Heat, Humidity, and Our Favorite Disney Dog Was a Thug! LINK TO NEW PTR!!

[RGirl]

At least Willow has some sophisticated food tastes, preferring caesar's salad over carrots and celery.

How cool! A spaghetti and meatballs cupcake! I'm so easily amused.

Willow's love for caesar salad is something to behold.

I should have guessed that the spaghetti and meatballs cupcake would win you over!

 

[dizneeat]

Okay, I didn't even know there were THAT many characters to see!

Walking from the Swolphin is so much faster if you want to get to the BW. I just love that photo of Willow on the boat with the lolly in front of her face. So cute!

Yikes, you are only one day short of your cruise. Guess I need to make a move on with my TR, since we will be on the same cruise.

 

[STLMickeyMom]

Oh my gosh! That picture of willow hugging mike is super cute!! I love all the pictures of the m&g area. It looks so cute!

 

[livsmom04]

Finally caught up on your trip report. The room at the BW looks absolutely beautiful. And if I was Willow I would have taken the ride in the stroller too. We have to take a stroller with us for our 9 year old but she has an autistic disorder and when she has meltdowns it's her safe haven to go to. She's on the smaller size too since she only weighs in at 48lbs and is the same height as her weight. But we are hoping next year when we go back that we will be able to not take the stroller with us as often as we have the past several years.

Love how Willow collects the stuffed animals as well. Olivia is in love with getting stuffed animals with her money as well. They just are so cute not to get at times. I look forward to reading more on your trip report.

 

[freckles04]

So happy to see updates! My legs always get sore towards the end of a Disney trip, too. I remember almost hobbling around DHS on our last day on our 2012 trip. I don't blame her a bit for the stroller!

 

[RGirl]

Okay, I didn't even know there were THAT many characters to see!

Right??? Ever need to find a character - you know who to call!

Walking from the Swolphin is so much faster if you want to get to the BW. I just love that photo of Willow on the boat with the lolly in front of her face. So cute!

I was glad I was able to convince Willow to give that walk a try - it really saved a lot of time.

I think that lollipop pic was a sure sign that she wanted me to stop taking pictures from a moment or two.

Yikes, you are only one day short of your cruise. Guess I need to make a move on with my TR, since we will be on the same cruise.

Maybe we will manage to time it right - it would be so fun to see what you two did on the same days! Can't believe we never ran across each other. Maybe we will be on the same cruise again someday.

Oh my gosh! That picture of willow hugging mike is super cute!! I love all the pictures of the m&g area. It looks so cute!

I really liked that one too. So often the Mike and Sully pics are a little difficult to have come out good because they are a little unusual as far as their limited interaction ability. I thought that one was cute. The re-design on the meet-and-greet area was adorable. And gave me something to look at while we waited (and Willow basked in the joy of the stroller ).

 

[RGirl]

Finally caught up on your trip report. The room at the BW looks absolutely beautiful. And if I was Willow I would have taken the ride in the stroller too. We have to take a stroller with us for our 9 year old but she has an autistic disorder and when she has meltdowns it's her safe haven to go to. She's on the smaller size too since she only weighs in at 48lbs and is the same height as her weight. But we are hoping next year when we go back that we will be able to not take the stroller with us as often as we have the past several years.

Thanks for taking the time to catch up and comment. I really appreciate it.

Awww - it totally makes sense why you would use a stroller. I felt a little weird about it for Willow, but I soon realized it was the best decision - the heat was just breaking her down.

Love how Willow collects the stuffed animals as well. Olivia is in love with getting stuffed animals with her money as well. They just are so cute not to get at times. I look forward to reading more on your trip report.

I have to admit, I have a VERY hard time resisting purchasing the stuffies for Willow myself. They are just TOO CUTE!

Thanks again for reading along.

So happy to see updates! My legs always get sore towards the end of a Disney trip, too. I remember almost hobbling around DHS on our last day on our 2012 trip. I don't blame her a bit for the stroller!

