WDW Day 7

Sunday March 14

We decided to make up our Animal Kingdom day today, and so we went over for the 9 a.m. opening. The first thing we did was jump on the Kilimanjaro Safari. They put you in big "safari" trucks, and you ride through an African wild life safari. Disney uses invisible, natural-looking barriers to separate predators from prey, as well as to keep dangerous animals away from the trucks. The neat part is it looks like they are all roaming free, and in fact, last time we went down, giraffes came right up to our truck. We saw hippos, crocs, zebras, giraffes, rhinos, gazelles, impalas and even a male lion sunning himself on a rock.

After we got off, we walked the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail before Ed's parents took the kids on Rafiki's Planet Watch train ride to go to the petting zoo. Ed and I then rode Expedition Everest, after which I said, "I'm getting too old for roller coasters!". We also had fast passes for the Khali River Rapids, which we didn't need because there was no wait. Learning from Splash Mountain, we brought ponchos, tucked them around ourselves, and then barely got wet! No matter, it was a fun ride that N probably would have loved, had he not been gun-shy from his Tower of Terror experience.

We rejoined the rest of the family for lunch before going to see the Festival of the Lion King show. This was my favorite show that last time we came, and I felt the same this time. It takes place in a theater-in-the-round stage. It is part stage show and part circus with singing, dancing, and acrobatics. This time our kids were asked to be part of the parade at the end where they pick about 5 kids from each section to come down on the floor, shake an instrument, and dance around the stage. N declined, E and K went down, but then K got scared part way through and ran back up to us. E really showed growth in sticking it out and participating- she never would have done that a year ago!

Ed and I took the kids to the Dinoland Boneyard playground while Phil and Nancy went to the Flights of Wonder show. The kids had fun climbing and going on the slides and then we cooled off with some Mickey ice cream treats.

Although Ed and I had fast passes for the Dinosaur roller coaster, we couldn't use them because we had to get over to Hollywood Studios for a 3:30 dinner. Yes. 3:30. I don't know why they schedule them so early, but it was part of a special Fantasmic Dinner package.

After our dinner, we went into the Muppet 3-D show and then to the Playhouse Disney show (which both K and N really enjoyed!). We had about 30 minutes before we had to head over to the theater, so the kids played on the HISTK playground again, and this time it was a little less crowded. Because we had bought the dinner package, we were able to go in a special entrance and sit in a reserved section of seats, avoiding a long 30- 90 minute wait for the show in the regular line. Although I had prepped the kids on how it would be loud and scary at times, I had forgotten how long the scary part was. The kids were OK though, and KK made it through the show without crying at any point. We were able to get out, and to our hotel very quickly, and were back by 9:30.