TimandLesley's "Keep Moving Forward" Trip Report with TONS of photos! update 7/8pg.11

[Aburns8]

Another great update! That is such a wonderful surprise of an upgrade. One day we are hoping to become members of the vacation club. I love the pictures of Flower and Garden festival. We have been a couple of times and I just love everything to look at! Can't wait to read more!

 

[PittypatBR]

What a fabulous room! Awesome upgrade! I love the family picture - what great memories you are making. I agree that the beautiful flower and topiaries should stay year round. I don't know why they take them down unless the upkeep is too much.

 

[Britard]

Great so far!!! So glad to see someone else who likes Mezzo Mix as much as me! I think too many people like the Watermelon best, but to me the Mezzo is the most awesome Coke I've ever had!

Also- I fell in love with the flamingo, too and my husband surprised me with one when we returned home!!

 

[Queenofallthings]

don't you just love the 2 bedroom villa here....we stayed in 5114 and 5116 in August and absolutely loved this section of the resort!

How wonderful to spend this time with your family....great shot of all of you!

 

[brookelizabeth]

Aren't those 2-bedroom villas WONDERFUL?! I just love that giant bathroom at AKV too, it makes you feel spoiled, doesn't it?

Beautiful pictures of the F&GF!

 

[cmskok]

Lesley, this all looks so great! I am so excited about your room upgrade!!

You have gorgeous kids! I am glad that they love Disney!!

Flower and Garden is one of my favorite times to visit Epcot. It is absolutely beautiful there....maybe we should go again next year!! hmmmm...the trip planning begins again!

I look forward to reading more!

 

[madsmom22]

I am LOVING your trip report! Great photos and descriptions of your days. I'm passing time at work (shhhh! don't tell!) reading trip reports getting ready for our 3rd family trip in November. I am encouraged by your laid-back approach when going through the MK - since this will be our third trip, I hope we can relax and take in the sights and do some people watching instead of rushing to get to the next big ride!

 

[cmskok]

I am LOVING your trip report! Great photos and descriptions of your days. I'm passing time at work (shhhh! don't tell!) reading trip reports getting ready for our 3rd family trip in November. I am encouraged by your laid-back approach when going through the MK - since this will be our third trip, I hope we can relax and take in the sights and do some people watching instead of rushing to get to the next big ride!

Madsmom, we are going in November too! Trying to do F&W and MVMCP!!

 

[madsmom22]

Madsmom, we are going in November too! Trying to do F&W and MVMCP!!

We are going to be there Nov 3-11. This will be our third trip in November. F&W is fun but I wouldn't recommend going on the weekend! It is SO CROWDED then! We haven't ever done the MVMCP - we aren't big fans of the parades after seeing them the first time - we like to ride the big rides then when everyone ELSE is watching the parades! I am hoping the Osborne Lights are up before we leave - we are in Little Rock where the Osbornes first had the lights on their private residence before neighbors sued to keep them from putting them up. I hope we get to see them this year since Mr. Jennings Osborne passed away a few months ago. It will be even more special this year. I am thinking they may start Thursday November 8 since DHS closes at 4pm that day - maybe for a private party to launch the lights???

 

[timandlesley]

I am LOVING your trip report! Great photos and descriptions of your days. I'm passing time at work (shhhh! don't tell!) reading trip reports getting ready for our 3rd family trip in November. I am encouraged by your laid-back approach when going through the MK - since this will be our third trip, I hope we can relax and take in the sights and do some people watching instead of rushing to get to the next big ride!

So glad you are enjoying it! November is a wonderful time of the year to go, just love it that time of year. Hope you have a great time!

Lesley, this all looks so great! I am so excited about your room upgrade!!

You have gorgeous kids! I am glad that they love Disney!!

Flower and Garden is one of my favorite times to visit Epcot. It is absolutely beautiful there....maybe we should go again next year!! hmmmm...the trip planning begins again!

I look forward to reading more!

Yes, the room upgrade ROCKED! Thank you for the nice compliments on the kids, of course I think so but I'm partial . Have fun with the trip planning, my favorite part!

Another great update! That is such a wonderful surprise of an upgrade. One day we are hoping to become members of the vacation club. I love the pictures of Flower and Garden festival. We have been a couple of times and I just love everything to look at! Can't wait to read more!

It was a wonderful surprise. If you ever decide to make the leap into DVC let me know, my guide is AWESOME!

What a fabulous room! Awesome upgrade! I love the family picture - what great memories you are making. I agree that the beautiful flower and topiaries should stay year round. I don't know why they take them down unless the upkeep is too much.

The room was just amazing. Yes, lots of wonderful memories. I'm sure it's a lot of upkeep : )

Great so far!!! So glad to see someone else who likes Mezzo Mix as much as me! I think too many people like the Watermelon best, but to me the Mezzo is the most awesome Coke I've ever had!

