Deb's Digest

I was recently in Animal Kingdom to walk some of the animal trails. One of my favorites is just outside of Africa and part of the Discovery Island Trails. Since the Saddle-billed stork viewing area is first, we will check out what's happening!

Little did I know what a treat I was in for special treat. A Cast Member came by and told me the storks are nesting - both the Saddle-billed and the Painted Stork.

No sooner had she left and 2 animal keepers came by and shared more information with me.

While the pair of Saddle-billed Storks have built a nest before, this is the biggest nest they have built and the first time the female has laid eggs, two as of now and could lay a third. The first egg was laid on 2/4 and the next one 2/7. The gestation period is about 30-35 days which means if the eggs are fertile, there will hopefully be a little baby or more in very early March. If this happens it will be the first baby Saddle-billed Storks at Animal Kingdom.

The photos may not show, but this nest is HUGE. The Cast Member said she had put a lot of nesting materials in the area yesterday and it was all gone today.

The female was on the nest and didn't move the whole time I was there. The male was very close by hanging out.

I did learn 2 ways to tell the difference between a male and female Saddle-Billed Stork. First, the males tend to be taller. But the main difference is their eye color. The females have yellow eyes and the males brown.

See if you can spot the differences next time you are walking the Discovery Island trails!

A bit further down the trail on the same side are the Painted Storks.

I had a harder time finding their nest. It is to the right side of the viewing area down near the water. This photo can help you find it. You'll have to look through the branches.

At times the storks would be standing on the nest looking at the eggs.

Other times one would sit on the eggs. Both groups were fascinating to watch.

Here's a viewing tip -- look for the colorful signs in each viewing area. You will learn what animal/bird you are viewing, where they live in the world and additional information. This is great for both kids and adults

What is your favorite part of the Discovery Island Trails?

Thursday I went to Animal Kingdom. I really had wanted to go to the Magic Kingdom. However my TouringPlan subscription reminded me it was Extra Magic Hour at MK and a park to avoid.

My second choice was Animal Kingdom which was not crowded at all! My main reason for visiting the park was to take menu photos to update AllEars.

Actually, the parks are not crowded right now. Most Marathon folks have headed home and there is a couple day lull before the 3 day weekend coming up.

I had a great spot in the parking lot, very unusual for me - second car in. Don't you always feel like you are at the end of the LONG row? I do, but today I lucked out.

Despite the low crowds the turnstiles to enter the park were a bit backed up.

I enjoy walking through the Oasis checking out what animals and birds can be seen. There are a few different trails, so take time to explore. I love when there are Cast Members around to talk to about the various birds and animals. Today, a Cast Member was showing a skull from a Babirusa.

There is also a great little seating area off by the Baribusa area. Quiet and out of the way.

I love seeing the Tree of Life as you come out of the Oasis. Today's blue sky made for a great photo!

One thing I have noticed over the years is that artist or author park appearance are rarely announced in advance. A few years ago I was so excited to happen upon none other than Joe Rhode signing books in Animal Kingdom. His appearances at Animal Kingdom are VERY rare, but it always pays to ask at the "Times Board" and check out the stores yourself. There just might be an author or artist you would like to meet.

Creature of habit, I generally start on the left side of Animal Kingdom and make my way around. Today, I decided to head right and begin in Dinoland USA.

The longest wait I saw was for the photo op with Pluto and Goofy!

There are lots of "dinosaurs" to be found in this part of the park so be sure to look all around, even up! This dinosaur can be found in Restaurantosaurus!

A couple of dinosaurs can be seen on the Cretaceous Trail.

There is also a nice quieter area with benches and shade. This would make a good spot while you are waiting for others to ride Dinosaur.

A couple dinosaurs are also near the Dinosaur Fast Pass area!

Next I wandered over to Primeval Whirl. Pretty much a walk on. There are 2 areas to measure height, this one is cute with the animal paw prints where a child should stand.

Things were really quiet in the arcade game area. Just curious, do any of you play these games?

Really short lines today for Expedition Everest as well, about 10 minutes when I went past around 10am. Also the single rider line was closed.

I was glad to see the "test seats" still available for folks to see if they can transfer in from their wheelchair or if they will fit with the lap bar. It's nice and out of the way of the mainstream.

The last thing I did was journey along the Maharajah Jungle Trek. Be sure to pick up a guide with info about the animals along the trail.

You can also get a guide to the birds as well.

The Komodo Dragon was out sunning himself. I didn't see the Tapir - come to think of it, it's been a long time since I saw her. Anyone see the Tapir recently?

