The Murphys Are Live Again!!! Okw ~ Akl ~ Poly ~ 7/27-8/1

[mkycrzy1971]

We are back and had a great evening! After swimming again and taking another break we headed to MGM for bit just to walk around the new Pixar area and check to see if they had a stuffed WALL-E we could buy for our youngest DS. Surprisingly we didn't see much WALL-E stuff so we took the boat to Epcot. First we stopped off in France for a yummy Grey Goose slushy... yummmm then walked towards Le Cellier for our dinner. We were approached by a very nice CM who saw our anniversary buttons and asked us if we would like to come to a special Illuminations viewing spot later after dinner. We of course said YES and were excited!

We arrived at Le Cellier about 10 minutes before our ADR time and got a table pretty quickly. They were offering a new special paper menu insert that gave appetizer/entree/dessert all at one set price and it WAS available for the Dining Plan. Super cool!!!! So DH and I both got the cheese soup (which we love and were super excited it was included with the DP without extra cost). For our entrees DH had Prime Rib and I had Salmon. They food was very good and of course the PRETZEL bread was my favorite and what I always look forward to. For dessert we both had the chocolate MOOSE moussee. All in all it was a fine dinner, the atmosphere was quite loud, lots of kids and crying babies, but we have come to expect that with the single table service restaurants. Also our table was very small and crammed right next to two other couples... I felt like we should say HELLO and talk with them we were so close. But it was OK. No big deal.

After dinner we headed to our special Illuminations viewing spot which was on a lower level near Yorkshire Fish and Chips. DH and I couldn't remember when we had watched Illuminations up close before... our boys get scared with the fireworks so we usually have to watch from far away. It was cool to see it together, and very romantic.

Getting the bus back to OKW wasn't too bad. We got back around 10:00 PM. We felt very lucky considering many other resorts had HUGE lines. Long enough that they'd probably need 4 buses or more.

This is our last night at OKW. Tomorrow we check-in at the AKL on CL. Which should be fun. We're going to spend most of the day relaxing at the resort, and taking it easy. Depending on the rain we might head over to AK to ride Everest.

Here are some pics from tonight!!!

Here we are in our room getting ready to go out!

Here we are enjoying our Grey Goose slushies on the bridge near France. A nice man offered to take our pictures when he noticed us trying to take a pic by hold the camera out! LOL

If you want to see all our trip pics I've been uploading them to photobucket, I think you can just go there and type in "ekmurphy12". I think?? Not quit sure though.

Hello fellow Hoosier! Just a quick question for you regarding your LeCellier experience...is the new set price menu something they will be offering from now on, or was it just something that was more of a "special"?? We will be dining at LeCellier in Sept for the first time and I cannot wait to try the Cheese Soup Maybe I will not have to pay out of pocket for it afterall!

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

Great photos. Would you mind posting which trail and savannah you are on?
I have never stayed at AKL, but will be staying there in just 10 days. I am trying to gain some perspective of the different savannahs.
Thanks.

We were on Kudu Trail on the Arusha Savannah side. On the 5th floor, room 5313.

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

Hello fellow Hoosier! Just a quick question for you regarding your LeCellier experience...is the new set price menu something they will be offering from now on, or was it just something that was more of a "special"?? We will be dining at LeCellier in Sept for the first time and I cannot wait to try the Cheese Soup Maybe I will not have to pay out of pocket for it afterall!

The server said it was a brand new menu, and it was printed on paper in a tri-fold type of presentation that seemed to be substantial enough to last quite a long time. I wouldn't guess it's going away anytime soon, but I'm not sure. You have three choices of appetizer... soup, salad, and one other one I can't remember, then 4 entree choices, prime rib, salmon, mushroom ravioli, and I think chicken, then 3 dessert choices, sherbert, creme brulee, and chocolate "moose". $36.99 or one table service credit.

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

ALOHA!!!!

We are here at the Poly and having a great time! We checked out of AKL this morning and took a taxi around 10:00 AM. At the front desk we were magically surprised with a complimentary upgrade to CONCIERGE! DH and I couldn't believe it, what are the chances of getting upgraded twice in a row?? Awesome!!!!

