Cue the Music: How we MADE money and slept with Ariel! Done!

[Woth2982]

Yay another update! Thanks for the tip on the "back" entrance to Pandora! I will have to remember that for May! You pictures are making me very excited to go and see it in person. I have never seen Avatar, nor do I care to, but I am also someone who loves all of Disney. I had never seen Monsters Inc (I have since remedied this), and the Laugh Floor was one of my favorites, so I am sure I will love the Pandora atmosphere!

 

[MICKEY4EVER!]

Hi, Lisa! Yay for new updates! We rode the Navi River Journey on our last trip. It was beautiful, yes...but I probably would have enjoyed it more if I'd seen more than just the first 20 minutes of the movie. Hopefully I will have seen the entire movie before we get back!! Can't wait to hear more about your AK day!

 

[mickeystoontown]

Yay another update! Thanks for the tip on the "back" entrance to Pandora! I will have to remember that for May! You pictures are making me very excited to go and see it in person. I have never seen Avatar, nor do I care to, but I am also someone who loves all of Disney. I had never seen Monsters Inc (I have since remedied this), and the Laugh Floor was one of my favorites, so I am sure I will love the Pandora atmosphere!

From what I understand that back entrance isn't open all of the time. I know that we tried to take it on a third day at Animal Kingdom and it wasn't open. On the first and second days, it was. Maybe they open it after the main dash to that area dies down during the day?

I didn't think that I'd like Avatar at all but ended up liking it. Not enough to watch it without pausing and running to do the laundry, dishes, etc.

Hi, Lisa! Yay for new updates! We rode the Navi River Journey on our last trip. It was beautiful, yes...but I probably would have enjoyed it more if I'd seen more than just the first 20 minutes of the movie. Hopefully I will have seen the entire movie before we get back!! Can't wait to hear more about your AK day!

Hey Mel! Girl, you were supposed to watch Avatar before y'all went! LOL

 

[Steppesister]

Oh how I love the new Pandora area. So peaceful and full of beautiful detail. Agreed though that seeing the movie first would really enhance someone's understanding of it.

Been to Pizzafari once. Sadly for me the ho hum-ness was enough to keep me from returning. I can see how the size of that lettuce would be hard to get cut and eaten without some work.

That back entrance is where they queue the really loooooooooooooooooooooooooooong line (it was 360 minutes!) for FoP- it literally stretched to past the bridge and almost to the theater. Ridiculous! If it weren't crowded though, I can see how it'd be nicer... quieter.

 

[amazingact21]

The first thing I thought of when I saw the picture of your salad was how difficult it must've been to cut with those plastic forks and tiny plates Disney provides! Hopefully, that particular salad will get retired and another one will take its place before your next visit to Pizzafari.

I'm sure the Navi River Journey is a fun ride to experience, I just hope the waits go down a little in a few years.

 

[tink65]

Catching up! Haven't been on disboards in so long....I mean a couple years long! Enjoying your trip report

 

[MICKEY4EVER!]

Hey Mel! Girl, you were supposed to watch Avatar before y'all went! LOL

I know, I know!! I totally told you I would, but even KNOWING I was going to Avatar land couldn't motivate me in the weeks leading up to the trip. I promise I'll try again!!

 

[Clarf]

Your pictures of Pandora are great, but now after seeing it for myself, the pictures don't even do it justice! It's so amazing, and I haven't seen the movie either! We did't get on Navi River Journey, but we did get lucky enough to have FP+ for Flight of Passage. It's incredible.

Sorry your Pizzafari experience wasn't great. For your next trip, try the quick service place in Pandora. We had some great stuff there, including the most amazing dessert ever. I don't remember what it's called, but it's some sort of mousse that's blue and so delish. You'll eventually see it in my TR. I hope to start it this week!

Keep the updates coming! Now that our trip is over I need to get my fix somehow.

 

[TillyDe]

I have loved all of your trip reports. They are one of the reasons our next trip will be at CBR.