I went through the bat area, there was lots of fruit hanging for them to eat.

A couple of the tigers were out. I had a nice chat with Cast Member Dennis about the Tigers. I've said it before but these Cast members are a wonderful resource of information about the animals and birds. Don't hesitate to ask questions and engage in a conversation.

I left the park around 11:30am. You can see from the Times Board the waits were still pretty short!

A beautiful morning in my favorite park.

During the construction of Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World's Media Relations office sent out periodic updates to journalists. These were oversized full color newletters designed to acquaint the media with the newest theme park, Disney's Animal Kingdom.

The following photos were taken at Animal Kingdom but the names are unknown.

The very first inhabitants were two reticulated giraffes named Zari and Miles. At the time, Zari was a 1.5 year old female born at the Metro Washington Park Zoo in Portland, Oregon. Miles was a 2 year old male from the St. Louis Zoological Park.

The next animals to move in were seven western lowland gorillas. The family group of 4 was led by silverback Gino, a young male Hasani, and two females Hope and Benga. A bachelor group also moved into Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail (the original name of Pangani Forest Exploration Trail ) consisting of Zwadi, M'bizi and Chuma. These gorillas are endangered in the wild. All the gorillas, except Gino, came from 2 zoos in Chicago. Gino was born in the Rotterdam Zoo in the Netherlands and arrived in 1980 to the Lincoln Park Zoo.

Two African elephants round out the first group of animals to call Animal Kingdom home; Thandi and Moyo from the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma, Washington.

On my recent trip to Walt Disney World, I made sure to leave a morning to myself to wander around my favorite park. It was an overcast morning which turned out to be a great time to see some animals out and about. It's been several months since I walked around Animal Kingdom so some of what appears "different" to me may not be so new.

In the Oasis, the Spoonbills were very feisty - several were being extremely protective of the eggs they were nesting. There was a lot of bill snapping going on!

The pastries at Kusafiri were very decorative and tempting!

I don't recall seeing the Paroon Shark-Catfish before. It was hard to get a good photograph.

As I made my way into the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail, some of the signage appeared to be refreshed!

I love the aviary here and also in the Maharajah Jungle Trek! The Taveta Golden Weavers were busy flitting about. Their opening to their nests are on the bottom, to help ward off intruders. They build a "shelf" inside so they have a place to rest.

There were lots of meerkats out, don't think I have seen this many in quite some time.

And in the same viewing area, the Gerenuks! Their necks can stretch really far!

Many gorillas were out and about on this morning. I may have seen just about all of them. I actually found myself going back and forth between the two main viewing areas (the first that is enclosed with the floor-ceiling glass and the one over the wobbly bridge).

You can find the baby not too far from the mother.

Realizing I had spent over an hour on the trail, I headed over to Asia.

One of the Siamangs was having a ball swinging back and forth on the high wire.

Anyone up for a trip?

Here is another of the signs that looked refreshed.

The Komodo Dragon was walking around on the rocks - usually I just see the dragon sunning!

Tiger Forest coming up....

The tigers were quite lazy and all but one was sleeping.

The Elds Deer like to hang out in the far left corner of their area. You can find them in the same viewing spot as the Black Buck, Sarus Crane and the Ox.

The Aviary ----

I enjoyed my visit. Be sure to talk and ask questions of the animal keepers that are along the trails. They have lots of information to share. And, in the aviaries, they can usually point out a bird you may have missed.

Whenever I am wandering around Animal Kingdom, I always try to look for new species or better yet, little babies. I've been pretty fortunate over the years to see a number of the park's offspring. I've seen baby elephants, giraffes, spoonbills, gibbons and this time a baby West African Crowned Crane.

It took asking several Cast Members before one was able to identify the bird for me. I had taken digital photos in the morning and then showed them to Cast Members during the day. When you have animal or bird questions, try to find a Cast Member in a green shirt. They are usually the ones who work with the animals. Although on the Pangani Forest Exploration and Maharajah Jungle Trek trails, the Cast Members will sometimes be in costume.

Here are some photos of the 6 week old male West African Crowned Crane. You can find him in the Discovery Island trails. He's various shades of brown. I was told he would develop his "crown" and turn colors as he gets older. The 2 adults were very close to him and seemed to be watching things very closely!

The sign in Discovery Island (photo above) says:
"We live in flocks of a hundred or more,
When not in the breeding season.
And Stamp on the ground with our feet as we walk,
It seems odd but we have good reason.

