Tag Archives: Expedition Everest

WDW Things I’m Most Looking Forward to…

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You, my Disney-loving friend, will recognize the feeling: It seems like forever since we last visited our favorite vacation destination. Our dining plans were made months ago, our FastPasses have been booked, our Magic Bands should arrive any time and the wait is nearly over! Now that I can finally say, “Next month I’m going to Walt Disney World!”, here are 30 completely random things I’m looking forward to…

Would any of these be on your list?

  • Dinner at Morimoto Asia
  • The scent of Bay Lake Tower’s lobby
  • Every detail in Animal Kingdom (like how the sounds in Pandora change throughout the day)
  • Pre-race people-watching in our runDisney corrals
  • Dawa Bar beer
  • Looking out over Animal Kingdom from the tea train on Expedition Everest
  • Yellow Monorail / Walt Disney World
  • Singing with the Dwarfs in the mine…Heigh-HO!
  • Crossing finish lines!
  • Monorail announcements!
  • Our 2019 Strategy - Epcot's International Food & Wine Festival
  • Crispy Pork Belly
  • 19.3 miles of one-on-one time with Joseph at Disney World
  • Yak & Yeti eggroll
  • Every second on the PeopleMover (gotta rest those feet!)
  • That first glimpse of Cinderella Castle
  • Balloon vendors on Main Street U.S.A.
  • Soaking up my favorite Spaceship Earth scenes (for a little while longer)
  • Watching for Raymond on the race courses (and trying not to run by him accidentally)
  • The Backside of WATER!
  • “There’s a great big beautiful tomorrow….”
  • Everything in Mitsukoshi
  • Random character meetings
  • A maintenance service elevator waiting just for me
  • The wildest ride in the wilderness!

That was only 30 things and there are about a million more! I can’t remember when I’ve been more excited about vacation…time to start packing! Are you headed to Walt Disney World this fall? What are you most excited about?

Animal Kingdom Turns Twenty! 20 Things to Love

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We’ve made no secret of our love for Disney’s Animal Kingdom.  We love it even more now that Joseph’s been a Disney College Program Cast Member there for the past several months.  From the lush landscaping to the nature trails, the thrill rides, and the excellent entertainment – Animal Kingdom has a lot going for it.  The theming is arguably its best feature.  Joe Rohde and his amazing team of Imagineers totally outdid themselves on this park.  100% a FULL-DAY park, Animal Kingdom offers a Disney experience unlike any other and on this very special occasion, I’d be pleased to tell you why.

