Trip Report We are venturing outside our comfort zones and hoping the reward is worth it!! April 11 -23, 2021

Hello! I am, again, going to attempt to do a semi livish trip report and then fill in the details when I return. Like Rapunzel, when we made these plans, I definitely was taking a leap a faith! I, like all of us, have had a long year. We are DVC members and it was time to use the points. It is that simple. I can't tell you how thrilled I am now!

The cast remains the same! Den (my husband), Deighton(me), Hunter (16), Camden (9), and Brinley (5 and starts kindergarten in the fall). Some of us are a lot taller and some of us wider...

We fly Southwest out of Pittsburgh early Sunday morning and land in Orlando around 10:15am.( I feel like I struck gold with 2 nonstop flights!) Then we head to the home where animals belong, a one bedroom villa at Animal Kingdom Lodge until April 19th. Then we move to Cabana Bay Beach Resort until the 23rd. Universal is a whole new world for us. Any advice for the entire length of stay is welcome!

I will be posting our plans soon! Thanks for reading! Another big thank you to those of you who posted, happy, positive thoughts and reports during these crazy times. It definitely kept time moving forward and hope alive. It keeps me smiling and tearing up to see your children growing up on this platform! Happy Thursday everyone!!

 

[littleroo]

April 11 cont.

We are finally off the plane and through baggage in a snap. Heading down the elevators around 10:30ish. Hault!! The line for Magical Express is back by the elevators!! Den is instantly calming me down, "we are on an almost 2 week vacation. Relax"! Grr...he is right! What seemed like forever was only 45 minutes. We also got in line at a good time! The line was 3 times longer when we were boarding the bus! While in line a woman from the back of the line walked to the front and asked how long we had been waiting. We told her and suggested to call an Uber! I will wait an hour for something but not 2 and that, easily, was how much time the poor woman was looking at!! While in line we received our first nip of magic, Your room is ready!! Music to my ears!!

Now that first Sunday, it was raining and raining and pouring sheets of rain! We had originally intended on putting a full day at Epcot but the thunder told us to eat bread service and take a nap at our new home for 8 nights, Animal Kingdom Lodge!

 

[littleroo]

April 11 cont.

Time to face the rains in Africa! We had reservations at La Hacienda at 5:30. It was 3:30 when we left in ponchos!

We were in Epcot around 4 and had to remove our ponchos because the rain stopped. A little more Disney magic if you ask me! The rain was our friend and drove everyone away! First ride, Nemo, which was walk on Shirley status!

My first glimpse of reality sunk in when we got out of our shells. No pictures in Bruce's mouth
A, usually, so lively place was eerily quiet. We passed on visiting the fish upstairs and headed to The Land! Soarin we were on in 10 minutes and most of that is walking through the queue.
Living with the Land was a walk on, of course!

Baby pineapple! So cute!

This is where the first blunder occurred. @Darstarr and @Loco_driver were already on board and waving but didn't know for sure if it was us! Twas not meant to be!

 

[littleroo]

Time to walk to Mexico for one of the most delicious meals we had the whole trip! You have seen the pictures of food and drinks. I won't trudge back through. This was our first time eating here and not our last! Everything was spot on with service, timing, ambiance, and taste!!

Again Den ate grasshoppers not me!!

Next up about a 45 minute wait for Frozen! Our only time on this trip!

At this point, the exhaustion, blisters and early flight were having its effects on the kids. Time to go and get ready for a very early Animal Kingdom Day!

 

[Loco_driver]

This is where the first blunder occurred. @Darstarr and @Loco_driver were already on board and waving but didn't know for sure if it was us! Twas not meant to be!

I really have no idea how we didn’t run into each other at some point. We were so close at some many different times!

 

[littleroo]

I really have no idea how we didn’t run into each other at some point. We were so close at some many different times!

It is so true! Like you said, I was zigging and you were zagging! Unfortunately, I don't think our dates will match up for this year. You never know though!

