The 5 trips of My "Disney Free Year" - A Mermaid, A Buzz, A Boat and A Steak - 7/8

[not_Joanna_eggs]

So your saying, I should start training now? Endurance is important.

Yes. Endurance training is a must! Now we just need a squishee station at Bayshore!

Hey, if it ain't dogs playing poker, it ain't art!

Do you know if there is an age requirment for the animation academy? Kid wise.

I don't believe there's an age limit. We've been next to babies and kids under 3 before, I'm pretty sure it's open to everyone.

 

[not_Joanna_eggs]

After the class, we headed back to RnRc to cash in our FPs.

The standby time was 70 minutes by now. Yay Morning EMH!

Fortunately, we could bypass the line, and made it just in time for Aerosmith to have to leave. Bummer!

Man, was that ride boring!

After making it to the VIP parking lot at the Aerosmith concert, we waived goodbye to DHS, and headed out to the next destination.

Not too shabby, by 10:30, we were headed to our 2nd park.

We waited a really long time for our bus! Boredom produced this series of pictures…

 

[not_Joanna_eggs]

Eventually, we were headed to our next destination.
The Animal Kingdom!

The first thing we saw was a bird nesting! How cool – but really fishy smelling ewwww!

Soon we saw the wonderful sight.

Our first Destination? First Aid for some Band-Aids for Panic’s feet. Thanks to Sarah (WDWgirl03) for pointing out on one of my TRs that the ladybugs I took a picture of were the marker for the First Aid station. Otherwise, I would have had no clue where to go!

Band-Aids procured and applied, we headed out and grabbed a FP for Everest.

Normally, this is such a pretty scene. But this time there was something wrong with the water, and it was all yucky and algaey

Somehow that makes it less awe-inspiring for me. Guess I’m really that fickle.

Apparently we took the really long way to Everest. (again, not being smart with our steps)

Then we ran into a little bird show.

What you lookin’ at?

What?? Wasn’t me!

 

[not_Joanna_eggs]

We kept a wandering.' But nope, we’re not at Everest yet!

Nope, we still haven’t made it to everest.

But at least we could see it…

I will say, panic was a total sport about it. She didn’t try to kill me once starting and stopping the way I was…

Finally we made it to Everest and got our fast passes.

Time to play with the settings!

Then we headed to Dinosaur. Yep, we've esentially circled the ENTIRE park without going on a single attraction!

In interest of picture taking, I sucked it up like a big girl and set foot into Chester & Hesters’ roadside atrocity.

Primeval Whirl was down for rehab. My spine rejoiced!

Then we randomly ran into Goofy!

Finally we made it into the Dino Institute

Rawr!

Senior Portrait pose. Take that Mr. Dino!

After making it back with one more passenger, extra-large, we still had an hour to kill before our FP window opened up, so we went out in search of a Jalapeño-Cheese pretzel.

 

[not_Joanna_eggs]

We set on our quest to complete the circle of the park, and procure a pretzel.

But you know I took 10 million pictures on the way.

Scroll baby Scroll!

Okay, let’s get this show on the road!

In case you forgot, I was on the trip too!

We went to the stand on Discovery island, and the person in front of us ordered the last one. FOILED! The girl said she’d have more in 20 minutes, or we could go to one of the other stands.

OTHER STANDS? We thought that was the only one. But no, they have them in Asia and Africa too. So we started going to the Asia stand, but then changed our minds, and doubled back to the African one. Only to once again have the person in front of us order the last one.

At this point, I was really thirsty so we decided to get some Vitamin water and take a little rest, before heading back to the Discovery Island stand.

Good thing we did, because as we were heading out, I noticed them re-filling the pretzels, so we were able to score our pretzels from Africa anyway. Yay!

Hello gorgeous!

You are delicious.

After that yumminess, it was almost time for our FP window, so we headed back to Asia (please take note of the ridiculously inefficient way we have been touring so far – especially in AK – it will come back to bite us later).

Pretzels in our bellies, we headed to Asia to cash in our FPs

We’re ready to DO-THIS!

 

[Caretames1]

WOW! When you said you were going to Dsiney to take pictures, you were not kidding. I'm impressed with the variety you've taken.

