Our plan was to get up around 7 and arrive at Animal Kingdom before opening. It was DHs birthday and we had never ridden EE, although we had watched as it was built. We were all excited for this one! We hadnt even had one roller coaster ride yet: RnR was closed; SM and BTMRR were too crowded. Finally it was our turn!
This was the day of the full marathon. I was reminded of that when we started hearing fireworks at 6 a.m. for the start. We got up and we could actually see them from our window! Okay, we lost an hours sleep, but how many times do you get to start your day with fireworks? Especially cool DH it was his birthday!
We ate breakfast in the room (
as we did all week. Mini bagels with peanut butter, Quaker Oatmeal to Go, bananas, and oranges in case you care) and piled into the car for Animal Kingdom. We arrived and headed down to Diamond Parking. There wasnt a single parking attendant in sight. (
We werent cheating; we did have a Diamond pass.) Running right through the edge of the parking lot were people doing the marathon! I cant believe how excited I was to see them. We stood there for a quite a while cheering them on. I was really happy for all of them and it was quite inspiring to watch them as it was around the 17 mile mark. (
This was toward the front of the pack. No one was walking and they all had a great pace going on!)
I could have stood cheering them on a lot longer, but we had business to attend to.
We made our way to the entrance, where people were still being held outside the turnstiles. I went to guest services to get a birthday pin for DH who proudly wore it all day long. (
It got him lots of birthday wishes from CMs!) We were standing there waiting when we were blessed with another bit of pixie dust.
Wes Palm (the talking tree) came wheeling over to us and struck up a conversation with DS! (
DS was wearing camouflage shorts. Wes told him that he had a cousin in the army. He was in the infantry. Get it? Infan-tree?) It was one of DSs favorite parts of the trip. (
You may begin to notice a theme: DS seemed to become a pixie dust magnet.)
Once in the park we decided to head for EE via Dinoland as most of the rushing crowd seemed to be heading the other way. It was a great plan except for one thing: the marathon course was running right along one of the paths that we had to cross (twice) to get there! It definitely slowed us down
as we had to wait quite a long time for a break big enough to cross in, but it gave us another chance to cheer on the runners. (
People around us were amazed at all the people we knew! I guess they figured we were part of some huge running community. We clued them in that the runners had their first names on their bibs. If youre ever there for marathon weekend, pick out people to cheer for using their names. Its always much appreciated and we got lots of waves and smiles from appreciative runners.)
Finally we made it to EE and grabbed FastPasses. Then we got in the line (
by this I mean speed walked through the queuing area) and boarded. Great roller coaster! We got off, got a redneck ride photo (
for those wondering, thats when you take a picture of the screen showing your ride photo) and made our way through the queue again. (
Someday I hope theres a bit of a line as the queue area is really quite amazing and Id like to see some of it in more detail! Dang, I've probably cursed myself now. A bit of a line, I said.) We rode again and noted our photo number on the way out. Then we used our redneck photo to get the first photo number and bought a sheet of 2 5X7s one of each. So theres how to get two different photos for the price of one at Disney.
It was great to start the day with a ride that was brand new to us, and we decided to try another wed never done: Kali River Rapids. (
Usually its too cold, but today it was definitely warm as anyone running the marathon would agree with.) DD and I wimped out and put on ponchos. My excuse was that I was carrying the cameras.
We walked right on this one as well and were seating with a family of three from Quebec. They had charming accents and were lots of fun to ride with. I was thankful to have the poncho. DS really got it total soaking! He was absolutely drenched. As soon as we got off DD and DS got back in line to ride again. DH and I watched the ride from the bridge and got some good video and pictures of the kids. It took DS until dinner to dry off. He even took off his shoes so we could squeeze some water out his socks! He was a pretty good sport about it, although he did ask if we could go back to POFQ so he could change. (
No way! Too much to do! Too much to see! We are definitely of the commando ilk.)
We met up with DFIL at this point. We walked single file along the bit of the walk that was open, the rest being used by marathon participants. (
They werent quite as quick or lively as the first group we saw so we tried to cheer extra loud for them to encourage them on.) We spotted and entered another attraction wed never done: Flights of Wonder. That was 3 new experiences in a row for us! Definitely a record! We sat in the back row as DFIL had his
scooter. That got us another flurry of Pixie Dust.