Thanks - I felt weird about the stroller at first, and then I just didn't care anymore. It was the right call for our last two park days. I think if it had been cooler and less humid, it wouldn't have been necessary. But it was AUGUST in Florida - .

 

[Luvchefmic]

Merry Christmas Willow & Roni ! from the sweetest dog on earth

 

[RGirl]

Merry Christmas Willow & Roni ! from the sweetest dog on earth

Thanks Ruthie! I hope you had a great Christmas. I will stop by your thread soon to hear about it!

 

[RGirl]

Our Final Signature Dining Experience on Land​

When we last left off, I was doing laundry on vacation! Soon, however, it was time to head off for our last signature dining experience of the WDW half of our trip - Jiko at AKL! Miss Willow was ready:

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I think it started raining right as we headed out, and we just weren’t in the mood. So, on this second-to-last evening at WDW, we decided to live large and get a cab! During the ride, we saw the Swan and Dolphin in the distance. By this point, we had seen them many times, so Willow was quite familiar with them. Which perhaps explains why we both died laughing when she said, without thinking, “Hey, is that the Goose?” I could barely breathe through the laughter long enough to remind her it was a SWAN! Willow thought it was pretty hilarious too.

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The cab ride took us exactly 10 minutes and cost $13.20 plus tip. We were happy for the break from bus transportation.

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I am in LOVE with AKL. I am dying to stay here one day - it is just so beautiful. We looked around inside for a bit.

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Then, since it was no longer raining and we had a while before our ADR (intentionally - I love to look around here!), we headed outside to see what animals were out and about.

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I want to stay right in there somewhere!

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A few animals were roaming around.

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Our animal viewing was cut short, however, when it started pouring down big, fat raindrops! We ran for cover back inside AKL.

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What to do now? Take my child to her first bar, of course! We decided to have a beverage at Victoria Falls before heading to Jiko for dinner.

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We had a great time here just chatting about our trip so far, about the cruise coming up in just another day, and everything else under the sun. It was a really nice time!

Up Next: Our Final Signature Dining Experience on Land Cont.

 

[RGirl]

Our Final Signature Dining Experience on Land Cont.​

Before we knew it, it was time to head down to Jiko for dinner! This is a beautiful restaurant.

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For her appetizer, DD wanted the fruit salad but really just wanted the melon. We asked our server if that would be possible, and she wasn’t sure that it would be because the salad was already mixed. We told her that was no problem at all. But soon she appeared with these lovely slices of canteloupe for DD, who was thrilled and ate all of them!

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DD also had the Jiko bread and butter.

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And our server was so sweet to bring me out some pappadam - much nicer than those standard gluten-free rolls!

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I can’t remember what the butter is flavored with here. Tandoori spices maybe? It was good anyway!

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For my appetizer, I chose the Jiko Salad - heirloom spiced melon, rocket, mizuna, peppered chevre, and blackberry vinaigrette. After all the food and heat, I really wanted a salad. And this was very tasty - with the peppery rocket and sweeter vinaigrette. Very nice!

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DD chose Jiko’s mac and cheese for dinner.

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For my entree, I chose the West African “Jerked” Scallops - basmati rice, red quinoa, baby rainbow carrots, and coconut curry sauce. This was very tasty, and I was glad it was not a huge portion - it was just right.

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For her dessert, DD had the Safari S’mores. And this was ADORABLE! She really enjoyed it.

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I had the Cinnamon-Chocolate Flourless Cake - sesame crisp, chocolate sauce, and season berries (no sugar added). This was good, but I’m not a huge fan of artificial sweeteners, so I probably should have gotten something else. (Unfortunately, the only other gluten-free dessert option was a panna cotta, and I’m really not a panna cotta person. )

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We had great service and food here! Jiko was definitely a highlight of our WDW signature dining.

Unfortunately, Willow did manage to get a little snotty here, so that wasn’t so fun. Because of that, we were kind of struggling to decide what to do after dinner. Those elusive fireworks weren’t looking very likely anymore…..

