Seeking the Wild at Animal Kingdom

Since we had a few first timers to the resort, and one who works at the San Diego Safari Park, we tried to WOW our friends at Animal Kingdom. With our shorter than normal stay at Disney World we knew what offerings to skip. The 10 Miler run we'd soon be apart of the following night also dictated a shorter stay at this park. So, if you visit Animal Kingdom park on a short trip, maybe the type of day we had is for you.

It is said that the Safari attraction should always be visited early on in one's day. Eric and I steered our group left, toward the Safari. The eight of us made short stops along the way. A group, couple, or single person shouldn't be able to resist the views one comes across at this park.

Eric & Ricky couldn't resist an "afro circus" reference.

If you're into photography, there are opportunities all around. Right at the start its easy to get side tracked taking group photos with the Tree of Life as your backdrop. Now when I say "side tracked", I don't mean that in a negative way at all. I can't stress how easy it is to suddenly become engrossed in the atmosphere. The enveloping theme draws you into a convincing, jungle-like world.

After moving through the plants and crossing a bridge, we all arrived in the park's section of Harambe. This area themed to a fictitious market place in Africa is the corridor leading us to the Kilamanjaro Safari. If you can resist the shops and various treats, you'll end up at the "upside down" tree. That tree marks the queue entrance and our journey to a jungle, savannah, and the mud pits.

Eric and I have ridden this tour many times and we usually have a different experience. The sequence of animals seen remains the same, but sometimes we see Lions and others trips we don't. This time I wanted all hands on deck because Kevin knows about Safari set ups like this, and so does his girlfriend Angie. Kevin and Angie would be the travelers to impress. Kevin works at the Safari Park in San Diego County and Angie has been there many times.

Angie/Kevin

Giving a complete play by play of what animals we saw would fill up this whole blog entry. I will say I had hoped to see a lot more during this Safari. If I recall correctly, Kevin and I did joke a little with an abridged Jurassic Park quote "Uh, you do have animals in your Animal Kingdom safari park, yes?" I hope our first timers, that also included Rey and Brandi, still had an enjoyable time while riding. Karla had visited before, but that was Fall of 2004.

Although the bumpy jeep ride through the safari is the main draw, Animal Kingdom has other attractions to offer. And, if you only have one day your group might leave not seeing key experiences. Sure "ignorance is bliss" but missing out on the unknown is a shame.

One of Eric's "not to be missed" items are both Pangani Trail (gorillas) and Maharaja Jungle Trek (tigers and bats). Both trails are lengthy but benches are provided as rest stops. More importantly, those benches being cooled by huge fans are there to take in this great environment. The trails themselves are in unique settings of an old palace and ancient ruins.

It was so fun to watch our friends try to find all the birds in the park's aviary section of the Jungle Trek. One of the Cast Members helped out Brandi as she tried to find a gold tailed bird. She found him in the end. But then the Cast Member spoke on and on about the bird's characteristics. Don't get me wrong. She was very informative, but our group was already in the next exhibit while Brandi and I patiently listened.

Jungle Trek passes through an abandoned palace

A key moment in the Pangani Trail is the grand finale of seeing gorillas in a good sized habitat. This gorilla habitat is a sight to behold as it surrounds the visitor on both sides of the trail. Some guests storm right through and others take a seat and just watch the gorillas for a chunk of time. It's certainly quite relaxing as you hear waterfalls cascading down the hills. I'm agreeing with Eric that these trails are "a must" when visiting this park.

The thrills of seeing giraffes and gorillas don't compare to the sensation of careening through a coaster track. If you don't know, this is where Disney erected Expedition Everest. The mountain themed after the Himalayas sits in Animal Kingdom's Asia section. As our group moved through the humidity and passed under authentically hung flags, we felt as though we were in Nepal. Every few minutes one can see the coaster's train climb high up the side of the mountain.

