Trip Report Let in snoap, let it snoap, let in snoap *Completed*

Soooooo we landed back in a grey, cold London a week ago. It’s hardly stopped raining since and I miss Disney! Time to start my trip report
It’s my first attempt so go easy on me
I now realise what detailed notes some must make to share such fabulous reports with us all..... I did not make fab notes so let’s see how this goes!

My pre-trip is here: https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/the-trip-reports-made-me-do-it.961639/#post-8956121


But the key bits summarised are:
Who: Me and M
Why: I wanted to do a Disney Christmas, but not Christmas week! We also celebrated 15 years together during the holiday.
When: 29th November- 9th December
Where: Animal Kingdom Lodge

A preview pic to break up the text lol

 

[KellBelle]

Count me in!

 

[Oh bother!]

We took a walk along the trails.

we were a tad concerned that the parrots were not meant to be sitting above the tiger enclosures, I think they took a detour after flights of wonder!
The details on the trail are beautiful and when we got there we stopped to chat with the CM about the younger tigers as we saw them as cubs last visit

we moved on to the Africa areas
We visited Cleatus the bullfrog! The CM looked at me like I was crazy for my frog based enthusiasm but cleatus in an insta star

 

[Oh bother!]

Nonsense removed from end of last post we continue with November 30th

With a bit of patience we got a good view of baby Grace. They viewing area was nothing short of chaos with people shoving and pushing and leaning waaaaay over the ropes. Once we found a good spot we just waited it out for a bit until the mummy was willing to give us a better view of baby.

We had a FP for the Safari, which I’d made in case we didn’t make it during EMH,so we did that again as we both really enjoy it.
so more pictures....

Safari’s done for the day we headed back towards Pandora and grabbed a DAS return for the stopped for a few photopass pics

I was happy to see the banshee joined us in this one as I have the same picture from 2018 but with the “magic” missing so we just look like absolutely weirdos looking up!

By now the cinnamon bun seemed a long time ago so lunch was in order at the canteen! Mobile order just wouldn’t load so I gave up and joined the queue. It didn’t take long but was somewhat happened by people not being able to walk to the number queue they were asked to.

I went for to combo bowl with salad base and a beer. M had a combo with noodles and a different beer but apparently he was to hungry to wait for a picture.

Full we headed towards our final FP for navi. M was not happy about this, he thinks it’s boring and not worth the time for one good animatronic at the end. I can’t argue with his points but I do think what is there, albeit not the longest, is beautiful. So we did that with the promise of another drink after!
No photos from navi, I think the standby was pretty long but the FP queue moved quickly.

We headed to the FotLK. I didn’t take pictures this time and decided to just enjoy the show. My favourite bit is the birds dancing to can you feel the love.
The audience seemed a little flat and not to be fully into the show. We enjoyed it although agreed it wasn’t the strongest performance we had ever seen.

After so many good reviews I wanted to give Nomand Lounge a try. When we arrived all outside sitting was taken, we looked inside and same so came back out thinking we would have to make do with dawa. A small table near the entrance opened up just then so we quickly grabbed that. It didn’t have the lovely views we had hoped for but was better than nothing.

I ordered a leaping lizard, not sure what M had but it was rum based and I didn’t like it!

Drinks finished and paid we knew we had to start heading out. We decided this trip to be sure to take both in park and at hotel breaks. This both helped with general tiredness but also gave me a chance to rest my leg, ice it and grab some pain relief if needed.

On the way out we stopped at the latest Instagram famous wall/gate.... but apparently I’m at my photo limit so those and the other Photopass pics we got on the way out will be in the next post!

 

[Oh bother!]

November 30th (still!)
The pictures that took me over my photo limit....

As we got to discovery island we found the puppets were out and about.

If you get the chance it’s worth a brief stop to see them. It’s simple and not something that takes too much time but they are well detailed and the CMs try to give everyone their turn to get a picture.

When our photopass came through we also found one of the birds had photobombed which added a nice surprise!

Coming up...
Saturday evening at Disney Springs including our first encounter with the snoap!

 

[Oh bother!]

