Everest. She is really studying it intently. Once was enough for me. Unless my friend really wants to go on it badly (Thursday is AK day), I will be passing that one by only for pictures. It was a little too much for me, but if she wants to go, I'll be brave and do it again.

Looks like you guys had a great time together. I love my mother-daughter-granddaughter trips, and I hope there will be many, many of those in my future.

Animal Kingdom has such cool and unique Christmas decorations. I love the big tree out front.

Good pictures. Keep 'em coming!

So jealous of your little getaway! I love animal kingdoms decorations for christmas or otherwise, I could go ot AK and not see any attractions and just "be there" and I would be happy.

I think it would be fun if mom goes on EE when we go in May. I really hope she doesn't stay back alone. And I can't wait to go on Aerosmith.

I don't think she'll stay back alone, I also don't remember if we have an AK day with them

Go Mom!!!!!

No clue. Maybe they take it on the nights of the party.

Great update and pics.

I have yet to see Nemo, I will definitely do it in October.

for her going on EE.

Nemo is really cute, but its also 40 minutes so its hard to squeeze in. If you can than see it, but if not i don't think its such a big deal

glad she road and pizza fari is our favorite and only CS that we go to in AK as well, we love the pizza and the subs there.

Agreed, we love pizzafari!

 

[Grybo]

I don't think she'll stay back alone, I also don't remember if we have an AK day with them

I thought Mom said she liked it. She'd probably want to go to AK if she did. Isn't it like her favorite ride now?

 

[Nicole786]

I thought Mom said she liked it. She'd probably want to go to AK if she did. Isn't it like her favorite ride now?

Very far from her "favorite ride" at best she'll tolerate it, if we can get her back on

 

[troobabiee7]

I WANT YOUR CAMERA!!! It seriously takes amazing pictures. This little mini-report is getting dangerous for my wallet...

It looks like you both had so much fun, I'm glad you had a good time!

 

[Hedy]

Looking forward to reading this adventure.

 

[Nicole786]

I WANT YOUR CAMERA!!! It seriously takes amazing pictures. This little mini-report is getting dangerous for my wallet...

It looks like you both had so much fun, I'm glad you had a good time!

I'll have to bring the camera with me to NYC so you can play with it! I really want to go to B&H photo when I come, so maybe we can go together! I'l llet you know exact dates when it gets closer.

Looking forward to reading this adventure.

Glad to see you here!! We aren't going to our beloved hard rock this time, hopefully the RPR will be almost as nice!

 

[Nicole786]

We were freshly rested before heading out this evening for dinner at Boma and than Epcot for illuminations! Waiting for the bus at Pop, even this has mom with a smile!

I can't tell if this is "Stop taking pictures" "Im really cold" or "I have no idea whats going on"

A mixture of all?

Mom has never been to Boma (or AKL) and was in love when she entered the lobby! No wonder its her pick for her stay in May!

When we got there after being in awe of the georgeous lobby, I took her out to the public outlook to the left of the lobby near the DCL desk. If you go outside and turn to your right, the first room was where mine and David's room was in August!! For those just joining us, it was a wonderful moment because we were in a standard room! Talk about pixie dust! I wish I could have guaranteed a savannah view room for my parents but I can't so they have a standard room booked. Not that they care, but I would love it if they could have some anniversary magic and be upgraded!

On to Boma!

Once again service was great, the food was good and we enjoyed it. I have to say, my favorite trip here was with Dad though, they had changed the menu and it has to be one of my favorite disney restaurant experiences. A mixture of the service, food, and timing (but more on that in a different mini-tr coming up)

We perused the lobby so I could take photos of "sparklies" mom was being such a good sport about my constant need of taking photos. It could be slightly time consuming because it was my first trip with the new DSLR and I was trying for perfection. "Sparklies" as it was coined, is the savvy term we used for when I would capture the christmas lights just right and instead of being a circular blur or blob, it produced a star-like sparkle! I was on a mission to get as many pictures as this as possible because it made it look so real!

We were off to Epcot now strictly for illuminations! I love to plan this way now because it makes everything less stressful. If we got on a few rides, great, but really we were there for the fireworks. It worked out great!

It was about 7:30 when we got there, and we had enough time to go on Spaceship earth. Mom's first time since the refurb, she loved it! This is her favorite epcot ride and still is.

Since we had time to spare we waited in a photopass line to get our photo in front of the lighted path. While waiting I attempted more sparklies

fail They move, its too hard!

It was time to go get our spot in France, along the way we stopped for sparklies

Good evening! On behalf of walt disney world the place where dreams come true, we welcome you all to epcot and world showcase. We've gathered here tonight, around the fire, as people of all lands have gathered for thousands and thousands of years before us; to share the light and to share a story. An amazing story, as old as time itself but still being written. And though each of us has our own individual stories to tell, a true adventure emerges when we bring them all together as one. We hope you enjoy our story tonight; Reflections of Earth

*WOO* (that was me blowing out the candles)

Mom loved the little christmas addition added at the end, and I just love all of it. I just love illuminations, David does too. I think we listen to it every time we are in my car!

