happybelle
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2012
Thanks I will visit!
Roasting Marshmallows was just one of those little unexpected joys that Disney is good at.
I saw you came over.
I love unexpected joys, looking forward to reading more.
You & Me & A Bottle Makes 3 (UPDATED! 4/7/14)F&W Fest & the Rest in 5 days!
- Thread starter Nakkira
- Start date
I saw you came over.
I love unexpected joys, looking forward to reading more.
RGirl
Change Is Good
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2010
What a nice time at the Poly!!!
You know, we experienced a lot of poor restaurant service this year (especially at signatures) - good food, but poor service. I'm sorry you experienced the same. I hope that changes!
I have always wondered about watching the fireworks there at the Poly. We may try that sometime - the crowds in the parks for fireworks make me feel a little ill.
You know, we experienced a lot of poor restaurant service this year (especially at signatures) - good food, but poor service. I'm sorry you experienced the same. I hope that changes!
I have always wondered about watching the fireworks there at the Poly. We may try that sometime - the crowds in the parks for fireworks make me feel a little ill.
Nakkira
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2013
I have said before that Animal Kingdom is my least favorite park.
That really does not mean much. I still love it.
It is a beautiful park.
IT just usually does not manage to entertain me for a whole day, but then it closes early anyway.
I was a little extra excited for this particular AK day because it mean my first DIS meet! I had made loose arrangements with ep4244 the night before that I should text them when we got to the Park and finalize the when and where of our meet.
We had a terribly disorganized morning.
I hurried us as best as I could but we really had not chosen out clothes the night before or sorted yesterday's mess.
We could not seem to get out the door or find half of what we needed. I was feeling a little anxious because this was our last Disney Day.
We partook of the remnants of the free continental breakfast (they never restocked past 8:30) and boarded the Lynx bus.
When we got to the TTC is was onto another bus to The Animal Kingdom.
We sidetracked briefly to admire the Monsters University topiaries.
I have not seen the movie yet so I was not terribly fascinated but S had seen it with his son.
His son once spent a half an hour telling me how much he like this one, in fact that he found it funnier that the original.
While we were watching the original. ;-)
We made our way into the park and after a brief stop at the bathrooms , we headed straight back to Expedition Everest to check out the Fast-Pass and stand-by situations.
OMG! Look who we spotted on our way to Asia!
This way my first time seeing the lovely DiVine!
A Diva After my own heart
Lovely
"S" and I admired for a few moments and then tore through the AK to get to EE as fast as Possible.
It should come as no surprise that when we got there all the Fast Passes were gone for the day.
Thankfully Single rider was open so we got in that line.
I remembered that I needed to text ep4244 so I pulled out my phone to shoot a brief message while we waited. At least I tried to.
No Phone.
Not in the Purse!
Not in the BackPAck!
Oh NO!!!!
I had left it plugged into the charger in the room!
I was really upset. I had no real way of contacting ep4244!
It took several minutes for "S" to calm me down.
I felt like the rudest person in the world. I sent a PM when we returned later apologizing but I STILL feel bad about this.
<sigh>
The single rider wait was about 30 minutes and only the first 15 was really in the sun.
My crappiest ride photo yet!
We decided to collect Kali River Rapids FP's and then explore more of the park.
After wandering in circles for awhile we found the right spot and actually managed to get Fast-Passes for very late afternoon. (No Notes but I want to say it was around 5:30)
I imagine that shortly after this they were all gone.
NEXT
That really does not mean much. I still love it.
It is a beautiful park.
IT just usually does not manage to entertain me for a whole day, but then it closes early anyway.
I was a little extra excited for this particular AK day because it mean my first DIS meet! I had made loose arrangements with ep4244 the night before that I should text them when we got to the Park and finalize the when and where of our meet.
We had a terribly disorganized morning.
I hurried us as best as I could but we really had not chosen out clothes the night before or sorted yesterday's mess.
