There are more of my kind!

[skier_pete]

I have to justify some . Normally Kali would not be there but I really am not a fan of AK overall, so this is a ride that my son likes and we all go on there. Grizzly run is better!

OK, I can see the reasoning. DD likes Kali, so I went on with her last trip. We missed out on the drenching, which made me happy. I don't think I would ever choose to go on it myself. It's funny, we LOVE AK, but the rides there (outside of EE) are awful in my opinion (don't consider Kilomajaro Safari a "ride").

Space Mountain is classified as lame because as a kid I thought it was the BOMB! As an adult it doesn't live up to the same thrill as the memory! I love Roller Coasters, most of Disney's coasters are not out of this world. But they are at Disney!

Well, I like coasters too...and none of the Disney coasters are top-notch thrills - though I think EE is outstanding. I just think Disney cares more about being for everyone than about having the top thrills, and I'm fine with that. (DW and DD are not thrill-riders at all, so if it was all about thrills they wouldn't do it anyways. Being in the dark totally makes Space Mountain awesome, though.

Don't know if you have ever been to Seabreeze (maybe if you have family in Irondequoit) but the Bobsleds remind me of space mountain but not in the dark. I could have also listed CoP as a fav and Bear Jamboree, but I ran out of numbers! I still like the Tiki Room, even with the changes. I miss 20,000 leagues under the sea, that was a cool ride as a kid!!

Oh god, the Bobsleds are terrible, but I guess I would agree that it's not unlike Space Mountain would be. We've only been there a few times...I really liked the JackRabbit though. Actually a *great* local coaster is the one at Marineland in Niagara Falls. Don't know if you've ever been there but the coaster (can't remember its name) is built into this hill....so the lift-hill is actually on the ground, so as you are going up it doesn't seem like much, but it is LONG, with several inversions. A steel coaster too so it's smooth. It's quite honestly one of my favorite coasters of all. (My all-time fav is The Hulk at Uni-IoA, though I've only been on it once.)

Like CoP, can't stand Bear Jamboree (mostly because I sit there thinking "They wrecked the TIki-birds yet they kept THIS!") and also miss 20,000 leagues - though I almost guarantee that's a ride that remains better in memory than it was in reality. Our first trip in 1997, the 20,000 leagues lake was still there (as was the Skyway - remember that classic!) so it was much sadder to miss it. I find I miss things more when the remnants stay behind (like the Tiki birds). Things that are gone for good don't get me as sad.

 

[Simba22]

OK, I can see the reasoning. DD likes Kali, so I went on with her last trip. We missed out on the drenching, which made me happy. I don't think I would ever choose to go on it myself. It's funny, we LOVE AK, but the rides there (outside of EE) are awful in my opinion (don't consider Kilomajaro Safari a "ride").

We love AK too but I like all of the rides there! Primevil Whirl is SO MUCH FUN! We just laugh our heads off the whole time! Dinosaur is terrifying but I still go on it because it's a fun sort of terror! We named one of our pets after Kali River Rapids (her name is Kali!), and EE is just out-of-this-world fun!

I have a Favorite Attractions List coming up in my TR (of course I do!)...can't wait to see how my list compares to yours!

 

[Overexcited]

For me I think my issue with AK is I am always way too hot and feel crowded. But this is the park with little indoor areas and smaller streets to feel more like an African Village. I do it each trip and moments I enjoy, but I am always glad this park has shorter hours! I am ready to go when the parade ends!
To add to it last trip I bought one of those stupid fans that mist water on my way out. I had said over and over again what a waste those were....
We were melting so I broke down and bought one literally one the way out. As I pay the sky opens up and we are all getting drenched. The guy behind me is getting impatient to buy a poncho so in my rush to get out of his way I left my annoying mister fan behind! Now I just bought it using my KTTW card, I would think it would be easy to figure out whose it was. When I realized and called they could not find it, I had to buy a second annoying fan mister thing!
Sooooo this trip I was thinking....Ha I will bring the old one with me and save trouble! Yup dug it out.....Broken! Damn I will end up buying another one indeed. They really help cool down and I figure with the baby it would come in handy. As with everything there, they are way overpriced!
So long story short I will end up buying three of those things I swore I would NEVER buy!

