Divas, Zebra Domes, and Pixie Dust! A Week in an African Paradise! New TR Link Pg.145

[anbouk]

A no-longer lurker coming out of the closet Your TR title caught my eye! We will be making our first stay ever in less than 7 weeks at AKV and we are ever so excited! Did I miss your room assignment number? I would love to have that identical room view! This will be our first DVC stay (I believe these rooms are located on the last two floors of Jambo...) Can't wait to hear the rest! Oh, and how were those Zebra Domes I keep hearing about? what exactly are they?

 

[Charleston Princess]

The kid is a nut, I tell ya!! A little nut!!

She's a hoot!

A no-longer lurker coming out of the closet Your TR title caught my eye! We will be making our first stay ever in less than 7 weeks at AKV and we are ever so excited! Did I miss your room assignment number? I would love to have that identical room view! This will be our first DVC stay (I believe these rooms are located on the last two floors of Jambo...) Can't wait to hear the rest! Oh, and how were those Zebra Domes I keep hearing about? what exactly are they?

I am so glad you decided to de-lurk! Our room wasn't a DVC room, but it was room number 3022 -- I would imagine any of the rooms on the Giraffe Trail ending in 22 would have the same view.

Zebra Domes are small bits of heaven. They have a white and chocolate striped ganache exterior encasing bits of cake and a mousse-like filling on the inside. You can get boxes of them down in the Mara for about $3.95 and Boma always has them on the dessert part of their buffet. So delicious!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Our original plans for today were to head to Disney Hollywood Studios for dinner and Star Wars Weekend. However, Chelsea had a bee in her bonnet about wanting to make her Mickey ears as soon as possible. As she said, "I need them soon, so I can wear them for all the pictures."

I left it up to Connor to decide. After all, SWW was really for him, so if he wanted to go to DHS (which is where I said we were going to go), then that's where we would go.

Chelsea used her special, super, older-sister powers of persuasion to convince her brother that he wanted to go to the Magic Kingdom to make ears. Poor Connor sometimes has no willpower to resist his sister, and he agreed.

Meanwhile...
Charles: If you are going to the Magic Kingdom, I think I am just going to stay here.
Me: Why???
Charles: I am pretty wiped out after the drive today.
Me: But you slept for two-thirds of it!
Charles: I am still worn out from being in the car all day.
Me: Really?

So, we left Charles to relax and explore the resort and made our way to the Magic Kingdom.

Another perk of being on the lobby floor on the gift shop side was the close proximity of the bus stops. Later on we realized we could duck through Zawadi to get to the buses. Very convenient!

My only complaint -- which isn't even really a complaint -- is that the bus ride to the Magic Kingdom seems much longer from Animal Kingdom Lodge than anywhere else we have stayed. In all actuality, it is probably only twenty minutes away, but when you are three minutes away from Animal Kingdom, you notice the difference.

Soon, we were at the Magic Kingdom! Bus stop number three for Animal Kingdom Lodge! So close to the entrance!

Grabbing our Times Guide and a map, we headed straight for The Chapeau so the kids could make their custom designed ears.

The whole Design Your Own Ears is a very cute idea. Along one wall of the store are all the beanies you can choose from, along another wall are all the ears you can choose from, and in the center is a display of all the patches you can choose from.

Chelsea and Connor got to work almost immediately. I did caution Connor about the prices of the patches so he wouldn't get too carried away.

Chelsea chose a white beanie with Mickey heads embossed on it, and Connor chose a tie-dyed beanie. He also decided to go with two different ears whereas Chelsea did matching ears.

Then they added patches. Chelsea found one that said Peace, Love, and Mickey Mouse. Connor found two Goofy ones and a pirate one. The patches just stick on which I was worried about, but when we paid, they hot ironed them so they would stick better.

Chelsea also decided she wanted her name embroidered on the back. While we waited for that to be done, Connor found the phone in the back of the room. (I may have pointed it out since I had read about it on MRYPPNS trip report.)

For those interested, here is the breakdown of what everything cost:
Chelsea's Beanie: $4.95
Connor's Beanie: $4.95
Firework Ears: $3.50 each
Mickey Ear: $2.50 each
Patches: $2.95 each
Hat Personalization: $3.00

Grand Total for both hats (including tax): $40.16

Chelsea and Connor both thoroughly enjoyed designing ears that reflected their personalities so well!

Soon, both sets of ears were finished, and we were headed out onto Main Street to find dinner and some fun!

We headed towards Liberty Square but were sidetracked by the Castle.

UP NEXT: What's for dinner?

 

[Lady Lallie]

Oh, there ears turned out so cute! I remember those days when I could persuade my little brother to do anything I wanted. Sigh. Now he just scoffs at me. Tell Chelsea her days are numbered of influencing Connor.

I can't believe Charles stayed back at the room! Wasn't the benadryl incident on arrival day last year? Maybe he just needs some time to decompress after traveling?

 

[MeMom]

Okay, so can you tell me why you waited until after I got to school today to post this????

I wanna see the pictures, but nooooooo...
I have to wait (tick tock tick tock) until I get home.

