No Day But Today- FINAL post on page 40!

Part 26 - Without You

One thing I had to check out was the area at the very end of Kudu trail. If you’re an avid trip report reader, you may know it as “Fecal Flats”! I’d heard such bad things about it, I HAD to go see for myself! (I *am* from the Show-Me state!)

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The deaded “people pen” view!


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Now with added construction view!


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You can see the red river hogs in this pic- they were really cute!


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I’m not sure if this is the area being turned into the new stable area, or expanded for the new DVC area!


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I did have a really neat thing happen while I was out taking these pictures! I was out on the stairway, video taping a giraffe that was really close, when I noticed something:

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There was a bongo RIGHT by the other staircase! I flew back into the building, down the hall, and out onto that one ASAP!


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He was maybe 10 feet below me! Are they supposed to be able to get this close to the rooms? Over on my savannah, the animals can’t get closer than maybe 12 feet away from the rooms. This guy was right below the rooms!


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And there was another one right over by the people pen! (I do have some video of them, but haven’t really gotten much done with the videos yet other than the one from early today!)

I thought it was funny that my most up-close animal viewings came from the area with the worst view! I guess each area of the lodge really does have its own advantages! (Would I want to stay out here, though? No thanks! I’ll stick with using the staircases!)

I got some video of the main part of the sunset savannah- I actually liked it quite a bit. You can also see the stable from there-


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I think it’s interesting that it’s right out on view!

Around sunset, I went over to the Sunset Savannah overlook to see if I could, in fact, see the sunset from there. The answer? Not so much. But it is a nifty little room!


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Is it just me, or does the table look like a Reeses peanut butter cup?

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This sofa looks like it should be in the Adventurers Club!


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A nifty display in the Sunset overlook room… but hey! What’s that book in there?

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No way! Anyone remember what I was reading?

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How cool! And then I discovered a WHOLE wall of photos taken by the Johnsons on their adventures!

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How often do you wander into a mini-museum of the book you’re reading? What a neat bit of synchronicity!

Around 8pm, I was hanging out in my room when my phone rang. Does the phone ever ring and you just know something’s wrong? I saw that it was my mom calling, so I knew it must be important for her to be calling that late. Being a cat mom, I have to admit that my first thought was “I hope Tallulah is okay!”. This is, of course, when I found out that my brother in law had passed away that night. He was only 39, so it was totally unexpected (heart attack.) I sat in my room alternating between total shock and crying- I felt bad that I couldn’t be there for my sister, I felt bad for his two daughters (Hannah-9 and Alexandra-11)- I was 22 when I lost my dad, I can’t imagine being that young! And now with the big ice/snowstorm that was shutting down flights to my airport, I wasn’t sure if I would even be making it home for the funeral. I had a lot going on in my head, obviously. On one hand, I was devastated by the news, and wasn’t sure what to do. On the other hand, I didn’t want to spend the rest of my trip depressed. If nothing else, losing someone so young is a big reminder that any day could be your last, so we should enjoy the time we have. Not enjoying the days of vacation I had left would be going against the very title of this trip report.

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This photo is a few years old, but the first one I could find to post

I decided to head out to Downtown Disney- partly because I had the need to go DO something and the parks were already closed, and part to pick up some gifts for Hannah & Alexandra. Yes, it was guilt shopping. I felt awful for being somewhere so wonderful while my family was in such sad circumstances at home. So, true to gender stereotypes- I shopped. I hit World of Disney, and did a little damage. I’d been wanting to make a trip there to do my own shopping (love that 10% AP discount!), but had been planning it for late in the trip so I wouldn’t have to lug all the stuff I buy around when changing resorts. My last resort change was coming up the next day, though, so I gave in. WOD was crazy busy tonight- there doesn’t seem to be any time when it isn’t busy! I didn’t get as much shopping done as I had wanted, just because it was so hard to get around with all of the people, but I found some things for the kids (including, thankfully, a Hannah Montana DVD for Hannah, who is obsessed with her), and some things for myself (2 pairs of the Mickey earrings I love but keep losing!) My other stop was Once Upon a Toy to stuff a Mr. Potatohead box. I’ll post some pictures of the things I bought at the end of the report :)

I didn’t spend long at DD- I was exhausted, both mentally and physically. Even before the bad news, I’d noticed I was more worn out from a day of just hanging out at the resort than on days I spent running around the parks! I guess that it’s the old thing of having more energy the more you do!

I must have been a little out of it, because out at the bus stop, I was having a conversation with the couple sitting on the bench next to me- they were DVC owners, and we were blah-blah-blah-ing.
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After a while, the woman said “So you’re staying at SSR?” and I said no, AKL. It was then that she pointed out that I was at the wrong bus stop. I had been sitting at the SSR bus stop for like 10 minutes, and had, of course, just missed the AKL bus. D’oh!

