missangelalexis
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2012
Your parade photos came out great! And I love the shirts, so cute and perfect for you guys!
Sounds like a really fun night!
Sounds like a really fun night!
"Five Mickey bars hit you like two glasses of wine!" a Jan 2019 adults-only TR *COMPLETED* 6/25
- Thread starter dolewhipdreams
- Start date
CaseFace5
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2011
I LOVE riding the boats over to MK. I agree that it's perfect to see the castle and SM slowly come into view.
I think these came out great!!
Really cute shirts!
The girl in the second row has an epic picture!! I also agree that your selfie pic is pretty epic too!
I just started to think and the only ride I haven't done is Astro Orbiter. Consider that a goal for my September trip!
To multiple questions actually LOL.
Sounds like a great night at MK!
dolewhipdreams
Counting days until my next Dole Whip
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2017
Thank you! It really was such an awesome first night in the parks
You'll definitely have to check the Astro Orbiter off! I didn't ride that one for the first time until last year so I think it was my second to last ride to check off.
amazingact21
Upendi
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2010
I'm glad you're able to say you've been on every MK ride now. The Barnstormer actually has a little more speed than I was expecting for a "kiddie" coaster; it's just soooo short.
Love the picture of Ariel from the parade.
That ice cream sundae looks intense! Ice cream is definitely the best way to cap off an MK evening.
Love the picture of Ariel from the parade.
That ice cream sundae looks intense! Ice cream is definitely the best way to cap off an MK evening.
dolewhipdreams
Counting days until my next Dole Whip
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2017
That's what I thought, too. We only waited about 15 mins and I can't imagine waiting any longer than that, but I've seen the wait times get pretty long!
She was working it for me
ALWAYS
dolewhipdreams
Counting days until my next Dole Whip
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2017
Hello and welcome! The Christmas decorations were nice for a day, but I'll be honest- I'm glad they weren't there the whole time!
suse66
When you wish upon a star, your dreams come true!
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2008
I adore the boat ride over to MK, just the best thing ever!
Great photos! I love just wandering Main Street and the Hub too.
Fun!
Awesome photo!
The pictures are spectacular!
Your treats look delicious and what a perfect location you had to enjoy them!
dolewhipdreams
Counting days until my next Dole Whip
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2017
I can't wait to do it again!
It's my favorite place for just simple Disney atmosphere
Thank you!
Yes, I'm so surprised we actually got seats! Usually they're full and we end up sitting on a curb or something
AMusicLifeForMe
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2016
I missed an update while I was exploring the Most Magical Place On Earth. So, I'm back! 
Glad you enjoyed an evening in the Magic Kingdom!
I still love those shirts and wish I had Jon's lol.
If it was lights changing color on the Castle, then you probably saw the Kiss Goodnight. They play it several times after the park closes and I think right when the park closes as well.
Glad you enjoyed an evening in the Magic Kingdom!
I still love those shirts and wish I had Jon's lol.
If it was lights changing color on the Castle, then you probably saw the Kiss Goodnight. They play it several times after the park closes and I think right when the park closes as well.
dolewhipdreams
Counting days until my next Dole Whip
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2017
That's what I thought at first but this was 15 mins before park close and it was a bunch of music from Pinocchio, not just When You Wish Upon a Start. So I have no idea what it was! But it was fun
disneyAndi14
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2014
Joining in, we arrived after you and our weather was chilly!
Sorry you got sick but so happy it was short lived!
I love the Popcorn bucket and perfect way to end the night with ice cream and The Castle!
Sorry you got sick but so happy it was short lived!
I love the Popcorn bucket and perfect way to end the night with ice cream and The Castle!
dolewhipdreams
Counting days until my next Dole Whip
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2017
Thanks for hopping into our adventure!
LaurieLiz
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Jan 30, 2018
First of all I'm super glad that started to feel better. What an unfortunate way to start a vacation!
Awe! I love the matching shirts! And also your shorts are absolutely adorable!
The Plaza is super cute. I ate there a few years back and it defiantly felt like I had been transported to back to the Main Street USA of the past.
Also I love the pictures, especially of HEA! They look amazing!
