"I'm Pretty Sure I Just Drank Splash Mountain Water" - An October Trip Report Updated 1/30*

You guys are so cute!! I am from PA too but definitely an Eagles fan! Loving your trip report!

Side note: how much was the food and wine card thing you got? I’ve never heard of that, but it seems like something I’d definitelt be interested in!!!!
 
All caught up and loving your report.

Yay! Thank you so much!!

You guys are so cute!! I am from PA too but definitely an Eagles fan! Loving your trip report!

Side note: how much was the food and wine card thing you got? I’ve never heard of that, but it seems like something I’d definitelt be interested in!!!!

Since the Steelers lost I am officially on the Eagles bandwagon!! :cheer2:

The food and wine card was $69.23 for 8 tabs that can be redeemed for any item at Food and Wine except for beer flights or beers over 6oz (usually there are a few restrictions). So if you use it for cocktails around $9-$10, it's really worth it. I typically prefer to drink cocktails at F&W and Andrew goes for the beers, so this worked out for us. Especially with the $15 Moet champagne offerings they had this year!
 


We are 15 days away from our February trip and, at this point, I don't think that time can move any slower. Recapping our last trip is helping to ease some of the pain :laughing:

Day 3, Part 1

We finally slept in (if you call waking up at 7:30 "sleeping in") and forfeited our precious rope drop time, but it was all good because we were heading to Boma for the first time!

IMG_0204.jpg

Andrew's Favorites: Plantains, Bread Pudding, Feta Eggs and POG Juice
My Favorites: Feta Eggs, POG Juice, Cumin Potatoes, Cottage Cheese bar
*I have a tree nut allergy that prevented me from trying the Bread Pudding :( but Andrew loved it enough for the both of us!*


IMG_0202.jpg
The Feta Eggs were so life changing that I now make them regularly at home.

Overall, I think that Boma was one of our favorite Disney breakfasts. I didn't miss the character interactions and really appreciated the variety of foods, the atmosphere, and the quality of food. We've previously tried Crystal Palace and Cape May for breakfast and we both agreed that we preferred Boma to those. We'll be trying 'Ohana for breakfast in February, so I'm excited to see how that compares for us.

After breakfast we took the bus to DHS- we did not have FP+ for this park for this day, as we would be going to DAK later in the day and chose to use them there. RnR is Andrew's favorite ride, so we headed there first, only to see a 70min posted wait time. YUCK! I convinced him to try single rider for the first time, we ended up only waiting 20 minutes total and still got to ride together :laughing:

IMG_0206.jpg

I love when this happens :thumbsup2

We wrapped up our quick visit to DHS with a ride on the ToT (my fav, Andrew not so much)

IMG_0302.jpg

Next, we stopped for some Dad's Lemonades at the Tune-In Lounge (glow cubes for the win!!), checked out some of the gift shops, watched the March of the First Order, and then made our way back down Sunset Blvd.

IMG_0210.jpg

Even though the park is in shambles at the moment, DHS is still Andrew's favorite and he seemed a little bummed that we didn't spend much time there. But, this was a short trip and we still needed to see Pandora for the first time! I also promised him a full day at DHS in February, so I think that helped to ease the pain some.

IMG_0211.jpg

Off to DAK we go...once we wait 30 min for a bus ;)

IMG_0212.jpg
 
I love DHS too but right now its like a 4 hour park for us! So lucky you are going again in February, very jealous!!!
 


Ooh, our trip isn't til September...totally jealous! :) Also, sounds like a great day--a relaxing morning, yummy food, and fun times at the park :)
 
Joining in on this trip report! So fun that you were able to surprise your hubby with room upgrades at AKL! And that they surprised YOU with a Savannah View!

Boma is one breakfast that I still have yet to try. With the kids, we always seem to do every character meal, but this is on my list for sure!
 
Why not join the fun and follow along on my first TR. As a foodie I like your dining reviews. Yachtmans seems to be more hit and miss as of late which saddens me
 
BUMMER on your Yachtsman Steakhouse - we ate there during our Thanksgiving trip, and had the best staff and food was amazing - we were on the DDP, but when we told our waitress how many desserts we had had at that point (think 10!) she let us have appitizers instead no extra charge (i have NEVER loved a salad more!)

