"I Wanna See My Castle!" October 2013 TR *COMPLETE* **NEW TR LINK!!** 7/3

[khertz]

Love your Mickey ribbon! How amazing that you had the safari all to yourselves! DH got some great pics. AHH so lucky that you got to see the lions out! Justin & Heather sound like they were really great, and so nice that you got to get a pic with them at the end!

Thanks! I loved all my ribbons so I wanted to make sure I had an opportunity to wear them all at least once.

The Safari was an amazing experience!! We definitely got lucky all the way around, with the private ride and the activity of all the animals. The CM's were awesome, and I'm glad I got a picture to remember them by.

OMGee I would love to experience my own private safari, how awesome! I had no idea they did that!

Those CM sound amazing, I'm so glad you guys got the opportunity!

The "When I was a young warthog" rendition is just too cute! Disney magic at its finest!

Your DH got some amazing animal photos. I can't believe all the big cats were up and about how lucky!

I had no clue they did anything like that either! It was a really cool experience, and so laid back compared to the regular Safari ride with the spiel.

The singing part was just too perfect. I wish I could have video taped the entire experience!

AHH, that cars outfit is adorable!!!!!!!!!!

Look at that... a TR with a "Making Of" built right in.

First of the day on the Safari. That is awesome. Wait... You had the truck all to yourselves????? That is MEGA AWESOME!!

WOW, that's some of the best cheetah shots I've seen. I was starting to think they ran away, but Disney didn't want to admit it. Those zebras did disappear for a while...

Hmm, I'm starting to wonder if Heather actually works there. She seemed to get pretty excited for those Zebras being back like she had no idea. Too funny.

I think this may indeed have been the BEST... SAFARI... EVER.

I really wanted to hate the jacket with the eyes, but it looks so darn cute on him that it just grew on me.

It was SUCH an incredible experience!! I couldn't believe the luck of not only getting a private ride, but also seeing the big cats up and moving around so much. We usually get one mediocre shot of the lions and a shadowy picture where we can say, "If you look reeeeaaaallly hard, there is actually a cheetah in that picture!" This was a great experience, especially for DH who had an easier time getting some good photos since she would stop a little longer for us.

Oh my gosh! That is so cool that you got to have your own private safari!!

"I am still so mad at y'all for killing Mufasa" SO TRUE.

I don't think I've ever seen cheetahs on the safari, either!

Seeing the male lion is just the best.

I loooove the Hakuna Matata performance! That is just too funny.

This was such an awesome, magical experience to read about!

It was a true pixie dust moment. I couldn't believe the luck!

Best Safari EVER!

Best Safari PICTURES EVER!

You guys TOTALLY lucked out. I need to hang out with you! Having a private safari totally ROCKS! I always, always, ALWAYS go to EE first, but I may have to change my touring strategy!

Love your bow. Very cute.

So many fun pictures in this update that I can't possibly cut and paste them all! I do love the one from the bridge with EE in the background and the sun in the trees. Just lovely!

So glad that Paxton was agreeable this morning. He really made it all happen. I so remember the clothes, shoes, and teeth drama. Imagine that X2 every day!

LOVED this update. So magical!

You're welcome to hang with us anytime, Mary Ellen! When I posted that picture on Facebook of the empty truck and that we were getting a private ride, and I had so many friends who are going on trips soon asking how did I get so lucky? And of course my advice is always the same: Get there early early EARLY!

Thanks! DH was on a roll with great pics that morning, and AK is such a photogenic park to begin with.

x1 is hard enough, which is precisely why x2 will not be for at least another year. I can't be too mad at him though, since I am definitely not a morning person either. Except in Disney!

 

[afwdwfan]

As we approach and stand there, the CM asks if there are any celebrations. I immediately pointed to DS with his birthday button in the stroller and said, "His birthday!" The CM, who introduced himself as Justin, led us through the rope and told us we would be the first family of the day on the Safari!

Cool!

I am still so mad at y'all for killing Mufasa!

When we got to the cheetahs, Heather was very excited to point out to us that she doesn't usually see them so active! I was excited to see them up and moving too, because for the longest time ever I don't think I even realized there were cheetahs on the Safari.

I didn't realize they were there until last year. I could actually see one laying in the shadows. That's great that you actually got to see them up and moving!

Somewhere around this point, she also got REALLY excited to see that the zebras were back. In fact, she pretty much just yelled, "OH MY GOD, THE ZEBRAS ARE BACK!!" They were off in the distance, though, and she told us she would be able to get us closer. It was just really funny, especially to then listen to her say how it was the first day they were back on the Safari and she had been so bummed when they were taken out.

I had no idea they brought them back. I wonder how they fixed the problem of them being too aggressive or whatever it was?

