Margaret & Ian's life together, including Ian's MINIs!
A couple years ago we first learned of the annual Easter Egg display at Disney Grand Floridian, and this year we remembered to return for another look – many are new and different, though I spotted a couple of repeats … lots of photos for you to enjoy (but you can’t smell them, like we could); see how many movies you can spot!
One of the best “extra cost” tours at Walt Disney World is the Wild Africa Trek that gives you a slower and better visit to the animals at Animal Kingdom Safari – and we just did our sixth time!
Always a chance of great photos, with close / feeding time views of hippos and savannah views of giraffe, wildebeest, elephants, with the truck actually stopping for a chance to photograph and enjoy the views. Combined with delicious lunch in view of those same animals …
Here’s some hippo feeding time:
Then walking across “rickety bridges” (with lots of harness safety) over the nile crocodiles!
After this we get on the truck and drive the same savannah route as the regular safari vehicles, but with pull-off places for stopping (where we’re allowed to walk about the truck for best views!)
After lunch, we’re driven out past the rhinos / cheetahs / lions – with a chance of photos but less chance today than some other trips …
Also included in the (significant) cost of the tour, is professional photos from our guides, downloadable online the day after the tour – here’s some great selections from their collection:
(previous tours: January 2011, March 2012, January 2013, March 2014, March 2015)
Our first visit to Toy Story Land at Disney Hollywood Studios – it’s a very nicely themed colorful area, but with long lines for the new (slinky dog roller coaster and alien spinning) rides so we didn’t try them – but we did have a fast pass for the (older) Toy Story Mania, and it was so much less busy that we got on three times within half an hour! Took lots of colorful photos, too.
We also watched The Little Mermaid show, and the new Dumbo movie trailer (which made it even less likely we will bother watching the full movie!) – and stayed for the spectacular but hard to photograph Star Wars “fireworks” which is much more a lighting show and photo story sequence, than a traditional fireworks …
Driving from 429 along Plant St into town, we pass a lone tree with a huge bald eagle nest – and today the youngster appears to be getting ready to fly, with parents nearby:
This might be our last year to see the eagles here; the land is for sale or sold …
Today seemed to be a particular good Africa Safari drive at Animal Kingdom! I took my high zoom camera which certainly helps capture better views – but there were many animals about and easily visible, too. Our driver seemed better than some as well, pausing enough for me to get quite a few good shots, though some animals (Mandrills, Cheetah, for example) are always hard to see!
Beyond the safari drive, we saw Kevin (from “Up”) and also walked the Africa and Asia trails for more animal views …
We finished our Animal Kingdom trip with lunch at Sanaa (we’ve not been for nearly two years!), which meant more chances to see animals in the savannah between the hotel buildings …
It’s springtime which means it’s time for the Epcot Flower & Garden Festival – beautiful flower beds and flower sculptures around the park, and lots of photo opportunities!
Here’s some of the many “sculptures”:
Oakland Nature Preserve is close enough to drive over and enjoy an evening stroll, and tonight we saw a Gopher Tortoise in it’s hole, and only one small Alligator …