Whether one uses fast pass or not, the queue is usually not bad. I think the most Eric and I have waited is 30 minutes. That wait time was in the "off season" 6 years ago, when the attraction first opened. I would hate for someone to miss this great attraction because they felt the wait was too long. Of course with the new Fast Pass+ you'll be able to schedule your ride times before leaving home. That could definitely change the way folks maneuver the park.

Not to single out Rey but we were a little interested to see his reaction. I hear coasters/heights are not his favorite encounters. He is a trooper though and boarded with the rest of us. With that said, Rey loved it and so did everyone else in our group. There are a few surprises that I won't spoil for others that have yet to ride. The adrenaline sure gave everyone a perk to trudge along through the humid filled day.

Rick and Karla

Rey squeezing for dear life!!

If you're wondering about food, there is a good assortment from which to choose. During our time at the park we did take a few rests and used our Disney Dining Plan snack credits. Eric found this huge cupcake that he was not able to finish. I ordered too soon and picked out a regular cheese Danish. I wish I had chosen a cupcake similar to Eric. One should get the most out of the Dining Plan.

As we relaxed in the humid shade we were able to talk about our action plan for the 10 mile run. The Twilight Zone 10 Miler was the next night, but we had to pick up race packets. Having to do this made our Animal Kingdom day a little shorter. The packets were only given out until a certain time. Also, half of our group that hadn't yet seen the Cirque du Soleil show La Nouba were going to check out available tickets. After cementing our plan for that, Angie, Karla, and I danced to some African beats!

Dancing to the drums!

We heard Dinosaur, a turbulent ride a prehistoric time, was not running at the moment so we headed to the rapids. Eric and I normally skip this attraction because compared to Grizzly River Run at California Adventure, this ride is sub-par. But, I'm not exaggerating when I say it was sickly hot and humid!

Kali River Rapids is located in the Asia section and has great theming. The "thrill" factor is low, but it can still be fun. The queue consists of a few shrines and abandoned shops that give the feeling one is in India. The actual attraction experience has an environmental conscience message about deforestation. There's a strong image of a burning forest while lumber is hauled away. Our group left the attraction with a decent amount of water splashes. It sure felt great with the weather!

Our six hours in the park was passing by us quite quickly. Although we had our snack, the heat was bringing on hunger faster than we thought. Some great places to eat at this park are PizzaFari, Yak and Yeti, and the place we chose this day, Flame Tree BBQ.

The great traits about the Flame Tree BBQ are the food portions and the seating area provided. Right behind the kitchen building and along the water are many tables. As Eric and I have done in the past, our group grabbed a table with a great view of Expedition Everest. I have to add that it's also a quiet area to rest from the day's walking.

After lunch we found ourselves in the 2 o'clock hour. It was close to our departure from the park. Even though Angie is terrified of Dinosaurs, she decided to tough it out on the attraction of the same name. We checked our wait time app and saw that it was open with a 15-20 minutes wait (a typical length).

Eric and I always get so excited to get people on this attraction for the first time. I know when I had my first trip, I didn't expect what Dinosaur had to offer. Unfortunately the attraction broke down as we neared the front of the queue. After waiting it out a bit, the Cast Members cleared the building of all guests. I'm pretty sure Angie was relieved, but Eric and I were disappointed. We weren't sure when our friends would return so we hoped they would get the experience.

As we headed toward the main entrance, Ricky and Eric made a few last attempts to trade some pins. It's also usually the time when one asks himself, "Did I get a photo of The Tree of Life?" So a few pictures were taken of the tree as we headed out.

Ricky, Angie, Eric, and myself still had the packet pick up and RunDisney Expo at Disney's Wide World of Sports complex. Also, since Kevin, Rey, Angie, and Brandi were heading to Cirque. The rest of us would continue alcohol tasting at Epcot. So you see, although not all attractions were ridden, you can still get a full day here. There is nothing worse than trying to cram everything in your day. It can sometimes be too hot and exhausting for that. Your friends, partner, or family are with you, and that's the important part. It's also okay to split up and regroup.

