Park Day #4 ~ Animal Kingdom
On our last trip to WDW we got rained out of AK and for some crazy reason and never really made it back. DD has not let us forget about this and she had a list of important "must dos" for this park. I made a 10:30 adr for Tusker House and picked this day because of morning emh. The last time we saw Kilamanjaro Safari she was 3 and has no memory of it at all. We actually got to the park in time to see part of the opening ceremony which was really nice. We had a major discussion on whether or not to head to EE, grab fast passes, then get in line for KS OR head straight to KS and chance the line at EE when we were done. EE was very important to dh and ds and KS was very important to dd. We watched the way the crowd was heading and decided that heading straight for KS and chancing EE was our best bet. Glad we made that choice. For the most part we walked right on to KS and dd was very excited. The animals were moving around quite a bit, the lion was still sleepy (I guess he partied too much the night before) but the giraffes were very active and they are my favorites. DD was sooo happy she actually got to ride this and we moved on towards EE. No line there either so dh and ds walked on in. I was really considering giving this a try until the whole TOT experience the day before. And no, I am still not over that to this day!
This was the first time they had ridden EE and when they got off they both said they were a little disappointed and they really didn't feel it was worth all the hype.
We then made our way to Kali River Rapids and got fast passes that would be good right after breakfast and walked through the Jungle Trek thing I am not even going to try and spell (you know the one that starts with an "M"?) The tigers were sleeping (they must have partied with the lions! ) and the bats were gross but I guess kind of neat to see up close.
We wandered down a path where we ran into Baloo (another of my dh's favorites) and had photopass pics made. I will post those later when I get my cd. A little farther down we met up with Terk. Then we see Flik walk by! This was very exciting because we have never met him before. DD and I had photopass pics made with him in front of the tree of life. Again will post those later.
We are feeling really good beacause we are getting a lot accomplished this morning and we start walking towards Tusker House. We arrived at 10:15 and our ressie was for 10:30, they handed us the buzzer thing and told us to have a seat. Then we waited, and waited, and waited some more. At 10:35 I went and checked to see how much longer and was told not too long. Sat back down and waited again. At 10:50 I checked again and was told the same thing. By 11:00 I sent dh to find out what was going on and she said we should probably go on in, you think?!? Now at this point I know they are taking the breakfast buffet up at 11:30 and the characters are on their last round. I think I might have really enjoyed this meal if it hadn't been so rushed. I never got to go to the buffet for myself for fear of missing a character or picture. DS loved the juice and the food was good. If I book this meal again I will make an earlier ressie so we don't get pushed into lunch. Don't know if they overbooked or what.
Even with the delay at breakfast we made our fast pass time at KRR by one minute! DD loved this too, check another thing off her list, and we were all soaked!
The park is getting "very" crowded at this point and so hot and humid! I don't mind the crowds, but I don't do well with crowds mixed with heat and humidity! DD doesn't do well with this either and things can tend to go downhill very fast!! This is probably why I have such a problem with the mix.
From here we cross the park to Dino-land and grab fast passes for Dinosaur and make our way to the tree of life for It's Tough to be a Bug. We have discovered on this trip that ds has some issues, a lot of issues. He doesn't seem to handle 3-D shows very well. At the point in the show where you feel the bugs run under your bottom and back, he jumps out of his seat and lands in his sisters lap! Keep in mind he is 14 and 145lbs and she is a tiny 54lbs. Needless to say she didn't handle this very well. Of course I am of no help becauce I can't quit laughing. He says he never wants to see that again.
The only other thing on dd's list is to see Mickey's Jammin Jungle Parade. By the time we make our way over to Dinosaur and finish that ride, it's almost parade time. Well 30 mins until parade time. At some point during the day a man stopped and gave dh and ds some fast passes for EE that he couldn't use. They said EE wasn't a ride they would wait in line for but would hate to not take a fast pass for it. We decide that dd and I will stake out a spot to watch the parade while they go ride EE and they can join us when they get off. OMG!!! I thought the child was going to have a heat stroke! Yes, it was hot. Yes, it was humid. Yes, there were a lot of people. And yes, we had tour groups galore!! But get a grip girl! Of course the place I claim as my own is at the end of the parade route. It was the longest 45 min wait of my life! I fanned her, I let her sit, I let her stand, I tried to get her to go into the shady spot back behind us. She wanted to leave. I had a spot, I was hot and tired too, all I have heard about for three years is this parade, we are this close and by golly she will see this parade and she will enjoy it!!! Keep in mind this is part of my being a good mother again.
Well, she made it through and yes she did enjoy the parade, and we made a beeline to the exit the second it was over.
All in all I say a pretty productive day. She did everything she wanted to do and both the kids decided that they didn't want to return to AK anymore on this trip. We have managed to hit all four parks by doing one a day for our first four days. This is when I let them choose what we do for the remainder of the trip. You will see we just keep repeating Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, they both agree those two are their favs.
I love your giraffe and elephant pics. i really didn't get any good pics on the safari because our driver didn't slow down once. I swear we soared through there at about 40mph.
Too funny!
And I am joining your TOT club. that was the worst thing ever. I will never ever ride that thing again. Everyone else in my family thought it was the greatest. Thank you very much but I will be shopping next time they ride that puppy.
I second that!!!! Anything is better than that ride!
And Karen don't feel bad about being behind, I'm behind too and it's my report.
How funny. My drama diva will be 10 this month and girls she can roll her eyes with the best of them. I can't tell you how irritating I find thatOk Jeana, we are officially going to have to get Krista and Anna Kathryn together at WDW at some point. When they are old enough, we'll send the drama divas off on their own and see how they do.. She's 9, right? AK will be 10 next month, and girl, let me tell you, one or the other of us might not make it to her birthday!
Just caught up on your TR - great pics, and lots of fun. Between your DH Brad and your drama diva, it was kind of like re-reading my own!
The MODD club. LOVE. IT.
Your pictures are amazing! What kind of training/camera do you have? We got a new one before our trip, and I was hoping for better than I got. I'm sure it's the operator!
Enjoyed your report, I love that your fav parks are MK and DHS. The other two are half day parks for sure. I will be staying at WL for two short nights, I would love to have a room overlooking the lobby. Your pictures of the resort are so beautiful. Did you think the bus and boat service was good?
Thanks for taking the time to write a report. I'm sorry you didn't like POP. I think if you love WL you would also enjoy POR or POFQ. Just in case you need to save money on any upcoming trips.
Ooooohh, I LOVE the WL pictures! Such a GORGEOUS resort!
Three times on TSM I'd say that qualifies as a great day! I know what you mean about trying to describe TSM - I've tried but I can tell from the pleasant smiling nods that people just don't get how awesome it is, you have to experience it!
By the way, while I don't quite qualify for the MODD club - Ella is just coming up on 8 - I can sympathize as we definitely have previews of what is in store over the next few years