The 24 Hour Event is an Insomniac's Dream - Solo Trip Report May 2015

[xlsm]

found your report this morning!

I'm way late in getting started, so here are just a few random thoughts i've had so far, and also probably out of order.

-hello, to a fellow Missouri person! We don't live there now, but I was born and raised in the show me state, and while I'd die before moving back to my hometown, we LOVE St. Louis. My husband's extended family all lives there (well, in Creve Coeur and other parts of West County), my best friend from high school lives in south county, and I have friends in St. Charles, too.

-I love your Disbound, because Pooh and Friends are very special to me, and last year at Crystal Palace I ugly cried all over Winnie the Pooh, and it was horrifying.

-You mentioned puffed french toast, but not the breakfast lasagna. I want to put in a plug for that, because it's amazing. We had to cancel a breakfast there this summer because of a change in park opening hours, and it made me so sad. We love Crystal Palace.

-Country Bears should have it's own national holiday. Country Bears Day. Yes. We regularly break into song around here, and they're usually songs from The Country Bear Jamboree or It's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow from COP.

- I admire your dedication to the 24 hour party. I like the idea of it, but I know myself, and I know that I'd never be able to make it. On our trip in July, I did a solo night at MK, wanting to stay for evening EMH until 2am. I didn't even make it til the regular midnight closing time. Lame. I am 4 years older than you, which must make all the difference, LOL!!

- Now, Star Wars Weekends are something I'm dying to do! My husband as well. Star Wars was a big part of my childhood (Ewoks forever! Haters be darned!), and the official announcement for the SW expansion (and Toy Story!!!!!!) is very exciting for us.

I'm sure I had more thoughts, but that's what I remember at the moment.

I'm sticking around!!

 

[pookersmom]

Following along! Love that you dressed as Christopher Robin for the 24-hour event. I love your photos!

 

[Nanaji]

Following...I have a solo trip coming at the end of October so your report is a great way to build the excitement (really who needs help getting excited for Disney?) I can't wait to hear all of your firsts.

 

[StLDisFan]

"ONLY AT THE END DO YOU REALIZE THE POWER OF THE DARK SIDE"

After watching several minutes of the Hollywood Public Works, I made the short walk over to the Theater of the Stars to finally catch Warwick Davis' An Ewok's Tale: My Short Story. This was probably one of the things I was looking forward to the most out of the experiences not just for that day, but out of all of the Weekends. Of all the celebrities and the shows and everything, for some strange reason, this was something I was really looking forward to seeing -- the only exception would be Frank Oz (I greatly admire that guy, he is brilliant!). Again, I am not that big of a Star Wars fan, and I don't normally care for celebrities and all that; heck I won't say that I am some die-hard Warwick fan or anything either But I really have enjoyed several of his movies: Return of the Jedi/Wicket, his roles in the Harry Potter series, Willow (soo epic!), Leprechaun (guilty pleasure), and even his minor roles in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Labyrinth. So I thought it would be cool check out why this show was popular, to catch a glimpse of a celeb and simply take in part of what makes Star Wars Weekends so great. If Disney goes through the great troubles and lengths to appease the fans by getting popular characters in, the least I could do is check it out right?

Again, not planning and not knowing procedure, I don't know if my plan was the right way to go about this, but I showed up at the start of a queue shortly before 5pm. If you are looking for tips on how to handle the Weekends, look elsewhere.... or maybe just do the opposite of me. But I showed up with the thought, "as long as I have a seat in there..." which was summed up by this pic quite well...

I got in there rather painlessly (the queue was constantly moving), and was seated about halfway up on the right side; a decent view, although showing up an additional 15 minutes early probably would have been a little more ideal so that you could catch the details/facial expressions a little bit better. But I got the gist of it just fine and was happy with it all and was really excited for the show to get started!

