#JAMbalaya #Pandamonium WDW Marathon Weekend 2019 Report! (Updated: 2/27/19)

[rteetz]

Love the safari photos! The giraffe shot is pretty good too, love the lion!

Yeah the giraffes were good too!

Great safari photos, especially the lion! I love Animal Kingdom, though I’m not sure I’d go so far as to say it was my favorite park .

Thanks!

 

[amazingact21]

Scottish Goofy?! That's awesome! I definitely would have had to stop and wait in a long line for that one, too.

Really great shot of the lion on KS. And Animal Kingdom is absolutely the best park! I have way too much AK stuff around my house, because I can't get enough of the park.

 

[rteetz]

Scottish Goofy?! That's awesome! I definitely would have had to stop and wait in a long line for that one, too.

Really great shot of the lion on KS. And Animal Kingdom is absolutely the best park! I have way too much AK stuff around my house, because I can't get enough of the park.

Yeah I’m glad I stopped for Goofy.

Thanks! I can never get enough of Animal Kingdom.

 

[BigEeyore]

Great safari photos! The details and theming in AK are so above and beyond the other parks - it really is a remarkable place!

 

[rteetz]

Great safari photos! The details and theming in AK are so above and beyond the other parks - it really is a remarkable place!

Thanks!

 

[rteetz]

Recapping Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend 2019

 

[ONUAtrain]

Awesome report so far. I want to do dopey at some point, but never have done anything over a half.

 

[rteetz]

Awesome report so far. I want to do dopey at some point, but never have done anything over a half.

Dopey is very similar to training for a full. Just work in some back to back runs and you’ll be fine.

 

[Neon Cactus]

Great pictures of the Safari. I never get tired of that ride. It's also my favorite park.

 

[rteetz]

Great pictures of the Safari. I never get tired of that ride. It's also my favorite park.

Thanks!

 

[rteetz]

Baby Stella just wants to play!

It was time for the tour. There were I believe 14 people on the tour which is the max. I chatted with an older couple from Florida who said their son bought the tour for them and they did the Wild Africa Trek recently as well. That tour is certainly on the list.

IMG_2365 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr

IMG_2366 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr

You start off going backstage and onto a bus which takes you back into the Elephant area. Once stopped you get off the bus and up a ramp into the backside of the Elephant area you see on the Safari. There is a nice area with some props and benches to watch and look at the elephants. There is an elephant guide as well as a culture guide who speak all about the elephants as well as taking your questions. Believe it or not apparently elephant poo has a lot of uses. That name tag for example is made out of 85% elephant poo.

At first the elephants were kind of hidden off to the side but they soon all came to play. Stella just turned 2 years old. They have some teenagers in the group and then some older ones. The matriarch of the group is Rafiki. Donna is Stella's mom. The male elephants are always separate from the females. Stella is just starting to eat on her own rather than from her mother. I did ask if there are any plans to breed more elephants and the caretaker said the Association of Zoos and Aquariums is the one who decides whether or not they can breed.

Then it was time to just watch the elephants play.


IMG_2391 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr


IMG_2396 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr


IMG_2412 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr


IMG_8546 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr


IMG_8566 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr


IMG_8595 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr


IMG_8604 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr


IMG_8613 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr


IMG_8641 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr


IMG_8648 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr

Stella was especially energetic making all sorts of noises and running all over the place.


IMG_8676 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr


IMG_8685 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr


IMG_8689 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr


IMG_8701 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr


IMG_8718 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr

After about 50 minutes it was time to head back. I highly recommend this tour if you can. Its inexpensive compared to many Disney tours and the proceeds go to elephant conservation.

@Keels was being naggy and wanted me to head over to Nomad and meet up with them. This is also where I met her infamous friends One and Two. They had Fastpasses for Flight of Passage. I did not so they all devised a plan to get me on the ride with them. I was totally expecting some issues with this. We walk up to the touchpoints they tap and then I tap and of course its blue. The CM says are you with them? We say yeah and she says ok. That was like the easiest free FP ever. We all laughed that off as @Princess KP had a plan for me to be her son to get on. Anyways...


