Week at Walt Disney World? More Like Weekend at Bernie's: A July '12 TR COMPLETE 5/23

[flyergrad09]

Cantaloupe? On pizza? NO WAY.

I love World Showcase for so many reasons, but the top two are definitely the male CMs and the ambiance. But mostly the male CMs.

Ugly Disney? Hmmm... Nope! I can't think of anything that's still there. I mean, I didn't like the look of that weird Epcot hand/wand on Spaceship Earth, but that's gone, so nope! Nothing ugly!

 

[nfggirl5454]

That pizza looks pretty good (minus the cantaloupe!). Definitely looking forward to Via Napoli Saturday, unless my sister decides we should go elsewhere. I admire hot foreign CMs as much as the next 30 year old woman, but I'm with you on the being awkward thing. When I was at Les Chefs back in December, our server crossed the too hot line. I shouldn't be that way since I'm SO old now, but still.

Also, loved your Hunger Games reference! I was a big HG fan, until Mockingjay came along and ruined things. Darn you, Suzanne Collins.

 

[__disneygirl]

I don’t really know how to accurately describe it, but the whole area had a really laid-back vibe that was different from anything I had experienced before in WS.

Oh goodness this statement makes me so happy you got to experience crowd free November! To me, that's just what World Showcase is like all the time. How sad to usually have a sweaty smelly WS!!! Gah I'm nervous about May crowds. Go away everyone. It was wall to wall people on a Saturday during Food & Wine but that was the only instance of crowdedness I've ever seen in WS. I just immediately left LOL I am so not used to crowds there.

Scrolled too quickly and thought this angel http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8239/8540909582_7d7c329c20_z.jpg was giving the finger. And it's time for bed.

I can't even talk about Via Napoli. That pizza you got. Like. I can't discuss this. I am so excited to go back. If I went there every single day no one would be mad. Oh that place is perfect.

I know I keep bringing it up but the Ellen Degeneres Audio Animatronic is your answer for the ugliest thing at Disney. This is no reflection on Ellen, I think she is beautiful. But the designer of this animatronic must have a grudge against her because it is not cute.

 

[MarieTheCat24]

Cantaloupe? On pizza? NO WAY.

I love World Showcase for so many reasons, but the top two are definitely the male CMs and the ambiance. But mostly the male CMs.

Ugly Disney? Hmmm... Nope! I can't think of anything that's still there. I mean, I didn't like the look of that weird Epcot hand/wand on Spaceship Earth, but that's gone, so nope! Nothing ugly!

I can't tell if that's an excited NO WAY or a disgusted NO WAY.

Yep. Those are definitely the top two reasons for liking WS. They should include hot CMs on the maps because they are an attraction that is not to be missed.

Is it weird that I actually found the wand kinda charming? I mean, I'm not sad it's gone, but, at the time, I didn't hate it.

That pizza looks pretty good (minus the cantaloupe!). Definitely looking forward to Via Napoli Saturday, unless my sister decides we should go elsewhere. I admire hot foreign CMs as much as the next 30 year old woman, but I'm with you on the being awkward thing. When I was at Les Chefs back in December, our server crossed the too hot line. I shouldn't be that way since I'm SO old now, but still.

Also, loved your Hunger Games reference! I was a big HG fan, until Mockingjay came along and ruined things. Darn you, Suzanne Collins.

I hope you enjoy Via Napoli (or wherever your sister decides)!!

Mockingjay grew on me. It's definitely not as good as the first two (Catching Fire is my favorite), but once I got over my disappointment at how slow some of the early chapters are and how rushed the last 50 pages or so are, I came to appreciate it more.

I don’t really know how to accurately describe it, but the whole area had a really laid-back vibe that was different from anything I had experienced before in WS.

Oh goodness this statement makes me so happy you got to experience crowd free November! To me, that's just what World Showcase is like all the time. How sad to usually have a sweaty smelly WS!!! Gah I'm nervous about May crowds. Go away everyone. It was wall to wall people on a Saturday during Food & Wine but that was the only instance of crowdedness I've ever seen in WS. I just immediately left LOL I am so not used to crowds there.

Scrolled too quickly and thought this angel http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8239/8540909582_7d7c329c20_z.jpg was giving the finger. And it's time for bed.

