Zawadi
09-17-2012, 09:23 PM
Monday Sep 17.
We woke up around 06:30 still feeling full after last night's excellent meal at Citricos. We left for the Animal Kingdom's morning EMH just after 07:30. We parked up Unicorn 23 (the first guest parking row) and headed straight for the Safari, obtaining a Fastpass prior to entering the 10 minute standby line. Then a first, hearing an announcement that the ride was temporarily halted due to animals blocking the road. Despite that we were soon on our way and had an inquisitive giraffe put it head into the truck! It was also the first time that DW had noticed the rope bridges above the hippo and crocodile areas ;) We'll be walking over those during the Wild Africa Trek on Sep 21. We too then got stopped by another giraffe just after the flamingo pool. The cheetahs put on an excellent show, one was sat upright in a typical "pot cat" pose. It was also the first time that we had taken a safari since the demise of the "Simba-1" storyline and we didn't miss it. It also appears that the shaky bridge no longer shakes as the traffic lights (on the right of the road just before the right hand bend leading to the bridge) were out. The trucks just lined up and went over the bridge one at a time. We then got a Fastpass for Everest, then returned to the Safari to use its Fastpass. Devine was out and she was wrapped so tightly around a tree without her face showing so it was a case is she really there? We returned to Everest to use the Fastpass but the standby line was only 10 minutes. So did that first. Today I can confirm that the Yeti's strobe lights are working. We exited and re-rode using the Fastpass. This time, we watched the Yeti tear up the track, saw the points switch over then NOTHING! We were just held at the top of the mountain for a couple of minutes before a controller said that we would be moving again shortly. This is worse than normal, a bit like SheiKra at Busch Gardens, as we were being held not knowing when the drop would occur. It was still only 10:30 and we had ridden both the Safari and Everest twice and had still got a 11:25 to 12:25 Everest Fastpass in our pocket.
By now we were starting to get hungry so opted for an early lunch. The Yak n Yeti CS had opened early so we both had the Honey Chicken followed by Banana Pudding and Triple Chocolate Mousse. Now I've got a sweet tooth but the banana thing was sickly sweet. After lunch we watched Flights of Wonder then went back to use the Everest Fastpass. On the way there, we overheard a family arguing about where they were ( lost). So I offered help and gave them directions to the rapids, which was indeed their chosen destination before you think otherwise :). Then we overhead a lad asking "Is this EPCOT?". The mind boggles!
We then headed off to Rafiki's Planet Watch and spoke with one of the Vets. Remember that on the Safari you are told to secure all loose articles? Well one of the crocodiles, which only get fed once a week, took a fancy to a dropped Winnie The Pooh hat. The hat got lodged in the crocodile's intestines and the poor creature died two weeks later. If the guests had informed CMs then the animal might have been saved.
It was now after 13:00, and DW reminded me of the relaxing portions of this holiday. So, even though we still have so much left to do in the Animal Kingdom, which would now have to wait until another day, we returned to the Yacht Club for a drink and swim before dinner at Tutto Italia followed by the evening EMH at Studios. I tried the flying jib slide again, but this time to my cost. The seams between the sections of pipe left lines on my back.
Another quick shower then we headed off to Tutto Italia for 17:45 and were seated immediately. Fettuccine and Gnocchetti followed by Tirimisu and Panna Cotta. As we left, the sky towards the Swan & Dolphin was very dark. It started to rain, and we were at Japan without either coats or umbrella. Our walking pace became proportional to the rate that the rain was falling. We finally took shelter in the Friendship dock. The boat arrived but at The Boardwalk we were told that T'Storms had caused the service to be suspended. On the positive it had stopped raining but we now had twice as far to walk :(
We had planned to watch the 20:00 Fantasmic this evening, but since it had now gone 19:00 with T'Storms in the area there was no way it was going ahead. It's now 19:40, we're sat on the balcony :crazy: and the Friendship boats are still moored up. There have been a couple of lightening bolts headed ground wards. Looks like a no go for Studios for the time being. We've got until 23:00 so there might be some hope. Now ToT was hit by lightening during its construction. Do I really want to be on it during a storm? Now at 20:00 the Friendship boats are operating again so we might risk going to Studios.
In the end we decided not to go to Studios, so just walked to The Marketplace to get some drinks prior to watching IllumiNations from our balcony. Whilst returning to the room, we spotted the finale fireworks of Fantasmic appearing above the Dance Hall. So I was wrong, Disney's staff managed to keep things going. IllumiNations was wonderful watching it with the Yacht Club Lighthouse in the foreground.
