The Murphy's are LIVE from WDW and Kidani! March 21-28 and April 2-5

[TigrLvsPooh]

Spring Break at Walt Disney World!!!
Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas ~ Kidani Village

​

Hey everyone! Welcome to my LIVE trip report!
I am so crazy excited for this vacation I can't even tell you!!!!! We have had a long, horrible, cold, snowy winter and the countdown to this trip has been the shining light at the end of the tunnel. Even now as the snow is melting and temperatures are warming, everything around us is brown and muddy. I can't wait to see the beautiful palm trees and flowers.... ahhhhh

Now let's see, getting down to the nitty gritty. The plans are to spend 7 nights in a one-bedroom villa at Kidani. Room only reservation. We are annual passholders. No dining plan. Renting a car, so no Magical Express. I've got several ADRs booked and I'm in the process now of trying to figure out which ones to keep and which to cancel. It's so hard to decide! I'm glad Disney has instituted the 24-hour cancelation policy because it forces me to get off the fence and commit. Right now we have: Crystal Palace, Be Our Guest(a breakfast and a lunch), Ohana, 50's Prime Time, Sci-fi Dine-in, Trattoria al Forno (never eaten there before), Boma, Tusker House, Via Napoli, Mama Melrose(Fantasmic package), and Narcoosee's. I will try to finish the decision by tomorrow so I won't have to remember to cancel while we're down there. Anyone have any thoughts about which to definitely keep?? All opinions welcome!

Special events.... we will definitely spend time at Epcot's Flower & Garden Festival as well as the Flower Power concert series. Or I guess I should say "Garden Rocks" now that they've changed the name. Why is Disney always changing the names of things??? Don't they know it confuses us old folks??
Starship will be performing on 3/27 and I'm super excited for that!

Almost forgot to mention, Tuesday is my birthday!!!! I am so lucky that our spring break is always over my birthday every year. I love wearing my birthday button and feeling the special Disney love everywhere we go. It makes turning 42 seem not too horrible.


Well, I better get this posted and get back to packing! Two days left and time is starting to go fast!! If you have questions or comments I welcome them anytime. Make sure you follow the thread for updates, I'm so happy to have you along with us!!!

If you haven't followed along before here are some links to my previous live reports if you want to check them out:

December 2014 WL CL: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3360169
August 2014(not live) BWI CL: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3316744
May 2014 AKL CL & YC CL: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3283367
March 2014 BC CL and CR CL: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3252440
July 2013 Poly CL: http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3145622
May 2013 YC CL: http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3115813
January 2013 BWI CL & BLT: http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3040784
November 2012: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3017684
August 2012 BC CL: http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2968611
March 2012 YC CL: http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2900883
January 2012 GF GV: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2851806
October 2011 Poly CL: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2821830
March 2011 BC CL: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2685779
January 2011 Kidani: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2620587
March 2010 YC CL: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2420655

 

[LisaCM614]

Don't cancel the BOG breakfast! I want to hear all about it

That is a great list of ADRs!

 

[misse320]

I look forward to following this thread. Our next trip is October and I'm already counting down! We will stay at Kidani for the last half of our week. Please, please, please post pictures of the view from your room. I want to see first hand what we can look forward to. I'm also trying to decide between Boma and Tusker House. We have young kids with us, so Tusker House is winning. Can't wait to read all about your trip!

 

[pas130]

I'm here Erika! We loved Kidani, and the parking underneath is great the villas are so huge. <3 Happy early birthday!

 

[Dispro1]

Spring Break at Walt Disney World!!!
Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas ~ Kidani Village

​

Hey everyone! Welcome to my LIVE trip report!
I am so crazy excited for this vacation I can't even tell you!!!!! We have had a long, horrible, cold, snowy winter and the countdown to this trip has been the shining light at the end of the tunnel. Even now as the snow is melting and temperatures are warming, everything around us is brown and muddy. I can't wait to see the beautiful palm trees and flowers.... ahhhhh

Now let's see, getting down to the nitty gritty. The plans are to spend 7 nights in a one-bedroom villa at Kidani. Room only reservation. We are annual passholders. No dining plan. Renting a car, so no Magical Express. I've got several ADRs booked and I'm in the process now of trying to figure out which ones to keep and which to cancel. It's so hard to decide! I'm glad Disney has instituted the 24-hour cancelation policy because it forces me to get off the fence and commit. Right now we have: Crystal Palace, Be Our Guest(a breakfast and a lunch), Ohana, 50's Prime Time, Sci-fi Dine-in, Trattoria al Forno (never eaten there before), Boma, Tusker House, Via Napoli, Mama Melrose(Fantasmic package), and Narcoosee's. I will try to finish the decision by tomorrow so I won't have to remember to cancel while we're down there. Anyone have any thoughts about which to definitely keep?? All opinions welcome!

