For Liam’s 6th Birthday weekend, we packed our bags & had a staycation at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.
This was honestly our 1st real vacation away from home as a family since Liam was born, so we were extra excited for this experience. We stayed in Jambo house, and our room was off of the Kudo Trail on the 2nd floor. This is the view of the massive lobby area when you 1st walk into the resort. It is gorgeous!!
The details that you see throughout the resort are incredible. The entire resort is themed after the Animal Kingdom theme park. You can tell, at every glance, that great care was taken to showcase the culture, wildlife & artwork of Africa.
As soon as we started exploring the grounds, we found the fire pit that is surrounded by rocking chairs. If it wasn’t 100 degrees outside, it would have been perfect….LOL!
I usually am not one to talk about food, but I would be a fool to not rave about all of the deliciousness we enjoyed throughout the entire weekend. We ate at some pretty cool dining experiences, and there’s definitely more to share in my next few posts.
First up –> Boma ….This is a buffet style restaurant with African-themed dishes, and all of the food was amazing. We ate there for breakfast on Sunday.
Their signature drink at breakfast is Jungle Juice. It’s a tasty mixture of orange, pineapple & mango juices. Liam didn’t quite care for it, but Stephen & I thought it was pretty yummy!
Mickey Waffles 🙂
Now onto the grounds outside the resort …..there is a cute, shaded playground for the kiddos & it’s close by the pool.
Once we found the Uzima Pool area, we didn’t want to leave. This pool is amazing! It is SO big — 11,000 square feet & it has an awesome water slide.
Liam was thrilled for this slide! He went down it over & over again 🙂
Cheese!
Our room was nothing short of incredible. It felt like we stepped into our own safari get away the moment we walked in & I’m sure that was the plan. We were fortunate to be able to have the savanna view room, and it did not disappoint.
When you stepped out onto the balcony, it was immediately overlooking one of the savanna’s. There were beautiful animals freely roaming around so close to you. It was awesome!
In total, there are over 30 species of wildlife out on the savanna here. We loved the Wildlife Field Guide that was in our room for helping to track & discover some friends we spotted.
This Giraffe guy, here, was one of our favs. He stayed close by our balcony a lot. ❤
Zebra friends….
Ankole Cattle….
White-Bearded Wildebeest….
Addax….
At one point, on Sunday afternoon, we looked out & saw a little heard of friends 🙂 ….
We saw so may other amazing creatures during our stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. So many birds, cranes, Ostriches, & Gazelles just to name a few. Even by walking through the resort, there are so many spots you can stop & observe the savanna’s or even catch little spots, like the Flamingo area that’s over by the pool. It was truly an experience we will never forget and one that we all LOVED!!
The Animal Kingdom Lodge was, hands-down, a magical Disney experience. It was a perfect way to ring in little man’s 6th birthday! We hope to someday return ❤
Hi friends! As you know, my family loves all things Disney. Not only are we avid annual passholders now, but the last few years, we also have been huge fans of the Disney On Ice productions! It’s like getting some of the best parts of Disney magic right in your own backyard.
That’s right, it’s that time of the year, and I’m SO EXCITED to be partnering with Feld Entertainment as a Blog Ambassador once again when Disney On Ice presents Dare to Dreamcomes to the Amway Center here in Orlando from September 8-10, 2017. Liam is beyond thrilled to see his favorite Disney heroes hit the ice. His eyes especially lit up when I told him his new fav, Moana, would be there at center stage! I must admit that I am pretty stoked too! It definitely brings out the kid in me, for sure! I am super excited to be able to offer you, my readers, the opportunity to also be able to take your family. More on that, in just a minute.
Disney’s Moana voyages onto the ice for the first time as Disney On Ice presents Dare To Dream, produced by Feld Entertainment Inc., brings courage and adventure to hometowns across North America. Hosts Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse bring audiences on an expedition across raging seas and snow covered mountains in this action-packed extravaganza featuring Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Frozen, Tangled and Cinderella with other beloved Disney characters to help tell these extraordinary tales. Tickets are on sale now!
Dare To Dream takes families on a high-sea adventure as Moana sets sail on a life-changing quest to save her island with help from the demigod Maui. With the ice floor transformed into the vast oceanic scape, Disney On Ice allows Moana’s strength and determination to take center stage. This engaging atmosphere lets audiences deepen their existing connection to their favorite wayfinder and discover one’s true identity is never out of reach.
“As parents, we strive to find role models who embolden our children to choose kindness and exhibit the values we aim to impart, and this production of Disney On Ice truly embodies this goal,” said Executive Vice President of Feld Entertainment and Producer of Disney On Ice presents Dare To Dream, Nicole Feld. “With Dare To Dream, I want to inspire the youngest members of our families with the heroic stories of their favorite Disney characters and allow them to discover the hero within themselves.”
Photo Credit: Feld Entertainment
Beautiful production numbers invite audiences into the world of Beauty and the Beast, as Belle shows what it means to be fearless. Along with her new friends in the enchanted castle, Belle is encouraged to step outside the ordinary and find joy in the bleakest situation. As she looks beyond the harsh exterior of the Beast to reach his gentle heart, fans learn there are teachable moments in everyday life.
Through the athleticism and grace of Anna and Elsa, Rapunzel and Flynn, and Cinderella, brave heroes from Frozen, Tangled and Cinderella ignite passions to believe. Showgoers will witness each characters’ unique qualities and talents inspiring children around the world to discover their inner hero.
“One of the most magical things about Disney On Ice is the performers’ ability to authentically showcase the best qualities of Disney characters,” said Director Patty Vincent. “At our shows, moms and dads are able to experience the magic through the eyes of their children, allowing them to reconnect with their favorite characters and once again experience the childlike wonder and hope that inspires us all.”
