Did you say nose picker or nose peeker? Our April 2021 trip! Update 8/19** complete!

[pkondz]

Oh I think with your luck and VIP status it will still work for you!

Maybe.

 

[disneyAndi14]

“Animators we are not!”

Today was 4/26/21, this was our last full day at Disney!
We got up and ready to get down to the bus stop by 7am. Our plan was to get to AK early enough to have a short wait for FoP. Well, this did not work! Total bus fail this morning. We saw 10 buses for MK, 3 buses for DHS and 0 for AK. Yes a big fat 0. An AK bus did not show up until 7:44 and we could not fit on that one. I was so frustrated I did try to get a Lyft and this was giving me a 20 minute wait, ugh! Well, a 2nd AK bus came fairly quickly and we got on this one except it was already after 8 am. We went directly to Pandora but the line for FoP was by the Lion King entrance. The wait time was at 100 minutes! We did not want to wait that long and we both were a little testy by this time.
We decided to head to Dinosaur, this would put us in a good mood The wait was a walk on, yay! We did this twice.


Andi headed off to Everest to conquer the Yeti and I moseyed on over to conquer a Triceratops haha I rode Triceratops Twirl with no wait.


Andi also did not have a wait for Everest. Her ride picture and our 2nd Dinosaur picture did not show up in our photos. I walked over to Everest to meet up with Andi. We took in the sites and sounds of Asia and Africa. I swear every guest must have been in Pandora because it was very quiet in these areas. Our plan was to get the first train over to Rafiki’s Planet Watch. This opened at 9:30am, We made our way over there and waited in a small line.

We were the first group on the train and Andi and I were the first two in the conservation center. This made us the first to be seated for the Animators class. It pays to be fast walkers, lol

I did notice the vet team was working on an animal. I could not tell what type of animal from where I was sitting. We had our drawing tools and waited for the class to start. Once the class started we found out we would be drawing Turk. Well, Andi and I got the giggles during this class. Andi was laughing at me and believe me, she wasn’t doing much better! It was really fun. We were feeling really happy, and laughing at our lack of artistry was a blast. It made up for our miserable bus debacle. Here is my award winning drawing!


We did walk around the center and out to the petting area. We just looked around and didn’t pet any animals today. The animals are so cute out here, even the big pig It was time for us to head back to Africa. We went to the train area and had a very short wait (thank goodness). I really enjoyed the class and so did Andi. I would definitely do this again.
Our plan was to leave the park soon and head to Kidani village to do a walk up for Sanaa. We made our way out of the park and headed to the bus stop for AKL. We didn’t have to wait long for this bus, yay! Sanaa opened at 11:30am, We got to Kidani Village around 11:15. We realized you can not join the walk up list until right at 11:30 and not a minute before.


It was like trying to get a Rise boarding group. It was interesting how the CMs at the host stand would not even acknowledge us until we did the join on the app. I thought this was just dumb! We had to close out of the app before it would work. We did get one and only waited about 5 minutes.


We had a nice corner table by the window.
The restaurant was not very busy, however, getting a walk up ADR was stressful, lol! We had an Awesome lunch. I had a watermelon Margarita and Andi had a spicy Margarita.




We shared the the delicious bread service, butter chicken and Asloo Marsala, everything was so good! I loved it all, what I didn’t love is the huge price increases on everything! When we started having the bread service, not all that long ago, the service was 13.99, now it is over 19.00 dollars! Wow!
We had a very leisurely lunch and I was very full after this. We took a Lyft back to the room and did nothing, watched some mindless TV and took a little nap. After our rest, We went up to the top of Gran Destino to check out the Dahlia lounge and the Toledo restaurant. It was beautiful up there. It was closed at this time of day and the restaurant is still closed at this time. We decided to come back up here after our evening at MK to have a drink. We decided to do MK this evening rather than rush around in the am. We could take our time in the morning to pack and check out at 11am and Lyft over to Universal to check in. Here our some pictures from the lounge and Toledo area, I also put a few MK pictures in here as well. Join me soon for a MK evening, will a silly character from Moana cause me great pain? Will you finally learn about our TR title? Will we make it to Dahlia? Stay tuned and These questions will be answered soon!

 

[disneyAndi14]

Here are the pictures from the beautiful lounge area at the top of The Gran Destino Tower.












Hidden Mickey’s in the carpet


Winnie the Pooh and friends at the train depot in MK


Stay tuned for MK fun and pain coming soon!!

 

[suse66]

We went directly to Pandora but the line for FoP was by the Lion King entrance. The wait time was at 100 minutes! We did not want to wait that long and we both were a little testy by this time.
We decided to head to Dinosaur, this would put us in a good mood The wait was a walk on, yay! We did this twice.

100 minutes!! Yikes! Your plans sound so much better.

We were the first group on the train and Andi and I were the first two in the conservation center. This made us the first to be seated for the Animators class. It pays to be fast walkers, lol

I really want to do this class. I wonder if Jack will humour his mother??

It was like trying to get a Rise boarding group. It was interesting how the CMs at the host stand would not even acknowledge us until we did the join on the app. I thought this was just dumb! We had to close out of the app before it would work. We did get one and only waited about 5 minutes.

