Don't Fear the Rain, We Have the "Ducky of Death!"-Jan '14 **Bonus TR DCA 9/1 x2

[wiigirl]

Great update!

 

[junie18]

Following along. Incredible photos. Can't wait to see more.

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

Oh yes Dave, buy-in is VERY important. Good job!

So very neat to have the entire post focused on just the resort but over many days/nights. AKL just seems to have that little extra something that makes it a favourite of so many people. While I haven't stayed, I did get a chance to explore a bit, and I can easily see why.

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

Nice on being able to persuade DD to pick AKL for the trip. The resort looks amazing. Seems like a fun place to walk around and just explore everything.

It's absolutely gorgeous and very friendly for photographers! There were so many other locations I wanted to go including Kidani to take pictures but couldn't find the time.

We are DVC and just stayed at AKV-Kidani for the 1st time at Xmas and it's my very fave too (well BCV edges AKV out a smidge due to location, but AKV is my very fave based on resort only). Very glad to have added some points there and cannot wait to stay there again...will try Jambo next time. Jiko is our fave restaurant at WDW and Boma is our fave buffet. We tried Sanaa for the 1st time in Dec and it's top of the list too. Your TR is off to a good start...cannot wait for more.

I would like to have tried Sanaa. Next time we'll have to try to fit it in.

I completely agree with you that as a stand alone resort AKL can't be beat. The proximity to the parks is the only downside but perhaps that's why they created so many activities within the resort.

Great update!! I would love exploring AKL. So beautiful. Cant wait to see more pictures of the trip.

The details and design of the place is so beautifully done. I didn't get any pictures but even the hallways for the rooms are very well done.

I knew your pictures were going to be spectacular and they did not fail to disappoint. Love the night time pics.

I've stayed at AKL twice - once at Kidani and once at the Jambo House. I absolutely love the resort. There is something so magical about it. I think its the most immersive experience of all the resorts. And I agree that all the restaurants there are fabulous.

Immersive is exactly the right word! I think having all of the cultural exchange CMs really adds to that effect. And the resort has the most other-worldly feel to it among all of the Disney resorts.

I so want to stay at AKL in October, but since it is a birthday trip for my daughter I let her pick the resort. (Little Mermaid room at the AOA)
The pics are great! Can't wait to see some more.

Sounds like you may have to work on convincing your daughter for AKL on another trip like I did! She may want to try the other suites at AoA as well.

That beings said I really liked AoA as well. In a different way but it was fun.

Glad you loved Jiko as much as DW and I do. It is in our top 3 that we've tried so far and that includes V&A, the old Bistro de Paris and Jiko! Looking forward to more of your TR.

One of these days I'm hoping to try to V&A. That's the only restaurant I've heard from other folks that consistently rank above Jiko

Awesome -- this trip you're at AK with great lodge pics. Staying there a couple of nights in April, so I'll see how my dinky camera compares with yours! I'm about ready to think I shouldn't bother taking pics anymore and just rely on yours; (and of course I already have thousands in prints and digital). Glad to see a zebra out and about; my last two trips they were "off show."

BTW: hoping you include your comments/observations about how the MBs and FP+ system works for your group. And thank you again for all the time and talent you devote to taking us along on your super photo safaris.

I'll try to sprinkle in some commentary about our Magic Bands and the FP+ system but the short summary is that it worked very well for us without a single glitch. I reserved our FP+ 60 days in advance, was able to make changes through our smart phones while at the park without any problems. We charged our dining and merchandise purchases on our MBs without any problems. The kids loved being able to use their own MBs for park entry and FP entries. They loved seeing that Mickey head turn green. Overall it was a very positive experience for us. And because of the low crowds thanks to being January and rainy, the three a day limit on the FP+ wasn't really a problem for us.

What beautiful photos of the resort. AKL is my new favorite after staying there twice last year. We'll be back in May. You captured all the details beautifully including those midnight shots on the savanna. I was obsessed with photographing those ostrich lamps by the viewing window at the rear of the lobby. Again, perfectly themed!

Ahhh the short ribs at Jiko, my favorite! The last two times I've ordered that entrée and adored it. The restaurant so beautifully captures the wonderful African theming.

Glad to know that your brother was a fan of the resort! Great job converting him so soon.

Oh I loved the short ribs and I might get it again next time. I was debating between the filet (which everyone on DIS was raving about) and the short ribs. But our server, Jeff, helped me out by telling me that he would go for the short ribs because it has a more unique and distinctive flavor. The filet he said was excellent as well but he could also probably get equally good filet at a few other restaurants outside of Disney.

