Peace Out Delco! Trip Report- AKL/MNSSHP/Gatorland August '18!!! - UPDATED 09/08/2018

[Spencer Wright]

Flight of Passage/ Flame Tree BBQ / Sanaa!! (Part 1)

This day is arguably the day with which I have the highest level of anticipation. Not only is it AK day, but FOP, Sanaa, and then probably back to Rivers of Light in the evening, which I have not seen previously.

This morning I was able to get to AK nice and early and saw some amazing activity with the animals around the Tree of Life I have not noticed, as I have not really taken the time to notice them before. My favorites in particular were these really sweet porcupines around the back, toward Africa. They were jumping around, eating there bamboo and leaves, but per a Cast Member are typically not too active after about 9am or so, as they are nocturnal.

I did also see the kangaroos, which I knew were there, but myself (and many), often have hardly ever seen them, if it all. A Cast Member told me there are eight total, and they are active during the day. However, where you can see them in the picture, is essentially the pinnacle of a hill which is part of their habitat, and they like to spend a large portion of their time on the other side of the hill toward the Tree of Life, where they have a permanently shaded area, and dirt burrows which they dug for themselves. This portion of the morning was solo, as my mother and sister decided to spend more time preparing for the day.

We went on a really excellent safari that morning, which including getting a full view of one of the male elephants, as well as the male lion. I never saw the male lion before, so that was a very cool experience. It also made me miss my cats more, who I was really starting to miss.

We went through the animal trail in Africa, and were able to get on Expedition Everest a couple of times. We did some other things in the morning, which I am unavailable to recall. We then proceeded to lunch at Flame Tree BBQ, which we love. I got the #1 and ate every bite. This is such a beautiful spot, and since we eat early (11am) it is not hot. I am not sure how I would feel about this spot later in the day. The food is very good, and I highly recommend it. The whole area is absolutely gorgeous, and feels secluded, even though you are in the heart of AK.

Next up is FOP and Sanaa!!

 

[Spencer Wright]

Flight of Passage/ Flame Tree BBQ / Sanaa!! (Part 2)

We then headed to Pandora and were pumped for FOP!! We also enjoyed a Night Blossom, which I earlier indicated, is one of the few WDW snacks I choose to enjoy. It’s very sweet and worth the snack credit. FOP was of course amazing, and I bought a couple of souvenirs at the merchandise location. So we ended a wonderful part 1 of our day at AK, and headed back to the pool.

For dinner, we were eating at Sanaa in Kidani Village. We went last year and really enjoyed it. Some of the food can be extremely spicy, and the menu does not do a great job explaining what foods may be problematic. I got the lamb. Can anyone guess how I liked it?

If you guessed, I loved it, then you are correct!! My mother and sister each got a dish you could put together yourself. They got the butter chicken with white rice and chick pea wat. This was not a hit. It came with about three pieces of chicken, and the chick pea wat was HOT!!!!! They don’t really like spices, but I do; and it was scorching!! I did get the African Starr Mojito which really hit the spot. The service was not bad per se but left quite a bit to be desired. I do recommend this restaurant, however do not hesitate to ask a lot of questions about dishes if you have trouble with spices.

While the animal viewing is great at Jambo House, it is really excellent at Kidani Village. This includes Wildebeest, Zebra, Giraffes, and all kinds of birds. They seem to have quite a few more animals in a smaller space. Also, past the pool area, are some other animals, such as Okapis, which is very cool. We had a very nice evening over at Kidani Village and walked back over to Jambo House.

If you recall, we were going to head back over to AK to see Rivers of Light, and possibly Pandora at night. None of us had seen either previously. However, we had had a pretty busy few days; and it seemed like a nasty storm was on the way (we turned out to be correct); so we decided to essentially relax at the resort. The animals are pretty active during storms, and it turned out to be a pretty good idea!

The next day is Toy Story Land, Ohana, and finally Magic Kingdom in the evening. For most of our trip, Holly Studios opened at 7am; and while I did not plan on getting there at 7am, I was thinking of arriving at about 8am-ish. My mother and sister were not evening considering that. However, regardless, we had a long day ahead of us; as it was also Extra Magic Hour at MK!!

 

[Spencer Wright]

Toy Story Land/ Ohana/ Magic Kingdom/ Double Extra Magic Hour Day!! (Part 1)

I got up nice and early, while my mother and sister slept in a bit. Hollywood Studios opened at 7am, and my goal was to get there about 8am or so, and I got there at about 7:45am.

That parking lot/ bus area is an absolute construction zone; and while they are building very cool stuff, it is an utter disaster. And the walk from the buses to the entrance is quite arduous; however I think it will pay off in the end.