We could not seem to get out the door or find half of what we needed. I was feeling a little anxious because this was our last Disney Day.
We partook of the remnants of the free continental breakfast (they never restocked past 8:30) and boarded the Lynx bus.
When we got to the TTC is was onto another bus to The Animal Kingdom.
We sidetracked briefly to admire the Monsters University topiaries.
I have not seen the movie yet so I was not terribly fascinated but S had seen it with his son.
His son once spent a half an hour telling me how much he like this one, in fact that he found it funnier that the original.
While we were watching the original. ;-)
We made our way into the park and after a brief stop at the bathrooms , we headed straight back to Expedition Everest to check out the Fast-Pass and stand-by situations.
OMG! Look who we spotted on our way to Asia!
This way my first time seeing the lovely DiVine!
A Diva After my own heart
Lovely
"S" and I admired for a few moments and then tore through the AK to get to EE as fast as Possible.
It should come as no surprise that when we got there all the Fast Passes were gone for the day.
Thankfully Single rider was open so we got in that line.
I remembered that I needed to text ep4244 so I pulled out my phone to shoot a brief message while we waited. At least I tried to.
No Phone.
Not in the Purse!
Not in the BackPAck!
Oh NO!!!!
I had left it plugged into the charger in the room!
I was really upset. I had no real way of contacting ep4244!
It took several minutes for "S" to calm me down.
I felt like the rudest person in the world. I sent a PM when we returned later apologizing but I STILL feel bad about this.
<sigh>
The single rider wait was about 30 minutes and only the first 15 was really in the sun.
My crappiest ride photo yet!
We decided to collect Kali River Rapids FP's and then explore more of the park.
After wandering in circles for awhile we found the right spot and actually managed to get Fast-Passes for very late afternoon. (No Notes but I want to say it was around 5:30)
I imagine that shortly after this they were all gone.
NEXT
happybelle
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2012
I love the pictures of Divine, so pretty. I am sure your DIS friend forgave you for not having your phone. AK is a hot park, glad you had shade for EE for the last half of your wait.
happybelle
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2012
Happy Thanksgiving.
I hope everything is okay.
I hope everything is okay.
Nakkira
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2013
Happy Thanksgiving.
I hope everything is okay.
THANK YOU!
Yes, it's just that I got slammed at work and home. I swear I have not abandoned this report and a fresh update will be coming soon!
This is why I was trying to crank it out so fast at first. I knew that once I got to mid-November, it would be very difficult to find the time to work on it until after the holidays(home) and audit it time (work)!
That and as time goes on my memory of the details starts getting fuzzy...
Nakkira
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2013
Sorry it has been so long between updates folks, also please forgive me if the timeline gets a little fuzzy from here on out.
Poor notes, insufficient pics, etc.
We were pretty much wandering around aimlessly for the moment, I had a notion in my head that we should make our way to the Safari eventually, but since I had not really made a game plan for this park I really had little in the way of an agenda.
We found these fellows out playing and watched them for awhile until the sun got to be too much.
We ended up near Dinoland and more specifically the Theatre with Finding Nemo the Musical.
I like Finding Nemo, but would not have really made it a priority to go watch this.
"S" and I were both mildly curious because ToddyLu had included the song "Go with the Flow" on one of the music mixes she had sent us.
I had a feeling this show might be a little cheesy but we were hot and sweaty and the show was starting in 5 minutes!
Why Not?
Ok, I have to say this.
It was BRILLIANT!
No, it was not the BEST musical in the world.
But the show as a whole was awesome!!!
I loved the mix of live singing, dancing, puppetry, and acrobatics!
I honestly found it to be one of the most creative, and entertaining shows I had seen in a long time!
I didn't get any pictures of my own so anything you see below is borrowed from the internet.
"S"'s favorite was Mr. Ray, he thought the bike set up was Clever.
I was really in love with the whole thing but though the Squirt acrobatic to be fantastic and loved the hand puppet minnows.
