Monthly Archives: January 2016

Animal Kingdom – Africa and Harambe Market

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DAK-Harambe-MickeyIn case I’ve failed to mention it lately, we love Disney’s Animal Kingdom.  I actually waffle between Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom when asked to name my favorite park.  There may be more attractions at Magic Kingdom and all the lands are unique and fun, but Animal Kingdom draws me in so much more!  Asia and Africa, even Dinoland U.S.A. – all so well-themed and detailed in a way that it’s nearly impossible NOT to spot something new on each and every visit.

Animal Kingdom – Africa and Harambe Market

Recently, we had an afternoon to stroll through Animal Kingdom and soak up not only our usual favorite places – we also visited some new places, like the Harambe Market, for the first time.  In spite of the fact that it was December 26th and we expected high crowds and long lines, we found the park easy to navigate.  Before, after, and in between our FastPasses for Expedition Everest and Kilimanjaro Safaris, we had time to take things at a leisurely pace and loved every minute.

For today’s Friday Five, I’d like to give you the top five moments of our afternoon at Animal Kingdom.

  1.  Gorillas!  I never miss an opportunity to visit the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail and this time was no different.  I was hoping to check up on the baby gorillas we’d seen on our last visit and was delighted to find mammas, babies, and dad(?) taking a lie-down right in front of the observation window.  Gorilla-Mother-and-BabyThe area was understandably crowded, but I was willing to wait patiently for an opportunity to move closer to the window for a good look.  DAK-Baby-GorillaI was happy to see a roped-off perimeter and cast member on hand to keep guests from getting right up to the glass – It’s good to know that care is taken to make sure the gorilla family has relatively undisturbed time to rest.  I watched the babies play and nurse and be adorable for several minutes before moving on to take the safari.Thirsty-River-Bar
  2. BEST use of a former FastPass distribution area! The new Thirsty River Bar has moved in to the old Expedition Everest FastPass machine location…and what a welcome addition it is!  We stopped for a refreshment just after returning from our Yeti-hunting adventure.  Thirsty work that Yeti business!Thirsty River Bar Menu
  3. Zuri’s Sweets Shop – After the whole “Poop Candy” controversy, I’d wondered if this place was even worth a visit.  I was imagining a very small, limited-offering-type candy shop.  I was completely wrong! Zuri's-Sweets-Shop The place was large with a broad inventory selection that kept me browsing for quite a while.  Very cool stuff!  The sweets selection was made up of a few animal-themed choices and I was enjoying the cute and clever offerings.  Zuri's-SweetsI don’t have much of a sweet tooth and was planning to walk away without making a purchase until I noticed the fudge selection included a maple nut choice.  Maple flavored candy always reminds me of those Russell Stover Easter Eggs – you know what I’m talking about?  They’re chocolate-covered with a flavored cream center.  When I was little, the maple ones were my absolute favorite!  Zuri's Sweets Maple FudgeFeeling nostalgic suddenly, I bought a piece of that fudge and tucked it into my backpack – forgetting all about it until the next day.  Oh, boy!  That fudge was heavenly – tasted exactly how I wanted it to – and I managed to make it last for several days.Harambe-Market
  4. The Perfect Details in Harambe Market!  I’d listened to podcasts and read reviews and trip reports about this phenomenally themed addition to Africa.  Even after seeing dozens of photos, I was surprised and so pleased by what I experienced first hand.  Harambe-Market-Flyers Harambe-Market-BicycleI guess I was worried that the area would not match the incredible details of the rest of the park – that it would be “less” than the rest by virtue of its newness.  I love it when I’m wrong at times like this.  Harambe-Rubber-Stamp-Ad Harambe-Herbalist Harambe-Cast-MemberIt’s perfect!  It fits seamlessly into the rest of the park and is full of miniscule details impossible to completely discover in one visit.DAK-Hidden-Mickey
  5. Excitement is in the Air!  There’s a real feeling of anticipation – a collectively held breath, if you will, about what’s coming next.  For me it was like the new areas are little teasers for the monumental attractions and experiences currently under construction.  When the Sunset Safari and the Rivers of Light open, the park will be completely transformed into a nighttime destination.  Then when Pandora – an entire new land – comes to life, Animal Kingdom will, I believe, really come into its own.  I cannot WAIT!
Are you and Animal Kingdom fan?  What are you most excited to see in this park’s future?