Hopefully you will give it another chance soon!!
 
Enjoying the report!!!

Thank you!!

I love DHS too but right now its like a 4 hour park for us! So lucky you are going again in February, very jealous!!!

I'm so excited..January has felt like the longest month of my life :laughing:
We're hoping to spend 6-7 hours in the park..we also like to incorporate a mini bar crawl with our visit to DHS so hopefully that will help the time pass!:rotfl:

Ooh, our trip isn't til September...totally jealous! :) Also, sounds like a great day--a relaxing morning, yummy food, and fun times at the park :)

September is one of my favorite times to visit! It will be here before you know it!

Awesome Trip Report!

Thank you!!

Joining in on this trip report! So fun that you were able to surprise your hubby with room upgrades at AKL! And that they surprised YOU with a Savannah View!

Boma is one breakfast that I still have yet to try. With the kids, we always seem to do every character meal, but this is on my list for sure!

I know! It was such an amazing surprise!

Definitely check out Boma! We didn't miss the characters at all, and the atmosphere was still a ton of fun!

Why not join the fun and follow along on my first TR. As a foodie I like your dining reviews. Yachtmans seems to be more hit and miss as of late which saddens me

I definitely will! Food and drinks are always some of our favorite parts of any trip!

BUMMER on your Yachtsman Steakhouse - we ate there during our Thanksgiving trip, and had the best staff and food was amazing - we were on the DDP, but when we told our waitress how many desserts we had had at that point (think 10!) she let us have appitizers instead no extra charge (i have NEVER loved a salad more!)

I've heard so many great things about it, so I was especially sad when we didn't have that kind of experience. We're going to be planning a summer trip soon and if we stay at one of the EPCOT resorts we may go back..especially because Andrew really loved the food, I just hated the experience.
 
Day 3, Part 2
"Will This Make Other Things Green?"


Once we arrived at Animal Kingdom we headed straight for the Tree Of Life. The trail around it was open and I was ready to get up close and personal with my favorite park icon.

IMG_0220.jpg

This trail is so much fun. I swear I spot a new animal every time we take a walk on it.
After our mini "hike" we, of course, stopped for some drinks.


IMG_0221.jpg

The African Margarita is always so good..even through a paper straw. Not pictured: Andrew's "Lost On Safari". We enjoyed our drinks in the Rivers Of Light theatre while we waited for our EE FP+ window to open. It was incredibly hot and humid once again, so sitting down and enjoying some drinks was a welcomed break.

IMG_0224.jpg

We didn't have time to see Rivers Of Light on this trip, so it we were happy to at least get to explore the theatre a little and check out some cool artistic details.


IMG_0299.jpg

My favorite Disney coaster, no question. This trip I'm 100% getting something from the dump shop after the ride, their merch is always so fun and almost always sold out online.

IMG_0301.jpg

We still had some time to kill before our FoP FP+, but we couldn't wait any longer to explore Pandora. This land is absolutely breathtaking. If this is our preview for Galaxy's Edge- consider me sold.

IMG_0227.jpg

We made a point to check out Satu'li Canteen- and mobile ordered a couple of Bud Lights :laughing: I swear if you are not mobile ordering you are doing it wrong. We also split a green beer (Hawkes' Grog Ale) and a Pongu Lumpia (Pineapple cream cheese spring roll) at Pongu Pongu. Both were just okay. I thought the Pongu Lumpia was just a tad too sweet. I am glad that we tried them, though!

While we were enjoying our Grog Ale, another Guest came up to Andrew and said "That won't make other things green, will it?" It was really funny. I guess you can never be too careful with green beer. :confused3

IMG_0233.jpg

After loading our stomachs with alcohol and sweets, we boarded FoP. I'm usually very hesitant about simulator rides, as I'm pretty sensitive to motion sickness. Just to put it in perspective, I cannot ride Star Wars or the majority of the rides at Universal without getting sick. Soarin', for some reason, doesn't bother me at all.

FoP is AMAZING. It 100% lives up to the hype. Once we got off the ride we both said that every other ride was ruined for us for the rest of the day, because nothing is as good as FoP. So, naturally, we walked over to Dinosaur to use our last FP+ for the day.


