"ENCHANTED TALES with ROB" - A Birthday/Christmas DISer Celebration! **NEW TR LINK**

[MinnieNJ]

Great updates. Looking forward to hearing about the cruise.

How nice of the bus driver to wish you a happy birthday. Those are the little things that I love about Disney

 

[emmysmommy]

Nice b-day shout out from that bus driver! I agree, Disney CM at their finest!

Ahhhh AKL, one of the most beautiful places Disney ever created! I'm so in love with that resort. And I'm not even a huge animal lover. However, once you see all those amazing creatures roaming the savanna you get sucked in.

I was only at the AKL bus stop once in December and didn't pay attention to the bus times sign. I love that idea.

Sounds like you had a pre-cruise "cruise" from the Studios to YC! A little preview of what was to come.

It's so funny reading about your adventures and seeing what you were doing leading up to the cruise. Our dinner was running late so I was worried that I should let you know that we may not show up as early as I wanted. Glad everything worked out! And believe me, I had to think about not having that third glass of wine and 2nd glass of water during dinner... seeing as there are no facilities on the boat. It would have been rude of me to ask to turn the boat around.

 

[amberg93]

I love the looks of AKL. I've yet to go check it out but I'd love to do just that and just love to hang out there and stay there.

But then the same goes for both the Beach Club and the Boardwalk. I need to win the lottery so I can stay in fancy resorts and not have to feel bad about how much money it would cost. Seriously, they're stunning.

Look at you being all big and fancy and recognized though Don't forget us little people.

And I can't wait to hear about the cruise! Another thing I need to save up money for.

 

[katt789]

You sure got a lot of exploring done that afternoon!!

Awesome!!

Love AKL so much, I would live there forever if I could!!

ah the boardwalk area, my next favourite! SO AWESOME.

Excited to read more!

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

This is such an old response by now but I totally want to try to see all 3 nighttime shows in one night too! Not sure if January will be a good time to try it though as it will be my sister's first trip since she was little and I don't know if I want to kill her with my Disney craziness

Yay for a non-WDW dismeet!

Oh gosh-- I LOVE those shots of AoA from Pop! It is such a stunning landscape! I really loved that we were so close to it and could see it from so close to our room in September!

Rob, I love that part of WDW too. Being from NYC, talking to strangers is one of those things you don't do. And the ones that do try to talk to you are usually crazy or up to something, you know? But in WDW it's nice to feel like I don't always have to be wary of the people around me and you actually get to enjoy talking to other people! We had so many lovely conversations and I be-friended so many young children (who probably thought I was about their age! ) in September, it was lovely!

“Tonight’s party is sold out, but if you’d like to find out what you’ll be missing, stop by City Hall or call this number. We’ll be happy to rub it in.”

That made me giggle!

Omg I love the christmas decorations. I need to be back in WDW, like...now.

The parade taping looks like a madhouse yikes!

Ah BOG is stunning and the Christmas tree just makes it so much better! The little girl sounds adorable!

How cool that you saw Ne-yo performing!

I'm still bitter about the Jungle (or Jingle I suppose) Cruise being closed in September! I missed my fill of corny jokes!

Omg that line for BTMRR is ridiculous! Although, I suppose it was made worse by Splash being down? And yeah, that really does happen way too often.

I'm dying with laughter at your splash substitute and the thought of you taking the pictures! Especially cause it's something I would do! hahaha

Wow that mickey in the kid's head is awesome! A+ cool parents!

I like your logic about the second christmas party. It's similar to the logic I used to convince Chris we HAD to do 2 MNSSHPs. I mean, we were already gonna be down there and we didn't know when we'd be back in September again and we had vetoed the idea of HHN cause it was too expensive so MNSSHP was cheaper so we had to go! Is that not how everyone rationalizes?

I love the Pooh gang! And all 4 of them together are so adorable!

OMG I NEED TO SEE THE FROZEN SECTION OF CELEBRATE THE MAGIC LIKE NOW. Seriously, I love Celebrate the Magic and I'm obsessed with frozen so it's only right.

Ah love the picture with the country bears! I didn't realize they were meeting at MVMCP! So cool!

Good call on stopping to see Mickey and Minnie! They look so cute in their Christmas gear.

Yeah that yeti palace hotel sign? I overheard two women who really thought it was opening!

OMG you got to meet Thumper! So jealous!

PS you totally updated while I was catching up! Thanks for knowing I was catching up and coordinating that!

I'm slightly obsessed with AKL. Like, it's completely amazing. I wish I could live there.

