July Trip Sprinkled Pixie Dust: Twins, Minivan & DVC 10/4 - The last day!

[Charleston Princess]

The chicken flatbread and the zebra domes are probably my two favorite things from the Mara! I am seriously trying not to drool right now thinking about them!

 

[belle8306]

Wow! 3 updates since my last visit. I am glad that the drive went well for you. Seeing those Disney signs is so exciting! The resort looks wonderful! I love the room decor. Yay, for not getting a parking lot view. I am glad that Yak and Yetti was good. It sounds like your first day was very magical!

 

[IluvXU]

Joining in... 18 hours wow! I am impressed!

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

Zebra Domes...yum yum. Looks like a good afternoon at AK. Looking forward to seeing how your day the MK went.

I'll give you a preview: MK was great!

We really enjoyed Yak & Yeki when we went last year....everything was really yummy. We only ate at Mara once I think and that was arrival day! I did, however, purchase zebra domes and put them in our fridge

We ate at Mara a handful of times and picked up zebra domes more than once. I was pleasantly surprised by Yak and Yeti!

Was the honey chicken really good? I kind of want to eat in the Yak and Yeti but the only thing I would get would be the honey chicken and you can get that at the CS location for waaaay cheaper!

Nikki, the honey chix was delicious! My girls tried it and both liked it too! We might go back and only do counter in Jan. I saw on someone else's report sesame chix, I wondered if they had the honey chix. Good to know. If you aren't interested in the sit down, I think you should get the counter version!!! (I don't recall any pinapple at the restaurant either. )

The chicken flatbread and the zebra domes are probably my two favorite things from the Mara! I am seriously trying not to drool right now thinking about them!

I know- that flatbread - .

Wow! 3 updates since my last visit. I am glad that the drive went well for you. Seeing those Disney signs is so exciting! The resort looks wonderful! I love the room decor. Yay, for not getting a parking lot view. I am glad that Yak and Yetti was good. It sounds like your first day was very magical!

I am trying to do an update each day. It is nearly Aug. and with Aug starts school. Our first day was good, but not as great as the second!

Joining in... 18 hours wow! I am impressed!

Thanks! My neighbor said they did it in 16 (to a different city a bit south of Disney) which prompts two responses from me: 1) I don't think that is possible and 2)we can beat that!

 

[GaRain]

Well, you certainly picked the right time of day to travel through the Atlanta area - middle of the night!
Pretty good start so far....can't wait to read more!

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

Well, you certainly picked the right time of day to travel through the Atlanta area - middle of the night!
Pretty good start so far....can't wait to read more!

I agree! Thank you for joining in!

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

We were up and out quickly and easily to get to the MK early! (Now, even though I mentioned in the title that it was our anniversary, I didn't remember that until later...not sure about DH.)



The bus arrived and we were off. I didn't crop the people out of the back; maybe she is a diser? Who else carries a lime green backpack??? LOL

I was super excited, so I took my own pic! (So unflattering, but hey...)



Plenty of time for photos...






Crowd shots...






opening show






the castle as we headed to Frontierland - to find that it didn't open until 9 - ugh... so we trekked over to Future World.







Our first ride was SM; I got FP for later and joined my family in line (which was queued outside to make it easy. No line cutting for me!)



I like this shot - it is different



I actually tried to take pictures on this ride. hahahahaha, but this one is okay...it is inspired by Tom Bricker's (WDWFigment). (If you love photography - esp Disney- you have to check out his flickr pics...also Mark Barberi - both on the boards)



ride pics- we aren't good at posing yet - but we look funny not trying!



DH looks like he is in a clown car...



On our way to Buzz, we saw Chip and Dale - DH was SUPER excited...






Continued in next post:

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

and then it was Buzz time--













I beat DH!! I must have hit one AMAZING target!!!






Continued in next post

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

A Fantasyland wall as we headed back to Frontierland:



Rope drop for Frontierland:



Good morning to you also!!!



I took some pics from Big Thunder too!







Who needs photopass?





On to Jungle Cruise:









We also did Pirates and grabbed FPs for Splash... then it was time to hop on the train to get to the monorail for our 10:45 ADR at 1900 Park Fare - Love that breakfast! At some point in the morning, I said to DH that I was much more comfortable than yesterday. I like getting to the park early and following a plan. Getting to AK late was stressful for me.

Here is what the entrance looked like around 10:30. Look at the path from the monorail



My daughters love to grab the poles on the doors of the monorail.



Character meals are the only time we really get character shots:





A picture of me! WOW! (Okay, I really need to ask my family to take shots of me in the future!)



You'd never know that my girls are not fond of characters from those smiling faces. DH was waiting on his omelette to be made, and Hannah and I went to get bread pudding. Emma came running over, "You've gotta hurry. I don't want to be alone with Tigger. He is at the next table!


