From Europe to Africa in America - A Sisters' Expedition

[nodnol]

Hello everyone, greetings from South Bohemia! So far we managed to visit three castles in three days and climb four towers.

I don't have much time, because - well its vacation... But as you asked about ToT: I found it very frightening at first, also because of the story and the CMs and because I didn't really know, what would happen next. But I enjoyed it a lot - it s great fun!!! I'm glad there is a ToT in DLP, as a trip to WDW doesn't seem to be in the near future.

 

[Flossbolna]

Hello everyone, greetings from South Bohemia! So far we managed to visit three castles in three days and climb four towers.

I don't have much time, because - well its vacation... But as you asked about ToT: I found it very frightening at first, also because of the story and the CMs and because I didn't really know, what would happen next. But I enjoyed it a lot - it s great fun!!! I'm glad there is a ToT in DLP, as a trip to WDW doesn't seem to be in the near future.

Hi little sister! Great to see you posting! Wow, three castles already? But I guess that's what you can see in South Bohemia?

 

[All7OfUs]

Phew! It was a whirlwind of guests yesterday! I ended up inviting another set of friends and it worked out perfectly!! My househelper had made a HUGE amount of food and now I'm grateful to not have so many leftovers! Plus it always helps to have other native speakers around so we don't have to shoulder the entire evening of conversation!

Anyway, we got up at 4 AM to make them breakfast and help them get on the road while it is still only 80 degrees- by 11:00 or so it will be way over 100 on the road. with no A/C in the car.

OK, now I TOTALLY get what you are talking about! Do they just not hold the camera straight?? I don't get that. Surely they can see through their lens??

 

[All7OfUs]

Hello everyone, greetings from South Bohemia! So far we managed to visit three castles in three days and climb four towers.

I don't have much time, because - well its vacation... But as you asked about ToT: I found it very frightening at first, also because of the story and the CMs and because I didn't really know, what would happen next. But I enjoyed it a lot - it s great fun!!! I'm glad there is a ToT in DLP, as a trip to WDW doesn't seem to be in the near future.

sounds like a LOVELY time!! Enjoy every minute of your vacation; it sounds like you are truly trying to make it a REAL vacation by not doing any pressing business too.

4 castles?? Gotta LOVE that!!

 

[Flossbolna]

Phew! It was a whirlwind of guests yesterday! I ended up inviting another set of friends and it worked out perfectly!! My househelper had made a HUGE amount of food and now I'm grateful to not have so many leftovers! Plus it always helps to have other native speakers around so we don't have to shoulder the entire evening of conversation!

Anyway, we got up at 4 AM to make them breakfast and help them get on the road while it is still only 80 degrees- by 11:00 or so it will be way over 100 on the road. with no A/C in the car.

Wow, what a party! 80 degrees at 4 am sounds like the weather we had for the past three days here in Berlin... Not fun to have a car trip without A/C in that heat. Ask Katharina, her trip to Bohemia was on a very hot day as well.

OK, now I TOTALLY get what you are talking about! Do they just not hold the camera straight?? I don't get that. Surely they can see through their lens??

I think they are just very fast with taking the pictures and therefore not so careful. And I noticed that "tilting horizon" in my own pictures as well. But it can be easily adjusted in a photoediting software, just not in the online editor of Photopass...

 

[brookelizabeth]

I find I do the tilted horizon thing too with my own pictures - and then I try to correct it, only to make it worse! I think you are right that some of the PP Photographers are very quick with their shots, I've had ones where I wasn't even smiling/ready yet, they just snapped as soon as we were all standing properly....

 

[englishrose47]

Morning all just keeping up to date !!!

 

[annichan]

Hi Magdalene and Katharina,

even though the hot weather is almost unbearable here in our computer room up under the roof, I had to briefly login and tell you how much I am enjoying your report

Thank you especially for the description of the Wild by Design tour - the first report of one I have ever read here on the DIS, and coming in very handy for me as I am currently thinking about booking that for our upcoming trip. However, I am still very undecided. What would you say:

- We have only planned one and a half day at AK, and this would "take half a day out of it".
- But I am really looking at doing something completely different this time, and we are determined to see the World at a much more leisurely pace than we did last time, not as focused on doing rides and "getting stuff done".
- DH is not majorly interested in doing tours, though, so this would be mostly for my sake.
- In order to get rid of all our dining credits (yes yes, here we go again ) we would be scheduling a lunch at Y&Y pretty much right after the tour so the included breakfast might be a bit wasted on us.
- I am just a little bit nervous about the tour possibly having no (or almost no) other participants except for us, as that would place a bit of pressure on us to ask lots of educated questions, if you know what I mean
- Like you, I have read the Imagineer's Guide on the Animal Kingdom (I really loved it, but it means that not everything on this tour will come as news to me).
- and while the tour is not majorly expensive, it is not positively cheap either ...