Also- I fell in love with the flamingo, too and my husband surprised me with one when we returned home!!

Glad you are enjoying it. I just lOVE Mezzo! It's funny, we have a store called "Jungle Jim's" here in Cincinnati and they SELL IT!!! I was so excited when I saw the can's in their Germany section so every now and then I make a special trip to get some : ) Your husband sounds like a keeper

don't you just love the 2 bedroom villa here....we stayed in 5114 and 5116 in August and absolutely loved this section of the resort!

How wonderful to spend this time with your family....great shot of all of you!

LOVE IT! Too funnyyou had the same room, GREAT part of the resort!

Aren't those 2-bedroom villas WONDERFUL?! I just love that giant bathroom at AKV too, it makes you feel spoiled, doesn't it?

Beautiful pictures of the F&GF!

Yes they are AMAZING! Now we'll be spoiled by experiencing all of that space.

 

[TrixieB]

So glad you are writing another trip report! They are always super to read. Glad everyone was safe after the harrowing start to the trip.

Are you going to do the Swan and Dolphin Food and Wine in October?

 

[jenseib]

I'm so happy I decided to catch up today...I just booked a studio at AKV yesterday. The pictures are gorgeous. I can't wait to see it for myself!

 

[Twingle]

So glad everyone was okay (relatively speaking!) after the accident, and you're having such a lovely time!

Always enjoy your TR's!

 

[timandlesley]

So glad you are writing another trip report! They are always super to read. Glad everyone was safe after the harrowing start to the trip.

Are you going to do the Swan and Dolphin Food and Wine in October?

Thanks, so glad you enjoy them and came back for more ; ) No, not this year, wish we could!! : )

I'm so happy I decided to catch up today...I just booked a studio at AKV yesterday. The pictures are gorgeous. I can't wait to see it for myself!

So happy you did too, you are going to LOVE AKV!!!

So glad everyone was okay (relatively speaking!) after the accident, and you're having such a lovely time!

Always enjoy your TR's!

Thanks so much for reading/posting : )

 

[timandlesley]

So today was our full day at Magic Kingdom. (we did not have annual passes this trip so to save everyone money we just did base tickets). We awoke early and had breakfast in the room in hopes to get to Magic Kingdom by rope drop:

We just weren’t having good bus Mojo this morning and we missed the bus and had to wait a long time for another, by the time we got to Magic Kingdom the rope was just dropping but we were happy to be there ; )

As we walked down Main Street it was fun just taking in the morning. The lady riding the fire truck around Main Street was so funny and just in the best mood just singing and driving. She pointed to us mid song and said “MY OH MY what a WOOONDERFUL DAY!!!!!” My mom and I cracked up, now THAT was a lady just loving her job”
The BEAUTIFUL castle:

Our goal was to ride Peter Pan, Tim headed in another direction to get fast passes for us (I think it was for Buzz Light Year) , so it was my mom, dad, the kids and I who went over to fly to Neverland.
A stop along the way (no luck)

Hidden Mickey in the cue:

We had a great ride and after that went across the way and walked right onto Small World.
My happy kids in their happiest place:

Mom and dad enjoying the ride:

Then we met up with Tim and showed mom and dad the new part of Fantasyland that was open and took the train ride around the park to Frontierland:

We walked right onto Splash Mountain:

Then we went over to Jungle Cruise:

Our skipper had a really DRY sense of humor and seemed bitter at a lot of things Disney like the ride time for Goofy’s Barnstormer, he said to never wait in line for more than an hour for something that literally lasts 38 seconds : ) He also was SLAMMING the new Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom ride, but he was a riot.
By then we were hungry so we headed over to Tomorrowland , stopped at the castle along the way:

We had a good lunch at Cosmic Rays then posed for this pic:

I loved watching my parents getting into the small things with the kids:

While we waited for our Buzz Light year return time we hit Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor:

That show was cute like always, they didn’t pick any of our texted in jokes this time, oh well.
Then it was finally time to fight with Buzz, my score:

Mom and dad’s ride photo:

The park was getting crowded so we headed up to the People Mover:

We all enjoyed the ride:

We decided it was time to head back to the resort so we took a leisurely stroll down Main Street and stopped in shops along the way. It was fun watching the guy blowing glass;

Main Street band was entertaining as always:

CONTINUE IN NEXT POST, SCROLL DOWN

 

[timandlesley]

Before we knew it we were back “home”

We laid down and took naps and woke up to this guy outside of our balcony:

It was time to shower up and get ready for dinner.