November 30th... Disney Springs

After a rest it was time to head for Disney Springs for the second evening in a row.

Tonight we were trying somewhere new to us.... Homecomin’. I’d heard good things both from Disney Food Blog and from trip reports here.

Our first impressions weren’t great. We were told to grab a seat whilst we waited, but where? All outside areas for drinks or waiting were very full.
I took a few pictures whilst we stood around.

20 minutes after our reservation time we were called. Now I know that isn’t awful and this is really the very definition of a first world problem but it does annoy me to wait more than a few minutes past reservation times. Not only do I never encounter this outside of “the world” but Disney want you to plan and plan and 20 mins can make all the difference in those timings.

Anyway rant over!

We were seated and our server quickly came over and immediately made me feel better about our choice to dine here. I didn’t get his name but he took time to explain the options and our dining plan choices.

We both had fried chicken and both switched the mash potatoes to mac and cheese

It was fantastic but how are you meant to eat it all! We left so much but being on dining plan we had dessert to come yet
We took a little time and enjoyed our drinks before considering our dessert choices, although M’s apple pie cocktail was almost a dessert on its on

I don’t have a picture of my drink but I’m pretty sure I had a fruit moonshine cocktail.

Once we felt able to brave it we ordered our cakes, Hummingbird for M and Chocolate for me.

I only seem to have a picture of the chocolate

This might be the first time I’ve ever left chocolate cake! It was so good but I was already sure I’d be waddling out of there without eating more!

We settled up and decided to do some shopping.

it was our first time seeing the new World of Disney. It definitely seemed easier to navigate but I can also see the point that some of the charm is lost. We looked in various shops whilst we made our way to my favourite.... The Dress Shop, Cherry Tree Lane in the co-op.

I tried on a few dresses and settled on the Pixar ball dress. The dress is upstairs and I am being to lazy to go and take a picture so photo thanks to ShopDisney

They don’t sell these in Paris yet and getting them shipped to the UK can be pricey so I was also picking one up for a friend, but they didn’t have her choice so I would need to get in contact with her and come back another day. I did collect the loungefly she asked me to pick up, I’ll spare you the pick as you’ve all seen enough of the frozen aqua range by now!

We debated if to head out and try and catch the Magic Kingdom fireworks but knew we might be cutting it close so instead thought we would tick of one of my Christmas “must do’s” and head to the Christmas Tree Trail.

Now the photos won’t make it look that bad but let me assure you this was a mistake! I think I was pushed and shoved and in more of a crowd here than at any other time over the whole holiday. It was crazy busy!

We took some photos on our way through but I certainly didn’t have to re-take them or think about the positioning before someone else jumped in!

 

[Oh bother!]

November 30th ..... more trees

And the snoap has started!

I had to get a picture with the Haunted Mansion tree!

It was so busy I couldn’t even be bothered to go to the bar.... that is never a good sign with me

We finished up looking at the trees and headed to the bus stop. I think we stopped in a few stores on the way but don’t have any photos or notes so can’t have been exciting!

As usual the bus from springs seemed to take ages, but maybe we just timed the badly!

I wish I had the opportunity to see the tree trail when it was less crowded. They were so well themed but I just didn’t feel like a could fully enjoy it or take time to really look.

Back at the lodge we headed straight to the room and bed! It had been a busy first day!

 

[Oh bother!]

So before I continue with Sunday I mentioned above our SDD photo didn’t show.

well I’ve now been emailing Disney back and forth since during our trip. Photos are starting to appear but we are still missing some.

The product of my efforts.....

Wish I hadn’t bothered

 

[Oh bother!]

Sunday December 1st

Tonight would be our first ever MVMCP but we had a few plans before that!

As we weren’t sure what impact RoTR opening later in our stay would have we decided to hit EMHs this morning. The plan was pretty simple: M would ride smugglers run, drink in oga’s and out!


We were at the bus stop nice and early but it was busy! Not all guest made it on to the first bus. The second pulled up just after us at the park so I know they didn’t have a long wait.