 

[BwlrBry212]

My next rants are going to come across as preachy. Please allow this indulgence. I am in no way talking to many of you regular goers. Maybe just talking to some of the new, first timers, who are lurking for information or direction or maybe more peace of mind to have it off my chest! Please feel free to skip this section all together!

There was a recent section in one of the trip reports on pet peeves I find my list is long after a 2 week vacation. I start off 100 percent positive on vacation! By day 13, I want to write a manual. I have met many, many amazing people while in Disney! In the next breath, I have met many who need to be returned to the womb and retrained by different beings!

These pet peeves are in no particular order:

1. Please walk on the right hand side of the road! If you need to walk across the road, you are the one who is suppose to say EXCUSE me and be patient!

2. If you are in a group of 2 or more, please do not form a line across the road especially when you are at a leisurely stroll!!

3. When entering the parks have your information ready. I can't tell you the number of times that people didn't have their phones out and ready!

4. Be kind to the cast members! They are real people who are trying to do a job. I have seen people being kinder to ducks than their fellow man! Acknowledge their presence and say thank you, even with a mask! Masks do not cover our eyes!

5. 6 feet, 3 feet, one foot...I don't care. Even if mankind discovers the fountain of youth, I want my own space. Touching strangers is not normal!

Thank you! I will step down now and return to my normal, jolly self! It is amazing how freeing that was!! I appreciate your assistance!!

This is where I would love to post GIFs but no matter how I try nothing works!

 

[Darstarr]

Here ya go. Sorry about the storm

 

[littleroo]

Here ya go. Sorry about the storm

Thank you so much!!Perfect!!!!!

 

[littleroo]

Day 2 April 12

Woke up bright and early to head over to Animal Kingdom. Love the quick 5 minute bus! We were standing in line for flights of passage by 7:15. There were about 50 people ahead of us. The line started moving around 7:45 and we were off by 8. This is such an amazing ride! Truly, in my top 5 of both theme parks!

We were on and off Navi in 15 minute. I really don't get it! It is beautiful! It is calming! I liked the movies. Just don't get it!

Then the Safari was up next.

Next up Kali River Rapids twice! For some reason this is Camden's favorite ride! He is something else and enjoys, a little too much, watching other people getting drenched! It makes him giggle like a 2 year old and it is contagious!

Speaking of Cam or should I say Po...this was the next purchase! I honestly can't believe how much he wore this! For many pictures I made him take it off so I could see his face!!

 

[littleroo]

Expedition Everest was up next and this was a bit frustrating. We waited with the kids in line for child swap. Albeit 5 minutes but it counts! When we got closer to the front they told us we had to go outside the line to the umbrella and they would hook us up. Now, they did let Den go back to where we were but it is just so inconsistent from ride to ride! We never knew what the rule was for each ride. Oh well!! EE is a blast!! I really enjoy this more than most roller coasters! I have few pictures at this point because my phone battery was almost dead! I kept forgetting my charger the first couple of days so when I disappeared, that is why!

Brin and I went exploring together before lunch!

Lunch was at Rainforest Cafe which I have given enough attention to. It was a decent meal! My Ceasar salad and chicken sandwich were really decent even good! I was happily surprised seeing how this will be a most do every trip for the rest of my life Shout out to Jeff who did a great job serving! The drinks were good, too. FYI, if you are leaving Animal Kingdom and want to stop for a drink at a bar, crawl on, in!

 

[littleroo]

Day 2 cont.

After lunch, we went back to take a nap and grab Hunter.

Before dinner, we did Bug's Life and the Jungle Trek.

Bug's Life was good but we were in the way back part of the theater so the spiders were not above us, etc... There was a family who was supposed to be leading the way but just stood in place like they were legit scared of bugs! When they finally moved forward the theater was full!!

Jungle Trek is great! I could do the trails all day!

Finally, what I had been waiting for months for, our ADR at Tiffins! What a disaster!!

We were seated, without request, in a favorite corner booth! Score!

