Trip Report Doing it Live One Last Time! It's Our "Let's Try Some New Things" Summer Adventure to Disney World

Since its already after nine and we are getting up at 2:45 for our drive from the Lehigh Valley to the Philadelphia airport, I figured I'd get the beginning details of our trip posted.

Our flight is scheduled for 6:50 am arriving in Orlando at 9:20. Ive been looking all week on the SWA site, and it has shown this flight arriving early each morning this week!

Our first resort is AKL. We plan on dropping off the kid's carry on bags at bell services, trying to check-in, then heading straight to the MK. We have FP+ for Peter Pan at 12:30, followed by lunch at the Plaza at 1. After lunch, we have FP+ for SDMT and Space Mountain. Crystal and I were able to ride the mine train twice during the 24 hours in May, but that was an adults only trip (really wish I had done a live TR for that trip), so this will be a first for Brayden and Madelyn.

We have a week long stay planned at AKL before moving to GF for a week and finishing up a relaxing resort only stay at YC. We never just did resort only activities in WDW, so this will be a first for us.

Other firsts this trip will be both water parks, La Nouba, and Harambe Nights. We also have The Frozen activities planned in HS.

We are trying a few new restaurants as well. As I stated in the countdown thread, we have no plans on a trip to WDW or DL anytime soon. We really want to see and do many of the things we always talk about, but somehow never end up doing.

Have a good night everyone, and I'll be posting as time allows in the morning. Really excited for this trip!

 

[jlsHouston]

Wifi really stinks at AKL today. I'm glad I can use my phone since my laptop has been useless all day

My only complaint about AKL, I'm sorry to hear it hasn't improved. So far BC has best WIFI of all resorts and that was even before the upgrade!

 

[coachwnh]

Making our way to Animal Kingdom earlier tonight for Harambe Nights. We were very impressed with so much from this show. There were plenty of seats before and after the show. The food and drink were plentiful and easy to get to. We never had a long wait.

The show itself was great. Not at all what I expected. I kept forgetting that the music we were hearing was actually the orchestra and choir. It was like I was watching the movie with sound! Fantastic night all around. And the theming of that entire area is fantastic. Loved it!

I guess everyone has to stop for a picture here when you enter Animal Kingdom, right?

Madelyn was the first to get her face painted. I was next. And before the night was out, Brayden got his too.

None of me painted however.

 

[coachwnh]

Enjoying some of the appetizers before the show.

 

[coachwnh]

Getting set for the show

And meeting a few more characters after the show

Brayden and Madelyn learning how to play some African instruments with Nadine. She was from South Africa.

Someone else wanted to learn too!

Madelyn asked me when we were walking out tonight what show I liked better, Harambe Nights or Frozen. I couldn't pick one or the other. They were both excellent and I'm glad we were able to do both of them on this trip.

 

[coachwnh]

Thats all for tonight. Going to a water park in the morning. Not sure which one yet. The first water park bus that arrives at the resort tomorrow morning is the one we are getting on. Good night and thanks for reading.

 

[coachwnh]

Typhoon Lagoon was the first bus to show up, so that's where we are going this morning

Kids are all set for their first Disney water park!

 

[epcotisbest]

Space Ship Earth

This is the FP wait

View attachment 60011

Enjoying this new trip report @coachwnh
Looks like another great adventure for the always photogenic coach family.
Here is a pic of the line at SSE during our last trip.

 

[coachwnh]

Finishing up a great morning at Typhoon Lagoon with a quick lunch at the Leaning Palms

Maddy had to make a pit stop at first aid after scraping her foot on the wave pool floor, but all is well

 

[cw1982]

Finishing up a great morning at Typhoon Lagoon with a quick lunch at the Leaning Palms

Maddy had to make a pit stop at first aid after scraping her foot on the wave pool floor, but all is well

View attachment 60109

Seems like I've heard a lot about people scraping their feet or even their legs on that pool floor... hmm. Glad she's okay.

And I'm loving this report, just like the others!

 

[jlsHouston]

Finishing up a great morning at Typhoon Lagoon with a quick lunch at the Leaning Palms

Maddy had to make a pit stop at first aid after scraping her foot on the wave pool floor, but all is well

View attachment 60109

I should have told you the wave pool is almost deadly. Last summer the grandkids convinced me to add water parks to their tickets and my friend came with us with her little boy as my babysitter during morning hours while I worked. They decided on Typhoon Lagoon one fine Wednesday morning. Well about 4 hours later they returned. Kathy was minus a gold necklace. Apparently the first thing that happened is CiCi and Jayce beelined for the wave pool and Kathy ran after them dragging Evan. The way she told the story an epic Tidal Wave then formed before she could even get to my grandkids. She said she barely had time to grab up Evan in her arms and kind of duck down. When the wave subsided 3 very large men were around her helping her and Evan up who luckily held his breath and CiCi and Jayce thankfully rode the wave and resurfaced with no issues but that was it for the wave pool.
Pretty much they floated the lazy river after that...
Hope Maddie got doctored up.

 

[jlsHouston]

Also great trip report, as usual, and your family looks great, (as usual and yes your wife puts the best outfits on the kiddos! )

 

[coachwnh]

Also great trip report, as usual, and your family looks great, (as usual and yes your wife puts the best outfits on the kiddos! )

Thanks

 

[coachwnh]

Just waiting for the bus back to AKL

Dinner tonight at La Hacienda de San Angel in Epcot for 5. We have FP+ for Test Track after (we have others before, but we aren't using them - why they make you take three if you don't want them still makes no sense to me) then over to MK tonight

 

[coachwnh]

Although the wave pool wiped Maddy out, it was the Shark Reef that was the biggest bust. The kids had a tough time using the snorkel, and ultimately I made the swim solo. Overall, a great first Disney water park for us. We will do Blizzard Beach on this trip as well.

 

[Tuvalu]

Although the wave pool wiped Maddy out, it was the Shark Reef that was the biggest bust. The kids had a tough time using the snorkel, and ultimately I made the swim solo. Overall, a great first Disney water park for us. We will do Blizzard Beach on this trip as well.

Did you guys ride Crush n Gusher? That was our Typhoon Lagoon favorite!

 

[mickey2008.1]

Great live TR! Lots of detail on the new special summer shows which shows that WDW is trying new things. How are the lines and crowds? It does not look too bad from your pics, but that can be deceiving.

 

[coachwnh]

Did you guys ride Crush n Gusher? That was our Typhoon Lagoon favorite!

We did all three slides with almost no wait first thing this morning. We were all asking each other what our favorite was today, but I couldn't decide. I guess that was. The middle slide was my favorite of the three.

 

[coachwnh]

Great live TR! Lots of detail on the new special summer shows which shows that WDW is trying new things. How are the lines and crowds? It does not look too bad from your pics, but that can be deceiving.

We keep saying that it does not seem crowded at all

 

[coachwnh]

Well I've been having major camera issues for two days now. Most pictures so far have been iPhone type. That had to change, so after Typhoon Lagoon I asked the front desk where I can get a camera locally. Two minutes later I had round trip cab vouchers to a shopping center. Thanks Danie! With new camera in hand, we are on our way back to AKL!

 

[coachwnh]

Doing some activities in the lobby since our room is getting cleaned