Up Next: Some Friends Cheer Us Up

 

[dizneeat]

Yeah for dinner at Jiko!

Taking a taxi to AKL is such a good idea. And let me tell you I just love that Willow spotted the "Goose". Thank you for sharing this with us.

So Willow had her first bar experience - I wonder what wonderful concoction you got for her.
Dinner looks mighty good. And I was pleased to read that they were able to substitute cantaloup for fruit salad. It would have been a shame if they would not have been able to do that.
To be honest - I would have loved to try Willow's dessert. Looked yummy!

So I take it you have yet to stay at AKL? You really need to stay there. It is a truly beautiful resort and sitting out on your balcony watching the animals roam is worth every penny they charge you.
We stayed there during Hurricane Charlie and they took mighty good care of us. Even handed out "rations".

 

[Tiggerrn2]

Your dinner looked wonderful!!

And I always plan extra time for AKL meals as well. I love the smell of the resort and love to wander around. Some of the best spots to see the animals are at the end stairwells outside on the stairs. I spent one morning at the end of both Zebra and Kudu trails watching them. I've stayed there now 3 times and wouldn't hesitate to go back. Love the Mara for quick serve, the activities happening at the pools, BOMA, and just wandering around checking out the animals. It's a great place to stay just to enjoy resort time and never mind any park time!

 

[RGirl]

Yeah for dinner at Jiko!

Very impressed with Jiko!

Taking a taxi to AKL is such a good idea. And let me tell you I just love that Willow spotted the "Goose". Thank you for sharing this with us.

Oh, Karin - we were both laughing so hard!!!!!!

So Willow had her first bar experience - I wonder what wonderful concoction you got for her.

Victoria Falls is so nice - we really enjoyed our little break there.

Dinner looks mighty good. And I was pleased to read that they were able to substitute cantaloup for fruit salad. It would have been a shame if they would not have been able to do that.

Willow was so happy about the cantaloupe - she is a huge fan!

To be honest - I would have loved to try Willow's dessert. Looked yummy!

Me too - I thought it looked better than just about any dessert we had had up to that point. So cute!

So I take it you have yet to stay at AKL? You really need to stay there. It is a truly beautiful resort and sitting out on your balcony watching the animals roam is worth every penny they charge you.
We stayed there during Hurricane Charlie and they took mighty good care of us. Even handed out "rations".

We have not stayed at AKL yet. I REALLY want to - I have been put off by the transportation, but now that I understand that we need more resort time when traveling during the summer, I'm kind of over that. Next time, we will stay at either AKL or Wilderness Lodge depending on discounts and such.

Your dinner looked wonderful!!

It was a great meal!

And I always plan extra time for AKL meals as well. I love the smell of the resort and love to wander around. Some of the best spots to see the animals are at the end stairwells outside on the stairs. I spent one morning at the end of both Zebra and Kudu trails watching them. I've stayed there now 3 times and wouldn't hesitate to go back. Love the Mara for quick serve, the activities happening at the pools, BOMA, and just wandering around checking out the animals. It's a great place to stay just to enjoy resort time and never mind any park time!

You are certainly confirming my long-standing desire to stay at AKL! It looks amazing. When I graduated from high school, my parents took me and my brother to Kenya on safari. Going into AKL always reminds me of that trip.

 

[Simba22]

Great updates, Roni! We have yet to try out Jiko but Mama Melrose's is one of our favorites! We always have a nice time when we eat there!

I am so petrified to take a cab in WDW! Our very first time we went, we stayed off-site and took a cab to DTD. It was $50 each way! Now I'm too scared to try it again!

I can't believe the cruise part is almost here!

 

[Simba22]

We have not stayed at AKL yet. I REALLY want to - I have been put off by the transportation, but now that I understand that we need more resort time when traveling during the summer, I'm kind of over that. Next time, we will stay at either AKL or Wilderness Lodge depending on discounts and such.