We left breakfast and I looked in Basin (soap store). I was disappointed because the scents of soap that I liked didn't have matching lotion. I thought maybe I'd do better at the D-town Disney store. The CM at the GF did tell me that the scents are different. (I think that is good to know.) I didn't buy any.

The GF is a pretty hotel, but really it wouldn't feel like "home" to us coming home from the parks. Maybe if it was just me and DH. Okay, probably not.


We headed back to MK to go on Splash using FP of course!



We also hit the Haunted Mansion before heading out to relax at Jambo.

When we arrived at the resort we learned that the King Pin would be trading at 3:00. I had read them some experiences of others from TR, so they already knew they could trade twice. They could do a "mystery trade" or trade with what they saw.



I was very excited that my girls started pin trading. They are very shy, and I am always having to tell them to look at people, answer people, etc. They don't seem to have this issues with peers at school but I think that trading helped them practice their social skills with adults. Emma was first.



Hannah's turn:


After trading, we headed to the pool. My girls shared a bacon double cheeseburger, DH wasn't hungry and I enjoyed the chix flatbread again! I got an extra brownie so the girls didn't have to share dessert.(This pic might look familiar!)



Then it was time to rest for our Ohana ressie and our return to MK to use some fast passes and to see the SMFS (Summer Nightastic Fireworks Show)!

Up next: Will I get to see Summer Nightastic fireworks??? Will I get any pictures???

 

[luvfigment]

You got a lot done at MK! You also take some great pictures especially on the Jungle Cruise. I also liked how your DH was super excited to see Chip and Dale. That is great! Looking forward to how O'hana was and if you got to see fireworks!

 

[taymacsmom]

I am bound and determined to make it to a rope drop next year! I would especially like to make the Opening show at MK. Gotta get these teenagers up and moving a little quicker!

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

I took almost the exact same picture on our trip!

Except it was totally rainy that morning so the picture is a little foggy!



Sounds like a very fun day! Congrats on the high Buzz score! That was awesome!!

 

[Queenofallthings]

Your pictures are great....so clear! We haven't been on the Jungle Cruise since 2007, but I know we're gonna do it in September...you pictures sure brought back great memories for me of the ride!/COLOR]

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

You got a lot done at MK! You also take some great pictures especially on the Jungle Cruise. I also liked how your DH was super excited to see Chip and Dale. That is great! Looking forward to how O'hana was and if you got to see fireworks!

I love early morning commando! I feel better about starting early with a plan. If we had known about Frontierland not opening, we would have been able to fit in one more ride, I think. haha. Thank you about the pics. I have a Canon SLR and I love to play with it. I try to take manual shots to be like a "real" photographer, but it still is the camera.

I am bound and determined to make it to a rope drop next year! I would especially like to make the Opening show at MK. Gotta get these teenagers up and moving a little quicker!

Next trip, leave the teenagers at the room and have them meet you for lunch.

I took almost the exact same picture on our trip!

Except it was totally rainy that morning so the picture is a little foggy!
Sounds like a very fun day! Congrats on the high Buzz score! That was awesome!!

Cool pic - yours has the swag for the 4th, it makes mine look naked. haha

Your pictures are great....so clear! We haven't been on the Jungle Cruise since 2007, but I know we're gonna do it in September...you pictures sure brought back great memories for me of the ride!/COLOR]

We enjoy the jungle cruise. When you have the right skipper it is awesome! Glad you like the pics. I tried to take ride pics instead of all pics of my girls (which is what most of my pics become...) I have an SLR - there is a difference when I use it versus my point and shoot. It is a bit bulky, but very worth it because of the quality. I am still learning how to use manual settings.

 

[Charleston Princess]

You were able to do so much on your Magic Kingdom morning! I have to agree with you that doing the character meals is the only way my kids will pose with characters now! It's kind of sad.

 

[belle8306]

Great pictures! I like your plan of early to the park, then a breakfast ADR. That seems like a great way to get a lot in, but still have a break when it starts getting crowded.

 

[lauren_elizabeth]

Joining along on this trip report!

Your twin girls are beautiful!

 

[Marc A.]

Loving this report so far.

Your family is giving us more inspiration to try the drive next Sept. from Chicago. My wife and I feel we wouldnt want to stop on the way down either.

 

[MagicShell]

I am really enjoying your report. Your pictures are great. We drive 13 hours, but you have us beat. We sometimes drive straight through and sometimes stop. Your husband did not look comfortable, I don't blame him for not being able to sleep.

I can't wait to hear more about your trip and see your pictures.

 

[WeluvE.Y.]

Great review! Waiting for more!