Dinner was at Sanaa at Kidani Village. We drove over, I had read online it was quite a hike to Kidani, NOT! The distance was NOTHING, but glad we drove over to check out the parking garage:

Even the parking garage was cute:

We checked in for our dinner reservation:

I had been begging Tim to eat here ever since it was open and he never wanted to. Well, when he went on a guys trip in December he ended up trying it and LOVED it so he couldn’t wait to go back with all of us so we could all experience it so I was REALLY looking forward to this meal, it did NOT disappoint!
We were seated right away and these pictures don’t do it justice but this place is AMAZINGLY beautiful!

The service was incredible and being able to see the animals outside was great and the food was to DIE for!
We ordered the bread service as an appetizer (we had to pay out of pocket for this and it was worth every penny!
I ordered the “sustainable fish” it was out of this world!

Tim had the steak:

Tim still says this is the best steak he has EVER had in his life, I tried some, it was DELICIOUS!
I ordered the chocolate cake with the raspberry sorbet it was so yummy:

Luke ordered the sampler and loved each and every thing:

Tim’s desert:

We all had an AMAZING meal!!! So much so that as we were sitting there we decided right then and there to cancel our OHana reservation later in the week and come back again. Now, if you know my family and I, how much we love Lipoa and our experience and food at OHana then this should tell you how much we LOVED Sanaa! The food was INCREDIBLE, the service OUTSTANDING and the view, AMAZING. It’s hands down our new favorite place to dine on property. I am in SHOCK this is only 1 credit on the dining plan.
My copy of the receipt that shows you how much the dining plan is WORTH IT!!!

The beautiful bar area at Sanaa:

After dinner we went outside to the beautiful overlook area by the firepit and just took it all in. Animal Kingdom Lodge is such an AMAZING resort!

View from the firepit looking towards the lobby:

We walked up to the Main lobby to look around:

CONTINUED IN NEXT POST SCROLL DOWN

 

[timandlesley]

Had fun looking at the various over look areas:

The hotel was full of inspirational and wonderful quotes:

LOVE this one:

This is their “library” where various African speakers come to talk throughout the day and evening:

We went in to check out the community hall which the kids loved:

View from the balcony outside of the community hall:

After exploring a bit my dad and Tim headed back to Jambo house to relax and hang out in the room and the kids, mom and I went in the car to Magic Kingdom. We took the car and parked at Bay Lake Tower and walked across the street to Magic Kingdom.

It was about 8:00 and the parade was to start at 9:00. We walked into Main Street about 8:15 and my goal was to get a spot down by Hall of Presidents as we often do but when we got there NO one was on the ground RIGHT in front of the train station so we parked it there.

I was SO happy to be sitting on Main Street waiting for my favorite parade to start surrounded by my mom and the kids:

We had the PERFECT view and didn’t have any trouble with crowds, it would be my spot of choice from now on.
The parade began, here are a few of the pics I took:

The parade ended and we turned and went out the exit gates NO problem, no crowds, it was WONDERFUL! Luke scaled the wall and I took this photo of him:

We enjoyed a nice leisurely stroll back to our car:

What a WONDERFUL evening we had!!! We were back in the room before we knew it and enjoyed some wine together while the kids went to bed and talked about the fun we had that day and the plans for tomorrow before we said good night.

ON OUR NEXT EPISODE:
“I DESIGN FOR YOU……….”
“CANADIAN CHEESE SOUP HEAVEN”
“MORE FUN AT KIDANI”

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

Great update! Great day! That wonderful lady driving the car at MK you speak of is Barb....she is famous and just amazing she took our family for a ride and to pose for pics in the car in front of the castle when we opened the MK...what Disney is all about!

Okay....now I'm tempted to cancel or Ohana ADR and try to get into Sanna! Were you able to get a reso. With such short notice?

I'm a bit confused on your parade spot? Is it right when you walk in the MK and are facing the castle?

 

[timandlesley]

Great update! Great day! That wonderful lady driving the car at MK you speak of is Barb....she is famous and just amazing she took our family for a ride and to pose for pics in the car in front of the castle when we opened the MK...what Disney is all about!

Okay....now I'm tempted to cancel or Ohana ADR and try to get into Sanna! Were you able to get a reso. With such short notice?

I'm a bit confused on your parade spot? Is it right when you walk in the MK and are facing the castle?

Ahhh Barb, yes I know she is famous as I've seen her in commercials, etc. just never had the opportunity to talk to her, so thanks for her name : ) Sanaa is EASY to get into because it's unknown (for now) I need to shut up about it probably : ) Right when you walk in under the train station on the sidewalk facing the castle, PERFECT spot!

 

[sharonW]

FABULOUS installment!!! The pictures are awesome. AK looks totally amazing...making so many more disney memories is heaven on earth!! So glad you take the time to share the magic