Walt Disney World – Just Back, Trip Recap!

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Clam-mobile-selfieWe had a great time at Walt Disney World!  We always have a great time, so this comes as no surprise.  What DID surprise us was the exceptional, unexpected delights along with a couple of equally surprising minor disappointments.  You know me – fair and balanced (usually) is my M.O. and today’s no different.  Please bear in mind that in anticipation of the extreme crowds to be expected between Christmas and New Year’s, we made an unprecedented number of dining reservations.  Now let’s get to it!

Walt Disney World – Just Back, Trip Recap!

The VERY BEST –Polynesian-Villa-Studio

Our Polynesian Village Resort DVC villa!  You can read that review here.  We were so happy with our location and how comfortable and luxurious our room and its amenities were!  Would we stay here again?  In a heartbeat!DHS-Osborne-Lights-Sign

Saying Goodbye to the Osborne Lights – Bittersweet, but we made the most of the opportunity and were happy at the end of the day.  I guess we could call it closure.Skipper-Canteen-Jungle-Cruise-Sign

The New Skipper Canteen – A full review of this fantastic new Magic Kingdom eatery will be coming up within the next few days, but let me say – If this is the future of Disney’s theme park dining, I’m ecstatic!Jiko-Exterior

Jiko – It’s been a few years since we’ve eaten at this Signature restaurant at the Animal Kingdom Lodge because we had to work Boma and Sanaa into our vacation dining rotation.  It was every bit as wonderful as every other time we’ve eaten there.  Again – full review coming soon.Shula's-Steakhouse-Exterior

Shula’s Steakhouse – Ever since we tried (and were delighted by) Il Mulino at the Swan, we’ve been hoping to fit dinner at Shula’s (at the Dolphin) into our plans.  Perfectly perfect in every way.  Guess what?  Yup – there’s a review coming up soon!Morimoto-Asia-Sushi

Morimoto Asia – Another place we were dying to try and brand new to boot.  Located in Disney Springs, we planned a morning around having lunch at Morimoto Asia before an afternoon at Epcot.  What a great meal!  We shared every course hoping it would keep us from eating too much – HA!  We left completely stuffed and loved the sake flight offered there as well.  You know?  I believe I’ll write a review on this place too!  (So check back!)

The Really GoodJingle-Cruise-Sign

Jingle Cruise – We love Jungle Cruise in it’s usual configuration so chances were that we’d be thrilled with the ride’s holiday overlay.  And we were.  Skipper Patrick was from our home state of Louisiana and he was a true master at pun-delivery!  If you’ve not had the chance and are visiting Walt Disney World during the holidays, do make time to experience this fun and funny seasonal treat.Be-Our-Guest-Restaurant-Sign

Breakfast at Be Our Guest – We’d eaten both lunch and dinner at Be Our Guest before, so we thought, why NOT see how breakfast is.  Hands down, this was our favorite meal at this unique and amazingly-themed restaurant in Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland.Tonga-Toast-Kona-Cafe

Breakfast at Kona Café – We’d never had Tonga Toast before!  We had to knock that off our Disney to-do list.  While the toast might have been a little sweet for us, we loved the omelet we shared, plus the coffee and the service were both excellent.  Those to-go coffees our server offered us were just the ticket for making sure we were wide awake when we got to Magic Kingdom.Chewbacca-Meet-and-Greet

Meeting Chewbacca – He was everything we hoped he’d be!  Tall, furry, friendly, and photogenic!  The Launch Bay, where fans can meet both Chewbacca and Darth Vader, is packed with enough Star Wars information and memorabilia to make every fan happy.Star-Tours-Queue

The New Star Tours – We weren’t sure what to expect with the new Force Awakens tie-ins, but they were just right – seamlessly included in the storyline. (Nope, no spoilers here!)