Fun story about these shirts: I bought Jon’s last May when I went to WDW with my mom. I thought it was perfect because it was his favorite color and Mickey is playing guitar, which Jon plays. Fast forward to my birthday trip in October and I happen to see the matching Minnie shirt, which is not only my favorite color but also features Minnie playing the piano- which I play! I thought it was destiny and I made Jon match with me.
Awe! I love the matching shirts! And also your shorts are absolutely adorable!
The Plaza is super cute. I ate there a few years back and it defiantly felt like I had been transported to back to the Main Street USA of the past.
Also I love the pictures, especially of HEA! They look amazing!
PadfootnProngs
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2018
I am new to your TRs, but it sounds like your first "real" day was super magical! I'm glad you started feeling better!
dolewhipdreams
Counting days until my next Dole Whip
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2017
Yes, I'm so glad the sickness was short-lived!
Glad I'm not the only one who feels like that door is some kind of time machine
Thank you!
It really was! Thanks for joining in
dolewhipdreams
Counting days until my next Dole Whip
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2017
“I Don’t Get It”
Our next morning began with a Disney first for us- two mornings of sleeping in…in a row. That’s right, folks- you heard it here first- the Eddy’s slept in at Disney two whole days in a row.
Don’t worry, I told Jon not to get used to it.
I ordered us a Lyft because our first stop that day was another resort (hint: it rhymes with Panimal Ringdom Todge). Our Lyft ride was slightly more exciting than usual, due to the app suddenly sending the driver bogus directions to somewhere in Celebration (???). I knew we were going the wrong way when we left WDW property altogether. So we quit the app and just turned around and followed the signs.
Speaking of signs, our driver ignored every one of them. Sign pointing right toward the Animal Kingdom Lodge, she turned left. Sign saying this way for deliveries only? She went that way. Needless to say the control freak in me was incredibly happy to get out of that car.
We were on our way to a lunch reservation at Sanaa (I feel like when you say Sanaa the clouds should open up and an angel chorus descends), and we had never been before! We also had never even been to AKL before so we had no idea where the restaurant was- or whether it was at Jambo House or in Kidani. Our driver dropped us off at Jambo so we looked out at the (pretty empty) savannah for a while before walking over to Kidani.
There was still plenty of time before our reservation so we thought we’d see if there were any more animals out at Kidani and indeed, there were a few! We saw some giraffe and other various hoofed creatures. I don’t have any photos because the only view was of their backside and I guess I thought giraffe butts weren’t worthy of being immortalized through (digital) film.
Even though it was a few minutes early, we went ahead and checked in for our reservation and were seated pretty quickly, and next to the window!
Our server Amy was fantastic. She walked us through the menu since it was our first time and was so energetic and helpful! 4 gold stars, Amy.
And now the barrage of food photos that naturally accompany the meal portions of these TRs:
A beverage sounded nice but I didn’t want to overdo it with sugar so I thought I would try the grapefruit spritzer. It was bitter and I did not like it but like I don’t like grapefruit so I don’t know why I thought this drink would be good??
Of course we started with the bread service:
[Obligatory bread service photo]
I ended up getting a starter as a main because my tummy was still only at like 80% recovery and the bread service filled me most of the way up. Plus the lamb kefta skewers just sounded amazing!
Jon got the butter chicken with cilantro coconut veggies and he really liked it.
When it came out Jon looked at it and said, “I don’t get it.” I guess he had never had a curry before and wasn’t sure how to eat it So I explained it to him and asked how he liked it and he said it was, “actually really good.”
We both agreed that Sanaa was an amazing meal and a fun way to try new foods that we weren’t used to eating (we aren’t really adventurous eaters at all. Pad Thai is exotic to me hahaha).
After the meal we paid (with a gift card) and I realized something weird about paying for TS with a gift card. So I did some research and found that it’s totally okay to leave a tip on a gift card because they will just run it like they do credit cards and take the tip off. BUT what happens if you go and spend the rest of the balance before they run it?? So after that meal I decided we weren’t doing gift cards for TS just to avoid something like that.
