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Started By
Message
re: WDW and Disney Cruise line aboard Disney Dream (pics and reviews now included)
Posted on 5/20/17 at 9:43 pm to LSUfan4444
Posted on 5/20/17 at 9:43 pm to LSUfan4444
1
Posted on 5/21/17 at 3:35 pm to HoustonGumbeauxGuy
Spent the morning yesterday at the Boardwalk Villas pool.
Had 12:25 reservations at Skipper Canteen in Magic Kingdom and we loved it.
I had the Shiriki Noodle Salad (Noodles, Edamame Beans, Mushrooms, Green Mango, and Cucumber tossed with a Sweet Chili Sauce) and the Orinoco Ida's Cachapas ( House-made Corn Pancakes, Mojo-braised Pork, Black Bean Salad, and Avocado Cream).
Wife had the Trader Sam's Head-on Shrimp ( Sustainable Local Farm-raised Shrimp tossed in a Chili-Garlic Sauce and served with Chinese Broccoli and Jasmine Rice)...didnt think a pic was necessary.
After lunch we headed to Magic Carpets of Aladdin then Splash and Thunder Mnt the saw the Festival of Fantasy Parade.
After the parade (in my opinion the best day parade in Magic Kingdom History) we knocked out our Mine Train FP+ then headed over to the Polynesian for the Spirit of Aloha Dinner show. I've honestly never read a good review about the shot but we LOVE Hoop De Doo, hated Backyard BBQ and had to see of ourselves and so glad we did. Yes, the show was cheesy but there is alot of talent there and I don't think the food there is much off of Ohana (if at all).
They stopped serving alcohol (included) about 30 minutes before the show ended which I thought was a bit early but still had a good time.
We had tier 1 seating booked at 180 days.
Ribs, Chicken, pulled pork, rice
Somoan fire dancer was better than any I've seen even in Hawaii
After dinner we went to the grand floridan for a few drinks poolside then headed to the contemporary to watch Happily Ever After.
I liked it but definitely not the same experience as watch Wishes from the nearby resorts
Had 12:25 reservations at Skipper Canteen in Magic Kingdom and we loved it.
I had the Shiriki Noodle Salad (Noodles, Edamame Beans, Mushrooms, Green Mango, and Cucumber tossed with a Sweet Chili Sauce) and the Orinoco Ida's Cachapas ( House-made Corn Pancakes, Mojo-braised Pork, Black Bean Salad, and Avocado Cream).
Wife had the Trader Sam's Head-on Shrimp ( Sustainable Local Farm-raised Shrimp tossed in a Chili-Garlic Sauce and served with Chinese Broccoli and Jasmine Rice)...didnt think a pic was necessary.
After lunch we headed to Magic Carpets of Aladdin then Splash and Thunder Mnt the saw the Festival of Fantasy Parade.
After the parade (in my opinion the best day parade in Magic Kingdom History) we knocked out our Mine Train FP+ then headed over to the Polynesian for the Spirit of Aloha Dinner show. I've honestly never read a good review about the shot but we LOVE Hoop De Doo, hated Backyard BBQ and had to see of ourselves and so glad we did. Yes, the show was cheesy but there is alot of talent there and I don't think the food there is much off of Ohana (if at all).
They stopped serving alcohol (included) about 30 minutes before the show ended which I thought was a bit early but still had a good time.
We had tier 1 seating booked at 180 days.
Ribs, Chicken, pulled pork, rice
Somoan fire dancer was better than any I've seen even in Hawaii
After dinner we went to the grand floridan for a few drinks poolside then headed to the contemporary to watch Happily Ever After.
I liked it but definitely not the same experience as watch Wishes from the nearby resorts
This post was edited on 5/21/17 at 3:38 pm
Posted on 5/21/17 at 6:00 pm to LSUfan4444
Awesome time man, we got back yesterday after 7 days in Disney at the Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Starlord was so awkward!! Chewy was really cool and interacted with us the whole time. Spirit of Aloha show was cool, our waitress brought us a bunch of alcohol so that helped. Hoop de doo is one of my favorites we have ever done.
Have a great time!
Starlord was so awkward!! Chewy was really cool and interacted with us the whole time. Spirit of Aloha show was cool, our waitress brought us a bunch of alcohol so that helped. Hoop de doo is one of my favorites we have ever done.
Have a great time!
Posted on 5/21/17 at 8:11 pm to LSUfan4444
Found a site for custom magic band stickers?
Posted on 5/22/17 at 10:33 am to ell_13
We booked the DVC rental through Davids and he's partnered up with Magic Your Band. We got a couple free sets but they sell for like less than $10. Got a couple compliments on my LSU band this weekend for sure.
Posted on 5/22/17 at 11:14 am to LSUfan4444
Pretty cool. $6 for most. And discounts for the more you buy.