I honestly do not want to 'cop out' in giving you details of the show, but there is just too much going on that written words cannot truly capture. Now if you are like me and don't want the show spoiled for you, if you plan on seeing it at some point, I would advise you to skip this video. But if you want a good laugh and to see what makes this show so great, I give you permission to make some popcorn, grab a soda and put the feet up for the next 45 minutes to watch this. No seriously, check it out; I just did and it was hilarious the second time around:

Honestly, even if you still have no clue who Warwick Davis is or don't care about Star Wars, this show has something for everyone. I was cheering and laughing and smiling the ENTIRE time as the show is done quite brilliantly, interspersing facts of Davis' life with great comedy throughout. The crowd actors can be hit or miss, but even then Warwick is great at throwing in little quips. All around, I cannot recommend seeing this enough! Heck, if time and money weren't an issue, I would go back again next year just to see it again!


The one nice thing about being seated in the middle-right was that I was fairly close to an exit, which meant I got out of there pretty quick (I do believe the show was full to capacity or at least close to it?). My goal from then on out was to basically just wander around the park, soaking in the atmosphere and riding rides. I had lost a couple of FPs that morning and all day I had been trying to change them out on my phone. I don't know if it's my phone or the app itself but I have yet to truly figure out correcting FPs on my phone. I have had luck a few times, but generally not. So I went over to the FP kiosk to see if I could make some changes there, but it turns out that FPs were no longer available that day. I wasn't too surprised as it was now the evening time on a Star Wars Weekend, so I shrugged my shoulders not thinking it would affect things.

But for the next few hours, my experience was much the same as in the opening scene from the movie Office Space...

Seriously, every time I would check a wait time and saw it was low, I would make my way over to it, only to find it had jumped up. Animation Academy, GMR, RR, The VotLM, and repeat. So I gave up and stood in a 50 minute wait for Star Tours because apparently there was nothing better to do. This, of course, was a bad assumption. Because of my lack of preparation and alertness, I could have tried to make it to Obi-Wan and Beyond but by the time I had gotten off of Star Tours, I had missed that as well. Once again standing in a hot, long line wasn't something I particularly enjoyed doing, but for the sake of taking in the atmosphere, I figured this ride would help with that...


This picture always gets me to smile...


Unfortunately, this ride didn't do much to cheer me up. Don't get me wrong, this is a fantastic ride. I think the queue is tremendously detailed, the ride itself is a blast, and the repeat-ability is crazy good. But of all the days to go, on Star Wars Weekend no less, it just didn't do it for me. Perhaps it was my exhaustion. Perhaps I was sore. Perhaps I just didn't actually like Star Wars.... Or at least on that day I didn't feel like I did. So I decided to go check out Darth's Mall and see what all Disney/Star Wars was selling, knowing full well that I didn't care about merchandise. I made my way to the back of the park... only to find out that it had closed at 7:30pm!!! I was tired. I was still hungry. I was a little sore. I was sweaty. I was cursing my headache. I was frustrated on so many levels with Disney and myself. I was hating life at that moment. The world was coming to an end and I didn't care because I was soooo done with it!!!



Okay no way! Seriously I needed to get out of this funk! This TR is getting depressing and you really need to snap out of it!!! *a brief pause for my feelings that day at Star Wars Weekends in emoji form* *phew* Okay so where was I? Apart from the Muppets, there is one surefire was to get me going.... a chocolate, peanut butter and jelly shake from the Tune-In Lounge! Most people stop at just ordering the PB&J, but I tell you, GO THE EXTRA MILE AND ADD THE CHOCOLATE. It's not on the menu, but they will add it. There is nothing "out-of-this-world" about it, but it is most definitely a tasty treat and one that I make sure to grab when I visit DHS (and constantly day-dream about when I am not actually there to have one). I generally don't care for the food options at DHS as I find most everything there (outside the Brown Derby) to be disappointing. But if you want a sugar-induced coma of tasty awesomeness, I would recommend grabbing the chocolate, PB&J shake and then getting a Butterfinger cupcake from Starring Rolls and letting all your cares drift away Oh and say hi to David, the bartender if he is (still) there. The guy was awesome to talk to and I think paid me a little extra attention because I'm sure I had a miserable look on my face. But the Tune-In Lounge is a great place for a pick me up if you are looking for one at DHS!