Can't wait to hear about the Illuminations cruise! They sound amazing!

Holy Epic Comments Batman... LOVE IT!! AND you're getting your very own reply as a result!!

You know Courtney, I actually love "old responses" since one of the reasons I love doing TR's is to relive everything, so this way I get to relive it again!! Oh you have to at least try. I think that would be such a cool achievement, and I really do think it's doable. I have to add that to my bucket list too!!!

OMG it was so cool to do that and not even be in Disney. The magic of the DISboards.

Oh me too. I especailly loved how it looked in the morning when everything was so calm. Hopefully someday I'll get to do the reverse and take pictures of POP while staying at AoA.

YES YES YES YES YES!!!! Even here there are plenty of crazies which I'm sure would be magnified in NYC. It's always hard to state "my favourite" thing about the "World", but for sure this ranks at or near the top. There's just a feeling and knowledge that everybody is there for the same reason, to have fun, so I think people are just more open as a result. It really is magical. Can you imagine the real world if people were like that all the time? And OMG, I love talking with children. There's just nothing fake about them. Up until this trip, I had never done Disney with a kid. But oh, just you wait!!!

HEHE, I swear, that is exatly what I saw when I read that sign.

ME TOOOOOOOO!!!!!! I miss it terribly always. Add in Christmas decorations and I'm done.

You know, on the day of the performances, it looks much worse than it was. I think the pictures make it seem more insane.

Honestly, it wasn't that bad at all. The next day though, when they actually did the parade, and it was a Saturday, with night time entertainment. Yeah, I'm not going near that.

I loved it and can't wait to go back. I'm not even that eager to do dinner since I enjoyed lunch so much. Other than I want to meet Beast. She was adoarable and so proud. It goes right back to what we talked about, meeting people in Disney. Anywhere else, that probably doesn't happen. But it created a very special memory for me.

That was cool. The acts this year were not great IMO, so seeing someone I knew was awesome!!!

I'd be sad too. OK, and maybe a little bitter, lol. I have never ridden this and not laughed. Out Loud. Multiple times. Often I'm the only one (get a sense of humour people), but I just don't care. I'll hear the same joke again and again, and laugh every single time. Why? Because it's the Jungle Cruise!!!

Splash may have added to it, but I really do think it was a result more of the FP+ setup. From what I could tell (and also explained to people... go me), once you got by the scanner, there was nobody. It was just getting through the scanner that was the holdup. Hopefully bugs have been worked out and they've come up with a solution. And yup, Splash needs fixin!

This was absolutely something done specifically for this TR. And OMG the looks!! I so wish I had a picture of the looks.

RIGHT??!! Best haircut ever!

It is certainly how I rationalize. It makes perfect sense right?? I don't know how anybody could think differently. And since you mentioned it, I am so bummed I missed HHN last year. I loved it in 2012 and heard last year was way better. So bummed.

Definitely a highlight for me. Getting them all at once in cute little scarves, and FINALLY meeting Piglet.

YES YOU DO!!! I sure do hope it's still part of the show on your next trip. It's so popular though, it has to be. I got total chills and it was only the first time hearing it. So yeah, it makes an impact.

As soon as I found this out, it became a major priority. I showed my father the picture and he just loved it.

Total fluke too. But if I had found this out after I would have been devastated.

OMG that made me laugh!! I can picture them inquiring at Guest Relations for a room.

THUMPA!!! He's gangsta you know! Such a cool surprise. Again, total fluke.

Bahahahaha, I do what I can. Funny too that I planned to update the day before, but just never got to it.

I was pretty blown away. To have all that at your fingertips and that's just the hotel. Amazing!

It is. I just hope I can do it justice.

... PS this was so much fun to relive all that again. Easily the longest comment I've ever had. Thanks Courtney!

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

I'm curious to read about your thoughts on the Illuminations Cruise. Love the resort hopping! I like to squeeze some of that in, too!

WELCOME BACK Brenda!!! I'm pretty sure this is your first post on this TR. Illuminations Cruise is next post and I sure do hope I can convey how wonderful it was.
I've gotten more and more into resort hopping. I figure a few each trip and I'll eventually see them all. So much fun.

I can't wait to read all about your cruise. So cool that you arranged this with Emily & Brenda! That's so special.

So - ummm - I am one of those people who LOVES to park at the Beach club even when I am not staying there. I don't know what it is, but I just love the convenience of that parking lot and will think of any excuse imaginable to park there. It was actually nice to be staying there in Feb so I was officially legit!