Posted on 5/28/17 at 6:55 am to LSUfan4444
Things of been busy lately and I haven't been able to complete an update but will work on some soon. Thoughts on our first stay at animal Kingdom Lodge......The place is gorgeous and probably my favorite room of any resort so far, but do not stay here if you don't have your own car. Also, the pool at jumbo house is completely discombobulated and a total pain in the arse. Great dining, staff is been great, clientele is not awesome but logistically this place is worse and even some of the moderates I've stayed at.
This post was edited on 5/28/17 at 6:56 am
Posted on 5/30/17 at 9:02 pm to LSUfan4444
Day 3 was a rope drop Epcot day with a brunch at Trattoria Al Forno for the Bon Voyage Character breakfast, a mid day pool break then back to Epcot for dinner at Restaurant Marrakesh in Epcot's World Showcase (Morroco) then Illuminations to close the evening.
Hit Test Track first thing and after standing in line for 30 minutes standby they closed the line and said the ride was closed. Shortly therafter they send us a FP+ we could use on any ride inside the park that day which really did't do us any god because two other rides we tried them on (Frozen Ever After and Figment) were both also down. We did speak to guest services and they moved then extra FP+ to May 27 once we were off the cruise which basically gave us 3 FP+ on this day and 5 on the day we got off the boat.
Anyway, after the Test Track debacle we headed over to Soarin. With the new screen standby capacity is GREATLy improved and I think you're much better off doing Texst Track or Frozen Ever After via FP+. Also, the new show is legit. A big improvement over the old one.
We had "breakfast" reservations for the Trattoria Al Forno (Ariel, Prince Eric, Rapunzel and Flynn Rider). wish the characters would have met together as couple rather than individually. The food was good and it's plentiful. I probably could have eaten the pastries and granola parfait and been fine but I piled it on with steak and eggs and felt miserable. (BTW, don't get the steak and eggs..the meat was like rubber). But service was good and the characters were all very interactive. I'd probably put in below CRT, not as rushed as Akershus and probably more like 1900 Park Fare but with better food and better characters)
My fruit cup and the wife's yogurt parfait
My daughter's pancakes
The Royale Breakfast - Oak-Grilled Steak, Cheesy Egg Torte and fonduta, Crispy Onions and Roasted Potatoes
Swimmers Delight - Egg White Omelet with Smoked Salmon, Goat Cheese, Spinach, Mushroom, and Tomato with Roasted Potatoes
After that, we headed back to our room at the Boardwalk for a nap and a swim and of course, beer.
After the nap I was hungry and we had dinner reservations at 6:45 to see the belly dancer for 7 so I wanted a snack. I headed over to the Smokehouse at the Flower and Garden festival to grab something quick to hold me over till dinner.
I went with the beef brisket burnt ends hash and the beer flight. The brisket was okay and I liked the hash but it was like 4 bites. It certainly was much smaller than the last time from what I can remember
Craft beer station at the American Pavilion.
After a few rides, some meet and greets and walking around a bit we headed to dinner in Morocco. Everything was fabulous. The service, food, and the ambiance was all top notch. A fun lively place with great food on top of it.
Couscous with Lamb Shank
Seafood Bastilla: Baked layers of thin pastry stuffed with shermoula sauce, grouper, shrimp, and mushrooms
and
Assorted Mediterranean Salads for Two: Falafel, sun-dried tomato hummus, roasted eggplant purée, and tabouleh
After dinner we grabbed a couple cocktails and closed our night out with Illuminations from right near Mexico.
Hit Test Track first thing and after standing in line for 30 minutes standby they closed the line and said the ride was closed. Shortly therafter they send us a FP+ we could use on any ride inside the park that day which really did't do us any god because two other rides we tried them on (Frozen Ever After and Figment) were both also down. We did speak to guest services and they moved then extra FP+ to May 27 once we were off the cruise which basically gave us 3 FP+ on this day and 5 on the day we got off the boat.
Anyway, after the Test Track debacle we headed over to Soarin. With the new screen standby capacity is GREATLy improved and I think you're much better off doing Texst Track or Frozen Ever After via FP+. Also, the new show is legit. A big improvement over the old one.
We had "breakfast" reservations for the Trattoria Al Forno (Ariel, Prince Eric, Rapunzel and Flynn Rider). wish the characters would have met together as couple rather than individually. The food was good and it's plentiful. I probably could have eaten the pastries and granola parfait and been fine but I piled it on with steak and eggs and felt miserable. (BTW, don't get the steak and eggs..the meat was like rubber). But service was good and the characters were all very interactive. I'd probably put in below CRT, not as rushed as Akershus and probably more like 1900 Park Fare but with better food and better characters)
My fruit cup and the wife's yogurt parfait
My daughter's pancakes
The Royale Breakfast - Oak-Grilled Steak, Cheesy Egg Torte and fonduta, Crispy Onions and Roasted Potatoes
Swimmers Delight - Egg White Omelet with Smoked Salmon, Goat Cheese, Spinach, Mushroom, and Tomato with Roasted Potatoes
After that, we headed back to our room at the Boardwalk for a nap and a swim and of course, beer.