Special events.... we will definitely spend time at Epcot's Flower & Garden Festival as well as the Flower Power concert series. Or I guess I should say "Garden Rocks" now that they've changed the name. Why is Disney always changing the names of things??? Don't they know it confuses us old folks??
Starship will be performing on 3/27 and I'm super excited for that!

Almost forgot to mention, Tuesday is my birthday!!!! I am so lucky that our spring break is always over my birthday every year. I love wearing my birthday button and feeling the special Disney love everywhere we go. It makes turning 42 seem not too horrible.


Well, I better get this posted and get back to packing! Two days left and time is starting to go fast!! If you have questions or comments I welcome them anytime. Make sure you follow the thread for updates, I'm so happy to have you along with us!!!

If you haven't followed along before here are some links to my previous live reports if you want to check them out:

December 2014 WL CL: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3360169
August 2014(not live) BWI CL: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3316744
May 2014 AKL CL & YC CL: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3283367
March 2014 BC CL and CR CL: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3252440
July 2013 Poly CL: http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3145622
May 2013 YC CL: http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3115813
January 2013 BWI CL & BLT: http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3040784
November 2012: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3017684
August 2012 BC CL: http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2968611
March 2012 YC CL: http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2900883
January 2012 GF GV: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2851806
October 2011 Poly CL: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2821830
March 2011 BC CL: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2685779
January 2011 Kidani: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2620587
March 2010 YC CL: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2420655

Sounds like fun! I think most of the country has had enough of this winter!! My kids have had so many snow days (actually ice) that they might have to make up some of them! And we live in the south! You have a great ADR lineup, but I will say that Narcoossee's and 'Ohana are at the top of my list.

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

Don't cancel the BOG breakfast! I want to hear all about it

That is a great list of ADRs!

I've got it set for my birthday morning. I'm excited to see what it will be like.

My ADR list is too good! Makes it too difficult to cut down.

 

[DeborahB]

Yay!! I always love your trip reports!!
And I totally agree about this winter. Can't wait for sun and fun

As far as dining, I'd say keep Narcoossee's for sure. Also, Be Our Guest lunch and Trattoria al Forno. I have BOG lunch booked (my first!) and I'm on the fence about Trattoria. Would like to hear what you think.

Hope you have a great birthday!

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

Yay!! I always love your trip reports!!
And I totally agree about this winter. Can't wait for sun and fun

As far as dining, I'd say keep Narcoossee's for sure. Also, Be Our Guest lunch and Trattoria al Forno. I have BOG lunch booked (my first!) and I'm on the fence about Trattoria. Would like to hear what you think.

Hope you have a great birthday!

Trattoria falls at the end of our Studios day. So my plan was to just take the boat to the Boardwalk, have dinner, then spend the evening hanging out around the area, maybe get some ice cream, watch the performers. But I need to make a decision about transportation back to Kidani after all that. Unless we drive and I leave my car somewhere. Normally I don't like driving to a park but if I could park somewhere in the vicinity it would help.

 

[NicoleLarson]

Trattoria falls at the end of our Studios day. So my plan was to just take the boat to the Boardwalk, have dinner, then spend the evening hanging out around the area, maybe get some ice cream, watch the performers. But I need to make a decision about transportation back to Kidani after all that. Unless we drive and I leave my car somewhere. Normally I don't like driving to a park but if I could park somewhere in the vicinity it would help.

That's a tough one. Do you still have TIW? You can valet at the BWI for "free". You could take a taxi back to AKL, I would think it would be ~$15ish, they always seem to have a lot waiting at the BWI. You could boat back to HS and then bus back to AKL. (that may take up to an hour though) Last month my friend was staying at ASMo and visited us at BWV for the day. She amazingly made it back to ASMo in 30 minutes. I'm sure that's some sort of record.

My 2 cents on reservations to cancel....perhaps Tusker or Boma. I absolutely love both but they are very similar. Our meal in November at 50s PT was not so good and we normally love that place. Although our waiter was the best I've ever had. On the flip side I had the most amazing veggie burger at Sci-fi so that's on our must do list now. Also, you have 3 Italian places so maybe lose one of those? At the end of the day, it's your birthday trip, so make this trip all about you! Forget the kids, what do YOU want to eat, you deserve that!!!!

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

If I left my car at the BWI it would be about 6 hours or so, do you think that's OK? That's also the night Trader Sam's is supposed to open for the first time, so I'd actually like to drive over there at some point too. I am just not use to having a car and not familiar with the resort parking rules. Back in the old days they'd give you a piece of paper with a 3 hour limit. Now it's all this modern technology! They're probably tracking people's magic bands to find out if they park too long!

