Life Begins at 50 The Dream Tour With Lots of pictures

[AndyBlizz]

Kev.

That was a great trip report.

I just cant wait until my family trip next year. 2 weeks at AKL and we are flying PE with Thomson.

If i come back and have done half the stuff you have i will be very happy. (You have given me so many more ideas, i had a lot already)


In regard to your room did you ask for your upgrade or did you just get it. Cause we have booked a standard room hoping that it will be quiet and we will get upgraded (Oct 2008)

Thanks again for such a great report

Andy

 

[kevg1889]

Andy

we did not ask for the upgrade it just happened. We were very worried that when we arrived we would be told we had to move to another resort, following all the reports of AKL being closed & other people being moved etc. It was therefore a very pleasant surprise when they said we had been upgraded. I don't know if this was because a lot of the standard rooms were closed due to the construction work. The hotel was not overly busy, and this may change as the new DVC rooms are completed, but I wouldn't worry too much even if you do not have a savannah view, as there are plenty of viewing points all around the place. You are in for a treat staying at AKL, as it is just the most wonderful place, & I am determined to go back there one day with my Grandkids.

I booked things as I went along, and was lucky to get a good bit of money as birthday presents, which I used to book special things like the Busch ultimate tour. We also asked for money instead of Christmas presents from our family, which again went straight onto booking the Hard Rock Hotel, which was really worth it's money. I would never have known about these things without the help of people on these boards, so I am eternally grateful, and I will continue to read them, even though we are not planning on going back next year, unless our lottery numbers come up - you never know, just keep wishing upon a star!!

Kev

 

[AndyBlizz]

Cheers Kev.

Last time we went 2005 we stayed at POR @ Disney and Portofina @ Universal a week at each. It was great not having to Q for the rides. The only down side (For Her) was my wife was pregnant at the time and she could ride the big rides.

There will be 6 of us going . ME DW, DS(nearly 3 at time of travel) DM DD and DB(Brother).

I cant wait. My son is already in Disney training. He loves Mickey Mouse therefore he watches Mickeys Clubhouse and has the toys (Had to import then from States as very little out here).

I have started saving for all the Trips, Toys etc as i want to beable to do most things i want without worrying to much about money.

Andy

 

[kevg1889]

Andy

Have you been to Busch Gardens? I was surprised how much it had changed since my previous visit in '91. The rides are brilliant & the animals are really accesible, so maybe if DM & DD don't fancy the rides they could take your DS3 around the animals while you ride Sheikra?? That ride is worth the entrance money on it's own!! I would highly recommend Crystal Palace in MK for your son, as the character interaction is fabulous, and I'm sure he will love Pooh, Tigger, Piglet & HeeHaw. Have you ever been there before? It was our first time & the one place where I really want to take my 2 youngest Grandkids.

Good luck with all the planning and especially the saving!!

Kev

 

[AndyBlizz]

Kev

Yeah i have been to Busch Garden back in 1990. This is where i lost my Roller Coaster virginity (Nearly 11), and i have never looked back since.

The tour thingy you went on sounds great do you mind me asking how much it cost!!!!

In regard to Character Dining, i think Chef Mickey is a must, DW & DM likes the idea of CRT, just so that they can say they have had a meal there. I think that we will try Crystal Palace as everybody seems to say there are loads of character at this one.

Andy

 

[kevg1889]

Andy

i seem to think it was around £100 each, which seems a lot, but you got breakfast at Sultan Sweets, lunch in the upper level of the Crown Colony restaurant, the safari (which was worth the money on it's own) as much water or other drinks as you needed, free parking, plus of course front seats on all the rides as often as you wanted & priveleged seats at the brilliant Kotonga show. There are other tours available as well, but I would deffo do this one again when we go back.

Ben now says it was his favourite day, even better than Discovery Cove, which he described as the best day of his life - priceless.

Take a look on Busch Gardens website under up close tours for the different options.

Kev

 

[lorapinky]

a fantastic read!

Thank so so so much for sharing!

 

[Tammy Stringer]

I really loved reading your report and was glad to hear your 50th birthday trip was everything you wanted and more


Tammy

 

[laalaa]

Hi

I have to honestly say thats the best trip report i have ever read! I liked your style of writing and all your photos. You really conveyed the magic, if you know what i mean.

Im going on my 2nd trip to WDW later this year, it will be my first on site stay. If i can do a trip report half as good as yours, i'll be happy.

Glad you had a great trip, you looked as if you had the time of your lives.

Roll on Nov 27th, I cant wait

 

[kevg1889]

Thanks LaaLaa, I really hope you have as wonderful a time as we did. I wrote up my notes every night so that I did not forget any of the detail, but much of it just came flooding back to me as I wrote the report. Remembering to take pictures of the food was the hard bit, and our waitress cousin in the 50's diner called us all sorts of strange things for photographing food!!

Trying to get loads of pictures and videoing as well was difficult, but the photopass pictures helped us to catch all three of us, rather than one of us missing out all the time.

Which resort are you staying at? We visited Wilderness Lodge, Coronado Springs & had an unexpected tour of Old Key west, as well as Paradise Lodge (AKL), so it was good to get a look at some of the other resorts, having never seen any of them before.

I really envy you, still having it all to look forward to, as our holiday seems as though it was months ago now, but at least we have unforgetable memories to keep us going, and the dream of going back again in the not too distant future.

 

[SusanEllen]

Kev, Lisa, and Ben,
Thank you very much for sharing your adventures. I'm sending an especially large THANK YOU to the three of you for your willingness to run non-stop as you did so many fascinating things for Kev to report. Kev, you have a delightful writing style and your report is remarkably well put together with excellent photos and appropriate videos to illustrate your narrative. Please, save up fast so you can return soon and generate a whole new set of special moments--then, please, share them with us. Best wishes.
Appreciatively, Susan Yates

 

[scottishsue]

I really enjoyed reading your trip report Kev. Definitely one of the best I have ever read !!

Now I'm waiting for you to go back again so we can have another one !!

 

[jns]

Thank you so much for sharing your 50th birthday with us
we are spending 1 night at AKV and having dinner at Bomas
now reading your report wished we had more time there

Thanks again

 

[kevg1889]

Jackie, when we went on the DVC afternoon at SS, they took us into a mock up of the AKV & they looked stunning. Be sure to let us know how you go on.

Kev

 

[Megan07]

That was the best trip report I've ever read. I loved all the pictures and details you included in the report. Your magical trip sounded extremly magical.

Thanks for taking the many hours you did, to write up this report and share it for us.

I too, won't ever forget the day I had at discovery cove.

Thanks Again

 

[PNO4TE]

Thank you for sharing your joy with us, Kev. I loved reading your TR and cannot wait for our stay at AKL in October. Believe it or not, I think this is my favorite photo because it shows your delight!

 

[John's Mom]

Thanks for taking the time to post your trip report and pictures. I really enjoyed reading about your wonderful experiences. Happy Belated 50th Birthday! Hope you enjoy many more at WDW.

 

[mandymouse]

Thank you so much for sharing your brilliant trip report, it's really obvious that you had a fantastic 50th and holiday

Mandy

 

[Kevin Stringer]

Hi Kev (excellent name by the way)

Just caught up on your trip report as we've been away on a little 3 week jaunt of our own.

Really enjoyed everything about your report. The writing, the pictures and the video. Top stuff mate. Your enthusiasm for the whole experience was infectious.

Kev

 

[kevg1889]

Thanks everybody for the lovely comments. I like that picture too PN04TE, and we were delighted to actually get on the ride at the 4th attempt. My son Ben really liked it on there and chose it as his final ride on our last night in MK.