After the nap I was hungry and we had dinner reservations at 6:45 to see the belly dancer for 7 so I wanted a snack. I headed over to the Smokehouse at the Flower and Garden festival to grab something quick to hold me over till dinner.
I went with the beef brisket burnt ends hash and the beer flight. The brisket was okay and I liked the hash but it was like 4 bites. It certainly was much smaller than the last time from what I can remember
Craft beer station at the American Pavilion.
After a few rides, some meet and greets and walking around a bit we headed to dinner in Morocco. Everything was fabulous. The service, food, and the ambiance was all top notch. A fun lively place with great food on top of it.
Couscous with Lamb Shank
Seafood Bastilla: Baked layers of thin pastry stuffed with shermoula sauce, grouper, shrimp, and mushrooms
and
Assorted Mediterranean Salads for Two: Falafel, sun-dried tomato hummus, roasted eggplant purée, and tabouleh
After dinner we grabbed a couple cocktails and closed our night out with Illuminations from right near Mexico.
This post was edited on 5/30/17 at 9:08 pm
Posted on 5/31/17 at 8:49 am to LSUfan4444
The next day was embarkation for our cruise.
Disney offers shuttles from the resort of the HYatt at MCO for a charge of $35 per person. Not only is that a pricey option but most of their busses don't get t the port until 11:30 or so putting you not on the boat until close till 1.
What I suggest is renting a car (one way) and dropping it off at the port then having the car rental shuttle drop you off at the port.
I rented with Alamo at a cost of $80 for a full size car (Altima). The Disney Car Care center picked me up at 6:45 am (you have to schedule a pickup the day before) from my resort, brought me to my car and I was back to my resort by 7:08 am.
Disney operates a little different from other lines as you choose (or are assigned) a port arrival time. This is your window to arrive at the port. Once you arrive you are assigned a boarding group. Those with a port arrival time of 12:00-12:15 will not get on the boat with boarding group 1 or 2 so it is to reduce the clutter in the terminal. Does it work, no. Is it a good idea, yes.
Some people think the earlier they show the earlier they will get on but with Disney, that just isn't the case. We had the earliest port arrival time possible of 10:30-10:45 and had boarding group 2.
The ride from Disney to the port is a little over an hour and has a few tolls. You can either pay $3.95 and have the tolls added to your rental or bring a roll of quarters and pay the tolls as you go through.
The ship was going through a coast guard inspection when we arrived so we were able to check in as soon as we arrived but boarding was delayed about an hour. Once boarding began with group 1 we were on the boat within 5 minutes.
Disney is expensive but one benefit to their line is they allow a 6 pack of beer or two bottles of wine at embarkation and at each port but it must be carried on (nothing in your checked bags). Now, I cannot guarantee it will work but they have no way of knowing whos bag belongs to who while it's going through the scanner. Im pretty certain so long as you didn't have a 6 pack of beer and wine in the same bag you would be okay.
Anyway, our room was the deluxe interior stateroom. Our daughter had a nightmare about a year ago that she fell off a cruise ship and at the time of booking was deathly afraid of a veranda and honestly, I think they're kinda overrated too. I prefer the public areas. If I wanted to stay in my room or solitude I would not go on a cruise. Our room is primarily used for bang-bang, sleeping and getting ready for whatever is next on our schedule.
We've sailed DCL previously and had a good idea of what to expect from the ship. I won't go into too much detail but feel free to ask anything specific you'd like. This itinerary is meant for people new to DCL to introduce them to the cruise line and to reel them in. The itinerary is noting special but you do get a day at Castaway Cay (Disney's private island in the Bahamas) which is awesome.
Day 1 - port canaveral
Day 2 - Nassau
Day 3 - Castaway Cay
Day 4- Sea Day
Day 5 - port canaveral
In Nassau we just got off the boat, did some shopping then got back on the boat about lunch time to hit the pool and aquaduck. If I could do it again I would stay on the boat in the morning and get off the boat after lunch and it would have been alot less crowded in the port.
We ate at the main dining room the first three nights then on the last night the wife and I went to Palo (premium upgrade for $30 per person) and I can confidently pt it up there with some of the best italian food I've had anywhere.
Disney does rational dining which means you move from restaurant to restaurant each night and your servers move with you. The first night we dined in Royal Palace (which is kind of their "main" room), then we ate at Animators Palate the next two nights. While your dining rotation is assigned to you it is possible to call them ahead of time and request a specific rotation. We did this to avoid Enchanted Garden (our least favorite) and hit Animators Palate twice (our favorite).