And now that I’m thinking about it, I realized that it was the Disney Moms Panel where I saw you could use a gift card for a tip and I totally forgot that the Moms can be completely unreliable so I’m just sitting here on my couch worried that a few of our servers didn’t get tipped at all and they don’t deserve that! Oh man I need to put some positivity out into the world to make up for it.
ANYWAY back to the TR!
I made FPs for us at AK that afternoon so we hopped on a bus and went over to the park (and wow I totally underestimated how close AKL is to DAK. The bus ride was like 5 minutes). But when we got there something was off. It took me a while to figure it out but after waiting in line for bag check it came to me. I was hearing Christmas music. On January 14th. At the Animal Kingdom.
Now look I understand leaving the MK decorations up and the lights on the castle and all that but really? They left the Christmas music playing at the Animal Kingdom? Who gets to the parks mid-January and is like “Man, I really hope I hear jingle bells played on exotic instruments while I look at animals today?”
Sorry for the sass. I love Christmas as much as the next person but I think there’s a pretty definitely end to the Christmas season, and it’s way before January 13.
We scurried away from the carols and back to Dinoland for our first FP and it was an adventure as usual. Seriously, I thought we weren’t going to make it there at the end but somehow we did!
My next note says “some photos” and once again I’m not entirely sure which photos, but here’s some from around the Tree of Life that I took that day.
After our photo pit stop, we wandered in to Africa and back to the Gorilla Falls trail.
The hippo was out running laps and I only got video so no photos for you lovely folks today. So just picture in your head a hippo running laps around its pool, but you can only see its ears over the top of all the little children crammed in front of the glass, smearing their little sticky fingers all over it (and one of them most definitely has their mouth on it).
The male gorillas were also out and about and this guy looks like he just got back from the gym:
I overhead the CM saying that this particular gorilla likes to take his towel blanket around with him everywhere and if that doesn’t tug at your heartstrings then I don’t know what will.
Side note- I’m not scared of a lot of things, but my major irrational fear is that I’m going to be killed by a gorilla. Just a fun fact.
Our next stop was Pandora on our grand tour of the Animal Kingdom because we had a double date with some banshees.
And apparently I took zero photos of Pandora this time around.
I didn’t even know that was possible.
It’s like fancy lattes. You can’t get one and not take a picture. It nullifies the fanciness of the latte.
Our ride with banshees was amazing as per usual and this was the first trip where we got to ride it twice! So it was cool to walk off the ride knowing we only had to wait a few more days to ride it instead of several months.
There was a PhotoPass photographer by one of my favorite Pandora spots (in front of the waterfall) and I thought it would be a great spot to get a photo of our Disneybound for the day:
Can you guess who we are? Here’s a hint: one of us is adopted.
We crossed over to Asia for our last FP of the day and we quickly boarded our train up to the Forbidden Mountain and we even got front row!
Thankfully we escaped the (totally immobile) yeti because we had a dinner date to get to at Disney Springs.
On our way out of the park we stopped for another PhotoPass because honestly I was just really feeling my skirt that day.
We got to the bus stop at 3:40 and I didn’t realize that DS buses don’t leave from DAK until after 4pm. So we could have waited until 4 for a bus, but we decided to just hop on one to Saratoga Springs and walk to DS instead. Did it save us any time? No idea. But it was a nice change and a very pleasant walk.
Next up: P&A finally arrive and we kick off our together time with a progressive dinner.
Our next morning began with a Disney first for us- two mornings of sleeping in…in a row. That’s right, folks- you heard it here first- the Eddy’s slept in at Disney two whole days in a row.
Don’t worry, I told Jon not to get used to it.
I ordered us a Lyft because our first stop that day was another resort (hint: it rhymes with Panimal Ringdom Todge). Our Lyft ride was slightly more exciting than usual, due to the app suddenly sending the driver bogus directions to somewhere in Celebration (???). I knew we were going the wrong way when we left WDW property altogether. So we quit the app and just turned around and followed the signs.
Speaking of signs, our driver ignored every one of them. Sign pointing right toward the Animal Kingdom Lodge, she turned left. Sign saying this way for deliveries only? She went that way. Needless to say the control freak in me was incredibly happy to get out of that car.