So please tell me, what would you do if you were in our shoes? Should we book the tour, or not? I am so hopeless, I simply cannot make up my mind one way or another

Thanks in advance and have a nice evening, (I just hope that you are luckier than me and have air condition, wherever you currently are )

 

[glennbo123]

Perhaps you had the same photographer??

Maybe....was it the one with one leg shorter than the other?

 

[Flossbolna]

I find I do the tilted horizon thing too with my own pictures - and then I try to correct it, only to make it worse! I think you are right that some of the PP Photographers are very quick with their shots, I've had ones where I wasn't even smiling/ready yet, they just snapped as soon as we were all standing properly....

I realized that with my small point and shoot it is still important to hold it with both hands in order to get a good shot... But you would do that anyway I guess with your big professional looking one!

Morning all just keeping up to date !!!

Hi Rosie!

Hi Magdalene and Katharina,

even though the hot weather is almost unbearable here in our computer room up under the roof, I had to briefly login and tell you how much I am enjoying your report

Thank you especially for the description of the Wild by Design tour - the first report of one I have ever read here on the DIS, and coming in very handy for me as I am currently thinking about booking that for our upcoming trip. However, I am still very undecided. What would you say:

- We have only planned one and a half day at AK, and this would "take half a day out of it".
- But I am really looking at doing something completely different this time, and we are determined to see the World at a much more leisurely pace than we did last time, not as focused on doing rides and "getting stuff done".
- DH is not majorly interested in doing tours, though, so this would be mostly for my sake.
- In order to get rid of all our dining credits (yes yes, here we go again ) we would be scheduling a lunch at Y&Y pretty much right after the tour so the included breakfast might be a bit wasted on us.
- I am just a little bit nervous about the tour possibly having no (or almost no) other participants except for us, as that would place a bit of pressure on us to ask lots of educated questions, if you know what I mean
- Like you, I have read the Imagineer's Guide on the Animal Kingdom (I really loved it, but it means that not everything on this tour will come as news to me).
- and while the tour is not majorly expensive, it is not positively cheap either ...

So please tell me, what would you do if you were in our shoes? Should we book the tour, or not? I am so hopeless, I simply cannot make up my mind one way or another

Thanks in advance and have a nice evening, (I just hope that you are luckier than me and have air condition, wherever you currently are )

Hi Annichan! Here in Berlin it is a bit better today - only 28 degrees and a lovely breeze. But yesterday it was 38 - that's 100 Fahrenheit! I can't imagine touring WDW in that kind of heat and with a lot of humidity on top... I am so certain that I will never ever try to visit Florida in the summer! Hmm, but then there would be airconditioning there... Thanks for hoping for us, but none available here. Actually, I went to a Starbucks on Sunday afternoon, not so much for the coffee but for the A/C!

But on to your question: I would say: go for it!! Actually there is a great review by Tilly Marigold (I will try to find it) which convinced me to go on the tour.

A few comments regarding your concerns:

You get to see so much of AK that I think it does not take away from your time there. You will be able to pick up FPs for EE and KS, so you won't have to miss out on the rides.

It will really help you to slow down and see things you haven't taken the time to look at before. For me that was really good, because otherwise I would just rush from A to B regardless my best intentions not to do so.

If DH isn't so interested, I think this will be a good starting point because it isn't as long as others. And if you are lucky he might get convinced that tours are great! Have you considered splitting up so that just you take the tour? Which would also help with your last issue...

The breakfast wasn't a great deal of food: pastries and fresh fruit. It was mainly just nice to have a short break off your feet, get a drink and use the bathroom. It isn't nearly as substantial as the lunch served on the Keys to the Kingdom Tour. I think if you book a lunch ADR at Y&Y you will find out that you will actually enjoy a nice break then. So I would not worry about that.

I know exactly what you mean about being afraid of being the only ones! I think this is a bit what Katharina mentioned about having to go on the tour with foreigners. Our tiny group was very quiet and did not ask many questions. I think I came up with the most, but still it was only a few. Our guide was perfect in coming up with so many different things to tell us. I think the guides are really good in just going along with the type of group they have. And I am sure that when you are there, you will have a few questions anyway.