After crying into my milkshake (I am being 95% facetious), I had realized I had done enough damage for the day. I resolved that I could either go back to the resort and take it easy for the rest of the evening or stick it out and "have a good show! A real Topical Serenade!" (just thinking happy thoughts here ) The only problem was that I had given myself a pretty bad headache throughout the day. Not sure if it was exhaustion, or dehydration, or anger or what, but as I sat out there by Echo Lake, I knew one thing that was certainly not helping... the techno, dance party music from DJ Lobot... For as far back and off to the side as I was, the pulsing music was wrecking havoc on me and certainly not helping the cause. So I made my way back to the Streets of America and just kind of sat around for awhile...

The problem was that the headache wasn't going away and was actually getting worse; and I was concerned about the rides and shows not exactly helping the cause any. The bigger problem was that I wasn't sure how I would handle the fireworks either; and seeing how they were the main reason for sticking around at this point, I was facing quite the dilemma. Not knowing what else to do besides going back to the resort and downing some asprin, I reluctantly gave up and started making my way out of the park....

 

[StLDisFan]

GREAT SHOT, KID, THAT WAS ONE IN A MILLION!

After strolling in and out of the shops down Hollywood Boulevard, I was coming to the conclusion that the parks had beaten me on this day. I honestly don't recall the last time I gave up early on the parks (it has only happened maybe once or twice in all of my visits!). I had left early for ADRs at other resorts, but I don't recall leaving early like this. The thought didn't sit very well with me either. So I started making my way over to the Friendship boats, thinking that I could catch a ride to the Boardwalk or Swalphin or something and not call it a such an early night. I was pretty exhausted, but as long as it was relatively quiet, I thought I could handle it. But as I was making my way over to the boat, I had remembered something... There was in fact a way to view the Symphony in the Stars fireworks, and I was standing right where I needed to be!

I still had roughly an hour to kill, but I didn't mind too much. It was relatively quiet and actually quite peaceful outside of the gates. So I just sat on the railing in front of the Anna and Elsa topiaries (seriously, couldn't they have some Star Wars stuff they could throw out there for the weekends?) and reflected on what I could for that day. It is true I behaved like the five year old throwing temper tantrums we all wish we could never see at the parks. It is true that I probably should have scheduled an off day or switched my Saturday and Sunday plans around so it might not have been so crazy. It is true that I was putting my body through stress and exhaustion I hadn't felt since finals week in college. But through it all, I somehow managed to enjoy the event and get a decent feeling for what Star Wars Weekends were all about. It is true that I missed nearly everything offered that day. But since I am not nearly a big of a fan as many were that day, I felt adequately satisfied with my experience. I got to see so many great costumes and theming from both Disney and the park guests. I got to see the one big thing I was looking forward to and loved every second of it. I missed out on a lot, but only true fans would be disappointed in that. Somehow I wasn't though. And now I was getting to (sort of) experience the fireworks that I had so much about. So all-in-all it was actually a really great day. Until the fireworks started...


HOLY COW THAT IS AN AWESOME SHOW!! I could only faintly hear the music coming from inside the park, but I didn't care, those fireworks were spectacular! I can only imagine what they were like inside!? VIDEO FROM INSIDE:

But I was pleased with the show and I was pleased with the pics (I never compliment my photos because 99.9% of the time I don't like them that much, but I was on fire during that show (one of the only times all weekend). Wish I could say the same for the rest of the day, but I hadn't realized my settings were off the entire day up until that point.) But all-in-all, I could not have asked for a greater way to end the night... actually, I could! Because I was already outside the gates, I was on the very first bus back to the resort!It was a tremendous ending to what was oddly a very fun day at Star Wars Weekends. Do I dare say it? With some proper planning, I think I would honestly like to go back to experience it all over again (just maybe not with the exhaustion/headaches/temper tantrums)

Until next time... "May the Force be with you"

 

[StLDisFan]

I'm way late in getting started, so here are just a few random thoughts i've had so far, and also probably out of order.

-hello, to a fellow Missouri person! We don't live there now, but I was born and raised in the show me state, and while I'd die before moving back to my hometown, we LOVE St. Louis. My husband's extended family all lives there (well, in Creve Coeur and other parts of West County), my best friend from high school lives in south county, and I have friends in St. Charles, too.

-I love your Disbound, because Pooh and Friends are very special to me, and last year at Crystal Palace I ugly cried all over Winnie the Pooh, and it was horrifying.

