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Walt Disney World Vacation Information and Advice

June 2015 Trip Report Day 2, Animal Kingdom

Posted on January 25, 2016 by waltdisneyworldblog

On our June 2015 trip our first park day was Animal Kingdom. We have no traditions about beginning with one park over the other. Generally, we follow the Extra Magic Hours calendar when planning our days. It happened that Animal Kingdom opened early that day, so that’s where we went.

I can tell you our alarm went off at 6:20, aka early o’clock. By 7:00 we were on our way to Contemporary Grounds for Depth Chargers. Armed with caffeine we headed to the bus stop, where we didn’t wait long. We got to Animal Kingdom and through security before 8:00 am. I say this practically every time I blog, getting up early may be a pain, but the payoff is worth it when you’re through the ticket line and onto your favorite attraction right at the start of the day.

At 8:00 we were in queue for Expedition Everest. We waited a few short minutes before we climbed aboard. I love to start a day with a roller coaster. Hubby does not feel this way, but he’s a trooper who mostly indulges my fancies.

After Expedition Everest we made our way to Kilimanjaro Safaris. The park was cool and uncrowded in the morning – really pleasant. We took our time walking, stopping to snap pictures. I think Animal Kingdom has an incredible amount of atmosphere and I love to just take in all of the scenery detail. We didn’t have much of a wait for Kilimanjaro Safaris, and we had a good ride. We spotted lots of animals, but my favorite of that trek was a baby rhino. The exit of Kilimanjaro Safaris spits you out right at the entrance for the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail. This is a great place to scope gorillas. The Pangani Forest Exploration Trail also features a really awesome bat display that was closed for refurbishment when we were there. Upon leaving the Pangani Trail we headed to the new Harambe Market to check it out. We also poked our head into the new Zuri’s Sweets Shop. Zuri’s had nut mixes and plenty to satisfy sugar cravings, including adorable animal sugar cookies and fun animal themed candy apples.

After that fairly leisurely morning we decided to hunt down the Dawa Bar. This is a really sweet spot to grab a drink, cool off, and take in the atmosphere. If you’re into bloody marys, Dawa Bar has you covered with a killer bloody mary menu. Though they looked awesome, neither hubby or I are big bloody mary people, so he had a St. George beer and I had a class of Fair Valley Chenin Blanc. The bar was uncrowded, our bartender was awesome, and we could see and hear the African Drummers street performance from our perch. Though we wanted to linger here we had Fastpasses for Expedition Everest at 11:35, so we headed back to Asia for our second pass at the Yeti, and scored front car seats. Did I mention I love roller coasters? We followed up by walking the Maharajah Jungle Trek. Tigers are one of the main attractions on the Trek, but we didn’t manage to catch a glimpse of them. Though we didn’t see tigers, we did see an incredible array of exotic birds in the aviary. One bird in particular must have been very fond of hubby because he deposited a load of poo on hubby’s brand-new fedora. Fortunately I had some wipes in our backpack and we had a good laugh about it as we cleaned up the, um, gift. Everyone loves souvenirs, right??

At this point we were both in the mood for some chow. Normally Flame Tree BBQ is our go-to Animal Kingdom lunch spot. It’s so tasty. However, it was being refurbished, so we decided to go back to Harambe Market. It was kind of a zoo, no pun intended. Lines were long and slow moving. Table seating was at a super premium. Hubby and I split up the task. I ordered food and he scouted for a table. We both ordered a chicken skewer that came with a broccoli, tomato, red onion salad. We both had a milk tart for dessert. The chicken was delicious, especially the bbq sauce that was on the side. We both enjoyed having a healthy lunch that day. It was worth the wait.

After lunch we made our way to DinoLand U.S.A. to use our 1:05 Fastpasses for Primeval Whirl, followed by 2:15 Fastpasses for Dinosaur. We left DinoLand in pursuit of the 3:00 Finding Nemo the Musical show. I love this show. It runs about 40 minutes and outside of its great music and beautiful costumes, it’s an excellent way to cool off and get out of the sun.

After Finding Nemo the Musical we decided to forgo It’s Tough to Be a Bug, which was the only attraction we had left on our list. We elected instead to head back to the Dawa Bar to wait out the interval before our Tusker House reservation with a refreshment. (Tusker House is located right behind Dawa Bar.) The bar had really picked up traffic since our late morning visit. We met some really cool people while perched on a bar stool. I find that Disney World is an awesome place to converse with people, whether at the bar, or just in a queue.

