"Anythings possible, for a Possible!" - Oct 15-25 TR(Final thoughts 5/25-Post 249!)

[laashley]

Love Animal Kingdom. Definitely think that you can spend 2 days there! We have made it over to Conservation Station before, but never seen any procedures. Kids would love that though.

So what is this PIPA. We were at AK on Earth Day. Now I am wondering if we saw this?

 

[skier_pete]

Love all of the AK pictures! DH and I really fell in love with AK on our December trip. We had never really taken the time to wander and explore before then and see how much detail is all over the place. We love it now, but man does it get steamy!

Hopefully your DD is back into meeting the characters by the next trip. Kids are so funny about things like that sometimes.

Going back to something we discussed in your PTR, it looks like our trips next year will not be overlapping! Baby decided to come 2 weeks early, so looks like our trip will be around these same dates in October! His birthday is on the 24th. So we will get to see a MNSSHP at some point after all! Here's hoping we have great weather next year like y'all seemed to have. I loved going at Christmas though, so I know we'll make another November/December trip at some point in the future.

Well, congratulations! I hope we'll get to see a picture or two, if you get a moment of free time. (Those are pretty much gone now, BTW!)

Love Animal Kingdom. Definitely think that you can spend 2 days there! We have made it over to Conservation Station before, but never seen any procedures. Kids would love that though.

So what is this PIPA. We were at AK on Earth Day. Now I am wondering if we saw this?

PIPA is a talking trash can, much like PUSH in Tomorrowland/MK. Actually she's a recycle can - but PIPA means "trash" in swalihi (I think), since I guess they don't have a word for "recycle". She usually roamed around outside the planet watch, but would sometimes wander inside. I think they stopped doing it regularly the same time they closed the Pocahantas show down. A minor attraction, but DD (and many other kids) got a real kickout of her.

BTW - PrincessInOz gets the 3 points!

 

[norybell]

The Maharajah trek is my favorite spot in AK, too...it's so beautiful in there!

(Well, except for Everest, maybe.)

 

[skier_pete]

The Maharajah trek is my favorite spot in AK, too...it's so beautiful in there!

(Well, except for Everest, maybe.)

Yeah...your post made me think how the views from everest are pretty awesome. It's too bad they didn't make EE a walk-through attraction as well as a roller coaster!

 

[skier_pete]

When we last left our intrepid explorers - we were wet and tired after braving Kali River Rapids - and had chosen to head back to our resort for a little swim time.

This was our first chance to check out the pool. First impressions: BIG. Did like the zero entry, and enjoyed that it did not feel very crowded. Not so impressed with the pool slide. Very short, not much different from the one at POFQ - and I think the POR was longer. The weather was nice, but the combination of cool water and not real hot air drove us to check out the hot tubs. One was really crowded, and the other one turned out was not even working. We still sat in it, and eventually another family came over. They had drived from Colorado (!!!) Apparently there kids have a mid-fall break - it sounded like more than a few western states do this. We talked with them quite a bit, comparing DL to WDW. There son and our daughter went off to play in the pool. I followed them because I still do not quite trust DD to swim alone. (She is a pretty good swimer, but only 7, and while I do have to say the lifeguards seemed always very alert at the pool, I do not yet trust her to swim in the deep water by herself.)

Turned out this family was also eating dinner at our restaurant of choice tonight - Boma. I was really looking forward to this dinner. Tusker House is one of our favorite lunch buffets, and most reviews said it was similar to Boma, though most consider Boma better.

I should point out here that DW and I love food. I don't know that I can say we love to eat - I wouldn't consider that we have HUGE appetites anymore, as I can usually only get about two passes at a buffet before being full...but we both love flavors from all over the world - so a place like Boma is right up our alley.

First impressions - I loved the architecture of the restaurant, how you could look down into it from the AKL lobby, yet the noise didn't really filter up.

I liked this carved rhino up by the buffet line!

