PDA

View Full Version : PolyGirl40’s Escape From New York; The 2002 Sequel -- Day One



imported_PolyGirl40
02-20-2002, 01:12 PM
PolyGirl40’s Escape From New York; The 2002 Sequel -- Day One
Saturday; February 09, 2002

Cast of Characters
Carol -- PolyGirl40 -- Disney Vacation Commander in Chief
Tony -- Dear Husband & Dad -- Advisor on Fiscal Affairs.
Jeremy -- #1 Son (15)
Shayne -- #2 Son (7)

From New York to Africa in Three Short Hours

Today was our travel and arrival day. Everyone was extremely excited. The day had finally arrived. We’re going back to Disney World. :cool:

Shayne was a bit disappointed. His catechism class was having a morning breakfast before undertaking their first confessions. Shayne had gone earlier in the week - but still felt a little sorrow about missing the group participation. Once the bags were loaded into the car his smile quickly returned.

We stopped at a little dinner in Connecticut for breakfast. Boy did we time that well. We were not seated more then 5 minutes when a Hockey team arrived by bus and stormed the restaurant. It became standing room only. Tony laughed at the concept. He found it funny that we encountered long lines and crowds before even arriving in Florida.

We then made our 1-½ hour journey to Hartford, Connecticut. We like flying out of Bradley International. A lot less traffic and easier access than JFK. A quick trip through the parking lot and onto the tram with luggage in tow. The airport was very busy. It seemed as if the Delta line was the longest. However, they had many windows open to accommodate travelers. We checked more luggage then normal. I usually carryon several bags that fit the requirements. I did not want to mess with any added security. I took my purse and a small make-up case, while the boys shared a backpack for their games and music essentials.

We get to the x-ray machines and see our first sign of the military. They were very stoic. The attendant advised us to empty our pockets and remove our watches and place them in the basket. Shayne seem frazzled and yelled; “Wait” - as his Dad started to put the basket onto the conveyor belt. A nearby Soldier watched and listened intently as my little son removed his chapstick from his pocket and placed it into the basket for scanning. graemlins/laughing.gif I looked back at the Soldier as he smiled and winked at Shayne. Whew! He almost went through without emptying his pockets. ;) I think he thought he would be arrested or something.

Jeremy set the buzzer off. He was pulled aside and a male attendant with a scanning wand was summoned. They asked him who he was traveling with and proceeded to swipe over him with the wand. They even frisked him and had him remove his belt to ensure the buckle was the culprit responsible for the warning signal. I got a little annoyed when a airport staff member told me to leave the area. I piped right up and advised her I was not leaving my son until he got the all clear to enter the terminal. Tony took Shayne through - while I waited for Jeremy.

Once inside the terminal we people watched and waited to board. The flight was full. We had an uneventful journey along the coast and landed 15 minutes early, thanks to some tail winds. A quick trip via the monorail and it’s off to baggage claim. As we’re gliding down the escalator we spot an Ibex employee welcoming the Robert family. I thought for sure we’d have a wait as the plane was early - but Nope. Well - no wait for the car anyway. The luggage was a different story. They had 4 planes worth of travel gear loaded onto one conveyor. Of course our flight was last. It took almost 30 minutes to retrieve our baggage. Ugh! So much for landing early. I’m so *not* a patient traveler.

Amongst the wait our driver decided to bring the car around. He informed us where to meet him upon exiting the lower level. Within minutes of gathering our belongings we were on our way! We had a great conversation. Apparently business is picking up for February. There are a lot of conventions, groups and vacationers scheduled to be arriving throughout the month. Let’s hope so!

As Tony chatted about conventions and tourism - the boys and I soaked up the billboards. We got that tickly feeling one gets when they enter Disney property and start hitting all of the familiar purple signs. I knew we were getting close when we zoomed past Animal Kingdom. I paused to take a deep breath. I wanted to soak up the entire resort as we entered. Wow! Those thatched roofs are amazing! As we get in further we’re soon basking in the bounties of African splendor. They have little simulated fire pits as sidewalk lights. Way Cool! The Lodge is not massive upon driving up. I was surprised. It’s very deceiving. Once you enter the grand doorways the gates of vastness open. What a spectacular lobby.

I stood in the doorway and just gazed in awe. It’s impressive, to say the least. The woods are very dark in color - as the soft hues glimmer from the light fixtures. (Jeremy felt it was too dark.) It does take a minor adjustment for the eyes. We headed right over to the check-in counter. The line wait was pretty short. We had a wonderful staff member. We bonded immediately. Our room was ready. We obtained our 7-Day Park Hopper Plus Passes, received our maps, guides and general information and headed to our room.

