(Final 8/12)The WILDEST Ride in the Wilderness!" Princess Half Marathon TR/Feb.2014

[annmarieda]

I have a hard time picking a favorite park... but I definitely know that AK is not my least favorite. I love it! Your pics are as always... spectacular. As for getting up early after such a long day... I just don't know how you do it! I try.. but I fail miserable compared to you!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

How did I become one of those people that doesn't update for days! I used to be able to finish a WHOLE trip report in a week!

YAY!!!! An update!!! I will forgive your lack of love for HS as we can't all have the best of tastes, right??!! Ok, so I'll be sitting here waiting for safari pics.......

Coming right up! I hope.

It's funny you mention how everything was in bloom because my Mom and I marveled at that too! Especially coming from the snowiest winter ever all that color was weird and beautiful of course we loved it!

I'm a huge Animal Kingdom fan as well, I think it's a beautiful park and I really love all the landscaping and attractions.

The music too! I love the African drums/music in the background all around AK.

I like Animal Kingdom far more than my hubby. So we never do it much justice when he's around. And I am bummed the ONLY day we planned it poured. Boo. (But at least I got on EE 6 times in a row thanks to that rain!).

I think AK is such a pretty park. And I love, love, love the attention to the little details there.

Good job on letting the kids sleep till 10am. Not sure I could do that.

It was definitely the latest Savannah has ever been able to sleep in at Disney. I think I was wanting to rest my knees a bit before hitting the parks hard again.

I always feel like I'm melting as soon as I get off the bus at AK. Going in June will cause that to happen. :/ Maybe next February I will get to have a different experience.

Oh yes! The first trip we ever went was in September and AK was SO SO SO hot and muggy! The last few trips have been in the winter and it's just gorgeous. Such a nice treat when we are usually coming from snow and everything brown and dead.

Great pics!

Not a big fan of AK, but when we do go, we at least do the Safari.

Can'tr wait for more

Coming right up!

Ok I am waaaaaay behind on commenting but here goes some catching up...

The "thought they said RUM" sign was definitely one of my favorite signs on the course!

I loved it too! I was happy Savannah got a picture of at least one sign. I couldn't see a thing with my glasses off.

Yet another margarita flavor at La Cava I want to try, guess I'll have to take another trip...

Good thing there are a lot of flavors!

I love those African bead bracelets...I had never seen them before and my mom actually bought one on this trip too. We had fun trying to figure out what kind of disney paper each color bracelet came from...

It's too bad that CRT was a disappointing experience, but the fireworks view sounds so magical...I will definitely have to try and see it from there sometime

It was totally worth the mediocre meal!


I'm so impressed at how late you stayed up after the race! I still have not managed to crash and burn a few hours after a half marathon....even at Disney, haha.

Haha, I impressed even myself. Most nights I struggle to get to 9am.

I have a hard time picking a favorite park... but I definitely know that AK is not my least favorite. I love it! Your pics are as always... spectacular. As for getting up early after such a long day... I just don't know how you do it! I try.. but I fail miserable compared to you!

Thanks! I just don't sleep much in general, I think I fall into REM sleep really fast and so I wake up and feel like I'm wide awake and then realize I've only been asleep for 5 or 6 hours.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Where were we? Ah yes, the safari!! So, we had just arrived, I think it was around 11:45ish (wait...I think our FP was for noon) and once we were able to get in line we basically walked right down and got on. It was alarming a few times, seeing a line for FP, but it was always just because people took a bit to scan their bands.

When I go on safari I always seem to catch a different group of animals ready for me to photograph them. I was secretly hoping the giraffes would oblige like our last trip. If you didn't see those shots, they are in our mother/daughter TR below...they came right up to us, I got some awesome shots! In any case, I love giraffes and I was hoping for more of them.

Off we went!

SMILEY...

It was cloudy, I thought it might rain and was happy to have a roof over my head.

Squeeeee!!

Kitty!

bigger kitty!

two kitties! (look close!)