More shows than one can handle at Knott's MERRY Farm

After many years together, Eric and I finally became pass holders to Knott's Berry Farm. We hadn't been to "America's 1st Theme Park" since holiday time of 2010. Although there wasn't really anything added recently to the park, we found new experiences for ourselves.

We popped into to the Passholder Center and turnstiles about 30 minutes after the park opened. When they call something a "ghost town", an early arrival shows they really mean it. As we went through the western town we found ourselves alone on the streets. But, we weren't going to argue one bit. We were able to point out small items we missed last time (the Craft Fair clogged the streets). The area was so free of movement that we even noticed two rocking chairs being used by a ghost. There they were on the balcony, rocking on their own accord. It was a nice and subtle touch.

The rocker on the balcony was rocking away!

We arrived so early because we wanted to fit in as much entertainment as possible. The first show on our list was The Mystery Lodge. Seeing as it was just a bit early, we made a quick detour to Pony Express. With absolutely no wait in the queue, we walked right up to the front row. Getting that front row amplifies that windy sound in your ears as you careen down the track. The unique ride vehicles also presents an odd looking sitting position. One sits as though he is galloping away on his trusty horse. It's a lot of fun! 

Eric and I were now ready to be told an old story from a native Pacific Northwestern dweller. Knott's Mystery Lodge features a storyteller that takes the audience on a journey through his life and demonstrates Man's connection to the Earth. Through the use of in theater "smoke and fire" effects, the tale is enhanced and illustrated. There are even a few moments when the narrator vanishes and reappears elsewhere in the theater. The show is done very well and only had a handful of performances take place a day. For anyone heading to Knott's, I would highly suggest you take time to enjoy a seat and a good story.

Overlooking Big Foot Rapids. It was too cold for this one.

We heard that to get deeper into the wild west we had to take a stage coach. Well Knott's did a great job hiding the Stage Coach barn area so I had to ask a few Cowboys if they knew where we could find it. I thought he was lying, but he said I'd have to ride a bullet to get a better view of the land. Then, the cowboy that said from there we'd find the horses and coaches.

I should have believed him because Eric and I found ourselves boarding the Silver Bullet coaster. That suspended coaster flipped us every which way physics found possible! At some point time seemed to slow and we felt ourselves floating while the harness spun around us! Through this fun madness we saw the Stage Coach! We found our way and were ready to head deeper into the Wild West.

The views from the buggy were clear as day.

That coach dropped us off in an even colder environment than before. We needed coffee or hot chocolate fast! Luckily past a few saloons, and the haunted mine shaft of GhostRider, we got our hands on something warm, coffee. And as we sipped our coffee, in the shade, we watched people scream their silly heads on the nearby coaster. (not sure why we avoided the table in the warm sun)

Alas it was time for the big show of the day "It's Christmas, Snoopy!" We didn't have Dr. Who's Police Box to travel through time, so we just had to walk very fast to a 1920s style boardwalk. It was there, next to the dearly departed Kingdom of the Dinosaurs, that we found the Charles Shulz Theater. 

Once the house lights went down the show jumped right into the ice skating. We had seen this show two years ago and it was the same show. I was hoping for this because the skating is great and so are the interludes between the big numbers. The Peanuts gang (Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, and Sally) put on a skit while the rest of the troupe changes. As one might guess, the story follows the Charlie Brown TV special from the 1960s. 

There was a woman or man in the audience that screamed out as the performers leapt across the stage. I found myself waiting to hear the "Aaaah!" whenever a performer completed a triple or double axle. 

For those who don't know, the Log Ride is shutting down soon for a lengthy rehab. I don't know the specifics, but the point is we rode it. For Christmas time the attraction has been invaded by elves. 

The mountain is certainly showing its age and is crying for help. We heard this crying as we approached the queue. As it turns out, it was the sound of the small elf that was standing next to the North Pole signage. Eric and I were hoping we wouldn't get too wet while riding. As I mentioned earlier, it was a cold day running at about 55 degrees. 