THEN...we got to the lions. And for the first time in the history of us ever seeing the Safari, the male lion was OUT AND WALKING AROUND!!

It is actually alive.

She happily stopped the truck so DH could just shoot away, and she even proclaimed, "Best. Safari. EVER!"

I think I would have to agree! I'm glad that you got the birthday treatment for Paxton. That is definitely an awesome safari ride!

I was pointing him out to DS and saying, "Look, it's Pumbaa," and then I sang, "When he was a young warthog..."

Without either of them missing a beat, Justin sang in his best Pumbaa voice, "WHEN I WAS A YOUNG WARTHOOOOOG!" To which Heather replied, "Very nice." And Justin finished off with, "Thanks." It was so perfect and so DISNEY!! Although I did not bust out in my best rendition of Hakuna Matata, it was an amazing and hilarious moment that only big Disney nerds like us can appreciate, am I right?!

That is just really cool. Definitely a perfect kind of Disney moment!

I checked my phone and saw about a dozen missed calls and texts from my parents trying to figure out where we were. The plan had been for us to all meet at the gates that morning, but when they didn't show up before the turnstiles opened at 8:45 am (like I had told them they would), we went on ahead without them. lol While I called her back, DH took these.

You snooze, you lose...

 

[amazingact21]

Oh, wow!! What an awesome morning!

Your own private safari tour...that's incredible. And the animals look like they were so cooperative. Especially the lions...has anyone gotten that good a pic of the male lion before?


I can't think of a cooler safari ride at AK...such a cool experience.



I have a feeling, when Paxton gets older, he's going to be telling his friends, "What'd you guys do for birthdays when you were younger? Yeah? Well, I got my own private safari tour when I was 3."

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

Wow! That was such a cool experience! Loved the whole Pumba sequence!

And all of the animals were being active which is quite unusual even for early in the morning. I'll have to keep that in mind for incentive to show up early at AK.

 

[Jenasweetemotion]

All of those safari photo's are awesome!

 

[Pixel Dust]

Wow. Just incredible you got your own private safari! I'm jealous you got a driver to wait until you got the photos.

 

[Imagineer5]

OH MY GOODNESS that is SO awesome!! What an amazing safari!! You just showed how great CM's can really make a huge difference too. I LOVE the Pumba story, so funny and cute. The lion photos are awesome!! Better than the AMAZING one DH snapped in Decmber! LOL! What a great experience. IT's so neat how they are pulling these totally random experiences out!

 

[marDgreen88]

Ahhhhh, Disney magic is the best! That was the coolest safari ever, and that Hakuna Matata moment sounds amazing!! And it's so rare that you actually see cheetahs AND lions being active.

 

[dtr_angel]

I'm finally caught up again! Wow, what an incredible 3rd birthday Paxton! I don't know how you are going to top his first 3 birthdays! I'm glad he did well despite 3 days of no real naps. Your AK morning is off to a great start. A private safari, that's so awesome!

 

[WildernessExplorer04]

WHOA BABY that Safari. Just WOW. That's beyond awesome, definitely a once in a lifetime experience!
I didn't even know they did that! I just seriously can't get over how perfect that must have been. A private early-morning safari and singing HAKUNA MATATA JUST OH MY GOD HOW PERFECT IS THAT.
I hope Paxton had lots of fun! Now he'll have that experience with him forever, even if he can't entirely remember it.
Awesome start to your day!

 

[MeMom]

So nice that you got to see it in person, and so nice that we get the treat of seeing them here through your fantastic pictures. We have been fortunate enough to see the lions up on a few occasions, and a couple of times, the male has been up and roaring. That's a pretty cool thing to experience.

Sorry your parents didn't get to join you, but it was sweet that your mom was so happy for you to have such a fun and special experience just with your little threesome.

I look forward to more Animal Kingdom pictures. It is probably my favorite park.

 

[khertz]

Cool!





I didn't realize they were there until last year. I could actually see one laying in the shadows. That's great that you actually got to see them up and moving!

I know there was one year the driver was pointing out the cheetahs, and I turned to DH and said, "There's cheetahs?!"

I had no idea they brought them back. I wonder how they fixed the problem of them being too aggressive or whatever it was?

I'm not sure, they didn't say. But they were in a different area than they were when they were first introduced.

It is actually alive.

I was pretty convinced it was just a lion animatronic up on that rock!

I think I would have to agree! I'm glad that you got the birthday treatment for Paxton. That is definitely an awesome safari ride!

It was one of the most amazing experiences we have ever had!

That is just really cool. Definitely a perfect kind of Disney moment!

It was just so funny, and like I said, neither of them skipped a beat with the lines.

You snooze, you lose...

Exactly! And the day before they had missed out on the free parking.

