Day 7 - Back on Safari Again!
At long last I am back to September and my day at the Animal Kingdom. To reset the scene, I had won a dream Fastpass getting off KS and had celebrated with a warm pretzel before going back to visit the savannah again.
It was a quick walk down through the queue. I boarded my safari vehicle, again requesting and getting the front row left side. I waved my ginormous telephoto lens at the CM by way of explanation. We set off on our bumpy way to animal adventures. I like that there is a story about being on safari as well as the actual animals and their stories.
The giraffe cruised in a loosely clustered group, eating up the distance with their stilt legs. Two of the female elephants were having their early morning munch. No baby elephants yet, but I would be around once more before going on to Asia.
Since I had one more fastpass to Safari, I could afford the time to walk the Pangani Forest Trail before returning to Harambe for another expedition. The best gorilla viewing was actually just at the exit to the Safari rather than in the beautiful walk past the hanging bridge through the main habitat area.
Whereas at other times of year there have been many meerkats out and about, this time the sentry was the lone representative.
"Is this my good side?"
There was riotous fantastic nest building going on in the Tavata Golden Weaver bird zone. They were all totally focused on building grassy aerial dwellings. Each one was different but built with major concentration and artistry. I stayed for quite a while, watching the housing boom, and then proceeded along the rest of the trail.
I used my last Fastpass to get on KS for one last trip. The residents of the Savannah did go to ground or shade pretty quickly as the day wore on. The giraffe (except for one baby) were all standing amidst a roughly circular cluster of tall trees, their necks echoing the tree trunks. The two young elephants were hanging out together as their mothers and aunts had been doing earlier. Most of the hoof stock were laying low as were the cats.
Then it was time to make my way back to Asia and a date with the Yeti. I was hungry for a little something, and it was extremely steamy, so I had an ice cream break with a soft serve vanilla/chocolate swirl cone. There were some minor challenges with the heat and rapidity of melting of my treat, but my napkin supply was adequate to the challenge. I watched the trains hurtle down the mountain and took some pictures of the Yeti figures.
When I was done with snack time the EE standby wait was only 15 minutes so I went through that way to experience the queue once again. I waited for the first row as I have become an EE snob as well as a SM snob. The lucky single rider who got to come with me in the first row was taking her very first ride on the mountain. It was extra fun to see someone discover the ride, and particularly because she didnt know anything about the broken track/backwards section. I used my Fastpass and rode again in the first row then trekked off to Dinoland and Dinosaur, taking pictures along the way.
When I got to the entrance of Dinosaur I went through the Fastpass queue as the stand by wait was listed as 20 minutes. I walked right through the queue all the way up to the CM at the gate just before the movie rooms and as there was no one else in sight he just waved me through and told me to keep the Fastpass for later. I love the little movie, especially the bit about the future being in the past. I appreciated the ketchup, mayonnaise and mustard tubes and the pseudo scientific flux ducts before boarding my time machine to careen around the Cretaceous forest. I went right back around again and the new CM at the gate took my fast pass this time. I hardly noticed because there were three Dream Squad CMs standing in the hallway by the entrance to the movie rooms. They just stood inscrutably as I went on to participate in yet another successful mission to import a dinosaur through time. Of course I started immediately back into the queue. Only one Dream CM was at the gate this time. Another ride, another close call.
When I didnt see the other two Dream bestowers at the exit, I went back in again. The gate CM had us wait for a moment, then let five people into the left side theater and I was held at the rope. It seemed like I had just missed whatever it was that was about to happen. The Dream Squad leader went into the theater, came back out, went in again then came back, then went back in. I couldnt believe that something cool might be happening and I would never know what it was. He reappeared suddenly and opened the gate and sent us into the left theater.
We filed in and found that the other two Dream Teamers were at the exit door to the ride queue. We all watched the movie together and then when the movie ended and the doors opened they made their Right place, right time speech and told us we had all won dream lanyards and pins. Woo hoo! A new dream for my collection! We all received a lovely blue lanyard emblazoned with Year of a Million Dreams in silver, with two pins with the same logo featuring Mickey and Minnie on one and Daffy and Goofy on the other.
I rode a final triumphal time and then headed over to Discovery Island sporting my new lanyard. I had seen incredible pictures of the seating areas of the Flame Tree Barbecue on the DIS so I wanted to check it out. It was more beautiful and cool that I could have imagined. I indulged in some ribs with sides of cornbread and baked beans and had the Skinnies come out and play in the pool (of course Pluto was more interested in my lunch). The ribs were excellent - tangy, tender and meaty. The cornbread was ordinary but I love cornbread in all its guises so I enjoyed it thoroughly. Ditto for the baked beans.
When I finished eating I explored the enchanted garden. Scattered in the garden on many different levels are magical colorful pavilions with lanterns in the trees, each area themed with paintings, lanterns and carvings of different predator-prey relationships. There is a beautiful lily pond with sweet animal sculptures and there is a sensational view of Everest across the water.
It was super extremely hot by then so I decided it was time to hobble back to the entrance to the park, pausing for a photopass session draped with all my Dream stuff.
I took the tram and luxuriated in sitting down for the ride to the parking lot. I drove home to the Poly and iced my feet then went out to my favorite hammock on the beach for aaaah time. The skies had been darkening with distant thunder for a while and after Id been out there for an hour or so it finally started to sprinkle. I retreated to the Great Ceremonial House promptly at that point after my recent experiences of sky opening downpours commencing without warning and had my Halloween party photos added to my regular photopass while I was there.
I decided it was near enough time for dinner to get ready to head back to the Animal Kingdom zone for my ADR at Boma. I went back to my room, taking some pictures along the way.
Next up:
Dinner at Boma, Wishes and the EWP from the beach, and Yehaa Bob at POR
I will keep checking in. I can not wait to hear more.
Hooray, today there is!!! Beautiful pictures, beautiful writing! 