I had requested nonsmoking, bunk beds, 3rd floor, close proximity to the Lobby, Arusha Savannah and the Zebra Trail. Every single one of our requests were met. What a perfect location. We had a viewing window on both sides of our hallway - right outside of our door. One overlooked the pool and the other the Savannah. We tossed our bags down on the floor and hightailed it to the balcony. I had heard so many rave reports about the animals. I had to see them for myself. We were not disappointed! There was a trio of ankole cattle drinking at the watering hole as zebra, gazelle and wildebeest grazed. What a spectacular sight. Tony sat on the balcony with the binoculars as the rest of us checked out the room.

imported_PolyGirl40
02-20-2002, 01:15 PM
Shayne had dibs on the upper bunk. I wish I had a dollar for every jaunt he took up and down that ladder by trip’s end. graemlins/doubleeek.gif

The room is considerably smaller then what we are used to at the Polynesian. I’m so glad I requested bunk beds. I cannot imagine having two queen beds taking up the entire floor space. The room is very dark. Again the furnishings are designed with an African feel. The only problem I had pertaining to the lighting was at the sink area. It was very hard to apply make-up effectively and not resemble a clown. In fact; this became a running joke amongst my guys. tongue.gif The sink is separate from the bathroom facilities. I prefer a door - as I’m an early riser. This made it very difficult to get ready in the morning without disturbing my sleeping family. Also; it required you to dress in the tub/toilet area. Which is extremely small - and wet once you shower. Of course, this was not a problem for the fellas. I chose not to walk around in my underwear. :D

Back to the room;
You have your basic deluxe resort amenities. The only difference was that we had a small chest of drawers in the cubby adjoining the closet. The drawer space is not very large in the armoire. With the dresser there is more then adequate storage. The closet is very large. There is a playpen stored inside for any family needing one - as well as a safe for belongings. A hairdryer, bath products, iron and ironing board are also supplied.

We decided to explore the Lodge a wee bit before checking in for our Boma PS’. Right off from our hallway entrance is a door to a large public balcony. It overlooks Arusha Rock. It was scattered with numerous rocking chairs. Very nice area for relaxing and viewing. We listened to a little of the Storyteller but decided we better check-in at the Boma podium. The resort seemed very busy.

I was instantly reminded as to why I’m not a Lodge type of person. One big place means everyone is in one place. Eeeek! Boy did that stand true. We snaked our way to the lower level. Victoria Falls and the lower lobby was hopping. Wall to wall people. We finally found the line for Boma. Luckily we had a prearranged priority seating. Many guests were turned away with an estimated wait of up to 2 hours. This was the pattern for our entire trip. Tip; Make PS’. You can always cancel - if need be.

With our pager in tow we decided to escape the masses and check out the pool area. I wonder if MickeyMark was getting his massage at that time? I was by the pool Mark. Shayne set his eyes on the pool slide and made this his mission for the next day. We wandered into Mara and the arcade. Our buzzer prompted us within 20 minutes. Off to Boma. Okay - Let’s see what all of the hype is about. graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Boy o’ boy was this place packed. Not an empty seat in the house. I had asked Tony if he wanted to try some “different” foods before booking this restaurant. Well upon being seated I realized he misunderstood “different”. I meant unusual. He interpreted “different” to mean; not our ordinary dinner spots. Ooops. I will now say “diverse” foods. It did not help that the stations only had the names of the items and not the ingredients. My guys are not adventurous in that regard. They like to know specifically what they are putting in their mouths. Another, Ooops.

I did enlighten my taste buds with the various unique offerings. I rather enjoyed it. Tony and the boys dined on the familiar fare. Everything was very tasty. I especially liked the pasta salad. graemlins/tasty.gif We ordered fresh brewed ice tea, coffee, water and lemonade for drinks. Let me tell you something. The dessert station is literally a mouth party waiting to happen. I’m a slow eater so the guys hit that area long before I did. Oh my. what a bunch of gluttons! They went up twice, selecting everything offered. Trust me - the zebra domes are waaaaaaaay yummy! We enjoyed our experience - but it is not on our *must do again* list.

We paid our bill and waddled to the lobby. The aroma of the fire pit permeated throughout. It’s very hard to describe - yet has a distinct scent. Adding wonderful atmosphere to the festive surroundings. The kids wanted to play in the arcade. Jeremy loves the Star Wars game they have. After a few rounds of air hockey, a battle with Darth, and a zoom around California on a skateboard, we went into Zawadi Marketplace, as Jeremy headed back to the room. He had a date with Goldfinger. graemlins/laughing.gif (ABC Saturday night Bond feature.)

