Trip Report *COMPLETED* 6 Parks, F&W Fest, MNSSHP & One HUGEEE Surprise!!!

Hi everyone! We got back from our Disney vacation two days ago and I am still exhausted and unfortunately sick, but I wanted to jump right into the report because if I don’t do it now, it will never get done!

You can find my pre-trip report here, http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/first-trip-in-6-years-with-a-wdw-first-timer.915675/ but here is a quick recap:

Who: My boyfriend, Mark, and yours truly

What: 5-Day Park Hopper Tickets, Food & Wine Festival, One night at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary-Halloween Party, One day at Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure and one HUUUUGE surprise, but I’m not giving anything away just yet!! You’ll have to follow along J

When: September 26th-October 3rd

Where: POP Century

Why: Mark’s first trip to Disney, and my first time back since being an AP 6 years ago!

Now that we have the particulars out of the way, let’s dive on in!

 

[Ciara]

I don't think I stopped singing "Be Our Guest" for the rest of the day! I would definitely eat there again!

I cant stop singing this most days

 

[sheriffwoody]

Loving your report! My husband does the same thing taking pictures...it's hard to get him to agree to smile for one. You two look like you have so much fun together! Can't wait to read more.

 

[dclfan]

I can't wait to hear what your surprise is. You have me on the edge of my seat.
Great report so far.

 

[Second Star to the Right]

lol "it's a small world after all"

He's one of my best friends. Was in my wedding party

How funny! He was great, knew quite a bit about the animals. I learned some fun new facts!

 

[Second Star to the Right]

Loving your report! My husband does the same thing taking pictures...it's hard to get him to agree to smile for one. You two look like you have so much fun together! Can't wait to read more.

Thank you, and thanks following along! We definitely enjoy our time together. He's hilarious I'm just plain weird, so we have a good time!

 

[Second Star to the Right]

I can't wait to hear what your surprise is. You have me on the edge of my seat.
Great report so far.

Thank you for following along! I can't wait to actually reveal what the surprise was haha I guess that means I better get back to the report!

 

[Second Star to the Right]

Happy Monday, everyone! Sorry for the delay. I had to get a ton of housework done this weekend and didn't have time to even go on my computer. Let's pick up where we left off, shall we?

We had just finished an awesome Kilimanjaro Safari Tour, and everything that I had read about the animals being out earlier in the morning was right. I feel like we saw a ton of animals, it was awesome!

After our tour of the safari, we walked through the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail since it is right next to KS.

This guy was massive! My sister in law is terrified of frogs, so I had to take a picture of him and send it to her. I'm so sweet!

Naked mole rats! I'm still not sure how I feel about them...are they ugly? are they cute? Are they so ugly they're cute?

Tortoise butt!

You can't tell from this picture, but I SWEAR this little guy was eating a taco salad!

 

[Second Star to the Right]

Time for the 'gorilla' part of the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail

This guy was awesome. He is my spirit animal. He kept his back to everyone the entire time!

CLOSE to the same size

Nap time!

Saw this guy on the way out. He was just massive. We were at least 20+ yards away and he looked giant. I can't imagine that up close!

 

[Second Star to the Right]

The next stop would be to go face a Yeti on Expedition Everest! This is one of my favorite coasters so a FP+ was a must!

Got to catch some of this performance again while heading to Everest

This was the point where I realized it was going to be a VERY hot day and wearing a black t-shirt was not smart.

We took advantage that there was a PP photographer there without a wait and asked him to take a picture of us. I'm still glad I didn't buy the Memory Maker because as I've said, it's like pulling teeth to get Mark to take a picture so I can't see him wanting to stand in line to get his picture taken at all the hot spots around the parks.

Also, my chilly pad and purse covers it, but my shirt says "Straight Outta Neverland". This was the first purchase I made when I knew we were going to Disney! Had to.

 

[Second Star to the Right]

I wasn't brave enough to use my phone and take pictures during the entire ride, but I snapped a few on the way up the mountain!