The DisappointmentsBluezoo-Exterior

Bluezoo – This Todd English restaurant at the Dolphin was someplace we’d really looked forward to trying.  We’d heard such great things about the menu and service.  The service was as expected – excellent.  The disappointment came in the form of our $42 entrees.  We each ordered something different and we both found the food lacking in interest and flavor.  There are tons of other places in that price range at Disney World, no need to waste money here.Flying-Fish-Exterior-2015

Flying Fish – The last time we ate at Flying Fish was in May, 2014 and it was one of the best dining experiences we’d ever had.  The food, the service, the ambiance – all of it created such a fantastic vacation memory.  Raymond and I were expecting the same thing this time.  Not so much.  Lackluster (at best) is what we got.  It started with the hostess who would not make eye contact or smile – just shoved a pager at Raymond and said (without looking up), “We’ll call you when we’re ready”.  Flying-Fish-Interior-2015(2)The young lady who led us to our table when our pager blinked was equally un-Disney-like.  Our server went through the motions, but never talked about the menu or made recommendations of any kind.  He was pleasant enough yet made us feel like a chore he needed to finish quickly. Flying-Fish-Interior-2015(1) I have a theory.  Flying Fish is getting ready to close for an extended refurbishment.  I asked and the server told me they were all being reassigned to other places.  I believe they’ve all checked-out and mentally moved on, knowing that at the end of January their work family will be divided up among many other Disney restaurants and they’ll each have to learn the ways of a new place.  I’d be willing to go back again after the refurb and give Flying Fish another shot.

Have your recent experiences been different than ours?  What has been your most favorite recent Disney dining or attraction experience?

 

Saying Farewell to the Osborne Lights

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Osborne Lights GlobeWe set aside the entire day on December 27th (2015) to spend at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  Sure, we were there to enjoy our favorite Studios’ attractions and we wanted to check out the new Star Wars Launch Bay, but mostly we wanted to pay our respects to the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights.  After a successful 20 year run as one of the most beloved Christmas traditions at Walt Disney World, the lights will be turned off for good on January 6, 2016.

Saying Farewell to the Osborne Lights

We wanted to spend time strolling the Streets of America where the Osborne Lights are displayed – both during the daytime and at night.  The lights are spectacular when they’re on, but during the daylight hours, there’s also a certain charm – a special atmosphere – when the lights are off, the sun is shining, and the streets are mainly deserted.DHS-Olaf DHS-Roger-Rabbit-Christmas

We arrived at 7:30 for the 8:00 am scheduled park opening.  We managed to knock a couple of attractions off our to-do list and grab a bite at Starring Rolls before we made our way to the quiet Streets of America.  The day was gloriously sunny and warm – not Christmas-ish at all, which made the setting seem almost surreal in both its quiet abandonment and seasonal spirit.DHS-Minnie-Mickey-PicnicDHS - Christmas Dalmations DHS-Flying Goofy

We knew that a million tiny details that were so obvious during the day would all but disappear at night as the lights would shine and blink with the music and as “snow” fell on guests packed tightly in the streets to see the spectacle for the last time.DHS - I'm the baby!DHS-Christmas-Stitch DHS-China Bowl-WindowDHS-Mr-Gold'sWhat fun it was to be all alone on the Streets of America during one of the busiest weeks of the year at Walt Disney World!  We took our time and soaked up the wonderful surprises hidden all around.  After we’d seen what we could and used all our FastPasses (plus a few extra attractions), we headed to Epcot for a pre-dinner stroll around World Showcase.  We ate at the Dolphin’s Blue Zoo that evening – after which we caught a bus back to the Studios for the big show.

Now we had lots of company on those same previously-empty streets!  The place was packed and the displays and details we had admired by day took on a completely different look at night.DHS-Osborne-Lights-Dalmations DHS-Osborne-Lights-Goofy-FlyingDHS-Osborne-Lights-Olaf DHS-Osborne-Lights-Baby

DHS-Osborne-Lights-Mr-Gold'sThe music was wonderful!  The lights were as special and spectacular as could possibly be imagined.  As an added bit of fun, we moved as quickly as we could through the hustle and bustle to spy as many Mickeys (and Minnies) as we could before we called it a night.DHS-Osborne-Lights-Minnie DHS-Osborne-Lights-Mickey DHS-Osborne-Lights-Green-MickeyWill the Osborne Lights be missed?  You betcha!  At the same time, we are anticipating the many new and exciting experiences to come after all the changes are complete at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (or whatever the park may be named in the future).

