Congrats on not being sold separately! ~ a 20th anniversary trip report. New TR link 12/21

[amazingact21]

Your second and third days sound wonderful. You seemed to have done a fantastic job balancing relaxing with park touring.
I've heard O'hana's is beginning to feel rushed; kind of crazy that they were trying to bring you potstickers before you had even finished your salad. Those sorts of all you can eat restaurants are great when you've got a big group or growing kids, but it's really hard to justify when it's only two adults!

I feel like spontaneously deciding to eat at the bar is the epitome of a couple's getaway trip. Any more than two people - especially if they are kids- and you can't swing something like that. That mango pie sounds really tasty, I don't think I would have been able to resist it, either!

 

[Tracy161]

I am so excited for it! I have never done CP or anything Christmas at the parks.

There truly is nothing like Christmas at the parks My family spent actual Christmas there way back in 1997 and it was just a dream. I've been again in January more recently, but once Christmas is over, it's just not the same.

It is a solo trip. While Bill had fun on our trip, he is happy to go to Disney every 2-3 years. Unlike his wife, who could go 2-3 times a year!

You and me both!

Could there be a more perfect way to start the day??

Nope!

First Devine and then Kevin!

Oh neat! I love seeing Devine, but haven't yet seen Kevin.

What an absolutely lovely day in AK! You had just the right amount of parks + relaxation

How about if the giraffe came over and you could hand feed it?
What if it stuck its head in your room to be hand fed?

 

[suse66]

Your second and third days sound wonderful. You seemed to have done a fantastic job balancing relaxing with park touring.
I've heard O'hana's is beginning to feel rushed; kind of crazy that they were trying to bring you potstickers before you had even finished your salad. Those sorts of all you can eat restaurants are great when you've got a big group or growing kids, but it's really hard to justify when it's only two adults!

I feel like spontaneously deciding to eat at the bar is the epitome of a couple's getaway trip. Any more than two people - especially if they are kids- and you can't swing something like that. That mango pie sounds really tasty, I don't think I would have been able to resist it, either!

I totally agree......spontaneity is one of the best perks of solo/couple travel. There were a few days when we woke up, decided to ditch the entire day's plans, cancelled everything and made new plans! It was great!

There truly is nothing like Christmas at the parks My family spent actual Christmas there way back in 1997 and it was just a dream. I've been again in January more recently, but once Christmas is over, it's just not the same.


You and me both!


Nope!


Oh neat! I love seeing Devine, but haven't yet seen Kevin.

What an absolutely lovely day in AK! You had just the right amount of parks + relaxation

I am SO excited to experience Christmas at the parks....it is going to be great! Yes, we have both been bitten by the Disney bug! If I didn't have to go to PEI next week, I would so book another trip before my AP runs out on Aug 21. And I just got back, lol! We had a perfect AK day......it was so fun!

 

[KathyM2]

I'm so sorry I'm just getting over here now, I think I followed your trip a bit on FB though? I actually didn't realize AK was that close to AKL - can you actually walk? I've never stayed there. Also, night vision goggles for animal viewing? How cool!!

Your trip sounds fantastic so far!

 

[suse66]

I'm so sorry I'm just getting over here now, I think I followed your trip a bit on FB though? I actually didn't realize AK was that close to AKL - can you actually walk? I've never stayed there. Also, night vision goggles for animal viewing? How cool!!

Your trip sounds fantastic so far!

Hi Kathy!! , so glad you are here! I didn't post a ton on my FB page, just a little bit here and there. Are you in the Canadian Disney Addicts group on FB? I did do full daily updates there. You can't walk from AKL to AK but the bus ride is only about 5 minutes. This was my second time staying at AKL, I absolutely love it there. The night vision goggles were fun.....there are many neat things to do around the resort, I just love it!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Bill went for the Pina CoLAVA while I tried the Blueberry Lemonade.

Both are delicious choices!

When we checked in at the podium, we had asked if could request a window table. They said they couldn't guarantee anything but would make a note. Imagine our delight when we were led to a window side table with a view of the castle (way in the distance). It really could not get any better!

