WDW - Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated. – My August 2011 Trip Report

WDW - Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated. – An August 2011 Trip Report

Welcome to my trip report! First, about the title. Reading the WDW boards lately one would think that Disney World was coming apart at the seams; Overrun by vicious gangs of Brazilian tour groups, Pop Warner boys and cheerleaders. Filled with broken down, outdated rides run by snarly cast members. The resorts infested by bedbugs, nasty housekeepers, and moldy shower curtains. The Restaurants serving up Dogfood burgers and steaks served with the leather hides still attached. The fireworks shows reduced to open fire pits and a few boxes of sparklers.

To be totally honest and sarcasm aside (kinda), I was really getting concerned about this trip. I had gone to great lengths and compromise ( see my Pre-trip report) to make this trip a reality. Now I was worried that once my family would see first hand the crumbling vestige that was once our favorite place on earth; this would seal this trip’s fate as our last one to the World. Well, I’m happy to say, with photos as proof – the rumors of Walt Disney World’s demise have been greatly exaggerated.

First Day and intro to our family;

Our countdown was over. The paper chain in Toni’s room that started at day 178 was now down to day zero. It was 4 in the morning on August 6th and I woke up Toni and we tore up that last chain and started to get ready for our trip. By 4:30, Toni and her brother Sterg, were ready and waiting.

I have a good friend that happens to own a limo business, so we hired him to drive us to Philadelphia International. The limo came at 5:00am. This is my wife Val and my oldest child, Alexandra, getting spoiled in the limo.

Sterg and I on the other seat…

While Toni caught a few z’s.

Everything was going fine. We were making great time on the Turnpike until we were detoured off of it an exit too soon. Unfortunately, this was only the first of our several delays that morning.

 

[fractal]

Your pictures are GREAT!!! But I totally know what you mean about playing around with camera settings. At least your camera sounds like it's pretty lightweight. I went for the DSLR last year and while there are things I love about it - it's alot to lug around...especially with 2 little kids. Of course, I have a tendency to forget things- so having a big hunking camera might be good for me. I might also need to look into that book...could help me considerably!

Jealous of your slushies in France and what a view from your room! Can't wait to read more! :wave:

Thanks - the Sony is definately lighter than a DSLR. We have an older DSLR. I highly recommend the book.

fractal, loving your trip reports.. The pictures are amazing and makes me wish I was leaving tomorrow instead of 35 days from now... Tell me, what did you think of Sanaa??? This was your first time dining there right??? I ate there in 2009 and LOVED IT!!! Sanaa, after just one sitting, became a favorite of mine, along with Boma!!!

Keep those pictures coming...

Thanks! And I wish I was leaving in 35 days! Full report on Sanaa up next. It was our first time.

I'm loving this TR, getting me reved up for our trip. This sounds stupid but your pics helped reinforce the reason we are flying. Leave home in the morning and are in Epcot by the afternoon. You could make some custom shirts for your next trip, "The Fractal Five". Just go full blown Clark Griswold on the teens.

That's really funny! I may have to do that. I can see their faces now.

I'll definitely try it!

Yeah but not professionally. Just throughout HS and college (in PA:wave, church, and now a community chorus in Baltimore...karaoke occasionally. My profile pic is from the American Idol Experience at HS in 2009.

Very cool! We did American Idol for the first time this trip and really enjoyed it. Did you enjoy singing on stage? Even if I had the talent ( I can't sing worth a lick), I don't think I would have the guts to get on that stage.

I'm a photography noob too...one thing I don't get is how some other photos (form other members) come out with such bright, beautiful color, and I can't really get mine to do that. :shrug: That is the #1 thing that bothers me about my photos. I also get the impression that a lot of extra accessories are bought (people will mention gels, filters, etc.) and that a lot of post-production/photoshop work is done...it gets overwhelming! I think I am stubborn and just want the camera to do everything itself! :lol:

Glad that you loved Sanaa! I think it's definitely a hidden gem (though we've come to think that about most resort restaurants). We were supposed to stay in Kidani in June but it didn't work out, so we ended up in Jambo, which was great. Maybe we'll get to Kidani someday.

