Day 13, Part 3
When we got to AK we decided we were pretty hungry. We stopped for a few pictures of Discovery Island then headed for Africa where we grabbed a FP for KS, then headed over to the Yak & Yeti counter service location. We had eaten there on our last visit and been really pleased with the food so we decided to go for it again.
These guys are ugly:
Nice to look at; don’t want to own one:
Pretty flowers:
I found a table near the fountain while DH ordered our food. The outdoor seating area for this CS is really well themed, though I imagine the heat is unbearable during the summer. Even with all of the noise around me, I felt very peaceful listening to the water running in the fountain.
Fountain we sat next to:
I love the theming and colors of the seating area:
We enjoyed our lunch and the warm sunshine, then headed over to ride KS one last time. We were seated almost immediately and given our own row, which was nice so we didn’t have to lean over anyone else for pictures. The CM doing the safari was fantastic! He was, by far, the best one we had ever had. He gave a lot of information on the animals, tried to slow down as much as possible to let people take pictures, and downplayed the poachers story line to the greatest extent possible. We had a really great time because of it!
Some safari photos:
When we finished the safari, we went down the Pangini Forest Trail, where I discovered that my camera had run out of batteries yet again. For some reason, the battery would just suddenly die with no warning whatsoever!
It was too bad it wasn’t working, because there were a lot of animals out that day, and many of them were really active, including the gorillas. I like both of the trails in Animal Kingdom, but I think I like the Maharaja Trek better. I think the theming is more spectacular in that area, but it is just a slight personal preference.
When we finished up with that, we stopped outside of Tusker House to watch a musical act that was going on. It was fun and pretty interesting, especially when they pulled people in from the audience. I was glad no one picked me to participate since I cannot dance.
We had about an hour left before we needed to head for the bus so we decided to stop by the Tree of Life and watch the Bug’s Life movie, which we hadn’t done for a while. I had forgotten how many effects they used in this. At least I remembered to sit forward so I wouldn’t be bashed in the back by the stinger, which I do not like at all.
Tree of Life and surrounding area (taken earlier):
Once the show was over, we decided it was time to go. At this point, I could feel myself becoming really emotional because I knew that this really was the last time. I knew we would be back and I tried to reason with myself that it wouldn’t be special if we were always there but I was having a lot more trouble than I normally do even. I suppose it was because I had spent so much time planning this trip and the wedding and now it was about to be well and truly over.
I spent the bus ride back to the CR lost in thought and a little depressed. DH tried to cheer me up and it worked somewhat but I was still really sad. It was the double whammy of post wedding and post WDW blues setting in.
When we got back to the CR we collected our luggage and waited around in the lobby, looking out the window just in case an ME bus showed up early. When we had about fifteen minutes left until our pickup time, we headed out to wait. The CR has no benches in their waiting area, which was not cool as I had to sit on my luggage. There is some seating nearby, but the bell man warned us to stay near the ME sign so the drivers wouldn’t pull through without stopping.
Ten minutes after we were supposed to be picked up, DH got tired of standing and a little grumpy so he went to sit near the entry to the CR. I declined to join him, still wondering where the bus was and still feeling super down that we had to leave.
About twenty minutes more passed. DH was just about to ask where the bus was when the bell man decided to become concerned by the situation. He asked if we could have missed it and we explained that we had gotten to the stop early and had been watching before that. He asked if we had the right information and I assured him that I had just spoken with ME about our flight that morning since we had received no documents.
The bell man took our confirmation number from me and called the ME office. It turned out that they had our flight info correct. Somehow, we had been booked to be picked up from ASMu! DH informed the bell man that we never had (and never would) stay at ASMu. The bus had been waiting for us, apparently, but had had to go on.
Finally, they got things straightened out. They were going to send a bus for us, but just then ME pulled up to pick up another guest and the bell man talked our way on. We got on board and I made DH move as he had decided to sit right behind the driver on an otherwise empty bus; I think he wanted to breathe down his neck to get us to MCO faster. I wanted to be free to tear up in peace when we saw “See Ya Real Soon!” on the exit gates.
We stopped at WL on the way out, which agitated DH, then we were off and I was trying not to be a wreck. The whole time we kept hearing the radio discussing DH and I and how we needed to be picked up, LOL.
We made it to MCO in plenty of times, our bags made it through (I was afraid they would be over weight), and we got through security quickly. We had a snack from McDonald’s and DH watched the Super Bowl on TV while I read.
Our flight home was full but uneventful with Super Bowl updates the whole way. My parents were waiting at the airport with our car and our fur baby Petey who was torn between joy at seeing us and anger at us leaving him and stayed that way for nearly a week.
When we got home, my dad had set up a cabinet I inherited from my grandma and placed some wedding things they had purchased for us inside like the wedding snow globe I had wanted but dismissed as too pricy and a stuffed wedding Mickey and Minnie. They had also put out a digital picture frame and the pictures my dad had taken at the wedding were rolling through, a nice surprise as they were the first we had seen.
All in all, we had a wonderful wedding and a wonderful trip. I can’t think of anything at all that I would have changed about the entire experience. I am so glad we did everything that we did, and I have no regrets whatsoever. All of my memories are happy ones.
I love Disney because it really is the place where dreams come true and where magic lives. When I am there, nothing else in the whole world has to matter for that little bit of time. For a moment, I believe with all of my heart that anything is possible and that wishing on a star really does work. That little piece of time reminds me of the hope I have inside and helps carry me through my day to day life. It helps me to remember just how lucky I really am, and how so many of my wishes and dreams have come true.
To everyone who has followed along: Thank you for reading. It means a lot.