Very Scary, Not so Scary, and Everything In Between! 🎃 Updated 12/9. Last day**

[disneyAndi14]

I had made us a FoP reservation for around 5:45pm. We headed to Pandora and soon we were flying over Pandora on our Banshee. I can’t remember if this was the time we were on the upper level. Wow it is more intense up there.

We had a great ride, I do love this ride and it never gets old!

We noticed NRJ had about a 25 minute wait so we jumped in line. I think we only waited about 15 minutes.


This was a nice relaxing boat ride and very colorful. The large animatronic Shaman was working yay! A couple times there has just been a screen image of her.


We decided to get a few drinks at Pongu Pongu. D had the Hawkes Grog Ale, the green beer made exclusively for Pandora.

I had the Mo’ara Margarita. This has the boba balls in it. D loved her beer and I really enjoyed the margarita.

We did a little browsing in the gift shops as we worked are way out of the park. I thought it was odd that AK closed at 7pm most nights. This was before it was even dark out so you could never see Pandora all lit up. That was a bummer because I wanted D to see it in the dark.

We took a bus back to AKL and enjoyed some deck time and TV time before calling it a night!


This picture is from a different day! No blue sky this evening! I must have put this one in the wrong album

Stay tuned for our first day at Epcot! Spoiler “we love cheese” !

 

[VAtink]

We just did the Savor the Savanna tour this past trip as well, and similar to yours, it poured! It was a great tour though, although they didn't have enough seats in the boma for all of us which we found very odd. They did however give very generous pours of wine, which we appreciated!

Can't wait to read about the evening in Pandora!

 

[DLo]

I did the Savor the Savanna tour in May and loved it. Funny, it poured on our tour too but we all seemed to still enjoy it.

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

The tour sounds so good even if it did rain. The food looks tasty too. Amazing to hear the lions roar!

 

[pkondz]

Thanks for all the comments and pics from your tour. Brought back some fond memories.

She talked about how nervous giraffes are and how they actually hate the rain. They often run to shelter areas when it rains.

Really! I had no idea. That surprises me.

I had a couple glasses of wine with my food and the rain mattered no more, lol

We saw the lions and the one of the most amazing things happened.

The female and male lions started roaring back and forth! This was very cool.

Niiice.
I've heard the male roaring one time, but not both.

I finally learned why the fake ostrich eggs are out on the Safari. I just thought it was a prop, however, the eggs do make the ostriches feel comfortable to lay there eggs! During the egg laying season, the Ostriches lay up to 20 eggs a week and 1 ostrich egg = 24 chicken eggs.

Oh! So that's why! I always found it so out of place to have fake eggs where there are real animals.

We headed to Pandora and soon we were flying over Pandora on our Banshee. I can’t remember if this was the time we were on the upper level. Wow it is more intense up there.

Huh! I did not know there was a difference. TBH, I'm not sure if I've been on the upper level or not.

We had a great ride, I do love this ride and it never gets old!

The large animatronic Shaman was working yay! A couple times there has just been a screen image of her.

Unfortunately, that's what I had my last trip. Was very underwhelmed.

I thought it was odd that AK closed at 7pm most nights. This was before it was even dark out so you could never see Pandora all lit up.

Darn shame. Night time is so magical there.

 

[missjackiemcg]

The Savannah tour sounds lovely! We've done the Wild Africa Trek, and really enjoyed the snacks and desserts at the Boma. I also LOVE the tile in that bathroom---so beautiful! I think I'd like to do the Savor the Savannah tour with the other food and drink options included; definitely sounds worth it.

 

[disneyAndi14]

We just did the Savor the Savanna tour this past trip as well, and similar to yours, it poured! It was a great tour though, although they didn't have enough seats in the boma for all of us which we found very odd. They did however give very generous pours of wine, which we appreciated!

Can't wait to read about the evening in Pandora!

That is weird not having enough chairs in the Boma
I have to say this is a favorite tour of mine now and yes very generous wine pours!

 

[disneyAndi14]

I did the Savor the Savanna tour in May and loved it. Funny, it poured on our tour too but we all seemed to still enjoy it.

I’m really glad you enjoyed the tour. I loved both times now and would do again! I was glad the rain didn’t hinder the tour at all.

 

[disneyAndi14]

The tour sounds so good even if it did rain. The food looks tasty too. Amazing to hear the lions roar!

It really was Moira! The food was delicious and the wine was very good.
It is amazing to hear the lion’s roar it is so cool!

 

[disneyAndi14]

Thanks for all the comments and pics from your tour. Brought back some fond memories.