IMG_0296.jpg

I love ride photos.

Time for my most anticipated meal of the trip: Tiffins!!!

This is another restaurant that I had heard glowing reviews about since it opened.


We started our experience by checking in at the host stand outside, and then heading to neighboring Nomad Lounge while we waited for our table. Andrew ordered a Leopard Salvation (Snow Leopard Vodka, Belle de Brillet Pear Liqueur, Mint, and Lime Juice topped with Ginger Beer) and I chose the Spice Trader Classic (Gin, Vermouth Blanc, Lemon Juice, and Strawberries topped with Soda Water). These were both phenomenal. I wish we had more time to spend at Nomad Lounge. Their menu is seriously impressive and there were so many things (from appetizers, to desserts and specialty drinks) that we wanted to try. Shortly after we finished our drinks, our table was ready.

Appetizer: Selection of Artisanal Cheeses
Andrew: Grilled Swordfish
Me: Wagyu Striploin and House-Smoked Brisket


IMG_0345.jpg

The Artisanal Cheeses were Blue, Goat, Gouda and Brie. This may have been one of the best cheese plates I've ever had. I'm not kidding when I tell you that I have been craving that Goat cheese ever since.

My Wagyu was slightly over cooked, but the brisket melted. I'm also a sucker for purple potatoes and thought they were a great accompaniment. Andrew's swordfish had a bit of a kick to it, but was cooked perfectly. Soft, flaky and flavorful. He also really enjoyed the coconut rice side that was served with it. Hands down this was my favorite meal of our trip. Tiffins exceeded my already high expectations, and I cannot wait to return.

I will say that DAK's in-park dining options are some of the best of anywhere on Disney property. It is worth multiple visits simply for the food options alone.

After dinner we grabbed some espresso from Starbucks. Took a nighttime stroll through Pandora, watched the Tree Of Life Awakening and grabbed a bus back to DAK to change before heading out for EPCOT's EMH.

IMG_0243.jpg

Park hop 'til you drop.
 
Okay, time for me to kick it in gear. We are heading back to Disney in 5 days, and there is no way that I'm leaving this unfinished until we get back :laughing:

Currently we are packing and finalizing our plans for our trip at the Poly and it's inspiring me to write about our last trip. So, let's get on with it!

I also decided to dress Oliver up as an Ewok.

He was super happy about it.


IMG_0346.jpg

Day 3, Part 3
"If Someone Murders Me, I hope it's on the Figment Attraction"

We went to our room to change, grab a bottle of water and a Red Bull and then we were off to catch a bus to EPCOTs EMH.

Once we got through the gates we walked on to Test Track, and then hit the World Showcase for a few of our favorite drinks. Andrew was dying to get another Dunkel in Germany and I had my sights set on something from Karamell-Kuche. This was actually my first time trying something from there and it did not disappoint. I also stopped to get something to wash it down with along the way.

IMG_0249.jpg

IMG_0251.jpg

IMG_0248.jpg

Strawberries and champagne at EPCOT EMH? Yes. Always Yes. After our treats, we realized we hadn't experienced one of our favorite attractions yet- FIGMENT! I knew they usually closed the ride early during EMH, but we were close enough that we decided to walk over and check it out.

Just our luck! It was open and we had the entire ride to ourselves. I almost think the CMs were annoyed that we had snuck in, because it honestly seemed like they were just about to close it down.

Let me just say this- there is absolutely nothing more awkwardly terrifying than riding Journey in to the Imagination with Figment completely alone late at night. Half way through the ride I told Andrew, "If someone ever tries to murder me, I hope it's on this attraction." Then we spent the rest of the ride discussing how long it would take someone to find you because that ride is nothing short of a ghost town (at least every time we've ridden it..I know it can sometimes experience waits).

After we survived our journey with Figment, we walked over to Nemo to close down the Seas.

EMH was now officially over, and we were officially exhausted. After another long bus wait, we were back in our room at AKL. We went on to our balcony for a little and had some incredible views of several giraffes and zebras that got really close to our balcony- we could not stop watching, it was amazing! The animals seemed to be so active this evening and it was awesome.

After our showers, we packed up the room and fell asleep sad that the next day would be our last.