We were on our way to a lunch reservation at Sanaa (I feel like when you say Sanaa the clouds should open up and an angel chorus descends), and we had never been before! We also had never even been to AKL before so we had no idea where the restaurant was- or whether it was at Jambo House or in Kidani. Our driver dropped us off at Jambo so we looked out at the (pretty empty) savannah for a while before walking over to Kidani.
There was still plenty of time before our reservation so we thought we’d see if there were any more animals out at Kidani and indeed, there were a few! We saw some giraffe and other various hoofed creatures. I don’t have any photos because the only view was of their backside and I guess I thought giraffe butts weren’t worthy of being immortalized through (digital) film.
Even though it was a few minutes early, we went ahead and checked in for our reservation and were seated pretty quickly, and next to the window!
Our server Amy was fantastic. She walked us through the menu since it was our first time and was so energetic and helpful! 4 gold stars, Amy.
And now the barrage of food photos that naturally accompany the meal portions of these TRs:
A beverage sounded nice but I didn’t want to overdo it with sugar so I thought I would try the grapefruit spritzer. It was bitter and I did not like it but like I don’t like grapefruit so I don’t know why I thought this drink would be good??
Of course we started with the bread service:
[Obligatory bread service photo]
I ended up getting a starter as a main because my tummy was still only at like 80% recovery and the bread service filled me most of the way up. Plus the lamb kefta skewers just sounded amazing!
Jon got the butter chicken with cilantro coconut veggies and he really liked it.
When it came out Jon looked at it and said, “I don’t get it.” I guess he had never had a curry before and wasn’t sure how to eat it
So I explained it to him and asked how he liked it and he said it was, “actually really good.”We both agreed that Sanaa was an amazing meal and a fun way to try new foods that we weren’t used to eating (we aren’t really adventurous eaters at all. Pad Thai is exotic to me hahaha).
After the meal we paid (with a gift card) and I realized something weird about paying for TS with a gift card. So I did some research and found that it’s totally okay to leave a tip on a gift card because they will just run it like they do credit cards and take the tip off. BUT what happens if you go and spend the rest of the balance before they run it?? So after that meal I decided we weren’t doing gift cards for TS just to avoid something like that.
And now that I’m thinking about it, I realized that it was the Disney Moms Panel where I saw you could use a gift card for a tip and I totally forgot that the Moms can be completely unreliable so I’m just sitting here on my couch worried that a few of our servers didn’t get tipped at all and they don’t deserve that! Oh man I need to put some positivity out into the world to make up for it.
ANYWAY back to the TR!
I made FPs for us at AK that afternoon so we hopped on a bus and went over to the park (and wow I totally underestimated how close AKL is to DAK. The bus ride was like 5 minutes). But when we got there something was off. It took me a while to figure it out but after waiting in line for bag check it came to me. I was hearing Christmas music. On January 14th. At the Animal Kingdom.
Now look I understand leaving the MK decorations up and the lights on the castle and all that but really? They left the Christmas music playing at the Animal Kingdom? Who gets to the parks mid-January and is like “Man, I really hope I hear jingle bells played on exotic instruments while I look at animals today?”
Sorry for the sass. I love Christmas as much as the next person but I think there’s a pretty definitely end to the Christmas season, and it’s way before January 13.
We scurried away from the carols and back to Dinoland for our first FP and it was an adventure as usual. Seriously, I thought we weren’t going to make it there at the end but somehow we did!
My next note says “some photos” and once again I’m not entirely sure which photos, but here’s some from around the Tree of Life that I took that day.
After our photo pit stop, we wandered in to Africa and back to the Gorilla Falls trail.
The hippo was out running laps and I only got video so no photos for you lovely folks today. So just picture in your head a hippo running laps around its pool, but you can only see its ears over the top of all the little children crammed in front of the glass, smearing their little sticky fingers all over it (and one of them most definitely has their mouth on it).
The male gorillas were also out and about and this guy looks like he just got back from the gym:
I overhead the CM saying that this particular gorilla likes to take his towel blanket around with him everywhere and if that doesn’t tug at your heartstrings then I don’t know what will.