Time to call it quits for today. We've got a 08:00 Soarin' flight to catch in the morning :)
We woke up around 06:30 still feeling full after last night's excellent meal at Citricos. We left for the Animal Kingdom's morning EMH just after 07:30. We parked up Unicorn 23 (the first guest parking row) and headed straight for the Safari, obtaining a Fastpass prior to entering the 10 minute standby line. Then a first, hearing an announcement that the ride was temporarily halted due to animals blocking the road. Despite that we were soon on our way and had an inquisitive giraffe put it head into the truck! It was also the first time that DW had noticed the rope bridges above the hippo and crocodile areas ;) We'll be walking over those during the Wild Africa Trek on Sep 21. We too then got stopped by another giraffe just after the flamingo pool. The cheetahs put on an excellent show, one was sat upright in a typical "pot cat" pose. It was also the first time that we had taken a safari since the demise of the "Simba-1" storyline and we didn't miss it. It also appears that the shaky bridge no longer shakes as the traffic lights (on the right of the road just before the right hand bend leading to the bridge) were out. The trucks just lined up and went over the bridge one at a time. We then got a Fastpass for Everest, then returned to the Safari to use its Fastpass. Devine was out and she was wrapped so tightly around a tree without her face showing so it was a case is she really there? We returned to Everest to use the Fastpass but the standby line was only 10 minutes. So did that first. Today I can confirm that the Yeti's strobe lights are working. We exited and re-rode using the Fastpass. This time, we watched the Yeti tear up the track, saw the points switch over then NOTHING! We were just held at the top of the mountain for a couple of minutes before a controller said that we would be moving again shortly. This is worse than normal, a bit like SheiKra at Busch Gardens, as we were being held not knowing when the drop would occur. It was still only 10:30 and we had ridden both the Safari and Everest twice and had still got a 11:25 to 12:25 Everest Fastpass in our pocket.
By now we were starting to get hungry so opted for an early lunch. The Yak n Yeti CS had opened early so we both had the Honey Chicken followed by Banana Pudding and Triple Chocolate Mousse. Now I've got a sweet tooth but the banana thing was sickly sweet. After lunch we watched Flights of Wonder then went back to use the Everest Fastpass. On the way there, we overheard a family arguing about where they were ( lost). So I offered help and gave them directions to the rapids, which was indeed their chosen destination before you think otherwise :). Then we overhead a lad asking "Is this EPCOT?". The mind boggles!
We then headed off to Rafiki's Planet Watch and spoke with one of the Vets. Remember that on the Safari you are told to secure all loose articles? Well one of the crocodiles, which only get fed once a week, took a fancy to a dropped Winnie The Pooh hat. The hat got lodged in the crocodile's intestines and the poor creature died two weeks later. If the guests had informed CMs then the animal might have been saved.
It was now after 13:00, and DW reminded me of the relaxing portions of this holiday. So, even though we still have so much left to do in the Animal Kingdom, which would now have to wait until another day, we returned to the Yacht Club for a drink and swim before dinner at Tutto Italia followed by the evening EMH at Studios. I tried the flying jib slide again, but this time to my cost. The seams between the sections of pipe left lines on my back.
Another quick shower then we headed off to Tutto Italia for 17:45 and were seated immediately. Fettuccine and Gnocchetti followed by Tirimisu and Panna Cotta. As we left, the sky towards the Swan & Dolphin was very dark. It started to rain, and we were at Japan without either coats or umbrella. Our walking pace became proportional to the rate that the rain was falling. We finally took shelter in the Friendship dock. The boat arrived but at The Boardwalk we were told that T'Storms had caused the service to be suspended. On the positive it had stopped raining but we now had twice as far to walk :(
We had planned to watch the 20:00 Fantasmic this evening, but since it had now gone 19:00 with T'Storms in the area there was no way it was going ahead. It's now 19:40, we're sat on the balcony :crazy: and the Friendship boats are still moored up. There have been a couple of lightening bolts headed ground wards. Looks like a no go for Studios for the time being. We've got until 23:00 so there might be some hope. Now ToT was hit by lightening during its construction. Do I really want to be on it during a storm? Now at 20:00 the Friendship boats are operating again so we might risk going to Studios.
In the end we decided not to go to Studios, so just walked to The Marketplace to get some drinks prior to watching IllumiNations from our balcony. Whilst returning to the room, we spotted the finale fireworks of Fantasmic appearing above the Dance Hall. So I was wrong, Disney's staff managed to keep things going. IllumiNations was wonderful watching it with the Yacht Club Lighthouse in the foreground.
Time to call it quits for today. We've got a 08:00 Soarin' flight to catch in the morning :)