The food was quite good. They had a bread and salad station, a soup station, which DW tried several of the soups, some hot buffet items including a meat station. The menu here changes each day, and we happen to come on the day they were serving their slow-roasted pork ribs. Here's a sample plate!

We really enjoy the ethnic foods. A couple that were especially tasty: Bobotie - lamb and beef quiche with onions, raisins and bread and FuFu - sweet and white potatoes mashed with coriander and cinnamon. Also, the prime rib and the Durban spiced chicken were both very good.

DD didn't like any of the odd tastes - but she found plenty to enjoy:

Overall, though, I found the meal slightly disappointing. Perhaps it was a case of over-inflated expectations. I was expecting it to surpass Tusker House, and it didn't quite do that. In fact, I like some of the selection at Tusker House better, though I can see why this would be favored by some. What did manage to exceed their high expectations were these babies:

Yup, those are Zebra Domes tucked up in the upper left corner of the plate, as well as some bread pudding, a butterscotch pecan cheesecake and a cinimon choclate mousse. Many of the desserts were quite good, but I have to say the Zebra Domes were incredible. I'll be right in line with the others raving about them. I think any trip to AKL would have to include a stop at the Mara to pick some up. (Big props to AKL for making them available at the QS restaurant!)

DD, meanwhile, turned her dessert into a hidden Mickey!

I would in general give the restaurant 4 of 5 stars. (I won't review the price, there's not a restaurant at WDW that isn't vastly overpriced.) It was a very tasty meal, and I would eat here again if we were staying at AKL, but would probably not make a special trip to eat here. Next time, we will likely go back to Tusker House instead.

We left the restaurant stuffed for the first but not the last time of the trip. As we were wrapping up, we noticed it was time for the storytellers, which occurs each evening around the firepit at Arusha Rock. The storyteller was a CM from South Africa, and while she tried, she admitted this was her first time doing the story, and she didn't seem very comfortable with it. There was also not enough room for the people that were there, so they were pulling benches from all over. Cute, but not something to go out of the way for.

After that, DD wanted to go back to the room. It was the first long tiring day of the trip, and she had a little homework to do. We got her to sleep by 9 PM. (Getting her to fall asleep is usually little issue while at WDW.)

Today was a great first day. Not a full commando style day - it was just enough park time to get our feet wet (about 6 hours) yet still got us back to spend some time at the hotel and enjoy the resort, and still get to bed at a reasonable hour.

Next up - "Day 2: We already got the whine - where's the food!"
AND - One of the coolest pictures a Disney fan would ever hope to get.

 

[If U Had Wings]

I love all the pictures from AK. It really has become one of my favorite parks. I love that you really need to take it slowly to fully enjoy it.

 

[khertz]

Boma looks so interesting, but DH and I are so non-adventurous when it comes to eating that I don't think we'll ever eat there. We'd be paying those enormous prices to eat mostly off the kids buffet. I haven't ever visited AKL though, I'd like to make it there some day just to check it out. It was on the list of places to check out on our last trip, but our resort hopping day ended up such a disaster that we never got there.

Well, congratulations! I hope we'll get to see a picture or two, if you get a moment of free time. (Those are pretty much gone now, BTW!)

Here you go!
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=38811105&postcount=47

 

[norybell]

Boma looks pretty good...I'm not usually that into buffets, but maybe I'll get there one of these days!

 

[PrincessInOz]

BOMA is somewhere that I'd like to eat at ... for the zebra domes. The food looked good in your pictures. But I have to say, your family looks absolutely gorgeous and your DD is just so cute!

Can't wait for your next update!

 

[skier_pete]

I love all the pictures from AK. It really has become one of my favorite parks. I love that you really need to take it slowly to fully enjoy it.

Ours two...it's definitely a park that grows on you...it's definitely #2 on my list, and #1 for DD. We like it as a 2-day park, days in which you can take it a little easier and not press for FULL days. I know many can just go, go, go at WDW, but we need some slower days mixed in, or else breakdowns WILL occur! This was a perfectly paced opening day. We did a little more than 1/2 the park in a 6-hour day, letting us have a low-pressure 2nd AK day. (Or so you would think...