Decent draft beer selection around the ship and at Castway Cay. We saw two shows (Villians Tonight and Golden MIckeys). My wife and I won the Match Your Mate game and another scavenger hunt type game which involved her taking off her bra, me putting it on then dancing with it - yeah, we were drunk). Our daughter LOVES the Oceaneers Club and Labs (every kid we've ever met does) and bags us to go back every day. She also did Jedi Training while on board. I did a mixology class. Wife and daughter did the royale court tea. On the last night we got to see the new Pirates of the Caribbean at 10:45 PM. I did the golf simulator.
Any other questions just ask. Cost, $2800 for three people for a deluxe interior stateroom. The difference between the standard and deluxe interior rooms is the split bathroom. That means the room has two bathrooms. One with a toilet and a sink and one with a shower/tub and a sink which is very helpful in the morning and at night while getting dressed.
The beer mug is a solid value at $15 if you drink alot of draft beer. Each refill you pay for a pint and most cost about $6-$7.
Lamb in the MDR
Tuna saad in the MDR
Nassau
This boat was in Nassau while we were there. A quick search said it can be rented for about $500k per week.
Pirate Republic Brewing just across from the port. A good spot to pick up some more beer to take on board.
I ran the 5K held on Castway Cay which is a "race" for all those sailing on the ship.
Disney offers shuttles from the resort of the HYatt at MCO for a charge of $35 per person. Not only is that a pricey option but most of their busses don't get t the port until 11:30 or so putting you not on the boat until close till 1.
What I suggest is renting a car (one way) and dropping it off at the port then having the car rental shuttle drop you off at the port.
I rented with Alamo at a cost of $80 for a full size car (Altima). The Disney Car Care center picked me up at 6:45 am (you have to schedule a pickup the day before) from my resort, brought me to my car and I was back to my resort by 7:08 am.
Disney operates a little different from other lines as you choose (or are assigned) a port arrival time. This is your window to arrive at the port. Once you arrive you are assigned a boarding group. Those with a port arrival time of 12:00-12:15 will not get on the boat with boarding group 1 or 2 so it is to reduce the clutter in the terminal. Does it work, no. Is it a good idea, yes.
Some people think the earlier they show the earlier they will get on but with Disney, that just isn't the case. We had the earliest port arrival time possible of 10:30-10:45 and had boarding group 2.
The ride from Disney to the port is a little over an hour and has a few tolls. You can either pay $3.95 and have the tolls added to your rental or bring a roll of quarters and pay the tolls as you go through.
The ship was going through a coast guard inspection when we arrived so we were able to check in as soon as we arrived but boarding was delayed about an hour. Once boarding began with group 1 we were on the boat within 5 minutes.
Disney is expensive but one benefit to their line is they allow a 6 pack of beer or two bottles of wine at embarkation and at each port but it must be carried on (nothing in your checked bags). Now, I cannot guarantee it will work but they have no way of knowing whos bag belongs to who while it's going through the scanner. Im pretty certain so long as you didn't have a 6 pack of beer and wine in the same bag you would be okay.
Anyway, our room was the deluxe interior stateroom. Our daughter had a nightmare about a year ago that she fell off a cruise ship and at the time of booking was deathly afraid of a veranda and honestly, I think they're kinda overrated too. I prefer the public areas. If I wanted to stay in my room or solitude I would not go on a cruise. Our room is primarily used for bang-bang, sleeping and getting ready for whatever is next on our schedule.
We've sailed DCL previously and had a good idea of what to expect from the ship. I won't go into too much detail but feel free to ask anything specific you'd like. This itinerary is meant for people new to DCL to introduce them to the cruise line and to reel them in. The itinerary is noting special but you do get a day at Castaway Cay (Disney's private island in the Bahamas) which is awesome.
Day 1 - port canaveral
Day 2 - Nassau
Day 3 - Castaway Cay
Day 4- Sea Day
Day 5 - port canaveral
In Nassau we just got off the boat, did some shopping then got back on the boat about lunch time to hit the pool and aquaduck. If I could do it again I would stay on the boat in the morning and get off the boat after lunch and it would have been alot less crowded in the port.
We ate at the main dining room the first three nights then on the last night the wife and I went to Palo (premium upgrade for $30 per person) and I can confidently pt it up there with some of the best italian food I've had anywhere.
Disney does rational dining which means you move from restaurant to restaurant each night and your servers move with you. The first night we dined in Royal Palace (which is kind of their "main" room), then we ate at Animators Palate the next two nights. While your dining rotation is assigned to you it is possible to call them ahead of time and request a specific rotation. We did this to avoid Enchanted Garden (our least favorite) and hit Animators Palate twice (our favorite).