Mmmm, nothing better than Sanaa!

Here are the pictures from the beautiful lounge area at the top of The Gran Destino Tower.

I cannot wait to go there. We are definitely hitting it up on arrival night.

 

[pkondz]

Total bus fail this morning. We saw 10 buses for MK, 3 buses for DHS and 0 for AK. Yes a big fat 0.

What the heck is that?!?!? Ten MK buses?!?!?

Well, a 2nd AK bus came fairly quickly and we got on this one except it was already after 8 am. We went directly to Pandora but the line for FoP was by the Lion King entrance. The wait time was at 100 minutes!

"Dear Disney bus service. Thanks for wrecking our morning plans. With zero love, Caroline."

I moseyed on over to conquer a Triceratops haha I rode Triceratops Twirl with no wait.

How daring of you!

Her ride picture and our 2nd Dinosaur picture did not show up in our photos.

Been hearing far too much of that.

I swear every guest must have been in Pandora because it was very quiet in these areas.

Hmmm... certainly gives me thoughts on touring.

It pays to be fast walkers, lol

Well, Andi and I got the giggles during this class. Andi was laughing at me and believe me, she wasn’t doing much better! It was really fun.

Glad you guys had fun!

Here is my award winning drawing!

I don't think it's bad at all!

We made our way out of the park and headed to the bus stop for AKL. We didn’t have to wait long for this bus, yay!

Phew! I was sure you were going to say the opposite.

It was interesting how the CMs at the host stand would not even acknowledge us until we did the join on the app. I thought this was just dumb!

Really? Sheesh. Good thing everyone in the world has smart phones, now.

mmmmm... bread service.

what I didn’t love is the huge price increases on everything!

When we started having the bread service, not all that long ago, the service was 13.99, now it is over 19.00 dollars! Wow!

Whoa. That's a significant increase. Only Disney seems to do this so easily.

Here are the pictures from the beautiful lounge area at the top of The Gran Destino Tower.

Beautiful view and they both look like very inviting places to sit a spell.

 

[amazingact21]

Ugh, sorry your AK morning started out rough. Dealing with the buses can be stressful. But it seemed like you two managed to turn the day around and had a fun time drawing Turk.

Uh oh, doesn't sound like your MK evening was all fun and games. Hope you didn't get hurt!

 

[mickey916]

Will you finally learn about our TR title? Will we make it to Dahlia? Stay tuned and These questions will be answered soon!

Haha! I re-read your entire report thinking I had somehow missed the explanation of your title...looking forward to the "answer".

 

[kclark9830]

Your plans for August sound great!

 

[Disneyhanna]

Dapper Day seems like it would be really fun as a local and you just pop in for a few hours, I'm not sure I could stand doing it very long in the summer weather! Hooray for the short wait times in Epcot! How fun being seated at one of the long tables at Via Napoli, I feel like parties of two usually get the tiny tables off in a corner somewhere! Coughing nowadays is the worst, I felt one coming on the other day and just about ran out of the store I was in

Bummer on the long wait for an AK bus! Glad you had a nice morning in the non-Pandora areas, I have only done the animation class once but I had so much fun, lots of laughing as you said! I am hoping to try that bread service at Sanaa during one of my next trips, I definitely want to get the 10th spicy sauce I keep hearing about! Gran Destino tower is so beautiful, I think they really knocked it out of the park. The Disney touches are so nice without being in your face. It is really amazing how Disney has so many resorts but every one is so different!

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

So glad your AK day got better as it went on. The buses can be so maddening sometimes. Glad Dinosaur could cheer you up and hey I think your drawing isnt half bad . I laughed when you said you conquered a triceratops. Brave lady indeed!
Sanaa’s bread service is on my bucket list. Unfortunately it’s not on anyone else in my family’s list so I’ll just need to dump them and find a new family . One day, maybe, I’ll be able to bribe them to share it with me fingers crossed. Weird ( a bit rude really) that staff wouldn’t acknowledge you before you joined the walk up list but judging by your food photos it was worth it.
The view from the top of the tower and Dahlia lounge are stunning.
Looking forward to the answers to all the questions in the next update and hoping you don’t get badly hurt.

 

[Tracy161]

Total bus fail this morning. We saw 10 buses for MK, 3 buses for DHS and 0 for AK. Yes a big fat 0. An AK bus did not show up until 7:44 and we could not fit on that one. I was so frustrated I did try to get a Lyft and this was giving me a 20 minute wait, ugh!

Ugh! It's frustrating enough when you DON'T arrive super early after getting up super early to AVOID this type of thing! It's realllllly frustrating when you DO arrive super early after getting up super early

We were feeling really happy, and laughing at our lack of artistry was a blast. It made up for our miserable bus debacle.

So glad Dinosaur put you both in a better Disney spirit. Dinosaur can fix a bad mood any day

The restaurant was not very busy, however, getting a walk up ADR was stressful, lol!

Sounds it! How unnecessarily annoying that was!