The rest is mass chaos! Brin spilled her drink, even with a lid. The boys were agitating the heck out of each other! Service was slow and I mean slow!! Mind you, we love restaurant time but not with empty drinks. The water was even gone!

Monday night 6pm 2 servers and a food runner in the building. They each had half a restaurant! The only reason I did not complain was I know it was not our servers fault. Where was a manager? There was 3 hostesses! I wanted to get up and help!

To add insult to injury, when our drinks were still empty, they sat a table of 4 next to us who ordered 2 bottles of wine! It was the kiss of death! Sorry guys no dessert. Let's go kids! Den stayed behind to pay. Time to go back to AKL! He still left a generous tip because he knows I believe in kharma!

Den's fish was delicious! Cam and Brin loved the mac n cheese. Hunter only liked the Shrimp in the shrimp and grits. The bread was delicious! My lamb was ok but my veggies were devine. It left us with a pretty bad taste in our mouth!! The worst service of our trip, by a landslide. Goodbye old friend, it will be a while before I see the inside of you again!

 

[Swissmiss]

Ok, I’ve thought this every time I’ve seen her in a photo but I don’t think I’ve typed it: your daughter is so cute in the photos. There just seems to be so much personality that comes out.

 

[littleroo]

Ok, I’ve thought this every time I’ve seen her in a photo but I don’t think I’ve typed it: your daughter is so cute in the photos. There just seems to be so much personality that comes out.

Thank you so much! She is a character! She keeps the rest of us well behaved with her sweetness, fairness and kindness!

 

[littleroo]

Food pause!! If you ever visit Pittsburgh, Mad Mex is a great restaurant chain that will make every person happy no matter what their diet!! Burrito and Bell's Oberon for me!!

I affectionately call them, pillows of love!! Happy Sunday!!

 

[littleroo]

Epcot Day 3

This day is pretty, well covered in the live portion. The only thing I have to add is we regretted canceling our reservation at San Angel! Big time!

Lines were long for Flower and Garden booths and Epcot is only partially opened for quick service. Yes, I read all of your wonderful trip reports and should have known better but I have always learned the hard way. We decided to head back and get food. This was when we first realized we were in food prison as Den called it!
Animal Kingdom does not serve food after 9pm.

The thing I remember most about this day, beyond family time, were the flowers! It is stunning and amazing!! The colors on the fields of flowers were so fragrant and vibrant. For me, it slowly made the despair I felt over the last year slowly melt away!!

 

[93boomer]

Epcot Day 3

This day is pretty, well covered in the live portion. The only thing I have to add is we regretted canceling our reservation at San Angel! Big time!

Lines were long for Flower and Garden booths and Epcot is only partially opened for quick service. Yes, I read all of your wonderful trip reports and should have known better but I have always learned the hard way. We decided to head back and get food. This was when we first realized we were in food prison as Den called it!
Animal Kingdom does not serve food after 9pm.

The thing I remember most about this day, beyond family time, were the flowers! It is stunning and amazing!! The colors on the fields of flowers were so fragrant and vibrant. For me, it slowly made the despair I felt over the last year slowly melt away!!
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Yes, it was hard finding dinner this time. We always wait and find something last minute. Not this trip! We ended up eating at Woody’s Lunchbox twice for dinner. Grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup. Not bad!

 

[littleroo]

Yes, it was hard finding dinner this time. We always wait and find something last minute. Not this trip! We ended up eating at Woody’s Lunchbox twice for dinner. Grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup. Not bad!

Day 4 frozen pizzas and cheese sticks from the gift shop!! I want to stand on a pulpit and yell, ADRs people!! By Day 5...I finally got it!!

 

[littleroo]

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful moms out there!! I hope the weather is better elsewhere than rainy Pittsburgh!

We leave for New York on Thursday. We are are staying in Erie overnight on a hotel on the lake. I figured on a Thursday during the week at this time of year, the kids will probably be the only ones in the pool! Then on Friday we will drive to Wellsley Island.

Once I have time in NY. I will carry on with the TR. Leaving for a month has me busy!!