DAY 12 - MONDAY
Awake at 7.30. DW gets the morning coffees in - looks like I'm back in the fold!
We munch on some bits and pieces from the room for breakfast. DD and DS go down to the Mara for some toast. I check the weather channel - yup - theres still a hurricane coming! Forecast for today though is warm and sunny so I think we'll worry about this so called hurricane when it gets a bit nearer!
We catch the bus to Animal Kingdom and start the rounds of the rides.
Straight to It's Tough to be a Bug. I had forgotten how good this was - even in the waiting area - the music playing in the background is of famous songs being sung and hummed to by the bugs! Also forgot to lean forward at the end of the show and got a sharp poke in the back! OUCH!
We ride Dinosaur again and the Kali River Rapid's - this time DW manages to stay reasonably dry! Then we watch the Flights of Fancy bird show. I get roped into the show and I go up on stage with my Video Camera and get a "Birds-eye-view" as a massive Eagle Owl flies right over my head! On the way out a lady gave me a Disney Certificate with my name on - Brilliant! Made my day!
We pause to take some last pictures of the park as we will not be coming back again this trip. The new ride being built (Expedition Everest) looks like it's going to be a great attraction. Maybe we will come back in 2006 when it's finished! I really hope we can. I love this park - I know it doesn't have the big rides of some of the others but the theming and the atmosphere is great. The two walks (Maharaja Trek and Pangani Forest) are really well laid out and make a pleasant break from the rides. I suppose staying at the AKL next door also makes it feel like its part of the hotel really.
We bus back to AKL and swim/jacooze/drink (free of course) to our heart's content. What a life! I could get used to this you know.
Then we take "Happy" to stretch his legs - back to the Rainforest Cafe at Animal Kingdom for our 2.00pm PS.
After a big platter of starters to share (mix of mushrooms, calamari, onion rings, buffalo wings, potato skins and mozzarella) I have a massive Chicken Caesar Salad and a couple of cocktails (coconut breeze), DW has the Mojo Bones, DS & DD both have a Pizza. We round the meal off by sharing a "Volcano" dessert. Fantastic meal - $94.00 plus tip. I know that a lot of people critsise the Rainforest Cafe but for a family meal (as long as you keep it simple) I think it's a great place - IMHO.
After a mooch around the gift shop we drive to Travelodge to pick up DS1 & DGF and take them to Downtown Disney for the evening. We wander around the massive Disney Store and DGF purchases a bracelet. I quite fancy one of those lovely watch's but the price tag frightens me away! Then we dream once more as we gaze in awe at the oil paintings in the Disney Art shop.
We amble along through the various shops and then part company for a while with DS1 & DGF while we have another crack at the high score on Pirates of the Caribbean in Disney quest. DS & DD build another roller coaster and we are invited to watch the TV monitor while they ride - it's absolutely hilarious! I can't resist and I go and purchase a copy of the video for posterity (and future embarrassment to various boyfriends/girlfriends!)- $12.78 inc.tax (these work on UK video's too). We meet the others and stroll back - past the Candy Cauldron (DS goes all weak at the knee's!) and have another "sniffing" session in the soap shop.
We pile into "Happy" and drop off DS1 & DGF at their hotel before a quick stop at Walgreens Drug Store to stock up on some bits and pieces (all of which are prescription only in the UK) to take back to Blighty.
Back at AKL we refill the refillable mugs at the refilling station! (Free of charge by the way) and get to bed.
It's the big day tomorrow - Discovery Cove - the kids don't know we booked this but we can't resist telling them before we sleep. To be honest - I think me and DW are more excited than the kids - I don't think they quite understand what they are in for but I'm pretty sure that this will be a day that they will remember for a long long time.
The Bay News Nine Bloke is still rabbitting on about "Francis" - the hurricane. He seems convinced that it's coming to get him (and us!). I'm still not worried - were going home on Friday so it shouldn't affect us!
Night all -
I dream of school's of humming fish - I think they're singing the Bugs Life songs!