-You mentioned puffed french toast, but not the breakfast lasagna. I want to put in a plug for that, because it's amazing. We had to cancel a breakfast there this summer because of a change in park opening hours, and it made me so sad. We love Crystal Palace.

-Country Bears should have it's own national holiday. Country Bears Day. Yes. We regularly break into song around here, and they're usually songs from The Country Bear Jamboree or It's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow from COP.

- I admire your dedication to the 24 hour party. I like the idea of it, but I know myself, and I know that I'd never be able to make it. On our trip in July, I did a solo night at MK, wanting to stay for evening EMH until 2am. I didn't even make it til the regular midnight closing time. Lame. I am 4 years older than you, which must make all the difference, LOL!!

- Now, Star Wars Weekends are something I'm dying to do! My husband as well. Star Wars was a big part of my childhood (Ewoks forever! Haters be darned!), and the official announcement for the SW expansion (and Toy Story!!!!!!) is very exciting for us.

I'm sure I had more thoughts, but that's what I remember at the moment.

I'm sticking around!!

- That's all right, I am way late in updating this TR But welcome! And thank you so much for following along!

- And hello my fellow Missourian... er... formerly.... who only likes select cities... hahaha no worries! I love St. Louis too, which I suppose is a good thing seeing as how I live here (South City) and grew up in West Co (Wildwood). But hey, you like what you like and hate what ya hate.

- Speaking of love/hate, I can't believe I forgot to mention the lasagna! I was "kind of medicated" that day I wrote it because I remember my cold led to an ear infection. DOH! Kicking myself for that minor mistake, I will have to go back and correct it. Thanks for the plug! But I seriously contend that it is my favorite place for breakfast. Maybe Boma for its various options, but adding Pooh and the gang is the cherry on top for me! Pooh is one of my all time favorite characters, so I say cry away! I won't judge ya for it

- Gotta love them Country Bears! I too find myself humming their songs from time to time, among a slew of others.

- Disney World definitely brings out the crazy in me. I get there and I find bits of energy and motivation I don't think I normally have. Throw in some insomnia and the 24 hours is much more manageable for a guy like me. But, I definitely felt "older" on this trip, if that makes any sense. I will try to explain it a little more in an upcoming TR installment. But I totally here ya on crashing early; it happens to the best of us! One thing I slightly underplayed in the TR was the slight "addiction" I may or may not have to caffeine; coffee certainly aides, not only my insomnia, but my ability to tour the parks the way I do.

- For a guy who was semi-curious about SWW and am only a fan of the original three movies, I have to say I actually enjoyed my time that day. I did everything all wrong and still managed to have a good time. I would definitely like to go back and experience it's many offerings. I am sure you will love it too! And in 20 years when they open up Star Wars Land? Man oh man will THAT be incredible!

- If you have more thoughts, please feel free to share them! Thanks for sticking around

 

[StLDisFan]

Following along! Love that you dressed as Christopher Robin for the 24-hour event. I love your photos!

Thanks for joining in @pookersmom ! And thanks for the kind words! Dressing as Christopher Robin was most definitely a good call that day. I debated pulling out my Mr. Smee outfit for the day (shorts, tshirt and sandals are always a good look at Disney) but the hat/sideburns would have been a bit uncomfortable for 24 hours straight. And the photos? I honestly have no clue what I am doing, which I guess is why I find it so rewarding when I get a decent shot I was trying to find some usable photos for the SWW posts, but as I was looking through them, I realized that the settings for 98% of them were horrible off (darn you sleep deprivation!). But I am glad you enjoy them nonetheless!

 

[StLDisFan]

Following...I have a solo trip coming at the end of October so your report is a great way to build the excitement (really who needs help getting excited for Disney?) I can't wait to hear all of your firsts.

Hi @Nanaji ! Thanks for following along Glad to help build the excitement for ya a bit! I am soooo jealous that your trip is coming up so soon. I am having a hard time fighting the urge to cancel weekend plans right now so that I can go down there for a quick visit. October will be a great time of year to go

 

[pookersmom]

Those fireworks photos are amazing! We'll be there for SWW next summer and I'm already suuuuuper excited because we are huge Star Wars fans.