As with most attractions this day, the queue was next to non-existant. We might have waited about 5 minutes. I'm guessing that the draw on this cold day was the the Christmas theme and the soon closure. When we rode Boomerang, a far more thrilling coaster you ride forward and backwards, there was absolutely no wait.

The cast member behind Eric is asking avoiding eye contact.

Puffy clouds set the backdrop for Supreme Scream(left), Log ride (front), and Silver Bullet(right)

After the Log Ride we found ourselves back in the Ghost Town. Aside from attractions mentioned earlier, this land is also home to The Bird Cage Theater . Eric and I planned to catch the performance of "The Gift of the Magi". To our surprise the theater had a building's facade, but it's actually made of a tent. We had hoped for something with a little more embellishments. Luckily the structure didn't take away from the actors' performance. They presented a story of a couple's struggle to give one another a Christmas gift. The same theater puts on A Christmas Carol. We will need to see that next year.

It was nearing 4:15 and the sun was starting to hide behind the haunted buildings of the Ghost Town. To warm up for the parade, we headed back to the coffee shop. But, on our way back toward the parade route we stumbled across a Native American Indian performing. He was chanting, playing instruments, and dancing with hoops. We hadn't expected to see this today, but we were glad to have passed by.

It was now parade time. Knott's had people in bright, red jackets lined up the parade route. We guessed no one wanted to put up ropes or drill any holes for poles. I wasn't expecting really anything for this parade. I was told it was four floats and had off-beat dancers. As they were younger, the performers seemed to be from a local dance/school group. They stayed "in-time" better than expected. The floats five or six were just ok, but still cute. 

The guy in the red jacket marks the route.

 

Now we were getting even more cold and planned to leave. We headed back through the Old West area and passed the Calico Saloon. Well, the saloon show was about to begin and before I asked Eric if he wanted to watch, he was halfway up the stairs. If I haven't already mentioned it, the entertainment at the park is generally done well. At this saloon show, the singers were professional, engaged the audience and were quite funny. It was clean, silly, American old west humor.

As he sings, the love of our damsel's life awkwardly photographed.

Piano player is cues the audience.

So as our day drew to a close we took a short stroll through Camp Snoopy. The area was lit up for the holiday one last time. It was the final day of Knott's MERRY Farm, until next year. As Eric and I wandered the camp, posting to Instagram, our numb fingers could barely type up our posts. As the park's crowd thinned out again, but never got busy in the first place, we were ready to go somewhere warm. Eric and I took in a lot of Knott's entertainment that day. We definitely accomplished the goal for our day.

Fast Pass Plus invites!

So our Walt Disney World trip is fast approaching! Less than three weeks to go and today we received a Fast Pass plus invite. This would allow us to schedule fast pass uses for one day at the Magic Kingdom. A guest is able to print your attraction schedule from a kiosk at the park or from Magical Express check-in. The catch for the trail period is that we must use the system on our first day. We'll need to get four sets of two to get through the site, and choose the same time frames. 

Although its great we can test out this system, we don't arrive until 4 pm. We went ahead and chose our four attractions. Jungle Cruise, Peter Pan, Big Thunder Mountain, and Winnie the Pooh were the attractions we chose. We based these choices off the fact that the queues for these are usually longer. Jungle Cruise might seem like an odd one but it always has a lengthy wait. Then there came a problem. The computer scheduled our times in the morning hours and wouldn't let us alter them for evening. We tried again and the system kicked us out for software compatibility. 

Our other travel companion attempted to use this as well and had a different experience. He wasn't booted out. Instead, the site wasn't allowing him to navigate through choices. There are buttons you use to select time ranges and refresh your page. His "buttons" were not visible. We're on our way to losing the evening slots!!

We then tried my iPad it was compatible! Two of our times, for Jungle Cruise and Peter Pan, are still too early, but we'll work on getting that changed. It says we can try again for different times. Our friend sent us a text letting us know he had luck as well! Now we need to notify two more sets of two. 