I really loved this tour, I bet you can tell, lol I’m glad you experienced it as well in your last visits! It is one I would do again. It can be very different each time!

Really! I had no idea. That surprises me.

I agree, who knew the huge giraffes are scaredy-cats!

I've heard the male roaring one time, but not both.

It is such a cool experience. Andi and I heard the male once before and we also heard the mom and daughter tiger making the weirdest noises at each other on the Maharaja trail. It was very interesting. Not quite a roar but similar.

Oh! So that's why! I always found it so out of place to have fake eggs where there are real animals.

I always thought that as well. I figured it was a prop from the old Simba 1 show.

Huh! I did not know there was a difference. TBH, I'm not sure if I've been on the upper level or not.

There really is. I haven’t been on the upper level for awhile and this trip we went upstairs and wow it is more intense!

Unfortunately, that's what I had my last trip. Was very underwhelmed.

Oh no! It is the best part of the ride so having the screen instead of the animatronic ugh!

Darn shame. Night time is so magical there.

I agree! I’m looking forward to night time in December!

 

[disneyAndi14]

The Savannah tour sounds lovely! We've done the Wild Africa Trek, and really enjoyed the snacks and desserts at the Boma. I also LOVE the tile in that bathroom---so beautiful! I think I'd like to do the Savor the Savannah tour with the other food and drink options included; definitely sounds worth it.

The price Jackie, to me is worth it! I think you would love it
The food and wine is lovely and you learn so much from the tour guides and CMs on the Savannah!

 

[pkondz]

I agree, who knew the huge giraffes are scaredy-cats!

I mean... they're big!

Andi and I heard the male once before and we also heard the mom and daughter tiger making the weirdest noises at each other on the Maharaja trail. It was very interesting. Not quite a roar but similar.

Really! Was it kinda like cat noises? Or?

Oh no! It is the best part of the ride so having the screen instead of the animatronic ugh!

Yep

 

[disneyAndi14]

We love cheese

Today was Sunday 9/11/22. We didn’t rush this morning either.

We enjoyed our deck with a cold brew, yogurt, and bananas

It was fun to say hi to our neighbors on their decks! Each morning we saw the same people out enjoying the Savannah.

We got ready and headed to Epcot around 9:30am. We had better bus luck this trip. It was much better than our April trip at WL. I’m not sure why but no complaints with the buses to and from AKL.

I decided not to purchase Genie+ today. Our plans were to enjoy F&W and a few favorite rides today. We had the MNSSHP this evening and we didn’t want to overdo during the day.

We arrived right around 10am and SE was a walk on so we hopped into the line.

This is such an iconic and memory producing ride for both of us. D and I rode this together for the first time in the spring of 1989. I wasn’t even married yet!

I was very nervous the first time that it was going to be a crazy Rollercoaster inside of the big ball! Like Space Mountain but worse, lol Wow was I happy it was a ride more my speed and very enjoyable!

We walked to The Land and Soarin had a low wait time and we jumped into the line. It was a walk on all the way to the concourse area and a short wait from there. We got B row 2, not bad! D loved this ride. I like it but I love the old version!

LWTL had a short wait and we did this next. I noticed several new props for F&W. I agree with @suse66 about all the tables.

There was quite a few! I did like the signs letting us know where the fruits, vegetables, and spices were being used out at the F&W booths.

It was time to find Nemo next! This was also a walk on. I love this ride! We spent some time looking around the aquarium before heading out.

We decided on Figment before heading into the WS. Figment was also a walk on.

D and I decided to do the Emile Fromage Montage this trip.

I had plans to also do the scavenger hunt but we never did.

Our first booth was Hawaii. We each had a Kalua Pork Slider and shared the Passion Fruit Cheesecake with macadamia nuts.

Great start to our F&W experience and the cheese crawl.

The sliders are delicious but very small. The cheesecake was very yummy I love macadamia nuts. We got 1 stamp in our book.

It was really hot out, what’s new right! Wow the heat is brutal walking around WS. We decided to head into the Mexican Pavilion and take a little boat ride. D was getting in the boat and her sunglasses fell into the water, oh no. This is the first time we encountered a very apathetic CM. She just said to bad nothing we can do about it.

It was fine but really I was surprised they didn’t offer to help in anyway. Not the Disney service from the past. Oh well I had an extra pair with me and D said she didn’t pay a fortune for the sunglasses.

We enjoyed our boat ride in the cool pavilion. We looked around at the shops in there before heading out.

We walked a little past China and found the India booth. I wanted to try the Crispy Paneer with a mango-curry ketchup.

