4 Hot Mamas take on the World 9/2011! *UPDATE 8/31* I'm leaving TODAY!!!

[PixieMama]

I've got some catching up to do.

, Kelly!

 

[PixieMama]

And finally, here are our plans for Thursday (our last day )

AK 9am-5pm

Arrive for rope drop
grab FPs for EE before heading to Kilimanjaro Safaris
Pangani Forest Trail
Maharajah Jungle Trek
use FPs for EE (and possibly get more for later!)
Finding Nemo - The Musical
Primeval Whirl (maybe... I like this one, but not sure the others will)
Festival of the Lion King
It's Tough To Be a Bug

As with the other parks, we'll work in time to watch the afternoon parade. And hopefull another ride (or two!) of KS and EE!

We'll grab a QS meal for lunch... I think Flame Tree BBQ, Pizzafari, and Yak & Yeti Cafe would all be good choices (as with our day at MK, I guess where we eat will depend on where in the park we happen to be). I've eaten at Pizzafari before, and at Yak & Yeti (but at the TS restaurant, not the cafe).

Unfortunately, AK closes at 5:00 this day, but I think we should be able to see and do everything on our list without any issues. Especially since there are a few attractions we don't mind missing (Rafiki's Planet Watch, Dinosaur, The Boneyard, Kali River Rapids, TriceraTop Spin, Wildlife Express Train).

We'll stay at AK until closing, and then drive over to AKL for our dinner at Boma! Zebra Domes, here we come!

 

[Kat in GA]

We have never been over to Rafiki's planet watch - but I am not sure that I want to do that in the heat of the summer - or maybe save it for when we go in October or November.

Have you thought about using the single rider line for EE? I hear that is sometimes much faster than FP.

 

[MARsMama]

Your AK plans sound great!

 

[beebeeryan]

You'll be fine at that time of year, you'll get everything in and then some. We were pretty much done with AK last year at about 2pm, and we did wait for KALI a while, longest wait since it stopped running for 10 minutes. Did Dino twice (walk on), and did the long trek out to Conservation Station, took our time on Pangani, saw Nemo, did EE... Hakuna Matata!

 

[TanzUnited99]

Great plans! I am pleased to see that you have both trails included in your day.

I'm also really looking forward to seeing the shows - probs FOTLK more then Finding Nemo!

 

[Kari-B]

Your AK plans look good!!

 

[PixieMama]

We have never been over to Rafiki's planet watch - but I am not sure that I want to do that in the heat of the summer - or maybe save it for when we go in October or November.

Have you thought about using the single rider line for EE? I hear that is sometimes much faster than FP.

The only thing I remember about RPW was getting to meet Pocahontas, Jiminy Cricket, and Rafiki. And that we were about the only people there at the time.

Hmmm, I'll have to think about FP vs. Single Rider. I think Heather will do EE. Helen and I will for sure... and Mom definitely won't (we'll be hard-pressed to convince her to go on BTMR!)

 

[beebeeryan]

We have never been over to Rafiki's planet watch - but I am not sure that I want to do that in the heat of the summer - or maybe save it for when we go in October or November.

Have you thought about using the single rider line for EE? I hear that is sometimes much faster than FP.

If Rafiki's Planet Watch is out at Conservation Station where you take the train to, which I think it is, it's actually a nice thing to do in the heat of summer. It's pretty much all shaded and indoor too. The petting zoo is in the sun, but we skipped that, didn't go to Disney for a petting zoo. The indoor part has Rafiki and they had a lizard or something for the kids to pet and the doctors were operating while we were there, you could watch through the glass. We went first thing in the morning after doing the Safari. So we saw that. You have to take the train out which takes a bit of time and walk to the building along a short trail, but it's all shaded. It's not quick, but a nice break if you have the time.

 

[PixieMama]

Here's a photo from our 2010 trip... a view of the ferry and Magic Kingdom from the TTC:

Can you make out the construction crane to the right of the castle? I'm really looking forward to seeing what changes have been made to the Fantasyland expansion since we were there last October (I can't wait to see Beast's castle!) And I can't wait for the changes to be complete so we can take another family trip!

