Back from the World

Thanks for the offer dsoup heaven knows I will need help. I just got done downloading the pics from my camera to my comp.and I am NOT particularly fond nor proud on the resulting photos. I bought a new expensive camera for my trip and a lot of them are either slightly blurry or too dark, I am sure it is the operator and not the camera. It's a dslr and has MANY more controls and settings than my old point & shoot. Admin also made the same help offer so amongst all of you I should be good to go.. Thanks all !!
It was my DW and I most memorable trip, thanks in part to the meeting with mrhub and scrappy and the behind the scenes tour which covered over 7 hours and all four parks and beyond. There is much more coming!!!

OK we can't put it off any longer, Vettelover has tied me to the chair and is making me (his DW) type the report!! We were up at 2:30 am on 1/16 as limo was picking us up at 3:45. Driver called to say he was 3 minutes away, so we went outside to wait, 30 minutes later he showed up, he had gotten lost and drove around for 1/2 hr before he found us. HMMMM men don't need no stinken directions or maps!! Can anyone relate?

Normally, we wouldn't report about the airport/security, but after the Christmas Day attempt, we were pleasantly surprised that (Logan) had extra security. While waiting to board our flight, we observed about 6 people w/HOMELAND SECURITY on their uniforms and a mobile scanner randomly asking people about to board flights to submit to another search. Also, there were a couple of BOMB ASSESSMENT SQUAD (so stated on their uniform jackets)members standing there observing travelers. The flight was a little bumpy, in fact the fasten seat belt light was on for ALL but 15 minutes of the 3 hr flight, making it a little difficult for people to try to use the bathrooms. Arrived safely in Orlando around 10:30 and were whisked away by Magical Express (literally 5 minutes from landing) and had the VIP seats behind the driver. Arrived at AKL/JAMBO HOUSE to find our studio was ready! VL had requested a savannah view, WOW! Walked into our room to a SPECTACULAR VIEW OF THE SUNSET SAVANNAH!! Immediately saw giraffe, zebras, maribou stork, an eland and roan antelope as soon as we set foot thru the door, ROOM 5203 if anyone is interested, 2 floors above the check in counter. AKL is BEAUTIFUL! Could have stayed on our deck watching animals for the duration of our stay, but did tear ourselves away long enough to go to AK to pick up our APs and AK pins! Arrived at AK around 11:30, FAST PASS return time for Safari was 2:50-3:50. Did Tough to be a Bug, also saw the KANGAROOS and OTTERS and encountered the NOTORIOUS BRAZILIAN TOUR GROUPS, counted 6 different ones while in AK, as well as CHEERLEADERS. Finally got on the Safari, they changed it a little didn't they? Seemed a little longer to me. After Safari, we decided to go back to AKL and get some food and relax (had been up and on the move since 2:30, us old folks do get tired & cranky w/o our nap . Decided to eat at the MARA, surprisingly quiet at 5:30 pm-only about 10 people in there and most of them were CMs. I had the AFRICAN STEW in the BREAD BOWL, VL had the CHEESE FLATBREAD and then we had our very first ZEBRA DOMES, SOOOOO GOOOOOD! Then returned to our room to watch the animals and veg out!
End of day 1, and will continue on later.

dsoup VL here, and DW is a much better typist than I am so she voluntered to type the TR for me. Also she said the "African Stew" was very good but she can state that no african animals were injured in the making of it :>) tasted like good ole american bull or is that cow or is it beef??

Sunday/Day 2

VL & I decided to take it a little easy, had breakfast in our room then ventured to DTD. Had been dying to check out Characters in Flight (the tethered balloon in DTD). Unfortunately this time of year is quite windy and the balloon was not flying that day. Its something that you have to keep checking on as it might not be open in the morning, but if the wind dies down, they could go up in the afternoon/evening.