Up Next:
-Departure Day Blues
-How we made the most out of our last day
 
Day 4, Part 1
"Departure Day Blues"


After "sleeping in" until 8 or so, we finished packing, said goodbye to our animal friends, checked in to our flight and left our carry on luggage with bell service.

We decided to make one of our guest rooms in our home Disney themed (I'm sure you're shocked). However, we wanted the decorative pieces to come from our trips so that anytime we go in there we can be reminded of a certain time that we went or a resort that we stayed at. We decided to pickup a giraffe statue and a small painting of the lobby from the gift shop.

Next, we hopped on a bust to MK. First up, a FP+ for BTMRR and then lunch a Pecos Bills (another first for us!)

Here's the story for the title of this TR: As we were exiting BTMRR, we stopped at a water fountain close by to fill up our water bottle. Once I took a sip, I almost had to spit it out. I told Andrew that since Splash Mountain was down for a refurb, they must have been funneling all of the stagnant water in to the water fountains. :thumbsup2Worst water I've ever drank. Never again.

Back to something that was delicious:


IMG_0255.jpg

Okay, so the toppings bar is AMAZING. How did I not know about this magical place before? Andrew and I agreed that this is one of our favorite QS places. We used mobile ordering again here because of the crowds and it was well worth it.

After lunch we lucked in to a showing of the Muppets in Liberty Square. This is one of Andrew's favorite things at MK, so it was perfect timing!

IMG_0262.jpg

After watching the show and letting our lunch digest some, we used our FP+ for Space Mountain. By this point the crowds were getting a little bit crazy, so we decided to look through the shops one last time before hopping on the monorail and heading to EPCOT to use the very last Food and Wine tab that I had. I was saving it for something special!

IMG_0264.jpg

Once we got to EPCOT we walked over to the wine and cheese studio booths, which we had missed on our previous EPCOT visits this trip. We weren't by any means hungry, but we had both heard great reviews on the cheese tart and wanted to give it a try. When in Rome, right? :thumbsup2

IMG_0270.jpg

I am soooo glad we did. This was AMAZING and the portion size was quite large compared to a lot of the other offerings.

IMG_0272.jpg

I loved this display.

We walked back towards the Almond Orchard to see if they had gotten any more of the Moet Rose in, as they had been out every other time we visited previously during the week, and I was saving my final sampling ticket for it.


IMG_0273.jpg

Ahhhh they had it! :cheer2:I so wish they had this in stock for the entire week, because it was a great value when redeeming a tab from my sampler and it tasted amazing in that brutal Florida heat!

Andrew had requested one last Tipsy Ducks in Love


IMG_0275.jpg

And then we sadly made our way back to the buses to await our ME sentencing at AKL.

Once we got back to the resort we FINALLY were able to enjoy Vicotira Falls Lounge (something we had wanted to do since arrival day) and really take in the entire atmosphere of the lobby.

IMG_0284.jpg

After a few rounds at Victoria Falls, we sadly hopped aboard the ME and back to Pittsburgh.

I'm going to do another post on our final thoughts/expereince at AKL and how we felt that it stacks up against other Deluxe resorts. But, overall, we had an amazing getaway and are anxiously awaiting our next trip back to WDW.


Thank you all for re-living our trip with me!
 
I also decided to dress Oliver up as an Ewok.

He was super happy about it.

He looks super happy :rotfl:

"If Someone Murders Me, I hope it's on the Figment Attraction"

I love this post already :lmao:

Let me just say this- there is absolutely nothing more awkwardly terrifying than riding Journey in to the Imagination with Figment completely alone late at night.

Now I feel like we have to do this :rotfl:

img_0270-jpg.299327


I am soooo glad we did. This was AMAZING and the portion size was quite large compared to a lot of the other offerings.

This looks sooo good! I really wanted to try it, but we never got too. I hope they bring it back next year, because I keep seeing it in TRs, and it looks amazing.
 
Your trip is SO soon! that is amazing!!! So excited for you to stay at the Poly, have you stayed there before? If not, you will LOVE it! If you haven't been to Trader Sam's GOOOOO, it's awesome!
 
Pecos Bills looks amazing! I really want to eat there. Hmmmm may have to work it in. :)

What a fun trip! Thanks for sharing!
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!





Latest posts

Top