OMG!
So, yeah, New Favorite WDW show! My DBF and I both agree it was the best show we saw all week over-all.
We emerged and wandered around Dinoland for a bit. (the song "Go with the Flow" now cemented in my brain, I could not stop humming it)
I had a new appreciation for the cute cheesy décor, of Dinoland, but everything there had too long of a line (average 90 minutes) and the crowd was especially thick so we really did not do much other than look around.
We were going to head toward the Safari now but my sense of direction was wrong and we ended back near Asia. It was a little early for lunch but were both pretty hungry, so after checking to see if we could get into Yak and Yeti (no such luck) we went to the counter service version outside.
It is a good thing we did because once again it took more than a half an hour just to order food (if we had waited later I would have been too cranky and hungry by the time we ate).
There is a TON of seating at that area but it was all FULL, I spent 15 minutes wandering with my tray before I finally found a family at one of the bigger tables willing to let us sit with them.
I ordered the Beef Lo Mein and the Triple Chocolate Mousse.
"S" ordered the Honey Chicken and two Egg Rolls.
All of these to be shared of course.
Both were standard, and tasty, but of out two main choices I thought the Beef Lo Mein was the better value. There was a lot of beef mixed in there and it was tightly packed with noodles.
We really could have been satisfied just sharing this and the egg rolls (also pretty standard).
The chicken was pretty much a single layer of meat (not generous) on top of some rice. (meh)
I really should not have order the mousse. It was an impulse decision.
I was too full and too hot to really do it justice.
It was rich and very tasty. I let my DBF have most of it though.
After lunch, we consulted the map and once more headed off to the safari, this time going in the right direction.
We stopped for a photo op on the way. (Another set missing from the actual Photopass so I am double glad I kept giving them my camera).
I LOVE the Muppets shirt my sister bought me before my trip!
Next up: Lot of gratuitous Animal pictures!
NEXT
Poor notes, insufficient pics, etc.
We were pretty much wandering around aimlessly for the moment, I had a notion in my head that we should make our way to the Safari eventually, but since I had not really made a game plan for this park I really had little in the way of an agenda.
We found these fellows out playing and watched them for awhile until the sun got to be too much.
We ended up near Dinoland and more specifically the Theatre with Finding Nemo the Musical.
I like Finding Nemo, but would not have really made it a priority to go watch this.
"S" and I were both mildly curious because ToddyLu had included the song "Go with the Flow" on one of the music mixes she had sent us.
I had a feeling this show might be a little cheesy but we were hot and sweaty and the show was starting in 5 minutes!
Why Not?
Ok, I have to say this.
It was BRILLIANT!
No, it was not the BEST musical in the world.
But the show as a whole was awesome!!!
I loved the mix of live singing, dancing, puppetry, and acrobatics!
I honestly found it to be one of the most creative, and entertaining shows I had seen in a long time!
I didn't get any pictures of my own so anything you see below is borrowed from the internet.
"S"'s favorite was Mr. Ray, he thought the bike set up was Clever.
I was really in love with the whole thing but though the Squirt acrobatic to be fantastic and loved the hand puppet minnows.
OMG!
So, yeah, New Favorite WDW show! My DBF and I both agree it was the best show we saw all week over-all.
We emerged and wandered around Dinoland for a bit. (the song "Go with the Flow" now cemented in my brain, I could not stop humming it)
I had a new appreciation for the cute cheesy décor, of Dinoland, but everything there had too long of a line (average 90 minutes) and the crowd was especially thick so we really did not do much other than look around.
We were going to head toward the Safari now but my sense of direction was wrong and we ended back near Asia. It was a little early for lunch but were both pretty hungry, so after checking to see if we could get into Yak and Yeti (no such luck) we went to the counter service version outside.
It is a good thing we did because once again it took more than a half an hour just to order food (if we had waited later I would have been too cranky and hungry by the time we ate).