The wine of course helped too

 

[arianrose]

Subbing for the absolutely drool-worthy pics! I'm slowly learning how to use the manual settings on my point and click, hoping to save up enough in the next few years for a DSLR. You, sir, are an inspiration!

(Also, thanks for the heads-up on the FB group).

 

[Valgoof]

LOVE the AKL pics!!!! We spent a couple hours looking around and talking to CMs after our Boma breakfast. I need to see giraffes from my balcony!!!

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

I would love to be able to stay at AKL, simply stunning! Great pics too! Sounds like everyone is enjoying your choice of resorts

My brother's family enjoyed AKL a lot! Later in the trip they chose to end their park day early to spend some time by the pool side. Despite the rain!

Oh AKL how I love thee! It’s funny, looking at all your beautiful pictures it made me feel homesick…and then I realized, I’ve never lived there! We’ve stayed there on several trips and it is just a wonderful resort. I think it feels more like a resort as you are removed from a lot of the hustle and bustle of the parks.

Of course, I can’t say enough about the CM’s at AKL either. Last April during our trip there I went to one of the talks at the cultural center. The CM that night had been a safari guide in Botswana (sounds like a Disney might be poaching this safari company’s employees). He told us all about Botswana and his life there, by the time it was over I was sold – ready for my safari in Botswana!

I’m glad you loved Jiko so much. It is one of our favorites at WDW. I have never had anything bad there and the service is wonderful. My girls loved it to so that says something, when your kids I think it is a hidden gem at WDW.

You’re off to a great start on the conversion!

Christine

Hmmmm, Disney must have an "in" with this safari tour company. Those cultural exchange CMs were one of my favorites at AKL. I think it really brought the resort to life and added to its special setting.

I have Jiko back on my dining plans for our trip in October.

Incredible photos, Dave, they really do capture a lot of the atmosphere around AKL. You're making me wistful this morning! We absolutely loved the resort, everything about it. Love the campfire and it sounds like the kids were having a blast already. Also very happy that your DB liked the place We didn't eat at Jiko, too nervous about being really supremely picky eaters, but the reviews from that place are so good that someday I hope I get up the courage to try it!

Thanks Wendy! You should take a look at the menu in Jiko. In addition to some of their African inspired dishes they also have a good number of entrees that are less so and still taste very good. I think the filet and their famous mac and cheese side are a couple of examples.

Great update. Beautiful love letter to the amazing AK.

Thank you! It's an amazing resort for sure.

I'm glad to hear AKL was a good resort choice for you and your family. I agree, it is such a beautifully themed resort; little things like the carpet and the wall murals make it what it is.

Your photos really detail all those little things that are so great about AKL. Makes me wish I were checking into Jambo house right now.

Loved LOVED Jambo House! Wish I had time to check out Kidani!

You're right about the little additions. I also loved the hallway wall lamps!

Wonderful pictures and descriptions of AKL. I've only been there once and have just realized how much I've missed! I have definitely added a trip to AKL to my itinerary for my next trip!

The resort is worth a second visit! And a third!

Beautiful photos from AKL (I followed the link here from your wonderful photo safari report).

Thank you for following over!

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

Great update!

Thank you!

Following along. Incredible photos. Can't wait to see more.

Welcome and thank you!!

Oh yes Dave, buy-in is VERY important. Good job!

So very neat to have the entire post focused on just the resort but over many days/nights. AKL just seems to have that little extra something that makes it a favourite of so many people. While I haven't stayed, I did get a chance to explore a bit, and I can easily see why.

I enjoyed the format from my last TR where I could jump around in time which made it easier to group my pictures thematically.

The resort does give the feeling of being transported away from Disney to another fascinating world!

Subbing for the absolutely drool-worthy pics! I'm slowly learning how to use the manual settings on my point and click, hoping to save up enough in the next few years for a DSLR. You, sir, are an inspiration!

(Also, thanks for the heads-up on the FB group).

Thank you so much for the kind words. I think that's awesome that you're learning to work the manual settings. You can get really good photos with the quality of the point and shoots these days.

LOVE the AKL pics!!!! We spent a couple hours looking around and talking to CMs after our Boma breakfast. I need to see giraffes from my balcony!!!

Thank you! I think the giraffes more than any other animal made the view out of the balcony so exotic.

 

[JDUB]

Great resort update. My DW would laugh at me if I planned "resort time" a couple of days during my touring plans. We need to try AKL too but the new AoA suite are calling our name in December. I guess it makes it easier to plan another trip the following year for resort options. Can't wait to see the poncho filled parks coming up.

 

[dadof2boys]

So I'm diggin this report. I probably shouldn't be reading this during bible study though. Keep it coming!

