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Thread: Sue (Holland) Rayford, Sept 2 - 7, 2015 Jambo House Club Level

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    Sue (Holland) Rayford, Sept 2 - 7, 2015 Jambo House Club Level

    Who/When/Where:

    Who: Sue (56), DVC Member
    SB (58), my husband
    Chris (28), my son
    Amanda (26), my daughter-in-law
    Dates: September 2 - 8, 2015
    Resort: Disneys Jambo House Resort, club level
    Experience: Very Experienced 22nd stay at this resort

    INTRODUCTION:

    This is the annual Labor Day long weekend trip (6 nights), and I was very happy to be able to get a concierge (club level) room at my 11-month window. There are so few of them, theyre hard to get! I actually had 6 nights booked originally, but then decided to drop the last night (Monday). In September its still dark when Id need to be on the road I have an 8:30 meeting every Tuesday, and this trip would have ended on Tuesday morning. About a month ago I learned my meeting would be canceled this time, so I could have stayed the extra night without having to be on the road in the dark! I have a second studio (not club level) for Chris & Amanda for Fri/Sat/Sun and was able to extend their studio through Monday night. Theyll be going home Monday, so Ill move into their studio and use the sleep sofa for that last night. Itll be day 4, so trash & towel will leave me with clean towels & replenished supplies, plus Ill still have concierge lounge access since I will have checked out of club level that morning.

    I would normally add Chris & Amanda to my studio so they have concierge lounge access, but now with magic bands I didnt want to mess up their stuff. So, I booked a dummy name as a guest in my studio and got a magic band (which will only work for access to my room and the lounge) for them to use to get up to the 6th floor. My studio reservation allows for 4 guests per night, but well only be at either 2 or 3 each night.

    My husband is planning to join me for the first two (2) nights, arriving after work Wednesday and leaving Friday in order to return to work Saturday. We notified a manager friend that SB would be there, and learned hes no longer at the resort now hes at Hollywood Studios. I remember him telling me he may be moving to the parks when I saw him last stay (early June), so we may not get to see him this trip. I booked some Fastpasses for Animal Kingdom on Thursday, since were so close and both enjoy a few things over there. SB really wanted a hot dog from Caseys so I booked morning fastpasses at the Magic Kingdom for Friday. Most likely hell head home after lunch. The fact that the US Open will be going on means his attention wont be fully on Disney but the more important matches will come after he goes home.

    Friday night Chris & Amanda come up for 3 nights. They need to renew their passes, which means they have no fastpasses yet. I have Soarin booked for Saturday morning, but Im not sure Ill be able to copy that one to them at such short notice! They tried to renew online a month or so ago, but Chris said the system wanted to charge him for the renewal while still collecting (monthly) on the old pass, and he didnt want that so they decided to wait. Well probably head to Epcot Saturday morning, and do a wine flight and cheese plate in Germany. I saw it mentioned online and sent the info to Amanda, and since she hopes to get pregnant next month this will be her last chance to drink for a while! Chris can always get a beer & join us.

    Saturday night we plan to actually leave Disney property something thats very rare for me, and absolutely unheard of when Im staying club level! Theres only one thing that could tear me away, and thats a Comedy Warehouse show. A terrific bunch of the old cast is doing the show at the Parliament House at 8pm every Saturday night in September. I hate the location (too far, seedy area), but if thats where I have to go, thats where Ill go. The people there have always been really nice its just the area that seems questionable. The cast is Krista, Layden, Mary, Mark & Matt all excellent individually and together! So, Chris, Amanda & I will be headed there after enjoying some of the 5-7pm lounge offerings. Hopefully my old comedy friend Leesa will be there too, and I wont be surprised to see many familiar faces!

    Sunday I didnt make any plans, figuring Id see what Chris & Amanda wanted to do. Monday Ill move my stuff down to their room, and theyll get to leave their stuff in the room until they go home (instead of in a hot car). Unless its too unbearable I might go to the pool during the morning, and then I have fastpasses at Animal Kingdom in the afternoon. Or, I may decide to join Chris & Amanda if we can get fastpasses somewhere else that morning (and cancel mine). Monday in the lounge Ill meet up with an online friend I havent seen in 15 years, so thatll be fun to say hello again. If I remember correctly shes doing dinner in Boma with a bunch of people afterwards, and the Boma/Jiko Culinary Tour before meeting me.

    Tuesday Ill head back to Gainesville, where Ill go into work about 10 much more civilized than getting there by 8! Im not looking forward to the weather, as its still very hot/humid here (should start to ease up by the middle-end of October), but this is mainly a resort trip. If I didnt have these other people joining me (SB, Chris, Amanda) its entirely possible I wouldnt be bothering with the parks at all. At least the light at the end of the tunnel is getting closer hopefully by our main Food & Wine trip with Pete & Judy itll be much more pleasant!

    The plans so far are:
    Wednesday 9/2: Drive to WDW, Outlets?, Concierge Lounge
    Thursday 9/3: Animal Kingdom, Concierge Lounge
    Friday 9/4: Magic Kingdom, Concierge Lounge
    Saturday 9/5: Epcot, Concierge Lounge, Comedy Warehouse
    Sunday 9/6: Some Park, Concierge Lounge
    Monday 9/7: Change Rooms, Animal Kingdom, Concierge Lounge
    Tuesday 9/8: Drive to Gainesville


    DAY 1 Wednesday 9/2/15
    Who: Sue (56), DVC Member
    SB (58), my husband

    Plan: Drive to WDW, Outlets?, Concierge Lounge

    Actual: An unexpected turn of events yesterday let SB be on the road earlier than planned. A co-worker had a flat tire on his way to work, so SB stayed an extra hour until the guy could get there. This means he got to leave work an hour early today (to avoid overtime), so instead of arriving after 6 he should be here around 5. For me, I planned to work until noon and thats what I did. The person I normally leave in charge has moved to another job in a different division, so this trip leaves me a little more anxious that something will come up requiring more of my attention than normal but Ill hope for the best. My morning was filled with a few surprise issues that came up, which I guess shouldnt surprise me at all. Isnt that always the way when youre trying to get away but already anxious about it?? I hope this stressed-out feeling passes quickly after I get on property.

    I was on the road at 12:30 and got the text giving me my room number around 1:15. I recognized it as not being the first room on the corner, but still on the savannah side further down the hall. Thats the side I prefer, and the plus side to not being on the corner means I shouldnt hear them setting up the lounge each morning (rattling carts rolling around). I was torn over whether I should stop by the outlets, since my room was definitely ready. In the end, since it did not look like rain any time soon I decided to give it a try and was pleasantly surprised with a lack of traffic on I-4! It was the easiest outlet detour yet! I also got a really close parking space in the parking garage, which was an added bonus.

    The only store I visited was Character Premiere (or Warehouse can never remember the name). They had the black Mickey-design tea kettle for half price, so I bought that for Chris since he drinks tea now and while living in my home has been using my original one (I have a newer one I bought for the Gainesville house), and that can stay there. This one goes with his kitchen in their new home, too. I also found a few shirts for SB, but nothing for me. There was a line of people waiting to check out, so I joined the queue and after taking care of that drove over to Disney property.

