Trip Report The ONE with the Bowl that was not so Super 🚽 2/5-2/9, 2021*COMPLETED*

HA HA HA!!!
Hello everybody! I returned yesterday from a last minute long weekend to WDW.
How? Who? Why? You ask. Well my Magical friends, here is everything you want to know, and maybe some things, you don’t.

It all began a few weeks ago at work when my bff/boss suggested we go to Disney for his birthday. I took him last year and we had a great time. We looked at dates and flights and room rates and hemmed and hawed for a couple days. We decided we would go President’s weekend. But my kids would be out of school and they would want to go. Then, texting with @Tuvalu she said “you’re going president’s weekend!?!?”

Ok, she didn’t say it like that but that is how I heard it in my mind. I said to my friend, M, “what the heck are we thinking? Let’s go the weekend before.” His sister/business partner/my other boss gave her blessing (then promptly booked a whole week in Florida for herself at the end of the month) and we started looking at rooms.
Pop was cheap with the AP discount so I booked.

We picked out our flights, then added a day and picked out new flights. Friday came, my day off and two weeks before departure and we had decided on everything. All we had to do was book the flights, which were $69 each way. Then I looked again and the flights were down to $49 each way. I texted M, “BOOK BOOK BOOK! This is not a drill!!!”

Then Saturday came and I canceled Pop and booked a studio at Saratoga Springs Resort using my DVC points. Bought M’s park ticket and made park reservations and some ADR’s. I also filled out the Magical Express request form and ordered a couple t-shirts.

13 days to go and we were all set.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

M got the Charcuterie plate.

I laughed when I saw it because I knew he would not eat any of it!!! It was not like the platter at Baseline that’s for sure. He kept asking me “what’s this? What’s this?” It hould come with a roadmap! I told him, “don’t worry what it is, try it, if you like it great! If not, move on.”

That platter looks AMAZING!!! I see several pate-esque things on there. That's a word, right?

Big!
Beautiful!
So.
So.
Dirty!!!

The water fountain outside.
It looks like Lumiere!

I was so tempted to take pics of the bathroom! Now I'm kind of regretting passing on that.

 

[Laurenciaa]

About the Ratatouille restrooms: I am sure they just wanted you to feel like you were getting the DLP experience

Hahahaha @Swissmiss true Words have been spoken!

 

[Darstarr]

I'm headed out to Epcot next Thursday, second day of F&G, hoping to beat the spring break crowds. Temps here near 90 (!) until a cooldown late next week. That reminds me-- time to order another Disney gift card from Target.

I didn’t mention it in my TR but the night “we” (the boys) drank around the world, I ordered a big GC, email delivery from Target while still on the bus. It arrived before I got back to the room and I loaded it onto an empty GC I held onto.

 

[Darstarr]

About the Ratatouille restrooms: I am sure they just wanted you to feel like you were getting the DLP experience

Or, they were putting the Rat in Ratatouille?

 

[Darstarr]

Glad you got some time in AK and made it on NAVI!!

Always time for Animal Kingdom

That platter looks AMAZING!!! I see several pate-esque things on there. That's a word, right?

It is now

 

[Darstarr]

Hahahaha @Swissmiss true Words have been spoken!

While looking for a rat gif I threw up in my mouth several times. Just yuck.

 

[Darstarr]

Monday February 9 cont

We made it over to the Safari. It was a slow walk on, if that makes sense. Our driver’s name was Chris and he was so good! I feel like he used to or could work on the Jungle Cruise as he had a bit of humor in his spiel. He was amazing! He stopped when there was something cool to see, even though they are not suppose to.
I won’t bore you with too many pictures. Just a few.

The black rhino was just begging to be photographed!

Hippos in their pool. It looks so peaceful!

The elephants were playful.

A flambouyance!