 

[FosterLovesMickey]

Ahhhhh!!! An update!! Loved the update and adored the fireworks photos!! Great pictures!!! I'm totally trying a chocolate PB milkshake when I'm there - I will look for David! You've sold me on it! LOL. Sorry you had a mini-break down at DHS, but looks like it all ended well anyway and you were able to finish it off with good memories (and pictures!)!

Thanks for the update!!

 

[allybabba98]

I have loved reading this trip report. Your fireworks photos are stunning. I love how honest you were about everything, and though I would love to attend SWW I don't know if I could handle the crowds if I had my family with me.
I hope you do a trip report for your Birthday/Christmas visit.

 

[FosterLovesMickey]

Hope to see more updates!!

 

[StLDisFan]

I have loved reading this trip report. Your fireworks photos are stunning. I love how honest you were about everything, and though I would love to attend SWW I don't know if I could handle the crowds if I had my family with me.
I hope you do a trip report for your Birthday/Christmas visit.

Better late than never I suppose... hahah I am finally going to wrap try and wrap up the TR within the next week. Thanks soooo much for sticking through it with me and for all the super nice comments! I consider it incentive to finish this sucker up Not sure if you heard the news, but it's looking like SWW won't be coming back for the foreseeable future, which is a shame as I was heavily considering a trip back for it.... c'est la vie!

And fear not, I have a strong suspicion that I will be writing another one for my trip in a few weeks. I secretly enjoyed how much pain and agony this one caused me; I am a glutton for punishment. I will vow to be more on top of writing it though! Unlike this one that got away from me... Time to wrap up this TR and put her to bed!

 

[StLDisFan]

Those fireworks photos are amazing! We'll be there for SWW next summer and I'm already suuuuuper excited because we are huge Star Wars fans.

I hopefully am not the bearer of bad news. SWW R.I.P.! Getting a massive SW land expansion will one day make up for it, just wish they kept SWWs going during the construction.

 

[StLDisFan]

The Simple Bare Necessities

The break in this TR feels much like the one I needed to give myself after the first two whirlwind days of my May trip. Up until this point, sleep felt completely nonexistent, memories were a blur, emotions completely scattered on both ends of the spectrum. What I really needed to get back to the simple bare necessities (like what I did there? ) I got back from my epic ending to Star Wars Weekend, ordered a pizza, put the feet up and watch some of Stacey's Must Do's. By this point, I realized I had put my body through quite the torture chamber and that I needed time to recover. Mercifully, I had "planned" a little time on Sunday morning to take it easy and get my bearings straight once again.

I don't know if there are any soccer fans out there, EPL fans to be exact, but May 24 was a special day for most of us as it was the final game day of the season. Some teams get relegated to a lower division and while most others celebrate. My team, Aston Villa FC, had very little to celebrate as our team was pretty pathetic that season. Regardless, as a fan, you celebrate staying in the top league and for your team's hard work that season. So despite the fact that I was at Disney, my priority that morning was to catch the final game of the season.... we embarrassingly lost the game, but no matter! It was nice just taking it easy that morning, even with the Animal Kingdom calling my name.



Despite a laid back morning, my schedule for the next several hours was actually going to be pretty tight:
Sunday
Aston Villa final game 9-11am
Bus to AK 11:15am
Flame Tree BBQ lunch 11:45-12:15
Dinosaur FP+ 11:45-12:45
- Sacrifice Dinosaur to make Finding Nemo
Finding Nemo – The Musical 1pm show
- Show is from 1-1:30pm
- You could also make the 3pm if need be
Expedition Everest – Single Rider
Kilimanjaro Safari FP+ 1:45-2:45
- Ride takes ~30 minutes
Festival of the Lion King FP+ 3:30-3:50
- Show is from 4-4:30pm
Flights of Wonder – 4:45pm show
- Show is from 4:45-5:15pm
It'd Tough To Be A Bug
Explore the Tree of Life
Bus to AKL 6pm
Sanaa at 6:40pm

I ate some leftover pizza and got ready and realized that I had actually been a bit too laid back that morning as I looked at my clock and it was nearing Noon! Thankfully I ate a little, because the next few hours were spent jumping from one thing to another without much of a breather. No matter! I was rested and ready to go!