We arrived just after 7 and I told M to give me the bag and go so he could get in the queue. I had no intention of riding smugglers run. I don’t do that well with screen based rides, I risk them for those I really want to but Star Wars wasn’t something I felt was worth making myself sick over!

M text me to say the queue was 70 mins, he couldn’t select single rider yet but would as soon as he reached that point.

I stopped for a few photopass pictures

The Christmas decorations in HWS really are well done so I took some time to look at those, knowing M wouldn’t be that interested, and made sure to get my Gertie pictures.

Everyone was in the queue for smugglers run so I took the opportunity to get some fairly empty pictures in the park and in galaxies edge

 

[Oh bother!]

December 1st... in a galaxy far, far away

So full disclosure, I’ve never seen a Star Wars movie. I saw about 10 mins of the one with the strange creature with big ears that’s it.

So bored of taking picture of things I didn’t understand I went to TSL.

Something I understand!

TSMM had a 10 min wait so I jumped in line thinking I could get in some practice and maybe beat M later in the week.

I’ll need to do better than this to beat M

I had a look in the gift shop and chatted with the CM there about why I wasn’t on smugglers run!

M text around then to say he was done and would head towards TSL to meet me.

We decided to pay Woody’s lunchbox a visit.
We shared a s’mores sandwich. This can only be described as breakfast whilst on holiday! It was good but I’m glad we split it as more could have been a little sickly.

Over breakfast M told me about his first go piloting the falcon.
It turned out he and another guy were assigned different positions first but somehow when they went to board there were 8 not 6 people. The CM pulled M and the other single rider to one side and put them in a private vessel. So naturally they both chose to pilot.
He said it was good but would be better with a larger group, that said he didn’t think I would enjoy it!

We needed to go back to oga’s for our reservation. We couldn’t enter via TSL so walked the long way round. We had a bit of time to kill and M hasn’t yet looked around so we wandered and got some photos.

up next.... spending a fortune on a drink I don’t want!

 

[Oh bother!]

December 1st.... with a 9.05 “breakfast reservation” for a bar....

Before we headed to oga’s M took a couple of pictures for my ig page for me. I decided to bound as one of the only two characters I know... BB8. The other is yoda and I don’t own anything in that green

We checked in for our reservation and stood in the long queue that isn’t really a queue as they call you when your “space” is ready.

We were called and shown to this tiny space at the bar which I wasn’t entirely sure the two of us would fit it and probably wouldn’t have wanted to share with someone I was less familiar with!!

I already knew exactly what I wanted.... a bloody rancor. I don’t know what a rancor is but I know a Bloody Mary is an acceptable breakfast drink.
Except I couldn’t have one..... they had all “run away” at 9.10am!!!

OK.... I’ll consult the menu.

we ended up with a yub nub for M. He asked for it without the ridiculously priced glass. This was responded to with some sarcasm from the CM that is was difficult to serve without it. This didn’t improve my mood or impression of the place.

I ordered this blue thing... maybe a mind trick?

We took a few pictures and tried to enjoy the atmosphere but I just didn’t! I didn’t get it, the drinks weren’t that amazing for the price and I was getting bumped standing at the bar.

We finished, paid and left.
We both agreed it would be a one and done, except I had a reservation for 6th December the day after RoTR opened and we weren’t sure if it would be helpful for land access to have a reservation so for now I kept it.

We got a few more photopass pics on the way out including this seasonal magic shot then headed back to AKL.

 

[Darstarr]

I love the Jedi Mind Trick
And when you think about it, your server was being kinda funny, it is hard to serve a drink without a glass
My husband got the Yub Nub but was told to leave the glass and he wouldn't get charged for it. I would have preferred the witty banter. Sorry you didnt like it.

 

[Oh bother!]

I love the Jedi Mind Trick❤
And when you think about it, your server was being kinda funny, it is hard to serve a drink without a glass
My husband got the Yub Nub but was told to leave the glass and he wouldn't get charged for it. I would have preferred the witty banter. Sorry you didnt like it.

