Just The Four Of Us - On site at OKW - Day 9 Books, Blizzard, AK – Everything's NOT Perfect!

[Kidd McFluff]

We woke pretty late today (fortunately without any help from our friends in Mousekeeping) and had breakfast in our room. Mouse-keeping had forgotten to replace the coffee (disaster! ) so I nipped down to Hospitality House to fill up the resort mugs and grabbed some pastries and a yoghurt pot while I was there.

Back at the room we had breakfast around the table. There was just about enough space for all four of us. It was nice to eat breakfast around the table together and we took our time. While we chatted it became apparent that both Isla and Dylan had run out of reading material so we decided to hit the discount book store before heading over to the Animal Kingdom for the rest of the day.

Breakfast done and bags packed, we chased the children around the room until they were smothered in sun cream. Our parental sun blocking duties done we then headed out to the car and were soon on our way to the mall. What mall I hear you ask? We have no idea! We googled ‘discount book store’ and found one that was only 7 miles away. It was in a mall surrounded by Under Armour, Nike, Calvin Klein etc. and although it wasn’t a big shop, it was packed with stuff for Isla and Dylan.

Within half an hour we had chosen a pile of books for the pair of them, Dylan managed to find some cool graphic novels (Warewolves v Vampires) and we also grabbed a couple of ‘Mad-Lib’ books too. These are great, the story has been written but has lots of spaces for you to add your own words to complete the story. Inevitably the first story my darling boy child wrote involved enormous amounts of poo, toilets, wee, rivers of puke and snot. That said, it’s such a struggle to get him engaged in any reading or writing that even a fixation with toilet humour is to be welcomed if he’s prepared to read and write about it.

With the books paid for (only $16 dollars for about 10 books) we decided against checking out the rest of the mall in favour of heading into Animal Kingdom for some lunch. It was already around 11:30 and although we’d had a late breakfast we were all ready for more. We were getting used to Disney eating by the looks of things.

We were quickly back to Old Key West and after a very quick pitstop to pick up the park bag it was straight over to catch the bus. The planets aligned and the bus arrived just as we did. We grabbed a seat and were off to Animal Kingdom. Once we were through security we headed straight for Flame Tree Barbeque where we used QS and Snack Credits for a barbeque feast.

We ordered three quick service meals. Ribs, Chicken and Pulled Pork Sampler, a Ribs and Chicken Combo and a Smoked pulled pork sandwich. We added a couple of portions of Loaded Fries as if we didn’t have enough already!

For drinks it was beer all round (for the grownups) and Mandarin Lemonade Coolers for the kids. We ate under the trees in the sitting area by the river. We were surrounded by storks who were all looking for a bite to eat too. Despite all of the signs saying ‘don’t feed the animals’ loads of people were dropping chips and bits of meat for them. We of course refrained from feeding the wildlife but they were certainly an impressive sight close up.

Once we’d finished our lunch we headed down to Pandora Land for our second ride of the holiday on the amazing flights of Passage. What a ride! Our second flight of passage was even better than the first. We got better seat positions than last time and the ride seemed smoother and quicker than before. Again, no spoilers but there are some truly brilliant parts of this ride that tested my fear of heights somewhat. I was in need of a sit down to recover so I parked myself in the sunshine outside the shop on the way out and let the rest of the clan explore the huge Flights of Passage shop. No more additions to the toy mountain but a couple of pin badges were added to the collection before they joined me outside for an ice cream.
With our flight of passage ride behind us we took a stroll around the park in the direction of Everest. It’s such a lovely place to wander around and as we had plenty of time we stopped for a few pics here and there along the way. We didn’t fancy the animal trails today so missed out on the gorillas and other wildlife on this trip. We’ll be back again within a couple of years with any luck so it’s something we can do next time we’re here. We were hoping to see some animals later on as we had a sunset Kilimanjaro Safari ride booked for after dinner.
Isla didn’t want to ride Everest today. She was feeling the heat and just wanted to chill out. I was happy to look around the gift shops with her while Dylan and Kirsten did Everest. There was no way Dylan was going to miss this ride as it’s one of his many favourites.

Isla and I explored the various shops and stalls around Asia and we met the others as they came off the ride. They’d had a great time and Dylan was bouncing with joy. ‘I saw the Yeti’ he yelled when he saw us. (so proud!).

We grabbed a couple of cokes from the drinks stall to keep us from running out of energy. We had a table booked at 6pm at Yak and Yeti and were really looking forward to eating there. Last year we had a great meal in Yak and Yeti but had been far too tired to enjoy it properly. This time we were determined not to repeat that mistake. We’d booked an early table and were there promptly after a leisurely wander around the park. We stopped along the way to play on the bongos again and to get more photo-pass photos done but were ready and checking in at 6pm on the dot for our table.

We were handed a buzzer by a CM and asked to sit in the waiting area. After about 10 minutes our buzzer went off and we were met by our server ‘Katie’. Katie was around 18 or 19 and full of enthusiasm. She bounded over to us and introduced herself before leading us to our table.