Excited to hear about your evening in MK! And to hear the story of how the TR title came to be

 

[disneyAndi14]

100 minutes!! Yikes! Your plans sound so much better.

That was the longest wait and line all week. We wondered if it had not opened on time??

I really want to do this class. I wonder if Jack will humour his mother??

Oh he should, he can laugh at you, lol

Mmmm, nothing better than Sanaa!

We do love Sanaa, I’m excited to dine here again in August

cannot wait to go there. We are definitely hitting it up on arrival nigh

This is a perfect place to relax and have a drink on your first night!

 

[disneyAndi14]

What the heck is that?!?!? Ten MK buses?!?!?

I know! 10 buses for MK, we saw that a lot this trip. Disney was using ME type of buses for MK every morning, one after another. I felt bad for the people with an ECV, they can’t ride those buses

Dear Disney bus service. Thanks for wrecking our morning plans. With zero love, Caroline."

Exactly, it put a wrench in our plans for sure!

How daring of you!

You have to be careful of those flying triceratops

Been hearing far too much of that.

Yes both trips, we were missing photos

Hmmm... certainly gives me thoughts on touring.

I think hitting Pandora later in the day works better at times

Glad you guys had fun

This was a fun activity, despite my lack of artistry

don't think it's bad at all!

Thank you, it is fun learning to draw

Phew! I was sure you were going to say the opposite.

No but I did have bus fear the rest of the trip

Really? Sheesh. Good thing everyone in the world has smart phones, now.

It was odd and made you feel like a leper

mmmmm... bread service.

This is so good!

Whoa. That's a significant increase. Only Disney seems to do this so easily.

Yes the bread service keeps rising!

Beautiful view and they both look like very inviting places to sit a spell.

I know it was so inviting!

 

[pkondz]

I know! 10 buses for MK, we saw that a lot this trip. Disney was using ME type of buses for MK every morning, one after another. I felt bad for the people with an ECV, they can’t ride those buses

I don't know who's in charge of bus allocation... but... sheesh.

You have to be careful of those flying triceratops

I think hitting Pandora later in the day works better at times

That's what I was thinking. As long as you don't mind skipping FOP. Unless FP+ comes back.

No but I did have bus fear the rest of the trip

I bet!

It was odd and made you feel like a leper

Yes the bread service keeps rising!

I see what you did there!

 

[missangelalexis]

Sounds like a great morning at AK and a lovely lunch at AKL!!

 

[disneyAndi14]

Ugh, sorry your AK morning started out rough. Dealing with the buses can be stressful. But it seemed like you two managed to turn the day around and had a fun time drawing Turk.

Uh oh, doesn't sound like your MK evening was all fun and games. Hope you didn't get hurt!

The buses ugh! Some days they are so unpredictable

We had fun despite the late arrival. I think FoP may have had a problem? It was crazy how long the line was.
Stay tuned for fun, happiness, pain, and grossness lol

 

[disneyAndi14]

Haha! I re-read your entire report thinking I had somehow missed the explanation of your title...looking forward to the "answer".

Ahh I’m sorry, it is a title that best suits this last evening, even though it was an ongoing question
Stay tuned for the answer!

 

[disneyAndi14]

Your plans for August sound great!

Thank you so much! We love late August the heat and all!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

It was like trying to get a Rise boarding group. It was interesting how the CMs at the host stand would not even acknowledge us until we did the join on the app. I thought this was just dumb! We had to close out of the app before it would work. We did get one and only waited about 5 minutes.

Ha! True Disney fans rope drop Sanaa!!!!

That is a beautiful Site!!!

When we started having the bread service, not all that long ago, the service was 13.99, now it is over 19.00 dollars! Wow!

I will still pay it! And I will say, I have attempted to make most of these dips an dthey are all fairly labor intensive to make at home! And this does not exist by us, even though we have a large amount of Indian restuarants by us.

So beautiful!

 

[disneyAndi14]

Dapper Day seems like it would be really fun as a local and you just pop in for a few hours, I'm not sure I could stand doing it very long in the summer weather

This is so true! The layers of frills on the dresses would be so warm!
I am glad people do dress up, so fun to admire all the dapper outfits!

I feel like parties of two usually get the tiny tables off in a corner somewhere!

We usually do, lol. I wrote a dining report several years ago with this title, ugh

Coughing nowadays is the worst, I felt one coming on the other day and just about ran out of the store I was in

Andi kept doing the sign of the cross, very discreetly, when someone coughed or sneezed close by

Bummer on the long wait for an AK bus! Glad you had a nice morning in the non-Pandora areas,

This was so frustrating especially when you have a plan in place!

I have only done the animation class once but I had so much fun, lots of laughing as you said

Yes this is something we need to make time for and do it again!

definitely want to get the 10th spicy sauce

There is a 10th spicy sauce? Wow Andi will love this, we will have to ask for it in August!

keep hearing about! Gran Destino tower is so beautiful, I think they really knocked it out of the park. The Disney touches are so nice without being in your face. It is really amazing how Disney has so many resorts but every one is so differ

Yes, it is beautiful and so many hidden Mickey’s and Disney touches. The lounge is lovely!