April 2012 - Earth Day and F&G Festival -- Trip cancelled!

[wdrl]

Edit: trip had to be cancelled see post Number 24 below.

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Our next Disney trip is still 15 days away, but we already have planned another trip for April 21-30, 2012. When the 11-month Home Resort window opened in May we book$ed 2 nights AKV Concierge and 6 nights BLT Standard View. Yesterday, when the 7-month window opened, we switched the BLT reservation over to SSR. By making the switch from BLT to SSR, we added a day to our trip: 6-nights BLT Standard and 7-nights SSR each cost 120 points.

This will be our first stay at SSR. After we stay there, we will have stayed at all the WDW DVC resorts except BCV. We didn't request a specific section of SSR; we just requested a villa above the first floor.

It will also be the first time for us to stay at the Concierge Level at AKV. Earth Day 2012 falls on April 22 while we are staying at AKV, and we are looking forward to doing the Sunrise Safari on Earth Day. I wonder if AKV and Animal Kingdom Park will have special events on that day?

Only 30 weeks to go before we check in at AKV!!

[simbasmom]

Your first stay at SSR-it's always exciting to try out a new resort. We'll be next door to you, at least the first week-4/22-4/28 at OKW for our anniversary (30th). Selfishly, I kind of hope that AK doesn't do anything on Earth Day, since I'll miss it. Or is they want to wait and do it on 4/23, that's OK.

[denlo]

Tomorrow is the 180 day mark from our arrival date at WDW. Wish us luck in getting the Sunrise Safari for Sunday, April 22nd. Hopefully we can book it tomorrow versus waiting until Tuesday, the 180 days from the safari date.

I was goggling Earth Day 2012 and this thread came up. LOL. Funny that we're the only ones excited about Earth Day at Animal Kingdom Park.

[idratherbeinwdw]

Good luck getting the safari when you call tomorrow!

[simbasmom]

Yes, good luck on getting the Sunrise Safari. That's the one thing at AKL I'd love to do that I haven't. Probably something to do with not having been club level! Should be soo enjoyable. So's the Sunset Safari!

[denlo]

We haven't been able to get through to a CM. Left info to call us back. We decided that we would do club level this one time just to do the safari. We can't justify the extra point cost to do CL regularly. And since we've grown accustom to not have daily maid service we find it inconvenient when staying at regular hotels. We often tell the maids we don't want daily service and put out the do not disturb sign. So since that's part of the perk when staying at AKV CL, we think we are really spending points needlessly. I think I'll go and call IP again.

[idratherbeinwdw]

I think I'll go and call IP again.

What's IP stand for? I can't figure it out, although I am pretty sure in this case it isn't Internet Provider.

[denlo]

IP can be the Itinerary Planner or Itinerary Planning. That's the CM's you call to make the Sunrise Safari reservation and they will schedule all of your ADRs and Events too if you are staying AKV club level.

[denlo]

We are booked for the Sunrise Safari on Sunday, April 22, 2012! The cost is $65 per person. We will meet between 6:30 and 6:45 am at the club level lounge at AKV. They bus us to AK and we board our special truck at Kilimanjaro safari. I think it's like the ones used for the Animal Trek. We then cruise around with our animal specialist for about an hour with great photo ops as they say. We're definitely taking the SLR for this trip. Probably both cameras. Then we breakfast at Pizzafari. After that you can return to the resort using the Disney Bus system or park hop or stay at AK.



We also made a reservation to do Dine with an Animal Specialist at Sanaa for Saturday, April 21st. It's at Noon. Currently that's the day we arrive. So we'll probably add on a day to be safe. We thought it would be easier to do this event while we are actually staying at AKV Jambo House. Sanaa recently added the Saturday date to the Dine with the Animal Specialist because the Wednesday dates were so popular. The IP said our reservation was the first one she could book online for the Saana event. She was pretty happy about that change.

[wdrl]

Selfishly, I kind of hope that AK doesn't do anything on Earth Day, since I'll miss it.

While making our reservations for the Sunrise Safari and the Luncheon with the Animal Keepers at Sanaa, I asked the itinerary planner if the Animal Kingdom Lodge or Park will have any special Earth Day events on April 22, 2012. Yes, we will, said the CM. However, the CM said the events are usually not announced until a few weeks before Earth Day. We'll need to check back about a month before our trip and see if there is anything we want to sign up for. Maybe they'll just show one of the Disney nature films, like African Cats, at the pool that night. But hey, its all part of the fun!!

Just 180 days to go.