We stamp on the ground to make the bugs jump,
Then eat them before they fall.
At sunrise we haid the start of the day,
With a powerful trumpeting call."

The Field Guide to Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park says this about the West African Crowned Crane: "Balearica pavonia - Highly social, pair off usually for life, assume joint responsibility with their mate for offspring".

You also may be able to find the West African Crowned Cranes during your Kilimajaro Safari Ride.

Additional information can be found at the following website:

Philadelphia Zoo

On April 22, 2008 Animal Kingdom theme park proudly turned 10 years young!

In conjuction with Walt Disney World and Animal Kingdom, the WDWCelebrations.com team hosted their 2nd anniversary event, A Wild Decade. You may recall these were the same folks that brought you Celebration 25 -honoring Epcot's 25 years in 2007.

Registration for the Wild Decade closed a few weeks prior at 400. Not too shabby considering the event was on a Tuesday!

Check-in began bright and early near the Animal Kingdom ticket booths. Then the lines to get into the park quickly developed.

Animal Kingdom offered just a few events to commemorate the birthday.
First, a Re-Dedication Ceremony at park opening, hosted by Erin Wallace, Joe Rohde and Jane Goodall.

After the ceremony, Animal Kingdom Vice President Val Bunting greeted guests at the Attraction Times board. The first photo is Adam Roth and Val. The next one is me with Val.

Then there was a very special opportunity to hear Joe Rohde speak in the Theatre in the Wild. He is quite the storyteller and it's easy to see why he is such a successful imagineer! His facial expressions really added to the talk.

Special thanks to Patty Cook, who I met at the talk, for the cool photographs of Joe.

We have the audio for listening.

Lastly, Joe was available for autographs and photographs from 1-2pm in the afternoon. Here is AllEars Team Member Linda Mac with Joe!

Soon it was time for the WDWCelebrations.com Wild Decade events to begin!

The Wild Decade had their first attraction meet of the day enjoying Finding Nemo the Musical. From there, it was on to Expedition Everest!

At 2pm, the now traditional History Walk took place. Prior to the walks beginning, there was a very special visit by Animal Kingdom Vice President Val Bunting. Not only did she speak with the Wild Decade group, she entertained a few questions from the crowd and then stayed on for photo ops and even some pin trading. I asked Val about future attractions and new animal species that may be coming to the park. She replied with the standard Disney answer... we're always looking at new opportunities.....etc etc! In otherwords, no special announcements on April 22nd!

Attendees were split into 2 groups for the History Walk, one led by John C and one by Tom Corless. I attended Tom's walk and really enjoyed it. I even learned a few new things that I can share with friends on our next adventure to the park!! To the WDWCelebrations Team - kudos on the history talk!!!

Next, the folks at Animal Kingdom reserved 2 of the areas at the Flame Tree BBQ for Wild Decade Attendees to use for dinner. That really worked well. People were able to mingle and have some down time together. It was VERY nice.

At about 6:15pm, most of us having now been in the park almost 12 hours, I was starting to get tired. There were 2 events I still wanted to get to....but made the decision to forgo the last meet on Dinosaur!

We gathered outside DinoLand USA for a presentation. The Wild Decade organizers, led by 17-year-old Adam Roth, presented a $500 check to author Lou Mongello (The Walt Disney World Trivia Book) to go to the Dream Team charity he has established, which benefits terminally ill children through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Afterwards we posed for a group photo that was a lot of fun to organize.

Larger Wild Decade Group Photo Image

Soon it wsa time to say goodbyes. The day went WAY too fast but the memories will last a long time.

Thanks to Val Bunting, Joe Rohde, the Cast Members who helped create Animal Kingdom and those that have worked there over the years, the WDWCelebrations team and all the attendees who made this a wonderful day.

Their next event, a World Wide Weekend will be held in late September. Registration is already open. I'll be there, will you?

Saturday was spent with a family who I've known for several years. Bonny and Andrew have a special daughter named MJ who is featured (page 246) in the PassPorters Open Mouse for Walt Disney World and the Disney Cruise Line book I co-authored.

MJ is a 7 year old girl with multiple disabities including Right Cerebral Cortex Polymicrogyria, autism, epilepsy, fetal alcohol syndrome disorder; to name a few. Her language is limited to single words and some sign language, but spending a day with her is a special treat beyond words. It's been amazing over the years to see what her many many trips to Disney parks has done to help her become more alive, more verbal.