Construction on Pandora in the background! I will absolutely have to come back to see that once it is completed. It sounds like it will be amazing. I was also bummed Rivers of Light wasn't going on when we were there. After everything I had read about the Jungle Book Alive with Magic, I didn't even bother considering watching it. We had other plans anyways

We survived!

After facing a Yeti we were getting pretty hungry. I showed Mark the different QS options and let him pick. I was personally hoping for Flame Tree BBQ, but when he saw Harambe Market offered Tikka Masala that was the winner. SO! Back over to Africa we went!

We caught a couple more characters on the way

 

[Second Star to the Right]

I'm really going to regret posting these next few pictures so close to lunch time...I can already hear my stomach growling!

Before we hit Harambe Market for food I had to see if something I had read was true...at Tamu Tamu Refreshments you can get a spiked Dole Whip...

That amazing person wasn't lying! I love coconut and pineapple together, so that was the obvious choice for me!

It was SO good! They should honestly make all the Dole Whips with coconut extract added in. It's like a pina colada for cryin out loud!

Mark isn't much of a drinker, so he let me enjoy my treat on my own. No judging, I was on vacation! Plus, as I had mentioned it was already incredibly hot, so a nice treat to cool me down was a bonus! Before we walked away though, the CM that gave me the DW said to hang on for a second. After a moment, he came back with a chocolate dipped pull-apart bread for us at no charge. That was so nice and incredibly unexpected. We were the only ones in line so I'm sure that had something to do with it, but it was a great start to the afternoon! I let Mark have the pull-apart bread since I had my DW to tackle. I did try a bite though and we both agree the bread is actually better without the chocolate. I never thought I would say something like that!

Now, onto actual lunch. We both basically ate dessert first, but who cares? Again, we're on vacation. There are no rules when it comes to food.

As I said, Mark went for the Tikka Masala and I ordered the Karubi Ribs. The only downfall about this place is that there is only one dessert, so there really isn't an option. If you are on the dining plan that's a bummer. Oh, and the outdoor seating isn't ideal on a hot day, but it is covered so it's not unbearable. We were actually comfortable while eating, but it's good to note.

Mark's Tikka Masala...again, the portion was huge!

My ribs...I immediately regretted getting the Dole Whip first. There was NO way I would be able to finish all of this!

Both of our meals came with a side of corn & bean salsa and that was very good! Light and refreshing.

Here was the dessert, the African milk tart.

Happy boy with his Tikka Masala and Naan. Look at that concentration

Thoughts on the food: My ribs were excellent! They were so tender I didn't need a knife. The coleslaw added a nice tang to the meat as well. Mark said his masala was less yogurt-based than normal, but it was still very good and had great flavor. Like I said, the portions were huge so we tried to eat as much of the lunch as possible because we didn't want to be wasteful.

Then we realized we still had our desserts...We both forced ourselves to eat a few bites. It was good, but again we agreed it didn't need the chocolate crust around the outside. That was a bit heavy and didn't really add any flavor. The custard portion was good and had a nice flavor. I would definitely eat here again, but I want to try Flame Tree BBQ first the next time.

 

[Second Star to the Right]

Our next adventure was a FP+ at Kali River Rapids. I didn't tell Mark anything about this ride before we went on I was nice enough to tell him to bring a pair of flip-flops into the park with us though. So right before we got to the loading zone, we pulled over to the side and he changed into his flip flops from his sneakers. I was already wearing flip flops that day, so I pulled out the Ziploc baggies I brought with us and shoved our cell phones in them. We had several people pass us as we were doing this and they all made the same comment, "Ugh! I wish I had thought to bring flip flops!" hahaha. I could have gone the extra mile and brought our ponchos, but I don't actually mind getting wet on a ride when it's 95 degrees out!

You really can't tell from this picture, but we did get pretty darn soaked! The actual rapid portions only got us a little bit wet; it was those dang water-blaster spots. The raft turned perfectly in time for us to both get hit square in the face. Twice. hahaha

The next stop was Maharajah Jungle Trek to see some dragons!! After all, Winter is Coming.

