DW and I decided to take our morning walk at AK today. We arrived at the parking lot at 8:10am and were directed to the dinosaur lot, row 32. No more close in parking for early arrivers no that there is Preferred Parking. Thankfully the tram was sitting there and we hopped aboard. Right after we boarded it took off for AK.
After quick stop at bag check and walked to the gates to find only two lines that were all the way back to the ticket counters and starting to bend sideways. We were just settling into the line when at 8:30am they quietly opened the gates and started letting people into the park. We wandered towards the left Discovery Island path and found a rope across it. This was new, I had not experienced this opening sequence before. We were held there until around 8:45am.
We then walked up to the Tree of Life and joined the crowd at the rope waiting to head to the Safari. A few minutes before 9 without any announcement the macaws flew in, the short Welcome to AK announcement played, the macaws flew out, and the crowd headed towards Africa.
Not being the fastest walkers there was a bit of a crowd in front of us by the time we reached the Safari entrance. The fast pass line was also busy and we ended up waiting about 10 minutes before we were directed off to the right to fill up the first handicap access truck of the morning.
We had a nice safari ride and saw quite a few animals. The one small difficulty with riding on the handicap access truck is that it loads and unloads at the same gate just after the main loading gates. So after the safari it has to sit in the line with the empty trucks as they wait to be filled. It takes a few extra minutes which the driver worked to ease with some stories.
We were out of the truck by 9:45am and on our way to the first show of the Lion King. We got there just as they opened the door for the standby line.
After the Lion King we strolled back to ITTBAB.
Then it was time for lunch at the Flame Tree BBQ. Pulled pork sandwiches and onion rings down by the water listening to the screams from Everest. Also enjoyed the special 20% AP discount on the price of the meal.
After lunch we wandered over to Asia for a trek through the Maharajah Jungle.
By the time we finished our trek it was after noon and we had some afternoon errands to run so it was time to head home. A nice morning walk around the Animal Kingdom.
After quick stop at bag check and walked to the gates to find only two lines that were all the way back to the ticket counters and starting to bend sideways. We were just settling into the line when at 8:30am they quietly opened the gates and started letting people into the park. We wandered towards the left Discovery Island path and found a rope across it. This was new, I had not experienced this opening sequence before. We were held there until around 8:45am.
We then walked up to the Tree of Life and joined the crowd at the rope waiting to head to the Safari. A few minutes before 9 without any announcement the macaws flew in, the short Welcome to AK announcement played, the macaws flew out, and the crowd headed towards Africa.
Not being the fastest walkers there was a bit of a crowd in front of us by the time we reached the Safari entrance. The fast pass line was also busy and we ended up waiting about 10 minutes before we were directed off to the right to fill up the first handicap access truck of the morning.
We had a nice safari ride and saw quite a few animals. The one small difficulty with riding on the handicap access truck is that it loads and unloads at the same gate just after the main loading gates. So after the safari it has to sit in the line with the empty trucks as they wait to be filled. It takes a few extra minutes which the driver worked to ease with some stories.
We were out of the truck by 9:45am and on our way to the first show of the Lion King. We got there just as they opened the door for the standby line.
After the Lion King we strolled back to ITTBAB.
Then it was time for lunch at the Flame Tree BBQ. Pulled pork sandwiches and onion rings down by the water listening to the screams from Everest. Also enjoyed the special 20% AP discount on the price of the meal.
After lunch we wandered over to Asia for a trek through the Maharajah Jungle.
By the time we finished our trek it was after noon and we had some afternoon errands to run so it was time to head home. A nice morning walk around the Animal Kingdom.
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. We snowbird in Davenport. The result of many years of hard work, saving, a little planning, and some luck. Wishing you the same possibilities.
