imported_PolyGirl40
02-23-2002, 02:10 PM
PolyGirl40’s Escape From New York; The 2002 Sequel -- Day Four
Tuesday; February 12, 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)
More Frunch, Honey - I’m Home, A Trip Around the World, and Our Best Meal Yet.
I slept until 7:00 a.m.. Now that does not seem very late for most - but it certainly is for me. We took our time getting ready. Tony went for coffee and stopped at the podium for Boma, along his way to Mara. He made arrangements for us to have another Frunch breakfast. I had no plans for this morning. Jeremy made the decision to return to Boma.
We headed down after a moment of animal watching. We enjoyed another African breakfast feast. The items were the same. The great aspect of a buffet is that you can vary the items selected. Everyone enjoyed a different fare then the previous visit. We paid our bill and headed for Zawadi Marketplace. I had been in the shop numerous times and knew exactly what I wanted to purchase.
I quickly gathered my bounty, made arrangements to have it shipped home and proceeded back to the room to pack up our belongings. One last peak at the animals, a call to bell service for a luggage transfer and it was time to check out.
We really enjoyed our stay at the Lodge. I am glad I extended the time span. One evening would not have been enough. I will be perfectly honest here and tell you that I was more then anxious to get to the Polynesian by the second day. It is very hard to explain. For us; Disney = the Polynesian. I did not set into relaxation mode at the Lodge. Things seemed too hectic and busy. I have mentioned many times that I like the “island” type resorts. It gives you much more privacy and seclusion. Everyone is scattered about and not under one roof.
Would I stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge again? Hmmmm - Not as a family unit. The bathroom situation just did not work for the early riser in me and the variance of age and gender. All in all - we had a fantastic time. Nothing can ever replace that feeling one gets the first time they look out onto their Savannah balcony. We left with many great cherished memories.
Our check out went very smoothly. We stopped at the guest relations desk to ensure our luggage would be transferred to the Polynesian. They were extremely busy. We received our ticket numbers and headed to the bus stop. I figured our easiest way to the Polynesian would be to snag a bus to the Magic Kingdom and hop on the resort monorail from there.
It worked perfectly. We arrived at the resort by 10:30. We were in no hurry. Epcot was our only agenda for the day. With a vacation itinerary of 10 days it did not require a lot of rushing from point A to point B.
As we enter the lobby of the Polynesian I immediately noticed the water fountains in the atrium has been drained and shut off. As we arrive downstairs it’s obvious a complete replanting is being undertaken. Upon exiting through the front you can see the ponds and waterfalls are not running out there either. I spoke to the attendant at bell services. He informed me that the entire pumping system was being replaced. It is understandable that this needs to be done. But - the running water was sorely missed.
We did not have any luggage. They offered to drive us over to the concierge building. The check-in procedure is different for concierge guests. I declined. I think one of the most wonderful things about the tropical feel of the resort is walking through the lush landscaping. We headed out through the back and proceeded to stroll towards the marina. I was home! We were home. What a peaceful feeling. We all savored our familiar surroundings. It’s unbelievable how in mid February the grounds were as beautiful as early Spring. Flowers were blooming and filling the air with their soft fragrance. The little running river way area that leads under the bridge has grown so nicely. It was freshly planted last year. It’s thriving wonderfully.
I had to tap on the window to the Concierge staff. The building is secured by key access. Of course we could not get in. I introduced myself and went through the necessary procedures of checking in. Our room was not ready. I did not expect it to be as it was only nearing 11 o'clock. We got our building keys, secured my purse in the safe and headed to the Transportation and Ticket Center. Epcot here we come.
We were thrilled to be back on the monorail loop. How wonderful is it to enter Epcot for the first time? Wow! Was this place crowded! I felt frazzled. I had no plans for this crowd. Our plan was to do lunch in Japan and dinner in Canada as we strolled about. Future World was mobbed. We checked the time board and every attraction had a long wait. We zoomed over to Test Track for fast passes. The return time was already 5:00 p.m. We nabbed them. We knew they’d be gone after our lunch date.
The boys did not want to go in to see Ellen so we headed for the Land pavilion. We had about an hour window before lunch. The line for Living with the Land was 25 minutes. We figured we needed to wait that hour out some how - it might as well be there. We actually did not take that long. My husband really like these types of informative attractions. I’m glad we waited. The masses were worse when we got off. That was fine! Let’s escape via the World Showcase.
The crowds were much less in this area. Much more manageable. We checked into the Teppanyani Dining Rooms at 1:30. Within a very short time our escort came to get us. This restaurant was a highlight for us last year. It was one of 2 places my kids requested a repeat for. It did not disappoint. We were seated with a couple from Florida and their visiting sister and husband. What wonderful people. I highly recommend this restaurant. We will be returning again. Our experience was even better then last year. We passed on appetizers and dessert. We knew we had another meal scheduled for later in the evening and wanted to eat light. Tony had the sirloin and shrimp. I ordered the chicken and shrimp. While Jeremy enjoyed the chicken. Shayne ate some steamed rice and ordered a fruit cup. My oldest is a whiz with the chop sticks. What fun. All meals are served with grilled vegetables, steamed rice and a garden salad. Their dipping sauces are remarkable. Yum!