Our day began with breakfast at Cape May Cafe. MJ is fed only by a feeding tube and therefore does not eat or drink. She does enjoy Character Meals. She also enjoys cutting food while the rest of us eat.

Today was a celebration of MJ's birthday (which is later this week). Minnie was the first to wish her a Happy Birthday.

Dale stopped by for some chair dancing with MJ.

After breakfast we headed to Animal Kingdom. We were still in the Oasis when we realized it was time for White Spoonbill eggs. In the photo below, one Spoonbill had just moved away from sitting on the eggs and another came over and turned them around. About this time, All Ears team member Linda Mac joined us!

Being in a park with MJ is not your typical day in a park. It's a slow stroll with her pointing to various parts of the park that she wants to visit. Her mom will ask, Do you want to go to Planet Watch? and she will either motion or speak, yes or no. And believe me, she knows the names of everything in the park!

Along the way, we encountered Terk. MJ just LOVES to rub Terk's belly!

Next was the Wildlife Express Train to Rafiki's Planet Watch.

MJ loves all the hands on items and especially being able to pet the animals. "Touch, touch", is what she says about the rabbit below.

She was also quite fascinated with the cage the rabbit traveled in.

Soon Jiminy Cricket appeared..... It was amazing that he had no line of folks waiting to see him. He took the opportunity to spend extra time with MJ. She was showing him the bird's nest that had 3 babies in it.

And I couldn't resist the chance for a photo-op with Jiminy!

Next up was lunch at Flame Tree BBQ. I had a Turkey Sandwich on a multi-grain roll. And while the roll was on the dry side, it must be low on the glycemic index as just a low dose of insulin took care of it!

After lunch, we planned to see Finding Nemo the Musical. However, MJ had about had enough of the crowds so we headed back to her house.

One of MJ's friends gave her a Belle dress for her birthday! Here she is modeling for us.

Here is MJ with LindaMac, whom she called "Mac" and her dog Coco.

MJ and Deb just hanging out.

A wonderful day had come to an end and it was time to head back to the resort. Originally I was going to call it a night, but then realized I was very hungry. LindaMac said she could eat also and we managed to get a resservation for Narcoossee's at the Grand Floridian for 6:15pm. We could just make it.... A great dinner and server and company......Saturday came to an end.

Tomorrow...my day with NO plans at all! WOW!

This is the 3rd in a series of Blogs celebrating Animal Kingdom's 10th Anniversary in April.
Part 1 shared my original trip report from the Cast Previews.

Part 2 talked about A Wild Decade celebration by the wdwcelebrations.com team.

This blog shares Anita Answer's initial thoughts about Animal Kingdom, from 1998. She was able to visit Animal Kingdom as part of the WDW Resort Guest Special Previews.

March 23, 1998 -- Animal Kingdom at last!

I had originally planned to go to Animal Kingdom (AK) at opening (7 am!) but decided to sleep in for a little while instead. At last I'm on my way zipping down World Drive and then Buena Vista with the windows down and the radio going.

I pulled into the AK parking booth, and the CM asked to see my ticket. Apparently they're enforcing the "you must buy your ticket at your resort" rule. Once in the lot, the road circumvents the entire lot to the south and you pull into the rows from the opposite side of the lot. (Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?) None of the rows had been numbered yet, but the section signs were up. I knew I was in Unicorn, but didn't know the row--which is very dangerous in a rental car! I fished around in my backpack for a bandanna to tie on my antenna, but all I could come up with was a clothes pin. I was off to the tram. The tram lets you off about 50 feet from the entrance.

To the left is the Rainforest Cafe, complete with man-made waterfall. The entrance itself is reminiscent of Typhoon Lagoon. Once inside, I was trying to keep one eye on the map and one eye on all the wonderful scenery, and eventually, I had to give up on the map.

You enter into an area called "the Oasis" which is full of little paths, small animals, trickling brooks, etc. This opens up to Safari Village, sort of the Hub of AK. Safari Village is brightly painted and just gorgeous, but consists mostly of souvenir shops from what I could tell. Directly in front of me was the incredible Tree of Life. You can stand and look at that tree all day, and still see something new each time. Whoever designed it is a genius.

Off to the right is the path to DinoLand and Asia, which isn't open yet. I saw some of the construction of Asia from the boat ride and from the bridge leading to it--it's going to be breathtaking.