When our time came for Tusker House, we got right in and ushered to a table. Tusker House is a buffet character dining experience. Neither of us had dined there before and we enjoyed having a new experience. The buffet was varied, including familiar and more exotic flavors that had Indian and Asian influence. We managed to see Mickey, Goofy, Donald, and Daisy who were all dressed for safari.

Cornbread was delish.

Tusker House decor

Muscle men

Aw, shucks.

Wish I had those lashes!

Both hubby and I agreed on an early night for our first day in the park. So with our bellies full of grub we left Animal Kingdom to head back to Bay Lake Tower. We managed to get in a good swim with a few water slide runs before returning to our balcony for another evening of fireworks. All in all, a pretty perfect 1st park day.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Can’t Miss List

Posted on May 5, 2015 by waltdisneyworldblog

Many years ago when Disney’s Animal Kingdom (or DAK for efficiency’s sake) first opened, I didn’t love it. I adore animals and you’d think my outlook would’ve better. But it wasn’t. However, as often with first impressions – my opinion has altered since my first look. I found my liking of DAK increased with each visit. It’s such a beautiful park; the landscaping is exotic. When I was working on the Disney College Program, I used to roam around the park on my days off to check out the plants and animals.

I certainly no longer find the park dull, as evidenced by my hearty “Can’t Miss” list. There are shows, attractions, stunning animals, and tasty treats everywhere. What’s not to like about that?

Below is the Walt Disney World Blog 2015 Disney’s Animal Kingdom Can’t Miss List. As always, there will be an asterisk next to “super favorites,” or things we often do more than once.

(by area) Oasis, Discovery Island, Africa, Asia, Dinoland USA

The Oasis Exhibits * – These are just pathways around the front of the park, but they have some really beautiful plants, awesome birds and animals. Take time to enjoy these instead of power-walking past as you hurry to squeeze in one more attraction. (I might be speaking from experience…)
It’s Tough to be a Bug * – This 3D show will have you feeling bug sized. The queue usually isn’t too long either so it makes a great midday attraction.
Discovery Island Trails – Like the Oasis Exhibits.
Flame Tree BBQ * – Many kinds of BBQ are available here. YUM, YUM, YUM. The food is delicious and there’s a great seating area off to the side making this is one of our favorite lunch (or dinner!) Quick Service options. Bonus – try the Safari Amber beer, specially brewed for Disney World.
Festival of the Lion King – This charming 30 minute show brings The Lion King story to life with singing, dancing, and exciting acrobatics. Kiddos will love the interactive elements. The monkeys are our favorite park!
Kilimajaro Safaris ** – This unique attraction takes you onto Disney Animal Kingdom’s Harambe Wildlife Preserve. As you bump along in an open-air vehicle you’ll see a variety of African wildlife. The animals are free roaming so what you see varies with each safari. There are over 34 species roaming the savannah such as lions, hippos, elephants, zebra, rhino, giraffe, okapi, ostrich, etc. **SPECIAL TIP** Visit the safari early in the morning or late in the evening for cooler temps and potentially more animal sightings.
Pangani Forest Exploration Trail – A beautiful walking trail where you’ll encounter flora and fauna. You can get an amazing, close up view of gorillas here.
Maharajah Jungle Trek * – This trail exposes guests to Asian wildlife. Get a close up view of a variety of animals that includes many species of birds, tigers, and fruit bats!
Kali River Rapids – To be honest I haven’t ridden this ride in several years. This raft ride is full of twists, turns, dips, and of course – water. I remember it being a lot of fun. So why haven’t I been in a while? You can get very wet. Maybe you won’t. Maybe you’ll get soaked. I don’t liked to be soaked and left to dry out with my clothes sticking to me as I roam the park. Perhaps this makes me a party pooper. I do think husband and I are going to give it a go on our next trip. Soaking wet or not – I bet we’ll have fun.
Expedition Everest ** – Oh dear readers, how do I express in words how I love this coaster? I adore every detail from the museum style queue, to the trainlike coaster, to the Yeti himself. This ride is a thrill and I tackle it as many times as I can.
Finding Nemo – This Broadway style show tells the Finding Nemo story. It’s fun and gorgeous. The sets and costumes are really striking. The show lasts 40 minutes and it’s a nice opportunity to cool off, rest, and be entertained while you do so!
Primeval Whirl * – This colorful ride is a mild roller coaster with round cars that spin. It will leave you giggling – I guarantee it.
DINOSAUR – Hop into a time rover and travel back in time to hang out with dinosaurs during an impending meteor strike. Yikes! This ride is dark with some really cool animatronic dinosaurs. Could be scarey for young kiddos.