Animal Kingdom Turns Twenty! 20 Things to Love

  1. The Tree of Life – Take the time to really study this Imagineering marvel…There’s something new to discover on every visit.Kilimanjaro Safari Elephant
  2. Creatures great and small – Trail, Trek or Safari – both the animals and their habitats are interesting and entertaining.  Such a variety of fauna, it’s almost impossible to take them all in during a single visit.
  3. Entertainment – The shows (Festival of the Lion King and Finding Nemo-The Musical) are awesome, but the Burudika Band and African acrobats are even more exciting (to our family, at least).  If you can spot the elusive DiVine, she’s pretty cool too.
  4. Tusker House – Best character meal to our family – the food and friendliness there cannot be beat.
  5. Flight of Passage – The absolute pinnacle of planet Pandora, this attraction is a feast for the senses.
  6. Dawa Bar – A must-do on every visit, this centrally located watering hole is the best place to grab an adult beverage right in the middle of Animal Kingdom’s hustle and bustle.Details along the Maharajah Jungle Trek
  7. Being transported to other continents.  More immersive than World Showcase, Animal Kingdom’s Africa and Asia are indescribably well done.  Down to the tiniest detail – every aspect is amazing.
  8. Baby animals – From gorillas to hippos, elephants, and even naked mole rats…the babies are wonderful to see.Expedition Everest Queue Yeti Museum
  9. Yeti!  A broken yeti is better than no yeti at all.  Expedition Everest is such a fantastic thrill and the best attraction in Animal Kingdom (to me).  An added bonus, is that the queue alone for this attraction is unsurpassed in its entertainment value.
  10. Harambe Market – We loved it even before Joseph started spending nearly every waking hour working there.  It’s so well-themed and the food is outstanding.  Get there early to snag a shaded table and soak up the atmosphere.Bird in Animal Kingdom
  11. Birds!  Whether they’re flying overhead, building nests in the aviaries on the animal trails, or performing in the bird show in Asia (used to be Flights of Wonder, Now UP! A Great Bird Adventure), these birds have given us a whole new appreciation for their species.
  12. Wilderness Explorers – Fun for all ages!  If you’re going to be in the park all day (as I strongly suggest), jump on into this fun, educational, and entertaining badge-earning activity.
  13. Primeval Whirl – For our family, this funky little ride in Dinoland U.S.A. is the best reason to visit this area of the park.  It’s weird and wacky and wonderfully whirly.View of Kali River
  14. Kali River Rapids Queue – The ride’s okay, but the queue is worth checking out at least once.  Gorgeous, detailed, and well-themed…I believe it’s also underappreciated.
  15. Yak & Yeti Local Food Cafes – This busy little walk-up window by the Yak & Yeti restaurant serves up my favorite Animal Kingdom snack – the humble yet delicious and satisfying egg roll.  Need a snack or a bargain meal?  This is the place.
  16. Sunset – Ah, the beauty of staying all day!  Sunset is magical in Animal Kingdom no matter where you are in the park!  Safari?  Great!  Expedition Everest?  Gorgeous view!  Tree of Life?  Not to be missed…you get my point.
  17. Nomad Lounge – We knew it wouldn’t stay a secret forever and it’s very busy these days, but if you can snag a table, this wonderful oasis near the entrance to Pandora is arguable one of, if not THE best lounge in Walt Disney World.
  18. The Views – Everywhere you look in Animal Kingdom, there are wonderful sights to see, but if you take the time to really notice, the views can be breathtaking.
  19. Tiffins – It’s expensive and the food is maybe not for everyone, but this signature restaurant contains some of the most interesting decorations, menu, and Animal Kingdom history to be found anywhere.  The wine flights are awesome and if you go, be sure to ask your server to tell you about the artwork on the walls.
  20. The memories.  We’ve got so many cherished family memories of our time spent in Animal Kingdom.  (And Joseph has all his Disney College Program memories to add to his.)  Animal Kingdom is absolutely a unique and wonderful place to make magical memories on every visit.

 

Disney Vacation – Next Week!

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My plans for Labor Day Weekend involve packing!  We’ll be off to Orlando next Friday and sail from Port Canaveral on Saturday.  Right now we’ve got our eyes on Hurricane Irma and are hoping she moves right on along before the Fantasy sets sail.

Disney Vacation – Next Week!

We’re staying pre-cruise near the airport.  Since we have already booked three more visits to Disney World during the next 8 months, we don’t have the DVC points to spare for one night.  We’ve stayed at this hotel before another cruise and it worked out well.  Initially, we thought we’d just hang out at the hotel and be well rested and ready to go on Saturday.  Ha!  No way could we be that close to Disney World and stay away.  Plus, there’s that new promotion for DVC members that offers a 30% discount at certain restaurants for dining before 6:30 pm or after 8:30 pm (through September 30th).

Our plane lands around noon and once we’ve gotten our luggage and checked into the hotel, we’ll be taking some form of transportation to Animal Kingdom. (We are still undecided what to use, suggestions welcome!).

Of course we couldn’t get a FastPass for Flight of Passage, but Raymond will still get to explore Pandora for the first time.  Our afternoon consists of Asia first – FastPass for Expedition Everest.  Pandora second – FastPass for Na’vi River Journey.  Finally, we’ll use our last FastPass for Kilimanjaro Safaris in Africa.  Between FastPasses, we’ll have time to wander at our leisure.  I’m certain we’ll make a stop at the Dawa Bar for a refreshment.  Once we finish the safari, it’ll be time to go.

