faline
09-22-2008, 12:13 PM
Date: Monday, September 1, 2008
Plan for the Day:
Animal Kingdom
Yak & Yeti for lunch
Boma for dinner
Mileage: 7.82 miles
What Actually Happened:
When we awake this morning, Gustav is about to make landfall in the Louisiana/Mississippi area. Hope everyone stays safe! In the interim, Hanna’s forecast has changed and she may come ashore later this week somewhere between northern Florida and South Carolina.
It’s early extra magic hour at Animal Kingdom but we didn’t go to bed until the Nascar race ended around midnight. Still, we’re up by 7. After breakfast in the lounge, we head to the bus stop. The Animal Kingdom bus is about to leave but the driver kindly waits for us. By 8:50 a.m., we’re pulling into the Grand Floridian for our pickup there.
After entering the park, we head to Expedition Everest where we pick up a fast pass. The standby time is only 15 minutes so we get on line. The listed wait time is pretty accurate and we’re seated near the rear of the train. The backwards section really gets me in my tummy!
We hoof it over to Kilimanjaro Safari and pick up fast passes there. We then return to Everest to use our fast passes for a second ride. This time, we’re seated near the front of the train.
Flights of Wonder is about to begin so we take in this show. It’s quite some time since we’ve seen it. On the way to the safari, a woman pushing a stroller was squirreling back and forth and ends up running into the back of my ankle. Ouch! While I know she didn’t do it on purpose and did apologize, she was certainly not being very careful!
Back in Africa once again, we’re in the back of the safari vehicle. While a number of animals are out and about, by time the back of the vehicle is within picture range, the driver is gunning the motor and racing to the next sighting. That was a bit frustrating but, overall, he is a good tour guide.
Returning from our safari, we hike the Pangani Forest Trail and see its favorite inhabitants – the gorillas.
Needing to cool off a bit, we head into Its Tough to Be a Bug. A bit more refreshed, we wander the Discovery Island Trails (http://inlinethumb06.webshots.com/15045/2390360810104031159S600x600Q85.jpg). We only see a couple of people along the way. It’s really a charming (http://inlinethumb51.webshots.com/44018/2380170580104031159S600x600Q85.jpg) and great respite (http://inlinethumb24.webshots.com/43479/2045958400104031159S600x600Q85.jpg)from the hustle and bustle of the main paths!
From here, we make our way to Yak & Yeti for lunch – another first for us. We’re seated upstairs at a window table overlooking the path below. They don’t accept the Disney Dining Experience card here but do offer a 10% discount for annual passholders. We share an appetizer of pork egg rolls – quite yummy. Gene orders sweet and sour pork along with brown rice. I have tempura chicken with honey and brown rice. Very filling but just standard fare. It’s good to have a table service restaurant inside of Animal Kingdom but I wouldn’t place this location on my list of favorite eateries.
After lunch, and because we’re in the neighborhood, we walk the Maharajah Jungle Trek, One tiger is pacing but the others are sleeping in the shade- hiding from the mid-day heat.
The Finding Nemo theater is filling as we pass by so we jump on line and are seated in the first row of the second section back from the stage. The actors use the aisle in front of us for part of the performance,
On our last visit, we never once made it on Dinosaur so that has been my mission for today (unfulfilled up until this point). The wait time is listed as 20 minutes. I don’t care! I’m going on this ride! The actual wait time is more like 10 minutes and I’ve fulfilled my mission!
The end of the parade is going by as we head back towards the main pathway – about as close as I’ve come to seeing any part of this parade!
We join the throngs on their way out of the park and wait about 10 minutes for a bus back to Wilderness Lodge. Back at the Lodge, we have Concierge cancel our dinner reservation at Boma. We simply will not be hungry enough for another big meal at the time of our reservation,
After changing, we head to the pool. The ducks are undeterred by the presence of humans in the pool and frequently enter or leave, weaving their way through the many human forms in the water. Refreshed by our time in the pool, we head back to our room to shower and change back to clothes.
We arrive at the boat dock at the same time as a Magic Kingdom boat arrives. In the park, folks are lining up for a parade but none is on the schedule for this evening. A cast member informs us they are going to have a “mini” Spectromagic parade at 9 and because it’s a “mini” Spectromagic (whatever that might be), it’s not on the schedule.
Before finding a spot on Main Street for Wishes, we ride Snow White’s Scary Adventures, It’s a Small World and the Haunted Mansion. We consider riding Peter Pan but the posted 20 minute standby time appears to be an accurate approximation so we pass it by.
Wishes is beautiful, as always! There are many empty spots on Main Street so the park does not appear to be overly crowded. When the fireworks display ends, we make our way back to the boat dock where a boat is waiting. Once underway, our trip back to the Lodge is delayed a bit by other boat traffic including the Electrical Water Pageant which, unfortunately, we do not get to see.
Back at the room, I am now hungry. Gene doesn’t want to eat so I order a turkey sandwich from room service. They say it will be up in a few minutes. Room service really does only take a few minutes. What a huge sandwich! I can only eat half of it!
Today started off a bit cloudy but the sun came out and it was pretty hot and humid. Gustav made landfall today. I called some relatives to check on other relatives who live in the affected areas. Assured that everyone is safe, we turn our attention to Hanna. It’s still unknown where Hanna will head.
