My "I have never done a trip report before" trip report! 9/8-9/14 AKL CL

[LisaZee]

Ok, so I have read lots of these and lived vicariously through most... I wanted a place to document my trip so I can have a place to remember and not have to bug my spouse to go back constantly. Lol.

Starring:

Me: Lisa, 36, complete WDW freak
The spouse: Tom, 35, not even a little bit of a WDW freak - but he loves me and takes me - a girl can't complain!

I had been planning this trip for almost a year. Our last trip was Sept. 2006 - or as we affectionately refer to it - The Trip With All the Lovebugs! Ugh. You all who were there then KNOW what I'm talking about. The spouse told me that if that happened again on THIS September trip, it would be our last.

This trip was in celebration of my 36th bday - 09/09/09! Crud, forgot to play the lottery that day... Anywho...

I'll try to put lots of pics in this, cuz let's face it - the PICS are our favorite parts, right? And I'm totally gonna have to do all this when the spouse is not around - he will just jump around the house singing "Dis-heads, Dis-heads, rolly polly Dis-heads!" if he catches me on here doing this. I know what you're all thinking - I am a lucky, lucky girl.

So let the trip report begin!

 

[LisaZee]

DAY ONE 9/8/09 : ARRIVAL AT AKL

So, after posting a daily countdown on my Facebook page from 90 days out, I was finally able to type ZERO in my status! Woo hoo!

We had spent the night at my parents' house the night before - if anyone here knew my spouse (which would be a little freaky anyway lol) -they would know the is not the most reliable as to getting up on time in the morning. Any given weekend you can find him in bed til 2pm. Remember - lucky lucky girl. Lol. I was NOT gonna take the chance on him oversleeping and us missing our flight. So we stayed at my parents' house and they drove us to the airport in the morning. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

Midway Airport was NUTS - I had feared as much with it being the day after the holiday - I figured all the business travelers were on the go that day. Security was the worst line ever - didn't these people know I was going to Disney? Apparently not, because they all acted shocked when I told them all. Lol.

I was nervous about our luggage, this was our first time using the yellow ME tags and letting Disney pick up our luggage. Grr.

Got the MCO after a great flight, and was able to bypass the ME counter -they had someone at a podium checking us in and pointing us to our bus line. We waited all of maybe ten minutes and it was a pretty empty bus. Went to CBR then AKL - total trip was maybe 40 minutes?

The bus driver was hysterical - David, maybe? "Awesome..."

WAIT - is that a lovebug/lovebugs outside CBR? NOOOOOOOOO! Don't mention it, don't alert the spouse, LOOK AWAY FROM THE BUGS!

We pulled up to AKL (Jambo House), and I remember reading on here we didn't need to go to the front desk for check in if we were staying club level, but how do they know? Lo and behold - a podium advertising "Kilimanjaro Club Arrivals"! We walked up, looking confused, and the concierge greeted us by name (wow) and had everything ready for us! Our room was ready, he had our packet and keys, a copy of our ADRs - EVERYTHING! Then, he took us on a 20 minute tour or the resort - lobby, CL lounge, restaurants... I see the spouse - Captain I'm Not a Fan of Disney But Shower Me With Good Food and Service - is eating this up. I MAY actually get to come back here!

When we settled in our beautiful room (4315 on Arusha) we were already pooped. But this is what we came in to...

I have pics of the actual resort - but I figure you guys know it better than me! Lol.

We were in the room long enough for me to call my mom with our room number, and the luggage arrived! Yay! I was over the whole ME worry - totally using it again next time!

Wow, this is getting long, more to come!

 

[Al and Kate's Mom]

Enjoying your TR so far - can't wait to hear more!

 

[LisaZee]

We had gotten to the room maybe about 2pm - we had 430 ADRs at Boma (I had not eaten all day!) so we decided to explore the resort. Anyone who has stayed there knows how beautiful it is... We mostly sat in rocking chairs out back and stared at the animals for like an hour. The spouse was entranced... I started planning our next trip...

Dinner was at Boma, and we found the food to be very good! I was tempted to take pics of the food to post, but the spouse would have mocked me beyond reprieve. Lol. And, I hate to admit this, and I hope I do not get kicked off the boards for this, but...

I did not like the Zebra Domes.

I am a good person, I swear... Don't hold it against me!

After dinner we went back and forth over what to do. The spouse wanted to maybe do DTD - but I was worried about all the walking to come (I am a commando tourer) and wanted to stay low-key. Given that I was already suffering Monorail-Withdrawal (I have never NOT stayed at a monorail resort - It's my favorite part of Disney!), I suggested riding the monorail around and maybe doing some shopping, especially at the CR. I figured it would get us in the Disney spirit without going nutso at the parks. The spouse looked skeptical, but agreed. Lol.

We took the bus to the MK and hopped onto the resorts line. We transfered at the TTC and rode the monorail through Epcot. Back at the TTC we transfered back to the resorts line and headed over to the CR. I LOVE their gift shops... So much stuff, and some nice jewelry and stuff, too. I bought some khaki Mickey crocs, a backpack to take into the parks, the watches that were purchase with purchase, and a lanyard and plastic pouch for my KTTW. I could not convince the spouse to get a lanyard... Strange... Lol.

After we were done shopping, we headed back to the MK to hop a bus back to AKL- BIG MISTAKE. Shoulda looked at one of those fancy new watches and realized it was 9:10 - closing time at the MK. Holy sea of people, Batman! Thank god we got on the first bus - I hot footed it as quickly as my short, squat legs would take me!

We got back to AKL and quickly discovered we had already grown tired of the ten minute walk back to our room. Of the five buildings that curve out of the main lodge, we were at the end of the third one. Oy vey... It's gonna be a long week!

Tomorrow - Lisa's birthday at the MK!

 

[LisaZee]

Enjoying your TR so far - can't wait to hear more!

Hi, Karen! Thanks for coming along with me! And if I can't convince the spouse to go back again - maybe you can REALLY come along with me next time!

 

[LisaZee]

DAY TWO 9/9/09 - My bday at the MK

Nuff said! Lol. Happy birthday to ME (cha cha cha), Happy birthday to ME (cha cha cha), Happy birth-day, dear ME-EEEEEEEE (cha cha cha), Happy birthday to ME!

(BACK TO THE HERE AND NOW FOR A MINUTE - SIDEBAR!)

Did I mention my spouse is challenged in the realm of getting up on the weekends? I would like to note that it is almost 11 - his alarm has been going off continuously for the past hour, and he is dead to the world. I, on the other hand, am aggravated cuz I can amazingly hear his alarm down a full flight of stairs with the tv on, and he cannot hear it 30 inches away from his face. We both KNOW he is not getting up for hours. WHY did he set his alarm for 10am? WHY? I understand now how wives crack and kill their husbands. I bet most of the time it has nothing to do with infidelity, money problems, kid problems... They crack because they CANNOT TAKE THE FRICKIN' ALARM GOING OFF FOR HOURS UPON HOURS UPON HOURS!

Whew... Thank you for that. We now return to our regularly scheduled trip report. And yes, the spouse is still alive. For now...