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

[2xcited2sleep]

Well I think you have a very bright future as a safari guide! Thanks for the shopping tip. I am also interested in what makes it your favorite shop. Unless like the ostrich legs it is fake and you're pulling our leg...

By the way- love the photo collage in your signature! I think I see a couple of previews of coming attractions!

 

[willwriteforears]

Lovely update!

I could never be a safari driver because this is what my commentary would sound like:

I was gonna say that if I were a guide, I'd go off on a tangent about something entirely unrelated to the safari. But then I remembered that I'd be talking, not writing, and so in all likelihood there would've been silence.

Here's a question for you: Everytime we have been on the safari, the driver has pointed out nests of ostrich eggs. I think they are fake; Chelsea thinks they are real. Anyone know the answer: are they set decorations or the real things?

The eggs are Fakers, the leave-less tree is Fake and the termite mounds are Fakers too. How's that for spoiling you tour???

And those eggs are fake, I've just read Pralines TR and she went on a Safari tour and they were told then, they're so realistic though that the Ostrich even sits on them!

they r fake, the eggs.

Great. Now whenever I show people the pix of the eggs I took, I'm going to have to say, "Yes, I was more excited about this picture when I thought they were real."

 

[Charleston Princess]

Great update! We too enjoyed Tusker house and AK... I didn't plan for enough time there either! I think you saw some more animals than we did on our safari.

We never end up planning enough time for Animal Kingdom, either! One day I will figure it all out!

I don't know what it is but at rope drop everyone......except me........suddenly has bionic walking power.

And they don't care who they take down!

You know, I was about to say, "Wait 'til she turns 16!" but the more thought I give it, the more I'm realizing I was at my worst from about 13-15.

Those were my worst years, too.

I'm going with fake because I SWEAR the same number of eggs have been sitting in that EXACT same spot for as long as I've been going to AK.

I was thinking they were in the same spot as last year, also!

Or perhaps said real egg-ensconced baby ostriches are all like, "Nope. Not comin' out. We've heard all about that Big Red/Little Red thing and we're quite content here in these eggs. Carry on."

Now that's a man with some direction. And who said he doesn't like Disney?

Exactly! I think he was still trying to make up for Sunday.

Still not believing how absolutely empty this park is!

It was so wonderful.

Ah, cue the masses. I knew eventually they'd make a debut!

And boy did they! Watching them swarm over the bridge reminded me of that scene in Fellowship of the Rings when the goblin things swarm all over the dwarf mines!

Okay, I'm not going to repost the whole thing, but I'm DED over the safari commentary! Jackie, you are too funny.

Thanks!

Making me miss AK- why may I ask is that your favorite store? Chelsea- too bad you did not catch the pouting teen!

Good question! Why is that your favorite store?

Mombasa is my favorite store because of the selection of African themed merchandise -- all sorts of cool pottery, baskets, and carvings. I love looking around in there. The AKL gift shop is also one of my favorites for the same reasons.

You're safari guiding was cracking me up!

Thank you! I enjoyed writing it when I realized I had no clue what any of those animals were except for the obvious ones!

Is that really a gift shop???? I thought it was just a set.

Real store with cool stuff!

The eggs are Fakers, the leave-less tree is Fake and the termite mounds are Fakers too. How's that for spoiling you tour???

I kind of figured they were, especially the termite mounds -- can you imagine WDW importing African termites??? Talk about a disaster!

If they did not go on the Pangani Trail with you then that just re-enforces my theory that we need to go together and leave the rest of the families at home! I love the trails and the treks.

Definitely!!! I am dying to go on both the Pangani and Maharajah -- no one ever wants to go with me though .

Great update. I love the safari driver comments you would make, too funny I would be the exact same way. I had the same thought about the Ostrich eggs, I swear that same pile was in that exact same place last year. HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
Lesley

Thank you! Now we know they are fake -- but they sure are realistic -- Disney Magic at its best!

I love your update, and I love your safari commentary, Jackie. You crack me up!

Also, did you see Devine?

Thank you!!! We did see Devine when we were walking from Africa to Asia later in the day -- the kids were like this when she started moving!