Decent draft beer selection around the ship and at Castway Cay. We saw two shows (Villians Tonight and Golden MIckeys). My wife and I won the Match Your Mate game and another scavenger hunt type game which involved her taking off her bra, me putting it on then dancing with it - yeah, we were drunk). Our daughter LOVES the Oceaneers Club and Labs (every kid we've ever met does) and bags us to go back every day. She also did Jedi Training while on board. I did a mixology class. Wife and daughter did the royale court tea. On the last night we got to see the new Pirates of the Caribbean at 10:45 PM. I did the golf simulator.
Any other questions just ask. Cost, $2800 for three people for a deluxe interior stateroom. The difference between the standard and deluxe interior rooms is the split bathroom. That means the room has two bathrooms. One with a toilet and a sink and one with a shower/tub and a sink which is very helpful in the morning and at night while getting dressed.
The beer mug is a solid value at $15 if you drink alot of draft beer. Each refill you pay for a pint and most cost about $6-$7.
Lamb in the MDR
Tuna saad in the MDR
Nassau
This boat was in Nassau while we were there. A quick search said it can be rented for about $500k per week.
Pirate Republic Brewing just across from the port. A good spot to pick up some more beer to take on board.
I ran the 5K held on Castway Cay which is a "race" for all those sailing on the ship.
This post was edited on 6/1/17 at 9:46 am
Posted on 6/1/17 at 10:18 am to LSUfan4444
Friday we made it back to port Canaveral on time and we opted for the express disembarkation. This means you have to take your own bags off the ship but you can walk off whenever you want starting about 7:15 am or so.
Again, we opted to rent a car (one way rental) which we picked up from the Alamo location near the prot and were dropping off at the Alamo location at Disney's Dolphin Resort. Cost was $89 for the one way rental but it allowed us to stop at Oublix for some items we wanted for our room. Beer, water, beer, fruit, beer and sunscreen.
This portion of the trip we were at the Animal Kingdom Lodge which has it's advantages and disadvantages.
It's a stunning resort and completely unmatched anywhwre on property in terms of theming. Really, nothing else comes close. Also, with Boma, Jiko, Sanaa and the Mara it is unmatched in terms of dining. The Savannah views (even the partial views) are such an awesome plus. To wake up to everything from zebra, to giraffe to ostrich less than 100' was really cool.
Now, on the the bad part. We booked this resort with the sole purpose of being closer to Animal Kingdom because we knew we had a few days dedicated to that park but Disney transportation to any other park is a nightmare. Transportation to/from AK wasn't bad but it's less than a mile away and in my opinion should have a more direct shuttle, a walking path or a gondola of some sort. If you don't have a car while at WDW, you can do much better at this price point in terms of efficiency with park travel.
Secondly, The Mara, Jiko and Boma are at Jambo House and Sanaa is at Kidani Village. While they aren't THAT far apart, Kidani (the DVC resort) has no quick service location. This is plain stupid in my opinion.
Lastly, the pool at Jambo House is completely discombobulated. Im sure it wasn't like this when the pools were open 24 hours and were not fenced in (before that kid drowned a few years ago) but you cant walk around the pool inside of the gated area. For you to walk around the pool you would need to either stay outside of the area the pool is fenced in or go in and out of the fenced area multiple times. Sp, we were on the water slide side of the pool in the shade but the bar was on the other side. You can't go through the pool to get to the bar so I had to go out a gate to wlak to the other side of the pool to the bar, then get two drinks and walk back to my side of the pool, put a drink down then open the gate to get to where we sat. They had 1 waitress that we saw and while she was doing a good job was completely underwhelmed.
In summation, if you're relying on WDW busses, look elsewhere unless MOST of your plans involve the water parks, disney springs and Animal Kingdom with very few trips to Hollywood, Epcot or Magic Kingdom.
So, after checking into our resort we drove the car rental over to Dolphin and dropped it off then took the boat over to Epcot to use our Frozen Ever After and text Track FP+ they gave us because of the problems we had before our cruise.
After that we boated on over to where we scheduled our FP+ of the day (Hollywood Studios) and lunch at Sci-Fi Dine in.
Island Swizzle Iced Tea (from Joffrey's right near the Tower of Terror exit) was refreshing and made for a nice option before heading to the very first shpwing of The Music of Pixar Live. 5 pm at the Beauty and the Beast stage.
We arrived at like 4:55 and got in, but were all the way in the very back. 15 minutes into the show over 100 people got up and left. It wasn't bad but it must not have been what they were expecting. Some people were leaving from the first couple rows which meant they got there early for those seats so if what they say wasn't what they were expecting, I dont know what they thought they would see.
The music was awesome (scores from Up, The Incredibles, Toy Story and something else I just cant remember). It's long at about 45 minutes and kids won't like it but I enjoyed it. I think it makes for a better option at say 8pm when it's cooler if you don't have small ones.
After Pixar Live we knocked out our ToT FP+ then did Rock N Roller Coaster and headed over to watch Happily Ever After from inside the hub at Magic Kingdom.