W.T.D.W. – Character Meet and Greets

Posted on January 22, 2014 by waltdisneyworldblog

Most Disney lovers have a favorite character or two. I have favorite characters like I have favorite attractions. In other words, I have a lot of them. I’ve always loved the all of the VIP characters (Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Donald, Daisy, Chip and Dale), but of those I particularly enjoy Pluto and Donald. I love Donald’s cranky nature. Then of course there’s the Toy Story gang. Who doesn’t love Buzz Lightyear? And the princesses… Seeing Cinderella in Magic Kingdom is sure to make anyone’s day. A chance happening with the Peter Pan gang? Yes, please. Alice and The Mad Hatter? The Mad Hatter’s funny accent and off-center comments always makes me laugh. What about Whinnie the Pooh and friends? Eeyore tugs at your heart while Tigger brings out the bounce in everyone.

Characters can be found all over Walt Disney World. Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom all have multiple locations for character meet and greets. And there are parades and shows where you can catch characters in action dancing and waving to guests. Catching a character’s eye as a child, and seeing them wave to you, or blow you a kiss can mean the world.

As we’ve discussed before, everyone has different priorities when visiting the parks. I tend to be an attraction junkie. Bring on the rides! My favorite attractions take priority in my time when visiting a park and I love planning and scheming so I can get in as many as possible on a given day. Bonus points are granted if I manage to visit my favorites multiple times in a day. Other people tend to enjoy the shows and entertainment – they never miss a 3:00 parade. Yet still are the people who love to go character hopping. They begin their day with a Guidemap and Times Guide with the listing of character appearances and times and they plan out who they want to see and when they want to visit them.

You are never too old or too small to make friends with a Disney Character or two. Above, my mom grins with Chip and Dale – who have always been favorites of hers. My cousin, though just a little one, is just as thrilled to meet them. He loved to rub noses with the characters he met, which you can see him doing with Chip on the left. For anyone who can’t keep Chip and Dale straight I will tell you how I remember: Dale has the red nose while Chip has the black nose – like a chocolate chip.

On our last trip to WDW my hubby and I didn’t take any time to visit with characters. We were there in August, it was hot, we were far from well rested, and waiting to see characters just didn’t seem important to us at the time. I confess now it’s something I regret not making time for on our trip. Character visits make great photo opportunities, which are wonderful for sharing with family and friends. But it’s more than that – visiting a character is an experience. Characters are just that, characters – full of fun and personality. They grant you an experience to interact with them and have a moment of charm or silliness. Most characters like to clown around with guests and you’re sure to find a smile and a great memory in taking the time to say hello to them.

In my last post we met my buddy Rich, who told us the story about dancing with Princess Tiana. Rich’s character antics also included meditating with Rafiki (above) and goofing around with Chip and Dale with his brother. Rich give Chip quite the pick up/spin around hug (below).

So my advice is to take some time to meet a character or two and create a memory.

Character Meet and Greet Tips:

Consult your Guidemap and Times Guide. To make sure you don’t miss out check your guides to get the times and places you can find characters, especially if you are looking to meet someone specifically.
Leave enough time in your schedule. Don’t get in line to meet Mickey Mouse on Main Street U.S.A. at 11:00 AM when you have a Fastpass for Splash Mountain in Frontierland on the opposite side of the park at 11:30. Know that you may have to wait in line to visit characters, especially the popular ones such as good ol’ Mickey. Just leave enough room in your schedule to not feel rushed.
Have your camera and autograph book ready. Being ready for pictures and autographs will make your visit run smoother.
Keep and eye out. While most of the time characters are in predesignated locations at specific times, you never know when a character will pop up. I’ve seen Goofy water-skiing outside of Magic Kingdom and Peter Pan skipping through Fantasyland. Surprises are everywhere at WDW.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…

Posted on December 5, 2013 by waltdisneyworldblog

Thanksgiving has come and gone and I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. It’s been so busy here lately and I’ve been so separated from the blog! But life always seems to kick into overdrive once the holidays draw near. I have no doubt that the time before Christmas Eve will pass by in a Buzz Lightyear-like hyper-speed.

