The Pursuit of Disney Magic (June 7-14, 2008) ~ UPDATED 9/30 pg. 191

[LISAMWDW]

Don't ya just love the track back and forth from Africa to Asia? hehe

 

[willwriteforears]

Great update! the Kali pix are excellent, and I loved your notes about the signs of lack of common sense. I have to say I'm glad my friends and I had a touring plan to follow when we were there--heatwise the morning wasn't bad, but by afternoon I think my brain function had started to deteriorate. I don't know what we would've done if we hadn't had the Ziploc-enclosed touring plan to follow!

 

[ampc3]

I just love your sense of humor !! That is so funny... We did many things like that on our trip too, were we just weren't thinking it through..

I remember reading how everyone always says how hot AK is.... and YEP it is sooo hot there! can't wait to hear about your Yak and Yeti ADR.. I am soooo kicking myself that we skipped ours, the CS there wasn't that good!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Oooooh, a little intriguing statement! What is going to happen at dinner? I really wanted you to like Y&Y, I think the menu looks pretty good!

And love your pics! There is so much going on in AK, so many details. So easy to miss when you are rushing here and there.

FP for Kali huh? Could be worse, you could get one for Maelstrom!

Allyson

I will say that I am going to give Yak and Yeti another chance because we really liked the food.

The theming at AK is my favorite!

Yes, thank goodness we didn't FP Maelstrom -- why is that a FP ride anyway???

All that walking, Jackie!!!

I can't even imagine how overheated you must have been. I bet Kali felt great!

Everyone looks soaked after the second ride.

That's a great pic of you and Charles by the ruins.

Kali was absolute bliss after all that walking!!!

Thanks!!!

Are the rafts (or whatever they're called) always so close together? I imagined being set adrift with no one in sight.

Nope, as stagemomx3(Michelle) said, that's just at the very end while you are waiting to get off.

That's the end of the ride, they get kind of bottled up before you disembark. You aren't that close together on the rest of the ride.

Jackie- Great update. I don't think Chelsea looks posed at all, I think she just looks cute.

Well, I said, "Be a ricksaw driver!" and that's what I got. Love her to death!

great update and pics.

I do not like Kali, way too short for me. Glad you all had fun on it.

Fp's for a 10 minute wait.

I know it -- I was ashamed to even admit to that whole FP debacle!

My only complaint about Kali is how short it is! The first time we rode it Charles was so perplexed; he kept saying, "Is that all?"

I seem to have all common sense leave me at AK too! I think it's a combo of the heat and the crappy way it's set up........I hate that I feel like I'm constantly back tracking there!

We haven't ridden Kali yet..........me no likee having wet undies!

Oh, but it's so much fun! You should send the rest of your family on it so that you can just laugh at them from the bridge.

Absence of Common Sense 1-4.....well at least you were making a plan and not just standing in the middle of the walkway looking at a map.
This is why I have detailed touring plans with step by step directions....I tend to leave my Common Sense in the hotel room where it enjoys the AC and wanders down to the pool for a cool boozie slushie when we are at the park in the heat.

My guess is that Connor embraces his inner animal! I'm 0-1 in your quizes so far......

Next year I am having step by step directions for us so that we don't have moments like that again!

You may be right...

 

[Charleston Princess]

Loved the update, great pics of AK. Too bad about the Kali FP incident, too funny about the common sense posts. Loving it, can't wait for more.
Lesley

Thanks, I am so glad you are enjoying it!!! You would have thought I was a rookie at this whole WDW thing from that Kali debacle.

Yeah for an update! And I just made mental note #1: remember The Great Kali Incident of 2008 when considering FastPass options... LOL

I can't wait to hear what happens at Y&Y!

Yes, don't be me with that one!

Truly, I think it's the Animal Kingdom park. I'm really a savvy Disney traveler. I have my routines, for the most part, know the best way to get somewhere, but as soon as I walk through those gates, it's like I've entered the Bermuda triangle. Couple that with the fact that it is soooooooooooo hot, and my higher level brain functions are seriously diminished.

I hope at the very least, the Rapids cooled you off!

Great pics of the kids, btw. I can't wait to hear about dinner.

The Bermuda Triangle of Theme Parks!!! That's perfect!!! My brain never seems to be running correctly at AK.

Kali went a long way in restoring my sense of balance all around!

There have been many times when we did something one way, and only later realized there would have been a much smarter/faster way to have gotten the same things accomplished!

I hate getting soaked on Kali as well! I might just send my whole family on the trip under the guise that I will take pictures! LOL

Can't wait to hear about dinner!!

That's a great idea -- I was so pleased to get the pictures that I did by waiting on the bridge!