I took a right turn into DinoLand. The first thing you see is the Boneyard--this is going to be a fun place for kids! Lots of tubes, chutes, rope ladders, and hidey-holes. A seven year-old's dream playground. The Restaurantosaurus is off to the right (serves McDonald's foods.) The theming is really nifty--it looks just like a thrown-together basecamp for Paleontologists; right down to the Airstream trailer.

Countdown to Extinction (CTX) is directly ahead on the path. You enter through what looks like a museum. Some of the displays were not yet working, though. From there, you go into a room with a replica of a (whatever-saurus.) There's a preshow here, but the lines were so short, I never did catch it on any of my three rides on CTX. From there, you go down into the next pre-show area, where you are shown a short film which ostensibly explains about your time-travelling vehicle and where you're going. From there, you go to the loading area.

The vehicles are the same as the Indy ride at DL. In several spots, the ride is in pitch black, so I assume that some of the effects aren't running yet. The ride is mechanically better than Indy, but Indy's theming is MUCH better. Maybe CTX's theming will be better once it's 100% on line, but for now it's not as good.

From there, I went on the Safari Village-to-Africa portion of the River boat ride, which oddly loads from the edge of DinoLand. There are some very cool rock formations; my favorite of which was Crocodile Falls; followed by Dragon Rocks. I'm not sure why they put the two so close together as there isn't much else to see on the boat ride.

As you near Harambe, the African village, there are some geysers like those at Big Thunder Mountain RailRoad at the Magic Kingdom. Harambe's theming looks just like a backwater African village. Most of the village is, you guessed it, souvenir shops, but there's a wonderful restaurant called Tusker House. It's kind of hidden, so you have to look for the entrance. Tusker's has a great bakery that you can access from an outside queue as well. Try the chocolate chip cookies..mmmm.

In Harambe, you enter the queue for Kilimanjaro Safaris (KS). The queue winds through the KS offices, complete with ringing phone, travel brochures, etc. The latter part of the queue sets up the lame-o poachers story via video. The safari is taken on large vehicles, which are free driving, not on a track. The "roads" are really cool--the truck tracks in the cement "mud" and even some rock paintings.

The landscaping is so incredible, it's hard to believe that two years ago this was just Florida swampland. They added hills, rocks and African foliage, and it all looks like it's been there for hundreds of years. I saw lots of animals, including giraffes, ostriches, elephants, vultures (!) and hippos on my first trip.

From the Safari, I went on the gorilla walk, which was very disappointing. Although the landscaping is breathtaking, I only saw one baby gorilla from the back and only for a fleeting second. Doh!

Next, I took the train to Conservation Station (CS) . The ride is very very boring, and Conservation Station is pretty boring as well. CS is like a very small Epcot pavilion with interactive kiosks. There is a small petting zoo with the obligatory baby goats, as well. I don't think I spent more than 5 minutes here before walking back to the train station for the return ride. I sure hope they plan on putting more attractions here, because if this is it, they're going to have a slew of cranky guests once the crowds and long lines descend!

I left Harambe, and followed the path from Africa to Asia. I stopped (yet again) to take a look at the Tree of Life from this side, and took some pictures. I had planned to hop the river boat Africa-to-Safari Village leg, but the ride was down, and no explanation was given.

Instead, I peeked at the construction going on in Asia, keeping one eye on the river boat queue house, which can be seen from the Asian bridge. I overheard two managers saying one of the boats was caught on something, and they were going to use another boat to get it free, so I figured that might take awhile and I gave up waiting around.

I decided to continue my loop of the park and headed back toward Dinoland, intending to ride Countdown to Extinction again. On the way, I spotted a beautifully painted restaurant on the banks of the river, which had carved stone animals and small ponds, waterfalls, etc. There were lots of outdoor tables so I strolled down by the water to sit and rest for a while. There, right in front of me was the stuck boat, and sure enough, another boat was ramming it over and over to get it unstuck. I watched until the boat was free at last, but they still didn't open the ride. I had just enough time to grab some popcorn and diet coke before I had to meet friends at the Tree of Life entrance.

I sat on a bench with my snack and a manager with a clipboard and a Newton asked if he could ask me some questions about the park. After he asked me the requisite questions, we chatted a bit about the park, and how wonderful this opportunity was to see it before it gets crowded. There is so much detail here--I was especially impressed with the mosaics inlaid in the sidewalks all over the park. The mosaic was the best part, IMO, of Conservation Station. The manager and I agreed that once this park filled up, no one would notice these little touches, and we were lucky to get to see them now.

I decided to see if I could get into the 1:00 Lion King show, and I almost did it...they closed the queue with only 3 people in front of me! Doh!