Genuinely wouldn’t have minded if it came across witty.... unfortunately it didn’t this time around. We didn’t really feel the entire experience with him was particularly good, more like we were a bit of an inconvenience
They were busy, which I totally understand but he wasn’t particularly attentive or friendly with anyone around us.
I think I might have enjoyed the mind trick more later in the day, it was a bit of a snap decision when they didn’t have what I wanted.

the day got much better from then on though!

 

[Oh bother!]

December 1st continued.....

our bus to AKL came quickly. I wasn’t paying much attention but when I looked up we were passing the entrance to the magic kingdom! I nudged M just to check we were both sure it was a AKL bus. Just at that moment the driver announced he was sorry but having been on the MK resorts all morning he forgot where he was headed and took a wrong turn. The bus wasn’t busy and we all had a little laugh about it. He got us back to AKL safe and sound and having seen a little more of the extended property than I had seen before!

We grabbed our refillable mugs, got some drinks from the Mara and headed outside to relax around the resort for a bit

after a while relaxing we decided we were starting to feel peckish so went back to Mara for a chicken flatbread to split. They also told us we could have a dessert ilo drink on dining plan as we were at resort with a mugs so we split the flamingo cake, it was good!

Now it was time for a nap! We wanted to make sure the time difference didn’t take it’s toll during the Christmas party.

When we woke up it was time to get party ready!

We had plans before the party so I called an Uber to take us to the Polynesian, my first time visiting the resort.
The tree was beautifully decorated

First part of my plan.... I wanted to visit Trader Sam’s. We knew we wouldn’t have time for more than a quick drink but I have failed to get here every other trip so I was taking what I could get!

It was about 2.30 when we walked down and were able to put our name on a list. The CM said we had done the right thing to turn up and put our names down as they were already over half “reserved”.

We were now free to have a walk around so took in a few of the resort details and stopped by the gift shop. M bought the tiki shirt that matches the Dress Shop fabric but we discovered a little issue.... charging had been stopped on my magic band.
We paid by other means. It was a few minutes after we left the shop when I received a message from my credit card company.... apparently I had been doing too much shopping and drinking as they thought it was fraudulent usage! I replied quickly that it was in fact me spending the money. We didn’t have time to do anything about it now so we headed straight to trader sams.
I was amazed at the queues! We were called in a little after three and shared a table with a family.

We enjoyed taking in all the details whilst waiting on our drinks. The servers here were fab and really keeping up with the jokes and theme.
M had a Krakatoa and I chose a spiky pineapple.
We were both very happy with these choices!

The only downside to my drink is it was filling.... and we had a big dinner coming up!

I think both M and I would happily have stayed here much longer if time allowed and agreed we will be back on future trips.
We settled the bill and ran upstairs fearful of being late for our dinner reservation. Our trader sam’s server told me to let them know we had been in there and they wouldn’t mind but as it was we managed to check in only 2 minutes late for our first Ohana dinner!

 

[eliza61nyc]

Another November 29th post... check in!

I promise there will be more photos from this point on!

we checked in quickly and were given a partial savanna view.
View attachment 434550
We did notice a few less animals this time.
I‘m still not sure if it was our schedule or because of the on going works at AKL.
Our room was on 4th floor but because of the third floor being refurbished we had to go up to the 5th, along and back down again. It was a minor inconvenience but did mean the lifts were busy!!!

I am pretty sure we had a refurbished room as I think the bathroom was much nicer then our 2018 visit and a few lion king touches seem to have found their way to the room

View attachment 434554View attachment 434556View attachment 434557
And the all important toiletries
View attachment 434558

At this point we had been up for a looooong while but if we are ever going to adjust to the time we know we have to stay up. So we spent an hour or so unpacking, I found AKL either doesn’t have enough storage for long trips or I travel with too many clothes. We did a quick change, collected our mugs (one Mickey, one with buzz and other characters as I don’t like the Christmas design) and we were off to Hollywood Studios for our first view of Toy Story Land!

ooh love the room pictures, all your pictures are lovely. not sure why you were nervous. great trip report.

 

[Oh bother!]

ooh love the room pictures, all your pictures are lovely. not sure why you were nervous. great trip report.

Thank you! I only used iPhone so it is somewhat limited!

 

[Oh bother!]

December 1st... Ohana!