 

[skier_pete]

For me I think my issue with AK is I am always way too hot and feel crowded. But this is the park with little indoor areas and smaller streets to feel more like an African Village. I do it each trip and moments I enjoy, but I am always glad this park has shorter hours! I am ready to go when the parade ends!
To add to it last trip I bought one of those stupid fans that mist water on my way out. I had said over and over again what a waste those were....
We were melting so I broke down and bought one literally one the way out. As I pay the sky opens up and we are all getting drenched. The guy behind me is getting impatient to buy a poncho so in my rush to get out of his way I left my annoying mister fan behind! Now I just bought it using my KTTW card, I would think it would be easy to figure out whose it was. When I realized and called they could not find it, I had to buy a second annoying fan mister thing!
Sooooo this trip I was thinking....Ha I will bring the old one with me and save trouble! Yup dug it out.....Broken! Damn I will end up buying another one indeed. They really help cool down and I figure with the baby it would come in handy. As with everything there, they are way overpriced!
So long story short I will end up buying three of those things I swore I would NEVER buy!

You are right, especially in September, this is the worst park for the heat. The heavy foliage prevents breezes, and tight walkways keep in the heat. And with almost no indoor attractions it can be quite brutal. But it is DD favorite park, and DW and I 2nd favorite. We've learned to dress very light there! (The first day we went in December it was still hot...the 2nd day though it was only about 50 degrees!)

 

[onescgirl]

How is the shirt dilemma going? I can't wait to see who's shirt idea wins out. I also can't wait to see your DH & DM wearing their matching shirts together!

I too think AK is just too hot, at least it was when I was there. I started feeling sick from the heat & left before we did everything I wanted to do. I hope on this trip it will not be as hot on the day we go to AK.

Funny story about your spray mister. I bought two of those spray mister's at Wal-Mart yesterday for our WDW trip.

 

[skier_pete]

I too think AK is just too hot, at least it was when I was there. I started feeling sick from the heat & left before we did everything I wanted to do. I hope on this trip it will not be as hot on the day we go to AK.

Gosh, you know AK is hot when someone from SC thinks its too hot!

 

[Overexcited]

Gosh, you know AK is hot when someone from SC thinks its too hot!

Funny I was thinking the same thing! Must be an upstate NY thing.

 

[Overexcited]

How is the shirt dilemma going? I can't wait to see who's shirt idea wins out. I also can't wait to see your DH & DM wearing their matching shirts together!

I too think AK is just too hot, at least it was when I was there. I started feeling sick from the heat & left before we did everything I wanted to do. I hope on this trip it will not be as hot on the day we go to AK.

Funny story about your spray mister. I bought two of those spray mister's at Wal-Mart yesterday for our WDW trip.

Thanks for joining! The shirts will be settled on Thursday. We are going to pick out pink for girls and blue for boys. I just need to find a polo for the baby?
I saw those spray misters at Kmart yesterday and laughed out loud!
I was going to post on your PTR and ask about what you chose for dinning?

We went in 2007 early October. The first two days were so humid that we could not use our camcorder, it shut down because of moisture! After that the weather was fine. We caught the tail end of a tropical depression. Fingers crossed for a quiet hurricane season!

 

[onescgirl]

Gosh, you know AK is hot when someone from SC thinks its too hot!

LOL, True, it is very hot & humid in SC! But, I'm a wimp in the summer, I like stay in the A/C unless I'm at the beach. Winter is my favorite season, but SC winter temps... 60 degrees!

 

[onescgirl]

T I just need to find a polo for the baby?
I was going to post on your PTR and ask about what you chose for dinning?

We went in 2007 early October. The first two days were so humid that we could not use our camcorder, it shut down because of moisture! After that the weather was fine. We caught the tail end of a tropical depression. Fingers crossed for a quiet hurricane season!

Have you looked at Old Navy for a polo?
It was during Hurricane Ike that we went to WDW. It was so humid right before it poured rain (the day we were at AK )

 

[2_Eagle_Mom]

Hi, my name is Jane and I'm a Disney addict as well. I just found your PTR on the boards.

You have a couple of our favorite restaurants on your lists. We've been to Mama Melrose's and had a very good meal there. I just wonder if all the people that like the restaurants that have bad reveiws don't post or if I just have a bad palette or expectations. I can get frustrated with bad servers, but generally I haven't ever had a terrible meal at WDW.

Regarding your flight with your 1 year old. I'd suggest you check out some ear plugs called AirPlanes. I know they make children sized ones, I just don't know how small they are. They help equalize the pressure in the ear during take off and landing. If you get them I'd suggest trying to put them in his ears before the trip to make sure he keeps them in and they don't bother him.