He blends in nicely with the rock.

Mark's favorite superhero is Batman, so of course we had to stop by the bat pavilion. I was not a fan of the fact that there was no glass or screen between you and the giant bats. Some lady got a kick out of me coming to this realization while we were in the pavilion. I'm assuming because I sounded like a giant baby

The basically get to be the size of pterodactyls when they spread their wings I may be exaggerating...but only by a little.

We only got to see the head of one Tiger who was fast asleep. She was nestled against a wall so my pictures came out terribly, but still cool to see.

 

[Second Star to the Right]

After the Jungle Trek Mark wanted to go over to DinoLand because he loves dinosaurs and was excited to see that area. I tried not to tell him anything about it prior to going just so he wouldn't have any ill-preconceived notions. Without Dinosaur, that area is incredibly lacking, especially for adults. But, we had just missed the Finding Nemo the Musical performance, so there wasn't anything else that I wanted to do at that moment.

I did have to stop and get a beer along the way though! This is a Golden Monkey from Thirsty River Bar and Trek Snacks next to EE. I asked for a recommendation and the bartender said this is one of the most popular because it has 9% alcohol content, but has the flavor of a Blue Moon. She was right about one of those things. Thank goodness our lunch was so big otherwise I would have been stumbling around the park!

Next stop: Dinoland.

That was the only picture I took. We walked around, I showed Mark where Dinosaur should be, and basically walked out. Mark was so disappointed. That's when I told him without Dinosaur that area is rather lame. But, he wanted to see it so I don't mind that we took a nice stroll

After that we wanted to get into some air conditioning, so we decided to peruse some of the shops at Discovery Island. This is where we would have our first (and really only) bad CM experience, and it wasn't really even that bad, just odd.

There was a girl walking in one of the stores with a pink shirt on that had some words on it but they were being covered by her purse strap. The CM, I'm assuming to initiate guest interaction, asked her what her shirt said, to which she replied "On Wednesday's We Wear Pink" (It was a Wednesday), but she just kept walking. He looked perplexed, so I volunteered that it's from the movie Mean Girls. Again, he looked perplexed. I expanded on that and let him know that Mean Girls is a movie written by Tina Fey..and that is where he cut me off. He went off on a tangent about how he hates Tina Fey and Amy Poehler and can't stand anything they are in, and if he was forced to watch one of their movies he must be dead because that wouldn't happen....ooooook? I finally had to start walking away because he was still talking to me about how he despises them after 5 minutes. To each his own I guess? It just felt like a really odd time for you to explain your opposition to them.

Anyways! After that unusual encounter I checked the DME app and saw It's Tough to be a Bug only had a 10 minute wait. Hooray for more AC! On our way over we ran into Tarzan with no wait, so I figured why not?!

This is him picking the 'bugs" out of my hair...I swear, I showered!

I explained to Mark that in order to keep the leaves on the tree so green they have CMs come out ever 15 minutes to water it...I don't think he believed me.

Maybe he does like me after all!!

Here is where I will gripe for just a minute...what does "move all the way down" mean to everyone?? Does that mean stop in the middle of the row and make everyone else climb all over you? Because it certainly does for some people! I understand if people do not speak English and can't understand that is what the CM is saying, but you would think they would get the hint when a hundred people are stepping and stumbling over them. I also know for a fact these particular people I'm referring to spoke English because we heard them when we were in the waiting area. This wouldn't be the only time it happened on the trip, and it happened several times to us at Universal in February so it's top of mind for me lol

We did proceed all the way down the row which meant we were all the way to the left of the theater, which was nice for a quick exit, but they were not ideal seats to get the full 3D effect. It's still an adorable show as always!

 

[lostpro9het]

I did have to stop and get a beer along the way though! This is a Golden Monkey from Thirsty River Bar and Trek Snacks next to EE. I asked for a recommendation and the bartender said this is one of the most popular because it has 9% alcohol content, but has the flavor of a Blue Moon. She was right about one of those things. Thank goodness our lunch was so big otherwise I would have been stumbling around the park!
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Golden Monkey is so good but your comparison to Blue Moon has me questioning your sanity....

