Tinks Twinkle and Tinsel Tour – Final Thoughts

[TinkTatoo]

Tinks Twinkle and Tinsel Tour – Final Thoughts

Cast

Jakki – 44 Loves all things Disney and Christmas
Steve – 50 Joining us a week later – also loves Christmas
Aodhan – 9 Wants to see the Holiday Fireworks
Niamh – 8 Can’t wait to see Minnie in her Holiday finery


Well here we are half way through January and Christmas is a fading memory for most but parts of this trip will always stay with us. So here are some of the highs and lows of this trip.

Where we stayed

Animal Kingdom Lodge
This seems to be a place that you either love or hate. Unfortunately we didn’t love it here. There are some great things about the resort such as the Savannah’s, the lobby, the pool and the kids activities etc., but for us the hotel just didn’t have that wow factor. I’ve often read about the “smell” at AKL and assumed it was some reference to the animals. I now know it’s not – the smell refers to the constant aroma, which fills the hotel, from Jiko and Boma. Initially it’s a pleasant smell but after 5 days it was making me feel sick and it’s probably for this reason that we wouldn’t stay here again.

Contemporary Atrium Club
We love the Contemporary, the location is first class and nothing beats the views from the tower room. We hadn’t stayed here since it was remodelled and we were delighted with the new look rooms. We also loved the Atrium Club and it proved to be a godsend at Christmas. It was so convenient walking down to the lobby to get breakfast or get a snack whenever you wanted and having seen the crowds down at the Food and Fun Centre made us realise that it was worth every penny to us. Roll on DVC at the Contemporary.

Wilderness Lodge
Another fantastic resort. It’s designed by the same architect who built AKL but feels totally different. The pool area was great and it was a bonus to have DVC sized accommodation plus the facilities of a hotel. We will definitely be back to stay here again.

Sickness
As sickness played such a big part in this trip it deserves a mention here. Every one of us suffered with one thing or another. Thankfully for DH & I it was only a one day thing (I did have a bad head cold as well but that didn’t really prevent us from doing things) But for DD and then DS the sickness lingered and seriously affected our plans. I didn’t feel like we got much park time at all but luckily for us the weather was fantastic so we could just take things easy and chill by the pool.

What we did
We really missed not having a car and until we got one didn’t realize how trapped we felt. Disney make getting around very easy so there was no problems there, it was just so nice getting the car and being able to get off property as and when we wanted.

Some of our highlights were Ice and Ice Skating at the Gaylord Palms, Snow at Celebration, the Wilderness Lodge Sleigh Rides. I recommend these to anyone who is visiting at Christmas. Holiday Wishes, NYE Illuminations were well worth seeing and we were lucky to be able to watch Wishes every night form our balcony while we stayed at the Contemporary. Up until 24th December the parks were manageable but from then until we left they were manic and, for us, not really enjoyable and I though the NYE crowds at Epcot were scary.


Christmas
Even though there were 50ft trees, masses of Christmas decorations and carols playing everywhere it didn’t feel Christmassy for us. Perhaps it was because the weather was so hot, but it just felt like a summer holiday so I don’t think we’d do another Christmas visit again. Having said that I am very glad that we got to experience it at least once and I am sure next Christmas at home will feel totally flat in comparison.

So there was another Tink family holiday thanks to everyone who took the time to read the trippies and see you back on the trip report board in the summer

 

[Minniespal]

Thanx Jakki ~ I've really enjoyed reading your trip reports

 

[jns]

Thank you for sharing your holiday with us

 

[CustardTart]

Brilliant trip reports, Jakki, I've really enjoyed them and your photos were fab! I'm definitely going to arrange a stay at the Contemporary Atrium Club next time we visit en masse - it looks wonderful and having stayed concierge at the Poly last summer, I know how useful it can be...

 

[natalielongstaff]

thanks for all your hard work

 

[tashasmum]

We were at the AKL from the 24-2nd jan. I can't believe you did not like it. Appart from the walk to the Mara from the room we loved it. There was not much of a christmassy feel to any of the hotels but like you we could not figure out if it was the lovely weather mixed with the carols on the radio or that was how its done over there. Since we came back it was made aware to me that Thanksgiving is more of a thing in Florida. The only smells we had were when you went near the restaurants and we had a savannah room but could not smell animal smells at all. Good reports. Now its planning time for the summer.

 

[TinkTatoo]

....I'm definitely going to arrange a stay at the Contemporary Atrium Club next time we visit en masse.....

Be sure to say hi to Lou Ann in Concierge, she was lovely and made our trip extra special

We were at the AKL from the 24-2nd jan. I can't believe you did not like it. Appart from the walk to the Mara from the room we loved it..........The only smells we had were when you went near the restaurants and we had a savannah room but could not smell animal smells at all. Good reports. Now its planning time for the summer.

There was just something about it that wouldn't make me want to stay there again - although I am sure when AKL DVC comes along we might try a room for a few nights so DH can see what it's like. Perhaps I had been building it up too much but I was just under whelmed. The smell I was referring to was the one from the restaurant and perhaps because I'd been sick I found that it was making me heave whenever we walked by to get to the pool or went into the lobby. AKL is a nice resort but just not for us

 

[ely3857]

Lovely reports, Thankyou



Jodie

 

[wils]

Thanks for all the reports

 

[sandshal]

Thank you for posting your fantastic reports, I thoroughly enjoyed them all! My sister and her family stayed at AKL last summer, they also felt it lacked something - were glad they stayed there, but would probably not bother again.

Looking forward to your summer trippie!

Sharon (sandshal)

 

[dixipixi]

Hi! Just wanted to let you know that I read your entire report and enjoyed it very much.

I love reading the UK reports. It's interesting to see things from another perspective.

Sorry you all were sick, but glad you were able to enjoy yourselves anyway!

Hope you all have a wonderful time this summer!!!

 

[lorapinky]

Thanks for sharing with us all

 

[Tammy Stringer]

Thanks for taking the time to write your report.

Really enjoyed reading about each day's events

Tammy

 

[saratogagirl]

Thanks for writing such a great report, I really enjoyed it. Would it be cheeky to ask for some more information on the sleigh ride. Ian and I are going for Christmas and this is something I would like to look into to. Would you say it is not appropriate for 2 adults with no little ones. If not, I would love to know how to go about booking this - Thanks Jakki

 

[arieljasmine]

Thank you for sharing your fantastic trip reports with us, Jakki. I have really enjoyed them and will look forward to reading your next one.

ArielJasmine

 

[xmasinorlando]

Hi Jakki

Enjoyed reading your trip reports, Thanks for sharing

As for

"so I don’t think we’d do another Christmas visit again. Having said that I am very glad that we got to experience it at least once and I am sure next Christmas at home will feel totally flat in comparison."

I felt exactly the same after our first trip at Christmas 2005. Sitting eating pizza in Universal Studios on Christmas day, just didn't seem right and I said I wouldn't go at Xmas time again.

BUT ... 1 week after Christmas this year, I've booked up again for 2007 ... Guess when

 

[florida sun]

Jakki, have really really enjoyed reading your trip reports and seeing all your wonderful photos, thank you very much for sharing them all with us

 

[Cyrano]

Have enjoyed catching up with your reports and wonderful photos.
Thanks for sharing

 

[mark&sue]

Thanks for your great reports. I would like to try the VAKL but not keen on the location.


Susan

 

[Sunny Soph]

Thanks Jakki for the great reports