There is a TON of seating at that area but it was all FULL, I spent 15 minutes wandering with my tray before I finally found a family at one of the bigger tables willing to let us sit with them.
I ordered the Beef Lo Mein and the Triple Chocolate Mousse.
"S" ordered the Honey Chicken and two Egg Rolls.
All of these to be shared of course.
Both were standard, and tasty, but of out two main choices I thought the Beef Lo Mein was the better value. There was a lot of beef mixed in there and it was tightly packed with noodles.
We really could have been satisfied just sharing this and the egg rolls (also pretty standard).
The chicken was pretty much a single layer of meat (not generous) on top of some rice. (meh)
I really should not have order the mousse. It was an impulse decision.
I was too full and too hot to really do it justice.
It was rich and very tasty. I let my DBF have most of it though.
After lunch, we consulted the map and once more headed off to the safari, this time going in the right direction.
We stopped for a photo op on the way. (Another set missing from the actual Photopass so I am double glad I kept giving them my camera).
I LOVE the Muppets shirt my sister bought me before my trip!
Next up: Lot of gratuitous Animal pictures!
NEXT
TheMaxRebo
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2008
feel behind a bit so comments from last several posts ...
that was a very sweet move by S on the streets of the studios - sometimes you definitely need your partner to pick you up as only they know how
Glad you had a nice meal at Kona - we very much enjoyed our meal there last trip (it was our first time there too). Our waitress wasn't as bad as yours but we too did notice stretches where we didn't see her.
And viewing any sort of Wishes from the Poly Beach is always great - though I also found the music to be too soft
Sorry about forgetting your phone - definitely a bummer. Hope you enjoyed your Safari!
that was a very sweet move by S on the streets of the studios - sometimes you definitely need your partner to pick you up as only they know how
Glad you had a nice meal at Kona - we very much enjoyed our meal there last trip (it was our first time there too). Our waitress wasn't as bad as yours but we too did notice stretches where we didn't see her.
And viewing any sort of Wishes from the Poly Beach is always great - though I also found the music to be too soft
Sorry about forgetting your phone - definitely a bummer. Hope you enjoyed your Safari!
Nakkira
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2013
I don't mind comments on past posts. It lets me know it is being read at least.
"S" is really good at knowing how to pick me up emotionally.
Thanks, she found it at Target!
Nakkira
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2013
Nakkira
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2013
When last I left you "S" and I were preparing to go on Safari.
We did not have Fastpasses but as long as the wait was less than an hour I was willing to wait.
I believe the posted wait time was 50 minutes or so, I think we actually waited about 40 minutes.
We got in line.
My DBF waiting....
We were in line for about 5 minutes (at that point having a lovely chat with a group behind us that had been wise enough to bring cold beers along for the wait), when the most appalling thing that happened all week occurred.
To the right of us in the FP lane passed two teenage (like 13) boys.
As they speed by one of them shouted out "FASTPASS LOOSERS!"
What made this doubly appalling is that a woman, who seemed to be the Mother was trailing right behind them and said/did NOTHING!
Had I EVER done something that rude (not that I would have) my mother would have stopped me in my tracks, made me apologize, and quite likely would have made me sit out the attraction.
This mother didn't even bat an eyelash.
I will spare you the rant/tangent I went off on after this happened.
Anyway we waited and eventually boarded. We ended up in the front of our vehicle.
"S" very chivalrously let me have "window" seat so that I could take un obstructed photos.
Brace yourself, it's pretty much animal pics from here on out.
Hippos!
Pardon me while I break into the song "I Wanna a Hippopotamus for Christmas", My apologies if it gets stuck in your head too!
I lied, I did not just photograph Animals, there is some cool scenery too!
I like this one.
These are cool trees
OMG! Baby Giraffe hiding in the distance, but wait, we get closer!
[
I]So ADORABLE![/I]
More scenery
The white butts are so cute!
Heffalump!
