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

[Roxychica7]

YAY! Sorry I'm late, but I'm here, I'm here!
Can't wait for the next update!

 

[dddisrunner]

HOLY COW! This thread is so big already!!! I CANNOT wait to hear all about this trip!

 

[Charleston Princess]

My best friend children (my godchildren or as I like to refer to them due to a typo years ago my dogchildren) are named Connor and Chelsea. So I just had to sub into your report since I can already tell that your Connor and Chelsea are just as adorable as mine.

Isn't that funny that your godchildren are Chelsea and Connor as well! I always thought those two names went very well together!

I saw this morning that you were already 2 more pages...so I thought surely there was an update........nope just everyone subbing....popular girl.

Drunk stories...

I feel so loved!

Yes, somehow you sent a little drunk magnet mojo my way, Jordan!

I your TRs! Can't wait to read all about it! Now I need to go read your PTR - I'm so far behind on my DISing, that I didn't even realize you had one. I'm so ashamed.

I am so glad you are here!

OK, I think you have already answered one of the reason I subbed to your report......I mean if you are BRAVE enough to ask Shocker that question, then it is clear that you are BRAVE enough to ride TOT and RnRC!!!

Just remember, Blesseddaddy, that bravery comes in different forms...

I can't wait to read all about your trip!

Mel!!! I am so glad you are here -- hopefully it will help pass the time while you wait for your trip!

YAY! Sorry I'm late, but I'm here, I'm here!
Can't wait for the next update!

You aren't late at all! So glad you are here!

HOLY COW! This thread is so big already!!! I CANNOT wait to hear all about this trip!

Diane!!! You made it over before you left!!! I'll try not to update too, too much while you are gone!

 

[bluejasmine]

Oh another Charlestonian! Hi! Cant wait to read your report, my new DH (wed in Sept and had a disneymoon) and I are planning our 5th anniversary to be at AKL! He fell in love with the place when we ate at Boma!

 

[vamassey1]

I'm new this will be my first CP report, but it sounds like it will be great!

 

[H20DogsNDisney]

Oh Good It strarted!

 

[troobabiee7]

Mel!!! I am so glad you are here -- hopefully it will help pass the time while you wait for your trip!

I'm sure it will, I always love your reports I want to hear about all this drama...!

 

[MEK]

:

MEK! I kept an eye out for you, too, but I guess we just kept missing each other. Did you love Kidani?

The 2BR villa at Kidani was simply amazing. It was the nicest room I've ever stayed in, by far.... 3 flat screen TV's, 3 full bathrooms, huge jacuzzi tub, two ihomes, pretty art work, huge throw pillows, and cute animal carvings in the furniture. I am definately spoiled for life now!

However, in terms of Jambo house vs. Kidani - The lobby at Jambo is far more impressive. The pool area is also nicer (IMO) because of the mature foliage and the way the lodge flows into the pool area. The Kidani pool is separate from the villas. Don't get more wrong - the pool was nice, but it just doesn't flow as well because you have to walk outside in front of the lobby to get there.

The savannah area was nice. The underground parking was ehhhh. It was hard to find a spot and much of the overflow parking was closed. As soon as we went over to the Jambo house my DS 14 said, "no offense mom, but I like it a lot better over here".

I definately want to go back, but I would like to try the villas at the Jambo house. Enjoyed the Mara a lot - food was good with a nice variety. Oh....and those zebra domes - excellent!

Will probably start my TR next week. I have to go to Buffalo / Niagara Falls this weekend for a wedding. I would love to start now, but I am still up to my neck in laundry and unpacking......only to repack again!

 

[MRYPPNS]

I'm stuck all the way back here on page five since my life currently is feeding kids, changing diapers and washing bottles! But I'm here now so feel free to update

I have some really cute pictures to share of a special surprise that we got at our house this week.......ty!

 

[jillyb]

Woohoo!! The TR has started! I've been doing housework all day (yuck!) and just now got the chance to get on the computer.

I love your siggy ticker!
Charles was MIA??!!!
I can't believe the change in Chelsea and Connor from last year!
Love their ears!
Love the lobby pic!
Love the pic of you in the rocking chair and your matching ensemble!
Can't wait to hear about the drama and see your pictures!

Can you tell I'm excited??!!!

 

[Happydog]

Okay, so I really signed off last night saying, okay okay she is NOT starting this tonight...

Then of course WORK got in the way this morning (my LAST "real" school day!!! Now that the kids AND teachers are gone I can relax -- just kidding ) ) Bad, bad, work!

And then I had two karate lessons, dinner, Star Wars, "Return of the Jedi," bedtime, and then FINALLY CP's Trip Report....

Your pic is so cute with the Tshirt, and yes, your VB matches wonderfully!

Okay, can't wait for more more more!!!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Oh another Charlestonian! Hi! Cant wait to read your report, my new DH (wed in Sept and had a disneymoon) and I are planning our 5th anniversary to be at AKL! He fell in love with the place when we ate at Boma!

Another Charlestonian is always a welcome addition! We are headed back there for the Fourth to Charleston, and I am super excited!

