Our FEB break Photo Trip Report updt 10/6 with last 3 updates!!!

[kathleen27]

We were back in Africa so we headed over to the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail.

In the Aviary, I claim my camera and take a few pictures myself.

I love the pond in here. The fish are so colorful!

I like the bright colored beak and feet on this bird.

Hannah loves the bird id pages, she walked around telling us the names of each bird. She is really great at spotting birds everywhere we go.

I let Jacob have the camera back.

Some of my Dad's shots

Next up the Hippo tank, lots of fish, no hippos.

The meercats were great. They were out when we arrived. This guys was keeping watch.

My Dad's pics

After a while something startled them and everyone disappeared into the holes in an instant.

Another of my Dad's pics

We spent some time at the Gorillas. They are one of Jacob's favorites. A CM was talking about the Gorillas and asked a question. Jacob answered and was really excited that he knew. Neither of us can remember the question now. Jacob took lots of gorilla pics, here are a few.

Some nice waterfall shots of Jacob's

Hannah stopped and did the Discovery Club. 3 out of 6 so far!

 

[irky416]

Jacob's a pretty good photographer!

I can't wait to see if you get all 6 stamps.

 

[kathleen27]

Jacob's a pretty good photographer!

I can't wait to see if you get all 6 stamps.

Thanks!

It will be close!

 

[Msslaydbug]

Just founf your trip report today and love all your photos ! Can't wait to hear about the rest. last year my DS and I took a mother/son trip and had a great time !

 

[kathleen27]

Just founf your trip report today and love all your photos ! Can't wait to hear about the rest. last year my DS and I took a mother/son trip and had a great time !

Thanks and Welcome!
We are really looking forward to the mother & son trip.

 

[wdwgirl03]

I love your pictures from the Conservation Station...I have never done that but have it on my to-do list for this trip. Looking forward to more!

 

[Beana9802]

I love your pictures from the Conservation Station...I have never done that but have it on my to-do list for this trip. Looking forward to more!

did you happen to notice your ticker....2 days!!! WAHOO!!! I am SO jealous!

 

[kathleen27]

I love your pictures from the Conservation Station...I have never done that but have it on my to-do list for this trip. Looking forward to more!

We had fun there! This was our second time. On our 2006 trip while there we checked out the veterinary windows, listened to the sounds of the rainforest, saw a different animal talk (? armadillo maybe), and saw the talking recycling bin.

Have Fun!!!

 

[kathleen27]

When we finished Pangani Trail in Africa, Jacob was starting to get tired. He wanted to take a break, but I wanted to get a bit more done. We had to get to those Discovery spots! We headed into Asia for the Maharajah Jungle Trek. Last trip one of the Discovery stops was at the end of this trek.

On the way we met King Louie!

We head into the jungle. These are all Jacob's pics.

First we meet a Komodo Dragon.

Next the tapir. We like this guy, last trip he was running around playing and he really made an impression on us! Today he was just resting.

The entrance to the bat exhibit.

The giant fruit bats.

We got to the tigers and could not see them anywhere.
Jacob said the scenery was beautiful but he wished the tigers were there.

The Disney Imagineers came up with a great history for this area. This is a former sultan's palace, then hunting lodge, now following apart due to nature, and serving as an animal sanctuary. And the aviary is a former grand ballroom.

We finish the trail and no Discovery Club stop! I pull out the map and sure enough the stop is marked somewhere else. I am trying to figure out where we are and where the stop is and I realize Jacob and my Dad did not stop when Hannah and I did.
But standing there with a map open looking confused, a CM came up and asked what I was looking for. He pointed me in the direction of the DC stop, and as I finished talking to him, my Dad and Jacob reappeared.
My Dad and Jacob were going to rest a bit, while Hannah and I did the last three stops then we'd meet back up. I also asked my Dad to get FP for Kali.

 

[scottny]

great update and pics.

I love walking through there.

 

[irky416]

I've never been to Animal Kingdom, but your updates make me want to go!

The bats give me the heebie-jeebies!