So, I investigated Camp Minnie-Mickey, which is very cute. It's themed like a national park a la the Wilderness Lodge. There are several character greeting areas and lots of colorful character statuettes around the area. I walked back over to Dinoland, and looked at the theming a bit more closely--still very cool! I rode CTX again, and then poked around in the shops. I played with some Dino Beanies in a giftshop, and then went to meet my friend.

My friend was waiting at the appointed place and after big hugs, we took the Safari, where we saw even more animals than I had seen earlier. We skipped the Gorilla Walk and strolled around Harambe. We took a few pictures and a passing cast member was kind enough to take our picture together.

After that, we took the now-open boat ride from Africa around to Safari Village/Dinoland. From the boat, you can get a really good look at the Asia construction going on. The boat Cast Member told us that they were going to start bringing small animals on board each boat for a bit of wildlife lore, since there really isn't much to see on the boat rides yet. The Africa-Safari Village leg had even less to see than the Safari Village - Africa side.

We debarked at Dinoland and rode CTX again. Afterwards, it was about 4:20, so we decided to see if we could get into the 4:30 show of Festival of the Lion King; the last show before the park closed at 5:00 pm. We got in with no trouble at all. The show was cute, but, hey--it's no Hunchback, ya know? ;-) all the costumes were there with the exception of 3 missing headdresses on various folks.

After the Festival of the Lion King show, the park was closing and they ushered us out of the park. We reluctantly walked back to the tram (especially me, because I knew I was headed for the airport. ;-( ) The tram took us back to our be-clothespinned vehicle, and away we went.

In my first blog on Animal Kingdom circa 1998, I shared with you my initial trip report as well as some photos from the Cast Previews in March of that year.

I also told you that in this blog, I would share information about a special 10th Anniversary Celebration taking place at Animal Kingdom on April 22, 2008; it's called A Wild Decade!.

This event is not an official Disney event, but it is done in cooperation with Walt Disney World's Animal Kingdom managers.

Do you remember my blogs about Epcot's 25th Anniversary Celebration and the group that held a 2 day celebration in the park?

Well that group, WDWCelebrations.com is the same one hosting - Animal Kingdom's 10th Anniversary!

While they never really intended to do anything else as they planned for Celebration 25 at Epcot, the feedback they received afterwards led them to continue down the path of hosting events.

With a new website, the new WDWCelebrations Team is planning at least one event per year for the foreseeable future. I recently had the opportunity to speak with the team comprised of: Adam Roth, Jason Diffendal, Jackie Steele, John Coriglinao and Tom Corless.

Adam spoke about how important the relationships with Disney management were to the success of the previous event, “It had never really been done before. So to let the relationship sit and waste away, would be wasting a good thing. We are working with Disney on the 10th anniversrary for Animal Kingdom. It’s nice to have the reassurance that what we are doing is approved."

Will they surpass their Celebration 25 registration of approximately 800 attendees (representing 6 countries and 28 states) ? That's not a concern; their focus is producing a quality experience for all participants. Right now there are just over 100 registered persons for A Wild Decade..

The team developed quite an extensive email list from their Epcot event last fall and already have sent out several newsletters talking about the "A Wild Decade" event as well as an event later this year.

Jason went on to explain: "We sent out a Press Release to a small number of webmasters of Disney sites to get word out about our Wild Decade event. Jackie, Tom and I are spearheading the creation of a set of standards for sponsors and partners of the website and event." The team is available for interviews and podcast guest appearances.

John did confirm he will be doing a history walk, or more like a History Hike. "It won’t be as long as the Epcot one. It should be about a 60-90 minutes."

While Epcot's Celebration 25 encompassed 2 full days of events, the "A Wild Decade" will be limited to a one day event, April 22nd. In addition to the History Hike, the group plans to experience Finding Nemo: The Musical and also Expedition Everest together. They are trying to plan a group meal and are exploring options at Animal Kingdom.

The WDWCelebrations team has also been careful to leave a great deal of flex in the schedule should Walt Disney World plan something for the anniversary!

The sky's the limit with these gentleman as Adam explained, "I can’t guarantee we’ll be celebrating Epcot’s 50th, but I can say we have looked at our schedule for several years into the future. And Epcot’s 30th is one of notable mention."

Below is an excerpt from the WDWCelebrations Press Release about the Wild Decade Celebration!