 

[Charleston Princess]

I am ashamed to admit that I am one of the people who walk/runs to the attractions at rope drop. Technically, though, if at least one foot is in contact with the ground at all times, it is walking. And I definitely do keep one foot in contact with the ground at all times.

And I certainly do not push anyone out of the way. Only with my eyes.

I have no problem with the fast walking, but once people are in the line, I don't think they should shove others out of the way!

Your safari commentary is awesome!

Thank you!!!

I definitely remember going through the stage Chelsea is going through. And I feel for you!

I remember it only too well also -- I keep hoping hers won't be as mad as mine was!

I love your commentary, so funny

And those eggs are fake, I've just read Pralines TR and she went on a Safari tour and they were told then, they're so realistic though that the Ostrich even sits on them!

Thank you!!! I think it is very funny that the ostrichs think they are real, too!

Yep, now I have to consider Tusker House breakfast, too. Daisy almost had me, but I doubted the food. For some reason I never thought about being in the park early, duh! And to think I almost had my ADR's ready...

You will never feel like your ADRs are completely ready -- at least, I never did! We even ended up changing some of them while we were on vacation!

I guess I have alot reading to do today.

Welcome back!!!

I'm a newbie and pretty much a lurker... but I LOVE LOVE LOVE your PTR/TR! I don't go until the end of Sept, but reading this is making the time go by fast! Thanks so much!

Welcome and thank you!!! I hope you are planning on doing a September TR, so we can help you relive your trip!!!

How far away from you was Chelsea? Was she shooting death rays out of her eyes at you, while simutaneously pretending like she was an orphan or hatched from an egg, anything other than related to you her horrible awful family who somehow tricked her into go to Walt Disney World with them?

Oh wait I think that was Daisy, nevermind.

I love your Safari commentary. Up next, I say Kali.

Yes, yes, yes, yes! She was standing way away from us just glaring at us! Sigh. I don't even remember what we did to make her mad -- probably laughed too loud at Tusker House or something!

The joys of middle school girls!

I caught up....thanks for the links..........

Hurray! Hope you enjoyed it!

great update and pics.

I would not know the names either on there.

they r fake, the eggs.

Thank you!

I don't think I will burst Chelsea's bubble quite yet about the eggs since when I asked her what her favorite part of the safari was she said it was seeing the ostrich eggs.

I just love the way a pout can change to a smile! Way to go Chelsea! Just wait until she is 16....

Connor, good choice to let that breakfast settle before EE!

Connor is almost as big a wuss about riding thrill rides as I am!

Well I think you have a very bright future as a safari guide! Thanks for the shopping tip. I am also interested in what makes it your favorite shop. Unless like the ostrich legs it is fake and you're pulling our leg...

Nope, it's a real store -- I like it because it has different stuff than the usual Disney merchandise -- a lot of it is unusual. Not to mention, it is air conditioned which is always a welcome thing at Animal Kingdom!

By the way- love the photo collage in your signature! I think I see a couple of previews of coming attractions!

Thank you! Natale1980 made it for me and surprised me with it last night! I just love it!!!

I was gonna say that if I were a guide, I'd go off on a tangent about something entirely unrelated to the safari. But then I remembered that I'd be talking, not writing, and so in all likelihood there would've been silence.

I am visualizing this completely silent safari. Talk about added suspense on the rickety bridge!

Great. Now whenever I show people the pix of the eggs I took, I'm going to have to say, "Yes, I was more excited about this picture when I thought they were real."

Jiri, you always make me laugh -- that's okay, when I showed my mom (who has been going to Disney for years) the picture of Connor underneath the Young Travelers sign, she said, "Why does it say that? Do they have a problem with that?" I just looked and her and said, "Theming, Mom. Theming."

 

[1lear]

Wow-it took me two days, but when I found your trip report I couldn't stop reading til I was caught up.
We are going on our first trip in August and I'm making a list of all the great places to see based on your report-thanks so much for sharing.

Lisa

 

[Nicole786]

your safari comments are spot on with how I feel on that ride! lol! Im usually the one not paying attention to the driver taking pics and than leaning over to whoever i'm with and going "wait, what animal was that?"

 

[Charleston Princess]

Wow-it took me two days, but when I found your trip report I couldn't stop reading til I was caught up.
We are going on our first trip in August and I'm making a list of all the great places to see based on your report-thanks so much for sharing.