Love the list idea, I may borrow that idea for my PTR as well.

 

[princess&her4princes]

Hi!
I spotted you on Meghan's PTR, we're going the same time!! Going back to read your PTR now!!

 

[Legendofthehawk]

Another late joiner to the party.

Great choice of restaurants!


I'd say don't worry about bringing your 1 year old with you. Should be a breeze. We took both of my kids when they were that age, and they were a dream.. now, toddlers? Something else all together!

 

[Overexcited]

Hi, my name is Jane and I'm a Disney addict as well. I just found your PTR on the boards.

You have a couple of our favorite restaurants on your lists. We've been to Mama Melrose's and had a very good meal there. I just wonder if all the people that like the restaurants that have bad reveiws don't post or if I just have a bad palette or expectations. I can get frustrated with bad servers, but generally I haven't ever had a terrible meal at WDW.

Regarding your flight with your 1 year old. I'd suggest you check out some ear plugs called AirPlanes. I know they make children sized ones, I just don't know how small they are. They help equalize the pressure in the ear during take off and landing. If you get them I'd suggest trying to put them in his ears before the trip to make sure he keeps them in and they don't bother him.

Love the list idea, I may borrow that idea for my PTR as well.

Welcome! I love that more readers have come over!
I wonder about all the bad reviews as well, I think people may have expectations high just because it is Disney. Bad service would stand out.
The only place we were not thrilled with was LeCelliar, but we had heard so much we expected that much. Does that make sense?
Jane, what restaurants do you like?
As far as the flight with the 1 years old. He has tubes in his ears, so the pressure is something that should not bother him much. It is a good suggestion for those flying with infants to have ear plugs. After the tubes were put in I asked the MD if it would be hard to fly for him, he smiled and said actually the tubes make it easier, he won't have pressure problems. If only he did not have all those ear infections leading up to it.

 

[Overexcited]

Hi!
I spotted you on Meghan's PTR, we're going the same time!! Going back to read your PTR now!!

Welcome! I have to go read your PTR to compare our trips!! So excited!!

 

[Overexcited]

Another late joiner to the party.

Great choice of restaurants!


I'd say don't worry about bringing your 1 year old with you. Should be a breeze. We took both of my kids when they were that age, and they were a dream.. now, toddlers? Something else all together!

Thanks, that makes me feel so much better!
Welcome!

 

[skier_pete]

Hi, my name is Jane and I'm a Disney addict as well. I just found your PTR on the boards.

You have a couple of our favorite restaurants on your lists. We've been to Mama Melrose's and had a very good meal there. I just wonder if all the people that like the restaurants that have bad reveiws don't post or if I just have a bad palette or expectations. I can get frustrated with bad servers, but generally I haven't ever had a terrible meal at WDW.

Regarding your flight with your 1 year old. I'd suggest you check out some ear plugs called AirPlanes. I know they make children sized ones, I just don't know how small they are. They help equalize the pressure in the ear during take off and landing. If you get them I'd suggest trying to put them in his ears before the trip to make sure he keeps them in and they don't bother him.

Love the list idea, I may borrow that idea for my PTR as well.

Hey Jane! Kungaloosh! A fellow Adventurer here - we couldn't make it down for Congaloosh - but hope to someday if they keep doing it. DW and I loved AC, and every once in a while I get very maudlin over it being gone, even though it was 1500 miles away...

Anyways, don't want to hijack Overexcited's thread so back on topic - my theory on the "bad reviews" is (1) though good experiences probably outweigh bad experiences 20 to 1, just about every person that has a bad experience let's others know, (2) every restaurant can have an off-night, (3) different people have different tastes, and (4) sometimes its not the restaurant, it's the people - some people have unusually high expectations.

I would say we also have never really had a bad meal / experience in a Disney restaurant. We've had restaurants that we were less impressed with than others. Example: We went to Cape May Cafe at BC for breakfast...I am not a big fan of Disney breakfast buffets - to me there is little variety in breakfast to make it worth paying all that money. The character interaction we had was rushed, and are server was very poor (only brought us two sets of silverware when there were 3 of us...a few other things like that).There was nothing specifically "bad" about it, but we would never go back. However, another person with the same experience could easily write a review that trashes that meal....but the truth is, it just didn't really appeal to us.