After dropping off my bags in my room back at AKL, I went down to the Mara to grab some dinner. I was planning to get another flatbread pizza, but instead I decided I wanted to try something new. Vacation is not the time to eat the same thing every day! What did I end up with? Pita chips and hummus! Random, eh? I’d never tried either one, so why not? And what better place to try new foods than WDW? If you like it, yay, and if you don’t, just walk back downstairs and try something else! (And yes, I still got zebra domes for dessert! Some things are a standard for a reason!)

Tonight’s Dinner:

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The verdict? The pita chips were yummy! The hummus was ok—it looks disgusting, but most foods do if you look at them too closely. I only ate about half of it, and it was pretty good, but I think that if I’d eaten it all, it would have made me sick. Still, I was glad I tried something new!

And, of course:

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The zebra domes seem a tiny bit different than I remember them- I think the white chocolate on the outside was different somehow? Not sure exactly what it was!

And so my loooong day at AKL comes to an end! There are just 2 full days left to write, and then the trip home! Coming up in Day 7- The big move over to BCV, and Crystal has a crush!
 

Sorry for the delay in posting day 7, y'all- been busy busy! The beginning of day 7 will be up tonight, though- promise!
 
DAY 7! (January 15th)

Day 7 was a sleeping in kind of day! (No sunrise for me this morning!) I got up around 9am- late enough to enjoy the extra sleep, but early enough to catch the “free show” as the animals were let in again!

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Every single Arusha animal in one photo- go team me!

I was bummed to be leaving the Lodge, because I was just starting to be able to tell the animals apart! (Um, that’s as in being able to tell one zebra from the other, not as in being able to tell the difference between a zebra and a giraffe. I’m not THAT slow!) But I was looking forward to BCV, so all was good!

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This photo says “Hey look! I have ankole cattle behind me!” Also: I do not have a weird bald spot on top of my head, the sun is just hitting my hair all funny!

I did a little last minute wandering around AKL before I left:

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This guy is in the gift shop- Love him!

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These masks are pictured on the resort newsletter and one of the door hangers for the room. I think they’re cool!

I said goodbye to AKL, and went down to catch a bus out to Animal Kingdom. AK is really growing on me- I could probably go there every single morning of a trip and be blissfully happy. My reason for going today, though, was that I only had a couple of days of trip yet, and I was still yet to see FOLK or the new Nemo musical!


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This Photopass picture confuses me. She took several, but none of them actually had the TREE in them!

I made my way over to Finding Nemo, but I had forgotten that it was dark during these days of my trip! Boo! I really should have seen it earlier in my trip! Oh well, that’s what next trips are for! (8 months, 2 weeks to go!)

Instead, I swung by Everest, and hopped in the Single Rider line. Yes, I FINALLY got on it this trip!

This was only my 2nd Everest expedition, the first being back in Feb. 06 just after it opened. The line was crazy, but I hopped in the single rider line, and was on in less than 15 minutes- yay!


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The view from the single rider line.

I ended up riding with a lady who was there with her husband and son. This was one of his favorite rides, so she had been on it many times so far, but was still glad that she had someone sitting next to her instead of riding alone!

I got a couple of pictures this time…


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Oh no, the track!


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The view from up here is awesome!


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Yeti says RAWR!


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Welcome back! Now spend some money!


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It’s a good thing I did the single rider line when I did- When I got out THIS was the line:


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The FAST PASS LINE! Holy cow!

I really want to go through the standby line someday to see all of the snazzy exhibits, but there's no way I'll wait in a line like THAT for it! Yeep!

More soon!
 
Its so neat you got to ride everest, it was broke down when our FPs came up...hubby got stuck on the top of it. Guess we will just have to go back to try again....
 
I'm impressed that you managed to take photos while you were on EE. I was scared out of my mind, holding on for dear life, and trying not to embarass myself too much by screaming during the whole ride. I don't even remember seeing the yeti -- my eyes were shut tight for much of the ride. Yep, I am a ride chicken :eek:
 
I'm impressed that you managed to take photos while you were on EE. I was scared out of my mind, holding on for dear life, and trying not to embarass myself too much by screaming during the whole ride. I don't even remember seeing the yeti -- my eyes were shut tight for much of the ride. Yep, I am a ride chicken :eek:

I went with the "click the button and hope!" method- my usual! :rotfl: I got a few other lovely pictures such as the ceiling and the yeti's big toe! I think that when I actually got one where you could see the yeti, I said, out loud to the woman I had just met "I actually got a picture of the Yeti! I RULE!". I should probably warn random strangers who sit next to me on rides that I automatically consider them my new best friend. I wonder why that lady never writes? :confused3
 
Its so neat you got to ride everest, it was broke down when our FPs came up...hubby got stuck on the top of it. Guess we will just have to go back to try again....

Ooooh, I would LOVE to get stuck on top of it!

