Mrs Doubtfire
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2006
Hope everyone is having a good Christmas today. Don’t know if anyone watches Tim tracker but we’ve just seen him and Jen in Animal Kingdom.
(Sea)Lions & Gators & Dolphins….Oh, My! A Halloween PTR/TR with a “wild” theme - Oct/Nov '18
- Thread starter Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina
- Start date
Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina
Life is short. Live it well.
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2008
Christmas at Epcot is something I would love to experience someday. Whenever we make it back to Orlando for the holidays, that will definitely be a must do. I'm so glad you enjoyed the Candlelight Processional. How has the weather been?
We had a very favorable commute home
. Decent traffic (only one slow down the while way, as we merged into the 401 in whitby) and great weather . The snow held off until we arrived. So we had a white Christmas without the harrowing drive 
.I fell in love with those Halloween ears when I found them on etsy. Purple is my favorite color so they were a double win
.Funny thing is, she always looks angry in pictures, which is odd because she is the sweetest cat. Maybe she just doesn't like the Paw-perazi?
LOVE the quote!Probably not the best idea for the family Christmas card.
Some folk might take it the wrong way. The others would all agree and pour another glass of wine...
Ha ha! I figured it wasnt the most appropriate caption....but yet, I couldn't help myself
. My sense of humor is definitely what most would consider unique 
.Hope you had a great Christmas!
I didnt!! Do you have to pre register? And where do you sign up? I would live to add that to our May itinerary!
You absolutely do! It is now officially Steve's favorite breakfast on property.
Well young lady, you will have to give Boma a try on your next trip
. You may end up enjoying it as much as we did!Hi Gina I have been catching up went through some hectic times last couple of weeks. I love your Aquatica report and thanks for the tips on the chairs.We are really looking forward to going there this summer. I was glad to see you enjoyed Boma and AKL. It is one of our favorite resorts. I did book one night at the end of the trip to surprise Liv for gradation. It will be a resort only day. I got the club level savannah room.
Merry Christmas and I hope everything fit in the SUV and you had a wonderful trip back home
We managed to fit everything in with a lot of readjusting. It was like a Christmas version of tetris
. Canadian customs nailed us for tax on Jake's TV when we crossed (a bit of a bummer) but otherwise everything made it without incident. We are having a wonderful time visiting friends and family
. I miss them all so much. I will post some photos of our holiday fun after we get home on Friday night. Your trip is sure shaping up to be an epic one!!! You must be getting SO excited as we approach the new year! Time is passing pretty darn quick, June will be here before we know it!
Merry Christmas, my friend
. Hope you had a fabulous holiday!How cool! I love his videos!! Did you go up and say hi? (I totally would have
)Hope you are having a magical Christmas week!
Mrs Doubtfire
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2006
Hi Gina. My daughter ran up and got a selfie with him and Jen. It looked like he was with some other people but they were happy to have a quick photo.
We have been here for just over 2 weeks now and this week has been the best weather. The first 2 we had a few cold spells and a bit more rain than what we have experienced previously, also it was a lot busier those earlier weeks. But we are on holiday and enjoying it!
We have been here for just over 2 weeks now and this week has been the best weather. The first 2 we had a few cold spells and a bit more rain than what we have experienced previously, also it was a lot busier those earlier weeks. But we are on holiday and enjoying it!
pattyw
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2008
Merry Christmas Gina and all other DISers here!!
I got very behind here between our holiday trip and Christmas!
Lovely pictures!! Can I say that you guys look great in pictures- soaking wet!! I look like something out of a horror movie wet with no makeup!
Hope you guys are enjoying your family time at home in Canada!
I got very behind here between our holiday trip and Christmas!
Lovely pictures!! Can I say that you guys look great in pictures- soaking wet!! I look like something out of a horror movie wet with no makeup!
Hope you guys are enjoying your family time at home in Canada!
Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina
Life is short. Live it well.
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2008
I am actually thinking that we should plan for a Christmas trip (not Christmas week, but the latter half of November, perhaps?) in 2020. One more year for Halloween then switch it up a little. By then it will have been 4 years since our last Christmas vacation so I am sure there will be LOTS of new events to enjoy!