Oh, wow!! What an awesome morning!

Your own private safari tour...that's incredible. And the animals look like they were so cooperative. Especially the lions...has anyone gotten that good a pic of the male lion before?

I can't think of a cooler safari ride at AK...such a cool experience.

I have a feeling, when Paxton gets older, he's going to be telling his friends, "What'd you guys do for birthdays when you were younger? Yeah? Well, I got my own private safari tour when I was 3."

It was a great way to kick off day 2, that's for sure! I don't think I have ever seen the animals so active and out. I am sure someone has gotten a better photo of the lions before, but we certainly haven't before! So that alone was a really cool part of this already cool private safari experience.

I really don't know why we are setting ourselves up like this by giving him such awesome birthdays right out of the gate. I mean, we have a LOT more ahead of us and we have already set the bar crazy high!!

Wow! That was such a cool experience! Loved the whole Pumba sequence!

And all of the animals were being active which is quite unusual even for early in the morning. I'll have to keep that in mind for incentive to show up early at AK.

It was such a great way to start off the morning, and what a reward for getting up and getting there early! We almost always do the Safari first thing in the day, but this was definitely the most active we have seen the animals. And it helped that Heather was pausing long enough for DH to take pictures instead of zooming along like they have to do when they are running their usual spiel.

All of those safari photo's are awesome!

Thanks!

 

[khertz]

Wow. Just incredible you got your own private safari! I'm jealous you got a driver to wait until you got the photos.

It was really awesome and unexpected for her to give DH as much time to take pictures as she did.

OH MY GOODNESS that is SO awesome!! What an amazing safari!! You just showed how great CM's can really make a huge difference too. I LOVE the Pumba story, so funny and cute. The lion photos are awesome!! Better than the AMAZING one DH snapped in Decmber! LOL! What a great experience. IT's so neat how they are pulling these totally random experiences out!

A CM with the right attitude can absolutely make or break an experience. I learned that a lot on this past trip! They were both really really great and made us feel so special! I never got anything during Year of a Million Dreams, so this was kind of like that for me.

Ahhhhh, Disney magic is the best! That was the coolest safari ever, and that Hakuna Matata moment sounds amazing!! And it's so rare that you actually see cheetahs AND lions being active.

It was a really incredible & MAGICAL moment! We were treated like AK royalty! It was great seeing all of the big cats up and active, because I love the big kitties!

I'm finally caught up again! Wow, what an incredible 3rd birthday Paxton! I don't know how you are going to top his first 3 birthdays! I'm glad he did well despite 3 days of no real naps. Your AK morning is off to a great start. A private safari, that's so awesome!

I have no idea how we are going to top them either, especially since we will not be in Disney World this year for it.

He really impressed me with how well he did without naps. I guess I didn't really think of that when I was making our plans that three days would go by with no nap. Well, the first day threw me off too because I had thought he would nap on the plane and then that didn't happen. It's nice to know he can do it though.

WHOA BABY that Safari. Just WOW. That's beyond awesome, definitely a once in a lifetime experience!
I didn't even know they did that! I just seriously can't get over how perfect that must have been. A private early-morning safari and singing HAKUNA MATATA JUST OH MY GOD HOW PERFECT IS THAT.
I hope Paxton had lots of fun! Now he'll have that experience with him forever, even if he can't entirely remember it.
Awesome start to your day!

Definitely once in a lifetime, and SO amazing! We seemed to have really great luck for most of this trip.

I didn't know they did it either. And I had no idea why he was even asking about celebrations but I figured it must be something good.

So nice that you got to see it in person, and so nice that we get the treat of seeing them here through your fantastic pictures. We have been fortunate enough to see the lions up on a few occasions, and a couple of times, the male has been up and roaring. That's a pretty cool thing to experience.

Sorry your parents didn't get to join you, but it was sweet that your mom was so happy for you to have such a fun and special experience just with your little threesome.

I look forward to more Animal Kingdom pictures. It is probably my favorite park.

THAT would be so cool to see!!! How amazing! I have definitely never heard them making even a peep.

I think with everyone there, it would have been a little more chaotic with everyone trying to get Paxton to look in one direction or another. So it was probably better that it was only the three of us to experience it.

We love AK too! There's lots more to come. Hopefully I can get in an update this weekend.

 

[TruLovesKiss]

OH MY WORD!!! That has to be the best Safari experience EVER!!! I was just in awe reading this update! A private ride with two awesome CMs and some absolutely amazing photo ops.... it doesn't get any better than that! And I can't say enough about how much I enjoyed the photos! They are really making me want to upgrade to a DSLR. You may have said it before but what type of camera does your hubby have?

And I just adore your Mickey ribbon btw

 

[littlenellbell]

WOW! What a magical moment that must have been to have your own VIP Safari?!? I'm really enjoying your trip report! You take great pictures.

