Day 8 “You remember kicking me out a week ago?”

[yepod]

Wed Oct 30th
Cast of characters: DD-Emily, 3 ½ yo, ‘strop thrower extraordinaire’
DW-Jody, 40, ‘A newly confirmed AKL fan’
Me-John, 50, ‘Do you know Debi from the DIS?’

We left POR with little fan fare. They actually had a marching band celebrating our departure! I drove excitedly over to the AKL (no, not fast, I was just excited to be going there!)

Arrived at guest services around 9:00 & was given great service by Mike! He gave me the room keys & told me our savannah room was ready! We excitedly ran to the room. Actually I lie, in that Emily who had been waiting in front of the lobby TV with mum, threw yet another strop for being pulled away from the TV. We drug the DD screaming to our room (2483 on the OUTSIDE of Zebra Trail) & looked out the balcony window & what did we see but a tree & the side of the building & about a 3 foot gap where we could see the savannah. What happened here? After Jody said ‘what animals?’ I ran even faster (Ouch my bad knees) back to the lobby & asked Mike if there was possibly a ‘better’ savannah view room available. A magical moment happened when Michael said “sure, I can’t always tell from the map where the better rooms are”. I didn’t care whether I believed him or not, the maps ARE less than helpful when it comes to the details of the resort (or any resort map for that matter)! Reminds me of the signage & maps for off property, vague & not really helpful! We went to our second room of the day & it had a spectacular view of the savannah!

We were in room 4211 overlooking the Kudu Trail & Arusha Rock! We were overlooking the bird roosts. Immediately we saw ANIMALS! Like nativetxn said ‘It’s such a nice resort, you don’t want to leave to go to the parks”! I’ve read other reports complaining about being unhappy with the room. But I've also read far more reports from people who had the same experience as we did. If you're not happy, then asking nicely goes a long way!
We now went down to Boma for breakfast. Unfortunately Jody was not given enough time to enjoy the breakfast buffet fully (my bad) as Emily was on strop 2 & I wasn’t being attentive enough. Note to self: buy a strop when we get home for strop throwing prevention in the future! The food was great & I enjoyed the frunch! Again, for actual food selection, PM Poohshoney. She has a much better memory than I do!
We headed to the bus stop intending to go to MK for Emily. It started to rain & Emily was already on the verge of a strop breakdown when Jody (close to a full strop toss herself)

decided to keep them both home for a rest & maybe go to the pool. I wanted to get a park visit in, so was given permission to go off on my own! After I left, Jody & the princess went to Mara for lunch & Jody said they both enjoyed it. The rain got even worse, but undaunted I started out for Epcot.

As the bus pulled into Epcot, the rain let up some. I still put my poncho on to at least protect the cameras. This was the first real rain of our trip, so we couldn’t complain about the weather too much. I planned on a visit to Off Kilter & maybe a trip around the world for some food & wine. What do you know, they were having a festival in my honor, with that exact theme in mind! I stopped into Ice Station Cool for the sole purpose of trying the beloved Beverly! I went in & tried one of each. Some were just ok. Others were not really ok at all! And then I tried the Beverly. Beverly 2

Well just after I’d sampled it, 2 young boys came in with their parents. The boys eyeballed me with that knowing look like they had spotted a SUCKER! They started over & I thought for sure that they were going to try & trick me! I lead them in by asking them if I should try some of the samples. The younger one (bless his heart) said, “don’t drink the Beverly”! I saw the parents looking on from afar. I reveled in the full audience for a grand performance. The boys edged closer as I proceeded to fill a glass with the dreaded drink. I downed this with incredulous looks from the boys (the parents were amused)! I sensed the boys didn’t believe me, so I downed another & they ran screaming from the room! Sweet success! I chuckled over their reaction as I walked on towards Canada & OK. All of a sudden I realized my folly when not only did I experience the horrible after taste,

but I started to get a stomach ache! Oh well I did deserve it didn’t I? It only took like an hour (& a glass of French cognac) to get rid of the taste! I watched Off Kilter for the first time & enjoyed them thoroughly! As they finished, I asked them if they remembered Debi from the DIS. Jamie gave me a knowing look, nodded & said “say hi to her for us”! I then bought their 2 CDs & continued my walk around the world. Upon my arrival in England, I again asked for Simon & found him in the children’s store. I ignored Pooh & Eeyore who were standing next to us signing autographs (hardly any line). I gave Simon a Michigan TDS pin & while we chatted, he asked politely where my family was. I explained about my little strop thrower & he suggested I take her a mask (which is what he was doing that day). He was working with the littlies, helping them decorate their masks! He then suggested that his 2 friends, the bear & donkey, sign the mask! What a kind & sweet lad you have CarolynU

I was too busy DISing to think of this myself (bad daddy)!
Jody is always pointing this out to me. (Too much DISing, not enough attention to the DD)! I moved on to the USA to have a crab cake. It was delicious (although quite dear)! As I got over to Norway, I tried some smoked salmon & it was also good! I wish I’d had the time & more importantly the money, to sample one of each! I returned to the AKL in search of the family, knowing the REST has worked for all 3 of us!
When I arrived at our room, I found a note that told me the girls had gone shopping OH NO! I read the note again just before jumping off the balcony & it really said they had recently headed for the MK! With radio in hand, I headed out (without even looking out that distracting balcony) in search of the princesses.

