Just Keep Swimming - March 31-April 7, 2013 - Closing Thoughts (Updated 5/17)

[jecskc]

Day 7 – Part Three

While DS and I were riding Expedition Everest, DH took DD over to Dinoland.









We met back up with them and they decided to ride Dinosaur since the wait wasn’t very long. They ended up riding it three times in a row. I hate that ride, so I took photos while I waited.









DS and I rode Primeval Whirl







We checked out the gift shop.









I love this little diner



By this time, it was about 10:30 AM. DD wanted to ride Kali River Rapids, so she and DH did that, I took photos on the way













Cute dresses

 

[MEK]

Great pictures of the lions! So jealous. I NEVER get full body shots of the lions. It will be my mission this summer!

Scrolling finger is all broken in now with your great pics. Thanks for the updates!

 

[jecskc]

Great pictures of the lions! So jealous. I NEVER get full body shots of the lions. It will be my mission this summer!

Scrolling finger is all broken in now with your great pics. Thanks for the updates!

Thanks ! I think those were the best ones we have ever taken of the lions.

Sorry about your finger !!

 

[teekathepony]

Dinoland is so cute. I love Dinosaur but hate Primeval Whirl!
Love the pic of your DD on Triceratop spin, so cute.

 

[jecskc]

Dinoland is so cute. I love Dinosaur but hate Primeval Whirl!
Love the pic of your DD on Triceratop spin, so cute.

Primeval Whirl is OK. I don't mind riding it. But Dinosaur is too bumpy for me. I know that PW is bumpy, too, but Dinosaur lasts too long and I don't like the dark and noise in there. I dunno. It just isn't for me. DD loves it though and DH will ride it with her, so I'm OK waiting.

 

[MissPrice]

All caught up YAY!! Let me just say I love your trip reports! All the flower pics at EPCOT are gorgeous. I really need to get over there during the Garden festival one year. My husband literally spends all of his money at the Japan pavilion in Mitsukoshi. I also just realized he has the wardrobe of a tweenager (he wears Naruto stuff) I'm sorry your ankle is still an issue Looking forward to next update. -Amanda

 

[KatMark]

I still haven't figured out the whole purpose of that "Dinoland" area. I do love Dinosaur though, but don't get to ride it because Mark can't/won't since his neck surgery.

Cute dresses.

 

[jecskc]

All caught up YAY!! Let me just say I love your trip reports! All the flower pics at EPCOT are gorgeous. I really need to get over there during the Garden festival one year. My husband literally spends all of his money at the Japan pavilion in Mitsukoshi. I also just realized he has the wardrobe of a tweenager (he wears Naruto stuff) I'm sorry your ankle is still an issue Looking forward to next update. -Amanda

Thanks Amanda !! We love the Flower and Garden. I really enjoy WDW during that time of year. I don't think Naruto is just a tween thing. When we were in MK one evening, some guy in his mid to late 20's about lost his mind over DS's shirt. We told him where he could get one. He said he would go check it out. DS told him to take lots of money. LOL, Yep, the ankle thing sucks. Big time.

I still haven't figured out the whole purpose of that "Dinoland" area. I do love Dinosaur though, but don't get to ride it because Mark can't/won't since his neck surgery.

Cute dresses.

Yeah, there is this whole back story to that area, but I don't really get it either. I agree with Mark. That ride will put your back out. That and Space Mountain.

 

[scottny]

I think we need to try ‘Ohana again. We had such a bad meal there once but maybe again.
Yeah Jambo. I love it there.
You did get a nice view.
I know that Lorrie person. LOL
The Rose Slushie was so good. I hope they keep it around.
Nice pics around Epcot.
Nice pics around AKL.
I agree I like it chilly also.
If you like giraffes wait till my update (not soon) of when we went. They were everywhere.
Nice safari pics.
I like Dinosaur but it is very jerky.
Good updates and pics.

 

[jecskc]

I think we need to try ‘Ohana again. We had such a bad meal there once but maybe again.

I know what you mean. We had a bad meal at Via Napoli once and won't go back. Although everyone raves about it.

Yeah Jambo. I love it there.

Yes, it was good. We should have stayed there first. Compared to BLT, it was a downgrade. Still wonderful, but not as great as BLT

You did get a nice view.

For a standard view with the lowest points, we really did. A good location, too.