    Once on property I noticed less traffic than my previous trips another nice sign! I drove in the long way so I could fill up the gas tank at the Speedway (formerly Hess) by Boardwalk, where gas was $2.13/gallon! Wow thats really come down recently! From there I continued on to Jambo House, with the person I left in charge calling just before I got to the security booth. Doesnt that figure?? I spend 2 hours in the car, and this call comes just as I need to interact with another human being. I had her hold on while I showed my license to security, then talked to her again as I drove to the parking lot. I was still on the phone after Id gotten my stuff out of the trunk, and I was getting hot & sweaty standing in the sun, with the sun beating back up off the pavement at me, and with the phone in 1 hand I couldnt manage my other stuff, lol! I finally told her I had to go, since I was practically melting at that point.

    The air conditioning in the lobby felt SO great!!! I went straight to the elevators and my magic band worked to get me up to the concierge floor yay! I did stop at the desk, where the young lady confirmed my room. There were 2 new (to me) people and one familiar face he recognized me and welcomed me back. I went to the room and unpacked SB was already on the road and would be here before too much longer. After getting settled I went down to Mara to check the soup of the day, and see what the specials were in case SB isnt satisfied with the food in the lounge tonight. They have my favorite curried coconut chicken soup today, so if I dont like the lounge food I can get a cup of soup from downstairs.

    By 4pm I was back upstairs, so I grabbed the laptop & both phones and sat out in the lounge (at the table near the electrical outlet) to update the report and catch up on email. The chef was setting up her cooking table by 4:30. By 5 she had Mozambique Duck prepared, and also small bowls of some type of pasta that was like small macaroni & cheese but with some African ingredients added. The pasta was very good! I was hungry so at 5 I accepted a bowl of the pasta and poured a glass of wine. SB called shortly after that, having just arrived. He was going to park in the garage, but I reminded him the garage is at Kidani Village and were at Jambo House, lol!

    He managed to find his way upstairs and by now the lounge was busy enough that I wasnt going to leave the table unattended for very long. I had brought a word puzzle book with me to leave on the table so cast members would realize somebody was here & not clear away the food/wine. Besides the duck and pasta, tonight they have a chilled strawberry soup yummy! They also have cheeses, flatbread & limited crackers, olives & stuff, and apple slices with caramel sauce. Its definitely scaled back from a year ago, and the most disappointing chance is the demise of the 3-color cheddar cheese that was so delicious (and the garlic crispy things I ate it with).

    SB ended up going back to the studio around 6, having enjoyed a couple pastas and a Tusker beer. Now the beer is not in the refrigerated case for self-serve. You ask for it and they bring you an opened bottled. Turndown service had occurred, so I opened the drapes back up and saw a couple giraffe and other antelope right outside our room. SB came out to the balcony to watch them for a bit, until they wandered away. He went back inside to lay down and watch tv while I went back to the lounge to read.

    At 7:15 they did Disney Trivia, which unfortunately was mostly obscure questions from the movies. I moved to the table next to me and joined a couple young women from France who knew many of the movie questions but struggled with the few parks questions. We ended up in 2nd place, which means we didnt win anything. It was fun, though. SB had come out at 7 thinking cookies would be out, but I told him not until 8. He came back out at 8 and I ran into him in the hallway hed seen me coming and ducked behind a post <g>.

    At 8 the desserts were a coconut custard thing and a mini chocolate cake. They also had the everyday cookies (chocolate chip and sugar), rice krispie treats and peanut butter brownies. They had the cordials out, but no wine guess thats another cutback. I approached a cast member and told him last time they brought out wine as well, asking if they no longer do that. He confirmed they do not, but assured me I can ask for it and theyll get it, so I asked for a glass of the chardonnay. He bought it promptly, and I noticed other people had asked for beer or wine and received it, so I dont understand the whole having to ask for it thing. They do seem to have more cast members working compared to before, but unfortunately they spend more time standing around vs really keeping an eye on things and immediately replenishing what goes empty. I mainly noticed the wine (since I tend to pour partial glasses) and ice (since I add it to wine to keep it cold), and more than once one or the other was empty or near-empty. I dont know what cash guests are paying, but if theyre paying $500-600/night for concierge I wouldnt expect that level of service.

    Anyway, SB took some cookies and went back to the studio I dont know, but theres a good chance Serena Williams (his favorite) is playing tonight. Hes having a great time, and so am I even though were not in the same spot right now. I would have gone wandering to see the animals at dusk, but trivia got in the way of that, and now its dark. Maybe tomorrow!

    Speaking of tomorrow, we have fastpasses at Animal Kingdom, so well sweat our way through the morning to do a few favorites, and then have lunch somewhere. I was thinking Rainforest Caf (for proximity) and had ordered a gift card but it hadnt arrived as of yesterday. Today the mail came before I left work but I forgot to check it I told SB to check it but he got busy and forgot, so theres the possibility a $50 RFC gift card is sitting in Gainesville right now <g>. We may still eat there, but without the card in hand were free to change our minds and go wherever the mood strikes. Ill probably let him pick, since hes only here for part of the trip. We dont have Tables in Wonderland right now and I dont plan to buy it until next month, unless tomorrows lunch plans cause me to change my mind.

    Right now its 8:30 and the drums are beating down in the lobby. Theyre loud, but theyre part of the ambiance of the resort and up here in the lounge I dont mind them at all. Ill probably hang our here a bit longer, doing stuff online (I brought the laptop back out at 8).

    Im very happy to say Im considerably less stressed-out feeling than I was all afternoon, so thats a good thing. Today was actually a very nice day (once I left work) everything went well, Im happy to be here, SBs happy to be here, and I dont have to go to work in the morning ;-) Im so thankful to have DVC and the ability to get away as often as I do, and to stay in fabulous resorts like this! Im definitely looking forward to the rest of the trip, although I wish it would go by VERY slowly (not likely, lol)!


    DAY 2 Thursday 9/3/15
    Who: Sue (56), DVC Member
    SB (58), my husband

    Plan: Animal Kingdom, Concierge Lounge

    Actual: Last night SB was falling asleep by 10, and I turned the tv off at 10:30. We slept well, with no noise from neighbors or the hall. I did hear kids screaming/singing in the lobby for a while, but thankfully that ended by 11. Id set the alarm on one of my phones for 6:20 but was awake before then. I got up at 6:20 to take my shower and SB got up right behind me. Around 7:15 we went out to the lounge to bring back to the studio. SB got some juice, fruit and a croissant, while I toasted half a bagel to go with the egg and slice of bacon Id brought from home. We watched Good Morning America while having breakfast, and both hung out online. He took his shower shortly after 8 and we were out the door around 8:30, headed to the bus stops. Unfortunately, the feels like temperature is expected to be 105 today, so its not likely Ill be enjoying the pool later thats way too hot for me!

    We had a short wait for the Animal Kingdom bus to arrive, and there were plenty of seats for everyone despite having stopped at Kidani Village first. As the driver was ready to pull away a lady ran up and asked to get on the bus, so the driver opened the doors and let her on. We then pulled away from the bus stop and were driving out of the area when the same lady saw her husband and ran up to the front of the bus asking the driver to let her husband get on. Of course the driver said he could not, and its against the rules (they cant let anyone on or off except when parked at an official bus stop). She then asked the driver to loop back through the bus stop again, and that request was denied. Does she think drivers have the discretion to do whatever they want?? I hope she didnt give him a hard time later, because the driver was doing his job. She was wrong to get on the bus without her husband if she wanted to ride with him!