Your night night shots are really so pretty. Just the right amount of light. The Christmas tree at HS is beautiful.

So fun that the bus driver wished you a Happy Birthday.

Isn't the AKL beautiful. I love it there and I agree that there is something much more special about the viewing than animals there as opposed to on Safari. We saw that baby giraffe when we stayed there in October.

YAY. I hope it lives up to the hype Mary Ellen! In reality this was ALL Brenda. All I had to do was show up. But oh yes, it was indeed special.

I've heard more and more that this isn't all that uncommon. Back when I was a kid, we used to always park at the Contemporary (thus my love of the place even though I've never stayed). It was just our thing that nobody else really thought of. Eventually more and more people started to do it to the point where they were asking for a room key to use the Monorail (they don't now though). It was kind of as a result of that which caused me to stop parking at the resorts. I'm sure I would have had no problem on this night since I was doing something "at the resort", and it would have been much more convenient, but I guess I just haven't gotten over the guilt yet, lol.

Thank you!!! Considering my camera level, I think they turned out ok too. So pretty.

OMG I loved that! Just one of those little Disney things we all love so much.

I loved it! The safari is fun for what it is; a replica of a safari. But for animal watching, the Lodge is the place to be for sure.

Nothing better than having your bday announced on a Disney bus!

I love those bus times at the Deluxes!!

Great pictures of the giraffes!

I love the fries from Hurricane Hannah's! I can't have the ones from Beaches and Cream so they bring over the ones from Hurricane Hannah's when I eat there.

Can't wait to hear about the cruise!

OMG Caitlin, it was so unexpected. Which of course makes it even more memorable. Just a really sweet thing for him to do. Is it any wonder why we love that place so much?

THAT was cool. I wish they had them everywhere.

Aww thanks. I loved being able to just watch and not worry about a vehicle suddenly pulling away.

Hurricane Hannah's is now a top spot for me. Seriously amazing QS food. Oh wow, that is pretty cool that they do that for you.

Up next!!

I'm woefully far behind, and I'm sorry. I have been reading!

I can't wait to hear about the cruise. It's something I'm considering for our next year's trip for MiL's 60th birthday.

Isn't the BW area lovely? I love strolling there!

Aww Shannon, that's quite alright. With all your injuries, I'm just glad you're feeling better. That's way more important.

I have it all written, but I'm sure I'll be tweaking because I really want people to know how wonderful it is.

OMG it's to die for. Surprisingly, the first time I ever set foot there was only October 2012. Since then though, I just can't stay away. It's perfection.

Really??? AKL has the bus times posted now..... That shall come in handy in August!

Your pics of the BW are so nice! I love Disney at night, it's such a different feel and a great feeling at that!

I cannot wait to hear all about your cruise

Haha, I'm just now finding out this is fairly new. Being my first visit, I just assumed it was always there. Pretty cool to have some "Breaking News"!

Thanks Jacquie. Just a perfect way to spend some time waiting for the cruise. I swear I circled the area so many times. And oh yeah I agree. When night falls, everything just goes to a whole other level.

I sure do hope I do it justice.

Your photos are fantastic!

I love AKL. I've stayed there twice and it is by far my favourite. To wake up and sit on the balcony watching the giraffes and zebras walking past while you sip your coffee - it's just magic. Plus I love the restaurants there (I am a huge fan of Sanaa, and Jiko and Boma also rate very high in my books!).

I love the contrast between AKL and the Boardwalk area - so different, and yet just a short bus ride apart!

Looking forward to reading about the cruise!

TP

Thank you so much Teresa!!

Can you believe this was my first time even seeing it?? I can't. But I could totally get into just relaxing on a balcony doing exactly that. Even though I'm not a big sit down restaurant eater, I can't imagine NOT taking advantage of those onsite spots.

Totally. They couldn't be more different and yet both are fantastic.

YAY!!

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

sounds like a fairly relaxing time of just soaking in some Disney goodness - though definitely have been there where you go from having extra time and next thing you know the time has run out/is running short

Glad you met your next DISmeet crew with no problem - even if Em almost got hurt again

I like to call this the relaxing update before the storm (but in this case the storm was awesome). It really is amazing how you can spend all that time just chill and then, OH CRAP!!

OMG Phil, it was too funny. But it did make me feel better knowing that I wasn't late. And at least this time no Em's were harmed.

OH AKL That will always hold a special place in my heart as it was where we stayed on our "last" vacation as a family of 4 before our youngest came along. It's the perfect resort to just hang back and soak in the atmosphere. I'm so glad you were able to finally visit!