Side note- I’m not scared of a lot of things, but my major irrational fear is that I’m going to be killed by a gorilla. Just a fun fact.
Our next stop was Pandora on our grand tour of the Animal Kingdom because we had a double date with some banshees.
And apparently I took zero photos of Pandora this time around.
I didn’t even know that was possible.
It’s like fancy lattes. You can’t get one and not take a picture. It nullifies the fanciness of the latte.
Our ride with banshees was amazing as per usual and this was the first trip where we got to ride it twice! So it was cool to walk off the ride knowing we only had to wait a few more days to ride it instead of several months.
There was a PhotoPass photographer by one of my favorite Pandora spots (in front of the waterfall) and I thought it would be a great spot to get a photo of our Disneybound for the day:
We crossed over to Asia for our last FP of the day and we quickly boarded our train up to the Forbidden Mountain and we even got front row!
Thankfully we escaped the (totally immobile) yeti because we had a dinner date to get to at Disney Springs.
On our way out of the park we stopped for another PhotoPass because honestly I was just really feeling my skirt that day.
We got to the bus stop at 3:40 and I didn’t realize that DS buses don’t leave from DAK until after 4pm. So we could have waited until 4 for a bus, but we decided to just hop on one to Saratoga Springs and walk to DS instead. Did it save us any time? No idea. But it was a nice change and a very pleasant walk.
Next up: P&A finally arrive and we kick off our together time with a progressive dinner.
PlutosRHM55
Currently: No HHN Depression
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2010
I went to Sanaa back when it was new and nobody knew about it and LOVED it. My introduction to Disney dining actually. I'm always so happy to see it's one of the most universally loved places. I need to try the curry there, love me some fabulous curry. It all looked and sounded good.
I'm more of a Halloween person above anything (yeah, we're a rare breed), but if I went into a Disney park expecting no more Christmas and there was Christmas I feel I'd get excited with the same amount of confusion as you. However if it was just a tease and Santa Goofy was no longer meeting, I don't want it.
Ok I can't for the life of me figure out who you guys are Disneybounding as. I was scrolling through initially and didn't even realize it was a Disneybound. I'm stumped. Do love the skirt though.
I'm more of a Halloween person above anything (yeah, we're a rare breed), but if I went into a Disney park expecting no more Christmas and there was Christmas I feel I'd get excited with the same amount of confusion as you. However if it was just a tease and Santa Goofy was no longer meeting, I don't want it.
Ok I can't for the life of me figure out who you guys are Disneybounding as. I was scrolling through initially and didn't even realize it was a Disneybound. I'm stumped. Do love the skirt though.
amazingact21
Upendi
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2010
I think I'm the only DISer who has never had that bread service from Sanaa. I've got to get over there and try it one day!
Looks like it was a beautiful day at DAK. I loved the gorilla hanging out with his blanket. That's too adorable.
Front row for EE is the best.
Sounds like it was a really pleasant afternoon in the park, and I'm hoping that carried over into DS.
Looks like it was a beautiful day at DAK. I loved the gorilla hanging out with his blanket. That's too adorable.
Front row for EE is the best.
Sounds like it was a really pleasant afternoon in the park, and I'm hoping that carried over into DS.
AMusicLifeForMe
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2016
Awesome update!
I have never been Sanaa, but just tried my first restaurant at AKL on this past trip (Boma). So, I'm bound to get to Sanaa really soon!
For someone that was lazy and didn't want to take his 6 Christmas trees down until the end of January, I would have been fine listening to the African Christmas music.
Your commentary of the kids with the hippo was hilarious!
Very cool that you got front row! I usually always ask for the front row when I ride EE. I love the view from the top of the mountain!
I have never been Sanaa, but just tried my first restaurant at AKL on this past trip (Boma). So, I'm bound to get to Sanaa really soon!
For someone that was lazy and didn't want to take his 6 Christmas trees down until the end of January, I would have been fine listening to the African Christmas music.
Your commentary of the kids with the hippo was hilarious!
Very cool that you got front row! I usually always ask for the front row when I ride EE. I love the view from the top of the mountain!
Share this page
GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE
Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.
Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!
Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.
Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!
