Disney World - Animal Kingdom, Day 1-Part 1

AWAKE in Florida …. AWAKE in our room at All Star Sports …. WAIT maybe it wasn’t just a dream!

Okay, I knew I really was in need of vacation, I recognize my signs! I will add, I knew I was getting a bit stressed out (okay more than a bit) … but this was the moment, it became all too clear: 

Upon seeing this sign – I almost burst into tears … really, all the tension still built up from Neal’s heart surgery (even being 1 year and 3 months now … I guess I’ll never truly get over almost loosing him) to not having gone on trip anywhere in 8 months (saving for this trip!) to just normal every day life – just all come to the surface at one time at the realization that YES we truly were here “Let the Memories Begin!”

We waited for park opening by a mother, her son and daughter and the grandmother – and it was their first trip to the parks – I think the grandmother (and I shall say a woman of my age!) was “fit to be tied” and I understood … since I was still giggling (and I’ve been to the parks more than several times!) I imparted a bit of my learned experience as what to do first (heeeeelllooooooooooo Kilimanjaro Safaris!)

"Rope Drop" Welcome

I shall share this advice: get to Animal Kingdom at rope drop – best on early morning hours for resort guests – go directly to Kilimanjaro Safaris … do not stop for anything , get the Fasspass (yes now), get in line and ride the Safari … get off and by this time the Fasspass should (1) either be ready to be used, or (2) almost be ready to be used … if it is No. 2, take that time to explore the Harambe “market” area. The animals are most active early in the morning and if you ride back-to-back, you will notice on the second trip a change in them, as they have already eaten and are ready to settle in the shade!  (Oh, they are getting their own blog!)

YES … forget Fasspassing Expedition Everest first … or ever, they have a single rider line that is ever as fass (if not faster) than the Fasspass! (Of course, if you want to purchase the photo they take, you’re party will want to be all together … so Fasspass it, after you ride KS!)

Soooooo, that was my advice to them (and any of you that may go, are thinking about going, or have been and not used that tactic!)

This time I breached my own protocol by not getting the Fasspass … I wanted a later return time … so we rode KS, got off and I was like …. WHY didn’t you go ahead and get the Fasspass … because I could have turned right round and used it then could have gotten another when we go off … see, now what did I tell you?

Fasspass for those of you who may not know, is a wonderful system that Disney has set up, you insert your park ticket and the machine spits out a ticket with a time printed on it … now it says: Return Anytime Between ______ and ______ (an hour window) … well I had read on disboards.com that is actually is anytime after the first time printed, as long as it is the same day --- I asked several Cast Members (employees) that were at the Fasspass return line and they said “Oh yes, anytime after the first time printed, just as long as it is the same day.) Why do I digress here? We always thought it was that you had to return during that 1 hour window … you walk yourself to death, because not all rides have FPs and they are usually across the park from each other … as the major rides are! (Do be aware that they are limited and during the day on the most popular rides can run out “early” … point here, time warping ahead at bit … we slept in late one day (on purpose) went to Hollywood Studios and at 11:15 AM our return time for Toy Story Midway Mania was 8:00 PM!)

So, anyway, I’ll stop rambling about that … what it boils down to you can get another FP as soon as the first time on your present ticket is passed and you can used them at your leisure any time after the first time printed on that ride’s FP … as long as it is the same day – it so helps slow the day down = WONDERFUL!

So, with that sidetrack – Animal Kingdom was open late that evening and I’d wanted to ride one of the last Safaris, as it stands to reason the animals would be active again. So we did FP it when we came off, but didn’t ride it again “that day” … this trip is unusual for us as we have 8 days “on the ground” … if I’d only had one day at Animal Kingdom, it would have been FULL COMMANDO! hee, hee 

We had ressies at Tusker House for a sit down breakfast with Donald and his friends at 10:20 AM (I figured after traveling all day Saturday, a good breakfast would do us good!) (Oh another thing about Disney traveling, if a restaurant says “reservations recommended” make them at the 180 day mark!)

I'd heard to see Goofy's reaction by calling him Pluto -- so I planned to ask him

how he felt when people confused him with Pluto ... well, as it turns out when he showed

up at our table I said:  Good morning Pluto ... needless to say, his reaction was

HYSTERICAL! 

Yes, I drift … at this time it was only 8:30 AM – one ride down, so we proceeded to walk Pangani Forest Exploration Trail – fabulous, I must admit I love the merkats, they are so attentive!

and ever make eye contact with a gorilla?

We then still had time – YIKES .. so we roam down the path from Africa to Asia in search of a Photopass Photographer (this is also a fabulous service, I’ll briefly say we prepurchased the CD and we have over 100 photos on the “card” now that we will have … prepurchase on special: 99.99 – I’m aiming to get the cost per photo down to under $1.00 each! If you don’t prepurchase the photos are .. well about $15.00 a photo .. yes, I drift .. again!)  (More on these when I get my CD ... already ordered!)

Anyway, roaming down that path … we did finally find a Photopass Photog, but only after we ran into this fella (and some others that will be in a separate blog -- oh, I have lots to say!)

Flik - Of course, if you know me ... you know of my love of ants!

How can you not be happy here? (Believe me though, we’ve seen more than one person … obviously not happy!) So Buddies this is getting long – I suppose I have more to ramble on about the parks than I thought – so I’m splitting this report in half here AND it is about time for me to wake the Love of My Life … yes, I’m letting him sleep in again, I could get used to having 8 days on the ground at Disney – but my commando does keep coming out, but I stuff her right back in … okay, more later (if I haven’t already bored you!)

From the Show:  "Its Tough To Be a Bug"

More later, I promise - I have alot to "report," "review" and hector just simply share with ya Buddies - enjoy!