I got to Dinosaur at ~12:30 and jumped in the FP line. The wait for this one (thankfully) wasn't too long and I was boarding my Time Rover in no time at all! I am always a bit conflicted with this ride though, as I think it is great fun and yet I don't know what it is that really it makes it so. The story (without using a ton of imagination) is bit crazy, the AAs are never working, and you generally can't see much as you get hurled around in the dark.... okay wait a sec, this is starting to sound quite similar to Space Mountain! ..... I retract my previous statement, this ride is AWESOME!!! Seriously, Bill Nye the Science Guy AND Phylicia Rashad? AND DINOSAURS (you had me at dino)!!! This one also has several of my "every day" quotes ("Not our dino" "We're not going to make it..." "That's right... see! Securely locked, access denied!"), so all in all this is a great ride. I don't know why I don't ride it more than once a trip then

This did put me in a tight spot though, as after I got of the ride, I had to make a quick dash over to Finding Nemo if I was going to make it (all while screaming, "we're not going to make it! we're not going to make it! ..... *phew!* We made it! I knew we would..." ) But for the second time on this trip I was perplexed with what came next. Now normally I get here relatively early to get a good seat, so I will chalk this incident up as such, but normally I can snag a seat really close down on the end, seeing as how it is just me. But this time around the CM greeted me with "there is no more seating down there". I should have lied and said I was looking for my family or something, but I just shrugged my shoulders and followed the crowd... up into the back corner! Talk about a packed house! I should have just kept walking straight through to the exit, because the entire time I had people getting up during the show, kids running around and this family that would not shut up about making up their mind if they should leave or not.... during the entire show! However, due to my tight schedule, I wasn't sure if I could squeeze another time in, so I stuck it out and tried my best to enjoy it because.... I actually like this show more than the Festival of the Lion King..... THERE I SAID IT!! Now before anyone jumps down my throat, I admit that I am certifiably insane and that I am in the absolute minority on this opinion. I cannot explain my reasoning and I won't really attempt to. I suppose the "story" speaks more to me than the cut-up singalong that is the FotLK. Both have AMAZING costumes and songs. But Finding Nemo: The Musical just resonates more with me. I dunno, hard to explain I will say that Finding Nemo, the movie, doesn't even come close to being being ranked as high as The Lion King (for the record, The Lion King is ranked #3, Finding Nemo #12 on my all-time favorites list). Because of my horrendous seating for this show though, I didn't take any pictures (probably a good thing as I spend half the show crying anyways...). Pro tip: get there early and get a seat right along that "middle stage". I think what makes this show so special is seeing not only the mechanics in the puppetry but also how much emotion goes into every single one of those actors (much like FotLK).

After that, I made my way over to my absolute favorite ride at AK....



This ride is all sorts of greatness. The cue is one of the most detailed things I have ever seen. The story is unique and well developed. And the ride is just so fun! I will admit that the yeti is a bit disappointing (seeing as how the entire story is based around actually encountering it), but this is one of those rides that I can do over and over and over (and I do often thanks to this single rider line!)



After escaping the yeti (who showed no signs of actually coming after me... or moving at all), I made my way over to see animals that actually do move....


Busy Day on Safari



Lounging By The Pool


The Lion King

After a several month, epic safari, I went to go see that "controversial" show, the Festival of the Lion King

 

[StLDisFan]

It is Time for the Festival of The Lion King!

Okay I know I may have ruffled a few feathers and furs with my liking Finding Nemo over this show, but let it be said that it really is a 1A and 1B scenario as this show is just as amazing, just as wonderful, and just as entertaining. The singalong fun, the puppets, the costumes, this show is all-around good fun! Seriously, who in their right mind doesn't love those Tumble Monkeys? In between shots, I am left mouth agape at their routine; those monkeys are so talented! Throw in some epic fire twirling, a great love song and unreal finale, and you have a show worthy of Broadway... wait....

 

[StLDisFan]

May Your Hearts Take Flight and Your Spirits Soar Forever

My time was winding down at the Animal Kingdom, but I still had time to see one of (in my opinion) one of the most underrated shows at Disney World.... The Flights of Wonder. If you haven't seen this show, you need to make it a priority on your next visit to the AK.... Okay yes, it is simply a show about birds. However, I still think the way they present them, the little quips between the presenter and the tour guide, and just watching the birds interact is pretty great. I know I am over-hyping this one, but I don't care. I love this show! I have also come to the conclusion that I will be that old man who spends his Saturdays feeding birds in the park one day....