I've never done the walk from Kidani to Jambo and after hearing you say it was pretty far, I'm glad we didn't tempt it with the kids last year! Phew!

Awesome pictures of the Boardwalk area at night! I'm sorry Beaches & Cream was packed, but hey, that just means you have to go back to Disney World so you can eat there!

Can't wait to hear about the cruise! Woo!

I can definitely see that for sure even having only spent a relatively short time there. I've read it's a highly recommended place for kids, and now I can see why.

Good Lord Lauren it was far. Or at least it seemed far. Maybe having no clue what I was doing contributed (I'm not used to that in Disney), but it sure seemed to take a long time.

Aww thank you. I adore it especially at night. I've heard now you make reservations at Beaches, so maybe that will have to be an option. I can't remember what the wait was, but it was over an hour for sure. Just too long for me at that time.

WOOHOO!!

I can't wait to see AKL! It's on my list of hotels to visit next trip, and I AM doing it! Not letting that one slip by at all this time. I have been wanting to see it for a while. Your pictures just totally confirmed that!

And I like your BW pictures at night. I've never been at night, and I only went once, nothing was happening as it was either early afternoon or possibly morning! So looks like I need to get back there too.

Can't wait to read about your Illuminations cruise!

It's amazing, and I can't believe it took me that long to get there. But I guess you understand, lol.

THANK YOU!! OMG at night it all comes to life. Unbelievable really and truly. It's lovely in the daytime too, but at night it's a whole other thing. Get over there ASAP.

YAY. I really hope I give a good impression of it.

Okay, I never knew how the dollar stacked up to the rupee. However, I do follow the Dollar to Euro conversion, and dang! Conversion was bad on that day!

Wow, Disney is really slacking. They accomplished absolutely nothing with construction over those few hours.

An additional DISmeet, nice!

Woah, first magic shot ever?! You do indeed take your magic shots seriously though. Haha!

AKL is one of my favorite places to just hang out and chill. So absolutely beautiful.

Awesome that you were recognized!

Cliffhanger?! I was reading and thinking YAY ILLUMINATION'S CRUISE, and then you stopped. Evil you are.

See that, Disney has ya covered!!! As always. Ha, try dealing with the CAN to US $ exchange. It'll give you a heart attack.

Seriously right??!! Slackers. I mean they had hours to get it done.

Oh yeah. And the second half of the trip is where DISmeet-A-Mania really kicks in.

I know. Pathetic. BUT, in fairness I never get Photopass so there was really no point. And now you know another reason why I refrain... I hurt people.

I can totally see that for sure. Even in the limited time I spent there, it felt so peaceful.

OMG Danielle, that came as such a surprise. A really nice surprise of course.

Haha, was it a cliffhanger??? OK, here's the thing. If you see multiple posts from me in an update, it generally just means I had a lot of photos for that particular section. I really don't consider it two updates, ya know, just two posts? The other thing is I REALLY wanted to post about the Cruise ASAP, but I had to get in this filler material first, partly because the Illuminations post is somewhat long. Not crazy long, but I thought too long to add on here. Honestly, I'm dying to get to day 7 (Dec 9) SO BAD since it is, I think, my favourite Disney day ever. But the Illuminations Cruise is coming soon I PROMISE!!!

That's probably the best way of looking at it... so I'll buy in. What I really, really need is a Star Wars place to escape to and I think Buffalo would be the perfect spot for that. In the winter they can pretend we're on Hoth and in the summer... Tatooine. Or something like that.

How awesome that you got a "happy birthday" shout out! Yay Disney!!!

Are those sand castle pictures real sand? Those are amazing!

I love all your night-time pictures with the lights reflecting in the water. Water reflections is probably my favorite photography "technique"... for lack of a better word. I just love the effect.

Haha, I figure it's the only way to look at it. Knowing Disney Imagineering as we do, it can't be anything but spectacular. Ooh just think of all the tourism dollars being wasted elsewhere while your idea sits on the shelf.

It's the little things that mean the most I think Sue.

Ha, I should have looked closer because I have no idea. I didn't know there'd be a quiz, lol. I want to say yes, so I'll say YES!

I could not agree more. My favourite shots have contained reflections. It really does add a lot doesn't it?

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

Great updates. Looking forward to hearing about the cruise.

How nice of the bus driver to wish you a happy birthday. Those are the little things that I love about Disney

Thank you SO MUCH!! I promise the whole of the cruise is coming up next.