I can't even talk about Via Napoli. That pizza you got. Like. I can't discuss this. I am so excited to go back. If I went there every single day no one would be mad. Oh that place is perfect.

I know I keep bringing it up but the Ellen Degeneres Audio Animatronic is your answer for the ugliest thing at Disney. This is no reflection on Ellen, I think she is beautiful. But the designer of this animatronic must have a grudge against her because it is not cute.

Weirdly enough, we spent two evenings in WS in November and both of them felt more crowded than this one in July. They were still better than usual!July so I'm not complaining, but I think we picked bad nights to go to Epcot.

It was soooo good. I'm glad you're going back. Please send me 989759343 pictures of your meal.

Good call. That thing is terrible. I hope Ellen demanded a new one in her Finding Dory contract.

 

[MarieTheCat24]

JULY 9TH PART SIX: Trolls, Fireworks, and Singing Milk Cartons
After dinner, Katie and I decided to go ride the Maelstrom. It was already after 7:30, so Mom and Dad decided they’d rather just relax and find a spot for us to watch Illuminations. Their loss.

When we got to Norway, we saw that it had a posted 25 minute wait and the line was out the building. This was not at all surprising as it is the best ride in the park, nay world.

We didn’t let the length of the line deter us and hopped right in.

Here’s a terrible picture of the sign as proof.


The posted wait time wound up being pretty accurate. It was our second longest wait of the trip, the first being Winnie the Pooh. As you can see, we’re only willing to wait for rides of the highest caliber and wham factor.

Time passed quickly, though, because we wound up conversing with the family behind us in line. They were thrown off by the “You may get wet” sign, so I assured them that they wouldn’t. You might get eaten by a polar bear, but you’re not going to get wet. I guess you might get hit with a stray droplet or something, but there’s no need to bother with your ponchos, everybody.

Unless you’re worried that an animatronic troll will break and start spewing hydraulic fluid everywhere. Because that might actually happen. I don’t know how much effort they put into the good ol’ Maelstrom.

Anyway, as the line crept along, we kept chatting with the family behind us. It’s always fun to hear about other people’s experiences. I hope they enjoyed the rest of their trip!

The Maelstrom was just as spectacular as ever. I was hoping the trolls would be a little more receptive now that we know we share a birthday, but they sent us over the falls anyway. Not a very welcoming bunch.

After we had our worlds rocked by the ride and our noses graced by the presence of Laila, we met back up with the parents. They were camped out along the lagoon back in America.

Dad took these as night fell. They’re pretty and they give you an idea of our location.





In the America Gardens Theatre, a Police tribute band was performing as part of the Sounds Like Summer concert series. We could hear them well from our spot. Katie and I arrived midway through their set, but, from what I could hear, they were quite good.

So we all kicked back, listened to some Police hits, and chatted. I’m pretty sure we talked about Food Rocks. Whenever I hear the Police, it reminds me of the Refrigerator Police, and then I’m struck with all kinds of musical food-related nostalgia.

EVERY BITE YOU TAKE
AND EVERY CAKE YOU BAKE
EVERY MILK YOU SHAKE
EVERY EGG YOU BREAK
WILL BE PART OF YOU

Oh, the feelings! How could Disney close such a thing?



After the show ended, they turned on the Pre Illuminations Techno Dance Party music. Because of the concert, we only got to hear the second half. This was a bit of a bummer since I LOVE the PITDP, but any PITDP is better than no PITDP.

Right at 9, Illuminations began.

Remember before how I mentioned how not crowded World Showcase was?

Well, for the first time EVER, I watched Illuminations at the railing without people behind me. It was so nice to be able to stand there without the masses breathing down my neck and pushing me into the darn thing. I must look extra pushable or something because people always do it, but, like, personal space is a thing, folks. The view from a foot behind me is just as good as the view from right up on me. Stop being annoying and get there earlier if you want front row foot space.

Aaaaanyway…

Here, have some Illuminations.

















Good stuff.

After the show, we followed the masses back to Future World.

However, unlike just about everyone else, we weren’t headed for the exit.