    At Animal Kingdom there was no real wait at the bag check and plenty of empty stations at the entrance. I entered the park but SBs magic band was not letting him in. The cast member there said his pass was not on his band, which made no sense. She asked if we had his pass, but there IS no pass we renewed his annual online, and the only card we have is the discount card. She directed us over to Guest Services, where there was no wait but we were stuck sweating to death in the direct sunlight ugh! The cast member there was able to get things fixed, and we re-entered the park without any problems right after buying a $2.75 bottle of water since we were so hot!

    We headed back towards Harambe, and as we passed Pizzafari I saw an online friends (Bridget) husband and younger son walked past us in the other direction. Ive seen her family in pictures for years, so it was funny to see the real live human beings. I didnt say anything, since they dont know me. When we got into Harambe I spotted Bridget & her older son sitting in the Dawa Bar area so I went over to say hello while SB waited for me up ahead. It was nice to run into her & finally meet in person. Todays the last day of their 12-night trip.

    At Kilimanjaro Safari we still had about 7 minutes before we could enter the fastpass queue so we did standby since the posted wait time was only 10 minutes. If it was that long it was only because of the time it takes to walk back there really there was no wait at all, even though they were only loading trucks from one side. Our driver was a mature woman (not a kid) but she had a really high, squeaky voice. It sounded like Minnie Mouse was driving the truck, lol! She was very good, and she shared lots of good and interesting information during a delay as we entered the savannah area. She told us her voice gets the rhinos riled up especially the younger ones. Shes had lots of them surrounding her vehicle and she figured out it was her voice by changing to a whisper. When she did that, they dispersed and wandered off.

    We finished the safari at 9:45 and had plenty of time to walk into the 10am Festival of the Lion King. The show was possibly 2/3 full at most, and it was terrific as always. We sat in the back row of the elephant section, so we could lean against the wall. There were no people seated in several rows ahead of us, so we had an unobstructed view, too. After the show we were in our window for Dinosaur so we made the long walk over there, with SB starting to grumble about how far it was by the time we reached the tacky carnival area. The beginning of the walk had been in the shade so it wasnt bad, but then we hit a long sunny stretch that was uncomfortable! The a/c inside Dinosaur felt wonderful!

    We used our fastpass, but really didnt need it at this point. Its too hot to be going anywhere else, so it was ok to waste it this way. Dinosaur was fun, although SB thought it was kind of rough. By now it was 11 or so, and we decided to have lunch. I wasnt really hungry yet, but wed planned on Rainforest Caf and didnt have anything else we wanted to do. This will be our main meal for the day, too.

    At Rainforest Caf there was no wait to be seated, and we had a table that was relatively quiet, close to the entrance. Our server was great, the food came up quickly and everything was delicious. SB had the turkey club and an iced tea (almost $4 for iced tea that was a surprise, lol). I ordered the chicken pita quesadillas and iced water. We took half the quesadilla back with us, and skipped dessert. We got 10% off for being dvc members, so lunch was $31 plus tip.

    We had a brief wait at the bus stop, and then they did a driver change. At least we were inside air conditioning and sitting down for that! Our first stop was Kidani Village, where this family waiting for the bus immediately got up and stood right at the door. The driver didnt open the door until after he asked if any of were getting off here (nobody was), so I assume he would have told them to back away if necessary. Why cant people show a little courtesy instead of rushing up and blocking people from exiting?? Then, as we were ready to pull away this young boy with a big smart phone was half in and half out of the bus, while waiting for his family to come from the resort. The driver obviously didnt want to drive away with an unaccompanied boy (he was probably 10), but couldnt drive away with the kids foot on the bus. Turns out the kids parents were telling him (phone) to get on the bus, so the bus would have to wait for them! The driver was telling the kid these people on the bus want to get to their resort (meaning go sit your *** on the bench and wait for your rude parents), but the kid was being instructed by his parents to get his butt onto the bus to hold it for them. What is wrong with people??? Its not like there wont be another bus coming by soon!

    Anyway, mom, dad & 2-3 more siblings & strollers eventually arrived and we continued on to Jambo House. We swung through the lounge on our way to the room, and I was pleased to see housekeeping had already serviced the room (concierge gets full service daily, plus turndown service at night). We both got online, and I turned the US Open on tv for SB while I watched yesterdays General Hospital episode online.

    Shortly before 2 the fire alarm went off, and continued to get louder and louder. Evidently something should have been in our room and on our phone to alert us to this annual drill, but we had not received any notice. One of the managers passing by explained what was going on. It lasted quite a while, and the alarm was painfully loud! But, it finally stopped about 10 minutes into todays General Hospital. Id also received some texts from Disney they were made aware of our struggle getting into the park this morning, and the person texting noticed that the fake name in our party didnt have a pass linked to the magic band, so they were offering to help set that up for us. They also offered another fastpass for today to make up for any time we lost this morning. I texted back to let her know we were good and didnt want another fastpass but thanks for the offer. Chris will get a kick out of this when I show him, because the dummy name is his dog ;-)

    After General Hospital I went out to walk around the resort, checking out the various animal viewing areas. It feels like an oven outside, and it took a while for my camera lens to un-fog. Some darker clouds are building up near the pool, and theyre saying its more likely well have rain, thunder & lightning at some point today. I got back to the room around 4:30 and SB said the fire alarm had gone off again. I never heard it, though! I did see someone coming into the hall from the stairway, and from his uniform I assume he was part of the fire alarm team.

    Shortly after 4 I headed out to the lounge with my kindle & tablet, while SB waited until closer to 5 to join me. The food tonight was exceptional! They had small cups of chicken corn chowder, with cute little spoons laying across the top of the cups. Im not normally a fan of corn chowder, but this was excellent! They also had these little pork chops with coriander and chakalaka, and they were also out of this world. The meat came right off the bone so cleanly, and there was a surprising amount of meat on each one. Its a shame Mara had appealing items tonight, since the lounge food was so good neither of us had any reason to get food from Mara. The cold item was a tabbouleh salad with shaved beef, which neither of us tried. SB did drink some of the Mosel (red) wine and claimed to like it. I stuck with the chardonnay my least favorite white, but I hate all reds.

    He went back to the room around 6 and I stayed in the lounge reading. When the desserts came out at 8 the 2 special ones were mango tarts and little orange cakes. The orange cakes were excellent, and very light. I didnt bother with the mango tart. I went back to the room and found SB practically asleep, but he woke up and was ready for some dessert. I brought him a plate from the lounge with an orange cake and some chocolate chip cookies, then got a cookie for myself. I was going to check out the animals but it was too dark, so I didnt bother. Some night Ill have to do that between 7 & 8, as thats an ideal time.

    Were in for the night at this point hes awake an watching a football game, while Im updating the report and checking email. Today was a nice relaxing day, and we enjoyed everything we did. The safari and Lion King show were terrific as always, and lunch was very good as well. We didnt mind spending the afternoon in the room, as it is too blasted hot & humid to be outside. I wish it had been cooler, so I could have gone to the pool, but thats not going to happen in September! I could do it in the morning, but then wed have had to be in the park when it was truly unbearable, so I gave up on pool time.