Boma looks so interesting, but DH and I are so non-adventurous when it comes to eating that I don't think we'll ever eat there. We'd be paying those enormous prices to eat mostly off the kids buffet. I haven't ever visited AKL though, I'd like to make it there some day just to check it out. It was on the list of places to check out on our last trip, but our resort hopping day ended up such a disaster that we never got there.

Here you go!
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=38811105&postcount=47

If I was ever going to try it, I would do it as part of an AK day. The bus ride from the park is so short! You'd still have the pain of getting Back to your resort from the restaurant via a different park (or DTD). Personally, though, if I was going to that much trouble, I'd go with Jiko or Sanaa - which we both loved, though Jiko is super pricey!

And, how in the world did I miss your other TR? I'll be over checking it out shortly. Love the pictures - what a beautiful little guy!

Boma looks pretty good...I'm not usually that into buffets, but maybe I'll get there one of these days!

Definitely some good tastes there - that's for sure.

BOMA is somewhere that I'd like to eat at ... for the zebra domes. The food looked good in your pictures. But I have to say, your family looks absolutely gorgeous and your DD is just so cute!

Can't wait for your next update!

If it is Zebra Domes you seek - They are packs of 5 in the QS restaurant - The Mara - at AKL if you ever get there for a visit.

I need to get more pictures into photobucket for the next update - and I need to do that from home. Maybe tonight - I don't know.

 

[HeatherBelle614]

We ate at Boma for the first time this trip (but, for breakfast.) (Although, I think DH deleted the food pictures from my camera on accident as they're just magically gone. The rest of them from that day are there, but no food. I guess that means we just have to go back, again!)

I loved breakfast there! But, I have to agree with you, I actually enjoyed our meal at Tusker House (on a previous trip) even more than I liked Boma.

You are by far right about those zebra domes. They were AMAZING!!

 

[laashley]

Boma looks interesting. Doubt the kids would eat much though. I so wish I tried the zebra domes. They look yummy and everyone seems to love them.

And I finally started my tr. Link is in my siggie!

 

[skier_pete]

We ate at Boma for the first time this trip (but, for breakfast.) (Although, I think DH deleted the food pictures from my camera on accident as they're just magically gone. The rest of them from that day are there, but no food. I guess that means we just have to go back, again!)

I loved breakfast there! But, I have to agree with you, I actually enjoyed our meal at Tusker House (on a previous trip) even more than I liked Boma.

You are by far right about those zebra domes. They were AMAZING!!

We had a breakfast ADR but ended up cancelling it...we aren't really breakfast buffet people...I wanted to try it, but we had had a buffet the night before and weren't really that hungry (it was our last day). Maybe next time.

Boma looks interesting. Doubt the kids would eat much though. I so wish I tried the zebra domes. They look yummy and everyone seems to love them.

And I finally started my tr. Link is in my siggie!

I'll be over in a few minutes. Leave the light on!

It occurred to me after-the-fact that I should've gotten pictures with the DISers we met...oh well...coming up on our Epcot day where we met.

 

[skier_pete]

So our second day is our only scheduled Epcot day (though we had a free day at the end of the trip that ended up being an Epcot day as well). We have a tradition with starting out at Epcot...DD always wants to see the Fab 5 at the character connection, and since the lines here build large and there is no FP for character greetings, we have pretty much decided that this is the first thing we were going to hit.

We got to Epcot for rope drop no problem, and found a fairly short line. While we were waiting to feed our tickets through the turnstiles, the CM was a bit distracted by the crowds, and this guy at the next turnstile over feeds like four tickets through at once, and then heads through the gate (obviously going after FP - the CM finally notices and goes after him...I yell to her "Don't worry about us - go get him!" She stops him and says something to him, but he just keeps walking. Obviously someone trying to get away with something. Disappointingly, she doesn't call security or anything. As I'm passing through the trunstile I said to her "I was hoping you were going to throw him out." She says..."Doesn't matter, he's trying to get FP, but the tickets won't work." I'm not sure that she's right about that...I guess it depends if the scanner didn't except them without the thumb print...I HATE seeing people get away with cheating the system like that!