I know that Lorrie person. LOL

Yep. She's nice.

The Rose Slushie was so good. I hope they keep it around.

In case you haven't noticed ... I LOVED that thing !!

Nice pics around Epcot.
Nice pics around AKL.

Thanks

I agree I like it chilly also.

I like it cooler. I hate being hot.

If you like giraffes wait till my update (not soon) of when we went. They were everywhere.

I love me some giraffes !!

Nice safari pics.

DH took them. I will tell him.

I like Dinosaur but it is very jerky.

It is waaaayyyy too jerky for me. It just isn't fun for me.

Good updates and pics.

Thanks for stopping by !!

 

[jecskc]

Day 7 – Part Four

I just love the themeing at AK.





DD and DH ended up riding two times in a row, just staying on when the ride came around to the exit.





I always get SOAKED on this ride, but they didn’t get too terribly wet.

After that, DH and I got some food from the Yak and Yeti counter service.





I got a side order of chicken fried rice



And some egg rolls


We split this and it was plenty of food. It was pretty tasty but nothing much different from your basic Chinese food. Both were snack credits, I think. We got this right when they opened around 11 AM or so and it was hot and fresh.



After that, we decided to leave









On the way out, DD spotted Dug and Russell and she wanted to stop and see them, so we got in line.





There was a woman in front of us that was really annoying. She seemed nice enough, but she was one of those people that was super loud. It was as if she needed everyone around her to hear every word she had to say. I felt so sorry for her family. I have a friend like this, too and she is a wonderful person. But sometimes her “level” as she calls it, can be a bit much. My friend is aware of this and she will ask us sometimes if she is being too loud and isn’t hurt when we tell her that maybe she should tone it down a bit. This lady, however, did not appear to have an inside voice at all.

So this lady was talking about how she was staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge and how her son bought some pins and where could she trade them. I told her all of the resorts had a pin board that she could go to the gift shops and look and they would trade. Also, the CM’s with pins on their lanyards would trade with you.

Could she wait to tell her family this until after she got out of line ?? Oh no !! She had to scream it across the path at her family that was waiting for her. Oh my word, she was so LOUD. DD was looking at me like “oh my goodness, can you believe this lady??”

When Russell and Dug went to take a break, she yells out, in her booming voice, “are they going to go change their costumes now ??” I was dumbfounded and so were the other people in line who turned to look at her. The CM handler quickly recovered saying that those weren’t costumes, they were the REAL Dug and Russell and they just needed to go get a snack and they would be back. Loud Lady tried to recover …”that is right, those are the real people. They just need a snack, OK, right.” We were all so glad when she left. She was very attention seeking and very annoying.

Anyway, Dug and Russell were really fun and DD very much enjoyed meeting them.





You can see her wet pants from the Kali River Rapids ride here.

















It was a fun character meet. This was the longest line we waited in all day.
At this point, it was about 12:30 PM and the kids wanted to go back and eat at the Mara and DD wanted to go swimming, so we headed back to AKL.

 

[afwdwfan]

I have to admit that I'm not a big fan of how Dinoland fits (or rather doesn't) with the rest of the AK park, but I do appreciate the cheesey humor of it.

I'm always up for 3 rides in a row on Dinosaur! Granted, they probably couldn't make it any rougher of a ride if they tried, but it is fun and the animatronics are pretty impressive!

 

[wiigirl]

Great pics!

 

[KatMark]

Fun rest of the morning at AK. I cannot remember the last time we did Kali Rapids. Mark has an issue with getting wet. Maybe the girls will want to go on since it will be hot next month.

We loved our character meet and greet with Doug and Russell last year.

Wow...talk about a woman who needs to tone it down a notch (or two or three).

 

[tazdev3225]

Caught up again. I really need to get out of my miserable mood. You and Scott are going to make me blush. Thankfully I've been at ball games so my face is already red.

I like Dinosaur but it can be a very jerky ride. I think I like it more for the challenge of trying to get pictures on it .

I have never gone on Kali. I have way to much invested in my cameras to risk them getting wet.

The egg rolls look good. DO you get one or 2 per order?

I can spend the whole day at AK. I love the park and there are so many photographic opportunities. That lady in the line may have caused me to leave for asperin. I know I can be loud at times but it's because I have a hearing loss and I compensate. I just tell my family they need to remind me if I am getting too loud.

Looking forward to more.