 

[Kat in GA]

If Rafiki's Planet Watch is out at Conservation Station where you take the train to, which I think it is, it's actually a nice thing to do in the heat of summer. It's pretty much all shaded and indoor too. The petting zoo is in the sun, but we skipped that, didn't go to Disney for a petting zoo. The indoor part has Rafiki and they had a lizard or something for the kids to pet and the doctors were operating while we were there, you could watch through the glass. We went first thing in the morning after doing the Safari. So we saw that. You have to take the train out which takes a bit of time and walk to the building along a short trail, but it's all shaded. It's not quick, but a nice break if you have the time.

Thanks for the info! I knew about the petting zoo and the train - but that's about it. Though I don't know if we'd want to waste valuable EE time! Somehow -sometime over the course of our year of Disney - we'll make it out there!

 

[Kat in GA]

Here's a photo from our 2010 trip... a view of the ferry and Magic Kingdom from the TTC:

Can you make out the construction crane to the right of the castle? I'm really looking forward to seeing what changes have been made to the Fantasyland expansion since we were there last October (I can't wait to see Beast's castle!) And I can't wait for the changes to be complete so we can take another family trip!

I think that there have been construction cranes each time we've gone! With staying offsite, we'll be able to take the monorail over this time - but we've never done the Ferry - maybe we'll take that sometime. But somehow I think that the girls might balk at it...

 

[lbuzz52]

stopping by. i need to go back and catch up though!

 

[Nermel9]

Great picture! I'm excited about the new Fantasyland too, although I'm kind of sad to see such a HUGE change to MK, and really sad to lose Toontown because of it. I think the Beast's castle is going to be amazing!!

 

[PixieMama]

I think that there have been construction cranes each time we've gone! With staying offsite, we'll be able to take the monorail over this time - but we've never done the Ferry - maybe we'll take that sometime. But somehow I think that the girls might balk at it...

We had just taken the monorail from Epcot to the TTC, and the plan was to switch to the MK line but as soon as we got off we noticed another ferry was there at the dock getting ready to leave. So we hopped on!

stopping by. i need to go back and catch up though!

, lauren!

 

[PixieMama]

Great picture! I'm excited about the new Fantasyland too, although I'm kind of sad to see such a HUGE change to MK, and really sad to lose Toontown because of it. I think the Beast's castle is going to be amazing!!

Thanks!

I have mixed feelings about Toontown... my girls loved it on our first trip 3 years ago, but last year they weren't so eager to see it (except for Goofy's Barnstormer. They were seriously excited about a rinky-dink coaster that lasts less than a minute! Go figure.) So while I'm not all that bummed to see it go, I am glad that we took the time to visit last year and get pics before it closed for good!

 

[Lidian]

Thanks!

I have mixed feelings about Toontown... my girls loved it on our first trip 3 years ago, but last year they weren't so eager to see it (except for Goofy's Barnstormer. They were seriously excited about a rinky-dink coaster that lasts less than a minute! Go figure.) So while I'm not all that bummed to see it go, I am glad that we took the time to visit last year and get pics before it closed for good!

DS asked to ride Goofy's Barnstormer. They didn't ask about any other things in Toontown (ie the houses and boat), but DS wanted to ride Goofy's coaster and then cried when I told him it was gone.

 

[PixieMama]

DS asked to ride Goofy's Barnstormer. They didn't ask about any other things in Toontown (ie the houses and boat), but DS wanted to ride Goofy's coaster and then cried when I told him it was gone.

Aw, poor guy! At least Goofy's coaster will come back (just with a different name, I think)... which just means you'll have to plan another WDW trip!

 

[Lidian]

Aw, poor guy! At least Goofy's coaster will come back (just with a different name, I think)... which just means you'll have to plan another WDW trip!

Totally! However, with the way he has acted, I'm not so sure he'd ride the new one.

But any excuse to get me back is a great excuse in my book, and I'll use them all!

 

[beebeeryan]

We loved the Barnstormer and the boys liked getting wet in Donald's Boat, but other than that we just walked around a few minutes and hopped on the train outta there so I guess we won't miss Toontown too much. I'm excited for all the new stuff in Fantasyland, thinking we'll skip next summer for sure and go back in 2013.