What a great shopping area. We must have played in there for an hour. They have baskets and baskets full of authentic musical instruments. We tried them all. Great fun. The carvings and artwork are remarkable. I wanted one of the hand painted ostrich eggs so badly. However, they will not ship them. For $295, I did not want to carry it from resort to resort or take it on the plane. Ugh! They are one of a kind. - Hence they can not insure them for shipping. Oh well. Shayne picked out a stuffed Pooh in a zebra suit and an AKL T-shirt.

We slowly made our way back to the room. We were quite exhausted from our day of travel. The animals were sleeping and we decided they had the right idea. I ordered a wake-up call of 6 a.m. and got ready for bed. The men watched Goldfinger, until they fell asleep. graemlins/sleepin.gif Morning would come early.

We have another PS for Boma. Can my guys decipher what’s in the breakfast fare? We’ll see.

Today’s Spending;
Breakfast: $20 w/tip
Airport Snack Shoppe: Water, trail mix and gummy worms $7
Round-trip Airfare for 4: $858.00
Ibex Town car: $110.00 w/tip
Resort Fee: 3 nights at AKL: $629.00
Park Passes: (4) 7-Day Park Hopper Plus Passes w/DC discount $1,172.48
Boma Dinner: 3 Adults, 1 Child $90 w/tip
Arcade Tokens: $5
Zawadi Marketplace: $25.44
Day One Total: $2,916.92

Next Up; Day Two -- Is Shayne still ¼ inch too short? - Where are the dang cowboys? and grapefruit cake. :D

[ February 22, 2002, 10:19 AM: Message edited by: PolyGirl40 ]

Narcoossee'sFan
02-20-2002, 02:48 PM
Well Carol, your first day trip report certainly didn't disappoint. graemlins/thumbsup.gif I am certainly looking forward to my PS at Boma on May 5. graemlins/tasty.gif That spending total certainly looks shocking when you add the park passes in there, doesn't it! :D

dlpmikki
02-20-2002, 02:52 PM
Carol, as usual, your reports are highly entertaining. I'm glad you got in before the Hockey crowd ;)

ChipDale
02-20-2002, 02:54 PM
Carol, you must have received your luggage or else you have a terrific memory! ;) Sounds like you're off to an excellent start. The Animal Kingdom Lodge sounds very much like the Grand Californian Hotel with the dark woods and low lighting. Thanks for the details regarding the ammenities etc.

Can't wait to read what you and your boys will be up to tomorrow. smile.gif

EvaBryan
02-20-2002, 03:06 PM
Carol -
Great reports (as always). graemlins/thumbsup.gif

I am glad you enjoyed the Lodge - it is a really unusual place and I know what you mean about the "scent" in the lobby - a nice, woodburning smell.

My dad set off the airport security last week when my folks returned from Florida. Turned out the ace bandage was was wearing around his knee set it off - they almost made him take his pants off. :eek: My mom was a little frazzled but he was able to shimmy off the bandage. Glad Jeremy got through okay.

Can't wait to read about your first *full* day!

Eva graemlins/mickey.gif

wendy*darling
02-20-2002, 04:39 PM
Glad to have you back Carol smile.gif

Sounds like a good trip down.

I love your detailed descriptions of the AKL and Boma. It makes us feel like we are right there with you.

Looking forward to more... get typing graemlins/mickey.gif

Jillpie
02-20-2002, 04:52 PM
Great report Carol and welcome back! Can't wait to hear about Boma's bfast. Also, this will be the first time for me to use the DC card,(get ready, a silly question) how did you remember to use it at check in? Thats one of my biggest fears, forgetting to hand them that darn thing with all the things going on at that desk and being handed a million things. I also worry about forgetting it at DD at world of disney shop. Oh well, looking forward to day 2!

KylesMom
02-20-2002, 05:42 PM
YOU CAN'T STOP NOW!! :eek: I'll be checking the trip reports frantically until I see the next one! graemlins/thumbsup.gif

DisneyWizard
02-20-2002, 06:27 PM
Glad to see your reports are starting to come in! Are you sure you fixed your "budget problem", though? :eek: ;)

Looking forward to more... :cool:

MKPlutoGuy
02-20-2002, 08:52 PM
Carol-That was awesome! You're trip reports set the standard of excellence. smile.gif I can't wait to hear day 2! smile.gif I guess this means you got your luggage back, ;)

debby
02-21-2002, 09:57 AM
This is a great report carol, I am sitting here with my coffee reading all this and supposed to be doing my housework, oh what the heck. I call it research.

We are heading down in april, we do not get to get down too often (been 6 yrs) so I am trying to decide whether to visit the akl or stay for maybe 2 to 3 days I do have a savannah view res., before we head to the poly which is our all time favorite, in fact it is like paradise for us, I can't explain how much we love it there. If you were to do it again two nights or three at akl?