While Test Track was closed for its refurbishment, the Land pavilion stayed open until 10 pm each night as a bonus. It was listed on the Times Guide, but not many people took advantage of it, making it a great time to ride Soarin’.



Mom and I don’t do Soarin’ because panic attacks, but Dad and Katie enjoy it. They rode while we waited upstairs.





Being in a near-empty Land felt very strange. Since they’ve become such a constant thanks to Soarin’s popularity, it almost didn’t feel like the Land without all the people. Obviously the smell and the music and the décor were screaming LAND, but my brain was still all SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT. My brain is Miss Clavel.

When Dad and Katie returned from their flight, we headed out. I jumped around like a two year old on the fiber optic sidewalks. I am easily entertained.



Seeing Spaceship Earth all lit up made me want to cry. Actually, that might have been a result of the fact that my legs/feet were killing me. Who knows?

Back at POFQ, Mom and I filled up our mugs and went over to the pool to soak our feet.

There were parents letting their kids jump in with a running start and I was terrified they were going to hurt themselves. The pool has a raised edge that one could easily trip over if not careful. It did not seem very safe.

Jumping children aside, chatting with Mom, relaxing my legs, and soaking up the serenity of my surroundings was a great way to wind down after a long day. If you ever stay at French Quarter, I highly recommend it.

 

[flyergrad09]

I love it when people don their ponchos to ride Maelstrom! I remember seeing that sign the first time that I was in Epcot as a teenager and being a little confused because I didn't think that there was any more risk of getting wet on Maelstrom than there was on it's a small world!

Empty Land is weird! It's like being in the mall the first thing in the morning when you're the only one there. It almost feels like you shouldn't be there. That's really nice that the Land stayed open later to make up for the lack of Test Track!

 

[MarieTheCat24]

I love it when people don their ponchos to ride Maelstrom! I remember seeing that sign the first time that I was in Epcot as a teenager and being a little confused because I didn't think that there was any more risk of getting wet on Maelstrom than there was on it's a small world!

Empty Land is weird! It's like being in the mall the first thing in the morning when you're the only one there. It almost feels like you shouldn't be there. That's really nice that the Land stayed open later to make up for the lack of Test Track!

That is true. They do look a little silly which makes me smile in an "Oh, you have no idea what you're in for" kind of way.

That's exactly what it felt like! It was strange.

 

[MarieTheCat24]

JULY 10TH PART ONE: The Most Magical Place on Earth is Here
On this bright, sunny Florida morning, Katie, Mom and I got up early and went to the Magic Kingdom for rope drop. Dad stayed back to sleep. It was day five and he was pretty beat. Really, we all were. But I only sort of felt like I needed a new pair of legs, so I figured I was OK to go.

A little boy wearing a giant plush Stitch hat was on our bus and it was the cutest thing ever. I wanted to cry and then buy a giant plush Stitch hat of my own just so I’d have it for my kids to wear someday. I’m really not much of a Stitch fan, but oh my gosh it was adorable.



Not too long after we arrived, it was time for the Welcome Show!

IT’S ALL PURE MAGIC WRAPPED UP IN PIXIE DUST WELCOME TO A PLACE WHERE DREAMS COME TRUUUUUUEEEE

Unfortunately for us, we weren’t thinking when we chose our spots and wound up staring right into the sun.



See? That giant white spot is the sun and its glare.

The good news is that the Welcome Show is just as enjoyable when viewed through partially-closed-thanks-to-the-sun eyes.

We counted down with Mickey and funneled into the park.





I, obviously, know it’s coming, but I still get such a thrill out of rounding the bend and seeing the Castle. It’s the best. I don’t get people who can just nonchalantly stroll down Main Street without feeling like their hearts are about to burst from all the happiness. If my life were a Dr. Seuss book, my heart would grow ten sizes every time. Take that, Grinch.

We were headed for Fantasyland, so through the Castle we went!





I didn’t take pictures, but the Cinderella mural in there is gorgeous. If you haven’t seen it, you’re missing out.

Before the line got ridiculous, we felt a trip to Neverland was in order.



The oh-god-we’re-hanging-from-the-ceiling aspect makes me feel kinda uneasy (y’all know how I am), but it’s a wonderful little ride. There’s just something so special about cramming into a pirate ship with your loved ones and “flying” through the story without even having to think of Christmas, snow, and/or sleigh bells.