 

[Steppesister]

Just popping in to say howdy! Finally have some downtime at work and can take a peek at the DIS. Hope all is well in your corner.

 

[PhoenixStrength]

I'm here! Now to go back and actually read what you have so far.

 

[PhoenixStrength]

Now that I've read everything I can comment!

Glad your drive wasn't too bad!

We stayed at Music for our honeymoon 2 years ago and enjoyed it. Value food courts are huge. Weird that the food court was already shutting down windows at that time, especially during a busy week. We saw them close some down after 9 when it got slower. It is nice to be able to easily walk to the other All Stars though and glad you guys found good options there.

Love your names for the animals on the safari. Just so you know the brown striped ones are Bongo and the long horned ones are Ibex!

Love Festival of the Lion King and Pandora. The Navi River Journey isn't a thrill ride but it's beautiful and we liked it when we got on it last September.

 

[mickeystoontown]

I've never seen a Yeti with a ponytail! Now I know why!

After our just okay meal at Pizzafari and our journey down the Navi River, it was time to head on over to our next Fastpass destination which was Expedition Everest! I love this attraction. Can you believe that my scaredy butt self that doesn't even like walking by a second floor hotel railing can ride Expedition Everest? I do have to squint a little or look down at my lap when you go up that first steep "mountain" but that's not a big deal. I have do that when I drive over a high bridge. Well, I don't look at my lap when I'm driving. I keep my eyes straight ahead. Anyway, I love this rollercoaster.

I have a hard time getting anyone to ride this Yeti dodging train with me though. Hunter doesn't like it. John doesn't like it. So if I'm on a trip with just those two, I usually skip it. On this trip, I figured that I'd be skipping Expedition Everest but when it came Fastpass time John said to snag them and he'd suffer through the yanking and snatching for me. He's a sensitive sweet guy like that. He suffers through all the Disney mountains even has our son make a one song CD for me. (He draws the line at entering Stitch's Great Escape.)

Before getting on the coaster, I made a pit stop and then we were on our way to find that ball of fur known as the Yeti. With the Fastpass, we whizzed on through and were soon boarding our train. In the past, I've been a good trip reporter writer and have taken pictures galore. This trip, I took plenty but figured "Oh I'll take fewer pictures. It'll be okay." And then I get to writing and I'm like "Dang, I needed to have taken more pictures 'cause this trip report is gonna suck without 'em."

Our car clickety clacked up the first hill and I actually looked off to the side. Not down but out. Out to the side. That wasn't so bad. And then we were off! Zooming through the mountain and, then, oh my! The tracks were gone! Due to the lack of pictures, I borrowed a couple from the world wide web. (I wish that I had thought to bring an old flash drive with me because I have some great pictures from years past.)



See those black rings over on the right? On the rocks? No? Let me show you another image that I googled. And it just so happened that it comes from a fellow Diser @nilla . It's so cool that you can google an image and a Diser's pic pops up.

Ever see a Yeti with a ponytail? No? That's because he's left all his ponytail ties on the mountain!



And just as we were looking out over the tracks and mountain, we were zooming off backwards. This is the funnest part of the ride to me. (yes, funnest is a word) We were zipping and whipping and then......we stop again. And there he is, the man err creature himself, the one that we had all come to see, the creature of the hour... Yeti.


Awww, dang it! That's not the Yeti. That's a gorilla! What a sucky trip report writer I am. I really need to stop squinting my eyes when I'm going through my pictures. That only works for the heights issues and not for picture finding. John found a cool Expedition Everest shirt that he wanted and we used some of our free "I'll opt out of housekeeping for free money." money. Otherwise, we would have left the $40 shirt hanging right where it was. We, insert I, filled out the "resort package pickup" slip and I tucked the slip into my wallet for later. Gotta love the fact that Disney will take your things to your resort for you.

Having survived our coaster ride, it was time for a leisurely stroll and another coffee break. This time, John got a holiday edition something or other. I think it was a Chestnut Praline but don't hold me to that. I know that we got that flavor several times though. This is an awesome use of a snack credit.