Do you think adults would fit in the bunks, my kids are young adults son 6.3?

I hope we are allowed to ask questions on this site. If not just disregard.

Deb.

TooGoofy
02-21-2002, 11:11 AM
Great trip report, Carol. Thank you for bringing back so many wonderful memories of AKL!

Disneywarrior
02-21-2002, 11:31 AM
Great first day Carol! Gosh, it seems like only yesterday that I was reading your last year's reports. I sure hope that Shayne has grown that extra quarter inch. graemlins/mickey.gif

TiggerRPh
02-21-2002, 12:32 PM
Thanks for the great first day report....can't wait to read the next installment.

graemlins/mickey.gif

Freetime
02-21-2002, 01:12 PM
You have submitted a GREAT Trip Report so far graemlins/thumbsup.gif

The bad news is that we are making our first trip to WDW in May.... My wife had suggested going to AKL but I won out... After reading your report, I don't know if I made the right choice for us. graemlins/blush.gif

We will look at it for the next trip though :D

Thanks again.

Tony

imported_PolyGirl40
02-21-2002, 01:34 PM
Originally posted by Jillpie:
how did you remember to use it at check in? Thats one of my biggest fears, forgetting to hand them that darn thing with all the things going on at that desk and being handed a million things. Jill, Not a silly question at all. In fact I was worried about the very same thing and I’m a meticulously organized person.

I knew that our passes would be around $1,200. I put that amount of money in an envelope marked “passes” and had it in my purse. I also put my Disney Club card inside with the cash. I knew it would be the first place I would utilize the card while on vacation. Btw - I did forget to use it once in Downtown Disney. :D


Originally posted by debby:
I can't explain how much we love it there. If you were to do it again two nights or three at akl?

Do you think adults would fit in the bunks, my kids are young adults son 6.3?
Deb,
I understand completely. No need to explain. I feel the very same way. Your questions are very welcome. I will not split my resort stay again. I felt unsettled - knowing I’d be relocating after a few days. I was more then ready to go *home* to the Polynesian after the second day. smile.gif

In reference to the bunk beds; They are the same size as a twin bed. The length was no different then our queen bed. My only concern would be the head room above each bed. smile.gif

Jillpie
02-21-2002, 02:06 PM
OK Carol, thats exactly what I was thinking on doing, because I know the last thing that the front desk will do is remind me of possibly having a DC card! graemlins/shakehead.gif I think I'll have about l5 envelopes to bring down, but it is really a great way to stay organized.

harlowandthemermaid
02-23-2002, 07:27 PM
Thanks for sharing your report! I've really been looking forward to it!

Jennib
02-23-2002, 11:17 PM
Thanks carol for a wonderul first day trip report...Glad to hear that your family enjoyed Boma. I have never been that daring to try it but now that I hear that you boys liked it...I have to!!!!

Jared
02-24-2002, 10:48 AM
Carol,
What an excellent first day, and an even better report. I felt right like I was right there with you at the AKL. I really want to stay there one day, because it sounds so great.

Moving on to day 2. :D

Dopeysfriend
02-24-2002, 04:20 PM
As usual, a fantastic report, Carol! graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Your detail about the AKL is great...makes me want to check it out next time I'm down there!

I can't wait to read what's up next for you & the boys! graemlins/mickey.gif

roses
02-26-2002, 10:37 AM
Great trip report Carol! I can't wait to read the next one! :cool:

MnDloveDisney
02-28-2002, 07:39 PM
Sounds like a great first day! smile.gif Great detail about AKL...I felt like I was there again. And it is very busy in the areas near the restaurants. I think it was a little poor planning on their part as there isn't much waiting room. But it's a beautiful place. I love the darkness of it!

On to Day 2! smile.gif

cjhallie
02-28-2002, 11:41 PM
Great report! Did you fax your room request down or did you call?

imported_PolyGirl40
03-01-2002, 08:15 AM
Originally posted by cjhallie:
Did you fax your room request down or did you call?Welcome. graemlins/party.gif

I made my requests during the reservation process so that everything would be documented on the original paperwork. I followed that up with a fax - 2 days before arriving. smile.gif

Dizneyana
03-01-2002, 05:45 PM
So Carol?? Did you ever get your missing luggage?? :confused:

I never heard..

As usual, great report!! I look forward to the next installment!! graemlins/thumbsup.gif

imported_PolyGirl40
05-14-2002, 02:57 PM
*Bumping up as per requested.* :cool:

Timbo
05-14-2002, 05:22 PM
So, THIS is what a trip report should look like, huh! graemlins/notworthy.gif Carol, you must write the book on trip reports: "Trip Reports for Dummies." I'm sorry I missed these the first time around...but glad I'm getting a look now. Thanks!! :D