[ February 23, 2002, 02:30 PM: Message edited by: PolyGirl40 ]
Tuesday; February 12, 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)
More Frunch, Honey - I’m Home, A Trip Around the World, and Our Best Meal Yet.
I slept until 7:00 a.m.. Now that does not seem very late for most - but it certainly is for me. We took our time getting ready. Tony went for coffee and stopped at the podium for Boma, along his way to Mara. He made arrangements for us to have another Frunch breakfast. I had no plans for this morning. Jeremy made the decision to return to Boma.
We headed down after a moment of animal watching. We enjoyed another African breakfast feast. The items were the same. The great aspect of a buffet is that you can vary the items selected. Everyone enjoyed a different fare then the previous visit. We paid our bill and headed for Zawadi Marketplace. I had been in the shop numerous times and knew exactly what I wanted to purchase.
I quickly gathered my bounty, made arrangements to have it shipped home and proceeded back to the room to pack up our belongings. One last peak at the animals, a call to bell service for a luggage transfer and it was time to check out.
We really enjoyed our stay at the Lodge. I am glad I extended the time span. One evening would not have been enough. I will be perfectly honest here and tell you that I was more then anxious to get to the Polynesian by the second day. It is very hard to explain. For us; Disney = the Polynesian. I did not set into relaxation mode at the Lodge. Things seemed too hectic and busy. I have mentioned many times that I like the “island” type resorts. It gives you much more privacy and seclusion. Everyone is scattered about and not under one roof.
Would I stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge again? Hmmmm - Not as a family unit. The bathroom situation just did not work for the early riser in me and the variance of age and gender. All in all - we had a fantastic time. Nothing can ever replace that feeling one gets the first time they look out onto their Savannah balcony. We left with many great cherished memories.
Our check out went very smoothly. We stopped at the guest relations desk to ensure our luggage would be transferred to the Polynesian. They were extremely busy. We received our ticket numbers and headed to the bus stop. I figured our easiest way to the Polynesian would be to snag a bus to the Magic Kingdom and hop on the resort monorail from there.
It worked perfectly. We arrived at the resort by 10:30. We were in no hurry. Epcot was our only agenda for the day. With a vacation itinerary of 10 days it did not require a lot of rushing from point A to point B.
As we enter the lobby of the Polynesian I immediately noticed the water fountains in the atrium has been drained and shut off. As we arrive downstairs it’s obvious a complete replanting is being undertaken. Upon exiting through the front you can see the ponds and waterfalls are not running out there either. I spoke to the attendant at bell services. He informed me that the entire pumping system was being replaced. It is understandable that this needs to be done. But - the running water was sorely missed.
We did not have any luggage. They offered to drive us over to the concierge building. The check-in procedure is different for concierge guests. I declined. I think one of the most wonderful things about the tropical feel of the resort is walking through the lush landscaping. We headed out through the back and proceeded to stroll towards the marina. I was home! We were home. What a peaceful feeling. We all savored our familiar surroundings. It’s unbelievable how in mid February the grounds were as beautiful as early Spring. Flowers were blooming and filling the air with their soft fragrance. The little running river way area that leads under the bridge has grown so nicely. It was freshly planted last year. It’s thriving wonderfully.
I had to tap on the window to the Concierge staff. The building is secured by key access. Of course we could not get in. I introduced myself and went through the necessary procedures of checking in. Our room was not ready. I did not expect it to be as it was only nearing 11 o'clock. We got our building keys, secured my purse in the safe and headed to the Transportation and Ticket Center. Epcot here we come.
We were thrilled to be back on the monorail loop. How wonderful is it to enter Epcot for the first time? Wow! Was this place crowded! I felt frazzled. I had no plans for this crowd. Our plan was to do lunch in Japan and dinner in Canada as we strolled about. Future World was mobbed. We checked the time board and every attraction had a long wait. We zoomed over to Test Track for fast passes. The return time was already 5:00 p.m. We nabbed them. We knew they’d be gone after our lunch date.
The boys did not want to go in to see Ellen so we headed for the Land pavilion. We had about an hour window before lunch. The line for Living with the Land was 25 minutes. We figured we needed to wait that hour out some how - it might as well be there. We actually did not take that long. My husband really like these types of informative attractions. I’m glad we waited. The masses were worse when we got off. That was fine! Let’s escape via the World Showcase.
The crowds were much less in this area. Much more manageable. We checked into the Teppanyani Dining Rooms at 1:30. Within a very short time our escort came to get us. This restaurant was a highlight for us last year. It was one of 2 places my kids requested a repeat for. It did not disappoint. We were seated with a couple from Florida and their visiting sister and husband. What wonderful people. I highly recommend this restaurant. We will be returning again. Our experience was even better then last year. We passed on appetizers and dessert. We knew we had another meal scheduled for later in the evening and wanted to eat light. Tony had the sirloin and shrimp. I ordered the chicken and shrimp. While Jeremy enjoyed the chicken. Shayne ate some steamed rice and ordered a fruit cup. My oldest is a whiz with the chop sticks. What fun. All meals are served with grilled vegetables, steamed rice and a garden salad. Their dipping sauces are remarkable. Yum!
[ February 23, 2002, 02:30 PM: Message edited by: PolyGirl40 ]