YAWN...

Yep, I think it was a kitty safari for me this time, which I'm totally pleased with. Usually I can't get a good angle for the big cats.

When we got off the safari, it was TIME for lunch and not only was it time for lunch but it started to DRIP DRIP DRIP...and the sky threatened to open up and downpour on us. I've been in Tusker House soaking wet before (thank you Kali river rapids) BRRRrrrr, and had no intention of doing it again! We kind of booked it to Tusker House and checked in with the hundred other people checking in. Up next...Lunch! I'll try not to take weeks to update again. Life's been crazy!

 

[ZellyB]

Great update! Love the shots you got on the safari, especially of the big cats.

 

[annmarieda]

Great update! Wonderful kitty shots!

Can't wait to hear about lunch. TH... YUM

 

[Tinker326]

Great pics of the safari!!

And good pics of the cats!

 

[Credit Man]

Super big cat pics!

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

I finally got caught up, Karen! All I can say is wow! Job well done! Congrats on your first Princess Half! That is so amazing! I teared up a few times reading about your experience. You must be so proud of yourself for such a fantastic accomplishment! Then you kept on going for time at EPCOT and Magic Kingdom? Where do you get your energy and where can I get some?!? I may not be able to understand the runner’s high, but I can understand the Disney high! It must have truly gotten you through that LONG day! It sounds like you and Savannah had fun. I’m sorry to hear about the meltdowns, but it does happen to the best of us! I know exactly where you are coming from with having a mother/daughter relationship where one can set the other off. True and I are like that, so I can’t even imagine how it is going to be when she is a teenager! But you handled it well, and I was happy to see that you guys got over it so fast That’s too bad that the dinner wasn’t all that great at CRT. The view of the fireworks was awesome, though! I’m glad you got your shot in front of the castle. I can’t believe you were up and ready to go again so early in the morning. Seriously, find a way to bottle your energy and sell it!

 

[Trentmom]

Great shots of the safari

 

[disneyhorselover]

Love the safari pictures, especially the lions and the "smiling" alligator (crocodile?)!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Great update! Love the shots you got on the safari, especially of the big cats.

Thanks!

Great update! Wonderful kitty shots!

Can't wait to hear about lunch. TH... YUM

Mmmm, I LOVE TH. Update coming right up!

Great pics of the safari!!

And good pics of the cats!

Thanks Tweedle.

Super big cat pics!

Thank you!

I finally got caught up, Karen! All I can say is wow! Job well done! Congrats on your first Princess Half! That is so amazing! I teared up a few times reading about your experience. You must be so proud of yourself for such a fantastic accomplishment! Then you kept on going for time at EPCOT and Magic Kingdom? Where do you get your energy and where can I get some?!? I may not be able to understand the runner’s high, but I can understand the Disney high! It must have truly gotten you through that LONG day! It sounds like you and Savannah had fun. I’m sorry to hear about the meltdowns, but it does happen to the best of us! I know exactly where you are coming from with having a mother/daughter relationship where one can set the other off. True and I are like that, so I can’t even imagine how it is going to be when she is a teenager! But you handled it well, and I was happy to see that you guys got over it so fast That’s too bad that the dinner wasn’t all that great at CRT. The view of the fireworks was awesome, though! I’m glad you got your shot in front of the castle. I can’t believe you were up and ready to go again so early in the morning. Seriously, find a way to bottle your energy and sell it!

Awww, thank you Erin! We always joke about how there HAS to be at least one meltdown at Disney. Savannah and I get along amazingly well, mostly b/c I treat her like I would anyone and respect her feelings...I think that's the best way to teach your kids to treat others the same way. I just can't sleep at Disney, it's the FOMS. (fear of missing something!)

Great shots of the safari

Thank you!

Love the safari pictures, especially the lions and the "smiling" alligator (crocodile?)!

I always end up googling the difference between alligators and crocodiles. I know it has something to do with size/width of their snout...but I forget which is which!