After this wonderful (and "distinctly patriotic" show), I had one more stop to make during my time and the AK and that was to the Tree of Life (oh and to see It's Tough to be a Bug ). I know it is the "icon" for the park, but I realized on this trip how little I had actually taken the time to really admire the thing. I have photos of it from several angles during past trips, but apparently it is one "rather large detail" I have often over-looked. I knew the story of the oil rig and the 100,000 leaves and the pain-staking detail in carving out all the animals, but to stop and appreciate it was something I had never really done before. People probably thought me to be odd, standing there looking up at the tree like that, but honestly, the detail is amazing! So now you can prepare yourself for several obligatory photos to make up for that fact.....





Namaste!

 

[StLDisFan]

A Quick Thought on Harambe Market



Unfortunately I did not have the time or pleasure of eating at Harambe Market due to the fact that I was on my was to Sanaa and didn't want to spoil my appetite. I did spend several minutes here perusing the menus and taking in the sites of the place. This place was pure eye candy! The details in this open-air food court was simply amazing! The food smelled and looked fantastic; the options seemed pretty various. And despite lines looking pretty lengthy (I think it was opening weekend for it), I would love to have to opportunity to wait in line for some of the offerings. Have you been yet? I would love to hear your take on it!

 

[StLDisFan]

A Wonderful Meal at Sanaa

After the many adventures at the Animal Kingdom, I ducked out just before closing so that I could make my way over to the Animal Kingdom Lodge...Villas.... in Kidani Village... for my first ever visit to Sanaa! I had heard so many great reviews for this restaurant that it had been on my to-do list for awhile now and needless to say I was excited to try it out.

But before I did, I spent some time exploring the other side of the resort, seeing as how I had never been over there before. First impression was that it was a bit on the small side, which makes sense as it houses the villas and didn't need to take away from the grandiose main building. With that being said, not only did I find it 'cozy' but I liked the space alot. I could see myself having a late-night drink or editing photos by the fire...


Cozy Fireplace

Really Cool Wall Sconces

Amazing Chandeliers!!

The View Outside

After killing several minutes before my ADR, it was time for....



From the moment I walked in, I just loved the atmosphere and style of the place. It definitely kept in line with the theming of both Jiko and Boma, but I think the ceilings were lower and therefore it created a little more intimate of a feel. Plus with views looking out onto the "savanna" and the animals roaming outside, it was a really pleasant place for a meal. Unfortunately, I didn't get seated right up against the glass (I think you needed a party of 3+ for those), but I still had a great view outside.

As for the meal itself..... it was rather excellent! Everyone here raves about the naan and I can see why....

Naan with Accompaniments: Coriander Chutney, Red Pepper Hummus and Cucumber

It is definitely a unique take on the typical "bread" dish starter at most restaurants and the accompaniments that came with it take it over the top. I will be honest, I didn't really care for my selections though. I normally love hummus, but this red pepper seemed "off" or just wasn't what I am accustom too? I dunno but it didn't sit well. The Coriander was a bit of a bold choice for me, and needless to say, I think I should play it safe more often... Perhaps I just don't have any acquired taste for it (although I like it in my beer, which is maybe why I thought I might like it), but I barely used this one. My favorite by far was the cucumber! I used that one on all of the bread selections (even when it didn't seem to warrant it). All in all, it was a great option for an appetizer. I didn't eat all of the bread because I wanted to save room for the entree, but I did try all three sauces with all five bread choices to find the best pairing. It was a fun adventure for sure!

Before I could get through all of it though, my entree, the Braaivleis had been brought out...