Disney does the holidays like no one else – in true Disney style. All of Walt Disney World is transformed with a bounty of decorations. The statistics are mind-boggling. 1,300 Christmas trees, just as many wreaths, and well over 8,500,000 lights. Yes, over eight MILLION lights. And then there are all of the ornaments, stockings, candles, ribbon, chocolate, gingerbread, candy cane, and garland (to name a few). Considering I haven’t even started my Christmas decorating yet, Disney clearly puts me to shame. And pretty much any one else, for that matter. Christmas trees can reach up to 65 feet tall, and each is uniquely decorated to look perfectly in place, wherever it may call home. Ornaments are all custom made and some are delightfully large to look just right one the Christmas trees of epic proportions.

Not to be outdone, the horticulture team at Walt Disney World plays an expert and essential part in the decorating. Landscapes transform with poinsettias, ivy, and topiaries. Especially the poinsettias. Magic Kingdom alone can have 25,000 poinsettias for holiday decor.

Truth is, holiday planning and decorations are worked on year-round. No corner is left unturned. Cinderella Castle gets draped in over 200,000 LED lights, making it glisten like a beautiful ice sculpture at night. At Animal Kingdom, Mickey’s Jamin’ Jungle Parade becomes the Jingle Jungle Parade. Epcot’s World Showcase gets a multicultural holiday make-over where the 11 world showcases display holiday traditions from around the world. Disney’s Hollywood Studios is home to The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights. The Streets of America are completely draped in lights, and then brought to life with music. Amazing.

Of course, decorating isn’t just reserved for the theme parks. All of the resort hotels get an astounding dash of decorating as well. Christmas trees and completely edible, over-sized gingerbread houses can be found in resort hotels as well. The Contemporary has a Mary Blair gingerbread piece, while The Grand Floridian has a life sized Victorian gingerbread house. Head inside the gingerbread house to purchase your own gingerbread nibbles and sweet snacks. The Beach Club Resort has a life sized carousel with chocolate horses, The Boardwalk has a gingerbread gazebo, and the Yacht Club has it’s own miniature gingerbread village, complete with a train set. You could have a wonderful, holiday outing just visiting different resorts to see their holiday decor.

Wilderness Lodge Bridge Decoration

Wilderness Lodge Christmas Tree

Animal Kingdom Lodge Christmas Tree

Grand Floridian Gingerbread House

Grand Floridian Christmas

Grand Floridian Christmas Tree

*Whew* That is just a touch of the holiday festivities at WDW, and I’m exhausted just thinking about it all. How special it would be to see it all! Next post I will tell you more about the holiday going-ons at Walt Disney World, such as Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Epcot’s Candlelight Processional.

W.T.D.W. – Dinosaur at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Posted on November 6, 2013 by waltdisneyworldblog

Rrrrroooaaarrr!!! It’s been one of those mornings. Do you know what I mean? The kind where you especially don’t want to get out of bed, and then when you do get up, everything that is normally a simple part of your routine turns into one BIG disaster after another. And then when you go to make coffee (which normally hubby does) you realize that there are no beans ground, so you have to get out the grinder and whip up a whole new batch. (We love to grind our own coffee – it tastes better that way. But really! It’s bad news when you just want it brewed already.) It’s one of those mornings here. That’s why I’m drinking from the Donald mug. In my mind, (and probably under my breath) this morning I muttered a lot the way good ol’ Donald does. But all in all, everything managed to come together – as it usually does.

Today on WHAT TO DO WEDNESDAY we are visiting Dinosaur at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. This was one of the original attraction when Animal Kingdom opened 1998. (Wow, does that make anyone else feel old?)

The story goes like this: You are visiting scientists at the Dino Institute. They have the amazing ability to travel back in time in special vehicles called Time Rovers to study dinosaurs. You are lucky enough to get to join in for a tour – traveling back to the late Cretaceous period. Your scientist guide is on the lookout for a specific dinosaur – the Iguanodon. The problem is, the last known location of the dino was just before a life-destroying meteor shower hits the earth. Determined, your scientist secretly takes you to the dangerous period in search of the Iguanodon despite the inherent dangers.

Guests climb aboard a jeep like vehicle, your Time Rover, and set out, traveling back in time to find the dino. On your mission you move through rough jungle terrain encountering many types of dinosaurs in search of the Iguanodon. The pressure is on as the meteor shower draws closer and closer.