    Tomorrow were headed to the Magic Kingdom for the morning, finishing with SBs hot dog from Caseys. Hes talking about going to the pool afterwards, but most likely when the time comes hell opt to just head back to Gainesville especially since Serena may be playing tomorrow and hed like to see that on tv. Chris & Amanda will arrive some time depending on when Chris can get out of work (Amanda has the afternoon off), so hopefully theyll be there to join me in the lounge. It should be another enjoyable day although probably hot & humid again!


    DAY 3 Friday 9/4/15
    Who: Sue (56), DVC Member
    SB (58), my husband
    Chris (28), my son
    Amanda (26), my daughter-in-law

    Plan: Magic Kingdom, Concierge Lounge

    Actual: Last night it was lights out at 10:30 and we slept well again. I woke up a little before the 6:20 alarm but didnt get up until the alarm went off. SB had talked about going to the pool today, so I didnt bother to wash & dry my hair since Ill definitely need a shower later. Of course, once I came out SB was saying he didnt really need to go to the pool <g>. I figured that would happen, but thats fine after MK I can head down there and he can either join me or not.

    I made my cappuccino and enjoyed that while we got online, then somewhere before 7:30 we got breakfast from the lounge. I made my egg and slice of bacon, and toasted the other half of yesterdays bagel. SB had some oatmeal, grapes and a bagel. He loved the oatmeal too bad its taken him so many stays here to finally try it, lol! We were out the door at 8:30 and arrived at an empty Magic Kingdom bus stop. Thats never a good sign, as I assume we had just missed the bus. We ended up having to wait a good 15 minutes or so for the next one, and arrived at MK after 9. It was mobbed getting in, because so many people were all arriving at the same time. They had both sides open for bag checks, but every lane had several people in line.

    They do have the Halloween decorations up at the train station and all along Main Street. We checked out Caseys opening time (11) and then I asked Floyd where he wanted to go. He swore he didnt care and that hed go wherever I wanted. So, when I mentioned Peter Pan he commented that rides not very exciting, lol! Ok, instead I suggested we do Big Thunder, and he agreed. I have a fastpass for it sometime after 11, when he has Splash Mountain, but this way we can do those and not be trapped waiting to do those fastpasses.
    Big Thunder was a walk-on, which was wonderful! I saw a few people using their fastpasses, which was such a waste (unless they were leaving for the airport in a couple hours).

    We got the last row, which is my favorite and enjoyed the ride! We were back outside by 9:40 and I told SB we should have just barely enough time for him to ride Splash Mountain if hed like to do it now, so he got in the queue. As he walked away I thought about yelling for him to stop while I got his hat from him, but I didnt want to waste the time since we were really going to be cutting it close to missing our Mine Train window (9-10, but I was counting on it working up until 10:10).

    I stood on the bridge and watched him sail by on the upper part (recognized his hat in the front row), then went down to the lower level to watch him come down the big hill. He didnt have his hat on by now, and when I met him after the ride he said it had blown off. The people in the log behind him tried to catch it, but werent able to. Dang that was a special dvc hat from an event here at Jambo House, and it cant be replaced. At this point it was practically 10, so we hustled over to Fantasyland. After standing in the sun waiting for his log to come down the mountain I was sick and tired of this heat & humidity! He was fine, but hed gotten SOAKED on Splash Mountain!

    We made it to Mine Train just before 10:10 and our bands turned green at the fastpass machine so we were still good! We were give the last row, and we enjoyed the ride (SBs 3rd mountain today) as always. We were in our window for the mermaid attraction, so we went there next. It wasnt crowded at all, so the fastpass really wasnt even necessary. Overall the park hadnt been very busy either, for the first hour or so. Sitting in the Mermaid air conditioning for a while did the trick, and I felt much more comfortable when we came back outside. It was barely 10:30 by now so we had a half-hour to kill somewhere. SB suggested People Mover, which was a great idea to me! I only hadnt suggested it figuring hed grumble about walking over there. We took the path from the train station to Space Mountain, and had no wait at the People Mover. The up ramp thing wasnt working, so we had to climb up the hill rather than stand & be moved by the belt.

    It was pleasant on the People Mover, being in the shade and getting a breeze. When we got back to the station we decided to stay put and ride one more time, which made sense on this hot day. We disembarked the next time, right at 11. By now Tomorrowland was getting significantly more crowded, and as we approached the hub and Main Street it was mobbed with people arriving.

    We went straight to Caseys and for $21 got his chili cheese dog, and order of corn dog nuggets and a bottle of water. We got separated looking for a table I found one inside in the a/c but he was outside and didnt know where I was so I went out to join him. The ridiculously LOUD dance parade thing was going on near the castle, and it was pretty obnoxious way too loud! It brought back memories of my lake view Poly room the night of the 24-hour MK event, lol!

    After lunch we headed down Main Street, amazed at the number of people arriving. We stopped at City Hall because I wanted to report the lost hat, but it was jam packed in there with a line that almost extended out the door. SB said to just forget it the hat wasnt worth that wait. I agreed, but only because I had plan B in my head. We left the park, made the long walk to the bus stop and waited for our bus to arrive (about 5-10 minutes).

    Back at Jambo House we gathered up SBs stuff, I changed into a swimsuit/cover up, and we walked out to the parking lot together. I transferred a couple things from my car to his, then he gave me a ride back up to the entrance of the resort before heading on home. I went down to the pool, expecting it would be miserable. However, I was pleasantly surprised it wasnt bad at all, thanks to it being pretty much completely overcast <g>. Without the sun beating down it was warm but not unbearable. I went into the pool for a bit, then did some reading, staying out there just over an hour.

    Before I went upstairs I checked Mara and saw the chicken corn chowder we had in the lounge last night is one of todays soups. Speaking of the lounge, I stopped there to report the lost hat, and they gave me the phone number for central lost & found in case I wanted to call them (starting tomorrow) to check on it. I filled out the lost item card, and left it with the concierge to turn in to the appropriate place. While at the desk I learned theyd be doing a few more fire alarm tests, starting in a few minutes. Oh wonderful not!

    SB called to say he was almost home, and the alarms started again so I went out onto the balcony where it wasnt quite as noisy. The alarms cut into the first 10 minutes of General Hospital, which was annoying. Chris & Amanda texted to say they were on the road, and soon he got the text with their room number. After General Hospital I took my shower and after getting dressed went down to the 5th floor to see where Chris & Amandas room was located. Their room is really far away, down on Kudu Trail. But, Id booked them standard view (pool view) and theyre on the savannah across from Kidani village. I went to the stairwell at the end of a short hallway near them and could see a couple giraffe and other animals. Their room is over the people pen but they can still see the animals. Its not convenient for running to the lounge & back, but thats not what its intended to do.

    Ill be spending my last night there, and itll be fine since once I get to the lounge I dont leave until Im finished. It got dark and stormy-looking, so we may get rain today after all (it never rained yesterday as far as I know). I went to the lounge with the laptop and by 4:15 people were starting to arrive, so I picked out a table for the 3 of us and moved over there. I ended up selecting the same table as last night, directly behind the wine, close to the other food, and normally set with 2 chairs but adding a 3rd still left plenty of room for people to get by behind the extra chair.

    By 4:30 I was hearing lots of thunder, so it looks like Chris & Amanda werent able to beat the rain after all. Hopefully he can drop her off at the door with their stuff, and then go park the car. As it turned out, it was just sprinkling when they arrived so it was no big deal. They were able to go straight to their room, and then called me. They have a dummy person on their reservation and brought the magic band with them. This way I can get into their room without needing to keep one of their magic bands when they go home Monday.