IMG_2415 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr


IMG_2416 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr

This was @jennamfeo's first time and of course she had to say she hated it to be different but we all know she didn't hate it.

We went over to Everest and rode that next.


IMG_2417 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr

After that we headed out. The rest has reservations at Morimoto but I didn't. I had originally planned to go to Tiffins that night and then stay and watch Rivers of Light but it was cooler and I did want to go to Disney Springs for a bit. So I headed back to Pop and dropped off my stuff. I then headed off to Disney Springs. When I arrived I decided to just check if Homecomin' had any spots. Their bar was fully open so I just grabbed a spot there.


IMG_2422 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr


IMG_2423 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr


IMG_2425 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr


IMG_2426 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr

I got some sweet tea cause its amazing...


IMG_2432 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr

I ordered the chicken sandwich with chips. And then in like 3 minutes it was out already. I was amazed how fast it came out.


IMG_2433 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr

This was as great as always. Homecomin' has yet to disappoint for me.

I went on to do some shopping after that.


IMG_2434 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr

Bought my mom this snow globe as she collects them.


IMG_2435 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr

Looked at the marathon weekend magicbands and phone cases but didn't buy any this time around.


IMG_2438 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr

I also bought a Dopey ornament from the Christmas shop.

On my way out I grabbed one of my favorite desserts from Amorrette's


IMG_2448 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr

Then it was time to rest and sleep for the 10K...


IMG_2449 by Ryan Teetz, on Flickr

Up Next: Does this get me unlimited Fastpasses?

 

[xjillianpaige]

I think I'm putting Caring for Giants on my to-do list for my next trip. The elephants are so gorgeous and that little Stella is adorable.

Great costume for the 10k! Should definitely be worth at least 50 FP+

 

[Capang]

The tour sounds great! We may try it this spring. I went to Homecomin' based on how much you rave about it and it was fantastic each time. The magicband outfit? Awesome!

 

[rteetz]

I think I'm putting Caring for Giants on my to-do list for my next trip. The elephants are so gorgeous and that little Stella is adorable.

Great costume for the 10k! Should definitely be worth at least 50 FP+

Definitely do it!

Thanks! I wish it was worth that.

The tour sounds great! We may try it this spring. I went to Homecomin' based on how much you rave about it and it was fantastic each time. The magicband outfit? Awesome!

Homecomin’ is just so good!

Magicband outfit it is!

 

[lhermiston]

Sounds like a fun tour!

 

[rteetz]

Sounds like a fun tour!

It was!

 

[Chaitali]

That tour sounds really interesting. And I love the magic band outfit!

 

[rteetz]

That tour sounds really interesting. And I love the magic band outfit!

Thanks!

 

[SarahDisney]

I feel like I probably missed commenting on a few updates because I tend to read things on my phone at work and then forget about them ... so pretend I had something fun to say about everything.

I love all of your animal pictures! Are the safari pictures taken with your DSLR or your phone?

Also ... I can't believe I didn't get to see the MB outfit in person. I was too in my own head about timing and getting swept and I wanted to be at the front of my corral, so I didn't stay at the meetup long enough to see you. I guess you'll just have to apply for the lottery for NYC, get selected, and then wear that costume for the marathon so that I can see it in person.

 

[rteetz]

I feel like I probably missed commenting on a few updates because I tend to read things on my phone at work and then forget about them ... so pretend I had something fun to say about everything.

I love all of your animal pictures! Are the safari pictures taken with your DSLR or your phone?

Also ... I can't believe I didn't get to see the MB outfit in person. I was too in my own head about timing and getting swept and I wanted to be at the front of my corral, so I didn't stay at the meetup long enough to see you. I guess you'll just have to apply for the lottery for NYC, get selected, and then wear that costume for the marathon so that I can see it in person.

Most of the safari photos are with my DSLR. I usually do it that way since it moves so quickly.

Lol, no NYC for me this year or probably for at least a couple.