More heffalumps!!!!
Here I learned something new:
I never knew it was their diet that turns them pink!
Don't ask me why but for some reason the poop covered rock really amused me!
Breaking back in with a bit of writing (mostly to see if you are still here and awake)
I was rather amused the whole time because the driver and "S" were having a ton of interplay.
"S" would make a comment about an upcoming animal (mostly to me), and the driver would tell him he was correct and then expound.
This turned into a quiz by the end of the expedition.
No crocodiles, or rhinoceroseses
I only like hippopotamuseses
The Cheetah was really hiding.
More in a future post (hopefully very soon).
NEXT
We did not have Fastpasses but as long as the wait was less than an hour I was willing to wait.
I believe the posted wait time was 50 minutes or so, I think we actually waited about 40 minutes.
We got in line.
My DBF waiting....
We were in line for about 5 minutes (at that point having a lovely chat with a group behind us that had been wise enough to bring cold beers along for the wait), when the most appalling thing that happened all week occurred.
To the right of us in the FP lane passed two teenage (like 13) boys.
As they speed by one of them shouted out "FASTPASS LOOSERS!"
What made this doubly appalling is that a woman, who seemed to be the Mother was trailing right behind them and said/did NOTHING!
Had I EVER done something that rude (not that I would have) my mother would have stopped me in my tracks, made me apologize, and quite likely would have made me sit out the attraction.
This mother didn't even bat an eyelash.
I will spare you the rant/tangent I went off on after this happened.
Anyway we waited and eventually boarded. We ended up in the front of our vehicle.
"S" very chivalrously let me have "window" seat so that I could take un obstructed photos.
Brace yourself, it's pretty much animal pics from here on out.
Hippos!
Pardon me while I break into the song "I Wanna a Hippopotamus for Christmas", My apologies if it gets stuck in your head too!
I lied, I did not just photograph Animals, there is some cool scenery too!
I like this one.
These are cool trees
OMG! Baby Giraffe hiding in the distance, but wait, we get closer!
[
I]So ADORABLE![/I]
More scenery
The white butts are so cute!
Heffalump!
More heffalumps!!!!
Here I learned something new:
I never knew it was their diet that turns them pink!
Don't ask me why but for some reason the poop covered rock really amused me!
Breaking back in with a bit of writing (mostly to see if you are still here and awake)
I was rather amused the whole time because the driver and "S" were having a ton of interplay.
"S" would make a comment about an upcoming animal (mostly to me), and the driver would tell him he was correct and then expound.
This turned into a quiz by the end of the expedition.
No crocodiles, or rhinoceroseses
I only like hippopotamuseses
The Cheetah was really hiding.
More in a future post (hopefully very soon).
NEXT
missangelalexis
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2012
Nice safari pics!
Nakkira
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2013
I bet you think I forgot about you? NO I did not. Just a massive attack of life.
Although the relevancy of my trip report is quickly fading I will finish it soon.
I have had a lot going on.
Some good (the Holidays)
Some not so much:
My job got crazy busy (tax season, audits, death of a co-worker)
My car took a dump on me (to the tune of $900 and counting in repairs)
A tooth broke, then shattered while the dentist tried to extracted the rest, then got infected (still dealing with that pain right now) - Lets not talk about the dental bills.
More misc. money issues (escrow shortage, high electric due to VERY bad winter)
Relationship road-bumps with the DBF (we are working it out just fine but the emotional toll has worn on me)
In other words I need another vacation but because of the money I have had to dump into all these issues it looks like I will not have one for the next few years.
In the mean time I will still try to cling to the memories of my last trip.
Although the relevancy of my trip report is quickly fading I will finish it soon.
I have had a lot going on.
Some good (the Holidays)
Some not so much:
My job got crazy busy (tax season, audits, death of a co-worker)
My car took a dump on me (to the tune of $900 and counting in repairs)
A tooth broke, then shattered while the dentist tried to extracted the rest, then got infected (still dealing with that pain right now) - Lets not talk about the dental bills.