As a teenager, I could not get enough of MGM Studios and loved pretty much every square foot of it. I have always loved Old Hollywood; and could not get enough of the Great Movie Ride and the Backlot Tour. Also, at the time; it was the only place on property I saw selling Nightmare Before Christmas merchandise. It was a shame to see last August what a shell it became, and we went for a few hours and left.

While there is course still a lot of work to do; I was thrilled to see it coming to life again. My mother and sister arrived at about 9am (we had Slinky Dog Dash FP’s); and prior to their arrival I essentially walked on the Tower of Terror and Rockn Roller Coaster once and twice respectively. I also looked in some of the merchandise locations.

We then went together to enter Toy Story Land and thought it was very cool!! It’s extremely immersive and well themed. It was busy but not especially crowded. We waited about 20 minutes or so for the Alien Saucer Swirl. This is very colorful and well done, but the ride was extraordinarily underwhelming. Children did not seem entertained. It’s extremely short. My sister summed it up well in saying that, “rides at the county fair are more thrilling”. I would agree.

However, Slinky Dog Dash was excellent, and also had a really cool waiting area. It does not look like much but is done such that it the dips and turns are quite steep. We were in the last car, and it often looked like the dog was going to come off of the tracks. I highly recommend this attraction.

We waited about 20 minutes or so for Midway Mania. I love this attraction, and we had a nice time. When hearing discussions before about there being no shade or air-conditioned areas, I thought people were just being a bunch of whiners but there isn’t even much seating, and a lot of the queue for Midway Mania is now outside.

I’m sure this will be a minimal issue once Star Wars Galaxy Edge opens, but it seems to be a deliberate oversight.

(Theres my sister front and center with her Stitch backpack)

My mother browsed some of the merchandise locations, while my sister and I used FP to go on Rockn Roller Coaster and loved it. It was my third time being in the second row!! It makes it a much more intense experience.

We then ate lunch at ABC Commissary. I got the chicken fingers and French fries. This was beyond vile. I had one bite and it was rubbery and gristly. It caused ME (!!!) to gag on a piece of meat in my mouth. We there for an 11am lunch as per usual, and the place was FILTHY. Now, people can be slobs, and I am sure that is a big part of it, but I mean like congealed food stuffs, dirty napkins strewn about. The thought of that place now is making me feel queasy. I do not recommend it and it was a filthy disgrace. My mother and sister did get the bacon angus burger and enjoy it. We also did enjoy the chocolate mousse as a snack.

We went in a few more merchandise locations and had a very nice time. We also went to the Starbucks. I know this a sore subject for many, however I feel they blend in well, and are extremely well themed. My mother always likes to get a drink when she heads to bus; and after this I understood why fully. It was getting SCORCHING hot and humid, and I got an iced caramel macchiato which really hit the spot. Luckily, we got the bus just as rain was starting up.

I honestly cannot recall if we were able to use the pool, but I do not believe so!! I was considering trying to stay out all day, but I think I am hooked on the afternoon pool break.

We then took the Minnie Van to the Polynesian for dinner at Ohana.

Next up is Ohana, and Extra Magic Hour at Magic Kingdom!

 

[Spencer Wright]

Toy Story Land/ Ohana/ Magic Kingdom/ Double Extra Magic Hour Day!! (Part 2)

We then took Minnie Van to the Polynesian for dinner at Ohana. This resort is beautiful, and we did stay there once when I was a teenager. It would be considered for future visits, but it certainly is pricey!! It was storming in the afternoon, so the lobby was an absolute mob scene. However, we did get some great merchandise in the gift shop.

We then checked in at Ohana; which at least on the boards is probably Disney’s most polarizing restaurant. It is a family favorite and it is a must do on every trip. We did have to wait about 15 minutes for our table; which, since we eat early, is very odd for us. The waiting area was an absolute madhouse. I don’t know if people were sitting there to shelter from the storm, or if they were waiting for tables, but is was packed and extraordinarily noisy. However, otherwise the restaurant was busy but fine; and our service was excellent. It was attentive and friendly, without being pushy.

Often times, individuals who dine here describe the restaurant as being too pushy and feeling rushed. I would use the word assertive, and say they keep things moving. The salad and tray of noodles and other appetizers were very tasty. We received our bread and aforementioned dishes in quick succession, but the correct order. Our beverages were always refilled, and it was a great dining experience.

The meat was delicious, but I like my beef EXTREMELY well done, like borderline burnt, and they serve it rare to medium (in my opinion). The chicken was our favorite dish; and when eating it the conversation stopped!

