Day 6 Animal Kingdom
Oh Great Ball of Epcot, is it wise to wear white on a water ride?
The ball says
outlook not so good.
Before I begin my tale of Day 6, you may remember that I am writing this report so a few of my cousins may read it since they were unable to join me; however, they are a part of the gang that would have gone to our annual family reunion in May, but we have had to postpone the May trip because Nana, the family matriarch, had to have emergency surgery 2 weeks ago and she will not be up for the trip. Since she has said this was going to be her last reunion, we decided to wait and see of she feels better later so that she can go.
My cousins are reading this report to her while she is in the hospital and one of their kids asked how the whole family reunion at WDW started, well, munchkin, this is how it all came to be.
I remember it as if it was just yesterday, picture this, Sicily 1920, oh wait wrong story (I love the Golden Girls) it was the summer of 1969 and we were about to embark on our annual woody wagon vacation and this was finally my year, we were going to the west coast and I was going to get to meet my hero, Mickey Mouse at
Disneyland. I had even saved my allowance so I could purchase a Mickey Mouse watch.
I was so excited when we arrived. Dad parked the car in our designated spot and we all piled out and he instructed us to stand together for a group photo with the Disneyland sign in the background (its my understanding that the sign is no longer there). I was absolutely beside myself when my loving father said, pumpkin, I have a surprise for you, what ever could it be, after all he was already taking me to the happiest place on earth.
Ok, everyone, get back into the car, were going to Knotts Berry Farm, SURPRISE!!! I asked him to repeat himself but after the first few words all I could hear were blah, blah, blah, get back into the car. My head was swimming my very short life was passing right in front of my eyes. There was even a bright light, but soon it began closing around Mickey Mouse. I adored my dad, but as I was climbing back into the car, I was plotting my revenge, some day old man I will be picking out your nursing home (by the way, I took care of both of my parents and I would have not had it any other way). I tried to suck it up and enjoy the berry farm, but it was no Disneyland and I was denied the opportunity to met Mickey Mouse.
Now fast forward to the summer of 1972 when I made a suggestion to Nana that she, my aunt, my mom and myself go to the Magic Kingdom in Florida. And the rest is history. From that summer forward, we have gone at least once a year for a family trip and every year I purchase a Mickey Mouse watch in honor of the almost trip. And to this day, I have never been to Disneyland.
Back to present time, Geek and Ms. Pouts A-lot were a little late for breakfast but we still made it to the park right at opening. We went with the flow and walked to Asia for a ride on Everest. The stand-by line was still relatively short when we finished, so Geek and Patricia went for a second ride while the rest of us walked to Africa for fast passes for the Safari. We told them to meet us in Dinoland outside of Dinosaur.
We arrived first and waited and waited, so Bubba called Geek to see what had happened to them. Apparently, Ms. Pouts A-lot had decided to shop in the various stores along the way but she was finished and they would be there soon. Well, isnt that lovely. You know, I am not sure why everyone is so afraid on this ride, the dinosaur (at the photo point) does not frighten me, there is absolutely nothing terrifying about the inside of my eyelids.
There was a short wait for Its Tough to be a Bug so we watched the movie before we went to lunch at the Yak and Yeti.
I was somewhat concerned about dining at a restaurant with the word yak in the name, but we all enjoyed our meal. Grumpy had the Shaoxing Steak and Shrimp and I had the Tempura Shrimp and we shared the Fried Wontons for dessert.
After lunch we used the fast passes for the Safari and then explored the Pangani Forest Trail. When I was younger, I loved photography especially at WDW because of all of the wonderful details in the architecture. So Grumpy gave me a Canon Rebel as a surprise before this trip and I really enjoyed using it on the trail. Grumpys favorite part is the research building with the naked mole rats. I was trying to get a good photo but as you know, there is a rope that keeps visitors from standing right in front of the glass. Well, a child walked under the rope and the cast member asked him to return to his family. The cast member had turned around to answer a question from someone when the child went under the rope again. This time, he asked me to please keep my child on the outside of the rope. I told him that was not my child, that is my child, and he looked over at Grumpy who was standing in front of the naked mole rat village singing the Rufus song Whats that Freaky Thing? Come along dear, youre scaring the rats.
I wanted to photograph the tigers, so we walked the Maharajah Jungle Trek. Geek said that he had never ridden Kali River Rapids and he wanted to give it a try. The stand-by line was not long but I felt it was my duty to mention to both Ms. Pouts A-lot and Repeat that at least two people on the raft will get drenched and they were both wearing white shirts so maybe the girls should sit this one out. But neither one of them would heed my warning. Ok, then, lets get this over with. Any takers as to whom got the wettest on the ride. You would think they were both old enough to be a little embarrassed about the situation, but instead, it was as if we had been transported to Senor Frogs in Cancun and we were right in the middle of a wet T-shirt contest. Although, it was really no contest, Patricia is well endowed and poor Repeat has the figure of a 10 year-old boy. But a winner must be crowned, move over ladies and let the queen by. Thats right, I was the one that got the wettest, although I did have on a dark shirt, there was nothing left to anyones imagination. I swear Grumpy was about ready to start passing around a tip jar. Well, its good to know that I still have it but it needs to dry off so we returned to the resort.
Our evening plans were to head to Downtown Disney for dinner and a little shopping. We didnt want to have to try to find a parking place so we took the bus to the marketplace. We shopped our way through the Art of Disney, Disneys Days of Christmas where I purchased an ornament that had Grumpy on it, Team Mickey Athletic Club, TrenD where I purchased 2 shirts, Basin where I purchased several bath bombs and the World of Disney where I purchased a Mickey Mouse watch and a polo shirt.
Grumpy, Bubba and I wanted to eat at the Earl of Sandwich, but Geek, Patricia, Pete and Repeat wanted to eat at Wolfgang Puck Express so we decided to split the group. Grumpy had the Earls Club, I had the Caprese and Bubba had the Best BLT. There was a vacant table down by the water so we sat there and enjoyed our meal in peace. When the others were finished Geek called to see if we wanted dessert so he went to Ghiradellis and ordered 2 hot fudge sundaes that we all split while still enjoying our water front view.
As we were sitting there, a cast member walked up to me and asked if I was Bogarts (our English Lab) mom. At first, I did not recognize her and then it dawned on me that she was Bogarts favorite cast member from the kennel at Epcot. He normally travels with Grumpy and I but as he has gotten older (hes 9) he just is not as excited about traveling, as he was when he was younger. Anyway, I like to board him at Epcot and she and he bonded she even bakes him peanut butter cookies. So she told me that she had heard about Bogarts jailbreak at the Animal Kingdom last year. We were leaving that afternoon so instead of having to drive back to Epcot, we boarded him at the Animal Kingdoms kennel. He was placed in kennel on the bottom row but the doors have a different type of lock than those at Epcot and he managed to get his cage open and was running amok through out the kennel club and the cast member had to call security to help round him up. Yes, I will some day even see my dog on an episode of Cops.
We are going for my bday and when my DH asked what I wanted, I said "A family trip to WDW for just the 4 of us."
! You have got to let us all know when you next trip is and when all of your ADR's are.... I am sure we would all join you!
. If anyone will be there from the 11th - 17th let me know. I'm just as happy to embarrass strangers as I am to embarrass family members.
