Where's My Free Cake? No Lines in August and Magical Dreams Come True *All Done!*

[scottny]

great updates and pics.

sounds like a fun time at AK

I saw FOTLK last time for the first time and it wa sa great show.

 

[jjk]

another fantastic day ay AK , FOTLK and Nemo are such great shows

 

[disneyloveNY]

What a great TR and outstanding pictures. can't wait for more

 

[bellasmommy0]

Do you have any pics from Nemo?? I missed it last year and am really looking forward to it this year! Keep up the good work!!

 

[ArmyWife3-4]

Do you have any pics from Nemo?? I missed it last year and am really looking forward to it this year! Keep up the good work!!

Unfortunately, I don't. We arrived late so we were seated to the far right of the stage. I don't think you can use flash photography either so it would have been very difficult to photograph.

When you do go, the closer to front and center you sit the better. There isn't necessairly a 'bad' seat, but there are definitely better ones. Some of the action isn't very visible if you're too far to the sides. Sitting in the second tier of seating is a good idea too since some of the actors come out into the audience via the center aisle. You are going to LOVE it!!! It's such an amazingly creative show!

 

[ArmyWife3-4]

After Nemo, we were quite hungry, and I was excited to try out Yak and Yeti - CS. We treked across the park, found a table and ordered a few things to share. I was impressed with the food for a CS restaurant. I think DH and I may try the sit down in April. Mom and Dad enjoyed it as well. Splitting two main dishes and eggrolls was a perfect amount of food for us. We had:

Eggrolls

Crispy Honey Chicken

and Shrimp Lo Mein

After lunch, we decided to give Conservation Station a shot. The park was getting busy and we figured why not. As three adults, we felt this was rather a waste of time. The coolest thing about it was seeing the holding areas for the animals on the train. I suppose for young children, the petting zoo may have been cool, but I don't plan to go out there again unless they add something else.

I took a few photos waiting for the train:

From the train:

After our rathering boring trip to Conservation Station, I wanted ot walk the Maharajah Jungle Trek and Pangani Forest Trek. My mom HATES bat so I thought it fitting for her to see the giant fruit bats.

While we were walking, DH called!!! Of course, the week we were on vacation he had to be out and about in Iraq. It was a blessing in disguise because being at WDW distracted me from thinking about waiting for his call, but it was still a bummer to not hear from him much. I was so excited when we called!
Mom took my camera and took a photo of DH and me....

While I was talking to DH, Mom snapped some really cool photos of leaves and plants:

 

[scottny]

great update and pics.

how nice to get a call from him while there.

 

[jjk]

so Pleased you got a call from your DH, the food at yak and yetti looks very yummy I cant wait to try it

 

[luvfigment]

Looks like a great day at AK. We are trying the TS version of Yak & Yeti in Oct. for lunch...hopefully it will be yummy. I am glad you were able to talk to your DH...it was good timing on his part at least you weren't in one of the shows and it is easy to step off to the side on the trails.

 

[ArmyWife3-4]

Looks like a great day at AK. We are trying the TS version of Yak & Yeti in Oct. for lunch...hopefully it will be yummy. I am glad you were able to talk to your DH...it was good timing on his part at least you weren't in one of the shows and it is easy to step off to the side on the trails.

DH and I are going to try the TS in April too. Let me know how it is!

I was so paranoid about him calling during a show or a ride, but thankfully, he didn't. Although, I don't think he would have minded catching a ride on Soarin' or the Safari!

 

[dolfinjuls]

Hi! I just read thru your TR! I was there from the 10-16th!

Loving everything so far!

 

[ArmyWife3-4]

I took quite a few photos on the walking trails. I got some really funky, fun photos of the animals and the area. We even got to see the tiger going for a swim. That was definitely a treat!

While we were heading out of AK, I just had to take a photo of the Military Macaw in The Oasis. Although, I'm sure DH doesn't have any where he is....just camels and sand spiders!

We stayed a lot later in the day than we normally do. We like to leave after lunch to head to the hotel for a nap and/or swim during the busiest part of the day in the parks, but we stayed until closer to 2:30/3:00 walking the trails. AK is a very hot park anyways since most of the attraction are outdoors and it involves a lot of walking, but they day we were there was a hot day. On top of AK being a hot park, it was a very tiring day. By about 1:30 the park just got so busy, and I was getting super cranky. (Who me?! I get cranky?! ) We headed back to the hotel to meet up with DCousins and get ready for Illuminations!