I am so glad you are having a great time! You are there for three full weeks, correct?
Merry Christmas Gina and all other DISers here!!
I got very behind here between our holiday trip and Christmas!
Lovely pictures!! Can I say that you guys look great in pictures- soaking wet!! I look like something out of a horror movie wet with no makeup!
Hope you guys are enjoying your family time at home in Canada!
We had a wonderful trip home.....it was definitely tough to leave after indulging in so much lovely time with family and friends. But, like our Florida vacations, the end always rolls around too soon. We were definitely blessed with some great travel weather which was super awesome all on its own!
Ugh, you are too kind with your compliments......our water park pictures make me look like a drowned rat. There is simply no way to look elegant with sopping wet hair once you're past the age of 29. I figure, if nothing else, I can give you all a good laugh when you see our water park photos!
Thank you! It was an absolutely fantastic Christmas: we got to spend time with our son, my mom, all of Steve's family, and a nice little assortment of friends. Our cats were sure happy to have us home, though!
Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina
Life is short. Live it well.
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2008
I thought I'd share a few photos of our Christmas visit home .
Enjoying some time with my momma:
Spending some snuggle time with my grandcat:
Enjoying the Fantasy of Lights in Quinte West:
Taking in more holiday lights at the Meyers Pier display along the Bay:
And dinner out with friends and family! (I was teaching my mom about selfies......turns out, she hates them):
Best of all, though, was spending time with this guy
.
Yesterday and today have been spent getting caught up after being away: house cleaning (sooooo much cat fur floating around!), grocery shopping, and running errands. I hope to be back at the trip report by hopefully tomorrow!
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas holiday as well. Hard to believe we are poised to bid adieu to 2018. We have no big plans for New Years Eve or Day (is that a sign of how old we are getting? ) but hopefully you're all not as boring as me 
.
.Enjoying some time with my momma:
Spending some snuggle time with my grandcat:
Enjoying the Fantasy of Lights in Quinte West:
Taking in more holiday lights at the Meyers Pier display along the Bay:
And dinner out with friends and family! (I was teaching my mom about selfies......turns out, she hates them
):
Best of all, though, was spending time with this guy
.
Yesterday and today have been spent getting caught up after being away: house cleaning (sooooo much cat fur floating around!), grocery shopping, and running errands. I hope to be back at the trip report by hopefully tomorrow!
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas holiday as well
. Hard to believe we are poised to bid adieu to 2018. We have no big plans for New Years Eve or Day (is that a sign of how old we are getting? ) but hopefully you're all not as boring as me .
Mrs Doubtfire
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2006
So glad you had a wonderful Christmas. We are back home now after a lovely 3 week holiday and back at work today. Like you, I have no real plans for tonight as the jet lag will be hitting me for sure when I get back from work!!
Penguinempress
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- May 11, 2015
Your grandcat is adorable! Looks like you had a lovely Christmas, glad you were able to spend so much time with family. I can't believe how much Jake looks like Steve now, wow!
chicagoshannon
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 9, 2008
looking forward to an update maybe today!
We are under a month until our trip. Bought the Universal photo package today. Thanks for the heads up!
We are under a month until our trip. Bought the Universal photo package today. Thanks for the heads up!
Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina
Life is short. Live it well.
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2008
Tuesday, October 30th: Animal Kingdom Lodge, continued
After breakfast, we made our way back upstairs to explore the lobby area of the resort a little bit more. We hadn't had a ton of time to look around before our ADR time, but we had the rest of the day at our disposal once breakfast was over. We had eaten enough that we definitely could benefit from a good walk.
The fire pit in the lobby was probably one of my favorite features....even on a warm and sunny day, it lent a real coziness to the grand space. And it lightened up the dark decor, even if just a little bit. I can imagine it would be a wonderful place to spend a cool winter's night, with a warm hot chocolate or a drink from the bar in hand.
The massive Ijele mask was my second favorite decorative feature of the Kidani village lobby.