This ride is dark, suspenseful, a bit rough, and exciting with realistic looking dinosaurs all around that move and “breathe.” It’s certainly thrilling. Kiddos need to be 40″ tall to ride. With plenty of darkness, sharp movement, loud noises, and surprises Dinosaur could certainly frighten young ones.

I enjoy this attraction because of the obvious reasons: dinosaurs are rad and the suspense is fun. But, I think it’s the unique way the time rover vehicle moves that really gives Dinosaur the thrills. The vehicle manages to move as though you are in an all-terrain vehicle going over some serious rocks and craters. I love the movement of being pitched and pulled around in the vehicle.

FASTPASS is available for Dinosaur, and I suggest you use it. This attraction is always popular and the queue can get long.

W. T. D. W. – Finding Nemo – The Musical at Animal Kingdom

Posted on October 16, 2013 by waltdisneyworldblog

Fall is here, and in the mid-Atlantic region where we live, that has meant much cooler weather, a lot of rain, cloudy days, and cooling temperatures. There’s a lot to love about fall. Halloween, colorful trees, pumpkin baked goods, and hot apple cider are a few of my personal favorites. But I’m still missing the hot, beachy days of summer, and I haven’t quite finished mourning their passing yet. So for this week’s WHAT TO DO WEDNESDAY, I am taking us to warm, coral reef waters with Finding Nemo -The Musical at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. This charming Broadway-style show opened in January of 2007, and personally, I think it makes a superb addition to Animal Kingdom.

The Basics: This show calls DinoLand U.S.A. home in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Finding Nemo – The Musical runs about 5 times a day, so you have several opportunities to find a time slot that works with your schedule. This is what I think of as a mini-musical. It has all of the wonderful things a musical has – a story, acting, dialog, and of course plenty of great tunes. The Finding Nemo show runs about 40 minutes, all in one act. Stylistically, this is the Finding Nemo story told with wonderful music and the magic of puppeteering. This a show that will befriend adults, charm little ones, and probably even get a smile out of a teenager.

Why I Love it:

Style – This show is so pretty. The colors alone are so enticing, but it is the puppeteering that really makes it magical. The puppets and the puppeteers, especially the main characters (Nemo, Marlin, Dory, etc.) stand together and apart simultaneously. It’s so fascinating. Other times, the puppets take the focus, and the puppeteer is almost unseen. Some of the puppets are so large they take several puppeteers to bring them to life, such as Crush and the pelican. It’s amazing how everyone moves together to bring one idea to the audience.
Length – This attraction is just the right length. 40 minutes gives you time to sit down in a beautiful theater, where you can rest your feet and enjoy the air conditioning. But, 40 minutes isn’t too long either. You are entertained and engaged, and it doesn’t take an overly large chunk of your day. AND, probably most importantly, it’s not too long for kids to sit still through. Especially because the show is in constant motion.
Interaction – There are many times where the puppeteers enter the audience area, which really immerses you in the musical. My favorite part is the jellyfish. Puppeteers with giant jellyfish on poles make them appear just as if they were floating in the ocean. It’s really neat. I also happen to really like jellyfish. As long as they are nowhere near me when I am swimming in the ocean.

From my experiences visiting this attraction over the last few years, I have put together some helpful hints for you.

Tips:

Plan a show time. At the start of your day check your Guidemap and Times Guide to see when the show is scheduled for the day. Come up with one or two of the performance times that you think would fit your schedule. If you don’t pick a time, you may find yourself leaving the park having missed all of the performance times. I like to couple the show with lunch. For example I may go see the 11:00 AM show and eat lunch right after. OR, I may have lunch first and then see the 1:00 PM after eating.
Arrive Early. While the theater is large, it can only hold so many guests. If you wait until 11:55 to show up for the 12:00 show, you may find the theater full. Arrive at the show queue about 30 minutes prior to the performance to give yourself the best chance of getting a seat at your chosen performance time. Animal Kingdom is a big place, give yourself plenty of time to walk to the theater as well.
Don’t stress about your seat. Seriously. I’ve sat in several different places in this theater, closer to the stage, further back, more to the side – and I’ve enjoyed it equally every time.
Think forward. – While I think this is a very family/kid friendly show – there are always kids who can’t make it through. If you have a little one with a short attention span, or who may become frightened in the dark after an extended time, grab a seat near the exit so you can easily slip out if you need to.