    Chris called when they were at the gate by the stairs and I went down to let them up to the lounge. We had a nice evening up there. The chefs food was butter turkey on wild rice, and a lamb stew. I ate some of the turkey and enjoyed it. Amanda missed the 3-color cheddar, as I do. That was so good, and its a shame its gone. We stayed in the lounge until after 7, then decided to go outside to see the animals. This is a great time to see lots of animals out by Arusha rock, and tonight was no exception.

    We watched several giraffe eating leafy branches, including one who was barely tall enough but kept trying to reach the branches with his tongue. He was very persistent, lol but eventually wandered over to the food truck and was rewarded with a whole bunch of fresh leafy branches tied low enough to reach <g>. Several tommies were out, and some were running around playfully. We also saw a few zebra and several other antelope and white bearded wildebeest.

    We went back inside before 8 and sat at a table until the desserts came out. Tonight they had the little chocolate cakes, a mango mousse in a chocolate tart and a lemon meringue dessert with coconut on top. The rice krispie treats were fancy instead of plain squares they were dome-shaped and covered with icing & decorations. I tried one and it was good but very sweet.

    Today was a very nice day, and today was the first day I actually felt relaxed all day. Yesterday I was still pretty stressed during the work day, but I got better as the day went on. Today I only checked email a few times, and didnt let anything get to me! We had fun at the Magic Kingdom, except for it being unbearably hot at times. I do not enjoy suffering through the heat & humidity, and do not care to spend time in the parks when its like that. I hope SBs hat turns up, but I realize I cant count on it. It was great spending time with Chris & Amanda again this evening.

    Tomorrow were headed to Epcot for the morning, where Chris and Amanda will renew their passes. We only plan to spend the morning there, since its going to be so hot. The big event will be Comedy Warehouse tomorrow night!


    DAY 4 Saturday 9/5/15
    Who: Sue (56), DVC Member
    Chris (28), my son
    Amanda (26), my daughter-in-law

    Plan: Epcot, Concierge Lounge, Comedy Warehouse

    Actual: Last night Chris & Amanda left the lounge around 9, headed to Epcot (open until 11). I went back to my studio and watched HGTV <g>. After waiting a while for a bus they arrived and stopped at Guest Services to renew their passes. When that was done they texted me and I tried to copy my fastpasses to them but only Chris was coming up as a choice. It still said Amanda needed park admission. I copied them to Chris anyway, and he texted back to say it should work now. Sure enough, it did. To my surprise they were both able to get my 9:05 Soarin, and little surprise they were able to get my 10:05 Seas w/Nemo. What was more difficult was my 11:30 Spaceship Earth. We each ended up with a slightly different time 11:10, 11:25 and 11:30. That was fine though, as we just planned to work with the window where we overlapped. I also made them some fastpasses for Sunday at the Studios (no Toy Story) and then copied some of our October Food & Wine faspasses to them. Everything except Mine Train worked. With doing all that, it was lights out later than normal for me around 11:30.

    I still got up with the alarm at 6:20, since I like having a leisurely morning. Breakfast was the same (cappuccino, egg, slice of bacon, half a bagel). They texted at 8 to say they were in the lounge having breakfast, and I went out closer to 8:30. Amanda said some woman came with a TRAY and pretty much cleaned out most of the food, turning around and taking it back to the elevators. They must be in a regular concierge room on the 4th floor, and I understand preferring to eat in your room instead of in the lounge, but its pretty rude to take everything! Perhaps she should have asked the cast members for a full tray from out back, since there were a lot of people in the lounge wanting to get food from the display.

    We headed downstairs by 8:30, and this time had a shorter wait for the bus (5-10 minutes at most). We were dropped off at the value resorts bus stop, so pretty much in the next county. I absolutely detest the front entrance to Epcot, and hate coming through here. I am definitely a Crescent Lake Snob (term adopted by people who hate to stay anywhere other than Boardwalk, Yacht or Beach using International Gateway as the entrance to Epcot). My next several (5) trips Ill be in that location.

    Bag check was an ordeal, since they have such a small area to cram so many guests into. I would hope some of the construction going on is to expand the bag check area, since they dont seem to be willing to just do away with it entirely. Once we got through bag check, entering the park was very easy we went slightly to the right and avoided the entrances with lines of people and breezed right through.

    By now it was just after 9, so we decided to do Test Track as standby guests. When we got over there we could see the doors were still closed and people were lined up outside. But, cars were running so we figured it shouldnt be long. Im not sure what the delay was, but they should have had it up and running by 9am so guests wouldnt be held outside like this! Im not sure Ive done this in the standby queue since it was redone several years ago, as everything looked new to me. They didnt think they had either. In the design room we let Chris handle creating our car, and it ended up being a little shrimpy thing with stars all over it. We enjoyed the ride, although the doors for the crash test were wide open when we turned the corner. They said they were already open last night, too. That definitely takes something away from the impact, lol!

    After Test Track we cut through Mouse Gear (it was hot & humid outside) and went over to the Land. We were near the end of our Soarin window so we did that first (got 2nd row), then pretty much walked on Living with the Land. While inside Chris asked about the Behind the Seeds Tour, which he had done once as a child. After the ride we stopped to find out the price, and he & Amanda signed up to do it at 12:45. Its $20 but theres a 15% discount for dvc, passholders, Chase or Disney visa cardholders, etc.

    At this point it was almost 10:45, so we rode Nemo over at the Seas pavilion, then walked back to World Showcase. We went to the Mexico side, since we were headed to Germany. It was HOT out there, with so much sunny area! The Food & Wine stands have been put in place, although the specific signage stating the name of the country is not there yet. Some you can figure out pretty easily from the design of the stand. In Germany Chris got a grapefruit beer while Amanda & I went into the wine store.

    They sell a nice cheese plate for $5 here, so we ordered a couple of those. She got the dessert wine flight and I got the white wine flight. Hers was more expensive, but thats because one of her 3 wines was an ice wine that sells for $56/bottle. It was also her least favorite of the 3, lol maybe thats a good thing. I liked all of my whites, although the 3rd one was a little sweeter than I prefer. The cheese plate had a couple pieces of sharp cheddar, couple pieces of a soft creamy white cheese (muenster?), and hunk of soft white cheese with what looked like caraway seeds. This one had a skin on it, like a brie. Im not a cheese expert! There was also a piece of shaved ham, a couple pickle slices, and 2 crispy pretzel crostinis. Chris helped eat the cheese plates, and also got himself the nudel gratin (mac & cheese) and a different beer from Sommerfest next door. We were the only ones in the wine shop, so we took our time at one of the (stand up) high tables while we enjoyed everything.

    Once we were done we walked back to Future World, and used our fastpass for Spaceship Earth. It slowed down a couple times, and then just as we began to rotate for our return to Earth is just stopped. We stayed stopped for quite a while, and even had cast members walking through with flashlights. Most likely somebody dropped something, which set off a sensor, and they had to investigate to make sure nobody had out of their car. I was getting worried about Chris & Amandas tour, but finally we started moving again. We got off the attraction at 12:40, which is what time they were supposed to be there for their 12:45 tour. Oops! They rushed over there, and I headed out to the bus stop and went back to the resort.