 

[kathleen27]

The bats give me the heebie-jeebies!

You have to enter their area through a door on the side of the trail. I think they purposefully set it up so it would be easy to skip. I'm sure lots of people don't like bats. Hannah included!

great update and pics.

I love walking through there.

Thanks! Its really nice, but someday I want to see those tigers moving around!

 

[julezdisney]

Great trip report and your son is a great photographer! He has such a natural eye for composition!

 

[RachelNinja]

I'm having fun reading your TR!

Haha, I don't think I even knew how to turn on the camera when I was 12 ... good job to Jacob! Great eye for photographs. He's got talent!

 

[kathleen27]

Great trip report and your son is a great photographer! He has such a natural eye for composition!

Welcome and Thanks!

I'm so glad photos are digital now! He is also an artist so I think that helps.
I love that you have a countdown to your 100 day mark.

I'm having fun reading your TR!

Haha, I don't think I even knew how to turn on the camera when I was 12 ... good job to Jacob! Great eye for photographs. He's got talent!

Welcome and Thanks!

Jacob and I have reached the point where I ask him how to work things.

 

[kathleen27]

Hannah and I did the Asia DC stop. The CM there was so nice. I think she had been at the Camp MM stop earlier too. She told us the Discovery Island stop closes early due to the parade, we had 15 mins. I thanked her and said we would go straight there.

Only problem is I get confused in AK. And Discovery Island was around the corner to our right. And we went left. Past EE, past the nemo theater, through Dinoland. The long, long, way. But we made it!!!
We completed the Discovery Island stop. Then took our time heading over to Dinoland for the last stop!

We got to Dinoland and they are stamping the last group to finish and some kids are getting their last stamp, so it takes a little while, but we get a preview of what Hannah will do in a few minutes. Then the CMs start the activity with Hannah and a couple of other kids. Her group finishes up and gets their stamps, and Hannah is last because she has completed all the stops and needs the special stamp. The CM made a big deal out of Hannah completing all the stops and getting all the stamps on her card. She is a "true friend of Wildlife". Hannah raises her right hand and repeats after the CM and makes a pledge to help wildlife. It was very cute. And Hannah was so excited she was absolutely beaming. After the pledge, the CM pulls out the "special stamp". They put it over her card and the CM tells Hannah to press down and see if Rafiki appears, because he will only appear for a true friend of wildlife.

Rafiki appeared!!!! We did it! I was so relieved.

This is a really cute activity for kids. Hannah was really just borderline on being young enough to do this. Jacob was too old, and next time Hannah will be, so I'm glad we got it done! I recommend this for younger kids who like the "educational" games and activities and like animals. But just know this is spread out in the 6 different locations, and is only open 10-4 or 10-5. The Rafiki stamp is a bonus after completing all six regular stamps. All the CMs working at these stops were so nice, really good & patient with all the kids.

So now that we finished our stamp we decided to celebrate with ice cream bars!!!

We called the guys to find out there location. They were at an outdoor table with Frozen Lemonade.

I would have loved to take a video or photos of Hannah making her pledge, but I had left my camera with Jacob.

Here's what he did with my camera.

 

[kathleen27]

It was almost 4pm so we found a spot to watch the parade. This was our first time seeing the AK parade. It was very different than the other parades, and I really liked it.

Jacob is not so into parades, so he gave me back the camera.

I want a car like this, bow and all.

Donald's car is cute too!

My Dad took a few pictures too!

 

[wdwgirl03]

Glad you enjoyed the AK parade! It is a neat one...in January we got to be in it...we rode on the last float with Mickey!

 

[kathleen27]

After the parade our fastpass time for Kali was ready but the last showing of Pocahontas and her forest friends was about to start as well. I had not planned to see Pocahontas because it was listed on the Disney site as closed for rehab, but it was on the schedule, and we had heard the show as we passed that area on our way to Lion King. So we consulted Hannah and she said seeing Pocahontas was important!

It was a cute little show aimed at kids. Hannah is an animal lover so she really enjoyed it. She would not sit in the "kids" seats because it said under 10 and she was 10 years and 9 days. Plus she didn't want to sit alone. We had good seats anyway.