Plan for the Day:
Animal Kingdom
Yak & Yeti for lunch
Boma for dinner
Mileage: 7.82 miles
What Actually Happened:
When we awake this morning, Gustav is about to make landfall in the Louisiana/Mississippi area. Hope everyone stays safe! In the interim, Hanna’s forecast has changed and she may come ashore later this week somewhere between northern Florida and South Carolina.
It’s early extra magic hour at Animal Kingdom but we didn’t go to bed until the Nascar race ended around midnight. Still, we’re up by 7. After breakfast in the lounge, we head to the bus stop. The Animal Kingdom bus is about to leave but the driver kindly waits for us. By 8:50 a.m., we’re pulling into the Grand Floridian for our pickup there.
After entering the park, we head to Expedition Everest where we pick up a fast pass. The standby time is only 15 minutes so we get on line. The listed wait time is pretty accurate and we’re seated near the rear of the train. The backwards section really gets me in my tummy!
We hoof it over to Kilimanjaro Safari and pick up fast passes there. We then return to Everest to use our fast passes for a second ride. This time, we’re seated near the front of the train.
Flights of Wonder is about to begin so we take in this show. It’s quite some time since we’ve seen it. On the way to the safari, a woman pushing a stroller was squirreling back and forth and ends up running into the back of my ankle. Ouch! While I know she didn’t do it on purpose and did apologize, she was certainly not being very careful!
Back in Africa once again, we’re in the back of the safari vehicle. While a number of animals are out and about, by time the back of the vehicle is within picture range, the driver is gunning the motor and racing to the next sighting. That was a bit frustrating but, overall, he is a good tour guide.
Returning from our safari, we hike the Pangani Forest Trail and see its favorite inhabitants – the gorillas.
Needing to cool off a bit, we head into Its Tough to Be a Bug. A bit more refreshed, we wander the Discovery Island Trails (http://inlinethumb06.webshots.com/15045/2390360810104031159S600x600Q85.jpg). We only see a couple of people along the way. It’s really a charming (http://inlinethumb51.webshots.com/44018/2380170580104031159S600x600Q85.jpg) and great respite (http://inlinethumb24.webshots.com/43479/2045958400104031159S600x600Q85.jpg)from the hustle and bustle of the main paths!
From here, we make our way to Yak & Yeti for lunch – another first for us. We’re seated upstairs at a window table overlooking the path below. They don’t accept the Disney Dining Experience card here but do offer a 10% discount for annual passholders. We share an appetizer of pork egg rolls – quite yummy. Gene orders sweet and sour pork along with brown rice. I have tempura chicken with honey and brown rice. Very filling but just standard fare. It’s good to have a table service restaurant inside of Animal Kingdom but I wouldn’t place this location on my list of favorite eateries.
After lunch, and because we’re in the neighborhood, we walk the Maharajah Jungle Trek, One tiger is pacing but the others are sleeping in the shade- hiding from the mid-day heat.
The Finding Nemo theater is filling as we pass by so we jump on line and are seated in the first row of the second section back from the stage. The actors use the aisle in front of us for part of the performance,
On our last visit, we never once made it on Dinosaur so that has been my mission for today (unfulfilled up until this point). The wait time is listed as 20 minutes. I don’t care! I’m going on this ride! The actual wait time is more like 10 minutes and I’ve fulfilled my mission!
The end of the parade is going by as we head back towards the main pathway – about as close as I’ve come to seeing any part of this parade!
We join the throngs on their way out of the park and wait about 10 minutes for a bus back to Wilderness Lodge. Back at the Lodge, we have Concierge cancel our dinner reservation at Boma. We simply will not be hungry enough for another big meal at the time of our reservation,
After changing, we head to the pool. The ducks are undeterred by the presence of humans in the pool and frequently enter or leave, weaving their way through the many human forms in the water. Refreshed by our time in the pool, we head back to our room to shower and change back to clothes.
We arrive at the boat dock at the same time as a Magic Kingdom boat arrives. In the park, folks are lining up for a parade but none is on the schedule for this evening. A cast member informs us they are going to have a “mini” Spectromagic parade at 9 and because it’s a “mini” Spectromagic (whatever that might be), it’s not on the schedule.
Before finding a spot on Main Street for Wishes, we ride Snow White’s Scary Adventures, It’s a Small World and the Haunted Mansion. We consider riding Peter Pan but the posted 20 minute standby time appears to be an accurate approximation so we pass it by.
Wishes is beautiful, as always! There are many empty spots on Main Street so the park does not appear to be overly crowded. When the fireworks display ends, we make our way back to the boat dock where a boat is waiting. Once underway, our trip back to the Lodge is delayed a bit by other boat traffic including the Electrical Water Pageant which, unfortunately, we do not get to see.
Back at the room, I am now hungry. Gene doesn’t want to eat so I order a turkey sandwich from room service. They say it will be up in a few minutes. Room service really does only take a few minutes. What a huge sandwich! I can only eat half of it!
Today started off a bit cloudy but the sun came out and it was pretty hot and humid. Gustav made landfall today. I called some relatives to check on other relatives who live in the affected areas. Assured that everyone is safe, we turn our attention to Hanna. It’s still unknown where Hanna will head.