We were taken over to the Hawaii building where we got our packet of info and went upstairs to the lounge to have breakfast (again) Our room wasn't ready so we took the boat to MK.

Here are some pics we took this afternoon while waiting for our room to be ready

Our Hawaii building

Boat from Poly to MK

Also I got to meet fellow DISer johnsonet down in the lounge!!! Which was great, and she is such a nice person. She was telling us about her stay at AKL and Poly, and then she's on to GF and BC. She's staying in more resorts than even we are!

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

After going to MK (boy was it HOTTTT today) we headed back to Poly to see if our room might be ready. We finally got it at 3:00 PM, we're on the 3rd floor overlooking the quiet pool. Here are pics........

 

[rpbear]

Congratulations on another magical upgrade. I leave in the morning at 7:45 for the world. Your trip reports have helped the days pass faster. Thank you!

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

Views from our balcony..........

 

[rpbear]

Hi Erika,

Did you notice any wait times for the rides while you were at MK? I am just wondering how busy the parks are this week.

Thanks,
Lucy

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

The concierge lounge......

The Contemporary villas........

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

Hi Erika,

Did you notice any wait times for the rides while you were at MK? I am just wondering how busy the parks are this week.

Thanks,
Lucy

We were at MK from about 11:30 AM until about 1:30. Splash was 70 minutes, POTC was 10 minutes, Pooh was 30 minutes, the only thing we rode was POTC. We got fast passes for Splash but gave them away because we were so hot and it started thundering really bad. The humidity was crazy today. The rain hit right around the time we got back to the monorail. When we got back to the Poly the pool was closed and it was storming pretty bad, so we just hung out in the GCH then back to our room to relax.

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

Here's a funny one!

 

[GalDisney]

Congrats on the upgrade! You sure are receiving the Disney magic

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

Tonight we are heading to Epcot first, then MGM for EMHs til 1:00 AM. If we make it that late. Tomorrow is our last full day we'll hit Epcot in the morning to do Soarin', TT, and MS, then swim in the afternoon. Then finish off the trip with Wishes. And maybe a trip to DTD afterwards if I can get DH to shop with me!

 

[accountingbabe08]

great report. Have a great time!!

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

Back to the room again. We went to Epcot tonight, after snacking in the lounge on some yummy chicken legs and fried rice, but didn't last long. Wait times for Soarin and Test Track were 70 and 80 minutes. No thanks. I bought out the Japanese toy store of Pokemon toys and then we just walked around and came back. Now we're heading down to swim .... the pool is open 24 hours a day. Planning to watch Wishes!

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

We went down to swim for a bit then watched Wishes from the beach. A perfect end to a perfect day.

Someone had asked about bounceback, yes it is still being offered. Through December 13th.

Any other questions feel free to ask!

 

[mistydoodles]

Hi Erika. I just found your trip report ( and now it is almost over ) and I love it. Happy Anniversary. My husband and I are celebrating our 10th Anniversary as well. It was July 13th but I can't stand the heat so we are going to WDW in November instead.

I have really enjoyed all your pictures, especially of the resorts. Thank you for sharing.

I hope you have a wonderful last full day!!! Have fun.

Melissa

 

[Amy&Dan]

Wow, two upgrades in one trip! Couldn't happen to nicer dis folks! Enjoy the Poly.

 

[Debs Hill]

Loving your trip report.............and you are SO lucky with 2 up-grades, that's brilliant!!!
Did you say that there was a Japanese toy store in EPCOT that sold Pokemon!?!!! I have a POkemon mad 8 year old who is desparate to know!!!ha!
Debsx

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

Loving your trip report.............and you are SO lucky with 2 up-grades, that's brilliant!!!
Did you say that there was a Japanese toy store in EPCOT that sold Pokemon!?!!! I have a POkemon mad 8 year old who is desparate to know!!!ha!
Debsx

YES! They have Pokemon figures, cards, and stuffed Pokemon as well. Everytime we come we spend more money there than anywhere else! They also sell YuGiOh stuff, and the new Bakugon toys as well.