Have a great day everyone! And remember: Just keep swimming…

W. T. D. W. – TriceraTop Spin – Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Posted on September 11, 2013 by waltdisneyworldblog

I realized this morning that whenever I’m planning my next WHAT TO DO WEDNESDAY post, my favorite thrill rides always try to sneak their way to the top of the list. But hey, maybe you’ve got kiddos that aren’t able to do thrill rides, or maybe you look like my brother over here at the thought of attractions such as Expedition Everest. Or perhaps you’re just one of those people who enjoys any type of attraction – calm to wild. With that in mind this week, WHAT TO DO WEDNESDAY is heading to a very enjoyable, kid-friendly attraction: TriceraTop Spin at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom is divided up into seven lands: Oasis, Discovery Island, Camp Minnie-Mickey, Africa, Rafiki’s Planet Watch, Asia, and DinoLand U.S.A. Each land has its own personality and flavor. I bet you can guess which land TriceraTop Spin is in…

Within DinoLand U.S.A. there is a wildly colorful, dinosaur themed mini-land designed to represent a midway carnival called Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama. Here you’ll find a series of carnival style games such as Basketball Toss and Whack ‘Em (with a mallet), funky mirrors, photo-booths, and two rides: Primeval Whirl and TriceraTop Spin. Some people I know get very pumped about good ol’ Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama:

TriceraTop Spin is an uncomplicated concept designed from the idea of an old-school, tin push top. Get it!?! TriceraTOP Spin!

Moving on… The base of the ride, shaped like the old-school top, is orange, red, turquoise, and blue with whimsical little gold stars. Arms extend from the base sporting turqoisy-green Triceratops dinosaurs that are waiting to give you a spin around in the air. (I bet you didn’t know Triceratops could fly.) There is even a blazing comet that spins around the top going the opposite direction of riders.

Each Triceratops can seat up to 4 people amongst its two rows. The fun part about this ride is that each row has a joystick which controls your individual dinosaur. The back row controls how high or low the dino flies, while the front row can tip the dino forward or backward. I think for a kid, this is fantastic. How exciting, to be able to make your dinosaur fly higher or lower as you see fit. Adults will enjoy the breeze on their faces and the views that the higher vantage point offers.

TriceraTop Spin is definitely a simple pleasure. But sometimes it’s the simple things that we remember the most – especially when you’re a kid.

M.M. – Mickey’s Premium Ice Cream Bar

Posted on August 26, 2013 by waltdisneyworldblog

Pictured above my friends, is pure happiness. A perch in the shade with my favorite ice cream treat in the ENTIRE WORLD: Mickey’s Premium Ice Cream Bar. Welcome back to MUNCHY MONDAY, the tastiest day of the week.

Mickey’s Premium Ice Cream Bar:

noun

Perfection. A frozen serving of silky, creamy vanilla ice cream covered with a thick, rich chocolate shell in the shape of the iconic Mickey ears.

Mickey’s Premium Ice Cream Bar is a whole-lotta-name. My family and I usually just call it a Premium Bar, and I’ll treat you all like one of the gang and refer to it as such here. Sold exclusively by Disney, we can thank Nestle for bringing this delight to us. The bar comes packaged in a red, blue, and white wrapper featuring a smiling Mickey face. (You can see the wrapper stuck under my cup in the picture above.) Now-a-days you can find a Premium Bar just about anywhere on Walt Disney World property. They’re available at all theme parks, as well as Downtown Disney, from an ice cream cart. You won’t have to trek far in any park to find one of these carts set up with a big, blue umbrella and a sign displaying what goodies it offers. You may also be able to find a Premium Bar in the food court of your WDW Resort Hotel. Just ask a cast member if your hotel serves them up.

Now that you know where to find them, let’s talk strategy. Everyone has a different approach to how they eat a Premium Bar. Hubby, as seen to the left, digs right in, biting off an ear. He prefers to enjoy the chocolate & vanilla flavors together in bites. I’m not really a bite-my-ice cream kinda gal. I like to savor the ice cream slowly as it melts. So I very carefully eat the chocolate shell first and then eat the vanilla ice cream layer by softly melting layer. You can see below, how I’ve already got the side of the chocolate coating off, exposing the vanilla ice cream. My strategy also makes the Premium Bar last longer. Win.

