Unpacked our bags, got ready, and went to the hotel bus stop - the bus pulling away as we walked up was the one we wanted. Patrick the cast member (who looked like Cillian Murphy) said it would be about 20 minutes for the next bus. We decided to take the monorail instead so we could stay in motion.
Hopped the monorail inside the hotel to the ticket/transportation center, then took the Animal Kingdom bus from there. It wasn't any faster, but at least we weren't just sitting around waiting the entire time.
We had reserved breakfast for the seven us at the Tusker House Restaurant. It was a buffet with Disney characters walking through for the kids - the host was Donald Duck. For breakfast I had jungle juice (a tasty mix of orange, guava and passionfruit juices), water, banana, bacon, mealie pap (look it up), ham and cheese frittata, scrambled eggs, corn bread, sausage, mixed fruit, cherry turnover, cottage cheese, and a mini chocolate croissant. Yes, I was a pig, but I kept my portions small. Besides, I ended up walking a total of 11 miles for the day - I would need the fuel. :o)
Katie and Jacob with Daisy Duck
After breakfast we had a fast pass (like an express ticket - more on that later) to the show The Festival of the Lion King. This is an indoor show in the round combining singers, acrobats, aerialists, larger than life puppets, floats, and audience participation. It is fantastic and one of the most popular shows at Disney World.
It's that-a-way
Waiting for the show to begin. Or, Beauty and the Beast.
Simba
Pumbaa
Elephant
Timon, giraffe and Tumble Monkeys
Tumble Monkeys
After the show we did the wonderful 3D movie It's Tough to be a Bug complete with robotic insects, bug spray filling the theater, wasp attacks in the back, giant spiders dropping from the ceiling, and bugs crawling under our seats. Hmm...seems sorta terrifying when writing it down.
Then we rode my favorite ride there, Dinosaur, where you get in "time-rover" vehicles and go back in time to try to rescue/capture a rare dinosaur. Problem is, you're sent back right before the giant asteroid impact that destroyed all dinosaur life on the planet, and there's a giant T-Rex like dinosaur that keeps trying to eat you.
Dinosaur (cheating a little bit - this photo is from a few years ago)
The time rover vehicle
After Dinosaur was Primeval Whirl, a spinning mouse coaster, then Dinosaur again because we had a fast pass, then primeval whirl again because there was no wait, then had a frozen banana, then the Expedition Everest roller coaster (which Gavin, the 5 year old really loved, but he was clutching on tightly when the yeti was shown ripping up the track), then...well screw it, here are some photos.
Primeval Whirl
Dino-Rama
Bat theming
Actual bats. These fruit bats were surprisingly big and...meaty, for want of a better word. It's hard to tell from the photo, but the one in the middle was only hanging on by a couple of claws.
Komodo Dragon
Asian tiger
Bird in the exotic bird enclosure
Birds and lotus fountain
Todd on the Maharaja Jungle Trek. This is a self-guided walking tour where the animals above are located.
Expedition Everest roller coaster in the background. I left my favorite New York hat in the storage pouch on the front seat. :o(
Katie and Jacob and the nice owl lady.
Expedition Everest in the background with the Tree of Life on the right
Animal Kingdom Christmas tree
Animal Kingdom closes at 5pm so they can take care of the animals - they said it takes about 3 hours to shelter, feed and get everything situated for the night. So after they closed Todd and I went over to Disney's Hollywood Studios. We had dinner at Pizza Planet, saw the Osborne lights, got some peppermint chocolate fudge at Sweet Spells confectionary, then took the bus back to the hotel.
Hollywood Studios Christmas tree
Muppets!
Phineas and Ferb
Osborne lights
Correction - The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights
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