WDWCelebrations.com - For Disney fans everywhere, this is the Internet’s newest and brightest source of special events and organized festivities. If you want to sample “the magic” with family, friends, or just like-minded Disneyphiles, come celebrate with us!

Announcing a breakthrough in the way people can appreciate and enjoy the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida; WDWCelebrations is a new fan-based organization aiming to bring Disney fans everywhere together for a variety of occasions, both big and small.

From the dedicated team that created the unique Celebration 25 event for the 25th anniversary of Epcot® in October 2007, WDWCelebrations aims to celebrate the past, present and future of Walt’s famous Orlando resort. The ‘World’ will never be the same again!

The website www.WDWCelebrations.com was launched in December 2007 as the Internet home for this new organization. And, in addition to providing information on upcoming WDWCelebrations events, the site will unveil a new calendar-based concept as a central repository about other notable dates and occasions from the rest of the Disney online community. A regular newsletter and RSS feed will also provide event news and updates to all subscribers, bringing “unity to the community” in ways not yet explored.

Walt Disney World has long been celebration central over its 36 years for everything from anniversaries to birthdays – but now there will be even more for its legion of fans to celebrate in 2008 and beyond, starting with the 10th anniversary of Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Park in April.

So, for news of official Disney celebrations, plus more individual events and festivities –including an annual WDWCelebrations fan gathering – log on to the essential website www.WDWCelebrations.com and stay in touch with all the magic!

“A Wild Decade”

WDWCelebrations is pleased to announce its first Commemorative Event, “A Wild Decade,” in honor of the 10th Anniversary of Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Park on April 22, 2008. Building on the success of Celebration 25, “A Wild Decade” will focus on unique experiences, including group rides, photos, meals, and other special events designed to bring Disney fans together to celebrate and enjoy each other’s company.

Just as all activities at Celebration 25 were approved by Epcot® management, WDWCelebrations is seeking approval by the management of Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Park for all activities scheduled for "A Wild Decade." WDWCelebrations hopes to provide a day of fun and memories marking this special occasion.

And “A Wild Decade” will be just the first of many events under the WDWCelebrations banner, as plans are already in the works for an annual Signature Event in September and more Commemorative Events marking milestones in Walt Disney World history in the future.

The entire Press Release can be found at the WDWCelebrations.com website.

I plan to be in Animal Kingdom on April 22nd! Will you?

Next time we'll look at Anita Answer's memories of her first visit in 1998!

Can you believe it? I can still vividly remember the March day in 1998 that I spent in Animal Kingdom during Cast Previews.... it was amazing!

Ever since that first day, I have been in love with the park and try to get there whenever I can. It's the first time I have been able to see a Disney themepark evolve from the very beginning, well at least from a visitor's perspective!

In honor of Animal Kingdom's 10th Anniversary, I plan to do a series of blogs about the park.

For this blog, we'll go back in time to the March 9,1998, Cast Previews:

Here is the report I filed upon returning home from that incredible experience!

Where do I Begin??!!

On Monday March 9th, I had the distinct pleasure of attending one of the Cast Member Preview Days at Animal Kingdom. Not only was the weather better than expected, but the park surpassed all my expectations.

First, this is a PARK! Yes, a theme park, but a PARK! There are lots of places to sit (tho more benches are desperately needed in some areas), lots and lots of vegitation and plantings, lots of quiet areas to view animals, lots of things to look at for long periods of time. It is not a park for the Commando Tourist who wants to check everything off a list by noon!

Some initial thoughts and impressions.....

WOW WOW WOW! That's all I kept saying! This Place is awesome!

The Tree of Life is magnificant! There really are NO words to describe it..... Once you see it for yourself, you'll know what I mean. Each time you look at it you see more and different carvings! There are supposedly over 360 carvings throughout the entire tree (and that includes the trunk, branches and roots), as well as some Hidden Mickeys (that I could not find, but are hidden in the moss). The roots of the Tree of Life outline the cue area for the 3D bug movie which opens in April! The tree is something to look at and enjoy and savor. It is quite moving!

This park is about saving the environment; there are no drink lids or straws. I recommend you bring water bottles and/or refillable mugs to pour your drinks into!

Lockers! Are in several park locations. The ones in the front are $2 which is supposed to get you unlimited access through out the day.

One other note, the food is EXPENSIVE even by Disney standards. Two of us had BBQ for lunch: Smoked Turkey sandwich, veggie sandwich, 1 order of fries, 2 orders of baked beans, and 2 soft drinks was $25.00! That is WAY overpriced to me!