Lucky!

Coming out of haunted Mansion, the sun was setting and the sky was vivid with purples and grays. I tried to grab a few shots as we headed over to ride BTMR.

So beautiful! I love a good sunset.

We started the day with coffee and a light breakfast on the balcony watching our giraffe friend on the savannah. Could there be a more perfect way to start the day??

Sounds pretty perfect to me!

We were lucky enough to run into two friends on the way there. First Devine and then Kevin!

How fun! I have yet to see Kevin.

We really enjoyed the Nemo show so much and it was lovely to relax a bit in the dark, cool theatre

My feelings exactly.

 

[missangelalexis]

What a wonderful day!!

 

[afwdwfan]

Hey there! Trying to catch up and get to know more dis friends! Looks like a great way to celebrate 20 years! I have a hard time slowing down like you are, but I really love the relaxed pace you guys are going at and just enjoying the resort and taking it all in. Your standard savanna views are great, despite the construction.

I've got to say that Wishes is still the best night time show at Disney World. And I don't see that changing anytime soon.

 

[suse66]

Both are delicious choices!



Lucky!



So beautiful! I love a good sunset.



Sounds pretty perfect to me!



How fun! I have yet to see Kevin.


My feelings exactly.

It was really lovely to have the chance to enjoy the pool and resort. I know you love AKL too....it is just so tranquil and relaxing there. Definitely one of my favourite places to stay! You will LOVE Kevin when you finally see her. She is hilarious! Yes, the shows are a great opportunity to sit back, relax and be entertained. AK does it up right with two wonderful shows.

What a wonderful day!!

It really was....we kept looking at each other and thinking "wow, we are actually here together with no teenagers AND we still have 7 more days to enjoy!" It was awesome!

Hey there! Trying to catch up and get to know more dis friends! Looks like a great way to celebrate 20 years! I have a hard time slowing down like you are, but I really love the relaxed pace you guys are going at and just enjoying the resort and taking it all in. Your standard savanna views are great, despite the construction.

I've got to say that Wishes is still the best night time show at Disney World. And I don't see that changing anytime soon.

,glad to have you here! We couldn't have asked for a better way to celebrate our anniversary, we had the best time! We lucked out with the partial savannah view and really enjoyed it. When we were travelling with our boys, we discovered that everyone was happier when they had time to slow down and relax. When I travel solo I tend to be a bit more on the go but in the heat of the summer, it is nice to take a slower pace. Plus my DH's job is crazy stressful so he really needs the time to unwind. Wishes will always hold a very special place in my heart as well.

 

[Tracy161]

If I didn't have to go to PEI next week, I would so book another trip before my AP runs out on Aug 21. And I just got back, lol!

I completely get it!

 

[suse66]

I completely get it!

I knew you would!

 

[buzzrelly]

Soon enough we were walking through the gates and stopping for our tree of life photo.

Perfect, and not a bit crowded

First Devine and then Kevin!

That's amazing to see them both! I think it must have something to do with your relaxed attitude and not rushing around. It's incredible what we miss when we do that…and I am super guilty of doing that!

As we were at the show, our Kali FP turned into an anytime FP so we decided to use it to Visit Mickey and Minnie at Adventurer's Outpost on the way out of the park. We had such a perfect AK afternoon!

Adorable!

That was the perfect ending for another wonderful Disney day!

Sounds like it

 

[vamassey1]

We started the day with coffee and a light breakfast on the balcony watching our giraffe friend on the savannah. Could there be a more perfect way to start the day??

I don't think this can be beat.

Staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge, it is so easy to just pop over to Animal Kingdom.

I does sound like a nice set up.

We were lucky enough to run into two friends on the way there. First Devine and then Kevin!

What a great meeting. I love Devine and I'm looking forward to meeting Kevin for the first time.

Very nice!