I guess mechanical stuff trumps pixie dust.



Look, it’s my shadow! How thematically appropriate!

Next, we made our way to Tomorrowland.

I had to take a picture of the Mad Tea Party topiaries along the way, of course.



But then it was Space Mountain time. Like Yeti time minus Yetis. Plus space.



The wait was only ten minutes, so we got right in line.



Space Mountain is one of my favorite rides. I love hiking through the queue. I love the music. I love trying (and failing) to gracefully board the rockets. I love the “PEW PEW PEW” sound the tunnel makes. I love posing for the picture. Most importantly, I love how it makes me scream and then laugh hysterically. And then scream and laugh hysterically again and again and again until the ride’s over. It’s right around my limit thrill-ride-wise, but it's so much fun.

After Space, we took in a show at the Laugh Floor.



Seeing as Monsters Inc. and silly jokes are two of my most favorite things, I think my love for this show is self-explanatory.





For some reason, I find the monsters addressing us as “humans” to be the funniest thing.

It’s accurate, but it just feels so weird.



Our show was great. Everyone was really into it which made it extra fun. Only a handful of people waving their arms and yelling “AHHHHH” when they say “Hellooooooo Humans” just isn’t as effective.

It’s been so long that I can’t really remember specific details, but I do remember that Buddy Boil found a couple from Australia in the audience and was jokingly goaing the guy into proposing right then and there. It was really funny. Personally, I think a Laugh Floor proposal is a great idea, but they didn’t seem to agree.

I hadn’t eaten anything yet, so my next stop was the Main Street Bakery for some breakfast. I was a total disappointment and just got a bagel. Feel free to boo. Opting for a bagel when a cinnamon roll is an option is boo-worthy.
I ate the bagel while we walked. Mom and Katie were itching to get on Splash Mountain.

I don’t remember how long we waited, but I don’t think it was too bad.



As you can see, the Briar Patch was lookin’ a little faded.

But I’m sure it was feeling alright. Probably thinkin’ ‘bout making its move tonight.



You might remember that, earlier in the trip, I skipped a ride on Splash because the “Looks like Brer Fox and Brer Bear are causin’ some kinda commotion downstream” spiel was playing and I’m terrified of getting stuck at the top of the hill.

Well, guess what happened just as we were about to begin the final hill climb!

It wasn’t a full breakdown and we weren’t stopped for long, but still. OF COURSE.

The funny thing is, the hill climb is usually when I have my “OH DEAR LORD WHY DO I DO THIS TO MYSELF? I HATE DROPS” moment, but, once we started moving again, all I could think was “PLEASE DON’T STOP US AT THE TOP. PLEAAASE. FLING ME INTO THE BRIAR PATCH I DON’T EVEN CARE.”

I have never been so happy to go down that hill. And the instrumental version of “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah” that plays at the base of the hill made me even happier.

We were backed up for a bit before the finale, so I took some pictures.







Aside from the staircase, it all looks so real!

While we were sitting there, Mom commented on how much she loves the theme.

I thought I was being a smart aleck by replying, “What? That if you leave home, everything will be horrible and you’ll get thrown into a briar patch?” but then I thought about it and that kind of is the theme.

“The Briar Patch is where you were born and the Briar Patch is where you’re gonna stay.”

I guess it’s supposed to represent being who you are and appreciating the life you have, but, taken literally, it’s a little hostage-y.

After Splash, we were ready to head out, so we took the train back to the front of the park.

I will never get over the loss of one particular part of the old narration.

“If you listen carefully, you can even hear the spirit of Pocahontas singing to John Smith.”

*BLARES COLORS OF THE WIND WITH FULL ORCHESTRA EVEN LOUDER THAN THE ‘LISTEN CLOSELY’ SPIEL*

That was the best.

 

[MarieTheCat24]

JULY 10TH PART TWO: A Detour and More French Quarter
Since we had dinner plans at Hollywood Studios, while leaving the Magic Kingdom, we decided to swing by and pick up some Toy Story Mania Fastpasses to use then.