More misc. money issues (escrow shortage, high electric due to VERY bad winter)
Relationship road-bumps with the DBF (we are working it out just fine but the emotional toll has worn on me)
In other words I need another vacation but because of the money I have had to dump into all these issues it looks like I will not have one for the next few years.
In the mean time I will still try to cling to the memories of my last trip.
Nakkira
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2013
The last photos I have of our Safari is a Momma ostrich guarding her eggs. This really seemed to excite our guide so I took pictures
We then headed for the Pangani Trail.
Where I found out something interesting on the Pangani Trail.
Disney has hidden bathrooms.
I had an urgency (and I mean a major urgency folks) hallway through and I started running in a very awkward rot to find an exit to the trail and a bathroom. Thankfully I do not suffer from excessive pride and begged a staff member to please tell me the shortest path to a restroom and tell me quickly.
I was led behind the scenes and under a rope to a nearby bathroom and then (when I had finished) led back to the trail where I caught backup with "S".
Let me tell you I was GRATEFULL!!!! I think without that cast-member's intervention I would have ended up in a regrettable situation.
Anyhow..
I took lot of pictures of this guy who seemed to be in the mood to pose for the crowd.
He was really impressive in fact it is the closest I have ever been to one.
When we finished the trail we were sort of aimless for a minute before a CM herded us in the Direction of the train for Rafiki's Planet Watch.
Neither of us had ever been, so why not.
We were actually rather bored over there. It took us a whole 10 minutes to see everything worth (to us) seeing.
I did however get a priceless story out of it.
So Rafiki himself comes out to pose for photos and I am looking on, as I so not (yet again) feel like standing in a line)
I snap a quick pic of him as he heads over to the tree to stand in front of it.
I notice after a few kids go through that one of the parents is looking a little miffed as her kid poses with him and then say's "who IS that guy?"
Curious I slowly walk a wide circle around and realize that my oblivious DBF is standing in the hallow looking at whatever display they have there, innocently photo bombing Rafiki.
I dragged him away and we soon headed back to the rest of AK.
Hopefully it will not take me two months to update the next post
NEXT
We then headed for the Pangani Trail.
Where I found out something interesting on the Pangani Trail.
Disney has hidden bathrooms.
I had an urgency (and I mean a major urgency folks) hallway through and I started running in a very awkward rot to find an exit to the trail and a bathroom. Thankfully I do not suffer from excessive pride and begged a staff member to please tell me the shortest path to a restroom and tell me quickly.
I was led behind the scenes and under a rope to a nearby bathroom and then (when I had finished) led back to the trail where I caught backup with "S".
Let me tell you I was GRATEFULL!!!! I think without that cast-member's intervention I would have ended up in a regrettable situation.
Anyhow..
I took lot of pictures of this guy who seemed to be in the mood to pose for the crowd.
He was really impressive in fact it is the closest I have ever been to one.
When we finished the trail we were sort of aimless for a minute before a CM herded us in the Direction of the train for Rafiki's Planet Watch.
Neither of us had ever been, so why not.
We were actually rather bored over there. It took us a whole 10 minutes to see everything worth (to us) seeing.
I did however get a priceless story out of it.
So Rafiki himself comes out to pose for photos and I am looking on, as I so not (yet again) feel like standing in a line)
I snap a quick pic of him as he heads over to the tree to stand in front of it.
I notice after a few kids go through that one of the parents is looking a little miffed as her kid poses with him and then say's "who IS that guy?"
Curious I slowly walk a wide circle around and realize that my oblivious DBF is standing in the hallow looking at whatever display they have there, innocently photo bombing Rafiki.
I dragged him away and we soon headed back to the rest of AK.
Hopefully it will not take me two months to update the next post
NEXT
missangelalexis
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2012
So sorry life has thrown you so many curveballs. Glad to see you back though!
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