Cast:
She (nicster) – 10 years old at WDW. Real world age? Between 50 & death…
He (DH) – 11 years old at WDW. Ditto on real world age.

October 1 and 2:

THE PLAN: Wolfgang Puck – Animal Kingdom Lodge – Earl of Sandwich – Orlando – DFW - Sacramento

The best laid plans kind of a day. Okay, the original plan was to do to Kouzzina at 8:40am. We had table ressies at that time. We still had a couple of TS’s left and want to use at least one of them. So on the previous night we are getting to the room around 11:30 and we’re still finalizing the packing. So we’re in bed at 1 or so in the morning. On our bus ride back from PI, I start thinking about this. How are we going to get to the Boardwalk at 8:40? If it was later, we could catch a bus to DHS and then take a boat. But not at this time of the morning. We’d have to take a taxi. And what time are we going to have to get up in the morning to get ready to go and have all of our bags taken and checked or stored? 4 or 5 AM? Because you know, we’d never make it back before 11 to check out with an 8:40 reservation.

So when we get back the previous night, we discuss it and decide to skip the ressie. It would have made the day a nightmare, especially considering what is coming up (which, of course, we didn’t know).

I was disappointed that we couldn’t do the Kouzzina breakfast, but it was totally impractical.

So we figure that since we’ve never been to the Animal Kingdom Lodge, we’ll head over there after breakfast. So we catch the bus to DTD and have breakfast at Wolfgang Puck’s Express. We both get the breakfast pizza. We could easily have split it. It is so much food, and wonderful. Clearly, by far, the best breakfast we’ve had this trip.

Applewood Smoked Bacon Pizza - Scrambled eggs, bacon, mozzarella and cheddar cheeses are baked then drizzled with Wolfgang's very own Ranch dressing. Yummm! We ordered two, not realizing how large a breakfast pizza is, we each only ate half. –*note to self; split the breakfast pizza. Because we will be having that again!

So after that, we head out to the buses to catch one to AKL. They’re painting the bus stop, so we hang out away from the fumes. 20 minutes goes by, still no bus. Another couple who has been waiting with us goes and talks to a bus driver and complains. “He’ll radio it in”. Another 20 minutes goes by and still no bus. I go and talk to a bus driver. “He’ll radio it in”. But as I’m walking back to the bus stop, he pulls up along side of me and points to a van. Says the bus stop coordinator is there and I should talk to them. So I do, kindly of course. A few minutes later a bus shows up. A full 45 minute wait. Grrrr. Messed us up big time.

The wait was so annoying, partly because we were at the ‘every minute counts’ part of the trip. The couple that was also waiting had come from the hotel that we could see from the DTD bus stop. I am wondering which one that is?? After the long wait for AKL bus I am having second thoughts about ever staying at AKL (granted it was a fantasy, but that is what I do).

So we’re at AKL (2nd stop) and wander around. We look for the restaurants, go outside to see the Savannah view for guests, and see giraffes and wildebeests and some others. Pretty cool. But now, we’re way behind schedule since ME is picking us up at 1:30. And we wanted to go back to DTD to get some Earl sandwiches for the plane…we still have some Counter Services left.

Oh my… The view from the Savannah viewing area was outstanding! The way the giraffes seem to walk in slow motion, seeing the wildebeests grazing in the shade. And the ostriches, and those birds with the crown-like thing on top of their heads (I shoulda taken notes). Anyway, I was blown away, too bad we didn’t get much time at all to observe them.

So out to the AKL bus stop. One bus driver has the whole area blocked off attempting to deal with a couple of wheelchairs. She was really struggling with them. 4 or 5 buses stack up waiting for this one. They all move through, and of course, no DTD bus.

Finally one shows up and we’re on our way. By the time we get to DTD, I’m starting to panic a bit. I hate having time pressures. I head in to Earl of Sandwich, and the line is really long. No way we’re going to get thru that in time. So back to the bus stop to wait for a CBR bus. We wait and wait and wait. It finally shows up about 20 minutes later. We probably could have gotten the sandwiches. <sigh>

So we’re on our way back to CBR. Of course, since we are in a time crunch, the bus has to stop at Typhoon Lagoon. I keep watching the time and figure we can get off at the first stop if it is Martinique and walk to the Custom House. We get to the resort, and I’ve clearly forgotten how long of a walk that would be, so we just stay on the bus. It finally pulls up at 1:30 at Barbados, so we get off and start heading to Custom House. We’re about 50 yards away, and we see the ME bus leaving. At 1:32. What a pain.

So we head over, speak to the CMs and one says not to worry, another bus will be around in 30 minutes. Really? Why do we have to leave the resort 3 hours early? Hmmm. *Note for future reference.

This whole bus fiasco this day from DTD is really leaving a bad taste in the mouth.

Anyway, we get our non-check-in bags and wait. Stupid me, a bus comes to unload new guests and I go get in line to get on. Dooooh. It’s not like resort buses. They don’t go both ways. So back to waiting. At about 5 or so after the hour, our bus arrives, we get on without issue and we’re on the way to the airport.

I really hated for our last moments at our beloved WDW to be so hectic, but it was what it was. The man who got our carry-ons out of storage was very kind & would not accept the tip that I offered him. That is the first time a tip was refused the whole time we were there. Meanwhile, Richard went & picked up some waters & some snacks that we were glad we had, as it was a loooong time before we got to eat again.

We get through security and soon we’re on the plane to Dallas/Fort Worth. We leave on schedule. Finally things are starting to go our way. But not for long.
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