We opted to take the boat to the Polynesian and then the bus to the Studios. The Express Monorail or ferry + bus from the TTC combo might have been faster, but, after all our Polynesian stays, we have an attachment to the smaller boats.





The Avengerail! I know a lot people aren’t too keen on the monorail wraps, but I enjoy anything that involves Captain America’s star-spangled hotness and Thor’s biceps.



The yellow lane-line-looking things were in the water as part of the Grand Floridian DVC construction, I’m assuming.



It’s blurry, but that floating contraption was doing something. I couldn’t tell you what, though. I have zero knowledge of construction.

We walked through the Polynesian, stopped at Captain Cooks so Mom could buy a Diet Coke, and hopped on a bus to the Studios. Once there, we just got the FP and then bused back to French Quarter. Our little excursion really didn’t take long at all, so it was totally worth it. It helped that transportation was ready and waiting for us each time we needed it, though. If we try to do it again sometime, it will probably take us three hours.

While we were at the Magic Kingdom/traversing the World, Dad was sleeping in, hanging out by the pool, and taking more pictures of the resort.



That is the Sassagoula River and those are the boats that shuttle guests from Riverside and French Quarter to and from Downtown Disney.







Foliage!







Just ignore the housekeeping cart.







It wouldn’t be Florida without some palm trees.



And, finally, the fountain in the lobby was working again!



There’s nothin’ like a good Disney fountain pumping out that sweet, sweet smell of Disney water.

 

[MarieTheCat24]

JULY 10TH PART THREE: Drive-Ins, Drawings, and Downpours
After a few hours of R&R, it was time to head back out for dinner.





The bus stop was almost never crowded. There was one morning where there were a lot of people waiting, but we all fit on one bus so it was no biggie. I don’t know if the bus situation is always like that at POFQ or not, but it was really nice.

Also, it seemed random whether or not we stopped at Riverside before continuing on to our destination. Earlier in the trip, we did the Riverside loop before heading to the Studios, but this time we went straight to the park.





I love these…but apparently not enough to have taken a picture from the front.



Dinner was at one of my favorite Disney restaurants, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater!







We were seated almost right away because, just like every other restaurant we ate at this trip, it was half-empty. This was good because service was quick and, without the din, it was easier to focus on the movie. Right as we sat down, The Cat That Hated People started and I knew this was shaping up to be our best Sci-Fi experience yet.

We started off with onion rings and chocolate milkshakes.

These pictures are not good, but I’ll post them anyway.





In my opinion, onion rings and milkshakes are Sci-Fi Must-Do’s. I’m sure Stacey would agree.

For their entrées, Mom and Katie both got Reubens.



Dad got the All-American Picnic Burger (the one with the hot dog).



I got the Smoked Turkey Sandwich.



We were all happy with what we ordered. My sandwich had avocado mayonnaise on it which is delicious. To be honest, if my meal had just been the pieces of bacon drizzled with avocado mayonnaise, I would have been cool with that too. But I guess I’m glad the rest of the sandwich was there to make me look a little less weird.

While the food is good, the best thing about Sci-Fi is the atmosphere. Obviously.

As I was not around in the 1950s, I cannot vouch for the authenticity, but it definitely captures the romanticized pop culture version of the drive-in that we’re all drawn to. You really do feel transported to another time and place. And then someone’s cell phone rings.

The film clips are spectacularly hilarious. Gila monsters, robots from Mars, a 50 foot woman, Frankenstein meeting a space monster…what more could you want? The “News of the Future” segments are golden, too. I desperately need to get my hands on one of those frying saucers. And it’s impossible to leave Sci-Fi without Great Balls of Fire stuck in your head. Well, I guess you might leave sans Great Balls of Fire, only because the Purple People Eater song will be stuck in there instead.

After dinner, we headed over to Pixar Place.



We had to wait for our Fastpass window, so we sat down on the curb and chilled.

I did this because I am weird.


When it was time to ride, Mom sat out, so it was just Dad, Katie and I. I still didn’t break 200,000 which I was actually kinda mad about. I take Toy Story Mania very seriously, y’all.

Next, we decided to take another animation class. We drew Genie from Aladdin. I was super excited because he’s one of my faves.



It’s not bad. I did a terrible job of filling in the hair/beard, but I was rushing.