Exactly!! The little things!! It was such a kind thing he did.

Nice b-day shout out from that bus driver! I agree, Disney CM at their finest!

Ahhhh AKL, one of the most beautiful places Disney ever created! I'm so in love with that resort. And I'm not even a huge animal lover. However, once you see all those amazing creatures roaming the savanna you get sucked in.

I was only at the AKL bus stop once in December and didn't pay attention to the bus times sign. I love that idea.

Sounds like you had a pre-cruise "cruise" from the Studios to YC! A little preview of what was to come.

It's so funny reading about your adventures and seeing what you were doing leading up to the cruise. Our dinner was running late so I was worried that I should let you know that we may not show up as early as I wanted. Glad everything worked out! And believe me, I had to think about not having that third glass of wine and 2nd glass of water during dinner... seeing as there are no facilities on the boat. It would have been rude of me to ask to turn the boat around.

You know, I think it was even more meaningful because it was so unexpected. I'm there alone, and he still did that. You really can't put a price on that.

I imagine you would get sucked in. I'd have probably stayed longer if I didn't have somewhere REALLY important to be.

I think it's a great idea that I hope spreads. I think it's pretty new too. The downside of course is the inevitable complaining by some people when the time is wrong.

BAHAHA, I know!!! I was thinking the EXACT SAME THING!! At the time I didn't realize how much.

I know, that's kind of what makes it so fun. I really was caught off guard by the time when I was all the way on the other side.

Like, HOLY CRAP, I better move it. I could not have been more relieved to run into you all on the way to avoid having to ask to have the boat turned around. Our awesome captain would have figured something out though I'm sure.

I love the looks of AKL. I've yet to go check it out but I'd love to do just that and just love to hang out there and stay there.

But then the same goes for both the Beach Club and the Boardwalk. I need to win the lottery so I can stay in fancy resorts and not have to feel bad about how much money it would cost. Seriously, they're stunning.

Look at you being all big and fancy and recognized though Don't forget us little people.

And I can't wait to hear about the cruise! Another thing I need to save up money for.

Oh I do too Amber. I almost did stay there this trip, but the dates didn't quite work out, not to mention cost. But the beauty of it all... It costs nothing to visit.

The Epcot resorts would be my absolute first choice I think (although the MK resorts have a pretty nice draw too) if money was no object. Sadly it is, so I'll just have to settle with visiting. Which ain't too bad either.

Oh Amber it was such a nice encounter too. I am so glad he did that. It really meant a lot to me.

This is something I have always wanted to do, but as you said, cost again makes it tough. I was so blessed and touched to be invited on this. I will never forget it.

You sure got a lot of exploring done that afternoon!!

Awesome!!

Love AKL so much, I would live there forever if I could!!

ah the boardwalk area, my next favourite! SO AWESOME.

Excited to read more!

Oh Yeah. This was the perfect opportunity to really explore some resorts without really giving up any time elsewhere.

It was amazing as you know. I mean, I knew it would be cool, but walking outside and seeing all these exotic animals RIGHT THERE.

FOR FREE. Mind blowing.

I would stay anywhere in the Epcot resorts. Honestly, it's really its own little world. C'mon lottery!!!

And also, why are you reading DISboards? YOU'RE IN DISNEY!!!!! But of course, I am grateful you are.

 

[JulieODC]

Between the bus announcement and the DISer sighting....I think its safe to say that you are entering WDW celebrity territory Love it!!

AKL was so beautiful. We went to Sanaa years ago and loved it...and are trying Boma for breakfast in May -- I'm looking forward to checking out the resort when we are there!

SO glad you like Hurricane Hanna's....you know we loved it, and ate there a few times on our November trip! Something about food and drink served poolside...yummy!

 

[courtneybelle]

Those Christmas trees are awesome. I love the one with the Minnie bow on top.

THUMPER?!?!?! Ahh I would love to meet him. Such a cutie!

at Chip and his buddy. This is a family park!!

We had those TVs with the bus times at POR. It was very cool.

You were recognized!! Celebrity status!!

Eeeep I'm so excited to hear about this cruise.

 

[khertz]

Lovely "tour" pictures from both AKL & Boardwalk, two places I have yet to visit but really really want to!

So fun that you were recognized. You are a DIS celeb, Rob, so I'm not really surprised by this!! Too bad you didn't write down his name...hopefully he pops up if he hasn't already! (Might have missed it since I didn't read all the other comments).

So excited to see how the Illuminations cruise went!