We’ll be wrapping up the evening with an early dinner (6:00 pm) at Jiko.  We love that place!  Eating early to take advantage of the special discount will give us plenty of time to relax and enjoy our dinner without rushing.  By 8:00, we should be ready to head back to our hotel and call it a day.  The next morning we’ll be on our way to our first sailing on the Disney Fantasy.

I’ll be taking tons of pictures and will have much to report when we get home.  Our Eastern Caribbean itinerary should look like this (Irma, be gone!):

Day Port Ashore Onboard
1 Port Canaveral, Florida — 3:45 PM
2 At Sea — —
3 At Sea — —
4 Tortola, British Virgin Islands 7:30 AM 5:45 PM
5 St. Thomas/St. John, US Virgin Islands 7:45 AM 4:00 PM
6 At Sea — —
7 Disney Castaway Cay 9:30 AM 4:45 PM
8 Port Canaveral, Florida 7:30 AM —

Tomorrow I’ll be back with the details of our port excursions, dining plans and all we’re looking forward to on this trip!

Have you sailed on the Fantasy?  What did you enjoy the most?

 

Magical Memories – When Expedition Everest Opened

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Sometimes we need the kind of getaway that only a Disney vacation can provide.  While I treasure the memories from all our family vacations, one trip in particular stands out in my mind as being especially cherished for several reasons.

When Expedition Everest Opened

Spring Break, 2006.  This vacation was unusually important to our family.  In December, 2005, we’d been terrified by a potentially serious health scare.  After a series of tests followed by a lymph node biopsy and a seemingly interminable wait for lab results, we found out that Raymond did not have cancer and was, in fact, perfectly fine.  Weeks of worry through the holiday season had taken a toll on all of us.  By mid-January, I knew we needed a Disney vacation as soon as possible.  The Disney Bubble beckoned.  As a family, we needed to regroup, recharge, and regain our equilibrium.  December had been incredibly stressful and we badly needed to shake off the lingering aftereffects.  The fastest I could manage to get us to Disney World was by Spring Break.

Megan was 15, Joseph 10 and they got along exceptionally well (and still do). While he’s a thrill ride junkie and she’s in love with all of Disney’s live shows, they compromised well enough that year for each to do and see everything they wanted.  We were completely blown away by Animal Kingdom and could not believe our good fortune when we found out that Expedition Everest was in soft-opening status.  We snagged FastPasses and also used the standby line which seemed to us an Imagineering marvel – such detail!  So incredibly entertaining and is still today my favorite queue at Disney World.  I remember when we boarded the tea train for the first time how tiny all the plants were on that first segment of the ride.  All in neat rows, we could tell they’d just been planted.

As we climbed the Forbidden Mountain and took in the view, we had no idea what to expect.  When we came to the broken tracks, flew backwards, saw the Yeti’s shadow and heard the Yeti’s “voice”, we were completely and utterly amazed by the perfect combination of thrilling ride and amazing details.  Then we saw the actual Yeti in all its glory!  Huge, entirely covered with brown dreadlocks and with an enormous simian arm that reached right out and took a swipe at us…we were in awe!  The experience was unforgettable – we’d found the YETI and we wanted to get back up that mountain immediately to see it all again!Expedition Everest Queue Yeti Museum Expedition Everest Train Platform Gear Animal Kingdom's Expedition Everest

We rode multiple times that day and again later in the week.  Thanks to some kind strangers who gave us four FastPasses for Everest on their way out of the park, Megan and Joseph used all four to ride twice more.  They ended up riding this newest, most wonderful ride a total of seven times before we went home.

Disney magic has always worked wonders for our family, but Spring Break, 2006 is a particularly remarkable example.  Never had we needed a vacation more and our favorite vacation destination did not let us down.  As the week ended, we found ourselves soothed and tired (in a good way).  We were ready to get back on track with our busy lives when we got home.

Is Disney World your happy place?  What Disney vacation stands out most in your memory?