Update coming right up!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Time to chow down! We had just gotten off the Safari and booked it to Tusker House. The first reason for that was the time, we were JUST going to be there by our ADR...and I really hate to be late. Have I ever mentioned that? The second reason was the drip, drip, drip we started to feel and the dark cloud looming above.

I had to laugh a bit b/c when we arrived, I thought to myself we could get under the roof...and the roof right where you check in has a huge square opening in it, so no cover after all. LOL

No matter! We checked in and went around the corner to get our picture taken and find a spot to wait with the mass of other people waiting to be seated.

Bit of a rant: I don't really care for this taking-a-photo and then bringing it to the table and trying to charge you 35$ for it. It seems SO WASTEFUL. Seriously, when you turn them down, they just go throw it away?? I am going to start refusing to do the photo.

The threat of rain diminished as we waited to go in and it wasn't too terribly long before we were called to be seated. I wasted no time and loaded up two plates of vegetarian yummy goodness. I know, I know, it's a lot of food. I tend to load up the plates so I don't have to go back. Call me lazy.

The food was fantastic, as always, but overshadowed by characters. There. I said it. In the past, lunch was NOT a character meal and we all agreed that we preferred it without characters. First of all, it's too crowded. The characters barely have any room and you are squeezing around trying to get a photo. Secondly, you are constantly looking around, trying to cram your food in your face or chew before they walk up. Not really relaxing. Then there was the awkwardness. I'm not sure why, but it was just really strange with these characters, Donald in particular. He just kind of stood there and the girls were really uncomfortable. I can see it in Savannah's face.

This was where Savannah finally proclaimed that she preferred face characters more now. It's funny because when she was younger it was the exact opposite! Anyway, we could have done without them, to be honest, and that's ok! I think in the future we will do non-character meals and save meet and greets for around the parks.

Our bellies were full though and we loved the food. We didn't even wait for Daisy after this realization and we headed out to enjoy AK some more. As we walked out, they were playing the drums/dancing and we stopped to enjoy.

THIS HAPPENS when you have a large lens on your camera and people notice you.

We headed to Flights of Wonder

I had hoped it would be finished with lunch in time for the 1pm show, and we arrived just a couple minutes before it started. Of course since we arrived so late, we sat farther back than in the past. It made it a bit dark with the clouds and roof, so I didn't take a ton of shots.

I love this show because instead of birds doing tricks on bicycles, the actual focus is on conservation and birds in their real habitat. They throw in humor with the HUMANS, which works perfectly and makes it a fun show.

Seriously. You saw how far back we were in the other shots? Get yourself a camera with a long lens and it's like you have a beacon on you screaming LOOK RIGHT AT ME!

When the show was over, it was time to head for MY PRECIOUS!!!!!!

Up next...will Eleanor love our "Expedition" as much as Savannah & I do?!?!?

 

[Victoriasmom98]

OMG!!! The expression on the drummer's face when he saw your camera is PRICELESS!!! I'm rolling!!! And then the "tour guide" at FOA. Fabulous!!! Your AK day so far sounds great! We have only ever done Tusker House for breakfast, so I guess we are used to the characters rushing about. Yeah the girls really didn't look amused by having their pics taken with the characters. Oh well, live and learn,, right??

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

OMG!!! The expression on the drummer's face when he saw your camera is PRICELESS!!! I'm rolling!!! And then the "tour guide" at FOA. Fabulous!!! Your AK day so far sounds great! We have only ever done Tusker House for breakfast, so I guess we are used to the characters rushing about. Yeah the girls really didn't look amused by having their pics taken with the characters. Oh well, live and learn,, right??

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!

Happy Mother's Day AND BIRTHDAY!!!!!!! to you as well Ann!

They really preferred actual face characters that could talk to them this time. I think part of it may be b/c the non-face characters aren't sure what to DO with a teenager...I think they may worry about being too touchy/huggy like they are with little kids? The face characters can talk to them a ton and that seemed to be a hit this trip. It was fine with me, there are SO many things to love and do at WDW, I have never been hung up on them having to like or do certain things. We rolled with it!