Braaivleis: Pork with mixed veggies, Sausage with ?something?, and Lamb and potatoes

Because I couldn't make up my mind about which meat entree to get, I got the sampler instead! And if I had a choice when I return, I would look into getting it again, as I certainly enjoyed this one (okay maybe I would look into many of the other great options here). I won't hype this up as something truly special (they are just meats after all), but I thought everything was cooked perfectly and it made it tough to choose which part was my favorite. All three were good, but if I had to choose one, I would say the lamb was my favorite of the three. The pork was a little dry and could have done with some kind of sauce to go with it. The sausage was pretty flavorful and the ?onions? that went with it really made it stand out. But the favorite was definitely the lamb, juicy and tender and cooked perfectly, it was the highlight for me. The mashed potatoes weren't anything special (actually all the sides were a little 'bland'), but all in all I really loved my selections.

I didn't make room for dessert as I was planning on hitting up Downtown Disney afterwards for a nightcap. So I threw in the napkin and called it. One final highlight of this meal to point out was the service. The greeters were super friendly and really made me, as a solo and a first timer, so welcome there. This was followed up by my fantastic server, Jen. When she started out with "I notice you're dining solo, but I don't want to put any pressure on you or make you feel rushed in any way. I want you to enjoy your time with us (said with a big smile)" I was definitely appreciative! Service can be hit or miss when dining solo, but for them to acknowledge this (in a non-embarrassing, completely friendly way) was something that meant a lot to me.

After the meal, I made one of the worst decisions on this trip.... I went to Downtown Disney.... on Memorial Day weekend..... I know that weekends are generally a bad time to go there, but for some reason I didn't account for this OR the fact that it was a holiday weekend, until I stepped off of the bus and saw the chaos.... Bottlenecks, shoulder to shoulder, pushing and shoving... you couldn't get into stores (or out of them) they were jam-packed! I immediately regretted getting off that bus, because I took a look at the lines (and traffic) trying to leave and I knew I was in trouble. What I really wanted was some ice cream from Ghirardelli's, but the line was snaking all over the place outside the door. So I decided that since I was there to check out some of the new stores for Disney Springs, grab a coffee from the Starbucks and get out of there asap. Even this plan was a nightmare! Eventually, I fought my way to the Starbucks, bypassing practically everything along the way. I ordered a black coffee (the only thing I order from them) and strolled along the waterfront for as much as possible. I decided the only way to end this night on a positive was if I took my favorite mode of Disney transportation... the water taxi from Downtown Disney to Port Orleans! The problem was that getting there was at a snail's pace.... seriously the crowds that night were just ridiculous! Somehow I miraculously made over to the dock and only had to wait for one taxi. But I absolutely love that ride along the waterfront, especially at night. There is this great sense of calm and peace and it certainly is relaxing. Plus getting to wind through the woods and the treehouses and all is just great.

Seeing as how I had "survived" the trip, I decided I should treat myself with a chocolate shake and some beignets from POFQ's Sassagoula Floatworks. They aren't the same as the ones you get from Cafe du Monde down in New Orleans, but I certainly won't complain. They definitely made me feel better about making the poor decision of attempting DTD that evening. Plus I got to stroll around one of my favorite resorts, POFQ! All in all, I counted up the pros and cons and called my nightcap a wash. The only problem now was that I had to get from POFQ back to my resort.... Disney was definitely looking down upon me that evening as no sooner had I made it to the bus stop that one of them showed up and took me to MK, which I then found a bus back to 'Sports in short.

For what was suppose to be a nice, easy, relaxing day, it was certainly filled with some moments of craziness, itinerary heaviness, food deliciousness, and great times... ness.... On my way back to the resort, I did come to the conclusion that it was a little more chaotic than I had hoped and planned for, so I made the vow that the following day would be taken at a leisurely pace, camera "light", and happiness in abundance. Did I succeed? ........

 

[bamacmac]

Yay for continuing your TR!

How dare you say Nemo is better than FotLK! Hahaha. Kidding. Both are good, I just happen to love FotLK more.

That is so nice of the server at Sanaa to say that. I would love for someone to say that to me when I sit down at a table service solo. That is one place I really want to try one day, but it will likely have to wait until I live down there.

I've never wanted to try Dinosaur because I was told it is really jerky. But you made me want to.

LOVE taking the boat from PO to DTD. And reading that made me realize that I need to try to work that into my December trip. I've only done it once and it's been awhile.

So how is the chocolate shake at POFQ? I love a good chocolate shake. I'm SO excited to be staying there for the first time. Need to try those beignets too.

Love all your food pics!!!