Today we slept in, finally getting going around 10 AM. And we were off to Animal Kingdom!
We started off at the safari and had the best guide ever. We had the whole front row to ourselves and saw so many critters. Our guide’s name was Michael and he was very knowledgeable about the animals. He focused more on telling us about them then on the silly ‘Big Red’ storyline that I’ve heard 1000 times.
Some obligatory safari pics:
We were very puzzled by the ostrich eggs randomly laying by the side of the road. Jakkie thought they were fake.
This is definitely the best shot I’ve ever gotten of one of the lions. Usually they are hiding way back under the tree.
Heading off the ride, we spotted another princess-backpacked dad for our collection.
Next up was a walk down the Pagani Trail, I think. I get fuzzy on all the different trail names.
A picture of a bunny for Jakkie:
We grabbed FPs for Expedition Everest, and then headed to lunch at a restaurant I was very excited about – Yak & Yeti.
It definitely did not disappoint – one of the best WDW meals I have ever had! For drinks, Jakkie got Glacier Water (basically blue sprite, I think) and I had the Yak Attack (a mango-berry daiquiri)
Jakkie ordered shrimp crisps and thai mussels, which she said were amazing. She also had the brownie sundae for dessert. I had the duck (sorry Donald n’ Daisy)
And the dessert I had was fantastic too – the cream cheese and pineapple kabobs.
Our server, whose name I have of course forgotten, was great too.
(ETA: I just checked my receipt - it was Marc!)
I took a few pictures outside while we discussed how it may be unwise to use our fastpasses for EE immediately after eating a gigantic meal.
We paused by the big crazy monkey island thing (I clearly don’t know AK that well) and watched the monkeys for a short while.
Then we headed onto EE. I loved it! I had only ridden it once before, and was so scared of the Yeti that I screwed my eyes shut and missed most of the ride.
I thought I managed to keep my eyes open for everything this time, but I still did not see the giant Yeti that is supposedly on the ride. Did I make up that there is one? How did I miss him? We checked out our ride picture, which was one of many where I am screaming my head of and Jakkie looks like she just walked out of a biology lecture. I don’t know how someone can imagine to look bored on a rollercoaster, but it was funny. We grabbed FPs for Kali River Rapids and decided to try to check out the Nemo musical. We were in the very last batch of people allowed into the theater and had to stand in the back, which was lousy. The view was pretty terrible and it was tough to stand for the whole time – Jakkie ended up sitting at the very top of the stairs for the latter half of the show. I really want to see this again when I have time to get there early and have a real seat. It was a great show, I really loved the hermit crab!
On the plus side, we caught this guy coming out of the theater.
And now we were off to DINOLAND! As I like to call it. And on to Primeval Whirl, which I coaxed Jakkie on by telling her it was “spinny but very fluid.” I might have been somewhat stretching the truth about the fluid part.
Jakkie got in line at the Dino Diner for a bottle of water so I took some pictures.
There was a British family in line behind her and it was so hot out that the two little children were trying to climb into the biiiig ice bucket that holds all the drinks. The dad scolded them, so instead they took off their little baseball caps and filled them with ice, then stuck them back on their heads. They were pretty hilarious.
I was amused by the CM at this game booth.
A little boy of about 10 won a game, so she grabbed a prize for him. For whatever reason she chose a bright pink stuffed dinosaur, and the kid was pretty unhappy. He yelled “I don’t want a pink one!! I want a green one!” The CM was offended that he didn’t want the pink dinosaur he picked out for him.
Heading out of DINOLAND….
And on to Kali River Rapids, pausing to watch these guys for a bit. I always try to check out the performers at the park, it seems a lot of people just pass them by, and they are all so talented.
I had extra appreciation for this group because I took steel drum lessons for one summer in 1993. Impressed, are you??
Coming up: Lions, hurricanes, and rum punch – oh my.
And it was delicious!
It's a fun area to wander around for a couple hours.
It's amazing how many songs these guys know. Definitely check it out!
Thank you!
And I wonder if my friends would go for drinking out of them. 
