Top & Bottom - Highlights & Disappointments from Aug. 2010
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DisneyFun-atic · 08-23-2010, 11:25 AM

Highlights of our Aug. 2010 trip.

1. Animal Kingdom Lodge - We're DVC members and this was our first visit to AKL. We opted to stay at Jambo House. It was absolutely beautiful - even better than we expected. We'll definitely stay here again. Probably try Kidani Village next time.

2. Boma - Great dinner with lots of interesting foods to try.

3. 'Ohana Dinner - we've done this before but it was great again. Love all the food. Left so stuffed.

4. Anna a CM at Test Track who let DD ride twice in a row, twice in one day - Kudos to her for making my little girls day (It was her first time being able to do Test Track

5. Free Upgrade to Preferred Room at ASS. We only stayed one night so the upgrade really wasn't that beneficial, but we've never received an upgrade before so it made us feel special.

6. Seeing a Giraffe family at AKL.

7. Fantastic view of Illuminations from where we sat.

8. DH and Brother being picked to hold the limbo pole at 'Ohana - gave us a lot of laughs.

9. DD getting to make the elephant sound for everyone at Festival of the Lion King.

10. Kaitlyn and Michelle - 2 CMs at Fantasmic who kept us entertained while we waited for the show, which was delayed 20 mins. They danced with DD and were so friendly and funny.

Disappointments

1. Breakfast at Cinderella Castle - I'm glad we did this for DD this one time, but we'll never do it again. We did not get anywhere close to our money's worth. I was so disappointed in it. The CM who checked us in was barking at people and unsmiling - very gruff. The pic of DD with Cinderella was not great. I couldn't believe that for $37 I only got to choose from 3 breakfast options. I chose the stuffed French Toast which was soggy. DD hardly touched her breakfast as she doesn't care for eggs or bacon. My coffee was NEVER once refilled. Our waiter came to our table twice. The AC dripped on me the whole meal and we were told - oh yeah that just happens in here all the time. The princesses spent next to no time with DD. It was not the magical experience we'd hoped for. Akershus and 1900 Park Faire by far surpass this meal.

2. We were celebrating both mine and my brother's b-days (in fact it's the 3'rd time I've celebrated my b-day at Disney). I am always reading about how people sometimes receive a b-day card from Mickey or other treat in their rooms. As always, I was hopeful, but nothing yet again. I know there are no guarantees on this but I do wonder why some people get these things and others do not. Oh- well maybe in the future.

3. The parking lot CM at Epcot who got angry and kept waving at us and yelling at us to go down the row, when we were trying to show her our AAA diamond parking pass, and then told us to "Just park here, it's closer" when it was actually about 10 rows farther back. Definitely the rudest CM I've ever encountered.

4. The fact that so few CM's look for the red stroller as a wheelchair tag before telling you to park the stroller. I wish they would be better trained on this..

5. We took the raft over to Tom Sawyer Island for the first time with DD. Even though she was in a "wheelchair", nobody told us that it was not at all accessible over there. I dragged her up and down some steps, then abandoned hope. I wish they had at least mentioned to us that we probably wouldn't be able to get around over there.

6. The amount of people smoking as they walked around and not in the smoking areas. I always hate this. I want to shout at them - "My daughter already had cancer, she doesn't need to breathe that in."

7. On the same note - the fact that at ASS, the smoking area by the pool is on the handicap accessible ramp, also where anyone with strollers and babies are walking. Seems like a dumb place to put it to me.

All in all a fantastic vacation. We had so much fun and did a lot more relaxing than usual. We encountered some great CM's spreading the Disney magic.

Wolfy6688 · 08-23-2010, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DisneyFun-atic

6. The amount of people smoking as they walked around and not in the smoking areas. I always hate this. I want to shout at them - "My daughter already had cancer, she doesn't need to breathe that in."

That bothers me a lot too.

Thanks for sharing the ups and downs, I really enjoyed reading them. I'm so glad you met so many nice CMs who tried to share some extra magic with you.

**Colexis Mom** · 08-23-2010, 03:01 PM

Thanks for your review and highlights! Sounds like things mostly went well and it was a great time!

lukeandbrookesmom · 08-23-2010, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DisneyFun-atic

6. The amount of people smoking as they walked around and not in the smoking areas. I always hate this. I want to shout at them - "My daughter already had cancer, she doesn't need to breathe that in."

One of my biggest pet peeves every trip

lukeandbrookesmom · 08-23-2010, 03:08 PM

Sounds like your highlights definitely outweighed the disappointments

**Cam22** · 08-23-2010, 10:20 PM

for your reviews! Glad you had a great time in spite of few glitches. I'm with you on the poor placement of some of the smoking areas.

bsblady01 · 08-24-2010, 12:51 AM

sounds like more good then bad. thanks for sharing your review

JoanneS · 08-24-2010, 08:16 AM

I hear you about the smokers. They can be so inconsiderate of others.

**KMB733** · 08-24-2010, 12:20 PM

Thanks for your review. Sounds like you had a wonderful time despite a few disappointments.

cubfancolleen · 08-24-2010, 12:34 PM

Glad the highlights outnumbered the lowlights!
And I'm on the list of those who think they just shouldn't let folks smoke at WDW! (harsh, I know - but if they can't obey the smoking areas, well...)