When the show ended it was raining.
I figured it really didn't matter as we would get wet on Kali.

We headed out and saw Lilo & Stitch with NO LINE at all!

We got autographs and photos! Here's an edited photo:

This was the original.
They only saw two other families then had to leave because of the rain.

Now it starts to really pour. By the time we reach Discovery Island we were soaked. We ducked under the overhang of the store for a minute. My Dad said he wanted to look in the shop quick. He comes out with 4 rain ponchos. He said he didn't want the kids to get sick. Um aren't we about to get drenched on the Rapids? I think at this point he was ready to leave, but if the kids did not ride Kali I would NEVER hear the end of it. So we put on the ponchos, but I am soaking under the poncho so it does not make much difference. We head over to Kali and by the time we get there my sneakers are soaked. Well there is now NO wait at all on Kali!

We walk right on and ride. And get even wetter if that's possible. We finish and get off, walk half way up the ramp and reenter the line to ride again. After the second time, I tell the kids we can ride again but we have to find my Dad first and let him know what we are doing. He was at the exit wondering what was taking so long. We tell him we are going to ride a few more times.

My Dad does not ride Kali with us. In his words "he paid his dues on this type of ride". On a trip to Busch Gardens many many years ago, we rode their version over and over and my mom made him ride with us. My brothers and I and our friends had been on roller coasters all day without my parents, but my Mom cannot swim so she is terrified of anything with water. She made my Dad ride this one with us.

Well we rode Kali a third time, and at the end of ride #3 the CM asked if we wanted to stay on? So we stay on and so does another family. By now it has stopped raining. One of those quick FL downpours.

A couple of teens join us. One has a birthday pin, and its their first time riding (ever). We ended up really talking to the other riders and having a lot of fun. And once you've been on this you can tell ahead of time who will get drenched. So that part was a lot of fun. And Jacob often got drenched. Though Hannah and I did a few times as well. At the end of ride #4 the teens want everyone to ride again, so we all do.

Now we are also joined by a couple riding for their first time (ever). Everyone but the teens has rain ponchos on. I really didn't see the point as water was just getting in the poncho. Jacob asks if he can take his off. I say fine. I know how much he'd been looking forward to getting wet on this ride. And guess who gets drenched BOTH times this time around. Jacob! At the end of ride #5, we stay on and so does the couple, the others leave.

We are joined by a new group. Two couples and a little boy (around 5yrs old?), its their first time riding (ever). The little boy kept saying he was scared, so Hannah told him it wasn't scary at all. And coming from her that's something. Well one of the guys gets the first drenching and he was shocked. His family/friends thought it was hysterical. Then we get to the slide and the little boy and his mom get soaked. The little boy was so cute, he looked shocked for a second then shouted "Wow, that was Awesome, Let's do that Again"

After ride #6 the kids wanted to ride again, but I said enough. Luckily the CM said we had to get off and switch rafts, because they were pulling our raft. So we left Kali and found my Dad. No Kali photos this trip but we have 2006 Kali photos so I'm just going to post those.

Old photos from Feb 2006

We were drenched! Especially Jacob. We headed to the locker area to get our dry clothes and change. Jacob didn't want to change, but I said he had to, and my Dad added if he didn't he was not getting in the car.

We were beat, and we headed out. My Dad headed to the car, but the kids and I stopped in the gift shop first! We left the park around 7pm. We were there 10 hours and we did not see Nemo, Ride Everest, or meet half the characters. I am amazed that this is referred to as a half day park, but then we take our time looking at the animals.

We picked up drive through fast food, and I let the kids stay up as late as they wanted watching TV!!!

The only condition, they had to sleep in the next day. We had a big day planned and I wanted to stay out late!

 

[kathleen27]

Glad you enjoyed the AK parade! It is a neat one...in January we got to be in it...we rode on the last float with Mickey!

It really was neat.
That's really cool. Just being in the parade would be, but with Mickey, that's extra special!!!