Like Pineapple Dole Whip, I shamelessly eat more than one of these during a WDW trip. I simply love them. They’re the ideal treat – sweet, cool, and refreshing. Incidentally, I’ve discovered that despite of the countless hours I’ve spent at Walt Disney World and the many, many times I’ve enjoyed this treat, I have very few pictures of it. I will say that this reason is probably two pronged. Firstly, it’s so tasty you want to eat it immediately, and photographing it doesn’t really come into consideration. Secondly, we usually visit WDW in the summer. And it’s HOT. There is little-to-no time for snapping pictures before you start to have a melting mess on your hands. But the melting mess, especially when you’re a kid, is part of the fun.

W.T.D.W. – Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Posted on August 14, 2013 by waltdisneyworldblog

Jambo, and welcome back to WHAT TO DO WEDNESDAY! I drew my inspiration for this post from my run this morning. The weather here is spectacular today; warm without humidity under a brilliantly blue sky with plenty of sunshine. It’s a perfect day to be outside, and I am certainly heading back out there once this post is wrapped up. In the mean time, you’d better believe the windows are open and the breeze is drifting in.

One of the best things to do at Walt Disney World when the weather is nice is to check out Animal Kingdom – especially early in the morning during the summer when it gets hot. The park is beautifully, lushly landscaped with plants from all around the world. And animals, especially birds, are in view just about everywhere. On a nice day I love to just stroll around and admire everything. But walking around a park, as enjoyable as it is, doesn’t make for an exciting blog post. So instead we’re heading to Africa in Disney’s Animal Kingdom to check out Kilimanjaro Safaris: an outdoor safari that gives you a unique, close-up view of over 30 species of African wildlife on a 110 acre wildlife reserve.

I am pumped this week to be able to share a short clip of our last expedition at Kilimanjaro Safaris! The video allows you to see how closely you get to view the animals, as well as how meticulously Disney recreated their natural environment on the Harambe Wildlife Reserve. Look closely, you can also see the safari vehicles you ride in. I am sharing this video in good faith that you will not laugh too loudly at my filming skills. It’s not the most gracefully captured footage, and I certainly didn’t get fancy with my clip splicing. However, it’s video! And I think it’s a lot of fun to take a real look at what it’s like to be on board this attraction.

As you advance down the queue for Kilimanjaro Safaris, keep your eyes up. Spaced out down the walk ramp are signs for animals that call the safari home with their name in Swahili. For example, elephant is “tembo,” giraffe is “twiga,” and lion is “simba.” We always have fun testing how many we can remember. At the bottom of the queue you climb aboard a free-roaming, all-terrain truck and start your safari. While the trucks never move much faster than a crawl, get your camera ready and keep it handy because you’ll have some amazing photo opportunities – but they can come and go quickly. The driver of your vehicle is on an amplified headset so they can speak to you from behind the wheel. During the safari they point out the animal in view and give you plenty of interesting facts and information about them. Additionally, above your head in the vehicle is a picture guide with species names of animals that can be seen on Kilimanjaro Safaris.

Kilimanjaro Safaris lasts about 20 minutes as you wind your way through the Harambe Wildlife Reserve. Disney hides feeding stations around the vehicle trail, so the animals are encouraged to stay in view for guests. As the animals are all free roaming, you never know what you will or won’t see, making each time you visit an individual experience.

The variety of exotic species present is notable. There are fan favorites such as elephants, lions, giraffe, flamingos, and hippos, as well as more rare species such as ankole cattle, marabou stork, okapi, and helmeted guinea fowl. This attraction is ageless, young and old are fascinated and delighted by the animals.

I do advise that you visit this attraction early in the morning or later in the evening in the summer when temperatures are at their peak. You have a better chance of seeing more animal activity. You also have a better chance of not spending a lot of time in the queue. I often like to visit this attraction twice in a day. On one trip through the safari I will take pictures of all I see. On the second trip it’s nice to simply sit back, relax, and enjoy the view. When you’re not trying to capture pictures you can really see all this incredible attraction has to offer.

As always, asante sana – thank you very much! See you next time.

WTDW – The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror & Expedition Everest!

