Today I met MINI friends for (late!) breakfast at Boma, then headed with Margaret to Disney Animal Kingdom where we took a safari ride and later watched the Finding Nemo show … a video today rather than photos :
An afternoon at Epcot
We spent this hot and sunny February afternoon at Disney Epcot – a lot of rides were busy (3/4 hour for Spaceship Earth, 2-1/2 hour line for Soarin’ for example) but we got on Living With The Land and Nemo easily enough … The flower and garden show is coming soon; some beds are planted already while others await more (nighttime) work!
We met Mickey Mouse and Goofy, too …
Animal Kingdom with iPhone
Normally when we go to Disney Animal Kingdom, I take a camera with good zoom because many animals are too far away for a camera phone – but today with pouring rain when we left home, my only camera was my iPhone; and therefore it was the best one to use!
Many photos came out fine, but the highly zoomed ones look like pixel art. Still, they are animal photos (we also walked through Pandora, you’ll spot the alien foliage!):
Lunch was at Tusker House, where we met different “animals”:
Finally, here’s some video I took (also on iPhone); this is a lot more forgiving than photos – and there’s some great footage of the month old Meerkat baby …
Animal Kingdom Lodge at Christmas
We visited Animal Kingdom Lodge to meet friends for brunch at Boma, and to view the animals in the “safari park” area (these animals are one of the few free features of Walt Disney World!). When we arrived there were only a few birds, but after our lunch there was much more to see – including a Giraffe having its lunch!
Here’s a short video of the Giraffe having its lunch, too:
Returning to Epcot after a year away
This year, with moving house and with the fact that the Disney parks are ever more busy and ever more expensive, we didn’t renew our passes – so we’ve not been to Disney since November last year (our recent visit to Disney Springs doesn’t really count, as that doesn’t require a pass to get in!)
But we recently bought passes once again and for the first time this year returned to Disney Epcot to see the Christmas decorations – of which there was surprisingly little really, other than Mickey & Minnie at the entrance, and the huge tree at the start of World Showcase.
We did our traditional rides on Soaring, NEMO, and Living With The Land – which was quite nicely decorated and the first time we’ve ever traveled through the greenhouses at night! Here’s an assortment of photos …
Disney Springs Christmas Trees 2018
Today Margaret and I visited Disney Springs (much is surprisingly much further from our new home) to take a walk through their annual Christmas Tree Trail; all the trees are themed on one of the Disney/Pixar movies / characters, and the details on many trees are very appropriate. Here’s a “forest” of photos:
Thanksgiving “camp”
Our friends Pedro and Laura come up for Thanksgiving, staying with us, sharing Disney, and joining their friends for Thanksgiving – this year we joined them.
Thanksgiving with Dan & Anne, Chris & Roxy, and their family and friends, is an amazing experience – a huge “camp” is set up at Disney’s Fort Wilderness but it’s so much unlike a camp, with full ovens, fridge / freezers, drink coolers, food warmers – and everything under tent too! And the food, both the choice and deliciousness …
The campsite
Everything including the kitchen sink
Ovens
Setting up
Food warmers
Lining up for lunch
Salads
Thanksgiving sides including amazing sweet potatoes
So many meat choices (pork, beef, venison, turkey …)
Incredibly delicious spicy deep fried turkey
Children served first
My meal!
Leftovers
Time to eat
Friends (including organizer Dan at the back)