And the elusive, rarely photographed, CM

 

[Darstarr]

Monday February 9 cont

The highlight of the safari were the lions. It was early, about 8:30, and the male was busy marking his territory.
Vocally! Marking his territory vocally!
It wasn’t really a roar it was more like a chuff. Over and over and over. Chris slowed down and even stopped. I am sure it is cool for him too as the lions are usually just lyin’ around (sorry. Couldn’t resist)

If you scroll through these next pix quickly you can almost see the lion vocalizing.

And then he looked at us and really let it out.

The females were getting in on it too.

 

[Darstarr]

Monday February 9 cont

The warthogs were driver Chris’ favorite. I have had several drivers say their favorites are the warthogs. Hmmmm

Speaking of favorites, @Captain Barbossa , either of these your favorite???

And the new goat enclosure is finished and the goats are on stage. Looks kinda cool.
It is suppose to be the Warden’s post.

Laundry on the line is a nice touch.

 

[donaldtoo]

 

[Swissmiss]

Hmm. I’m not sure that the shirt on the far left of the clothes line is up high enough. Aren’t goats known for eating pretty much anything? (Or is that just one of my cats? )

 

[Songbird76]

Hmm. I’m not sure that the shirt on the far left of the clothes line is up high enough. Aren’t goats known for eating pretty much anything? (Or is that just one of my cats? )

That's exactly what I was thinking, and I know it's true...sheep, too. My son LOVES sheep and we go every year to a sheep adoption thing and if you "adopt" a lamb, you get to go into the enclosure with the lambs and pet them, feed them, etc. So one year we went in and a sheep tried to eat my daughter's hair, one kept nibbling on my purse, another kept nipping at my pants...they really will eat anything!

 

[Darstarr]

Hmm. I’m not sure that the shirt on the far left of the clothes line is up high enough. Aren’t goats known for eating pretty much anything? (Or is that just one of my cats? )

I was thinking the same thing. Not about your cat.

 

[Darstarr]

they really will eat anything!

If only M would take a page from the book of sheep!

 

[Darstarr]

Monday February 9 cont

After the Safari always comes the Gorilla Trek. We exited the safari and went to the Gorilla Trek entrance only it wasn’t there.

I looked around dumbfounded and finally a CM pointed me in the direction. The exit was temporarily the entrance (and the exit) because the bird enclosure was closed for a refurbishment.

The first habitat was the troop of male bachelor gorillas. They were eating their breakfast.

I asked the CM if any of these guys will ever get to have a family group of their own. She said most of these males were related and their gene pool was well represented already so probably not.

 

[Darstarr]

Monday February 9 cont

Next we went to the glass viewing area for the gorilla family.
“They should be out any minute,” said the CM checking her watch.

And with that they came rushing out, and M and I were in a prime viewing location.

And here comes the big man.

Ginos favorite spot is usually by the glass where M and I were standing, but, if you are a massive silverback your favorite spot is wherever you say it is!!!

 

[fractal]

You got some good safari photos!

 

[donaldtoo]

Slow and steady wins the race!

 

[donaldtoo]

Monday February 8 cont

We had left Hollywood. Galaxy’s Edge was packed and the line for RotR was spilling out onto the walkways. I later learned it was because this guy was joining the resistance:
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Clearly not my photo!
What is more scary? Gronk or a whole lot of Storm Troopers???

We took the skyliner to Epcot.
What was our first stop???
Everyone say it together!!!

Moosehead from Cana duh!
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Sent to X who was still golfing...
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Then we headed to Frozen. The wait times had been low between around 2:00 (I had been watching) so I wanted to go while the wait was 20 minutes.

Here we go! I knew a took a picture of one of the new signs forbidding eating and drinking on line.
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And because some things never change, even with a new phone, some blurry photos:
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More beer...!!!!!
And, what could be better than “Cana duh” in “Flori duh”...!!!!!

 

[donaldtoo]

The same thing happened to me at the Rainforest Cafe in Animal Kingdom back in July. Tuna poke. Yes, that tuna really "poked me."

Are you sure it wasn’t swordfish...!!!!!