And I'm not going straight home,
because I have to go look for tennis shoes
for my trip.

I don't know what I'm gonna do with you!
First it's the submarine stuff, and now you're torturing me with pictures I can't see!
Aye-yi-yi!

I have a feeling we'll end up letting Brooklynn make her own ears this trip. She would love being able to create her own masterpiece!

What a nice brother Connor is for letting his Sissy get her hat first! I will anxiously await finding out if he got to see any Star Wars stuff later in the day or if he was just content to stay in Magic Kingdom.

I have a feeling it'll come back to haunt Chelsea someday, though. Connor will be a big old strapping boy, and he'll pick Chelsea up and swirl and twirl around the room with her, acting like he's going to bump her head into walls, and she'll be squealing.

(There is a reason I know this. Three reasons, actually. Two sons and a daughter.)

He'll remind her of that day she made him miss Star Wars stuff to go get mouse ears, and then he'll swirl and twirl faster than ever!

 

[wigdoutdismom]

Loved update, Charles MIA already.........
The kids did a wonderful job of designing their Mickey ears. We have never done it, I hope someone wants to on our next trip! Did you take a closer shot of them, I would love to get a closer look at the patches that were added!
Can't wait to hear about the rest of your MK
I'm guessing Columbia Harbor House was your dinner destination.....and if it was I say yum!

 

[MomofCKJ]

Too tired to go to the Magic Kingdom? What is wrong with your man?

And cool ears, they came out cute! Funny how older sisters can turn the charm on when it is something they want. I witness that as well. I have a little Miss Manipulator show up under my roof when she wants something to go her way as well! I guess someday they'll have their husbands wrapped around their fingers too.

Love the Castle shots, nothing so wonderful as seeing the Castle!

Allyson

 

[MEK]

Saw the AKL room view pictures.....just how I thought they would look! Beautiful! But now I can't see the beanies! Oh well .... I will see them tonight. As LL would say, "Pffft".

 

[MeMom]

By the way, since the day you showed us your balcony view, I have thought of it every morning! I think I'll blow it up (the picture, that is ) and put it outside my sliding glass doors!

Next year, we're planning to do the two days on the end at a deluxe again, and I'll probably be requesting a view that looks just like that one!

 

[If U Had Wings]

I don't think I've ever had super duper big sister powers over my brother. He definitely had powers over me. We'd always end up doing what he wanted to do. Probably because the Libra in me caves really easy.

Their ears are adorable, I love that they were able to make ones perfect for them.

Good thing Charles didn't drive, you might have never got him out of the room on your vacation.

 

[cmskok]

Love the MM ears! I think that I will have to get them for mine in September!!! Good going, Chelsea--those negotiating skills will come in handy when you get older!!!

 

[jenjolt]

Jackie!! Oh my...how do I love those Mickey ears...I meant to do that on my last trip and just didn't get around to it. Connor's are fabulous I love them, tell him I said he has great taste LOL! Chelsea's are very nicely done too! Hmmm....maybe Charles does just need some time to decompress after traveling..I found that I need some of that time too when I'm in the car for that long!

Can't wait to find out what you guys did for dinner!! Disney food makes me happy LOL!

 

[MadiMouse]

Great update! Those Mickey ears are so cute. Chelsea and Connor have great personalities...just like their Mother!!!!

Okay, could you keep the updates coming until I leave next week??????

 

[Diamondintheruff]

I can't believe your DH stayed in the room. I must never let my Dh read this otherwise he will want to stay back too!

I looked in the design your own hat shop. It is very cute. Glad the kids enjoyed making them and enjoyed wearing them.

 

[DWGal210]

What a fun hat-making experience! And Connor is such a sweetie for letting his sister choose the hats first...it looks like they made some really good ones! I think I might have to add that to our "to-do" list for the kiddies this time around - they would LOVE that!

 

[ampc3]

I was laughing b/c Chelsea sounds just like my Lauren and her brother too.... cute hats, we'll have to do that next time, but not sure how long they would actually wear them around.. Did they wear them alot?

 

[eandesmom]

I'm in!

Your drive story is a riot but wow you handle it with a lot more grace than I would! Of course I make my DH drive...I hate to drive and avoid it when possible. That said, I'd never fall asleep, cardinal rule of the co-pilot (unless it's an overnight thing and we are doing shifts lol).

AKL is gorgeous, as is your family, love the pics (and your t!). I always toy with staying there but worry about the distance.

The make your own ears are fabulous! Maybe next trip..... Looking forward to more!

 

[kschafer]

They must have some different beanie choices since we made ours last year. I really like both of them your kids chose! I got the same fireworks ears and both of my boys picked the mickey one Connor got.

I didn't think the prices were really too bad which surprised me. I think we ended up paying around 45 dollars for all 4 of ours, the prices must have gone up some (big surprise!)

Hmm, lunch...my guess is Pecos Bills or CHH based on the direction you are headed

 

[shannon47142]

love the update--
both sets of ears are adorable
thanks for the inside info of making them

 

[Jennifer48]

Those ears are great! Tell them they did an awesome job!