Bill enjoyed his first time of Flights of Passage but was feeling a bit dizzy and nauseous after the ride. We found a shady spot to sit and relax for a bit while we listened to the drum show and took in the beautiful scenery.

I've only done FOP once. It didn't make me dizzy but I can see how it could.

They had crab cakes on the bar menu which I can never resist, while Bill went for the fish tacos. Both our meals were absolutely delicious!

I've never had their crab cakes. I'm glad to hear they're heavy on crab cause that's the way I like them.

We thought about dessert and almost chose to forgo but we were swayed by the mango pie. This was creamy and delicious, a perfect treat to share.

I love the mango pie here!!!

Great photo!

After finishing our drinks we headed out to the overlook and had a lovely chat with one of the cultural representatives there. We then decided to try out the night vision goggles for a little night time animal viewing. That was the perfect ending for another wonderful Disney day!

Perfect day!

 

[suse66]

That's amazing to see them both! I think it must have something to do with your relaxed attitude and not rushing around. It's incredible what we miss when we do that…and I am super guilty of doing that!

It's so true Kelly. I really love all the details and find when when I slow down, I am able to notice and appreciate them more. I think I would be happy without ever going on a ride.

I don't think this can be beat.



I does sound like a nice set up.



What a great meeting. I love Devine and I'm looking forward to meeting Kevin for the first time.



Very nice!



I've only done FOP once. It didn't make me dizzy but I can see how it could.



I've never had their crab cakes. I'm glad to hear they're heavy on crab cause that's the way I like them.



I love the mango pie here!!!



Great photo!Yes the crab cakes at Yak and T+yeti



Perfect day!

We totally had the best time! Oh my gosh, you are going to love Kevin! She is hilarious!! The crab cakes are so good, I would highly recommend them and as you know, that mango pie is delish!

 

[suse66]

Disney Springs, dress shopping and water park fun!!

It was another gorgeous morning and as we had not made it to Disney Springs the evening before, we decided to head that way today. Bill had not been to Disney Springs since it was re-imagined so we took our time strolling around and just taking everything in. It was still fairly early and none of the shops had opened as yet, so we decided to stop by Starbucks by the water. We scored a lovely patio table and were soon settled in with a refreshing drink as we watched the hot air balloon and discussed our plans for the day.

We looked around Disney Style, popped into Chapel Hats, looked at the Marvel store and admired the Lego. The Lego dragon is always our favourite as it brings back such nice memories of the boys when they were little. He was their favourite! I wanted to check out Cherry Tree Lane for the Disney dress shop and Dooney bags so we headed that way next. I ended up trying on three different dresses; Trader Sams, Epcot and Dole Whip. Which one do you think I bought???

The one I ended up picking, I wore to tea at the Grand Floridian. You'll see soon! I enjoyed looking at the bags too as I really wanted the new Disney Cats bag but they didn't have the placement I was looking for there.

Next up, we wanted to head to Typhoon Lagoon for some water park fun. I thought you could get from Disney Springs from Typhoon Lagoon but couldn't see the bus listed on the boards. I popped over to ask one of the Cast Members and he told us you could only go there from one of the resorts. Well, we though we would just hop on the next resort bus and then grab a TL bus or walk over to grab a Lyft. Imagine our surprise when the CM said "just wait here and I will have a bus come pick you up". What an awesome piece of Disney Magic!

We had the best time at Typhoon Lagoon! We floated on the lazy river, played in the wave pool, had lunch in the shade, drinks at the bar, did some slides, went back to the lazy river and played in the wave pool again! It was SO fun!

Around 4:00 we wrapped things up and headed back to AKL for a little rest. We needed to pack up as we were switching resorts the next morning and we were heading out to Disney After Hours at Hollywood Studios that night!

*continued in next post*
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[suse66]

Disney After Hours at Hollywood Studios!