I was starting to think that I would never get to ride it on this trip! Every time I tried the lines were either unbearably, stupidly long, or it was down. Yay for single rider line! :worship:
 
Ooooh, I would LOVE to get stuck on top of it!

I was starting to think that I would never get to ride it on this trip! Every time I tried the lines were either unbearably, stupidly long, or it was down. Yay for single rider line! :worship:

My DH said it was pretty interesting. Another guy that was stuck tried to pull our his camera and take some shots "behind the scenes" and the CM was all over him saying NO PICTURES NO PICTURES. They are very serious about it.
 
I'm another faithful reader enjoying your trip report..... I'm going with my family in March for spring break.... (so don't you know the line for Everest will be LONG)... anyway, you have inspired me to take better photos. You know, not just the normal castle, SSE, Tree of Life photos, but the really different, unusual small things that make Disney, well how else can you say it, Disney!:upsidedow
 
LOVE the shot from the top of Everest! I love photos where I can pick out the Epcot Ball, resorts, etc out. Nice work!
 
I just found your trip report and read it all this evening. Awesome job! Sounds like you had a blast. You took some really great photos, especially the WL photos! It's hard to get really good photos there and yours were just lovely! I especially love the duck photos as I am a duck lover....love that close up one from the Poly beach LOL! How cute! :lmao:

Looking forward to the rest of the report!
 
I now had just enough time to make it over for the next performance of Festival of the Lion King- yay!

I was bummed that my favorite guy wasn’t performing in the show today, AND my video camera battery died during the first few minutes of the show, but it was still great! Still my favorite show on property!

My photos only turned out so-so, so I don’t have many to share this time! It frustrates me that my favorite show is one of the hardest to get good photos of!

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Yes, I have favorite dancers. One of these days, I really am going to quit my job and go work here. I want to be a dancing zebra! I should probably lay off the zebra domes if I’m going to have to wear spandex, though…

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After Festival, I was going to head out of the park and go check in at BCV, but a CM was out directing people towards the Pocahontas show, since it was starting in a couple of minutes. I’ve never seen it, so I figured there was no time like the present.

So, what can I say about the Pocahontas show? Well, um… it was… (Come on, Crystal, say something nice!) um… the porcupine was a great actor!

I caught the bus over to BCV, and thought it was funny that there was a lady on the bus wearing a navy blue polyester suit with pearls. Can you imagine wearing polyester to AK on a day where the temps are in the 80s? I was wearing a thin t-shirt and I was hot!

The woman provided my entertainment on the ride over to the Epcot resorts- For some screwy reason, all 5 Epcot resorts share ONE AK bus! It stops at the Swan first, then Dolphin, then YC, then BC, then Boardwalk. Apparently the Suit Lady’s group was on their way to lunch at the Boardwalk, and they were running late. At each stop, she would ask “Is this the Boardwalk?” and then when she found out it wasn’t, she would complain, loudly and continuously. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about Disney transportation, it’s this: You’ll save yourself a LOT of frustration if you just assume that it is going to take you an hour to get anywhere by bus. Yes, most of the time you can get around pretty quickly, but a lot of the time it takes a while. Allow lots of extra time if you need to be somewhere by a certain time!

I checked in at the Beach Club, and found that it would be a while before my room was ready. No worries, I’ve got a whole boardwalk to explore!

I’ve never even been to the Beach Club before, so I grabbed a raspberry gelato from the Marketplace, and just sat out front for a while, drinking the resort in.

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(I could only eat about half of the gelato, btw. It was yummy, but a little too… something…fruity? Not sure! I had been looking forward to the pistachio gelato I’d seen in photos, but they never had it!)


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They have children’s swimwear from the 1900s decorating the resort here and there.

I finally figured out that the Beach Club itself is blue, and the Beach Club Villas are green. How did I never know that?

Villa green!

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I was starting to get hungry (I’d skipped breakfast this morning!), so I decided to walk over to the Boardwalk pizza window for a slice.


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I walked through Seabreeze Point, which was set up for a wedding- awww!

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This bird was an awesome model. He kept following me down the walkway, posing for more pictures. Thanks, bird!

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And as promised, a photo of the actual Crocky! (pictured actual size!)

I am loving your TR! I'm planning my first solo trip for May so I'm really loving your report.

My youngest LOVES crocodiles. I did a search on amazon but couldn't find your little cutie. Could you post or PM me a link.

I've only gotten to page 3 for now but I'll be back later tonight to read more!
 
I have really enjoyed your report so far - you take wonderful photos (I especially liked that TV shot of the Simpsons!).

Although I don't know for sure, I'm assuming you must live / work near the Branson area? I went to college for a couple of years at SMSU back when I thought I wanted to teach so that whole bootheel area still feels like my old stomping grounds.

OMG...bootheel...stomping grounds...I slay me! :lmao:


Sorry about that - sometimes the sense of humor just bursts out and I can't stop it. Looking forward to reading more!
 



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