    Housekeeping had already done my room, but for whatever reason she forgot to leave a bath mat. Oh well, thats not the end of the world. I changed into a swimsuit and went down to the pool, getting lucky by finding a single chaise lounge available close to the pool. I lasted almost an hour before going back inside it was just too hot! I stopped at Mara to see if by chance they had the lamb stew today, but they did not. I didnt want it, but a local friend really likes it and would like to know which day of the week they run it. It was crazy busy in there, so I didnt stop to ask. Instead, I went upstairs, got a handful of mixed nuts (in a bowl), and went to the room.

    Id uploaded several photos earlier, so I set the rest to upload and took my shower. Chris texted around 3:15 to say they were back from Epcot, and theyd made it in time for their tour. I took the laptop out to the lounge to work on the trip report, and told them Id see them there later. They fell asleep without setting an alarm, and ended up not getting to the lounge until almost 5:30. It was busier up there this afternoon & evening, with more kids than Id seen in recent days. I think when I retire Ill book weekday stays, especially avoiding any holiday weekends!

    Tonights food wasnt very impressive for me. The cold thing was something with shrimp on top, the soup was an African stew with broccolini mashed potatoes, and the hot item was falafel (vegetarian). I was happy with the cheese and flat bread (lavosh?), as was Amanda. We headed out at 6:30 to get the car and drive over to Parliament House. Id warned Chris it was in a somewhat seedy area, and as soon as we got off the highway he realized I wasnt kidding. Im not sure if it was the topless dance places, pawn shops, or resort offering 4 nights for $99.99, but he knew we werent in Disney any more!

    We got there (Parliament House on Orange Blossom Trail) earlier than planned, and waited inside for Leesa (my old Comedy Warehouse partner) and Jason (Marys husband) to arrive. Amanda was disappointed that the drag queens had prettier eyebrows than she did, lol we were surrounded by posters of several of the acts performing here. Once Leesa & Jason arrived we waited outside the theater the show would be held in and chatted until the doors opened. Sadly, not that many people knew about the show, as the audience was very small. This venue lacks the extensive costumes/props they had at the old Comedy Warehouse, and the sound techs werent quite on the ball but the cast was great and the people who were there really enjoyed the show.

    They did most of the structures/games from the old days, including my favorite where 4 of the cast tell a story while being directed by the 5th person, and when one messes up they have to die a theatrical death. During Schmeopardy/Jeopardy Mark was Bill Clinton and Layden was that twit Kim Davis (the clerk in Kentucky who is in jail for refusing to do her job issuing marriage licenses). Kim Davis occupation was ruler of the world and nearly everything was an abomination against the lord, lol! Everything was very funny, although a bigger crowd would have made it more fun. After the show we stayed to see everyone, and then headed back to the resort. We got back right at 10, and Chris dropped Amanda & I off at the door so we could try to get him some desserts while he parked the car. The lights were already off, and all they had left were some bananas foster desserts, so we took some of them.

    I went to my studio while Amanda waited for Chris, and when I looked outside I saw 5 giraffe sitting down on the grassy area just off my balcony! One of them even laid his head down, so I guess theyre out there to get some sleep. It was the most amazing sight, and I got Amanda & Chris to come see it too. Weve never seen anything like it. One of the beige antelope things was out there laying down too. When I went back out to check on them at 11:30 they were gone, so I guess it was just a nap <g>.

    I finished up the report and posted some of the show pictures on Facebook, so it was a later night again. I dont miss being up this late, but it was worth it tonight! Today was a really great day.

    Tomorrow Chris & Amanda are headed to the Studios in the morning, and Im going to relax at the pool. Well be back in the lounge for the evening, and will be joined for part of the time by my dvc friend Darla & her sister Deb!


    DAY 5 Sunday 9/6/15
    Who: Sue (56), DVC Member
    Chris (28), my son
    Amanda (26), my daughter-in-law

    Plan: Some Park, Concierge Lounge

    Actual: I woke up with the alarm again this morning. Although I guess I could have slept in, I dont want to itll only make getting up early Tuesday morning that much harder! I made my cappuccino and brought it back to bed, where I got online & half-listened to the morning news/weather. Around 8 I made my egg, bacon slice, and other half of yesterdays bagels. Chris & Amanda got to the lounge around 8:30 so I went out and sat with them while they ate.

    From there I went down to the pool and spent a wonderful 2.5 hours out there, facing the group of flamingos. I was surprised to see all of the sunny chairs around the pool already taken, and lifeguards already had the pool open. I prefer being away from the crowds and noise around the pool, so my spot was perfect plus I wasnt far from the shower next to the hot tub for when I needed to cool off. Clouds kept blowing by, which helped cool it off every now & then.

    Just after 11:30 I gathered up my stuff, and stopped at Mara to ask about the lamb stew. They serve it after 5 on Sundays. I went up to the studio, stopping at the lounge for an empty plate and some of the cheddar goldfish crackers. For lunch I had some of the leftover quesadilla and ice water, then I munched on the goldfish while checking emails. After that I took my shower and got dressed.

    Chris texted around 12:30 to say they were on their way back from the Studios. I asked if they wanted to go to Downtown Disney, figuring Id wait for them if they did. They declined, so I finished drying my hair & getting ready taking a moment to search for my car keys since they werent where I expected theyd be, then headed out at 1pm for a quick trip to Downtown Disney.

    I was hoping when I returned Id have my pick of closer parking spaces, but the parking lot was surprising full here at Jambo House. The resort must be full of Floridians here for the holiday weekend! I drove over to Downtown Disney and wasnt really sure how things are set up now, other than Chris & Amanda said its easy to park in the garage. I guess they would have been right if I had ever gotten to the garage, lol! I didnt realize I had to turn in before Cirque du Soleil, for a parking garage over near Planet Hollywood. I went straight, and from that point the only parking was to the right, across the street. I was not interested in that, and with it being so hot this time of year I decided to save Downtown Disney for a cooler day on a future trip. More of it would be done by the, too.

    I turned left at the Marketplace, then left again at Saratoga Springs, going my Old Key West on my way back out to the road, then returned to Jambo House. The parking lot was even worse, if that was possible. I drove down several rows, not believing there was nothing! Finally I parked in the area between Jambo House & Kidani Village yikes! Its not close, but its near the ramped areas rather than the stairs (so I can roll the suitcase). I texted Chris to let him know I was back, then went up to the studio. It only took a few minutes to pack up the clothes I hadnt sent home with SB, and then I updated the report.

    Around 2:30 I took the laptop out to the lounge and sat there reading the cruise critic message boards. I try to get over there on Saturday or Sunday, mainly for the HAL board but I do check a few other general topics. Unfortunately, they had the Little Mermaid movie on the big tv and it was way too loud. I would have asked for the volume to be turned down, but I saw a man & his daughter watching from the table behind the sofa. Id rather they just run the Disney info loop endlessly or take the tv out completely it has no place here, in what should be a quiet place to relax & perhaps chat with your travel companions.

    Its also amazing to see how many people will sit eating and drinking at a table, then just get up and walk away, leaving their mess for the cast members to clean up. There are a couple of trash cans, with a place to put your dirty dishes. We wouldnt dream of leaving our crap on the table like that! It was very busy in the lounge again, and I was concerned about trying to hold a table with 5 chairs. When Chris texted I asked if he & Amanda could be in the lounge by 4:45 and they agreed. I moved to a table for 4 around 4, but didnt pull up the 5th chair until after Chris & Amanda were there.