I'm in total agreement about the scummy water there in AK. That is gross

 

[tksbaskets]

I totally love your trip reports "scroll baby scroll" Just when I was thinking "Sis is wearing a super cute top...hey wait, who is taking all the pictures??? I haven't seen the photographer yet "

You did make me crave a pretzel! You made your poor sister take laps around AK with hamburger for heels? Hope the band-aids worked.

LOVE Expedition Everest! Looking forward to more You are taking me back to my sister trip. SISTERS ROCK!

TK

 

[onelilspark]

Um hi I'm joining in...a bit late. I was cracking up the way you were describing how you made the decision to go on this last time. We are like junkies.

 

[wdwgirl03]

Wow, love all the updates and pictures. The AK ones make me want to go there now.

We actually got to do Buzz (well, sort of...) at the Animation Academy too. We did Woody first and then got to do the speedy version of Buzz. haha

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

Great pics! I'm glad that your quest for a pretzel was a success!!

 

[Panic Attack]

You are delicious.

My mouth is watering looking at these pics @_@

We also discovered that the jalapeno & cheese pretzels are available at one of the stands in America in the World Showcase at Epcot. Not the funnel cake stand... the other one.

 

[jecskc]

I am so enjoying your TR !! Especially the OKW photos as we are renting DVC points and staying there in a 1 BR in just 24 days !!! I found very little info on OKW here on the boards, so I encourage you to go over to the OKW resort thread and post your photos and the OKW Thread in the DVC section as well.

 

[norybell]

OKW looks gorgeous! I've been curious, for ages, about what it would be like to stay there without a car...

And great photos! Isn't learning a new camera fun?

Reading your TR is making me craving another trip sooooooo badly. I know, I know, I was just there last month, and just in Disneyland, but having a family trip and a CA trip just whetted my appetite for another solo FL one!

Do you think there's some sort of 12-step program I should look into?

 

[not_Joanna_eggs]

WOW! When you said you were going to Dsiney to take pictures, you were not kidding. I'm impressed with the variety you've taken.

I'm in total agreement about the scummy water there in AK. That is gross

Yeah, I went a little overboard. I'm um... not even 1/2 way through our day Seriously, it's about 11:30 am on this trip.

I totally love your trip reports "scroll baby scroll" Just when I was thinking "Sis is wearing a super cute top...hey wait, who is taking all the pictures??? I haven't seen the photographer yet "

You did make me crave a pretzel! You made your poor sister take laps around AK with hamburger for heels? Hope the band-aids worked.

LOVE Expedition Everest! Looking forward to more You are taking me back to my sister trip. SISTERS ROCK!

TK

Thanks for the flattery TK - It'll get you everywhere I totally agree with you. Panic's shirt was super cute - and sister trips are so fun - Especially since I see Panic so rarely.

And I just want to be clear... I am not the one that instigated the "lets traipse around AK like 15 times looking for a pretzel" adventure. That one was all on Panic! I just enjoyed the delicious reward at the end of the tunnel.

Um hi I'm joining in...a bit late. I was cracking up the way you were describing how you made the decision to go on this last time. We are like junkies.

Howdy! You're excused from being late - just this once.
I really did feel like a junkie. I think there's some kind of drug in the dole whip or something!

Wow, love all the updates and pictures. The AK ones make me want to go there now.

We actually got to do Buzz (well, sort of...) at the Animation Academy too. We did Woody first and then got to do the speedy version of Buzz. haha

I do love he AK. I think I could spend a week there just wandering around! That's so cool that you got to do a bonus character! I would think that Woody would be a lot harder than Buzz - so my hats off to you for doing both!

Great pics! I'm glad that your quest for a pretzel was a success!!

um... it was a delicious success!

My mouth is watering looking at these pics @_@

We also discovered that the jalapeno & cheese pretzels are available at one of the stands in America in the World Showcase at Epcot. Not the funnel cake stand... the other one.

Want Pretzel now. Yum. Better than black raspberry sorbet!

I am so enjoying your TR !! Especially the OKW photos as we are renting DVC points and staying there in a 1 BR in just 24 days !!! I found very little info on OKW here on the boards, so I encourage you to go over to the OKW resort thread and post your photos and the OKW Thread in the DVC section as well.