One word - "saturation". I add color to the pics w/ photoshop or other editing tools. It's easy though to go too far with it. When I first discovered "saturation" I went way overboard with it.

Sanaa was great - next trip I would like to explore Jambo house. Thanks for following along!

 

[mamamouse]

Yay ure online could that mean another installment???? I'm hoping so

 

[switts]

Yay ure online could that mean another installment???? I'm hoping so

I agree with that. Great report so far keep it coming

 

[disneygirl1]

Great update.... We stayed at AKL for the 1st time in December and quickly fell in love with the place. It is so tranquil and peaceful there. I just soaked up the atmosphere at that place!

 

[BoardwalkGlenn]

Very cool! We did American Idol for the first time this trip and really enjoyed it. Did you enjoy singing on stage? Even if I had the talent ( I can't sing worth a lick), I don't think I would have the guts to get on that stage.

I did enjoy it. The audience really gets behind you and makes the whole performance part really enjoyable. Plus the cast members do a great job backstage to make the experience feel like you're part of the real show. It was definitely one of the most magical Disney moments I've had so far.

 

[fractal]

Trip Report updates - it's what lunch breaks are for.

Before I leave the Savanna, I wanted to mention the very helpful CM that was stationed there. He was from Africa and was dressed in full Safari atire.

He was very knowlegable of the animals in the Savanna and also very friendly. I regret not taking a picture of him with us but he was in pretty high demand. You can see him in the background of one of the previous pictures I posted. He was also gracious enough to take a picture of my family.

Our buzzer went off so we headed back inside for our dinner at Sanaa. I remember as we were being led to the table ( which was towards the back ) how I kept saying "wow, this is unreal" as each segment of the restaurant came into view - not to mention the giraffes galloping by the windows! Here are some pics of the decor. I also took a quick video of the place that I will try to upload later.

Also some pics @ the booth ( which we requested ).

Toni made me take a picture of the chair - she said it looks like a person's head.

up next, dinner @ Sanaa.

 

[MEyeSeeKayEY]

Great report so far and beautiful family! Your last update has gotten me really excited for my trip in 21 short days because we are staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge! Can't wait for more...

 

[Matt and Kelly]

Awesome report thus far. My wife called me about an hour ago to tell me she's hooked on your report so I followed her suggestion and took a peak. Very happy I did!

 

[bmarkelon]

I absolutely agree with you about the lobby at AKL being breath-taking. Your report and pictures are making me sad that it was a skipped destination on our past trip. I'm looking forward to reading what you thought of Sanaa, it's the only restaurant we haven't tried there yet. I'm thinking we will hit that one next trip, either that or finally try the famous Boma breakfast on an AK day. No matter what there will be a stop there next one!! Keep it coming, I love your pictures just like everyone else is saying too!

 

[fractal]

We sat down at our booth and met our server, Brenda. She was very pleasant and had a great knowledge of the menu. She gave us the impression that she has tried every item. In a restaurant like Sanaa - with strange sounding foods and sauces, this was a big help. I usually like to ask a server for their recommendations and suggestions.

Val and I split a bottle of white wine. Hey, why not? We are on vacation and that is the upside to having older children. They are for the most part self sufficient.

For an appetizer we tried the "three breads". I don't remember the names of the breads but I liked one very much, one was ok and the last one reminded me of a greasy pancake - you know, the first pancake you make in the pan that soaks up all the butter? Kinda like that. The bread ran out way before the dips.

The dips we chose were Coriander Chutney, Mango Chutney, and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus. Val like the Coriander the best while my favorite was the Hummus. I would give the "three breads" an average rating, and would likely try something different next time.