Another example: We love the Sci-Fi...eaten there 3 times and no-ones ever had a bad meal, in fact in general think the food is great...and it CONSTANTLY gets trashed on the boards for food quality.

My feeling on the restaurants: if a restaurant sounds like it would appeal to you (whether via food or themeing) try it!

 

[Overexcited]

Hey Jane! Kungaloosh! A fellow Adventurer here - we couldn't make it down for Congaloosh - but hope to someday if they keep doing it. DW and I loved AC, and every once in a while I get very maudlin over it being gone, even though it was 1500 miles away...

Anyways, don't want to hijack Overexcited's thread so back on topic - my theory on the "bad reviews" is (1) though good experiences probably outweigh bad experiences 20 to 1, just about every person that has a bad experience let's others know, (2) every restaurant can have an off-night, (3) different people have different tastes, and (4) sometimes its not the restaurant, it's the people - some people have unusually high expectations.

I would say we also have never really had a bad meal / experience in a Disney restaurant. We've had restaurants that we were less impressed with than others. Example: We went to Cape May Cafe at BC for breakfast...I am not a big fan of Disney breakfast buffets - to me there is little variety in breakfast to make it worth paying all that money. The character interaction we had was rushed, and are server was very poor (only brought us two sets of silverware when there were 3 of us...a few other things like that).There was nothing specifically "bad" about it, but we would never go back. However, another person with the same experience could easily write a review that trashes that meal....but the truth is, it just didn't really appeal to us.

Another example: We love the Sci-Fi...eaten there 3 times and no-ones ever had a bad meal, in fact in general think the food is great...and it CONSTANTLY gets trashed on the boards for food quality.

My feeling on the restaurants: if a restaurant sounds like it would appeal to you (whether via food or themeing) try it!

Hijack away!!! I totally AGREE with your statement on dining, you nailed what I was thinking. People have such high expectations of Disney that the little things we let go everywhere else, really sticks out at Disney! I have a pretty simple food pallet, so most things are great with me. In fact I read some of the signature reviews and I wonder if I would like anything at all at some of those places!
Hoop De Doo is one of those that gets trashed, they tell you chicken and ribs so I don't know why people are so disappointed that it is chicken and Ribs!!
Ok enough ranting. lol

 

[Overexcited]

Going with some of the ideas from other PTR we have been watching Disney Movies with DS7. Last trip Snow White ride completely freaked him out (he was almost 5). Part of that I think he did not know the story.....SO we started the Disney movie nights. Nothing fancy, just a flick and some popcorn.

He thinks any movie with a princess if girlie so we are out to dispel that myth.

1. Snow White- he liked it
2. Bugs Life - so so
3. Peter Pan - has always loved it
4. Little Mermaid - so so a little girlie
5. Beauty and the Beast- Liked it
6. Nemo- a family fav
7. Lion King- Fam fav
8. Aladdin- Loved it


Next up is Cinderella- he is NOT looking forward to it! (that may be a little girlie)

 

[skier_pete]

Going with some of the ideas from other PTR we have been watching Disney Movies with DS7. Last trip Snow White ride completely freaked him out (he was almost 5). Part of that I think he did not know the story.....SO we started the Disney movie nights. Nothing fancy, just a flick and some popcorn.

He thinks any movie with a princess if girlie so we are out to dispel that myth.

1. Snow White- he liked it
2. Bugs Life - so so
3. Peter Pan - has always loved it
4. Little Mermaid - so so a little girlie
5. Beauty and the Beast- Liked it
6. Nemo- a family fav
7. Lion King- Fam fav
8. Aladdin- Loved it


Next up is Cinderella- he is NOT looking forward to it! (that may be a little girlie)

I assume he's seen Toy Story? Monsters Inc? Not represented well in the parrks, but DD loves 101 Dalmatians & Aristocats, though she likes movies with animals. We also bought Jungle Book, which she didn't like very much (it's actually not that great from an adult point of view either).

Early in our Disney life, I also got the first 4 volumes of "Classic Cartoon favorites" featuring Mickey / Donald / Goofy / Chip and Dale. Each DVD had maybe 7 shorts on them. There are some absolutely brilliant stuff in some of these early shorts - and they are not unlike the Warner Brothers cartoons in terms of madcap antics. DD really likes the Chip and Dale and Donald ones and still watches them sometimes, not so much the other two. Here's the link for the Donald one:

http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Carto...ef=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1279030801&sr=1-2