Were you a fan of the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights?  What did you love most about this incredible and unique experience?

DVC Studio Review – Polynesian Villas

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Polynesian-Check-In-Raymond-and-LisaJust back from our most recent visit to Walt Disney World and what a great time we had!  Everything from the weather to the festive holiday atmosphere to the great dining and surprisingly nice accommodations we enjoyed – all of it was magical.  We used our DVC points for a stay in the newly renovated Villas at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.  We booked later than we normally would and the only DVC room available on the monorail was at the Poly.  A studio was perfect since Raymond and I were taking a 5-night post-Christmas getaway alone.  Our home resorts are Bay Lake Tower and the Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian – this was our first stay at the new Polynesian villas and our first stay at the Poly in about nine years.

DVC Studio Review – Polynesian Villas

We arrived on December 26th around noon.  We hopped off the Magic Express and headed for the front desk (we’d tried online check-in, but hadn’t heard anything back).  Polynesian-LobbyWe were greeted by a cheerful Cast Member (their costumes at this resort are gorgeous!) and informed that our room was not yet ready, but this friendly young lady was determined to find a room that was ready now.  Polynesian-Village-Resort-MapThis is where we were pixie-dusted from a standard view original request to a lake-view studio in Moorea.  What a great surprise!  We followed the path from the Great Ceremonial House right to our building and up to the second floor (2023).Polynesian-Tiki-Light Polynesian-Villas-Art

Right away we loved the colors and the theming – those little Disney touches always make everything seem that much more special.  The room was spacious, warm and welcoming.  The slatted doors on the closets and bathrooms (yes, I meant to make that plural) add to the airy, tropical feel.  The dark wood and finishes make the rooms feel luxurious and well-appointed.Polynesian-Villa-Room-Decor Polynesian-Villa-StudioPolynesian-Villa-Living-Area

These studios sleep up to five with a queen bed, queen fold-out sofa, a bunk-sized bed that folds down from a cabinet under the TV.  The artwork inside that little bed is an adorable picture of Lelo and Stitch. Polynesian-Villa-Fold-Down-Bed-Art The small kitchenette offers a sink, fridge, microwave, coffee-maker and toaster.  We didn’t bring our own coffee since we easily found delicious ground coffee in a resort gift shop last time we were at Disney World – this was a huge mistake!  There was no ground coffee (only beans) to be found anywhere!  After we used up our resort-provided serving on the first morning, we were coffee-less each morning until we struck out for our daily adventures.  We will be sure to be better prepared in the future.Polynesian-Villa-Kitchenette

Now, back to the bathrooms.  Yes – there are two! This split-bath setup makes a huge difference when multiple people are trying to get ready at the same time – even the two of us.  One room has a toilet, traditional bathtub/shower and vanity.  Polynesian-Villa-Bathroom-Vanity Polynesian-Villa-BathThe other has a vanity and a large shower with two showerheads to choose from!  One is a traditional showerhead (detachable) and the other is straight overhead for a rain or waterfall effect -heavenly!  Polynesian-Vanity Polynesian-Villa-ShowerBoth bathrooms have motion-sensors that turn on the fan automatically when the room is occupied.

Our balcony overlooked the new DVC Bora Bora Bungalows and Seven Seas Lagoon.  In the distance we had a lovely view of Cinderella Castle and Space Mountain.Polynesian-Villa-Moorea-Lake-View Polynesian-Villa-Moorea-Lake-View2I’d heard that the boat horns were a huge problem for people staying in lake-view rooms and we did notice them on the first night – I think being in a new place had a lot to do with it.  After that, we were so exhausted by our full 15-hours of park touring each day, no sounds bothered us and we slept like babies in our super comfortable bed.  The pillows and linens were fabulous!

Pros of the Polynesian DVC studios:  Roomy with great theming, split bathroom with deluxe shower, easy walk to every building from the Great Ceremonial House, and gorgeous, lush surroundings.  Moorea is a very short walk away from the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC).

Cons:  Boat noise bothers some people, current resort renovations are underway which means quite a few construction walls mar the beauty of the landscaping and walkways.  There are not as many restaurant choices as at the other monorail/Magic Kingdom resorts.

Are you a fan of the Polynesian?  What would you recommend about it?