Lisa

Welcome and thank you!!! I am so glad that you are enjoying it! Your trip is right around the corner!!!

your safari comments are spot on with how I feel on that ride! lol! Im usually the one not paying attention to the driver taking pics and than leaning over to whoever i'm with and going "wait, what animal was that?"

Me too! I was so busy taking pics and being irritated by the guy behind me with his sunflower seeds that I was only half listening to the guide.

 

[Charleston Princess]

...and Back Again!

The kids had no interest in the Pangani Trail because they had decided there were two things they wanted to do: get their faces painted and ride Kali River Rapids. Now to anybody with the least amount of common sense it would seem the prudent thing to do to ride Kali before getting faces painted. We realized that and just as quickly common sense deserted us. I am going with the assumption that our common sense was leached completely out of us by the unrelenting sun that had begun beating down on us as soon as we exited the safari.

First Noted Absence of Common Sense:
Charles was convinced we would need Fast Passes for Kali River Rapids...at 9:30 in the morning.

Second Noted Absence of Common Sense:
I agreed with him.

Third Noted Absence of Common Sense:
I volunteered to walk from Africa to Asia to get the Fast Passes. I think the reasoning behind this was that Charles and the kids would get drinks or something and cool down for a few minutes. Who knows, really.

Fourth Noted Absence of Common Sense:
I walked the blindingly hot uphill walk to Asia. Upon reaching Kali River Rapids, I noted a 10 minute wait. Did I think to call my family on one of the two cell phones in their possession to tell them to come meet me at Kali while I ran a few more steps to procure Everest Fast Passes? Nope. Without so much as a glimmer of common sense or second thought to the massed amounts of DIS knowledge (which I think were probably cowering in a corner of my brain away from the heat), I got four Fast Passes for Kali River Rapids and trudged back. The heat had robbed me of ALL critical thinking skills. I was a robot. And not even a cute, large-eyed Wall-E type. Nope, I was a drone.

Once I was back, we decided to head out of Africa slowly back towards Kali (yes, I was going to turn around and make the trans-continental drift AGAIN), taking pictures, and soaking in the atmosphere. You will notice that all the pictures I take in this batch are leaning -- I think I was barely holding myself upright.

Strange Asian Ruins. We couldn't resist.

The site of our dinner ADR. If I had known then...

Signage!!! I wish I could recreate the Animal Kingdom signage in my house. I just love it!

At Kali the wait was still 10 minutes (big surprise), so we went on it. No matter what, we get soaked everytime we go on it. We all love the ride, but invariably the raft turns just the right way, and we get drenched. We also tend to live dangerously and scoff at the use of ponchos (but just remember we are the people who get FPs at 9:30 in the morning for a 10-minute wait) . Today was no exception. We were absolutely soaked when we disembarked. I recently read a book set in India and was surprised to discover that Kali, in the Hindu religion, is the goddess of both destruction and a redeemer of the universe. Interesting when you know the context of the ride: to educate us about the destruction of clear cutting lumber in the hopes that it will stop. The cleverness of Disney never ceases to amaze me!!!

Anyway, after the ride, the kids and Charles wanted to ride again using our Fast Passes. Since I was still wringing the water from my unmentionables, I told them to go on without me, and I would stand on the bridge and get some shots.

As you can see from the pictures, Charles and the kids were absolutely soaked after their second ride.

At the ricksaw, I had to get pictures of the kids being ricksaw drivers -- an idea I wholeheartedly stole from others' TRs. Connor got into the spirit; Chelsea turned on her pre-teen pose as much as was possible with her soaked self.

With Kali finished guess where we headed? Yep, back to Africa!!!

UP NEXT: In Which Our Intrepid Adventurers Embrace Their Inner Animals!

 

[MomofCKJ]

The site of our dinner ADR. If I had known then...

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

 

[SwansLoveDisney]

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.

 

[trixiequilts]

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

 

[stagemomx3]

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

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.

 

[scottny]

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.

 

[winkers]

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!

 

[MRYPPNS]

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......

 

[timandlesley]

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

 

[Sarilas]

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!

 

[TarzansKat]

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.

 

[cjhinch]

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!!

 

[MegansMom]

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!