(Honestly I was going to look for Emily & Jody too!) I arrived at the MK just as the Share a Dream Come True Parade was getting started. I took a couple of pictures of the characters in the parade while calling the family on the radio. A comment about FRS 2 way radios here. We carried a couple of cheaper versions with a few channels last year & found the cross talk from everyone else made them all but useless. Maybe for the mall, but not WDW! This year I had upgraded to a nicer pair of name brand FSRs that did work a lot better. They did help out some like on this day. I finally reached Jody after calling for a few minutes. We headed over to catch the birds at the Tiki Room, It always amazes me at the end when you’re told to stand up & like 5 people actually do! They want you to leave! How many times do you have to see this show to get the hint?! Then on to Agriba to ride Aladdin’s Spitting Camel ride. Alas, to our disappointment, the camel was dry! We then proceeded to the Buzz ride where we rode twice in a row with no wait! Again Jody trounces me (& flaunts her score in my face! I think she got that from that Trekker guy ‘what’s your score now?!)!

We did get Emily & Buzz in a picture! Then onto WEDway, I mean Tomorrowland Transit Authority for some rest! Well it didn’t work, so we headed to Toon Town. Try as I might, I couldn’t get Emily to go on Goofy’s Barnstormer with me. This is the second year she was eligible, but she just wouldn’t let me drag her kicking & screaming onto the ride. The saddest thing was while I sat on a bench near the train station (trying to nap), I saw Goofy head over to his ride & get on. Unfortunately Emily & Mom were playing in Mickey & Minnie’s houses & missed all the fun. After Emily’s obligatory run through the playground, we got on the train & rode to the front train station & headed back to the AKL.
On arrival we had lost Emily again, so decided to cheat her out of a meal & push the pram into Jiko for a great dinner!

Donna (akacruella) from Dreams Unlimited had recommended this & suggested we try her favorite drink, the Victoria Falls Mist. Jody enjoyed this one very much & I opted for the house special, the Savannah Sunrise! Thanks again, Donna! Dinner was truly special with appetizer of flat breads with different South African spreads. Then on to the Entrees. Jody had the rabbit confit & I had pan seared monk fish, both excellent! Our server had recommended the fish with the comment it has a similar texture to lobster. I love lobster, so I’m thinking Oh sure. Well I wasn’t disappointed!
I then left Jody to tuck Emily in & rode the bus to DTD to get Emily her yearly personalized Christmas ornament. This year it was Lady & the Tramp! Then over to WoD for some end of trip trinkets, as we wouldn’t be back here before we left. Ran into a CM we saw last year that we really like named Cynthia & I had been stalking all this trip. Missed our other favorite, Maggie whom I asked Cyn to say hi to for us. I bought a few (who am I kidding, a bunch more) pins at Pin Traders including a personalized make your own for Emily & Jody! It was 10:55 when I tried to get into the Gourmet Pantry, a must for those sinfully tasty treats & they had already locked their doors. Shame on you Disney, you missed another fleecing! Then home to my sleeping princesses.

Day 9 Almost through!

 

[Poohshoney]

ooh but you're a cruel man! Those poor boys with the Beverly.
I chickened out last trip but if and when we go back I'm going to try it. Though maybe not as much as you did... Meriweather says she quite likes it and I do like tonic water so... wish me luck!

Well done with the room! I can never understand when people complain once they're home that they didn't like something but they didn't tell Disney. A polite request is usually handled so well - a smile and a please!

 

[pumba]

our first year with the Ice Station .....some nice elderly lady conned me into trying it and then commenced to laughing at me......what a DEAR lady she was.......hahaha.....everything sounds so great with your trip.......you have done alot and seen alot.....thanks so much

 

[vald1977]

Wow! Happy to hear that you were able to easily switch rooms and that you enjoyed AKL. Jiko also sounds fabulous as well.

 

[nativetxn]

Personally, I like Beverly. I think with a little gin it would be perfect

AKL savannah view is awesome. I could hardly tear me away from the giraffes beneath my balcony to go to the parks. I did it but it was hard.

I <b>love</b> Jiko!

Great day

 

[oldkicker]

LOL @ your beverly experience. I wouldn't have been able to do that!

And WAY COOL at how you ended up at AKL!!!!