 

[ArmyWife3-4]

By the middle of our second full day, I was starting to wear out. Although Disney is a fab vacation, it can be far from relaxing! It felt so good to get back to our room at POFQ and take a 30 minute snooze. Knowing how worn out I am by 2:00 on a Disney day (or a normal work day for that matter!), I really don't know how people with little kids do it all day. No wonder there are so many kids having nervous breakdowns waiting for the evening parades/shows! Around 5:00 we met up with DCousins after their nap/swim time to head to Epcot for the evening.

This is where the "Where's my free cake" story comes in. I am sure it won't be as funny to all of you as it is to me considering it has some family history, but I'll do my best to recreate it for you! My mom's family is very large, and very similar to My Big Fat Greek Wedding although we're Syrian instead of Greek. My dad has always joked that we're 'crazy Syrian women'. When DH asked for my hand in marriage, my dad said, 'Do you understand the Syrian woman...HIGH MAINTENANCE!'

Now my dad's side of the family is just a typical American family with a few siblings, aunts and uncles. My mom's on the other hand, well it just goes on and on and on. We have our share of crazy aunts, just like in the Greek family from the wedding. Several of my mom's aunts were always all about getting anything they could for free whether it was extra wedding cake to go from a wedding or a free dessert on their birthday. My dad has always thought this was the funniest thing ever.

While waiting for the bus Dad decided it was time to explain to S2 what it meant to be a Syrian woman. He explained that several of my aunts would go out to dinner and just tell people it was their birthday to get the free cake. He had S2 practice saying, 'It's my birthday! Where's my free cake?!'. Well this continued throughout the trip and S2 thought it was hilarious as dad my dad....Leaving my dad to laugh like this:

Ridiculous!!!!

 

[Wingedheart]

OMG How cute is your dad!

The funny thing is, it's not just the Sryian women who want free cake! My dad used to do this at restaurants when we visited my grandparents in Florida on vacation. Dad would usually pick my poor Grandpa, a very sweet, quiet and humble man - it would be Grandpa's "birthday" most nights while we were on vacation!!

Small World, isn't it?!

 

[reyasmommy]

Finally got caught up on your TR. I love all your pictures and you husband looks like he's having a great time. Ohhhh and btw your dad has the cutest smile.

 

[jjk]

great pictures of your Dad

 

[cabobber]

So here I am lurking around the DIS boards, planning my family's Spring Break trip to WDW, and I find some of my favorite people in the world...

And you just tell your dad that it's not just Syrian women looking for free cake. I recall a time that he was the ring leader in a quest for free cheesecake at my parent's house in Traverse City!

Loving your trip reports and adore the photos. Take care and lots of love -

Heidi from GR/TC

 

[rwieten]

no kidding! did you have any idea you were reading meg's trip report? small world! we can't stop laughing ... we will never forget the cheesecake incident!

 

[cabobber]

no kidding! did you have any idea you were reading meg's trip report? small world! we can't stop laughing ... we will never forget the cheesecake incident!

Yep. Seems as though one Syrian woman + one quirky man = an uncanny ability to track down good food.

Somehow I spotted a link to Meg's trip report and noticed she was a military wife/NC/etc. Then when I saw photos, I just about fell off my chair. I'm loving hearing about your trip. I was visiting with Peg/Karrie/Liz in ER during Harbor Days and was excited to hear how the kids would enjoy WDW. From Meg's report, it looks like they had a great time.

 

[ArmyWife3-4]

Yep. Seems as though one Syrian woman + one quirky man = an uncanny ability to track down good food.

Somehow I spotted a link to Meg's trip report and noticed she was a military wife/NC/etc. Then when I saw photos, I just about fell off my chair. I'm loving hearing about your trip. I was visiting with Peg/Karrie/Liz in ER during Harbor Days and was excited to hear how the kids would enjoy WDW. From Meg's report, it looks like they had a great time.

Oh my gosh!!! What a small world!!!! How are you?!?! Are you planning a trip?!? Andrew and I are planning another trip for his R and R in April! Hope all is well in Northern MI. I miss it so much!

And please send some cheesecake my way! Hahah!