For dinner I had the "Slow Cooked with Gravy". You get two choices served with rice pilaf. I chose the Beef Short Ribs and the Shrimp with Green Curry Sauce. I thoroughly enjoyed my meal. It was more food that I thought when it was placed in front of me. The bowls are deeper than they look and I happily kept finding more shrimp. Not a great pic, but you can get an idea as to how it was served. ( You can see how I was "fiddling around" with the camera).

Val had the sustainable fish with shrimp, scallops and veggies in a curry broth. She really enjoyed it.

Alex had the Tandoori Lamb, which I thought was a risky choice for her but she loved it.

Sterg played it safe and ordered a NY strip - which he shared some with me and we agreed it was surprisingly excellent. He ordered it med-rare and it was cooked properly.

I didn't take a picture of Toni's meal off the child's menu, but she claims to have had the Mac&Cheese and said it was pretty good.



Up next - dessert and heading back to a park.

 

[Captain Chaos]

Hmmmmm Sanaa's food is soooooo good... seeing those pics makes my mouth water... I had the same meal you ordered and LOVED IT!!!!

 

[fractal]

I was in the mood for some ice-cream ( nothing new ) which they didn't have, so I ordered the sorbet sampler - pineapple, mango and strawberry. It was refreshing. Val had the Dessert Trio, sampler of the chocolate cake and two other items. The chocolate cake was the best dessert in our opinion, which made Alex happy because she ordered the full slice.

Sorry, no pics of the desserts, but Brenda did take a picture of all of us at the table - I liked it enough to make it my new avatar!

And just to make sure we don't forget the teenagers - Sterg begged to take a picture and I agreed as long as he was going to take a "real" picture. This was the result...

Gee, thanks. Just what I wanted. A close-up of my nostril hairs.

Overall, we really enjoyed our dinner experience. The atmosphere was beautiful and unique. Our server was very good. After the bread appetizer, our meals were excellent. The dessert was good but not anything special - but that's not what we came for. I gave it a 9 out of 10 and the family average was an 8.5. Sanaa immediately moved up to the top of our list of Disney restaurants!

After dinner we went up to the Kidani lobby again and explored the gift shop. I tried to take some pictures. This is one of the lobby - I sat the camera on a table and placed the lens cap under to tilt it up. Since it was now dark, I set the shutter speed slower to capture more light. It looked good on my screen but the end result was an overexposed shot. Like I said before, trial and error.

I thought this was a neat "sign/display" for the gift shop.

 

[NewfieFan]

Loving your trip to Kidani! I just stayed there this past May and fell in love with the place. You took more pictures of the place than I did... and I lived there for a week!?! The resort is so peaceful and laid back, it was so nice to come "home" to in the evenings.

And isn't Sanaa amazing! I had that fish in the broth and thought it was just perfect (the fish at the time was arctic char, I believe?).

Keep up the good work...

 

[fractal]

After dinner we decided to hit DHS. First a nice pic of the family waiting for the bus.

He's lucky to still be alive.

As we entered the park we took advantage of the photopass man. This one is off my camera.

I really enjoy Sunset blvd. It was a visual delight that evening. The art-deco old Hollywood buildings illuminated by the neon signs with the ominous Hollywood Tower looming in the background really put you in a different time and place.

I remember Alex commenting on how "perfect" everything looked - no trash, no flaws, like a dream. We made our way to the end of the street and rode my favorite ride in the World - Tower of Terror.

Is there a better themed ride?

We then hopped on Rock & Roll Rollercoaster - another great ride.

After the quick thrill-ride rush, fatigue finally started to set in. We slowly made our way out of the park. We grabbed the next friendship boat back to BC and retired for the night. It was a great first day in the World.

 

[mamamouse]

okay you know that feeling you get when you've had an awesome Disney Day, and you're leaving the park ,and you turn and take in one last glance before heading out and you just have to take in a nice deep breath n then out again, and you're tired so you're happy to be leaving the park yet you're okay cause you know that the next day you'll be getting up and doing another day there well thats what this day of your report made me feel seriously.I say this alot but there are honestly some reports where I can't stand to read them but gotta see the pics,and then some I skim through here n there,and then some that just put me right in the moment(yours is this kind) Amazing!!!!