Starbucks in hand, we strolled along the Pangani Forest Trail. Y'all, John is an animal lover but just standing around looking at animals isn't his thing. I think I mentioned that earlier. He usually finds a nice quiet bench and either people watches or takes a phone call. This time, he didn't want me to walk the trails alone so he came with me.



Usually, the gorillas are sound asleep in front of the glass but today there were three milling around. A Mama and it looked like two babies. Not baby babies but young 'uns.



The two little ones were so cute. They would run after one another and sneak up behind the other. When it appeared that one was going to tell on the other, one put his arm around the mom and walked along beside her. It truly looked like he was whispering in her ear "Listen, whatever he tells you, don't believe him. I'm a perfect angel.". It was so cute. Even John said so.



We spent a little more time watching but then moved on so that others could take our place. The viewing area isn't huge so I don't like to linger too long and take up the space when others want to see too.

Around in the other area of the gorilla trail we came upon this big guy!






I could stand around and watch the gorillas for hours. They are usually sitting out on grand display for all to see. Today, the animal specialist were out with their clipboards and were watching their behavior and recording it. I say clipboards but I think it was really an ipad but I'm so old school that I still think about papers on a clipboard.

Up next: Flying by the seat of our pants and trying another something new!

​

 

[natebenma]

Loved your Expedition Everest update. Good for you for being brave and looking and good for John for going along with you. What did he think of the ride?

I couldn't figure out your chapter title, I had forgotten all about those pony tail rings. SMH!

I LOL'ed at your "picture of the Yeti"- The way the picture is framed, it looks like when you see the video. I was thining "Cool! They added a background." You got me!

The gorillas are awesome to watch. The young 'uns were really cute when I watched them last year. They were playing and cuffing each other. Totally like siblings!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

Ever see a Yeti with a ponytail? No? That's because he's left all his ponytail ties on the mountain!

This is what Gwen thought was the best part of this ride...

I tucked the slip into my wallet for later. Gotta love the fact that Disney will take your things to your resort for you.

I haven't tried this yet. The girls always want there goods with them. Does it take awhile?

It truly looked like he was whispering in her ear "Listen, whatever he tells you, don't believe him. I'm a perfect angel.". It was so cute. Even John said so.

The Gorillas always make me a little sad. They are amazing creatures that really do resemble us as humans alot. We have a nice gorilla exhibit at the Philly Zoo here, and one of the male gorillas always sits right up against the window and you can really see how there hands look so much like ours!

 

[PhoenixStrength]

We love Expedition Everest, it is one of our favorites!

Very sweet of John to ride with you and do the Pagani Forest Trail with you too.

And I know the feeling of thinking you'll do less pictures and enjoy the moment, then wondering why you don't have any pictures later!

 

[amazingact21]

So, coins in fountains I understand...but ponytails on the side of mountains? Why?

When on the Dining Plan, a Starbucks drink really is one of the best values you can get for your snack credits. You pay a hefty price for needing that caffeine fix.

The gorilla interaction sounds great. Always fun to see the juveniles messing around.

 

[Woth2982]

Great update! John was such a great sport all day! Love that he sucked it up and went on the roller coaster AND the animal trail. I am with you on the coaster, and with him on the trail. Love the ride, don't care for the trail. I probably would have called it a clip board too. We had some friends over and called my fiancé's playstation an Xbox, you would think I committed some kind of cardinal sin! I got schooled real fast and responded EVERYTHING is an Xbox! Old School lol.

 

[richkaryn]

Looks like they cleaned quite a few of the ponytail holders off since our October 2016 trip. There were probably at least 5 times as many as what is in your picture. It was kind of disgusting, there were so many.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

John and Hunter don't like EE? Wow. That's my favorite ride. What's not to like?

That ponytail holder display is...odd.

Love the photo of the baby gorilla whispering in mom's ear!