Mom and Katie wanted to ride Tower of Terror, so we walked down that way.





The line wound up being quite long, though, so they decided to skip it. Katie was pretty tired and just wanted to go back to French Quarter and sleep. Dad went with her.

I, on the other hand, had all kinds of energy. I was not ready to call it a night. Epcot had its Evening Extra Magic Hours going on, so Mom and I decided to head over. We took the friendship boat.

Just as we pulled out of the dock, a lightning storm started off in the distance. We were sitting on the outside part at the back, so we had a great view. It was cool. I love watching storms.

I’ve always been pretty “eh” about the Swan and Dolphin, but after seeing them up close at night, I can say that they actually look really cool all lit up. The lighting is well done. Nice job, Swolphin.

Here’s a blurry picture of the Yacht and Beach Club.



And we can’t forget the Boardwalk.



As soon as we entered Epcot, it started to drizzle. Of course. We power walked to Future World. Right as we were closing in on Mouse Gear, the downpour began, so we hustled inside. While we were hiding away in there, we did some shopping. Nothing major. Just a couple key chains. Still, they were a couple key chains we probably wouldn’t have bought if not for the fact that the storm forced us in there. You win this round, Disney.

When the rain let up a bit, we went over to the Seas.

Enjoy the one blurry picture of fish that I took.


We spent half an hour watching the fish/turtles/etc. and then decided to call it a night. It’s so dark and calm in there, it sucked all the energy right out of me. I was ready for bed.

I’ll finish this one off with a blurry, wet shot of Spaceship Earth.

 

[onelilspark]

My friend and I constantly talk about how perfect a proposal at Monster's Inc would be!!

My brother and I did it once in September at park opening. There were maybe 20 people in the show and Buddy picked a lady who didn't speak English and it was hilarious. I fail to see how people don't love it.

 

[marDgreen88]

AHHH Via Napoli! I have not been there in so long but this post just made me want to go back immediately.

I got stopped at the exact same spot on Splash last summer! Right under the menacing vultures. (Although I don't really think there's another word to describe vultures.) I feel like we were there for... five minutes? Enough to make my sister almost panic. I'm sure if she were reading this and writing this comment, she'd say she knew how you felt.

Thank God you didn't have to file a complaint about the broken lobby fountain after all!

Sci Fi is the best! I don't even understand the people who say the food is only okay, because I think it's awesome. Your Genie is cute!

 

[flyergrad09]

I've never really thought that intensely about the metaphor of Splash Mountain, but props to you!

Anything with Captain America and Thor is a winner in my book! And let's be honest, RDJ isn't exactly painful to look at either.

Avocado mayonnaise?!?! What will they think of next!

 

[wiigirl]

Great update.

 

[Lorien728]

I love your trip report!!! You are cracking me up!

 

[MarieTheCat24]

My friend and I constantly talk about how perfect a proposal at Monster's Inc would be!!

My brother and I did it once in September at park opening. There were maybe 20 people in the show and Buddy picked a lady who didn't speak English and it was hilarious. I fail to see how people don't love it.

We went back to the Laugh Floor later in the trip and that exact thing happened! It was so funny.

AHHH Via Napoli! I have not been there in so long but this post just made me want to go back immediately.

I got stopped at the exact same spot on Splash last summer! Right under the menacing vultures. (Although I don't really think there's another word to describe vultures.) I feel like we were there for... five minutes? Enough to make my sister almost panic. I'm sure if she were reading this and writing this comment, she'd say she knew how you felt.

Thank God you didn't have to file a complaint about the broken lobby fountain after all!

Sci Fi is the best! I don't even understand the people who say the food is only okay, because I think it's awesome. Your Genie is cute!

Yep, that's right where we were. It was not a very fun place to be stopped.

Right? If it had stayed broken all trip, my vacation would have been a true nightmare.

Agreed. Sci-Fi's food is good. It's not overpriced either which is nice.

I've never really thought that intensely about the metaphor of Splash Mountain, but props to you!

Anything with Captain America and Thor is a winner in my book! And let's be honest, RDJ isn't exactly painful to look at either.

Avocado mayonnaise?!?! What will they think of next!