Time to leave our beloved Epcot and head to bed, we had a date with the princesses in the castle!! If you think my mom has acted like a 3 year old thus far, oh boy!

 

[pooksma]

Yay!!!! More more more!!!!!!!!!!!

(sorry I'm being impatient but I love these photos )

 

[Charleston Princess]

Ahhh, Nicole, I needed a glimpse of AKL tonight -- thanks!

I am not sure if you captured sparklies, but those pictures are just breath-taking -- both of the Christmas lights and Illuminations (which is my number one Epcot goal this trip)!

 

[CanadianWDWfan]

Your DMom is so brave!

I was too chicken to ride it last time.

It must be so much fun to play with your new camera and see what it can do.

Can you believe I've never had a turkey leg....

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

can you describe the food at Boma, it looks good, but i am scared of the different kinds of food.

 

[KatGarcia]

can you describe the food at Boma, it looks good, but i am scared of the different kinds of food.

seriously??

One of the best breakfasts I ever had in wdw!

 

[troobabiee7]

I'll have to bring the camera with me to NYC so you can play with it! I really want to go to B&H photo when I come, so maybe we can go together! I'l llet you know exact dates when it gets closer.

Sounds good Did you get different lenses for your camera or just the ones it came with??

Loved your last update! Just reading the beginning of Illuminations got me all teary... I'm SOOOO in love with that show! And of course, more amazing pictures

 

[Nicole786]

Yay!!!! More more more!!!!!!!!!!!

(sorry I'm being impatient but I love these photos )

Thanks! I had a lot of fun taking the photos!

Ahhh, Nicole, I needed a glimpse of AKL tonight -- thanks!

I am not sure if you captured sparklies, but those pictures are just breath-taking -- both of the Christmas lights and Illuminations (which is my number one Epcot goal this trip)!

I think we all need a little AKL every day I captured sparklies in the AKL photos i was so excited!!

Your DMom is so brave!

I was too chicken to ride it last time.

It must be so much fun to play with your new camera and see what it can do.

Can you believe I've never had a turkey leg....

I hadn't had a turkey leg until recently either but you should try it! And expedition everest!!

can you describe the food at Boma, it looks good, but i am scared of the different kinds of food.

You start out all the way to the right and over there you have the carved meats with a variety of different sauces. There are some side dishes over there also like sweet potatoes, rice, etc. As you work your way down there are more american style foods like chicken nuggets & fries, and than you have a variety of different soups which are awesome!! Breakfast is good too you should give it a try!

seriously??

One of the best breakfasts I ever had in wdw!

Ditto!

Sounds good Did you get different lenses for your camera or just the ones it came with??

Loved your last update! Just reading the beginning of Illuminations got me all teary... I'm SOOOO in love with that show! And of course, more amazing pictures

My friend lent me her 50mm lens so I was switching between that and the lens it came with. I get misty eyed when illuminations starts too!

 

[Nicole786]

Pre-trip news! I paid off the AKL portion of our trip today!! Hooray! Now all I have left is the WL (the most expensive because we are there the longest) I was going to wait to pay off the AKL just in case we change our minds about it, but I think we're pretty set on the AKL! At first I was not on board with the changing resorts thing, but when it lets you stay at both the WL AND the AKL how could it not be a great thing??

 

[Charleston Princess]

Hurray for paying off the AKL portion!!!

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

You start out all the way to the right and over there you have the carved meats with a variety of different sauces. There are some side dishes over there also like sweet potatoes, rice, etc. As you work your way down there are more american style foods like chicken nuggets & fries, and than you have a variety of different soups which are awesome!! Breakfast is good too you should give it a try!

gotcha, but are the meats normal, or are they weird meats, or different tasting, someone posted that the food was really authentic african or something like that...? so it just scared me a little like i would not like it.

 

[KatGarcia]

Pre-trip news! I paid off the AKL portion of our trip today!! Hooray! Now all I have left is the WL (the most expensive because we are there the longest) I was going to wait to pay off the AKL just in case we change our minds about it, but I think we're pretty set on the AKL! At first I was not on board with the changing resorts thing, but when it lets you stay at both the WL AND the AKL how could it not be a great thing??

Awesome! I love the resprt switch, feels like 2 vacations in one!

gotcha, but are the meats normal, or are they weird meats, or different tasting, someone posted that the food was really authentic african or something like that...? so it just scared me a little like i would not like it.

They have some more authentic type dishes, but even those are NOT spciy like a real african meal would be. I actually found I LOVED some of the african stuff. They have an awesome piece of salmon. Their soups are to DIE FOR (esp butternut squash) and the deserts were great too (zebra domes!)

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

and the deserts were great too (zebra domes!)

mmmm zebra, i would eat those for sure...do they have rhino pies?

 

[KatGarcia]

mmmm zebra, i would eat those for sure...do they have rhino pies?