It brought some much-needed color to the predominately brown color pallet of the lobby, and the cool backstory of the mask (featuring the Igbo people of Nigeria) was admittedly pretty interesting. We were awkwardly trying to take a selfie with the mask when a sweet woman (who turned out to be a travel agent who was visiting the resort for the first time.....not staying there, but just doing a personal visit to the resort so she could better advise her clients) laughingly offered to take a photo of the two of us with my camera. So very kind!
They had some nice little sitting areas adjacent to the lobby, some with large windows for viewing the animals on the savannah. There were lots of African artifacts lining the walls, like these:
We spent much more time exploring the INSIDE than what I had anticipated. It's a pretty neat place.
Eventually, though, it was time to head outdoors and see if we could spot some of the animals that AKL is famous for. It was too nice of a day to spend inside, anyway
.
If I was impressed by the indoor fire pit, then I was absolutely captivated by the massive outdoor pit that was situated right outside the rear doors to the lobby. I can only imagine how awesome this would be at night time! I almost wished we would be hanging around long enough to see it lit.
And while the outdoor areas had a very natural and rustic feel, we noted with a smile that there were still Disney touches to be found here and there:
We strolled all along the resort walkways, stopping to look for animals at each marked viewing spot. As we had hoped, we got to see several different varieties of animals, including zebras:
.....watusi:
....and antelope:
We also saw some giraffes, but they were WAY off in the distance. All of the animals, in fact, were a LOT further away from the people-y parts of the resort than the commercials make it seem
. We could see them, for sure, but most of them were a really significant distance from the buildings.
The outside pathways were really quite pretty, though. All the lush greenery and water features made for a wonderfully relaxing stroll around the resort.
While we weren't particularly impressed with the pool area (it was strangely plain and much smaller than we would have expected for a deluxe resort.....though it sure made us appreciate the amazing amenities at the Vistana) we could see why the resort holds a lot of appeal for many Disney visitors. The lush foliage and the animals beyond the fence made for a very captivating combination......and with most guests already at the parks on that beautiful Tuesday, it sure didn't feel like we were smack-dab in the middle of a tourist mega-area.
Heading back inside, we enjoyed an extended opportunity to peruse the super-cool gift shop: thank goodness for luggage restrictions or I could have bought every single thing in that store!!
I have to say, I think AKL has the most unique selection of gifts on Disney property. I would seriously make a special trip there just to pick up unique souvenirs for family and friends back home.
Before we wrapped up our visit at the lodge, we headed downstairs to find The Mara to cross our last AKL must-do off the list: we were in search of the infamous Zebra Domes.
While we were still uncomfortably full from breakfast at Boma, it seemed absolutely wrong not to sample a zebra dome before departing......we might need a stomach pumping before the end of the day
but yet, we couldn't help ourselves.
I have to say, they were nothing like I imagined and one of the strangest things I had eaten in a long time. I wasn't in love with them (not the crazy adoration that many Disers have for them, that's for sure) but they were really quite tasty in their own weird way. I was grateful that they weren't super heavy, because if they had have been I doubt I'd have been able to make it beyond the first bite (I was still soooooo full). Steve ate two, I had one, and we took the remaining dome back to the resort with us......though it decomposed in the warmth of the vehicle's interior before we had a chance to enjoy it. Note to self: Zebra Domes need to be kept cold
.
When we were satisfied with our self tour of the resort, we headed out the main doors and made our way to the parking lot. Hopping into the rental, we were still remarking on how uncomfortably full we were feeling.....so I suggested that perhaps we head to Disney Springs for a bit to continue to walk off our gluttony. We had hoped to ride the Characters in Flight balloon again this trip, and with nothing else scheduled until later on in the evening, this seemed like the perfect opportunity.
Our visit to Disney Spring is next.
After breakfast, we made our way back upstairs to explore the lobby area of the resort a little bit more. We hadn't had a ton of time to look around before our ADR time, but we had the rest of the day at our disposal once breakfast was over. We had eaten enough that we definitely could benefit from a good walk
.