So true. The Avengers is really just a bunch of attractive people saving the world in silly costumes. How could anyone dislike that?

The avocado mayonnaise was so good. I should have asked for the recipe.

Great update.

Thank you!!

I love your trip report!!! You are cracking me up!

Thanks!

 

[__disneygirl]

Only 25 minutes for Maelstrom?! YOU LUCKY DUCK! The wham factor is so high that usually I don't see the line anywhere under 100 minutes.

You might get eaten by a polar bear, but you’re not going to get wet. Very true! Disney needs to hire you already.

My brain is Miss Clavel. I AM DEAD ON THE FLOOR.

Oh man, don't you hate when you have to watch other people's children?! Eyeroll.

I know what you mean about people who nonchalantly walk down Main Street. Like, sorry, no. you're doing it wrong. Every time I see that castle I'm like IS THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENING.

It's interesting that you can ride Space but not Soarin. Cause of the height, I'm guessing?

HAHAHAHAHA SOUL DECISION. Crying over the breakup of this band rn.

I love the Splash Mountain ~deeper meaning~. I remember when I started listening to all the ride soundtracks years ago and I had an AH HA moment about that one.

Oh my God... French Quarter... Sci FI... you are RILING ME UP RIGHT NOW. and I never say I am "riled up" so you know I am serious about this. Oh my GOD I AM GOING TO DISNEY WORLD IN 25 DAYS.

 

[MarieTheCat24]

Only 25 minutes for Maelstrom?! YOU LUCKY DUCK! The wham factor is so high that usually I don't see the line anywhere under 100 minutes.

You might get eaten by a polar bear, but youre not going to get wet. Very true! Disney needs to hire you already.

My brain is Miss Clavel. I AM DEAD ON THE FLOOR.

Oh man, don't you hate when you have to watch other people's children?! Eyeroll.

I know what you mean about people who nonchalantly walk down Main Street. Like, sorry, no. you're doing it wrong. Every time I see that castle I'm like IS THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENING.

It's interesting that you can ride Space but not Soarin. Cause of the height, I'm guessing?

HAHAHAHAHA SOUL DECISION. Crying over the breakup of this band rn.

I love the Splash Mountain ~deeper meaning~. I remember when I started listening to all the ride soundtracks years ago and I had an AH HA moment about that one.

Oh my God... French Quarter... Sci FI... you are RILING ME UP RIGHT NOW. and I never say I am "riled up" so you know I am serious about this. Oh my GOD I AM GOING TO DISNEY WORLD IN 25 DAYS.

Disney should hire me. I decided my dream job is to be the person who writes the little blurb for each attraction for the park maps. Those things crack me up. Accurately summing up the experience in so few words is like an art form.

Yes, I do hate having to watch other people's children. I was so nervous for them. Also for myself. The last thing I wanted to see on vacation was some tween hurting himself by being an idiot and jumping into the pool.

I love listening to the ride soundtracks for that very reason. I always notice things I'd never notice while I'm distracted by everything on the ride.

I'm glad I could rile you up because you should be. Having a trip so soon means you should be at the absolute maximum height of riled right now.

 

[MarieTheCat24]

JULY 11TH PART ONE: On Safari
Our sixth day in WDW began with a lot of laziness on my part. Dad and Katie woke up early and went to the Magic Kingdom, but I slept in. When I finally got out of bed, I went to Sassagoula Floatworks for some breakfast with Mom. I forgot to take pictures, but she had a Mickey waffle with berries and I had a bacon, egg, and cheese croissant. I washed it down with a mug of that red-dye-40-tinted nectar of the gods, Hi-C fruit punch. That stuff is my jam.

After that, we just hung out at the resort. It was nice. I needed some lazy, sit-out-in-the-sun time.

Around noon, it started raining kinda heavily, so that was a bummer. Quick afternoon storms are no big deal, but I hate, like, constant rain. Disney’s just not meant to be experienced under prolonged gray skies. Which isn’t to say you can’t have fun while it’s raining, just that sunny days are preferable.

Dad and Katie came back from the wet Magic Kingdom and joined us in the room. I don’t really remember what we did to pass the time. I’m assuming we just watched TV or something. It certainly wasn’t anything memorable.