The bread pudding with ice cream was delicious and I think, a perfect end to the meal. All the food was hot or cool as appropriate; as well as very fresh. We don’t scarf down our food and run; however, our dinners tend to quick (a solid hour or less). Therefore the fast pace at Ohana is a plus for us. I wonder if they could come up with some kind of ‘Disney’ way asking people if they want a quicker or slower experience? A cleverer mind than mine would need to devise such a question.

It was also my first time trying the Lapu Lapu. This is the adult beverage usually served in a pineapple, but the pineapple is not covered under the meal plan. I have also read that this beverage has gone down hill. They were VERY generous with the rum, so I have no grounds to complain; however it basically tasted like rum and pineapple juice. I thought it was good, but it was like drinking sugar, so I do not know if I would get it again. It came in a very cool glass at least@

We then proceeded to Magic Kingdom via the monorail for extra magic hour! The storm cooled things down and the evening was beautiful. We went on a variety of attractions including Splash Mountain and the Swiss Family Treehouse, both of which are favorites. We spent a good bit of time in Adventureland and Frontierland; also doing Pirates (my sisters favorite).

We did several Fantasyland attractions, including Small World, Ariel, and Winnie the Pooh. It was a very pretty evening; however the crowds were absolutely massive. Like we walked on Small World (park was busy but manageable), and came out, and had to wait to use the mensroom!! My sister was laughing, as for her in the parks this is common.

But the crowds were packed to the point we really couldn’t even walk around, so we decided to leave. This was at about 9:30pm.

One interesting thing we did was walk to the Contemporary and take Minnie Van back. However, I had a blatant ulterior motive. I have wanted to stay at the Contemporary; primarily because of its walk to the MK and of course the monorail. Until about the past year or so, I did not even realize there was a walkway to MK. My family is generally uninterested, as they feel there is really no theme, and the inside either feels like a convention center, or the upper lobby (with the Mary Blair mural), feels like Market East Station. (That’s now Jefferson Station, one of the main train stations in Philadelphia). I had not been to the Contemporary for several years, so this was a refresher. I see their point, and while it was SPOTLESS, it does seem like a convention center and Market East.

So, for a certain price I would stay there, however it would be low on my list. We had a wonderful but exhausting day; and highly anticipated our return to MK, a first visit to Fort Wilderness, Boma, and more.

Next up is more Magic Kingdom, Fort Wilderness, and Boma!!

 

[Spencer Wright]

More Magic Kingdom / Fort Wilderness/ and a Most Disappointing Glass of Wine (Part 1)

I believe I previously mentioned that one of the goals for this trip was to spend a lot more time in MK! So far, we have been successful, and this morning was the pinnacle of our success with this goal. They now allow guests in as far the Castle, so I went about 45 minutes earlier than my mother and sister, so I could look around a bit. They needed more time to get ready and stuff (chicks, am I right??).

The sun was shining, and there was not a cloud in the sky. So it was a stunning morning at Magic Kingdom, and enjoyed a Caramel Macchiato from the Starbucks on Main Stream. Similar to the others on property, while it admittedly takes away from the ‘Disney’ aspect of things, I think they are gorgeously themed and blend in well.

My mother and sister had a minor delay, so I got on Thunder Mountain Railroad a couple of times; and then we went on Splash Mountain together. We went on some of the standard attractions as has previously mentioned. We also got on Peter Pan's Flight via FP+. I don't know what it is, but I usually write this attraction off and it may have been my favorite attraction all trip. It is gorgeously themed and I LOVE LOVE LOVE Peter Pan. I think I rolled my eyes at it a little bit before, as it is quick, but I now appreciate it. It is one of my mother's favorites. One new thing, is we had lunch at Pecos Bills, where we have not eaten before. We all got the Fajita platter.

Can anyone guess what I thought of mine?

I really liked this place and could not believe we have not eaten here before. It was delicious, and the place was well themed. I thought the fixings bar was cool, but perhaps a little overrated. I would eat here again!

We then decided to take the boat over to Wilderness Lodge/ Ft. Wilderness. I had never been to Ft. Wilderness area previously. The boat ride was very cool and I am glad we decided to do it. The view of Magic Kingdom, as well as the other things around the Seven Seas Lagoon as so cool. I am really glad we decided to proceed in that manner.

 

[Eve & Wall-e]

I'm not seeing any of your photos, I'm just getting: IMG

 

[Eve & Wall-e]

Enjoying your trip report. I love Pecos Bills!

 

[Spencer Wright]

I'm not seeing any of your photos, I'm just getting: IMG

I appreciate you letting me know! Not to toot my own horn, but I have some pretty good ones. I am going to work on getting this fixed.