First Time at AKL - August 2019

[BlondePirateofSC]

This trip will be my sister and I. We go to Disney World as often as we can, my husband and her fiancé are not big fans so she and I like to go together.




Animal Kingdom Lodge has been on my bucket list since it opened but timing and price have never aligned for me before. I’m not necessarily cheap, but I have to be able to justify the cost to myself in some way.

I had originally booked us at Art of Animation as we do love the Little Mermaid, but then a good summer rate came up for Animal Kingdom Lodge so we made the jump. We have five days booked for Disney and then will move over to the Royal Pacific Resort at Universal for three nights.

 

[BlondePirateofSC]

Planned Schedule so far:

8/20
Check in to hotel
Swim and relax
Dinner at Sanaa or Mara

8/21
- Epcot rope drop Soarin
- Fast passes booked for Frozen, Spaceship Earth and Living with the Land
- Meals at Kringla Bakery and not sure where else yet
- Mid day break at hotel for nap/swimming
- Illuminations to close out the day

8/22

- Lazy morning, Disney Springs for lunch at Earl of Sandwich or the Chicken Guy
- Shopping
- Swim at hotel
- Magic Kingdom after hours 7-1. Originally this was to be our MK day, but given that it is August I thought it would be better to be out at this time then the heat of the day. We have been to Disney World quite a few times and thought we’d try something different.

8/23
- Swim and/or outlet shopping depending on time and weather
- Arrive by 4 for the MNSSHP! So excited, I love this event and my sister has never attended. Hopefully doing the after hours the night prior will let us already tackle most of the rides
- Primary aims for the Party- Parade, watch fireworks from Fantasyland (I am short and i never get to see projections so not even trying), ride the rides with Halloween changes and the Hocus Pocus show and everything else we have time for. Due to severe dental issues this year (3 crowns and root canals so far!) I will not be trick or treating

 

[BlondePirateofSC]

8/24 - Animal Kingdom
- 8 am extra Magic Hours so it will be rough the day after the party but we can do it!
- Ride Expedition Everest as much as possible early
- Fastpasses for Flight of Passage, Expedition Everest and Kilamanjaro safaris.
- See the Up bird show. I enjoyed the old show but love Up so am looking forward to the new version
- Lunch at Sutuli Cantina
- At least one character meet
- Dinner reservations at Yak and Yeti - new to us
-Line up for one more ride on Flight of Passage before park close

8/25

- Check out of AKL and have late breakfast at Boma (new to us)
- Head over to Universal hotel


Have not yet planned the Universal portion, still working on that. After reading this I realize how old I’ve gotten, lol! Teenage me would be ashamed at the amount of shopping and swimming time I’ve built in, rather than park commando nonstop.