Now, someone on the forum had mentioned that you could take the bus to DTD/West side stop and then cross the Hwy to the Hess station to buy cases of soda and bring them back to the resort. So we did. Did I mention that you have 32 SECONDS to cross that Hwy, before you're under somebody's tires. DON'T WORRY, VL & I did it in 24 SECONDS with 8 SECONDS TO SPARE. WOO HOO!!
Went back to AKL and sat on the deck relaxing & watching the animals. CMs had put food out for the Giraffes (they put leaves & branches, etc high in the trees, while eating the Giraffes drop food on the ground, which is eaten by the Giraffes & Zebras, Elands, etc. Quite interesting to see these BEAUTIFUL & TALL animals eat from the ground, their legs don't bend like ours, they have to put 4 of their legs out straight and lower their heads to the ground. While a Giraffe was eating, a ZEBRA backed up to it and began kicking. Poor Giraffe ran away! We couldn't believe Giraffes were afraid of the Zebras. VL even saw the Eland headbut a Giraffe away from the food. One activity AKL has for kids is the Primal Parade, around 8:15 each night, A CM leads kids on a march thru the lobby, each child playing drums/maracas and yelling AF RI CA! AF RI CA! That is the way they say it, you get used to it every night, I actually missed it on our first night home.


Day 3-Hollywood Studios, not too crowded, but Fast Passes for Toy Story Mania were gone B4 Noon, we arrived between 11:30 & 11:45. Too many High School Musical performances, 2 a day would be enough. Walked around for a while then went to DTD to check on Characters in Flight, still not flying, ate at TREX. VL wanted the Rigatoni & Sausage that he had when TREX first opened, but its no longer on their menu, it's now on RAINFOREST CAFE's. Ate in the Ice Cave, liked the changing colors, didn't like the low lighting while trying to read the menu.
Went back to AKL, between 8 & 11, weather permitting, you can go to the Uzima Pool Overlook and use the night vision goggles to watch the animals in the dark. Pretty cool! Only 1 Giraffe and lots of birds out that night. Talked to the CM from Nmibia named Epson, we told him about the Zebra kicking the Giraffe and he said that the Zebras are NASTY animals. Found out the animals only go inside 2 hours a day, usually in the morning. Also found out the enclosed pen like areas between the Resort & Savannah are the evacuation areas for guests in case of an emergency. More later.

Annie as far as Characters in Flight, I won't say till later and as far as T Rex goes it was a good overall experience EXCEPT that where we were it was so dark that you could not read the menu, except during the meteor shower! and it should come with ear plugs as standard equipement. VERY loud. I had the Bronto burger which was very very good and DW had the Paleonzoic chicken sandwich which had fried pizza dough as the bun along with grilled chicken, pepper Jack cheese, avocado, tomato and lemon aioli, and lettuce, and waffle fries. She said it was very good. And we shared the Meteor bites for dessert. The portions were huge and our server was very personable.

Time for another installment-Day 4-VL & I went to Epcot @11 a.m., return time for Fast Pass for Soarin was between 3 & 4 pm, Test Track was 7:30-8:30. Went to Innoventions East & West-played new "Save the Piggy Bank" game sponsored by T Rowe Price. Its a gane where you are given a piggy bank and choose a goal, such as "retirement" and try to increase your investment money to reach that goal. There are 4 stations, and when you finish one, you move your piggy bank to the next station. At the last one your bank is weighed to see how heavy it is and if you have reached your goal. It was actually fun. BUT not as much fun as "Sum of All Thrills" This is sponsored by Raytheon, and is a build your own virtual thirll ride. You can create your own bobsled, roller coaster or jet, you choose the course, speed, dips, rolls, etc and then you experience your ride in a simulator. The ride's info is stored on a card that you get to keep, so that you can use it from home, later. You can make your ride as mild or wild as you can handle.
Needed some quiet time after that, so we went to Canada to listen to Off Kilter, there was an old man & woman who danced the whole time and the band members were laughing so hard they couldn't play/sing. We then walked to England to listen to the British Invasion. We were lucky enough to find a bench to sit on (the younger people from the tour groups were laying on the ground 3 deep) and offered to share it with an older couple from North Carolina. Guess who showed up to dance to the British Invasion? YEAH YEAH YEAH, it was the same old couple from the Off Kilter show dancing to the Beatles & Kinks! Thought for sure he would have a heart attack.

Walked to dinner at Chefs de France, on the way, we noticed that you can see the Characters in Flight balloon over the Mexico & China pavillions. Both had the French Onion Soup, VL had the filet and I had the French menu, both excelllent! As was the creme brulee! But, the biggest surprise was when our server, Magali, wheeled a cart to our table & VOILA! A little mouse named REMY appeared! Remy & VL carried on a conversation in French. Eh! Oh sorry, that was a flashback to Canada. Our server, Magali, was from Nice, spoke English quite well, that was from 3 years in London before going to DW.
After Chef's we returned Test Track for our fast pass and then it was back to AKL to pass the evening away.