The projections were amazing. The fireworks were strong. I personally liked the music better in Wishes and I think this show lacked that special sentimental chill moment I got at the end of wishes when they sang..."Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight...." but the show was great. Definitely a must see. I got the chills when they did the Moana segment (How Far I'll Go) but I'd put that song up against some of Disney's Best (Let it Go, Beauty and the Beast, etc.)
For those curios, it is a much different show from inside the park than it was from the contemporary.
Thats it for now but Ill try and add another day later today.
Again, we opted to rent a car (one way rental) which we picked up from the Alamo location near the prot and were dropping off at the Alamo location at Disney's Dolphin Resort. Cost was $89 for the one way rental but it allowed us to stop at Oublix for some items we wanted for our room. Beer, water, beer, fruit, beer and sunscreen.
This portion of the trip we were at the Animal Kingdom Lodge which has it's advantages and disadvantages.
It's a stunning resort and completely unmatched anywhwre on property in terms of theming. Really, nothing else comes close. Also, with Boma, Jiko, Sanaa and the Mara it is unmatched in terms of dining. The Savannah views (even the partial views) are such an awesome plus. To wake up to everything from zebra, to giraffe to ostrich less than 100' was really cool.
Now, on the the bad part. We booked this resort with the sole purpose of being closer to Animal Kingdom because we knew we had a few days dedicated to that park but Disney transportation to any other park is a nightmare. Transportation to/from AK wasn't bad but it's less than a mile away and in my opinion should have a more direct shuttle, a walking path or a gondola of some sort. If you don't have a car while at WDW, you can do much better at this price point in terms of efficiency with park travel.
Secondly, The Mara, Jiko and Boma are at Jambo House and Sanaa is at Kidani Village. While they aren't THAT far apart, Kidani (the DVC resort) has no quick service location. This is plain stupid in my opinion.
Lastly, the pool at Jambo House is completely discombobulated. Im sure it wasn't like this when the pools were open 24 hours and were not fenced in (before that kid drowned a few years ago) but you cant walk around the pool inside of the gated area. For you to walk around the pool you would need to either stay outside of the area the pool is fenced in or go in and out of the fenced area multiple times. Sp, we were on the water slide side of the pool in the shade but the bar was on the other side. You can't go through the pool to get to the bar so I had to go out a gate to wlak to the other side of the pool to the bar, then get two drinks and walk back to my side of the pool, put a drink down then open the gate to get to where we sat. They had 1 waitress that we saw and while she was doing a good job was completely underwhelmed.
In summation, if you're relying on WDW busses, look elsewhere unless MOST of your plans involve the water parks, disney springs and Animal Kingdom with very few trips to Hollywood, Epcot or Magic Kingdom.
So, after checking into our resort we drove the car rental over to Dolphin and dropped it off then took the boat over to Epcot to use our Frozen Ever After and text Track FP+ they gave us because of the problems we had before our cruise.
After that we boated on over to where we scheduled our FP+ of the day (Hollywood Studios) and lunch at Sci-Fi Dine in.
Island Swizzle Iced Tea (from Joffrey's right near the Tower of Terror exit) was refreshing and made for a nice option before heading to the very first shpwing of The Music of Pixar Live. 5 pm at the Beauty and the Beast stage.
We arrived at like 4:55 and got in, but were all the way in the very back. 15 minutes into the show over 100 people got up and left. It wasn't bad but it must not have been what they were expecting. Some people were leaving from the first couple rows which meant they got there early for those seats so if what they say wasn't what they were expecting, I dont know what they thought they would see.
The music was awesome (scores from Up, The Incredibles, Toy Story and something else I just cant remember). It's long at about 45 minutes and kids won't like it but I enjoyed it. I think it makes for a better option at say 8pm when it's cooler if you don't have small ones.
After Pixar Live we knocked out our ToT FP+ then did Rock N Roller Coaster and headed over to watch Happily Ever After from inside the hub at Magic Kingdom.
The projections were amazing. The fireworks were strong. I personally liked the music better in Wishes and I think this show lacked that special sentimental chill moment I got at the end of wishes when they sang..."Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight...." but the show was great. Definitely a must see. I got the chills when they did the Moana segment (How Far I'll Go) but I'd put that song up against some of Disney's Best (Let it Go, Beauty and the Beast, etc.)
For those curios, it is a much different show from inside the park than it was from the contemporary.
Thats it for now but Ill try and add another day later today.
Posted on 6/1/17 at 8:57 pm to LSUfan4444
Ill start making these short and sweet because it doesnt seem like there is any interest but ive come too far to give up.
The next day was opening day of Pandora so we decided to stay away early and see how it went and MAYBE pass by later in the day, My cousin got to AK at 5:30 am and I just wasn't going to do that. Insetad we hit magic Kingdom for some of our favorites (Pirates via standby, Hauned mansion, Space Mnt, Splash and Thunder a few times before heading back to the AK Lodge for lunch at Sanaa (one of our favorites) the returning to Hollywood Studios that night for the Star Wars Fireworks dessert party which is a pretty good value in our opinion. The bartenders will go "off menu" if they have the ingredients to make what you want and for a little gratuity they can add a good bit to the drinks.
