A Private, Romantic 30th Anniversary Trip- Just Ask My Friends! Last Afternoon: EP p. 37 9/19

[natebenma]

We love the Maharajah Jungle Trek just picked our FP's on Monday. We have Safari, Lion King show and EE for our AK day. We love walking through the jungle trek right after the safari in the early morning. Hoping we can catch Flights of Wonder on our way to EE.

More beautiful pics I like the little girl looking at the tigers Again great ride photo and the couple in front are holding hands
We have never tried Yak and Yeti but your pics look yummy. What a great seat looking out at the park.

I agree. The Maharajah trek is awesome! The theming is really beautiful and it has some seriously cool animals- especially Komodo Dragons, the tigers and the bats. I actually find the bats to be fascinating.

Thank you for the kind words about the photos. The picture of the girl is one of my favorites from that day.

Sometimes the best thing about ride photos is seeing what the other people are doing.



I definitely think Yak & Yeti will make it back onto our restaurant rotation on a future trip.

 

[Ninja Mom]

I have never eaten at Yak and Yeti but your review makes me want to check it out! Sounds like you had a great time there.

Here is a Yak and Yeti story for ya... I was busy taking pictures in AK one night when husband and a son was with me. I take forever taking pictures and my husband was pitching a hissy fit about being hungry. I was photographing Everest, at dusk, from across the lake right where the temple used to be. I knew we were close to Yak and Yeti. I told them to go there thinking that they would know to go to the COUNTER SERVICE. The two of them went to the table service Yak and Yet WITHOUT ME.

I was fairly busy with the camera that night but I had told them to get me something to eat and bring it back (thinking counter service take out). They came back an hour and 15 minutes later and my son hands me his left overs. I was like "Where were you and why didn't you answer your phone!??" And they were like we couldn't hear it in the RESTAURANT. I said RESTAURANT!!! What were you doing in the RESTAURANT!!!

They went to yak and Yeti without me and ordered the same food that you could get at the counter, but since you were in the RESTAURANT you get to PAY MORE! They were like "Oh, we didn't know there was a counter service there". I said YOU WALKED RIGHT BY IT!

I am certain that it is way easier to find the counter service than it is the restaurant!

....And I got somebody's LEFTOVERS!!!

At least I got my shot which was hard to get without the planes streaking by above the mountain. Sadly this spot is no more and it's been eaten up by the phantom "Rivers of light monster boat demolition derby."

~NM

 

[rteetz]

Here is a Yak and Yeti story for ya... I was busy taking pictures in AK one night when husband and a son was with me. I take forever taking pictures and my husband was pitching a hissy fit about being hungry. I was photographing Everest, at dusk, from across the lake right where the temple used to be. I knew we were close to Yak and Yeti. I told them to go there thinking that they would know to go to the COUNTER SERVICE. The two of them went to the table service Yak and Yet WITHOUT ME.

I was fairly busy with the camera that night but I had told them to get me something to eat and bring it back (thinking counter service take out). They came back an hour and 15 minutes later and my son hands me his left overs. I was like "Where were you and why didn't you answer your phone!??" And they were like we couldn't hear it in the RESTAURANT. I said RESTAURANT!!! What were you doing in the RESTAURANT!!!

They went to yak and Yeti without me and ordered the same food that you could get at the counter, but since you were in the RESTAURANT you get to PAY MORE! They were like "Oh, we didn't know there was a counter service there". I said YOU WALKED RIGHT BY IT!

I am certain that it is way easier to find the counter service than it is the restaurant!

....And I got somebody's LEFTOVERS!!!

At least I got my shot which was hard to get without the planes streaking by above the mountain. Sadly this spot is no more and it's been eaten up by the phantom "Rivers of light monster boat demolition derby."

~NM

Lol, great story and amazing photo!

 

[natebenma]

Here is a Yak and Yeti story for ya... I was busy taking pictures in AK one night when husband and a son was with me. I take forever taking pictures and my husband was pitching a hissy fit about being hungry. I was photographing Everest, at dusk, from across the lake right where the temple used to be. I knew we were close to Yak and Yeti. I told them to go there thinking that they would know to go to the COUNTER SERVICE. The two of them went to the table service Yak and Yet WITHOUT ME.