Honestly, the bus service was BETTER going to and from AKL than it was when we stayed at the BW! With stopping at the Swan, then the Dolphin, then maybe the Beach Club and Yacht Club... Seriously, you're almost better off at AKL!

 

[STLMickeyMom]

that picture of willow all happy and giggly in the cab is absolutely adorable! she is one pretty little girl!

we've never been in AKL. i'd like to go over to eat sometime (i'm sure staying there will always be out of our budget) and look around. the pictures are beautiful. I love the pic of the ostrich. he's looking at you like he's all tough and "what are you lookin' at?"

your dinners look fancy and delicious! yum!

I can't wait to hear about your cruise!!! we are planning to go on one in October 2015 (I think I told you that before) and now some friends and their kids want to go with us. i'm so excited for our first cruise, going with friends and doing the Halloween party on board! I can't wait to see what you did on your trip!

 

[Jackiemarie21]

AKL does look so beautiful! I really would like to stay there someday too, but transportation is what always turns me off to! Looks like a great final dining experience to me! I want to try Jiko someday, the food looks different but great.

Sometimes you just have to cab it! $13 is a small price to pay for that kind of happiness. Willow looked very happy to have the cab ride.

 

[RGirl]

Great updates, Roni! We have yet to try out Jiko but Mama Melrose's is one of our favorites! We always have a nice time when we eat there!

Thanks! MM was a great surprise! And you should definitely try Jiko - it was lovely.

I am so petrified to take a cab in WDW! Our very first time we went, we stayed off-site and took a cab to DTD. It was $50 each way! Now I'm too scared to try it again!

Yeah - I can see how you would be hesitant! Our fare seemed quite reasonable, and it was a nice break towards the end of our trip.

I can't believe the cruise part is almost here!

I know! I am so excited to share about our cruise - it was so fun!!! AND we leave for Disneyland next month! I may just tack that trip on here too.

 

[RGirl]

Honestly, the bus service was BETTER going to and from AKL than it was when we stayed at the BW! With stopping at the Swan, then the Dolphin, then maybe the Beach Club and Yacht Club... Seriously, you're almost better off at AKL!

You make a good point. I really do think I'm over the whole transportation issue - it will be either ALK or WL next time, depending on pricing most likely.

that picture of willow all happy and giggly in the cab is absolutely adorable! she is one pretty little girl!

Aww - thanks! That was just one of those great little moments - The Goose! It was just so funny - we were both dying!

we've never been in AKL. i'd like to go over to eat sometime (i'm sure staying there will always be out of our budget) and look around. the pictures are beautiful. I love the pic of the ostrich. he's looking at you like he's all tough and "what are you lookin' at?"

Oh, you should check AKL out! It's amazing.

your dinners look fancy and delicious! yum!

Jiko was definitely one of my favorite WDW signature meals of the trip.

I can't wait to hear about your cruise!!! we are planning to go on one in October 2015 (I think I told you that before) and now some friends and their kids want to go with us. i'm so excited for our first cruise, going with friends and doing the Halloween party on board! I can't wait to see what you did on your trip!

Oh, you are going to have so much fun!! What a great time to go - with the Halloween stuff going on. Totally jealous!!!

I am so excited to get to the cruise part of this TR - we had so much fun! Of course, we didn't DO a lot, so I'm not sure how it will go over as a TR, but we sure did enjoy ourselves.

AKL does look so beautiful! I really would like to stay there someday too, but transportation is what always turns me off to! Looks like a great final dining experience to me! I want to try Jiko someday, the food looks different but great.

I think I'm just going to try it myself - I love the resort so much, and staying there might help me with my go-go-go issues, encourage more resort time.

Jiko was really a wonderful experience.

Sometimes you just have to cab it! $13 is a small price to pay for that kind of happiness. Willow looked very happy to have the cab ride.

Yeah, we just couldn't stomach the idea of taking a bus to a park, getting out in the rain, finding the bus to AKL, etc. It just seemed like the perfect evening to spring for a cab right.