Where: Amway Center, 400 West Church Street – Suite 200, Orlando, Florida 32801
Dates and Times of Performances:
Friday, September 8 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 9 at 11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, September 10 at 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Ticket Prices and Purchase:
Tickets for Disney On Ice presents Dare to Dream start from $18. Market pricing applies to all tickets. Rates can fluctuate based on factors that affect supply and demand. Lock in your price and location today!
All seats are reserved. Tickets are available at http://www.DisneyOnIce.com or http://www.ticketmaster.com, at any Ticketmaster outlet, by calling 800-745-3000, or at the Amway Center box office (phone for information only: 407-440-7900). For group ticket sales and information, call 866-248-8740.
SAVE 20% OFF SELECT SEATS WITH CODE: SAVE20. NOT VALID ON PREMIUM VIP SEATING. HURRY FOR THE BEST AVAILABLE SEATS!! CODE EXPIRES SEPTEMBER 7, 2017.
For a complete list of tour dates, visit the Disney On Ice website (http://www.disneyonice.com) and stay current on the latest developments through social media:
Ok, friends, I promised you a giveaway and here are the details….
Feld Entertainment is providing 4 tickets to one lucky reader of this blog!!
Please note that this is for the Orlando showing of Disney on Ice presents Dare to Dream at the Amway Center and no substitutions can be made. Winner will be able to choose either the opening night show on Friday, Sept. 8th @ 7:30 pm OR Saturday, Sept. 9th @ 11:00 am. Contest runs today, August 16th through Monday, August 21st at 8:00 am. Winner will be chosen at random and will notified by reply to comments in this post. Winner must respond back to me with show choice no later than August 22nd or prize will be forfeited & another winner will be chosen at random.
TO ENTER:
1. If you do not already, please subscribe to follow this blog (Enter your email address on the “Follow Us” link on the left-hand side-bar of this page).
2. In the comments below, share with us what Disney character your family is most looking forward to seeing at the Disney On Ice presents Dare to Dream show!
3. Be sure to “like” Disney On Ice on their Facebook page or “follow” them on Twitter or Instagram to stay up-to-date on all the latest updates & offers for the show.
4. One entry per subscribed email address, please.
That’s it! Pretty easy, right?!?!
Photo Credit Feld Entertainment
Everything about Disney is magical & I know this Disney On Ice presents Dare to Dream without a doubt will bring a lasting smile to my family’s face ❤ ….hope to see you there! — September 8-10, 2017. Remember, tickets are on sale now, and you can use code SAVE20 to save 20% off select seats! Get ’em before they are gone.
*I am a Feld Entertainment Blogger Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Feld shows and other exclusive opportunities.
For Christmas, we were beyond excited to get annual passes to Disney!! Santa brought Liam the news & we shared that HERE. While we have made one-day trips here & there to the parks over the years, this is honestly the 1st time we have ever held annual passes. It’s made both Stephen & I feel like little kids, ourselves 🙂
Those who are familiar with the annual passholder program know that there are several different tiers for the passes with various different blackout dates, benefits, etc. — We opted for the Gold passes, which have just two different weeks of blackout dates throughout the year and no water park admission (which is okay for us). So exciting that parking is included (that, alone, saves $20 a visit) and the Photopass Memory Memory Maker. Oh my goodness — We LOVE this Photopass feature and use it SO SO much! First, it is fantastic to be able to snag a quick family picture and the convenience of having the Photopass photographers just immediately scan it to download to your magicband is awesome! I can then save it right to the pictures on my phone. LOVE! Second, the Character Meet & Greets! We are obsessed! We have gotten some of the cutest pictures …and again, FREE downloads to your magicband! Liam also loves to get their autographs filled up in his book.
When our passes were 1st activated, we had to wait until the 1st week in January, as we were in one of those small blackout windows due to Christmas. However, once we had the greenlight, we were like kids in a candy shop! I think we went every weekend for that 1st month 🙂 ….Mickey Mouse was our 1st Character Meet & Greet. This one is from Main Street at the Magic Kingdom. We were blown away when we saw that he spoke and interacted!! So cool!!
In January, we also visited Animal Kingdom & got our 1st taste of magic shots. This is Pascal from Tangled on little man’s head ….LOL! I haven’t been too good with asking for many of these yet, so definitely have these on my list for future pictures…
Russell from Up …..
Safari Donald also at Animal Kingdom ……
In Epcot, we met Baymax!
We also met Mickey (in a different outfit this time….more classic looking), Minnie & Goofy 🙂
We found Daisy near Spaceship Earth. She kissed Liam & made him blush …loved it! ❤
In February, we made our 1st trip to Hollywood Studios. We skipped the end of night fireworks & instead, went to meet Kylo Ren from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. We were just a little bit bummed because they said no one from the First Order signs autographs BUT at least we got a cool pic. It was serious business time with this guy! Haha!
Chewbacca!
In March, we went back for some more Hollywood Studios fun… After some face painting, we ran into Green Army Man from Toy Story 🙂
So excited to find Moana! …she was so nice 🙂
Buzz & Woody from Toy Story ….they said Liam looked like Zurg & they were scared! Too funny!
He was thrilled to meet his pal, Pluto. He still says that this meet & greet is one of his favs! ❤
On Spring Break, we also bounced over to the Magic Kingdom. We found Donald Duck dressed up as the Astounding Donaldo Snake Charmer in the Storybook Circus Fantasyland area.
We also found Goofy here dressed as a stuntman, the Great Goofini 🙂
In Frontierland, we found Chip & Dale ….they were so super cute! These pics are a few of my favs so far ❤
Our trips to Disney have been filled with so many smiles & so much laughter. We are thankful to be creating some really awesome memories together as a family. We have lots more fun to share, so stay tuned ….
Casa de Murphy 