In the beginning of the tour I felt a bit like I knew to much, but this changed as soon as we got to Dinoland. I think one of the highlights of the tour is really when they explain how animal care and park design work together and this is just briefly mentioned in the Imagineering Field Guide if I remember correctly. To me this was new and it was great to meet these people in person who care for the animals!

And I agree that the tour isn't a cheap event. But I felt that we got our money worth. I think in the end I think I would rate the Keys to the Kingdom Tour which I did in 2008 a bit higher. But even there I heard many things that I knew already from the DIS or guidebooks. But still, the great advantage of those tours is that you have someone to take you places and to tell you to look at things that you otherwise wouldn't see. Even though they are there right in front of you.

SO: take the tour! And report back!!

And something absolutely unrelated - aren't you from somewhere close to Papenburg? Have you been to see the Disney Dream yet??

Maybe....was it the one with one leg shorter than the other?

 

[jenbear123]

Thank you for your wonderful, in-depth review of the Wild by Design tour. I know for a fact that I must take this tour now. I'm a natural animal lover and while AK isn't my favourite park for rides, it's definitely a favourite as far as theming goes. You really pointed out lots of detail that I've never noticed before. It would really be worth my while to take this tour in the future. I love the pin you got too. Can't wait to hear about your California Grill experience.

 

[All7OfUs]

Maybe....was it the one with one leg shorter than the other?

Maybe one was named Smith.

 

[Flossbolna]

Thank you for your wonderful, in-depth review of the Wild by Design tour. I know for a fact that I must take this tour now. I'm a natural animal lover and while AK isn't my favourite park for rides, it's definitely a favourite as far as theming goes. You really pointed out lots of detail that I've never noticed before. It would really be worth my while to take this tour in the future. I love the pin you got too. Can't wait to hear about your California Grill experience.

You are welcome. There also is a Backstage Safari tour, which only is about the animals and how they care for them. If you really are into animals, that might be interesting. But I enjoyed the balance of animal facts and theming in the Wild by Design Tour a lot!

 

[englishrose47]

I just read on Liessa's thread about your MEET!!!! How exciting !!!

 

[reelmom]

Following over from Liesa's trip report. How exciting that you are going to get a chance to meet each other in Germany. I am enjoying your TR and can't wait to read your review from the California Grill.

 

[Flossbolna]

I just read on Liessa's thread about your MEET!!!! How exciting !!!

Yes, I am very excited about it! It has already been great to talk to Liesa on the phone a few times about planning issues for her trip to Nuremberg! It will be wonderful to meet her in person!

For other readers, in case you are wondering what this is all about: All7ofUs (Liesa) will be travelling to Nuremberg in August and Katharina and I will meet her and her family there. You can read all about the plans on her epic PTR (which is a lot of fun to hang out and don't be scared by the length of it, just jump in!) in these posts: Achtung! Part 1 and Achtung! Part 2

Following over from Liesa's trip report. How exciting that you are going to get a chance to meet each other in Germany. I am enjoying your TR and can't wait to read your review from the California Grill.

Hi and I am afraid that the next update will take some time since Katharina is away on holiday and I need her input on how she liked her dishes at California Grill!!

 

[TaraPA]

Subbing!!!


LOVE your details & photos. I feel like I'm right there with you! Thanks for the tip on the Imagineering Field Guides - I'm stopping at Barnes & Noble tomorrow to pick some up!

 

[Flossbolna]

Subbing!!!


LOVE your details & photos. I feel like I'm right there with you! Thanks for the tip on the Imagineering Field Guides - I'm stopping at Barnes & Noble tomorrow to pick some up!

Hi Tara! and thanks for the nice comment! I hope you will enjoy the Imagineering Field Guides!

 

[miprender]

All caught up again

I love ToT. I remember going on it for the 1st time on my honeymoon. Dh wanted to go on it but not alone. So like a good little bride I went on too! Now it is one of my favorite rides.

Sadly, DD who was 5 when she went on it last year did not like it so much and now refuses to ever go on it again.

 

[lovealldisney]

Flossbolna

I would love to have a meet with you to! You already know that we will be in Berlin, and we are taking a day trip to Nuremburg from Rothenburg ob der Tauber to see the Documentation Center but have no plans after that. PM me if we could work something out. I think this would be so wonderful to meet.