 

[teekathepony]

Leaving me hanging!? Hahaha I can not wait to hear all about this cruise!

Happy birthday Rob over the bus PA - awesome! Like you said, the Disney difference! We went to see Kidani too, it's beautiful, but not as impressive compared to the incredible lobby at Jambo house. (Btw, I think those bus estimate screens are new, and holy Hannah I wish they had them when I was there!) Now you're making me feel all nostalgic for our last trip with your gorgeous animal pictures and lobby pictures!
Hey, how cool is being recognized? You're Disfamous!
Oh wow, AKL to the ever gorgeous Boardwalk area. That's a great night all on its own! Beautiful pics while you were waiting. Too funny how you found your crew! Can not wait for the rest!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[Wood Nymph]

Hi Rob,

We toured the AKL when we were there in December, too. I had always wanted to see what it looked like. So we grabbed the bus at AK and got off at Kidani, not realizing that it wasn't the main lodge. I'm glad that we checked it out but I wanted to see the main attraction, the "real" lobby. So we took that same long walk to Jambo House that you did. The only good thing about that walk is that it was a sunny day and about 60 degrees warmer than it was back in Chicago.

The AK lobby didn't disappoint. It was as amazing as I expected it to be. The rope bridge across the lobby is a very cool feature. And all the little nooks and crannies with artifacts and seating areas is a nice touch. The Wilderness Lodge also has little seating areas tucked away here and there, and it also has artifacts and interesting displays, but I thought the AK had a few set-ups that were a little better organized. I also thought the pool area looked amazing. I think it looks like one of the best pool areas of all the Disney resorts. Oh, and the animals are awesome, too. We can't forget that.

We like the Epcot resort area, too. The place looks gorgeous at night. We love walking around the Boardwalk. For some reason, being around water is just so very peaceful. That was really nice that you had a chance to go on the Illuminations cruise.

 

[USAFdad]

Wow. I fell wayyyy behind I will be catching up now hopefully.

Ok starting on the morning of the 7th. I really like that shirt great gift.
“… Under… Those… Trees.”

Because obviously there are so few trees over there that it would be unmistakable as to which particular tree the cheetah was beneath.
The guide was clearly channeling a weatherman with this "Cover Your *** Completely" statement.

"It's gonna rain EXCEPT in places where it's not... GUARANTEED!"
That is exactly how I feel about the weather people

"And yeah, well done with your tablet photo (I will never understand this phenomenon)."

I get tablets but what I don't get is using the sub par camera on it when the phones take a better picture and fit in your pocket. So that's one set down.

"My lunch of choice today was Yak & Yeti QS."

We are planning on trying this in May. I cant wait. We did the TS and I like it. and that's one more down.

"I’m so hopeful that these get relocated somewhere for next year."

Alicia really enjoyed those the first time we went in December.

"Please pay no attention to the CM and Chip on the other side of the following photo."

You cant say not to look and expect me to not look. It's like don't look behind the curtain.

"First up, the ladies posed for a Magic Shot and I just couldn’t resist taking a photo as well."

I think you picture looks better. Alright another one bites the dust.

"And I immediately took note of the tv screen detailing the approximate arrival time of the next buses.
I wish this was available everywhere, but it was a nice “deluxe” touch."

That's pretty much awesome... it should be at all the resorts.

"I had the Angus burger and fries, and it was SPECTACULAR!"

Noted. I love a good burger.

"The long awaited and highly anticipated Illuminations Cruise was finally here"

I am betting that this was really awesome.

Ok I got caught up. Sorry for the insanely long post. I will do my best not to fall so far behind.

 

[Tracy161]

Great update, Rob! Your AKL photos are beautiful... Never been myself though. Another thing I've yet to do is Beaches and Cream so, initially, I was quite disappointed the wait was too long for you. However, sounds like Hurricane Hanna's was the place to be as that burger sounds delicious!

Very excited to hear about the cruise! Ugh, don't ya just want to be there now... I am having major Disney withdrawal lately and I think it's because I don't have my next trip on the books yet! gotta fix that...

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

After having stayed at AKL in January, I didn't think the resort could look any better and then I see from your pictures what they do for the holidays. Nice!

Yes, Wilderness Lodge can't really compete with those live animals roaming the grounds at AKL including the giraffes. Perhaps they should look into brining in some bison in their backyard?

The lines at Beaches and Cream was pretty insane the one and only time I visited it in October. I think I must have stayed in line for about 30 minutes by the time I got my milkshake but it was oh so worth it.