We had an early reservation, 15.35, so we’re seated quickly.

We had a nice view with the castle just insight.
We ordered drinks

M actually carried the back scratcher all night... imagine how delighted I was to find it’s made it all the way home with us!
We nibbled on the bread which was yummy but we didn’t want to fill up too much.

the salad wasn’t to our taste. The table behind commented on the same thing and the serving staff really encouraged them to write a review. Apparently the old salad had a couple of bad reviews so they changed it but the server said this one was far less popular and a lot was not being eaten.

I loved the dumplings (Potstickers) and probably could have just eaten these all night

I forgot to take a picture before we started!

The meat came round and I tried beef and chicken, I think M had a bit of everything.

I don’t like bananas at all so got some crispy treats and left M to enjoy the famous bread pudding. In all honest we didn’t eat much of either as we were quite full

Overall we enjoyed our meal. We felt a tad rushed and if we didn’t have somewhere exciting to be I would probably have slowed the meal down a little. Also although it’s good I’m not 100% sure it was worth the hype for me. I’ll try it again but won’t be panicking if I can’t get a reservation. I would also like to go later in the day as I’m sure that it would have a much improved atmosphere later in the evening.
the highlight for me was definitely the dumplings!!

full we headed downstairs to reception to see if they could add my credit card back to our account and enable charging again. There was a long queue for reception but it moved fast and the CM has us sorted out in no time.

Back upstairs we headed towards the monorail and our first ever Christmas party!

The monorail security team did the most through bag check I think I have ever seen! Not complaining, better safe than sorry.

We checked into the party and had my first glimpse of the MK tree

Coming up... cookies and snoap at MVMCP

 

[Loco_driver]

Ohana seems to lack consistency when it comes to service. I’ve had times where it’s felt rushed, but my last few times have been a great experience. Sorry you didn’t have a good time at ogas. We are in no hurry to return either, but that’s mostly due to the prices! Really enjoying your report so far. I’ll be looking for myself in the background once you start pictures from December 6! Especially since we were so close!

 

[Oh bother!]

Ohana seems to lack consistency when it comes to service. I’ve had times where it’s felt rushed, but my last few times have been a great experience. Sorry you didn’t have a good time at ogas. We are in no hurry to return either, but that’s mostly due to the prices! Really enjoying your report so far. I’ll be looking for myself in the background once you start pictures from December 6! Especially since we were so close!

If we hadn’t had the party to get to I would have happily slowed them down.
The pricing at oga’s may well have played a part!

I’m being really slow but will try to get to December 6th soon !

 

[Nunu]

True what @Loco_driver said about Ohana. Some servers try to rush people into getting in and out asap, but we don't fall for it. We tell them that we're not it a rush, and they've gotten the message, so far. Good thing, since Frank and I enjoy it there, specially Frank!

We'll go back to Oga's, we liked the more adult, club-ish atmosphere. It's not cheap, but we went in with the idea to have a couple of drinks each, hmmm..., no need! The 1 drink I had, really packed a punch!

Time to come clean:
I'll admit on sipping on Frank's Outer Rim quite a few times , along with drinking my own Yub Nub, maybe a liiiitle too fast!

 

[Oh bother!]

True what @Loco_driver said about Ohana. Some servers try to rush people into getting in and out asap, but we don't fall for it. We tell them that we're not it a rush, and they've gotten the message, so far. Good thing, since Frank and I enjoy it there, specially Frank!

We'll go back to Oga's, we liked the more adult, club-ish atmosphere. It's not cheap, but we went in with the idea to have a couple of drinks each, hmmm..., no need! The 1 drink I had, really packed a punch!

Time to come clean:
I'll admit on sipping on Frank's Outer Rim quite a few times , along with drinking my own Yub Nub, maybe a liiiitle too fast!

I definitely would slow them down if we hadn’t had the party to get to! We did definitely enjoy it, but after failing to get a reservation in 2018 and waiting about 18months to go I may have built it up and put a lot of pressure on it

ha ha not surprised they packed a punch if you were enjoying the two at once! Perhaps our breakfast reservation was the wrong time to go