* snip *

~NM

That is an AWESOME story and an even better picture!!!

I have to admit, in their defense, that I never really noticed the Yak and Yeti counter service spot.

How were the leftovers!

 

[natebenma]

Lol, great story and amazing photo!

^^^ Agree!

 

[natebenma]

Do we make it to Hollywood Studios for our Fast Passes?


It was around 1:30 pm when we finished our awesome lunch at Yak and Yeti and headed out of Animal Kingdom. Our original plans for the day were for a quick serve meal either at Animal Kingdom or Hollywood Studios and we had booked Fast Passes at the Studios for that afternoon:

12:05-1:05 Tower of Terror

1:20-2:20 Toy Story Mania

2:20-3:25 Star Tours


We had already missed the window for ToT and it was going to be tight to make our Toy Story time. We debated sticking to our original plans or just heading back to the Yacht Club for a break. We decided to head to the Studios.

As we approached the bus stop, there was a bus to HS that had just finished loading. We broke into that “Hey, Wait for us!” run. And the bus waited!

We arrived at our destination and made a stop before entering the park.

I am a huge fan of the luggage lockers by the bus stop.

ETA: Picture




The lockers are huge and the cost is only 4 quarters. Even though this is a single use rental (once you open it, you can’t use it again without paying again), it is a bargain when you compare it to the cost of renting a locker in one of the parks.

I wanted to ditch my camera and the bag we were carrying, so I put them in the locker, closed the door and then inserted a quarter. Then another. Then a third. But when I tried to insert the last one into the slot, it jammed! Yikes. The quarter wouldn’t go down and the door wouldn’t open. We had to shake and jiggle the door a bit and finally the quarter dropped and we were able to take the key. PHEW!


We entered the park, then proceeded directly to Pixar Place since we were near the end of our Fast Pass window for Toy Story.

Huh?!? The picture didn't look blurry in my phone's display screen!

Pretty much the only time I don’t lose is when I am riding alone!


We were anxious to get back to the Yacht Club so we could relax a little bit before our busy evening- dinner at Kona with friends followed by Wishes from the Top of the World lounge. We decided to skip our Fast Pass for Star Tours since we had another one booked for our visit Wednesday morning.

However, we did think it was a good opportunity to take the time to go on The Great Movie Ride since we didn’t know if it would fit into our plans later that week.

My photos are crappy, so I am only posting a few.

When we got to the Gangster Set, we drove right through, without stopping for a shootout.

Mark looked at me and mouthed “Cowboy?”

I was so excited! This was the first time (and probably the only time since it is rumored that the GMR will be reimagined into something else soon) that Mark has seen this scene. I saw it once with the boys while he was off getting Fast Passes and I felt guilty that he hadn’t experienced this superior version of the attraction.

It was also the first time he had seen the “new” Turner Classic Movies montage at the finale of the ride.


Speaking of finales, it was time for our exit from the park and our return to the Yacht Club.


Continued in Next Post- The Path Less Taken

 

[natebenma]

The Path Less Taken


We retrieved our stuff from the locker and then had to choose how we wanted to get back to the resort. Friendship boat or walking path?


We chose the path.


Unlike during our summer trips, it was not a death march and was actually quite pleasant.


Some of the sights along the way:

Looking back:

It took us about 20 minutes to walk “home” from the studios and once there, we had some time to kick back and relax poolside.


Next up: Hidden Jewel at the Pool

 

[rteetz]

Great update! Toy Story Mania is always fun but boy is it an arm workout.

I haven't done Great Movie Ride in a couple trips now. I enjoy it but it's not a must do for me. You got some nice pictures of it. I'm glad you got the cowboy scene!

I love that walk between the parks. I didn't walk it in January though I ran it

 

[Ninja Mom]

How were the leftovers!

Meh, but you'll take what you can get when you are starving!

~NM

 

[PCFriar80]

We're path people too to/from BCV and HS. Have seen a bald eagle a few times on the Swan's head! Nice pictures 'postcard-esque" of the Beach Club and Lighthouse. Blue skies, blue water on a blue resort goes well together.

 

[afwdwfan]

I am a huge fan of the luggage lockers by the bus stop.


Picture

Nice picture.