    Darla texted me just after 5 to say she & Deb were in the lobby (they drove over from Kidani Village). I went down and met them at the elevator to bring them upstairs. They were headed to dinner with another dvc friend later, so they didnt really eat. Deb tried the seafood chowder, which she raved about. Chris liked it, but not as much as much as Deb did. The other hot item was Moroccan beef, which was a spiced meatball with tomato chutney. It was good, but not really outstanding. One was enough. The cold item was a chilled tomato basil soup, which was very good.

    The lounge was crazy busy all night, and fairly often they ran out of something (forks, spoons, plates, food, etc). The cast members would have been going around with trays of the hot items, but guests were going up and grabbing them off the tray so fast there was never enough for the cast members to bring around! We just sat back and watched the frenzy, knowing we were there for the duration and could manage during the brief lulls.

    Darla & Deb left at 6 it was nice seeing them again, and even nicer that it hadnt been that long (late May) since our last visit. Ill miss them in early December since Ill be on a HAL cruise, and again in February since Ill be on another HAL cruise. Thats a great reason to miss someone, lol! Once they left we gave away their chairs, since it was still busy.

    By 7:30 they were evidently completely out of the hot food for the night, so another chef was brought up to do some cooking in the back room that the chef in the lounge could just finish. It was more of the chicken corn chowder and those fabulous pork short ribs from the other night. These were even bigger and meatier, and they were delicious. Chris loved them and said (like SB) that he would happily make a meal of them! He loved the chicken corn chowder as well. Overall much of the food has been really impressive this trip.

    At 7 we decided to go check out the animals, and Chris wanted to start with the viewing area by the pool. As we got out there by the flamingos it started to rain, and of course our umbrellas were in the room and the car. At the viewing area we were able to stand under the big umbrella and watched the animals & talked to the guide working out there. It was funny to see the small elands seems to not like the wet grass they were funny how they kept shaking their legs as if trying to get the wetness off their feet! A 5-month old baby giraffe was out there, too. We also saw the addax, and other animals. Around 7:30 or so we dashed around the corner to get inside the building to walk back to another door that would be under cover to get to the entrance by the elevators.

    They went to their room and I went to update the report quickly, then we met back in the lounge at 8. The lounge tonight was very disappointing partly due to Disney and partly due to other guests. The 2 special desserts were passion fruit mousse and passion fruit tart. Why on earth would you have 2 items that were both passion fruit on the same night??? I didnt try either one. Chris was ok with one but the other was ridiculously tart neither of them liked it. The manager walked around with chocolate dipped strawberries, but they tasted funny almost like medicine. Amanda thought maybe they were leftover from sitting out at breakfast.

    They had the usual sugar & chocolate chip cookies, and rice krispie treats but no 2nd regular item (usually it would be the brownies w/peanut butter icing. Then we say the tray family descending on the desserts, having come from the cooler where theyd emptied several drinks into a big Disney merchandise bag. It was mom and an adult or teen daughter, each with a tray. They piled on dessert after dessert, completely eliminating the rice krispie treats, taking at least 15-20 chocolate chip cookies (leaving 2 for others), and a quantity of the passion fruit things. Daughter had the passion fruit stuff covering her tray, which she then covered with a napkin. Mom was putting cookies in her Disney bag, moving some milks to the tray, and generally being a total pig. I did take a couple photos, as it was unbelievable.

    After they left for the elevators I approached a couple of the cast members to let them know a couple guests had pretty much wiped out the desserts. They were aware, and were awaiting more to be brought up. They said their manager saw them at the cooler and asked if he could help them (Disneys polite way of saying what the hell are you doing, you pig show some decency and stop doing what youre doing but they just told him they had 5 kids in the room. Really??

    Anyway, Disney seemed to really get caught unprepared, because at 8:15 on a holiday weekend they did not have desserts for the concierge lounge dessert hours of 8-10. We were shocked when the 2nd regular dessert appeared and it was a bowl of the trail mix they have in the afternoon!!! If that wasnt bad enough, when one of the passion fruit things ran out it was replaced with a bowl of jelly bean! Seriously jelly beans, lol! The chocolate chip cookies sign disappeared and the sugar cookie tray was turned sideways so it would look like the only thing that belonged in that space. If I was paying $500/night to be here, I would not expect a bowl of jelly beans or trail mix for my concierge offering!

    Oh, and regarding the trays they were provided by the people working in the lounge. The other day at breakfast Chris & Amanda said the tray people took almost half the cream cheese and a big glob of jelly and put it on their tray, and a cast member told them that wasnt sanitary and brought them 2 new trays from out back! That was the day several breakfast offerings disappeared in front of the people in line behind these tray morons. I guess those 5 kids have huge appetites or the lady has a suitcase full of food!

    Around 8:45 Chris & Amanda left for the Magic Kingdom, planning to see Wishes. I went back to my studio to finish up the report, but I may wander back out to the lounge to see if the offerings improved a bit later <g>. Today was a nice relaxing day for me! They enjoyed their day, although complained that it was too hot to really be enjoyable.

    Tomorrow I move my stuff to their room, and were going to Animal Kingdom together to do the safari. After that theyll do some more attractions and Ill come back and go to the pool for a little while before spending one last evening in the lounge. Hopefully it will be less crazy up there!


    DAY 6 Monday 9/7/15
    Who: Sue (56), DVC Member
    Chris (28), my son
    Amanda (26), my daughter-in-law

    Plan: Change Rooms, Animal Kingdom, Concierge Lounge

    Actual: Again I slept well, although I could hear my neighbors talking a bit. The soundproofing is very poor in most of the resorts. Luckily they went to bed before I had to call their room and ask them to be quiet. I got up at the usual time, and had half a bagel with my cappuccino. Chris & Amanda were planning to come to the lounge around 8, so I got my stuff all packed up & ready before then. I figured while they got breakfast Id bring my stuff to their room. Their room gets trash & towel service today, but thats usually done later in the day (after the rooms that need to be completely done), so Id take one of my clean towels down there and bring one of their used towels back to my old room. That way if Im ready to shower before trash & towel is done, Ill have a clean towel! But, at 8 Chris texted to say theyd just woken up, so we didnt get the early start wed planned on.

    They showered quickly and texted me at 8:20 that they were pretty much ready for breakfast. I gathered my stuff and started taking it to their room, passing them in the hallway. They got breakfast while I dropped off my stuff and returned to my studio to drop off the used towel. We were out the door headed to the bus stop by 8:40. There was a big crowd waiting so I thought our bus might be almost there, but unfortunately we saw every other bus first. We got to Animal Kingdom just after 9, and by the time we walked back to Harambe the safari had a 10-minute wait posted but the line was completely filled in. It was moving though, and the time ended up being pretty accurate.

    We enjoyed the safari, this time seeing lots of elephants but no black rhino. You never know whats going to be visible. It was completely overcast and very humid very bad for hair, and just sticky feeling on your hands/skin. The park was definitely much busier than a few days ago, thanks to the holiday weekend. I imagine tomorrow itll be dead again!

    We got off the safari about 10 minutes before 10, and we split up. They made a restroom stop and headed to the 10am Festival of the Lion King show. Id been able to change my Dinosaur fastpass for 9:25-10:25 (did this last night), so I walked over there. I didnt really need the fastpass, but I wasnt going to any other park today. The preshow room ended up getting really full, so a big group must have come in after I was through the queue.