Sanaa bread service...outstanding $15
I already took a bite (sorry, I got lazy with the pics) and it looks gross anyway but it was really really good....MishKaki - Brai Beef Tenderloin Tips in fragrant Ginger Marinade with Kenyan Mukimo and Braised Greens
I was on a 'Rita kick this trip.
Thats the bar I mentioned earlier, on the other side of the pool, that I had to exit the pool to get to
Now on the the Star Wars Fireworks dessert party....ask any questions.
The next day was opening day of Pandora so we decided to stay away early and see how it went and MAYBE pass by later in the day, My cousin got to AK at 5:30 am and I just wasn't going to do that. Insetad we hit magic Kingdom for some of our favorites (Pirates via standby, Hauned mansion, Space Mnt, Splash and Thunder a few times before heading back to the AK Lodge for lunch at Sanaa (one of our favorites) the returning to Hollywood Studios that night for the Star Wars Fireworks dessert party which is a pretty good value in our opinion. The bartenders will go "off menu" if they have the ingredients to make what you want and for a little gratuity they can add a good bit to the drinks.
Sanaa bread service...outstanding $15
I already took a bite (sorry, I got lazy with the pics) and it looks gross anyway but it was really really good....MishKaki - Brai Beef Tenderloin Tips in fragrant Ginger Marinade with Kenyan Mukimo and Braised Greens
I was on a 'Rita kick this trip.
Thats the bar I mentioned earlier, on the other side of the pool, that I had to exit the pool to get to
Now on the the Star Wars Fireworks dessert party....ask any questions.
This post was edited on 6/4/17 at 7:31 am
Posted on 6/1/17 at 10:21 pm to LSUfan4444
I'm here and reading! 
Posted on 6/1/17 at 10:34 pm to LSUfan4444
Nice reviews and thanks for posting them. We did a Disney cruise right before they changed the alcohol rule to the current rule so I was able to bring as much as I wanted which helped with my bar tab, haha. I wasn't aware the ships had Jedi training and my kids loved the kids club as well and never wanted to leave. The service on the ship was too notch and it was great to meet characters in a more relaxing environment.
We stayed at Kidani a couple years ago and loved it and think AKL has the best theming of all the resorts. I would say the pool is better for kids at Kidani as well. I agree the buses take longer to get to MK, HS and Epcot but i didn't think it was too much to endure. We also had our own car and from AKL you are 1 mile from being out of Disney property and can get a more reasonably priced meal, especially if staying at Kidani with no quick service and the hassle factor of going to Jamba House.
We are staying at Baylake for the first time this October and looking forward to it. We wanted Boardwalk but nothing was available due to Food and Wine so I guess it's riding the monorail back from Epcot several nights with a "good buzz", haha.
We stayed at Kidani a couple years ago and loved it and think AKL has the best theming of all the resorts. I would say the pool is better for kids at Kidani as well. I agree the buses take longer to get to MK, HS and Epcot but i didn't think it was too much to endure. We also had our own car and from AKL you are 1 mile from being out of Disney property and can get a more reasonably priced meal, especially if staying at Kidani with no quick service and the hassle factor of going to Jamba House.
We are staying at Baylake for the first time this October and looking forward to it. We wanted Boardwalk but nothing was available due to Food and Wine so I guess it's riding the monorail back from Epcot several nights with a "good buzz", haha.
Posted on 6/2/17 at 5:48 am to SnowAubie
I didn't go into much detail here but we actually ended up doing two nights at Jambo and one at Kidani and I agree, the pool at Kidani is much better. It's not as big but the slide is better, the design is better and the bar is just as good. The big draw back there was Jambo had the Mara.
On the cruise front we know Disney prices by demand rather than value and the Bahamas cruises are insanely popular but a WDW Sea/Land trip has been a goal of mine for a while so we jumped on it since we had a placeholder from a cruise on the fantasy in 2015. I went back and forth on whether to book a placeholder this year but ended up doing it.
In looking at possibly flying to La and doing a day or two at Disneyland then taking a 5 night California coast cruise from San Diego. From a cost perspective on airfare and the cruise that isn't much more than Bahamas.
Our Bahamas cruise was $2800 for a deluxe inside stateroom plus say $750 for airfare (we used points but the point remains). I can get airfare to San Diego for points as well and the cruise (which is one night longer) is only about $700 more and instead of Orlando, Port Canaveral, castaway Cay and Nassau I get San Diegi, San Fran, Vancouver, etc.
On the cruise front we know Disney prices by demand rather than value and the Bahamas cruises are insanely popular but a WDW Sea/Land trip has been a goal of mine for a while so we jumped on it since we had a placeholder from a cruise on the fantasy in 2015. I went back and forth on whether to book a placeholder this year but ended up doing it.