Did anyone else out there receive an e-mail? What do you think of the system or idea of it? Let me know down below. Personally I don't like to plan things down to the wire. Dinner reservations are usually as far as I go. Also, we normally use Extra Magic Hours to plan which park to visit, but all your attraction times? Even though it might be too much planning I'm willing to try it. I'll cross my fingers that we can get better time slots for those two attractions. 

Walt Disney World's 40th continued

    Ever take a red eye flight? It can be quite exhausting if, like me, you can't sleep on planes! Although I can't sleep, Eric seems to have no problem knocking out on a flight. I will say that it definitely saves time. Leaving home at 7 AM to arrive at 7 PM is just crazy! With the red eye we arrive just before 7 AM and BAM! We are in Florida!! (or as Eric and I like to "sing song" the state's name, "Floridaaaaaaaa!")

    Being tired we make it to the hotel via Disney's Magical Express. You are whisked away to your resort on a Disney themed shuttle (included in hotel price). The crew picks up your luggage from the airport and delivers it to your room. It's like a limo, but not a limo!

    Even though we are pretty tired we knew exactly what we wanted to do. Our plan for day one is to visit Blizzard Beach. It's a water park with a unique story. There was an out of the ordinary snow storm right in the middle of Florida! A gator decided to open a ski resort for all to enjoy. But, it turns out it's too hot in Florida and the water started to melt. Well, now what's left is the melting water and the pools of water. There's even a huge lazy river! (which is what we had our eyes on)

Summit Plummet

Lazy River

    This snow blanketed water park is home to one of the scariest water slides I've ever ridden. SUMMIT PLUMMET! It is a 12 story drop straight down to the pool. Eric was very jazzed at the idea of facing one of the great fears in Central Florida! I was slowly walking behind him but had no intention to chicken out. The park has a ski lift that takes you up the side of the mountain. Very cool idea!!

    When you sit at the top of that slide it's like looking at all your fears and doubts about the world and saying, "Yes. You may take over." The queue was very short. We watched the few ahead of us take the plunge and immediately my instinct is to not do this. Eric was not bothered but was maybe a tad nervous. Even though I had nerves I had to do this. Eric went over before I could blink and the attendant looked at me. "Cross your arms, push yourself, then cross your hands."
 
    The rush you feel as you "fall" is exhilarating! You leave the slide for just a moment. It was so quick that I don't even remember if I made as much as a peep. I was already at the bottom and could see Eric flashing a smile at me. I told him, "I think I'm good. I did it and I'm good".

The gator got a little carried away!

The Gator that started it all!

    We spent the rest of our time there relaxing (sleeping), enjoying the wave pool, splashing down the various slides, and taking lots of pictures. With a camera in my hand I am unstoppable! We found the theme displayed in cheeky vignettes throughout the park. It was a little sad but funny to take photos along side the melting snowman family. Aww, they're dying.

    After this visit we have seen both of Disney's World's waterparks. I have to say that as an adult, Typhoon Lagoon is the better park. The uniqueness of the themes are both great, but Typhoon Lagoon is a little more relaxed. One even has that "I'm stuck on a tropical island" sensation (although fast food is present). If all you readers out there have a chance, visit both.

    Although we had some good times at Blizzard Beach it was time to move on. Eric and I both agreed that since Extra Magic Hours were taking place at our favorite park, we had to go! We hit the room for a quick refresh and were out the door to resort shuttles that would take us to EPCOT.

    Some friends think we are a little nutty for not renting a car. But why rent a car when Magical Express is your to/from airport transportation and the resort has shuttles? I think they don't like to wait. But I don't want to drive. I do that enough while I live my everyday life. In this trip report you'll see how we conquer the WDW transportation system.

    Getting to EPCOT always brings about excitement in Eric and myself. This is the park that we can just sit and watch stuff happen. We know we've made it to the park when we hear the entrance area music. I have read on other trip reports and also heard from friends that the EPCOT area music is special to them. It's just so 1980s/electronic retro.