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

Great resort update. My DW would laugh at me if I planned "resort time" a couple of days during my touring plans. We need to try AKL too but the new AoA suite are calling our name in December. I guess it makes it easier to plan another trip the following year for resort options. Can't wait to see the poncho filled parks coming up.

Don't think you can go wrong with AoA! That's where we stayed last year and enjoyed it.

Yep, the trip was definitely filled with poncho moments!

So I'm diggin this report. I probably shouldn't be reading this during bible study though. Keep it coming!

Thank you for following! Hope to get another update posted by tomorrow.

 

[khertz]

I always say I want to visit more resorts on our trips, but we end up spending all of our time in the parks, so there are still so many I haven't seen yet. So it makes it really nice to be able to "experience" AKL through your pictures! What a beautiful resort. All of the detail there seems so incredible. And it seems like a savannah view room is really the way to go if you're going to stay there.

As an aside, I'm sure in the back of my mind I always knew giraffes could sit because they couldn't really spend ALL their life standing. But I have never seen them sit like that either! I bet that was really cool to see in person, how the animals act on their "off" time.

 

[rteetz]

Wow you take some really great photos. I've always wanted to stay at AKL one day I will finally stay there. I'm interested to hear about the rest of your trip.

 

[middlesista]

Hi Dave! We also spent some of the same dates as you and were able to relish all that rain.

Your photos are amazing!

Thanks for sharing and looking forward to your updates.

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

I always say I want to visit more resorts on our trips, but we end up spending all of our time in the parks, so there are still so many I haven't seen yet. So it makes it really nice to be able to "experience" AKL through your pictures! What a beautiful resort. All of the detail there seems so incredible. And it seems like a savannah view room is really the way to go if you're going to stay there.

As an aside, I'm sure in the back of my mind I always knew giraffes could sit because they couldn't really spend ALL their life standing. But I have never seen them sit like that either! I bet that was really cool to see in person, how the animals act on their "off" time.

I think the savanna room is totally worth the extra cost! Loved having our private viewing balcony.

And you're right about the giraffes. It was pretty cool to see their night time behavior.

Wow you take some really great photos. I've always wanted to stay at AKL one day I will finally stay there. I'm interested to hear about the rest of your trip.

Welcome, and thank you! Another update will be coming up very soon!

Hi Dave! We also spent some of the same dates as you and were able to relish all that rain.

Your photos are amazing!

Thanks for sharing and looking forward to your updates.

Thank you for joining! Hope you were able to enjoy some better weather during the rest of your trip. We got to see sunshine on our departure day.

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

Our last full day in the park, we were at Animal Kingdom. With our favorite show Festival of the Lion King closed during the new theatre construction, watching Finding Nemo – The Musical was a must for the kids. Or so I thought. While DD was excited about watching the show again DS was less than thrilled and put up quite the resistance about heading over to the theater. Apparently our last visit to the show was a bit intense for him. He kept talking about the shark scenes and how he didn’t want to watch the “scary” show. Took a bit amount of coaxing as I reminded him that he could always turn his face away from the stage if he thought something was scary.

The showers started coming down again around 12:30pm on this Saturday as the kids were finishing up their Mickey Bars by Chester and Hester’s shop. Somehow this has become our routine. This was the spot the kids would get their Mickey bars. We quickly made it over to the theater trying to dodge the rain drops and hastily covering up the kids once again in their ponchos. I had made FP+ reservations for the show. At first it sounded like a waste to use one of our precious FP+ but when it came down to it I had trouble coming up with enough things that we really needed a FP+ for. DD didn’t want to go on EE while DS was not tall enough. We did the safari first thing in the morning standby. It had been raining all throughout our trip so Kali was really not on our list of things to do. After searching and searching where to fit in the third FP+ I just decided Nemo was good as any. We entered the FP+ queue as they opened its doors and we followed the line in and somehow still managed to find a spot on the second front row slightly to stage left.

DSIL volunteered the aisle seat for me for my photography. We revealed some more snacks for the kids to munch on while they patiently waited for the show to begin. I had my telephoto zoom lens on my camera and ready to go. After a few glimpses of Nemo on the those bubbles by both sides of the stage, the music kicked in and it was show time. DS was sitting next to me somewhat huddling in as the show began worried that this indeed would be scary again. I remember DD going through a similar phase for this show when she was younger. It was always the sharks.

Even though the quality of the musical itself is about average it’s really a fun show to photograph. The colors and the lightings they use are very camera friendly. I also make it a point to try to make the actors’ and actresses’ face the focal point of my shots rather than the puppets. I think it makes for far more interesting photos when I’m trying to lock in on the emotions of on the human faces rather than the plastic ones. And of course the supporting cast is awesome as they are with all Disney shows.