    After Dinosaur I headed out of the park, walking through some of the stores looking for the 2016 calendar. Ive been disappointed by it in recent years, so this year I made my own 2016 WDW calendar on shutterfly. I still wanted to see what Disneys looked like, but I guess its not meant to be on this trip.

    I had a very short wait for a Jambo House bus to pull up, and it was nice not having to go to Kidani Village first. I swung through the lounge for a cup of ice water, then made the trek to my new room almost at the end of the long hallway. I was hungry, since breakfast had no protein or anything worthwhile, so I finished the quesadillas while updating the report. I checked the weather, and its not looking good for any sunshine today. Its too humid to sit on the balcony, too. I did see the ostrich off the balcony, which Amanda has been missing all trip. I texted her to tell her, and they were on their way back to the room (down the hall). They got back in time to see the ostrich, and we also wondered how some of the dark brown animals got past the barrier to hang out in the area directly below. There were 3 of them, resting in the tall grass.

    We made a trip to the parking lot and moved both cars to closer parking spaces before meeting at the entrance. I didnt need lunch, but went downstairs with them to Mara. They ordered lunch and then hit the road for Ft Myers, while I sat on a chaise lounge outside and did some reading. It briefly looked like the sun wanted to come out (it had rained lightly when we went to the parking lot a little earlier), but a cast member walking by (hed talked to me yesterday and stopped again today) told me the heavy rain was about an hour away. Sure enough, soon the dark clouds came back in, so I went inside.

    Lots of animals were out so I went to the stairwell at the end of this hallway, and while there it started to rain hard. The giraffe all headed to the edge of the fence, to stand under the trees while it was raining. It was interesting to see which animals tried to avoid the rain and which didnt seem phased at all. When I finished there I went to another stairwell for a little while, then returned to the studio. Id gotten some mixed nuts from the lounge and ate those while uploading and captioning the last of the photos. The rain stopped, but itll rain again its one of those days that whatever the weather is, in 20 minutes it will change. What isnt changing is the incredibly high humidity!

    Around 2:30 or so I gathered up the laptop, kindle, tablet & phone and went up to the lounge. It will hopefully be less busy than yesterday, but well see. The table by the outlet was taken by stuff belonging to a family that was sitting on the sofa. Their wheelchair & stroller & other crap was on and around the table, but I was able to move the stroller slightly to reach the outlet, and then I sat at the next table (further down the wall) since the cord was long enough. It did end up being a lot less busy today between 3:15 & 4 it was mostly just me and one other couple!

    I was torn between putting the laptop back in the room vs keeping it here all evening had I still be in a room on this floor it would have taken a few seconds to put it away, but down in Chris & Amandas room its a long trip! In the end I decided to take the laptop back shortly after 4. When I returned to the lounge only the other couple was there, so I had no trouble getting a table <g>. It was much less crowded all night, which was wonderful!

    Jan texted me around 4:45 saying she was finished with the culinary tour, so I went down to the 3rd floor and brought her up. We were on an email group 15 years ago, but the group is no longer together. We lost touch for a long while, but now are facebook friends. It was nice seeing her again, and catching up after all these years.

    The food tonight was a crab soup, which I did not try. They also had the tomato, strawberry & goat cheese salad, which is good. The other hot item was a sweet corn pudding with Durban chicken, and it was excellent! It ranked right up there with the pork short ribs. I used to get Durban chicken at Food & Wine Festival years ago, so it was nice to have a variation of that again, and the sweet corn pudding was similar to polenta.

    Jan stayed until just after 5:30, when she left to meet friends for dinner at Boma. A minute later Darla texted to see what I was doing, and whether I wanted company. She & Deb walked over from Kidani, and we spent the rest of the evening in the lounge. With the crappy weather today they left Disney property to have lunch at Ale House and ended up buying a new van. I guess Darla couldnt find a t-shirt she liked?? It took several hours, with the car salesman shenanigans, but the salesman did send someone to go buy their Ale House lunch and bring it to them at the dealership, lol! Not many people go on a Disney vacation and buy a van, but what the heck one less thing to have to deal with back home.

    Desserts tonight did not include trail mix or jelly beans, thank goodness. They had the same little chocolate cakes Ive seen 3 times now, and then some custard stuff in little cups. I was pretty much tired of the desserts at this point, so I had a couple rice krispie treats and a cookie. Darla & Deb tried everything and both declared the peanut butter brownie the clear winner. They left to walk back to Kidani around 8:30 and I went down to the studio.

    This has been a nice trip, and long enough that Im ready to leave. Ive enjoyed every minute, but Im ok with it coming to an end in the morning. It was really nice to have SB here at the beginning, then Chris & Amanda, and getting to spend time with Darla & Deb again. I wish the weather wasnt so miserable, but this is what people should expect when coming here in September. Tomorrow Ill get up early, in order to be on the road by 6.

    The photos (mostly animals, some food, some Comedy) are on Shutterfly at
    share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AZNGTdm2bMWjLtA

    My next trip is not too far away a 3-night weekend after Food & Wine Festival starts, and then well be back for the real trip during the 3rd week of October. Summer is the season where I take few trips, but Fall is my busy season, so lots to look forward to! Hopefully better weather will be here by the 2nd Food & Wine trip, too! Thanks for reading along!

    Sue (Holland) Rayford
    WDW1972

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  3. #2
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Drexel Hill, PA

    Awesome report as usual. I really love your photos. This time my favorite is the two giraffe munching on a single twig. The face to face looks so cool. I thunk it was very rude of that family to come take all the food like they did. Others paid for that lounge too and were entitled to the food also. I really look forward to your reports so I can't wait for your next trips.


  4. #3

    Hi Sue!
    Great report ! We ended up going to BLT the first week of August instead of the beginning of September as our son Andrew's arrival day for USMC boot camp was changed to 8/17. It was actually in the low 70's when we arrived with a nice breeze, couldn't believe it! Thank you so much for posting we love reading about travels! Looking forward to the Food and Wine recap!

    Gail


  5. #4

    Thanks so much Sue, for another wonderful report. I loved the pictures.
    Ellen


  6. #5

    Sue, I forgot to ask - Did you ever get SB's hat back?


  7. #6

    Great report! Thanks for sharing. I believe I've had that safari driver (mature, high pitched voice) as well, she was super knowledgeable!


  8. #7
    MousePlanet Columnist
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    Florida

    I'm happy to report Disney not only found SB's hat, they laundered it and mailed it to us! He wore it again this trip (early Oct), but this time held it in his hand while on Splash Mountain <g>!

    Sue (Holland) Rayford
    WDW1972

  9. #8

    Hat!!

    Quote Originally Posted by Sue Holland View Post
    I'm happy to report Disney not only found SB's hat, they laundered it and mailed it to us! He wore it again this trip (early Oct), but this time held it in his hand while on Splash Mountain <g>!
    Now that's *service*!!! Bet SB was happy : - )

  10. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Sue Holland View Post
    I'm happy to report Disney not only found SB's hat, they laundered it and mailed it to us! He wore it again this trip (early Oct), but this time held it in his hand while on Splash Mountain <g>!
    That's awesome!

    As usual, I loved reading your report.

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