That was where our love affair started was with a meal at Boma!

I'm new this will be my first CP report, but it sounds like it will be great!

So glad to have you here!

Oh Good It strarted!

Yes, I finally started! LOL!

I'm sure it will, I always love your reports I want to hear about all this drama...!

Thank you! The dramatics start almost immediately!

The 2BR villa at Kidani was simply amazing. It was the nicest room I've ever stayed in, by far.... 3 flat screen TV's, 3 full bathrooms, huge jacuzzi tub, two ihomes, pretty art work, huge throw pillows, and cute animal carvings in the furniture. I am definately spoiled for life now!

However, in terms of Jambo house vs. Kidani - The lobby at Jambo is far more impressive. The pool area is also nicer (IMO) because of the mature foliage and the way the lodge flows into the pool area. The Kidani pool is separate from the villas. Don't get more wrong - the pool was nice, but it just doesn't flow as well because you have to walk outside in front of the lobby to get there.

The savannah area was nice. The underground parking was ehhhh. It was hard to find a spot and much of the overflow parking was closed. As soon as we went over to the Jambo house my DS 14 said, "no offense mom, but I like it a lot better over here".

I definately want to go back, but I would like to try the villas at the Jambo house. Enjoyed the Mara a lot - food was good with a nice variety. Oh....and those zebra domes - excellent!

Will probably start my TR next week. I have to go to Buffalo / Niagara Falls this weekend for a wedding. I would love to start now, but I am still up to my neck in laundry and unpacking......only to repack again!

Oh, you are so making me want to buy DVC now!!! At AKV, of course! We never made it over to Kidani to explore, but I didn't quite know what to think when the buses went that way. I would love the extra space of a one or two bedroom villa though.

We loved the Mara and certainly did our fair share of emptying out the refrigerator of zebra domes!

Have fun in Buffalo!

I'm stuck all the way back here on page five since my life currently is feeding kids, changing diapers and washing bottles! But I'm here now so feel free to update

I have some really cute pictures to share of a special surprise that we got at our house this week.......ty!

Hurray! Heidi is here!!! Now I can start in earnest!

Glad you liked the little surprise! You know I couldn't resist!

Woohoo!! The TR has started! I've been doing housework all day (yuck!) and just now got the chance to get on the computer.

I love your siggy ticker!
Charles was MIA??!!!
I can't believe the change in Chelsea and Connor from last year!
Love their ears!
Love the lobby pic!
Love the pic of you in the rocking chair and your matching ensemble!
Can't wait to hear about the drama and see your pictures!

Can you tell I'm excited??!!!

Jilly! Thank you, thank you! I am so glad that you are as excited as I am!

Okay, so I really signed off last night saying, okay okay she is NOT starting this tonight...

Then of course WORK got in the way this morning (my LAST "real" school day!!! Now that the kids AND teachers are gone I can relax -- just kidding ) ) Bad, bad, work!

And then I had two karate lessons, dinner, Star Wars, "Return of the Jedi," bedtime, and then FINALLY CP's Trip Report....

Your pic is so cute with the Tshirt, and yes, your VB matches wonderfully!

Okay, can't wait for more more more!!!

Yeay! Happydog is here! Bad, bad, bad work!

Thank you!

More coming up soon!

 

[MeMom]

More coming up soon!

How soon?

My eyes are closing, so I'm going to bed, but you know I'll be up bright and early (really it's dark and early) checking in here for new news!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Before we begin our journey to the Happiest Place on Earth, let's revisit some moments that began just days before the trip which earned Charles his nickname of Road Trip Diva.

This conversation occurred two days before the trip as I was headed to Walmart to pick up some last-minute items:

Charles: I don't want you to get drinks tonight. I want to get drinks at the gas station Saturday morning.
Me: Just tell me what you want and I will get it tonight.
Charles: They won't be chilled like they are at the gas station.
Me: We do have a refrigerator.
Charles: It's not the same. Besides I won't know what I want to drink until Saturday morning.
Me: Fine.
Charles: And I don't want you to get breakfast either.
Me: Why???
Charles: Because I want a biscuit.
Me: So, it's going to be like 7:00 before we even leave town???? (My voice may have been a little loud at this point.)
Charles: Not if we get up early.
Me:

And this conversation which occurred seven hours before we hit the road:

Charles: Honey, wake up.
Me: WHAT?
Charles: I am going to go to the gas station and get drinks for the morning. What do you want me to get you?
Me: I don't care.
Charles: Honey, you need to decide.
Me: I DO NOT CARE!
Charles: Honey, you need to focus.
Me: Agghhh! Fine, get me a cream soda.

Did Charles come home with a cream soda? Nope, he came home with a Dr. Pepper for me.

Just five and a half hours after the last conversation took place, the alarm went off. It was Disney Day! I jumped out of bed, ran around like a maniac showering, throwing last minute items into suitcases, and making sure everyone was showered and ready. By 6:15 everything was in the car and ready to go. We made last-minute checks of the house and prepared to walk out the door when my eye fell upon something clutched in Charles' arms.