In looking at possibly flying to La and doing a day or two at Disneyland then taking a 5 night California coast cruise from San Diego. From a cost perspective on airfare and the cruise that isn't much more than Bahamas.
Our Bahamas cruise was $2800 for a deluxe inside stateroom plus say $750 for airfare (we used points but the point remains). I can get airfare to San Diego for points as well and the cruise (which is one night longer) is only about $700 more and instead of Orlando, Port Canaveral, castaway Cay and Nassau I get San Diegi, San Fran, Vancouver, etc.
This post was edited on 6/2/17 at 5:50 am
Posted on 6/2/17 at 8:19 am to SnowAubie
quote:We stayed in Bay Lake last November for Food and Wine and it was very easy to get to EPCOT using the monorails.
We are staying at Baylake for the first time this October and looking forward to it. We wanted Boardwalk but nothing was available due to Food and Wine so I guess it's riding the monorail back from Epcot several nights with a "good buzz", haha.
It's my favorite hotel by location easily. Being able to walk to and from MK trumps almost any other perk at any other resort when you have young kids.
Posted on 6/2/17 at 10:09 am to ell_13
I love that I've made someone so mad they literally scroll through my posts and threads just to downvote them. I just noticed with this thread but it's hysterical. Some of the people on TD.Com are total whackjobs.
Posted on 6/2/17 at 10:33 am to LSUfan4444
I had a downvote stalker last year. I ignore it. And whoever it is may just hate disney. The hate it gets around here is amusing.
I ignore it. And whoever it is may just hate disney. The hate it gets around here is amusing. Posted on 6/2/17 at 11:25 am to LSUfan4444
How'd you feel about the 5 day length? My brothers family has done a 4 or 5 day and felt it was too short of on ship, two or three full days, then off ship.
Did you ever feel like you were running around too much? I don't think my wife would enjoy running here, there, park hopping, off to cruise, back to parks, etc. I'd like to do a land/cruise combo some day but probably a 7 day cruise + DW on front or back end.
Did you ever feel like you were running around too much? I don't think my wife would enjoy running here, there, park hopping, off to cruise, back to parks, etc. I'd like to do a land/cruise combo some day but probably a 7 day cruise + DW on front or back end.
Posted on 6/2/17 at 1:37 pm to Parrish
quote:
How'd you feel about the 5 day length?
If it was a different itinerary I don't think I would have minded so much I just think Nassau sucks. We were looking at a 5 night on the Cali Coast for next year (San Diego, San Francisco then I think Vancouver) and maybe I'd feel better about it but yeah the 5 day did feel kind of rushed.
What was the biggest pain in in the arse was the packing.
We packed to leave.
Unpacked when we got to the boardwalk.
Then packed for the cruise and brought one of our bags over to AK Lodge to wait for our return post cruise.
Then unpacked on board.
The repacked to get off.
Then unpacked when we got to AK Lodge - jambo house.
Then repacked to transfer to Kidani.
The semi-unpacked when we got to Kidani.
Then repacked when it was time to come home.
Alot of the stuff we left packed and didnt need to take out but lugging all that crap around and re-shifting things (alcohol to take on board can't be in carry on to fly but must be in carry on for the cuise for example) started to become a pain in the arse.
quote:
Did you ever feel like you were running around too much?
We did ALOT of running around but it was by design. We planned a mid day break almost every day. Our daughter needed some time away from us and not standing in line being told to "stop kicking that", "stop swinging on that" etc (FYI - a fidget spinner was a gift from god to keep her occupied in some of the lines). And mom and dad wanted to down/relax time as well.
So yeah, it was alot of running around and it wasn't relaxing by any stretch but I think pandora opening had alot to do with it too. We could have avoided it altogether and just eliminated that park but not way I could be there and NOT see it.
quote:
I'd like to do a land/cruise combo some day but probably a 7 day cruise + DW on front or back end.
From a logistical standpoint this is a better option no doubt in terms of ease of transition. The problem we ran into was the cost and time off of work. This trip cost me 6 days of vacation. To do a 7 day and then parks after the cruise would have been more like 8-9 days. On the cost side the 7 day cruises from port canaveral are amazingly high. Like almost $6k for three of us when our daughter was out of school. As AP holders we put more into the parks and less on the boat.
I'll post another update from our first day in Pandora later this evening.
This post was edited on 6/2/17 at 1:38 pm
Posted on 6/2/17 at 5:11 pm to LSUfan4444
I have enjoyed reading your trip report as we are planning a land/sea trip next year. It will be our 5th trip to Disney and our first Disney cruise (my family's first cruise, my second, the first being a "booze cruise" on carnival many moons ago) From everything I've read, Disney does it right and it's well worth the money. We will see!!!
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