Jackie----

It's the heat, the blasted, unforgiving, unendurable heat that I know they must blast from either below the ground or through the vegetation of that beautiful but insanely hot place!!!! Your poor brain just couldn't POSSIBLY make informed judgements at that point! ;o) Oh how I love AK, but oh how I would love to figure out the ideal/perfect touring plan. It constantly elludes me!

You are so correct -- the heat has got to be part of the theming!

Next year, I am using a premade plan and following it step-by-step!

Don't ya just love the track back and forth from Africa to Asia? hehe

It is seared forever in my memory!

Great update! the Kali pix are excellent, and I loved your notes about the signs of lack of common sense. I have to say I'm glad my friends and I had a touring plan to follow when we were there--heatwise the morning wasn't bad, but by afternoon I think my brain function had started to deteriorate. I don't know what we would've done if we hadn't had the Ziploc-enclosed touring plan to follow!

That's exactly what I am going to do next year -- even as far as the Ziploc part to protect it against Kali!

I just love your sense of humor !! That is so funny... We did many things like that on our trip too, were we just weren't thinking it through..

I remember reading how everyone always says how hot AK is.... and YEP it is sooo hot there! can't wait to hear about your Yak and Yeti ADR.. I am soooo kicking myself that we skipped ours, the CS there wasn't that good!

Thank you!!!

I think it was hotter than normal while we were there this time -- if that is possible!

 

[dreamer17555]

See all those soaked pictures make me so glad I didn't let He (DH) talk me into riding. I cannot stand walking around wet all day.

-Becca-

 

[Charleston Princess]

See all those soaked pictures make me so glad I didn't let He (DH) talk me into riding. I cannot stand walking around wet all day.

-Becca-

Oh, but we dried very quickly because it was so hot that day, so it wasn't really too bad.

 

[pooh'smate]

Great updates. I am doing my weekly "catch up" on the Dis. Love all the pics. Enjoying your tr.

 

[Charleston Princess]

Upon returning to Africa, the kids made a beeline for the face painting. They spent quite a few minutes deciding on which ones they wanted to do. Using my subtle brainwashing techniques I kept saying, "You should choose animal ones since we are at the Animal Kingdom."

There was only one family in front of us, so soon it was Chelsea and Connor's turns.

It's amazing to me how quickly my two children were transformed. Chelsea had chosen the Leopard Mask and Connor had chosen the Cheetah.

Guess who suddenly became a cheetah after looking in the mirror?

I was almost tempted to get my face painted after Chelsea's turned out so pretty!

With their agendas completed, the kids were content to follow us into Mombasa Marketplace for a little shopping. Chelsea picked out a dress that she really liked that was like $20, Charles found a hat and a coffee mug, and I found a cool piece of pottery made in Zimbabwe. We were all starting to droop a little, so I suggested we make our way back to the hotel for a little bit. We had a 5:00 ADR for Yak and Yeti, so I knew we would be back in the evening to finish up stuff.

Charles suggested we swing by and ride Dinosaur before we left, so we trudged over to Dinoland. The wait was like 10 minutes there, too. We really lucked out with wait times on our trip. Dinosaur was as jerky and fun as ever, and Connor decided to spend his souvenir money on a big dinosaur in the gift shop.

Finally, we were ready to escape the heat of Animal Kingdom.

UP NEXT: In Which Our Intrepid Adventurers Encounter a Monsoon and an Avalanche!

 

[MomofCKJ]

Those are really great face paintings! They look awesome!

Allyson

 

[2xcited2sleep]

I never really think to go shopping in AK. That's going to have to change in October! Love the face paintings -- they look so cute!!

 

[TarzansKat]

Oooo, I love face painting! Sounds like it was a good time, a little painting, a little shopping. I can't wait to hear about your dinner!

 

[SwansLoveDisney]

The face painting looks so good!

I love how Connor suddenly became a cat!

 

[dreamer17555]

I love the face painting! I am putting that on our list for our next trip. Too cool!

-Becca-

 

[MRYPPNS]

Did you or Connor pick out his shirt for AK day? I love that it matches the color in his face paint.

 

[stagemomx3]

Their face paintings turned our fantastic. I didn't even see where the face painting place was when we were there. Connor's cat picture is great!

 

[lori1043]

beautiful face painting- we may have to do that next time!

Chelsea's is gorgeous and Connors is very realistic looking

Enjoying the tease..ahemm.. umm, the TR!

Lori

 

[jordanyosh]

The face painting came out GREAT!!!!!!!

Your "subtle" power of suggestion worked out great.

It sounds like you had great line MOJO working for you!!!!!

 

[pooh'smate]

Those face painting picture are really nice. Your kids are to cute. Hope you are having a great 4th.

 

[who said?]

SUBBING!!