I ordered these little cheese treats and got another stamp in our book.

We took these inside the China pavilion. It was very nice in there. Cool air and very few people. Mulan was meeting in here and she hardly had any visitors.

This was the perfect place to enjoy the cheese. It was very good with the ketchup. I’m not sure it would have much flavor on its own. It isn’t like string cheese or mozzarella sticks at all. It has a very different texture. We really liked it
but I wouldn’t get it again, once was good.

We moved on to Italy and we each got an Italian Margarita. This is so good! It is made with tequila and limoncello in a slushy form.

We walked to the American Pavilion and sat in the stadium area to drink these little beauties. The drinks did melt quickly. Still delicious.

We walked to Japan and visited the Mitsukoshi store. This place is sure a shell of its former self. I hope it comes back to its full glory soon. The products and treats in the store were about half the amount in the past. Must be the dreaded shipping problem!
That saying and excuse will, last for years now!

Our next stop was Brazil for the delightful cheese bread! Wow this is good, like little pillow puffs of yummy cheese

We shared these and knew we would be back for more. We got our 3rd stamp for our cheese crawl.

I checked the wait time for Remy but it was longer than we wanted to wait. Our last stop was the Appleseed Orchard. This was in the Canadian Pavilion with air conditioning. We both tried the Frozen Apple Pie drink. This was very sweet! We could have shared one. I enjoyed it and not sad I tried it but a one and done for me.

We slowly worked our way out of the park and headed back to rest before MNSSHP!

Remember the little game? Well I started it today, this one is pretty easy and soon I realized I would need to make it much more difficult for Andi.

Where are we?


Stay tuned for our party night “Wow is it crowded and will it rain.”

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

It sounds wonderful to be able to start each day having breakfast while enjoying the savannah. Nice that you get to chat to the neighbours too.
Epcot sounds like it was pretty quiet or did you just have amazing luck getting to do so many rides as a walk on? I smiled at the idea of a crazy rollercoaster inside SE . There is Something special though about experiencing rides for the first time and even better when you still love them more than 30 years later. You did some of my favourites today but I’m with you on Soarin- I enjoy it but loved the older version much more.
I bet Andi was enjoying the “where are we” game. Made me laugh that you had to make it harder for her as I’m still trying to work out where you took that photo
The cheese bread sounds delicious as do the Hawaiian dishes. Looking forward to hearing what other cheesey snacks you get.

 

[suse66]

Our first stop was an area with the giraffes and zebras. We spent time talking to with a CM, she is on the feeding crew for the giraffes. She knows all the giraffes very well. She talked about how nervous giraffes are and how they actually hate the rain. They often run to shelter areas when it rains. The area we pulled off in had 3-4 giraffes grazing. It started to rain at this time and got more intense with a few thunder boomers. The giraffes took off running to shelter.

Oh my gosh, this sounds amazing!

There was a beautiful spread of food set out for us. The food is made at the Tusker House. The choices were several salads, my favorite is the chicken curry. There was several different types of prosciutto and salami, cheeses, tandoori shrimp, fruit, fig bars, pita, crackers, and red pepper hummus. It is all you care to enjoy with beer, wine, and juice.

All the food looks so good!

The female and male lions started roaring back and forth! This was very cool. This is unusual to see! Most of the time the lions are snoozing or maybe walking around but rarely roaring!

Wow!! You really lucked out!

I had made us a FoP reservation for around 5:45pm. We headed to Pandora and soon we were flying over Pandora on our Banshee. I can’t remember if this was the time we were on the upper level. Wow it is more intense up there.

It really is!

We noticed NRJ had about a 25 minute wait so we jumped in line. I think we only waited about 15 minutes.

Navi is always sp pretty and relaxing.

This was a nice relaxing boat ride and very colorful. The large animatronic Shaman was working yay! A couple times there has just been a screen image of her.

The Shaman is awesome.

We took a bus back to AKL and enjoyed some deck time and TV time before calling it a night!

Always nice to have some chill time.

I decided not to purchase Genie+ today. Our plans were to enjoy F&W and a few favorite rides today. We had the MNSSHP this evening and we didn’t want to overdo during the day.

I find you really don't need Genie+ at Epocot.

I was very nervous the first time that it was going to be a crazy Rollercoaster inside of the big ball! Like Space Mountain but worse, lol Wow was I happy it was a ride more my speed and very enjoyable!

We walked to The Land and Soarin had a low wait time and we jumped into the line. It was a walk on all the way to the concourse area and a short wait from there. We got B row 2, not bad! D loved this ride. I like it but I love the old version!