 

[jecskc]

I have to admit that I'm not a big fan of how Dinoland fits (or rather doesn't) with the rest of the AK park, but I do appreciate the cheesey humor of it.

Yeah, it is cute, I think. I am not sure how Avatar really fits in either. To me, it would fit in better over at HS, but whatever. Anything new in either park will be good.

I'm always up for 3 rides in a row on Dinosaur! Granted, they probably couldn't make it any rougher of a ride if they tried, but it is fun and the animatronics are pretty impressive!

To me, it just isn't fun. I find myself ahnging on with my head down and my eyes closed and wishing the ride was over. I am better off waiting outside in the gift shop for them to be done.

Great pics!

Thanks !!

Fun rest of the morning at AK. I cannot remember the last time we did Kali Rapids. Mark has an issue with getting wet. Maybe the girls will want to go on since it will be hot next month.

I like the ride and I don't mind getting wet if it is the last thing we do before we leave the park. Otherwise, I prefer not to be soaking wet the entire day.

We loved our character meet and greet with Doug and Russell last year.

They were very cute and lovable. DD enjoyed them very much.

Wow...talk about a woman who needs to tone it down a notch (or two or three).

She seemed desperate for attention. Her family seemed very embarrassed by her display. She had on some tight blue jean shorts and there was a prescription bottle peeking out of the top of her pocket. In fact, more than half the bottle was sticking out. I was dying to know what was in it. But me personally ?? I keep all of my prescriptions in a safe place and I try not to let my crazy run free in public.

Caught up again. I really need to get out of my miserable mood. You and Scott are going to make me blush. Thankfully I've been at ball games so my face is already red.

I would say you need to snap out of it, but I always hate it when people say that to me. An injury like yours is very depressing. You don't realize it until you have had to deal with it for a couple of months, but it wears on you emotionally. It's exhausting to constantly be "blocking" out the pain and it does put you in a bad mood.

I like Dinosaur but it can be a very jerky ride. I think I like it more for the challenge of trying to get pictures on it .

Too jerky for me. And too dark. Maybe if there was a little more light. I dunno. DD loves it though.

I have never gone on Kali. I have way to much invested in my cameras to risk them getting wet.

They have lockers you can put your stuff in. But on Kali .... you WILL get wet. I always get SOAKED. Like wring your under out, soaked. So I sit that one out, too.

The egg rolls look good. DO you get one or 2 per order?

Yes, you get two for a snack credit.

I can spend the whole day at AK. I love the park and there are so many photographic opportunities. That lady in the line may have caused me to leave for asperin. I know I can be loud at times but it's because I have a hearing loss and I compensate. I just tell my family they need to remind me if I am getting too loud.

I agree that AK provides some excellent photo opportunities.

I didn't notice that you were loud at all.

Looking forward to more.

More coming up !!

 

[afwdwfan]

Yeah, it is cute, I think. I am not sure how Avatar really fits in either. To me, it would fit in better over at HS, but whatever. Anything new in either park will be good.

In my opinion, Avatar doesn't fit anywhere, but that is an entirely different conversation.


That is a shame about the lady in line. Not only for being annoying, but the fact that she could have ruined the magic for some poor kid in line.

I'm glad your DD got to meet Dug and Russell. I know he probably gets it all the time and it is to the point that it must be absolutely annoying, but there is no way I could meet Dug without yelling "squirrel!" at least 2 or 3 times.

 

[KatMark]

I thought they decided to ditch the Avatar thing?

 

[jecskc]

I thought they decided to ditch the Avatar thing?

It is hard to tell anymore. I thought it was still on. Lemme Google and get back to you.

OK. Looks like it is still on track.

http://www.thethemeparkguy.com/board/avatar-land-disneys-animal-kingdom/

 

[afwdwfan]

I thought they decided to ditch the Avatar thing?

It is hard to tell anymore. I thought it was still on. Lemme Google and get back to you.

OK. Looks like it is still on track.

http://www.thethemeparkguy.com/board/avatar-land-disneys-animal-kingdom/

There have certainly been all kinds of rumors both that it is still on and saying that it isn't going to happen.

I guess from one side, it would be nice just to see something new added to the parks, but at the same time... I just didn't get Avatar. I thought the CGI was pretty impressive, but I watched it once and don't have any desire to see it again. I just can't get myself excited about seeing "Avatarland"