If you haven’t seen the show, it’s structured around key musical numbers. Since the original film didn’t have any singing, there was a lot of work done in original composition when they put the production together. Another fun trivia is that the composers were the wife/husband team of Kristen Anderson-Loopez and Robert Lopez. If those names sound familiar it’s because 7 years after they did Nemo they went on to compose the songs for a little film called Frozen.

The first major number is Big Blue World as Nemo heads out on his first day of school, finally sees the sea world beyond his little anemone, and meet some colorful characters.

(Just a warning. I kind of went nuts with the number of shots I took during the show.)

Nemo, clearly excited to finally exit his life in seclusion.



Marlin, clearly nervous to see his son expand his horizons.



Mr. Ray, the teacher! On a Bike! Seriously though, if one of my kids teacher lost track of not one, not two, but four students on field trip, I’d be freaking out too!



The other dads minus the ink squirt.



I love this shot mainly for the expression on the actress who plays Pearl.









Nemo contemplating on going after the butt, errr I mean boat at the Drop Off!



Dori is my favorite character on the show. I keep expecting Ellen to show up on stage each time Dori makes her loopy entrance to the show.



DS may have flinched just a little when Bruce and his friends made their appearance. But then he quickly realized that the scene was not bad at all. How could it be? It revolves around a catchy number called "Fish Are Friends Not Food"



One of my favorite shots from the show.



This actor was playing the role of Bruce back when I came to visit with my camera in October. Probably keeps things a little more interesting for some of these performers to change roles periodically.



Dori really gets into the spirit of this number!



And Bruce of course had to go ahead and ruin a friendly gathering by trying to eat Dori and Marlin.



Nemo meeting the Tank Gang, the inhabitants of Mount Wannahockaloogie.



I just love saying the name over and over again. Mt. Wannahockaloogie. Mt. Wannahockaloogie.



The always so-serious Gill. Hatching up another escape plan, I'm sure.



And this is the part of the show where I keep expecting Brad Garrett to show up on stage.


Continued in Next Post

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

Continued from Previous Post

Next comes the part that I find the supporting cast to be most photogenic with their expressions and their movements.



Here they are drawing up the Sydney Opera House. You'll have to take my word for it since I was too close up with my zoom lens, you can't tell on this picture.



Am I imagining things or is that guy in the front the same guy that played the shark(s)?





My favorite segment of the show is when Crush makes his entrance and leads the number "Go With the Flow"



It's by far the most energetic scene with a lot of movement from the supporting casts.





And the colors, the mist effects. Everything looks so fun and good.























You can tell how much I like this part just from the sheer number of pictures I took!

A brief tragic moment when Marlin mistakenly believes that Nemo died.



But all is well and happy again when they reunite with Nemo - alive!



One last hiccup. The fish net.







Not once during the show did DS flinch. He did just fine. In fact when the bubbles started making their way down and it was curtain call time, he looked at me and asked “That’s it?” I said “Yep, that’s it!” to which he replied “That wasn’t scary at all!” DN and DD enjoyed the show as well including trying to pop those darn bubbles at the end. Not going to lie, I get a little misty by the end of the show. Sort of how I was when I watch the original film version. It took us awhile to exit the theater having sat way up front but we eventually made it out and back into some drizzling rain.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

"I would usually work on the photos I took for the day on my laptop with my feet up on the table all the while watching the giraffes or zebras roam their way through our little slice of the savanna" .... wait, isn't that how most people spend every night after getting home from work? You only get to do that on vacation?

"Two giraffes, a vulture, and a zebra " .... walk into a bar. The first Giraffe asks the others, "what are you doing in my neck of the woods?" The vulture replies, "eh, was feeling peckish" ... the other Giraffe responded "well, I need to go home and apologize to my wife, but it is taking me a long time to swallow my pride" ... lastly, after the others had quite a bit to drink, the Zebra says "I just want to know if I am white with black stripes or black with white stripes"

your long exposure shots are just amazing! I especially love the one of looking into the lobby through the large viewing window! And also all the close ups of the lighting fixtures

Glad you enjoyed Jiko - what age do you think is old enough to appreciate it? My kids tend to be fairly adventurous and have enjoyed some of the signatures like California Grill, but for some reason Jiko strikes me as being a bit more for the older set.

Great shots of the Nemo show ... and yes, I did say Mt. Wannahockaloogie outloud reading

 

[wiigirl]

Wonderful pics!

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

That's actually quite interesting Dave as I never would have thought of the show being scary to kids. But now I can totally get it.

Hmmmm, what's this "Frozen" film you speak of. Is it popular?

I think that's what I enjoyed the most from this show and that's how well the actors/puppeteers emote. And you captured that beautifully.