Katie disappeared for a while and soon returned with menu’s for us all. We ordered cocktails for Kirsten (Mojito for me and a Sangria for Kirsten) and some strawberry slushies for Isla and Dylan. ‘That’s perfect’ said Katie and off she went to collect the drinks. She was back soon and delivered all of our drinks. The cocktails were excellent (as we’d come to expect from Disney) but alas the slushies had come without straws. Katie had vanished but was soon back to see if we were ready to order our food. We asked her for some straws for the slushies and also mentioned to her that I had food intolerances. ‘Perfect, I’ll get the chef to come to the table for you’ she said and off she went again.

10 minutes later and we were still waiting. No straws and no chef had appeared. Katie seemed to have vanished too but I finally managed to get her attention and reminded her about the straws and the chef. ‘ OK perfect!’ said Katie ‘I’ll get those straws for you’. By this time the kids had started eating the slushies with their spoons as they had started to melt. Kirsten and I had almost finished our cocktails by now and we’d still seen nothing from the chef or straws. I grabbed the next passing CM and asked for a couple of straws. She nipped off and brought them over to us within about 30 seconds.

Eventually Katie arrived with the chef and we went through the menu together. I ordered the Soy Herb Glazed Ribeye with Wasabi Mash. He assured me that there would be no onion or garlic and that all would be fine. We asked for advice on the kids meals and Katie suggested the Siracha Fish Tacos for Dylan who was struggling to choose something. Isla went for the Mac & Cheese and Kirsten had the Coconut Shrimp.

We settled in to wait for our food and it arrived quite quickly. It all looked great and we tucked in. Dylan attacked his tacos with relish but the moment he began to chew the huge bite of fishy loveliness we knew something was wrong. Dylan isn’t a lover of spicy food. He can handle a mild curry or fajita but anything beyond that is too hot for him. He started crying and spitting the food out into his napkin. As he turned bright red and started shaking we thought he might be having an allergic reaction. ‘Too hot’ he cried and then we saw the problem. The taco’s had a very spicy buffalo sauce hidden below the fish and lettuce. Dylan was not a happy bunny. He’s taken a huge bite and his mouth was ‘on fire’.

(as a side note, these taco’s were actually delicious, yes they were very spicy but very tasty too).

As Dylan went into meltdown, Isla pointed at my plate and said ‘I thought you couldn’t eat onions Dad’ She had spotted the salsa on top of the steak and on close inspection what I thought was celery (because the chef had assured me earlier) turned out to be onion. The steak was covered in it.

We waited for Katie to appear again but she seemed to have gone AWOL so after waiting for 10 minutes I got the hump and stalked off to find someone to moan at. I found another Cast Member and asked him to bring the manager to our table. The Manager arrived swiftly and offered her apologies, the chef was brought out and was also very apologetic. He assured me that it had been a mix up in the kitchen and that he would have someone re-trained or flogged or something. Katie Reappeared and ensured us that everything would be ‘just perfect’ for us.

Meanwhile, Dylan is gulping down water and still in full meltdown mode. ‘My mouth is burning!’. The manager offered us some free slushies for the kids and I suggested that a couple of cocktails would be well received by the adults too. A new steak was delivered with the cocktails and slushies. I tucked in again. This time there were no onions but the steak was overcooked and very fatty. Kirsten and Isla were enjoying their meals but Dylan was now on my lap grizzling.

We managed to construct a chilli sauce free taco for Dylan and he ate it while on my knee. I picked at the steak while Kirsten and Isla finished their meals.

Katie bounced up to us again and asked how we were doing. Dylan was still sat on my knee looking miserable and Isla and Kirsten had enjoyed their food but the moment had been lost. The combined effects of the lack of straws, the chilli attack and onion incident had not made for a great experience.

Why on earth had Katie suggested the taco’s for an 8 year old? We gave her an honest answer ‘we’re not impressed’ ‘OK prefect!’ she replied ‘would you like to order deserts?’

We all ordered a desert and they were delivered without incident. In retrospect we’re not sure if the deserts were good or not. None of us had enjoyed our meal and we were keen to leave. We ordered Sorbet, Fried Wantons, Chocolate Pudding Cake and New York Cheese Cake and the only one we can remember was the fried wantons. These were really good, loads of crispy wontons with pineapple and ice cream and cream cheese with a honey vanilla drizzle.

We asked Katie for the bill and were pleased to see that my meal had not been charged for and that the drinks were also on the house. We only tipped 10% here. (We know the politics of tipping in the US but agreed that a tip of $11 was still generous under the circumstances).

As we left the restaurant Dylan began walking like a robot…’E-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g i-s p-e-r-f-e-c-t’ he said in a robotic voice….’E-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g i-s P-e-r-f-e-c-t’. I wasn’t quite sure what to say to that, he was getting a few odd looks but as far as the impression went, he’d pretty much nailed it. Katie was I’m sure perfectly good at her job on any other day, but with us she seemed mechanical and completely insincere. ‘Perfect’ has become a bit of a family joke since our meal at Yak & Yeti.

We all needed cheering up so with our fast pass for the safari about to open we hot footed it across the park and joined the queue. We were soon on the huge safari wagon and off around the park.