We started off our evening at Hollywood Studios with dinner at 50's Prime Time. This was Bill's request and it did not disappoint! The servers were on their game tonight....as we sat down another group was celebrating their birthday and everyone was singing happy birthday to them. The CM looked us and said "well, why aren't you singing? Sing!" So we sang and laughed.......such a fun start! After looking at the menu, we decided to start with the onion rings and a beverage. Our server told us to make sure we set the table properly, actually talk to each other, no elbows on the table and to keep those walkie talkies away!

I went for Grandma's Picnic Punch and Bill chose the Cigar City IPA.

The onion rings were fabulous! Light, crispy batter with just the right amount of crunch and big slices of perfectly done onion inside. The horseradish sauce complemented them perfectly!

I went for the chicken pot pie and Bill chose the pot roast. Both our dishes were okay. My pot pie was not really hot enough and I found the sauce a little heavy for my tastes. Bill's pot roast was a bit bland although the meat was nice and tender. I wouldn't come here for the food but the atmosphere was so fun and we really loved the theming.

Bill was trying not to get caught with his walkie talkie, lol!

After dinner, we strolled around a bit, just taking in the atmosphere.

We decided we would go and do some meet and greets and had hopes of Edna Mode but she was closed for the day. Mickey and Minnie had quite a long line so we went to see Olaf!


Next up, it was party time!!

*continued in next post*
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[suse66]

Time for after hours!!

We went and picked up our bracelets and were ready for the fun! Ariane and I had been texting as she, Steve and the boys were attending the party and we were planning to meet up at some poin
We decided to make Rockin' Roller Coaster our first ride of the night. We walked right on and were soon hurtling through LA in our stretch limo!

While we loved the ride, it was an once and done after our heavy dinner. We debated in checking out ToT but the waits were heavy all night due to the ongoing maintenance work. I opted for a bottle of water and a little snack as Bill sat down for a bit. His stomach was not feeling the best and he decided against any ice cream. I enjoyed mine though.

Once the crowds from Fantasmic dispersed a bit we headed into Toy Story Land. It was great at night and we really enjoyed the theming. Forky was my favourite!

We rode AS2 which was fun and cute! Of course I had to take a picture with the alien in my alien shirt.

Next up was Toy Story Midway Mania. As we were going through to our ride vehicle, the CM said "Hey, congrats on not being sold separately, toys!" And so, the title of this trip report was born! After losing to my lovely husband, we went to meet Buzz! As we were lined up, Ariane texted me that they were off TSMM and were waiting for us. We loved meeting Buzz and Buzz loved Bill's shirt!

We had a great chat with @ariane37 and her lovely family. If you had the pleasure of meeting her, Steve and their boys, you know how nice they are. I hope our paths cross again one day. They were heading back to RnRC next and Bill and I were looking forward to Slinky Dog. Here we are together!

Next up was Slinky Dog and we had a great time! It's so fun at night!

After Slinky, we decided on one more turn at TSMM, After that we headed out of the park as it was about 11:30 and the wait times were still long. I'm glad we tried DAH at HS but I think it was an once and done for us.

In a real life update, I am heading to my cottage in PEI tomorrow for three weeks. No wifi...... just books, beach walks, hammock naps and general relaxing! I am taking the train down which should be fun. I hope to pop in when I can but most likely will see you all in three weeks when I get home. Have a great August!

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[amazingact21]

I'm disappointed to hear the DHS After Hours was busy, but despite that setback it sounds like you two had a lovely time. Riding RNRC after a big dinner at 50's is brave!

All three of those dresses looked great; how did you narrow it down? I'm going to guess you bought the Trader Sam's one.

 

[Jenny Sanders]

We had a great chat with @ariane37 and her lovely family. If you had the pleasure of meeting her, Steve and their boys, you know how nice they are

How cool that you got to meet one of my favorite peeps!!!!

 

[disneyAndi14]

What a fun day! I’m guessing the SE dress?? They all looked so cute! The SE was so unique in my opinion!

We loved the onion rings at 50’s but not a favorite place for us!

Glad you got to meet up with Ariane, the evening looks like a fun time except for it being more crowded then you like!

Your 3 weeks with only books and relaxation in PEI sounds heavenly!