I know, I was dying when he made that face!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Two updates in one day! It's my Mother's Day gift to you.

So off we went, B-line, towards my favorite ride in the land!

I always want to get some good shots of this area, but never do. I think it's b/c I'm always in a hurry to get to Everest...and there are always people in my pics. Don't they know they should get out of the way so I can get my photos???

I was a little nervous about Eleanor going on EE. It LOOKS for-boding (is that really how you spell that?!?! That's what spellcheck says. whatever.) and I had no idea how she would react to it.

We had a FP+ scheduled for it, so I had to actually STOP and take a couple of rushed shots b/c there was no line.

That just won't do. I have to go back and get a good shot of EE from my last trip just to share. I really wasn't in "amazing-photo-mode" on this trip. Sorry folks! Here's one from a trip before this.

Better? Ok, let's move on...
walked right through the FP line and on we went! I think I was sitting with a little girl and went through the single rider line, that seemed to comfort Eleanor...

Ahhhh, my ride! It was fabulous, as ever, and when we got off the verdict was in! She liked it!!!

Good thing since I NEVER just do EE once. Around we went and into standby, which was a 15 minute wait...but it wasn't. It was practically walk-on. Late February on a Monday at AK at 3pm...love it.

When we came out, the girls shopped a bit, they both bought EE tshirts.

We headed to Dinoland at this point and walked right on Primeval Whirl. I snapped this shot of our reflections b/c I remembered one from a previous trip with Savannah that I had taken...

I went back and found the shot from 2009 when I got home:

PW was fun and jerky, as always. The girls were ready to use their 3pm FP's for Kali River, so we headed over there. I opted not to go, I always get soaked and I couldn't take the camera. I went to the bridge where you can watch people go by, I actually had no recollection of this area...we hadn't gone on Kali since our first visit, always go when it's under refurb in the winter.

It was a LOOOONG wait, I was wondering what the dealio was, but I think they were having tech issues b/c they would stop coming for long periods and then start back up. I took a few photos of one of my favorite things...prayer flags. I hang prayer flags in my back yard every year, I love them.

Finally they rounded the bend!

Oh! Busted. Told you the lens is like a beacon!

They had fun and enjoyed the ride even though it was a bit of waiting! I think Savannah said she wished they had gotten wetter. LOL

Up next...finishing out AK and heading to DTD for the evening!

 

[WDWaddictt]

Your pics of the safari are awesome!

We don't get our picture taken with Donald at Tusker House anymore, what a waste.

Love the look on the drummers face.. hahahaha

I love EE, one of my fav rides in WDW! I do not like Kali River Rapids though, I always get soaked. Not just wet, soaked like I jumped in the water soaked...ahhh.

 

[DisneyJo]

Absolutely loving your TR, you are amazing to run the half marathon

 

[saintstickets]

Loved your update and the fantastic pics!
I think the girls got off too easy on KRR. There should be a rule if you're not at least 50% soaked, you MUST ride again immediately and get to go to the head of the line!!

 

[ZellyB]

Your pictures are great. It's funny about which characters people prefer. I really don't like face characters that much (can't get away from the fact that it's just an actor/CM), but something about the non-face characters lets me buy in more even though I know (also an actor/CM). And, in January we saw talking Mickey for the first time and he sort of freaked me out.

I also really enjoy the FOW show. The birds are beautiful and treated with respect.

 

[Tinker326]

Fun update!!!

Just an FYI- I am pretty sure they have stopped printing pictures at most of the places that used to (Tusker, Ohana, HDD, Luau). They will still take the picture, just not print it. You can get it put on your Magic Band.

The two Princess meals (Cindy and Norway) are the exception.

Savannah's face is pretty funny with the characters at Tusker. She's like.. 'really?'

Ah. Everest! How I love thee.......... So glad that Eleanor liked it!

Great pics, as usual!