There were lots of animals out and about as the sun went down and we were lucky enough to see the lions all out in the open and roaring. The giraffes and elephants were out too and we also saw hippo, ostriches and all sorts of other things wandering about on the savannah. It was a lovely ride and we all enjoyed it. The Cast Members on the tour were great, they were really knowledgeable about the animals and with some good jokes too.

When the ride was over the sun had gone down and the park was bathed in darkness. We were in good spirits again and ready to head home to Old Key West. But not before a visit to Pandora Land to see it at night. We walked through the darkened park taking in the sights. It was a lovely end to a good day, the park was full of the noise of animals calling and screeching.

As we approached Pandora Land things began to get exciting. This part of Animal Kingdom is awesome. The entire park was lit up with ultra-violet. Paths glowed with lights embedded in the walkways and illuminous paint (invisible during the day) shining out from tree trunks, plants and vines all over the place. It’s absolutely beautiful. I’ve been impressed with the theming of other areas of Walt Disney World but this has taken things to another level. We made sure to get our photo taken here.

We wandered around for a while taking in the sights. Everywhere we looked there were people staring and pointing up at the huge displays and landscapes. Lights were twinkling on and off everywhere and lanterns and waterfalls lit up the landscape with multi-coloured beams.

It was pretty flipping amazing! You had to keep your wits about you here though. People were bumping into each other all over the place as they were distracted by the scenery and the various displays.
We really enjoyed wandering around and taking in all of the brilliant theming. After a toilet stop and then an ice cream stop we eventually made our way to the exit and over to the bus stops. We were only waiting for a few minutes and then onto the bus to get home.

We picked our favorite seats on the bus (at the back near the air-con unit to keep our bums warm) We were soon back at Old Key West and we had the kids in bed within a few minutes. It'd been a long day and Isla and Dylan were close to being overtired. It was a close call but teeth were cleaned and pyjamas were on within a couple of minutes and with the minimum of fuss. Radio 4 was enlisted for the lullaby services of 'Just a Minute' and the pair of them were sleeping soundly by the time we'd unpacked the park bags and tidied up the room and kitchen.

I nipped over to the pool for a quick swim before bed and was back within half an hour. (no Laundry Club this evening) It’s lovely to be able to stretch out in the pool before bed. A luxury I can’t ever imagine having at home unless we win the lottery

Kirsten and I hit the balcony for cocktails and the usual debrief. Trip notes were written up and plans made for our Epcot day tomorrow. We headed to bed before midnight and as usual were asleep within minutes. If only sleep would come so easily when we're at home. It's expensive sleep therapy at Disney but it's worth it!

[Goldia]

Yak and Yeti sounds like a disaster, what a shame. I did chuckle at Dylan doing his impression of robot Katie!

[Kidd McFluff]

Dylan's that kind of kid. Not sure where he gets it from?!

More Landrys e experiences to come later in the holiday. Spoiler alert... TRex didn't go well either!

Can't let a bad meal spoil our fun though. Fun will be had no matter what.

[Minnie Mum]

Everything is definitely not PERFECT! I normally love Yak and Yeti but that sounds rubbish. Glad it didnt spoil the rest of your day😊

[Kidd McFluff]

On further reflection I think we'd all like to try Yak & Yeti again some time. It's got a good reputation and we enjoyed it the first time we ate there OOP in 2017. The thing that puts us off is that we also had a rubbish experience at T-Rex in Disney Springs on the most recent trip and they are both in the same chain I think.

I'll keep my eye on the reviews and maybe give it another chance next time we are in AK

[Cinderella]

What a disappointing meal😟

[aqualiv]

Love animal kingdom! Pandora is stunning
Shame about the meal, I think the word perfect is getting over used and used incorrectly so much atm
Interesting reading about your garlic and onion intolerance as I think I have developed a garlic intolerance and try to avoid where possible

[StorybookCircus]

As soon as I saw the word Sriracha I knew something was up, who on earth serves a child hot sauce?! Katie needs a vocabulary lesson!

[YorkshireT]

I suppose the clue was in the word Siracha, I love Siracha sauce, but it is quite spicey. Wouldn’t expect a guest to necessary know what it is, but a server should. It’s also something someone wouldn’t recommend for kids. My kids eat in Indian restaurants no probs, but I doubt they’d enjoy Siracha.
My kids love the chicken tender things they do here on the kids menu, we pay OOP and I love it when they still order off the kids menu (oldest is now 14).
The food at Yak and Yeti was excellent when we went last summer. I had the Ahi tuna. Kids want to go back for Xmas lunch this year so we will do that. However we had a very, very similar experience with the server basically disappearing for long periods, but rather than saying ‘perfect’ ours actually gave me some backchat. I don’t know why I gave him $5 tip in retrospect, should have been nothing.
You are right about the nighttime atmosphere in Pandora, it is on another level. I also like how it even smells different.

[jothp]

Your meal at Yak and Yeti sounds terrible. Thankfully the onion was spotted before it had done any harm but the server sounds awful too. We've never visited Pandora at night but it looks really beautiful and I think that will be a must do item for our next visit.