I had had an exhausting day at the Studios, but I was happy because I had Thursday and Friday off. I decided to go with Jake, a fellow Studios custodian, to Animal Kingdom.
The first thing we did was go to Africa to get some food at Tusker House. I had never been there before, but I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of food, seeing as how it was counter-service. It was pretty yummy and we got to see some guys playing the drums on the patio. I secretly had the urge to get up and dance with them, but I stayed seated and watched an AK custodial do a trash run.
Thats something else: once youre a custodial, you notice all the other custodials all the time. You notice trash runs
where they push around these big squeaky carts. Before, when I was a guest, I never noticed trash carts at all! I just never did. But now I do. I also noticed trash in the parks and would pick some up if it was on the ground (like paper or whatever). It was hard to not be a custodian, even when I was off.
We were about to go somewhere else when we finished eating when I realized that I had lost my Disney ID! I started to freak out! That was my work ID
it would get me into work and into the parks. If I lost it, I would have to pay $35 and I couldnt get any fastpasses for the day (we all see where my priorities were). We went back to the front of the park and asked guest relations if it had been turned inand it had! I was so relieved
whew.
After reclaiming my ID, Jake and I went to Rafiki's Planet Watch (sorry if this is the wrong name, I forget it), one of the many things on my WDW to-do list. In order to get to this part of the park, you have to take a train. We thought that our train ride would be uneventful, but it ended up being the best part of the day. We got on and there were a couple of other people. We started riding and the tour guide (over the train loudspeaker) began to speak: The animals at Animal Kingdom go to sleep here
Everything was normal. He continued: "Here is where we feed the animals--SIR! All of a sudden, everything changed! SIT DOWN! SIT DOWN SIR! SIR, SIT DOWN! IF YOU DO NOT SIT DOWN, I WILL STOP THIS TRAIN! Then, instantly, he went back to his calm and happy voice. The elephants are fed hundreds of pounds of food each day..."
Jake and I were laughing so hard. The guys voice was so panicked! But, it is true that safety is the #1 concern of Cast Members at Disney. After all, Safe D begins with me!
Anyway, I had never been to Rafikis Planet Watch, but it seemed interesting. We didnt do too much there, but we did do one of the soundbooth things. They have soundbooths at the Studios, too, but I really preferred the ones at Animal Kingdom. Grandmother Willow whispers in your ear and you can feel the wind and then it feels like there really are animals by you and on you. I got creeped out, but in the good magical Disney way, so I enjoyed it. (Kind of like Tower of Terror, Gmax
happy Lan?
)
We got a picture with Stanley. YAY!
After Rafikis Planet Watch, we went to see the Festival of the Lion King.
It was my first time seeing the show in my life. I didnt really know what to expect
I guess I thought it would be like Beauty and the Beast. Well, it definitely exceeded my expectations. I thought that the show was AMAZING! It had everything: singing, dancing (even ballet), acrobatics, gymnastics, fire, animatronics, etc, etc. It was GREAT! The people who were in it were really talented, too, and the singers had such great voices. I felt like I had suddenly stepped onto Broadway, it was that good.
Unfortunately
now dont hate me Disney, but we followed that show up with the Pochahontas show. After having my face blasted off with the excellence that was FotLK, I was expecting a pretty good show from Pochahontas. Well
if I could turn back time, I would go to see Pochahontas first, because that show was
well, I will let my journal do the talking:
Journal Excerpt:
That show was sort of disappointing. Seriously, it was so cheap. Poca had to make her own leaves float. She like grabbed a pile of them and put them over this small air hole. It was so sad. And... it didn't really make sense. The porcupine has quills to protect himself. This teaches us about faith. Uh, what?
Honestly, even the other people in the audience were sort of laughing at the show and not with it. It just
was
not up to Disney standards. Im sure kids probably enjoy it, though.
Well, after Pocha-hey-hey, we went on Expedition Everest, which was good of course but I felt a little sick after it. Well, of course in that state of mind I decided to go ahead and go on Dinosaur! Dont worry, I didnt get sick
but I did get scared! I think Dinosaur! scared the sick out of me.
Following Dinosaur!, we went on Kiliminjaro Safaris.
Then we were pretty much done with Animal Kingdom. So we caught a bus to the Studios. We went on the Backlot Tour, then we went on the Great Movie Ride, and then I officially started my pin collection in the big Sorcerer Mickey's hat. I got the cutest Winnie-the-Pooh pin and then I got a Rockin' Rollercoaster one that's pretty cool (it has a moving car and it is just like the one that Oybolshoi has). We also went and jammed at Playhouse Disney!
Oh yeah! Then after Playhouse Disney, we went over to Sunset and saw some of the people I worked with and also saw Jess who was doing a trash run. Then we went on Coaster, hung out with Jess during her break in the Cast Cafeteria and made plans for the next day. Once Jess break was over, we went on Tower of Terror (the best ride ever!), and then we went to Fantasmic! Oh how I loved Fantasmic!
Journal Excerpt (from an entry I had written a few days earlier)
So, basically, for the past week I have been working Fantasmic except for one night. I like working there because it's so magical. At the end, I always get chills when Mickey is on top of the mountain. He's just so magical. It makes me feel like I am back at the best place on earth, instead of the semi-okay place that it usually is when I am working. (Work, by the way, is getting better. It's like I said--I just needed to get used to it. The more I get used to it, the better it is. I mean, it's not AMAZINGLY great or anything, but it's manageable.)
After Fantasmic!, I headed back to Vista Way. I was exhausted, plus, I would be going to Epcot with Jake and Jess the next day.
Coming Up Next: EPCOT! I'm excited about the next installment... it was a really fun day with lots of pictures!
. This has really been fun! I'm glad that you are keeping a journal so you can remember this for a long time!
Okay, onto the next installment...
They have decided to do CP together when they go to college. Thanks Lamagique!