Yay for your trip in just a few days! The 1 BR was very nice! OKW is really growing on me - It has become one of my top 5 favorites! You'll have so much fun! I hardly ever venture outside of the TR forums. I'll definitely check out the OKW thread. It would be good to use this pictures so more - I have a ton of them!

OKW looks gorgeous! I've been curious, for ages, about what it would be like to stay there without a car...

And great photos! Isn't learning a new camera fun?

Reading your TR is making me craving another trip sooooooo badly. I know, I know, I was just there last month, and just in Disneyland, but having a family trip and a CA trip just whetted my appetite for another solo FL one!

Do you think there's some sort of 12-step program I should look into?

The size of OKW is what concerned me at first. But in my experience, they've been pretty good about honoring my request to be close to the main building. They also have an inner-resort shuttle that runs pretty regularly.

It's definitely not as convenient as the Monorail or Epcot resorts, but I say it's no different than staying at AKL or PoP or any of the further resorts.

True story. I got back from a 10 day vacation to Alaska today - like at 9 am. And I'm already pricing out next Disney trip. I just can't get enough. Seriously - I think I need to join you in the 12 step program!

 

[not_Joanna_eggs]

Where were we? Oh yeah.. heading towards Everest with a pretzel in our bellies!

We had a few minutes to kill before our time opened up, we browsed around the shop.

And found the cutest hat ever!

Yeee! I’m a Yetti!

Thankfully, our Fast Pass time opened up, and we headed out on our expedition up the mountain.

After narrowly escaping the wrath of the Yetti yet again, we decided head out.
Not too bad it was 1:30 and we had 2 parks down! We hopped on the bus to the TTA.

Nope, she doesn’t find the picture-taking less annoying when it’s in black and white.

The bus was there pretty quickly, and soon, we were at the TTA

These gates brought back memories of childhood trips. I’m not sure why, but I vividly remember waiting at these gates.

Then we hopped on the Monorail and headed to the Magic Kingdom!

It was crowded!

But we boarded in time to get a seat! Yay!

Part of our Alaska trip is on a bus and train, so I was practicing moving shots

Soon, we were walking into our 3rd park of the day!

 

[Caretames1]

Now that is a hat! LOVE IT

 

[not_Joanna_eggs]

Now that is a hat! LOVE IT

I'm kicking myself for not getting it! I hope it is still there when we go back!

 

[not_Joanna_eggs]

Upon arrival at the Magic Kingdom, we started to feel our feet scolding us for our Animal Kingdom escapades, so we decided to hop on the train to Frontierland instead of walking. We walk up to the train standing there and the family in front of us walks through the gate, then the CM slams the gate on Panic. Really? We totally could have made it on faster than the family. Rats!

Playing with zoom, I got a close up shot of my favorite spot on property.

We waited a really long time before the train came. So panic struck a pose!

Um… Train where are you? Oh you’re here? Oops!

The train always makes me think of DH, which made me miss him!

Soon, we were steaming our way towards the Wildest Ride in the Wilderness.

The line was 30 minutes, so we decided to just grab a FP and head to Tomorrowland instead. First order of business was to find a bathroom. But again with the inefficiency of the steps, we wandered around for an inordinately long time before we made it to the bathroom (and no we didn't go to the one that is at the ride - that would be too easy)

Of course, we stopped by the castle to take a few pictures.

Soon we were entering the future that never was.

The claw… the claw…

We checked out the Buzz line, but it was 45 minutes, so we headed to my old buddy the TTA.

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

These gates brought back memories of childhood trips. I’m not sure why, but I vividly remember waiting at these gates.

Those super-fun moments of waiting during your childhood trips really stuck with you, huh? Most kids remember ice cream or the castle or something .

Soon we were entering the future that never was.

...yet!!! You don't know that Stitch won't be ruling the planet, stinking up the place!

I've never actually taken the train around the MK. It seems like an efficient way to travel, unless you have to wait an inordinately long amount of time. But then you're at least waiting and not walking!

 

[wdwgirl03]

I will always remember those gates too...probably from all those walks from the Polynesian to the TTC on our way to Epcot!