Enjoying your TR so far.

 

[njDizFan]

ugh...row stoppers are the bain of my existence. Seriously just move down or I may have to accidentally trample your feet.


Haha, nice GoT reference

 

[Second Star to the Right]

Golden Monkey is so good but your comparison to Blue Moon has me questioning your sanity....

Enjoying your TR so far.

hahaha! The bartender compared it to Blue Moon, not me! I certainly questioned HER sanity after my first sip. It was definitely a good beer, but nothing like Blue Moon! Thanks for following along!

 

[Second Star to the Right]

ugh...row stoppers are the bain of my existence. Seriously just move down or I may have to accidentally trample your feet.


Haha, nice GoT reference

You get bonus points for getting the reference! After this trip, strollers and motorized scooters are the bane of my existence!! Mark and I both agreed that we learned a lot about ourselves on this trip, specifically, what we are able to tolerate.

 

[Second Star to the Right]

After our shopping and watching It's Tough to be a Bug, we had JUST missed Nemo the Musical again! It's such a cute show, and I'm sure Mark would have liked it, but we just couldn't make it work this time. I had planned our days ahead of time, but I didn't want us rushing around if we didn't have to since that's really not Mark's thing. He's much more go-with-the-flow. Nemo the Musical would have been an added plus if we had gotten to see it, but not a huge deal. Just another excuse to come back

We decided to explore Harambe Market a bit more since we really didn't do that earlier. It's such an amazingly-themed area! At that point, Mark felt the need for an afternoon pick-me-up, so another stop into Starbucks was in order. I think the heat was really getting to us that day. We both agreed that we had done everything we wanted to do/see so we went over to Festival of the Lion King for the 2 o'clock show even though we had FP+ for the 3 o'clock show. The wait was only 10 minutes, and this way I figured we could have time to explore AKL before our dinner reservations at Sanaa.

This was my first time seeing FotLK. I had never really had an interest in going to see it anytime we visited AK. But, let me say this...I just saw The Lion King on Broadway for the first time this summer, and I found FotLK to be FAR more entertaining. It was a nice twist because it wasn't just a retelling of the movie, which I was afraid it would be. I could have watched acrobats and the fire-performer ALL day. It's mesmerizing.

Out seats...we were in the Giraffe section

I loved his voice! I'm so jealous of anyone that can sing well!

 

[Second Star to the Right]

For anyone that hasn't seen the show, there are 4 sections for the audience, and they each get an animal associated with them: Lions, Elephants, Warthogs and Giraffes. To get the audience participating, the performers go around to each section and have you mimic the sound your designated animal makes...when it came time for our section to make their noise, everyone just looked dumbfounded. Who the heck knows what a giraffe sounds like?? Well, apparently they sound like a sheep. Who knew?

These guys were just awesome to watch.

I also loved that Timon was a real person and not some type of animatronic character.

And then there was this guy....Excuse me, while I pick my jaw up off the floor

If we ever get to Disney again and we got to AK, I would 100% see this again!

 

[njDizFan]

For anyone that hasn't seen the show, there are 4 sections for the audience, and they each get an animal associated with them: Lions, Elephants, Warthogs and Giraffes. To get the audience participating, the performers go around to each section and have you mimic the sound your designated animal makes...when it came time for our section to make their noise, everyone just looked dumbfounded. Who the heck knows what a giraffe sounds like?? Well, apparently they sound like a sheep. Who knew?

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These guys were just awesome to watch.
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I also loved that Timon was a real person and not some type of animatronic character.
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And then there was this guy....Excuse me, while I pick my jaw up off the floor

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If we ever get to Disney again and we got to AK, I would 100% see this again!

I just saw this show for the first time on my last trip also. I don't know what I was waiting for it was absolutely brilliant.

Who doesn't love a fire dancer!! Check out the Luau some time...that guy is great