The Kilimanjaro Safari is a wonderful 20 minute ride. The audio was hard to follow ...it sets the scene for poachers to attack near the end of the ride...I eventually tuned it out to savor my surroundings. You are quickly brought into the landscape built by imagineers and forget you are in Florida. It is a BUMPY ride! Photography is tough to do but can be done! There are no visible fences..... I felt like I was on a real safari (but never have been so I can't compare). The jeeps are 8 feet above ground and open and with a top cover. We saw a number of animals which were outstanding! Both a white Rhino and 2 zebras walked in front of our jeep.

Countdown to Extinction --

A Super fun ride which is VERY bumpy and jerky! It lasts only 3.5 minutes. Lines will form quickly for this one...so see it early! The inside que area has Diaramas that light up 2 panels at a time -- telling the story of creation. The que area .... Once through that section, you stand in a small Orientation Room where Phylicia Rashad entertains you by setting the stage. You then go into the vehicle loading area. 4 across (minimum height is 47 inches), with lap belts. It IS JERKY! (Did I say that already?). It is a dark ride with lots of loud noises...parents please use caution with your children.

The Festival of the Lion King at the Campside Circle in Camp Mickey and Minnie was absolutely outstanding! Folks stood and applauded as the 30 minute show came to an end. Outstanding tumblers, singers and dancers.....beautiful floats of Simba, Pumba, a Girafe and Elephant! This show rocks! Clap your hands, sing aloud and enjoy the music from the Lion King including: Just Can't Wait to Be King, Hakuna Matata, Be Prepared, Can You Feel the Love Tonight, Circle of Life, Lion Sleeps Tonight and a Reprise. The theatre in the round seats about 1,000.

And that ends my report on the Cast Preview Day at Animal Kingdom.

All photos on this page were taken in 1998, the year Animal Kingdom opened. If they look a little fuzzy to you, we were still using film then and so these photos have been scanned.

Next time I'll tell you about a special 10th Anniversary Celebration that's being planned by the same folks that brought you Epcot's 25th Anniversary Celebration!

Friday really was an incredibly magical day. I already shared with you the baby Spoonbills I watched at Animal Kingdom....just amazing.

The day actually began earlier at the Wilderness Lodge, where we had the privilege of attending a flag ceremony on the roof of the Lodge. The cool breeze stood the flags out in a colorful array. I had not been on the roof in about 10 years and the views were as incredible as I remembered. Cast Member Jack was just wonderful and made it a very special experience!

Ok, back to Animal Kingdom... The park was pretty crowded when I arrived 10:30ish. I was in the Dinosaur section. Do you ever feel like you must have a sign on your car that says "Put me in the farthest parking space possible.. oh and please give the folks in front of me close parking spaces" LOL So I was wayyyyyy down the end of Dinosaur. I realized just how crowded it was when there was a back up to get on the tram. As one filled, there were just as many folks waiting in the lot for the next one.

The baby Spoonbill I showed you yesterday....well, they are in the very front viewing area as you enter Animal Kingdom. There were actually 2 Spoonbills nesting with babies. The mom on the left had 2 little ones; you saw a photo of one. The spoonbill on the right had 1 baby that had been born in within the last 12 hours and also had another one coming out of the egg.

Animal Kingdom was celebrating Earth Day and had exhibits set up in each land, geared towards teaching kids more about the environment.

As I headed to Pizzafari for some lunch, I saw dear friends of mine, MJ, Bonny and Andrew! A great surprise. While at lunch I met a woman who thanked me for co-writing Passporter's WDW for Your Special Needs. She said she never imagined they'd be able to do a trip to Walt Disney World and the book gave her the courage to do so! They were having a really good time!!!"

Off to the Kilimajaro Safari... MJ stays in her wheelchair and so we went to that part of the queue line. There was a very long wait, but that was ok, it gave us a more opportunity to talk!

On the Kilimanjaro Safari ride, we saw real eggs belonging to the Flamingos. The 6 month old giraffe is now gliding more confidently along the savannah and everywhere I looked, it seemed as though there were young ones... very exciting!!!

I headed off to do some resort research and then returned to the room to get ready for dinner. Another wonderful meal at California Grill. I'll be writing more about that for a feature article in AllEars.

Deb

Life, IT too short!

Today, Friday, is our first full day at Walt Disney World. It's been an amazing day that I can't wait to share with you as soon as I have time to write.

But I do want to share this precious photo... It is a 1-2 day old baby African Spoonbill who lives in the Oasis at Animal Kingdom.