Day 5-Wednesday, 1/20/10

I would like to thank everyone for their positive comments. I've never done this B4 and am constantly asking VL if anyone has any comments/questions. I worry I'm just rambling on and on about dumb stuff of no interest to others.

One advantage to being a DVC member is that you don't have to pack too many clothes 'cause you can do laundry at the resort. I know doing laundry isn't exactly everyone's idea of a vacation, but when you can amble over the bridge on the 5th floor at beautiful Jambo House to the laundry room (2 minute walk) deposit your laundry in the washers/dryers and then amble back to your room and leisurely sit on your deck having breakfast and watching something other than cats & dogs interact, that is soooooooo! relaxing, makes laundry enjoyable.

This is WDW for Grownups, correct? No little ones reading it? Just want to make sure before I tell you that the Zebras on the Savanna do get AMOROUS or at least try! And try. And try again. (If at first you don't succeed, try try again!) Must have been something in the watering hole, 'cause even the Roan Antelope were into it! As much as the Zebras are nasty & amorous, I equate Ostriches to the paparazzi! Always the first on the scene, sticking their noses in where they don't belong (not in the sand).

That evening we had dinner at BOMA, which is a beautiful restaurant serving a sumptuous buffet!. Our server was named Brahim and the carving station was manned by Jerry. Some of the food we enjoyed: Nut Crusted Salmon, mmm mmm, good; African Spice Strip Loin, Ancho BBQ Ribs, Bobuti (meat pie), Tofu Curried Green Beans (I've never eaten Tofu, don't like the looks/texture) but these were very good, Carrot Ginger Soup, Lentil Sausage Soup, Miehle Bread (similar to corn bread), African Fruit Fool, Pita Bread Chips, Zebra Domes, Cinnamon/Chocolate Mousse, Banana Bread Pudding w/Vanilla Sauce, but you could have the Rum Sauce instead and they do have the standard kid's fare: Mac & Cheese, Chicken Nuggets, Pasta w/Tomato Sauce, Meatballs, etc.
Oh, if you do go to Boma, go up to Jerry at the carving station and tell him he would love GAINSVILLE!! He & VL were talking DRAG RACING!

Day 6, 1/21/10-Taking longer to report on our trip than it did to take it.

Up at 6-with a pastry from MARA for breakfast-not cooking until 7 and VL & I wanted to make the opening ceremonies at MK. Park opened at 8, but Adventureland & Frontierland didn't open until 9. Went on Its a Small World, Peter Pan & Snow White. Lot of refurbishing taking place around the Crystal Palace and Cinderella Castle (the moat was dry). Once Adventure & Frontier lands were open, we rode the Jungle Cruise and Pirates of Carribean, split a dole whip, then on to Haunted Mansion. After HM, we walked over to tomorrow land. Carousel of Progress is still one of our favorites, . Rode the TTA's people transporter, they changed the recording, no longer announce "Paging Mr Morrow, Mr Tom Morrow" or the one about keeping forward facing tentacles...., did Buzz Light Year and Laugh Factory, VL's image was flashed up on the screen as "hiding 3rd eye under hat". Stopped at the main street bakery to enjoy a chocolate chip cookie and a walnut brownie. It was a long morning! Went back to AKL to rest/relax.

Dinner reservations were at 5 at Whispering Canyon Cafe. We've eaten there before and enjoyed it, But this time, both of us were disappointed, not only in the food but the atmosphere. Had the Canyon Skillet-neither of us was impressed, BBQ Ribs were very, very fatty, brisket tough, pulled pork-not much flavor, just a little smokey. Even dessert was just ok. VL had Kahlua Choc Cake-good. I had Bourbon Pecan Pie w/choc sauce, plenty of pecans, but no flavor, even the bourbon couldn't help, didn't finish it and I'm not one to leave any dessert behind. I don't know if the guests weren't into it, but there wasn't much participation from them or CMs, only 1 little horse parade for the kids and no yelling for ketchup, etc.
Well, back to AKL for the night, there is a tornado watch in effect until 3 a.m.