Once things started to clear up, we got ready and headed over to the Animal Kingdom.





Things were still pretty wet and the sky was still pretty gray, but there’s a dinosaur head hanging there so nothing else really mattered.

We felt like starting with a safari, so we trekked it out to Africa.







Until today, I hadn’t noticed that the logos of things to do in Harambe are on the sign.

Has anyone noticed them?

Like, do people stop and say “Oh, a tiny sign for Tamu Tamu Refreshments. This is where we want to go”?

I mean, because they’re off to the side of the sign, they blend right into the greenery. And they’re so small. And everyone’s totally too busy saying HARAMBE over and over in a fun way to actually stop and read the whole thing.

What? That’s just a thing *I* do?

Oh.

Well then. Moving on…



Safaaaaari.



Little Red!

Disney, you can cut Little Red, Wilson, and the poachers out of the script, but you can’t cut them out of my heart.

SIMBA ONE 5EVER!!!!!

We waited in line for, like, fifteen minutes and then it was time to load up. Many jambos we’re exchanged and then we were off.

Who’s ready for some kinda blurry, mostly terrible safari pics???

I know I am.



Can we talk about how terrifying those birds look? Because AHHHHH.

Their beaks and their stick legs and their feathers and their ughh.



The hippo pool and (what I’m assuming are) some Wild Africa Trekkers.



I don’t think I’d want to be a hippo. The way they hang out in piles just makes me think of how unpleasant it is to be in an overcrowded pool. So little space to swim around, so much skin to skin contact with randos.

Also, if Kilimanjaro Safari is anything like real life, super creepy black vultures hang out by the hippo pool and, as I have made very clear, I am not here for that. I much prefer to inhabit bird-who-looks-like-it-might-just-fly-over-and-eat-me free zones.





The giraffes are my favorite animal on the Safari. It’s just so cool to get so close! I always feel like we (by which I mean the giraffes and I) have some great bonding moments as the truck passes through.

Of course, now that I know just how, um, violently giraffes can move their necks around (see last year’s TR) they’re a little more scary than I originally thought, but I still love them. And I still want to keep one as a pet/best friend.



See? Look how cute it is reaching up to snag a snack! I WANT ONE!



These things were out chillaxing. Which is not a word I use often, but it's totally what they were doing. They have a name, I’m sure, but I can’t remember it. I feel like I see them on every safari, but they’re never actually doing anything cool, so the name goes in one ear and out the other.

Oh well. Back to the giraffes!



This one was chomping away on some leaves. So cute.





The mandrills were actually out. I don’t remember what they were doing, but I remember thinking it seemed fun. The color on their faces just screams good times.



BLURRY ELEPHANTS!



Instead of shaking hands, it looked like they were shaking trunks. I about died from the adorable.





The Safari is just so pleasant. When you’re out on the savannah, it really truly feels like you’ve been transported to another place. Even if there isn’t much animal action, taking in the scenery is totally worth it.



I looks like it was naptime for that rhino. Or maybe it was just hiding from the rain. Or both. Rain and naps make a pretty stellar combination.

...And I just used the word stellar. What is with me today?



Those are bontebok. Do I win a prize for remembering that? I feel like I should. The rest of the antelope/cattle-types just blur together, but the bontebok are my dudes.

Because our safari was post-Simba One yet pre-zebras, it ended on a bit of a low note. Our driver did his best though to make it not so awkward. He seemed like he really enjoyed his job and knew a lot about the animals. So thanks for an informative ride, Safari Driver Whose Name I Can't Remember!

I’ll end with one last picture.



The day’s almost over, but HAPPY ANNIVERSARY ANIMAL KINGDOM!!!

 

[__disneygirl]

What a great post for AK's 15th birthday! I wish I could have been there, but I will be in 19 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love those little signs on the Harambe sign, cause it reminds me of when you drive by a rest stop and they have all the restaurant, gas, and hotel logos displayed... which I guess is what they were going for. I wonder if they really do that with African villages too or what.

"Many jambos were exchanged" is just a good way to describe Animal Kingdom in general.

Bontebok? Wow, I don't even know if I remember ever hearing that name and I've been on like at least 10-15 safaris over the years. You are an expert!!