I Paid Someone $5 for a Catchy Trip Report Title, and This is All I Got-Updated 12/29

[CW4DW]

Great update - can't wait to hear and see Animal Kingdom...

 

[dd50]

Great update! We didn't do the animation tour and will try that next time.

 

[glennbo123]

Great update - can't wait to hear and see Animal Kingdom...

Thank you. I'm not sure when I'll get the next installment up, what with Thanksgiving this week, and all. But I may get a free evening, so you never know.

Great update! We didn't do the animation tour and will try that next time.

Thanks. The Animation Academy was very enjoyable. I'd done the presentation before (the first picture of that part of the TR installment), but hadn't done the actual drawing class before. You can probably go in through the gift shop (ie. backwards) and just go to the drawing class if you didn't want to watch the presentation.

 

[winkers]

LOVE the photopass pictures!

I think they take the eyes closed shots on purpose. They're like the waitress who only comes over to your table when you're mouth is full and then walks away before you can swallow and say something.

I bet it's part of their training.

 

[Tribilín]

Thank you. I'm not sure when I'll get the next installment up, what with Thanksgiving this week, and all. But I may get a free evening, so you never know.

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww

J/K Hope you enjoy the festivities with your family... but don't forget about us after that

 

[glennbo123]

LOVE the photopass pictures!

Thank you!

I think they take the eyes closed shots on purpose. They're like the waitress who only comes over to your table when you're mouth is full and then walks away before you can swallow and say something.

I bet it's part of their training.

That's a great analogy. So true.

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww

J/K Hope you enjoy the festivities with your family... but don't forget about us after that

Thanks Mr. T. Tonight I'm copying pictures (Disney and those taken since then) onto DVD's. Up until now I've left them all on my camera memory card (it's a big memory card) just in case the computer crashes. Now that I'm putting them onto DVD's I can clear the camera memory. Just thought I'd check the DIS while the burner's doin' it's thing.

 

[we3are1]

subbing
I love the TR and the pictures are amazing! What camera do you have? What setting did you use for the electric parade?

 

[glennbo123]

subbing
I love the TR and the pictures are amazing! What camera do you have? What setting did you use for the electric parade?

we3are1! I'm glad you've joined in and are enjoying it.

I have a Canon XSi camera. For the Spectromagic parade I put the camera on a tripod and used the Tv (time value) setting, where the shutter speed you specify takes priority and the camera automatically adjusts the aperture. I set the speed at 1/25 seconds, and the camera set the aperture at F4.1 or F4.5 for most shots. 1/25 of a second is a little long to be able to hold the camera still by hand, so you probably need a tripod, monopod, or some object like a garbage can or post or something to keep the pictures from blurring.

 

[glennbo123]

When I concluded my last installment it was around noon on July 4th and we had just left Disney Hollywood Studios. From there we were heading to the last park in our end-of-the-week “farewell tour” -- Animal Kingdom. We entered the park through the Rainforest Café because I had read on another site that there are turnstiles in there, and they can be a good alternative if you’re at the park for rope-drop and the regular turnstiles are busy. So, I just wanted to check them out for future reference. From there we began to trek to Expedition Everest. Along the way we paused for a couple of pictures. First, here’s my gang on the bridge to Asia.

Then, I took a couple of pictures of the shrine again. I know I showed you similar pictures in an earlier installment, but it was a nicer day on the 4th and I think these are more “picturesque”.

Then we arrived at Expedition Everest and used our remaining VIP fastpasses to get 10 fastpass tickets. (I believe I wrote in an earlier installment that they were good for 2 rides each, but apparently it was 3 rides each because we used them for 1 on TSM and now 2 on EE. After a few months, the memory is beginning to fade!) Marlene asked if she could hold the tickets for my picture, so those are her fingertips in the pic.

With the fastpasses, I and the three kids rode twice in a row (Judy was taking a break from thrill rides since she hurt her neck on EE a couple of days earlier), so that used eight of our fastpasses. Then, James and Marlene used the last two fastpasses, while Lauren and I rode as single riders. Here are some pictures from those last few rides. I’ll try to just post ones that are different from what I posted before.

Okay, I lied….here’s another “Oh no! The Yeti destroyed the tracks” photo. This must be the fourth time I’ve posted one of these, but this is the last time….I’m pretty sure.

I think we look like we’re having fun in this redneck photo. It’s hard to believe that earlier in the week we were working Marlene and James up through the various thrill rides -- Big Thunder, Test Track, Mission Space, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, and had to do so much coaxing to get them to try Everest, even resorting to bribery.

By the time we finished our rides on Everest it was after 1:30 and the kids were starving. So, we thought we’d try ordering at the window of Yak and Yeti. We ordered Sweet and Sour Pork, Honey Chicken, and Kung Pao Beef, and ate at the picnic tables behind the restaurant, the same place where we had eaten a couple of days earlier, only then we ate sandwiches we had made and brought into the park. Here’s a shot of our little feast, clockwise from the top -- pork, chicken, beef.

We all shared these, and I think the consensus was that they were okay, but nothing special. Basically like what you’d expect from Chinese take-out.

We finished our late lunch and went over to Maharaja Jungle Trek, which had been temporarily closed when we were there a couple of days earlier. I still wasn’t sure if I had been on this before or not. I didn’t remember going before, but I couldn’t believe there was something in this park, other than the new things like Everest, that I hadn’t done before. But it was all new to me, so nope, I hadn’t. We soon arrived at the bat area. There was a sign as you entered warning that there are bats, so I suppose they get some squeamish people who don’t realize what they’re about to see and freak out. So, on that note, maybe I should post a warning in this trip report.

Warning -- bat photos ahead.

These are fruit bats, big but harmless. I thought they were interesting to look at, they hold still for photos, which is nice, and the theming here was really cool. I like how the flags, even though tattered and faded, all tie-in across Asia.