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Awake at 7.30. DW gets the morning coffees in - looks like I'm back in the fold!
We munch on some bits and pieces from the room for breakfast. DD and DS go down to the Mara for some toast. I check the weather channel - yup - theres still a hurricane coming! Forecast for today though is warm and sunny so I think we'll worry about this so called hurricane when it gets a bit nearer!
We catch the bus to Animal Kingdom and start the rounds of the rides.
Straight to It's Tough to be a Bug. I had forgotten how good this was - even in the waiting area - the music playing in the background is of famous songs being sung and hummed to by the bugs! Also forgot to lean forward at the end of the show and got a sharp poke in the back! OUCH!
We ride Dinosaur again and the Kali River Rapid's - this time DW manages to stay reasonably dry! Then we watch the Flights of Fancy bird show. I get roped into the show and I go up on stage with my Video Camera and get a "Birds-eye-view" as a massive Eagle Owl flies right over my head! On the way out a lady gave me a Disney Certificate with my name on - Brilliant! Made my day!
We pause to take some last pictures of the park as we will not be coming back again this trip. The new ride being built (Expedition Everest) looks like it's going to be a great attraction. Maybe we will come back in 2006 when it's finished! I really hope we can. I love this park - I know it doesn't have the big rides of some of the others but the theming and the atmosphere is great. The two walks (Maharaja Trek and Pangani Forest) are really well laid out and make a pleasant break from the rides. I suppose staying at the AKL next door also makes it feel like its part of the hotel really.
We bus back to AKL and swim/jacooze/drink (free of course) to our heart's content. What a life! I could get used to this you know.
Then we take "Happy" to stretch his legs - back to the Rainforest Cafe at Animal Kingdom for our 2.00pm PS.
After a big platter of starters to share (mix of mushrooms, calamari, onion rings, buffalo wings, potato skins and mozzarella) I have a massive Chicken Caesar Salad and a couple of cocktails (coconut breeze), DW has the Mojo Bones, DS & DD both have a Pizza. We round the meal off by sharing a "Volcano" dessert. Fantastic meal - $94.00 plus tip. I know that a lot of people critsise the Rainforest Cafe but for a family meal (as long as you keep it simple) I think it's a great place - IMHO.
After a mooch around the gift shop we drive to Travelodge to pick up DS1 & DGF and take them to Downtown Disney for the evening. We wander around the massive Disney Store and DGF purchases a bracelet. I quite fancy one of those lovely watch's but the price tag frightens me away! Then we dream once more as we gaze in awe at the oil paintings in the Disney Art shop.
We amble along through the various shops and then part company for a while with DS1 & DGF while we have another crack at the high score on Pirates of the Caribbean in Disney quest. DS & DD build another roller coaster and we are invited to watch the TV monitor while they ride - it's absolutely hilarious! I can't resist and I go and purchase a copy of the video for posterity (and future embarrassment to various boyfriends/girlfriends!)- $12.78 inc.tax (these work on UK video's too). We meet the others and stroll back - past the Candy Cauldron (DS goes all weak at the knee's!) and have another "sniffing" session in the soap shop.
We pile into "Happy" and drop off DS1 & DGF at their hotel before a quick stop at Walgreens Drug Store to stock up on some bits and pieces (all of which are prescription only in the UK) to take back to Blighty.
Back at AKL we refill the refillable mugs at the refilling station! (Free of charge by the way) and get to bed.
It's the big day tomorrow - Discovery Cove - the kids don't know we booked this but we can't resist telling them before we sleep. To be honest - I think me and DW are more excited than the kids - I don't think they quite understand what they are in for but I'm pretty sure that this will be a day that they will remember for a long long time.
The Bay News Nine Bloke is still rabbitting on about "Francis" - the hurricane. He seems convinced that it's coming to get him (and us!). I'm still not worried - were going home on Friday so it shouldn't affect us!
Night all -
I dream of school's of humming fish - I think they're singing the Bugs Life songs!
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