 

[wiigirl]

Great update!

 

[leopardmickeyears]

I have no words for that wardrobe malfunction photo of Chip omg

Um Pluto's Christmas hat tho is da bomb


OH MAN when I saw that pre-magic shot pose...I was like...STITCH
but no.
Just...no.

I remember seeing one of those screens at the GFlo and the Contemp (I think) and just....so cool. So very very cool

YES GIRAFFES >>>>>>>>>>>>

OMG LOOK AT THE LITTLE BABY ZEBRA IS RIGHT

JAMBO
HOLY CRAP GHFJNCFGHFGH

I can not take these photos of Jambo. I'm staying there for my first time in June and my level of excitement just skyrocketed holy crap

And now I will def make a note of this Angus burgher from Hurricane Hanna's

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

Between the bus announcement and the DISer sighting....I think its safe to say that you are entering WDW celebrity territory Love it!!

AKL was so beautiful. We went to Sanaa years ago and loved it...and are trying Boma for breakfast in May -- I'm looking forward to checking out the resort when we are there!

SO glad you like Hurricane Hanna's....you know we loved it, and ate there a few times on our November trip! Something about food and drink served poolside...yummy!

Haha, I don't know about all that Julie, but it was certainly an unexpected and wonderful experience.

Oh my it's amazing and beyond my expectations. Definitely make some time to just look around. And of course don't miss the animals.

OMG I absolutely LOVED IT!!! Seriously, the best burger I've had in the Disney. And you're right, the seating could not be better.

Those Christmas trees are awesome. I love the one with the Minnie bow on top.

THUMPER?!?!?! Ahh I would love to meet him. Such a cutie!

at Chip and his buddy. This is a family park!!

We had those TVs with the bus times at POR. It was very cool.

You were recognized!! Celebrity status!!

Eeeep I'm so excited to hear about this cruise.

They so are Courtney and they need to either find a new home next year, or be given to me!!

Oh Yes, THUMPA!! I was just wandering, looking at the trees, then I spotted him. I swear my eyes popped out of my head. Yeah pretty excited.

I'm so glad nobody (that I know of) was offended by that photo and only saw the humour in it. My God I was dying!!

Oooh they have them there too!!!! That is good to know! I love the idea for sure.

I was!!! Thank you DISboards!

I sure do hope I can give it its due.

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

Lovely "tour" pictures from both AKL & Boardwalk, two places I have yet to visit but really really want to!

So fun that you were recognized. You are a DIS celeb, Rob, so I'm not really surprised by this!! Too bad you didn't write down his name...hopefully he pops up if he hasn't already! (Might have missed it since I didn't read all the other comments).

So excited to see how the Illuminations cruise went!

Kristy, put them on your list NOW! I think Pax will love AKL with all the animals, and the Boardwalk area needs to be seen to be believed. Especially at night!

It really surprised me. Brenda had a similar encounter that same day at dinner (though that hardly comes as a surprise). It really was wonderful I must say. I do hope he shows up in the comments. I'd really like to thank him.

Leaving me hanging!? Hahaha I can not wait to hear all about this cruise!

Happy birthday Rob over the bus PA - awesome! Like you said, the Disney difference! We went to see Kidani too, it's beautiful, but not as impressive compared to the incredible lobby at Jambo house. (Btw, I think those bus estimate screens are new, and holy Hannah I wish they had them when I was there!) Now you're making me feel all nostalgic for our last trip with your gorgeous animal pictures and lobby pictures!
Hey, how cool is being recognized? You're Disfamous!
Oh wow, AKL to the ever gorgeous Boardwalk area. That's a great night all on its own! Beautiful pics while you were waiting. Too funny how you found your crew! Can not wait for the rest!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

Hahaha, the only reason I waited was become I thought the update would just be too long. And really, it deserves its own update. But I promise the whole of it is next and soon.

It was so awesome Wendy! Such a kind gesture. Yeah, it worked out really well to get off at Kidani first (not that I had any clue). But saving Jambo for second really left an impression. I think the signs are pretty new. Clearly very new since you were only there less than a month prior. See, I told you it was somewhere you were very acquainted with.
OMG it was such a cool thing to be recognized after hearing so many stories like that. But just wait... The DIS explosion is about to begin.
I know. Both beautiful, but so different. Not a bad way to kill time for sure. I love that area so much! Haha, it was so comical running into them like that, but such a relief too.