The fire pit in the lobby was probably one of my favorite features....even on a warm and sunny day, it lent a real coziness to the grand space. And it lightened up the dark decor, even if just a little bit. I can imagine it would be a wonderful place to spend a cool winter's night, with a warm hot chocolate or a drink from the bar in hand.
The massive Ijele mask was my second favorite decorative feature of the Kidani village lobby.
It brought some much-needed color to the predominately brown color pallet of the lobby, and the cool backstory of the mask (featuring the Igbo people of Nigeria) was admittedly pretty interesting. We were awkwardly trying to take a selfie with the mask when a sweet woman (who turned out to be a travel agent who was visiting the resort for the first time.....not staying there, but just doing a personal visit to the resort so she could better advise her clients) laughingly offered to take a photo of the two of us with my camera. So very kind!
They had some nice little sitting areas adjacent to the lobby, some with large windows for viewing the animals on the savannah. There were lots of African artifacts lining the walls, like these:
We spent much more time exploring the INSIDE than what I had anticipated. It's a pretty neat place.
Eventually, though, it was time to head outdoors and see if we could spot some of the animals that AKL is famous for. It was too nice of a day to spend inside, anyway
.
If I was impressed by the indoor fire pit, then I was absolutely captivated by the massive outdoor pit that was situated right outside the rear doors to the lobby. I can only imagine how awesome this would be at night time! I almost wished we would be hanging around long enough to see it lit.
And while the outdoor areas had a very natural and rustic feel, we noted with a smile that there were still Disney touches to be found here and there:
We strolled all along the resort walkways, stopping to look for animals at each marked viewing spot. As we had hoped, we got to see several different varieties of animals, including zebras:
.....watusi:
....and antelope:
We also saw some giraffes, but they were WAY off in the distance. All of the animals, in fact, were a LOT further away from the people-y parts of the resort than the commercials make it seem
. We could see them, for sure, but most of them were a really significant distance from the buildings.The outside pathways were really quite pretty, though. All the lush greenery and water features made for a wonderfully relaxing stroll around the resort.
While we weren't particularly impressed with the pool area (it was strangely plain and much smaller than we would have expected for a deluxe resort.....though it sure made us appreciate the amazing amenities at the Vistana) we could see why the resort holds a lot of appeal for many Disney visitors. The lush foliage and the animals beyond the fence made for a very captivating combination......and with most guests already at the parks on that beautiful Tuesday, it sure didn't feel like we were smack-dab in the middle of a tourist mega-area.
Heading back inside, we enjoyed an extended opportunity to peruse the super-cool gift shop: thank goodness for luggage restrictions or I could have bought every single thing in that store!!
I have to say, I think AKL has the most unique selection of gifts on Disney property
. I would seriously make a special trip there just to pick up unique souvenirs for family and friends back home.
Before we wrapped up our visit at the lodge, we headed downstairs to find The Mara to cross our last AKL must-do off the list: we were in search of the infamous Zebra Domes
.
While we were still uncomfortably full from breakfast at Boma, it seemed absolutely wrong not to sample a zebra dome before departing......we might need a stomach pumping before the end of the day
but yet, we couldn't help ourselves.
I have to say, they were nothing like I imagined and one of the strangest things I had eaten in a long time. I wasn't in love with them (not the crazy adoration that many Disers have for them, that's for sure) but they were really quite tasty in their own weird way. I was grateful that they weren't super heavy, because if they had have been I doubt I'd have been able to make it beyond the first bite (I was still soooooo full). Steve ate two, I had one, and we took the remaining dome back to the resort with us......though it decomposed in the warmth of the vehicle's interior before we had a chance to enjoy it. Note to self: Zebra Domes need to be kept cold
.
When we were satisfied with our self tour of the resort, we headed out the main doors and made our way to the parking lot. Hopping into the rental, we were still remarking on how uncomfortably full we were feeling.....so I suggested that perhaps we head to Disney Springs for a bit to continue to walk off our gluttony. We had hoped to ride the Characters in Flight balloon again this trip, and with nothing else scheduled until later on in the evening, this seemed like the perfect opportunity
.Our visit to Disney Spring is next.
Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina
Life is short. Live it well.
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2008
Welcome home! Coming back always stinks, but having to work as soon as you get back is a real killer......and I can't even imagine what that's like with jet lag added in. I hope you have a restful New Years Day planned!
Jake's resemblance to Steve is nothing short of uncanny. It takes my breath away sometimes, just how similar they are. Two peas in a pod! He sure doesn't look much like his momma, does he? LOL
Jake's wee cat is this nana's little love
. He's as different from my cats as he can possibly be....he's wilder than the wind, super social, and a little fireball of energy (NOT a lap cat.....he's insulted by the notion of staying still ). But he's a ton of fun and loves to play, and of course I was only happy to oblige . I often think to myself, if I can adore a little cat this much, can you imagine how I'll feel about a grandchild some day? So jealous! What I wouldn't give for a reprieve from the northern winter!! Are you flying or driving this trip?
I'm so happy that you were able to get a good discount on the Universal photo package
. That savings will buy a lot of Butterbeer! 
Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina
Life is short. Live it well.
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2008
And before I wrap things up for the night, I just wanted to wish you all a happy, safe, and fun New Year's Eve! We are keeping a low profile tonight (we're not big party animals on New Year's.....I know, you're shocked 
) so it was Olive Garden take-out for dinner, some drinks, and a Criminal Minds marathon for these two old poops. After being away for Christmas, a peaceful ushering in of 2019 was exactly what we were hoping for.
May the coming year bring you all much happiness and many trips to the city we all love!
) so it was Olive Garden take-out for dinner, some drinks, and a Criminal Minds marathon for these two old poops. After being away for Christmas, a peaceful ushering in of 2019 was exactly what we were hoping for.May the coming year bring you all much happiness and many trips to the city we all love!
JaxDad
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2014
Happy New Year Gina to you and your family!
We had a great mini-vacation in St. Augustine last week, and I’ve locked in Alaska for June! I’m sure we will squeeze in a weekend in Orlando at some point, but probably not until late in the coming year.
We had a great mini-vacation in St. Augustine last week, and I’ve locked in Alaska for June! I’m sure we will squeeze in a weekend in Orlando at some point, but probably not until late in the coming year.
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Monykalyn
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2014
Happy New Years Gina! Sounds like trip home was a great success and glad you got to spend so much time with family, and that the travel was smooth.
Will have to knock Boma off the list sometime-and I'd love to stay at AKL again. Those veranda viewing areas with the chairs? Yeah I may have spent some time there with a drink in hand - even in august it is too tempting to sit and animal gaze!! In the evenings we have seen the animals closer. They do tend to stick to where the "hidden" feeders are though-which is far enough away from people to touch them. Can't trust the more...challenged...among us to not do something stupid.
You could always meet us in Vegas in a couple weeks for a winter break...
Will have to knock Boma off the list sometime-and I'd love to stay at AKL again. Those veranda viewing areas with the chairs? Yeah I may have spent some time there with a drink in hand - even in august it is too tempting to sit and animal gaze!! In the evenings we have seen the animals closer. They do tend to stick to where the "hidden" feeders are though-which is far enough away from people to touch them. Can't trust the more...challenged...among us to not do something stupid.
You could always meet us in Vegas in a couple weeks for a winter break...
chicagoshannon
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 9, 2008
We're flying this time!
The zebra domes didn't live up to the hype for me either.
The zebra domes didn't live up to the hype for me either.
Mrs Doubtfire
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2006
Happy New Year Gina and family. We had a quiet night, just a few drinks after getting in from work and a lazy day today.
We went to AKL to view the Christmas Tree and animals, but they were quite close that day, think it was mid afternoon. We took a few pictures of others whilst we were on holiday and a few families asked us as we were walking by. It's a nice thing to do
We went to AKL to view the Christmas Tree and animals, but they were quite close that day, think it was mid afternoon. We took a few pictures of others whilst we were on holiday and a few families asked us as we were walking by. It's a nice thing to do
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