Posted on July 31, 2013 by waltdisneyworldblog

Welcome to week two of WHAT TO DO WEDNESDAY! We kicked off the initial WTDW (What To Do Wednesday) last week by visiting two of our favorite attractions: Pirates of the Caribbean at Magic Kingdom and Soarin’ at Epcot. This week we are rounding out the main parks by visiting two of our favorite thrill rides, one from Disney’s Hollywood Studios and one from Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios – Stroll down Sunset Boulevard to find this delightfully eerie attraction that’s based on the old television series The Twilight Zone. The story goes that in 1939, something unusual and unexplainable happened to guests in an elevator during a nasty thunderstorm at The Hollywood Tower Hotel. The glitzy hotel was left abandoned and frozen in time, until now. Upon entering the hotel, you’ll pass through the lobby where ornate rugs, luggage, dead plants, and a welcome desk are covered in dust and cobwebs. Creepy and off-centered bellhops give you strange looks and guide you through the hotel. You make a first stop into a library filled with hard cover volumes, vintage telephones, globes and busts. The lights go out suddenly and an old television set springs to life with a Twilight Zone style movie, recounting the mysterious 1939 events that left the hotel deserted. You are then invited, if you dare, to travel to the basement and step into a service elevator much like the one the guests rode many years ago. Once seated in the elevator you will find yourself rising up and moving forward to enter the “5th dimension.” The elevator will then begin a series of drops and rises which will have your heart hammering and palms sweating. The sequence of drops is randomized so you never know what to expect. Sometimes you have several long drops. Sometimes you shoot upwards, pause and then drop a little, before plummeting down all over again. Sometimes the elevator rises to the top of the shaft, and the doors open to reveal a spectacular, albeit brief view before you fall.

You have to put on your big kid pants and muster up some courage to brave this ride. I’ve visited this attraction dozens of times, and my nerves waver every time I walk into that hotel and get into that elevator. (It’ll make you think twice about getting into ANY elevator!) But let’s face it, I crave that pit in the bottom of my stomach – being scared is half the fun.

Guests must be at least 40 inches tall to ride, and guests who are claustrophobic or children afraid of the dark may want to consider passing it by.

Expedition Everest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom – Rising into the sky, a snowy peak beckons guests to experience the excitement of Expedition Everest. Join the quest to discover the legend of the Yeti, the guardian of the forbidden mountain.

Opening in spring of 2006 this is the newest high-thrill roller coaster to join the Walt Disney World fleet, and one of the newest attractions at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Upon entering the queue, guests are guided through a covered area where large metal bells are suspended, begging for someone to reach up and give them a swing so they can sing out. I hit every one I can reach, even if that means jumping and swinging my arms like a monkey. All of the bells are different sizes and therefore have different sounds. Prayer flags dance in the breeze over stone yeti statues piled high with fruit offerings. Next you enter the Yeti museum devoted to the pursuit and legend of the elusive snow monster. Artifacts and fossils are in glass cases, photos, drawings, and maps hang on the walls among plenty of signs displaying quotes endorsing the existence of the Yeti. Camping equipment from Yeti seeking excursions is scattered everywhere – snow shoes are mounted on the wall, while mittens and campfire coffeepots dangle from the ceiling. You almost want to have to wait for this coaster so you can check out all of the compelling evidence supporting this monstrous mountain dweller.

After passing through the museum you come to a platform, where you board a train to pass through the forbidden mountain and embark on your quest to discover the Yeti. With a puff of steam the train pulls of the station and begins to twist and turn before making a steep ascent up the mountain. (I love this part – gravity is pulling your back into the seat, but looking left and right grants you breathtaking views of WDW’s property!) As the train begins to ease down the hill and curve around, the train comes to a halt as broken track is exposed, leaving nowhere to go. The track literally flips upside down behind you, and with a woosh the train is suddenly flying backwards on an entirely new path. This roller coaster is full of twists and turns as you plunge through the mountain with the Yeti right on your heels.

This is one my all-time favorite attractions WDW. It’s the perfect blend of special effects, speed, smooth twists and turns, and drops that make my stomach flip. It’s also just fat lot of fun. Who doesn’t want to hop on a run-away train to a forbidden mountain in search of a legendary monster?!? Expedition Everest was an exceptional addition to Disney’s Animal Kingdom (I wouldn’t mind seeing a couple of similar new attractions there, *sigh*). Anyway, this is always the first thing we do once we arrive to Animal Kingdom in the morning. However, the jury is still out on whether or not breakfast should be consumed before or after riding!

Guests must be 44 inches or taller to ride. There are dark sections in this roller coaster, as well as loud noises that could be frightening to young children.

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