Hi Rob,

We toured the AKL when we were there in December, too. I had always wanted to see what it looked like. So we grabbed the bus at AK and got off at Kidani, not realizing that it wasn't the main lodge. I'm glad that we checked it out but I wanted to see the main attraction, the "real" lobby. So we took that same long walk to Jambo House that you did. The only good thing about that walk is that it was a sunny day and about 60 degrees warmer than it was back in Chicago.

The AK lobby didn't disappoint. It was as amazing as I expected it to be. The rope bridge across the lobby is a very cool feature. And all the little nooks and crannies with artifacts and seating areas is a nice touch. The Wilderness Lodge also has little seating areas tucked away here and there, and it also has artifacts and interesting displays, but I thought the AK had a few set-ups that were a little better organized. I also thought the pool area looked amazing. I think it looks like one of the best pool areas of all the Disney resorts. Oh, and the animals are awesome, too. We can't forget that.

We like the Epcot resort area, too. The place looks gorgeous at night. We love walking around the Boardwalk. For some reason, being around water is just so very peaceful. That was really nice that you had a chance to go on the Illuminations cruise.

Hi Sue!!

OMG Isn't AKL amazing???? Haha, sounds like we pretty much followed the exact same path. Yeah, I can't complain about the walk too much given the lovely weather.

But seeing Jambo was worth it regardless. Oh yeah, I thought that bridge was cool too. I should have gone up (I think it's still accessible to non guests). Yes, very similar to WL but plenty of differences as well to make it unique. Sadly, I don't think I even saw the pool. I was way too enthralled by the animals.

This is where I want to stay so badly. So gorgeous. You're right. Being around the water does add a nice peaceful easy feeling.
And the CRUISE!!! Coming up next!

Wow. I fell wayyyy behind I will be catching up now hopefully.

Ok starting on the morning of the 7th. I really like that shirt great gift.
“… Under… Those… Trees.”

Because obviously there are so few trees over there that it would be unmistakable as to which particular tree the cheetah was beneath.
The guide was clearly channeling a weatherman with this "Cover Your *** Completely" statement.

"It's gonna rain EXCEPT in places where it's not... GUARANTEED!"
That is exactly how I feel about the weather people

"And yeah, well done with your tablet photo (I will never understand this phenomenon)."

I get tablets but what I don't get is using the sub par camera on it when the phones take a better picture and fit in your pocket. So that's one set down.

"My lunch of choice today was Yak & Yeti QS."

We are planning on trying this in May. I cant wait. We did the TS and I like it. and that's one more down.

"I’m so hopeful that these get relocated somewhere for next year."

Alicia really enjoyed those the first time we went in December.

"Please pay no attention to the CM and Chip on the other side of the following photo."

You cant say not to look and expect me to not look. It's like don't look behind the curtain.

"First up, the ladies posed for a Magic Shot and I just couldn’t resist taking a photo as well."

I think you picture looks better. Alright another one bites the dust.

"And I immediately took note of the tv screen detailing the approximate arrival time of the next buses.
I wish this was available everywhere, but it was a nice “deluxe” touch."

That's pretty much awesome... it should be at all the resorts.

"I had the Angus burger and fries, and it was SPECTACULAR!"

Noted. I love a good burger.

"The long awaited and highly anticipated Illuminations Cruise was finally here"

I am betting that this was really awesome.

Ok I got caught up. Sorry for the insanely long post. I will do my best not to fall so far behind.

That's ok Alex. But just for the record... no refunds, lol.

It was an awesome gift. For someone I hadn't even met yet, she sure did know me.

Seriously, best job in the world. What other job can you be that wrong and still have a job?

I will never in my lifetime understand iPAD (or any tablet) photography. Never. I understand that DSLR's can be big, but at least they don't give off more light than Las Vegas. Not to mention how awkward they are for that. I just don't understand.

For something different, it's hard to beat. Definitely a lot of tasty food for your money.

OMG they're fantastic!! I swear they better have them out next year even if I'm not there to see them. Or just give them to me. Either works.

HAHAHAHAHA, oh I know. Seriously, your eyes are just drawn to it no matter what. Oh good God one of the most unintentionally funny things I've ever seen.

It's coming. I just want everyone to be prepared.

I agree!!! I guess POR had them too, so maybe this will be a common thing. I just hope Disney isn't opening themselves up to criticism when the times are wrong. You just know some people will just be waiting to see this mess up just once.

It was so goooooood!!! Best I've had in Disney.

Without giving too much away... It was!

Aw Alex I love long posts. It helps me relive it all again AND tests my memory at the same time!