    It was late afternoon/early evening now and the park icon, Spaceship Earth, stands out amongst anything else. To those who haven't visited, Spaceship Earth is that "golf ball looking thing". (at least that's what I knew it as when I was younger) The structure houses a favorite attraction of ours called by the same name, Spaceship Earth. It's an omnimover/conveyor type attraction where you travel through the ages of communication. It's what our good friend Karla once called "Epcot's Thesis Statement".

    I think Eric and I are lucky in that we share a lot of favorite attractions. We both also keep a very open mind about what our schedule is to be. Since Spaceship Earth is literally at the park entry we queued up for it. It's narrated by Dame Judi Dench and we have a blast imitating the narration afterward. Yes, we are dorks but we love each other! The wait for this attraction always is shorter than it looks. And most times, like in this case, it's merely a walk up the ramp.

    One could easily spend three consecutive days at EPCOT as they see all the offerings. On this night our goals are summed up by the phrase "Do whatever sounds good". During Extra Magic hours only hotel guests can experience attractions, so the lines are short. While the park was still open to all guests, we decide to try the Mexico Pavillion's new Taquila bar La Cava del Tequila. The menu is pretty vast and has a few drinks I wasn't too sure about, like the Jalapeño Margarita. Eric ordered the Midnight Blue margarita mixed with Agave Tequila, lime juice, Curaçao with a hibiscus Himalayan salt rim. I ordered the Pineapple Margarita comprised of also Agave Tequila, ginger liqueur, pineapple nectar, lime juice, agave nectar, served on the rocks. You can see both drinks here. They gave us a little bit of a buzz.

    Hey look at that! We both just got a text message! Our friends Daniel and Josh just happened to be at EPCOT as well and thought we should meet up. They were on the far end so we said we'd meet after the pyrotechnic show ILLUMINATIONS.

    Meanwhile, we sat within the Mexico pyramid, sipping our adult beverages, and gaze across the plaza. This pyramid has that similar trick Pirates of the Carribean uses. When you enter the pyramid it appears as though you are outside, during the twilight hours, in a plaza. From there stores, eateries,     the new bar, and a boat ride branch off. Eric and I glance at each other and say, "Here we are. We made it." Moments like this are perfect and I'll always remember them. There is plenty more to see, but we are very thankful we could make another trip.

School Bread!!!

    On our way to stake out a spot for the pyro show we notice we have time for a snack. And, not just any snack but a pastry! We head over to the next World Showcase Pavillion, Norway. The bakery there has a great little pastry called School Bread. I haven't researched as to where the name comes from but it's excellent! The donut type pastry is covered in coconut shavings, and has a custard at the core. We visited so many times before our friend Miley discovered it. How could we not know??? My point? If you find yourself at EPCOT, try this little treat and you'll love it.

    With most things we love, Eric and I both LOVE the pyro show called Illuminations. It always happens at park closing and blows my mind. This show doesn't make Disney references as you would find at Disneyland or during World of Color. This show is about everyone and how we all live on this Earth. Sounds so cheesy right!! (well its not) If nothing else, the pyro is excellent! Guests can watch from all around the huge lagoon that sits at the center of World Showcase. Referring back to our friend Karla, she aptly called this show "EPCOT's Conclusion". It ties everything you saw during your EPCOT experience together.

Show Finale

    After the show ended we found our pals Josh and Daniel. They had been there a few days before us and also were looking forward to the Magic Kingdom's 40th Anniversary. They told us a few stories from their trip and the four of us ran around the park. They too can appreciate the downright goodness of the park and also when to poke fun. Like the Judi Dench narration, you must make fun of it and love it simultaneously.

    As you may have guessed, there's so much to do at EPCOT that we couldn't possibly visit all attractions. As the trip progresses, we'll visit again. After we closed down the park, "tired" was an understatement. We had been awake too long and our next day would take us "into" the movies!