DH was chosen to participate in the show! He held up a dollar bill which a bird (
some kind of African crow, I think) came and took from him. It then came back and returned the dollar to him. Pretty cool! (
He did get a couple of scratches on his arm. We were waiting for them to get infected so we could get annual passes for life or something, but they healed without a problem.)
Flushed with success, we decided that DS and I would walk over for FPs for KS while the others strolled over to Flame Tree where wed be eating lunch. DS and I gained an appreciation for how big this park is! We had just gotten our FPs when we got a call from DH telling us they were in line for the new Finding Nemo musical. Making our way back there we ran into DeVine and had to stop and watch for a couple minutes.
I couldnt believe the line for FN! By the time we got there the others were already seated inside, but we stood in line and shuffled in with the crowd.
The CM (
perhaps in her cast she was playing the part of the evil stepmother) kept informing us all that there was absolutely no seat saving not to even bother trying to meet up with people. That worried me a bit but we were able to find and sit with the rest of our family without a problem. As for the show: it was okay. We all decided we had enjoyed the Tarzan show more. This show seemed a bit long, especially for the younger set that it attracted. (
But thats FOUR brand new attractions for us in a row a record that will surely remain unbroken!)
We slowly made our way to Flame Tree, slowed by the huge crowd exiting the show with us. I was afraid theyd all be looking for lunch, but there was virtually no line. Everyone but DS got the pork sandwiches which came with corn on the cob and beans. (
Sandwich excellent!! Corn well, I only like it if its really fresh. Beans good, but looked like theyd been sitting in the cup under a heat lamp for a while.) DS got a hotdog which hed really been looking forward to. In all we spent $41.64 and signed it all off with the
DDP.
Now it was time for our FPs so we headed to Africa and the Kilimanjaro Safaris. Because DFIL rode his scooter into the queue we ended up in the handicapped section, which is a totally different load area. It took absolutely forever! I believe the people we were in line with were exiting by the time our truck departed. We did have a good driver (Jared) but the animals, other than the
crocs, were pretty scarce. I believe it was because it was so warm and late in the day; usually we do this ride first thing in the morning which I totally recommend. There wasnt a single lion to be seen.
We decided to go see the Yeti again and use those FPs for EE wed gotten first thing in the morning. Third time was just as good as the first two! Maybe better because I paid more attention to all the amazing detail thats all through the ride. Wow!
It was already past the time wed thought wed be leaving AK, but we had done a lot. We still had a couple of things we wanted to do and knew we wouldnt be returning, so we headed over to DinoLand. We love Primeval Whirl so we rode that. (
DFIL took a pass.) I filmed it while DD kept up a great commentary (
in the voice that tells you at the end Please stand up before exiting. Bye Bye!" We love that announcement almost as much as the announcement on the monorail about the doors closing. We're easy to amuse, I guess.)
We headed over to ride Dinosaur. The line was pretty healthy so we got FPs which basically meant we could relax for that 30 minutes instead of standing in line. DD and I went and got everyone our favorite snack (
Nestle Toll House Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches) and we relaxed and enjoyed those. Then we headed in for Dinosaur, which DFIL did ride (
leaving his scooter outside). It was a bit rougher than hed remembered, and he would have liked to be through with it about halfway through. I sat between DD and DS and had DD clinging to my arm screaming the whole way through! (
Shes a screamer. Its amazing when you look at our ride photos just how wide she can open her mouth!)
Although we hadnt hit every attraction, we had spent more time at AK than ever before and decided it was time to head over and walk through Epcot over to our ADRs at Spoodles on the Boardwalk. That was DHs request for his birthday dinner. He had no idea what was to come after dinner!! And neither do you!
That will have to wait for the next installment
I sat there imagining just what might be crawling into my ear.)
) We were really looking forward to ToT for two reasons: 1. We love it. 2. Disuncs trip report. If you havent read it, you MUST read the part about ToT. Page 29 of the thread Pop My Jibbitz. I laughed until I cried. I printed it out and shared it with my family. It is one of the funniest things Ive ever read!
The best part was yet to come we saw Willie, star of Disuncs trippie! (You really must read at least that installment.) Getting off, DD kept repeating I love that ride! Yeah, right. Once its over, maybe. I knew it would be tough to get her on it again.
), so we'll be there marathon weekend regardless. I'm going to sign up for the full, but we'll see how the future looks whether I run it or not. ~~cough possible pregnancy cough~~
.........sorry to laugh but glad to see it was the end of your digestive problems!