Two of my favourites to start the day!

It was time to find Nemo next! This was also a walk on. I love this ride! We spent some time looking around the aquarium before heading out.

I adore the Seas. I can happily while away an hour or two in there.

It was really hot out, what’s new right! Wow the heat is brutal walking around WS. We decided to head into the Mexican Pavilion and take a little boat ride. D was getting in the boat and her sunglasses fell into the water, oh no. This is the first time we encountered a very apathetic CM. She just said to bad nothing we can do about it.

That's not the Disney way!

This was the perfect place to enjoy the cheese. It was very good with the ketchup. I’m not sure it would have much flavor on its own. It isn’t like string cheese or mozzarella sticks at all. It has a very different texture. We really liked it
but I wouldn’t get it again, once was good.

I am with you. I am glad I tried it but I wouldn't get it again.

We moved on to Italy and we each got an Italian Margarita. This is so good! It is made with tequila and limoncello in a slushy form.

These really are delicious!

 

[vamassey1]

Your Savanah tour sound great. I think this would be perfect for just DH and I someday. You have a very valid point on AK closing before you can enjoy the nighttime in Pandora.

Nice start to your Epcot day, lots of rides with low waits.

Food looks so good too. So many items I never found the time to try.

I'm sorry but I don't have a guess for the photo except for somewhere in the Seas.

 

[missjackiemcg]

I don't know how I missed that there is a "cheese" hunt through F & W. I would love that. Cheese is my favorite

That stinks about the sunglasses! The CM was about that helpful when my phone fell into Rock'n Rollercoaster, too. Unfortunately, I never got that back either!

 

[pkondz]

It was fun to say hi to our neighbors on their decks! Each morning we saw the same people out enjoying the Savannah.

I'm the opposite. I want to pretend there's no one there but me.

This is such an iconic and memory producing ride for both of us. D and I rode this together for the first time in the spring of 1989. I wasn’t even married yet!

That ride does go back a ways.

I was very nervous the first time that it was going to be a crazy Rollercoaster inside of the big ball! Like Space Mountain but worse, lol Wow was I happy it was a ride more my speed and very enjoyable!

I also know you aren't the only one who thought that. Probably some still do!

We each had a Kalua Pork Slider

Glad you liked it. Sometimes I've had them and they've not been so good. Sat too long, I guess.

Wow the heat is brutal walking around WS.

If only there was someplace to get a cool drink!

D was getting in the boat and her sunglasses fell into the water, oh no. This is the first time we encountered a very apathetic CM. She just said to bad nothing we can do about it.

Ugh. Sorry about that. I'm a bit shocked by the CM's response.

We moved on to Italy and we each got an Italian Margarita. This is so good! It is made with tequila and limoncello in a slushy form.

mmm... yum

We both tried the Frozen Apple Pie drink. This was very sweet!

We tried that. Similar feeling. Not sad I tried it, but...

Where are we?

In someone's psychedelic dream?

 

[schumigirl]

That tour did look good fun, love the lions roaring, incredible experience to see and hear I imagine. And yes, food looked nice.

FoP does look like it`s a lot of fun, always hear good things about it. And love the look of the pork sliders and cheesecake.....my kind of food!!

Shame about the sunglasses and the CM could have at least pretended to care a little......shame.

I think my abiding memory of our last visit to Epcot in 2008 was how darn hot it was compared to other places!!

Loving catching up again......

 

[disneyAndi14]

Really! Was it kinda like cat noises? Or?

It was in a way but very magnified and much different than the Lion’s roar

I'm the opposite. I want to pretend there's no one there but me.

I definitely get that! I feel AKL really does put you in a whole different vibe from the park vibe

That ride does go back a ways.

Are you saying I’m old

also know you aren't the only one who thought that. Probably some still do!

I can see why people would think that, it looks like it could hold a wicked Rollercoaster

Glad you liked it. Sometimes I've had them and they've not been so good. Sat too long, I guess.

We really liked the sliders! I wish the portion was a little bigger!

If only there was someplace to get a cool drink!

I know, right? A drink every 100 feet isn’t enough!

Ugh. Sorry about that. I'm a bit shocked by the CM's response.

I was just surprised how unhelpful she was. I could see the glasses and a grabber would have retrieved them but maybe that is a safety issue and they can’t do that. She didn’t even say anything.

that. Similar feeling. Not sad I tried it, but...

It was an interesting combination and I love apple pie!

In someone's psychedelic dream?

Haha looks like that doesn’t it!