 

[DAKOTADISNEY]

Great trip report and what a nice looking family. Can't wait to read more! I really like your wife's purse.

 

[fractal]

Yay ure online could that mean another installment???? I'm hoping so

Lol! Trying my best. Sometimes this "working thing" can be so inconvenient.

I agree with that. Great report so far keep it coming

Thanks!

Great update.... We stayed at AKL for the 1st time in December and quickly fell in love with the place. It is so tranquil and peaceful there. I just soaked up the atmosphere at that place!

Agree. A stay there may be in our future.

I did enjoy it. The audience really gets behind you and makes the whole performance part really enjoyable. Plus the cast members do a great job backstage to make the experience feel like you're part of the real show. It was definitely one of the most magical Disney moments I've had so far.

Great to hear!

Great report so far and beautiful family! Your last update has gotten me really excited for my trip in 21 shorts days because we are staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge! Can't wait for more...

Thank you! I'm jealous.

Awesome report thus far. My wife called me about an hour ago to tell me she's hooked on your report so I followed her suggestion and took a peak. Very happy I did!

Thanks much! I'm flattered.

I absolutely agree with you about the lobby at AKL being breath-taking. Your report and pictures are making me sad that it was a skipped destination on our past trip. I'm looking forward to reading what you thought of Sanaa, it's the only restaurant we haven't tried there yet. I'm thinking we will hit that one next trip, either that or finally try the famous Boma breakfast on an AK day. No matter what there will be a stop there next one!! Keep it coming, I love your pictures just like everyone else is saying too!

Thanks! I'm so glad we made a visit to AKL.

Hmmmmm Sanaa's food is soooooo good... seeing those pics makes my mouth water... I had the same meal you ordered and LOVED IT!!!!

Yeah, it really was good!

Loving your trip to Kidani! I just stayed there this past May and fell in love with the place. You took more pictures of the place than I did... and I lived there for a week!?! The resort is so peaceful and laid back, it was so nice to come "home" to in the evenings.

And isn't Sanaa amazing! I had that fish in the broth and thought it was just perfect (the fish at the time was arctic char, I believe?).

Keep up the good work...

Thanks! My wife also enjoyed that dish. More on the way.

okay you know that feeling you get when you've had an awesome Disney Day, and you're leaving the park ,and you turn and take in one last glance before heading out and you just have to take in a nice deep breath n then out again, and you're tired so you're happy to be leaving the park yet you're okay cause you know that the next day you'll be getting up and doing another day there well thats what this day of your report made me feel seriously.I say this alot but there are honestly some reports where I can't stand to read them but gotta see the pics,and then some I skim through here n there,and then some that just put me right in the moment(yours is this kind) Amazing!!!!

I do know that feeling - and that was exactly how I felt that night. "Wow, what a day! And I get to do this again tomorrow!" You hit the nail on the head! Thanks for following along.

Great trip report and what a nice looking family. Can't wait to read more! I really like your wife's purse.

Thank you. I'll let her know!

 

[Ariel484]

My husband and I thought the same thing about the Sanaa portions...we both got the "slow cooked" entrees and thought they were too small when they first came out, yet they ended up being surprisingly filling!

After dinner we went up to the Kidani lobby again and explored the gift shop. I tried to take some pictures. This is one of the lobby - I sat the camera on a table and placed the lens cap under to tilt it up. Since it was now dark, I set the shutter speed slower to capture more light. It looked good on my screen but the end result was an overexposed shot. Like I said before, trail and error.

Hmm...high ISO setting?? :shrug:

Is there a better themed ride?

No, no there's not. Best ride ever!

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

Glad you guys enjoyed Saana. I want to try and eat there in the spring but my sister really isn't into trying "new" kinds of food. Maybe I can convince her to give it a try though. She'd prolly be safe ordering the steak!! :slurp:

 

[powlessfamily4]

Really enoying the trip report! You have a beautiful family.