Me: What is that?
Charles: My pillow.
Me: Why do you have your pillow?
Charles: So I can be comfortable while I sleep in the car.
Me: Really?

I am surprised he didn't produce a sleep mask to go along with it.

It was 6:25 as we pulled out of the driveway.

By 6:36 we had paid and ordered at our local McDonald's; by 6:41 we were on I-75. I was driving and made great time through downtown Atlanta.

Eleven miles south of Atlanta near a little town called Morrow...
Charles: I need to stop for a bathroom.
Me: Really?

Back on the road, Charles settled down for his customary nap through central and south Georgia. I continued making great time until suddenly I was forced to slam on the brakes five miles north of Macon. Traffic was at a standstill. Standstill as in not moving at 8:00 on a Saturday morning.

What did I do? I called my dad. For those of you that are new to my TRs, I have a fear of storms -- I have an even bigger fear of driving through storms. When I had checked the weather forecast the previous day, I was dismayed to find that we were supposed to have thunderstorms from Macon all the way to Orlando. I told my dad (who is as big a weather geek as I am) to stay close to the computer to give me periodic updates throughout my drive down. So, I knew he would be around. He would be Wade Load to my Kim Possible.

Me: Hi, it's me.
Dad: I haven't checked the weather yet.
Me: I don't need you to check the weather. I need you to go to the Georgia Department of Transportation website and find out why traffic is completely stopped north of Macon. I have gone about one mile in ten minutes.
Dad: The website is down for maintenance.
Me: Aggghhh!
Dad: It's probably an accident.
Me: Really?

Traffic finally started moving again after thirty precious minutes had been lost.

Somewhere north of Valdosta...

Charles: Where are we?
Me: North of Valdosta. We should be at the Florida border, but we have lost a lot of time between Macon and here because of road work. It's a little early for you to wake up -- we still have an hour before we hit Florida.

Charles went back to sleep.

Once we reached Florida, I could see the storm clouds building to the east. They looked horrible. Just as I was really beginning to get nervous...

Dad: Hi! Where are you?
Me: Somewhere near mile marker 370.
Dad: There are no mile markers on the weather map.
Me: Well, there should be. We are about forty miles north of the turnpike.
Dad: There is a storm east of you, but you should miss it. You might run into a little bit of rain.
Me: Yep, we just did. Is it red, yellow, or green rain on the map?
Dad: Green with a little bit of yellow.
Me: Okay.
Dad: I will call you in an hour.

You didn't know rain had colors, did you?

As we exited onto the Turnpike (only another hour until Disney), my dad called again to tell us we were in the clear. Now I could get properly excited to be so close to Disney.

Apparently, Charles and Chelsea also decided it was time to get hyper. Remember the scene from Dumb and Dumber where Jeff Daniels and Jim Carrey are in the car with the mobster? Yeah, well, Charles likes to recreate that scene when we are on trips and he is bored.

Charles: You know what the most annoying sound in the world is?
Me: No! Don't do it! Please!
Charles and Chelsea: AAAAHHHHHGGGGHHHHH!!!!
Connor: Guys! Stop it!!! I am trying to read!!!

Finally, after eight hours on the road, we were almost there. I was poised to drive under the great Walt Disney World sign and tear up with joy...

Charles: Go slowly so I can take a picture.
I slow down.
Charles: Slower.
I slow down some more.
Charles: Slower.
Me: I am doing two miles an hour! Take the picture!

We had made it!!! We were at Walt Disney World!!! We were following the signs for Animal Kingdom Lodge!!!

Up Next: Pixie Dust So Soon?

 

[Nicole786]

HAHA OMG your car story was so funny!!! I love the "slower, slower" part!!! My boss was up in Macon camping you probably shared a road with him at some point, look we're that much closer to six degrees of separation!! I want to come up to Georgia and camp in the winter and go skiing, do they have that?

 

[disneylovinfamily]

Aren't all men the same? I swear they can't listen, DH is the same way! I am loving the TR so far! glad to see that the weather cooperated with you and you made it to my happy place safe and sound!

 

[shannon47142]

I laughed out loud reading your car trip recap--I'm sure it will be the first of many funny moments

 

[NotSoEvilStepmother]

Oh my goodness I am laughing so hard! Your recreations of the conversations are killing me here. Seems like Charles was starting the trip off with an interesting mood.... But, yay! You made it to Disney!

Can't wait to read more.


(Oh, and I got some news the other day. My family is taking in a foreign exchange student from France this upcoming school year. So excited. She'll be here for an entire year. I'm positive I'll have her hooked on the DIS in no time.)

 

[wigdoutdismom]

Great update Jackie, the whole dialogue had me rolling!
Do you always drive the entire way down?!?

 

[wsushocker]

Your update got me to thinking......

I think I will have my wife drive us to Disney next summer.

I just checked Mapquest and it is only a little over 21 hours from our town to the world.

I think she can handle that without any problems!

I mean, if you can make that drive from Atlanta, I think she can make the drive from Kansas.