Oh well, we got into the park pretty quick, and though DW had to go to the bathroom - DD and I got up right to the rope. She'd brought her Mickey doll that she wanted to show to Mickey, and both he and Donald came by the rope and gave her a hug.

I find that a lot of time I don't take as many pictures as I would have liked, but THIS was a case of I took a picture, and it didn't occur to me what a RARE picture it was until afterwards as I was going through our photos. Something that you almost, never, ever get to see at WDW....

Yep, that's right - Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Pluto...in their traditional clothing, all in a single shot. Honestly, we've done a dozen rope drops at Epcot over the years, and the five of them all come out to greet the crowds, but I can't say I've ever seen them grouped up like this:

Sorry, it may be only me...but that's a pretty cool picture to get. (The second one's a tad blurry...)

Anyways, the countdown happens, the rope drops, and we head into see the head man, the top guy, the big cheese:

And his "best friend":

His "Best Girl" (my she is petite!):

And his two good pals!

I'll eventually have some additional pictures when we get our photopass shots, but I didn't want to wait for those. (The disadvantage of a photopass share - the advantage being you get all your photopass pictures for $20.)

You can see in the family Mickey shot I'm holding the Mickey doll..I tried showing it to Donald - but didn't get much of a rise from him.

So, since we were about 4th in line for this, it didn't take more than 15 minutes, we decided we were going to hit Test Track first as the only ride on that side of FutureWorld we wanted to hit.

The wait was so short, they actually scooted us through the "preview" room so we didn't have to watch the video. This was only DDs second ride on TT...her first was in December last year and at the time she really loved it. This time she didn't seem to like it so much - saying "It was too noisy!" Once was enough, but that's fine with me. I like TT OK, but I find most of it pretty boring except the last part. I actually liked it better than many times before.

Next up - the place we can't stay away from for long....NEMO! If only he'd stop getting lost!

 

[PrincessInOz]

That is a FABULOUS picture of the Fab 5.

 

[laashley]

Love the pic of the fab 5 together. Seems like you were making great time so far!

 

[skier_pete]

That is a FABULOUS picture of the Fab 5.

Thanks...I agree!

Love the pic of the fab 5 together. Seems like you were making great time so far!

Thanks! We were probably only about 30 minutes after opening when we got off of Test Track. The funny thing is, we've gotten into such a groove with our ability to tour, plus the fact that some of the headliners are not really a priority for us that we find we can tour at a very low-key pace yet for the most part have no problem accomplishing what we want. Of course it helps that none of us are big shoppers (even DW) so we don't waste a lot of time in the stores. (Actually, DW does like shopping to a degree, but more browsing than buying - but give her a few hours at DTD and she's had her fill.)

 

[onescgirl]

Great pic of the Fab 5 & I love how you're the one holding the Mickey doll in pics! Are you sure it's DD's doll? jk

 

[skier_pete]

Great pic of the Fab 5 & I love how you're the one holding the Mickey doll in pics! Are you sure it's DD's doll? jk

Just ONE pic, lady! You notice MINNIE is holding him in the other. Minnie LOVED the Mickey Doll (of course).

Actually, DD is lazy this way...she wants to bring a stuffed animal places, but half the time, she gets sick of carrying them, and they go into one of our backpacks. (I'd make her carry them, but I'm worried of them getting lost.)

 

[Disneychix]

I feel the same way about TT, I just don't get it as a thrill ride til the end. And before the bumped up the speed it was just kinda like riding in a convertable. Whatever!

I'm thinking that guy in line with you probably didn't have valid tickets? Maybe he just wasn't worth the effort of trying to deal with so she let him in? Weird.