Then we saw some tigers. Again, the theming here was fantastic. It looks like you’re at some ancient ruins in Asia somewhere. This first guy, in the pool, would not give me the satisfaction of looking at me when I was trying to take his picture. I could have waited all day.

I took a picture of James in front of this really nicely-themed water fountain. I think it’s amazing….the mortarless bricks, the various water jugs on the crumbling table, and the bicycle that was apparently left by a “local”.

And I wanted a picture of this sign. It is similar to the one over near Everest, which I had noticed earlier in the week, but had neglected to take a picture of.

Here’s another tiger who wouldn’t give me the satisfaction of looking at me.

At the exit, Marlene and James compared their hand-size to a cast of a tiger paw.

As we left Maharaja Jungle Trek, we learned that people were still hungry, apparently. Judy wanted to try a cheese/jalapeno stuffed pretzel, which one of the stands was selling, and the kids wanted ice cream. The pretzel was good….not so good that I’d go too far out of my way to get one, but okay. Regarding ice cream, we asked a vendor and soon discovered that the only place to get soft-serve ice cream at Animal Kingdom is over at Camp Minnie Mickey, the other side of the park. Well, we were on our way out, so we guessed that we’d detour over there.

We made our way around the Tree of Life and had just begun toward Camp Minnie Mickey when Marlene said, “Oh my gosh! I don’t have my fanny pack! And my inhaler’s in it!” We tried to determine where the last place was that she had it and our best guess was at the picnic tables behind Yak and Yeti. James and been complaining that his feet were hurting, so there was no way he was going to make it there and back, so Judy and Lauren volunteered to go with Marlene back to Yak and Yeti, while James and I hung out in a gift shop. After a while they came back with the fanny pack! Someone had turned it in at the Yak and Yeti, and the girls had shown up to retrieve it just before it was about to be sent to Lost and Found at the front of the park. Whew!

Okay, now we could continue on on our quest to find soft-serve ice cream at Camp Minnie Mickey. We got our ice cream, and while we were there James got an autograph from Koda, from the movie “Brother Bear”.

Then we left the park at a little after 3:00. We were pretty-well spent after visiting two parks, each of the last two days.


In the next installment: Last night choices -- night swimming or night-vision goggles
Link to next installment

 

[winkers]

I love all the themeing in AK...I think it is the best!

I'm glad you were able to find the fanny pack!
Bailie has "lost" her cell phone 3 times , always in MK, and it has been turned in all 3 times. Each time I was sure we'd never see it again...I guess I underestimated the power of disney magic.

 

[onelilspark]

What I really like at Yak & Yeti are the Egg Rolls & Fried Rice, I make a meal out of that! (And still have some left over!!!)

 

[glennbo123]

I love all the themeing in AK...I think it is the best!

I think you're right!

I'm glad you were able to find the fanny pack!
Bailie has "lost" her cell phone 3 times , always in MK, and it has been turned in all 3 times. Each time I was sure we'd never see it again...I guess I underestimated the power of disney magic.

Ouch, 3 times, huh? If I were to guess which of our kids would walk off without something it'd be James...but not this time. I think most people in the parks would be inclined to turn something like that in, but then it's an excercise to meet up with your stuff again. Can you imagine talking to the CMs in Lost and Found? "Um, I'm looking for a black fanny pack." They probably get tons of them.

What I really like at Yak & Yeti are the Egg Rolls & Fried Rice, I make a meal out of that! (And still have some left over!!!)

Mmmmm egg rolls. Thanks, I'll have to remember that!

 

[Tribilín]

Oh goodie, an update !

It’s hard to believe that earlier in the week we were working Marlene and James up through the various thrill rides -- Big Thunder, Test Track, Mission Space, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, and had to do so much coaxing to get them to try Everest, even resorting to bribery.

You mean there wasn't a new gift every time you rode EE??!! Yo, Sir, are no fun!

LOL!

Very nice pictures as always!

 

[glennbo123]

Oh goodie, an update !

I thought of you when I submitted it because I knew you were waiting.

You mean there wasn't a new gift every time you rode EE??!! Yo, Sir, are no fun!

LOL!

Very nice pictures as always!

Ha! That's a good one! Maybe the gifts are in the mail, just like your keyboard protector.

 

[Tribilín]

I thought of you when I submitted it because I knew you were waiting.

Thanks !

Ha! That's a good one! Maybe the gifts are in the mail, just like your keyboard protector.

Great! Oh and by the way, the "keyboard protector" just arrived and... ahem... how can I say it.... ehmm... at least you could have left the bread inside the bag

 

[jordanyosh]

Great update! You converted the rest of the family to become thrillseekers!

Great pix of EE. It really makes me feel like I'm there. I can almost feel the humidity....

 

[CW4DW]

What a great update... I thought they served soft serve over by everest also but maybe my memory fails me. Glad you all got some - I love ice cream at Disney World. Can't wait to hear the final decision on the last night!!!

 

[glennbo123]

Great update! You converted the rest of the family to become thrillseekers!

Great pix of EE. It really makes me feel like I'm there. I can almost feel the humidity....

Thank you. Well, the term "thrillseekers" might be a little strong. In fact, we may have to work up through the thrill rides again next time. But we'll always be able to say, "you liked it last time!"

What a great update... I thought they served soft serve over by everest also but maybe my memory fails me. Glad you all got some - I love ice cream at Disney World. Can't wait to hear the final decision on the last night!!!

Thanks! They may serve ice cream over by EE, but I'm pretty sure they directed us to Camp Minnie Mickey as the only place with soft-serve.

 

[jordanyosh]

when are you heading back.

 

[glennbo123]

when are you heading back.

The middle of June, 12th-19th.