 

[lauren_elizabeth]

It sounds like Mr. Paxton had an absolutely wonderful 3rd birthday! What better way to spend a birthday then at the Magic Kingdom?! I love the picture of him hiding from the Queen of Hearts... too cute!

Cute bow! My sister wants to order a bunch from Magical Ribbons.

A PRIVATE SAFARI!? How awesome is that?! Justin and Heather sound like awesome CM's and that must have been so special to experience that with your little family. Way cool that the lion was up and roaming around!

 

[disneybarbie]

Amazing photos on the safari - I didn't know they did that for the first ride of the day!

When we were there a few weeks ago, we must have been on the second truck of the day - it was full, but the truck in front of us looked empty.. I guess there was just the one lucky family on there


Emma x

 

[khertz]

OH MY WORD!!! That has to be the best Safari experience EVER!!! I was just in awe reading this update! A private ride with two awesome CMs and some absolutely amazing photo ops.... it doesn't get any better than that! And I can't say enough about how much I enjoyed the photos! They are really making me want to upgrade to a DSLR. You may have said it before but what type of camera does your hubby have?

And I just adore your Mickey ribbon btw

As far as Safaris go, I don't know how we can top this one. It was just so amazing!

DH uses a Canon 70D for his camera. He actually upgraded to that one right before the trip, and we are both glad he did!

Thank you! I love all of my Magical Ribbons

WOW! What a magical moment that must have been to have your own VIP Safari?!? I'm really enjoying your trip report! You take great pictures.

It was definitely magical! I didn't even know they did such a thing. I thought maybe they were just asking about celebrations to sing Happy Birthday to anyone celebrating a birthday or something. Wasn't expecting to get the first ride of the day!

And thank you.

It sounds like Mr. Paxton had an absolutely wonderful 3rd birthday! What better way to spend a birthday then at the Magic Kingdom?! I love the picture of him hiding from the Queen of Hearts... too cute!

Cute bow! My sister wants to order a bunch from Magical Ribbons.

A PRIVATE SAFARI!? How awesome is that?! Justin and Heather sound like awesome CM's and that must have been so special to experience that with your little family. Way cool that the lion was up and roaming around!

A great birthday, and he is still talking about it months later. I am starting to feel bad that for the first time in his life he will not be celebrating his birthday in Disney World this year. DH and I definitely set the bar high for ourselves.

I have so many bows from Magical Ribbons that I wanted to order but I don't wear bows enough to really justify it. That's why I ended up going with the minis. But she has so many cute ones to choose from!

We will probably never be able to top that awesome Safari experience! It was definitely a magical moment of the trip that I will never forget.

Amazing photos on the safari - I didn't know they did that for the first ride of the day!

When we were there a few weeks ago, we must have been on the second truck of the day - it was full, but the truck in front of us looked empty.. I guess there was just the one lucky family on there


Emma x

I didn't know they did it either! I was so surprised when he opened the rope and told us to follow him.

I bet that was what you saw! So exciting to see that they are still working to spread the magic around to guests.

 

[BadgerGirl84]

What an awesome safari!!! How cool for Paxton to experience!

Just wanted to share that I'm starting to plan our September trip, so I going to re-read your trip report from your first trip with Paxton. My daughter will be 14 months...so almost the same age. We are also going to stay at WBC or Windsor Hills, so it's nice to read a report where they don't take the disney bus back for afternoon naps.

Oh, and you had asked if I had a report from when I took my daughter at 4 months...I still don't. BUT, I'm going to do a trip report on the Be Our Guest podcast next month recapping that trip, so I will be sure to share the link with you!

Can't wait to read more!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[khertz]

What an awesome safari!!! How cool for Paxton to experience!

Just wanted to share that I'm starting to plan our September trip, so I going to re-read your trip report from your first trip with Paxton. My daughter will be 14 months...so almost the same age. We are also going to stay at WBC or Windsor Hills, so it's nice to read a report where they don't take the disney bus back for afternoon naps.

Oh, and you had asked if I had a report from when I took my daughter at 4 months...I still don't. BUT, I'm going to do a trip report on the Be Our Guest podcast next month recapping that trip, so I will be sure to share the link with you!

Can't wait to read more!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

It was really amazing, especially for DH and I! DS is still too young to really appreciate what kind of special treatment he was getting.

At 12.5 months, he was a dream traveler. I'm sure you will have a blast with a 14 month old!!

That's great news about the podcast TR. I am definitely interested! I usually only listen to WDW Today & DIS Unplugged, so when I am all caught up on those, I am usually at a loss for what to listen to. I'll probably check that one out anyway, but definitely share the link with me when your episode goes up!