03/02 - Animal Kingdom

Drew and I arrived at Disney's Animal Kingdom shortly after 8am, and by the time we parked his car and made our way through security, it was around 8:30am when we finally entered the park itself. Our first stop was Africa, so that we could go for a ride on the Kilimanjaro Safaris. We got to see a lot of animals today, such as okapi, storks, bongos, kudus, black and white rhinoceroses, pelicans, hippos, crocodiles, giraffes, painted dogs, zebras, elands, gazelles, elephants, flamingoes, cheetahs, lions, warthogs, and goats. Missing from our viewing today were some regulars, like the wildebeasts and ostriches. The animals that we were able to see were generally close and active, which provided great viewing opportunities.

After our safari ride, we made our way to Asia to check out the Maharajah Jungle Trek. Our goal here was to see Bakso, the newest Sumatran tiger. We were lucky to see him while he was still active (the last time I saw him he was mainly resting). We also saw his father, Conrad, in his own enclosure. We were treated by a horny water buffalo, who attempted to mate with a female water buffalo before, uh... tasting her urine? We wrapped up our trek by wandering through the aviary while seeing a variety of interesting and pretty birds.

Continuing our walk around Discovery Island, we made our way to Dinoland U.S.A. to take a ride on DINOSAUR, as it is likely Drew's last opportunity to enjoy it. This ride is definitely jerky and could use an update, but I am sad to see it go to make way for what is presumed to be an Indiana Jones ride as part of the conversion of Dinoland U.S.A. into the new Tropical Americas portion of Animal Kingdom.

We headed back to Discovery Island next, this time to take in the It's Tough to be a Bug! show. This show has an announced closure date of March 16th, so this is likely the last time that either of us will see it. I actually enjoy the show, but my seat didn't have any of the creepy-crawly bug effects that make it so enjoyable. I'd have rather they refurbished this show instead of closing it. Although I am glad to have something Zootopia related in the park, I'd have preferred that the Dinoland section be converted to a Zootopia land. Disney already has great rides overseas that they could have imported to be a part it, while adding to that as well. Oh well, I'm not in charge, so I guess they won't take my input on this!

We next headed over to Pandora - The World of Avatar for lunch. We ate at the Satu'li Canteen. Drew and I had a "Teylu", an all-beef hot dog wrapped in Parker House dough with vegetable chips, while we opted to split a third between us.

We headed out after lunch, with Disney's Hollywood Studios our afternoon destination...

Disney's Animal Kingdom
		The Tree of Life as we entered the park.
		A couple of black crowned cranes that we saw while waiting in line for the Kilimanjaro Safaris.
		Once our ride on the Kilimanjaro Safaris got underway, we spotted this lone okapi standing away from the trail.
		This saddle-billed stork was standing along the Kilimanjaro Safaris trailway.
		This stubborn bongo was holding up the safari ride by standing in the trail...
		...before finally moving out of the way.
		A pair of kudus standing in the bushes.
		A closer look at the bongo as it moves away from the roadway and into the bushes.
		This black rhinoceros had just taken a mud bath...
		...before we passed by.
		A few pink-backed pelicans sitting near the hippo pool.
		A few hippopotamuses huddled together in the water during our time on Kilimanjaro Safaris.
		The Nile crocodiles were sunbathing...
		...far away from the Kilimanjaro Safaris pathway we were on.
		A masai giraffe enjoying a meal as a ride vehicle passes by in the background.
		The painted dogs were out sunning this morning...
		...instead of inside of their usual cave den.
		This group of zebras were hanging out together...
		...while this one wandered off on its own.
		Some more pictures of the masai giraffes that we spotted on our ride on the Kilimanjaro Safaris today...




		A pair of elands grazing along the trail...
		...before crossing in front of...
		...an eating masai giraffe.
		Although we saw a few more, this was the only picture I managed to get of the Thompson's gazelle during our ride on the Kilimanjaro Safaris today.
		We got to see a lot of African elephants out and about today...


		...including this little baby, Corra!



		A large gathering of greater flamingos...

		...including this one showing off its wings.
		A pair of cheetahs resting...
		...as this one was along on the opposite side of their enclosure.
		A couple looks at the new Lions...
		...as they rest atop the rocks.
		A couple of white rhinoceroses, with one of them...
		...laying down to rest.
		A couple more pictures of the lionesses relaxing on the rocks...



		...along with a young lion with his mane not fully grown in yet.
		¯ When I was a young warthog! ¯
		A couple more white rhinos that we saw towards the end of our ride on Kilimanjaro Safaris...

		One of the Nigerian dwarf goats leaping off of the wardens vehicle...


		...while another rests on a table nearby.
		The tiger forest sign on the Maharajah Jungle Trek.
		Bakso, the newest Sumatran tiger cub frolicking through the grass.
		A few shots of Bakso resting after running around...


		We spotted several water buffalo on our Maharajah Jungle Trek...
		...including this fellow who tried to get frisky with this lady...
		...before - uh...
		...tasting her urine?
		He apparently liked it!

		Some bar-headed geese resting in the area near the water buffalo.
		We caught Conrad, Bakso's father, cleaning himself in his enclosure...

		Wandering through the Maharajah Jungle Trek aviary, we spotted several interesting birds, including this nicobar pigeon...
		...including this great argus.
		Another nicobar pigeon, this one looking down upon us.
		A Victoria crowned pigeon crossing the walking path through the aviary.
		An emerald dove sitting on a rope...
		...while a masked lapwing emerges from a pond.
		One last nicobar pigeon from the Maharajah Jungle Trek aviary.
		A yellow-cheeked gibbon hanging in its enclosure in Asia...
		...while a white-cheeked gibbon sits nearby...

		Drew making the walk through Asia, towards Expedition Everest - Legend of the Forbidden Mountain.
		A look at Expedition Everest - Legend of the Forbidden Mountain.
		Our last sighting of Cementosaurus, who has since been torn down as part of the Dinoland U.S.A. demolition.
		Flik dropping in for the introduction of the It's Tough to be a Bug! show.
		Some of the scenes from the It's Tough to be a Bug! show...
		...including Hopper...

		Kevin, from the movie Up!, walking around Discovery Island.
		Some pictures from Pandora - The World of Avatar...



		A look at the Discovery River while crossing the bridge from Discovery Island to the Oasis.
		A rhinoceros Iguana laying out in the Oasis.
		DiVine posing for pictures near the park entrance in the Oasis.