Racer X Goes Goofy (7/15 Dinoland)

[thecapells]

Thanks for sharing your trip report! Sounds like you had a great trip! I'm looking forward to trying Tusker House (for supper though) for the first time in November. it was hard for us to break away from our AK supper favorite: Yak and yeti! but we wanted to try something new!

I hope you're having a great day! Jennifer

Thanks!
We really like Tusker House for meals but we love Yak & Yeti as well.
Do one for lunch and the other for dinner!

I'll try to get the next segment up in the next day or two...

 

[thecapells]

After a long lunch, we took a quiet walk along the Africa-Asia trail so X could nap.
Very nice views of waterfalls and the Tree of Life.
What animals can you find?






















Along the way, we found a Photopass photographer and could not refuse.












Then we found the entrance to the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail.
Come along and see what we find!

 

[thecapells]

We usually just sneak in the exit to see the gorillas but this time we had time to explore.










First up - Colobus Monkeys.
My favorite was the little sleeping one.








Then okapi – fact of the day, they are related to giraffes, not zebras.
And, of course, they showed us their butts.
So, without delay, we present to the DIS Board community…
OKAPI BUTT!






The fish exhibit was interesting since it was feeding time so they were in a frenzy.
Apparently the little yellow birds also like the fish food according to the CMs.
They were dive bombing passers-by – it was really cool.









The hippo was next.
He swam around and had a major splash at one point.
Hard to get pics but here’s what we got…










Next it was time to meet Timon.
Well, not really – we found some prairie dogs – not meerkats.




And where there’s Timon, there must be Pumbaa.
Well, sort of…

 

[thecapells]

Then it was time to meet the gorillas.
They were hanging out with Baby Lilly – their newest member.












These guys are big.
Just check out the comparisons.




When we finished the trail, the parade was ending.
We always catch the end.










Next up - Sunset Safari!
Grab those sunglasses and climb on board!

 

[dawnbu40]

Great updates! All the pics made me feel like I was there

 

[thecapells]

Great updates! All the pics made me feel like I was there

Yeah, I think J got a little carried away with the details...

 

[thecapells]

By now, it was also almost time for the last Safari of the day.
So we watched the end of the parade, woke up X, and headed into the Safari.
Make sure to have your bags packed – it’s a 2-week safari after all.






And, of course, our favorite warning.
ABSOLUTLEY NO DANCING ON THE SAFARI




We were able to grab the first row of the vehicle and I showed off my animal knowledge.
The first thing we saw was the okapi and our driver asked what they were related to!
Everyone remember from a couple of posts back?
Well, I got a gold star and was named the expert of the crew.












The driver proceeded to try and stump me throughout the rest of the trip.
Everyone know that the baobob tree means “upside down” tree because it looks like the roots are growing up?


Everyone else know that those big “sculptures” along the way are termite hills?
Well, besides being educational the safari shows off some animals as well.










We were doing fine until the rickety bridge.
Everybody hold on!
Lean left! Now right!


Along the way we saw the Wild Africa Trek outposts.
We have to try that excursion one of these days…


Our sunset dusk safari revealed some new experiences.
The female lion was out, the male lion was marking his territory, and the cheetahs were posing for the camera.

 

[thecapells]

Then of course we arrived at the poachers.
I’m glad this storyline has since been removed.
So here’s one last look into their campsite complete with the rescue of Little Red.








Great safari!
I think we’ll try sunset safaris more often (as opposed to the first thing in the morning).


After our safari we headed back to Discovery Island and detoured to Camp Minnie Mickey to see if Goofy’s Holiday Village was still there.
Come explore with us!

 

[dawnbu40]

Wow great photos of those elusive lions!

Looks like you guys had a great safari!

 

[thecapells]

Wow great photos of those elusive lions!

Looks like you guys had a great safari!

We were really quite pleased with the sunset safari.
That, and the fact that it was January, made for a cool evening and the animals were out in force!

 

[thecapells]

So we wandered across Animal Kingdom making our way to Camp Minnie Mickey.
And J was on detail patrol as usual.
Here’s what he found – lots of Xmas decorations still up…
























Finally, we arrived at Camp Minnie Mickey.





And my favorite details – the old dragon rock that once shot flames out of his mouth.
This was to be the entrance to the mythical Beastly Kingdomme.


Next we stumbled across a troop of ducks on a hike.
I love these guys – it’s a shame Huey, Luey, and Duey are no longer walkaround characters.



While the ducks were hiking, Mickey and the gang were chillin’ by the water hole.
Looks nice and relaxing, eh?

 

[thecapells]

Finally it was time for “Goofy’s Holiday Village.”
All we found were really cool character Xmas trees.
Can you place the character with the corresponding tree?
I’ll put the answers beneath the pictures…











Pocohontas (notice the picture of Meeko on the tree)





Goofy





Minnie









Mickey



Daisy (notice the daisies)



Donald



Lilo (notice her little doll)







Stitch (Aloha!)



and Nemo!!

I never saw those before – very cute little details.
After checking out all the trees, it was time to head back into time and visit Dinoland.
Pack your bags, brace yourself for time travel, and come along!

 

[boxmaster]

So we wandered across Animal Kingdom making our way to Camp Minnie Mickey.
And J was on detail patrol as usual.

Don't pretend like you don't like some of the detail pics. It's uploading them that you dislike.

 

[thecapells]

We arrived at Dinoland still in the holiday spirit.
Even the students at the Dino Institute were being festive!
A little detail many miss unless you periodically stop and look up!


But we came here for X’s first ride on Dinosaur!
And he was rarin’ to go!
Look at that determination!




I love the dinosaur skeletons here.
From good ol’ Dino-Sue to the T-Rex in the lobby, it just sets the tone for the ride.





As for the ride itself, the CM’s didn’t even bother to check X’s size.
Which is odd because he just barely made the height requirement and was ready to prove it!
Standby was 10 min now but we used our fastpasses.
This was still back in the days of non-enforced FP windows.
So in a matter of minutes, we were strapped into our Time Rover and ready for action!


Dinos whizzed by, ate each other, and growled at us while he flew back and forth as the Time Rover periously rushed through the jungles.
I love this ride – by far my favorite in Animal Kingdom.
And X made it out alive!


After arriving back in our own time, we unloaded and then it was time for reactions.
X’s response – “It wasn’t scary Dad. But it was a bit freaky.”


I asked him if he wanted to try it again and he said ‘no.’
But since he was just getting into his collection of Disney Racers, he perked up when I mentioned there was a racer for this ride.
And then the great “Carnotaurus Disney Racer Hunt” began.
We checked every gift shop we could find from the attractions to the stand-alone carts.
We would find a Carnotaurus Racer to commemorate X’s first ride – we just had to!

But we figured we might as well head to another attraction while we looked.
So we headed off to explore a bit more of Dinoland and check out the holiday decorations and every gift shop we could find…














No racer so far but it was time for a snack and another attraction.
Everyone just keep swimming and join us for Finding Nemo: The Musical!