Huh?!? The picture didn't look blurry in my phone's display screen!

It was the glasses!

Pretty much the only time I don’t lose is when I am riding alone!

I was so excited! This was the first time (and probably the only time since it is rumored that the GMR will be reimagined into something else soon) that Mark has seen this scene. I saw it once with the boys while he was off getting Fast Passes and I felt guilty that he hadn’t experienced this superior version of the attraction.

You know, the first few times I rode GMR, it was the cowboy scene. I never even knew there were 2 different scenes until the time I finally saw the gangsters. And I've seen the gangsters every time since. I'm glad you were able to see the "rare" cowboy scene this time!

Unlike during our summer trips, it was not a death march and was actually quite pleasant.

Oh geeze... that's a nice walk, but I can only imagine how brutal it is in the summer sun.

 

[natebenma]

Great update! Toy Story Mania is always fun but boy is it an arm workout.

I haven't done Great Movie Ride in a couple trips now. I enjoy it but it's not a must do for me. You got some nice pictures of it. I'm glad you got the cowboy scene!

I love that walk between the parks. I didn't walk it in January though I ran it

Toy Story Mania is great! We did it back to back in Disneyland once, and boy were my arms tired!

When is GMR slated to close for the Mickey-thing refurb? I assumed that would be our last opportunity to ride. The cowboy scene is so much better. Because. Fire!

Bet you did the trip from HS to YC in less than 20 minutes!

Meh, but you'll take what you can get when you are starving!

~NM

We're path people too to/from BCV and HS. Have seen a bald eagle a few times on the Swan's head! Nice pictures 'postcard-esque" of the Beach Club and Lighthouse. Blue skies, blue water on a blue resort goes well together.

I just learned about the bald eagle in the past year- I think from you and from one other person. I looked for it when we were walking.

Thanks- I like those pictures of "my resort"

 

[natebenma]

Nice picture.

Not only are the lockers huge, but they are invisible too!

It's a security feature.



editing original post:

It was the glasses!

Or my camera took a picture in 3D

You know, the first few times I rode GMR, it was the cowboy scene. I never even knew there were 2 different scenes until the time I finally saw the gangsters. And I've seen the gangsters every time since. I'm glad you were able to see the "rare" cowboy scene this time!

What a let down when you finally saw the gangster scene. You must have been thinking "Where's the fire?" I hope you were only thinking that and not shouting it because you shouldn't yell "Fire" in a crowded theater ride.

Oh geeze... that's a nice walk, but I can only imagine how brutal it is in the summer sun.

We have done that walk a few times during our summer trips, but it is usually in the morning or evening. I don't think we have done it during a hot summer afternoon.

If I recall correctly, you became quite familiar with that path on a past trip.

 

[PCFriar80]

I just learned about the bald eagle in the past year- I think from you and from one other person. I looked for it when we were walking.

Thanks- I like those pictures of "my resort"

From October 2015.....This was the closest I could get.

 

[natebenma]

From October 2015.....This was the closest I could get.

Thanks so much for sharing the picture! Awesome!

 

[rteetz]

When is GMR slated to close for the Mickey-thing refurb? I assumed that would be our last opportunity to ride. The cowboy scene is so much better. Because. Fire!

Rumor is it will close by the end of this year. Now that could change of course.

 

[wdwnut61]

Great update glad you made it to Toy Story it's always fun to ride but I never win against DD
The ride pic made me dizzy lol
We have to ride the Great Movie ride on our next trip it's been a few years you're pics are making me miss it
If it's not hot the walk to and from HS is nice.
Looking forward to your dinner at Kona's and Wishes

 

[annie170]

Between Ninja Mom's awesome photo from AK and the bald eagle on the Swan's head, there are some pretty amazing photographers here on the DIS!

It's been a long time since I've gotten the cowboy scene at GMR. It's cool that Mark finally got to see it.

GMR isn't a must do for me, but I think I'm going to miss it. It just fits with the theme of the park. I guess time marches on and change can be good.

 

[hill6]

NM love the story and the picture. I have to admit that the only reason I know where Y&Y take out is because it is by the lockers for Kali.

DH even noticed it since that says a lot I'd a guy noticed it.

 

[hill6]

Great report Dee. An adults only trip is the best