I agree about Tusker and Boma. I actually just booked Tusker on a whim because of the new characters. Boma I did for our last morning because the kids don't fly home until 3:00 PM. I'm putting them on the plane and then heading to Universal. Shhhhhhh

 

[NicoleLarson]

Please don't think we are horrible people but we have parked our car at resort restaurants all day with TIW. I ALWAYS ask and let them know, hey we won't be back for several hours is that ok? They always say, as long as you show us your receipt (VERY IMPORTANT TO KEEP) there's no limit. I know this is not what the TIW site says but like I said it has worked for us many many times. VERY handy when it's pouring the rain. Now since you are going at a very busy time they may be a bit more strict. I guess worse case scenario, they say no and you have to park at HS, which is a pretty small parking lot, compared to Epcot or MK.

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

Please don't think we are horrible people but we have parked our car at resort restaurants all day with TIW. I ALWAYS ask and let them know, hey we won't be back for several hours is that ok? They always say, as long as you show us your receipt (VERY IMPORTANT TO KEEP) there's no limit. I know this is not what the TIW site says but like I said it has worked for us many many times. VERY handy when it's pouring the rain. Now since you are going at a very busy time they may be a bit more strict. I guess worse case scenario, they say no and you have to park at HS, which is a pretty small parking lot, compared to Epcot or MK.

My TIW just expired recently, but if I'm going to keep a ton of these ADRs (which it seems like I probably will) then I need to buy another one for sure. That's a no-brainer. I have never used it for parking privileges, like I said I am normally a die-hard bus rider. But I might just use your suggestion that night at the Boardwalk to avoid boating back to the Studios. Thank you!

 

[jdd]

So excited for another live report!!!
Crystal Palace is always a must for us - everybody has their favorites on the buffet! Ohana, Via Napoli and Be Our Guest are also big hits. We're not Sci-Fi diner fans, but I know a lot of people love it. Tusker House was fantastic, but we've never eaten at Boma, so I can't compare the two.... and I'm dying to try Narcoosee's someday (with the prices though, I think this would have to be just a data night for DH and I ) Not much help here

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

So excited for another live report!!!
Crystal Palace is always a must for us - everybody has their favorites on the buffet! Ohana, Via Napoli and Be Our Guest are also big hits. We're not Sci-Fi diner fans, but I know a lot of people love it. Tusker House was fantastic, but we've never eaten at Boma, so I can't compare the two.... and I'm dying to try Narcoosee's someday (with the prices though, I think this would have to be just a data night for DH and I ) Not much help here

Narcoosee's is my birthday dinner, but I agree the prices are insane. But I got the perfect dinner time booked so we can watch Wishes during dessert.

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

Sci-fi Dine-in versus Mama Melrose... that match up is on the chopping block right now. The kids prefer Sci-fi because they like the theme, food wise I think they're both pretty much middle of the road. Tough choice!

 

[jdd]

Narcoosee's is my birthday dinner, but I agree the prices are insane. But I got the perfect dinner time booked so we can watch Wishes during dessert.

Oh, that'll be amazing!!! I need to plan a trip for my birthday someday...

 

[LisaCM614]

Sci-fi Dine-in versus Mama Melrose... that match up is on the chopping block right now. The kids prefer Sci-fi because they like the theme, food wise I think they're both pretty much middle of the road. Tough choice!

I'd go with Sci-Fi, Mama Melrose is middle of the road Italian - something very easy to get at home. Nothing at home like Sci-Fi! Plus - FRIED PICKLES! YUM! Agreed it isn't the most exciting burger you'll eat but it is fun.

 

[pixarmom]

I'm in! I'd only keep Via and 50's, but I've been cutting ADRs left and right, so don't listen to me . . .

I'd probably choose sci-fi over mama melrose, for the same reason Lisa mentioned. Or I'd go with Brown Derby and order a salad. I see they have a few lunch items back on the menu - pasta, burger, etc.

Yay for Starship - they are always there during our stays! We arrive 3/25.

 

[ddluvsdisney]

Sci-fi Dine-in versus Mama Melrose... that match up is on the chopping block right now. The kids prefer Sci-fi because they like the theme, food wise I think they're both pretty much middle of the road. Tough choice!

So excited for another live report. I love how you plan these right before my trip. I'll have something to read while waiting. Only 4 more weeks!!! And yes after the winter we've had I can't wait for sun and Palm trees!!
I don't know about all your ADRs but I would pick SciFi over MM.
I love b-day celebrations at Narcoosees. I celebrated my 40th there too. We've had lots of great dinners there. One of our favorite signatures. I have an ADR there for next month too.

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

I agree, Sci-fi is the best choice of the two. Plus the Studios have EMH that night so we'll need a good dinner to regroup.

You'll never guess where I've been all evening, my iPhone 6+ camera broke. Couldn't zoom or focus!!! So after a long pointless call with Apple support I had to drive over an hour away to the nearest Apple store to get a replacement phone. I definitely did NOT have time for that! Now I'm way behind on packing!!!